selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第6部分

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couples；　and　his　experience　in　such　matters　carried　the　day。
There　were　only　many　kisses；　expectant　kisses。

Suddenly　Rachel　choked；　and　began　to　cough　until　the　tears　came
into　her　eyes；　while　smoke　came　through　her　nostrils。　Under
pretense　of　kissing　her；　the　count　had　blown　a　whiff　of　tobacco
into　her　mouth。　She　did　not　fly　into　a　rage；　and　did　not　say　a
word；　but　she　looked　at　her　possessor　with　latent　hatred　in　her
dark　eyes。

They　sat　down　to　dinner。　The　commandant　seemed　delighted；　he　made
Pamela　sit　on　his　right；　and　Blondina　on　his　left；　and　said；　as
he　unfolded　his　table　napkin：　〃That　was　a　delightful　idea　of
yours；　captain。〃

Lieutenants　Otto　and　Fritz；　who　were　as　polite　as　if　they　had
been　with　fashionable　ladies；　rather　intimidated　their　neighbors；
but　Baron　von　Kelweinstein　gave　the　reins　to　all　his　vicious
propensities；　beamed；　made　doubtful　remarks；　and　seemed　on　fire
with　his　crown　of　red　hair。　He　paid　them　compliments　in　French
from　the　other　side　of　the　Rhine；　and　sputtered　out　gallant
remarks；　only　fit　for　a　low　pot…house；　from　between　his　two
broken　teeth。

They　did　not　understand　him；　however；　and　their　intelligence　did
not　seem　to　be　awakened　until　he　uttered　nasty　words　and　broad
expressions；　which　were　mangled　by　his　accent。　Then　all　began　to
laugh　at　once；　like　mad　women；　and　fell　against　each　other；
repeating　the　words；　which　the　baron　then　began　to　say　all　wrong；
in　order　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　hearing　them　say
doubtful　things。　They　gave　him　as　much　of　that　stuff　as　he
wanted；　for　they　were　drunk　after　the　first　bottle　of　wine；　and；
becoming　themselves　once　more；　and　opening　the　door　to　their
usual　habits；　they　kissed　the　mustaches　on　the　right　and　left　of
them；　pinched　their　arms；　uttered　furious　cries；　drank　out　of
every　glass；　and　sang　French　couplets；　and　bits　of　German　songs；
which　they　had　picked　up　in　their　daily　intercourse　with　the
enemy。

Soon　the　men　themselves；　intoxicated　by　that　which　was　displayed
to　their　sight　and　touch；　grew　very　amorous；　shouted　and　broke
the　plates　and　dishes；　while　the　soldiers　behind　them　waited　on
them　stolidly。　The　commandant　was　the　only　one　who　put　any
restraint　upon　himself。

Mademoiselle　Fifi　had　taken　Rachel　on　to　his　knees；　and；　getting
excited；　at　one　moment　kissed　the　little　black　curls　on　her　neck；
inhaling　the　pleasant　warmth　of　her　body；　and　all　the　savor　of
her　person；　through　the　slight　space　there　was　between　her　dress
and　her　skin；　and　at　another　pinched　her　furiously　through　the
material；　and　made　her　scream；　for　he　was　seized　with　a　species
of　ferocity；　and　tormented　by　his　desire　to　hurt　her。　He　often
held　her　close　to　him；　as　if　to　make　her　part　of　himself；　and　put
his　lips　in　a　long　kiss　on　the　Jewess's　rosy　mouth；　until　she
lost　her　breath；　and　at　last　he　bit　her　until　a　stream　of　blood
ran　down　her　chin　and　on　to　her　bodice。

For　the　second　time；　she　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　and　as　she
bathed　the　wound；　she　said：　〃You　will　have　to　pay　for　that！〃

But　he　merely　laughed　a　hard　laugh；　and　said：　〃I　will　pay。〃

At　dessert；　champagne　was　served；　and　the　commandant　rose；　and　in
the　same　voice　in　which　he　would　have　drunk　to　the　health　of　the
Empress　Augusta；　he　drank：　〃To　our　ladies！〃　Then　a　series　of
toasts　began；　toasts　worthy　of　the　lowest　soldiers　and　of
drunkards；　mingled　with　filthy　jokes；　which　were　made　still　more
brutal　by　their　ignorance　of　the　language。　They　got　up；　one　after
the　other；　trying　to　say　something　witty；　forcing　themselves　to
be　funny；　and　the　women；　who　were　so　drunk　that　they　almost　fell
off　their　chairs；　with　vacant　looks　and　clammy　tongues；　applauded
madly　each　time。

The　captain；　who　no　doubt　wished　to　impart　an　appearance　of
gallantry　to　the　orgy；　raised　his　glass　again；　and　said：　〃To　our
victories　over　hearts！〃　Thereupon　Lieutenant　Otto；　who　was　a
species　of　bear　from　the　Black　Forest；　jumped　up；　inflamed　and
saturated　with　drink；　and　seized　by　an　access　of　alcoholic
patriotism；　cried：　〃To　our　victories　over　France！〃

Drunk　as　they　were；　the　women　were　silent；　and　Rachel　turned
round　with　a　shudder；　and　said：　〃Look　here；　I　know　some
Frenchmen；　in　whose　presence　you　would　not　dare　to　say　that。〃　But
the　little　count；　still　holding　her　on　his　knees；　began　to　laugh；
for　the　wine　had　made　him　very　merry；　and　said：　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　I
have　never　met　any　of　them；　myself。　As　soon　as　we　show　ourselves；
they　run　away！〃

The　girl；　who　was　in　a　terrible　rage；　shouted　into　his　face：　〃You
are　lying；　you　dirty　scoundrel！〃

For　a　moment；　he　looked　at　her　steadily；　with　his　bright　eyes
upon　her；　as　he　had　looked　at　the　portrait　before　he　destroyed　it
with　revolver　bullets；　and　then　he　began　to　laugh：　〃Ah！　yes；　talk
about　them；　my　dear！　Should　we　be　here　now；　if　they　were　brave？〃
Then　getting　excited；　he　exclaimed：　〃We　are　the　masters！　France
belongs　to　us！〃　She　jumped　off　his　knees　with　a　bound；　and　threw
herself　into　her　chair；　while　he　rose；　held　out　his　glass　over
the　table；　and　repeated：　〃France　and　the　French；　the　woods；　the
fields；　and　the　houses　of　France　belong　to　us！〃

The　others；　who　were　quite　drunk；　and　who　were　suddenly　seized　by
military　enthusiasm；　the　enthusiasm　of　brutes；　seized　their
glasses；　and　shouting；　〃Long　live　Prussia！〃　emptied　them　at　a
draught。

The　girls　did　not　protest；　for　they　were　reduced　to　silence；　and
were　afraid。　Even　Rachel　did　not　say　a　word；　as　she　had　no　reply
to　make；　and　then　the　little　count　put　his　champagne　glass；　which
had　just　been　refilled；　on　to　the　head　of　the　Jewess；　and
exclaimed：　〃All　the　women　in　France　belong　to　us；　also！〃

At　that　she　got　up　so　quickly　that　the　glass　upset；　spilling　the
amber　colored　wine　on　to　her　black　hair　as　if　to　baptize　her；　and
broke　into　a　hundred　fragments　as　it　fell　on　to　the　floor。　With
trembling　lips；　she　defied　the　looks　of　the　officer；　who　was
still　laughing；　and　she　stammered　out；　in　a　voice　choked　with
rage：　〃Thatthatthatis　not　true；for　you　shall　certainly
not　have　any　French　women。〃

He　sat　down　again；　so　as　to　laugh　at　his　ease；　and　trying
ineffectually　to　speak　in　the　Parisian　accent；　he　said：　〃That　is
good；　very　good！　Then　what　did　you　come　here　for；　my　dear？〃

She　was　thunderstruck；　and　made　no　reply　for　a　moment；　for　in　her
agitation　she　did　not　understand　him　at　first；　but　as　soon　as　she
grasped　his　meaning；　she　said　to　him　indignantly　and　vehemently：
〃I！　I！　I　am　not　a　woman；　I　am　only　a　strumpet；　and　that　is　all
that　Prussians　want。〃

Almost　before　she　had　finished；　he　slapped　her　full　in　her　face；
but　as　he　was　raising　his　hand　again　as　if　he　would　strike　her；
she；　almost　mad　with　passion；　took　up　a　small　dessert　knife　from
the　table；　and　stabbed　him　right　in　the　neck；　just　above　the
breastbone。　Something　that　he　was　going　to　say；　was　cut　short　in
his　throat；　and　he　sat　there；　with　his　mouth　half　open；　and　a
terrible　look　in　his　eyes。

All　the　officers　shouted　in　horror；　and　leaped　up　tumultuously；
but　throwing　her　chair　between　Lieutenant　Otto's　legs；　who　fell
down　at　full　length；　she　ran　to　the　window；　opened　it　before　they
could　seize　her；　and　jumped　out　into　the　night　and　pouring　rain。

In　two　minutes；　Mademoiselle　Fifi　was　dead。　Fritz　and　Otto　drew
their　swords　and　wanted　to　kill　the　women；　who　threw　themselves
at　their　feet　and　clung　to　their　knees。　With　some　difficulty　the
major　stopped　the　slaughter；　and　had　the　four　terrified　girls
locked　up　in　a　room　under　the　care　of　two　soldiers。　Then　he
organized　the　pursuit　of　the　fugitive；　as　carefully　as　if　he　were
about　to　engage　in　a　skirmish；　feeling　quite　sure　that　she　would
be　caught。

The　table；　which　had　been　cleared　immediately；　now　served　as　a
bed　on　which　to　lay　Fifi　out；　and　the　four　officers　made　for　the
window；　rigid　and　sobered；　with　the　stern　faces　of　soldiers　on
duty；　and　tried　to　pierce　through　the　darkness　of　the　night；　amid
the　steady　torrent　of　rain。　Suddenly；　a　shot　was　heard；　and　then
another；　a　long　way　off；　and　for　four　hours　they　heard；　from　time
to　time；　near　or　distant　reports　and　rallying　cries；　strange
words　uttered　as　a　call；　in　guttural　voices。

In　the　morning　they　all　returned。　Two　soldiers　had　been　killed
and　three　others　wounded　by　their　comrades　in　the　ardor　of　that
chase；　and　in　the　confusion　of　such　a　nocturnal　pursuit；　but　they
had　not　caught　Rachel。

Then　the　inhabitants　of　the　district　were　terrorized；　the　houses
were　turned　topsy…turvy；　the　country　was　scoured　and　beaten　up；
over　and　over　again；　but　the　Jewess　did　not　seem　to　have　left　a
single　trace　of　her　passage　behind　her。

When　the　general　was　told　of　it；　he　gave　orders　to　hush　up　the
affair；　so　as　not　to　set　a　bad　example　to　the　army；　but　he
severely　censured　the　commandant；　who　in　turn　punished　his
inferiors。　The　general　had　said：　〃One　does　not　go　to　war　in　order
to　amuse　oneself；　and　to　caress　prostitutes。〃　And　Graf　von
Farlsberg；　in　his　exasperation；　made　up　his　mind　to　have　his
revenge　on　the　district；　but　as　he　required　a　pretext　for　showing
severity；　he　sent　for　the　priest　and　ordered　him　to　have　the　bell
tolled　at　the　funeral　of　Count　von　Eyrick。

Contrary　to　all　expectation；　the　priest　showed　himself　humble　and
most　respectful；　and　when　Mademoiselle　Fifi's　body　left　the
Chateau　d'Urville　on　its　way　to　the　cemetery；　carried　by
soldiers；　preceded；　surrounded；　and　followed　by　soldiers；　who
marched　with　loaded　rifles；　for　the　first　time　the　bell　sounded
its　funereal　knell　in　a　lively　manner；　as　if　a　friendly　hand　were
caressing　it。　At　night　it　sounded　again；　and　the　next　day；　and
every　day；　it　rang　as　much　as　anyone　could　desire。　Sometimes
even；　it　would　start　at　night；　and　sound　gently　through　the
darkness；　seized　by　strange　joy；　awakened；　one　could　not　tell
why。　All　the　peasants　in　the　neighborhood　declared　that　it　was
bewitched；　and　nobody；　except　the　priest　and　the　sacristan　would
now　go　near　the　church　tower；　and　they　went　because　a　poor　girl
was　living　there　in　grief　and　solitude；　secretly　nourished　by
those　two　men。

She　remained　there　until　the　German　troops　departed；　and　then　one
evening　the　priest　borrowed　the　baker's　cart；　and　himself　drove
his　prisoner　to　Rouen。　When　they　got　there；