original short stories-13-第2章

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Mother　Magloire　was　thoughtful；　and　did　not　sleep　at　all　that　night；　in
fact；　for　four　days　she　was　in　a　fever　of　hesitation。　　She　suspected　that
there　was　something　underneath　the　offer　which　was　not　to　her　advantage；
but　then　the　thought　of　thirty　crowns　a　month；　of　all　those　coins
clinking　in　her　apron；　falling　to　her；　as　it　were；　from　the　skies；
without　her　doing　anything　for　it；　aroused　her　covetousness。

She　went　to　the　notary　and　told　him　about　it。　　He　advised　her　to　accept
Chicot's　offer；　but　said　she　ought　to　ask　for　an　annuity　of　fifty　instead
of　thirty；　as　her　farm　was　worth　sixty　thousand　francs　at　the　lowest
calculation。

〃If　you　live　for　fifteen　years　longer；〃　he　said；　〃even　then　he　will　only
have　paid　forty…five　thousand　francs　for　it。〃

The　old　woman　trembled　with　joy　at　this　prospect　of　getting　fifty　crowns
a　month；　but　she　was　still　suspicious；　fearing　some　trick；　and　she
remained　a　long　time　with　the　lawyer　asking　questions　without　being　able
to　make　up　her　mind　to　go。　　At　last　she　gave　him　instructions　to　draw　up
the　deed　and　returned　home　with　her　head　in　a　whirl；　just　as　if　she　had
drunk　four　jugs　of　new　cider。

When　Chicot　came　again　to　receive　her　answer　she　declared；　after　a　lot　of
persuading；　that　she　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　agree　to　his　proposal；
though　she　was　all　the　time　trembling　lest　he　should　not　consent　to　give
the　fifty　crowns；　but　at　last；　when　he　grew　urgent；　she　told　him　what　she
expected　for　her　farm。

He　looked　surprised　and　disappointed　and　refused。

Then；　in　order　to　convince　him；　she　began　to　talk　about　the　probable
duration　of　her　life。

〃I　am　certainly　not　likely　to　live　more　than　five　or　six　years　longer。
I　am　nearly　seventy…three；　and　far　from　strong；　even　considering　my　age。
The　other　evening　I　thought　I　was　going　to　die；　and　could　hardly　manage
to　crawl　into　bed。〃

But　Chicot　was　not　going　to　be　taken　in。

〃Come；　come；　old　lady；　you　are　as　strong　as　the　church　tower；　and　will
live　till　you　are　a　hundred　at　least；　you　will　no　doubt　see　me　put　under
ground　first。〃

The　whole　day　was　spent　in　discussing　the　money；　and　as　the　old　woman
would　not　give　in；　the　innkeeper　consented　to　give　the　fifty　crowns；　and
she　insisted　upon　having　ten　crowns　over　and　above　to　strike　the　bargain。

Three　years　passed　and　the　old　dame　did　not　seem　to　have　grown　a　day
older。　　Chicot　was　in　despair；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he　had　been
paying　that　annuity　for　fifty　years；　that　he　had　been　taken　in；　done；
ruined。　　From　time　to　time　he　went　to　see　the　old　lady；　just　as　one　goes
in　July　to　see　when　the　harvest　is　likely　to　begin。　　She　always　met　him
with　a　cunning　look；　and　one　might　have　supposed　that　she　was
congratulating　herself　on　the　trick　she　had　played　him。　　Seeing　how　well
and　hearty　she　seemed　he　very　soon　got　into　his　buggy　again；　growling　to
himself：

〃Will　you　never　die；　you　old　hag？〃

He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　he　felt　inclined　to　strangle　her　when　he
saw　her。　　He　hated　her　with　a　ferocious；　cunning　hatred；　the　hatred　of　a
peasant　who　has　been　robbed；　and　began　to　cast　about　for　some　means　of
getting　rid　of　her。

One　day　he　came　to　see　her　again；　rubbing　his　hands　as　he　did　the　first
time　he　proposed　the　bargain；　and；　after　having　chatted　for　a　few
minutes；　he　said：

〃Why　do　you　never　come　and　have　a　bit　of　dinner　at　my　place　when　you　are
in　Spreville？　　The　people　are　talking　about　it；　and　saying　we　are　not　on
friendly　terms；　and　that　pains　me。　　You　know　it　will　cost　you　nothing　if
you　come；　for　I　don't　look　at　the　price　of　a　dinner。　　Come　whenever　you
feel　inclined；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　see　you。〃

Old　Mother　Magloire　did　not　need　to　be　asked　twice；　and　the　next　day　but
one；　as　she　had　to　go　to　the　town　in　any　case；　it　being　market　day；　she
let　her　man　drive　her　to　Chicot's　place；　where　the　buggy　was　put　in　the
barn　while　she　went　into　the　house　to　get　her　dinner。

The　innkeeper　was　delighted　and　treated　her　like　a　lady；　giving　her　roast
fowl；　black　pudding；　leg　of　mutton　and　bacon　and　cabbage。　　But　she　ate
next　to　nothing。　　She　had　always　been　a　small　eater；　and　had　generally
lived　on　a　little　soup　and　a　crust　of　bread　and　butter。

Chicot　was　disappointed　and　pressed　her　to　eat　more；　but　she　refused；　and
she　would　drink　little；　and　declined　coffee；　so　he　asked　her：

〃But　surely　you　will　take　a　little　drop　of　brandy　or　liqueur？〃

〃Well；　as　to　that；　I　don't　know　that　I　will　refuse。〃　　Whereupon　he
shouted　out：

〃Rosalie；　bring　the　superfine　brandythe　specialyou　know。〃

The　servant　appeared；　carrying　a　long　bottle　ornamented　with　a　paper
vine…leaf；　and　he　filled　two　liqueur　glasses。

〃Just　try　that；　you　will　find　it　first　rate。〃

The　good　woman　drank　it　slowly　in　sips；　so　as　to　make　the　pleasure　last
all　the　longer；　and　when　she　had　finished　her　glass；　she　said：

〃Yes；　that　is　first　rate！〃

Almost　before　she　had　said　it　Chicot　had　poured　her　out　another　glassful。
She　wished　to　refuse；　but　it　was　too　late；　and　she　drank　it　very　slowly；
as　she　had　done　the　first；　and　he　asked　her　to　have　a　third。　　She
objected；　but　he　persisted。

〃It　is　as　mild　as　milk；　you　know；　I　can　drink　ten　or　a　dozen　glasses
without　any　ill　effects；　it　goes　down　like　sugar　and　does　not　go　to　the
head；　one　would　think　that　it　evaporated　on　the　tongue：　It　is　the　most
wholesome　thing　you　can　drink。〃

She　took　it；　for　she　really　enjoyed　it；　but　she　left　half　the　glass。

Then　Chicot；　in　an　excess　of　generosity；　said：

〃Look　here；　as　it　is　so　much　to　your　taste；　I　will　give　you　a　small　keg
of　it；　just　to　show　that　you　and　I　are　still　excellent　friends。〃　　So　she
took　one　away　with　her；　feeling　slightly　overcome　by　the　effects　of　what
she　had　drunk。

The　next　day　the　innkeeper　drove　into　her　yard　and　took　a　little　iron…
hooped　keg　out　of　his　gig。　　He　insisted　on　her　tasting　the　contents；　to
make　sure　it　was　the　same　delicious　article；　and；　when　they　had　each　of
them　drunk　three　more　glasses；　he　said　as　he　was　going　away：

〃Well；　you　know　when　it　is　all　gone　there　is　more　left；　don't　be　modest；
for　I　shall　not　mind。　　The　sooner　it　is　finished　the　better　pleased　I
shall　be。〃

Four　days　later　he　came　again。　　The　old　woman　was　outside　her　door
cutting　up　the　bread　for　her　soup。

He　went　up　to　her　and　put　his　face　close　to　hers；　so　that　he　might　smell
her　breath；　and　when　he　smelt　the　alcohol　he　felt　pleased。

〃I　suppose　you　will　give　me　a　glass　of　the　Special？〃　he　said。　　And　they
had　three　glasses　each。

Soon；　however；　it　began　to　be　whispered　abroad　that　Mother　Magloire　was
in　the　habit　of　getting　drunk　all　by　herself。　　She　was　picked　up　in　her
kitchen；　then　in　her　yard；　then　in　the　roads　in　the　neighborhood；　and　she
was　often　brought　home　like　a　log。

The　innkeeper　did　not　go　near　her　any　more；　and；　when　people　spoke　to　him
about　her；　he　used　to　say；　putting　on　a　distressed　look：

〃It　is　a　great　pity　that　she　should　have　taken　to　drink　at　her　age；　but
when　people　get　old　there　is　no　remedy。　　It　will　be　the　death　of　her　in
the　long　run。〃

And　it　certainly　was　the　death　of　her。　　She　died　the　next　winter。　　About
Christmas　time　she　fell　down；　unconscious；　in　the　snow；　and　was　found
dead　the　next　morning。

And　when　Chicot　came　in　for　the　farm；　he　said：

〃It　was　very　stupid　of　her；　if　she　had　not　taken　to　drink　she　would
probably　have　lived　ten　years　longer。〃






BOITELLE

Father　Boitelle　（Antoine）　made　a　specialty　of　undertaking　dirty　jobs　all
through　the　countryside。　　Whenever　there　was　a　ditch　or　a　cesspool　to　be
cleaned　out；　a　dunghill　removed；　a　sewer　cleansed；　or　any　dirt　hole
whatever；　he　way　always　employed　to　do　it。

He　would　come　with　the　instruments　of　his　trade；　his　sabots　covered　with
dirt；　and　set　to　work；　complaining　incessantly　about　his　occupation。
When　people　asked　him　then　why　he　did　this　loathsome　work；　he　would　reply
resignedly：

〃Faith；　'tis　for　my　children；　whom　I　must　support。　　This　brings　me　in
more　than　anything　else：'

He　had；　indeed；　fourteen　children。　　If　any　one　asked　him　what　had　become
of　them；　he　would　say　with　an　air　of　indifference：

〃There　are　only　eight　of　them　left　in　the　house。　　One　is　out　at　service
and　five　are　married。〃

When　the　questioner　wanted　to　know　whether　they　were　well　married；　he
replied　vivaciously：

〃I　did　not　oppose　them。　　I　opposed　them　in　nothing。　　They　married　just　as
they　pleased。　　We　shouldn't　go　against　people's　likings；　it　turns　out
badly。　　I　am　a　night　scavenger　because　my　parents　went　against　my
likings。　　But　for　that　I　would　have　become　a　workman　like　the　others。〃

Here　is　the　way　his　parents　had　thwarted　him　in　his　likings：

He　was　at　the　time　a　soldier　stationed　at　Havre；　not　more　stupid　than
another；　or　sharper　either；　a　rather　simple　fellow；　however。　　When　he　was
not　on　duty；　his　greatest　pleasure　was　to　walk　along　the　quay；　where　the
bird　dealers　congregate。　　Sometimes　alone；　sometimes　with　a　soldier　from
his　own　part　of　the　country；　he　would　slowly　saunter　along　by　cages
containing　parrots　with　green　backs　and　yellow　heads　from　the　banks　of
the　Amazon；　or　parrots　with　gray　backs　and　red　heads　from　Senegal；　or
enormous　macaws；　which　look　like　birds　reared　in　hot…houses；　with　their
flower…like　feathers；　their　plumes　and　their　tufts。　　Parrots　of　every
size；　who　seem　painted　with　minute　care　by　the　miniaturist；　God　Almighty；
and　the　little　birds；　all　the　smaller　birds　hopped　about；　yellow；　blue
and　variegated；　mingling　their　cries　with　the　noise　of　the　quay；　and
adding　to　the　din　caused　by　unloading　the　vessels；　as　well　as　by
passengers　and　vehicles；　a　violent　clamor；　loud；　shrill　and　deafening；　as
if　from　some　distant　forest　of　monsters。

Boitelle　would　pause；　with　wondering　eyes；　wide…open　mouth；　laughing　and
enraptured；　showing　his　teeth　to　the　captive　cockatoos；　who　kept　nodding
their　white　or　yellow　topknots　toward　the　glaring　red　of　his　breeches　and
the　copper　buckle　of　his　belt。　　When　he　found　a　bird　that　could　talk　he
put　questions　to　it；　and　if　it　happened　at　the　time　to　be　disposed　to
reply　and　to　hold　a　conversation　with　him　he　would　carry　away　enough
amusement　to　last　him　till　evening。　　He　also　found　heaps　of　amusement　in
looking　at　the　monkeys；　and　could　conceive　no　greater　luxury　for　a　rich
man　than　to　own　these　animals　as　one　owns　cats　and　dogs。　　This　kind　of
taste　for　the　exotic　he　had　in　his　blood；　as　people　have　a　taste　for　the
chase；　or　for　medicine；　or　for　the　priesthood。　　He　could　not　help
returning　to　the　quay　every　time　the　gates　of　the　barracks　opened；　drawn
toward　it　by　an　irresistible　longing。

On　one　occasion；　having　stopped　almost　in　ecstasy　before　an　enormous
macaw；　which　was　swelling　out　its　plumes；　bending　forward　and　bridling　up
again　as　if　making　the　court　curtseys　of　parrot…land；　he　saw　the　door　of
a　little　cafe　adjoining　the　bird　dealer's　shop　open；　and　a　young　negress
appeared；　wearing　on　her　head　a　red　silk　handkerchief。　　She　was　sweeping
into　the　street　the　corks　and　sand　of　the　establishment。

Boitelle's　attention　was　soon　divided　between　the　bird　and　the　woman；　and
he　really　could　not　tell　which　of　these　two　beings　he　contemplated　with
the　greater　astonishment　and　delight。

The　negress；　having　swept