original short stories-13-第3章

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the　greater　astonishment　and　delight。

The　negress；　having　swept　the　rubbish　into　the　street；　raised　her　eyes；
and；　in　her　turn；　was　dazzled　by　the　soldier's　uniform。　　There　she　stood
facing　him　with　her　broom　in　her　hands　as　if　she　were　bringing　him　a
rifle；　while　the　macaw　continued　bowing。　　But　at　the　end　of　a　few　seconds
the　soldier　began　to　feel　embarrassed　at　this　attention；　and　he　walked
away　quietly　so　as　not　to　look　as　if　he　were　beating　a　retreat。

But　he　came　back。　　Almost　every　day　he　passed　before　the　Cafe　des
Colonies；　and　often　he　could　distinguish　through　the　window　the　figure　of
the　little　black…skinned　maid　serving　〃bocks〃　or　glasses　of　brandy　to　the
sailors　of　the　port。　　Frequently；　too；　she　would　come　out　to　the　door　on
seeing　him；　soon；　without　even　having　exchanged　a　word；　they　smiled　at
one　another　like　acquaintances；　and　Boitelle　felt　his　heart　touched　when
he　suddenly　saw；　glittering　between　the　dark　lips　of　the　girl；　a　shining
row　of　white　teeth。　　At　length；　one　day　he　ventured　to　enter；　and　was
quite　surprised　to　find　that　she　could　speak　French　like　every　one　else。
The　bottle　of　lemonade；　of　which　she　was　good　enough　to　accept　a
glassful；　remained　in　the　soldier's　recollection　memorably　delicious；　and
it　became　a　custom　with　him　to　come　and　absorb　in　this　little　tavern　on
the　quay　all　the　agreeable　drinks　which　he　could　afford。

For　him　it　was　a　treat；　a　happiness；　on　which　his　thoughts　dwelt
constantly；　to　watch　the　black　hand　of　the　little　maid　pouring　something
into　his　glass　while　her　teeth　laughed　more　than　her　eyes。　　At　the　end　of
two　months　they　became　fast　friends；　and　Boitelle；　after　his　first
astonishment　at　discovering　that　this　negress　had　as　good　principles　as
honest　French　girls；　that　she　exhibited　a　regard　for　economy；　industry；
religion　and　good　conduct；　loved　her　more　on　that　account；　and　was　so
charmed　with　her　that　he　wanted　to　marry　her。

He　told　her　his　intentions；　which　made　her　dance　with　joy。　　She　had　also
a　little　money；　left　her　by；　a　female　oyster　dealer；　who　had　picked　her
up　when　she　had　been　left　on　the　quay　at　Havre　by　an　American　captain。
This　captain　had　found　her；　when　she　was　only　about　six　years　old；　lying
on　bales　of　cotton　in　the　hold　of　his　ship；　some　hours　after　his
departure　from　New　York。　　On　his　arrival　in　Havre　he　abandoned　to　the
care　of　this　compassionate　oyster　dealer　the　little　black　creature；　who
had　been　hidden　on　board　his　vessel；　he　knew　not　why　or　by　whom。

The　oyster　woman　having　died；　the　young　negress　became　a　servant　at　the
Colonial　Tavern。

Antoine　Boitelle　added：　〃This　will　be　all　right　if　my　parents　don't
oppose　it。　　I　will　never　go　against　them；　you　understand；　never！　　I'm
going　to　say　a　word　or　two　to　them　the　first　time　I　go　back　to　the
country。〃

On　the　following　week；　in　fact；　having　obtained　twenty…four　hours'　leave；
he　went　to　see　his　family；　who　cultivated　a　little　farm　at　Tourteville；
near　Yvetot。

He　waited　till　the　meal　was　finished；　the　hour　when　the　coffee　baptized
with　brandy　makes　people　more　open…hearted；　before　informing　his　parents
that　he　had　found　a　girl　who　satisfied　his　tastes；　all　his　tastes；　so
completely　that　there　could　not　exist　any　other　in　all　the　world　so
perfectly　suited　to　him。

The　old　people；　on　hearing　this；　immediately　assumed　a　cautious　manner
and　wanted　explanations。　　He　had　concealed　nothing　from　them　except　the
color　of　her　skin。

She　was　a　servant；　without　much　means；　but　strong；　thrifty；　clean；　well…
conducted　and　sensible。　　All　these　things　were　better　than　money　would　be
in　the　hands　of　a　bad　housewife。　　Moreover；　she　had　a　few　sous；　left　her
by　a　woman　who　had　reared　her；　a　good　number　of　sous；　almost　a　little
dowry；　fifteen　hundred　francs　in　the　savings　bank。　　The　old　people；
persuaded　by　his　talk；　and　relying　also　on　their　own　judgment；　were
gradually　weakening；　when　he　came　to　the　delicate　point。　　Laughing　in
rather　a　constrained　fashion；　he　said：

〃There's　only　one　thing　you　may　not　like。　　She　is　not　a　white　slip。〃

They　did　not　understand；　and　he　had　to　explain　at　some　length　and　very
cautiously；　to　avoid　shocking　them；　that　she　belonged　to　the　dusky　race
of　which　they　had　only　seen　samples　in　pictures　at　Epinal。　　Then　they
became　restless；　perplexed；　alarmed；　as　if　he　had　proposed　a　union　with
the　devil。

The　mother　said：　〃Black？　　How　much　of　her　is　black？　　Is　the　whole　of
her？〃

He　replied：　〃Certainly。　　Everywhere；　just　as　you　are　white　everywhere。〃

The　father　interposed：　〃Black？　　Is　it　as　black　as　the　pot？〃

The　son　answered：　〃Perhaps　a　little　less　than　that。　　She　is　black；　but
not　disgustingly　black。　　The　cure's　cassock　is　black；　but　it　is　not
uglier　than　a　surplice　which　is　white。〃

The　father　said：　〃Are　there　more　black　people　besides　her　in　her
country？〃

And　the　son；　with　an　air　of　conviction；　exclaimed：　〃Certainly！〃

But　the　old　man　shook　his　head。

〃That　must　be　unpleasant。〃

And　the　son：

〃It　isn't　more　disagreeable　than　anything　else　when　you　get　accustomed　to
it。〃

The　mother　asked：

〃It　doesn't　soil　the　underwear　more　than　other　skins；　this　black　skin？〃

〃Not　more　than　your　own；　as　it　is　her　proper　color。〃

Then；　after　many　other　questions；　it　was　agreed　that　the　parents　should
see　this　girl　before　coming；　to　any　decision；　and　that　the　young　fellow；
whose；　term　of　military　service　would　be　over　in　a　month；　should　bring
her　to　the　house　in　order　that　they　might　examine　her　and　decide　by
talking　the　matter　over　whether　or　not　she　was　too　dark　to　enter　the
Boitelle　family。

Antoine　accordingly　announced　that　on　Sunday；　the　22d　of　May；　the　day　of
his　discharge；　he　would　start　for　Tourteville　with　his　sweetheart。

She　had　put　on；　for　this　journey　to　the　house　of　her　lover's　parents；　her
most　beautiful　and　most　gaudy　clothes；　in　which　yellow；　red　and　blue　were
the　prevailing　colors；　so　that　she　looked　as　if　she　were　adorned　for　a
national　festival。

At　the　terminus；　as　they　were　leaving　Havre；　people　stared　at　her；　and
Boitelle　was　proud　of　giving　his　arm　to　a　person　who　commanded　so　much
attention。　　Then；　in　the　third…class　carriage；　in　which　she　took　a　seat
by　his　side；　she　aroused　so　much　astonishment　among　the　country　folks
that　the　people　in　the　adjoining　compartments　stood　up　on　their　benches
to　look　at　her　over　the　wooden　partition　which　divides　the　compartments。
A　child；　at　sight　of　her；　began　to　cry　with　terror；　another　concealed　his
face　in　his　mother's　apron。　　Everything　went　off　well；　however；　up　to
their　arrival　at　their　destination。　　But　when　the　train　slackened　its
rate　of　motion　as　they　drew　near　Yvetot；　Antoine　felt：　ill　at　ease；　as　he
would　have　done　at　a　review　when；　he　did　not　know　his　drill　practice。
Then；　as　he；　leaned　his　head　out；　he　recognized　in　the　distance：　his
father；　holding　the　bridle　of　the　horse　harnessed　to　a　carryall；　and　his
mother；　who　had　come　forward　to　the　grating；　behind　which　stood　those　who
were　expecting　friends。

He　alighted　first；　gave　his　hand　to　his　sweetheart；　and　holding　himself
erect；　as　if　he　were　escorting　a　general；　he　went　to　meet　his　family。

The　mother；　on　seeing　this　black　lady　in　variegated　costume　in　her　son's
company；　remained　so　stupefied　that　she　could　not　open　her　mouth；　and　the
father　found　it　hard　to　hold　the　horse；　which　the　engine　or　the　negress
caused　to　rear　continuously。　　But　Antoine；　suddenly　filled　with　unmixed
joy　at　seeing　once　more　the　old　people；　rushed　forward　with　open　arms；
embraced　his　mother；　embraced　his　father；　in　spite　of　the　nag's　fright；
and　then　turning　toward　his　companion；　at　whom　the　passengers　on　the
platform　stopped　to　stare　with　amazement；　he　proceeded　to　explain：

〃Here　she　is！　　I　told　you　that；　at　first　sight；　she　is　not　attractive；
but　as　soon　as　you　know　her；　I　can　assure　you　there's　not　a　better　sort
in　the　whole　world。　　Say　good…morning　to　her　so　that　she　may　not　feel
badly。〃

Thereupon　Mere　Boitelle；　almost　frightened　out　of　her　wits；　made　a　sort
of　curtsy；　while　the　father　took　off　his　cap；　murmuring：

〃I　wish　you　good　luck！〃

Then；　without　further　delay；　they　climbed　into　the　carryall；　the　two
women　at　the　back；　on　seats　which　made　them　jump　up　and　down　as　the
vehicle　went　jolting　along　the　road；　and　the　two　men　in　front　on　the
front　seat。

Nobody　spoke。　　Antoine；　ill　at　ease；　whistled　a　barrack…room　air；　his
father　whipped　the　nag；　and　his　mother；　from　where　she　sat　in　the　corner；
kept　casting　sly　glances　at　the　negress；　whose　forehead　and　cheekbones
shone　in　the　sunlight　like　well…polished　shoes。

Wishing　to　break　the　ice；　Antoine　turned　round。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃we　don't　seem　inclined　to　talk。〃

〃We　must　have　time；〃　replied　the　old　woman。

He　went　on：

〃Come！　　Tell　us　the　little　story　about　that　hen　of　yours　that　laid　eight
eggs。〃

It　was　a　funny　anecdote　of　long　standing　in　the　family。　　But；　as　his
mother　still　remained　silent；　paralyzed　by　her　emotion；　he　undertook
himself　to　tell　the　story；　laughing　as　he　did　so　at　the　memorable
incident。　　The　father；　who　knew　it　by　heart　brightened　at　the　opening
words　of　the　narrative；　his　wife　soon　followed　his　example；　and　the
negress　herself；　when　he　reached　the　drollest　part　of　it；　suddenly　gave
vent　to　a　laugh；　such　a　loud；　rolling　torrent　of　laughter　that　the　horse；
becoming　excited；　broke　into　a　gallop　for　a　while。

This　served　to　cement　their　acquaintance。　　They　all　began　to　chat。

They　had　scarcely　reached　the　house　and　had　all　alighted；　when　Antoine
conducted　his　sweetheart　to　a　room；　so　that　she　might　take　off　her　dress；
to　avoid　staining　it；　as　she　was　going　to　prepare　a　nice　dish；　intended
to　win　the　old　people's　affections　through　their　stomachs。　　He　drew　his
parents　outside　the　house；　and；　with　beating　heart；　asked：

〃Well；　what　do　you　say　now？〃

The　father　said　nothing。　　The　mother；　less　timid；　exclaimed：

〃She　is　too　black。　　No；　indeed；　this　is　too　much　for　me。　　It　turns　my
blood。〃

〃You　will　get　used　to　it；〃　said　Antoine。

〃Perhaps　so；　but　not　at　first。〃

They　went　into　the　house；　where　the　good　woman　was　somewhat　affected　at
the　spectacle　of　the　negress　engaged　in　cooking。　　She　at　once　proceeded
to　assist　her；　with　petticoats　tucked　up；　active　in　spite　of　her　age。

The　meal　was　an　excellent　one；　very　long；　very　enjoyable。　　When　they　were
taking　a　turn　after　dinner；　Antoine　took　his　father　aside。

〃Well；　dad；　what　do　you　say　about　it？〃

The　peasant　took　care　never　to　compromise　himself。

〃I　have　no　opinion　about　it。　　Ask　your　mother。〃

So　Antoine　went　back　to　his　mother；　and；　detaining　her　behind　the　rest；
said：

〃Well；　mother；　what　do　you　think　of　her？〃

〃My　poor　lad；　she　is　really　too　black。　　If　she　were　only　a　little　less
black；　I　would　not　go　against　you；　but　this　is　too　much。　　One　would　think
it　was　Satan！〃

He　did　not　press　her；　knowing　how　obstinate　the　old　woman　had　always
been；　but　he　felt　a　tempest　of　disappointment　sweeping　over　his　heart。
He　was　turning　over　in　his　mind　what　he　ought　to　do；　what　plan　he　could
devise；　surprised；　moreover；　that　she　had　not　conquered　them　already　as
she　had　captivated　himself。　　And　they；　all　four；　walked　along　through　the
wheat　fields；　having　gradually　relapsed　int