selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第16部分

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hung　the　stew…pot；　black　with　smoke。

〃　'You　have　travelers；　then；　at　the　present　time？'　said　I　to　her。

〃She　answered　in　an　offended　tone　of　voice：

〃　'I　have　a　lady；　an　English　lady；　who　has　attained　to　years　of
maturity。　She　is　occupying　my　other　room。'

〃By　means　of　an　extra　five　sous　a　day；　I　obtained　the　privilege
of　dining　out　in　the　court　when　the　weather　was　fine。

〃My　cover　was　then　placed　in　front　of　the　door；　and　I　commenced
to　gnaw　with　hunger　the　lean　members　of　the　Normandy　chicken；　to
drink　the　clear　cider；　and　to　munch　the　hunk　of　white　bread；
which；　though　four　days　old；　was　excellent。

〃Suddenly；　the　wooden　barrier　which　opened　on　to　the　highway　was
opened；　and　a　strange　person　directed　her　steps　toward　the　house。
She　was　very　slender；　very　tall；　enveloped　in　a　Scotch　shawl　with
red　borders。　You　would　have　believed　that　she　had　no　arms；　if　you
had　not　seen　a　long　hand　appear　just　above　the　hips；　holding　a
white　tourist　umbrella。　The　face　of　a　mummy；　surrounded　with
sausage　rolls　of　plaited　gray　hair；　which　bounded　at　every　step
she　took；　made　me　think；　I　know　not　why；　of　a　sour　herring
adorned　with　curling　papers。　Lowering　her　eyes；　she　passed
quickly　in　front　of　me；　and　entered　the　house。

〃This　singular　apparition　made　me　curious。　She　undoubtedly　was　my
neighbor；　the　aged　English　lady　of　whom　our　hostess　had　spoken。

〃I　did　not　see　her　again　that　day。　The　next　day；　when　I　had　begun
to　paint　at　the　end　of　that　beautiful　valley；　which　you　know
extends　as　far　as　Etretat；　lifting　my　eyes　suddenly；　I　perceived
something　singularly　attired　standing　on　the　crest　of　the
declivity；　it　looked　like　a　pole　decked　out　with　flags。　It　was
she。　On　seeing　me；　she　suddenly　disappeared。　I　re…entered　the
house　at　midday　for　lunch；　and　took　my　seat　at　the　common　table；
so　as　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　this　old　and　original　creature。
But　she　did　not　respond　to　my　polite　advances；　was　insensible
even　to　my　little　attentions。　I　poured　water　out　for　her　with
great　alacrity；　I　passed　her　the　dishes　with　great　eagerness。　A
slight；　almost　imperceptible　movement　of　the　head；　and　an　English
word；　murmured　so　low　that　I　did　not　understand　it；　were　her
only　acknowledgments。

〃I　ceased　occupying　myself　with　her；　although　she　had　disturbed
my　thoughts。　At　the　end　of　three　days；　I　knew　as　much　about　her
as　did　Madame　Lecacheur　herself。

〃She　was　called　Miss　Harriet。　Seeking　out　a　secluded　village　in
which　to　pass　the　summer；　she　had　been　attracted　to　Benouville；
some　six　months　before；　and　did　not　seem　disposed　to　quit　it。　She
never　spoke　at　table；　ate　rapidly；　reading　all　the　while　a　small
book；　treating　of　some　Protestant　propaganda。　She　gave　a　copy　of
it　to　everybody。　The　cure　himself　had　received　no　less　than　four
copies；　at　the　hands　of　an　urchin　to　whom　she　had　paid　two　sous'
commission。　She　said　sometimes　to　our　hostess；　abruptly；　without
preparing　herin　the　least　for　the　declaration：

〃　'I　love　the　Saviour　more　than　all；　I　worship　him　in　all
creation；　I　adore　him　in　all　nature；　I　carry　him　always　in　my
heart。'

〃And　she　would　immediately　present　the　old　woman　with　one　of　her
brochures　which　were　destined　to　convert　the　universe。

〃In　the　village　she　was　not　liked。　In　fact；　the　schoolmaster　had
declared　that　she　was　an　atheist；　and　that　a　sort　of　reproach
attached　to　her。　The　cure；　who　had　been　consulted　by　Madame
Lecacheur；　responded：

〃　'She　is　a　heretic；　but　God　does　not　wish　the　death　of　the
sinner；　and　I　believe　her　to　be　a　person　of　pure　morals。'

〃These　words；　'atheist；'　'heretic；'　words　which　no　one　can
precisely　define；　threw　doubts　into　some　minds。　It　was　asserted；
however；　that　this　English…woman　was　rich；　and　that　she　had
passed　her　life　in　traveling　through　every　country　in　the　world；
because　her　family　had　thrown　her　off。　Why　had　her　family　thrown
her　off？　Because　of　her　natural　impiety？

〃She　was；　in　fact；　one　of　those　people　of　exalted　principles；　one
of　those　opinionated　puritans　of　whom　England　produces　so　many；
one　of　those　good　and　insupportable　old　women　who　haunt　the
tables　d'hote　of　every　hotel　in　Europe；　who　spoil　Italy；　poison
Switzerland；　render　the　charming　cities　of　the　Mediterranean
uninhabitable；　carry　everywhere　their　fantastic　manias；　their
petrified　vestal　manners；　their　indescribable　toilettes；　and　a
certain　odor　of　india…rubber；　which　makes　one　believe　that　at
night　they　slip　themselves　into　a　case　of　that　material。　When　I
meet　one　of　these　people　in　a　hotel；　I　act　like　birds　which　see　a
manikin　in　a　field。

〃This　woman；　however；　appeared　so　singular　that　she　did　not
displease　me。

〃Madame　Lecacheur；　hostile　by　instinct　to　everything　that　was　not
rustic；　felt　in　her　narrow　soul　a　kind　of　hatred　for　the　ecstatic
extravagances　of　the　old　girl。　She　had　found　a　phrase　by　which　to
describe　her；　I　know　not　how；　but　a　phrase　assuredly
contemptuous；　which　had　sprung　to　her　lips；　invented　probably　by
some　confused　and　mysterious　travail　of　soul。　She　said：　'That
woman　is　a　demoniac。'　This　phrase；　as　uttered　by　that　austere　and
sentimental　creature；　seemed　to　me　irresistibly　comic。　I；　myself；
never　called　her　now　anything　else　but　'the　demoniac。'　feeling　a
singular　pleasure　in　pronouncing　this　word　on　seeing　her。

〃I　would　ask　Mother　Lecacheur：　'Well；　what　is　our　demoniac　about
to…day？'　To　which　my　rustic　friend　would　respond；　with　an　air　of
having　been　scandalized：

〃　'What　do　you　think；　sir？　She　has　picked　up　a　toad　which　has　had
its　leg　battered；　and　carried　it　to　her　room；　and　has　put　it　in
her　washstand；　and　dressed　it　up　like　a　man。　If　that　is　not
profanation；　I　should　like　to　know　what　is！'

〃On　another　occasion；　when　walking　along　the　Falaise；　she　had
bought　a　large　fish　which　had　just　been　caught；　simply　to　throw
it　back　into　the　sea　again。　The　sailor；　from　whom　she　had　bought
it；　though　paid　handsomely；　was　greatly　provoked　at　this
actmore　exasperated；　indeed；　than　if　she　had　put　her　hand　into
his　pocket　and　taken　his　money。　For　a　whole　month　he　could　not
speak　of　the　circumstance　without　getting　into　a　fury　and
denouncing　it　as　an　outrage。　Oh　yes！　She　was　indeed　a　demoniac；
this　Miss　Harriet；　and　Mother　Lecacheur　must　have　had　an
inspiration　of　genius　in　thus　christening　her。

〃The　stable…boy；　who　was　called　Sapeur；　because　he　had　served　in
Africa　in　his　youth；　entertained　other　aversions。　He　said；　with　a
roguish　air：　'She　is　an　old　hag　who　has　lived　her　days。'　If　the
poor　woman　had　but　known！

〃Little　kind…hearted　Celeste　did　not　wait　upon　her　willingly；　but
I　was　never　able　to　understand　why。　Probably　her　only　reason　was
that　she　was　a　stranger；　of　another　race；　of　a　different　tongue；
and　of　another　religion。　She　was　in　good　truth　a　demoniac！

〃She　passed　her　time　wandering　about　the　country；　adoring　and
searching　for　God　in　nature。　I　found　her　one　evening　on　her　knees
in　a　cluster　of　bushes。　Having　discovered　something　red　through
the　leaves；　I　brushed　aside　the　branches；　and　Miss　Harriet　at
once　rose　to　her　feet；　confused　at　having　been　found　thus；
looking　at　me　with　eyes　as　terrible　as　those　of　a　wild　cat
surprised　in　open　day。

〃Sometimes；　when　I　was　working　among　the　rocks；　I　would　suddenly
descry　her　on　the　banks　of　the　Falaise　standing　like　a　semaphore
signal。　She　gazed　passionately　at　the　vast　sea；　glittering　in　the
sunlight；　and　the　boundless　sky　empurpled　with　fire。　Sometimes　I
would　distinguish　her　at　the　bottom　of　a　valley；　walking　quickly；
with　her　elastic　English　step；　and　I　would　go　toward　her；
attracted　by　I　know　not　what；　simply　to　see　her　illuminated
visage；　her　dried…up　features；　which　seemed　to　glow　with　an
ineffable；　inward；　and　profound　happiness。

〃Often　I　would　encounter　her　in　the　corner　of　a　field　sitting　on
the　grass；　under　the　shadow　of　an　apple…tree；　with　her　little
Bible　lying　open　on　her　knee；　while　she　looked　meditatively　into
the　distance。

〃I　could　no　longer　tear　myself　away　from　that　quiet　country
neighborhood；　bound　to　it　as　I　was　by　a　thousand　links　of　love
for　its　soft　and　sweeping　landscapes。　At　this　farm　I　was　out　of
the　world；　far　removed　from　everything；　but　in　close　proximity　to
the　soil；　the　good；　healthy；　beautiful　green　soil。　And；　must　I
avow　it；　there　was　something　besides　curiosity　which　retained　me
at　the　residence　of　Mother　Lecacheur。　I　wished　to　become
acquainted　a　little　with　this　strange　Miss　Harriet；　and　to　learn
what　passes　in　the　solitary　souls　of　those　wandering　old；　English
dames。

II。

〃We　became　acquainted　in　a　rather　singular　manner。　I　had　just
finished　a　study　which　appeared　to　me　to　display　genius　and
power；　as　it　must　have；　since　it　was　sold　for　ten　thousand
francs；　fifteen　years　later。　It　was　as　simple；　however；　as　that
two　and　two　make　four；　and　had　nothing　to　do　with　academic　rules。
The　whole　of　the　right　side　of　my　canvas　represented　a　rock；　an
enormous　rock；　covered　with　sea…wrack；　brown；　yellow；　and　red；
across　which　the　sun　poured　like　a　stream　of　oil。　The　light；
without　which　one　could　see　the　stars　concealed　in　the
background；　fell　upon　the　stone；　and　gilded　it　as　if　with　fire。
That　was　all。　A　first　stupid　attempt　at　dealing　with　light；　with
burning　rays；　with　the　sublime。

〃On　the　left　was　the　sea；　not　the　blue　sea；　the　slate…colored
sea；　but　a　sea　of　jade；　as　greenish；　milky；　and　thick　as　the
overcast　sky。

〃I　was　so　pleased　with　my　work　that　I　danced　from　sheer　delight
as　I　carried　it　back　to　the　inn。　I　wished　that　the　whole　world
could　have　seen　it　at　one　and　the　same　moment。　I　can　remember
that　I　showed　it　to　a　cow；　which　was　browsing　by　the　wayside；
exclaiming；　at　the　same　time：　'Look　at　that；　my　old　beauty；　you
will　not　often　see　its　like　again。'

〃When　I　had　reached　the　front　of　the　house；　I　immediately　called
out　to　Mother　Lecacheur；　shouting　with　all　my　might：

〃　'Ohe！　Ohe！　my　mistress；　come　here　and　look　at　this。'

〃The　rustic　advanced　and　looked　at　my　work　with　stupid　eyes；
which　distinguished　nothing；　and　did　not　even　recognize　whether
the　picture　was　the　representation　of　an　ox　or　a　house。

〃Miss　Harriet　came　into　the　house；　and　passed　in　rear　of　me　just
at　the　moment　when；　holding　out　my　canvas　at　arm's　length；　I　was
exh