selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第21部分

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my　cousin's　chief　care；　and　he　kept　it　as　a　preserve。　Through　the
rushes　that　covered　it；　and　made　it　rustling　and　rough；　narrow
passages　had　been　cut；　through　which　the　flat…bottomed　boats；
impelled　and　steered　by　poles；　passed　along　silently　over　dead
water；　brushing　up　against　the　reeds　and　making　the　swift　fish
take　refuge　in　the　weeds；　and　the　wild　fowl；　with　their　pointed；
black　heads；　dive　suddenly。

I　am　passionately　fond　of　the　water：　of　the　sea；　though　it　is　too
vast；　too　full　of　movement；　impossi…ble　to　hold；　of　the　rivers
which　are　so　beautiful；　but　which　pass　on；　and　flee　away　and
above　all　of　the　marshes；　where　the　whole　unknown　existence　of
aquatic　animals　palpitates。　The　marsh　is　an　entire　world　in
itself　on　the　world　of　eartha　different　world；　which　has　its
own　life；　its　settled　inhabitants　and　its　passing　travelers；　its
voices；　its　noises；　and　above　all　its　mystery。　Nothing　is　more
impressive；　nothing　more　disquieting；　more　terrifying
occasionally；　than　a　fen。　Why　should　a　vague　terror　hang　over
these　low　plains　covered　with　water？　Is　it　the　low　rustling　of
the　rushes；　the　strange　will…o'…the…wisp　lights；　the　silence
which　prevails　on　calm　nights；　the　still　mists　which　hang　over
the　surface　like　a　shroud；　or　is　it　the　almost　inaudible
splashing；　so　slight　and　so　gentle；　yet　sometimes　more　terrifying
than　the　cannons　of　men　or　the　thunders　of　the　skies；　which　make
these　marshes　resemble　countries　one　has　dreamed　of；　terrible
countries　holding　an　unknown　and　dangerous　secret？

No；　something　else　belongs　to　itanother　mystery；　profounder　and
graver；　floats　amid　these　thick　mists；　perhaps　the　mystery　of　the
creation　itself！　For　was　it　not　in　stagnant　and　muddy　water；　amid
the　heavy　humidity　of　moist　land　under　the　heat　of　the　sun；　that
the　first　germ　of　life　pulsated　and　expanded　to　the　day？

I　arrived　at　my　cousin's　in　the　evening。　It　was　freezing　hard
enough　to　split　the　stones。

During　dinner；　in　the　large　room　whose　side…boards；　walls；　and
ceiling　were　covered　with　stuffed　birds；　with　wings　extended　or
perched　on　branches　　to　which　they　were　nailed；hawks；　herons；
owls；　nightjars；　buzzards；　tiercels；　vultures；　falcons；my
cousin　who；　dressed　in　a　sealskin　jacket；　himself　resembled　some
strange　animal　from　a　cold　country；　told　me　what　preparations　he
had　made　for　that　same　night。

We　were　to　start　at　half　past　three　in　the　morning；　so　as　to
arrive　at　the　place　which　he　had　chosen　for　our　watching…place　at
about　half　past　four。　On　that　spot　a　hut　had　been　built　of　lumps
of　ice；　so　as　to　shelter　us　somewhat　from　the　trying　wind　which
precedes　daybreak；　a　wind　so　cold　as　to　tear　the　flesh　like　a
saw；　cut　it　like　the　blade　of　a　knife；　prick　it　like　a　poisoned
sting；　twist　it　like　a　pair　of　pincers；　and　burn　it　like　fire。

My　cousin　rubbed　his　hands：　〃I　have　never　known　such　a　frost；〃　he
said；　〃it　is　already　twelve　degrees　below　zero　at　six　o'clock　in
the　evening。〃

I　threw　myself　on　to　my　bed　immediately　after　we　had　finished　our
meal；　and　went　to　sleep　by　the　light　of　a　bright　fire　burning　in
the　grate。

At　three　o'clock　he　woke　me。　In　my　turn；　I　put　on　a　sheepskin；
and　found　my　cousin　Karl　covered　with　a　bearskin。　After　having
each　swallowed　two　cups　of　scalding　coffee；　followed　by　glasses
of　liqueur　brandy；　we　started；　accompanied　by　a　gamekeeper　and
our　dogs；　Plongeon　and　Pierrot。

From　the　first　moment　that　I　got　outside；　I　felt　chilled　to　the
very　marrow。　It　was　one　of　those　nights　on　which　the　earth　seems
dead　with　cold。　The　frozen　air　becomes　resisting　and　palpable；
such　pain　does　it　cause；　no　breath　of　wind　moves　it；　it　is　fixed
and　motionless；　it　bites　you；　pierces　through　you；　dries　you；
kills　the　trees；　the　plants；　the　insects；　the　small　birds
themselves；　who　fall　from　the　branches　on　to　the　hard　ground；　and
become　stiff　themselves　under　the　grip　of　the…cold。

The　moon；　which　was　in　her　last　quarter　and　was　inclining　all　to
one　side；　seemed　fainting　in　the　midst　of　space；　so　weak　that　she
was　unable　to　wane；　forced　to　stay　up　yonder；　seized　and
paralyzed　by　the　severity　of　the　weather。　She　shed　a　cold；
mournful　light　over　the　world；　that　dying　and　wan　light　which　she
gives　us　every　month；　at　the　end　of　her　period。

Karl　and　I　walked　side　by　side；　our　backs　bent；　our　hands　in　our
pockets　and　our　guns　under　our　arms。　Our　boots；　which　were
wrapped　in　wool　so　that　we　might　be　able　to　walk　without　slipping
on　the　frozen　river；　made　no　sound；　and　I　looked　at　the　white
vapor　which　our　dogs'　breath　made。

We　were　soon　on　the　edge　of　the　marsh；　and　entered　one　of　the
lanes　of　dry　rushes　which　ran　through　the　low　forest。

Our　elbows；　which　touched　the　long；　ribbonlike　leaves；　left　a
slight　noise　behind　us；　and　I　was　seized；　as　I　had　never　been
before；　by　the　powerful　and　singular　emotion　which　marshes　cause
in　me。　This　one　was　dead；　dead　from　cold；　since　we　were　walking
on　it；　in　the　middle　of　its　population　of　dried　rushes。

Suddenly；　at　the　turn　of　one　of　the　lanes；　I　perceived　the
ice…hut　which　had　been　constructed　to　shelter　us。　I　went　in；　and
as　we　had　nearly　an　hour　to　wait　before　the　wandering　birds　would
awake；　I　rolled　myself　up　in　my　rug　in　order　to　try　and　get　warm。
Then；　lying　on　my　back；　I　began　to　look　at　the　misshapen　moon；
which　had　four　horns　through　the　vaguely　transparent　walls　of
this　polar　house。　But　the　frost　of　the　frozen　marshes；　the　cold
of　these　walls；　the　cold　from　the　firmament　penetrated　me　so
terribly　that　I　began　to　cough。　My　cousin　Karl　became　uneasy。

〃No　matter　if　we　do　not　kill　much　to…day；〃　he　said：　〃I　do　not
want　you　to　catch　cold；　we　will　light　a　fire。〃　And　he　told　the
gamekeeper　to　cut　some　rushes。

We　made　a　pile　in　the　middle　of　our　hut　which　had　a　hole　in　the
middle　of　the　roof　to　let　out　the　smoke；　and　when　the　red　flames
rose　up　to　the　clear；　crystal　blocks　they　began　to　melt；　gently；
imperceptibly；　as　if　they　were　sweating。　Karl；　who　had　remained
outside；　called　out　to　me：　〃Come　and　look　here！〃　I　went　out　of
the　hut　and　remained　struck　with　astonishment。　Our　hut；　in　the
shape　of　a　cone；　looked　like　an　enormous　diamond　with　a　heart　of
fire　which　had　been　suddenly　planted　there　in　the　midst　of　the
frozen　water　of　the　marsh。　And　inside；　we　saw　two　fantastic
forms；　those　of　our　dogs；　who　were　warming　themselves　at　the
fire。

But　a　peculiar　cry；　a　lost；　a　wandering　cry；　passed　over　our
heads；　and　the　light　from　our　hearth　showed　us　the　wild　birds。
Nothing　moves　one　so　much　as　the　first　clamor　of　a　life　which　one
does　not　see；　which　passes　through　the　somber　air　so　quickly　and
so　far　off；　just　before　the　first　streak　of　a　winter's　day
appears　on　the　horizon。　It　seems　to　me；　at　this　glacial　hour　of
dawn；　as　if　that　passing　cry　which　is　carried　away　by　the　wings
of　a　bird　is　the　sigh　of　a　soul　from　the　world！

〃Put　out　the　fire；〃　said　Karl；　〃it　is　getting　daylight。〃

The　sky　was；　in　fact；　beginning　to　grow　pale；　and　the　flights　of
ducks　made　long；　rapid　streaks　which　were　soon　obliterated　on　the
sky。

A　stream　of　light　burst　out　into　the　night；　Karl　had　fired；　and
the　two　dogs　ran　forward。

And　then；　nearly　every　minute；　now　he；　now　I；　aimed　rapidly　as
soon　as　the　shadow　of　a　flying　flock　appeared　above　the　rushes。
And　Pierrot　and　Plongeon；　out　of　breath　but　happy；　retrieved　the
bleeding　birds；　whose　eyes　still；　occasionally；　looked　at　us。

The　sun　had　risen；　and　it　was　a　bright　day　with　a　blue　sky；　and
we　were　thinking　of　taking　our　departure；　when　two　birds　with
extended　necks　and　outstretched　wings；　glided　rapidly　over　our
heads。　I　fired；　and　one　of　them　fell　almost　at　my　feet。　It　was　a
teal；　with　a　silver　breast；　and　then；　in　the　blue　space　above　me；
I　heard　a　voice；　the　voice　of　a　bird。　It　was　a　short；　repeated；
heart…rending　lament；　and　the　bird；　the　little　animal　that　had
been　spared　began　to　turn　round　in　the　blue　sky；　over　our　heads；
looking　at　its　dead　companion　which　I　was　holding　in　my　hand。

Karl　was　on　his　knees；　his　gun　to　his　shoulder　watching　it
eagerly；　until　it　should　be　within　shot。　〃You　have　killed　the
duck；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　drake　will　not　fly　away。〃

He　certainly　did　not　fly　away；　he　circled　over　our　heads
continually；　and　continued　his　cries。　Never　have　any　groans　of
suffering　pained　me　so　much　as　that　desolate　appeal；　as　that
lamentable　reproach　of　this　poor　bird　which　was　lost　in　space。

Occasionally　he　took　flight　under　the　menace　of　the　gun　which
followed　his　movements；　and　seemed　ready　to　continue　his　flight
alone；　but　as　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　this；　he　returned
to　find　his　mate。

〃Leave　her　on　the　ground；〃　Karl　said　to　me；　〃he　will　come　within
shot　by　and　by。〃　And　he　did　indeed　come　near　us；　careless　of
danger；　infatuated　by　his　animal　love；　by　his　affection　for　his
mate；　which　I　had　just　killed。

Karl　fired；　and　it　was　as　if　somebody　had　cut　the　string　which
held　the　bird　suspended。　I　saw　something　black　descend；　and　I
heard　the　noise　of　a　fall　among　the　rushes。　And　Pierrot　brought
it　to　me。

I　put　themthey　were　already　coldinto　the　same　game…bag；　and　I
returned　to　Paris　the　same　evening。



THE　INN

Like　all　the　little　wooden　inns　in　the　higher　Alps；　tiny　auberges
situated　in　the　bare　and　rocky　gorges　which　intersect　the　white
summits　of　the　mountains；　the　inn　of　Schwarenbach　is　a　refuge　for
travelers　who　are　crossing　the　Gemmi。

It　is　open　six　months　in　the　year；　and　is　inhabited　by　the　family
of　Jean　Hauser。　As　soon　as　the　snow　begins　to　fall；　and　fills　the
valley　so　as　to　make　the　road　down　to　Loeche　impassable；　the
father；　with　mother；　daughter；　and　the　three　sons　depart；　leaving
the　house　in　charge　of　the　old　guide；　Gaspard　Hari；　with　the
young　guide；　Ulrich　Kunsi；　and　Sam；　the　great　mountain　dog。

The　two　men　and　the　dog　remain　till　spring　in　their　snowy　prison；
with　nothing　before　their　eyes　except　immense；　white　slopes　of
the　Balmhorn；　surrounded　by　light；　glistening　summits；　and　shut
up；　blocked　up；　and　buried　by　the　snow　which　rises　around　them；
enveloping　and　almost　burying　the　little　house　up　to　the　eaves。

It　was　the　day　on　which　the　Hauser　family　were　going　to　return　to
Loeche；　as　winter　was　approaching；　and　the　descent　was　becoming
da