selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第36部分

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me；　made　as　though　he　would　rush　at　me。　I　believed　that　he　wanted
to　kill　me；　and　I　fled　like　a　hunted　animal；　running　straight　in
front　of　me　through　the　woods。

〃I　ran　perhaps　for　an　hour；　perhaps　for　two；　I　know　not。　Darkness
had　set　in；　I　tumbled　over　some　thick　herbs；　exhausted；　and　I　lay
there　lost；　devoured　by　terror；　eaten　up　by　a　sorrow　capable　of
breaking　forever　the　heart　of　a　child。　I　became　cold；　I　became
hungry。　At　length　day　broke。　I　dared　neither　get　up；　walk；　return
home；　nor　save　myself；　fearing　to　encounter　my　father　whom　I　did
not　wish　to　see　again。

〃I　should　probably　have　died　of　misery　and　of　hunger　at　the　foot
of　a　tree　if　the　guard　had　not　discovered　me　and　led　me　away　by
force。

〃I　found　my　parents　wearing　their　ordinary　aspect。　My　mother
alone　spoke　to　me：

〃　'How　you　have　frightened　me；　you　naughty　boy；　I　have　been　the
whole　night　sleepless。'

〃I　did　not　answer；　but　began　to　weep。　My　father　did　not　utter　a
single　word。

〃Eight　days　later　I　entered　the　Lycee。

〃Well；　my　friend；　it　was　all　over　with　me。　I　had　witnessed　the
other　side　of　things；　the　bad　side；　I　have　not　been　able　to
perceive　the　good　side　since　that　day。　What　things　have　passed　in
my　mind；　what　strange　phenomena　have　warped　my　ideas；　I　do　not
know。　But　I　no　longer　have　a　taste　for　anything；　a　wish　for
anything；　a　love　for　anybody；　a　desire　for　anything　whatever；　no
ambition；　no　hope。　And　I　can　always　see　my　poor　mother　lying　on
the　ground；　in　the　avenue；　while　my　father　was　maltreating　her。
My　mother　died　a　few　years　after；　my　father　lives　still。　I　have
not　seen　him　since。　Waiter；　a　'bock。'　〃

A　waiter　brought　him　his　〃bock；〃　which　he　swallowed　at　a　gulp。
But；　in　taking　up　his　pipe　again；　trembling　as　he　was；　he　broke
it。　Then　he　made　a　violent　gesture：

〃Zounds！　This　is　indeed　a　grief；　a　real　grief。　I　have　had　it　for
a　month；　and　it　was　coloring　so　beautifully！〃

Then　he　went　off　through　the　vast　saloon；　which　was　now　full　of
smoke　and　of　people　drinking；　calling　out：

〃Waiter；　a　'bock'and　a　new　pipe。〃



SEQUEL　TO　A　DIVORCE

Certainly；　although　he　had　been　engaged　in　the　most
extraordinary；　most　unlikely；　most　extravagant；　and　funniest
cases；　and　had　won　legal　games　without　a　trump　in　his
handalthough　he　had　worked　out　the　obscure　law　of　divorce；　as
if　it　had　been　a　Californian　gold　mine；　Maitre＇1＇　Garrulier；　the
celebrated；　the　only　Garrulier；　could　not　check　a　movement　of
surprise；　nor　a　disheartening　shake　of　the　head；　nor　a　smile；
when　the　Countess　de　Baudemont　explained　her　affairs　to　him　for
the　first　time。

＇1＇　Title　given　to　advocates　in　France。

He　had　just　opened　his　correspondence；　and　his　slender　hands；　on
which　he　bestowed　the　greatest　attention；　buried　themselves　in　a
heap　of　female　letters；　and　one　might　have　thought　oneself　in　the
confessional　of　a　fashionable　preacher；　so　impregnated　was　the
atmosphere　with　delicate　perfumes。

Immediatelyeven　before　she　had　said　a　wordwith　the　sharp
glance　of　a　practised　man　of　the　world；　that　look　which　made
beautiful　Madame　de　Serpenoise　say：　〃He　strips　your　heart　bare！〃
the　lawyer　had　classed　her　in　the　third　category。　Those　who
suffer　came　into　his　first　category；　those　who　love；　into　the
second；　and　those　who　are　bored；　into　the　thirdand　she　belonged
to　the　latter。

She　was　a　pretty　windmill；　whose　sails　turned　and　flew　round；　and
fretted　the　blue　sky　with　a　delicious　shiver　of　joy；　as　it　were；
and　had　the　brain　of　a　bird；　in　which　four　correct　and　healthy
ideas　cannot　exist　side　by　side；　and　in　which　all　dreams　and
every　kind　of　folly　are　engulfed；　like　a　great　kaleidoscope。

Incapable　of　hurting　a　fly；　emotional；　charitable；　with　a　feeling
of　tenderness　for　the　street　girl　who　sells　bunches　of　violets
for　a　penny；　for　a　cab　horse　which　a　driver　is　ill…using；　for　a
melancholy　pauper's　funeral；　when　the　body；　without　friends　or
relations　to　follow　it；　is　being　conveyed　to　the　common　grave；
doing　anything　that　might　afford　five　minutes'　amusement；　not
caring　if　she　made　men　miserable　for　the　rest　of　their　days；　and
taking　pleasure　in　kindling　passions　which　consumed　men's　whole
being；　looking　upon　life　as　too　short　to　be　anything　else　than
one　uninterrupted　round　of　gaiety　and　enjoyment；　she　thought　that
people　might　find　plenty　of　time　for　being　serious　and　reasonable
in　the　evening　of　life；　when　they　are　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；
and　their　looking…glasses　reveal　a　wrinkled　face；　surrounded　with
white　hair。

A　thorough…bred　Parisian；　whom　one　would　follow　to　the　end　of　the
world；　like　a　poodle；　a　woman　whom　one　adores　with　the　head；　the
heart；　and　the　senses　until　one　is　nearly　driven　mad；　as　soon　as
one　has　inhaled　the　delicate　perfume　that　emanates　from　her　dress
and　hair；　or　touched　her　skin；　and　heard　her　laugh；　a　woman　for
whom　one　would　fight　a　duel　and　risk　one's　life　without　a
thought；　for　whom　a　man　would　remove　mountains；　and　sell　his　soul
to　the　devil　several　times　over；　if　the　devil　were　still　in　the
habit　of　frequenting　the　places　of　bad　repute　on　this　earth。

She　had　perhaps　come　to　see　this　Garrulier；　whom　she　had　so　often
heard　mentioned　at　five　o'clock　teas；　so　as　to　be　able　to
describe　him　to　her　female　friends　subsequently　in　droll　phrases；
imitating　his　gestures　and　the　unctuous　inflections　of　his　voice；
in　order；　perhaps；　to　experience　some　new　sensation；　or；　perhaps；
for　the　sake　of　dressing　like　a　woman　who　was　going　to　try　for　a
divorce；　and；　certainly；　the　whole　effect　was　perfect。　She　wore　a
splendid　cloak　embroidered　with　jetwhich　gave　an　almost　serious
effect　to　her　golden　hair；　to　her　small　slightly　turned…up　nose；
with　its　quivering　nostrils；　and　to　her　large　eyes；　full　of
enigma　and　funover　a　dark　stuff　dress；　which　was　fastened　at
the　neck　by　a　sapphire　and　a　diamond　pin。

The　barrister　did　not　interrupt　her；　but　allowed　her　to　get
excited　and　to　chatter；　to　enumerate　her　causes　for　complaint
against　poor　Count　de　Baudemont；　who　certainly　had　no　suspicion
of　his　wife's　escapade；　and　who　would　have　been　very　much
surprised　if　anyone　had　told　him　of　it　at　that　moment；　when　he
was　taking　his　fencing　lesson　at　the　club。

When　she　had　quite　finished；　he　said　coolly；　as　if　he　were
throwing　a　pail　of　water　on　some　burning　straw：

〃But；　Madame；　there　is　not　the　slightest　pretext　for　a　divorce　in
anything　that　you　have　told　me　here。　The　judges　would　ask　me
whether　I　took　the　Law　Courts　for　a　theater；　and　intended　to　make
fun　of　them。〃

And　seeing　how　disheartened　she　was；that　she　looked　like　a
child　whose　favorite　toy　had　been　broken；　that　she　was　so　pretty
that　he　would　have　liked　to　kiss　her　hands　in　his　devotion；　and
as　she　seemed　to　be　witty；　and　very　amusing；　and　as；　moreover；　he
had　no　objection　to　such　visits　being　prolonged；　when　papers　had
to　be　looked　over；　while　sitting　close　together；Maitre
Garrulier　appeared　to　be　considering。　Taking　his　chin　in　his
hand；　he　said：

〃However；　I　will　think　it　over；　there　is　sure　to　be　some　dark
spot　that　can　be　made　out　worse。　Write　to　me；　and　come　and　see　me
again。〃

In　the　course　of　her　visits；　that　black　spot　had　increased　so
much　and　Madame　de　Baudemont　had　followed　her　lawyer's　advice　so
punctually；　and　had　played　on　the　various　strings　so　skillfully
that　a　few　months　later；　after　a　lawsuit；　which　is　still　spoken
of　in　the　Courts　of　Justice；　and　during　the　course　of　which　the
President　had　to　take　off　his　spectacles；　and　to　use　his
pocket…handkerchief　noisily；　the　divorce　was　pronounced　in　favor
of　the　Countess　Marie　Anne　Nicole　Bournet　de　Baudemont；　nee　de
Tanchart　de　Peothus。

The　Count；　who　was　nonplussed　at　such　an　adventure　turning　out　so
seriously；　first　of　all　flew　into　a　terrible　rage；　rushed　off　to
the　lawyer's　office　and　threatened　to　cut　off　his　knavish　ears
for　him。　But　when　his　access　of　fury　was　over；　and　he　thought　of
it；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said：

〃All　the　better　for　her；　if　it　amuses　her！〃

Then　he　bought　Baron　Silberstein's　yacht；　and　with　some　friends；
got　up　a　cruise　to　Ceylon　and　India。

Marie　Anne　began　by　triumphing；　and　felt　as　happy　as　a　schoolgirl
going　home　for　the　holidays；　she　committed　every　possible　folly；
and　soon；　tired；　satiated；　and　disgusted；　began　to　yawn；　cried；
and　found　out　that　she　had　sacrificed　her　happiness；　like　a
millionaire　who　has　gone　mad　and　has　cast　his　banknotes　and
shares　into　the　river；　and　that　she　was　nothing　more　than　a
disabled　waif　and　stray。　Consequently；　she　now　married　again；　as
the　solitude　of　her　home　made　her　morose　from　morning　till　night；
and　then；　besides；　she　found　a　woman　requires　a　mansion　when　she
goes　into　society；　to　race　meetings；　or　to　the　theater。

And　so；　while　she　became　a　marchioness；　and　pronounced　her　second
〃Yes；〃　before　a　very　few　friends；　at　the　office　of　the　mayor　of
the　English　urban　district；　malicious　people　in　the　Faubourg　were
making　fun　of　the　whole　affair；　and　affirming　this　and　that；
whether　rightly　or　wrongly；　and　comparing　the　present　husband　to
the　former　one；　even　declaring　that　he　had　partially　been　the
cause　of　the　former　divorce。　Meanwhile　Monsieur　de　Baudemont　was
wandering　over　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe　trying　to　overcome
his　homesickness；　and　to　deaden　his　longing　for　love；　which　had
taken　possession　of　his　heart　and　of　his　body；　like　a　slow
poison。

He　traveled　through　the　most　out…of…the…way　places；　and　the　most
lovely　countries；　and　spent　months　and　months　at　sea；　and　plunged
into　every　kind　of　dissipation　and　debauchery。　But　neither　the
supple　forms　nor　the　luxurious　gestures　of　the　bayaderes；　nor　the
large　passive　eyes　of　the　Creoles；　nor　flirtations　with　English
girls　with　hair　the　color　of　new　cider；　nor　nights　of　waking
dreams；　when　he　saw　new　constellations　in　the　sky；　nor　dangers
during　which　a　man　thinks　it　is　all　over　with　him；　and　mutters　a
few　words　of　prayer　in　spite　of　himself；　when　the　waves　are　high；
and　the　sky　black；　nothing　was　able　to　make　him　forget　that
little　Parisian　woman　who　smelled　so　sweet　that　she　might　have
been　taken　for　a　bouquet　of　rare　flowers；　who　was　so　coaxing；　so
curious；　so　funny；　who　never　had　the　same　caprice；　the　same
smile；　or　the　same　look　twice；　and　who；