selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第9部分

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THE　ARTIST

〃Bah！　Monsieur；〃　the　old　mountebank　said　to　me；　〃it　is　a　matter
of　exercise　and　habit；　that　is　all！　Of　course；　one　requires　to　be
a　little　gifted　that　way　and　not　to　be　butter…fingered；　but　what
is　chiefly　necessary　is　patience　and　daily　practice　for　long；
long　years。〃

His　modesty　surprised　me　all　the　more；　because　of　all　performers
who　are　generally　infatuated　with　their　own　skill；　he　was　the
most　wonderfully　clever　one　I　had　met。　Certainly　I　had　frequently
seen　him；　for　everybody　had　seen　him　in　some　circus　or　other；　or
even　in　traveling　shows；　performing　the　trick　that　consists　of
putting　a　man　or　woman　with　extended　arms　against　a　wooden
target；　and　in　throwing　knives　between　their　fingers　and　round
their　heads；　from　a　distance。　There　is　nothing　very　extraordinary
in　it；　after　all；　when　one　knows　THE　TRICKS　OF　THE　TRADE；　and
that　the　knives　are　not　the　least　sharp；　and　stick　into　the　wood
at　some　distance　from　the　flesh。　It　is　the　rapidity　of　the
throws；　the　glitter　of　the　blades；　and　the　curve　which　the
handles　make　toward　their　living　object；　which　give　an　air　of
danger　to　an　exhibition　that　has　become　commonplace；　and　only
requires　very　middling　skill。

But　here　there　was　no　trick　and　no　deception；　and　no　dust　thrown
into　the　eyes。　It　was　done　in　good　earnest　and　in　all　sincerity。
The　knives　were　as　sharp　as　razors；　and　the　old　mountebank
planted　them　close　to　the　flesh；　exactly　in　the　angle　between　the
fingers。　He　surrounded　the　head　with　a　perfect　halo　of　knives；
and　the　neck　with　a　collar　from　which　nobody　could　have
extricated　himself　without　cutting　his　carotid　artery；　while；　to
increase　the　difficulty；　the　old　fellow　went　through　the
performance　without　seeing；　his　whole　face　being　covered　with　a
close　mask　of　thick　oilcloth。

Naturally；　like　other　great　artists；　he　was　not　understood　by　the
crowd；　who　confounded　him　with　vulgar　tricksters；　and　his　mask
only　appeared　to　them　a　trick　the　more；　and　a　very　common　trick
into　the　bargain。

〃He　must　think　us　very　stupid；〃　they　said。　〃How　could　he　possibly
aim　without　having　his　eyes　open？〃

And　they　thought　there　must　be　imperceptible　holes　in　the
oilcloth；　a　sort　of　latticework　concealed　in　the　material。　It　was
useless　for　him　to　allow　the　public　to　examine　the　mask　for
themselves　before　the　exhibition　began。　It　was　all　very　well　that
they　could　not　discover　any　trick；　but　they　were　only　all　the
more　convinced　that　they　were　being　tricked。　Did　not　the　people
know　that　they　ought　to　be　tricked？

I　had　recognized　a　great　artist　in　the　old　mountebank；　and　I　was
quite　sure　that　he　was　altogether　incapable　of　any　trickery。　I
told　him　so；　while　expressing　my　admiration　to　him；　and　he　had
been　touched　by　my　open　admiration　and　above　all　by　the　justice　I
had　done　him。　Thus　we　became　good　friends；　and　he　explained　to
me；　very　modestly；　the　real　trick　which　the　crowd　do　not
understand；　the　eternal　trick　contained　in　these　simple　words：
〃To　be　gifted　by　nature　and　to　practice　every　day　for　long；　long
years。〃

He　had　been　especially　struck　by　the　certainty　which　I　expressed
that　any　trickery　must　become　impossible　to　him。　〃Yes；〃　he　said
to　me；　〃quite　impossible！　Impossible　to　a　degree　which　you　cannot
imagine。　If　I　were　to　tell　you！　But　where　would　be　the　use？〃

His　face　clouded　over；　and　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　I　did　not
venture　to　force　myself　into　his　confidence。　My　looks；　however；
were　not　so　discreet　as　my　silence；　and　begged　him　to　speak；　so
he　responded　to　their　mute　appeal。

〃After　all；〃　he　said；　〃why　should　I　not　tell　you　about　it？　You
will　understand　me。〃　And　he　added；　with　a　look　of　sudden
ferocity：　〃She　understood　it；　at　any　rate！〃

〃Who？〃　I　asked。

〃My　strumpet　of　a　wife；〃　he　replied。　〃Ah！　Monsieur；　what　an
abominable　creature　she　wasif　you　only　knew！　Yes；　she
understood　it　too　well；　too　well；　and　that　is　why　I　hate　her　so；
even　more　on　that　account；　than　for　having　deceived　me。　For　that
is　a　natural　fault；　is　it　not；　and　may　be　pardoned？　But　the　other
thing　was　a　crime；　a　horrible　crime。〃

The　woman；　who　stood　against　the　wooden　target　every　night　with
her　arms　stretched　out　and　her　finger　extended；　and　whom　the　old
mountebank　fitted　with　gloves　and　with　a　halo　formed　of　his
knives；　which　were　as　sharp　as　razors　and　which　he　planted　close
to　her；　was　his　wife。　She　might　have　been　a　woman　of　forty；　and
must　have　been　fairly　pretty；　but　with　a　perverse　prettiness；　she
had　an　impudent　mouth；　a　mouth　that　was　at　the　same　time　sensual
and　bad；　with　the　lower　lip　too　thick　for　the　thin；　dry　upper
lip。

I　had　several　times　noticed　that　every　time　he　planted　a　knife　in
the　board；　she　uttered　a　laugh；　so　low　as　scarcely　to　be　heard；
but　which　was　very　significant　when　one　heard　it；　for　it　was　a
hard　and　very　mocking　laugh。　I　had　always　attributed　that　sort　of
reply　to　an　artifice　which　the　occasion　required。　It　was
intended；　I　thought；　to　accentuate　the　danger　she　incurred　and
the　contempt　that　she　felt　for　it；　thanks　to　the　sureness　of　the
thrower's　hands；　and　so　I　was　very　much　surprised　when　the
mountebank　said　to　me：

〃Have　you　observed　her　laugh；　I　say？　Her　evil　laugh　which　makes
fun　of　me；　and　her　cowardly　laugh　which　defies　me？　Yes；　cowardly；
because　she　knows　that　nothing　can　happen　to　her；　nothing；　in
spite　of　all　she　deserves；　in　spite　of　all　that　I　ought　to　do　to
her；　in　spite　of　all　that　I　WANT　to　do　to　her。〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃

〃Confound　it！　Cannot　you　guess？　I　want　to　kill　her。〃

〃To　kill　her；　because　she　has〃

〃Because　she　has　deceived　me？　No；　no；　not　that；　I　tell　you　again。
I　have　forgiven　her　for　that　a　long　time　ago；　and　I　am　too　much
accustomed　to　it！　But　the　worst　of　it　is　that　the　first　time　I
forgave　her；　when　I　told　her　that　all　the　same　I　might　some　day
have　my　revenge　by　cutting　her　throat；　if　I　chose；　without
seeming　to　do　it　on　purpose；　as　if　it　were　an　accident；　mere
awkwardness〃

〃Oh！　So　you　said　that　to　her？〃

〃Of　course　I　did；　and　I　meant　it。　I　thought　I　might　be　able　to　do
it；　for　you　see　I　had　the　perfect　right　to　do　so。　It　was　so
simple；　so　easy；　so　tempting！　Just　think！　A　mistake　of　less　than
half　an　inch；　and　her　skin　would　be　cut　at　the　neck　where　the
jugular　vein　is；　and　the　jugular　would　be　severed。　My　knives　cut
very　well！　And　when　once　the　jugular　is　cutgood…bye。　The　blood
would　spurt　out；　and　one；　two；　three　red　jets；　and　all　would　be
over；　she　would　be　dead；　and　I　should　have　had　my　revenge！〃

〃That　is　true；　certainly；　horribly　true！〃

〃And　without　any　risk　to　me；　eh？　An　accident；　that　is　all；　bad
luck；　one　of　those　mistakes　which　happen　every　day　in　our
business。　What　could　they　accuse　me　of？　Whoever　would　think　of
accusing　me；　even？　Homicide　through　imprudence；　that　would　be
all！　They　would　even　pity　me；　rather　than　accuse　me。　'My　wife！　My
poor　wife！'　I　should　say；　sobbing。　'My　wife；　who　is　so　necessary
to　me；　who　is　half　the　breadwinner；　who　takes　part　in　my
performance！'　You　must　acknowledge　that　I　should　be　pitied！〃

〃Certainly；　there　is　not　the　least　doubt　about　that。〃

〃And　you　must　allow　that　such　a　revenge　would　he　a　very　nice
revenge；　the　best　possible　revenge　which　I　could　have　with
assured　impunity。〃

〃Evidently　that　is　so。〃

〃Very　well！　But　when　I　told　her　so；　as　I　have　told　you；　and　more
forcibly　still；　threatening　her　as　I　was　mad　with　rage　and　ready
to　do　the　deed　that　I　had　dreamed　of　on　the　spot；　what　do　you
think　she　said？〃

〃That　you　were　a　good　fellow；　and　would　certainly　not　have　the
atrocious　courage　to〃

〃Tut！　tut！　tut！　I　am　not　such　a　good　fellow　as　you　think。　I　am
not　frightened　of　blood；　and　that　I　have　proved　already；　though
it　would　be　useless　to　tell　you　how　and　where。　But　I　had　no
necessity　to　prove　it　to　her；　for　she　knows　that　I　am　capable　of
a　good　many　things；　even　of　crime；　especially　of　one　crime。〃

〃And　she　was　not　frightened？〃

〃No。　She　merely　replied　that　I　could　not　do　what　I　said；　you
understand。　That　I　could　not　do　it！〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Ah！　Monsieur；　so　you　do　not　understand？　Why　do　you　not？　I　have　I
not　explained　to　you　by　what　constant；　long；　daily　practice　I
have　learned　to　plant　my　knives　without　seeing　what　I　am　doing？〃

〃Yes；　well；　what　then？〃

〃Well！　Cannot　you　understand　what　she　has　understood　with　such
terrible　results；　that　now　my　hand　would　no　longer　obey　me　if　I
wished　to　make　a　mistake　as　I　threw？〃

〃Is　it　possible？〃

〃Nothing　is　truer；　I　am　sorry　to　say。　For　I　really　have　wished　to
have　the　revenge　which　I　have　dreamed　of；　and　which　I　thought　so
easy。　Exasperated　by　that　bad　woman's　insolence　and　confidence　in
her　own　safety；　I　have　several　times　made　up　my　mind　to　kill　her；
and　have　exerted　all　my　energy　and　all　my　skill　to　make　my　knives
fly　aside　when　I　threw　them　to　make　a　border　round　her　neck。　I
have　tried　with　all　my　might　to　make　them　deviate　half　an　inch；
just　enough　to　cut　her　throat。　I　wanted　to；　and　I　have　never
succeeded；　never。　And　always　the　slut's　horrible　laugh　makes　fun
of　me；　always；　always。〃

And　with　a　deluge　of　tears；　with　something　like　a　roar　of
unsatiated　and　muzzled　rage；　he　ground　his　teeth　as　he　wound　up：
〃She　knows　me；　the　jade；　she　is　in　the　secret　of　my　work；　of　my
patience；　of　my　trick；　routine；　whatever　you　may　call　it！　She
lives　in　my　innermost　being；　and　sees　into　it　more　closely　than
you　do；　or　than　I　do　myself。　She　knows　what　a　faultless　machine　I
have　become；　the　machine　of　which　she　makes　fun；　the　machine
which　is　too　well　wound　up；　the　machine　which　cannot　get　out　of
orderand　she　knows　that　I　CANNOT　make　a　mistake。〃



THE　HORLA

MAY　8。　What　a　lovely　day！　I　have　spent　all　the　morning　lying　on
the　grass　in　front　of　my　house；　under　the　enormous　plantain　tree
which　covers　and　shades　and　shelters　the　whole　of　it。　I　like　this
part　of　the　country；　I　am　fond　of　living　here　because　I　am
attached　to　it　by　deep　roots；　the　profound　and　delicate　roots
which　attach　a　man　to　the　soil　on　which　his　ancestors　were　born
and　died；　to　their　traditions；　their　usages；　their　food；　the
local　expressions；　the　peculiar　language　of　the　peasants；　the
smell　of　the　soil；　the　hamlets；　and　to　the　atmosphere　itself。

I　love　the　house　in　whi