selected writings-第17节

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although　it　was　getting　cold。



Suddenly　I　felt　that　He　was　there；　and　joy；　mad　joy　took

possession　of　me。　I　got　up　softly；　and　I　walked　to　the　right　and

left　for　some　time；　so　that　He　might　not　guess　anything；　then　I

took　off　my　boots　and　put　on　my　slippers　carelessly；　then　I

fastened　the　iron　shutters　and　going　back　to　the　door　quickly　I

double…locked　it　with　a　padlock；　putting　the　key　into　my　pocket。



Suddenly　I　noticed　that　He　was　moving　restlessly　round　me；　that

in　his　turn　He　was　frightened　and　was　ordering　me　to　let　Him　out。

I　nearly　yielded；　though　I　did　not　quite；　but　putting　my　back　to

the　door；　I　half　opened　it；　just　enough　to　allow　me　to　go　out

backward；　and　as　I　am　very　tall；　my　head　touched　the　lintel。　I

was　sure　that　He　had　not　been　able　to　escape；　and　I　shut　Him　up

quite　alone；　quite　alone。　What　happiness！　I　had　Him　fast。　Then　I

ran　downstairs　into　the　drawing…room　which　was　under　my　bedroom。

I　took　the　two　lamps　and　poured　all　the　oil　on　to　the　carpet；　the

furniture；　everywhere；　then　I　set　fire　to　it　and　made　my　escape；

after　having　carefully　double　locked　the　door。



I　went　and　hid　myself　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　in　a　clump　of

laurel　bushes。　How　long　it　was！　how　long　it　was！　Everything　was

dark；　silent；　motionless；　not　a　breath　of　air　and　not　a　star；　but

heavy　banks　of　clouds　which　one　could　not　see；　but　which　weighed；

oh！　so　heavily　on　my　soul。



I　looked　at　my　house　and　waited。　How　long　it　was！　I　already　began

to　think　that　the　fire　had　gone　out　of　its　own　accord；　or　that　He

had　extinguished　it；　when　one　of　the　lower　windows　gave　way　under

the　violence　of　the　flames；　and　a　long；　soft；　caressing　sheet　of

red　flame　mounted　up　the　white　wall；　and　kissed　it　as　high　as　the

roof。　The　light　fell　on　to　the　trees；　the　branches；　and　the

leaves；　and　a　shiver　of　fear　pervaded　them　also！　The　birds　awoke；

a　dog　began　to　howl；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　day　were

breaking！　Almost　immediately　two　other　windows　flew　into

fragments；　and　I　saw　that　the　whole　of　the　lower　part　of　my　house

was　nothing　but　a　terrible　furnace。　But　a　cry；　a　horrible；

shrill；　heart…rending　cry；　a　woman's　cry；　sounded　through　the

night；　and　two　garret　windows　were　opened！　I　had　forgotten　the

servants！　I　saw　the　terror…struck　faces；　and　the　frantic　waving

of　their　arms！



Then；　overwhelmed　with　horror；　I　ran　off　to　the　village；

shouting：　〃Help！　help！　fire！　fire！〃　Meeting　some　people　who　were

already　coming　on　to　the　scene；　I　went　back　with　them　to　see！



By　this　time　the　house　was　nothing　but　a　horrible　and　magnificent

funeral　pile；　a　monstrous　pyre　which　lit　up　the　whole　country；　a

pyre　where　men　were　burning；　and　where　He　was　burning　also；　He；

He；　my　prisoner；　that　new　Being；　the　new　Master；　the　Horla！



Suddenly　the　whole　roof　fell　in　between　the　walls；　and　a　volcano

of　flames　darted　up　to　the　sky。　Through　all　the　windows　which

opened　on　to　that　furnace；　I　saw　the　flames　darting；　and　I

reflected　that　He　was　there；　in　that　kiln；　dead。



Dead？　Perhaps？　His　body？　Was　not　his　body；　which　was　transparent；

indestructible　by　such　means　as　would　kill　ours？



If　He　were　not　dead？　Perhaps　time　alone　has　power　over　that

Invisible　and　Redoubtable　Being。　Why　this　transparent；

unrecognizable　body；　this　body　belonging　to　a　spirit；　if　it　also

had　to　fear　ills；　infirmities；　and　premature　destruction？



Premature　destruction？　All　human　terror　springs　from　that！　After

man　the　Horla。　After　him　who　can　die　every　day；　at　any　hour；　at

any　moment；　by　any　accident；　He　came；　He　who　was　only　to　die　at

his　own　proper　hour　and　minute；　because　He　had　touched　the　limits

of　his　existence！



Nonothere　is　no　doubt　about　itHe　is　not　dead。　ThenthenI

suppose　I　must　kill　MYSELF！







MISS　HARRIET



There　were　seven　of　us　in　a　four…in…hand；　four　women　and　three

men；　one　of　whom　was　on　the　box　seat　beside　the　coachman。　We　were

following；　at　a　foot　pace；　broad　highway　which　serpentines　along

the　coast。



Setting　out　from　Etretat　at　break　of　day；　in　order　to　visit　the

ruins　of　Tancarville；　we　were　still　asleep；　chilled　by　the　fresh

air　of　the　morning。　The　women；　especially；　who　were　but　little

accustomed　to　these　early　excursions；　let　their　eyelids　fall　and

rise　every　moment；　nodding　their　heads　or　yawning；　quite

insensible　to　the　glory　of　the　dawn。



It　was　autumn。　On　both　sides　of　the　road　the　bare　fields

stretched　out；　yellowed　by　the　corn　and　wheat　stubble　which

covered　the　soil　like　a　bristling　growth　of　beard。　The　spongy

earth　seemed　to　smoke。　Larks　were　singing　high　up　in　the　air；

while　other　birds　piped　in　the　bushes。



At　length　the　sun　rose　in　front　of　us；　a　bright　red　on　the　plane

of　the　horizon；　and　as　it　ascended；　growing　clearer　from　minute

to　minute；　the　country　seemed　to　awake；　to　smile；　to　shake　and

stretch　itself；　like　a　young　girl　who　is　leaving　her　bed　in　her

white　airy　chemise。　The　Count　d'Etraille；　who　was　seated　on　the

box；　cried：



〃Look！　look！　a　hare！〃　and　he　pointed　toward　the　left；　indicating

a　piece　of　hedge。　The　leveret　threaded　its　way　along；　almost

concealed　by　the　field；　only　its　large　ears　visible。　Then　it

swerved　across　a　deep　rut；　stopped；　again　pursued　its　easy

course；　changed　its　direction；　stopped　anew；　disturbed；　spying

out　every　danger；　and　undecided　as　to　the　route　it　should　take。

Suddenly　it　began　to　run；　with　great　bounds　from　its　hind　legs；

disappearing　finally　in　a　large　patch　of　beet…root。　All　the　men

had　woke　up　to　watch　the　course　of　the　beast。



Rene　Lemanoir　then　exclaimed



〃We　are　not　at　all　gallant　this　morning；〃　and　looking　at　his

neighbor；　the　little　Baroness　of　Serennes；　who　was　struggling

with　drowsiness；　he　said　to　her　in　a　subdued　voice：　〃You　are

thinking　of　your　husband；　Baroness。　Reassure　yourself；　he　will

not　return　before　Saturday；　so　you　have　still　four　days。〃



She　responded　to　him　with　a　sleepy　smile。



〃How　rude　you　are。〃　Then；　shaking　off　her　torpor；　she　added：

〃Now；　let　somebody　say　something　that　will　make　us　all　laugh。

You；　Monsieur　Chenal　who　have　the　reputation　of　possessing　a

larger　fortune　than　the　Duke　of　Richelieu；　tell　us　a　love　story

in　which　you　have　been　mixed　up；　anything　you　like。〃



Leon　Chenal；　an　old　painter；　who　had　once　keen　very　handsome；

very　strong；　who　was　very　proud　of　his　physique　and　very　amiable；

took　his　long　white　beard　in　his　hand　and　smiled；　then；　after　a

few　moments'　reflection；　he　became　suddenly　grave。



〃Ladies；　it　will　not　be　an　amusing　tale；　for　I　am　going　to　relate

to　you　the　most　lamentable　love　affair　of　my　life；　and　I

sincerely　hope　that　none　of　my　friends　has　ever　passed　through　a

similar　experience。



I。



〃At　that　time　I　was　twenty…five　years　old；　and　was　making　daubs

along　the　coast　of　Normandy。　I　call　'making　daubs'　that　wandering

about；　with　a　bag　on　one's　back；　from　mountain　to　mountain；　under

the　pretext　of　studying　and　of　sketching　nature。　I　know　nothing

more　enjoyable　than　that　happy…go…lucky　wandering　life；　in　which

you　are　perfectly　free；　without　shackles　of　any　kind；　without

care；　without　preoccupation；　without　thought　even　of　to…morrow。

You　go　in　any　direction　you　please；　without　any　guide　save　your

fancy；　without　any　counselor　save　your　eyes。　You　pull　up；　because

a　running　brook　seduces　you；　or　because　you　are　attracted；　in

front　of　an　inn；　by　the　smell　of　potatoes　frying。　Sometimes　it　is

the　perfume　of　clematis　which　decides　you　in　your　choice；　or　the

naive　glance　of　the　servant　at　an　inn。　Do　not　despise　me　for　my

affection　for　these　rustics。　These　girls　have　soul　as　well　as

feeling；　not　to　mention　firm　cheeks　and　fresh　lips；　while　their

hearty　and　willing　kisses　have　the　flavor　of　wild　fruit。　Love

always　has　its　price；　come　whence　it　may。　A　heart　that　beats　when

you　make　your　appearance；　an　eye　that　weeps　when　you　go　away；

these　are　things　so　rare；　so　sweet；　so　precious；　that　they　must

never　be　despised。



〃I　have　had　rendezvous　in　ditches　in　which　cattle　repose；　and　in

barns　among　the　straw；　still　steaming　from　the　heat　of　the　day。　I

have　recollections　of　canvas　spread　on　rude　and　creaky　benches；

and　of　hearty；　fresh；　free　kisses；　more　delicate；　free　from

affectation；　and　sincere　than　the　subtle　attractions　of　charming

and　distinguished　women。



〃But　what　you　love　most　amid　all　these　varied　adventures　are　the

country；　the　woods；　the　risings　of　the　sun；　the　twilight；　the

light　of　the　moon。　For　the　painter　these　are　honeymoon　trips　with

Nature。　You　are　alone　with　her　in　that　long　and　tranquil

rendezvous。　You　go　to　bed　in　the　fields　amid　marguerites　and　wild

poppies；　and；　with　eyes　wide　open；　you　watch　the　going　down　of

the　sun；　and　descry　in　the　distance　the　little　village；　with　its

pointed　clock…tower；　which　sounds　the　hour　of　midnight。



〃You　sit　down　by　the　side　of　a　spring　which　gushes　out　from　the

foot　of　an　oak；　amid　a　covering　of　fragile　herbs；　growing　and

red