selected writings-第19节

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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

exhibiting　it　to　the　female　innkeeper。　The　'demoniac'　could　not

help　but　see　it；　for　I　took　care　to　exhibit　the　thing　in　such　a

way　that　it　could　not　escape　her　notice。　She　stopped　abruptly　and

stood　motionless；　stupefied。　It　was　her　rock　which　was　depicted；

the　one　which　she　usually　climbed　to　dream　away　her　time

undisturbed。



〃She　uttered　a　British　'Oh；'　which　was　at　once　so　accentuated　and

so　flattering；　that　I　turned　round　to　her；　smiling；　and　said：



〃This　is　my　last　work；　Mademoiselle。'



〃She　murmured　ecstatically；　comically；　and　tenderly：



〃　'Oh！　Monsieur；　you　must　understand　what　it　is　to　have　a

palpitation。'



〃I　colored　up；　of　course；　and　was　more　excited　by　that　compliment

than　if　it　had　come　from　a　queen。　I　was　seduced；　conquered；

vanquished。　I　could　have　embraced　herupon　my　honor。



〃I　took　my　seat　at　the　table　beside　her；　as　I　had　always　done。

For　the　first　time；　she　spoke；　drawling　out　in　a　loud　voice：



〃　'Oh！　I　love　nature　so　much。'



〃I　offered　her　some　bread；　some　water；　some　wine。　She　now

accepted　these　with　the　vacant　smile　of　a　mummy。　I　then　began　to

converse　with　her　about　the　scenery。



〃After　the　meal；　we　rose　from　the　table　together　and　walked

leisurely　across　the　court；　then；　attracted　by　the　fiery　glow

which　the　setting　sun　cast　over　the　surface　of　the　sea；　I　opened

the　outside　gate　which　faced　in　the　direction　of　the　Falaise；　and

we　walked　on　side　by　side；　as　satisfied　as　any　two　persons　could

be　who　have　just　learned　to　understand　and　penetrate　each　other's

motives　and　feelings。



〃It　was　a　misty；　relaxing　evening；　one　of　those　enjoyable

evenings　which　impart　happiness　to　mind　and　body　alike。　All　is

joy；　all　is　charm。　The　luscious　and　balmy　air；　loaded　with　the

perfumes　of　herbs；　with　the　perfumes　of　grass…wrack；　with　the

odor　of　the　wild　flowers；　caresses　the　soul　with　a　penetrating

sweetness。　We　were　going　to　the　brink　of　the　abyss　which

overlooked　the　vast　sea　and　rolled　past　us　at　the　distance　of

less　than　a　hundred　meters。



〃We　drank　with　open　mouth　and　expanded　chest；　that　fresh　breeze

from　the　ocean　which　glides　slowly　over　the　skin；　salted　as　it　is

by　long　contact　with　the　waves。



〃Wrapped　up　in　her　square　shawl；　inspired　by　the　balmy　air　and

with　teeth　firmly　set；　the　English…woman　gazed　fixedly　at　the

great　sun…ball；　as　it　descended　toward　the　sea。　Soon　its　rim

touched　the　waters；　just　in　rear　of　a　ship　which　had　appeared　on

the　horizon；　until；　by　degrees；　it　was　swallowed　up　by　the　ocean。

We　watched　it　plunge；　diminish；　and　finally　disappear。



〃Miss　Harriet　contemplated　with　passionate　regard　the　last

glimmer　of　the　flaming　orb　of　day。



〃She　muttered：　'Oh！　I　loveI　love'　I　saw　a　tear　start　in　her

eye。　She　continued：　'I　wish　I　were　a　little　bird；　so　that　I　could

mount　up　into　the　firmament。'



〃She　remained　standing　as　I　had　often　before　seen　her；　perched　on

the　river　bank；　her　face　as　red　as　her　flaming　shawl。　I　should

have　liked　to　have　sketched　her　in　my　album。　It　would　have　been

an　ecstatic　caricature。　I　turned　my　face　away　from　her　so　as　to

be　able　to　laugh。



〃I　then　spoke　to　her　of　painting；　as　I　would　have　done　to　a

fellow…artist；　using　the　technical　terms　common　among　the

devotees　of　the　profession。　She　listened　attentively　to　me；

eagerly　seeking　to　divine　the　sense　of　the　obscure　words；　so　as

to　penetrate　my　thoughts。　From　time　to　time；　she　would　exclaim：

'Oh！　I　understand；　I　understand。　This　is　very　interesting。'　We

returned　home。



〃The　next　day；　on　seeing　me；　she　approached　me　eagerly；　holding

out　her　hand；　and　we　became　firm　friends　immediately。



〃She　was　a　brave　creature；　with　an　elastic　sort　of　a　soul；　which

became　enthusiastic　at　a　bound。　She　lacked　equilibrium；　like　all

women　who　are　spinsters　at　the　age　of　fifty。　She　seemed　to　be

pickled　in　vinegary　innocence；　though　her　heart　still　retained

something　of　youth　and　of　girlish　effervescence。　She　loved　both

nature　and　animals　with　a　fervent　ardor；　a　love　like　old　wine；

mellow　through　age；　with　a　sensual　love　that　she　had　never

bestowed　on　men。



〃One　thing　is　certain：　a　mare　roaming　in　a　meadow　with　a　foal　at

its　side；　a　bird's　nest　full　of　young　ones；　squeaking；　with　their

open　mouths　and　enormous　heads；　made　her　quiver　with　the　most

violent　emotion。



〃Poor　solitary　beings！　Sad　wanderers　from　table　d'hote　to　table

d'hote；　poor　beings；　ridiculous　and　lamentable；　I　love　you　ever

since　I　became　acq