selected writings-第50节

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him　enthusiastic；　and　they　bought　at　a　grocer's　two　sous'　worth

of　white　and　red　candies。



They　ate　their　breakfast　more　rapidly　than　usual；　being　nervous

with　expectation。



Jean　saw　her　first。　〃There　she　is！〃　he　cried。　Luc　added：　〃Yes；

there　she　is。〃



While　yet　some　distance　off　she　laughed　at　seeing　them。　Then　she

cried：



〃Is　everything　going　as　you　like　it？〃



And　in　unison　they　asked：



〃Are　you　getting　on　all　right？〃



Then　she　conversed；　talked　to　them　of　simple　things　in　which　they

felt　an　interestof　the　weather；　of　the　crops；　and　of　her

master。



They　were　afraid　to　offer　her　the　candies；　which　were　slowly

melting　away　in　Jean's　pocket。



At　last　Luc　grew　bold；　and　murmured：



〃We　have　brought　you　something。〃



She　demanded；　〃What　is　it？　Tell　me！〃



Then　Jean；　blushing　up　to　his　ears；　managed　to　get　at　the　little

paper　cornucopia；　and　held　it　out。



She　began　to　eat　the　little　bonbons；　rolling　them　from　one　cheek

to　the　other　where　they　made　little　round　lumps。　The　two

soldiers；　seated　before　her；　gazed　at　her　with　emotion　and

delight。



Then　she　went　to　milk　her　cow；　and　once　more　gave　them　some　milk

on　coming　back。



They　thought　of　her　all　the　week；　several　times　they　even　spoke

of　her。　The　next　Sunday　she　sat　down　with　them　for　a　little

longer　talk；　and　all　three；　seated　side　by　side；　their　eyes　lost

in　the　distance；　clasping　their　knees　with　their　hands；　told　the

small　doings；　the　minute　details　of　life　in　the　villages　where

they　had　been　born；　while　over　there　the　cow；　seeing　that　the

milkmaid　had　stopped　on　her　way；　stretched　out　toward　her　its

heavy　head　with　its　dripping　nostrils；　and　gave　a　long　low　to

call　her。



Soon　the　girl　consented　to　eat　a　bit　of　bread　with　them　and　drink

a　mouthful　of　wine。　She　often　brought　them　plums　in　her　pocket；

for　the　season　of　plums　had　come。　Her　presence　sharpened　the　wits

of　the　two　little　Breton　soldiers；　and　they　chattered　like　two

birds。



But；　one　Tuesday；　Luc　le　Ganidec　asked　for　leavea　thing　which

had　never　happened　beforeand　he　did　not　return　until　ten

o'clock　at　night。　Jean　racked　his　brains　uneasily　for　a　reason

for　his　comrade's　going　out　in　this　way。



The　next　Thursday　Luc；　having　borrowed　ten　sous　from　his

bedfellow；　again　asked　and　obtained　permission　to　leave　the

barracks　for　several　hours。　When　he　set　off　with　Jean　on　their

Sunday　walk　his　manner　was　very　queer；　quite　restless；　and　quite

changed。　Kerderen　did　not　understand；　but　he　vaguely　suspected

something　without　divining　what　it　could　be。



They　did　not　say　a　word　to　one　another　until　they　reached　their

usual　halting…place；　where；　from　their　constant　sitting　in　the

same　spot　the　grass　was　quite　worn　away。　They　ate　their　breakfast

slowly。　Neither　of　them　felt　hungry。



Before　long　the　girl　appeared。　As　on　every　Sunday；　they　watched

her　coming。　When　she　was　quite　near；　Luc　rose　and　made　two　steps

forward。　She　put　her　milk…pail　on　the　ground　and　kissed　him。　She

kissed　him　passionately；　throwing　her　arms　about　his　neck；

without　noticing　Jean；　without　remembering　that　he　was　there；

without　even　seeing　him。



And　he　sat　there　desperate；　poor　Jean；　so　desperate　that　he　did

not　understand；　his　soul　quite　overwhelmed；　his　heart　bursting；

but　not　yet　understanding　himself。　Then　the　girl　seated　herself

beside　Luc；　and　they　began　to　chatter。



Jean　did　not　look　at　them。　He　now　divined　why　his　comrade　had

gone　out　twice　during　the　week；　and　he　felt　within　him　a　burning

grief；　a　kind　of　wound；　that　sense　of　rending　which　is　caused　by

treason。



Luc　and　the　girl　went　off　together　to　change　the　position　of　the

cow。　Jean　followed　them　with　his　eyes。　He　saw　them　departing　side

by　side。　The　red　breeches　of　his　comrade　made　a　bright　spot　on

the　road。　It　was　Luc　who　picked　up　the　mallet　and　hammered　down

the　stake　to　which　they　tied　the　beast。



The　girl　stooped　to　milk　her；　while　he　stroked　the　cow's　sharp

spine　with　a　careless　hand。　Then　they　left　the　milk…pail　on　the

grass；　and　went　deep　into　the　wood。



Jean　saw　nothing　but　the　wall　of　leaves　where　they　had　entered；

and　he　felt　himself　so　troubled　that　if　he　had　tried　to　rise　he

would　certainly　have　fallen。　He　sat　motionless；　stupefied　by

astonishment　and　suffering；　with　an　agony　which　was　simple　but

deep。　He　wanted　to　cry；　to　run　away；　to　hide　himself；　never　to

see　anybody　any　more。



Soon　he　saw　them　issuing　from　the　thicket。　They　returned　slowly；

holding　each　other's　hands　as　in　the　villages　do　those　who　are

promised。　It　was　Luc　who　carried　the　pail。



They　kissed　one　another　again　before　they　separated；　and　the　girl

went　off　after　having　thrown　Jean　a　friendly　〃Good　evening〃　and　a

smile　which　was　full　of　meaning。　To…day　she　no　longer　thought　of

offering　him　any　milk。



The　two　little　soldiers　sat　side　by　side；　motionless　as　usual；

silent　and　calm；　their　placid　faces　betraying　nothing　of　all

which　troubled　their　hearts。　The　sun　fell　on　them。　Sometimes　the

cow　lowed；　looking　at　them　from　afar。



At　their　usual　hour　they　rose　to　go　back。　Luc　cut　a　switch。　Jean

carried　the　empty　bottle　to　return　it　to　the　wine…seller　at

Bezons。　Then　they　sallied　out　upon　the　bridge；　and；　as　they　did

every　Sunday；　stopped　several　minutes　in　the　middle　to　watch　the

water　flowing。



Jean　leaned；　leaned　more　and　more；　over　the　iron　railing；　as

though　he　saw　in　the　current　something　which　attracted　him。　Luc

said：　〃Are　you　trying　to　drink？〃　Just　as　he　uttered　the　last　word

Jean's　head　overbalanced　his　body；　his　legs　described　a　circle　in

the　air；　and　the　little　blue　and　red　soldier　fell　in　a　heap；

struck　the　water；　and　disappeared。



Luc；　his　tongue　paralyzed　with　anguish；　tried　in　vain　to　shout。

Farther　down　he　saw　something　stir；　then　the　head　of　his　comrade

rose　to　the　surface　of　the　river　and　sank　immediately。　Farther

still　he　again　perceived　a　hand；　a　single　hand；　which　issued　from

the　stream　and　then　disappear。　That　was　all。



The　bargemen　who　dragged　the　river　did　not　find　the　body　that

day。



Luc　set　out　alone　for　the　barracks；　going　at　a　run；　his　soul

filled　with　despair。　He　told　of　the　accident；　with　tears　in　his

eyes；　and　a　husky　voice；　blowing　his　nose　again　and　again：　〃He

leaned　overhehe　leaned　overso　farso　far　that　his　head

turned　a　somersault；　andandso　he　fellhe　fell〃



Choked　with　emotion；　he　could　say　no　more。　If　he　had　only　known！







GHOSTS



Just　at　the　time　when　the　Concordat　was　in　its　most　flourishing

condition；　a　young　man　belonging　to　a　wealthy　and　highly

respectable　middle…class　family　went　to　the　office　of　the　head　of

the　police　at　P；　and　begged　for　his　help　and　advice；　which

was　immediately　promised　him。



〃My　father　threatens　to　disinherit　me；〃　the　young　man　began；

〃although　I　have　never　offended　against　the　laws　of　the　State；　of

morality；　or　against　his　paternal　authority；　merely　because　I　do

not　share　his　blind　reverence　for　the　Catholic　Church　and　her

clergy。　On　that　account　he　looks　upon　me；　not　merely　as

Latitudinarian　but　as　a　perfect　Atheist；　and　a　faithful　old

manservant　of　ours；　who　is　much　attached　to　me；　and　who

accidentally　saw　my　father's　will；　told　me　in　confidence　that　he

had　left　all　his　property　to　the　Jesuits。　I　think　this　is　highly

suspicious；　and　I　fear　that　the　priests　have　been　maligning　me　to

my　father。　Until　less　than　a　year　ago；　we　used　to　live　very

quietly　and　happily　together；　but　ever　since　he　has　had　so　much

to　do　with　the　clergy；　our　domestic　peace　and　happiness　are　at　an

end。〃



〃What　you　have　told　me；〃　replied　the　official；　〃is　as　likely　as

it　is　regrettable；　but　I　fail　to　see　how　I　can　interfere　in　the

matter。　Your　father　is　in　full　possession　of　all　his　mental

faculties；　and　can　dispose　of　all　his　property　exactly　as　he

pleases。　I　think　that　your　protest　is　premature；　you　must　wait

until　his　will　can　legally　take　effect；　and　then　you　can　invoke

the　aid　of　justice。　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　just　now　I　can　do

nothing　for　you。〃



〃I　think　you　will　be　able　to；〃　the　young　man　replied；　〃for　I

believe　that　a　very　clever　piece　of　deceit　is　being　carried　on。〃



〃How？　Please　explain　yourself　more　clearly。〃



〃When　I　remonstrated　with　him；　yesterday　evening；　he　referred　to

my　dead　mother；　and　at　last　assured　me；　in　a　voice　of　the　deepest

conviction；　that　she　had　frequently　appeared　to　him；　had

threatened　him　with　all　the　torments　of　the　damned；　if　he　did　not

disinherit　his　son；　who　had　fallen　away　from　God；　and　leave　all

his　property　to　the　Church。　Now　I　do　not　believe　in　ghosts。〃



〃Neither　do　I；〃　the　police　director　replied；　〃but　I　cannot　well

do　anything　on　such　grounds；　having　nothing　but　superstitions　to

go　upon。　You　know　how　the　Church　rules　all　our　affairs　since　the

Concordat　with　Rome；　and　if　I　investigate　this　matter　and　obtain

no　results；　I　am　risking　my　post。　It　would　be　very　differen