Original Short Stories of Maupassant, Volume 1

horses, nor even to defend themselves; and in a few moments we had five prisoner, corresponding to our own number. The captain questioned them, a

n describe our joy when we discovered what we were seeking am

to do with her? I must acknowledge that we were all of us in favor of shooting her. Hatred, and the wish to avenge Piedelot, had extinguished all pity in us, and we h

as to be severely punishe

ur little campaign. Two of us, who belonged to the neighborhood, returned home, so there were only four of us, all told

ce; and now is the time to prove what they are made of. The spring is coming on, and the armistice is only a trap laid for the Prussians. During the time

old, and we did not go out much, and somebody

nually with fierce eyes, and we felt that she was tortured by a wild longing for revenge. That seemed to us to be the most

o the great oak bench that was fastened to the wall. But, by and by, as she had never tried to escape, in spite of her hatred for us, we relaxed our extreme prudence, and allowed her to sleep somewhere else except on the bench, and without bein

ng about, and at once stumbled over a furious couple who were rolling about and fighting on the ground. It was the captain and the lancer's wife. We threw ourselves on them, and separated them in a moment. She was shouting and laughing, and he seemed to have the death rattle. All this took place in the dark. Two of us held h

oat was contracted, and she looked at the lancer's wife

nd; and you must keep your oath. You must fasten her securely to the fireplace, upright against the back of it, and then you can go where

romised to write to us to Genev