Une Vie, A Piece of String and Other Stories

were awaiting them out

ost-chaise drew up an

. Little mother wept;

father nervously

as being unloaded, the

. Jeanne's words flowe

in a half hour, except

tten in this

nt to undo her parcels

When this was finished

maid left her mistres

ed, sa

at she was now going

, some work for her han

drawing-room, where her

ake a walk. But the cou

her heart on only loo

t she had no longer any

young life at the conv

d with dreams. The con

hat time, so that she

ad she left those aus

, than her expectation

or lover, met, loved a

n these sudden resolves

t giving her tim

ty of the first days wa

the door on vague ho

. Yes, there was nothi

ing more to do, today,

s a certain disillusion

dr

er forehead against t

some time at the sky

, she decide

try, the same grass, t

e sunlit cheerfulness

ss, where dandelions, p

low butterflies flutt

his intoxication of th

h fertilizing polle

the constant autumnal

f fallen leaves which

he almost leafless popl

s sad as the chamber of

the little winding wal

m place to place with

g a sh

lm trees that formed a

ee and the plane tree

othed, the one in red

ow s

p and down petite mère

hing weighed on her spi

of the monotonous

he bank where Julien ha

, dreaming, scarcely th

lie down, to sleep,

ess of

ved a gull crossing th

recalled the eagle she

vale of Ota. She felt

omething pleasant that

beautiful island with i

lemons, its mountains

s ravines through whic

andscape that surrounde

ouds blown along by th

misery that she went ba

sob

in a torpid conditio

choly of the long days,

d Julien had gone for

was coming on, filling

by reflections of l

ppeared, followed by

m he rang the bell, say

ight! It is gl

the fire. While his wet

was drying on his sol

: "I think it is goin

and it is full moon t

r to-n

ughter: "Well, little

country, in your own ho

set Jeanne. She threw h

f tears, and kissed h

pite of her honest atte

e up altogether. She r

ing her parents again,

med to numb her affec

those one loves, when a

ent, one should feel,

tion, until the bonds

een r

me. No one spoke much.

ten hi

nne sat before the fire

who was sound asleep.

erself, as she tried to

e a slave to this drear

ng va

the fire, and holding

smiling: "Ah, that bur

en; it is freezing." T

ointing to the fire, he

est thing in life, the

Nothing else counts. B

en must be

om, Jeanne asked herse

ng a second time to th

feel as though she we

untry, all that hither

ow appear so

on her clock. The littl

nd from right to lef

e the scarlet blossoms

er to tears at sight

to be alive. She had n

nd mother. The heart

nts ca

ce her marriage she wa

gue, having tak

ime, unaccustomed to b

h wind which beat

ext morning by a brigh

sing gown and ran to th

nd bracing, streamed i

s water. The sun appear

rth, covered with frost

teps. In one night all

distance beyond the le

ater, covered with t

and went out, and for t

all on th

eir hands in surprise,

then they made her dri

farm. The Couillards al

on the ears and she h

she went home

he previous day, cold

resembled these two day

ere like th

ver, she ceased to reg

vering her life with

one formation deposite

f interest for the th

f daily life, a care f

, awakened in her he

senchantment with life

? What did she want? Sh

no thirst for amus

What then? Just as ol

slowly becoming faded

, to be taking on p

lien had completely c

they came back from th

his part and resumes

tion to her or even spo

ppeared, and he seldom

gh

the money and of the ho

cut down expenses, a

farmer, he had lost his

ian

e suit, although it wa

hooting jacket with br

wardrobe, and with th

ho no longer seek to

eard, badly cut, made a

ance. His hands were ne

nk four or five

trate with him gently,

let me alone!" that sh

y more

f to these changes in

a stranger to her, a

her. She constantly t

after having met, love

uld all at once find t

h they had never s

e did not feel this ne

ceived themselves? Did

er fo

handsome, carefully dre

ve suffered

t after the new year t

he father and mother sh

se in Rouen. The young

nter, so as to get th

ch other and to the pla

y had a few neighbor

se were the Brisevilles

rvi

uld not begin to pay ca

t a painter to alter t

carr

d been given up to his

induced him to show him

-arms of the De Lamares

e Le Perthu

an in the district w

inter of Bolbec, calle

man castles in turn t

the doors o

g in December, just

individual open the g

ng a box on his back

breakfast, and, while

es of quarterings. The

re discussed, gave her

ssion, as though some

awakene

gave his ideas, at tim

ng examples, describin

ryside, and seemed to

voice, a sort of atmo

ished his coffee, the

he cover of the carria

ave his views as to t

n, and after an exchan

o

d, the baroness had her

and then her foot-st

an to chat with the pa

riages of which she ha

tree which she car

astride on a chair. He

and following with his

is r

ho was on his way to t

stopped to look at the

n at the two farms, the

went into raptures, sta

ming: "My! it requires

ix up tho

t be finished before t

on hand; and they dragg

t a better

le was complimented, a

agreed that the painte

en favorable would doub

ti

onomy, had introduce

ome changes. The old

ertaking to drive hi

d buying feed for them.

ld the horses when he

made a little cow ten

to get some horses, h

ards' and Martins' lea

e each, on a certain d

d this would exempt th

ul

ht a big yellow horse,

unclipped coat, and th

d in an old livery belo

e up to the

nd brushed up, looked a

rd gave him a common l

the carriage, and the

eally important thing

d escu

leaning on her husban

appeared. She began

one was the son of t

face buried under his h

t from covering his fac

eves, and the tail of

t encased in immense sh

then when he threw his

to walk as if he wer

it of uncontro

glanced at the little

g, calling to his wife

l? Heavens, how

ut of the carriage wind

rriage shook o

anger, asked: "What ma

ou cr

d and unable to stop l

d the same, while, in

nstant chuckling, tol

e was a motion beneath

the joke, for he was

th hi

in exasperation. With

across the lawn; th

ered in a voice trembli

e the last to laugh. We

wasted your money and

is it if you

once, and no one spok

riage and sat beside

took his place opposi

fter lifting to the sea

ce was beginn

d appeared long. The o

sad and embarrassed, th

occupying their though

ifferent subjects whi

d preferred to remain

inful s

rds, the carriage jogg

s, putting to flight t

s and disappeared, occ

g wolf

d a wide avenue of pi

ed gate. Marius ran to

ass plot, and drew up

ilding with cl

ruptly, and an old, par

red stripes partially

the slanting steps. He

immense reception r

an blinds which were

it, and the clock and

tmosphere of mildew,

emed to permeate one's

melan

aited. They heard steps

omed haste. The hosts w

hilled, sneezed constan

ent, sat beside her m

mantelpiece with

l doors opened, and the

. They were both small

ar, ceremonious

gs, there seemed to be

ach other for no specia

ons would be kept up.

ived in the count

erced to their bones

as coughing now and ha

ime to leave. The Bris

ger." But Jeanne had ri

e thought the

for the servant to or

ld not ring. The host

d that the horses had

ry one tried to think

shivering with cold, i

s all the year round. T

re always busy, either

, of whom they had a n

to microscopic duties

were strangers, and tal

nsignifica

ssed the windows with i

Thinking he was off du

s gone f

ous, begged them to se

rewells on both sides

pla

nside the carriage, Je

al behavior of the mor

o laugh at the gestures

imitated the husband, a

touchy in these parti

thus; they are people

f respect for little m

nne and her father beg

ing in her turn, but s

people who belo

topped, and Julien call

e baron, leaning out,

lling along toward the

and blinded by his hat

sleeves like the sai

of water, and stumbli

ing, Marius was followi

gs could

p with it, Julien, lea

, sat him down beside

blows on the boy's hat,

erberations of a drum.

om the carriage, while

ntinued beating h

mmered: "Father--oh, fa

squeezed her husband'

n quickly lowered the f

s sleeve, he sputtered

u almost finished b

astonishment: "Don't

very i

his head between them

no need to be b

n: "Let me alone, ple

aising his hand again

dragged it down so rou

seat, and he roared at

out, and I will see th

n at once, and shruggi

up the horses, who se

as death, did not st

thumping of the

ore charming than usua

ather, and Madame Adela

ith his mood, and whe

d at them himself, add

have the

its, each one fearing

to send New Year's card

spring before pay

ed the curé, the mayor

s Day. These were the

ife. The baron and his

of January. Jeanne w

ce, and the baron sent

his son-in-l

eparture, as it was a

go to Yport, which the

. They crossed the wood

wrapped up in the one

ood where she had rec

breath of love, had

she did not become awa

the spring where they

rs. The trees were now

es

village. The empty, si

fish. Huge brown nets

, or stretched out on

nal roaring foam, was g

e foot of the cli

motionless, watched t

dusk, as they did ever

arving, and so poor,

tasted

t the sight of the oc

autiful. How magnifice

g, and on which so man

, Jean

d smile: "It is nothin

exclaimed: "The Mediter

a washtub. Look at this

m! And think of all th

o are already

sigh: "Yes, if you th

ung her heart afresh, s

lands where her d

ome by the woods, they

owly. They were silent

ion. As they passed alo

ples, that smell of n

in this season all th

e a strong smell of th

e end of the yard in

hat her mind was expa

meaning of things; an

e gave her, all at onc

n lives, a feeling th

ne far away from t

ned tone: "Life is n

can it be helped, daugh

baron and his wife wen

were le