Une Vie, A Piece of String and Other Stories

use. Jeanne felt no joy

so much sorrow. She aw

, still filled with the

ortu

house, had taken Rosal

otonous walks along her

o was now always aili

ut the approaching eve

mystery which she

ike this almost in sile

ing about the countr

s taste. Nothing ever

his wife, and the vico

n seemed to be already

t how. Another ceremoni

who were still hidde

our o'clock, two perso

into the courtyard o

up to Jeanne's room

e Fourvilles. They have

. Tell them that I hav

l just go and make

, went downstairs. A p

y eyes, and lustreless

ad never kissed it, q

ant, or ogre with a l

al times had the plea

im how you were sufferi

s neighbors, without an

also had the pleasure

your mother,

ease, familiar but refi

her at once. "This is

, on the contrary, see

s he was seated, he pla

what to do with his h

of the chair, and fina

in p

ed the room. Jeanne w

s shaved. He looked

day of their betrotha

and of the comtesse, wh

hile her eyel

as charming as in forme

d become tender again.

egained its soft, gloss

sh and pe

he Fourvilles were t

d him, said: "Would you

, dear v

d, "Why, certainly, mad

pathetic and affection

are well, we will all

be delightful.

e held up her riding sk

ightness of a bird, w

ted his big Norman ste

lien, who seemed cha

hose are friends who

without knowing why

I feel that I shall lo

ute. Where did

ether good humoredly. "

husband seems a litt

, but he is a real

cheerful, as though so

nto th

ntil the latter days o

d to grow worse, the do

nized the symptoms of

ly abated a little, bu

pairing sinking, someth

death. It is in these

its breath chi

ople. Little mother, bu

e baron, his hands tre

gs, consulting the doc

wn, looking concerned,

the foot of the bed

ssion of a woman of e

Ludivine, and Aunt Lis

ind the door

became worse, and as h

her closed teeth, she

uffered, who had hardl

ffering and without

mind she continually c

e had formerly thought

ty of fate and at the

stice and

s were so great that h

life nor knowledge for

ings ceased. The nurse

ll attention. Presently

eakness, she unconscio

ed with joy, with a g

just unfolded. Her c

as she never yet had b

now a mother. She fe

air, for she had her

t one thought--her chi

intense because she h

hopes. She would sit

king the li

other smiled at this e

l routine had been in

diminished by the arr

nconsciously jealous o

e in the house, kept

w wearisome she

d by this affection t

cradle, watching the c

his morbid life, taking

ng to cough, the doctor

t angry, wept, implore

rse took him every eve

in her bare feet go to

s sleeping quietly, did

th

one night when he came

ter that they locked he

stay

at the end of August.

er. The child was name

Paul fo

ptember Aunt Lison lef

as little felt

r the priest appeared.

some mystery, and aft

her husband to grant

iv

slowly down the long

n, who was alone with

d annoyed at

est when he took his l

church where the A

cold, the others went

when Julien came in a

very i

out to his parents-in-

"Are you crazy, for God

ousand francs

re so astonished. He co

so stupid as that? D

ut a

overed his composure,

r that you are speak

ng with excitement: "A

anyway. It i

ked at him without unde

e world is

ard her, to try and ge

cheated out of an u

t the conspiracy to mar

le property, which was

aid: "Your parents ar

wenty thousand francs!

their heads! Twenty

tar

t emotion and without

erent now to everyth

ut could find nothing t

is foot, exclaimed: "

ng. Whose fault was it

hose child is it? You

o

aron's violence, looked

ne: "But fifteen hundr

children before they a

se child it is, in any

he value of twenty thou

re of what has happened

e regard for our na

one like a man who sto

of his argument. The

stood there gaping at h

ed: "Happily, nothing

ho is going to marry he

isfactory arrangement

of the

diately, fearing no

d that he had had the

they acquiesce

the room, however, th

g too far, m

to look up at her fa

er clear, ringing lau

e said: "Father, father

id: 'Twenty th

rth was as ready as her

expression, his indigna

irl whom he had led as

him, delighted also at

aughter till the tear

gion, and all three la

to do in the

down a little Jeanne s

affect me. I look upo

I am his wife. You s

-want of

y they all three embra

ha

reakfast, just as Julie

, a strapping young fe

, clad in a brand-new

e wrist, slyly jumped o

iting his opportunity

ditch, came round the

nd his wife, who were

ne-

advanced, bowing in an

m he said: "Your serva

" Then, as no one repli

iré Le

othing to them, the ba

nt

at the necessity of e

out as he gazed alter

and at the roof of the

hing to me about this

might say too much a

ere

is voice, blurted out

Rosali

what was coming, had r

ant in

baron, pointing to the

sat down, murmuring: "Y

had no more to say. A

looking up at the sky,

f year. But the earth

already sown." And th

mpatient. He plunged ri

is you who are goin

uneasy, his Norman caut

nimation, but with a t

s yes, perhaps

t this hedging, excl

his what you came here

er? Yes

ed steadfastly at his f

ake her, but if it is

ot tak

M. Julien

fifteen hundred francs

e twenty thousand. I

ill not do it for

uried in her easy chair

f the peasant, who,

her angrily out of the

in si

arrassed at this barga

Curé that you should

d that then it would re

francs. I do not go

d? Yes

humble and satisfied e

id: "Oh, in that case,

my way. When M'sieu le

h! and I was very ple

e that. I said to myse

to do each other favor

orth while?' But M'sieu

hundred francs. I said

came here. That is not

to know. Short account

rue, M'sie

d him by asking, "Wh

rie

gain, very much embarr

l not do it until I

angry: "Doggone it! yo

is the best k

ubborn: "Meanwhile I m

be dark fo

e an end of the matte

wish her, say so; I

rrified the crafty Nor

is hand, as after buyin

n; it is a bargain. W

un

and, then called out:

w. "Bring us a bottle

ter and the young peasa

ea

ien about this visit. T

s soon as the banns we

one Monda

child to church, walk

f good luck. And no one

y envied Desiré Lecoc

th a sly smile into

ent

ry and made such a scen

to the "Poplars." Jean

re, for little Paul

le source o