Une Vie, A Piece of String and Other Stories
s quite restored, the
' visit and also to c
tel
a sale a new one-hors
onth. They set out one
two hours across the p
tle slope into a littl
le the valley itself w
ey they saw the Chateau
t and a large pond on
and which was bounded
ed the other si
e portions of the build
thoroughly, and went
full of game, this coun
is a true seigno
ned and the pale comt
sitors, all smiles, an
e of olden times. She l
to inhabit th
Jeanne's hands, as if s
down beside her in a
elegance seemed to have
ed and smiled quie
ked of their horseback
nting a horse and ca
led also, having nick
eath the windows caused
he comte, who ha
. A sound of oars was
he appeared, enormous,
dy color like himself,
de th
ease in his own home,
some wood on the fire
imed suddenly: "Why, yo
f cou
as never out of her t
uld not be persuaded, J
to arouse his ugly,
unhappy at the thought
next day, she c
ghtful. They first vis
t of a mossy rock and
he boat Julien and th
ppily like those who ha
o
in the spacious recept
contentment. The comte
m the floor as though s
on each cheek, like a
rl
at this good giant who
sight of his mustaches
each day about eve
ced at Julien standing
his eyes fixed on the c
"Are you ill? What is
y: "Nothing. Let me
e dining-room the coun
they settled themselve
r ma
ne and Julien were pr
a little longer to l
inally set out, wrapped
owed, Jeanne said almos
!" Julien, who was dri
s restrain himsel
ed on the Couteliers,
y in the province. Th
of Cany. The new chate
in a magnificent park
eau could be seen on
reception room by men
a sort of column held a
al of the column an au
uested the Marquis Leo
bosc de Coutelier to r
sove
looking at this royal g
entered
ious people whose mind
n stilts. They spoke
cently, appearing alwa
y their position, of s
obility of
ewhat taken aback, end
too embarrassed to rema
take their leave. The
lly and simply by bring
a queen givin
said: "If you like, we
rvilles are good enoug
mber passed slowly and
us year. But Jeanne di
n up with Paul, whom J
en when the mother held
as women do their chi
g: "Give him a kiss; on
hardly touch with his
ound it, as though he d
Then he would walk away
ng dist
and the curé came to d
urvilles, with whom the
e appeared to worship P
visit and sometimes dur
amusing him and then
lamented that he had n
n mentioned the rides
ne, a little weary of
in anticipation of the
lf making a
o and two, the comtess
dred feet behind them,
they had become throu
and simple hearts. The
sting into laughter and
eyes were expressing wh
y set off at a gallop,
get away,
em to be growing irrit
ccasionally reached th
smile and say to Jeann
he right side, t
ere coming home the c
then checking it abru
care, take care; you w
ed; "it is none of yo
ded across the fields
the
nged and champed the b
ilberte!" Then, as if i
an whom nothing can sto
ars. The animal reared
d, landing again on hi
s the plain
meadow, then plunging
earth behind it, going
ts rider. Julien rem
ut in despair: "Madame,
, bending forward on hi
out at such a pace, s
the spur, that the hug
st between his legs an
t incredible speed, st
wife and of the husband
e distance, as if they
the verge of
anne slowly, murmured
set out together to fo
den by the r
quarter of an hour the
. The comte, perspiri
mphant, was holding his
erte was pale, her face
her husband's shoulder
tood now that the co
e for some months seem
to the "Poplars" mor
Jeanne impulsively. O
had come into her life
took his eyes off her.
appy just now. Gilberte
ut of humor, never gets
l now I was no
hanged, no longer im
two families had brough
ingularly early and mi
ath the quickening ray
s awakening of nature.
ove. Not that her love
orever. But all her b
e fragrance of spring,
nvisible and tender a
up in the sunlight to
hich did not nec
s in a reverie a visi
ook amid the dark foli
here that she had for
an who loved her then.
ime the timid desire of
she had all at once re
ed to see this wood ag
titious pilgrimage, as
nge the current of her
he knew not whither. S
mes rode, saddled, and
ing seemed stirring, no
pped in a golden mist
her horse, soo
e valley which leads
ff that are called the
. The sunlight was stre
ndered about the littl
p
as going along one of
her end of it two hor
e; they belonged to Gi
e was beginning to be
chance meeting, and
o patient animals, who
he called. There was n
lay on the beaten-dow
hile and then walked aw
i
of an hour, twenty mi
d be keeping them. She
a tree trunk. Suddenly
e glove, the whips and
to her saddle with an
her e
llop for the "Poplars."
ng to reason, to put t
it that she had not sus
ot noticed anything?
Julien's frequent abse
appearance and the imp
erte's nervous abrupt
of beaming happiness
and that so ple
e, as she wanted to th
bed he
otion was over she beca
filled with contempt.
ight do could astonis
se, her friend, disgust
hful and false. And tea
illusions as deeply as
ie
to act as though she kn
all ordinary affection
nd to endure other peo
tena
she ran to her son, ca
m passionatel
inner, smiling and at
"Are not father and li
ar
him for this little a
scovery she had made i
with an intense desire
d whom she loved next
ing to them to has
ere on the 20th of May
val with a growing imp
er filial affection, t
to talk with frankness
ll of whose life, actio
at all
s a sort of moral is
ugh she had learned su
he comtesse with outstr
nsciousness of hollown
d enveloping her, and
ill greater disgust, a
low cre
peasants shocked her
in human beings as we
race of peasants who
one day awakened her a
t had been told to him
amu
riage stopped at the do
the window Jeanne was
tuous feeling of affe
t when she saw her mot
roness, in six months,
flabby and purple, as
e dim and she could no
m. Her breathing was di
ear her with a p
them to their room, sh
ry, as she was so upse
owing herself into his
ars: "Oh, how mother
me, what is the matter
hink so? What an idea!
assure you that I do n
s looks l
d to his wife: "Your mo
ot last long." And as J
e, I did not say there
ything. She is changed
er y
ble to walk any distan
to take one turn in
. And when she felt un
e would say: "Let us
." She hardly ever lau
ing that amused her, b
llently, she passed ho
ons." Then she would
ng her cherished letter
chair beside her and p
slowly gone over them.
kiss some of them, as
of a loved on
g in abruptly, would fi
matter, little mothe
eply: "It is my 'relics
t were so delightful
minded of persons whom
seem to see them, to
. You will fe
to come in at such tim
e my advice and burn
ne, everyone's. There i
, than to look back to
as preparing a chest of
nstinct of dreamy sent
her mother in
to leave them some day
hat called
ook Paul in her arms a
nk, gazing at the infan
t time. She could hardl
tep, with a beard on hi
meone calling and raise
g towa
me la Baronne
run down her back as sh
toward t
aw a number of persons
rd and saw her mother
head. Her face was bla
ad been difficult for
the child out of Jean
f
xious face, asked: "Wh
e doctor, somebody." Tu
of it in some way. He
sleeves of his cassoc
ng the invalid pr
essed and put to be
farmer, was there and
Abbé Picot, they trie
re obliged to bring a l
her in it. In this way
en upstairs, where th
ut in hot haste for th
oly oil, the nurse, wh
nd was on the spot, wh
sieur; she is dead. I
in
, entreated them to do
t to pronounce
hours beside this lif
es, was sobbing in
nd the doctor appeared
hat she knew of the a
ng glance with the doc
ous? Do you thin
am afraid--I am afra
, be
rms, threw herself on h
tood there amazed, visi
any appearance of grief
pare a suitable expres
ing it, I felt that the
chief, wiped his eye
g to his feet, attempte
ad body and kissing it,
She appeared to b
she was allowed to c
om was arranged as a de
in a low tone near the
over to Jeanne and too
f the defunct, praised
he night in praye
mid convulsive sobs.
t night of farewell. Ju
will stay together." Sh
said: "It is my mother
e." The doctor murmur
e can stay in the
consented, more intere
down in his turn, and
a saint" in the same t
isc
nary tone then asked: "
not reply, not knowing
u had better eat som
n a bewildered manner:
room to send someone
n a sort of motionless
standing nothing. She
d dined and he asked he
er head. He sat down wi
thout speaking, and the
rose, and approaching J
?" She took his hand i
es! le
, murmuring: "I will c
out with Widow Dentu, w
he nex
nd opened the windows
ay that lay in the moo
er feelings like a
d, took one of the cold
y. She seemed to be sl
ne, and the pale fla
th made her face appear
remembered all the l
s of little mother t
n which she handed he
little details, little
miliar gestures, the c
hed, the big sigh she
king at her, repeating
horror of the word bec
tle mother--Mamma Adel
again, nor speak, nor l
r. She would never ag
e." She
knees in a paroxysm
er face buried in the
, mamma, my poor mamma
as she had done on t
se and ran to the windo
ess of the night entere
ep qu
back into the room an
membrances came to h
rte, the bitter disi
only misery, grief,
ve, everyone lied, ever
find a little rest and
en the soul is freed f
ponder on this
ought came to her mind.
ough they were a litan
eemed to her that she
y which would give plea
ther
riting desk and took f
ow letters, tied and ar
all on the bed over he
began to read them. Th
century. The first b
gain "My dear little g
"My dear child," "My d
to the periods--chi
all full of little in
thousand little matt
e life, so petty to out
rnt her finger; the ca
pine tree to the right
ay home from church, sh
ected her. They seeme
y entered the past sec
her lying there and
dead, as though to dis
oman appeared
rs as she read them to
It was a new handwriti
ses. I love you so th
all; no s
without understanding
ame la Baronne Le
: "Come this evening as
ther. I worship you." I
for you, longing to
, and I am insane enou
thought that you
bewildered. What did
om were these
oming across fresh imp
ings as to prudence, a
e sure to bur
ordinary note, accep
e handwriting and sign
whenever he spoke of
d been the barone
immediately became a c
He had been her
self, she suddenly thr
ve thrown off some veno
cry piteously. Then, c
iding her face in the
sobbed bitterly as if
thus probably all nigh
ing room that made he
nd all the letters wer
nly one of them to k
her room and seizing t
o the fireplace, those
over; some that she ha
up in the drawers of
burned beside the bed a
ere reduced to ashes sh
no longer dared to s
her face in her hands:
or ma
It was the cool hour
n the horizon and turn
of the night she passe
lars" came to Jeanne's
g was changed, how di
em
nk, a joyous, love-insp
urprise, as at some p
herself if it were pos
e found, there shoul
pin
de her start. It was J
not ver
py at being no longer a
mother a long, sad kis
o
the usual attentions
evening. He wep
the following day. Af
ehead and seeing the co
e invited guests
to come, and she thre
n in black presently en
eanne did not know. Th
Briseville embraced he
her. She turned round
all in black, elegant,
le. He asked his wife
tially: "All the nobili
walked away, gravely bo
lberte alone remained
he comtesse kissed her
dear, my
e came to fetch his wi
ere for his