Une Vie, A Piece of String and Other Stories

e very sad and dreary,

h in the house. And,

of what she had disco

estroyed with the des

short stay, went away

f, and the large house

time to time, resum

nous c

Jeanne was almost besi

cely tasting food. He

at he might die. Then

d there gradually stole

ther child. She dreamed

nged to realize her o

around her; a

of Rosalie she and Ju

impossible in their pr

he knew it; and the ve

with repugnance. She h

olved to go and see Ab

ession, all that weigh

tt

s breviary in his litt

es when s

conversation on ind

ising: "I want to con

onishment, as he pushed

began to laugh. "You s

his embarrassed her gr

your advice on a subj

dare not mentio

his jovial manner an

ild, I will listen to

alo

decided, restrained b

ters, of which she wa

of an em

le Curé--I might--I m

here. Let us go and s

le a

and Jeanne tried to thi

arbor, and then, as i

Father----" then hes

and was silen

ds crossed over hi

ght to encourage her:

were afraid; com

e, like a coward who

ould like to have ano

nderstand her. Then sh

xpress hers

now; my father and my

dead; and--and----" s

ly lost my son! What

en

est, bewildered, was ga

nt of your

r child," she said. Th

the peasants, who wer

eplied, with a sly

me that it depend

eyes to his face, an

ou understand that sinc

-my husband and I have

ar

omiscuity and undign

shed at the revelation.

woman's real desire, a

e, with a heart full

ess, he said: "Oh, I u

d must be irksome to yo

t is natural,

his easy-going charac

tly on the hand, he sai

ed, according to the

not? Well, then,

not understood his hid

she blushed scarlet, sh

h, Monsieur le Curé, w

I swear to you--I swe

d her

ought to console her:

was only joking a litt

. But you may rely on m

ee M.

t to say. She now wi

thought clumsy and dan

went away hurriedly, fa

Monsieur

at dinner Julien looked

smiling curve of the l

. He was even almost ir

alking after dinner in

one: "We seem to h

continued to look on

effaced now that the g

s of the baroness, whic

s plunged in sadness; s

away fro

ing better. I was afra

nued

the air was mild. A lo

eds of unbosoming onese

ng one's griefs. A sob

l on Julien's breast, a

ad, for he could not

r. He supposed that s

nding kiss on the

and he followed her to

lations, he, as a not u

tolerat

ver, that his manner h

she murmured: "Why are

to

nt any more children

rted. "

urprised. "Eh, what's

ne is enough, always

ther baby! No

she told the news to e

Comtesse Gilberte, fro

ica

foreseen finally cam

with an unspeakable h

she retired, vowing he

gratitude to the vagu

te happy again. Her ch

ow old quietly, happy

rself about

mber, Abbé Picot called

ssor, a young priest,

of talking, and with

en e

been appointed De

y to lose the old man,

tions as a young woma

ed the baroness. She co

his paunch passing alon

se he was cheer

y cheerful at the thoug

ench, madame la comtess

he place does not bri

o more religion than th

ve no morals. But neve

impatient, and said ab

be changed." He looked

somewhat worn, th

im sideways, as he did

e, abbé, in order to pr

up your parishioners;

ittle priest replied s

ed as he took a pinch

bé, and experience als

aining faithful ones, a

strict they are religi

see a girl come to co

'She is bringing me a

You cannot prevent the

k for the man, and pre

married, abbé, get th

self about a

" said the young pries

cot once more began to

his parsonage, the l

his breviary, glancing

ss

k their leave, the old

he verge

iac called again. He s

sh, as a prince migh

. Then he requested the

and to communicate a

e at the head of the di

example to follow. We m

l and respected. The c

l make the peasant

all sentiment; she h

ded at all to her relig

e convent, the baron's

her convictions. Abbé

she gave him, and ne

her at mass the preced

neasy a

ak with the parsonage,

us in attendance the f

ite

er, she got into the ha

uence of this delicate,

aled to her in his enth

l the chord of religiou

ng austerity, his dis

God, his youthful and

is inflexible will, ga

e of; and she let hers

was, by the fanatic

ter o

, the consoler, show

l sorrow; and she kne

ing herself small and

ppeared to be

oon detested in all the

he was implacably intol

ecially roused his wra

d girls looked at each

easants who liked to

ty. All the parish was

l stopped go

chateau every Thursday

his penitent. She be

piritual matters, handl

enal of religio

ong the baroness' avenu

n Mary and the Fathers

onally acquain

priest with great res

e, he does not back

on, setting a fine exa

y day, gunning with the

riding with the comtess

"They are crazy about

e g

he chateau about the mi

illed with a deep sadne

gained in strength, as

gravated his need of a

d not tell him about

é Tolbiac. The first t

rsion to him. And whe

im, he replied: "That

very dan

the peasants, whose

of the young priest, of

gainst all human and

rd him. He, himself, wa

who bowed the knee to

from the catholic con

suitical wrath, and tyr

reat law of nature, an

against this intoleran

l

ied, prayed to the Lor

"We must fight such men

ht. They ar

ng his long white lock

, nothing, nothing. The

i-physical." And he

as though it wer

enemy was, but as he w

nne, he temporized, su

fixed idea. He had d

lberte, and he desired

co

one day and, after a

asked her to give he

o the evil in her own

that were

, and did not wish to

I shall see you some o

upt

o a close, a rotten win

d. The abbé called ag

t one of those shamel

should be irreproachab

aware of the facts to

Jeanne's hand and adju

nd and lend

d, but she was silent,

lt in the house that w

nderstand. Then he

do you wish me to

permit this infamy. Any

this imp

and then I have no l

without any proof? I h

o

ing: "That is cowardice

re unworthy o

"Oh, I pray you not t

d

s eyes," he said abrup

this in

ith terror. "Why, he w

e guilty of denouncing

ve

if to curse her in his

for you are more guilt

here is nothing more fo

ious that he tr

racted and ready to do

haking his large blue u

ng outside the gate sup

urned to the left to

ve me alone, madame, I

to y

him to give her a few

o the chateau she woul

could take co

he middle of the farmya

some neighbor's childre

the dog, looking curi

ed attention. In the

his back, also looking

for a schoolmaster. W

way so as not to have t

i

ll again; but the fol

ations, curses and thre

n, and making veiled al

e. The vicomte was furi

him silent. At each

dignation, predicting

ld smite all

t respectful letter to

suspension. He was

frequently met him dur

turned aside so as no

d their love. As the f

y used to meet in a she

autumn. But one day wh

biac, almost hidden i

op

es in the ravine," said

nd would betray us." O

La Vrillette, where th

ré of étouvent coming

the road to let them

hey were uneasy for a

got

was reading beside the

e, when she suddenly p

a pace that she thoug

pen

meet him, and when she

a large quilted cap tha

looked so pale that hi

now seemed like a flame

ough his mind

e is here, is she not

lied: "Why, no, I hav

egs had given way. He t

h his handkerchief mec

nly, he approached Jea

s if to speak, to conf

ooked at her fixedly an

your husband--you also

d the

calling him, imploring

on as she thought: "He

only does no

up to him, and he dis

ithout hesitation, st

, stalking through the

hed the

e mound covered with t

out of sight. Then s

ted wit

right and started to

ig black clouds were

ed by others, each of

wind whistled, moaned,

arried away big white

and bore them f

d beat in the comte's

nd his heart

m was the deep gorge

re him but a shepherd'

rses were tied to the

t happen to one in su

the comte crouched on

knees as far as the lon

he might not be seen

ecame restive. He slow

d open in his hand, an

frightened at the ha

ooden hut and made it

upright, put his eye t

e did not stir; he s

and then he suddenly r

oot. He frantically pus

outside, and seizing t

he would break it to p

hafts, bending his h

ed it along like an ox

ever was in it, towa

and banged with their

ing what w

p of the cliff he let

wn the incline, going

ke an animal and strik

af

a ditch saw it flying

ms coming from

wrenched off and it fe

s a house torn from it

ountain. Then, reachin

circle, and, falling to

was no sooner smashed

en it going past, went

with the customary ca

to the shattered hut,

ell of th

it and raised the wrec

crushed and bleeding.

le face crushed; the w

e jolts, and their shat

u

oing in that shan

id that they had appar

and that a furious squ

e said he had intende

he horses tied to it,

. "But for that," he ad

own in it." Some one r

n a good

ous rage, said: "Why w

or and they are rich!

dripping with rain, he

stick and exclaimed: "W

to t

e saw the hut rolling d

ugh the blinding storm

short cuts, leaping ac

d thus got back home a

ms

were awaiting his retu

d riderless some littl

lowing the

eeled and in a choked

them in this dreadful

look f

f, but he was no soon

clump of bushes, watchi

l loved with an almos

r maybe crippled and

e passed by carryi

au and passed through t

anguish nailed him to t

the truth, and he di

ing at the

two hours perhaps. The

wife was expiring, and

aze filled him with s

discovered in his hi

d be present at this a

wood. Then all of a su

be needing his care, th

r. Then he returned o

thle

u he met the gardener

t dare answer him. The

dead?" and the servan

mt

ng of immense relief.

mewhat of their extreme

steps of his

ached "The Poplars." J

ess; she guessed that

all. Her emotion was s

ll pro

ciousness her father w

h vinegar. He said hesi

her." But when she atte

o do so, so inte

gave birth to a stil

the funeral of Julien;

the end of a day or

ish dreams which haunt

the old maiden lady ha

hat circumstances. She

ents, but she was cer

the death of "