A neighbor of hers, left a widow just before her child was born, died in giving birth, without leaving a sou. Mademoiselle Source took the new-born child, put him out to nurse, reared him, sent him to a boarding-school, then brought him home in his fourteenth year, in order to have in her empty house somebody who would love her, who would look after her, and make her old age pleasant.
She had a little country place four leagues from Rennes, and she now dispensed2 with a servant; her expenses having increased to more than double since this orphan3's arrival, her income of three thousand francs was no longer sufficient to support three persons.
She attended to the housekeeping and cooking herself, and sent out the boy on errands, letting him also occupy himself in cultivating the garden. He was gentle, timid, silent, and affectionate. And she experienced a deep happiness, a fresh happiness when he kissed her without surprise or horror at her disfigurement. He called her “Aunt,” and treated her as a mother.
In the evening they both sat down at the fireside, and she made nice little dainties for him. She heated some wine and toasted a slice of bread, and it made a charming little meal before going to bed. She often took him on her knees and covered him with kisses, murmuring tender words in his ear. She called him: “My little flower, my cherub4, my adored angel, my divine jewel.” He softly accepted her caresses5, hiding his head on the old maid's shoulder. Although he was now nearly fifteen, he had remained small and weak, and had a rather sickly appearance.
Sometimes Mademoiselle Source took him to the city, to see two married female relatives of hers, distant cousins, who were living in the suburbs, and who were the only members of her family in existence. The two women had always found fault with her, for having adopted this boy, on account of the inheritance; but for all that, they gave her a cordial welcome, having still hopes of getting a share for themselves, a third, no doubt, if what she possessed6 were only equally divided.
She was happy, very happy, always occupied with her adopted child. She bought books for him to improve his mind, and he became passionately7 fond of reading.
He no longer climbed on her knee to pet her as he had formerly8 done; but, instead, would go and sit down in his little chair in the chimney-corner and open a volume. The lamp placed at the edge of the Tittle table above his head shone on his curly hair, and on a portion of his forehead; he did not move, he did not raise his eyes or make any gesture. He read on, interested, entirely9 absorbed in the story he was reading.
Seated opposite to him, she would gaze at him earnestly, astonished at his studiousness, often on the point of bursting into tears.
She said to him occasionally: “You will fatigue10 yourself, my treasure!” hoping that he would raise his head, and come across to embrace her; but he did not even answer her; he had not heard or understood what she was saying; he paid no attention to anything save what he read in those pages.
After this, he asked Mademoiselle Source several times for money, which she gave him. As he always wanted more, she ended by refusing, for she was both methodical and decided12, and knew how to act rationally when it was necessary to do so. By dint13 of entreaties14 he obtained a large sum from her one night; but when he begged her for more a few days later, she showed herself inflexible15, and did not give way to him further, in fact.
He appeared to be satisfied with her decision.
He again became quiet, as he had formerly been, remaining seated for entire hours, without moving, plunged16 in deep reverie. He now did not even talk to Madame Source, merely answering her remarks with short, formal words. Nevertheless, he was agreeable and attentive17 in his manner toward her; but he never embraced her now.
She had by this time grown slightly afraid of him when they sat facing one another at night on opposite sides of the fireplace. She wanted to wake him up, to make him say something, no matter what, that would break this dreadful silence, which was like the darkness of a wood. But he did not appear to listen to her, and she shuddered18 with the terror of a poor feeble woman when she had spoken to him five or six times successively without being able to get a word out of him.
What was the matter with him? What was going on in that closed-up head? When she had remained thus two or three hours opposite him, she felt as if she were going insane, and longed to rush away and to escape into the open country in order to avoid that mute, eternal companionship and also some vague danger, which she could not define, but of which she had a presentiment19.
She frequently wept when she was alone. What was the matter with him? When she expressed a wish, he unmurmuringly carried it into execution. When she wanted anything brought from the city, he immediately went there to procure20 it. She had no complaint to make of him; no, indeed! And yet—
Another year flitted by, and it seemed to her that a fresh change had taken place in the mind of the young man. She perceived it; she felt it; she divined it. How? No matter! She was sure she was not mistaken; but she could not have explained in what manner the unknown thoughts of this strange youth had changed.
It seemed to her that, until now, he had been like a person in a hesitating frame of mind, who had suddenly arrived at a determination. This idea came to her one evening as she met his glance, a fixed21, singular glance which she had not seen in his face before.
Then he commenced to watch her incessantly22, and she wished she could hide herself in order to avoid that cold eye riveted23 on her.
He kept staring at her, evening after evening, for hours together, only averting24 his eyes when she said, utterly25 unnerved:
“Do not look at me like that, my child!”
Then he would lower his head.
But the moment her back was turned she once more felt that his eyes were upon her. Wherever she went, he pursued her with his persistent26 gaze.
Sometimes, when she was walking in her little garden, she suddenly noticed him hidden behind a bush, as if he were lying in wait for her; and, again, when she sat in front of the house mending stockings while he was digging some vegetable bed, he kept continually watching her in a surreptitious manner, as he worked.
It was in vain that she asked him:
“What's the matter with you, my boy? For the last three years, you have become very different. I don't recognize you. Do tell me what ails27 you, and what you are thinking of.”
He invariably replied, in a quiet, weary tone:
“Why, nothing ails me, aunt!”
And when she persisted:
“Ah! my child, answer me, answer me when I speak to you. If you knew what grief you caused me, you would always answer, and you would not look at me that way. Have you any trouble? Tell me! I'll comfort you!”
He went away, with a tired air, murmuring:
“But there is nothing the matter with me, I assure you.”
He had not grown much, having always a childish look, although his features were those of a man. They were, however, hard and badly cut. He seemed incomplete, abortive28, only half finished, and disquieting29 as a mystery. He was a self-contained, unapproachable being, in whom there seemed always to be some active, dangerous mental labor30 going on. Mademoiselle Source was quite conscious of all this, and she could not sleep at night, so great was her anxiety. Frightful31 terrors, dreadful nightmares assailed32 her. She shut herself up in her own room, and barricaded33 the door, tortured by fear.
What was she afraid of? She could not tell.
She feared everything, the night, the walls, the shadows thrown by the moon on the white curtains of the windows, and, above all, she feared him.
Why?
What had she to fear? Did she know what it was?
She could live this way no longer! She felt certain that a misfortune threatened her, a frightful misfortune.
She set forth34 secretly one morning, and went into the city to see her relatives. She told them about the matter in a gasping35 voice. The two women thought she was going mad and tried to reassure36 her.
She said:
“If you knew the way he looks at me from morning till night. He never takes his eyes off me! At times, I feel a longing37 to cry for help, to call in the neighbors, so much am I afraid. But what could I say to them? He does nothing but look at me.”
The two female cousins asked:
She replied:
“No, never; he does everything I wish; he works hard: he is steady; but I am so frightened that I care nothing for that. He is planning something, I am certain of that—quite certain. I don't care to remain all alone like that with him in the country.”
The relatives, astonished at her words, declared that people would be amazed, would not understand; and they advised her to keep silent about her fears and her plans, without, however, dissuading39 her from coming to reside in the city, hoping in that way that the entire inheritance would eventually fall into their hands.
They even promised to assist her in selling her house, and in finding another, near them.
Mademoiselle Source returned home. But her mind was so much upset that she trembled at the slightest noise, and her hands shook whenever any trifling40 disturbance41 agitated42 her.
Twice she went again to consult her relatives, quite determined now not to remain any longer in this way in her lonely dwelling43. At last, she found a little cottage in the suburbs, which suited her, and she privately44 bought it.
The signature of the contract took place on a Tuesday morning, and Mademoiselle Source devoted45 the rest of the day to the preparations for her change of residence.
At eight o'clock in the evening she got into the diligence which passed within a few hundred yards of her house, and she told the conductor to put her down in the place where she usually alighted. The man called out to her as he whipped his horses:
“Good evening, Mademoiselle Source—good night!”
She replied as she walked on:
“Good evening, Pere Joseph.” Next morning, at half-past seven, the postman who conveyed letters to the village noticed at the cross-road, not far from the high road, a large splash of blood not yet dry. He said to himself: “Hallo! some boozer must have had a nose bleed.”
But he perceived ten paces farther on a pocket handkerchief also stained with blood. He picked it up. The linen46 was fine, and the postman, in alarm, made his way over to the ditch, where he fancied he saw a strange object.
Mademoiselle Source was lying at the bottom on the grass, her throat cut with a knife.
An hour later, the gendarmes47, the examining magistrate48, and other authorities made an inquiry49 as to the cause of death.
The two female relatives, called as witnesses, told all about the old maid's fears and her last plans.
The orphan was arrested. After the death of the woman who had adopted him, he wept from morning till night, plunged, at least to all appearance, in the most violent grief.
He proved that he had spent the evening up to eleven o'clock in a cafe. Ten persons had seen him, having remained there till his departure.
The driver of the diligence stated that he had set down the murdered woman on the road between half-past nine and ten o'clock.
The accused was acquitted50. A will, drawn51 up a long time before, which had been left in the hands of a notary52 in Rennes, made him sole heir. So he inherited everything.
For a long time, the people of the country boycotted53 him, as they still suspected him. His house, that of the dead woman, was looked upon as accursed. People avoided him in the street.
But he showed himself so good-natured, so open, so familiar, that gradually these horrible doubts were forgotten. He was generous, obliging, ready to talk to the humblest about anything, as long as they cared to talk to him.
The notary, Maitre Rameau, was one of the first to take his part, attracted by his smiling loquacity54. He said at a dinner, at the tax collector's house:
“A man who speaks with such facility and who is always in good humor could not have such a crime on his conscience.”
Touched by his argument, the others who were present reflected, and they recalled to mind the long conversations with this man who would almost compel them to stop at the road corners to listen to his ideas, who insisted on their going into his house when they were passing by his garden, who could crack a joke better than the lieutenant55 of the gendarmes himself, and who possessed such contagious56 gaiety that, in spite of the repugnance57 with which he inspired them, they could not keep from always laughing in his company.
All doors were opened to him after a time.
He is to-day the mayor of his township.
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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cherub
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| n.小天使，胖娃娃 | |
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caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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8
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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15
inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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16
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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17
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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18
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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20
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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22
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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23
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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24
averting
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| 防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移 | |
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25
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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27
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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28
abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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29
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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30
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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31
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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32
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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33
barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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34
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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35
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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38
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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39
dissuading
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| 劝（某人）勿做某事，劝阻( dissuade的现在分词 ) | |
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40
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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41
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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42
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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43
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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45
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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46
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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47
gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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48
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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49
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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50
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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51
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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52
notary
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| n.公证人，公证员 | |
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53
boycotted
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| 抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
loquacity
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| n.多话，饶舌 | |
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55
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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56
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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57
repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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