“I think that Monsieur Choulette is coming.”
He was walking along the quay, limping, with his hat on the back of his head, his beard unkempt, and dragging an old carpet-bag. He was almost repulsive12; yet, in spite of his fifty years of age, he looked young, so clear and lustrous13 were his eyes, so much ingenuous14 audacity15 had been retained in his yellow, hollow face, so vividly16 did this old man express the eternal adolescence17 of the poet and artist. When she saw him, Therese regretted having invited so strange a companion. He walked along, throwing a hasty glance into every carriage — a glance which, little by little, became sullen18 and distrustful. But when he recognized Madame Martin, he smiled so sweetly and said good-morning to her in so caressing19 a voice that nothing was left of the ferocious20 old vagabond walking on the quay, nothing except the old carpet-bag, the handles of which were half broken.
He placed it in the rack with great care, among the elegant bags enveloped21 with gray cloth, beside which it looked conspicuously22 sordid23. It was studded with yellow flowers on a blood-colored background.
He was soon perfectly24 at ease, and complimented Madame Martin on the elegance25 of her travelling attire26.
“Excuse me, ladies,” he added, “I was afraid I should be late. I went to six o’clock mass at Saint Severin, my parish, in the Virgin27 Chapel28, under those pretty, but absurd columns that point toward heaven though frail29 as reeds-like us, poor sinners that we are.”
“Ah,” said Madame Martin, “you are pious30 to-day.”
And she asked him whether he wore the cordon31 of the order which he was founding. He assumed a grave and penitent32 air.
“I am afraid, Madame, that Monsieur Paul Vence has told you many absurd stories about me. I have heard that he goes about circulating rumors33 that my ribbon is a bell-rope — and of what a bell! I should be pained if anybody believed so wretched a story. My ribbon, Madame, is a symbolical34 ribbon. It is represented by a simple thread, which one wears under one’s clothes after a pauper35 has touched it, as a sign that poverty is holy, and that it will save the world. There is nothing good except in poverty; and since I have received the price of Les Blandices, I feel that I am unjust and harsh. It is a good thing that I have placed in my bag several of these mystic ribbons.”
And, pointing to the horrible carpet-bag:
“I have also placed in it a host which a bad priest gave to me, the works of Monsieur de Maistre, shirts, and several other things:”
Madame Martin lifted her eyebrows36, a little ill at ease. But the good Madame Marmet retained her habitual37 placidity38.
As the train rolled through the homely39 scenes of the outskirts40, that black fringe which makes an unlovely border to the city, Choulette took from his pocket an old book which he began to fumble41. The writer, hidden under the vagabond, revealed himself. Choulette, without wishing to appear to be careful of his papers, was very orderly about them. He assured himself that he had not lost the pieces of paper on which he noted42 at the coffeehouse his ideas for poems, nor the dozen of flattering letters which, soiled and spotted43, he carried with him continually, to read them to his newly-made companions at night. After assuring himself that nothing was missing, he took from the book a letter folded in an open envelope. He waved it for a while, with an air of mysterious impudence44, then handed it to the Countess Martin. It was a letter of introduction from the Marquise de Rieu to a princess of the House of France, a near relative of the Comte de Chambord, who, old and a widow, lived in retirement45 near the gates of Florence. Having enjoyed the effect which he expected to produce, he said that he should perhaps visit the Princess; that she was a good person, and pious.
“A truly great lady,” he added, “who does not show her magnificence in gowns and hats. She wears her chemises for six weeks, and sometimes longer. The gentlemen of her train have seen her wear very dirty white stockings, which fell around her heels. The virtues46 of the great queens of Spain are revived in her. Oh, those soiled stockings, what real glory there is in them!”
He took the letter and put it back in his book. Then, arming himself with a horn-handled knife, he began, with its point, to finish a figure sketched47 in the handle of his stick. He complimented himself on it:
“I am skilful48 in all the arts of beggars and vagabonds. I know how to open locks with a nail, and how to carve wood with a bad knife.”
The head began to appear. It was the head of a thin woman, weeping.
Choulette wished to express in it human misery49, not simple and touching50, such as men of other times may have felt it in a world of mingled51 harshness and kindness; but hideous52, and reflecting the state of ugliness created by the free-thinking bourgeois53 and the military patriots54 of the French Revolution. According to him the present regime embodied55 only hypocrisy56 and brutality57.
“Their barracks are a hideous invention of modern times. They date from the seventeenth century. Before that time there were only guard-houses where the soldiers played cards and told tales. Louis XIV was a precursor58 of Bonaparte. But the evil has attained59 its plenitude since the monstrous60 institution of the obligatory61 enlistment62. The shame of emperors and of republics is to have made it an obligation for men to kill. In the ages called barbarous, cities and princes entrusted63 their defence to mercenaries, who fought prudently64. In a great battle only five or six men were killed. And when knights65 went to the wars, at least they were not forced to do it; they died for their pleasure. They were good for nothing else. Nobody in the time of Saint Louis would have thought of sending to battle a man of learning. And the laborer66 was not torn from the soil to be killed. Nowadays it is a duty for a poor peasant to be a soldier. He is exiled from his house, the roof of which smokes in the silence of night; from the fat prairies where the oxen graze; from the fields and the paternal67 woods. He is taught how to kill men; he is threatened, insulted, put in prison and told that it is an honor; and, if he does not care for that sort of honor, he is fusilladed. He obeys because he is terrorized, and is of all domestic animals the gentlest and most docile68. We are warlike in France, and we are citizens. Another reason to be proud, this being a citizen! For the poor it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness. The poor must work for this, in presence of the majestic69 quality of the law which prohibits the wealthy as well as the poor from sleeping under the bridges, from begging in the streets, and from stealing bread. That is one of the good effects of the Revolution. As this Revolution was made by fools and idiots for the benefit of those who acquired national lands, and resulted in nothing but making the fortune of crafty70 peasants and financiering bourgeois, the Revolution only made stronger, under the pretence71 of making all men equal, the empire of wealth. It has betrayed France into the hands of the men of wealth. They are masters and lords. The apparent government, composed of poor devils, is in the pay of the financiers. For one hundred years, in this poisoned country, whoever has loved the poor has been considered a traitor72 to society. A man is called dangerous when he says that there are wretched people. There are laws against indignation and pity, and what I say here could not go into print.”
Choulette became excited and waved his knife, while under the wintry sunlight passed fields of brown earth, trees despoiled73 by winter, and curtains of poplars beside silvery rivers.
He looked with tenderness at the figure carved on his stick.
“Here you are,” he said, “poor humanity, thin and weeping, stupid with shame and misery, as you were made by your masters — soldiers and men of wealth.”
The good Madame Marmet, whose nephew was a captain in the artillery74, was shocked at the violence with which Choulette attacked the army. Madame Martin saw in this only an amusing fantasy. Choulette’s ideas did not frighten her. She was afraid of nothing. But she thought they were a little absurd. She did not think that the past had ever been better than the present.
“I believe, Monsieur Choulette, that men were always as they are to-day, selfish, avaricious75, and pitiless. I believe that laws and manners were always harsh and cruel to the unfortunate.”
Between La Roche and Dijon they took breakfast in the dining-car, and left Choulette in it, alone with his pipe, his glass of benedictine, and his irritation76.
In the carriage, Madame Marmet talked with peaceful tenderness of the husband she had lost. He had married her for love; he had written admirable verses to her, which she had kept, and never shown to any one. He was lively and very gay. One would not have thought it who had seen him later, tired by work and weakened by illness. He studied until the last moment. Two hours before he died he was trying to read again. He was affectionate and kind. Even in suffering he retained all his sweetness. Madame Martin said to her:
“You have had long years of happiness; you have kept the reminiscence of them; that is a share of happiness in this world.”
But good Madame Marmet sighed; a cloud passed over her quiet brow.
“Yes,” she said, “Louis was the best of men and the best of husbands. Yet he made me very miserable77. He had only one fault, but I suffered from it cruelly. He was jealous. Good, kind, tender, and generous as he was, this horrible passion made him unjust, ironical78, and violent. I can assure you that my behavior gave not the least cause for suspicion. I was not a coquette. But I was young, fresh; I passed for beautiful. That was enough. He would not let me go out alone, and would not let me receive calls in his absence. Whenever we went to a reception, I trembled in advance with the fear of the scene which he would make later in the carriage.”
And the good Madame Marmet added, with a sigh:
“It is true that I liked to dance. But I had to renounce79 going to balls; it made him suffer too much.”
Countess Martin expressed astonishment80. She had always imagined Marmet as an old man, timid, and absorbed by his thoughts; a little ridiculous, between his wife, plump, white, and amiable81, and the skeleton wearing a helmet of bronze and gold. But the excellent widow confided82 to her that, at fifty-five years of age, when she was fifty-three, Louis was just as jealous as on the first day of their marriage.
And Therese thought that Robert had never tormented83 her with jealousy84. Was it on his part a proof of tact85 and good taste, a mark of confidence, or was it that he did not love her enough to make her suffer? She did not know, and she did not have the heart to try to know. She would have to look through recesses86 of her mind which she preferred not to open.
She murmured carelessly:
“We long to be loved, and when we are loved we are tormented or worried.”
The day was finished in reading and thinking. Choulette did not reappear. Night covered little by little with its gray clouds the mulberry-trees of the Dauphine. Madame Marmet went to sleep peacefully, resting on herself as on a mass of pillows. Therese looked at her and thought:
“She is happy, since she likes to remember.”
The sadness of night penetrated87 her heart. And when the moon rose on the fields of olive-trees, seeing the soft lines of plains and of hills pass, Therese, in this landscape wherein everything spoke88 of peace and oblivion, and nothing spoke of her, regretted the Seine, the Arc de Triomphe with its radiating avenues, and the alleys89 of the park where, at least, the trees and the stones knew her.
Suddenly Choulette threw himself into the carriage. Armed with his knotty90 stick, his face and head enveloped in red wool and a fur cap, he almost frightened her. It was what he wished to do. His violent attitudes and his savage91 dress were studied. Always seeking to produce effects, it pleased him to seem frightful92.
He was a coward himself, and was glad to inspire the fears he often felt. A moment before, as he was smoking his pipe, he had felt, while seeing the moon swallowed up by the clouds, one of those childish frights that tormented his light mind. He had come near the Countess to be reassured93.
“Arles,” he said. “Do you know Arles? It is a place of pure beauty. I have seen, in the cloister94, doves resting on the shoulders of statues, and I have seen the little gray lizards95 warming themselves in the sun on the tombs. The tombs are now in two rows on the road that leads to the church. They are formed like cisterns96, and serve as beds for the poor at night. One night, when I was walking among them, I met a good old woman who was placing dried herbs in the tomb of an old maid who had died on her wedding-day. We said goodnight to her. She replied: ‘May God hear-you! but fate wills that this tomb should open on the side of the northwest wind. If only it were open on the other side, I should be lying as comfortably as Queen Jeanne.’”
Therese made no answer. She was dozing97. And Choulette shivered in the cold of the night, in the fear of death.
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1
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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naive
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| adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的 | |
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picturesquely
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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7
prematurely
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| adv.过早地，贸然地 | |
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8
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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adolescence
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| n.青春期，青少年 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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cordon
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| n.警戒线，哨兵线 | |
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penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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symbolical
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| a.象征性的 | |
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pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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placidity
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| n.平静，安静，温和 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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fumble
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| vi.笨拙地用手摸、弄、接等，摸索 | |
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42
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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47
sketched
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| v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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49
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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51
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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bourgeois
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| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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precursor
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| n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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60
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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obligatory
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| adj.强制性的，义务的，必须的 | |
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enlistment
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| n.应征入伍，获得，取得 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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laborer
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| n.劳动者，劳工 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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71
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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75
avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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76
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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79
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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80
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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81
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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82
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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83
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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84
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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85
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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86
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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87
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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88
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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89
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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90
knotty
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| adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的 | |
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91
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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92
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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93
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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94
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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95
lizards
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| n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 ) | |
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96
cisterns
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| n.蓄水池，储水箱( cistern的名词复数 )；地下储水池 | |
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97
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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