居伊·德·莫泊桑

GuydeMauassant

Asthemayorwasabouttositdowntobreakfast，wordwasbroughttohimthattheruraloliceman，withtworisoners，wasawaitinghimattheHoteldeVille。HewentthereatonceandfoundoldHochedurstandingguardbeforeamiddle-classcoulewhomhewasregardingwithasevereexressiononhisface。

Theman，afatoldfellowwitharednoseandwhitehair，seemedutterlydejected;whilethewoman，alittleroundaboutindividualwithshiningcheeks，lookedattheofficialwhohadarrestedthem，withdefianteyes。

“Whatisit?Whatisit，Hochedur?”

Theruralolicemanmadehisdeosition。

Hehadgoneoutthatmorningathisusualtime，inordertoatrolhisbeatfromtheforestofChamiouxasfarastheboundariesofArgenteuil。Hehadnotnoticedanythingunusualinthecountryexcetthatitwasafineday，andthatthewheatwasdoingwell，whenthesonofoldBredel，whowasgoingoverhisvines，calledouttohim:

“Here，DaddyHochedur，goandhavealookattheoutskirtsofthewood。Inthefirstthicketyouwillfindaairofigeonswhomustbeahundredandthirtyyearsoldbetweenthem!”

Hewentinthedirectionindicated，enteredthethicket，andthereheheardwordswhichmadehimsusectaflagrantbreachofmorality。Advancing，therefore，onhishandsandkneesasiftosurriseaoacher，hehadarrestedthecoulewhomhefoundthere。

Themayorlookedattheculritsinastonishment，forthemanwascertainlysixty，andthewomanfifty-fiveatleast，andhebegantoquestionthem，beginningwiththeman，whoreliedinsuchaweakvoicethathecouldscarcelybeheard。

“Whatisyourname?”

“NicholasBeaurain。”

“Youroccuation?”

“Haberdasher，intheRuedesMartyrs，inParis。”

“Whatwereyoudoinginthewood?”

Thehaberdasherremainedsilent，withhiseyesonhisfataunch，andhishandshangingathissides，andthemayorcontinued:

“Doyoudenywhattheofficerofthemunicialauthoritiesstates?”

“No，monsieur。”

“Soyouconfessit?”

“Yes，monsieur。”

“Whathaveyoutosayinyourdefence？”

“Nothing，monsieur。”

“Wheredidyoumeettheartnerinyourmisdemeanor?”

“Sheismywife，monsieur。”

“Yourwife?”

“Yes，monsieur。”

“Then-then-youdonotlivetogether-inParis?”

“Ibegyourardon，monsieur，butwearelivingtogether!”

“Butinthatcase-youmustbemad，altogethermad，mydearsir，togetcaughtlayingloversinthecountryattenoclockinthemorning。”

Thehaberdasherseemedreadytocrywithshame，andhemuttered:“Itwasshewhoenticedme!Itoldheritwasverystuid，butwhenawomanoncegetsathingintoherhead-youknow-youcannotgetitout。”

Themayor，wholikedajoke，smiledandrelied:“Inyourcase，thecontraryoughttohavehaened。Youwouldnotbehere，ifshehadhadtheideaonlyinherhead。”

ThenMonsieurBeauainwasseizedwithrageandturningtohiswife，hesaid:“Doyouseetowhatyouhavebroughtuswithyouroetry?Andnowweshallhavetogobeforethecourtsatourage，forabreachofmorals!Andweshallhavetoshututhesho，sellourgoodwill，andgotosomeotherneighborhood!Thatswhatithascometo。”

MadameBeauraingotu，andwithoutlookingatherhusband，sheexlainedherselfwithoutembarrassment，withoutuselessmodesty，andalmostwithouthesitation。

Ofcourse，monsieur，Iknowthatwehavemadeourselvesridiculous。Willyouallowmetoleadmycauselikeanadvocate，orratherlikeaoorwoman?AndIhoethatyouwillbekindenoughtosendushome，andtosareusthedisgraceofarosecution。

Yearsago，whenIwasyoung，ImadeMonsieurBeaurain’sacquaintanceoneSundayinthisneighborhood。Hewasemloyedinadraer’ssho，andIwasasaleswomaninaready-madeclothingestablishment。Irememberitasifitwereyesterday。IusedtocomeandsendSundayshereoccasionallywithafriendofmine，RoseLeveque，withwhomIlivedintheRuePigalle，andRosehadasweetheart，whileIhadnone。Heusedtobringushere，andoneSaturdayhetoldmelaughingthatheshouldbringafriendwithhimthenextday。Iquiteunderstoodwhathemeant，butIreliedthatitwouldbenogood;forIwasvirtuous，monsieur。

ThenextdaywemetMonsieurBeaurainattherailwaystation，andinthosedayshewasgood-looking，butIhadmadeumymindnottoencouragehim，andIdidnot。Well，wearrivedatBezons。Itwasalovelyday，thesortofdaythattouchesyourheart。Whenitisfineevennow，justasitusedtobeformerly，Igrowquitefoolish，andwhenIaminthecountryIutterlylosemyhead。Thegreengrass，theswallowsflyingsoswiftly，thesmellofthegrass，thescarletoies，thedaisies，allthatmakesmecrazy。Itislikechamagnewhenoneisnotaccustomedtoit!

“Well，itwaslovelyweather，warmandbright，anditseemedtoenetrateyourbodythroughyoureyeswhenyoulookedandthroughyourmouthwhenyoubreathed。RoseandSimonhuggedandkissedeachothereveryminute，andthatgavemeaqueerfeeling!MonsieurBeaurainandIwalkedbehindthem，withoutseakingmuch，forwheneoledonotknoweachother，theydonotfindanythingtotalkabout。Helookedtimid，andIlikedtoseehisembarrassment。Atlastwegottothelittlewood;itwasascoolasinabaththere，andwefoursatdown。RoseandherloverteasedmebecauseIlookedratherstern，butyouwillunderstandthatIcouldnotbeotherwise。Andthentheybegantokissandhugagain，withoututtinganymorerestraintuonthemselvesthanifwehadnotbeenthere;andthentheywhiseredtogether，andgotuandwentoffamongthetrees，withoutsayingaword。YoumayfancywhatIlookedlike，alonewiththisyoungfellowwhomIsawforthefirsttime。Ifeltsoconfusedatseeingthemgothatitgavemecourage，andIbegantotalk。Iaskedhimwhathisbusinesswas，andhesaidhewasalinendraersassistant，asItoldyoujustnow。Wetalkedforafewminutes，andthatmadehimbold，andhewantedtotakelibertieswithme，butItoldhimsharlytokeehislace。Isnotthattrue，MonsieurBeaurain?”

MonsieurBeaurain，whowaslookingathisfeetinconfusion，didnotrely，andshecontinued:“ThenhesawthatIwasvirtuous，andhebegantomakelovetomenicely，likeanhonorableman，andfromthattimehecameeverySunday，forhewasverymuchinlovewithme。Iwasveryfondofhimalso，veryfondofhim!Hewasagood-lookingfellow，formerly，andinshorthemarriedmethenextSetember，andwestartedinbusinessintheRuedesMartyrs。”

“Itwasahardstruggleforsomeyears，monsieur。Businessdidnotroser，andwecouldnotaffordmanycountryexcursions，and，besides，wehadgotoutofthewayofthem。Onehasotherthingsinoneshead，andthinksmoreofthecashboxthanofrettyseeches，whenoneisinbusiness。Weweregrowingoldbydegreeswithouterceivingit，likequieteolewhodonotthinkmuchaboutlove。Onedoesnotregretanythingaslongasonedoesnotnoticewhatonehaslost。”

“Andthen，monsieur，businessbecamebetter，andweweretranquilastothefuture!Then，yousee，Idonotexactlyknowwhatwentoninmymind，no，Ireallydonotknow，butIbegantodreamlikealittleboarding-schoolgirl。Thesightofthelittlecartsfullofflowerswhicharedrawnaboutthestreetsmademecry;thesmellofvioletssoughtmeoutinmyeasy-chair，behindmycashbox，andmademyheartbeat!ThenIwouldgetuandgooutonthedoorstetolookattheblueskybetweentheroofs。Whenonelooksuattheskyfromthestreet，itlookslikeariverwhichisdescendingonParis，windingasitflows，andtheswallowsasstoandfroinitlikefish。Theseideasareverystuidatmyage!Buthowcanonehelit，monsieur，whenonehasworkedalloneslife？Amomentcomesinwhichoneerceivesthatonecouldhavedonesomethingelse，andthatoneregrets，oh!yes，onefeelsintenseregret!Justthink，fortwentyyearsImighthavegoneandhadkissesinthewoods，likeotherwomen。Iusedtothinkhowdelightfulitwouldbetolieunderthetreesandbeinlovewithsomeone!AndIthoughtofiteverydayandeverynight!Idreamedofthemoonlightonthewater，untilIfeltinclinedtodrownmyself。”

“IdidnotventuretoseaktoMonsieurBeaurainaboutthisatfirst。Iknewthathewouldmakefunofme，andsendmebacktosellmyneedlesandcotton!Andthen，toseakthetruth，MonsieurBeaurainneversaidmuchtome，butwhenIlookedintheglass，IalsounderstoodquitewellthatInolongeraealedtoanyone!”

“Well，Imadeumymind，andIroosedtohimanexcursionintothecountry，tothelacewherewehadfirstbecomeacquainted。Heagreedwithoutmistrustinganything，andwearrivedherethismorning，aboutnineoclock。”

“IfeltquiteyoungagainwhenIgotamongthewheat，forawoman’sheartnevergrowsold!Andreally，Inolongersawmyhusbandasheisatresent，butjustashewasformerly!ThatIwillsweartoyou，monsieur。AstrueasIamstandinghereIwascrazy。Ibegantokisshim，andhewasmoresurrisedthanifIhadtriedtomurderhim。Heketsayingtome:’Why，youmustbemad!Youaremadthismorning!Whatisthematterwithyou?Ididnotlistentohim，Ionlylistenedtomyownheart，andImadehimcomeintothewoodwithme。Thatisall。Ihavesokenthetruth，MonsieurleMaire，thewholetruth。”

Themayorwasasensibleman。Herosefromhischair，smiled，andsaid:“Goineace，madame，andwhenyouagainvisitourforests，bemorediscreet。”

村长正要坐下来吃早餐，突然有人来，打断了这顿早餐，说是乡村警察抓到两个可疑的人，正在办公室里等着他去判决。村长立刻赶往那里，看见巡查员霍希多尔老人表情严肃地站在大门前，而他的身后，则站着一对中产阶级男女。

那个男的是一个红鼻子、白头发的胖老头，看起来非常沮丧，与他相反的是，那个女的却容光焕发，并用一种蔑视的目光注视着抓捕她的警察。

“这是怎么回事，霍希多尔，说说发生了什么事情？”

这个乡村警察将事情讲叙了一遍。

今天早晨，他像往常一样从康比西斯树林到阿金迪尔的边界上巡逻。放眼望去，真是美好的一天，灿烂的阳光照耀在这片碧绿的田野上，小麦在快乐地成长，四周没有任何异常情况。这时，正在整理枝藤的年轻人布雷德尔向他喊道：

“这里，霍希多尔爷爷，过来看看这个树林！在第一个灌木丛里，你会发现一对调情的鸽子，但是，他们的年龄加起来一定有130多岁了！”

他顺着年轻人所指的方向走去，并钻进浓密的树丛里。这时，他就听到一对男女的说话声和喘息声。这让他马上想到一对伤风败俗的狗男女。于是，他趴在地上，就像一位出人意料的潜入者，慢慢地向声响的方向移动。最终，当场抓住了这对偷情的男女。

村长非常惊讶地打量着这对疑犯。因为那个男的看上去应该有60多岁了，而那个女的至少也有55岁了。然后，他开始先审问那个男的，而男人回答的声音很小，小到几乎听不清楚。

“姓名？”

“尼古拉斯·博文。”

“职业？”