The Essential Guy de Maupassant Collection. Guy de Maupassant

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ [_takes her in his arms, weeping and repeating_]

      Musotte! Musotte! [Musotte _rises upon her couch, and with a gesture to_ Jean _points to the cradle, toward which he goes, nodding "Yes, yes," with his head. When_ Jean _reaches the cradle,_ Musotte, _who has raised herself upon her hands, falls lifeless upon the long steamer-chair._ Jean, _frightened, calls out_] Pellerin! Pellerin!

      SCENE V.

      (_The same:_ Pellerin, Mme. Flache, _and_ La Babin, _enter quickly_ R.)

      PELLERIN [_who has gone swiftly to_ Musotte, _feels her pulse and listens at the heart_]

      Her heart is not beating! Give me a mirror, Madame Flache.

      JEAN

      My God! [Mme. Flache _gives a hand-mirror to_ Pellerin, _who holds it before the lips of_ Musotte, _Pause_.]

      PELLERIN [_in a low voice_]

      She is dead!

      JEAN [_takes the dead woman's hand and kisses it fondly, his voice choked with emotion_]

      Farewell, my dear little Musotte! To think that a moment ago you were speaking to me--a moment ago you were looking at me, you saw me, and now--all is over!

      PELLERIN [_goes to_ Jean _and takes him by the shoulder_]

      Now, you must go at once. Go! You have nothing more to do here. Your duty is over.

      JEAN [_rises_]

      I go. Farewell, poor little Musotte!

      PELLERIN

      I will take care of everything this evening. But the child, do you wish me to find an asylum for him?

      JEAN

      Oh, no, I will take him. I have sworn it to that poor, dead darling. Come and join me immediately at my house, and bring him with you. Then I shall have another service to request of you. But how about Musotte, who is going to remain with her?

      MME. FLACHE

      I, Monsieur. Have no anxiety; I am acquainted with all that must be done.

      JEAN

      Thank you, Madame. [_Approaches the bed; closes_ Musotte's _eyes and kisses her fondly and for a long time upon her forehead_.] Farewell, Musotte, forever! [_Goes softly to the cradle, removes the veil, kisses the child and speaks to it in a firm voice which at the same time is full of tears_.] I shall see you again directly, my little Jean!

      [_Exit quickly_].

      ACT III.

      SCENE I.

      (_Same setting as in_ Act I.)

      (Monsieur de Petitpr?, Mme. de Ronchard, M. Martinel, _and_ L?on.)

      MME. DE RONCHARD [_walks about in an agitated manner_]

      Seven minutes to midnight! It is nearly two hours since Jean left us!

      LEON [_seated_ L.]

      But, my dear Aunt, just allow a half hour in the carriage for going and a half hour for returning, and there remains just one hour for the business he had to attend to.

      MME. DE RONCHARD

      Was it so very long, then--the business that called him hence?

      LEON

      Yes, my dear Aunt; and now, why worry yourself by counting the minutes? Your agitation will change nothing in the end, and will not hasten Jean's return by a single second, or make the hands of the clock move more quickly.

      MME. DE RONCHARD

      How can you ask me not to worry when my mind is full of anxiety, when my heart is beating, and I feel the tears rising into my eyes?

      L?ON

      But, my dear Aunt, you know very well you do not feel as badly as that.

      MME. DE RONCHARD

      Oh, you irritate me!

      MARTINEL [_seated near the table_]

      Don't torment yourself, Madame. True, the situation is a rather delicate one, but it need not disquiet you or frighten us, if we know how to bring to its consideration at this moment coolness and reason.

      L?ON

      Just so, my dear Aunt, Monsieur Martinel speaks truly.

      MME. DE RONCHARD [_crosses_ R.]

      You ought to be beaten, you two! You know everything, and won't tell anything. How annoying men are! There is never any means of making them tell a secret.

      MARTINEL

      Jean will come presently and will tell you everything. Have a little patience.

      PETITPR?

      Yes; let us be calm. Let us talk of other things, or be silent, if we can.

      MME. DE RONCHARD

      Be silent! That is about, the most difficult thing--

      A SERVANT [_enters_ R.]

      A gentleman wishes to see M. Martinel.

      MARTINEL [_rises_.]

      Pardon me for a moment. [_To the servant._] Very well, I am coming. [_Exit_ R.]

      SCENE II.

      MME. DE RONCHARD [_approaches servant quickly_]

      Baptiste, Baptiste! Who is asking for M. Martinel?

      SERVANT

      I do not know, Madame. It was the hall porter who came upstairs.

      MME. DE RONCHARD

      Well, run now and look without showing yourself, and come back and tell us at once.

      PETITPR? [_who has risen at the entrance of the servant_]

      No, I will permit no spying; let us wait. We shall not have to wait long now. [_To the servant._] You may go. [_Exit servant._]

      MME. DE RONCHARD [_to_ Petitpr?]

      I do not understand you at all. You are absolutely calm. One would think that your daughter's happiness was nothing to you. For myself, I am profoundly agitated.

      PETITPR?

      That СКАЧАТЬ