A Simple Soul.docx
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A Simple Soul.docx
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ASimpleSoul
ASimpleSoulbyGustaveFlaubert
CHAPTERI
ForhalfacenturythehousewivesofPont-l'EvequehadenviedMadameAubainherservantFelicite.
Forahundredfrancsayear,shecookedanddidthehousework,washed,ironed,mended,harnessedthehorse,fattenedthepoultry,madethebutterandremainedfaithfultohermistress--althoughthelatterwasbynomeansanagreeableperson.
MadameAubainhadmarriedacomelyyouthwithoutanymoney,whodiedinthebeginningof1809,leavingherwithtwoyoungchildrenandanumberofdebts.ShesoldallherpropertyexceptingthefarmofToucquesandthefarmofGeffosses,theincomeofwhichbarelyamountedto5,000francs;thensheleftherhouseinSaint-Melaine,andmovedintoalesspretentiousonewhichhadbelongedtoherancestorsandstoodbackofthemarket-place.Thishouse,withitsslate-coveredroof,wasbuiltbetweenapassage-wayandanarrowstreetthatledtotheriver.Theinteriorwassounevenlygradedthatitcausedpeopletostumble.Anarrowhallseparatedthekitchenfromtheparlour,whereMadameAubainsatalldayinastrawarmchairnearthewindow.Eightmahoganychairsstoodinarowagainstthewhitewainscoting.Anoldpiano,standingbeneathabarometer,wascoveredwithapyramidofoldbooksandboxes.Oneithersideoftheyellowmarblemantelpiece,inLouisXV.style,stoodatapestryarmchair.TheclockrepresentedatempleofVesta;andthewholeroomsmelledmusty,asitwasonalowerlevelthanthegarden.
OnthefirstfloorwasMadame'sbed-chamber,alargeroompaperedinaflowereddesignandcontainingtheportraitofMonsieurdressedinthecostumeofadandy.Itcommunicatedwithasmallerroom,inwhichthereweretwolittlecribs,withoutanymattresses.Next,cametheparlour(alwaysclosed),filledwithfurniturecoveredwithsheets.
Thenahall,whichledtothestudy,wherebooksandpaperswerepiledontheshelvesofabook-casethatenclosedthreequartersofthebigblackdesk.Twopanelswereentirelyhiddenunderpen-and-inksketches,GouachelandscapesandAudranengravings,relicsofbettertimesandvanishedluxury.Onthesecondfloor,agarret-windowlightedFelicite'sroom,whichlookedoutuponthemeadows.
Shearoseatdaybreak,inordertoattendmass,andsheworkedwithoutinterruptionuntilnight;then,whendinnerwasover,thedishesclearedawayandthedoorsecurelylocked,shewouldburythelogundertheashesandfallasleepinfrontofthehearthwitharosaryinherhand.Nobodycouldbargainwithgreaterobstinacy,andasforcleanliness,thelustreonherbrasssauce-panswastheenvyanddespairofotherservants.Shewasmosteconomical,andwhensheateshewouldgatherupcrumbswiththetipofherfinger,sothatnothingshouldbewastedoftheloafofbreadweighingtwelvepoundswhichwasbakedespeciallyforherandlastedthreeweeks.
Summerandwintersheworeadimitykerchieffastenedinthebackwithapin,acapwhichconcealedherhair,aredskirt,greystockings,andanapronwithabiblikethosewornbyhospitalnurses.
Herfacewasthinandhervoiceshrill.Whenshewastwenty-five,shelookedforty.Aftershehadpassedfifty,nobodycouldtellherage;
erectandsilentalways,sheresembledawoodenfigureworkingautomatically.
CHAPTERII
Likeeveryotherwoman,shehadhadanaffairoftheheart.Herfather,whowasamason,waskilledbyfallingfromascaffolding.
Thenhermotherdiedandhersisterswenttheirdifferentways;afarmertookherin,andwhileshewasquitesmall,letherkeepcowsinthefields.Shewascladinmiserablerags,beatenfortheslightestoffenceandfinallydismissedforatheftofthirtysouswhichshedidnotcommit.Shetookserviceonanotherfarmwhereshetendedthepoultry;andasshewaswellthoughtofbyhermaster,herfellow-workerssoongrewjealous.
OneeveninginAugust(shewastheneighteenyearsold),theypersuadedhertoaccompanythemtothefairatColleville.Shewasimmediatelydazzledbythenoise,thelightsinthetrees,thebrightnessofthedresses,thelacesandgoldcrosses,andthecrowdofpeopleallhoppingatthesametime.Shewasstandingmodestlyatadistance,whenpresentlyayoungmanofwell-to-doappearance,whohadbeenleaningonthepoleofawagonandsmokinghispipe,approachedher,andaskedherforadance.Hetreatedhertociderandcake,boughtherasilkshawl,andthen,thinkingshehadguessedhispurpose,offeredtoseeherhome.Whentheycametotheendofafieldhethrewherdownbrutally.Butshegrewfrightenedandscreamed,andhewalkedoff.
Oneevening,ontheroadleadingtoBeaumont,shecameuponawagonloadedwithhay,andwhensheovertookit,sherecognisedTheodore.Hegreetedhercalmly,andaskedhertoforgetwhathadhappenedbetweenthem,asit"wasallthefaultofthedrink."
Shedidnotknowwhattoreplyandwishedtorunaway.
Presentlyhebegantospeakoftheharvestandofthenotablesofthevillage;hisfatherhadleftCollevilleandboughtthefarmofLesEcots,sothatnowtheywouldbeneighbours."Ah!
"sheexclaimed.Hethenaddedthathisparentswerelookingaroundforawifeforhim,butthathe,himself,wasnotsoanxiousandpreferredtowaitforagirlwhosuitedhim.Shehungherhead.Hethenaskedherwhethershehadeverthoughtofmarrying.Shereplied,smilingly,thatitwaswrongofhimtomakefunofher."Oh!
no,Iaminearnest,"hesaid,andputhisleftarmaroundherwaistwhiletheysaunteredalong.Theairwassoft,thestarswerebright,andthehugeloadofhayoscillatedinfrontofthem,drawnbyfourhorseswhoseponderoushoofsraisedcloudsofdust.Withoutawordfromtheirdrivertheyturnedtotheright.Hekissedheragainandshewenthome.Thefollowingweek,Theodoreobtainedmeetings.
Theymetinyards,behindwallsorunderisolatedtrees.Shewasnotignorant,asgirlsofwell-to-dofamiliesare--fortheanimalshadinstructedher;--butherreasonandherinstinctofhonourkeptherfromfalling.HerresistanceexasperatedTheodore'sloveandsoinordertosatisfyit(orperchanceingenuously),heofferedtomarryher.Shewouldnotbelievehimatfirst,sohemadesolemnpromises.
But,inashorttimehementionedadifficulty;thepreviousyear,hisparentshadpurchasedasubstituteforhim;butanydayhemightbedraftedandtheprospectofservinginthearmyalarmedhimgreatly.
ToFelicitehiscowardiceappearedaproofofhisloveforher,andherdevotiontohimgrewstronger.Whenshemethim,hewouldtortureherwithhisfearsandhisentreaties.Atlast,heannouncedthathewasgoingtotheprefecthimselfforinformation,andwouldletherknoweverythingonthefollowingSunday,betweeneleveno'clockandmidnight.
Whenthetimegrewnear,sherantomeetherlover.
ButinsteadofTheodore,oneofhisfriendswasatthemeeting-place.
Heinformedherthatshewouldneverseehersweetheartagain;for,inordertoescapetheconscription,hehadmarriedaricholdwoman,MadameLehoussais,ofToucques.
Thepoorgirl'ssorrowwasfrightful.Shethrewherselfontheground,shecriedandcalledontheLord,andwanderedarounddesolatelyuntilsunrise.Thenshewentbacktothefarm,declaredherintentionofleaving,andattheendofthemonth,aftershehadreceivedherwages,shepackedallherbelongingsinahandkerchiefandstartedforPont-l'Eveque.
Infrontoftheinn,shemetawomanwearingwidow'sweeds,anduponquestioningher,learnedthatshewaslookingforacook.Thegirldidnotknowverymuch,butappearedsowillingandsomodestinherrequirements,thatMadameAubainfinallysaid:
"Verywell,Iwillgiveyouatrial."
AndhalfanhourlaterFelicitewasinstalledinherhouse.
Atfirstshelivedinaconstantanxietythatwascausedby"thestyleofthehousehold"andthememoryof"Monsieur,"thathoveredovereverything.PaulandVirginia,theoneagedseven,andtheotherbarelyfour,seemedmadeofsomepreciousmaterial;shecarriedthempig-a-back,andwasgreatlymortifiedwhenMadameAubainforbadehertokissthemeveryotherminute.
Butinspiteofallthis,shewashappy.Thecomfortofhernewsurroundingshadobliteratedhersadness.
EveryThursday,friendsofMadameAubaindroppedinforagameofcards,anditwasFelicite'sdutytopreparethetableandheatthefoot-warmers.Theyarrivedatexactlyeighto'clockanddepartedbeforeeleven.
EveryMondaymorning,thedealerinsecond-handgoods,wholivedunderthealley-way,spreadouthiswaresonthesidewalk.Thenthecitywouldbefilledwithabuzzingofvoicesinwhichtheneighingofhorses,thebleatingoflambs,thegruntingofpigs,couldbedistinguished,mingledwiththesharpsoundofwheelsonthecobble-
stones.Abouttwelveo'clock,whenthemarketwasinfullswing,thereappearedatthefrontdooratall,middle-agedpeasant,withahookednoseandacaponthebackofhishead;itwasRobelin,thefarmerofGeffosses.ShortlyafterwardscameLiebard,thefarmerofToucques,short,rotundandruddy,wearingagreyjacketandspurredboots.
Bothmenbroughttheirlandladyeitherchickensorcheese.Felicitewouldinvariablythwarttheirrusesandtheyheldheringreatrespect.
Atvarioustimes,MadameAubainreceivedavisitfromtheMarquisdeGremanville,oneofheruncles,whowasruinedandlivedatFalaiseontheremainderofhisestates.Healwayscameatdinner-timeandbroughtanuglypoodlewithhim,whosepawssoiledtheirfurniture.Inspiteofhiseffortstoappearamanofbreeding(heevenwentsofarastoraisehishateverytimehesaid"Mydeceasedfather"),hishabitsgotthebetterofhim,andhewouldfillhisglassalittletoooftenandrelatebroadstories.Felicitewouldshowhimoutverypolitelyandsay
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