按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d each man had a knife in his hand。 Then fear came upon her； for in those times； look you； they used to make pates of human flesh for the seigneurs； who were very fond of them。 But the old woman plucked up heart again； for she was so thoroughly shriveled and wrinkled that she thought they would think her a poorish sort of diet。 The two men went past the hunchback and walked up to a bed that there was in the great room； and in which they had put the gentleman with the big portmanteau； the one that passed for a negromancer。 The taller man holds up the lantern and takes the gentleman by the feet； and the short one； that had pretended to be drunk； clutches hold of his head and cuts his throat； clean； with one stroke； swish！ Then they leave the head and body lying in its own blood up there； steal the portmanteau； and go downstairs with it。 Here is our woman in a nice fix！ First of all she thinks of slipping out； before any one can suspect it； not knowing that Providence had brought her there to glorify God and to bring down punishment on the murderers。 She was in a great fright； and when one is frightened one thinks of nothing else。 But the woman of the house had asked the two brigands about the hunchback； and that had alarmed them。 So back they came； creeping softly up the wooden staircase。 The poor hunchback curls up in a ball with fright； and she hears them talking about her in whispers。
〃 'Kill her； I tell you。'
〃 'No need to kill her。'
〃 'Kill her！'
〃 'No！'
〃Then they came in。 The woman； who was no fool； shuts her eyes and pretends to be asleep。 She sets to work to sleep like a child； with her hand on her heart； and takes to breathing like a cherub。 The man opens the lantern and shines the light straight into the eyes of the sleeping old womanshe does not move an eyelash； she is in such terror for her neck。
〃 'She is sleeping like a log； you can see that quite well；' so says the tall one。
〃 'Old women are so cunning！' answers the short man。 'I will kill her。 We shall feel easier in our minds。 Besides； we will salt her down to feed the pigs。'
〃The old woman hears all this talk； but she does not stir。
〃 'Oh！ it is all right； she is asleep；' says the short ruffian； when he saw that the hunchback had not stirred。
〃That is how the old woman saved her life。 And she may be fairly called courageous； for it is a fact that there are not many girls here who could have breathed like cherubs while they heard that talk going on about the pigs。 Well； the two brigands set to work to lift up the dead man； they wrap him round in the sheets and chuck him out into the little yard； and the old woman hears the pigs scampering up to eat him； and grunting； HON！ hon！
〃So when morning comes；〃 the narrator resumed after a pause； 〃the woman gets up and goes down； paying a couple of sous for her bed。 She takes up her wallet； goes on just as if nothing had happened； asks for the news of the countryside； and gets away in peace。 She wants to run。 Running is quite out of the question； her legs fail her for fright； and lucky it was for her that she could not run； for this reason。 She had barely gone half a quarter of a league before she sees one of the brigands coming after her； just out of craftiness to make quite sure that she had seen nothing。 She guesses this； and sits herself down on a boulder。
〃 'What is the matter； good woman？' asks the short one； for it was the shorter one and the wickeder of the two who was dogging her。
〃 'Oh！ master；' says she； 'my wallet is so heavy； and I am so tired； that I badly want some good man to give me his arm' （sly thing； only listen to her！） 'if I am to get back to my poor home。'
〃Thereupon the brigand offers to go along with her； and she accepts his offer。 The fellow takes hold of her arm to see if she is afraid。 Not she！ She does not tremble a bit； and walks quietly along。 So there they are； chatting away as nicely as possible； all about farming； and the way to grow hemp； till they come to the outskirts of the town； where the hunchback lived； and the brigand made off for fear of meeting some of the sheriff's people。 The woman reached her house at mid…day； and waited there till her husband came home； she thought and thought over all that had happened on her journey and during the night。 The hemp…grower came home in the evening。 He was hungry； something must be got ready for him to eat。 So while she greases her frying…pan； and gets ready to fry something for him； she tells him how she sold her hemp； and gabbles away as females do； but not a word does she say about the pigs； nor about the gentleman who was murdered and robbed and eaten。 She holds her frying…pan in the flames so as to clean it； draws it out again to give it a wipe； and finds it full of blood。
〃 'What have you been putting into it？' says she to her man。
〃 'Nothing；' says he。
〃She thinks it must have been a nonsensical piece of woman's fancy； and puts her frying…pan into the fire again。 。 。 。 Pouf！ A head comes tumbling down the chimney！
〃 'Oh！ look！ It is nothing more nor less than the dead man's head；' says the old woman。 'How he stares at me！ What does he want！'
〃 'YOU MUST AVENGE ME！' says a voice。
〃 'What an idiot you are！' said the hemp…grower。 'Always seeing something or other that has no sort of sense about it！ Just you all over。'
〃He takes up the head； which snaps at his finger； and pitches it out into the yard。
〃 'Get on with my omelette；' he says； 'and do not bother yourself about that。 'Tis a cat。'
〃 'A cat！ says she； 'it was as round as a ball。'
〃She puts back her frying…pan on the fire。 。 。 。 Pouf！ Down comes a leg this time； and they go through the whole story again。 The man was no more astonished at the foot than he had been at the head； he snatched up the leg and threw it out at the door。 Before they had finished； the other leg； both arms； the body； the whole murdered traveler； in fact； came down piecemeal。 No omelette all this time！ The old hemp…seller grew very hungry indeed。
〃 'By my salvation！' said he； 'when once my omelette is made we will see about satisfying that man yonder。'
〃 'So you admit； now； that it was a man？' said the hunchback wife。 'What made you say that it was not a head a minute ago； you great worry？'
〃The woman breaks the eggs； fries the omelette； and dishes it up without any more grumbling； somehow this squabble began to make her feel very uncomfortable。 Her husband sits down and begins to eat。 The hunchback was frightened； and said that she was not hungry。
〃 'Tap！ tap！' There was a stranger rapping at the door。
〃 'Who is there？'
〃 'The man that died yesterday！'
〃 'Come in；' answers the hemp…grower。
〃So the traveler comes in； sits himself down on a three…legged stool； and says： 'Are you mindful of God； who gives eternal peace to those who confess His Name？ Woman！ You saw me done to death； and you have said nothing！ I have been eaten by the pigs！ The pigs do not enter Paradise； and therefore I； a Christian man； shall go down into hell； all because a woman forsooth will not speak； a thing that has never been known before。 You must deliver me；' and so on； and so on。
〃The woman； who was more and more frightened every minute； clean