the story of a farm girl.docx

the story of a farm girl.docx

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thestoryofafarmgirl

　PARTI

　　Astheweatherwasveryfine，thepeopleonthefarmhadhurriedthroughtheirdinnerandhadreturnedtothefields.

　　Theservant，Rose，remainedaloneinthelargekitchen，wherethefirewasdyingoutonthehearthbeneaththelargeboilerofhotwater.Fromtimetotimeshedippedoutsomewaterandslowlywashedherdishes，stoppingoccasionallytolookatthetwostreaksoflightwhichthesunthrewacrossthelongtablethroughthewindow，andwhichshowedthedefectsintheglass.

　　Threeventuresomehenswerepickingupthecrumbsunderthechairs，whilethesmellofthepoultryyardandthewarmthfromthecowstallcameinthroughthehalf-opendoor，andacockwasheardcrowinginthedistance.

　　Whenshehadfinishedherwork，wipeddownthetable，dustedthemantelpieceandputtheplatesonthehighdresserclosetothewoodenclockwithitsloudtick-tock，shedrewalongbreath，asshefeltratheroppressed，withoutexactlyknowingwhy.Shelookedattheblackclaywalls，theraftersthatwereblackenedwithsmokeandfromwhichhungspiders'webs，smokedherringsandstringsofonions，andthenshesatdown，ratherovercomebythestaleodorfromtheearthenfloor，onwhichsomanythingshadbeencontinuallyspilledandwhichtheheatbroughtout.Withthistherewasmingledthesoursmellofthepansofmilkwhichweresetouttoraisethecreamintheadjoiningdairy.

　　Shewantedtosew，asusual，butshedidnotfeelstrongenough，andsoshewenttothedoortogetamouthfuloffreshair，whichseemedtodohergood.

　　Thefowlswerelyingonthesteamingdunghill；someofthemwerescratchingwithoneclawinsearchofworms，whilethecockstoodupproudlyintheirmidst.Whenhecrowed，thecocksinalltheneighboringfarmyardsrepliedtohim，asiftheywereutteringchallengesfromfarmtofarm.

　　Thegirllookedatthemwithoutthinking，andthensheraisedhereyesandwasalmostdazzledatthesightoftheappletreesinblossom.Justthenacolt，fulloflifeandfriskiness，jumpedovertheditchesandthenstoppedsuddenly，asifsurprisedatbeingalone.

　　Shealsofeltinclinedtorun；shefeltinclinedtomoveandtostretchherlimbsandtoreposeinthewarm，breathlessair.Shetookafewundecidedstepsandclosedhereyes，forshewasseizedwithafeelingofanimalcomfort，andthenshewenttolookforeggsinthehenloft.Therewerethirteenofthem，whichshetookinandputintothestoreroom；butthesmellfromthekitchenannoyedheragain，andshewentouttositonthegrassforatime.

　　Thefarmyard，whichwassurroundedbytrees，seemedtobeasleep.Thetallgrass，amidwhichthetallyellowdandelionsroseuplikestreaksofyellowlight，wasofavivid，freshspringgreen.Theappletreescasttheirshadeallroundthem，andthethatchedroofs，onwhichgrewblueandyellowirises，withtheirsword-likeleaves，steamedasifthemoistureofthestablesandbarnswerecomingthroughthestraw.Thegirlwenttotheshed，wherethecartsandbuggieswerekept.Closetoit，inaditch，therewasalargepatchofviolets，whosefragrancewasspreadabroad，whilebeyondtheslopetheopencountrycouldbeseen，wheregrainwasgrowing，withclumpsoftreesinplaces，andgroupsoflaborershereandthere，wholookedassmallasdolls，andwhitehorsesliketoys，whoweredrawingachild'scart，drivenbyamanastallasone'sfinger.

　　Shetookupabundleofstraw，threwitintotheditchandsatdownuponit.Then，notfeelingcomfortable，sheundidit，spreaditoutandlaydownuponitatfulllengthonherback，withbotharmsunderherheadandherlegsstretchedout.

　　Graduallyhereyesclosed，andshewasfallingintoastateofdelightfullanguor.Shewas，infact，almostasleepwhenshefelttwohandsonherbosom，andshesprangupatabound.ItwasJacques，oneofthefarmlaborers，atallfellowfromPicardy，whohadbeenmakinglovetoherforalongtime.Hehadbeenherdingthesheep，and，seeingherlyingdownintheshade，hadcomeupstealthilyandholdinghisbreath，withglisteningeyesandbitsofstrawinhishair.

　　Hetriedtokissher，butshegavehimasmackintheface，forshewasasstrongashe，andhewasshrewdenoughtobegherpardon；sotheysatdownsidebysideandtalkedamicably.Theyspokeaboutthefavorableweather，oftheirmaster，whowasagoodfellow，thenoftheirneighbors，ofallthepeopleinthecountryround，ofthemselves，oftheirvillage，oftheiryouthfuldays，oftheirrecollections，oftheirrelations，whohadleftthemforalongtime，anditmightbeforever.Shegrewsadasshethoughtofit，whilehe，withonefixedideainhishead，drewclosertoher.

　　“Ihavenotseenmymotherforalongtime，”shesaid.“Itisveryhardtobeseparatedlikethat，”andshedirectedherlooksintothedistance，towardthevillageinthenorthwhichshehadleft.

　　Suddenly，however，heseizedherbytheneckandkissedheragain，butshestruckhimsoviolentlyinthefacewithherclenchedfistthathisnosebegantobleed，andhegotupandlaidhisheadagainstthestemofatree.Whenshesawthat，shewassorry，andgoinguptohim，shesaid：

“HaveIhurtyou？

”He，however，onlylaughed.“No，itwasamerenothing；onlyshehadhithimrightonthemiddleofthenose.Whatadevil！

”hesaid，andhelookedatherwithadmiration，forshehadinspiredhimwithafeelingofrespectandofaverydifferentkindofadmirationwhichwasthebeginningofarealloveforthattall，strongwench.Whenthebleedinghadstopped，heproposedawalk，ashewasafraidofhisneighbor'sheavyhand，iftheyremainedsidebysidelikethatmuchlonger；butshetookhisarmofherownaccord，intheavenue，asiftheyhadbeenoutforanevening'swalk，andsaid：

“Itisnotniceofyoutodespisemelikethat，Jacques.”Heprotested，however.No，hedidnotdespiseher.Hewasinlovewithher，thatwasall.

　　“Soyoureallywanttomarryme？

”sheasked.

　　Hehesitatedandthenlookedathersideways，whileshelookedstraightaheadofher.Shehadfat，redcheeks，afullbustbeneathhercottonjacket；thick，redlips；andherneck，whichwasalmostbare，wascoveredwithsmallbeadsofperspiration.Hefeltafreshaccessofdesire，and，puttinghislipstoherear，hemurmured：

“Yes，ofcourseIdo.”

　　Thenshethrewherarmsroundhisneckandkissedhimtilltheywerebothoutofbreath.Fromthatmomenttheeternalstoryoflovebeganbetweenthem.Theyplaguedoneanotherincorners；theymetinthemoonlightbesidethehaystackandgaveeachotherbruisesonthelegs，underthetable，withtheirheavynailedboots.Bydegrees，however，Jacquesseemedtogrowtiredofher；heavoidedher，scarcelyspoketoher，anddidnottryanylongertomeetheralone，whichmadehersadandanxious；andsoonshefoundthatshewasenceinte.

　　Atfirstshewasinastateofconsternation，butthenshegotangry，andherrageincreasedeverydaybecauseshecouldnotmeethim，asheavoidedhermostcarefully.Atlast，onenight，wheneveryoneinthefarmhousewasasleep，shewentoutnoiselesslyinherpetticoat，withbarefeet，crossedtheyardandopenedthedoorofthestablewhereJacqueswaslyinginalargeboxofstrawabovehishorses.Hepretendedtosnorewhenheheardhercoming，butshekneltdownbyhissideandshookhimuntilhesatup.

　　“Whatdoyouwant？

”hethenaskedher.Andwithclenchedteeth，andtremblingwithanger，shereplied：

“Iwant——Iwantyoutomarryme，asyoupromised.”Butheonlylaughedandreplied：

“Oh！

ifamanweretomarryallthegirlswithwhomhehasmadeaslip，hewouldhavemorethanenoughtodo.”

　　Thensheseizedhimbythethroat，threwhimorhisback，sothathecouldnotgetawayfromher，and，halfstranglinghim，sheshoutedintohisface：

　　“Iamenceinte，doyouhear？

Iamenceinte！

”

　　Hegaspedforbreath，ashewasalmostchoked，andsotheyremained，bothofthem，motionlessandwithoutspeaking，inthedarksilence，whichwasonlybrokenbythenoisemadebyahorseashe，pulledthehayoutofthemangerandthenslowlymunchedit.

　　WhenJacquesfoundthatshewasthestronger，hestammeredout：

“Verywell，Iwillmarryyou，asthatisthecase.”Butshedidnotbelievehispromises.“Itmustbeatonce，”shesaid.“Youmusthavethebannsputup.”“Atonce，”hereplied.“Swearsolemnlythatyouwill.”Hehesitatedforafewmomentsandthensaid：

“Iswearit，byHeaven！

”

　　Thenshereleasedhergraspandwentawaywithoutanotherword.

　　Shehadnochanceofspeakingtohimforseveraldays；and，asthestablewasnowalwayslockedatnight，shewasafraidtomakeanynoise，forfearofcreatingascandal.Onemorning，however，shesawanothermancomeinatdinnertime，andshesaid：

“HasJacquesleft？

”“Yes；”themanreplied；“Ihavegothisplace.”

　　Thismadehertremblesoviolentlythatshecouldnottakethesaucepanoffthefire；andlater，whentheywereallatwork，shewentupintoherroomandcried，buryingherheadinthebolster，sothatshemightnotbeheard.Duringtheday，however，shetriedtoobtainsomeinformationwithoutexcitinganysuspicion，butshewassooverwhelmedbythethoughtsofhermisfortunethatshefanciedthatallthepeoplewhomsheaskedlaughedmaliciously.Allshelearned，however，wasthathehadlefttheneighborhoodaltogether.

　　PARTII

　　Thenacloudofconstantmiserybeganforher.Sheworkedmechanically，withoutthinkingofwhatshewasdoing，withonefixedideainherhead：

　　“Supposepeopleweretoknow.”

　　Thiscontinualfeelingmadehersoincapableofreasoningthatshedidnoteventrytothinkofanymeansofavoidingthedisgracethatsheknewmustensue，whichwasirreparableanddrawingnearereveryday，andwhichwasassurea