the slightest pretext。 The least thing was sufficient to make him raise
his hand； and when he had once begun he did not stop； but he would throw
into her face the true motive for his anger。 At each blow he would roar：
〃There； you beggar！ There； you wretch！ There； you pauper！ What a
bright thing I did when I rinsed my mouth with your rascal of a father's
apology for brandy。
The poor woman lived in continual fear； in a ceaseless trembling of body
and soul； in everlasting expectation of outrageous thrashings。
This lasted ten years。 She was so timorous that she would grow pale
whenever she spoke to any one； and she thought of nothing but the blows
with which she was threatened； and she became thinner； more yellow and
drier than a smoked fish。
II
One night； when her husband was at sea； she was suddenly awakened by the
wild roaring of the wind！
She sat up in her bed； trembling； but； as she hear nothing more； she lay
down again； almost immediately there was a roar in the chimney which
shook the entire house； it seemed to cross the heavens like a pack of
furious animals snorting and roaring。
Then she arose and rushed to the harbor。 Other women were arriving from
all sides； carrying lanterns。 The men also were gathering； and all were
watching the foaming crests of the breaking wave。
The storm lasted fifteen hours。 Eleven sailors never returned； Patin was
among them。
In the neighborhood of Dieppe the wreck of his bark； the Jeune…Amelie；
was found。 The bodies of his sailors were found near Saint…Valery； but
his body was never recovered。 As his vessel seemed to have been cut in
two； his wife expected and feared his return for a long time； for if
there had been a collision he alone might have been picked up and carried
afar off。
Little by little she grew accustomed to the thought that she was rid of
him； although she would start every time that a neighbor； a beggar or a
peddler would enter suddenly。
One afternoon； about four years after the disappearance of her husband；
while she was walking along the Rue aux Juifs； she stopped before the
house of an old sea captain who had recently died and whose furniture was
for sale。 Just at that moment a parrot was at auction。 He had green
feathers and a blue head and was watching everybody with a displeased
look。 〃Three francs！〃 cried the auctioneer。 〃A bird that can talk like
a lawyer； three francs！〃
A friend of the Patin woman nudged her and said：
〃You ought to buy that； you who are rich。 It would be good company for
you。 That bird is worth more than thirty francs。 Anyhow； you can always
sell it for twenty or twenty…five！〃
Patin's widow added fifty centimes； and the bird was given her in a
little cage； which she carried away。 She took it home； and； as she was
opening the wire door in order to give it something to drink； he bit her
finger and drew blood。
〃Oh； how naughty he is！〃 she said。
Nevertheless she gave it some hemp…seed and corn and watched it pruning
its feathers as it glanced warily at its new home and its new mistress。
On the following morning； just as day was breaking； the Patin woman
distinctly heard a loud； deep； roaring voice calling： 〃Are you going to
get up； carrion？〃
Her fear was so great that she hid her head under the sheets； for when
Patin was with her as soon as he would open his eyes he would shout those
well…known words into her ears。
Trembling； rolled into a ball； her back prepared for the thrashing which
she already expected； her face buried in the pillows； she murmured： 〃Good
Lord！ he is here！ Good Lord！ he is here！ Good Lord！ he has come
back！〃
Minutes passed； no noise disturbed the quiet room。 Then； trembling； she
stuck her head out of the bed； sure that he was there； watching； ready to
beat her。 Except for a ray of sun shining through the window； she saw
nothing； and she said to her self： 〃He must be hidden。〃
She waited a long time and then； gaining courage； she said to herself： 〃I
must have dreamed it； seeing there is nobody here。〃
A little reassured； she closed。 her eyes； when from quite near a furious
voice； the thunderous voice of the drowned man； could be heard crying：
〃Say！ when in the name of all that's holy are you going to get up； you
b？〃
She jumped out of bed； moved by obedience； by the passive obedience of a
woman accustomed to blows and who still remembers and always will
remember that voice！ She said： 〃Here I am； Patin； what do you want？〃
Put Patin did not answer。 Then； at a complete loss； she looked around
her； then in the chimney and under the bed and finally sank into a chair；
wild with anxiety； convinced that Patin's soul alone was there； near her；
and that he had returned in order to torture her。
Suddenly she remembered the loft； in order to reach which one had to take
a ladder。 Surely he must have hidden there in order to surprise her。 He
must have been held by savages on some distant shore； unable to escape
until now； and he had returned； worse that ever。 There was no doubting
the quality of that voice。 She raised her head and asked： 〃Are you up
there； Patin？〃
Patin did not answer。 Then； with a terrible fear which made her heart
tremble； she climbed the ladder； opened the skylight； looked； saw
nothing； entered； looked about and found nothing。 Sitting on some straw；
she began to cry； but while she was weeping； overcome by a poignant and
supernatural terror； she heard Patin talking in the room below。
He seemed less angry and he was saying： 〃Nasty weather！ Fierce wind！
Nasty weather！ I haven't eaten； damn it！〃
She cried through the ceiling： 〃Here I am； Patin； I am getting your meal
ready。 Don't get angry。〃
She ran down again。 There was no one in the room。 She felt herself
growing weak； as if death were touching her； and she tried to run and get
help from the neighbors； when a voice near her cried out： 〃I haven't had
my breakfast； by G！〃
And the parrot in his cage watched her with his round； knowing； wicked
eye。 She； too； looked at him wildly； murmuring： 〃Ah！ so it's you！〃
He shook his head and continued： 〃Just you wait！ I'll teach you how to
loaf。〃
What happened within her？ She felt； she understood that it was he； the
dead man； who had come back； who had disguised himself in the feathers of
this bird in order to continue to torment her； that he would curse； as
formerly； all day long； and bite her； and swear at her； in order to
attract the neighbors and make them laugh。 Then she rushed for the cage
and seized the bird； which scratched and tore her flesh with its claws
and beak。 But she held it with all her strength between her hands。 She
threw it on the ground and rolled over it with the frenzy of one
possessed。 She crushed it and finally made of it nothing but a little
green； flabby lump which no longer moved or spoke。 Then she wrapped it
in a cloth； as in a shroud； and she went out in her nightgown； barefoot；
she crossed the dock； against which the choppy waves of the sea were
beating； and she shook the cloth and let drop this little； dead thing；
which looked like so much grass。 Then she returned； threw herself on her
knees before the empty cage； and； overcome by what she had done； kneeled
and prayed for forgiveness； as if she had committed some heinous crime。
THE PIECE OF STRING
It was market…day； and from all the country round Goderville the peasants
and their wives were coming toward the town。 The men walked slowly；
throwing the whole body forward at every step of their long； crooked
legs。 They were deformed from pushing the plough which makes the left…
shoulder higher； and bends their figures side…ways； from reaping the
grain； when they have to spread their legs so as to keep on their feet。
Their starched blue blouses； glossy as though varnished； ornamented at
collar and cuffs with a little embroidered design and blown out around
their bony bodies； looked very much like balloons about to soar； whence
issued two arms and two feet。
Some of these fellows dragged a cow or a calf at the end of a rope。 And
just behind the animal followed their wives beating it over the back with
a leaf…covered branch to hasten its pace； and carrying large baskets out
of which protruded the heads of chickens or ducks。 These women walked
more quickly and energetically than the men； with their erect； dried…up
figures； adorned with scanty little shawls pinned over their flat bosoms；
and their heads wrapped round with a white cloth； enclosing the hair and
surmounted by a cap。
Now a char…a…banc passed by； jogging along behind a nag and shaking up
strangely the two men on the seat； and the woman at the bottom of the
cart who held fast to its sides to lessen the hard jolting。
In the market…place at Goderville was a great crowd； a mingled multitude
of men and beasts。 The horns of cattle； the high； long…napped hats of
wealthy peasants； the headdresses of the women came to the surface of
that sea。 And the sharp； shrill； barking voices made a continuous； wild
din； while above it occasionally rose a huge burst of laughter from the
sturdy lungs of a merry peasant or a prolonged bellow from a cow tied
fast to the wall of