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revelation had suddenly called up； recollections at once charming
and perplexing； perhaps； also； that look which the servant had
cast on me at the announcement of my departureall these things；
mixed up and combined； put me now in an excited bodily state；
with the tickling sensation of kisses on my lips； and in my veins
something which urged me on to commit some folly。
〃Night having come on； casting its dark shadows under the trees；
I descried Celeste； who had gone to shut the hen…coops； at the
other end of the inclosure。 I darted toward her； running so
noiselessly that she heard nothing； and as she got up from
closing the small traps by which the chickens went in and out； I
clasped her in my arms and rained on her coarse； fat face a
shower of kisses。 She made a struggle； laughing all the same； as
she was accustomed to do in such circumstances。 What made me
suddenly loose my grip of her？ Why did I at once experience a
shock？ What was it that I heard behind me？
〃It was Miss Harriet who had come upon us； who had seen us； and
who stood in front of us； as motionless as a specter。 Then she
disappeared in the darkness。
〃I was ashamed； embarrassed； more annoyed at having been
surprised by her than if she had caught me committing some
criminal act。
〃I slept badly that night； I was worried and haunted by sad
thoughts。 I seemed to hear loud weeping； but in this I was no
doubt deceived。 Moreover； I thought several times that I heard
some one walking up and down in the house； and that some one
opened my door from the outside。
〃Toward morning； I was overcome by fatigue； and sleep seized on
me。 I got up late and did not go downstairs until breakfast time；
being still in a bewildered state； not knowing what kind of face
to put on。
〃No one had seen Miss Harriet。 We waited for her at table； but
she did not appear。 At length； Mother Lecacheur went to her room。
The English…woman had gone out。 She must have set out at break of
day； as she was wont to do； in order to see the sun rise。
〃Nobody seemed astonished at this and we began to eat in silence。
〃The weather was hot； very hot； one of those still sultry days
when not a leaf stirs。 The table had been placed out of doors；
under an apple…tree； and from time to time Sapeur had gone to the
cellar to draw a jug of cider； everybody was so thirsty。 Celeste
brought the dishes from the kitchen； a ragout of mutton with
potatoes； a cold rabbit； and a salad。 Afterward she placed before
us a dish of strawberries； the first of the season。
〃As I wanted to wash and freshen these； I begged the servant to
go and bring a pitcher of cold water。〃
〃In about five minutes she returned； declaring that the well was
dry。 She had lowered the pitcher to the full extent of the cord；
and had touched the bottom； but on drawing the pitcher up again；
it was empty。 Mother Lecacheur； anxious to examine the thing for
herself； went and looked down the hole。 She returned announcing
that one could see clearly something in the well； something
altogether unusual。 But this； no doubt； was pottles of straw；
which； out of spite； had been cast down it by a neighbor。
〃I wished also to look down the well； hoping to clear up the
mystery； and perched myself close to its brink。 I perceived；
indistinctly； a white object。 What could it be？ I then conceived
the idea of lowering a lantern at the end of a cord。 When I did
so； the yellow flame danced on the layers of stone and gradually
became clearer。 All four of us were leaning over the opening；
Sapeur and Celeste having now joined us。 The lantern rested on a
black and white； indistinct mass； singular； incomprehensible。
Sapeur exclaimed：
〃 'It is a horse。 I see the hoofs。 It must have escaped from the
meadow； during the night； and fallen in headlong。'
〃But； suddenly； a cold shiver attacked my spine； I first
recognized a foot； then a clothed limb； the body was entire； but
the other limb had disappeared under the water。
〃I groaned and trembled so violently that the light of the lamp
danced hither and thither over the object； discovering a slipper。
〃 'It is a woman！ whowhocan it be？ It is Miss Harriet。'
〃Sapeur alone did not manifest horror。 He had witnessed many such
scenes in Africa。
〃Mother Lecacheur and Celeste began to scream and to shriek； and
ran away。
〃But it was necessary to recover the corpse of the dead。 I
attached the boy securely by the loins to the end of the
pulley…rope； then I lowered him slowly； and watched him disappear
in the darkness。 In the one hand he had a lantern； and held on to
the rope with the other。 Soon I recognized his voice； which
seemed to come from the center of the earth； crying：
〃 'Stop。'
〃I then saw him fish something out of the water。 It was the other
limb。 He bound the two feet together； and shouted anew：
〃 'Haul up。'
〃I commenced to wind him up； but I felt my arms strain； my
muscles twitch； and was in terror lest I should let the boy fall
to the bottom。 When his head appeared over the brink； I asked：
〃 'What is it？' as though I only expected that he would tell me
what he had discovered at the bottom。
〃We both got on to the stone slab at the edge of the well； and；
face to face； hoisted the body。
〃Mother Lecacheur and Celeste watched us from a distance；
concealed behind the wall of the house。 When they saw； issuing
from the well； the black slippers and white stockings of the
drowned person； they disappeared。
〃Sapeur seized the ankles of the poor chaste woman； and we drew
it up； inclined； as it was； in the most immodest posture。 The
head was in a shocking state； bruised and black； and the long；
gray hair； hanging down； was tangled and disordered。
〃 'In the name of all that is holy； how lean she is！' exclaimed
Sapeur； in a contemptuous tone。
〃We carried her into the room； and as the women did not put in an
appearance； I； with the assistance of the lad； dressed the corpse
for burial。
〃I washed her disfigured face。 By the touch of my hand an eye was
slightly opened； it seemed to scan me with that pale stare； with
that cold； that terrible look which corpses have； a look which
seems to come from the beyond。 I plaited up； as well as I could；
her disheveled hair； and I adjusted on her forehead a novel and
singularly formed lock。 Then I took off her dripping wet
garments； baring； not without a feeling of shame； as though I had
been guilty of some profanation； her shoulders and her chest； and
her long arms； slim as the twigs of branches。
〃I next went to fetch some flowers； corn poppies； blue beetles；
marguerites； and fresh and perfumed herbs； with which to strew
her funeral couch。
〃Being the only person near her； it was necessary for me to
perform the usual ceremonies。 In a letter found in her pocket；
written at the last moment； she asked that her body be buried in
the village in which she had passed the last days of her life。 A
frightful thought then oppressed my heart。 Was it not on my
account that she wished to be laid at rest in this place？
〃Toward the evening； all the female gossips of the locality came
to view the remains of the defunct； but I would not allow a
single person to enter； I want