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while it formed on either bank an uninterrupted wall six or seven metres
high； which shone in the moonlight with the dazzling brilliance of snow。
One saw nothing but the river gleaming with light between these two white
mountains； and high above my head sailed the great full moon； in the
midst of a bluish； milky sky。
All the creatures in the water were awake。 The frogs croaked furiously；
while every few moments I heard； first to the right and then to the left；
the abrupt； monotonous and mournful metallic note of the bullfrogs。
Strange to say； I was no longer afraid。 I was in the midst of such an
unusual landscape that the most remarkable things would not have
astonished me。
How long this lasted I do not know； for I ended by falling asleep。 When
I opened my eyes the moon had gone down and the sky was full of clouds。
The water lapped mournfully； the wind was blowing； it was pitch dark。
I drank the rest of the rum； then listened； while I trembled； to the
rustling of the reeds and the foreboding sound of the river。 I tried to
see； but could not distinguish my boat； nor even my hands； which I held
up close to my eyes。
Little by little； however； the blackness became less intense。 All at
once I thought I noticed a shadow gliding past； quite near me。 I
shouted； a voice replied； it was a fisherman。 I called him； he came near
and I told him of my ill…luck。 He rowed his boat alongside of mine and；
together； we pulled at the anchor chain。 The anchor did not move。 Day
came； gloomy gray； rainy and cold； one of those days that bring one
sorrows and misfortunes。 I saw another boat。 We hailed it。 The man on
board of her joined his efforts to ours； and gradually the anchor
yielded。 It rose； but slowly； slowly； loaded down by a considerable
weight。 At length we perceived a black mass and we drew it on board。
It was the corpse of an old women with a big stone round her neck。
THE CRIPPLE
The following adventure happened to me about 1882。 I had just taken the
train and settled down in a corner； hoping that I should be left alone；
when the door suddenly opened again and I heard a voice say： 〃Take care；
monsieur； we are just at a crossing； the step is very high。〃
Another voice answered： 〃That's all right； Laurent； I have a firm hold on
the handle。〃
Then a head appeared； and two hands seized the leather straps hanging on
either side of the door and slowly pulled up an enormous body； whose feet
striking on the step； sounded like two canes。 When the man had hoisted
his torso into the compartment I noticed； at the loose edge of his
trousers； the end of a wooden leg； which was soon followed by its mate。
A head appeared behind this traveller and asked； 〃Are you all right；
monsieur？〃
〃Yes； my boy。〃
〃Then here are your packages and crutches。〃
And a servant； who looked like an old soldier； climbed in； carrying in
his arms a stack of bundles wrapped in black and yellow papers and
carefully tied； he placed one after the other in the net over his
master's head。 Then he said： 〃There； monsieur； that is all。 There are
five of themthe candy； the doll the drum； the gun； and the pate de
foies gras。〃
〃Very well； my boy。〃
〃Thank you； Laurent； good health！〃
The man closed the door and walked away； and I looked at my neighbor。
He was about thirty…five； although his hair was almost white； he wore the
ribbon of the Legion of Honor； he had a heavy mustache and was quite
stout； with the stoutness of a strong and active man who is kept
motionless on account of some infirmity。 He wiped his brow； sighed； and；
looking me full in the face； he asked： 〃Does smoking annoy you；
monsieur？〃
〃No； monsieur。〃
Surely I knew that eye； that voice； that face。 But when and where had I
seen them？ I had certainly met that man； spoken to him； shaken his hand。
That was a long； long time ago。 It was lost in the haze wherein the mind
seems to feel around blindly for memories and pursues them like fleeing
phantoms without being able to seize them。 He； too； was observing me；
staring me out of countenance； with the persistence of a man who
remembers slightly but not completely。 Our eyes； embarrassed by this
persistent contact； turned away； then； after a few minutes； drawn
together again by the obscure and tenacious will of working memory； they
met once more； and I said： 〃Monsieur； instead of staring at each other
for an hour or so； would it not be better to try to discover where we
have known each other？〃
My neighbor answered graciously： 〃You are quite right； monsieur。〃
I named myself： 〃I am Henri Bonclair； a magistrate。〃
He hesitated for a few minutes； then； with the vague look and voice which
accompany great mental tension； he said： 〃Oh； I remember perfectly。
I met you twelve years ago； before the war； at the Poincels！〃
〃Yes； monsieur。 Ah！ Ah！ You are Lieutenant Revaliere？〃
〃Yes。 I was Captain Revaliere even up to the time when I lost my feet
both of them together from one cannon ball。〃
Now that we knew each other's identity we looked at each other again。
I remembered perfectly the handsome； slender youth who led the cotillons
with such frenzied agility and gracefulness that he had been nicknamed
〃the fury。〃 Going back into the dim； distant past； I recalled a story
which I had heard and forgotten； one of those stories to which one
listens but forgets； and which leave but a faint impression upon the
memory。
There was something about love in it。 Little by little the shadows
cleared up； and the face of a young girl appeared before my eyes。 Then
her name struck me with the force of an explosion： Mademoiselle de
Mandel。 I remembered everything now。 It was indeed a love story； but
quite commonplace。 The young girl loved this young man； and when I had
met them there was already talk of the approaching wedding。 The youth
seemed to be very much in love； very happy。
I raised my eye to the net； where all the packages which had been brought
in by the servant were trembling from the motion of the train； and the
voice of the servant came back to me； as if he had just finished
speaking。 He had said： 〃There； monsieur； that is all。 There are five of
them： the candy； the doll； the drum； the gun； and the pate de foies
gras。〃
Then； in a second； a whole romance unfolded itself in my head。 It was
like all those which I had already read； where the young lady married
notwithstanding the catastrophe； whether physical or financial；
therefore； this officer who had been maimed in the war had returned；
after the campaign； to the young girl who had given him her promise； and
she had kept her word。
I considered that very beautiful； but simple； just as one； considers
simple all devotions and climaxes in books or in plays。 It always seems；
when one reads or listens to these stories of magnanimity； that one could
sacrifice one's self with enthusiastic pleasure and overwhelming joy。
But the following day； when an unfortunate friend comes to borrow some
money； there is a strange revulsion of feeling。
But； suddenly； another supposition； less poetic and more realistic；
replaced the first one。 Perhaps he had married before the war；