29/12/2015

ThePieceofString

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ThePieceofString
byGuydeMaupassant
ALONGALLTHEROADSaroundGodervillethepeasantsandtheirwiveswere
comingtowardtheburghbecauseitwasmarketday.Themenwereproceeding
withslowsteps,thewholebodybentforwardateachmovementoftheirlong
twistedlegsdeformedbytheirhardwork,bytheweightontheplowwhich,at
thesametime,raisedtheleftshoulderandswervedthefigure,bythereapingof
thewheatwhichmadethekneesspreadtomakeafirm"purchase,"byallthe
slowandpainfullaborsofthecountry.Theirblouses,blue,"stiffstarched,"
shiningasifvarnished,ornamentedwithalittledesigninwhiteattheneckand
wrists,puffedabouttheirbonybodies,seemedlikeballoonsreadytocarrythem
off.Fromeachofthemtwofeetprotruded.
Someledacoworacalfbyacord,andtheirwives,walkingbehindtheanimal,
whippeditshauncheswithaleafybranchtohastenitsprogress.Theycarried
largebasketsontheirarmsfromwhich,insomecases,chickensand,inothers,
ducksthrustouttheirheads.Andtheywalkedwithaquicker,livelierstepthan
theirhusbands.Theirsparestraightfigureswerewrappedinascantylittleshawl
pinnedovertheirflatbosoms,andtheirheadswereenvelopedinawhitecloth
gluedtothehairandsurmountedbyacap.
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Thenawagonpassedatthejerkytrotofanag,shakingstrangely,twomen
seatedsidebysideandawomaninthebottomofthevehicle,thelatterholding
ontothesidestolessenthehardjolts.
InthepublicsquareofGodervilletherewasacrowd,athrongofhumanbeings
andanimalsmixedtogether.Thehornsofthecattle,thetallhats,withlongnap,
oftherichpeasantandtheheadgearofthepeasantwomenroseabovethe
surfaceoftheassembly.Andtheclamorous,shrill,screamingvoicesmadea
continuousandsavagedinwhichsometimeswasdominatedbytherobustlungs
ofsomecountryman'slaughorthelonglowingofacowtiedtothewallofa
house.
Allthatsmackedofthestable,thedairyandthedirtheap,hayandsweat,giving
forththatunpleasantodor,humanandanimal,peculiartothepeopleofthe
field.
MatreHauchecomeofBreautehadjustarrivedatGoderville,andhewas
directinghisstepstowardthepublicsquarewhenheperceivedupontheground
alittlepieceofstring.MatreHauchecome,economicallikeatrueNorman,

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thoughtthateverythingusefuloughttobepickedup,andhebentpainfully,for
hesufferedfromrheumatism.Hetookthebitofthincordfromthegroundand
begantorollitcarefullywhenhenoticedMatreMalandain,theharnessmaker,
onthethresholdofhisdoor,lookingathim.Theyhadheretoforehadbusiness
togetheronthesubjectofahalter,andtheywereonbadterms,bothbeing
goodhaters.MatreHauchecomewasseizedwithasortofshametobeseen
thusbyhisenemy,pickingabitofstringoutofthedirt.Heconcealedhis"find"
quicklyunderhisblouse,theninhistrousers'pocketthenhepretendedtobe
stilllookingonthegroundforsomethingwhichhedidnotfind,andhewent
towardthemarket,hisheadforward,bentdoublebyhispains.
Hewassoonlostinthenoisyandslowlymovingcrowdwhichwasbusywith
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interminablebargainings.Thepeasantsmilked,wentandcame,perplexed,
alwaysinfearofbeingcheated,notdaringtodecide,watchingthevender'seye,
evertryingtofindthetrickinthemanandtheflawinthebeast.
Thewomen,havingplacedtheirgreatbasketsattheirfeet,hadtakenoutthe
poultrywhichlayupontheground,tiedtogetherbythefeet,withterrifiedeyes
andscarletcrests.
Theyheardoffers,statedtheirpriceswithadryairandimpassiveface,or
perhaps,suddenlydecidingonsomeproposedreduction,shoutedtothe
customerwhowasslowlygoingaway:"Allright,MatreAuthirne,I'llgiveitto
youforthat."
Thenlimebylimethesquarewasdeserted,andtheAngelusringingatnoon,
thosewhohadstayedtoolongscatteredtotheirshops.
AtJourdain'sthegreatroomwasfullofpeopleeating,asthebigcourtwasfull
ofvehiclesofallkinds,carts,gigs,wagons,dumpcarts,yellowwithdirt,mended
andpatched,raisingtheirshaftstotheskyliketwoarmsorperhapswiththeir
shaftsinthegroundandtheirbacksintheair.
Justoppositethedinersseatedatthetabletheimmensefireplace,filledwith
brightflames,castalivelyheatonthebacksoftherowontheright.Threespits
wereturningonwhichwerechickens,pigeonsandlegsofmutton,andan
appetizingodorofroastbeefandgravydrippingoverthenicelybrownedskin
rosefromthehearth,increasedthejovialnessandmadeeverybody'smouth
water.
AllthearistocracyoftheplowatethereatMatreJourdain's,tavernkeeperand
horsedealer,arascalwhohadmoney.
Thedisheswerepassedandemptied,aswerethejugsofyellowcider.Everyone

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toldhisaffairs,hispurchasesandsales.Theydiscussedthecrops.Theweather
wasfavorableforthegreenthingsbutnotforthewheat.
Suddenlythedrumbeatinthecourtbeforethehouse.Everybodyrose,excepta
fewindifferentpersons,andrantothedoorortothewindows,theirmouthsstill
fullandnapkinsintheirhands.
Afterthepubliccrierhadceasedhisdrumbeatinghecalledoutinajerkyvoice,
speakinghisphrasesirregularly:
"ItisherebymadeknowntotheinhabitantsofGoderville,andingeneraltoall
personspresentatthemarket,thattherewaslostthismorningontheroadto
Benzeville,betweennineandteno'clock,ablackleatherpocketbookcontaining
fivehundredfrancsandsomebusinesspapers.Thefinderisrequestedtoreturn
samewithallhastetothemayor'sofficeortoMatreFortuneHoulbrequeof
Mannevilletherewillbetwentyfrancsreward."
Thenthemanwentaway.Theheavyrollofthedrumandthecrier'svoicewere
againheardatadistance.
Thentheybegantotalkofthisevent,discussingthechancesthatMatre
Houlbrequehadoffindingornotfindinghispocketbook.
Andthemealconcluded.Theywerefinishingtheircoffeewhenachiefofthe
gendarmesappeareduponthethreshold.
Heinquired:
"IsMatreHauchecomeofBreautehere?"
MatreHauchecome,seatedattheotherendofthetable,replied:
"HereIam."
Andtheofficerresumed:
"MatreHauchecome,willyouhavethegoodnesstoaccompanymetothe
mayor'soffice?Themayorwouldliketotalktoyou."
Thepeasant,surprisedanddisturbed,swallowedatadraughthistinyglassof
brandy,roseand,evenmorebentthaninthemorning,forthefirststepsafter
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eachrestwerespeciallydifficult,setout,repeating:"HereIam,hereIam."
Themayorwasawaitinghim,seatedonanarmchair.Hewasthenotaryofthe

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vicinity,astout,seriousmanwithpompousphrases.
"MatreHauchecome,"saidhe,"youwereseenthismorningtopickup,onthe
roadtoBenzeville,thepocketbooklostbyMatreHoulbrequeofManneville."
Thecountryman,astounded,lookedatthemayor,alreadyterrifiedbythis
suspicionrestingonhimwithouthisknowingwhy.
"Me?Me?Mepickupthepocketbook?"
"Yes,youyourself."
"Wordofhonor,Ineverheardofit."
"Butyouwereseen."
"Iwasseen,me?Whosayshesawme?"
"MonsieurMalandain,theharnessmaker."
Theoldmanremembered,understoodandflushedwithanger.
"Ah,hesawme,theclodhopper,hesawmepickupthisstringhere,M'sieuthe
Mayor."Andrummaginginhispocket,hedrewoutthelittlepieceofstring.
Butthemayor,incredulous,shookhishead.
"Youwillnotmakemebelieve,MatreHauchecome,thatMonsieurMalandain,
whoisamanworthyofcredence,mistookthiscordforapocketbook."
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Thepeasant,furious,liftedhishand,spatatonesidetoattesthishonor,
repeating:
"ItisneverthelessthetruthofthegoodGod,thesacredtruth,M'sieutheMayor.
Irepeatitonmysoulandmysalvation."
Themayorresumed:
"Afterpickinguptheobjectyoustoodlikeastilt,lookingalongwhileinthemud
toseeifanypieceofmoneyhadfallenout."
Thegoodoldmanchokedwithindignationandfear.
"Howanyonecantellhowanyonecantellsuchliestotakeawayanhonest

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man'sreputation!Howcananyone"
Therewasnouseinhisprotestingnobodybelievedhim.Hewascon.
frontedwithMonsieurMalandain,whorepeatedandmaintainedhisaffirmation.
Theyabusedeachotherforanhour.AthisownrequestMatreHauchecomewas
searchednothingwasfoundonhim.
Finallythemayor,verymuchperplexed,dischargedhimwiththewarningthathe
wouldconsultthepublicprosecutorandaskforfurtherorders.
Thenewshadspread.Asheleftthemayor'sofficetheoldmanwassunrounded
andquestionedwithaseriousorbanteringcuriosityinwhichtherewasno
indignation.Hebegantotellthestoryofthestring.Noonebelievedhim.They
laughedathim.
Hewentalong,stoppinghisfriends,beginningendlesslyhisstatementandhis
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protestations,showinghispocketsturnedinsideouttoprovethathehad
nothing.
Theysaid:
"Oldrascal,getout!"
Andhegrewangry,becomingexasperated,hotanddistressedatnot
beingbelieved,notknowingwhattodoandalwaysrepeatinghimself.
Nightcame.Hemustdepart.Hestartedonhiswaywiththreeneighborsto
whomhepointedouttheplacewherehehadpickedupthebitofstring,andall
alongtheroadhespokeofhisadventure.
IntheeveninghetookaturninthevillageofBreauteinordertotellitto
everybody.Heonlymetwithincredulity.
Itmadehimillatnight.
Thenextdayaboutoneo'clockintheafternoonMariusPaumelle,ahiredmanin
theemployofMatreBreton,husbandmanatYmanville,returnedthepocketbook
anditscontentstoMatreHoulbrequeofManneville.
Thismanclaimedtohavefoundtheobjectintheroad,butnotknowinghowto
read,hehadcarriedittothehouseandgivenittohisemployer.

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Thenewsspreadthroughtheneighborhood.MatreHauchecomewasinformed
ofit.Heimmediatelywentthecircuitandbegantorecounthisstorycompleted
bythehappyclimax.Hewasintriumph.
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"Whatgrievedmesomuchwasnotthethingitselfasthelying.Thereisnothing
soshamefulastobeplacedunderacloudonaccountofalie."
Hetalkedofhisadventurealldaylonghetolditonthehighwaytopeoplewho
werepassingby,inthewineshoptopeoplewhoweredrinkingthereandto
personscomingoutofchurchthefollowingSunday.Hestoppedstrangerstotell
themaboutit.Hewascalmnow,andyetsomethingdisturbedhimwithouthis
knowingexactlywhatitwas.Peoplehadtheairofjokingwhiletheylistened.
Theydidnotseemconvinced.Heseemedtofeelthatremarkswerebeingmade
behindhisback.
OnTuesdayofthenextweekhewenttothemarketatGoderville,urgedsolely
bythenecessityhefeltofdiscussingthecase.
Malandain,standingathisdoor,begantolaughonseeinghimpass.Why?
HeapproachedafarmerfromCrequetotwhodidnotlethimfinishand,giving
himathumpinthestomach,saidtohisface:
"Youbigrascal."
Thenheturnedhisbackonhim.
MatreHauchecomewasconfusedwhywashecalledabigrascal?
WhenhewasseatedatthetableinJourdain'stavernhecommencedtoexplain
"theaffair."
AhorsedealerfromMonvillierscalledtohim:
"Come,come,oldsharper,that'sanoldtrickIknowallaboutyourpieceof
string!"
Hauchecomestammered:
"Butsincethepocketbookwasfound."
Buttheothermanreplied:
"Shutup,papa,thereisonethatfindsandthereisonethatreports.Atanyrate

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youaremixedwithit."
Thepeasantstoodchoking.Heunderstood.Theyaccusedhimofhavinghadthe
pocketbookreturnedbyaconfederate,byanaccomplice.
Hetriedtoprotest.Allthetablebegantolaugh.
Hecouldnotfinishhisdinnerandwentawayinthemidstofjeers.
Hewenthomeashamedandindignant,chokingwithangerandconfusion,the
moredejectedthathewascapable,withhisNormancunning,ofdoingwhat
theyhadaccusedhimofandeverboastingofitasofagoodturn.Hisinnocence
tohim,inaconfusedway,wasimpossibletoprove,ashissharpnesswas
known.Andhewasstrickentotheheartbytheinjusticeofthesuspicion.
Thenhebegantorecounttheadventuresagain,prolonginghishistoryevery
day,addingeachtimenewreasons,moreenergeticprotestations,moresolemn
oathswhichheimaginedandpreparedinhishoursofsolitude,hiswholemind
givenuptothestoryofthestring.Hewasbelievedsomuchthelessashis
defensewasmorecomplicatedandhisarguingmoresubtile.
"Thosearelyingexcuses,"theysaidbehindhisback.
Hefeltit,consumedhisheartoveritandworehimselfoutwithuselessefforts.
Hewastedawaybeforetheirveryeyes.
Thewagsnowmadehimtellaboutthestringtoamusethem,astheymakea
soldierwhohasbeenonacampaigntellabouthisbattles.Hismind,touchedto
thedepth,begantoweaken.
TowardtheendofDecemberhetooktohisbed.
HediedinthefirstdaysofJanuary,andinthedeliriumofhisdeathstruggleshe
keptclaiminghisinnocence,reiterating:
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"Apieceofstring,apieceofstringlookhereitis,M'sieutheMayor."

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