BOULE DE SUIF
It was half past four in the morning．The travellers， who had met in the yard of the Normandy Hotel，were shivering with cold in the darkness．
“Isn't the coach ready yet？”one of them said．
“No，not yet，”his companion answered．
“Lucky we have been to get a permit from the Prussian army to leave Rouen，”another said．
“I have an acquaintance among German officers．”
“I see．”
“Do you think we can run a business at Havre？”
“Perhaps we can．If not，we can make our way to England．Nothing venture，nothing gain．”
“I agree with you．We can do nothing in occupied Rouen．”
“I have brought my wife．”
“So have I．”
“And I，too．”
Horses’ hoofs were heard，and the tinkling of little bells told them that the harness was being got ready．Snow was falling with something like a vague and indefinable whisper．
A man with a lantern appeared，dragging along a horse．He spent a long time adjusting the harness with one hand，for he held the lantern in the other．As he was going to fetch the second horse，he noticed the travellers standing helplessly under the falling snow．
“Don't you stand there，”he said．“Get inside the coach，and you can at least take shelter from the snow．”
Why had it not occurred to them？They rushed for the coach．The three husbands took their seats at the far end with their wives；the other veiled and vague forms took the remaining places．
At last the coach was ready．It was drawn by a team of six horses instead of the usual four，because of the bad state of the roads．The roads were very bad indeed．The horses slipped and panted，and the driver had to use his whip incessantly．
Gradually the day dawned．A bluish，leaden light came over the dreary，white landscape．Inside the carriage the passengers now looked at one another inquisitively．
Monsieur and Madame Loiseau were wholesale wine merchants of the Rue Grand-pont．He had started life as a clerk in an office，and when his employer failed in business，he bought it and made a fortune by selling very bad wine at low prices to small retailers in the country．Master of every trick of making money，he was notorious for his sharp practice．
Next to them sat，with the dignity of a higher class，Monsieur Carre－Lamadon，owner of three spinning－mills，officer of the Legion of Honour and member of the Conseil Général．Under the Empire he posed as leader of the moderate opposition，which he hoped would be useful to him should he wish to desert to the opposite side．
Madame Carré－Lamadon was much younger20 than her husband．A lady of delicate beauty，she had always attracted the attention of officers of good family，stationed at Rouen．Muffled in furs，she now stared sulkily at the interior of the coach．
Their neighbours were the Count and Countess Hubert de Bréville，who belonged to one of the oldest and most aristocratic families in Normandy．The Count bore a natural likeness to King Henry Ⅳ， which he tried to accentuate by elaborate make－up．
It had long been whispered among his family，not without pride，that the king had once made love to a Madame de Bréville， and in return for her attentions， had made her husband a count and governor of a province．God only knows why he was married to the daughter of an unimportant shipowner of Nantes．
She was stately to look at，very hospitable，and the rumour that she had been a favourite with one of the sons of Louis Philippe made her the more popular among the local nobles．Her salon was considered the best in the neighbourhood．Admittance to it was not easy to get，and her drawing room was the only place where the gracious politeness of bygone days remained alive．The Brévilles had landed estates，which were said to yield an income of half a million francs．
These six were the most important of the party；they were all wealthy，respectable and solid members of society．
It so happened that all the women were seated on the same side．Next to the Countess sat two nuns．One of them was an old woman with a skin5 deeply pitted with smallpox； her companion was as mall，sickly， even consumptive-looking person，but seemingly filled with religious devotion．
Opposite the two nuns sat a man and a woman．The man was Cornudet；he was wellknown for his dissolute habits and crazy political ideas．Hehad inherited a respectable fortune from his father， but had wasted it away upon drink and useless ambitions．Now he took it into his head that he would be better employed at Havre，where his help would be needed．
The woman beside him was what is called a woman of a certain type．What was most noticeable about her was her excessive portliness．Short， round and plump as a dumpling， she was nicknamed Boule de Suif， that is，suet dumpling．
She had，nevertheless， rosy cheeks suggesting peony buds ready to burst into flowers，black eyes shaded and deepened by long lashes，and a25 charming， pouting mouth revealing now and then white rows of tiny teeth．
As soon as the ladies recognized her， they began to whisper among themselves．By and by the words “prostitute”and “shameful”and similar5 words became audible and attracted the attention of the poor woman．
She raised her head and looked at them so defiantly that they became silent，with their eyes cast down； Loiseau， sensitive to feminine charms， cast stealthy glances of curiosity at her．
However，the three ladles，soon encouraged by their dislike of this common enemy to housewives， resumed their conversation．The three husbands，on the other hand，discussed money matters proudly，and made contemptuous remarks about poorer folk．
Count Hubert talked about the loss of cattle and crops caused by the Prussians，but with an expression which showed that he did not care about it at all．
Monsieur Carré-Lamadon said he had been shrewd enough to send to England six hundred thousand francs for safe keeping．Loiseau spoke of the huge amount of money the State would pay him at Havre for the wines he had sold to the French Commissariat．
The three man exchanged meaningful glances．Though of different social standing，they all worshipped money．
The coach moved on at a snail-like pace，and by ten o'clock they had covered not more than ten miles．They had intended to have lunch at T tes，but it seemed impossible now to arrive there before nightfall．
They looked for a wayside inn，but there was no sign of even the meanest tavern or wine shop．They were growing hungry and rather depressed，for they had not brought any food with them．The men tried to get food from peasants they came across by the roadside，but they could not obtain even plain bread．
Towards one o'clock they felt more and more hungry，and stopped gossiping，pinched with hunger．
“I feel ill，”the Count said．“Why didn't I think of bringing some provisions？
Boule de Suif stooped down now and then，as if to take out something from under her petticoats， but each time she hesitated and sat up again．About three o'clock，when the coach was going across a desolate plain，she bent down again，and this time drew from under the seat a large basket covered with a napkin．
First she took out of it a little earthen plate，next a dainty silver cup，and then a large dish loaded with two cut fowls flavoured with jelly．And from the basket peeped other good things-pies，fruit，dainties，even bottles，seemingly sufficient for a three days journey．
The agreeable smell of food filled the air，and riveted the attention of the hungry passengers．
The ladies contempt for the hussy rose to a fury．She was making a display of food when they were starving！How they wished they could kill her！
Loiseau was the first to rise to the occasion．
“Thank God！”he said．Madame，you've been very thoughtful．”
Boule de suif turned towards him．
“Would you care for some，sir？”she said．“It is hard to go without food all day．”
He bowed．
“well，”he replied，trying to be facetious．
“Any port in a storm．We must make the best of things．”
He spread a newspaper on his lap，and using a knife which he always carried in his pocket，speared a leg of chicken thickly coated with jelly and began to eat it greedily．
Then in a low，gentle voice Boule de Suif asked the two nuns if they would share her meal．The two devotees readily accepted the offer．Cornudet also accepted her invitation．With newspapers spread on their knees they made a sort of table and feverishly started stuffing their stomachs．
Loiseau quietly urged his wife to follow their example．At first she refused，but her hunger was too strong to resist for a long time．Her husband asked Boule de Suif if he might offer his wife a small portion．
“Why，certainly，sir，”she replied，a happy smile spreading across her face，and she handed him the dish．
Then the bottle of Bordeaux wine was opened，and though they had only one cup，they passed it round，each wiping it in turn．Cornudet alone gallantly put his lips to the brim of the cup still wet from the lips of his fair companion．
With people eating and drinking all around them，the Count and Countess de Bréville and Monsieur and Madame Carré-Lamadon suffered the agonies of hunger and thirst．
Suddenly the manufacturer's wife grew ghastly pale，closed her eyes，and fainted．Her husband called out for help，and the other passengers were panic－stricken．The elder nun held Boule de Suif'scup to the woman's lips and made her swallow a few drops of wine．
Madame opened her eyes and expressed her gratitude，saying that she was all right．
“Nothing serious，”the nun said．“Mere hunger．”
Bould de Suif timidly looked at the four dignified ladies and gentlemen who were still fasting and spoke haltingly；
“Oh，dear，might I offer…？”
She broke off，for fear of being rebuffed．Loiseau took the cue．
“We are in the same boat，as the saying is．”he said．“We should help one another．Come，ladies and gentlemen，accept her offer．”
They hesitated to be the first to yield to the necessity．It was the Count who made the decision．He said with a superior air，Madame，we accept your offer with thanks．”
The ice once broken，they talked to Boule de Suif，at first with some reserve，but presently，through the influence of her sweet temper，with increasing freedom．Madame de Bréville and Madame Carré-Lamadon，who had seen much of the world，said nice things to please her．The Countess treated Boule de suif with the gracious condescension of a great lady．Only Madame Loiseau was proof against the conciliatory influence of the party．She said little but ate much．
The conversation turned naturally upon the war，the atrocities committed by the Prussians and the gallantry shown by the French．Presently they began to talk about themselves，and Boule de Suif，like the woman of her class who becomes eloquent when excited，told them why she had left Rouen．
“At first I thought I could stay there．But the Prussians were more than I could bear．Oh，if only I were a man！I watched them out of my window，swine with their helmets on，and I would have thrown chairs and tables on them if my maid hadn't stopped me．I was ordered to board and lodge some of them，but I sprang at the throat of the first one．They dragged me down by my hair．After that I had to hide．I was always on the lookout for a chance of getting away，and here I am．”
The passengers all congratulated her upon her success．They thought highly of her bravery．However，the basket was soon empty：the ten hungry people ate up all the provisions．Conversation flowed for a while，but with less smoothness now that the meal was over．
Night closed in on the coach，and the darkness gradually deepened．Boule de Suif shivered with cold．Madame de Bréville offered
her her foot warmer；Madame Carré-Lamadon and Madame Loiseau gave their foot warmers to the two nuns．
In the strong，dazzling light of the lamps the horses galloped on，puffing and blowing，reeking with sweat，on a snowy and seemingly endless road．Within the carriage all was dark，but once Loiseau thought he saw Cornudet jump aside from Boule de Suif as if repulsed．
At last little twinkling lights came within sight in the darkness ahead．It was the town of Tótes．Thirteen hours’ ride was nearly at an end．They entered the town and drew up at the Hotel of Commerce．
The door of the carriage was flung open，but they were frightened when they heard some one exclaiming in German，together with the rattling sound of a sabre．
While they sat inside the coach in awful suspense，the driver flashed his lamps into their faces．Beside him stood a young German officer，tall，fair，and extremely slender，wearing a flat cap which made him look like a porter at an English hotel．In Alsatian French he said：
“Will you get out，ladies and gentlemen？”
There was no choice for them but to obey．They followed the officer into the great kitchen of the inn，where he asked them to show him their permit for departure and closely examined them all．At length he said，“All right，”and went in－to another room．
They heaved a sigh of relief．While two maids were busy preparing their supper，they went to look at the bedrooms，all of which faced a long passage．Just as they were sitting down to supper，the host appeared．
“Is Mademoiselle Elisabeth Rousset here？”
Boule de Suif turned to him，as if frightened．
“Yes？”
“Mademoiselle，the Prussian officer wants to speak to you immediately．”
“To me？”
“Yes．”
“He may want to speak to me，but I don't want to speak to him．”
This caused consternation among the company．Everyone was anxious to know what was his business．The Count went up to Boule de Suif and said：
“Think well，madame．Your refusal may invite something serious，not only for yourself but for us all．Perhaps he wants to speak to you about some trivial formality which has been omitted．”
The others agreed with him，and again begged her to reconsider the situation．Finally she said：
“All right，I'll do as you wish—for your sake．”
The Countess．clasped her hand．
“You have our hearty thanks，”she said．
When Boule de Suif was gone，they tried to guess why she had been summoned．They wondered what they would say if they were called in their turn．
In ten minutes Boule de Suif returned，crimson with passion．She was so excited that she was almost breathless．She only gasped out，“Pig！Filthy pig！”No one could tell why she was so angry．
The next morning the party gathered in the kitchen，but the coach，which was to start at eight o'clock，stood in the courtyard without any sign of starting．
The driver being nowhere in the house，they went out into the street in search of him．When they reached the market place，they saw a number of Prussian soldiers．One of them was peeling potatoes，another cleaning the barber's shop，a third humming to a little child in his arms，and a fourth doing the washing for an old woman．Some soldiers were splitting wood for peasant women．
Such kindness was the last thing they expected from Prussian soldiers．The Count asked the beadle，as he came out of the church，how the Prussians behaved．
“Oh，they are not rowdy．They are not Prussians，so I hear．They come from a distant place，I don't know exactly where．Perhaps every one of them has his wife and children waiting for his return at home．You see，poor people help one another．They are ready to do any odd job as they did in their own country．War is the vice of higher－ups．”
It was a long time before they found the driver．He was talking nonchalantly with the officer's orderly．
“Wasn't it arranged that the coach should start at eight？”the Count demanded．
“Yes， but I had orders．”
“What orders？”
“Orders that I should not start this morning．”
“Who gave them？”
“The Prussian commandant，of course．”
“For what reason？”
“How can I know？”
“Did he give such orders in person？”
“No，through the innkeeper．”
On returning to the inn，the three men wanted to see the innkeeper，but were told by the maid that the innkeeper，Monsieur Follenvie，had given strict orders that he was not to be disturbed till ten o'clock on account of his asthma．
Nothing remained to them but to wait for him to wake up，for Monsieur Follenvie alone was authorized to speak to the German officer on civil business．
The ladies went back to their rooms to pass the time．Cornudet was smoking a beautiful meerschaum pipe in the kitchen chimney corner，with a pot of beer on a table．Loiseau under the pretext of going for a walk，went out to strike a bargain with local shopkeepers．The Count and the manufacturer discussed politics and the future of France．
Just at ten o'clock Monsieur Follenvie appeared and said to the impatiently waiting guests：
“The officer said to me，‘Monsieur Follenvie，you will give orders that the coach should not go tomorrow without my consent．You understand？Good！’”
They asked the innkeeper to let them see the officer through him，and were told that they would be received after lunch about one o'clock．In the meanwhile，the ladies came down and，de- spite their dissatisfaction，showed a pretty good appetite．Boule de Suif was somewhat nervous and restless．It might be that she was upset about something．
As they were drinking coffee，the orderly brought word that they might see the commandant．Loiseau joined the Count and Monsieur Carré Lamadon；but Cornudet did not like to speak to Germans，and he called for another pot of beer．
The three men went upstairs and were led into the best room of the inn，used only by the officer．
The Prussian officer lounging in an armchair， was smoking a long porcelain pipe．He wore a gaudy dressing gown，doubtless looted from some unfortunate fugitive．With his feet on the mantel- piece，he neither rose nor saluted；he did not even look at them．He was the very picture of the inso- lence of a victor．
At last he said：
“What do you want？”
The count acted the part of spokesman．
“Sir，we wish to resume our journey．”
“You can't．”
“Might I ask why we can't？”
“You can't go on because I don't wish you to resume your journey．”
“I beg you will notice the fact that the general in command has given us a permit to go to Dieppe．I don't think we have done anything to justify your refusal．”
“I don't wish it．That's all．You may go．”
Coming down to the kitchen，they discussed the mysterious caprice of the German officer．Was he going to keep them，suspecting them to be well-off，as hostages or as prisoners，in order to gain a big ransom？In that case，the poorer they seemed，the better．They racked their brains to invent some way of seeming to be very poor．
Just as they were sitting down to dinner，the innkeeper came in and said：
“The Prussian officer asked me to find out whether Madomoiselle Elisabeth Rousset has changed her mind．”
Boule de Suif turned pale．She stood speech- less．Then suddenly blood rushed to her cheeks； her hands trembled with rage．At last she spat out：
“Tell him，that filthy Prussian，that my decision remains unchanged．Unchanged，I repeat！”
The innkeeper went away．The others gathered round Boule de Suif，asking her what the Prussian wanted with her．At first she refused to tell them，but finally，her passions running high， she blurted out：
“What does he want with me？Well，he wants to go to bed with me！”
Every one of them was aghast at this shocking declaration．Barbarian！Yes，baser than a beast！ They，especially，the ladies，became furious．Only the nuns bent their heads in silence．
The next morning，however，when they got up early，they had something like a hope that the Prussian would change his mind，while they were haunted by a fear that they might be confined for ever in this horrible inn．They stood about the coach hoping for good news．
The hours dragged by wearily．By lunch time the situation was getting on their nerves．Naturally their thoughts underwent a subtle change．The gentlemen，even the ladies，found themselves asking the same question．Why should Boule de Suif be so particular on this occasion？What was her profession？Was it not her daily job to sell her body for money？
“Suppose we went on foot？”Loiseau suggested．
“Quite impossible in this snow，and with our wives，too，”the Count answered．
Dinner was eaten hurriedly；every one was de- pressed．The next morning they came downstairs，looking exhausted and irritable．The women would hardly speak to Boule de Suif．When the church bell rang for a christening， Boule de Suif，Who had a baby of her own， brought up by
a peasant at Yvetot took it into her head to go out and see it．As soon as she left the inn，the others exchanged glances．
It was high time they came to a decision．Loiseau had an idea．It was to invite the officer to keep only Boule de Suif and let the others go．Monsieur Follenvie went upstairs to give this message to the Prussian，and was all but kicked out of the room．
Now Madame Loiseau，vulgar by nature，unmasked herself：
“Ladies and gentlemen，I'll give you a bit of my mind．It is out of the question for us to stay here all our lifetime．She had refused to entertain the officer，but isn't it her profession to at- tend on a man at night？I know her policy at Rouen was Let anyone come，and I am his mistress．’And now，when we are in trouble，she puts on airs．The German is an officer，not without a sense of propriety，for he is ready to content himself with such a common woman as she，when he knows we are here，we three ladies，whom he would no doubt have preferred．Remember，he could do anything with us if he were so minded．Frankly，he is too good for such a prostitute as Boule de Suif．I would like to know if she is a were of her position．She should thank her stars that she has a chance of entertaining a handsome German officer．”
The other women shuddered．Madame Carré-Lamadon，who had been listening to her with sparkling eyes，nearly fainted with fear．It might be that she imagined herself being forced by the Prussian officer．
Loiseau，quite excited，proposed that they should hand over Boule de Suif by sheer strength，but the Count insisted that the situation should be handled with delicacy．
“We must talk her round，”he said．
Then they put their heads together over the plan，every one giving an opinion with cruel enthusiasm．They were so deep in the discussion that they did not hear Boule de Suif come in，till the Count whispered，“Hush！”
Up to lunch time the ladies tried to be polite to Boule de Suif so as to throw her off her guard．But as soon as they sat down to table，they opened fire．They used the virtue of self-sacrifice as a weapon to make her agree．They first referred to Judith，mentioned in the Book of Judith，speaking at length about her courage and loyalty；how she went to the tent of Holofernes， general of King Nebuchadnezzar，when he besieged Bethulia；how she was admitted because of her stately beauty；