Ball of Suet: Selected Short Stories by Maupassant

Chapter 16 A String

An honest farmer was framed by someone with a feud, but no one listened to his explanation, and no one believed what he said, and finally he died in grief and anger.

It was market-day, and the peasants and their wives were walking on all the roads around Godiville.They are walking towards town.The men walked forward at a leisurely pace.Their bodies lean forward as their long, bent legs step forward.Their bodies are distorted by the heavy physical labor.When harvesting crops, in order to stand firmly, the knees are always separated; when plowing, because the plow is pressed, the left shoulder is always raised.All in all, the time-consuming and labor-intensive work in the fields caused considerable physical damage to their bodies.Their loose blue cotton jackets, starched to a glossy varnish, had white needlework trim on the cuffs and necklines.From the thin chest, the top bulged like a balloon about to take off, and only a head, two feet and two shoulders protruded from the clothes.

Some of them lead a calf or a cow with a rope.Behind the animals, their wives whipped the animals with sticks to make them go faster.The branches were still covered with leaves.Large baskets containing chickens or ducks are slung on their arms.Those chickens or ducks always stick their heads out.Their steps are much shorter and faster than men's.They wrapped their lean, erect figures in little shawls pinned to their flat breasts, and covered their heads in white linen, and wore a hat over it.

A single-decker cart pulled by a bouncing pony horse approached.The two men sat side by side in the car, shaking like jelly.A woman sits behind them.To ease the jolt, she gripped the side of the car very hard.

In Goderville Square people and animals mingled together in a very large crowd.On the outside of this group, there are women's turbans, rich peasants' long-haired tall hats, and very long horns.This group makes a very harsh high-pitched sound.This high-pitched sound is continuous, forming a noise that is incompatible with the civilized world.The laughter of a muscular peasant from the muscular chest, or the cry of a cow chained to the wall, occasionally crossed the tumult and reached people's ears.

The smell of milk, stables, sweat, hay, dung, these disgusting smells of people and animals, filled the air.

Papa Haukkornie of Breot City has just come to Godville.He is on the way to the square.Suddenly, he saw a thin rope on the ground.Haukkoney is a thrifty person. —he was in this respect like every true Norman.He thought, this little rope might be useful, so let's pick it up.He had arthritis, and it was difficult to bend down, but he endured the pain and bent down to pick up the string.When he was about to wind it up carefully, he saw the saddler Malandern standing at the door of his house.Marlanden was watching him too.The two of them had a little conflict about the horse bridle before. Until now, they still haven't forgotten about it, and they always want to teach each other a lesson.Haukkoni felt that he was ashamed to be seen by his enemies when he was struggling to pick up a small rope in the mud.He hastily put the treasure he had picked up first into his bulky smock, then took it out again and put it in the breeches pocket.After that, he found it on the ground again.That's what he did on purpose.Of course, he must have found nothing.Finally, poking his head forward, he continued walking in the direction of the market.Because of the severe pain in his waist, he bent down even more.

Soon, he was overwhelmed by the shouting and slow-moving crowd.Everyone is in a state of hyperactivity, which is caused by constant bargaining.The farmers stroked the old cattle and went to other places.But after a while, he came back there again.They are afraid of being cheated by the seller, so they are always undecided, and they keep asking the seller about the livestock's problems and testing the seller's tricks.

The women took down the large baskets slung from their arms and put them on their feet, and took out the panic-stricken poultry with its feet tied together, its bright red crowns, and put them on the ground.

There is a buyer to make an offer.They listened, but were unwilling to change the original price.There is no expression on their faces, and they don't make irresponsible remarks.Sometimes, seeing customers walking away slowly, they suddenly changed their minds and decided to accept the buyer's counter-offer, and they would shout: "Master Antham, now, take it."

As a result, the number of people in the square gradually decreased.The Catholic Church rang the bell.It's time for noon prayers.So those who couldn't go home due to the long distance went to restaurants to eat.

The small restaurant opened by Boss Jordan is crowded with people.Customers filled the lobby and many vehicles parked in the courtyard, leaving no extra space in the courtyard.There are many kinds of these vehicles: large tour coaches, double-covered and wheeled carriages, two-wheeled single-drawn carriages, light two-wheeled single-drawn carriages, and some unnamed carriages.Some were patched, some were very worn, some had tails stuck high into the ground with their noses up, and some had shafts facing the sky like arms.

Bright flames blazed in the wide hearth.The backs of the row of seats to the right of the table were scorching hot.Three spits with leg of lamb, pigeon and chicken twirled.The smell of gravy dripping from the yellow skin and the mouth-watering aroma of roasting meat wafted from the hearth.The guests were so happy that their saliva almost flowed out.

The owner of the Jordan Hotel is very clever. He also works as a horse dealer and has a lot of money.Because of his business, all the richest of the farmers dined at Jordan's.

Dishes were brought up in plate after plate, and jugs of yellow cider were laid out on the table, but they were quickly consumed.People are chatting enthusiastically, what to buy or what to sell is the topic of their discussion.In addition, the growth of crops is also a topic of discussion.The weather is very suitable for the growth of green crops, but wheat does not like this weather very much.For them, the weather is a bit humid.

Suddenly, the sound of thumping drums sounded in the yard in front of the house.Except for a few people who didn't care about it, everyone else stood up.Chewing food, napkins in hand, they ran to windows and doors to look out.

The drums rang for a long time.Afterwards, the officer who made the announcement took out a copy and read it aloud.His voice was hurried, with some inappropriate pauses.

"The residents of Godeville, and the people who came here to go to the market, this morning, between nine and ten o'clock, a black leather bag containing commercial papers and five hundred francs was thrown on the Bushville road. .If anyone finds this thing, please give it immediately to the proprietor Fatine Holbrick of Manever, or to the mayor's office. Twenty francs will be paid by the owner. Notice hereby."

After he finished speaking, he left.After a while, the dull sound of drums and the voice of the announcer came to people's ears from a distance.

Thus, this accidental incident became the topic of discussion.Everyone speculated whether Boss Holbrick could find the bag.

People continue to eat lunch.

The gendarme squad leader appeared just as everyone was finishing their coffee.He stood on the porch and asked: "Is there a Mr. Hockcorny here from Bray Oak?"

Papa Haukkorney, sitting on the other side of the table, replied, "Yes, I'm here."

The squad leader said: "The mayor has something to say to you, so I would like to invite you to his office. Mr. Haukkoney, please come with us!"

The monitor's words surprised the farmer a little.Feeling a little uneasy, he picked up a small glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp.He stood up, his waist was more bent than in the morning because his waist would hurt more after taking the first few steps every time he rested.He left his seat and kept saying, "I'm here, I'm here."

So the police officer took him away.

The fat mayor was sitting on the sofa waiting for him.He was the notary of the place, with a very serious expression, and a great deal of talk.

"Mr. Hockcorny, this morning," said he, "the lost purse of Holbrick of Manavere was seen, and you picked it up on Bushville Road."

The farmer was stunned by the mayor's suspicion of him. He was at a loss and stared at the mayor.

"I, I picked up a purse?"

"Yes, it's you."

"I never saw a purse at all."

"You picked it up, someone saw it."

"Who saw it?"

"Mr. Malandorn, saddler."

So the old man understood what was going on.He was very angry, his face flushed, and he shouted: "That shameless villain, he saw me? Yes, he saw me, and he saw me when I picked up this string. Look, the mayor ,gentlemen."

He fumbled in his pocket for a long time before he could get the string out.

However, the mayor shook his head in disbelief.

"I won't believe you, Mr. Hockcorny. That Mr. Malanxing is trustworthy. How can he think a string is a purse?"

The farmer was very angry.He raised his hand and spat sideways to prove his innocence.He said, "Holy truth, God knows it all, mayor, sir. I repeat, I swear on death and on my soul, I never found the purse."

"After you picked up that leather bag, you searched in the mud for a long time to prevent the money from falling out," the mayor said.

The good man was out of breath, suffocating with fear and exasperation.

"If anyone tells such a lie, an honest man is ruined. If anyone..."

His protests are still unbelievable.

The mayor asked him to confront Boss Marlanden.Boss Malanden repeated what he had said before, and he also insisted that Haukkoni picked up the bag.The two of them yelled for a full hour.Haukkoni asked the mayor to send someone to search him.He was searched all over.They get nothing on them.In the end he was let go by the mayor, because the mayor was full of doubts about the matter.But the mayor warned him.The mayor said he asked the prosecutor's office to be notified and asked for the prosecutor's order.

People quickly got the news.They surrounded the old man just after he came out of the mayor's office.They either mocked him or asked him questions out of curiosity.None of these people expressed indignation at what happened to him and felt unfair for him.He began to tell the story of the string.People thought his words were ridiculous and didn't believe him at all.

He left alone.When he came across acquaintances, he would stop them and tell them what had happened to him, that he had been wronged, and that to prove his innocence he turned his pockets over for them to see.

People say, "Stop that nonsense, you old man!"

No one believed him, and he got angry with himself.He was so excited that he was on fire all over, and he was going crazy.He didn't know what to do but go on with his story.

It was getting dark.He had to go home.He walked with three neighbors and started walking home.On the way, he showed them where he had picked up the string.He talked incessantly about his misadventures, all along the way.

At night, in order to let every villager in Briodi know his misfortune, he walked around the village.However, none of the villagers believed him.

Therefore, the whole night, he was not feeling well.

About one o'clock in the afternoon next day, Holbrick of Manever received his bag and all its contents.A farmer from Imaoville, a farm laborer employed by the owner of Mariel Pommel Breton, handed the bag to Holbrick.

The farm worker said he found the leather bag on the road.Since he could not read, he thought it would be more appropriate to take it home and hand it over to the owner.

The news was quickly known to the people, and so was Papa Haukkoney.He set off immediately.Now that his story had an end, it was finally complete.He was very happy and kept telling his story along the way.

"You know," he said, "it's nothing in and of itself, but lying is what makes you most unhappy. I think there's nothing sadder than being wronged for telling a lie."

He talked about that strange encounter all the time.In the tavern, he spoke to the drinkers; on the road, he spoke to the passers-by; in the church, he spoke to the people after mass.When he met a stranger on the road, he would even stop that person and start talking.His brain could finally take a break, but there was one thing he couldn't quite figure out that kept embarrassing him.He doesn't seem to convince people completely, otherwise why would they find it ridiculous when they listened to him?He felt that there were many people gossiping behind his back.

A week later on Tuesday, just to tell his story, he went to Godaville Market again.

Marlanden, who was standing in the porch, laughed out loud when he saw him.How is this going?

He saw a farmer from Crictor and went to talk to him.Before he finished speaking, the farmer interrupted him, poked him in the heart, and shouted at him: "You cunning fox, do what you have to do!" left.

Haukkoni stopped talking.He felt a sense of foreboding, which grew stronger and stronger.Sly fox, why did that man call him that?

He came to Jordan's restaurant.After sitting down, he began to explain about the rope again.

"You cunning fellow, you are talking nonsense. I know all about ropes," cried a horse dealer, who had come from Montivilliers.

"But the leather bag has been returned to its original owner." Haukkoni said intermittently.

"It's not like that at all, old man. You've done a very good job, one of you picked it up and the other gave it back to its owner. You're very clever. I don't know how you did it, But I know you."

Haukkoni's mind went blank.Finally, he finally figured out that it was believed that he asked his associates to return the purse to its owner.

He tried to explain it to them, but no one listened, and the whole table laughed again.

He was no longer in the mood to eat.He left the restaurant, and behind him, people laughed at him and called him names.

He came home with all the chaos in his head, and with the anger, he felt out of breath.His Norman shrewdness alone enabled him to do it as he was accused of doing it, and even to brag about it as his dexterity.This is what makes him feel more painful.His mind was in turmoil, and since he was considered a very cunning man, he felt that his innocence could not be cleared.His heart was pierced by the utter injustice of being suspected of lying.

So, he began to talk about his unfortunate experience again.Each time he told it he added a more solemn oath, a stronger plea, and some new arguments, and besides, he made the story a little longer each day.These are all his thoughts when he is alone.Apart from the matter of the rope, there was nothing else on his mind.His reasoning grew more sophisticated and his justifications more complex.However, instead of increasing, the number of people who believed in him decreased.

People said behind his back: "Nothing that comes out of a liar's mouth is to be believed."

He had seen through it.He was exhausted from the torture, biting his nails, powerless.

He has lost a lot of weight.

Now he is still being asked to tell "the story of the string".He was asked to do so by a bunch of pranksters.Like asking a soldier who has fought a war to tell a story from the field, they do it for the sheer joy of it.The blow was too severe for him.Because of this incident, his brain became weaker and weaker.

In December, he fell ill and lay in bed.

Early in January of the following year, he passed away from suffering caused by insanity.Before he died, he kept justifying himself: "Here, look, a string, a string, mayor, sir."

(End of this chapter)