Ball of Suet: Selected Short Stories by Maupassant

Chapter 31 Miss Feifei (3)
"To the heart of the woman we love!" Perhaps to add some humor to the scene, the captain raised his glass again.

At this time, Lieutenant Otto was also drunk.Like a bear in a big forest, he wobbled to his feet.Driven by the patriotism in his heart, the drunk suddenly said: "Come on, let's drink together to conquer France!"

Although the women next to him were already drunk, they didn't pay attention at this time.Rachel was so angry that she couldn't help shaking, she turned around and said, "Don't talk big, I only know some French people, and you dare not talk like that in front of them!"

Hearing this, Miss Feifei, who had been hugging her all the time, couldn't bear it anymore, he laughed loudly.He had been dazed by alcohol for a long time, and he looked very happy.He immediately said: "Really? Don't talk big, as soon as those of us show up, they have already disappeared without a trace!"

The Jewish girl was not discouraged, and angrily shouted: "You bastard, don't lie!"

After almost a second, he stared at her with bony eyes while looking at the masterpieces on the surrounding walls, and then said with a smile: "Ah, since you said that, then I really want to ask you a question, If they were really brave, how did we stay here?" He continued, growing impassioned: "France is ours at last, and we will be your masters!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Rachel stood up from his arms angrily, and sat down on her chair. "All these, the trees, houses and forests of France, the people of France, France, all belong to us!" Miss Feifei also stood up, holding the wine glass in her hand, and sent it to the middle of the table.

Although these savage Prussians were already very drunk, when they heard what Miss Feifei said, they were seized by the crazy military complex in their hearts, and they shouted in unison: "Long live Prussia!" After watching these, they drank another glass of strong wine.

The women stood there silently, without expressing any objection, as if they were terrified in their hearts.Rachel was also silent, as if she couldn't cope with the situation.

Miss Feifei picked up a goblet filled with champagne, walked up to Rachel, put the glass on her head brazenly, and shouted loudly: "Also, French women like you belong to our!"

Rachel couldn't bear this insult, and stood up before Miss Feifei finished speaking.Suddenly, the wine glass on top of her head was overturned, and her black hair was completely filled with the wine in the glass, as if she was being baptized with holy water.The wine glass fell to the ground and shattered!The corners of her mouth twitched unceasingly, and her two black eyes fixed on Miss Feifei who was showing a sinister smile. She seemed to be so choked up that she couldn't speak, but finally she managed to utter a few words: "You, what you said That's not true. You just can't get French women."

He sat down again in his chair, seemed about to laugh, and said in a Parisian tone:

"Yes, yes! Then how did you get here?"

Her fluctuating heart hadn't calmed down yet, and she didn't fully understand what he said, she just stood there without saying a word.Then, suddenly realizing what he meant, she yelled at him angrily: "I, I, I'm not a French woman at all, I'm just a whore. Whores are what you Prussians need!"

Before she finished speaking, Miss Feifei slapped her.He wanted to hit her a second time, but before his raised hand fell on her face, she was so angry that she picked up a table knife from the dining table and stabbed him hard. throat.It was a pair of silver snack utensils, which looked sharp.No one noticed her move.Momentary action is too fast.

He stared at her in surprise, his eyes full of fear.He seemed to have something to say, but he couldn't get a word out of his throat right now.

At this time, there was a mess on the dining table.Everyone present stood up one after another, screaming sharply.Rachel picked up a chair and threw it at Lieutenant Otto beside him.He couldn't dodge in time, his leg was hit by the chair, and he fell to the ground.Taking advantage of this opportunity, she quickly ran to the window, squeezed open the window, and jumped out of the window without looking back.Before the group of Prussians in the restaurant could react, she had already disappeared into the heavy rain and majestic night.

In the blink of an eye, Miss Feifei fell to the ground without a sound.Otto and Fritz were furious and insisted on killing all the women on the ground.The major firmly disagreed with their approach, and it took a long time to quell the imminent killing.In the end, the four remaining women were severely frightened and taken to a house where they were kept captive.The major sent two soldiers to guard it.After doing this, the major mobilized all the troops to search for the fleeing Rachel.The Prussians seemed to be in a battle.The major had no doubts that they would catch the woman.

Two hundred soldiers rushed into the forests and valleys, searching every house.In addition, fifty soldiers remained where they were, and searched closely in the garden near the castle.They had accepted the major's order to capture the woman no matter what.

The drunkenness of the four officers in the dining room had long since dissipated, and they removed all the food and drink from the table.Miss Feifei's body was carried to the table.The dining table suddenly became the coffin of the dead.At this time, the four people looked solemn, standing in front of the window, staring at the endless night outside.Each of them showed a serious and cruel face as if they were executing orders on the battlefield.

Outside, in the dark night sky, heavy rain was pouring down.The rapid raindrops hit the gutter on the ground, and there was a rustling sound of water, as if whispering.

Suddenly, somewhere in the distance someone shoots.After a while, there was another gunshot farther away.It has been searching for four hours, and people can always hear the shouts of the soldiers being summoned, the gunshots from far and near, and the loud noises from their mouths, as if the searchers were gesturing to each other.

All those involved in the manhunt returned the next morning.Throughout the rainy night, they stalked without scruple, and shot for unknown reasons in a panic.Eventually, several of them had accidents.Three people were seriously injured and two soldiers lost their lives.

However, the fleeing woman was not caught.

Homes throughout the village were searched one by one.They went door to door to intimidate and question the local people.The surrounding area is full of traces they left behind.However, they found no trace of the Jewish woman.

The general knew the ins and outs of this incident.He didn't want the incident to expand, so as not to spoil the style of the army.The major's final order was to block the incident as much as possible.Because of this incident, the major received the disciplinary action he deserved, and his subordinates naturally also received his punishment.In front of the major, the general himself said: "We are not here for fun!" After hearing the general's reprimand, the major was ashamed and furious, and determined to make the local people submit.

Miss Feifei's funeral was held as scheduled.The major used this as an excuse to summon the priest who came to the church and forcefully demanded that he ring the bell at the funeral.

This time, the priest of the church agreed.His attitude was not as stubborn as before, but instead showed a respectful and submissive look.This surprised the major.On the day of the funeral, Miss Feifei's body was carried by the soldiers, and she walked slowly out of Yuville Castle towards the place of burial.At this time, the church bell rang.The relaxed and cheerful voice echoed among the funeral procession.Miss Fei Fei's body was immersed in this tone, as if a kind palm was soothing it.

At night, the bell rang again.The next day, the church bells rang without fail.From now on, every day will be like this.The church bells have since come alive and are ready to ring at any time.Even in the dead of night, the local people would occasionally hear a few jingles in the dark.There was clearly a bit of joy and joy in that voice.At this time, the big bell of the church seemed to be awakened by something.

Except for the priests and clergy of the church, the big bell in the bell tower cannot be approached by ordinary people.Therefore, the inhabitants of the village were greatly perplexed, and thought that something strange must have happened.

It turned out that at the top of the high bell tower, there was a girl hiding there, and two men quietly provided her with the necessities of life.For her, every day was extremely lonely and gloomy.

The Prussian troops later withdrew here.One night, the priest of the church took the girl who had been hiding for a long time from the bell tower.He borrowed a carriage from the baker.The girl sat in the open carriage and returned to Rouen with the priest.When they got there, the priest gave her a loving hug, and she got out of the car and returned to the brothel.Her return surprised the proprietress there.

After a long time, an open-minded patriot came to the brothel to redeem the girl.Her act of bravery moved him deeply.Later, he gradually fell in love with her, so he married her.In the end, the Jewish woman who killed Miss Fifi lived a decent life.She was respected as much as every lady around her.

(End of this chapter)