themayorwasabouttositdowntobreakfast,wordwasbroughttohimthattheruraloliceman,withtworisoners,wasawaitinghimattheHoteldeVille。HewentthereatonceandfoundoldHochedurstandingguardbeforeamiddle-classcoulewhomhewasregardingwithasevereexressiononhisface。
Theman,afatoldfellowwitharednoseandwhitehair,seemedutterlydejected;whilethewoman,alittleroundaboutindividualwithshiningcheeks,lookedattheofficialwhohadarrestedthem,withdefianteyes。
"Whatisit?Whatisit,Hochedur?
"
Theruralolicemanmadehisdeosition。
Hehadgoneoutthatmorningathisusualtime,inordertoatrolhisbeatfromtheforestofChamiouxasfarastheboundariesofArgenteuil。Hehadnotnoticedanythingunusualinthecountryexcetthatitwasafineday,andthatthewheatwasdoingwell,whenthesonofoldBredel,whowasgoingoverhisvines,calledouttohim:
"Here,DaddyHochedur,goandhavealookattheoutskirtsofthewood。Inthefirstthicketyouwillfindaairofigeonswhomustbeahundredandthirtyyearsoldbetweenthem!
"
Hewentinthedirectionindicated,enteredthethicket,andthereheheardwordswhichmadehimsusectaflagrantlbreachofmorality。Advancing,therefore,onhishandsandkneesasiftosurriseaoacher,hehadarrestedthecoulewhomhefoundthere。
Themayorlookedattheculritsinastonishment,forthemanwascertainlysixty,andthewomanfifty-fiveatleast,andhebegantoquestionthem,beginningwiththeman,whoreliedinsuchaweakvoicethathecouldscarcelybeheard。
"Whatisyourname?
"
"NicholasBeaurain。
"
"Youroccuation?
"
"Haberdasher,intheRuedesMartyrs,inParis。
"
"Whatwereyoudoinginthewood?
"
Thehaberdasherremainedsilent,withhiseyesonhisfataunch,andhishandshangingathissides,andthemayorcontinued:
"Doyoudenywhattheofficerofthemunicialauthoritiesstates?
"
"No,monsieur。
"
"Soyouconfessit?
"
"Yes,monsieur。
"
"Whathaveyoutosayinyourdefence?
"
"Nothing,monsieur。
"
"Wheredidyoumeettheartnerinyourmisdemeanor?
"
"Sheismywife,monsieur。
"
https://www.cwzww.com https://www.du8.org https://www.shuhuangxs.com www.baquge.cc