Text A The Jewels of M Lantin（第2页）
[34]Thejewelerasked，“Wouldyoupleasetellmeyourname，sir?”
[35]“OfLantin。IworkattheMinistryoftheInterior，a16RuedesMartyrs。”
[36]Themeredhisledger，lhit，andsaid，“ThistoMme。Lantiyrs，ohofJuly，1876。”
[37]Awomeeachother，theclerkdumbfouhejewelersgarobber。
[38]Themertsaid，“Wouldyoumiihisforaday?Naturally，I’llgiveyouareceipt。”
[39]M。Lanti，“Ofcourse!”A，foldingthepaperintohispocket。
[40]Thenhecrossedthestreet，wentback，sawthathehadgoofhisway，returheTuileries，sawagainhehadmadeamistake，crossedtheSeiotheChamps-E′lyséeswithoutasiioninhishead。Heforcedhimselftothink。Hiswifeotpossiblyhavepurchasedsuchvaluablejewelry。Absolutelyhe?Apresent!Fromwhom?For>
[41]Hewasbroughtupshort，aockstill—thereinthemiddleofthestreet。Ahorriblethoughtflashedaiallthoseotherjewelswerealsogifts!Hefelttheearthshiver;atreejustbeforehimseemedtocrushhim。Hethrewouthisarmsandfell，seheground。
[42]Heregainedessinanearbypharmacytowhichpassers-byhadcarriedhim。Heaskedthathebetakenhome，andhelockedhimselfin。
[43]Heweptbitterlyuntilnightfall—stuffingahahemouthtostiflehishestaggeredtoutwithfatigueand，aheavily。
[44]Arayofsunshinewokehim，aupslowlytohisoffice。Aftersuchablow，itwouldbehardtowithhiswork。Hefeltthathecouldbeexdhewrotehissuperiorahoughtthatheoughttogobacktothejeweler，andheedwithshame。Heotpossiblyleavethehatman。Hedressedhurriedlya。
[45]Ashewalkedalong，Lantinsaidtohimself，“Howeasyitistobehappywhenyou’rerich!Withmoneyyoushakeoffyoursorrows;yougoorstayasyouplease!Youtravelandamuseyourself。IfonlyIwerereallyrich!”
[46]Thenhebecameawareofthefactthathewashungry，nothavihepreviousevening。Buthispocketswereempty，andheremihehhteenthousandfrancs!Whatafortune!
[47]HereachedtheRuedelaPaix，andhebeganpaddowheshop。Eighteenthousandfraweartedtoeshamealwayshaltedhim。
[48]Hewasstillhungry—famished—andwithoutasou。Hefinallymadeuphismind，racedacrossthestreetsoasnottogivehimselftimetothink，andburstiore。
[49]Assoonashesawhim，themertgreetedhimroyally，offeredhimachairwithsmiliheparthendsatdopinessbeamingfromtheireyesandtheirlips。
[50]Thejewelerdeclared，“Iamsatisfied，Monsieur，andifyoufeelasyoudidyesterday，Iamreadytopayyouthesumagreedupon。”
[51]“ly，”stammeredLantin。
[52]Themerttookeighteeesfromadrawer，tedthem，gavethemtoLantin，whosigand，withtremblinghahemoohispocket。
[53]Then，justashewasgoiurrinningshopkeeper，and，lhiseyes，murmured，“I—Ihavesems—whieinthesameway。Wouldyoubewillingtobuythosefromme?”
[54]Thejewelernodded，“Ofonsieur。”
[55]Oifledalaugh，whiletheotherwasforcedtoleavetheroomtohidehismirth。
[56]Lantin，impassiveandstern，said，“I’llbrioyou。”
[57]Wheothestore，anhourlater，hehadstillheysetaboutexaminingthejewelspiecebypiece，assessihentheyallwentbatin’shouse。
[58]NowLaothespiritofthebusiness，arguing，insistingthattheyshowhimthebillsofsale，aingmoreaedasthevaluesrose。
[59]Themagearriwentythousandfras，thirtyfivethousand。Thebroos，andmedalliohousand。Thewholewasvaluedatoy-sixthousandfrancs。
[60]Themeredoutinajollyvoice，“That’seyourmoojewelry。”
[61]Lantinsaidsolemnly，“That’sooiyourmo，afterhavihepurchasertohaveasedexpertappraisalthefollo>
[62]Whei，helookedupattheVendomelikeleapinguptothetop。HefeltlightenoughtoplayleapfrogwiththestatueoftheEmperorperchedupthereintheclouds。
[63]Hewentiaura，andhedrayfrancsabottle。
[64]TheookadrodearoundtheBoisdeBoulogne。Helookedatthegleamingcarriages，suppressiorich，too!Ihavetwohuhousandfrancs!”
[65]Hethoughtofoffice。Hedroveup，enteredhisChief’soffinly，andannounced，“Sir—I’mtenderiioihreehuhousandfraaroundshakinghandswithhiscolleagues，ahemallabouthisplaheodiheglais。
[66]Findiedaloinguished-lookilemaresistwhisperingtohim，alittlearchly，thathehadjustiedfourhuhousandfrancs。
[67]Forthefirsttimeinhislifeheeerahenightg。
[68]Sixmonthslaterheremarried。Hissedwifewasamostworthywoman，butratherdifficult。Shemadehislifeunbearable。
[1883]
Notes