Short Stories, vol 12 | Page 7

clothes. At last she made up her mind and

said:
"Yes, this will do; and, besides, there is a view."
They drove into a large field behind the inn, separated from the river by
the towing path, and dismounted. The husband sprang out first and then
held out his arms for his wife, and as the step was very high Madame
Dufour, in order to reach him, had to show the lower part of her limbs,
whose former slenderness had disappeared in fat, and Monsieur Dufour,
who was already getting excited by the country air, pinched her calf,
and then, taking her in his arms, he set her on the ground, as if she had
been some enormous bundle. She shook the dust out of the silk dress
and then looked round to see in what sort of a place she was.
She was a stout woman, of about thirty-six, full-blown, and delightful
to look at. She could hardly breathe, as her corsets were laced too
tightly, and their pressure forced her superabundant bosom up to her
double chin. Next the girl placed her hand on her father's shoulder and
jumped down lightly. The boy with the yellow hair had got down by
stepping on the wheel, and he helped Monsieur Dufour to lift his
grandmother out. Then they unharnessed the horse, which they had tied
to a tree, and the carriage fell back, with both shafts in the air. The men
took off their coats and washed their hands in a pail of water and then
went and joined the ladies, who had already taken possession of the
swings.
Mademoiselle Dufour was trying to swing herself standing up, but she
could not succeed in getting a start. She was a pretty girl of about
eighteen, one of those women who suddenly excite your desire when
you meet them in the street and who leave you with a vague feeling of
uneasiness and of excited senses. She was tall, had a small waist and
large hips, with a dark skin, very large eyes and very black hair. Her
dress clearly marked the outlines of her firm, full figure, which was
accentuated by the motion of her hips as she tried to swing herself
higher. Her arms were stretched upward to hold the rope, so that her
bosom rose at every movement she made. Her hat, which a gust of
wind had blown off, was hanging behind her, and as the swing
gradually rose higher and higher, she showed her delicate limbs up to
the knees each time, and the breeze from her flying skirts, which was
more heady than the fumes of wine, blew into the faces of the two men,
who were looking at her and smiling.

Sitting in the other swing, Madame Dufour kept saying in a
monotonous voice:
"Cyprian, come and swing me; do come and swing me, Cyprian!"
At last he went, and turning up his shirt sleeves, as if undertaking a
hard piece of work, with much difficulty he set his wife in motion. She
clutched the two ropes and held her legs out straight, so as not to touch
the ground. She enjoyed feeling dizzy at the motion of the swing, and
her whole figure shook like a jelly on a dish, but as she went higher and
higher; she became too giddy and was frightened. Each time the swing
came down she uttered a piercing scream, which made all the little
urchins in the neighborhood come round, and down below, beneath the
garden hedge, she vaguely saw a row of mischievous heads making
various grimaces as they laughed.
When a servant girl came out they ordered luncheon.
"Some fried fish, a rabbit saute, salad and dessert," Madame Dufour
said, with an important air.
"Bring two quarts of beer and a bottle of claret," her husband said.
"We will have lunch on the grass," the girl added.
The grandmother, who had an affection for cats, had been running after
one that belonged to the house, trying to coax it to come to her for the
last ten minutes. The animal, who was no doubt secretly flattered by
her attentions, kept close to the good woman, but just out of reach of
her hand, and quietly walked round the trees, against which she rubbed
herself, with her tail up, purring with pleasure.
"Hello!" suddenly exclaimed the young man with the yellow hair, who
was wandering about. "Here are two swell boats!" They all went to
look at them and saw two beautiful canoes in a wooden shed; they were
as beautifully finished as if they had been ornamental furniture. They
hung side by side, like two tall, slender girls, in their narrow shining
length, and made one wish to float in them on warm summer mornings
and