The Broken Cup | Page 4

and leave it
there; and if any one should see thee, and inquire from whom the box
came, say 'A stranger gave it to me.' But never disclose my name, or I
will always detest thee."
Jacques promised this, took the drink-money and the box, and went
with it toward the little dwelling between the olive trees and the

African acacias.
*****
Before he arrived there he encountered his master, Justice Hautmartin,
who asked; "Jacques, what art thou carrying?"
"A box for Mother Manon. But, sir, I cannot say from whom it comes."
"Why not?"
"Because Colin would always detest me."
"It is well that thou canst keep a secret. But it is already late; give me
the box, for I am going to-morrow to see Mother Manon; I will deliver
it to her and not betray that it came from Colin. It will save thee a walk,
and furnish me a good excuse for calling on the old lady."
Jacques gave the box to his master, whom he was accustomed to obey
implicitly in all things. The justice bore it into his chamber, and
examined it by the light with some curiosity. On the lid was neatly
written with red chalk: "For the lovely and dear Marietta." But
Monsieur Hautmartin well knew that this was some of Colin's mischief,
and that some knavish trick lurked under the whole. He therefore
opened the box carefully for fear that a mouse or rat should be
concealed within. When he beheld the wondrous cup, which he had
seen at Vence, he was dreadfully shocked, for Monsieur Hautmartin
was a skilful casuist, and knew that the inventions and devices of the
human heart are evil from our youth upward. He saw at once that Colin
designed this cup as a means of bringing misfortune upon Marietta:
perhaps to give out, when it should be in her possession, that it was the
present of some successful lover in the town, or the like, so that all
decent people would thereafter keep aloof from Marietta. Therefore
Monsieur Hautmartin resolved, in order to prevent any evil reports, to
profess himself the giver. Moreover, he loved Marietta, and would
gladly have seen her observe more strictly toward himself the sayings
of the gray-headed priest Jerome, "Little children, love one another." In
truth, Monsieur Hautmartin was a little child of fifty years old, and

Marietta did not think the saying applied particularly to him. Mother
Manon, on the contrary, thought that the justice was a clever little child,
he had gold and a high reputation from one end of Napoule to the other.
And when the justice spoke of marriage, and Marietta ran away in
affright, Mother Manon remained sitting, and had no fear for the tall,
staid gentleman. It must also be confessed there were no faults in his
person. And although Colin might be the handsomest man in the village,
yet the justice far surpassed him in two things, namely, in the number
of years, and in a very, very big nose. Yes, this nose, which always
went before the justice like a herald to proclaim his approach, was a
real elephant among human noses.
With this proboscis, his good purpose, and the cup, the justice went the
following morning to the house between the olive trees and the African
acacias.
"For the beautiful Marietta," said he, "I hold nothing too costly.
Yesterday you admired the cup at Vence; to-day allow me, lovely
Marietta, to lay it and my devoted heart at your feet."
Manon and Marietta were transported beyond measure when they
beheld the cup. Manon's eyes glistened with delight, but Marietta
turned and said: "I can neither take your heart nor your cup."
Then Mother Marion was angry, and cried out: "But I accept both heart
and cup. Oh, thou little fool, how long wilt thou despise thy good
fortune! For whom dost thou tarry? Will a count of Provence make thee
his bride, that thou scornest the Justice of Napoule? I know better how
to look after my interests. Monsieur Hautmartin, I deem it an honor to
call thee my son-in-law."
Then Marietta went out and wept bitterly, and hated the beautiful cup
with all her heart.
But the justice, drawing the palm of his flabby hand over his nose,
spoke thus judiciously:
"Mother Manon, hurry nothing. The dove will at length, when it learns

to know me better, give way. I am not impetuous. I have some skill
among women, and before a quarter of a year passes by I will insinuate
myself into Marietta's good graces."
"Thy nose is too large for that," whispered Marietta, who listened
outside the door and laughed to herself. In fact, the quarter of a year
passed by and Monsieur Hautmartin had not yet pierced the heart even
with