The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Vol. 1 | Page 7

all so wholesomely, temptingly fresh and appetizing that it
was a pleasure to look at her. Her face was like a ruddy apple--a peony
rose just burst into bloom--and out of it gazed a pair of magnificent
dark eyes overshadowed by long thick lashes that deepened their
blackness; and lower down, a charming little mouth, dewy to the kiss,
and furnished with a row of tiny milk-white teeth. Over and above all
this she was, they said, full of inestimable qualities.
No sooner was her identity recognized than a whisper ran through the

ladies in which the words "prostitute" and "public scandal," were so
conspicuously distinct that she raised her head and retaliated by
sweeping her companions with such a bold and defiant look that deep
silence instantly fell upon them, and they all cast down their eyes with
the exception of Loiseau, who watched her with a kindling eye.
However, conversation was soon resumed between the three ladies,
whom the presence of this "person" had suddenly rendered
friendly--almost intimate. It seemed to them that they must, as it were,
raise a rampart of their dignity as spouses between them and this
shameless creature who made a traffic of herself; for legalized love
always takes a high hand with her unlicensed sister.
The three men too, drawn to one another by a conservative instinct at
sight of Cornudet, talked money in a certain tone of contempt for the
impecunious. Count Hubert spoke of the damage inflicted on him by
the Prussians, of the losses which would result to him from the seizing
of cattle and from ruined crops, but with all the assurance of a great
landed proprietor, ten times millionaire, whom these ravages might
inconvenience for the space of a year at most. Monsieur
Carré-Lamadon, of great experience in the cotton industry, had taken
the precaution to send six hundred thousand francs across to England as
provision against a rainy day. As for Loiseau, he made arrangements to
sell all the wine in his cellars to the French commission of supplies,
consequently the Government owed him a formidable sum, which he
counted upon receiving at Havre.
The three exchanged rapid and amicable glances. Although differing in
position they felt themselves brothers in money, and of the great
freemasonry of those who possess, of those who can make the gold
jingle when they put their hands in the breeches-pockets.
The diligence went so slowly that by ten o'clock in the morning they
had not made four leagues. The men got out three times and climbed
the hill on foot. They began to grow anxious, for they were to have
lunched at Totes, and now they despaired of reaching that place before
night. Everybody was on the look-out for some inn by the way, when
the vehicle stuck fast in a snowdrift, and it took two hours to get it out.

Meanwhile the pangs of hunger began to affect them severely both in
mind and body, and yet not an inn, not a tavern even, was to be seen;
the approach of the Prussians and the passage of the famished French
troops had frightened away all trade.
The gentlemen foraged diligently for the provisions in the farms by the
roadside; but they failed to obtain so much as a piece of bread, for the
mistrustful peasant hid all reserve stores for fear of being pillaged by
the soldiers, who, having no food supplied to them, took by force
everything they could lay their hands on.
Towards one o'clock Loiseau announced that he felt a very decided
void in his stomach. Everybody had been suffering in the same manner
for a long time, and the violent longing for food had extinguished
conversation.
From time to time some one would yawn, to be almost immediately
imitated by another and then each of the rest in turn, and according to
their disposition, manners, or social standing, would open their mouth
noisily, or modestly cover with the hand the gaping cavity from which
the breath issued in a vapor.
Boule de Suif had several times stooped down as if feeling for
something under her skirts. She hesitated a moment, looked at her
companions, and then composedly resumed her former position. The
faces were pale and drawn. Loiseau declared he would give a thousand
francs for a ham. His wife made a faint movement as to protest, but
restrained herself. It always affected her painfully to hear of money
being thrown away, nor could she even understand a joke upon the
subject.
"To tell the truth," said the Count, "I do not feel quite myself
either--how could I have omitted to think of bringing provisions?" And
everybody reproached themselves with the same neglectfulness.
Cornudet, however, had a flask of rum which he offered round. It was
coldly refused.