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He was acpanied by an old woman。
〃Monsieur;〃 said the woman; 〃my boy tells me that you wish to hire a cabriolet。〃
These simple words uttered by an old woman led by a child made the perspiration trickle down his limbs。
He thought that he beheld the hand which had relaxed its grasp reappear in the darkness behind him; ready to seize him once more。
He answered:
〃Yes; my good woman; I am in search of a cabriolet which I can hire。〃
And he hastened to add:
〃But there is none in the place。〃
〃Certainly there is;〃 said the old woman。
〃Where?〃 interpolated the wheelwright。
〃At my house;〃 replied the old woman。
He shuddered。
The fatal hand had grasped him again。
The old woman really had in her shed a sort of basket spring…cart。 The wheelwright and the stable…man; in despair at the prospect of the traveller escaping their clutches; interfered。
〃It was a frightful old trap; it rests flat on the axle; it is an actual fact that the seats were suspended inside it by leather thongs; the rain came into it; the wheels were rusted and eaten with moisture; it would not go much further than the tilbury; a regular ramshackle old stage…wagon; the gentleman would make a great mistake if he trusted himself to it;〃 etc。; etc。
All this was true; but this trap; this ramshackle old vehicle; this thing; whatever it was; ran on its two wheels and could go to Arras。
He paid what was asked; left the tilbury with the wheelwright to be repaired; intending to reclaim it on his return; had the white horse put to the cart; climbed into it; and resumed the road which he had been travelling since morning。
At the moment when the cart moved off; he admitted that he had felt; a moment previously; a certain joy in the thought that he should not go whither he was now proceeding。
He examined this joy with a sort of wrath; and found it absurd。
Why should he feel joy at turning back? After all; he was taking this trip of his own free will。 No one was forcing him to it。
And assuredly nothing would happen except what he should choose。
As he left Hesdin; he heard a voice shouting to him:
〃Stop!
Stop!〃 He halted the cart with a vigorous movement which contained a feverish and convulsive element resembling hope。
It was the old woman's little boy。
〃Monsieur;〃 said the latter; 〃it was I who got the cart for you。〃
〃Well?〃
〃You have not given me anything。〃
He who gave to all so readily thought this demand exorbitant and almost odious。
〃Ah! it's you; you scamp?〃 said he; 〃you shall have nothing。〃
He whipped up his horse and set off at full speed。
He had lost a great deal of time at Hesdin。
He wanted to make it good。 The little horse was courageous; and pulled for two; but it was the month of February; there had been rain; the roads were bad。 And then; it was no longer the tilbury。
The cart was very heavy; and in addition; there were many ascents。
He took nearly four hours to go from Hesdin to Saint…Pol; four hours for five leagues。
At Saint…Pol he had the horse unharnessed at the first inn he came to and led to the stable; as he had promised Scaufflaire; he stood beside the manger while the horse was eating; he thought of sad and confusing things。
The inn…keeper's wife came to the stable。
〃Does not Monsieur wish to breakfast?〃
〃e; that is true; I even have a good appetite。〃
He followed the woman; who had a rosy; cheerful face; she led him to the public room where there were tables covered with waxed cloth。
〃Make haste!〃 said he; 〃I must start again; I am in a hurry。〃
A big Flemish servant…maid placed his knife and fork in all haste; he looked at the girl with a sensation of fort。
〃That is what ailed me;〃 he thought; 〃I had not breakfasted。〃
His breakfast was served; he seized the bread; took a mouthful; and then slowly replaced it on the table; and did not touch it again。
A carter was eating at another table; he said to this man:
〃Why is their bread so bitter here?〃
The carter was a German and did not understand him。
He returned to the stable and remained near the horse。
An hour later he had quitted Saint…Pol and was directing his course towards Tinques; which is only five leagues from Arras。
What did he do during this journey?
Of what was he thinking? As in the morning; he watched the trees; the thatched roofs; the tilled fields pass by; and the way in which the landscape; broken at every turn of the road; vanished; this is a sort of contemplation which sometimes suffices to the soul; and almost relieves it from thought。
What is more melancholy and more profound than to see a thousand objects for the first and the last time? To travel is to be born and to die at every instant; perhaps; in the vaguest region of his mind; be did make parisons between the shifting horizon and our human existence:
all the things of life are perpetually fleeing before us; the dark and bright intervals are intermingled; after a dazzling moment; an eclipse; we look; we hasten; we stretch out our hands to grasp what is passing; each event is a turn in the road; and; all at once; we are old; we feel a shock; all is black; we distinguish an obscure door; the gloomy horse of life; which has been drawing us halts; and we see a veiled and unknown person unharnessing amid the shadows。
Twilight was falling when the children who were ing out of school beheld this traveller enter Tinques; it is true that the days were still short; he did not halt at Tinques; as he emerged from the village; a laborer; who was mending the road with stones; raised his head and said to him:
〃That horse is very much fatigued。〃
The poor beast was; in fact; going at a walk。
〃Are you going to Arras?〃 added the road…mender。
〃Yes。〃
〃If you go on at that rate you will not arrive very early。〃
He stopped his horse; and asked the laborer:
〃How far is it from here to Arras?〃
〃Nearly seven good leagues。〃
〃How is that? the posting guide only says five leagues and a quarter。〃
〃Ah!〃 returned the road…mender; 〃so you don't know that the roa