"
"What! you do not know?"
"Yes, sir, I swear it. You see my ignorance comes from what happened
afterwards."
"What happened, then?"
The sailor hesitated.
"That, sir, concerns only myself, and--"
"My friend," interrupted the magistrate, "you are an honest man, I
believe; in fact, I am sure of it. But once in your life, influenced by
a wicked woman, you did wrong, you became an accomplice in a very guilty
action. Repair that error by speaking truly now. All that is said here,
and which is not directly connected with the crime, will remain secret;
even I will forget it immediately. Fear nothing, therefore; and, if you
experience some humiliation, think that it is your punishment for the
past."
"Alas, sir," answered the sailor, "I have been already greatly punished;
and it is a long time since my troubles began. Money, wickedly acquired,
brings no good. On arriving home, I bought the wretched meadow for much
more than it was worth; and the day I walked over it, feeling that is
was actually mine, closed my happiness. Claudine was a coquette; but she
had a great many other vices. When she realised how much money we had
these vices showed themselves, just like a fire, smouldering at the
bottom of the hold, bursts forth when you open the hatches.
Pages:
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521