As Monsieur Morissot, watchmaker through profession and loafer for the nonce, turned into on foot along the side roadone vivid January morning, his hands in his trousers pockets and belly empty, he suddenly came head to head with an acquaintance – Monsieur Sauvage, a fishing chum.
earlier than the warfare broke out Morissot were inside the habit, every Sunday morning, of putting forth with a bamboo rod in his hand and a tin field on his returned. He took the Argenteuil train, were given out at Colombes, and walked thence to the Ile Marante. the moment he arrived at this place of his desires he commenced fishing, and fished till dusk.
every Sunday he met in this very spot Monsieur Sauvage, a stout, jolly, little man, a draper within the Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, and additionally an ardent fisherman. They often spent half of the day side by means of facet, rod in hand and feet dangling over the water, and a warm friendship had sprung up between the 2.
some days they did no longer talk; at different instances they chatted; but they understood each other flawlessly withoutthe resource of phrases, having comparable tastes and feelings.
in the spring, about ten o’clock in the morning, whilst the early sun brought on a mild mist to waft on the water and gentlywarmed the backs of the two enthusiastic anglers, Morissot might occasionally remark to his neighbor:
“My, but it’s first-rate here.”
To which the other could respond:
“i'm able to’t consider whatever better!”
And these few words sufficed to cause them to understand and admire every other.
within the autumn, toward the near of day, while the setting sun shed a blood-crimson glow over the western sky, and the mirrored image of the crimson clouds tinged the entire river with pink, introduced a glow to the faces of the 2 friends, and gilded the trees, whose leaves have been already turning at the first kick back contact of winter, Monsieur Sauvage wouldsometimes smile at Morissot, and say:
“What a glorious spectacle!”
And Morissot might solution, without taking his eyes from his flow:
“that is a great deal higher than the side road, isn’t it?”
As quickly as they diagnosed every different they shook palms cordially, affected at the thought of assembly below such modified situations.
Monsieur Sauvage, with a sigh, murmured:
“these are unhappy instances!”
Morissot shook his head mournfully.
“And such climate! this is the primary satisfactory day of the yr.”
The sky turned into, in fact, of a brilliant, cloudless blue.
They walked along, facet by using aspect, reflective and sad.
“And to think about the fishing!” said Morissot. “What exact times we used to have!”
“while we could be capable of fish again?” requested Monsieur Sauvage.
They entered a small cafe and took an absinthe together, then resumed their stroll along the pavement.
Morissot stopped abruptly.
“Shall we have another absinthe?” he said.
“If you want,” agreed Monsieur Sauvage.
and that they entered any other wine save.
They had been quite unsteady after they got here out, due to the effect of the alcohol on their empty stomachs. It was a satisfactory, moderate day, and a gentle breeze fanned their faces.
The fresh air finished the impact of the alcohol on Monsieur Sauvage. He stopped abruptly, announcing:
“think we go there?”
“where?”
“Fishing.”
“but wherein?”
“Why, to the old vicinity. The French outposts are near Colombes. I recognize Colonel Dumoulin, and we shall effortlesslyget go away to skip.”
Morissot trembled with desire.
“very well. I agree.”
and they separated, to fetch their rods and contours.
An hour later they were on foot aspect through aspect on the-highroad. presently they reached the villa occupied with the aid of the colonel. He smiled at their request, and granted it. They resumed their walk, provided with a password.
soon they left the outposts behind them, made their manner via abandoned Colombes, and found themselves on theoutskirts of the small vineyards which border the Seine. It changed into approximately eleven o’clock.
earlier than them lay the village of Argenteuil, reputedly useless. The heights of Orgement and Sannois dominated the panorama. The first-rate plain, extending as some distance as Nanterre, become empty, quite empty-a waste of dun-coloured soil and bare cherry trees.
Monsieur Sauvage, pointing to the heights, murmured:
“The Prussians are up yonder!”
And the sight of the abandoned usa crammed the two pals with indistinct misgivings.
The Prussians! they'd never visible them as yet, but that they had felt their presence in the neighborhood of Paris for months past – ruining France, pillaging, massacring, starving them. And a kind of superstitious terror mingled with the hatred they already felt in the direction of this unknown, triumphant country.
“suppose we had been to fulfill any of them?” said Morissot.
“We’d offer them a few fish,” answered Monsieur Sauvage, with that Parisian mild-heartedness which nothing can fullyquench.
nevertheless, they hesitated to show themselves in the open u . s ., overawed via the utter silence which reigned aroundthem.
At ultimate Monsieur Sauvage said boldly:
“Come, we’ll make a start; only let us be careful!”
and they made their way through one of the vineyards, bent double, creeping alongside below the cover afforded via the vines, with eye and ear alert.
A strip of bare ground remained to be crossed earlier than they might advantage the river financial institution. They ran across this, and, as soon as they have been at the water’s side, hid themselves some of the dry reeds.
Morissot located his ear to the ground, to examine, if feasible, whether footsteps have been coming their manner. He heard not anything. They seemed to be entirely alone.
Their self assurance was restored, and that they started out to fish.
earlier than them the deserted Ile Marante concealed them from the farther shore. The little eating place was closed, and looked as though it had been deserted for years.
Monsieur Sauvage stuck the first gudgeon, Monsieur Morissot the second one, and almost every second one or otherraised his line with a little, glittering, silvery fish wriggling at the give up; they had been having brilliant game.
They slipped their capture gently into a near-meshed bag lying at their toes; they had been full of pleasure—the pleasureof yet again indulging in a activity of which that they had lengthy been deprived.
The sun poured its rays on their backs; they now not heard some thing or concept of whatever. They ignored the rest of the arena; they have been fishing.
however unexpectedly a rumbling sound, which seemed to return from the bowels of the earth, shook the ground underthem: the cannon were resuming their thunder.
Morissot grew to become his head and will see closer to the left, past the banks of the river, the bold outline of Mont-Valerien, from whose summit arose a white puff of smoke.
the following instant a 2nd puff accompanied the primary, and in a few moments a sparkling detonation made the earth tremble.
Others accompanied, and minute by means of minute the mountain gave forth its deadly breath and a white puff of smoke, which rose slowly into the non violent heaven and floated above the summit of the cliff.
Monsieur Sauvage shrugged his shoulders.
“they're at it again!” he said.
Morissot, who became anxiously looking his go with the flow bobbing up and down, turned into abruptly seized with the irritated impatience of a peaceful man in the direction of the madmen who were firing therefore, and remarked indignantly:
“What fools they're to kill each other like that!”
“They’re worse than animals,” responded Monsieur Sauvage.
And Morissot, who had simply caught a bleak, declared:
“And to suppose that it'll be just the same as long as there are governments!”
“The Republic could no longer have declared conflict,” interposed Monsieur Sauvage.
Morissot interrupted him:
“under a king we've foreign wars; below a republic we've civil warfare.”
And the 2 started out placidly discussing political issues with the sound common feel of non violent, remember-of-factresidents – agreeing on one point: that they might never be unfastened. And Mont-Valerien thundered frequently, demolishing the houses of the French with its cannon balls, grinding lives of men to powder, destroying many a dream, many a loved hope, many a prospective happiness; ruthlessly inflicting infinite woe and suffering within the hearts of wives, of daughters, of mothers, in other lands.
“Such is life!” declared Monsieur Sauvage.
“Say, instead, such is loss of life!” responded Morissot, giggling.
however they all at once trembled with alarm on the sound of footsteps behind them, and, turning round, they perceived close to hand 4 tall, bearded guys, dressed after the way of livery servants and sporting flat caps on their heads. They had been overlaying the 2 anglers with their rifles.
The rods slipped from their proprietors’ draw close and floated away down the river.
within the area of a few seconds they had been seized, bound, thrown into a boat, and brought throughout to the Ile Marante.
And behind the house they'd idea abandoned have been approximately a rating of German soldiers.
A shaggy-looking giant, who turned into bestriding a chair and smoking a long clay pipe, addressed them in amazingFrench with the words:
“well, gents, have you ever had top luck together with your fishing?”
Then a soldier deposited at the officer’s ft the bag full of fish, which he had taken care to convey away. The Prussian smiled.
“now not bad, I see. but we have some thing else to speak about. pay attention to me, and don’t be alarmed:
“You need to recognize that, in my eyes, you're two spies sent to reconnoitre me and my movements. evidently, I seizeyou and that i shoot you. You pretended to be fishing, the higher to hide your real errand. you've got fallen into my fingers, and ought to take the consequences. Such is war.
“however as you came here via the outposts you need to have a password to your go back. inform me that password and i'm able to assist you to move.”
the 2 buddies, pale as demise, stood silently side by using aspect, a mild fluttering of the fingers alone betraying their emotion.
“no one will ever recognise,” continued the officer. “you'll return peacefully to your homes, and the name of the game will disappear with you. in case you refuse, it way demise-instant loss of life. select!”
They stood motionless, and did no longer open their lips.
The Prussian, flawlessly calm, went on, with hand outstretched in the direction of the river:
“simply suppose that in 5 minutes you will be at the lowest of that water. In five minutes! you've got relations, I presume?”
Mont-Valerien nonetheless thundered.
the two fishermen remained silent. The German grew to become and gave an order in his personal language. Then he moved his chair a touch manner off, that he might not be so close to the prisoners, and a dozen guys stepped forward, rifle in hand, and took up a role, twenty paces off.
“I come up with one minute,” stated the officer; “now not a second longer.”
Then he rose quick, went over to the 2 Frenchmen, took Morissot via the arm, led him a quick distance off, and stated in a low voice:
“brief! the password! Your pal will recognize not anything. i'm able to faux to relent.”
Morissot answered no longer a word.
Then the Prussian took Monsieur Sauvage aside in like manner, and made him the equal suggestion.
Monsieur Sauvage made no respond.
again they stood side by using facet.
The officer issued his orders; the squaddies raised their rifles.
Then by using threat Morissot’s eyes fell at the bag full of gudgeon mendacity within the grass some toes from him.
A ray of daylight made the nonetheless quivering fish glisten like silver. And Morissot’s heart sank. despite his efforts at 2e6e3562d9dbc29d194484e1328ef239 his eyes full of tears.
“excellent-by means of, Monsieur Sauvage,” he faltered.
“suitable-by means of, Monsieur Morissot,” replied Sauvage.
They shook arms, trembling from head to foot with a dread beyond their mastery.
The officer cried:
“fire!”
The twelve pictures had been as one.
Monsieur Sauvage fell ahead immediately. Morissot, being the taller, swayed slightly and fell throughout his buddy with face turned skyward and blood oozing from a lease in the breast of his coat.
The German issued sparkling orders.
His guys dispersed, and presently again with ropes and massive stones, which they attached to the feet of the twobuddies; then they carried them to the river financial institution.
Mont-Valerien, its summit now enshrouded in smoke, still persevered to thunder.
two squaddies took Morissot by using the top and the feet; others did the equal with Sauvage. The our bodies, swung lustily by way of strong fingers, were cast to a distance, and, describing a curve, fell toes main into the stream.
The water splashed high, foamed, eddied, then grew calm; tiny waves lapped the shore.
a few streaks of blood flecked the surface of the river.
The officer, calm in the course of, remarked, with grim humor:
“It’s the fishes’ flip now!”
Then he retraced his manner to the house.
all at once he caught sight of the internet complete of gudgeons, mendacity forgotten in the grass. He picked it up, examined it, smiled, and known as:
“Wilhelm!”
A white-aproned soldier responded to the summons, and the Prussian, tossing him the trap of the 2 murdered men, stated:
“Have these fish fried for me at once, whilst they may be nevertheless alive; they’ll make a delectable dish.”
Then he resumed his pipe.
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