United States or Poland ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Monsieur Sauvage caught the first gudgeon, Monsieur Morissot the second, and almost every moment one or other raised his line with a little, glittering, silvery fish wriggling at the end; they were having excellent sport.
"Say, rather, such is death!" replied Morissot, laughing. But they suddenly trembled with alarm at the sound of footsteps behind them, and, turning round, they perceived close at hand four tall, bearded men, dressed after the manner of livery servants and wearing flat caps on their heads. They were covering the two anglers with their rifles.
Morissot stopped suddenly. "Shall we have another absinthe?" he said. "If you like," agreed Monsieur Sauvage. And they entered another wine shop. They were quite unsteady when they came out, owing to the effect of the alcohol on their empty stomachs. It was a fine, mild day, and a gentle breeze fanned their faces. The fresh air completed the effect of the alcohol on Monsieur Sauvage.
This is the first fine day of the year." The sky was, in fact, of a bright, cloudless blue. They walked along, side by side, reflective and sad. "And to think of the fishing!" said Morissot. "What good times we used to have!" "When shall we be able to fish again?" asked Monsieur Sauvage. They entered a small cafe and took an absinthe together, then resumed their walk along the pavement.
In the spring, about ten o'clock in the morning, when the early sun caused a light mist to float on the water and gently warmed the backs of the two enthusiastic anglers, Morissot would occasionally remark to his neighbor: "My, but it's pleasant here." To which the other would reply: "I can't imagine anything better!" And these few words sufficed to make them understand and appreciate each other.
Mont-Valerien, its summit now enshrouded in smoke, still continued to thunder. Two soldiers took Morissot by the head and the feet; two others did the same with Sauvage. The bodies, swung lustily by strong hands, were cast to a distance, and, describing a curve, fell feet foremost into the stream. The water splashed high, foamed, eddied, then grew calm; tiny waves lapped the shore.
"Say, rather, such is death!" replied Morissot, laughing. But they suddenly trembled with alarm at the sound of footsteps behind them, and, turning round, they perceived close at hand four tall, bearded men, dressed after the manner of livery servants and wearing flat caps on their heads. They were covering the two anglers with their rifles.
But suddenly a rumbling sound, which seemed to come from the bowels of the earth, shook the ground beneath them: the cannon were resuming their thunder. Morissot turned his head and could see toward the left, beyond the banks of the river, the formidable outline of Mont-Valerien, from whose summit arose a white puff of smoke.
Morissot, who was anxiously watching his float bobbing up and down, was suddenly seized with the angry impatience of a peaceful man toward the madmen who were firing thus, and remarked indignantly: "What fools they are to kill one another like that!" "They're worse than animals," replied Monsieur Sauvage.
In the autumn, toward the close of day, when the setting sun shed a blood-red glow over the western sky, and the reflection of the crimson clouds tinged the whole river with red, brought a glow to the faces of the two friends, and gilded the trees, whose leaves were already turning at the first chill touch of winter, Monsieur Sauvage would sometimes smile at Morissot, and say: "What a glorious spectacle!"
Word Of The Day