f V l
d
Sh
lked acro ss a d es
to t he far- of f planta t o n o
er ted fi eld
a m o n e .
i
e wa
,
e
w h er the stub ble b ru i sed h e r t e n d e r ee , so e i c a
o
,
a
n
o
t el y s h
t
f
t
e
d l
re
r
d
d
h
thi n g own t o shre ds.
he
p p
d
d
e d
ill
d
s hat g e w thi
t
a
n
o
ck
n
alo n
m
g
t
o w
s a
r e
is
e a r e
w
r
gt h e
S h e
bank s of th e dee p , sl ug gis h b ayo u ; n s e
n
n
a
a
c
g
i
a
c
h
o
a
a d
t o m e b
i .
k
d d
So me we e k s late r the r e wa s a c u r io u s sc n e na c te d a t L'Ab ri. I n the centre
e
e
of t he sm oo th y s w ep t b a ck y a r d wa s a g r e a t b n fi r e. Arman d Aubig ny s at i
n
l
o
f
the w i d
ay t h a t c o m m a n d ed a v i e w o th e sp e c t acle; and it w as he
e h a ll w
wh o dealt out to a h al f doz en n gr o s t e
e
m at e ri a l w h i c h k e pt t h i s fi re
e
h
ab laze.
th a ll i s d a i n f urbish in
gs , w as laid up o
A g race fu l cr adle o f wi llow , w i
t
n
fe d tw i h th ey richn e s s o
f a pri ce ess la ­
the pyre , whi ch had al read y be n
e
t
k
y
l
d
e
t
an
8
d
sa
t
i
n
,
lv
one
s
added to the s
e tte. Th e n th e r e w e r e s il g o w n s a n ve
e :
ll
aces , t oo , a n d embr oid e ri e s; b on n e ts a n d g o
s
;
b e n
l
t
a
d
r
e c
h
r
o
l ve
ei
e
e
b
fo
h
of rare qua lity.
dl
The l a st t hing to go wa s a ti n y b un e o f J tt e rs; i nn oce n t littl e scrib blin s
g
d e s of t h i r espou sal. T
th at D esiree had s e nt o hi m d u
h e re wa s
t
e
r i ng th e ra oy
t he re mn ant of o ne back i n t he dr a w r f
m w hic h he too k th e m. But i t
e
wa s n o t Des ir e e ' s; it was pa rt o f a n o ld l t er fro m his mother to his fa th r .
e t
d
e
H e r ead i t . Sh e w a s tha nki ng Go for t h e b l s sin g o f h er hus band 's J o ve : e
d
d
a
y,
I
t h an k the g ood G od fo r ha1
u
te , " nigh t a n
" B t, a b ove all,"she w r o h
at
in g so ar r a n
m n d will nev e r kno w that h s
cl
A
r
r
g e d o u r liv e s t
o u r e a
a
i
a t s c u r s d w
m o t he r , w h o a d o r e s i m , e l o ng s t o t e ra c e
h
h
e
h
f
i
b
it ht h e b ra n d
s a v e r y .
o
"
t
l
18 9 3
T he
S
tory o
f
a
n H
o
u r 1
f fl i c t d
d
s
wi th a he a r t t oub e gre
Kn w n
.
at ca r e
o
e
i g t h a t M r s M a ll a r w a a
r
l ,
was t aken to b reak to h e r as ge n tl y a s po s b
f
e
n e w s o h e r u s a n d 's
s i l et h
b
h
d eath.
o ld h i n b oken sen ten
,
ce
s;
It w a s h e r siste r Jo seph in e w h o t
ve
iled h n ts
r
e r
i
tha t r e vea led i n ha lf co n c ea li n g . H r h us b an d's fr ien d Ric ha rd s w as t h e,
e
e r
h
too, nea r he r. I t was h e wh o h ad be e n in t e n w s p a pe o ffice w h en int i­
ll
e
r
e
i
gen c e o f t he railr oad disas t e r wa s r e c e v e d, w ith Bre n t ly M alla rd ' s na me
eadi ng the list of "ki lled . " H e ha d on ly ta ke n th e time to a s su re h im sel of
l
f e­
d
fo r
d
h a ste
its trut h by a s e con d telegr a m, a n d h a
a
n y e s s c a r
n e to
e s t ll a
h
J
d
ful, le ss t ender fr iend i n be a rin g t e s a m es s ag e.
e hea rd the s ame
She did not h ea r th e st o r y as
, wi t h a
a i ny w o m en hav
im
wep
t
at
onc
p
a
e
ral
,
yz
wit
ed
i
h
to
nabili
sud
a
c
c
ty
i
t
s
g
fi
c
e
an c e . Sh e
s n
pt
w kl
d n,
m
,
cl
r s'
m s . Whe n t h s tor m of gri ef had e nt
n
t
n
r
a
s
i a b a n o n
s
e
e
i h e
r
i t e
s pe
s h e w e n a w
it s e
r.
e r r o o m
t o
a o n e . h r e S e w y o rs e d ' h a v e n o o n e
ll
o w
h e
e
u
d itio
fo
n o
a
t
l
f
t ld
Pe
t
C o
8. Aseto f c l o t h es for a n ew bhor nd ch i l d (F re n c h .
pr
its
h
wit
S
Life
e
n
s
e
t t i t el . T hre e t e xm l i s e t e ak e n from
A
h
t
)
n
i
bli
fi
r
,
e
e
u
9
p
p
s
p l t Wo r k5
e
1
il
e
Tl
I . T h e s o r y w a s rst
s
e
h
of
ry
t Clwpiu (1969).
1h8 9 4, r V o r giu t ads i" T the
and
n H o SI.
u r , " Louis
a
O c a m ry o5,f a1895
K
t e n lfc p n e
n h c Janua
,
y arm ch a ir . ln to
o w , a c o m for t a bJ ,e r o om
op en wa ind
p hy
l
h u s i n tha t ha un te d her body
T here stood, fa cin g the
x
t o
a
sic a e
this she san k, presse d down by
l.
o
the tops of trees that
a nd se emed to r e ac h in to he r s o u
e h r hou s e
Sh e c ould see in th e o pen s qua re b e ff r . The d lici o u br a t h of ra in was
li
s
f
e e
e
w ere all a qu i ver with t he new spring e
war s. The notes o
ryi ng h i
s
e
r w a s c
e
J
d
ped
a
ow
n
t
be
eet
str
cou
i n the ai r. In th e
h d
J
he fai ntl y, and
gi ng r e a c e
r
a d istant son g wh ich som e o ne was sin
s spa rrows wer e twit ter i n g in the ea v e s.
a d t h e th r ugh the clouds
Je s
he e n
o
There wer e pa tches of bl ue sky s ho wi n g r the w e e r s t fac i ng he r w ind ow .
in
r
e
h
o
h
t
e
v
e
t
c hi n of t h e chai r , q u it
hat had met a nd piled one abo
t
u s
e
She sat with he r head t hro w n ba ck u p o n t he h o o t a d s h o o k her , a sa
h
t
n
i
a
r
o
r
n
a sob ca me up
t
e
b i
mot ionle ss, e xcept whe n
n it s dr eam s .
t
o n inu e s t o s o
e
c
e
l
s
l
to
se
t
i
d
f
ie
cr
p
has
who
e r e p r essi o n and
b es
ch ild
k
o
s
po
S h ewas yo u n g, with a fai r, cal m fac e, w h s e lin e
e r
e
es
e y , whos
e
a du ll st a
r e inf h
blu e sk y It wa s
h
eve n a c ertai n stre ngth. Bu t n ow th er wa s
a
.
o
notze awas
g fix ed away off y ondu er on o n ei odf it ho s ed p t c us p e s n sio n o f i ntelli g e n
ga
t
a s
, b t r a
r
a
e
e
c
r
t
o
i
f
e
t
n
n
t h e
c
a c e o
n
e A
J
e rfu ll
hough t.
t
y .
t
e w as w aitin g fo r i , f a
t o he r a n d sh btl
g
in
com
ing
eth
som
e
s
d
lu s i ve
t o n am e. Bu t
e
s
T her wa
n e
o
da
\\'h at w as it? She did not k now; it w a s t o u
h t h rou g h th e so unds ,
hi
e
r
n
,
r
a
sky
w
a
the
e r
f
o
c
g to
s he felt it , cre epi ng o u t
e
ai
h
t
d
.
e
r
Sh e
as be g i nn in g o reco g the sc ent s, the c olor t h a t fill
t
u
w
e w as st ri v in g
No w h e r b osom ros e and fell tumult o us l y .
o
t
o po s s e ss he r, a nd sh
t
n
hi
proac
p
as
w
a
that
g
le
d e r han ds wo u d
hi
ni z e this thing
h
rl
s
w
n
o
a
e
w
l
s s s
t e
r t
e
be at it ba c k w i t h h e r w i ll- a s p o we
hav e b een.
e c p e d h er sl ightl
s p r d w o rd"fr se ae, fre e, fre ! "T y
W hen she aban do ned h e rs eJfa l i tt le whi e e
e
h e
r b a th
t fro m h er eye
part ed Jip s. Sh e sai d it o ve r and o ve r u n d e rh efo llr e d : i t
s .
w e n
o
we
d t h cou rsi ng bloo
vac ant sta re an d th e lo ok o f ter ror that had fa
,
d
e
s t an
br ight . H er p u l ses b e a t
Th e y stay ed k een a nd
mo st u s j o y th at he
war med and rela xed eve r y inch of he r bod y.
ld
r e h n o t a di n i r t oh e su ggesti on a s
herS .he di d no td s t op ltt o ask ifc it wi er e o r bwe d
p r
cl a
s
t
p
a
s
m
s
n
o
x
t
e
o
r
d
e
e
Je
n
e
e r a n e a e
A
triv ial.
d te nder han
d s
she s a w t he kin ,
S he knew that she wouJ d we ep aga in w h e n
h
e
u p on h er, fix e d
o
l
i
w
d
k
loo
e
v
v
a
e
s e
e
t
tha tha d n v r
g
cess
f olded in deat h; the face
o m en ta lo n pro
io n
d t ha t bi tte r m
n
eyo
b
saw
e
.
sh
But
d
ea
d
and
y
A d he open ed a n
l
t
b
l
h
t
ra
g
and
u
y
d
a s o
.
o
r
s
n
e
e
of y ears to co me th a t wo u ld belong
.
e
m
co
wel
in
sprea d her arms o ut t o t hem
ye ars ; she wou l d
mi
t ho s e c o i n g
ur i ng
l
T here wo uld b e n o o n e to l ive for her d
in t hatbl n
e
d
h
b
u ld be no p owe r fu wil lt he n y h n g a rr is gh t to imp i d
live for hersel f. T h e re wo
o se
e
a v e
b e li e v e
i
el i n tent
persis tenc e with wh i ch men an d w o m en
u
cr
a
io n
in t e n t o n o r
i n d ed
a priv ate will u po n a fe llow- cr e a t u re . A k
t ha t b r i ef mo m n t
i
t
i
k
n
l
n
u p o
e
o o
s
made th eaet s e e m n o l e s s a c r i m e a s h e
of i llumina tion.
f
. O t e n s h e had n o t. W h at di d i t
fo r i n f ac e of this s ­
A nd yet she h ad lo ve d h im-so me ti mest
p o
v
m ys e l ry, c o u n t i d
ma tter! Wha t coul d l ove, the uns o l ed
as the s tro ng s
re
z
dd
o
c
e
t
g
u
n
n w h ic h s h e s
e
n
y
e
sess ion of sel f-as s er t i o
imp ulse of her be i n s g!
w hi p e n
" r e!
r i g .
s
o d y a n d o u l fr e e! " s h e k e p i
F e
B
Jo se p h n e was kne el n
g be f o re he cl o se d
i
d o or wi t h her l ps t
t
o the y­
i
h ole , imp l or ing for a dmi i i
ss o n . "Lo u s e , op e n h
k e
t e d oor ! I b e g ; ope n th e doo r ­
y ou will ma ke y o u rs elf il l. W ha t ai
do
L
i
,
u
a ke
r e yo
?
o
n g
o r
u i s e
e a v e n 's s
op en t he d o o r. "
F
h
" Go aw a y. I am not maki g m
h
lf iJ I. " N
d r n ki
ir
y s e
n
ve r
li x
i
o ; s e w a s
y e
of l ife thro u g h t hat op en w i d o
n g i n a
.w
n
H er fan cy w a s runni n
g ri ot alo g tho s e da
y s a h e ad of her. Spr
n y t h
i ng da s,
a nd s u m mer da ys, a n d all so rt o f d
w u ld
y
o
a s
s
be he r ow n. Sh e br eath e d
a t
a qui ck p ra yer that l i fe m i ght b Io
l
d
h
I
t
o
n
.
w
e
a s
n g
y y e s t e r a y s h e
a d t o u g ht
w th a shudd er th at li f e m i g ht
h
i
be lon g.
d t h ed
S h earo se at le n g t h a nd p e
o r t o h er
o
n e
o
sist er' s im por t u n ities. Th r e
w a s a feveri sh trium ph in h e r e
d
e
y es , n
s he ca rri e d h ers el f unwit tin gly li e
a go d de ss of Victor .
a
y S h e cla s p d h r s i e
k
st r 's w a ist , and tog
e
e
et h e r
descend ed t he st a i r s . Ric h ar ds s t o d w
i
t h e i
o
a it n g f o r them a t th e bot to m.
wi t h
Some o ne w as op eni ng t h e fro t d
o r
n
o
a la t chk ey. It w a s Brently M ­
la rd w ho entere d, a litt le t
d
l
a l
e
, c om p o s ed y c a rr yin g
ra ve l- s t a in
his gr ip- sa k
and um brel l a. He h ad be en f ar fr
t he
c
e
mo
o
s c n e f a c c id ent , a nd did not ev n
kno w the re ha d bee n o n e. H st d m a z e d
e
e
o o
a
a t Jo s ep hfi nh e's pi e r c i ng
h
Richard s ' qui ck motio n to s c r e n hi m
fr m
c r y ; a t
i w i fe .
o
t e v ie
e
wo
s
B ut Richar d s w as t oo lat .
e
Whe n th e doct o r s cam e the
s id h e h d d d fh
y
o
e a r
s
a
a
o f j oi
i e
t
i s e a se
th at k il l s .
d
189
4
189 5
Th e Sto r m
A Se que l to
" Th
e
'Ca
di
a
n Ba ll "
1
T h e leave s wer e s o sti ll tha t ve n Bib i h o u h t i t
e
w a s go
g
t
i ng to r ain . Bo bino ,
s f
wh o wa s acc u stome d t o c o ve r s e
t
o n te r m
o
r
e
n
p
ality with his littl
f
ec
t
equ
son , c alle d th e chil d s attention to
t i
e
n
'
c e r a
s o mb r e cl ou d s tha t were rollin
wit h si niste r i nt e ntion o m
s
fr
th e we
g
, a c oc mp a ni ed b y a s
u l le n, thr ea t e ni n
t
roa r
The y wer e a t Friedh i
.
ge
e me r ' s sto r e n d d e cid e d to r ema
i n the re t il! t h
sto r m ha d p assed . The y s a t w ithi t h da
wo
o o r o n
n
e m p t k e g .
i
e
w a fo u r
t
y
s B b i
y e a r s old and l ook ed v e r y w i s .
s
e
"Mama' ll be 'fraid , y es " h s ugg
l
d
,
s
e
e t e
w it h b i nking ey e s.
l
h
h l i
"She' ll shut the h ou se . Maybe s he g
'"
o t Sy v i e
e
s e ve n i n ,
e r t
p n '
Bobino t re spo nded rea s sur i ngly
h i
.
"No ; she e n got ylv i . S lv ie
h elpi
h
t
e
n ' e r
S
w a s
y
y is ti d a y, " p iped B ibi .
Bo bino ta rose and go i ng
r
th
u n e r p urc h as ed
ac o s s to
e c o
t
acan of shrirnps,
of which Ca lixta was
v ery fon d. T h
n he r e t u r n e d t o
e
his p erc h o n t he keg
a nd sat stolidly hold ing t h c n f h i mp
h il
b
e t e s o r m
s w
o s r
e
u r s t. It s h o k
a
t
h
o
I . Chop i n 's noteboo k
h
s sh ow t a i t his sto r y
was
8
w ritte n
u
on J ly 18,
she had su bm itt e d li18 9 , ju s t six m o nth s after
T
e
A
w a lwn i ng to a publi she r.
As ils s u btitle
ate
n dic
i nt e nd d as a
scq uel to her t a ile
" At ths c, i' tCwas
u d ia n Ba l l " e(1 8 9 2 ) .
" wa s appa r entl y nev er sub mit ted for
" Th eStorm
pu bl ic atio n an d did not se e print u nt l the pu bl ­i
i
catio n of P er Seye rs ted ' s edi t ion o f T /1e Co m­
plet e W orks of K ate C , o n
l p i i n 1 9 69 , t h e b a s i s fo r
r
e
l h t e x t p i n t e d h e r e.
t
ib i
s a t fi e
.
the woode n stor e a nd seemed to be rippi ng f urro ws in h e
d i t n
ld B
is
o
w a s
is
r s
.
e
e
e
o
n
a
t
' k n e
a fr a i d
n h
l ai d h
n
a n d
d
fa t h
li tt l h
l i
t a s i d
t
in ­
at hom e, f ell n o u n e as n ess for t he ir s a f e y . She s a
e w
i
a
t
l
as
w
he
S
e
n
achi
m
g
in
w
se
a
on
.
g r e at y o c c u p i ed a n
dow sew i ng fu ri ously
d f e dn
a
she felt v e ry w a m
did n ot notic e th e ap pro aching s to rm . Bu t
o t
n
r
. S
d
b
n
i
d
e
n ga th r
h e
e
e a
st opped to mop he r fac e o n w hic h the p ers pirat i o
s
d
­
a
k
d
o
g
to
n
a
a r , n
un fast ened her white sac que 2 at the th r oat. I t beg
r w
s u
d
l
a
io
i
r i
o
de n y r ealizin g
s h e go t u
e
d w e n t a bo u t cl si n g w i n ­
e d yl a n
p h ur
t h s t u t n
dow s a nd d oors.
o t 's
S n da y cl o the s o
Ou t on the smal l fro nt gallery she h ad hung Bo bin
u
t
l
o re th e r a in
bef
hem
t
r
e
ath
g
to
out
ed
hasten
dry a nd she
fe l. A s sh e s te p p e d
ha d not s een hi m r y o ft
out side , Alcee La balli ere rod e in at the gate. S he
v e
e n
i
her e wit h o i ot
t
d
o
s nce he r ma rriag e, a nd n ev er a l one. S he sto
' s c o at n
B bn
i
A lcee r ode his h o r
nd e
h er hand s, an d t h e hig rain d rops b egan to fa!!.
s eu
r
th
a
k
dl
a
h
i
ch
the
ere
e d n d
e r e
the shelt er of a side pr ojecti on wh
c e n s
d h u
d
we re pl ows and a har ro w piled up in th e c orne r.
Calixta,
"M a
as ked.
o
y I c m
e a n d
w a i to n
y o u r g a e r y t ill
ll
t
he
s to r m
i
s o
ve r ,
C
a li x t a ? "
h
e
" Come ' long in, M'sie ur Alcee. "
a t r a n ce, an d s h e s i z e
His v oice a nd he r own start ed h er as if f r om
e
l
d
g
ch
por
he
t
to
ting
r a bb ed th e t ro u s er s a n
,
Bobino t's ves t. A lcee, moun
d
d
u
s
a
b y
­
be car ri ed w a
sn at c he d Bi bi ' s brai ded jacket tha t was ab o ut to
a
y
u t id , bu t i w a
o r e ma in o
tion
inten
an
d
sse
re
xp
e
He
wind.
of
gust
den
s
e
t
t a s
n o u t in the o pe : th e
r
soo n appare nt t hat he mi ght as w e ll h ave bee
n
w
t e
e we n t i side , clo i g th e
bea t in u pon th e bo ards i n driving shee ts, a n d h
n
s
n
s
e
doo r af ter him. I t w a s e v e
u s o
e t i n g e n a h t h e do o r t
n n c e s ar y t o p
m
e
t
t
b
h
o
keep t he wa te r out .
i
l
c
"
t
n ' lik e tha
a
, e x
" My ! what a rain ! lt ' s good tw o year s se n c e it rai
m e d
e
e
Cal ixta as she roll e
g
ei c e o
e
p
gi n
e
e
ru s t
a
A
t
p
a
it
d u pa
n
d lc
d h r o t h
f b
g
h l
bene ath t he crac k.
e o
w he n s h
She was a litt le fuller of figu re than fi v e y ea rs b f re
m a rr ie d
e
;
h
d
l ue
t in
e s s ti l l
b
Her
ity
c
va
i
v
t e r
her
of
e
.
e y
but sh e had lo st n othi ng
r ea
i
le d by h
ve
he
is
d
ir
a
h
w
o
ll
ye
her
and
r
;
,
melt ing quality
a n d a n , i nk e
t ew i n
k
i
d
d
p e s.
more stub bornl y tha n eve r abo ut her ea rs an d tem
l
d
e
fo
The rai n b eat up o n the lo w, shin gled r oo f w i th a
r c
a n da t t e r t ha t
re
he
we r e in
t h r ea t ened to bre ak an entr ance an d delu g e t h em the . The y
t
h
s
a
w
o
ng
i
i
i
Adjo
ro
ty
li
t
u
al
ner
e r
din ing room- the s itt i ng ro om-t he ge
m .
n
d
t o d
n Th do
o p e n , a n
o
be d room, wit h B ibi's co uch along sid e her ow .
o r s
e
m o n
the room with i s w
um e n t a l b e d , i t s cl o se d s h u t t e rs , l o ok e d <l i m
t
h i te ,
nd
my
sterious.
a
ne rv u s l y
o
Al cee A u n g hi msel f i nto a ro cker an d Calix ta
be g a n to ga t he
p
i ch s he a d b e n s e w i n g r .
wh
eet
h
or t he len gths o f a cotton s
flo
he
om
fr
e
u
t
i
o s a ' h!
"If thi s keeps up, D ieu sa t if t he l eve e s3 g o i n
e
e
h
t
t n i t" s
'
x cl a i med .
e es ?"
"Wha t have y ou go t to do w it h the lev
e
" I got e noug h to do! An' the r e 's B o b i n o t w i t h B i b i o u t i n t h a t s t o r m
if h
i
e
e
r
'
'
m
o n l y d d n l e ft F r ie d
"
s
h i
!
2. Lo o s - fi tt i g d e s .
r
Bu ill-e u e a n r 1 he n s ba l.. de s i gn e o k e ep t h e
d t
p
n s
river from flooding 1he surrounding Jand. "Die u
sa it " : G o d k n o "s ( F r e n c h ) .