The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume 3Maupassant, Guy de
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The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume 3
Maupassant, Guy de
French fiction -- Translations into English; Short stories, French -- Translations into English
Mademoiselle Dufour was trying to swing herself standing up, but she
could not succeed in getting a start. She was a pretty girl of about
eighteen; one of those women who suddenly excite your desire when you
meet them in the street, and who leave you with a vague feeling of
uneasiness, and of excited senses. She was tall, had a small waist and
large hips, with a dark skin, very large eyes, and very black hair. Her
dress clearly marked the outlines of her firm, full figure, which was
accentuated by the motion of her hips as she tried to swing herself
higher. Her arms were stretched over her head to hold the rope, so that
her bosom rose at every movement she made. Her hat, which a gust of wind
had blown off, was hanging behind her, and as the swing gradually rose
higher and higher, she showed her delicate limbs up to the knees each
time, and the wind from the petticoats, which was more heady than the
fumes of wine, blew into the faces of the two men, who were looking at
her and smiling.
Sitting in the other swing, Madame Dufour kept saying in a monotonous
voice:
"Cyprian, come and swing me; do come and swing me, Cyprian!"
At last he went, and turning up his shirt sleeves as if he intended to
work very hard, he, with much difficulty set his wife in motion. She
clutched the two ropes, and held her legs out straight, so as not to
touch the ground. She enjoyed feeling giddy at the motion of the swing,
and her whole figure shook like a jelly on a dish, but as she went
higher and higher, she grew too giddy and got frightened. Every time she
was coming back she uttered a piercing scream which made all the little
urchins come round, and, down below, beneath the garden hedge, she
vaguely saw a row of mischievous heads, who made various grimaces as
they laughed.
When a servant girl came out, they ordered lunch.
"Some fried fish, a stewed rabbit, salad, and dessert," Madame Dufour
said, with an important air.
"Bring two quarts of beer and a bottle of claret," her husband said.
"We will have lunch on the grass," the girl added.
The grandmother, who had an affection for cats, had been running after
one that belonged to the house, and had been bestowing the most
affectionate words on it, for the last ten minutes. The animal, which
was no doubt secretly flattered by her attentions, kept close to the
good woman, but just out of reach of her hand, and quietly walked round
the trees, against which she rubbed herself, with her tail up, and
purring with pleasure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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