News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-07-02
The R0BBER
By Guy de Maupassant

his chair and said:
Well, we had dined that evening
with Sorieul. Poor fellow! He is
now dead. There were only three
Of us-Sorieul, LIE Poittevin and
myself. Sorieul was the widest of
us all, and to say we had dined at
his house signifies we were all drunk.
lie Poittevin alone retained his
senses-a little cloudy, it is true;
still he knew what he was doing.
All, we were young in those days!
Lying on the carpet in little
room adjoining the atelier, we dis"
cussed in the most eXtravagant
manner all kinds Of improbable
things.
Sorieuly flat on his back, his feet:
perched on the back Of a chair,
talked about battles and the uni
forms worn during the empire. Sud-
denly getting up, he went to a large
wardrobe and took down a complete
suit of hussar uniform, dressed him
self in it, then tried to persuade LIE
Poittevin to costume himself as d
,grenadier. When he resisted, we
seized him, undressed him and fore
ed him into an immense uniform
which completely swallowed him
up.
1 disguised myself as a cuirassier,
and Sorieul made us execute some
very complicated maneuvers.
Then he exclaimed, GAS we are
now soldiers, we must drink like
soldiersp' --s-sas.ase.-'N
= A punch was lighted, swallowed.
Again and again the flames rose up
from the bowl of rum. We sang
the old songs which the troopers Of
the Grand Army sang in ancient
times.
Suddenly lie ~Poittevin, who in
spite of all this was still master Of
himself, made us a sign to be silent.
After listening moment he said III
low voice, Il am sure [ hear some
one walking in the atelier!"
Sorieul got up as well.a he could
and cried out: "a robber! What
luck!" and began to troll the OMAR
seillaise," "To arms! To arms, ye
bravew
We dashed to panoply Of arms
and equipped ourselves according to
our uniforms. | had a kind of mus
ket, with a saber, lie Poittevin a
gigantic gun with a bayonet; So
rieul, not finding what he wanted,
seized horse pistol, which he stuck
in his belt, and boarding ak, which
he wildly brandished. Then, eau
tiously opening the door Of the ate
lier, the army entered the suspected
territory.
When we were in the midst of
this vast room, incumbered with
easels, pictures and strange, uneX-
pected objects of furniture, Sorieul
called a halt and said: q constitute
myself general. Let us hold a coun-
Gil of war. You cuirassiers go and
cut off the retreat Of the enemy
that is, lock the door. You grena-
diers will be my escort"
I executed the commanded move
ment, then joined the troop that
formed the accommodating party.
1 was searching behind a great
screen, a lighted candle in my hand
when a furious noise burst forth. !
darted out to find LIE Poittevin had
stuck his bayonet into the breast Of
a lay figure, and Sorieul was trying
to cut off the head with his ak.
The mistake being recognized
the general commanded, "Be more
prudentp!' And again we com
menced operations.
For twenty minutes at least we
ransacked every corner and crevict
of the atelier without success. Al
last LIE Poittevin thought of open.
ing large closet. 1t was dark anC
deep. l thrust in my arm, holding
the light, but quickly recoiled. A
mana living, breathing man-waS
there, looking at mel
I Immediately shut the door and
secured it by two turns Of the key
Then we held a new council Of
war.
Opinions were very much divided
Sorieul wanted to smoke out The
robber, LIE Poittevin to take him by
famine. I proposed to blow him "
with powder.
The advice Of lie Poittevin pre-
vailed. While he mounted guarC
with his gigantic gun we ran oil tol
the remainder of the punch and oul
pipes, when we installed ourselve!
before the locked door and dranl
to the health Of the prisoner.
At the end Of half an hour So
rieul said: Gail the same, | would
like to see him nearer. Suppos'
we take him by force?" r
I cried, "Bravo~ Each on
FI.l1 MI a1ooo