Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-07
A WILLING PRISONER.
BY GUY DE MAUPAssANT.

ficuIty, always suffering atToclously from
his feet, which were fat and very fat.
Then, his disposition was not belligerent,
but on the contrary amiable and indo-
lent, and the father of four children
whom he adored. and married to pretty
blonde, he continually regretted the loss
of their little attentions and caresses.
He liked to rise late and go early to bed,
to eat good things slowly and to drink
beer. Besides, he intensely objected to
being killed, and hated the sight of such
dangerous things as cannons, guns, re-
volvers and bayonets.
At night when wrapped in his cloak he
lay beside his snoring comrades upon the
ground he thought of his family and of
the dangers besetting his way. If he
were shot what would become of the
children? And sometimes Walter
Schnapps wept. In battle his legs felt
so weak that he would have let himself
fall had he not reflected that he might
be trampled under foot by the army.
The whistling of balls made his hair
stand on end. For months had ne thus
lived in terror and anguish.
His division advanced toward Nor
mandy, and he was one day seIt with a
small detachment to reconnoitre. All
seemed quiet in the country; nothing in
Dictated O planned resistance. The Prus.
slams were calmly marching into a little
valley, when lively firing, laying low
twenty of their number, made them stop
Short and body of sharpshooters. sud
denly emerging from a small wood,
charged forward.
Walter Schnapps for an instant was
paralyzed by surprise, and next was
seized by wild desire 70 escape. But
he reflected that in comparison with the
gait of those thin Frenchmen who came
bounding along like deer he could run
only at snail's pace. However, he for
tunately discovered within six steps
large ditch. overgrown by brushwood,
covered with dead leaves; and, feet first,
without considering what might be its
depth, he jumped into it. Like an arrow
he shot through a dense mass of vines
and brambles, which tore his face and
hands, and heavily landed upon bed of
stones.
Raising his eyes, he saw the sky
through the hole he had made. That
hole might betray him, SC beneath the
roof of entwined branches he crawled to
the end of the gully. Then he seated
himself, and for some time listening to
the firing, cries and means. Gradually
the sounds grew fainter, then ceased, and
all was still. Presently he gave violent
start. A little bird, having lit upon
branch, had dislodged some withered
leaves. For more than an hour after
ward Walter Schnapps' heart thumped.
Evening came, filing the ravine with
shade. the soldier began to think over
plans. Reioin his army? But how-and
where? Then, if he succeeded, he must
| continue to lead the horrible life of
agony, terror and fatigue which he had
| endured ever since the war began. No;
he had not the courage. He could no
longer endure those awful marches and
confront those hourly dangers.
| But what was to be done? 1t was inn
| possible for him to remain in the ditch
until hostilities should end. If it had
not been necessary to eat the prospect
would not have greatly distressed him;
| but he must eat, eat every day.
| And he was alone, armed, in uniform,
and ON the enemy's territory, far from
those who could defend him. He shud-
dered. Suddenly he thought, "If l were
only prisoner" And violently, immod-
erately, he yearned to be taken prisoner
by the French. Prisoneri lie would be
lodged, fed, protected. In a safe prison
he need fear neither bullets nor swords
Prisoner. What dreami
II will be a prisoner" he at once re-
solved
He rose, determined without an in
stant's delay to execute his project. But
horrid doubts and new terrors assaulted
him. Where and how could he be taken
prisoner? He would expose himself to
awful dangers by ventming out alone.
Suppose he met peasants. Those peas
ants seeing lost Prussian, a Prussian
in uniform. would kill him like a dog
They would attack him with their pitch
forks, their spades, their seythes and
shovels. Or ii he encountered the sharp
shooters. He pictured himself standing
in front OF wall and faced by the
mnzzles OF dozen guns.
In despair he sat down again seeing
no way out OF his difficulties 1t wa,
now night, black still night He daret
not move, and trembled at every sounC
which broke the silence
The cries of the owls thrilled him Will
sudden terrors. sharp as wounds; h,
strained his big round eyes trying to Sc,
through the darkness, and at every in
o slant imagined he heard some one ap
I preaching. After interminable hours
: while he endured the anguish Of tn
a damned, through his leafy ceiling he say
+ the sky grow light. lie felt great relief
n his limbs relaxed, his heart was stilled
Il his eyes closed. He slept. When h
= woke it was noon No sound trouble,
a the melancholy peace of the fields, am
\ Walter Schuapps discovered that he wa
t. very hungry. lie yawned and his mout
: w0tcred at the thought OF sausage, tn
y good sausage of the soldiers.
W He rose, walked few steps, felt tina
20 mis- legs were weak, and sat down agai
= TO reflect. For several hours he reflecte
Il. and at last hit upon an idea whie
~ seemed to him practical, This was {
~ watch for a solitary villager unarme
10 and without dangerous tools to run I
* him and make the peasant understan
= that he gave himself up.