New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
The Captain of
the LOuiSOn
By RENE BIZET
Translated by William L. Mcpherson

.Why am stranded here in Salamanca,
ike an old rowbost on the sand7 You want
70 know, do you? If hadn't drunk as much
as have wouldn't tell you. And wouldn't
tell YOU now il you were some one else. Be
cause have to be very prudent, even here
The cafe proprietor, Borreos fat and puffy,
was sitting opposite me, spreading his arms
out on a table sloppy with splotches Of one OF
the red wines Of Spain.
at is six years, you understand-six years
since I came to this city Of mud didn't
come because liked it here. had to make
living"
He swallowed his wine with gulp.
ask years ago the Louison, Of Rochelle, OF
which was captain, was wrecked on the
eoss. Of Galicia, near Cape Torinana. You
know where that is. don't you? Three small
boats put off from the wreck. In mine were
Golday. an Englishman; Gaboure, another
Enrljshman. and Stradford, Dane. Three
able-bodied seamen, you know. They weighed
the boat down. 1t was night. The boat began
10 leak. 1t was my life or theirs, wasn't It!
II they stayed we were all certain 70 sink.
So. YOU understand, / waited until they fell
asleep like logs And then, without cry all
three"
He illustrated the drama with gestures. He
had killed his three exhausted companions and
thrown them overheard.
at was hard. But had 20 do IL. It was
either they or I. Why not they? came
here. I opened a cafe Everything was well.
had some money. So had they. That is to
say. not was who had the money. And
who knows that the captain Of the Louison is
in Salamanca? Except you? Well, have an
other glass"
He drank off his wine.
Saturday. three days later, was market day.
All Of Old CASTLE locked TO the city, which
the autumn rains had transformed into yell
lowish lake The houses had taken on the
dirty gold color of the earth. The cathedral
itself seemed a huge block Of mud. One
splashed along in the mire, among bespattered
people. with faces as sombre and gloomy as
the colorless sky. Where could ] 90 70 spend
the evening? To Borr6oss. There, at least,
men drank, played games and talked. There
| would find little life
The proprietor was at his counter, solid
and jovial He shook my hand as if nothing
had passed between us.
Here you arel What can do for you?"
installed myself in corner. Most Of the
patrons were playing dominoes, half obscurea
by the smoke Of their heavy acrd Spanish
cigarettes. New guests arrived constantly.
tall fellow, with red haiy, sat down near me
and ordered glass Of malaga. He had a dog
with him. He didn't speak TO me. But he
seemed singularly excited when the big street
organ, worked by Borrsos, began to grind out
dance music.
First there was a waltz, then slow, mel
ancholy dance and then music hall air. In
the midst of the last piece the tall fellow
arose, his glass in his hand. Addressing the
company he said in a loud voice;
Il drink TO Louison."
The organ stopped short. Borreos advanced
to the middle of the room.
"Who spoke Of Louison?" he cried.
Il lid the man answered.
What did you mean by that?"
Nothing. 1t is my wife's name. GER
tainly am entitled TO drink TO her health"
lie tdlQ AL lllS very HdbNldilgI aS II HS NNAS
making some matter-of-fact explanation.
IAN right" Borr6os replied; "all right"
He went back 10 his organ grinding and the
players resumed their games
How much time did spend thus? Nothing
kept me there but an obscure presentiment Of
some strange event, which l couldn't foresee
clearly but which was suggested 20 me by the
atmosphere Of the room, by all these men, un-
der the influence Of drink and by this strange
mixture Of music, alcohol and smoke-a mix
ture which always has tormenting effect on
me. Borr6os kept on working the organ. Sud-
denly my unknown neighbor arose again:
"Louison! Louison"
The organ stopped. Everybody turned
around and looked. Borreos rushed from be-
hind the machine and shouted:
who spoke that name?"
AS calmly as before the unknown answered:
81 did"
Borreos came forward, his eyes rolling and
his fists cenched.
"will you tell me what you mean by that,
you
II am calling my dog, who is over there,
near you. Don't you see her? There she is
Come here, Louis"
He hadn't time TO finish the word. Borreos
was upon the beast. With kick he sent her
rolling 10 the end Of the room. The dog lay
the~e whining