What do you think?
Rate this book
The Father
The Father is a short story by Guy de Maupassant. Maupassant's stories are characterized by their economy of style and efficient, effortless dénouements. Many of the stories are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s and several describe the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught in the conflict, emerge changed. He authored some 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse. His first published story "Boule de Suif" ("Ball of Fat", 1880) is often considered his masterpiece.
24 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2013
15 people want to read
About the author
Guy de Maupassant
7,565 books3,070 followersHenri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protege of Flaubert, Maupassant's short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. He also wrote six short novels. A number of his stories often denote the futility of war and the innocent civilians who get crushed in it - many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 22, 2024
Sometimes Regret is heavier than Gratitude to overcome it.
This is the story of a man who did mistakes because of his uncertainties regarding the decision he must took for his life. But Every role in life has its own flavor and depth/heights of emotions and delicacies as well. Francois Tessier was careless as a man but thoughtful with sense of care as a 'FATHER'. That's the power of being and responsibilities of a Father. His love for his children and power to win the world for them.
Amazing story, full of sense of family life in short summarizing the regret of not being able to fulfill fatherly duties by a man who took things so casually once.
For Me its: 5.0/5.0
This is the story of a man who did mistakes because of his uncertainties regarding the decision he must took for his life. But Every role in life has its own flavor and depth/heights of emotions and delicacies as well. Francois Tessier was careless as a man but thoughtful with sense of care as a 'FATHER'. That's the power of being and responsibilities of a Father. His love for his children and power to win the world for them.
Amazing story, full of sense of family life in short summarizing the regret of not being able to fulfill fatherly duties by a man who took things so casually once.
For Me its: 5.0/5.0
August 6, 2022
الوالد
للكاتب جي دو موباسان
جان دوفالنوا صاحب لي لا أفتأ أزوره الفينة بعد الفينة. وهو يقيم في قصر له على ضفة جدول في بعض الغياض
وقد لاذ بهذا المكان بعد أن قصف وترف في باريس خمسة عشر عاماً سوية. وقد عرته بغتة ملالة من كل ما في هذه المدينة من مناعم ومآدب ورجال ونساء وملاعب، وجاء يعتزل في هذه الدار التي فيها ولد وفيها نشأ.
ونمضي إليه اثنين أو ثلاثة من الصحب نقضي معه أسابيع معدودات، ولقد كان سروره بنا إذ يلقانا بعد نأي، بالغاً شديداً، وابتهاجه باسترجاع ما أفلت منه من حبور بعزلته إذ نتولى عنه جماً وفيراً
ولقد وفدت عليه في الأسبوع الماضي فهش وبش. وكنا نقطع الساعات تارة جميعاً وتارة منفردين، والعادة أن يقرأ هو واشتغل أنا بالنهار، وحين تأخذ عين الشمس في الإغتماض نقبل على السمر إلى أنصاف الليل.
وكنا في يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، وكان يوماً حروراً متلظياً، قد جلسنا في جنح ليله نتأمل جريان الماء في الجدول تحت أقدامنا، وكنا نتساجل ما يتوارد علينا من أفكار شديدة الغموض عن النجوم الخائضة في الماء وكأنها بين أيدينا تمرح سبحاً. كنا نتناقل ما تتمخض به أذهاننا من خواطر كثر غموضها واشتد اختلاطها وأفحش إيجازها، ذلك أن عقولنا شديد قصورها، مستفحل ضعفها. بالغ عجزها. أما أنا فقد كنت مشفقاً على الشمس المتوارية في الحجب لدى الطفل، كنا نفكر في هذه الكائنات المبثوثة في هذه العوالم، ومختلف أشكالها العجيبة التي يتقاصر دونها وهم الإنسان، وخواصها التي لا تدرك كنهها الفطن، وأعضائها الخفية المحجوبة. والحيوان والنبات وكافة الأجناس وسائر الجواهر وشتى المواد، مما لا تكاد ترتفع إليه أذهان الإنسان.
وبينما نحن كذلك إذا بصوت على بعد يصيح:
- سيدي، سيدي:
فقال جان: هلم يا يا تيست
فلما اهتدى إلينا الخادم قال:
- الغجرية يا سيدي
فجعل صاحبي يضحك كمن به مس، وما عهدته يضحك كذلك إلا نادراً، ثم قال:
إنا إذن في 19 يوليو؟
- نعم يا سيدي
- إذن قل لها تنتظر وأعد لها الطعام فإني عائد بعد عشر دقائق.
ولما انصرف الخادم أخذ صاحبي بذراعي وقال:
- فلنمش على مهل، إني قاص عليك قصة هذه المرأة.
منذ سبع سنين أي في السنة التي حللت بها هنا: خرجت في أصيل يوم أطوف في الغابة. وكان يوماً طلقاً صافياً كيومنا هذا وجعلت أسير متئداً تحت أفنان الدوح أتأمل نجوم السماء من خلل أوراقها، مستجلباً لرئتي بليل نسمات الليل وطيب زهر الغابة.
وكنت قريب عهد بهجري باريس. إذ تملكني سأم شديد وعافت نفسي كل ما رأت عيني وأخذت منه بنصيب من كل سخيف وزري وذميم مدة خمسة عشر عاماً.
وأمعنت في السير و توغلت في مسالك هذه الغابة ومضيت في فج مها عميق يؤدي إلى قرية جروزي على مدى غلوة من هنا، وإذا بكلبي قد وقف فجأة ونبح، فظننت أنه رأى ذئباً أو وحشاً ضارياً فدلفت متسللاً كظيم الخطو ولكني سمعت بغتة صراخاً علا، صراخ إنسان يستغيث مختنقاً تتمزق له نياط القلوب من رحمة. فما شككت أنه رجل يغتاله مغتال في خميلة فعدوت لنجدته وبيميني هراوة غليظة ضربتها مردية
دنوت ن هذا الصراخ الذي كان ينجلي كلما قاربته ولكنه خفيض مع ذلك مكظوم، كأنه صادر من بيت، وربما من خص حطاب، وكان كلبي بوك يتقدمني على قيد خطوات تارة يعدو، وتارة يقف، ثم ينطلق انطلاق السهم هائجاً حنقاً مسترسل الهرير ولم نلبث أن برز لنا كلب آخر أسود عظيم الهيكل كأن عينيه جمرتان قد كشر عن أنياب عصل يلمع بين شدقيه بياضها
فهممت أن أهوي عليه بهرواتي ولكن بوك سبقني إليه فتلاحما وتصارعا وتجاولا، ومضيت أنا قدماً، وإذا بي أكاد أتعثر بجواد متطرح في الطريق، وإذ وقفت مبهوتاً أتأمل هذه الدابة لمحت عربة أمامي، بل بيتا طائفاً، أحد مساكن هؤلاء الباعة المتجولين
ومن ههنا كان مصدر هذا الصراخ الفظيع المتلاحق. ولما كان الباب من الناحية الأخرى، فقد درت بهذه العربة واندفعت أرقى الدرجات الثلاث الخشبية وأنا أهم بأن أصرع المعتدي بهراوتي
ولكني شاهدت عجباً، والتبس علي الأمر فلم أفقه لأول وهلة شيئاً: هذا رجل قد جثا على الأرض كأنه يصلي، وعلى الفراش الذي استوى في جوف هذه العربة شيء قد جثم لا سبيل إلى تمييزه: بشر نصف عار قد انطوى على نفسه وهو يتلوى كالثعبان لا أرى وجهه، يميد ويضطرب وكأن صراخه خوار ثور
فإذا هي امرأة تعاني آلام الوضع
فما إن أدركت كنه الأمر وتبين لي ما غمض من حقيقة هذا الحادث الذي كان عنه هذا الصراخ حتى أذنتهما بوجودي، فجعل الرجل وهو يشبه أهالي مارسيليا يسألني ملحاً ذاهب اللب أن أغيثه وأغيثها وهو يواثقني بكلام لا آخر له على الوفاء والذكر لجميل، بما أقضي منه عجباً. ولم أك قد رأيت ولادة قط، ولا أسعفت أنثى قط في مثل هذه الأحوال، وذكرت له ذلك في بساطة، وأنا أنظر ذاهلاً إلى هذه التي تصم الآذان جلجلة صراخها في هذا الفراش
ثم سألت الرجل الواهن الحسير وقد استرددت جأشي: ما بالك لا تذهب إلى القرية القريبة؟ فقال إن جواده هوى في حفير فانكسرت ساقه فهو رازح لا يريم
- فقلت له: يا هذا لا بأس عليك. الآن نحن اثنان. إنا سنتعاون في جر العربة بامرأتك إلى بيتي.
ولكنا لم يسعنا إلا الخروج إلى الكلبين. إذ علا هريرهما وما فصلناهما إلا بضرب بالهراوة شديد كاد يخمد أنفاسهما، ثم خطر لي أن أشدهما بين أقدامنا إلى العربة استعانة بهما، هذا يمنة وذاك يسرة وما انقضت عشر دقائق حتى كنا على تمام الأهبة. وأخذت العربة تسير الهوينا، فترج - باهتزاز عجلاتها فيما تخط في الأرض ممعنة من أخاديد - تلك المرأة المسكينة الممزقة الأحشاء ويالها من طريق! كنا نسير لاهثين لنا زفير مرتفع، وعرق ناضح، نزلق حيناً، وحيناً نقع، بينما الكلبان المسكينان يزفران بين أرجلنا كزفير النار
وقضينا ثلاث ساعات حتى بلغنا القصر، وإذ دنونا من الباب انقطع الصراخ داخل العربة. وإذا الأم والمولود في أحسن حال، وأرقدنا الأم وطفلها في فراش وثير. ثم ركبت عربتي لأستحضر الطبيب بينما كان صاحبنا المارسيلي وقد اطمأنت نفسه، يلتهم الطعام في شراهة ويحتسي حتى لا يعي من سكر ابتهاجاً بهذه الولادة السعيدة وكانت بنتاً
وأقام عندي هؤلاء النفر ثمانية أيام، والوالدة وهي السيدة ألمير لها بصر بالغيب عجيب، وقد بشرتني بحياة مديدة ومناعم عديدة
وفي العام الذي بعده وفي مثل هذا اليوم لدى الغسق جاء الخادم الذي حضر من هنيهة يدعونا، وكنت في حجرة التدخين بعد طعام العشاء، يقول: (غجرية العام الماضي جاءت تشكر سيدي)
فأمرت بدخولها، وعرتني دهشة إذ رأيت بجانبها غلاماً بالغاً أشده، ممتلئاً شحماً ولحماً، أشقر اللون من أهالي الشمال، فسلم علي ثم جعل يقول كزعيم لطائفته إنه علم ما كان من إكرامي للسيدة إلمير، وأراد أن لا تمر هذه الذكرى دون أن يفدا للشكر والاعتراف بيدي عليهما
وقد أكرمت مثواهما وأمرت بإحضار الطعام لهما في المطبخ وأوفرت قراهما ليلتهما، واحتملا في الغد
وهكذا في كل عام في نفس اليوم تفد هذه المرأة مع مولودها ذاك، وهي طفلة رائعة الحسن، وفي كل مرة مع. . . رجل جديد. إلا واحداً منهم فقط هو من أهالي أوفرنيا وقد بالغ في شكري وأجزل لي الثناء، حضر معها حولين متتاليين، والصبية تدعوهم جميعاً (بابا) كما نقول (سيدي) عندنا
وكنا بلغنا القصر فلمحنا أما السلم ثلاثة أشخاص في انتظارنا وخطا أطولهم نحونا بضع خطوات وحيانا أحسن تحية ثم قال:
- سيدي الكونت إنما حضرنا اليوم لنبدي لك آيات الشكر. . . أما هذا الرجل فكان بلجيكياً
ثم تكلمت بعده أصغر الثلاثة بتلك اللهجة المدربة المتكلفة في الأطفال إذ يلقون عليك تهنئة أو ثناء
أما أنا فقد أبديت البساطة وانتحيت بالسيدة إلمير ناحية وبعد حديث قصير قلت لها:
- أهذا أبو طفلتك؟
- كلا يا سيدي
- أمات أبوها؟
- كلا يا سيدي. ما نبرح يلقاني وألقاه أحياناً. وهو من رجال العسس
- عجباً! أليس هو إذاً ذاك المارسيلي الأول صاحب يوم الولادة؟
- كلا يا سيدي، ما كان ذاك إلا وغداً زنيماً سلبني مدخر مالي
- ورجل الدرك والد ابنتك الحقيقي أيعرف ابنته؟
- نعم يا سيدي، بل هو شديد الحب لها، ولكنه لا يستطيع تعهدها، إذ له من امرأته أولاد غيرها
1883
ترجمة
أحمد أبو الخضر منسي ١٩٣٧
للكاتب جي دو موباسان
جان دوفالنوا صاحب لي لا أفتأ أزوره الفينة بعد الفينة. وهو يقيم في قصر له على ضفة جدول في بعض الغياض
وقد لاذ بهذا المكان بعد أن قصف وترف في باريس خمسة عشر عاماً سوية. وقد عرته بغتة ملالة من كل ما في هذه المدينة من مناعم ومآدب ورجال ونساء وملاعب، وجاء يعتزل في هذه الدار التي فيها ولد وفيها نشأ.
ونمضي إليه اثنين أو ثلاثة من الصحب نقضي معه أسابيع معدودات، ولقد كان سروره بنا إذ يلقانا بعد نأي، بالغاً شديداً، وابتهاجه باسترجاع ما أفلت منه من حبور بعزلته إذ نتولى عنه جماً وفيراً
ولقد وفدت عليه في الأسبوع الماضي فهش وبش. وكنا نقطع الساعات تارة جميعاً وتارة منفردين، والعادة أن يقرأ هو واشتغل أنا بالنهار، وحين تأخذ عين الشمس في الإغتماض نقبل على السمر إلى أنصاف الليل.
وكنا في يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، وكان يوماً حروراً متلظياً، قد جلسنا في جنح ليله نتأمل جريان الماء في الجدول تحت أقدامنا، وكنا نتساجل ما يتوارد علينا من أفكار شديدة الغموض عن النجوم الخائضة في الماء وكأنها بين أيدينا تمرح سبحاً. كنا نتناقل ما تتمخض به أذهاننا من خواطر كثر غموضها واشتد اختلاطها وأفحش إيجازها، ذلك أن عقولنا شديد قصورها، مستفحل ضعفها. بالغ عجزها. أما أنا فقد كنت مشفقاً على الشمس المتوارية في الحجب لدى الطفل، كنا نفكر في هذه الكائنات المبثوثة في هذه العوالم، ومختلف أشكالها العجيبة التي يتقاصر دونها وهم الإنسان، وخواصها التي لا تدرك كنهها الفطن، وأعضائها الخفية المحجوبة. والحيوان والنبات وكافة الأجناس وسائر الجواهر وشتى المواد، مما لا تكاد ترتفع إليه أذهان الإنسان.
وبينما نحن كذلك إذا بصوت على بعد يصيح:
- سيدي، سيدي:
فقال جان: هلم يا يا تيست
فلما اهتدى إلينا الخادم قال:
- الغجرية يا سيدي
فجعل صاحبي يضحك كمن به مس، وما عهدته يضحك كذلك إلا نادراً، ثم قال:
إنا إذن في 19 يوليو؟
- نعم يا سيدي
- إذن قل لها تنتظر وأعد لها الطعام فإني عائد بعد عشر دقائق.
ولما انصرف الخادم أخذ صاحبي بذراعي وقال:
- فلنمش على مهل، إني قاص عليك قصة هذه المرأة.
منذ سبع سنين أي في السنة التي حللت بها هنا: خرجت في أصيل يوم أطوف في الغابة. وكان يوماً طلقاً صافياً كيومنا هذا وجعلت أسير متئداً تحت أفنان الدوح أتأمل نجوم السماء من خلل أوراقها، مستجلباً لرئتي بليل نسمات الليل وطيب زهر الغابة.
وكنت قريب عهد بهجري باريس. إذ تملكني سأم شديد وعافت نفسي كل ما رأت عيني وأخذت منه بنصيب من كل سخيف وزري وذميم مدة خمسة عشر عاماً.
وأمعنت في السير و توغلت في مسالك هذه الغابة ومضيت في فج مها عميق يؤدي إلى قرية جروزي على مدى غلوة من هنا، وإذا بكلبي قد وقف فجأة ونبح، فظننت أنه رأى ذئباً أو وحشاً ضارياً فدلفت متسللاً كظيم الخطو ولكني سمعت بغتة صراخاً علا، صراخ إنسان يستغيث مختنقاً تتمزق له نياط القلوب من رحمة. فما شككت أنه رجل يغتاله مغتال في خميلة فعدوت لنجدته وبيميني هراوة غليظة ضربتها مردية
دنوت ن هذا الصراخ الذي كان ينجلي كلما قاربته ولكنه خفيض مع ذلك مكظوم، كأنه صادر من بيت، وربما من خص حطاب، وكان كلبي بوك يتقدمني على قيد خطوات تارة يعدو، وتارة يقف، ثم ينطلق انطلاق السهم هائجاً حنقاً مسترسل الهرير ولم نلبث أن برز لنا كلب آخر أسود عظيم الهيكل كأن عينيه جمرتان قد كشر عن أنياب عصل يلمع بين شدقيه بياضها
فهممت أن أهوي عليه بهرواتي ولكن بوك سبقني إليه فتلاحما وتصارعا وتجاولا، ومضيت أنا قدماً، وإذا بي أكاد أتعثر بجواد متطرح في الطريق، وإذ وقفت مبهوتاً أتأمل هذه الدابة لمحت عربة أمامي، بل بيتا طائفاً، أحد مساكن هؤلاء الباعة المتجولين
ومن ههنا كان مصدر هذا الصراخ الفظيع المتلاحق. ولما كان الباب من الناحية الأخرى، فقد درت بهذه العربة واندفعت أرقى الدرجات الثلاث الخشبية وأنا أهم بأن أصرع المعتدي بهراوتي
ولكني شاهدت عجباً، والتبس علي الأمر فلم أفقه لأول وهلة شيئاً: هذا رجل قد جثا على الأرض كأنه يصلي، وعلى الفراش الذي استوى في جوف هذه العربة شيء قد جثم لا سبيل إلى تمييزه: بشر نصف عار قد انطوى على نفسه وهو يتلوى كالثعبان لا أرى وجهه، يميد ويضطرب وكأن صراخه خوار ثور
فإذا هي امرأة تعاني آلام الوضع
فما إن أدركت كنه الأمر وتبين لي ما غمض من حقيقة هذا الحادث الذي كان عنه هذا الصراخ حتى أذنتهما بوجودي، فجعل الرجل وهو يشبه أهالي مارسيليا يسألني ملحاً ذاهب اللب أن أغيثه وأغيثها وهو يواثقني بكلام لا آخر له على الوفاء والذكر لجميل، بما أقضي منه عجباً. ولم أك قد رأيت ولادة قط، ولا أسعفت أنثى قط في مثل هذه الأحوال، وذكرت له ذلك في بساطة، وأنا أنظر ذاهلاً إلى هذه التي تصم الآذان جلجلة صراخها في هذا الفراش
ثم سألت الرجل الواهن الحسير وقد استرددت جأشي: ما بالك لا تذهب إلى القرية القريبة؟ فقال إن جواده هوى في حفير فانكسرت ساقه فهو رازح لا يريم
- فقلت له: يا هذا لا بأس عليك. الآن نحن اثنان. إنا سنتعاون في جر العربة بامرأتك إلى بيتي.
ولكنا لم يسعنا إلا الخروج إلى الكلبين. إذ علا هريرهما وما فصلناهما إلا بضرب بالهراوة شديد كاد يخمد أنفاسهما، ثم خطر لي أن أشدهما بين أقدامنا إلى العربة استعانة بهما، هذا يمنة وذاك يسرة وما انقضت عشر دقائق حتى كنا على تمام الأهبة. وأخذت العربة تسير الهوينا، فترج - باهتزاز عجلاتها فيما تخط في الأرض ممعنة من أخاديد - تلك المرأة المسكينة الممزقة الأحشاء ويالها من طريق! كنا نسير لاهثين لنا زفير مرتفع، وعرق ناضح، نزلق حيناً، وحيناً نقع، بينما الكلبان المسكينان يزفران بين أرجلنا كزفير النار
وقضينا ثلاث ساعات حتى بلغنا القصر، وإذ دنونا من الباب انقطع الصراخ داخل العربة. وإذا الأم والمولود في أحسن حال، وأرقدنا الأم وطفلها في فراش وثير. ثم ركبت عربتي لأستحضر الطبيب بينما كان صاحبنا المارسيلي وقد اطمأنت نفسه، يلتهم الطعام في شراهة ويحتسي حتى لا يعي من سكر ابتهاجاً بهذه الولادة السعيدة وكانت بنتاً
وأقام عندي هؤلاء النفر ثمانية أيام، والوالدة وهي السيدة ألمير لها بصر بالغيب عجيب، وقد بشرتني بحياة مديدة ومناعم عديدة
وفي العام الذي بعده وفي مثل هذا اليوم لدى الغسق جاء الخادم الذي حضر من هنيهة يدعونا، وكنت في حجرة التدخين بعد طعام العشاء، يقول: (غجرية العام الماضي جاءت تشكر سيدي)
فأمرت بدخولها، وعرتني دهشة إذ رأيت بجانبها غلاماً بالغاً أشده، ممتلئاً شحماً ولحماً، أشقر اللون من أهالي الشمال، فسلم علي ثم جعل يقول كزعيم لطائفته إنه علم ما كان من إكرامي للسيدة إلمير، وأراد أن لا تمر هذه الذكرى دون أن يفدا للشكر والاعتراف بيدي عليهما
وقد أكرمت مثواهما وأمرت بإحضار الطعام لهما في المطبخ وأوفرت قراهما ليلتهما، واحتملا في الغد
وهكذا في كل عام في نفس اليوم تفد هذه المرأة مع مولودها ذاك، وهي طفلة رائعة الحسن، وفي كل مرة مع. . . رجل جديد. إلا واحداً منهم فقط هو من أهالي أوفرنيا وقد بالغ في شكري وأجزل لي الثناء، حضر معها حولين متتاليين، والصبية تدعوهم جميعاً (بابا) كما نقول (سيدي) عندنا
وكنا بلغنا القصر فلمحنا أما السلم ثلاثة أشخاص في انتظارنا وخطا أطولهم نحونا بضع خطوات وحيانا أحسن تحية ثم قال:
- سيدي الكونت إنما حضرنا اليوم لنبدي لك آيات الشكر. . . أما هذا الرجل فكان بلجيكياً
ثم تكلمت بعده أصغر الثلاثة بتلك اللهجة المدربة المتكلفة في الأطفال إذ يلقون عليك تهنئة أو ثناء
أما أنا فقد أبديت البساطة وانتحيت بالسيدة إلمير ناحية وبعد حديث قصير قلت لها:
- أهذا أبو طفلتك؟
- كلا يا سيدي
- أمات أبوها؟
- كلا يا سيدي. ما نبرح يلقاني وألقاه أحياناً. وهو من رجال العسس
- عجباً! أليس هو إذاً ذاك المارسيلي الأول صاحب يوم الولادة؟
- كلا يا سيدي، ما كان ذاك إلا وغداً زنيماً سلبني مدخر مالي
- ورجل الدرك والد ابنتك الحقيقي أيعرف ابنته؟
- نعم يا سيدي، بل هو شديد الحب لها، ولكنه لا يستطيع تعهدها، إذ له من امرأته أولاد غيرها
1883
ترجمة
أحمد أبو الخضر منسي ١٩٣٧
June 19, 2022
Guy definitely Maupassant's "The Father" shows there really only one father that truly matters. Also it becomes apparent that mistakes in judgement and actions done long ago will last a lifetime.
Story in short-Francois sees a girl on a bus and is in love with her.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11363
He was a clerk in the Bureau of Public Education and lived at Batignolles. He took the omnibus to Paris every morning and always sat opposite a girl, with whom he fell in love. She was employed in a shop and went in at the same time every day.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11368
The first time that he saw her, Francois Tessier liked the face. One sometimes meets a woman whom one longs to clasp in one’s arms without even knowing her. That girl seemed to respond to some chord in
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11369
his being, to that sort of ideal of love which one cherishes in the depths of the heart, without knowing it.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11381
However, there was no doubt that she loved him, for one Saturday, in spring, she promised to go and lunch with him at Maisons-Laffitte the next day. II She was at the railway station first, which surprised him, but she said: “Before going, I want to speak
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11383
to you. We have twenty minutes, and that is more than I shall take for what I have to say.” She trembled as she hung on his arm, and looked down, her cheeks pale, as she continued: “I do not want you to be deceived in me, and I shall not go there with you, unless you promise, unless you swear — not to do — not to do anything — that is at all improper.” She had suddenly become as red as a poppy, and said no more. He did not know what to reply, for he was happy and disappointed at the same
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11387
time. He should love her less, certainly, if he knew that her conduct was light, but then it would be so charming, so delicious to have a little flirtation. As he did not say anything, she began to speak again in an agitated voice and with tears in her eyes. “If you do not promise to respect me altogether, I shall return home.” And so he squeezed her arm tenderly and replied: “I promise, you shall only do what you like.” She appeared relieved in mind, and asked, with a smile: “Do you really mean
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11391
it?” And he looked into her eyes and replied: “I swear it” “Now you may take the tickets,” she said.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌
At the beginning I thought Francois Tessier was in love and would be a gentleman and when he did not keep his promise, I thought he would marry her but even before she told him she was pregnant, he was sick of her. It was quite clear he was worthless cad. When he was still a clerk growing old and lonely, he saw his son in the park with Louise. She had also a little girl, when seeing him she runs away but he follows her. He writes to the man who married her and who knows her whole history, and he is admitted. Francois asks one favor to kiss and hold his son. The young boy knowing only one father is afraid of him. Francois feeling this runs away quick.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11395
At last she said: “How foolish you must think me!” “Why?” he asked. “To come out like this, all alone with you.” “Certainly not; it is quite natural.” “No, no; it is not natural for me — because I do not wish to commit a fault, and yet this is how girls fall. But if you only knew how wretched it is, every day the same thing, every day in the month and every month in the year. I live quite alone with mamma, and as she has had a
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11399
great deal of trouble, she is not very cheerful. I do the best I can, and try to laugh in spite of everything, but I do not always succeed. But, all the same, it was wrong in me to come, though you, at any rate, will not be sorry.” By way of an answer, he kissed her ardently on the ear that was nearest him, but she moved from him with an abrupt movement, and, getting suddenly angry, exclaimed: “Oh! Monsieur Francois, after what you swore to me!” And they went back to Maisons-Laffitte.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11416
A church clock struck in the distance, and they embraced gently, then, without the knowledge of anything but that kiss, lay down on the grass. But she soon came to herself with the feeling of a great misfortune, and began to cry and sob with grief, with her face buried in her hands. He tried to console her, but she wanted to start to return and to go home immediately; and she kept saying, as she walked along quickly: “Good heavens! good heavens!” He said to her: “Louise! Louise! Please let us stop here.” But now her cheeks were red and her eyes hollow, and, as soon as they got to the railway station in Paris, she left him without even saying good-by. III
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11422
When he met her in the omnibus, next day, she appeared to him to be changed and thinner, and she said to him: “I want to speak to you; we will get down at the Boulevard.” As soon as they were on the pavement, she said: “We must bid each other good-by; I cannot meet you again.” “But why?” he asked. “Because I cannot; I have been culpable, and I will not be so again.” Then he implored her, tortured by his love, but she replied firmly: “No, I cannot, I cannot.” He, however,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11426
only grew all the more excited and promised to marry her, but she said again: “No,” and left him. For a week he did not see her. He could not manage to meet her, and, as he did not know her address, he thought that he had lost her altogether. On the ninth day, however, there was a ring at his bell, and when he opened the door, she was there. She threw herself into his arms and did not resist any longer, and for three months they were close friends. He was beginning to grow tired of her, when she whispered something to him, and then he had one idea and wish: to break with her at any price. As, however, he could not do that, not knowing how to begin, or what to say, full of anxiety through fear of the consequences of his rash indiscretion, he took a decisive step: one night he changed his lodgings and disappeared. The blow was so heavy that she did not look, for the man who had abandoned her, but threw herself at her mother’s knees and confessed
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11433
her misfortune, and, some months after, gave birth to a boy.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11434
Years passed, and Francois Tessier grew old, without there having been any alteration in his life. He led the dull, monotonous life of an office clerk, without hope and without expectation. Every day he got up at the same time, went through the same streets, went through the same door, past the same porter, went into the same office, sat in the same chair, and did the same work. He was alone in the world, alone during the day in the midst of his
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11437
different colleagues, and alone at night in his bachelor’s lodgings, and he laid by a hundred francs a month against old age.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11439
“The return of the carriages from the Bois du Boulogne was very brilliant yesterday.” One fine Sunday morning, however, he went into the Parc Monceau, where the mothers and nurses, sitting on the sides
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11441
of the walks, watched the children playing, and suddenly Francois Tessier started. A woman passed by, holding two children by the hand, a little boy of about ten and a little girl of four. It was she! He walked another hundred yards anti then fell into a chair, choking with emotion. She had not recognized him, and so he came back, wishing to see her again. She was sitting down now, and the boy was standing by her side very quietly, while the little girl was making sand castles. It was she, it was certainly
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11444
she, but she had the reserved appearance of a lady, was dressed simply, and looked self-possessed and dignified. He looked at her from a distance, for he did not venture to go near; but the little boy raised his head, and Francois Tessier felt himself tremble. It was his own son, there could be no doubt of that. And, as he looked at him, he thought he could recognize himself as he appeared in an old photograph taken years ago. He remained hidden behind a tree, waiting for her to go that he might follow her.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11448
He did not sleep that night. The idea of the child especially tormented him. His son! Oh, if he could only have known, have been sure! But what could he have done? However, he went to the house where she lived and asked about her. He was told that a neighbor, an honorable man of strict morals, had been touched by her distress and had married her; he knew the fault she had committed and had married her, and had even recognized the child, his, Francois Tessier’s child, as his own.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11452
He returned to the Parc Monceau every Sunday, for then he always saw her, and each time he was seized with a mad, an irresistible longing to take his son into his arms, to cover him with kisses and to steal him, to carry him off. He suffered horribly in his wretched isolation as an old bachelor, with nobody to care for him, and he also suffered atrocious mental torture, torn by paternal tenderness springing from remorse, longing and jealousy and from that need of loving one’s own children which
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11455
nature has implanted in all. At last he determined to make a despairing attempt, and, going up to her, as she entered the park, he said, standing in the middle of the path, pale and with trembling lips: “You do not recognize me.” She raised her eyes, looked at him, uttered an exclamation of horror, of terror, and, taking the two children by the hand, she rushed away, dragging them after her, while he went home and wept inconsolably. Months passed without his seeing her again, but he suffered, day and
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11459
night, for he was a prey to his paternal love. He would gladly have died, if he could only have kissed his son; he would have committed murder, performed any task, braved any danger, ventured anything. He wrote to her, but she did not reply, and, after writing her some twenty letters, he saw that there was no hope of altering her determination, and then he formed the desperate resolution of writing to her husband, being quite prepared to receive a bullet from a revolver, if
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11462
need be. His letter only consisted of a few lines, as follows: “Monsieur: You must have a perfect horror of my name, but I am so wretched, so overcome by misery that my only hope is in you, and, therefore, I venture to request you to grant me an interview of only five minutes. “I have the honor, etc.” The next day he received the reply: “Monsieur: I shall expect you to-morrow, Tuesday, at five o’clock.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11473
Monsieur Flamel interrupted him. “You need not tell it me, monsieur, I know it. My wife has spoken to me about you.” He spoke in the dignified tone of voice of a good man who wishes to be severe, and with the commonplace stateliness of an honorable man, and Francois Tessier continued: “Well, monsieur, I want to say this: I am dying of grief, of remorse, of shame, and I would like once, only once to kiss the child.” Monsieur Flamel got up and rang the bell, and when the servant came in, he said: “Will you bring Louis here?” When she had gone out,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11478
they remained face to face, without speaking, as they had nothing more to say to one another, and waited. Then, suddenly, a little boy of ten rushed into the room and ran up to the man whom he believed to be his father, but he stopped when he saw the stranger, and Monsieur Flamel kissed him and said: “Now, go and kiss that gentleman, my dear.” And the child went up to the stranger and looked at him. Francois Tessier had risen. He let his hat fall, and was ready to fall himself as he looked at his son,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11482
while Monsieur Flamel had turned away, from a feeling of delicacy, and was looking out of the window. The child waited in surprise; but he picked up the hat and gave it to the stranger. Then Francois, taking the child up in his arms, began to kiss him wildly all over his face; on his eyes, his cheeks, his mouth, his hair; and the youngster, frightened at the shower of kisses, tried to avoid them, turned away his head, and pushed away the man’s face with his little hands. But suddenly Francois Tessier put him down and
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11485
cried: “Good-by! good-by!” And he rushed out of the room as if he had been a thief.
Story in short-Francois sees a girl on a bus and is in love with her.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11363
He was a clerk in the Bureau of Public Education and lived at Batignolles. He took the omnibus to Paris every morning and always sat opposite a girl, with whom he fell in love. She was employed in a shop and went in at the same time every day.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11368
The first time that he saw her, Francois Tessier liked the face. One sometimes meets a woman whom one longs to clasp in one’s arms without even knowing her. That girl seemed to respond to some chord in
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11369
his being, to that sort of ideal of love which one cherishes in the depths of the heart, without knowing it.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11381
However, there was no doubt that she loved him, for one Saturday, in spring, she promised to go and lunch with him at Maisons-Laffitte the next day. II She was at the railway station first, which surprised him, but she said: “Before going, I want to speak
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11383
to you. We have twenty minutes, and that is more than I shall take for what I have to say.” She trembled as she hung on his arm, and looked down, her cheeks pale, as she continued: “I do not want you to be deceived in me, and I shall not go there with you, unless you promise, unless you swear — not to do — not to do anything — that is at all improper.” She had suddenly become as red as a poppy, and said no more. He did not know what to reply, for he was happy and disappointed at the same
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11387
time. He should love her less, certainly, if he knew that her conduct was light, but then it would be so charming, so delicious to have a little flirtation. As he did not say anything, she began to speak again in an agitated voice and with tears in her eyes. “If you do not promise to respect me altogether, I shall return home.” And so he squeezed her arm tenderly and replied: “I promise, you shall only do what you like.” She appeared relieved in mind, and asked, with a smile: “Do you really mean
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11391
it?” And he looked into her eyes and replied: “I swear it” “Now you may take the tickets,” she said.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌
At the beginning I thought Francois Tessier was in love and would be a gentleman and when he did not keep his promise, I thought he would marry her but even before she told him she was pregnant, he was sick of her. It was quite clear he was worthless cad. When he was still a clerk growing old and lonely, he saw his son in the park with Louise. She had also a little girl, when seeing him she runs away but he follows her. He writes to the man who married her and who knows her whole history, and he is admitted. Francois asks one favor to kiss and hold his son. The young boy knowing only one father is afraid of him. Francois feeling this runs away quick.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11395
At last she said: “How foolish you must think me!” “Why?” he asked. “To come out like this, all alone with you.” “Certainly not; it is quite natural.” “No, no; it is not natural for me — because I do not wish to commit a fault, and yet this is how girls fall. But if you only knew how wretched it is, every day the same thing, every day in the month and every month in the year. I live quite alone with mamma, and as she has had a
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11399
great deal of trouble, she is not very cheerful. I do the best I can, and try to laugh in spite of everything, but I do not always succeed. But, all the same, it was wrong in me to come, though you, at any rate, will not be sorry.” By way of an answer, he kissed her ardently on the ear that was nearest him, but she moved from him with an abrupt movement, and, getting suddenly angry, exclaimed: “Oh! Monsieur Francois, after what you swore to me!” And they went back to Maisons-Laffitte.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11416
A church clock struck in the distance, and they embraced gently, then, without the knowledge of anything but that kiss, lay down on the grass. But she soon came to herself with the feeling of a great misfortune, and began to cry and sob with grief, with her face buried in her hands. He tried to console her, but she wanted to start to return and to go home immediately; and she kept saying, as she walked along quickly: “Good heavens! good heavens!” He said to her: “Louise! Louise! Please let us stop here.” But now her cheeks were red and her eyes hollow, and, as soon as they got to the railway station in Paris, she left him without even saying good-by. III
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11422
When he met her in the omnibus, next day, she appeared to him to be changed and thinner, and she said to him: “I want to speak to you; we will get down at the Boulevard.” As soon as they were on the pavement, she said: “We must bid each other good-by; I cannot meet you again.” “But why?” he asked. “Because I cannot; I have been culpable, and I will not be so again.” Then he implored her, tortured by his love, but she replied firmly: “No, I cannot, I cannot.” He, however,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11426
only grew all the more excited and promised to marry her, but she said again: “No,” and left him. For a week he did not see her. He could not manage to meet her, and, as he did not know her address, he thought that he had lost her altogether. On the ninth day, however, there was a ring at his bell, and when he opened the door, she was there. She threw herself into his arms and did not resist any longer, and for three months they were close friends. He was beginning to grow tired of her, when she whispered something to him, and then he had one idea and wish: to break with her at any price. As, however, he could not do that, not knowing how to begin, or what to say, full of anxiety through fear of the consequences of his rash indiscretion, he took a decisive step: one night he changed his lodgings and disappeared. The blow was so heavy that she did not look, for the man who had abandoned her, but threw herself at her mother’s knees and confessed
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11433
her misfortune, and, some months after, gave birth to a boy.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11434
Years passed, and Francois Tessier grew old, without there having been any alteration in his life. He led the dull, monotonous life of an office clerk, without hope and without expectation. Every day he got up at the same time, went through the same streets, went through the same door, past the same porter, went into the same office, sat in the same chair, and did the same work. He was alone in the world, alone during the day in the midst of his
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11437
different colleagues, and alone at night in his bachelor’s lodgings, and he laid by a hundred francs a month against old age.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11439
“The return of the carriages from the Bois du Boulogne was very brilliant yesterday.” One fine Sunday morning, however, he went into the Parc Monceau, where the mothers and nurses, sitting on the sides
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11441
of the walks, watched the children playing, and suddenly Francois Tessier started. A woman passed by, holding two children by the hand, a little boy of about ten and a little girl of four. It was she! He walked another hundred yards anti then fell into a chair, choking with emotion. She had not recognized him, and so he came back, wishing to see her again. She was sitting down now, and the boy was standing by her side very quietly, while the little girl was making sand castles. It was she, it was certainly
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11444
she, but she had the reserved appearance of a lady, was dressed simply, and looked self-possessed and dignified. He looked at her from a distance, for he did not venture to go near; but the little boy raised his head, and Francois Tessier felt himself tremble. It was his own son, there could be no doubt of that. And, as he looked at him, he thought he could recognize himself as he appeared in an old photograph taken years ago. He remained hidden behind a tree, waiting for her to go that he might follow her.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11448
He did not sleep that night. The idea of the child especially tormented him. His son! Oh, if he could only have known, have been sure! But what could he have done? However, he went to the house where she lived and asked about her. He was told that a neighbor, an honorable man of strict morals, had been touched by her distress and had married her; he knew the fault she had committed and had married her, and had even recognized the child, his, Francois Tessier’s child, as his own.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11452
He returned to the Parc Monceau every Sunday, for then he always saw her, and each time he was seized with a mad, an irresistible longing to take his son into his arms, to cover him with kisses and to steal him, to carry him off. He suffered horribly in his wretched isolation as an old bachelor, with nobody to care for him, and he also suffered atrocious mental torture, torn by paternal tenderness springing from remorse, longing and jealousy and from that need of loving one’s own children which
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11455
nature has implanted in all. At last he determined to make a despairing attempt, and, going up to her, as she entered the park, he said, standing in the middle of the path, pale and with trembling lips: “You do not recognize me.” She raised her eyes, looked at him, uttered an exclamation of horror, of terror, and, taking the two children by the hand, she rushed away, dragging them after her, while he went home and wept inconsolably. Months passed without his seeing her again, but he suffered, day and
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11459
night, for he was a prey to his paternal love. He would gladly have died, if he could only have kissed his son; he would have committed murder, performed any task, braved any danger, ventured anything. He wrote to her, but she did not reply, and, after writing her some twenty letters, he saw that there was no hope of altering her determination, and then he formed the desperate resolution of writing to her husband, being quite prepared to receive a bullet from a revolver, if
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11462
need be. His letter only consisted of a few lines, as follows: “Monsieur: You must have a perfect horror of my name, but I am so wretched, so overcome by misery that my only hope is in you, and, therefore, I venture to request you to grant me an interview of only five minutes. “I have the honor, etc.” The next day he received the reply: “Monsieur: I shall expect you to-morrow, Tuesday, at five o’clock.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11473
Monsieur Flamel interrupted him. “You need not tell it me, monsieur, I know it. My wife has spoken to me about you.” He spoke in the dignified tone of voice of a good man who wishes to be severe, and with the commonplace stateliness of an honorable man, and Francois Tessier continued: “Well, monsieur, I want to say this: I am dying of grief, of remorse, of shame, and I would like once, only once to kiss the child.” Monsieur Flamel got up and rang the bell, and when the servant came in, he said: “Will you bring Louis here?” When she had gone out,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11478
they remained face to face, without speaking, as they had nothing more to say to one another, and waited. Then, suddenly, a little boy of ten rushed into the room and ran up to the man whom he believed to be his father, but he stopped when he saw the stranger, and Monsieur Flamel kissed him and said: “Now, go and kiss that gentleman, my dear.” And the child went up to the stranger and looked at him. Francois Tessier had risen. He let his hat fall, and was ready to fall himself as he looked at his son,
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11482
while Monsieur Flamel had turned away, from a feeling of delicacy, and was looking out of the window. The child waited in surprise; but he picked up the hat and gave it to the stranger. Then Francois, taking the child up in his arms, began to kiss him wildly all over his face; on his eyes, his cheeks, his mouth, his hair; and the youngster, frightened at the shower of kisses, tried to avoid them, turned away his head, and pushed away the man’s face with his little hands. But suddenly Francois Tessier put him down and
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11485
cried: “Good-by! good-by!” And he rushed out of the room as if he had been a thief.
April 17, 2025
4.25⭐
AKA: The Father #2; Le père #2
After 15 years of the hectic, corrupt and corrupting life in Paris, Jean de Valnoix has retired to the family home in the woods by a river in the center of France where the narrator is visiting him for a couple of weeks of comradeship and conversation. The servant reminds Jean that it is the day of the year when he is visited by a gypsy woman, and Jean tells the narrator and us about how he met this interesting person and just why she is so grateful to him.
AKA: The Father #2; Le père #2
After 15 years of the hectic, corrupt and corrupting life in Paris, Jean de Valnoix has retired to the family home in the woods by a river in the center of France where the narrator is visiting him for a couple of weeks of comradeship and conversation. The servant reminds Jean that it is the day of the year when he is visited by a gypsy woman, and Jean tells the narrator and us about how he met this interesting person and just why she is so grateful to him.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews