Милий друг
First Attempts
Afteraneffortheadded:"ItisinhabitedpartlybyArabs."Thenhethrewhispenuponthetableandarose.Heglancedaroundhismiserableroom;mentallyherebelledagainsthispovertyandresolvedtoleavethenextday.
Suddenlythedesiretoworkcameonhim,andhetriedtobeginthearticleagain;hehadvagueideasofwhathewantedtosay,buthecouldnotexpresshisthoughtsinwords.Convincedofhisinabilityhearoseoncemore,hisbloodcoursingrapidlythroughhisveins.Heturnedtothewindowjustasthetrainwascomingoutofthetunnel,andhisthoughtsrevertedtohisparents.HesawtheirtinyhomeontheheightsoverlookingRouenandthevalleyoftheSeine.Hisfatherandmotherkeptaninn,LaBelle-Vue,atwhichthecitizensofthefaubourgstooktheirlunchesonSundays.Theyhadwishedtomakea"gentleman"oftheirsonandhadsenthimtocollege.Hisstudiescompleted,hehadenteredthearmywiththeintentionofbecominganofficer,acolonel,orageneral.Butbecomingdisgustedwithmilitarylife,hedeterminedtotryhisfortuneinParis.Whenhistimeofservicehadexpired,hewentthither,withwhatresultswehaveseen.Heawokefromhisreflectionsasthelocomotivewhistledshrilly,closedhiswindow,andbegantodisrobe,muttering:"Bah,Ishallbeabletoworkbetterto-morrowmorning.Mybrainisnotclearto-night.Ihavedrunkalittletoomuch.Ican’tworkwellundersuchcircumstances."Heextinguishedhislightandfellasleep.
