The Umbrella –
By Guy de Maupassant, edited version
1. Madame Oreille was avery economical woman; to the pointthat even her husband was hardly allowed any pocket money. Although they were very comfortably off, it really pained Mme. Oreille to see any money spent. Whenever she had to spend anything, nomatter how necessary it might be, she slept badly the next night. Her husband, Monsieur.Oreille, was continually saying to his wife: “You really need to be more liberal, we never get to enjoy ourincome.” “It is better to have too much than too little.” She used to reply tothat. She was a little woman of about forty, very active, wrinkled, very neatand tidy, and with a very short temper.
2. Mr.Oreille frequently complained about his wife. For two years he had always cometo his office with the same old patched umbrella, to the great amusement of his colleagues. At last he got so tired oftheir jokes that he insisted upon his wife buying him a new one, a good silkone, for twenty francs, and to bringhim the bill, so that he could see that its quality was all right. She boughthim one for eighteen francs, and said, getting red with anger as she gave it toher husband: “This will last you for five years at least.” Mr. Oreille felt quite triumphant, and received a small ovation at the office with his new acquisition. His colleagues were even jealous of him!
3. Whenhe went home in the evening his wife said to him: “You must take care of yourumbrella well, for I shall not buy you a new one.” She took it to put it awaysafe, but suddenly was dumfounded with rage; in the middle of the silkthere was a hole! “What is that?” she screamed. Her husband replied quietly,without looking at it: “What do you mean?” “You—you—have—burned—your umbrella!”“What are you talking about? I have done nothing, I swear. I don't know what is the matter with the umbrella.” “Youhave been playing tricks with it at the office, to show it off!” she screamed. “Ionly opened it once, to let them see what a nice one it was, that is all, Iswear.” But she shook with rage.
4. Afterhours of arguing, she mended it witha piece of silk cut out of the old umbrella, which was of a different colour.The next day Mr. Oreille went off with the mended article in his hand. He putit into a cupboard, and thought no more of it. But he had barely got home thatevening when his wife took the umbrella from him, opened it, and the disaster thatfollowed was immense. The umbrellawas covered with small holes!
5. Afterseeing this, she threw the useless umbrella at his head, screaming out in rage:“Oh! you brute! you brute! You didit on purpose, but I will pay you out for it. You shall not have another.” Shewas outraged he rest of the eveningand refused to speak to her husband until he left for work the next day. Left by herself, Mme. Oreille could not getover the loss of her eighteen francs byany means.
6. Shetried not to think of it anymore, and yet the thought of the loss struck herpainfully. So she decided: “I will go to the fire insurance company, to get a reimbursement, and we will see whatwill happen.” At the Insurance building, she found herself in a large roomwhere three solemn gentlemen insuits were talking. One of them asked her: “What do you want, Madame?” She,nervous, could hardly get out her words, but stammered: “I have come—I havecome on account of an accident,something— “. “
7. Shecould scarcely speak, as she knewshe was not going to tell the entire truth, but at last she managed to say: “Ihave come for this.” She showed the damaged umbrella. “It cost me twentyfrancs,” she said, with some hesitation. He seemed astonished. “Really! As much as that?” The second gentleman in theroom, the manager, said: “Sorry, Madame, we do not sell umbrellas; we cannotundertake such kinds of repairs.”
8. Feelingchallenged, the little woman felt her courage reviving; she was not even afraid any more, and said: “I only wantyou to pay me the cost of repairing it.” Both gentlemen seemed rather confused. “Really, Madame, it is such a very smallmatter! We are never asked to give compensation for such trivial losses.” Said thefirst. She got red in the face, and felt inclined to fly into a rage.
9. “Willyou kindly tell me how the damage was done?” the third gentleman, who maybe pitied her or maybe was scared of her,asked. She felt that she had won, and said: “Most likely a piece of the burningcandle in the hall, above the umbrella holder, had fallen between the folds andburned it. You can see how it has damaged it. —Look here, monsieurs, I do not want to make any money out of you, so Iwill tell you what we will do. I will take my umbrella to an umbrella maker,who will re-cover it in good, durable silk, and I will bring the bill to you. Will that suit you, monsieurs?”
10. Thethree men realized they had the choice between dealing with an outraged womanfor hours or simply giving her what she wanted and continue their day in a fewmoments. “Perfectly, Madame; we will settle it so. Here is a note for the cashier, who will repay you whatever it costs you.” Said the manager. He gave Mme. Oreille a slip of paper, who took it, got up and went out, thanking him, forshe was in a hurry to escape lest he should change his mind. She went brisklythrough the streets, and when she found a first-class shop she said, confidently: “I want this umbrella re-covered in silk, good silk. Use the very best and strongest youhave; I don't mind what it costs.”
常迷糊小妖
打卡哈，好极了
大白的小丸子
😁
yinlu_ea
来啦