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this spot。
I myself believed it for one hour。
THE LITTLE CASK
He was a tall man of forty or thereabout； this Jules Chicot； the
innkeeper of Spreville； with a red face and a round stomach； and said by
those who knew him to be a smart business man。 He stopped his buggy in
front of Mother Magloire's farmhouse； and； hitching the horse to the
gatepost； went in at the gate。
Chicot owned some land adjoining that of the old woman； which he had been
coveting for a long while； and had tried in vain to buy a score of times；
but she had always obstinately refused to part with it。
〃I was born here； and here I mean to die；〃 was all she said。
He found her peeling potatoes outside the farmhouse door。 She was a
woman of about seventy…two； very thin； shriveled and wrinkled； almost
dried up in fact and much bent but as active and untiring as a girl。
Chicot patted her on the back in a friendly fashion and then sat down by
her on a stool。
〃Well mother； you are always pretty well and hearty； I am glad to see。〃
〃Nothing to complain of； considering； thank you。 And how are you；
Monsieur Chicot？〃
〃Oh； pretty well； thank you； except a few rheumatic pains occasionally；
otherwise I have nothing to complain of。〃
〃So much the better。〃
And she said no more； while Chicot watched her going on with her work。
Her crooked； knotted fingers； hard as a lobster's claws； seized the
tubers； which were lying in a pail； as if they had been a pair of
pincers； and she peeled them rapidly； cutting off long strips of skin
with an old knife which she held in the other hand； throwing the potatoes
into the water as they were done。 Three daring fowls jumped one after
the other into her lap； seized a bit of peel and then ran away as fast as
their legs would carry them with it in their beak。
Chicot seemed embarrassed； anxious； with something on the tip of his
tongue which he could not say。 At last he said hurriedly：
〃Listen； Mother Magloire〃
〃Well； what is it？〃
〃You are quite sure that you do not want to sell your land？〃
〃Certainly not； you may make up your mind to that。 What I have said I
have said； so don't refer to it again。〃
〃Very well； only I think I know of an arrangement that might suit us both
very well。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Just this。 You shall sell it to me and keep it all the same。 You don't
understand？ Very well； then follow me in what I am going to say。〃
The old woman left off peeling potatoes and looked at the innkeeper
attentively from under her heavy eyebrows； and he went on：
〃Let me explain myself。 Every month I will give you a hundred and fifty
francs。 You understand me！ suppose！ Every month I will come and bring
you thirty crowns； and it will not make the slightest difference in your
lifenot the very slightest。 You will have your own home just as you
have now； need not trouble yourself about me； and will owe me nothing；
all you will have to do will be to take my money。 Will that arrangement
suit you？〃
He looked at her good…humoredly； one might almost have said benevolently；
and the old woman returned his looks distrustfully； as if she suspected a
trap； and said：
〃It seems all right as far as I am concerned； but it will not give you
the farm。〃
〃Never mind about that；〃 he said； 〃you may remain here as long as it
pleases God Almighty to let you live； it will be your home。 Only you
will sign a deed before a lawyer making it over to me； after your death。
You have no children； only nephews and nieces for whom you don't care a
straw。 Will that suit you？ You will keep everything during your life；
and I will give you the thirty crowns a month。 It is pure gain as far as
you are concerned。〃
The old woman was surprised； rather uneasy； but； nevertheless； very much
tempted to agree； and answered：
〃I don't say that I will not agree to it； but I must think about it。
Come back in a week； and we will talk it over again； and I will then give
you my definite answer。〃
And Chicot went off as happy as a king who had conquered an empire。
Mother Magloire was thoughtful； and did not sleep at all that night； in
fact； for four days she was in a fever of hesitation。 She suspected that
there was something underneath the offer which was not to her advantage；
but then the thought of thirty crowns a month； of all those coins
clinking in her apron； falling to her； as it were； from the skies；
without her doing anything for it； aroused her covetousness。
She went to the notary and told him about it。 He advised her to accept
Chicot's offer； but said she ought to ask for an annuity of fifty instead
of thirty； as her farm was worth sixty thousand francs at the lowest
calculation。
〃If you live for fifteen years longer；〃 he said； 〃even then he will only
have paid forty…five thousand francs for it。〃
The old woman trembled with joy at this prospect of getting fifty crowns
a month； but she was still suspicious； fearing some trick； and she
remained a long time with the lawyer asking questions without being able
to make up her mind to go。 At last she gave him instructions to draw up
the deed and returned home with her head in a whirl； just as if she had
drunk four jugs of new cider。
When Chicot came again to receive her answer she declared； after a lot of
persuading； that she could not make up her mind to agree to his proposal；
though she was all the time trembling lest he should not consent to give
the fifty crowns； but at last； when he grew urgent； she told him what she
expected for her farm。
He looked surprised and disappointed and refused。
Then； in order to convince him； she began to talk about the probable
duration of her life。
〃I am certainly not likely to live more than five or six years longer。
I am nearly seventy…three； and far from strong； even considering my age。
The other evening I thought I was going to die； and could hardly manage
to crawl into bed。〃
But Chicot was not going to be taken in。
〃Come； come； old lady； you are as strong as the church tower； and will
live till you are a hundred at least； you will no doubt see me put under
ground first。〃
The whole day was spent in discussing the money； and as the old woman
would not give in； the innkeeper consented to give the fifty crowns； and
she insisted upon having ten crowns over and above to strike the bargain。
Three years passed and the old dame did not seem to have grown a day
older。 Chicot was in despair； and it seemed to him as if he had been
paying that annuity for fifty years； that he had been taken in； done；
ruined。 From time to time he went to see the old lady； just as one goes
in July to see when the harvest is likely to begin。 She always met him
with a cunning look； and one might have supposed that she was
congratulating herself on the trick she had played him。 Seeing how well
and hearty she seemed he very soon got into his buggy again； growling to
himself：
〃Will you never die； you old hag？〃
He did not know what to do； and he felt inclined to strangle her when he
saw her。 He hated her with a ferocious； cunning hatred； the hatred of a
peasant who has been robbed； and began to cast about for some means of
getting