othousandfrancs,broughthiminassoonasitgrewdark,andtoldhimtoblowonthefireamomentsothatitwouldntgoout.Heblewandblewandblew.Bythepowerofthediamond,hehadtokeeprightonblowinguptothenextmorning,withhisfacebulginglikeawineskin.
"Whatawaytobehave!"shesaidtohiminthemorning."Youcometoseeme,butspendthenightblowingonthefire!"
Andshesenthimpacking.
Thenextnightshebroughtinthemanwiththethousandfrancs."Ihavetoaddtheyeast,"shetoldhim."WhileImdoingthat,goshutthedoor."
Themanshutthedoor,whichbythepowerofthediamondcameopenagainrightaway.Allnightlonghecloseditonlytoseeitimmediatelyreopen,andinnotimethesunwasup.
"Didyoufinallyclosethisdoor?Well,youmaynowopenitagainandgetout."
Seethingwithrage,thethreemendenouncedhertotheauthorities.Inthatdayandtimetherewere,inadditiontopolicemen,womenofficerswhowerecalledwheneverawomanwastobebroughtintocustody.Sofourwomenofficerswenttoapprehendthebride.
"Bythepowerofthediamond,"saidthebride,"letthesewomenboxoneanothersearsuntiltomorrowmorning."
Thefourwomenofficersbeganboxingoneanothersearssohardthattheirheadsswelleduplikepumpkins,andtheystillwentonstrikingeachotherforalltheywereworth.
Whenthewomenofficersfailedtoreturnwiththeculprit,fourmaleofficersweresentouttolookforthem.Thebridesawthemcomingandsaid,"Bythepowerofthediamond,letthosemenplayleapfrog."Oneofthemaleofficersdroppeddownatonceonallfours;asecondonemovedup,puthishandsontheofficersback,andleapedoverhim,withthethirdandfourthfollowinginhistracks.Thusbeganagameofleapfrog.
Rightatthatpoint,atortoisecamecrawlingintoview.Itwasthehusbandreturningfromhistriparoundtheworld.Hesawhiswife,andbehold!Hewasagainahandsomeyoungman,andahandsomeyoungmanheremained,byhiswifesside,uptoaripeoldage.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
NOTES:
"TheManWhoCameOutOnlyatNight"(Luomocheuscivasolodinotte)fromAndrews,14and21,Menton,toldbyIrenGenaandIrenePanduro.
Atalefullofoddities,themoststrikingofwhichisthatofwomenconstables,givenasahistoricalfactregardingaparticularpolicesystem.InAndrewssfirstvariant,thebridegroomturnsintoatoad.
Copyri
本章未完，点击下一页继续阅读。