THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR

BY ALPHONSE ALLAIS

Translated by Emil Friend. Copyright, 1892, by The Current Literature Publishing Company.

I stepped upon the platform at Baisenmoyen-Cert station, where my friend Lenfileur awaited me with his carriage.

While on the train I suddenly recollected something that required immediate attention at Paris. Upon my arrival at Baisenmoyen-Cert, I went to the telegraph office to send back a message.

This station differed from others of its class because of the total lack of writing materials.

After a prolonged exploration, I finally succeeded in capturing a rusty pen, dipping it in some colorless, slimy fluid. With heroic effort I succeeded in daubing down the few words of my telegram. A decidedly unprepossessing woman grudgingly took the despatch, counted it, and named the rate, which I immediately paid.

With the relieved conscience of having fulfilled a duty, I was about to walk out when my attention was attracted by a young lady at one of the tables manipulating a Morse key. With slight hauteur she turned her back toward me.

Was she young? Probably. She certainly was red-haired. Was she pretty? Why not? Her simple black dress advantageously displayed a round, agreeable form; her luxuriant hair was arranged so as to reveal a few ringlets and a splendid white neck. And suddenly a mad, inexplicable desire to plant a kiss upon those golden ringlets seized me. In the expectation that the young lady would turn round, I stopped and asked the elderly woman a few questions anent telegraph affairs. Her replies were not at all friendly.

The other woman, however, did not stir.

Whoever supposes that I did not go to the telegraph office the next morning does not know me.

The pretty, red-haired one was alone this time.

Now she was compelled to show her face, and, Sapristi! I could not complain.

I purchased some telegraph stamps, wrote several messages, asked a number of nonsensical questions, and played the part of a chump with amazing fidelity.

She responded calmly, prudently, in the manner of a clever, self-possessed, and polite little woman.

And I came daily, sometimes twice a day, for I knew when she would be alone.

To give my calls a reasonable appearance I wrote innumerable letters to friends and telegraphed to an army of bare acquaintances a lot of impossible stuff. So that it was rumored in Paris that I had suddenly become deranged.

Every day I say to myself: "To-day, my boy, you must make a declaration." But her cold manner suppressed upon my lips the words: "Mademoiselle, I love you."

I invariably confined myself to stammering:

"Be kind enough to give me a three-sou stamp."

The situation gradually became unbearable.

As the day for my return approached, I resolved to burn my ships behind me and to venture all to win everything.

I walked into the office and wrote the following message:

"Coquelin, Cadet,[15] 17 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris: I am madly in love with the little red-haired telegraph operator at Baisenmoyen-Cert."

I tremblingly handed her the telegram.

I expected at least, that her beautiful white complexion would effulge.

But no!

Not a muscle relaxed! In the calmest manner in the world she said: "Fifty-nine centimes, please."

Thoroughly nonplused by this queenly serenity, I fumbled about in my pockets for the coin.

But I could not find a sou. From my pocket-book I took a thousand-franc note and gave it her.

She took the bank-note and scrutinized it carefully.

The examination terminated favorably, for her face was suddenly wreathed in smiles, and she burst into a charming ripple of infectious laughter, displaying her marvelously handsome teeth.

And then the pretty young mademoiselle asked in Parisian cadence, the cadence of the Ninth Arrondissement[16]: "Do you want the change?"

FOOTNOTES:

INDEX BY TITLES

TITLE AND AUTHOR PAGE Accursed House, The, Émile Gaboriau, 1415 Ancestor, The, Paul Bourget, 1605 At the Palais de Justice (At the Pa'lay de Justeese'), Alphonse Daudet, 1319 Bal Masqué, A (A Bal Maskay'), Alexandre Dumas 1105 Beauty-Spot, The, Alfred de Musset, 1185 Bit of String, The, Guy de Maupassant, 1571 Björn Sivertsen's Wedding Trip, Holger Drachmann, 547 Boless (Bōless'), Maxim Gorki, 273 "Bonjour, Monsieur" (Bonzshoor' Mseeur'), Jean Richepin, 1559 Boum-Boum, Jules Claretie, 1327 Bric-a-Brac and Destinies, Gabriele Reuter, 929 Broken Cup, The, Heinrich Zschokke, 663 Castle Neideck, Wilhelm Heinrich von Riehl, 691 Cavalleria Rusticana (Cavalleer'ia Rusticah'na), Giovanni Verga, 347 Circé (Seer'say), Octave Feuillet, 1257 Claude Gueux (Clawd Güirr'), Victor Hugo, 1083 Cloak, The, Nikolai Gogol, 21 Counting-House, The, Ivan Turgenev, 81 Curse of Fame, The, Ignatiy Potapenko, 183 Dead are Silent, The, Arthur Schnitzler, 955 Dean's Watch, The, Erckmann-Chatrian, 1289 Deliverance, Max Nordau, 903 Duel, The, Nikolai Teleshov, 263 Easter Night, Vladimir Korolénko, 153 End of Candia, The, Gabriele D'Annunzio, 411 Faust, Eugène Chirikov, 231 Fête at Coqueville, The (The Fate at Cǒh'kvil), Émile Zola, 1427 Fountain of Youth, The, Rudolf Baumbach, 849 Fur Coat, The, Ludwig Fulda, 939 Gentleman Finds a Watch, A, Georges Courteline, 1651 Good Blood, Ernst von Wildenbruch, 863 Grand Marriage, The, Ludovic Halévy, 1379 Hanging at La Piroche, The (The Hanging at La Pee-rawsh'), Alexandre Dumas (Fils), 1269 How the Redoubt Was Taken, Prosper Mérimée, 1121 Irene Holm (Eeray'ney Hōlm), Hermann Bang, 619 Jalo the Trotter (Ya'lo the Trotter), Jacob Ahrenberg, 567 Karen (Kah'ren), Alexander Kielland, 595 La Bretonne (La Bretton'), André Theuriet, 1339 Little Sardinian Drummer, The, Edmondo de Amicis, 375 Long Exile, The, Leo Tolstoi, 137 Lost Child, The, François Coppée, 1471 Lost Letter, The, Enrico Castelnuovo, 329 Love and Bread, August Strindberg, 605 Love of a Scene-Painter, The, "Skitalitz", 285 Lulu's Triumph, Matilda Serao, 387 Margret's Pilgrimage, Clara Viebig, 981 Marquise, The (The Markeese'), George Sand, 1149 Mummy's Foot, The, Théophile Gautier, 1237 Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, Alfred de Vigny, 1067 Necklace, The, Guy de Maupassant, 1581 New-Year's Eve Confession, A, Hermann Sudermann, 917 Outlaws, The, Selma Lagerlöf, 637 Plague at Bergamo, The, Jens Peter Jacobsen, 583 Price of a Life, The, Eugène Scribe, 1049 Putois (Pü'twa), Anatole France, 1495 Queen of Spades, The, Alexander Poushkin, 3 Railroad and Churchyard, Björnstjerne Björnson, 511 Rendezvous, The (The Rǒn'dayvoo), Ivan Turgenev, 67 Sac-au-dos (Sack-ō-dō), Joris Karl Huysmans, 1515 Sign of the Key and the Cross, The, Henri de Régnier, 1671 Signal, The, Vsevolod Garshin, 165 Signora Speranza (Seenyo'ra Speran'za), Luigi Pirandello 427 Silver Crucifix, The, Antonio Fogazzaro, 359 Slanderer, The, Anton Chekhov, 223 Stonebreakers, The, Ferdinand von Saar, 793 Telegraph Operator, The, Alphonse Allais, 1685 Thief, The, Feodor Dostoievski, 109 Thou Shalt Not Kill, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, 839 Two Men and a Woman, Grazia Deledda, 481 Unknown Masterpiece, The, Honoré de Balzac, 1007 Valia (Vah'lia), Leonid Andreiev, 309 Vendean Marriage, The (The Vendee'an Marriage), Jules Janin, 1131 Wall Opposite, The, Pierre Loti, 1595 When He Was a Little Boy, Henri Lavedan, 1639 Which Was the Madman? Edmond About, 1349 Work of Art, A, Anton Chekhov, 217 Young Girl of Treppi, The, Paul Heyse, 739 Young Girl's Diary, A, Marcel Prévost, 1659

INDEX BY AUTHORS

AUTHOR AND TITLE PAGE About, Edmond François Valentin (Edmond' Fraw'nswa Valontan' Aboo'), Which Was the Madman, 1349 Ahrenberg, Johann Jacob (Yo'hon Ya'kǒp Ahr'enbairg), Jalo the Trotter, 567 Allais, Alphonse (Al'fawns Allay'), The Telegraph Operator, 1685 Amicis, Edmondo de (Edmǒn'dǒ de Amee'chis), The Little Sardinian Drummer, 375 Andreiev, Leonid (Lehǒn'id Ondray'yef), Valia, 309 D'Annunzio, Gabriele (Gaabriel'le Dannoon'dzeeo), The End of Candia, 411 Balzac, Honoré de (Honoray' de Bal'zac, as in "shall"), The Unknown Masterpiece, 1007 Bang, Hermann Joachim (Hair'mon Yo'akim Bǒng), Irene Holm, 619 Baumbach, Rudolf (Roo'dolf Bah'umbogh), The Fountain of Youth, 849 Björnson, Björnstjerne (Byern'styern Byern'sun), Railroad and Churchyard, 511 Bourget, Charles Joseph Paul (Sharl Zshosef' Paul Boorsjay'), The Ancestor, 1605 Castelnuovo, Enrico (Enree'ko Kastelnooaw'vo), The Lost Letter, 329 Chatrian, Alexandre (Alexan'dr Sha'treean), The Dean's Watch, 1289 Chekhov, Anton Pavlovitch (An'tǒn Pavlo'vitch Chek'hof), A Work of Art, 217 The Slanderer, 223 Chirikov, Eugène (Irzchayn' Cheeri'khof), Faust, 231 Claretie, Arsène Arnaud, called Jules (Arsayn' Arno' Claraytee', Zhool), Boum-Boum, 1327 Coppée, François Edouard Joachim (Fraw'nswa Edwar' Yoahkeem' Copay'), The Lost Child, 1471 Courteline, Georges (Zhawzh Coor'teleen), A Gentleman Finds a Watch, 1651 Daudet, Alphonse (Alfawnz' Dō'day), At the Palais de Justice, 1319 Deledda, Grazia (Grar'tsia Deled'da), Two Men and a Woman, 481 Dostoievsky, Feodor Mikailovitch (Fe'o-dor Mikaeel'ovitch Dǒhstoyef'ski), The Thief, 109 Drachmann, Holger (Hǒhl'ger Drogh'mon), Björn Sivertsen's Wedding Trip, 547 Dudevant, Amandine Lucie Aurore Dupin, Baroness Dudevant (Amandeen Loosee' Orore' Düpan' Dü'devon). See George Sand. The Marquise, 1149 Dumas, Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie (Alexan'dr Da'vee d'la Pay-tree' Dumah'), A Bal Masqué, 1105 Dumas, Alexandre, Fils (Alexan'dr Dumah' Feece), The Hanging at La Piroche, 1269 Erckmann, Émile (Aymeel' Airck'mon), The Dean's Watch, 1289 Feuillet, Octave (Octarv' Fuhyeay'), Circé, 1257 Fogazzaro, Antonio (Antō'nio Fōgatzar'ro), The Silver Crucifix, 359 France, Anatole (Anatole' Frahnce). See Thibault. Putois, 1495 Fulda, Ludwig (Lood'vigh Fuhl'da), The Fur Coat, 939 Gaboriau, Émile (Aymeel' Gaboreo'), The Accursed House, 1415 Garshin, Vsevolod Mikailovitch (Vsevo'lǒdh Mikaeel'ovitch Garsheen'), The Signal, 165 Gautier, Théophile (Teyofeel' Gō'tyay), The Mummy's Foot, 1237 Gogol, Nikolai Vasilievitch (Nikola'i Vasilye'vitch Gō'gōl), The Cloak, 21 Gorki, Maxim (Ma'xim Gor'ki). See Pyeshkov. Boless, 273 Halévy, Ludovic (Loo'dovic Halayvee'), The Grand Marriage, 1379 Heyse, Paul Johann Ludwig (Paul Yo'hǒn Lood'vigh High'zeh), The Young Girl of Treppi, 739 Hugo, Victor Marie (Victor Maree' U'go), Claude Gueux 1083 Huysmans, Joris Karl (Yorees' Karl Wees'mon), Sac-au-dos, 1515 Jacobsen, Jens Peter (Yenz Pe'ter Ya'kobsen), The Plague at Bergamo, 583 Janin, Jules Gabriel (Zshool Gabriel' Zshan-an), The Vendean Marriage, 1131 Kielland, Alexander Lange (Alexon'der Lǒng'eh Kee'lont), Karen, 595 Korolénko, Vladimir Galaktionovitch (Vlǒ'demer Galaktyǒhn'vitch Korolen'ko), Easter Night, 153 Lagerlöf, Selma (Sel'ma Log'erlerf), The Outlaws, 637 Lavedan, Henri Léon Émile (Awnree' Layon' Aymeel' Lav'dan), When He Was a Little Boy, 1639 Loti, Pierre (Pyair' Lo'tee). See Viaud. The Wall Opposite, 1595 Maupassant, Henri René Albert Guy de (Awnree' Renay' Albair' Gee de Mō-pas-son'), The Bit of String, 1571 The Necklace, 1581 Mérimée, Prosper (Prosper' Mehreemay'), How the Redoubt Was Taken, 1121 Moinaux, Georges (Zhawzh Mwa'no). See Courteline. A Gentleman Finds a Watch, 1625 Musset, Alfred Louis Charles de (Alfred' Looee' Scharl de Müsay'), The Beauty-Spot, 1185 Nordau, Max Simon (Mox See'mon Nor'dough), Deliverance, 903 Petrov, A., "Skitalitz" (A. Petrof'), The Love of a Scene-Painter, 285 Pirandello, Luigi (Looee'ji Pirandel'lō), Signora Speranza, 427 Potapenko, Ignatiy Nikolaievitch (Inya'tyeh Nikolai'evitch Pohta'penkǒ), The Curse of Fame, 183 Poushkin, Alexander Sergeievitch (Alexan'der Sergey'evitch Poosh'kin), The Queen of Spades, 3 Prévost, Marcel (Mar'cel Prayvo'), A Young Girl's Diary, 1659 Pyeshkov, Alexei Maximovitch (Alek'sey Maksim'ovitch Pyeshkof'). See Gorki. Boless, 273 Régnier, Henri de (Awnree' de Rayn'yey), The Sign of the Key and the Cross, 1671 Reuter, Gabriele (Garbriel'leh Roy'ter), Bric-a-Brac and Destinies, 929 Richepin, Jean (Zshon Reesh'pan), "Bonjour, Monsieur", 1559 Riehl, Wilhelm Heinrich von (Vil'helm Hine'righ Ree'ayl), Castle Neideck, 691 Saab, Ferdinand von (Fair'dnont fon Sar), The Stonebreakers, 793 Sacher-Masoch, Leopold von (Lay'opolt fon Sar'ker-Mass'ohgh), Thou Shalt Not Kill, 839 Sand, George. See Dudevant. The Marquise, 1149 Schnitzler, Arthur (Ar'toor Schnitz'ler), The Dead Are Silent, 955 Scribe, Augustin Eugène (Ogūstan' Irzsh'ayn Screeb), The Price of a Life, 1049 Serao, Matilda (Matil'da Sera'o), Lulu's Triumph, 387 "Skitalitz" (Skitar'lits). See Petrov. The Love of a Scene-Painter, 285 Strindberg, Jean August (Zhjan Ow'goost Strind'bairg), Love and Bread, 605 Sudermann, Hermann (Hair'mon Soo'dermon), A New-Year's Eve Confession, 917 Teleshov, Nikolai (Nikola'i Tele'shǒf), The Duel, 263 Theuriet, Claude Adhémar André (Clawd Adhemar Ondray' Ture'yey), La Bretonne, 1339 Thibault, Anatole François (Anatole' Frah'nswa Tee'-bō). See Anatole France. Putois, 1495 Tolstoi, Leo Nikolaievitch (Lay'o Nikolai'evitch Tol'stwi), The Long Exile, 137 Turgenev, Ivan (Ee'von Tourgey'nyef), The Rendezvous, 67 The Counting-House, 81 Verga, Giovanni (Jyo-vaa'ni Vair'ga), Cavalleria Rusticana, 347 Viaud, Louis Marie Julien (Looee' Maree' Zshoolyan' Vyo'). See Loti, Pierre. The Wall Opposite, 1595 Viebig, Clara (Clara Vee'bigh), Margret's Pilgrimage, 981 Vigny, Alfred Victor, Comte de (Alfred' Victor', Cawnt de Veenyee'), Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, 1067 Wildenbruch, Ernst von (Airnst fǒn Vil'denbroogh), Good Blood, 863 Zola, Émile (Aymeel' Zō'la), The Fête at Coqueville, 1427 Zschokke, Johann Heinrich Daniel (Yo'hon Hine'righ Dan'yel Tchohk'ke), The Broken Cup, 663