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1、1/7PreciousDustIcannotrememberhowIcametohearthestoryofJeanChamette,theParisdustmanwhoearnedhislivingbysweepingtheshopsoftheartisansofhisquarter.KonstantinPaustovskyChamettelivedinashantyontheoutskirtsofthecity.Todescribehisneighborhoodatlengthwouldleadthereaderawayfromthemain
2、trendofthestory.Iwouldpointout,however,thattothisdaytheoutskirtsofParisaresurroundedbyfortificationswhich,atthetimethisstoryunfolds,teemedwithbirdsandwerecoveredwithhoneysuckleandhawthorn.Chamette’sshantylayatthefootofanorthernrampart,inarowwiththeshacksoftinkers,cobblers,gar
3、bagepickersandbeggars.IfMaupassanthadshownaninterestintheinhabitantsoftheseshacksIsurehewouldhavewrittenmanymoresplendidstories.Perhapshewouldhaveaddedmorelaurelstohisimmortalcrown.Butoutsidersrarelypeeredintotheseplaces—thatis,exceptdetectives,andtheseonlywheninsearchofstole
4、ngoods.HisneighborsnicknamedChametteWoodpecker,fromwhichitmaybesupposedthathewasalean,hatchet-facedfellow,perhapswithatuftofhair,likeabird’scomb,protrudingfromunderhishat.AsaprivateinthearmyofNapoleonlePetitduringtheMexicanWar,JeanChamettehadknownbetterdays.Hehadbeenluckythen
5、,too;foratVeraCruzhehadhadaboutoffeverandwasorderedhomewithouthavingfoughtinasinglerealskirmish.TheofficerincommandofChamette’sregimenttookthisopportunitytosendhiseight-year-olddaughterSuzannebacktoFrance.Thisofficerwaswidowerwhotookhislittledaughterwithhimwhereverhewent.Butt
6、heMexicanclimatewasfatalforEuropeanchildren,andthefitfulguerrillawarfarewasfraughtwithunforeseenperils.AndsoforoncehedecidedtopartwiththelittlegirlandsendhertohissisterinRouen.TheheathunginahazeovertheAtlanticduringChamette’scrossing.LittleSuzannebrooded,eventhefishesdartingi
7、nandoutoftheshimmeringwaterfailedtoelicitasmilefromher.Chamettelookedafterthechildasbesthecould.Hefelt,however,thatsheneedednotjustcare,butaffection.Butwhataffectioncouldhe,ex-privateofaColonialRegiment,showtoalittlegirl?Howtoentertainher?Playagameofdice?Singasmuttysoldier’ss
8、ong?Yettheicehadtobebroken.EverynowandthenChamettecaughtthechild’sbe
