The Project Gutenberg EBook of Original Short Stories of Maupassant,
Volume 6, by Guy de Maupassant

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Title: Original Short Stories, Volume 6 (of 13)

Author: Guy de Maupassant

Last Updated: February 12, 2009
Release Date: August 16, 2006 [EBook #3082]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAUPASSANT SHORT STORIES ***

Produced by David Widger

ORIGINAL SHORT STORIES, VOLUME 6 (of 13)

By Guy De Maupassant

Translated by:

ALBERT M. C. McMASTER, B.A.
A. E. HENDERSON, B.A.
MME. QUESADA and Others

VOLUME VI.

THAT COSTLY RIDE
USELESS BEAUTY
THE FATHER
MY UNCLE SOSTHENES
THE BARONESS
MOTHER AND SON
THE HAND
A TRESS OF HAIR
ON THE RIVER
THE CRIPPLE
A STROLL
ALEXANDRE
THE LOG
JULIE ROMAINE
THE RONDOLI SISTERS

THAT COSTLY RIDE

The household lived frugally on the meager income derived from the
husband's insignificant appointments. Two children had been born of the
marriage, and the earlier condition of the strictest economy had become
one of quiet, concealed, shamefaced misery, the poverty of a noble
family--which in spite of misfortune never forgets its rank.

Hector de Gribelin had been educated in the provinces, under the
paternal roof, by an aged priest. His people were not rich, but they
managed to live and to keep up appearances.

At twenty years of age they tried to find him a position, and he entered
the Ministry of Marine as a clerk at sixty pounds a year. He foundered
on the rock of life like all those who have not been early prepared for
its rude struggles, who look at life through a mist, who do not know how
to protect themselves, whose special aptitudes and faculties have not
been developed from childhood, whose early training has not developed
the rough energy needed for the battle of life or furnished them with
tool or weapon.

His first three years of office work were a martyrdom.

He had, however, renewed the acquaintance of a few friends of his family
--elderly people, far behind the times, and poor like himself, who
lived in aristocratic streets, the g