Note: The Franco-Prussian War is called the 1870 Franco-German War in France and the Franco-German War in Germany. It is a war that the Prussian Kingdom broke out in order to unify Germany and compete with the second French Empire for the hegemony of the European continent. The war was launched by France and ended with the victory of Prussia and the establishment of the German Empire.
Boule de suif, whose original name is Elizabeth, is a "humble" prostitute in everyone's eyes. The story mainly tells various scenes in which she fled to the next port in a carriage as a servant and nine other people from different classes at the same time.
For several days, the remnants of a division defeated in a large-scale battle passed through the city. They are in rags, without military flags and titles, depressed and tired. Among these teams, there are active pensioners, as well as some strong national rangers and soldiers, artillery and dragoons. Subsequently, a group of guerrillas with the title of hero SHEN WOO but looking like robbers also passed through the city. Guerrilla officers are businessmen with money or beards. They claim to be responsible for the survival of France, but they are afraid of their soldiers. The local city national guard was preparing for a bloody battle in the Woods in the suburbs, but when Pu Jun really wanted to attack, they fled home. Finally, this combative and invincible nation was defeated, and Rouen was occupied by German troops. The people of Rouen were brutally and savagely robbed by the enemy. All hatred against foreign enemies has infinite attraction, and it can always bring up some brave and just people, who all died of their own beliefs. These unsung heroes silently resisted the enemy and killed many of them.
After a period of time, the initial terror disappeared after the enemy invaded, and a new calm atmosphere appeared in the city.
Local businessmen reopened. Several businessmen initially invested heavily in le havre Port, which is still in the hands of the French army. They took advantage of the relationship between German officers and obtained special permission from the occupation headquarters to leave the city. They plan to go to Dieppe by land first, and then go to le havre by boat.
So, a four-horse carriage carrying ten guests was ready to go. To avoid attracting passers-by, they decided to leave before dawn on Tuesday morning.
At 4: 30 in the morning, the passengers gathered in the courtyard of Normandy Hotel, where they wanted to get on the bus. It snowed heavily and all the passengers were shivering with cold. Even the horses are dejected and unwilling to be driven away. A car with four horses and two horses dragged ten passengers along slowly.
The most comfortable seats in the carriage are Mr. Bird, the owner of the wine wholesale company, and his wife. Mr. Bird is a famous profiteer, short and fat, and his wife is a tall, decisive and calculating person.
Opposite is Mr. Kare Lamadon, who was born in a higher class, played an important role in the cotton textile industry, was also a member of the provincial council, and was the leader of the moderate opposition throughout the Second Empire. His higher social status was achieved by playing tricks. His wife is an officer, much younger than him, and comes from a noble family. She is petite and beautiful.
Next to Lady Carre-Ramadan are Count Hubert de Breville and Lady Hubert de Breville, whose surnames are the oldest and noblest in Normandy. Breville's family is very rich, all real estate, with an annual income of 500,000 francs.
The above six people are the core passengers on the carriage, powerful and rich, and are gentlemen with religious morality.
The count was surrounded by two nuns, one was an old nun with a pockmarked face, and the other was a beautiful face with a sick face, thin figure and obsessed with religion.
The man opposite the nun is a well-known democratic expert, Corndette, and a dangerous figure in the eyes of all upper-class people. His father was a candy merchant, leaving him a considerable part of the production, but he lost it all. He is going to le havre to build new fortifications.
The woman opposite the nun is boule de suif, the central figure in this novel. She is short and fat, and she is famous for her premature obesity, so she got the nickname "suicide stone" Her skin is delicate, bright and gorgeous, and she has many customers. Everyone recognized her, commented on her and was very contemptuous. Her eyes are bold, fearless and challenging.
Three couples in the carriage are going to le havre to save their assets and lives, two nuns are going to le havre to treat soldiers suffering from smallpox, and Conedett of the Democratic Party is going to le havre to build new fortifications.
Only boule de suif, when people were eating, drinking and serving the enemy, the first reaction was to jump on and strangle the first enemy who entered her house, but failed to resist, so she had to go out of the city in this carriage.
Yang is a true patriot. He expressed his respect and love for the country with his own practical actions. On the contrary, other people who can support the national war only condemn the enemy's atrocities in words, but choose to flee in action for personal gain.
The carriage moved forward at a very slow speed. At one o'clock in the afternoon, everyone was hungry, pale, twitching painfully from time to time, and in no mood to talk and chat. Boule de suif also bent down several times to look for something under his skirt, but when he saw others, he would straighten up as if nothing had happened. Cornudet brought a pot full of rum and offered it to everyone, but it was coldly refused. Only Mr. Bird took two sips. He suggested that everyone share the fattest passenger, just like the song goes. This is obviously an allusion to suicide.
At three o'clock, I immediately arrived at a deserted plain. Boule de suif suddenly took out a big basket covered with a white napkin from under the bench. There is enough food for three days in the basket, including chicken, pie, fruit, candy and four bottles of wine.
She took out a chicken wing and ate it slowly. Boule de suif, who is kind in nature, humbly invites everyone to enjoy the food together. Mr Byrd, his wife and two nuns were the first people to accept the invitation, and Cornette accepted the invitation politely, leaving only Count de Breville and Carre-Lamadon still with noble airs.
It wasn't until Mrs Carrey-Lamadon fainted from hunger that she assumed an unattainable aristocratic manner and ate without scruple, and soon ate all the food in the basket. Facing hunger, boule de suif showed her kind nature, while those noble people brazenly begged food from the humble boule de suif.
More ironically, at this time, people replaced the original "prostitute" and "social shame" with "madam", and they talked with boule de suif one after another and made friends.
When it was dark, they arrived at Tottenham and met German officers. They were forced to get off and live in a hotel. German officers detained everyone in the hotel car on the grounds that they coveted the body of the suicide.
When the German officer first called boule de suif to his room, boule de suif decisively refused, only at everyone's request, while others felt sorry that they were not called themselves, and even wondered how to please German officers if they were themselves. In the evening, Mr. Bird saw from the door lock that Cornudet asked for sex, but boule de suif angrily refused.
The next day, everyone's attitude towards mutton rolls became cold. They complained about this woman. They called her a bitch, a kiln worker and a bitch. A group of people played some vulgar jokes on her.
They think this little bitch did it, but they want to pretend to refuse the officer seriously. After that, everyone except Cornudet began to discuss the plan.
Boule de suif resolutely refused, which made her a stumbling block to everyone. In order to protect her own interests, Mr. Bode, a profiteer, suggested to the police that the suicide stone should stay and let others leave. After getting the negative answer, they began to plot again.
They want to occupy a besieged fortress, so that the suicides are willing to hand themselves over to German officers.
The countess knew the routine in the field of communication and began to deal with suicide bombers. Others became affable to win her trust. They deliberately changed their address to "Miss" to remind her of her low status.
Finally, the countess joined hands with the old nun. If she was an old nun, she would break through boule de suif's angry resistance line step by step.
At dinner, boule de suif finally wavered in order to save everyone. She sacrificed herself and went into the German officer's room. While others celebrated with champagne. Make a vulgar joke.
These nobles drank to their heart's content and jumped for joy. Only cornedette was unhappy. He threw down the word "despicable" angrily and left angrily.
Mr bird told the whole story of the "secret in the corridor" that night, which caused everyone to laugh wildly.
They didn't show any gratitude and respect all night. Show the ugliness of human nature to the fullest.
The next morning, everyone set out and everyone avoided the suicide stone. When I am hungry, everyone takes out delicious food and enjoys it with peace of mind. No one noticed that the mutton roll didn't bring food on the bus.
At the end of the article, boule de suif cried sadly alone.
This reminds me of the story of the farmer and the snake.
This novel gives us a new understanding of good and evil, beauty and ugliness.
Boule de suif is very kind, but her kindness without any advantage finally hurts herself.
"A glamorous person may have a dirty soul, and a humble person may have a noble heart.