Lesson No. 5
                                               
                                    The Piece of String
                                                                                             (Guy De Maupassant)

At the end of market day, the rich people with vehicles of all kinds, carts, gigs,wagons, dump carts gathered at a great big hall for a great meal.There were chickens, pigeons and legs of mutton in the roast and an appetizing odour of roast, beef. Leaf and gravy dripping over the browned skin, which increased the appetite and made everybody's mouth water. Everyone told his affairs, his purchases and sales. The diners discussed the crops and the weather which was favourable for the green things but not for wheat. Suddenly, at the sound of drum beat in the court every body rose from the seats expect a few ones who still had the food in their hands. After the drum beat had ceased, the drum beaters called out to the people who were now attentive and impatiently waiting for him to call out the public announcement. "It is hereby made known to the inhabitants of this place and in general to all persons in the market that a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred shilling and some business papers was lost on the road between 9.00 and 10.00 in the morning. The finder is requested to return the same to the mayor's office or to Mr. James, the caretaker of this public hall. There will be a reward of 20 shillings".After the meal had concluded the Chief of the police appeared on the scene. He inquired,"Is Mr. Hubert here?" Mr. Hubert seated at another end of the table replied,"Here I am." The police officer went up to him and said,"Mr. Hubert, will you please accompany me to the mayor's office, the mayor would like to talk to you."Mr. Hubert surprised and disturbed, followed the police officer. The Mayor, a stout serious man, was waiting for Hubert. "Mr. Hubert," he said, "You were seen this morning to pick up the pocketbook lost by Mr. James." Mr. Hubert, the simple countryman looked at the Mayor astounded and already terrified by the suspicion resting on him."Why, Me? Me? Me picked up the pocketbook" "Yes, you yourself"."By my word of honour I never heard of it." "But you were seen.""I was seen with the pocketbook? Who saw me?". "Mr. Manana, the harness man saw you pick up the pocketbook.Mr. Hubert, the old man, remembered, understood and flushed with anger."O, him! Yes! He saw me pick up this string here." And as he said so, he drew out the little piece of string from his pocket.But the Mayor shook his head and said. "You will not make me believe that Mr. Manana, who is a man of worthy credence, mistook the cord for a pocketbook."Mr. Hubert, the peasant furiously lifted his hand, spat at one side to attest his honour, and said in the most exasperating tone, "It is, nevertheless, truth of the good God, the sacred truth. I repeat it on my soul and my salvation.""After picking up the object , you stood there, looking a long while in the mud to see if any money had fallen out."The good soul, Mr. Hubert, choked with indignation and fear."How any one can tell such lies to take away an honest man's reputation. How can any one .........................."There was no use of Mr. Hubert's protesting., for nobody believed him. Mr. Manana repeatedly maintained that Hubert had picked up the pocketbook. For an hour both men abused each other. Then at his own request, Mr. Hubert was searched. Nothing was found on him.Finally the Mayor discharged Hubert with warning that he would consult the public prosecutor and ask for further orders.As he left the Mayor's office, people surrounded and questioned him with serious curiosity. Nobody believed his story of the string. Instead people laughed at him.Mr. Hubert went along stopping his friends giving them his statement and presentation, turning his pocket inside out to prove that he had nothing. All they said was, "You old rascal!  Get out of here!"Mr. Hubert went to the village telling every man he knew about his adventure, but he only met with incredulity. It all made him ill. The next day in the afternoon a man named George returned the pocketbook and its contents to Mr. James the owner of the pocketbook.George claimed to have found the pocketbook on the road to the village market, but not knowing how to read he had given it to his employer.The news spread like fire in the neighborhood. Mr. Hubert was also informed. He was in triumph. "What grieved me as much was not the thing itself - as the lying. There is nothing so shameful as to be called a liar."Whatever reasons he gave, people were not willing to believe him. "Those are lying excuses." They said behind his back.  Hubert felt this shame and disgrace to his self esteem and character. He consumed his heart over this and wasted away before the very eyes of the people.People started to tell the story of the string to amuse themselves and told it in a manner of soldier who had been on a campaign and told about his battles. Hubert's mind touched to the depth, began to weaken day by day.Towards the end of the month he took to his bed. He died in the first week of the following month.In the delirium of his death struggles he kept claiming his innocence, reiterating: "A piece of string, a piece of string! By my word of honour I did not lie."And he died.It is said that a great flood in its great wrath carried away the people and all their belongings.The grave of Hubert withstood the havoc of the flood.It was engraved on his tomb stone, years after his death, "Here lies a man who would not prove his innocence, but the flood proved it - !"




                                             EXERCISES


Q 1. Choose the correct answer.

1.The rich people gathered at a big hall

(a) to watch a show
(b) for a discussion    
(c) to hear a lecture  
(d) for a great meal 


2. What was the public statement made by the drum beater ?

(a) loss of the black leather pocketbook containing money and business papers.
(b) open invitation for dinner
(c) to enjoy a concert
(d) sale of a building


3.Mr. Hubert was surprised and disturbed when the police officer asked him to accompany him to

(a) the police station
(b) the mayor's office
(c) the court
(d) the airport


4."By my word of honour I never heard of it" means

(a) that he never saw it.
(b) being an honorable man he didn't pick up the lost object.
(c) an honorable person never thought of picking up a lost object.
(d) he never heard of the lost object.


5. What did Hubert say in the most exasperating tone?


(a) he never stole the pocketbook
(b) he picked up a piece of string
(c) it is, nevertheless, truth of the good God, the sacred truth.
(d) "O, him! Yes! He saw me pick up this string here."


6.What were the feelings of Hubert when he was informed of the recovery of the lost object? He felt
(a) disgusted      
(b) triumphed      
(c) indifferent    
(d) concerned


7."But he only met with incredulity" means that he was believed

(a) telling the truth              
(b) lying            
(c) showing his faith      
(d) gentlemen


8.What did the people say behind his back?

(a) those are lame excuses
(b) he is innocent
(c) he is unreliable
(d) a man of loose character


9. What did Hubert feel?

(a) a grace of personality    
(b) shame and disgrace to his self-esteem and character
(c) truthful
(d) trustworthy


 10. What were the last words Hubert uttered before his death?

(a) " a piece of string ! a piece of string!"          
(b) by my word of honour I did not lie.
(c) I picked up a pocketbook
(d) I handed over the pocketbook to its owner



Q 2. Mark the sentences true or false.


1.Everybody's mouth was watered on the sight of wealth.                               False

2.The finder of the pocketbook will be rewarded.                                             True

3.He drew out the little pocketbook from his pocket.                                        False

4.Mr. Hubert was pleased to hear the allegation.                                               False

5.The people greeted Hubert when he came out of the office of the Mayor.       False

6.George found the pocketbook and gave it to Hubert.                                     False

7. The people believed the reason Hubert gave to prove his innocence.             False

8. People started to tell the story of the string to amuse themselves.                    True

9. A great flood carried away the people.                                                          True

10. Nothing but the flood proved Hubert's innocence.                                         True




Q 3. Answer the following questions.

1. Why did Manana accuse Hubert of picking the lost pocketbook?

Ans. Manana accused Hubert of picking the lost pocketbook because he had seen him bending over and picking something at the same time and place. He might want to get the reward of 20 shillings.


2. What did the people think of Hubert when they heard the return of the pocketbook by some other person?


Ans. People were not willing to believe him. They said behind his back that those were lame excuses. They thought that he must have dropped the purse somewhere else.


3.Why did George give the pocketbook to his employer?

Ans. George found the pocketbook on the road to the village market. He was an illiterate man so he gave it to his employer.


4. What made Hubert shameful?

Ans. Hubert was not believed and people declared him a liar. He felt shame and disgrace to his self esteem and character.


5.Why did the people make fun of his innocence?

Ans. Mr. Hubert took this incident to his heart and became very weak. People thought that his guilt had made him ill. They started making fun of him by telling the story of the string.



6. Why did he keep claiming his innocence before his death?

Ans. Hubert was blamed and victimized for being a liar. He lost the honour of his words. He wanted to regain his lost reputation therefore he kept claiming his innocence till his death.



Q 4. Answer the following questions in 100-150 words.


1. Write down a note on the character of Hubert?


Ans. Mr. Hubert is a simple countryman. He is neither clever nor bold. Mr. Manana accuses him of picking up a purse. He takes oath and swears by God that he has not taken the purse but nobody believes him. It shows that he is an isolated personality and has weak public relations and poor communication. The Mayor calls Mr. Manana a man of worthy credence and blames Mr. Hubert. He is so simple that he cannot believe that somebody can take away an honest man's reputation by telling such lies. Unfortunately, he is ridiculed and everybody doubt his character. He is so sensitive that he cannot stand this disgrace and falls ill. He consumes his heart, wastes away and dies. In his last moments he keeps claiming his innocence. He is such a good soul that he dies for his honour.


2. Write ten lines on the mentality of the people who did not believe Hubert.


Ans. Basically the story is a satire upon those who do not probe the matter and believe whatever is said. The people believed Manana  not Hubert because Manana was a man of  worthy credence according to the Mayor. There was an evidence that Hubert bent down and picked up something but there was no proof that it was the purse.Manana accused him because he wanted to get the reward and become prominent. All the people believed him and started ridiculing the good soul. It shows the mental sickness of those people. They were fond of making fun of others. They enjoyed scandalizing the innocent people because of their negative thinking and sick mentality. The administrators like Mayor are unable to judge the truth. They are narrow minded. They have no ability to see the things beneath the surface.



3.Why did the Mayor not believe the innocence of Hubert?

Ans. The Mayor did not believe the innocence of Hubert because he was seen picking something from the same place where the purse was lost. Mr. Manana was the eye witness but he only saw Hubert bending down and picking something up. He mistook a piece of string for pocketbook and accused Hubert of this theft. He also claimed that after picking up the pocketbook Hubert stood there, looking a long while in the mud to see if any money had fallen out.
The Mayor thought the witness sufficient for accusing Hubert. He also thought Mr. Manana a man of worthy credence.Such a person could not mistake piece of string for a pocketbook. He believed it must be the pocketbook and Hubert was guilty of picking it up.



4. Was it necessary for Hubert to continue pleading his innocence?

Ans.Mr. Hubert knew nothing except truth. It was beyond his imagination that he would be called a liar. It was a stigma on his character. If a person is true to his heart but he is misunderstood as a rascal it is nerve shattering for him. He cannot face the humiliation. Mr. Hubert bore all the characteristics of a simple good soul. He was a passive man.
When he was charged and victimized it was necessary for him to make himself free of this charge. He could tolerate everything except the disgrace of his honour. He wanted to make people believe that he was not the culprit. Therefore he continued pleading his innocence.



5. What suggestion can you give to Hubert to save him from such a humiliating situation?

Ans. This world and this life are great riddles. Everyone tries to solve these but finds no satisfactory answer.
It is not a very strange situation that Hubert is in, It is quite ironical that pious people are often misunderstood and those who pretend become successful. our institutions like law and justice are true examples of this. Justice can be bought. People like Hubert can only save themselves from humiliation if they make themselves quite strong.
Nobody can stop people of accusing or mocking others. A person should be bold and courageous enough to face the worse circumstances. If he shows any weakness he is run down and smashed. Hubert should not have taken all this to his heart. He should have shown his mettle but he proved himself fragile. He should not have tried to assure the people of his innocence. His illness also gave rise to suspicions and he yielded before circumstances.


Q 5. Fill in the correct prepositions (on, to, of, at, from)


1.He was walking from the public square.

2. Then he pretended to be looking at something on the ground.

3. They had decided  on purchase.

4. The finder is requested to return the same.

5. George claimed to have found the pocketbook.



Q 6. Punctuate the following  lines.

i was seen with the pocketbook who saw me mr manana the harness man saw you pick up the pocketbook.

Answer:

"I was seen with the pocket book?  Who saw me?". "Mr. Manana, the harness man saw you pick up the pocket book."



Q 7. Use the following words in your own sentences.

    Words                                                       Sentences

1. Purchase                                               She purchased a new dress.

2. Attentive                                                Be attentive please, the chairman is coming.

3. Surprised                                               He was surprised to see her in his office.                  

4. Astounded                                             I was astounded by the incident.

5. Shook                                                    She shook me by the shoulder.




Q 8. Read the following passage and answer the questions given at the end.


Suddenly, at the sound of drum beat in the court every body rose from the seats expect a few ones who still had the food in their hands. After the drum beat had ceased, the drum beaters called out to the people who were now attentive and impatiently waiting for him to call out the public announcement. "It is hereby made known to the inhabitants of this place and in general to all persons in the market that a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred shilling and some business papers was lost on the road between 9.00 and 10.00 in the morning. The finder is requested to return the same to the mayor's office or to Mr. James, the caretaker of this public hall. There will be a reward of 20 shillings"


1. Did all the people rise on hearing the sound of drumbeat?

Ans. No,a few person did not rise because they still had food in their hands.


2.What was the announcement made by the drum beater?

Ans. The drum beater announced that a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred shilling and some business papers was lost on the road between 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning. The finder was requested to return the same to the mayor's office or to Mr. James, the caretaker of the public hall. There would be a reward of 20 shillings.


3.Who was the owner of the lost pocketbook?

Ans. It seems that Mr. James was the owner of the lost pocketbook.



4.Where was the pocketbook lost?

Ans. The pocketbook was lost on the road.