Œuvres complètes de Guy de Maupassant - volume 14

The story follows Boniface, a diligent postman in the quiet countryside of Vireville. As he sets out on his long June route, the fields of wheat and clover roll beneath his steady stride, and the rhythm of his work is marked by polite greetings to farmers and the occasional glance at the local newspaper. Maupassant paints the landscape with simple, vivid details, letting listeners feel the warmth of the summer road and the satisfying cadence of a day’s deliveries.

That afternoon, a grisly report in his paper draws Boniface into a nightmare: a forest guard’s cottage has been invaded, and the family inside lies brutally murdered. The shock of the scene—blood on the threshold, a lifeless child hidden among the sheets—paralyzes him, yet he still manages to summon the courage to alert the village authorities. The narrative lingers on his stunned reaction and the urgent march back to the mayor, setting the stage for a tense investigation without revealing what will follow.