st. ives-第1章
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St。 Ives; The Adventures of a French Prisoner in England
by Robert Louis Stevenson
CHAPTER I … A TALE OF A LION RAMPANT
IT was in the month of May 1813 that I was so unlucky as to fall at
last into the hands of the enemy。 My knowledge of the English
language had marked me out for a certain employment。 Though I
cannot conceive a soldier refusing to incur the risk; yet to be
hanged for a spy is a disgusting business; and I was relieved to be
held a prisoner of war。 Into the Castle of Edinburgh; standing in
the midst of that city on the summit of an extraordinary rock; I
was cast with several hundred fellow…sufferers; all privates like
myself; and the more part of them; by an accident; very ignorant;
plain fellows。 My English; which had brought me into that scrape;
now helped me very materially to bear it。 I had a thousand
advantages。 I was often called to play the part of an interpreter;
whether of orders or complaints; and thus brought in relations;
sometimes of mirth; sometimes almost of friendship; with the
officers in charge。 A young lieutenant singled me out to be his
adversary at chess; a game in which I was extremely proficient; and
would reward me for my gambits with excellent cigars。 The major of
the battalion took lessons of French from me while at breakfast;
and was sometimes so obliging as to have me join him at the meal。
Chevenix was his name。 He was stiff as a drum…major and selfish as
an Englishman; but a fairly conscientious pupil and a fairly
upright man。 Little did I suppose that his ramrod body and frozen
face would; in the end; step in between me and all my dearest
wishes; that upon this precise; regular; icy soldier…man my
fortunes should so nearly shipwreck! I never liked; but yet I
trusted him; and though it may seem but a trifle; I found his
snuff…box with the bean in it come very welcome。
For it is strange how grown men and seasoned soldiers can go back
in life; so that after but a little while in prison; which is after
all the next thing to being in the nursery; they grow absorbed in
the most pitiful; childish interests; and a sugar biscuit or a
pinch of snuff become things to follow after and scheme for!
We made but a poor show of prisoners。 The officers had been all
offered their parole; and had taken it。 They lived mostly in
suburbs of the city; lodging with modest families; and enjoyed
their freedom and supported the almost continual evil tidings of
the Emperor as best they might。 It chanced I was the only
gentleman among the privates who remained。 A great part were
ignorant Italians; of a regiment that had suffered heavily in
Catalonia。 The rest were mere diggers of the soil; treaders of
grapes or hewers of wood; who had been suddenly and violently
preferred to the glorious state of soldiers。 We had but the one
interest in common: each of us who had any skill with his fingers
passed the hours of his captivity in the making of little toys and
ARTICLES OF PARIS; and the prison was daily visited at certain
hours by a concourse of people of the country; come to exult over
our distress; or … it is more tolerant to suppose … their own
vicarious triumph。 Some moved among us with a decency of shame or
sympathy。 Others were the most offensive personages in the world;
gaped at us as if we had been baboons; sought to evangelise us to
their rustic; northern religion; as though we had been savages; or
tortured us with intelligence of disasters to the arms of France。
Good; bad; and indifferent; there was one alleviation to the
annoyance of these visitors; for it was the practice of almost all
to purchase some specimen of our rude handiwork。 This led; amongst
the prisoners; to a strong spirit of competition。 Some were neat
of hand; and (the genius of the French being always distinguished)
could place upon sale little miracles of dexterity and taste。 Some
had a more engaging appearance; fine features were found to do as
well as fine merchandise; and an air of youth in particular (as it
appealed to the sentiment of pity in our visitors) to be a source
of profit。 Others again enjoyed some acquaintance with the
language; and were able to recommend the more agreeably to
purchasers such trifles as they had to sell。 To the first of these
advantages I could lay no claim; for my fingers were all thumbs。
Some at least of the others I possessed; and finding much
entertainment in our commerce; I did not suffer my advantages to
rust。 I have never despised the social arts; in which it is a
national boast that every Frenchman should excel。 For the approach
of particular sorts of visitors; I had a particular manner of
address; and even of appearance; which I could readily assume and
change on the occasion rising。 I never lost an opportunity to
flatter either the person of my visitor; if it should be a lady;
or; if it should be a man; the greatness of his country in war。
And in case my compliments should miss their aim; I was always
ready to cover my retreat with some agreeable pleasantry; which
would often earn me the name of an 'oddity' or a 'droll fellow。'
In this way; although I was so left…handed a toy…maker; I made out
to be rather a successful merchant; and found means to procure many
little delicacies and alleviations; such as children or prisoners
desire。
I am scarcely drawing the portrait of a very melancholy man。 It is
not indeed my character; and I had; in a comparison with my
comrades; many reasons for content。 In the first place; I had no
family: I was an orphan and a bachelor; neither wife nor child
awaited me in France。 In the second; I had never wholly forgot the
emotions with which I first found myself a prisoner; and although a
military prison be not altogether a garden of delights; it is still
preferable to a gallows。 In the third; I am almost ashamed to say
it; but I found a certain pleasure in our place of residence: being
an obsolete and really mediaeval fortress; high placed and
commanding extraordinary prospects; not only over sea; mountain;
and champaign but actually over the thoroughfares of a capital
city; which we could see blackened by day with the moving crowd of
the inhabitants; and at night shining with lamps。 And lastly;
although I was not insensible to the restraints of prison or the
scantiness of our rations; I remembered I had sometimes eaten quite
as ill in Spain; and had to mount guard and march perhaps a dozen
leagues into the bargain。 The first of my troubles; indeed; was
the costume we were obliged to wear。 There is a horrible practice
in England to trick out in ridiculous uniforms; and as it were to
brand in mass; not only convicts but military prisoners; and even
the children in charity schools。 I think some malignant genius had
found his masterpiece of irony in the dress which we were condemned
to wear: jacket; waistcoat; and trousers of a sulphur or mustard
yellow; and a shirt or blue…and…white striped cotton。 It was
conspicuous; it was cheap; it pointed us out to laughter … we; who
were old soldiers; used to arms; and some of us showing noble
scars; … like a set of lugubrious zanies at a fair。 The old name
of that rock on which our prison stood was (I have heard since
then) the PAINTED HILL。 Well; now it was all painted a bright
yellow with our costumes; and the dress of the soldiers who guarded
us being of course the essential British red rag; we made up
together the elements of a lively picture of hell。 I have again
and again looked round upon my fellow…prisoners; and felt my anger
rise; and choked upon tears; to behold them thus parodied。 The
more part; as I have said; were peasants; somewhat bettered perhaps
by the drill…sergeant; but for all that ungainly; loutish fellows;
with no more than a mere barrack…room smartness of address