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第12章

st. ives-第12章

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eyes appeared entirely occupied with Flora。



'Who is that man?' she asked。



'He is a friend of mine;' said I。  'I give him lessons in French; 

and he has been very kind to me。'



'He stared;' she said; … 'I do not say; rudely; but why should he 

stare?'



'If you do not wish to be stared at; mademoiselle; suffer me to 

recommend a veil;' said I。



She looked at me with what seemed anger。  'I tell you the man 

stared;' she said。



And Ronald added。  'Oh; I don't think he meant any harm。  I suppose 

he was just surprised to see us walking about with a pr … with M。 

Saint…Yves。'



But the next morning; when I went to Chevenix's rooms; and after I 

had dutifully corrected his exercise … 'I compliment you on your 

taste;' said he to me。



'I beg your pardon?' said I。



'Oh no; I beg yours;' said he。  'You understand me perfectly; just 

as I do you。'



I murmured something about enigmas。



'Well; shall I give you the key to the enigma?' said he; leaning 

back。  'That was the young lady whom Goguelat insulted and whom you 

avenged。  I do not blame you。  She is a heavenly creature。'



'With all my heart; to the last of it!' said I。  'And to the first 

also; if it amuses you!  You are become so very acute of late that 

I suppose you must have your own way。'



'What is her name?' he asked。



'Now; really!' said I。  'Do you think it likely she has told me?'



'I think it certain;' said he。



I could not restrain my laughter。  'Well; then; do you think it 

likely I would tell you?' I cried。



'Not a bit。' said he。  'But come; to our lesson!'









CHAPTER VI … THE ESCAPE





THE time for our escape drew near; and the nearer it came the less 

we seemed to enjoy the prospect。  There is but one side on which 

this castle can be left either with dignity or safety; but as there 

is the main gate and guard; and the chief street of the upper city; 

it is not to be thought of by escaping prisoners。  In all other 

directions an abominable precipice surrounds it; down the face of 

which (if anywhere at all) we must regain our liberty。  By our 

concurrent labours in many a dark night; working with the most 

anxious precautions against noise; we had made out to pierce below 

the curtain about the south…west corner; in a place they call the 

DEVIL'S ELBOW。  I have never met that celebrity; nor (if the rest 

of him at all comes up to what they called his elbow) have I the 

least desire of his acquaintance。  From the heel of the masonry; 

the rascally; breakneck precipice descended sheer among waste 

lands; scattered suburbs of the city; and houses in the building。  

I had never the heart to look for any length of time … the thought 

that I must make the descent in person some dark night robbing me 

of breath; and; indeed; on anybody not a seaman or a steeple…jack; 

the mere sight of the DEVIL'S ELBOW wrought like an emetic。



I don't know where the rope was got; and doubt if I much cared。  It 

was not that which gravelled me; but whether; now that we had it; 

it would serve our turn。  Its length; indeed; we made a shift to 

fathom out; but who was to tell us how that length compared with 

the way we had to go?  Day after day; there would be always some of 

us stolen out to the DEVIL'S ELBOW and making estimates of the 

descent; whether by a bare guess or the dropping of stones。  A 

private of pioneers remembered the formula for that … or else 

remembered part of it and obligingly invented the remainder。  I had 

never any real confidence in that formula; and even had we got it 

from a book; there were difficulties in the way of the application 

that might have daunted Archimedes。  We durst not drop any 

considerable pebble lest the sentinels should hear; and those that 

we dropped we could not hear ourselves。  We had never a watch … or 

none that had a second…hand; and though every one of us could guess 

a second to a nicety; all somehow guessed it differently。  In 

short; if any two set forth upon this enterprise; they invariably 

returned with two opinions; and often with a black eye in the 

bargain。  I looked on upon these proceedings; although not without 

laughter; yet with impatience and disgust。  I am one that cannot 

bear to see things botched or gone upon with ignorance; and the 

thought that some poor devil was to hazard his bones upon such 

premises; revolted me。  Had I guessed the name of that unhappy 

first adventurer; my sentiments might have been livelier still。



The designation of this personage was indeed all that remained for 

us to do; and even in that we had advanced so far that the lot had 

fallen on Shed B。  It had been determined to mingle the bitter and 

the sweet; and whoever went down first; the whole of his shed…mates 

were to follow next in order。  This caused a good deal of joy in 

Shed B; and would have caused more if it had not still remained to 

choose our pioneer。  In view of the ambiguity in which we lay as to 

the length of the rope and the height of the precipice … and that 

this gentleman was to climb down from fifty to seventy fathoms on a 

pitchy night; on a rope entirely free; and with not so much as an 

infant child to steady it at the bottom; a little backwardness was 

perhaps excusable。  But it was; in our case; more than a little。  

The truth is; we were all womanish fellows about a height; and I 

have myself been put; more than once; HORS DE COMBAT by a less 

affair than the rock of Edinburgh Castle。



We discussed it in the dark and between the passage of the rounds; 

and it was impossible for any body of men to show a less 

adventurous spirit。  I am sure some of us; and myself first among 

the number; regretted Goguelat。  Some were persuaded it was safe; 

and could prove the same by argument; but if they had good reasons 

why some one else should make the trial; they had better still why 

it should not be themselves。  Others; again; condemned the whole 

idea as insane; among these; as ill…luck would have it; a seaman of 

the fleet; who was the most dispiriting of all。  The height; he 

reminded us; was greater than the tallest ship's mast; the rope 

entirely free; and he as good as defied the boldest and strongest 

to succeed。  We were relieved from this dead…lock by our sergeant…

major of dragoons。



'Comrades;' said he; 'I believe I rank you all; and for that 

reason; if you really wish it; I will be the first myself。  At the 

same time; you are to consider what the chances are that I may 

prove to be the last; as well。  I am no longer young … I was sixty 

near a month ago。  Since I have been a prisoner; I have made for 

myself a little BEDAINE。  My arms are all gone to fat。  And you 


must promise not to blame me; if I fall and play the devil with the 

whole thing。'



'We cannot hear of such a thing!' said I。  'M。 Laclas is the oldest 

man here; and; as such; he should be the very last to offer。  It is 

plain; we must draw lots。'



'No;' said M。 Laclas; 'you put something else in my head!  There is 

one here who owes a pretty candle to the others; for they have kept 

his secret。  Besides; the rest of us are only rabble; and he is 

another affair altogether。  Let Champdivers … let the noble go the 

first。'



I confess there was a notable pause before the noble in question 

got his voice。  But there was no room for choice。  I had been so 

ill…advised; when I first joined the regiment; as to take ground on 

my nobility。  I had been often rallied on the matter in the ranks; 

and had passed under the by…names of MONSEIGNEUR and THE MARQUIS。  

It was now needful I should justify myself and take a fair revenge。



Any little hesitation I may have felt passed entirely unnoticed; 

from the lucky incident of a round happening at that moment to go 

by。  And during the interval of silence there occurred something 

that sent my blood to the boil。  There was a private in our shed

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