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第29章

st. ives-第29章

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be trusted to forget the business when it comes to the point。  

There is nothing against you in the little scrimmage; unless that 

your courage is greater than your strength。  You are not so young 

as you once were; that is all。'



'And I beg of you; sir; don't betray me to the Vis…count;' he 

pleaded。  'I'll not deny but what my 'eart failed me a trifle; but 

it was only a word; sir; what anybody might have said in the 'eat 

of the moment; and over with it。'



'Certainly;' said I。  'That is quite my own opinion。'



'The way I came to be anxious about the Vis…count;' he continued; 

'is that I believe he might be induced to form an 'asty judgment。  

And the business; in a pecuniary point of view; is all that I could 

ask; only trying; sir … very trying。  It's making an old man of me 

before my time。  You might have observed yourself; sir; that I 

'aven't got the knees I once 'ad。  The knees and the breathing; 

there's where it takes me。  But I'm very sure; sir; I address a 

gentleman as would be the last to make trouble between friends。'



'I am sure you do me no more than justice;' said I; 'and I shall 

think it quite unnecessary to dwell on any of these passing 

circumstances in my report to the Vicomte。'



'Which you do favour him (if you'll excuse me being so bold as to 

mention it) exac'ly!' said he。  'I should have known you anywheres。  

May I offer you a pot of 'ome…brewed ale; sir?  By your leave!  

This way; if you please。  I am 'eartily grateful … 'eartily pleased 

to be of any service to a gentleman like you; sir; which is related 

to the Vis…count; and really a fambly of which you might well be 

proud!  Take care of the step; sir。  You have good news of 'is 

'ealth; I trust? as well as that of Monseer the Count?'



God forgive me! the horrible fellow was still puffing and panting 

with the fury of his assault; and already he had fallen into an 

obsequious; wheedling familiarity like that of an old servant; … 

already he was flattering me on my family connections!



I followed him through the house into the stable…yard; where I 

observed the driver washing the cart in a shed。  He must have heard 

the explosion of the pistol。  He could not choose but hear it: the 

thing was shaped like a little blunderbuss; charged to the mouth; 

and made a report like a piece of field artillery。  He had heard; 

he had paid no attention; and now; as we came forth by the back…

door; he raised for a moment a pale and tell…tale face that was as 

direct as a confession。  The rascal had expected to see Fenn come 

forth alone; he was waiting to be called on for that part of 

sexton; which I had already allotted to him in fancy。



I need not detain the reader very long with any description of my 

visit to the back…kitchen; of how we mulled our ale there; and 

mulled it very well; nor of how we sat talking; Fenn like an old; 

faithful; affectionate dependant; and I … well!  I myself fallen 

into a mere admiration of so much impudence; that transcended 

words; and had very soon conquered animosity。  I took a fancy to 

the man; he was so vast a humbug。  I began to see a kind of beauty 

in him; his APLOMB was so majestic。  I never knew a rogue to cut so 

fat; his villainy was ample; like his belly; and I could scarce 

find it in my heart to hold him responsible for either。  He was 

good enough to drop into the autobiographical; telling me how the 

farm; in spite of the war and the high prices; had proved a 

disappointment; how there was 'a sight of cold; wet land as you 

come along the 'igh…road'; how the winds and rains and the seasons 

had been misdirected; it seemed 'o' purpose'; how Mrs。 Fenn had 

died … 'I lost her coming two year agone; a remarkable fine woman; 

my old girl; sir! if you'll excuse me;' he added; with a burst of 

humility。  In short; he gave me an opportunity of studying John 

Bull; as I may say; stuffed naked … his greed; his usuriousness; 

his hypocrisy; his perfidy of the back…stairs; all swelled to the 

superlative … such as was well worth the little disarray and 

fluster of our passage in the hall。









CHAPTER XIII … I MEET TWO OF MY COUNTRYMEN





AS soon as I judged it safe; and that was not before Burchell Fenn 

had talked himself back into his breath and a complete good humour; 

I proposed he should introduce me to the French officers; 

henceforth to become my fellow…passengers。  There were two of them; 

it appeared; and my heart beat as I approached the door。  The 

specimen of Perfidious Albion whom I had just been studying gave me 

the stronger zest for my fellow…countrymen。  I could have embraced 

them; I could have wept on their necks。  And all the time I was 

going to a disappointment。



It was in a spacious and low room; with an outlook on the court; 

that I found them bestowed。  In the good days of that house the 

apartment had probably served as a library; for there were traces 

of shelves along the wainscot。  Four or five mattresses lay on the 

floor in a corner; with a frowsy heap of bedding; near by was a 

basin and a cube of soap; a rude kitchen…table and some deal chairs 

stood together at the far end; and the room was illuminated by no 

less than four windows; and warmed by a little; crazy; sidelong 

grate; propped up with bricks in the vent of a hospitable chimney; 

in which a pile of coals smoked prodigiously and gave out a few 

starveling flames。  An old; frail; white…haired officer sat in one 

of the chairs; which he had drawn close to this apology for a fire。  

He was wrapped in a camlet cloak; of which the collar was turned 

up; his knees touched the bars; his hands were spread in the very 

smoke; and yet he shivered for cold。  The second … a big; florid; 

fine animal of a man; whose every gesture labelled him the cock of 

the walk and the admiration of the ladies … had apparently 

despaired of the fire; and now strode up and down; sneezing hard; 

bitterly blowing his nose; and proffering a continual stream of 

bluster; complaint; and barrack…room oaths。



Fenn showed me in with the brief form of introduction: 'Gentlemen 

all; this here's another fare!' and was gone again at once。  The 

old man gave me but the one glance out of lack…lustre eyes; and 

even as he looked a shiver took him as sharp as a hiccough。  But 

the other; who represented to admiration the picture of a Beau in a 

Catarrh; stared at me arrogantly。



'And who are you; sir?' he asked。



I made the military salute to my superiors。



'Champdivers; private; Eighth of the Line;' said I。



'Pretty business!' said he。  'And you are going on with us?  Three 

in a cart; and a great trolloping private at that!  And who is to 

pay for you; my fine fellow?' he inquired。



'If monsieur comes to that;' I answered civilly; 'who paid for 

him?'



'Oh; if you choose to play the wit!' said he; … and began to rail 

at large upon his destiny; the weather; the cold; the danger and 

the expense of the escape; and; above all; the cooking of the 

accursed English。  It seemed to annoy him particularly that I 

should have joined their party。  'If you knew what you were doing; 

thirty thousand millions of pigs! you would keep yourself to 

yourself!  The horses can't drag the cart; the roads are all ruts 

and swamps。  No longer ago than last night the Colonel and I had to 

march half the way … thunder of God! … half the way to the knees in 

mud … and I with this infernal cold … and the danger of detection!  

Happily we met no one: a desert … a real desert … like the whole 

abominable country!  Nothing to eat … no; sir; there is nothing to 

eat but raw cow and greens boiled in water … nor to drink but 

Worcestershire sauce!  Now I; with my catarrh; I have no appetite; 

is it not so?  Well; if I were in France; I should have a good soup 

with a crust in it; an omelette; a fowl in rice; a partridge in 

cabbages … things to tempt me; thunder of God!  But

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