st. ives-第30章
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cabbages … things to tempt me; thunder of God! But here … day of
God! … what a country! And cold; too! They talk about Russia …
this is all the cold I want! And the people … look at them! What
a race! Never any handsome men; never any fine officers!' … and he
looked down complacently for a moment at his waist … 'And the women
… what faggots! No; that is one point clear; I cannot stomach the
English!'
There was something in this man so antipathetic to me; as sent the
mustard into my nose。 I can never bear your bucks and dandies;
even when they are decent…looking and well dressed; and the Major …
for that was his rank … was the image of a flunkey in good luck。
Even to be in agreement with him; or to seem to be so; was more
than I could make out to endure。
'You could scarce be expected to stomach them;' said I civilly;
'after having just digested your parole。'
He whipped round on his heel and turned on me a countenance which I
dare say he imagined to be awful; but another fit of sneezing cut
him off ere he could come the length of speech。
'I have not tried the dish myself;' I took the opportunity to add。
'It is said to be unpalatable。 Did monsieur find it so?'
With surprising vivacity the Colonel woke from his lethargy。 He
was between us ere another word could pass。
'Shame; gentlemen!' he said。 'Is this a time for Frenchmen and
fellow…soldiers to fall out? We are in the midst of our enemies; a
quarrel; a loud word; may suffice to plunge us back into
irretrievable distress。 MONSIEUR LE COMMANDANT; you have been
gravely offended。 I make it my request; I make it my prayer … if
need be; I give you my orders … that the matter shall stand by
until we come safe to France。 Then; if you please; I will serve
you in any capacity。 And for you; young man; you have shown all
the cruelty and carelessness of youth。 This gentleman is your
superior; he is no longer young' … at which word you are to
conceive the Major's face。 'It is admitted he has broken his
parole。 I know not his reason; and no more do you。 It might be
patriotism in this hour of our country's adversity; it might be
humanity; necessity; you know not what in the least; and you permit
yourself to reflect on his honour。 To break parole may be a
subject for pity and not derision。 I have broken mine … I; a
colonel of the Empire。 And why? I have been years negotiating my
exchange; and it cannot be managed; those who have influence at the
Ministry of War continually rush in before me; and I have to wait;
and my daughter at home is in a decline。 I am going to see my
daughter at last; and it is my only concern lest I should have
delayed too long。 She is ill; and very ill; … at death's door。
Nothing is left me but my daughter; my Emperor; and my honour; and
I give my honour; blame me for it who dare!'
At this my heart smote me。
'For God's sake;' I cried; 'think no more of what I have said! A
parole? what is a parole against life and death and love? I ask
your pardon; this gentleman's also。 As long as I shall be with
you; you shall not have cause to complain of me again。 I pray God
you will find your daughter alive and restored。'
'That is past praying for;' said the Colonel; and immediately the
brief fire died out of him; and; returning to the hearth; he
relapsed into his former abstraction。
But I was not so easy to compose。 The knowledge of the poor
gentleman's trouble; and the sight of his face; had filled me with
the bitterness of remorse; and I insisted upon shaking hands with
the Major (which he did with a very ill grace); and abounded in
palinodes and apologies。
'After all;' said I; 'who am I to talk? I am in the luck to be a
private soldier; I have no parole to give or to keep; once I am
over the rampart; I am as free as air。 I beg you to believe that I
regret from my soul the use of these ungenerous expressions。 Allow
me 。 。 。 Is there no way in this damned house to attract attention?
Where is this fellow; Fenn?'
I ran to one of the windows and threw it open。 Fenn; who was at
the moment passing below in the court; cast up his arms like one in
despair; called to me to keep back; plunged into the house; and
appeared next moment in the doorway of the chamber。
'Oh; sir!' says he; 'keep away from those there windows。 A body
might see you from the back lane。'
'It is registered;' said I。 'Henceforward I will be a mouse for
precaution and a ghost for invisibility。 But in the meantime; for
God's sake; fetch us a bottle of brandy! Your room is as damp as
the bottom of a well; and these gentlemen are perishing of cold。'
So soon as I had paid him (for everything; I found; must be paid in
advance); I turned my attention to the fire; and whether because I
threw greater energy into the business; or because the coals were
now warmed and the time ripe; I soon started a blaze that made the
chimney roar again。 The shine of it; in that dark; rainy day;
seemed to reanimate the Colonel like a blink of sun。 With the
outburst of the flames; besides; a draught was established; which
immediately delivered us from the plague of smoke; and by the time
Fenn returned; carrying a bottle under his arm and a single tumbler
in his hand; there was already an air of gaiety in the room that
did the heart good。
I poured out some of the brandy。
'Colonel;' said I; 'I am a young man and a private soldier。 I have
not been long in this room; and already I have shown the petulance
that belongs to the one character and the ill manners that you may
look for in the other。 Have the humanity to pass these slips over;
and honour me so far as to accept this glass。'
'My lad;' says he; waking up and blinking at me with an air of
suspicion; 'are you sure you can afford it?'
I assured him I could。
'I thank you; then: I am very cold。' He took the glass out; and a
little colour came in his face。 'I thank you again;' said he。 'It
goes to the heart。'
The Major; when I motioned him to help himself; did so with a good
deal of liberality; continued to do so for the rest of the morning;
now with some sort of apology; now with none at all; and the bottle
began to look foolish before dinner was served。 It was such a meal
as he had himself predicted: beef; greens; potatoes; mustard in a
teacup; and beer in a brown jug that was all over hounds; horses;
and hunters; with a fox at the fat end and a gigantic John Bull …
for all the world like Fenn … sitting in the midst in a bob…wig and
smoking tobacco。 The beer was a good brew; but not good enough for
the Major; he laced it with brandy … for his cold; he said; and in
this curative design the remainder of the bottle ebbed away。 He
called my attention repeatedly to the circumstance; helped me
pointedly to the dregs; threw the bottle in the air and played
tricks with it; and at last; having exhausted his ingenuity; and
seeing me remain quite blind to every hint; he ordered and paid for
another himself。
As for the Colonel; he ate nothing; sat sunk in a muse; and only
awoke occasionally to a sense of where he was; and what he was
supposed to be doing。 On each of these occasions he showed a
gratitude and kind courtesy that endeared him to me beyond
expression。 'Champdivers; my lad; your health!' he would say。
'The Major and I had a very arduous march last night; and I
positively thought I should have eaten nothing; but your fortunate
idea of the brandy has made quite a new man of me … quite a new
man。' And he would fall to with a great air of heartiness; cut
himself a mouthful; and; before he had swallowed it; would have
forgotten his dinner; his company; the place where he then was; and
the escape he was engaged on; and become absorbed in the vision of
a sick…room and a dying girl in France。