st. ives-第31章

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the　escape　he　was　engaged　on；　and　become　absorbed　in　the　vision　of　

a　sick…room　and　a　dying　girl　in　France。　　The　pathos　of　this　

continual　preoccupation；　in　a　man　so　old；　sick；　and　over…weary；　and　

whom　I　looked　upon　as　a　mere　bundle　of　dying　bones　and　death…pains；　

put　me　wholly　from　my　victuals：　it　seemed　there　was　an　element　of　

sin；　a　kind　of　rude　bravado　of　youth；　in　the　mere　relishing　of　food　

at　the　same　table　with　this　tragic　father；　and　though　I　was　well　

enough　used　to　the　coarse；　plain　diet　of　the　English；　I　ate　scarce　

more　than　himself。　　Dinner　was　hardly　over　before　he　succumbed　to　a　

lethargic　sleep；　lying　on　one　of　the　mattresses　with　his　limbs　

relaxed；　and　his　breath　seemingly　suspended　…　the　very　image　of　

dissolution。



This　left　the　Major　and　myself　alone　at　the　table。　　You　must　not　

suppose　our　TETE…A…TETE　was　long；　but　it　was　a　lively　period　while　

it　lasted。　　He　drank　like　a　fish　or　an　Englishman；　shouted；　beat　

the　table；　roared　out　songs；　quarrelled；　made　it　up　again；　and　at　

last　tried　to　throw　the　dinner…plates　through　the　window；　a　feat　of　

which　he　was　at　that　time　quite　incapable。　　For　a　party　of　

fugitives；　condemned　to　the　most　rigorous　discretion；　there　was　

never　seen　so　noisy　a　carnival；　and　through　it　all　the　Colonel　

continued　to　sleep　like　a　child。　　Seeing　the　Major　so　well　

advanced；　and　no　retreat　possible；　I　made　a　fair　wind　of　a　foul　

one；　keeping　his　glass　full；　pushing　him　with　toasts；　and　sooner　

than　I　could　have　dared　to　hope；　he　became　drowsy　and　incoherent。　　

With　the　wrong…headedness　of　all　such　sots；　he　would　not　be　

persuaded　to　lie　down　upon　one　of　the　mattresses　until　I　had　

stretched　myself　upon　another。　　But　the　comedy　was　soon　over；　soon　

he　slept　the　sleep　of　the　just；　and　snored　like　a　military　music；　

and　I　might　get　up　again　and　face　（as　best　I　could）　the　excessive　

tedium　of　the　afternoon。



I　had　passed　the　night　before　in　a　good　bed；　I　was　denied　the　

resource　of　slumber；　and　there　was　nothing　open　for　me　but　to　pace　

the　apartment；　maintain　the　fire；　and　brood　on　my　position。　　I　

compared　yesterday　and　to…day　…　the　safety；　comfort；　jollity；　open…

air　exercise　and　pleasant　roadside　inns　of　the　one；　with　the　

tedium；　anxiety；　and　discomfort　of　the　other。　　I　remembered　that　I　

was　in　the　hands　of　Fenn；　who　could　not　be　more　false　…　though　he　

might　be　more　vindictive　…　than　I　fancied　him。　　I　looked　forward　to　

nights　of　pitching　in　the　covered　cart；　and　days　of　monotony　in　I　

knew　not　what　hiding…places；　and　my　heart　failed　me；　and　I　was　in　

two　minds　whether　to　slink　off　ere　it　was　too　late；　and　return　to　

my　former　solitary　way　of　travel。　　But　the　Colonel　stood　in　the　

path。　　I　had　not　seen　much　of　him；　but　already　I　judged　him　a　man　

of　a　childlike　nature　…　with　that　sort　of　innocence　and　courtesy　

that；　I　think；　is　only　to　be　found　in　old　soldiers　or　old　priests　…　

and　broken　with　years　and　sorrow。　　I　could　not　turn　my　back　on　his　

distress；　could　not　leave　him　alone　with　the　selfish　trooper　who　

snored　on　the　next　mattress。　　'Champdivers；　my　lad；　your　health！'　

said　a　voice　in　my　ear；　and　stopped　me　…　and　there　are　few　things　I　

am　more　glad　of　in　the　retrospect　than　that　it　did。



It　must　have　been　about　four　in　the　afternoon　…　at　least　the　rain　

had　taken　off；　and　the　sun　was　setting　with　some　wintry　pomp　…　when　

the　current　of　my　reflections　was　effectually　changed　by　the　

arrival　of　two　visitors　in　a　gig。　　They　were　farmers　of　the　

neighbourhood；　I　suppose　…　big；　burly　fellows　in　great…coats　and　

top…boots；　mightily　flushed　with　liquor　when　they　arrived；　and；　

before　they　left；　inimitably　drunk。　　They　stayed　long　in　the　

kitchen　with　Burchell；　drinking；　shouting；　singing；　and　keeping　it　

up；　and　the　sound　of　their　merry　minstrelsy　kept　me　a　kind　of　

company。　　The　night　fell；　and　the　shine　of　the　fire　brightened　and　

blinked　on　the　panelled　wall。　　Our　illuminated　windows　must　have　

been　visible　not　only　from　the　back　lane　of　which　Fenn　had　spoken；　

but　from　the　court　where　the　farmers'　gig　awaited　them。　　In　the　far　

end　of　the　firelit　room　lay　my　companions；　the　one　silent；　the　

other　clamorously　noisy；　the　images　of　death　and　drunkenness。　　

Little　wonder　if　I　were　tempted　to　join　in　the　choruses　below；　and　

sometimes　could　hardly　refrain　from　laughter；　and　sometimes；　I　

believe；　from　tears　…　so　unmitigated　was　the　tedium；　so　cruel　the　

suspense；　of　this　period。



At　last；　about　six　at　night；　I　should　fancy；　the　noisy　minstrels　

appeared　in　the　court；　headed　by　Fenn　with　a　lantern；　and　knocking　

together　as　they　came。　　The　visitors　clambered　noisily　into　the　

gig；　one　of　them　shook　the　reins；　and　they　were　snatched　out　of　

sight　and　hearing　with　a　suddenness　that　partook　of　the　nature　of　

prodigy。　　I　am　well　aware　there　is　a　Providence　for　drunken　men；　

that　holds　the　reins　for　them　and　presides　over　their　troubles；　

doubtless　he　had　his　work　cut　out　for　him　with　this　particular　

gigful！　　Fenn　rescued　his　toes　with　an　ejaculation　from　under　the　

departing　wheels；　and　turned　at　once　with　uncertain　steps　and　

devious　lantern　to　the　far　end　of　the　court。　　There；　through　the　

open　doors　of　a　coach…house；　the　shock…headed　lad　was　already　to　be　

seen　drawing　forth　the　covered　cart。　　If　I　wished　any　private　talk　

with　our　host；　it　must　be　now　or　never。



Accordingly　I　groped　my　way　downstairs；　and　came　to　him　as　he　

looked　on　at　and　lighted　the　harnessing　of　the　horses。



'The　hour　approaches　when　we　have　to　part；'　said　I；　'and　I　shall　be　

obliged　if　you　will　tell　your　servant　to　drop　me　at　the　nearest　

point　for　Dunstable。　　I　am　determined　to　go　so　far　with　our　

friends；　Colonel　X　and　Major　Y；　but　my　business　is　peremptory；　and　

it　takes　me　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Dunstable。'



Orders　were　given　to　my　satisfaction；　with　an　obsequiousness　that　

seemed　only　inflamed　by　his　potations。









CHAPTER　XIV　…　TRAVELS　OF　THE　COVERED　CART





MY　companions　were　aroused　with　difficulty：　the　Colonel；　poor　old　

gentleman；　to　a　sort　of　permanent　dream；　in　which　you　could　say　of　

him　only　that　he　was　very　deaf　and　anxiously　polite；　the　Major　

still　maudlin　drunk。　　We　had　a　dish　of　tea　by　the　fireside；　and　

then　issued　like　criminals　into　the　scathing　cold　of　the　night。　　

For　the　weather　had　in　the　meantime　changed。　　Upon　the　cessation　of　

the　rain；　a　strict　frost　had　succeeded。　　The　moon；　being　young；　was　

already　near　the　zenith　when　we　started；　glittered　everywhere　on　

sheets　of　ice；　and　sparkled　in　ten　thousand　icicles。　　A　more　

unpromising　night　for　a　journey　it　was　hard　to　conceive。　　But　in　

the　course　of　the　afternoon　the　horses　had　been　well　roughed；　and　

King　（for　such　was　the　name　of　the　shock…headed　lad）　was　very　

positive　that　he　could　drive　us　without　misadventure。　　He　was　as　

good　as　his　word；　indeed；　despite　a　gawky　air；　he　was　simply　

invaluable　in　his　present　employment；　showing　marked　sagacity　in　

all　that　concerned　the　care　of　horses；　and　guiding　us　by　one　short　

cut　after　another　for　days；　and　without　a　fault。



The　interior　of　that　engine　of　torture；　the　covered　cart；　was　

fitted　with　a　bench；　on　which　we　took　our　places；　the　door　was　

shut；　in　a　moment；　the　night　closed　upon　us　solid　and　stifling；　and　

we　felt　that　we　were　being　driven　carefully　out　of　the　courtyard。　　

Careful　was　the　word　all　night；　and　it　was　an　alleviation　of　our　

miseries　that　we　did　not　often　enjoy。　　In　general；　as　we　were　

driven　the　better　part　of　the　night　and　day；　often　at　a　pretty　

quick　pace　and　always　through　a　labyrinth　of　the　most　infamous　

country　lanes　and　by…roads；　we　were　so　bruised　upon　the　bench；　so　

dashed　against　the　top　and　sides　of　the　cart；　that　we　reached　the　

end　of　a　stage　in　truly　pitiable　case；　sometimes　flung　ourselves　

down　without　the　formality　of　eating；　made　but　one　sleep　of　it　

until　the　hour　of　departure　returned；　and　were　only　properly　

awakened　by　the　first　jolt　of　t