st. ives-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
most serious view of his functions; visited us both; and reported
our replies to the committee。 Mine was of a decent firmness。 I
told him the young lady of whom Goguelat had spoken had on several
occasions given me alms。 I reminded him that; if we were now
reduced to hold out our hands and sell pill…boxes for charity; it
was something very new for soldiers of the Empire。 We had all seen
bandits standing at a corner of a wood truckling for copper
halfpence; and after their benefactors were gone spitting out
injuries and curses。 'But;' said I; 'I trust that none of us will
fall so low。 As a Frenchman and a soldier; I owe that young child
gratitude; and am bound to protect her character; and to support
that of the army。 You are my elder and my superior: tell me if I
am not right。'
He was a quiet…mannered old fellow; and patted me with three
fingers on the back。 'C'EST BIEN; MON ENFANT;' says he; and
returned to his committee。
Goguelat was no more accommodating than myself。 'I do not like
apologies nor those that make them;' was his only answer。 And
there remained nothing but to arrange the details of the meeting。
So far as regards place and time we had no choice; we must settle
the dispute at night; in the dark; after a round had passed by; and
in the open middle of the shed under which we slept。 The question
of arms was more obscure。 We had a good many tools; indeed; which
we employed in the manufacture of our toys; but they were none of
them suited for a single combat between civilised men; and; being
nondescript; it was found extremely hard to equalise the chances of
the combatants。 At length a pair of scissors was unscrewed; and a
couple of tough wands being found in a corner of the courtyard; one
blade of the scissors was lashed solidly to each with resined twine
… the twine coming I know not whence; but the resin from the green
pillars of the shed; which still sweated from the axe。 It was a
strange thing to feel in one's hand this weapon; which was no
heavier than a riding…rod; and which it was difficult to suppose
would prove more dangerous。 A general oath was administered and
taken; that no one should interfere in the duel nor (suppose it to
result seriously) betray the name of the survivor。 And with that;
all being then ready; we composed ourselves to await the moment。
The evening fell cloudy; not a star was to be seen when the first
round of the night passed through our shed and wound off along the
ramparts; and as we took our places; we could still hear; over the
murmurs of the surrounding city; the sentries challenging its
further passage。 Leclos; the sergeant…major; set us in our
stations; engaged our wands; and left us。 To avoid blood…stained
clothing; my adversary and I had stripped to the shoes; and the
chill of the night enveloped our bodies like a wet sheet。 The man
was better at fencing than myself; he was vastly taller than I;
being of a stature almost gigantic; and proportionately strong。 In
the inky blackness of the shed; it was impossible to see his eyes;
and from the suppleness of the wands; I did not like to trust to a
parade。 I made up my mind accordingly to profit; if I might; by my
defect; and as soon as the signal should be given; to throw myself
down and lunge at the same moment。 It was to play my life upon one
card: should I not mortally wound him; no defence would be left me;
what was yet more appalling; I thus ran the risk of bringing my own
face against his scissor with the double force of our assaults; and
my face and eyes are not that part of me that I would the most
readily expose。
'ALLEZ!' said the sergeant…major。
Both lunged in the same moment with an equal fury; and but for my
manoeuvre both had certainly been spitted。 As it was; he did no
more than strike my shoulder; while my scissor plunged below the
girdle into a mortal part; and that great bulk of a man; falling
from his whole height; knocked me immediately senseless。
When I came to myself I was laid in my own sleeping…place; and
could make out in the darkness the outline of perhaps a dozen heads
crowded around me。 I sat up。 'What is it?' I exclaimed。
'Hush!' said the sergeant…major。 'Blessed be God; all is well。' I
felt him clasp my hand; and there were tears in his voice。 ''Tis
but a scratch; my child; here is papa; who is taking good care of
you。 Your shoulder is bound up; we have dressed you in your
clothes again; and it will all be well。'
At this I began to remember。 'And Goguelat?' I gasped。
'He cannot bear to be moved; he has his bellyful; 'tis a bad
business;' said the sergeant…major。
The idea of having killed a man with such an instrument as half a
pair of scissors seemed to turn my stomach。 I am sure I might have
killed a dozen with a firelock; a sabre; a bayonet; or any accepted
weapon; and been visited by no such sickness of remorse。 And to
this feeling every unusual circumstance of our rencounter; the
darkness in which we had fought; our nakedness; even the resin on
the twine; appeared to contribute。 I ran to my fallen adversary;
kneeled by him; and could only sob his name。
He bade me compose myself。 'You have given me the key of the
fields; comrade;' said he。 'SANS RANCUNE!'
At this my horror redoubled。 Here had we two expatriated Frenchmen
engaged in an ill…regulated combat like the battles of beasts。
Here was he; who had been all his life so great a ruffian; dying in
a foreign land of this ignoble injury; and meeting death with
something of the spirit of a Bayard。 I insisted that the guards
should be summoned and a doctor brought。 'It may still be possible
to save him;' I cried。
The sergeant…major reminded me of our engagement。 'If you had been
wounded;' said he; 'you must have lain there till the patrol came
by and found you。 It happens to be Goguelat … and so must he!
Come; child; time to go to by…by。' And as I still resisted;
'Champdivers!' he said; 'this is weakness。 You pain me。'
'Ay; off to your beds with you!' said Goguelat; and named us in a
company with one of his jovial gross epithets。
Accordingly the squad lay down in the dark and simulated; what they
certainly were far from experiencing; sleep。 It was not yet late。
The city; from far below; and all around us; sent up a sound of
wheels and feet and lively voices。 Yet awhile; and the curtain of
the cloud was rent across; and in the space of sky between the
eaves of the shed and the irregular outline of the ramparts a
multitude of stars appeared。 Meantime; in the midst of us lay
Goguelat; and could not always withhold himself from groaning。
We heard the round far off; heard it draw slowly nearer。 Last of
all; it turned the corner and moved into our field of vision: two
file of men and a corporal with a lantern; which he swung to and
fro; so as to cast its light in the recesses of the yards and
sheds。
'Hullo!' cried the corporal; pausing as he came by Goguelat。
He stooped with his lantern。 All our hearts were flying。
'What devil's work is this?' he cried; and with a startling voice
summoned the guard。
We were all afoot upon the instant; more lanterns and soldiers
crowded in front of the shed; an officer elbowed his way in。 In
the midst was the big naked body; soiled with blood。 Some one had
covered him with his blanket; but as he lay there in agony; he had
partly thrown it off。
'This is murder!' cried the officer。 'You wild beasts; you will
hear of this to…morrow。'
As Goguelat was raised and laid upon a stretcher; he cried to us a
cheerful and blasphemous farewell。
CHAPTER III … MAJOR CHEVENIX COMES INTO THE STORY; AND GOGUELAT
GOES OUT
THERE was never any talk of a recovery; and no time was lost in
getting the man's deposition。