st. ives-第6章

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GOES　OUT





THERE　was　never　any　talk　of　a　recovery；　and　no　time　was　lost　in　

getting　the　man's　deposition。　　He　gave　but　the　one　account　of　it：　

that　he　had　committed　suicide　because　he　was　sick　of　seeing　so　many　

Englishmen。　　The　doctor　vowed　it　was　impossible；　the　nature　and　

direction　of　the　wound　forbidding　it。　　Goguelat　replied　that　he　was　

more　ingenious　than　the　other　thought　for；　and　had　propped　up　the　

weapon　in　the　ground　and　fallen　on　the　point　…　'just　like　

Nebuchadnezzar；'　he　added；　winking　to　the　assistants。　　The　doctor；　

who　was　a　little；　spruce；　ruddy　man　of　an　impatient　temper；　pished　

and　pshawed　and　swore　over　his　patient。　　'Nothing　to　be　made　of　

him！'　he　cried。　　'A　perfect　heathen。　　If　we　could　only　find　the　

weapon！'　　But　the　weapon　had　ceased　to　exist。　　A　little　resined　

twine　was　perhaps　blowing　about　in　the　castle　gutters；　some　bits　of　

broken　stick　may　have　trailed　in　corners；　and　behold；　in　the　

pleasant　air　of　the　morning；　a　dandy　prisoner　trimming　his　nails　

with　a　pair　of　scissors！



Finding　the　wounded　man　so　firm；　you　may　be　sure　the　authorities　

did　not　leave　the　rest　of　us　in　peace。　　No　stone　was　left　unturned。　　

We　were　had　in　again　and　again　to　be　examined；　now　singly；　now　in　

twos　and　threes。　　We　were　threatened　with　all　sorts　of　impossible　

severities　and　tempted　with　all　manner　of　improbable　rewards。　　I　

suppose　I　was　five　times　interrogated；　and　came　off　from　each　with　

flying　colours。　　I　am　like　old　Souvaroff；　I　cannot　understand　a　

soldier　being　taken　aback　by　any　question；　he　should　answer；　as　he　

marches　on　the　fire；　with　an　instant　briskness　and　gaiety。　　I　may　

have　been　short　of　bread；　gold　or　grace；　I　was　never　yet　found　

wanting　in　an　answer。　　My　comrades；　if　they　were　not　all　so　ready；　

were　none　of　them　less　staunch；　and　I　may　say　here　at　once　that　the　

inquiry　came　to　nothing　at　the　time；　and　the　death　of　Goguelat　

remained　a　mystery　of　the　prison。　　Such　were　the　veterans　of　

France！　　And　yet　I　should　be　disingenuous　if　I　did　not　own　this　was　

a　case　apart；　in　ordinary　circumstances；　some　one　might　have　

stumbled　or　been　intimidated　into　an　admission；　and　what　bound　us　

together　with　a　closeness　beyond　that　of　mere　comrades　was　a　secret　

to　which　we　were　all　committed　and　a　design　in　which　all　were　

equally　engaged。　　No　need　to　inquire　as　to　its　nature：　there　is　

only　one　desire；　and　only　one　kind　of　design；　that　blooms　in　

prisons。　　And　the　fact　that　our　tunnel　was　near　done　supported　and　

inspired　us。



I　came　off　in　public；　as　I　have　said；　with　flying　colours；　the　

sittings　of　the　court　of　inquiry　died　away　like　a　tune　that　no　one　

listens　to；　and　yet　I　was　unmasked　…　I；　whom　my　very　adversary　

defended；　as　good　as　confessed；　as　good　as　told　the　nature　of　the　

quarrel；　and　by　so　doing　prepared　for　myself　in　the　future　a　most　

anxious；　disagreeable　adventure。　　It　was　the　third　morning　after　

the　duel；　and　Goguelat　was　still　in　life；　when　the　time　came　round　

for　me　to　give　Major　Chevenix　a　lesson。　　I　was　fond　of　this　

occupation；　not　that　he　paid　me　much　…　no　more；　indeed；　than　

eighteenpence　a　month；　the　customary　figure；　being　a　miser　in　the　

grain；　but　because　I　liked　his　breakfasts　and　（to　some　extent）　

himself。　　At　least；　he　was　a　man　of　education；　and　of　the　others　

with　whom　I　had　any　opportunity　of　speech；　those　that　would　not　

have　held　a　book　upsidedown　would　have　torn　the　pages　out　for　pipe…

lights。　　For　I　must　repeat　again　that　our　body　of　prisoners　was　

exceptional：　there　was　in　Edinburgh　Castle　none　of　that　educational　

busyness　that　distinguished　some　of　the　other　prisons；　so　that　men　

entered　them　unable　to　read；　and　left　them　fit　for　high　

employments。　　Chevenix　was　handsome；　and　surprisingly　young　to　be　a　

major：　six　feet　in　his　stockings；　well　set　up；　with　regular　

features　and　very　clear　grey　eyes。　　It　was　impossible　to　pick　a　

fault　in　him；　and　yet　the　sum…total　was　displeasing。　　Perhaps　he　

was　too　clean；　he　seemed　to　bear　about　with　him　the　smell　of　soap。　　

Cleanliness　is　good；　but　I　cannot　bear　a　man's　nails　to　seem　

japanned。　　And　certainly　he　was　too　self…possessed　and　cold。　　There　

was　none　of　the　fire　of　youth；　none　of　the　swiftness　of　the　

soldier；　in　this　young　officer。　　His　kindness　was　cold；　and　cruel　

cold；　his　deliberation　exasperating。　　And　perhaps　it　was　from　this　

character；　which　is　very　much　the　opposite　of　my　own；　that　even　in　

these　days；　when　he　was　of　service　to　me；　I　approached　him　with　

suspicion　and　reserve。



I　looked　over　his　exercise　in　the　usual　form；　and　marked　six　

faults。



'H'm。　　Six；'　says　he；　looking　at　the　paper。　　'Very　annoying！　　I　can　

never　get　it　right。'



'Oh；　but　you　make　excellent　progress！'　I　said。　　I　would　not　

discourage　him；　you　understand；　but　he　was　congenitally　unable　to　

learn　French。　　Some　fire；　I　think；　is　needful；　and　he　had　quenched　

his　fire　in　soapsuds。



He　put　the　exercise　down；　leaned　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　and　looked　

at　me　with　clear；　severe　eyes。



'I　think　we　must　have　a　little　talk；'　said　he。



'I　am　entirely　at　your　disposition；'　I　replied；　but　I　quaked；　for　I　

knew　what　subject　to　expect。



'You　have　been　some　time　giving　me　these　lessons；'　he　went　on；　'and　

I　am　tempted　to　think　rather　well　of　you。　　I　believe　you　are　a　

gentleman。'



'I　have　that　honour；　sir；'　said　I。



'You　have　seen　me　for　the　same　period。　　I　do　not　know　how　I　strike　

you；　but　perhaps　you　will　be　prepared　to　believe　that　I　also　am　a　

man　of　honour；'　said　he。



'I　require　no　assurances；　the　thing　is　manifest；'　and　I　bowed。



'Very　well；　then；'　said　he。　　'What　about　this　Goguelat？'



'You　heard　me　yesterday　before　the　court；'　I　began。　　'I　was　

awakened　only　…　'



'Oh　yes；　I　〃heard　you　yesterday　before　the　court；〃　no　doubt；'　he　

interrupted；　'and　I　remember　perfectly　that　you　were　〃awakened　

only。〃　　I　could　repeat　the　most　of　it　by　rote；　indeed。　　But　do　you　

suppose　that　I　believed　you　for　a　moment？'



'Neither　would　you　believe　me　if　I　were　to　repeat　it　here；'　said　I。



'I　may　be　wrong　…　we　shall　soon　see；'　says　he；　'but　my　impression　

is　that　you　will　not　〃repeat　it　here。〃　　My　impression　is　that　you　

have　come　into　this　room；　and　that　you　will　tell　me　something　

before　you　go　out。'



I　shrugged　my　shoulders。



'Let　me　explain；'　he　continued。　　'Your　evidence；　of　course；　is　

nonsense。　　I　put　it　by；　and　the　court　put　it　by。'



'My　compliments　and　thanks！'　said　I。



'You　MUST　know　…　that's　the　short　and　the　long；'　he　proceeded。　　

'All　of　you　in　shed　B　are　bound　to　know。　　And　I　want　to　ask　you　

where　is　the　common…sense　of　keeping　up　this　farce；　and　maintaining　

this　cock…and…bull　story　between　friends。　　Come；　come；　my　good　

fellow；　own　yourself　beaten；　and　laugh　at　it　yourself。'



'Well；　I　hear　you；　go　ahead；'　said　I。　　'You　put　your　heart　in　it。'



He　crossed　his　legs　slowly。　　'I　can　very　well　understand；'　he　

began；　'that　precautions　have　had　to　be　taken。　　I　dare　say　an　oath　

was　administered。　　I　can　comprehend　that　perfectly。'　　（He　was　

watching　me　all　the　time　with　his　cold；　bright　eyes。）　　'And　I　can　

comprehend　that；　about　an　affair　of　honour；　you　would　be　very　

particular　to　keep　it。'



'About　an　affair　of　honour？'　I　repeated；　like　a　man　quite　puzzled。



'It　was　not　an　affair　of　honour；　then？'　he　asked。



'What　was　not？　　I　do　not　follow；'　said　I。



He　gave　no　sign　of　impatience；　simply　sat　awhile　silent；　and　began　

again　in　the　same　placid　and　good…natured　voice：　'The　court　and　I　

were　at　one　in　setting　aside　your　evidence。　　It　could　not　deceive　a　

child。　　But　there　was　a　difference　between　myself　and　the　other　

officers；　because　I　KNEW　MY　MAN　and　they　did　not。　　They　saw　in　you　

a　common　soldier；　and　I　knew　you　for　a　gentleman。　　To　them　your　

evidence　was　a　leash　of　lies；　which　they　yawned　to　hear　you　

telling。　　Now；　I　was　asking　myself；　how　far　will　a　gentleman　go？　　

Not　surely　so