st. ives-第7章
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telling。 Now; I was asking myself; how far will a gentleman go?
Not surely so far as to help hush a murder up? So that … when I
heard you tell how you knew nothing of the matter; and were only
awakened by the corporal; and all the rest of it … I translated
your statements into something else。 Now; Champdivers;' he cried;
springing up lively and coming towards me with animation; 'I am
going to tell you what that was; and you are going to help me to
see justice done: how; I don't know; for of course you are under
oath … but somehow。 Mark what I'm going to say。'
At that moment he laid a heavy; hard grip upon my shoulder; and
whether he said anything more or came to a full stop at once; I am
sure I could not tell you to this day。 For; as the devil would
have it; the shoulder he laid hold of was the one Goguelat had
pinked。 The wound was but a scratch; it was healing with the first
intention; but in the clutch of Major Chevenix it gave me agony。
My head swam; the sweat poured off my face; I must have grown
deadly pale。
He removed his hand as suddenly as he had laid it there。 'What is
wrong with you?' said he。
'It is nothing;' said I。 'A qualm。 It has gone by。'
'Are you sure?' said he。 'You are as white as a sheet。'
'Oh no; I assure you! Nothing whatever。 I am my own man again;' I
said; though I could scarce command my tongue。
'Well; shall I go on again?' says he。 'Can you follow me?'
'Oh; by all means!' said I; and mopped my streaming face upon my
sleeve; for you may be sure in those days I had no handkerchief。
'If you are sure you can follow me。 That was a very sudden and
sharp seizure;' he said doubtfully。 'But if you are sure; all
right; and here goes。 An affair of honour among you fellows would;
naturally; be a little difficult to carry out; perhaps it would be
impossible to have it wholly regular。 And yet a duel might be very
irregular in form; and; under the peculiar circumstances of the
case; loyal enough in effect。 Do you take me? Now; as a gentleman
and a soldier。'
His hand rose again at the words and hovered over me。 I could bear
no more; and winced away from him。 'No;' I cried; 'not that。 Do
not put your hand upon my shoulder。 I cannot bear it。 It is
rheumatism;' I made haste to add。 'My shoulder is inflamed and
very painful。'
He returned to his chair and deliberately lighted a cigar。
'I am sorry about your shoulder;' he said at last。 'Let me send
for the doctor。'
'Not in the least;' said I。 'It is a trifle。 I am quite used to
it。 It does not trouble me in the smallest。 At any rate; I don't
believe in doctors。'
'All right;' said he; and sat and smoked a good while in a silence
which I would have given anything to break。 'Well;' he began
presently; 'I believe there is nothing left for me to learn。 I
presume I may say that I know all。'
'About what?' said I boldly。
'About Goguelat;' said he。
'I beg your pardon。 I cannot conceive;' said I。
'Oh;' says the major; 'the man fell in a duel; and by your hand! I
am not an infant。'
'By no means;' said I。 'But you seem to me to be a good deal of a
theorist。'
'Shall we test it?' he asked。 'The doctor is close by。 If there
is not an open wound on your shoulder; I am wrong。 If there is … '
He waved his hand。 'But I advise you to think twice。 There is a
deuce of a nasty drawback to the experiment … that what might have
remained private between us two becomes public property。'
'Oh; well!' said I; with a laugh; 'anything rather than a doctor!
I cannot bear the breed。'
His last words had a good deal relieved me; but I was still far
from comfortable。
Major Chevenix smoked awhile; looking now at his cigar ash; now at
me。 'I'm a soldier myself;' he says presently; 'and I've been out
in my time and hit my man。 I don't want to run any one into a
corner for an affair that was at all necessary or correct。 At the
same time; I want to know that much; and I'll take your word of
honour for it。 Otherwise; I shall be very sorry; but the doctor
must be called in。'
'I neither admit anything nor deny anything;' I returned。 'But if
this form of words will suffice you; here is what I say: I give you
my parole; as a gentleman and a soldier; there has nothing taken
place amongst us prisoners that was not honourable as the day。'
'All right;' says he。 'That was all I wanted。 You can go now;
Champdivers。'
And as I was going out he added; with a laugh: 'By the bye; I ought
to apologise: I had no idea I was applying the torture!'
The same afternoon the doctor came into the courtyard with a piece
of paper in his hand。 He seemed hot and angry; and had certainly
no mind to be polite。
'Here!' he cried。 'Which of you fellows knows any English? Oh!' …
spying me … 'there you are; what's your name! YOU'LL do。 Tell
these fellows that the other fellow's dying。 He's booked; no use
talking; I expect he'll go by evening。 And tell them I don't envy
the feelings of the fellow who spiked him。 Tell them that first。'
I did so。
'Then you can tell 'em;' he resumed; 'that the fellow; Goggle …
what's his name? … wants to see some of them before he gets his
marching orders。 If I got it right; he wants to kiss or embrace
you; or some sickening stuff。 Got that? Then here's a list he's
had written; and you'd better read it out to them … I can't make
head or tail of your beastly names … and they can answer PRESENT;
and fall in against that wall。'
It was with a singular movement of incongruous feelings that I read
the first name on the list。 I had no wish to look again on my own
handiwork; my flesh recoiled from the idea; and how could I be sure
what reception he designed to give me? The cure was in my own
hand; I could pass that first name over … the doctor would not know
… and I might stay away。 But to the subsequent great gladness of
my heart; I did not dwell for an instant on the thought; walked
over to the designated wall; faced about; read out the name
'Champdivers;' and answered myself with the word 'Present。'
There were some half dozen on the list; all told; and as soon as we
were mustered; the doctor led the way to the hospital; and we
followed after; like a fatigue party; in single file。 At the door
he paused; told us 'the fellow' would see each of us alone; and; as
soon as I had explained that; sent me by myself into the ward。 It
was a small room; whitewashed; a south window stood open on a vast
depth of air and a spacious and distant prospect; and from deep
below; in the Grassmarket the voices of hawkers came up clear and
far away。 Hard by; on a little bed; lay Goguelat。 The sunburn had
not yet faded from his face; and the stamp of death was already
there。 There was something wild and unmannish in his smile; that
took me by the throat; only death and love know or have ever seen
it。 And when he spoke; it seemed to shame his coarse talk。
He held out his arms as if to embrace me。 I drew near with
incredible shrinkings; and surrendered myself to his arms with
overwhelming disgust。 But he only drew my ear down to his lips。
'Trust me;' he whispered。 'JE SUIS BON BOUGRE; MOI。 I'll take it
to hell with me; and tell the devil。'
Why should I go on to reproduce his grossness and trivialities?
All that he thought; at that hour; was even noble; though he could
not clothe it otherwise than in the language of a brutal farce。
Presently he bade me call the doctor; and when that officer had
come in; raised a little up in his bed; pointed first to himself
and then to me; who stood weeping by his side; and several times
repeated the expression; 'Frinds … frinds … dam frinds。'
To my great surprise; the doctor appeared very much affected。 He
nodded his little bob…