the red inn-第6章

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cursed　coward！〃　he　went　on；　speaking　to　Prosper　in　a　low　voice；　〃try

at　least　to　walk　firmly　before　these　German　curs；　and　save　the　honor

of　the　Republic。〃



This　address　seemed　to　wake　up　Prosper　Magnan；　who　rose　and　made　a　few

steps　forward；　but　when　the　door　was　opened　and　he　felt　the　fresh　air

and　saw　the　crowd　before　him；　he　staggered　and　his　knees　gave　way

under　him。



〃This　coward　of　a　sawbones　deserves　a　dozen　deaths！　Get　on！〃　cried　the

two　soldiers　who　had　him　in　charge；　lending　him　their　arms　to　support

him。



〃There　he　is！oh；　the　villain！　the　coward！　Here　he　is！　There　he　is！〃



These　cries　seemed　to　be　uttered　by　a　single　voice；　the　tumultuous

voice　of　the　crowd　which　followed　him　with　insults　and　swelled　at

every　step。　During　the　passage　from　the　inn　to　the　prison；　the　noise

made　by　the　tramping　of　the　crowd　and　the　soldiers；　the　murmur　of　the

various　colloquies；　the　sight　of　the　sky；　the　coolness　of　the　air；　the

aspect　of　Andernach　and　the　shimmering　of　the　waters　of　the　Rhine；

these　impressions　came　to　the　soul　of　the　young　man　vaguely；

confusedly；　torpidly；　like　all　the　sensations　he　had　felt　since　his

waking。　There　were　moments；　he　said；　when　he　thought　he　was　no　longer

living。



I　was　then　in　prison。　Enthusiastic；　as　we　all　are　at　twenty　years　of

age；　I　wished　to　defend　my　country；　and　I　commanded　a　company　of　free

lances；　which　I　had　organized　in　the　vicinity　of　Andernach。　A　few　days

before　these　events　I　had　fallen　plump；　during　the　night；　into　a

French　detachment　of　eight　hundred　men。　We　were　two　hundred　at　the

most。　My　scouts　had　sold　me。　I　was　thrown　into　the　prison　of

Andernach；　and　they　talked　of　shooting　me；　as　a　warning　to　intimidate

others。　The　French　talked　also　of　reprisals。　My　father；　however；

obtained　a　reprieve　for　three　days　to　give　him　time　to　see　General

Augereau；　whom　he　knew；　and　ask　for　my　pardon；　which　was　granted。　Thus

it　happened　that　I　saw　Prosper　Magnan　when　he　was　brought　to　the

prison。　He　inspired　me　with　the　profoundest　pity。　Though　pale；

distracted；　and　covered　with　blood；　his　whole　countenance　had　a

character　of　truth　and　innocence　which　struck　me　forcibly。　To　me　his

long　fair　hair　and　clear　blue　eyes　seemed　German。　A　true　image　of　my

hapless　country。　I　felt　he　was　a　victim　and　not　a　murderer。　At　the

moment　when　he　passed　beneath　my　window　he　chanced　to　cast　about　him

the　painful；　melancholy　smile　of　an　insane　man　who　suddenly　recovers

for　a　time　a　fleeting　gleam　of　reason。　That　smile　was　assuredly　not

the　smile　of　a　murderer。　When　I　saw　the　jailer　I　questioned　him　about

his　new　prisoner。



〃He　has　not　spoken　since　I　put　him　in　his　cell；〃　answered　the　man。　〃He

is　sitting　down　with　his　head　in　his　hands　and　is　either　sleeping　or

reflecting　about　his　crime。　The　French　say　he'll　get　his　reckoning　to…

morrow　morning　and　be　shot　in　twenty…four　hours。〃



That　evening　I　stopped　short　under　the　window　of　the　prison　during　the

short　time　I　was　allowed　to　take　exercise　in　the　prison　yard。　We

talked　together；　and　he　frankly　related　to　me　his　strange　affair；

replying　with　evident　truthfulness　to　my　various　questions。　After　that

first　conversation　I　no　longer　doubted　his　innocence；　I　asked；　and

obtained　the　favor　of　staying　several　hours　with　him。　I　saw　him　again

at　intervals；　and　the　poor　lad　let　me　in　without　concealment　to　all

his　thoughts。　He　believed　himself　both　innocent　and　guilty。

Remembering　the　horrible　temptation　which　he　had　had　the　strength　to

resist；　he　feared　he　might　have　done　in　sleep；　in　a　fit　of

somnambulism；　the　crime　he　had　dreamed　of　awake。



〃But　your　companion？〃　I　said　to　him。



〃Oh！〃　he　cried　eagerly。　〃Wilhelm　is　incapable　of〃



He　did　not　even　finish　his　sentence。　At　that　warm　defence；　so　full　of

youth　and　manly　virtue；　I　pressed　his　hand。



〃When　he　woke；〃　continued　Prosper；　〃he　must　have　been　terrified　and

lost　his　head；　no　doubt　he　fled。〃



〃Without　awaking　you？〃　I　said。　〃Then　surely　your　defence　is　easy；

Wahlenfer's　valise　cannot　have　been　stolen。〃



Suddenly　he　burst　into　tears。



〃Oh；　yes！〃　he　cried；　〃I　am　innocent！　I　have　not　killed　a　man！　I

remember　my　dreams。　I　was　playing　at　base　with　my　schoolmates。　I

couldn't　have　cut　off　the　head　of　a　man　while　I　dreamed　I　was

running。〃



Then；　in　spite　of　these　gleams　of　hope；　which　gave　him　at　times　some

calmness；　he　felt　a　remorse　which　crushed　him。　He　had；　beyond　all

question；　raised　his　arm　to　kill　that　man。　He　judged　himself；　and　he

felt　that　his　heart　was　not　innocent　after　committing　that　crime　in

his　mind。



〃And　yet；　I　AM　good！〃　he　cried。　〃Oh；　my　poor　mother！　Perhaps　at　this

moment　she　is　cheerfully　playing　boston　with　the　neighbors　in　her

little　tapestry　salon。　If　she　knew　that　I　had　raised　my　hand　to　murder

a　manoh！　she　would　die　of　it！　And　I　AM　in　prison；　accused　of

committing　that　crime！　If　I　have　not　killed　a　man；　I　have　certainly

killed　my　mother！〃



Saying　these　words　he　wept　no　longer；　he　was　seized　by　that　short　and

rapid　madness　known　to　the　men　of　Picardy；　he　sprang　to　the　wall；　and

if　I　had　not　caught　him；　he　would　have　dashed　out　his　brains　against

it。



〃Wait　for　your　trial；〃　I　said。　〃You　are　innocent；　you　will　certainly

be　acquitted；　think　of　your　mother。〃



〃My　mother！〃　he　cried　frantically；　〃she　will　hear　of　the　accusation

before　she　hears　anything　else；it　is　always　so　in　little　towns；　and

the　shock　will　kill　her。　Besides；　I　am　not　innocent。　Must　I　tell　you

the　whole　truth？　I　feel　that　I　have　lost　the　virginity　of　my

conscience。〃



After　that　terrible　avowal　he　sat　down；　crossed　his　arms　on　his

breast；　bowed　his　head　upon　it；　gazing　gloomily　on　the　ground。　At　this

instant　the　turnkey　came　to　ask　me　to　return　to　my　room。　Grieved　to

leave　my　companion　at　a　moment　when　his　discouragement　was　so　deep；　I

pressed　him　in　my　arms　with　friendship；　saying：



〃Have　patience；　all　may　yet　go　well。　If　the　voice　of　an　honest　man　can

still　your　doubts；　believe　that　I　esteem　you　and　trust　you。　Accept　my

friendship；　and　rest　upon　my　heart；　if　you　cannot　find　peace　in　your

own。〃



The　next　morning　a　corporal's　guard　came　to　fetch　the　young　surgeon　at

nine　o'clock。　Hearing　the　noise　made　by　the　soldiers；　I　stationed

myself　at　my　window。　As　the　prisoner　crossed　the　courtyard；　he　cast

his　eyes　up　to　me。　Never　shall　I　forget　that　look；　full　of　thoughts；

presentiments；　resignation；　and　I　know　not　what　sad；　melancholy　grace。

It　was；　as　it　were；　a　silent　but　intelligible　last　will　by　which　a　man

bequeathed　his　lost　existence　to　his　only　friend。　The　night　must　have

been　very　hard；　very　solitary　for　him；　and　yet；　perhaps；　the　pallor　of

his　face　expressed　a　stoicism　gathered　from　some　new　sense　of　self…

respect。　Perhaps　he　felt　that　his　remorse　had　purified　him；　and

believed　that　he　had　blotted　out　his　fault　by　his　anguish　and　his

shame。　He　now　walked　with　a　firm　step；　and　since　the　previous　evening

he　had　washed　away　the　blood　with　which　he　was；　involuntarily；

stained。



〃My　hands　must　have　dabbled　in　it　while　I　slept；　for　I　am　always　a

restless　sleeper；〃　he　had　said　to　me　in　tones　of　horrible　despair。



I　learned　that　he　was　on　his　way　to　appear　before　the　council　of　war。

The　division　was　to　march　on　the　following　morning；　and　the

commanding…officer　did　not　wish　to　leave　Andernach　without　inquiry

into　the　crime　on　the　spot　where　it　had　been　committed。　I　remained　in

the　utmost　anxiety　during　the　time　the　council　lasted。　At　last；　about

mid…day；　Prosper　Magnan　was　brought　back。　I　was　then　taking　my　usual

walk；　he　saw　me；　and　came　and　threw　himself　into　my　arms。



〃Lost！〃　he　said；　〃lost；　without　hope！　Here；　to　all　the　world；　I　am　a

murderer。〃　He　raised　his　head　proudly。　〃This　injustice　restores　to　me

my　innocence。　My　life　would　always　have　been　wretched；　my　death　leaves

me　without　reproach。　But　is　there　a　future？〃



The　whole　eighteenth　century　was　in　that　sudden　question。　He　remained

thoughtful。