the muse of the department-第17章

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and　he　found　no　footing。　The　predicament　was　awkward　for　a　man　bathed
in　sweat；　tired；　and　perplexed；　and　in　a　position　where　his　life　was
at　stake　on　even　chances。　He　was　about　to　risk　it；　when　a　trivial
incident　stopped　him；　his　hat　fell　off；　happily；　he　listened　for　the
noise　it　must　make　in　striking　the　ground；　and　he　heard　not　a　sound。

〃The　prisoner　felt　vaguely　suspicious　as　to　this　state　of　affairs。　He
began　to　wonder　whether　the　Commandant　had　not　laid　a　trap　for　him
but　if　so；　why？　Torn　by　doubts；　he　almost　resolved　to　postpone　the
attempt　till　another　night。　At　any　rate；　he　would　wait　for　the　first
gleam　of　day；　when　it　would　still　not　be　impossible　to　escape。　His
great　strength　enabled　him　to　climb　up　again　to　his　window；　still；　he
was　almost　exhausted　by　the　time　he　gained　the　sill；　where　he　crouched
on　the　lookout；　exactly　like　a　cat　on　the　parapet　of　a　gutter。　Before
long；　by　the　pale　light　of　dawn；　he　perceived　as　he　waved　the　rope
that　there　was　a　little　interval　of　a　hundred　feet　between　the　lowest
knot　and　the　pointed　rocks　below。

〃　'Thank　you；　my　friend；　the　Governor！'　said　he；　with　characteristic
coolness。　Then；　after　a　brief　meditation　on　this　skilfully…planned
revenge；　he　thought　it　wise　to　return　to　his　cell。

〃He　laid　his　outer　clothes　conspicuously　on　the　bed；　left　the　rope
outside　to　make　it　seem　that　he　had　fallen；　and　hid　himself　behind　the
door　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　treacherous　turnkey；　arming　himself
with　one　of　the　iron　bars　he　had　filed　out。　The　jailer；　who　returned
rather　earlier　than　usual　to　secure　the　dead　man's　leavings；　opened
the　door；　whistling　as　he　came　in；　but　when　he　was　at　arm's　length；
Beauvoir　hit　him　such　a　tremendous　blow　on　the　head　that　the　wretch
fell　in　a　heap　without　a　cry；　the　bar　had　cracked　his　skull。

〃The　Chevalier　hastily　stripped　him　and　put　on　his　clothes；　mimicked
his　walk；　and；　thanks　to　the　early　hour　and　the　undoubting　confidence
of　the　warders　of　the　great　gate；　he　walked　out　and　away。〃

It　did　not　seem　to　strike　either　the　lawyer　or　Madame　de　la　Baudraye
that　there　was　in　this　narrative　the　least　allusion　that　should　apply
to　them。　Those　in　the　little　plot　looked　inquiringly　at　each　other；
evidently　surprised　at　the　perfect　coolness　of　the　two　supposed
lovers。

〃Oh！　I　can　tell　you　a　better　story　than　that；〃　said　Bianchon。

〃Let　us　hear；〃　said　the　audience；　at　a　sign　from　Lousteau；　conveying
that　Bianchon　had　a　reputation　as　a　story…teller。

Among　the　stock　of　narratives　he　had　in　store；　for　every　clever　man
has　a　fund　of　anecdotes　as　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　had　a　collection　of
phrases；　the　doctor　chose　that　which　is　known　as　/La　Grande　Breteche/；
and　is　so　famous　indeed；　that　it　was　put　on　the　stage　at　the　/Gymnase…
Dramatique/　under　the　title　of　/Valentine/。　So　it　is　not　necessary　to
repeat　it　here；　though　it　was　then　new　to　the　inhabitants　of　the
Chateau　d'Anzy。　And　it　was　told　with　the　same　finish　of　gesture　and
tone　which　had　won　such　praise　for　Bianchon　when　at　Mademoiselle　des
Touches'　supper…party　he　had　told　it　for　the　first　time。　The　final
picture　of　the　Spanish　grandee；　starved　to　death　where　he　stood　in　the
cupboard　walled　up　by　Madame　de　Merret's　husband；　and　that　husband's
last　word　as　he　replied　to　his　wife's　entreaty；　〃You　swore　on　that
crucifix　that　there　was　no　one　in　that　closet！〃　produced　their　full
effect。　There　was　a　silent　minute；　highly　flattering　to　Bianchon。

〃Do　you　know；　gentlemen；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　〃love　must　be　a
mighty　thing　that　it　can　tempt　a　woman　to　put　herself　in　such　a
position？〃

〃I；　who　have　certainly　seen　some　strange　things　in　the　course　of　my
life；〃　said　Gravier；　〃was　cognizant　in　Spain　of　an　adventure　of　the
same　kind。〃

〃You　come　forward　after　two　great　performers；〃　said　Madame　de　la
Baudraye；　with　coquettish　flattery；　as　she　glanced　at　the　two
Parisians。　〃But　never　mindproceed。〃

〃Some　little　time　after　his　entry　into　Madrid；〃　said　the　Receiver…
General；　〃the　Grand　Duke　of　Berg　invited　the　magnates　of　the　capital
to　an　entertainment　given　to　the　newly　conquered　city　by　the　French
army。　In　spite　of　the　splendor　of　the　affair；　the　Spaniards　were　not
very　cheerful；　their　ladies　hardly　danced　at　all；　and　most　of　the
company　sat　down　to　cards。　The　gardens　of　the　Duke's　palace　were　so
brilliantly　illuminated；　that　the　ladies　could　walk　about　in　as
perfect　safety　as　in　broad　daylight。　The　fete　was　of　imperial
magnificence。　Nothing　was　grudged　to　give　the　Spaniards　a　high　idea　of
the　Emperor；　if　they　were　to　measure　him　by　the　standard　of　his
officers。

〃In　an　arbor　near　the　house；　between　one　and　two　in　the　morning；　a
party　of　French　officers　were　discussing　the　chances　of　war；　and　the
not　too　hopeful　outlook　prognosticated　by　the　conduct　of　the　Spaniards
present　at　that　grand　ball。

〃　'I　can　only　tell　you；'　said　the　surgeon…major　of　the　company　of
which　I　was　paymaster；　'I　applied　formally　to　Prince　Murat　only
yesterday　to　be　recalled。　Without　being　afraid　exactly　of　leaving　my
bones　in　the　Peninsula；　I　would　rather　dress　the　wounds　made　by　our
worthy　neighbors　the　Germans。　Their　weapons　do　not　run　quite　so　deep
into　the　body　as　these　Castilian　daggers。　Besides；　a　certain　dread　of
Spain　is；　with　me；　a　sort　of　superstition。　From　my　earliest　youth　I
have　read　Spanish　books；　and　a　heap　of　gloomy　romances　and　tales　of
adventures　in　this　country　have　given　me　a　serious　prejudice　against
its　manners　and　customs。

〃　'Well；　now；　since　my　arrival　in　Madrid；　I　have　already　been；　not
indeed　the　hero；　but　the　accomplice　of　a　dangerous　intrigue；　as　dark
and　mysterious　as　any　romance　by　Lady　（Mrs。）　Radcliffe。　I　am　apt　to
attend　to　my　presentiments；　and　I　am　off　to…morrow。　Murat　will　not
refuse　me　leave；　for；　thanks　to　our　varied　services；　we　always　have
influential　friends。'

〃　'Since　you　mean　to　cut　your　stick；　tell　us　what's　up；'　said　an　old
Republican　colonel；　who　cared　not　a　rap　for　Imperial　gentility　and
choice　language。

〃The　surgeon…major　looked　about　him　cautiously；　as　if　to　make　sure　who
were　his　audience；　and　being　satisfied　that　no　Spaniard　was　within
hearing；　he　said：

〃　'We　are　none　but　Frenchmenthen；　with　pleasure；　Colonel　Hulot。
About　six　days　since；　I　was　quietly　going　home；　at　about　eleven　at
night；　after　leaving　General　Montcornet；　whose　hotel　is　but　a　few
yards　from　mine。　We　had　come　away　together　from　the　Quartermaster…
General's；　where　we　had　played　rather　high　at　/bouillotte/。　Suddenly；
at　the　corner　of　a　narrow　high…street；　two　strangers；　or　rather；　two
demons；　rushed　upon　me　and　flung　a　large　cloak　round　my　head　and　arms。
I　yelled　out；　as　you　may　suppose；　like　a　dog　that　is　thrashed；　but　the
cloth　smothered　my　voice；　and　I　was　lifted　into　a　chaise　with
dexterous　rapidity。　When　my　two　companions　released　me　from　the　cloak；
I　heard　these　dreadful　words　spoken　by　a　woman；　in　bad　French：

〃　'　〃If　you　cry　out；　or　if　you　attempt　to　escape；　if　you　make　the　very
least　suspicious　demonstration；　the　gentleman　opposite　to　you　will
stab　you　without　hesitation。　So　you　had　better　keep　quiet。Now；　I
will　tell　you　why　you　have　been　carried　off。　If　you　will　take　the
trouble　to　put　your　hand　out　in　this　direction；　you　will　find　your
case　of　instruments　lying　between　us；　we　sent　a　messenger　for　them　to
your　rooms；　in　your　name。　You　will　need　them。　We　are　taking　you　to　a
house　that　you　may　save　the　honor　of　a　lady　who　is　about　to　give　birth
to　a　child　that　she　wishes　to　place　in　this　gentleman's　keeping
without　her　husband's　knowledge。　Though　monsieur　rarely　leaves　his
wife；　with　whom　he　is　still　passionately　in　love；　watching　over　her
with　all　the　vigilance　of　Spanish　jealousy；　she　had　succeeded　in
concealing　her　condition；　he　believes　her　to　be　ill。　You　must　bring
the　child　into　the　world。　The　dangers　of　this　enterprise　do　not
concern　us：　only；　you　must　obey　us；　otherwise　the　lover；　who　is
sitting　opposite　to　you　in　this　carriage；　and　who　does　not　understand
a　word　of　French；　will　kill　you　on　the　least　rash　movement。〃

〃　'　〃And　who　are　you？〃　I　asked；　feeling　for　the　speaker's　hand；　for
her　arm　was　inside　the　sleeve　of　a　soldier's　uniform。

〃　'　〃I　am　my　lady's　waiting…woman；〃　s