the seven poor travellers-第4章

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〃Yes；〃　returned　the　Captain。　　〃And　very　fast。〃



Private　Richard　Doubledick　turned　the　straw　of　the　Black　hole　in　his

month；　and　made　a　miserable　salute　of　acquiescence。



〃Doubledick；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃since　I　entered　his　Majesty's

service；　a　boy　of　seventeen；　I　have　been　pained　to　see　many　men　of

promise　going　that　road；　but　I　have　never　been　so　pained　to　see　a

man　make　the　shameful　journey　as　I　have　been；　ever　since　you　joined

the　regiment；　to　see　you。〃



Private　Richard　Doubledick　began　to　find　a　film　stealing　over　the

floor　at　which　he　looked；　also　to　find　the　legs　of　the　Captain's

breakfast…table　turning　crooked；　as　if　he　saw　them　through　water。



〃I　am　only　a　common　soldier；　sir；〃　said　he。　　〃It　signifies　very

little　what　such　a　poor　brute　comes　to。〃



〃You　are　a　man；〃　returned　the　Captain；　with　grave　indignation；　〃of

education　and　superior　advantages；　and　if　you　say　that；　meaning　what

you　say；　you　have　sunk　lower　than　I　had　believed。　　How　low　that　must

be；　I　leave　you　to　consider；　knowing　what　I　know　of　your　disgrace；

and　seeing　what　I　see。〃



〃I　hope　to　get　shot　soon；　sir；〃　said　Private　Richard　Doubledick；

〃and　then　the　regiment　and　the　world　together　will　be　rid　of　me。〃



The　legs　of　the　table　were　becoming　very　crooked。　　Doubledick；

looking　up　to　steady　his　vision；　met　the　eyes　that　had　so　strong　an

influence　over　him。　　He　put　his　hand　before　his　own　eyes；　and　the

breast　of　his　disgrace…jacket　swelled　as　if　it　would　fly　asunder。



〃I　would　rather；〃　said　the　young　Captain；　〃see　this　in　you；

Doubledick；　than　I　would　see　five　thousand　guineas　counted　out　upon

this　table　for　a　gift　to　my　good　mother。　　Have　you　a　mother？〃



〃I　am　thankful　to　say　she　is　dead；　sir。〃



〃If　your　praises；〃　returned　the　Captain；　〃were　sounded　from　mouth　to

mouth　through　the　whole　regiment；　through　the　whole　army；　through

the　whole　country；　you　would　wish　she　had　lived　to　say；　with　pride

and　joy；　'He　is　my　son！'〃



〃Spare　me；　sir；〃　said　Doubledick。　　〃She　would　never　have　heard　any

good　of　me。　　She　would　never　have　had　any　pride　and　joy　in　owning

herself　my　mother。　　Love　and　compassion　she　might　have　had；　and

would　have　always　had；　I　know　but　notSpare　me；　sir！　　I　am　a　broken

wretch；　quite　at　your　mercy！〃　　And　he　turned　his　face　to　the　wall；

and　stretched　out　his　imploring　hand。



〃My　friend〃　began　the　Captain。



〃God　bless　you；　sir！〃　sobbed　Private　Richard　Doubledick。



〃You　are　at　the　crisis　of　your　fate。　　Hold　your　course　unchanged　a

little　longer；　and　you　know　what　must　happen。　　I　know　even　better

than　you　can　imagine；　that；　after　that　has　happened；　you　are　lost。

No　man　who　could　shed　those　tears　could　bear　those　marks。〃



〃I　fully　believe　it；　sir；〃　in　a　low；　shivering　voice　said　Private

Richard　Doubledick。



〃But　a　man　in　any　station　can　do　his　duty；〃　said　the　young　Captain；

〃and；　in　doing　it；　can　earn　his　own　respect；　even　if　his　case　should

be　so　very　unfortunate　and　so　very　rare　that　he　can　earn　no　other

man's。　　A　common　soldier；　poor　brute　though　you　called　him　just　now；

has　this　advantage　in　the　stormy　times　we　live　in；　that　he　always

does　his　duty　before　a　host　of　sympathising　witnesses。　　Do　you　doubt

that　he　may　so　do　it　as　to　be　extolled　through　a　whole　regiment；

through　a　whole　army；　through　a　whole　country？　　Turn　while　you　may

yet　retrieve　the　past；　and　try。〃



〃I　will！　　I　ask　for　only　one　witness；　sir；〃　cried　Richard；　with　a

bursting　heart。



〃I　understand　you。　　I　will　be　a　watchful　and　a　faithful　one。〃



I　have　heard　from　Private　Richard　Doubledick's　own　lips；　that　he

dropped　down　upon　his　knee；　kissed　that　officer's　hand；　arose；　and

went　out　of　the　light　of　the　dark；　bright　eyes；　an　altered　man。



In　that　year；　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　ninety…nine；　the　French

were　in　Egypt；　in　Italy；　in　Germany；　where　not？　　Napoleon　Bonaparte

had　likewise　begun　to　stir　against　us　in　India；　and　most　men　could

read　the　signs　of　the　great　troubles　that　were　coming　on。　　In　the

very　next　year；　when　we　formed　an　alliance　with　Austria　against　him；

Captain　Taunton's　regiment　was　on　service　in　India。　　And　there　was

not　a　finer　non…commissioned　officer　in　it；no；　nor　in　the　whole

linethan　Corporal　Richard　Doubledick。



In　eighteen　hundred　and　one；　the　Indian　army　were　on　the　coast　of

Egypt。　　Next　year　was　the　year　of　the　proclamation　of　the　short

peace；　and　they　were　recalled。　　It　had　then　become　well　known　to

thousands　of　men；　that　wherever　Captain　Taunton；　with　the　dark；

bright　eyes；　led；　there；　close　to　him；　ever　at　his　side；　firm　as　a

rock；　true　as　the　sun；　and　brave　as　Mars；　would　be　certain　to　be

found；　while　life　beat　in　their　hearts；　that　famous　soldier；

Sergeant　Richard　Doubledick。



Eighteen　hundred　and　five；　besides　being　the　great　year　of

Trafalgar；　was　a　year　of　hard　fighting　in　India。　　That　year　saw　such

wonders　done　by　a　Sergeant…Major；　who　cut　his　way　single…handed

through　a　solid　mass　of　men；　recovered　the　colours　of　his　regiment；

which　had　been　seized　from　the　hand　of　a　poor　boy　shot　through　the

heart；　and　rescued　his　wounded　Captain；　who　was　down；　and　in　a　very

jungle　of　horses'　hoofs　and　sabres；saw　such　wonders　done；　I　say；

by　this　brave　Sergeant…Major；　that　he　was　specially　made　the　bearer

of　the　colours　he　had　won；　and　Ensign　Richard　Doubledick　had　risen

from　the　ranks。



Sorely　cut　up　in　every　battle；　but　always　reinforced　by　the　bravest

of　men；for　the　fame　of　following　the　old　colours；　shot　through　and

through；　which　Ensign　Richard　Doubledick　had　saved；　inspired　all

breasts；this　regiment　fought　its　way　through　the　Peninsular　war；

up　to　the　investment　of　Badajos　in　eighteen　hundred　and　twelve。

Again　and　again　it　had　been　cheered　through　the　British　ranks　until

the　tears　had　sprung　into　men's　eyes　at　the　mere　hearing　of　the

mighty　British　voice；　so　exultant　in　their　valour；　and　there　was　not

a　drummer…boy　but　knew　the　legend；　that　wherever　the　two　friends；

Major　Taunton；　with　the　dark；　bright　eyes；　and　Ensign　Richard

Doubledick；　who　was　devoted　to　him；　were　seen　to　go；　there　the

boldest　spirits　in　the　English　army　became　wild　to　follow。



One　day；　at　Badajos；not　in　the　great　storming；　but　in　repelling　a

hot　sally　of　the　besieged　upon　our　men　at　work　in　the　trenches；　who

had　given　way；the　two　officers　found　themselves　hurrying　forward；

face　to　face；　against　a　party　of　French　infantry；　who　made　a　stand。

There　was　an　officer　at　their　head；　encouraging　his　men；a

courageous；　handsome；　gallant　officer　of　five…and…thirty；　whom

Doubledick　saw　hurriedly；　almost　momentarily；　but　saw　well。　　He

particularly　noticed　this　officer　waving　his　sword；　and　rallying　his

men　with　an　eager　and　excited　cry；　when　they　fired　in　obedience　to

his　gesture；　and　Major　Taunton　dropped。



It　was　over　in　ten　minutes　more；　and　Doubledick　returned　to　the　spot

where　he　had　laid　the　best　friend　man　ever　had　on　a　coat　spread　upon

the　wet　clay。　　Major　Taunton's　uniform　was　opened　at　the　breast；　and

on　his　shirt　were　three　little　spots　of　blood。



〃Dear　Doubledick；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　dying。〃



〃For　the　love　of　Heaven；　no！〃　exclaimed　the　other；　kneeling　down

beside　him；　and　passing　his　arm　round　his　neck　to　raise　his　head。

〃Taunton！　　My　preserver；　my　guardian　angel；　my　witness！　　Dearest；

truest；　kindest　of　human　beings！　　Taunton！　　For　God's　sake！〃



The　bright；　dark　eyesso　very；　very　dark　now；　in　the　pale　face

smiled　upon　him；　and　the　hand　he　had　kissed　thirteen　years　ago　laid

itself　fondly　on　his　breast。



〃Write　to　my　mother。　　You　will　see　Home　again。　　Tell　her　how　we

became　friends。　　It　will　comfort　her；　as　it　comforts　me。〃



He　spoke　no　more；　but　faintly　signed　for　a　moment　towards　his　hair

as　it　fluttered　in　the　wind。　　The　Ensign　understood　him。　　He　smiled

again　when　he　saw　that；　and；　gently　turning　his　face　over　on　the

supporting　arm　as　if　for　rest；　died；　with　his　hand　upon　the　breast

in　which　he　had　revived　a　soul。



No　dry　eye