the seven poor travellers-第6章

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holding　his　hand；　and　soothing　him。



From　that　time；　he　recovered。　　Slowly；　for　he　had　been　desperately

wounded　in　the　head；　and　had　been　shot　in　the　body；　but　making　some

little　advance　every　day。　　When　he　had　gained　sufficient　strength　to

converse　as　he　lay　in　bed；　he　soon　began　to　remark　that　Mrs。　Taunton

always　brought　him　back　to　his　own　history。　　Then　he　recalled　his

preserver's　dying　words；　and　thought；　〃It　comforts　her。〃



One　day　he　awoke　out　of　a　sleep；　refreshed；　and　asked　her　to　read　to

him。　　But　the　curtain　of　the　bed；　softening　the　light；　which　she

always　drew　back　when　he　awoke；　that　she　might　see　him　from　her

table　at　the　bedside　where　she　sat　at　work；　was　held　undrawn；　and　a

woman's　voice　spoke；　which　was　not　hers。



〃Can　you　bear　to　see　a　stranger？〃　it　said　softly。　　〃Will　you　like　to

see　a　stranger？〃



〃Stranger！〃　he　repeated。　　The　voice　awoke　old　memories；　before　the

days　of　Private　Richard　Doubledick。



〃A　stranger　now；　but　not　a　stranger　once；〃　it　said　in　tones　that

thrilled　him。　　〃Richard；　dear　Richard；　lost　through　so　many　years；

my　name〃



He　cried　out　her　name；　〃Mary；〃　and　she　held　him　in　her　arms；　and　his

head　lay　on　her　bosom。



〃I　am　not　breaking　a　rash　vow；　Richard。　　These　are　not　Mary

Marshall's　lips　that　speak。　　I　have　another　name。〃



She　was　married。



〃I　have　another　name；　Richard。　　Did　you　ever　hear　it？〃



〃Never！〃



He　looked　into　her　face；　so　pensively　beautiful；　and　wondered　at　the

smile　upon　it　through　her　tears。



〃Think　again；　Richard。　　Are　you　sure　you　never　heard　my　altered

name？〃



〃Never！〃



〃Don't　move　your　head　to　look　at　me；　dear　Richard。　　Let　it　lie　here；

while　I　tell　my　story。　　I　loved　a　generous；　noble　man；　loved　him

with　my　whole　heart；　loved　him　for　years　and　years；　loved　him

faithfully；　devotedly；　loved　him　without　hope　of　return；　loved　him；

knowing　nothing　of　his　highest　qualitiesnot　even　knowing　that　he

was　alive。　　He　was　a　brave　soldier。　　He　was　honoured　and　beloved　by

thousands　of　thousands；　when　the　mother　of　his　dear　friend　found　me；

and　showed　me　that　in　all　his　triumphs　he　had　never　forgotten　me。

He　was　wounded　in　a　great　battle。　　He　was　brought；　dying；　here；　into

Brussels。　　I　came　to　watch　and　tend　him；　as　I　would　have　joyfully

gone；　with　such　a　purpose；　to　the　dreariest　ends　of　the　earth。　　When

he　knew　no　one　else；　he　knew　me。　　When　he　suffered　most；　he　bore　his

sufferings　barely　murmuring；　content　to　rest　his　head　where　your

rests　now。　　When　he　lay　at　the　point　of　death；　he　married　me；　that

he　might　call　me　Wife　before　he　died。　　And　the　name；　my　dear　love；

that　I　took　on　that　forgotten　night〃



〃I　know　it　now！〃　he　sobbed。　　〃The　shadowy　remembrance　strengthens。

It　is　come　back。　　I　thank　Heaven　that　my　mind　is　quite　restored！　　My

Mary；　kiss　me；　lull　this　weary　head　to　rest；　or　I　shall　die　of

gratitude。　　His　parting　words　were　fulfilled。　　I　see　Home　again！〃



Well！　　They　were　happy。　　It　was　a　long　recovery；　but　they　were　happy

through　it　all。　　The　snow　had　melted　on　the　ground；　and　the　birds

were　singing　in　the　leafless　thickets　of　the　early　spring；　when

those　three　were　first　able　to　ride　out　together；　and　when　people

flocked　about　the　open　carriage　to　cheer　and　congratulate　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。



But　even　then　it　became　necessary　for　the　Captain；　instead　of

returning　to　England；　to　complete　his　recovery　in　the　climate　of

Southern　France。　　They　found　a　spot　upon　the　Rhone；　within　a　ride　of

the　old　town　of　Avignon；　and　within　view　of　its　broken　bridge；　which

was　all　they　could　desire；　they　lived　there；　together；　six　months；

then　returned　to　England。　　Mrs。　Taunton；　growing　old　after　three

yearsthough　not　so　old　as　that　her　bright；　dark　eyes　were　dimmed

and　remembering　that　her　strength　had　been　benefited　by　the　change

resolved　to　go　back　for　a　year　to　those　parts。　　So　she　went　with　a

faithful　servant；　who　had　often　carried　her　son　in　his　arms；　and　she

was　to　be　rejoined　and　escorted　home；　at　the　year's　end；　by　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。



She　wrote　regularly　to　her　children　（as　she　called　them　now）；　and

they　to　her。　　She　went　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Aix；　and　there；　in

their　own　chateau　near　the　farmer's　house　she　rented；　she　grew　into

intimacy　with　a　family　belonging　to　that　part　of　France。　　The

intimacy　began　in　her　often　meeting　among　the　vineyards　a　pretty

child；　a　girl　with　a　most　compassionate　heart；　who　was　never　tired

of　listening　to　the　solitary　English　lady's　stories　of　her　poor　son

and　the　cruel　wars。　　The　family　were　as　gentle　as　the　child；　and　at

length　she　came　to　know　them　so　well　that　she　accepted　their

invitation　to　pass　the　last　month　of　her　residence　abroad　under

their　roof。　　All　this　intelligence　she　wrote　home；　piecemeal　as　it

came　about；　from　time　to　time；　and　at　last　enclosed　a　polite　note；

from　the　head　of　the　chateau；　soliciting；　on　the　occasion　of　his

approaching　mission　to　that　neighbourhood；　the　honour　of　the　company

of　cet　homme　si　justement　celebre；　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard

Doubledick。



Captain　Doubledick；　now　a　hardy；　handsome　man　in　the　full　vigour　of

life；　broader　across　the　chest　and　shoulders　than　he　had　ever　been

before；　dispatched　a　courteous　reply；　and　followed　it　in　person。

Travelling　through　all　that　extent　of　country　after　three　years　of

Peace；　he　blessed　the　better　days　on　which　the　world　had　fallen。

The　corn　was　golden；　not　drenched　in　unnatural　red；　was　bound　in

sheaves　for　food；　not　trodden　underfoot　by　men　in　mortal　fight。　　The

smoke　rose　up　from　peaceful　hearths；　not　blazing　ruins。　　The　carts

were　laden　with　the　fair　fruits　of　the　earth；　not　with　wounds　and

death。　　To　him　who　had　so　often　seen　the　terrible　reverse；　these

things　were　beautiful　indeed；　and　they　brought　him　in　a　softened

spirit　to　the　old　chateau　near　Aix　upon　a　deep　blue　evening。



It　was　a　large　chateau　of　the　genuine　old　ghostly　kind；　with　round

towers；　and　extinguishers；　and　a　high　leaden　roof；　and　more　windows

than　Aladdin's　Palace。　　The　lattice　blinds　were　all　thrown　open

after　the　heat　of　the　day；　and　there　were　glimpses　of　rambling　walls

and　corridors　within。　　Then　there　were　immense　out…buildings　fallen

into　partial　decay；　masses　of　dark　trees；　terrace…gardens；

balustrades；　tanks　of　water；　too　weak　to　play　and　too　dirty　to　work；

statues；　weeds；　and　thickets　of　iron　railing　that　seemed　to　have

overgrown　themselves　like　the　shrubberies；　and　to　have　branched　out

in　all　manner　of　wild　shapes。　　The　entrance　doors　stood　open；　as

doors　often　do　in　that　country　when　the　heat　of　the　day　is　past；　and

the　Captain　saw　no　bell　or　knocker；　and　walked　in。



He　walked　into　a　lofty　stone　hall；　refreshingly　cool　and　gloomy

after　the　glare　of　a　Southern　day's　travel。　　Extending　along　the

four　sides　of　this　hall　was　a　gallery；　leading　to　suites　of　rooms；

and　it　was　lighted　from　the　top。　　Still　no　bell　was　to　be　seen。



〃Faith；〃　said　the　Captain　halting；　ashamed　of　the　clanking　of　his

boots；　〃this　is　a　ghostly　beginning！〃



He　started　back；　and　felt　his　face　turn　white。　　In　the　gallery；

looking　down　at　him；　stood　the　French　officerthe　officer　whose

picture　he　had　carried　in　his　mind　so　long　and　so　far。　　Compared

with　the　original；　at　lastin　every　lineament　how　like　it　was！



He　moved；　and　disappeared；　and　Captain　Richard　Doubledick　heard　his

steps　coming　quickly　down　own　into　the　hall。　　He　entered　through　an

archway。　　There　was　a　bright；　sudden　look　upon　his　face；　much　such　a

look　as　it　had　worn　in　that　fatal　moment。



Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard　Doubledick？　　Enchanted　to　receive　him！

A　thousand　apologies！　　The　servants　were　all　out　in　the　air。　　There

was　a　little　fete　among　them　in　the　garden。　　In　effect；　it　was　the

fete　day　of　my　daughter；　the　little　cherished　and　protected　of

Madame　Taunton。



He　was　so　gracious　and　so　frank　that　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard

Doubledick　could　not　withhold　his　hand。　　〃It　is　the　hand　of　a　brave