tartarin of tarascon-第15章

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t；　the　name　of　his　native　place　struck　his　eyes。

〃Our　Tarascon　correspondent　writes：　

〃The　city　is　in　distress。　　There　has　been　no　news　for　several　months　from　Tartarin　the　lion…slayer；　who　set　off　to　hunt　the　great　feline　tribe　in　Africa。　　What　can　have　become　of　our　heroic　fellow…　countryman？　Those　hardly　dare　ask　who　know；　as　we　do；　how　hot…　headed　he　was；　and　what　boldness　and　thirst　for　adventures　were　his。　Has　he；　like　many　others；　been　smothered　in　the　sands；　or　has　he　fallen　under　the　murderous　fangs　of　one　of　those　monsters　of　the　Atlas　Range　of　which　be　had　promised　the　skins　to　the　municipality？　What　a　dreadful　state　of　uncertainty！　It　is　true　some　Negro　traders；　come　to　Beaucaire　Fair；　assert　having　met　in　the　middle　of　the　deserts　a　European　whose　description　agreed　with　his；　he　was　proceeding　towards　Timbuctoo。　May　Heaven　preserve　our　Tartarin！〃

When　he　read　this；　the　son　of　Tarascon　reddened；　blanched；　and　shuddered。　　All　Tarascon　appeared　unto　him：　the　club；　the　cap…　poppers；　Costecalde's　green　arm…chair；　and；　hovering　over　all　like　a　spread　eagle；　the　imposing　moustaches　of　brave　Commandant　Bravida。

At　seeing　himself　here；　as　he　was；　cowardly　lolling　on　a　mat；　whilst　his　friends　believed　him　slaughtering　wild　beasts；　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　was　ashamed　of　himself；　and　could　have　wept　had　he　not　been　a　hero。

Suddenly　he　leaped　up　and　thundered：

〃The　lion；　the　lion！　　Down　with　him！〃

And　dashing　into　the　dusty　lumber…hole　where　mouldered　the　shelter…tent；　the　medicine…chest；　the　potted　meats；　and　the　gun…　cases；　he　dragged　them　out　into　the　middle　of　the　court。

Sancho…Tartarin　was　no　more：　Quixote…Tartarin　occupied　the　field　of　active　life。

Only　the　time　to　inspect　his　armament　and　stores；　don　his　harness；　get　into　his　heavy　　boots；　scribble　a　couple　of　words　to　confide　Baya　to　the　prince；　and　slip　a　few　bank…notes　sprinkled　with　tears　into　the　envelope；　and　then　the　dauntless　Tarasconian　rolled　away　in　the　stage…coach　on　the　Blidah　road；　leaving　the　house　to　the　negress；　stupor…stricken　before　the　pipe；　the　turban；　and　babooshes　　all　the　Moslem　shell　of　Sidi　Tart'ri　which　sprawled　piteously　under　the　little　white　trefoils　of　the　gallery。




EPISODE　THE　THIRD　AMONG　THE　LIONS



I。　What　becomes　of　the　Old　Stage…coaches。


Come　to　look　closely　at　the　vehicle；　it　was　an　old　stage…coach　all　of　the　olden　time；　upholstered　in　faded　deep　blue　cloth；　with　those　enormous　rough　woollen　balls　which；　after　a　few　hours'　journey；　finally　establish　a　raw　spot　in　the　small　of　your　back。

Tartarin　of　Tarascon　had　a　corner　of　the　inside；　where　he　installed　himself　most　free…and…easily：　and；　preliminarily　to　inspiring　the　rank　emanations　of　the　great　African　felines；　the　hero　had　to　content　himself　with　that　homely　old　odour　of　the　stage…coach；　oddly　composed　of　a　thousand　smells；　of　man　and　woman；　horses　and　harness；　eatables　and　mildewed　straw。

There　was　a　little　of　everything　inside　　a　Trappist　monk；　some　Jew　merchants；　two　fast　ladies　going　to　join　their　regiment；　the　Third　Hussars；　a　photographic　artist　from　Orleansville；　and　so　on：　But；　however　charming　and　varied　was　the　company；　the　Tarasconian　was　not　in　the　mood　for　chatting；　he　remained　quite　thoughtful；　with　an　arm　in　the　arm…rest　sling…strap　and　his　guns　between　his　knees。　　All　churned　up　his　wits　　the　precipitate　departure；　Baya's　eyes　of　jet；　the　terrible　chase　he　was　about　to　undertake；　to　say　nothing　of　this　European　coach；　with　its　Noah's　Ark　aspect；　rediscovered　in　the　heart　of　Africa；　vaguely　recalling　the　Tarascon　of　his　youth；　with　its　races　in　the　suburbs；　jolly　dinners　on　the　river…side　　a　throng　of　memories；　in　short。

Gradually　night　came　on。　　The　guard　lit　up　the　lamps。　　The　rusty　diligence　danced　creakingly　on　its　old　springs；　the　horses　trotted　and　their　bells　jangled。　　From　time　to　time　in　the　boot　arose　a　dreadful　clank　of　iron：　that　was　the　war　material。

Tartarin　of　Tarascon；　nearly　overcome；　dwelt　a　moment　scanning　the　fellow…passengers；　comically　shaken　by　the　jolts；　and　dancing　before　him　like　the　shadows　in　galanty…shows；　till　his　eyes　grew　cloudy　and　his　mind　befogged；　and　only　vaguely　he　heard　the　wheels　grind　and　the　sides　of　the　conveyance　squeak　complainingly。

Suddenly　a　voice　called　Tartarin　by　his　name；　the　voice　of　an　old　fairy　godmother；　hoarse；　broken；　and　cracked。

〃Monsieur　Tartarin！〃　three　times。

〃Who's　calling　me？〃

〃It's　I；　Monsieur　Tartarin。　　Don't　you　recognise　me？　　I　am　the　old　stage…coach　who　used　to　do　the　road　betwixt　Nimes　and　Tarascon　twenty　year　agone。　　How　many　times　I　have　carried　you　and　your　friends　when　you　went　to　shoot　at　caps　over　Joncquieres　or　Bellegarde　way！　　I　did　not　know　you　again　at　the　first；　on　account　of　your　Turk's　cap　and　the　flesh　you　have　accumulated　；　but　as　soon　as　you　began　snoring　　what　a　rascal　is　good…luck　！　　I　twigged　you　straight　away。〃

〃All　right；　that's　all　right　enough！〃　observed　the　Tarasconian；　a　shade　vexed；　but　softening；　he　added；　〃But　to　the　point；　my　poor　old　girl；　whatever　did　you　come　out　here　for？〃

〃Pooh！　my　good　Monsieur　Tartarin；　I　　assure　you　I　never　came　of　my　own　free　will。　　As　soon　as　the　Beaucaire　railway　was　finished　I　was　considered　good　for　nought；　and　shipped　away　into　Algeria。　And　I　am　not　the　only　one　either！　　Bless　you；　next　to　all　the　old　stage…coaches　of　France　have　been　packed　off　like　me。　We　were　regarded　as　too　much　the　conservative　　'the　slow…coaches'　　d'ye　see；　and　now　we　are　here　leading　the　life　of　a　dog。　　This　is　what　you　in　France　call　the　Algerian　railways。〃

Here　the　ancient　vehicle　heaved　a　long…drawn　sigh　before　proceeding。　〃My　wheels　and　linchpin！　Monsieur　Tartarin；　how　I　regret　my　lovely　Tarascon！　That　was　the　good　time　for　me；　when　I　was　young！　　You　ought　to　have　seen　me　starting　off　in　the　morning；　washed　with　no　stint　of　water　and　all　a…shine；　with　my　wheels　freshly　varnished；　my　lamps　blazing　like　a　brace　of　suns；　and　my　boot　always　rubbed　up　with　oil！　　It　was　indeed　lovely　when　the　postillion　cracked　his　whip　to　the　tune　of　'Lagadigadeou；　the　Tarasque！　the　Tarasque！'　and　the　guard；　his　horn　in　its　sling　and　laced　cap　cocked　well　over　one　ear；　chucking　his　little　dog；　always　in　a　fury；　upon　the　top；　climbed　up　himself　with　a　shout：　'Right…　away！'

〃Then　would　my　four　horses　dash　off　to　the　medley　of　bells；　barks；　and　horn…blasts；　and　the　windows　fly　open　for　all　Tarascon　to　look　with　pride　upon　the　royal　mail　coach　dart　over　the　king's　highway。

〃What　a　splendid　road　that　was；　Monsieur　Tartarin；　broad　and　well　kept；　with　its　mile…stones；　its　little　heaps　of　road…metal　at　regular　distances；　and　its　pretty　clumps　of　vines　and　olive…trees　on　either　hand！　　Then；　again；　the　roadside　inns　so　close　together；　and　the　changes　of　horses　every　five　minutes！　　And　what　jolly；　honest　chaps　my　patrons　were！　　village　mayors　and　parish　priests　going　up　to　Nimes　to　see　their　prefect　or　bishop；　taffety…weavers　returning　openly　from　the　Mazet；　collegians　out　on　holiday　leave；　peasants　in　worked　smock…frocks；　all　fresh　shaven　for　the　occasion　that　morning；　and　up　above；　on　the　top；　you　gentlemen…sportsmen；　always　in　high　spirits；　and　singing　each　your　own　family　ballad　to　the　stars　as　you　came　back　in　the　dark。

〃Deary　me！　it's　a　change　of　times　now！　Lord　knows　what　rubbish　I　am　carting　here；　come　from　nobody　guesses　where！　They　fill　me　with　small　deer；　these　negroes；　Bedouin　Arabs；　swashbucklers；　adventurers　from　every　land；　and　ragged　settlers　who　poison　me　with　their　pipes；　and　all　jabbering　a　language　that　the　Tower　of　Babel　itself　could　make　nothing　of！　And；　furthermore；　you　should　see　how　they　treat　me　　I　mean；　how　they　never　treat　me：　never　a　brush　or　a　wash。　They　begrudge　me　grease　for　my　axles。　Instead　of　my　good　fat　quiet　horses　of　other　days；　little　Arab　ponies；　with　the　devil　in　their　frames；　who　fight　and　bite；　caper　as　they　run　like　so　many　goats；　and　break　my　splatterboard　all　to　smithereens　with　their　lashing　out　behind。　　Ouch！　ouch！　there　they　are　at　it　again！

〃And　such　roads！　　Just　here　it　is　bearable；　because　we　are　near　the　governmental　headquarters；　but　out　a　bit　there's　nothing；　Monsieur　　not　the　ghost　of　a　road　at　all。　We　get　along　as　best　we　can　over　hill　and　dale；　over　dwarf　pa