tartarin of tarascon-第17章

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The　blood　of　Tarascon　boiled　over　at　once。

〃Wretches　that　you　are！〃　he　roared　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　〃thus　to　debase　such　noble　beasts！　〃

Springing　to　the　lion；　he　wrenched　the　loathsome　bowl　from　between　his　royal　jaws。　The　two　Africans；　believing　they　had　a　thief　to　contend　with；　rushed　upon　the　foreigner　with　uplifted　cudgels。　There　was　a　dreadful　conflict：　the　blackamoors　smiting；　the　women　screaming；　and　the　youngsters　laughing。　　An　old　Jew　cobbler　bleated　out　of　the　hollow　of　his　stall；　〃Dake　him　to　the　shustish　of　the　beace！〃　The　lion　himself；　in　his　dark　state；　tried　to　roar　as　his　hapless　champion；　after　a　desperate　struggle；　rolled　on　the　ground　among　the　spilt　pence　and　the　sweepings。

At　this　juncture　a　man　cleft　the　throng；　made　the　Negroes　stand　back　with　a　word；　and　the　women　and　urchins　with　a　wave　of　the　hand；　lifted　up　Tartarin；　brushed　him　down；　shook　him　into　shape；　and　sat　him　breathless　upon　a　corner…post。

〃What；　prance；　is　it　you？〃　said　the　good　Tartarin；　rubbing　his　ribs。

〃Yes；　indeed；　it　is　I；　my　valiant　friend。　As　soon　as　your　letter　was　received；　I　entrusted　Baya　to　her　brother；　hired　a　post…chaise；　flew　fifty　leagues　as　fast　as　a　horse　could　go；　and　here　I　am；　just　in　time　to　snatch　you　from　the　brutality　of　these　ruffians。　　What　have　you　done；　in　the　name　of　just　Heaven；　to　bring　this　ugly　trouble　upon　you？〃

〃What　done；　prince？　　It　was　too　much　for　me　to　see　this　unfortunate　lion　with　a　begging…bowl　in　his　mouth；　humiliated；　conquered；　buffeted　about；　set　up　as　a　laughing…stock　to　all　this　Moslem　rabble〃　

〃But　you　are　wrong；　my　noble　friend。　　On　the　contrary；　this　lion　is　an　object　of　respect　and　adoration。　　This　is　a　sacred　beast　who　belongs　to　a　great　monastery　of　lions；　founded　three　hundred　years　ago　by　Mahomet　Ben　Aouda；　a　kind　of　fierce　and　forbidding　La　Trappe；　full　of　roarings　and　wild…beastly　odours；　where　strange　monks　rear　and　feed　lions　by　hundreds；　and　send　them　out　all　over　Northern　Africa；　accompanied　by　begging　brothers。　　The　alms　they　receive　serve　for　the　maintenance　of　the　monastery　and　its　mosques；　and　the　two　Negroes　showed　so　much　displeasure　just　now　because　it　was　their　conviction　that　the　lion　under　their　charge　would　forthwith　devour　them　if　a　single　penny　of　their　collection　were　lost　or　stolen　through　any　fault　of　theirs。〃

On　hearing　this　incredible　and　yet　veracious　story　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　was　delighted；　and　sniffed　the　air　noisily。　〃What　pleases　me　in　this；〃　he　remarked；　as　the　summing　up　of　his　opinion；　〃is　that；　whether　Monsieur　Bombonnel　likes　it　or　not；　there　are　still　lions　in　Algeria。〃　

〃I　should　think　there　were！〃　ejaculated　the　prince　enthusiastically。　〃We　will　start　to…morrow　beating　up　the　Shelliff　Plain；　and　you　will　see　lions　enough！〃

〃What；　prince！　have　you　an　intention　to　go　a…hunting；　too？〃

〃Of　course！　　Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　leave　you　to　march　by　yourself　into　the　heart　of　Africa；　in　the　midst　of　ferocious　tribes　of　whose　languages　and　usages　you　are　ignorant！　　No；　no；　illustrious　Tartarin；　I　shall　quit　you　no　more。　　Go　where　you　will；　I　shall　make　one　of　the　party。〃

〃O　Prance！　prance！〃

The　beaming　Tartarin　hugged　the　devoted　Gregory　to　his　breast　at　the　proud　thought　of　his　going　to　have　a　foreign　prince　to　accompany　him　in　his　hunting；　after　the　example　of　Jules　Gerard；　Bombonnel；　and　other　famous　lion…slayers。



IV。　The　Caravan　on　the　March。


LEAVING　Milianah　at　the　earliest　hour　next　morning；　the　intrepid　Tartarin　and　the　no　less　intrepid　Prince　Gregory　descended　towards　the　Shelliff　Plain　through　a　delightful　gorge　shaded　with　jessamine；　carouba；　tuyas；　and　wild　olive…trees；　between　hedges　of　little　native　gardens　and　thousands　of　merry；　lively　rills　which　scampered　down　from　rock　to　rock　with　a　singing　splash　　a　bit　of　landscape　meet　for　the　Lebanon。

As　much　loaded　with　arms　as　the　great　Tartarin；　Prince　Gregory　had；　over　and　above　that；　donned　a　queer　but　magnificent　military　cap；　all　covered　with　gold　lace　and　a　trimming　of　oak…leaves　in　silver　cord；　which　gave　His　Highness　the　aspect　of　a　Mexican　general　or　a　railway　station…master　on　the　banks　of　the　Danube。

This　plague　of　a　cap　much　puzzled　the　beholder；　and　as　he　timidly　craved　some　explanation；　the　prince　gravely　answered：

〃It　is　a　kind　of　headgear　indispensable　for　travel　in　Algeria。〃

Whilst　brightening　up　the　peak　with　a　sweep　of　his　sleeve；　he　instructed　his　simple　companion　in　the　important　part　which　the　military　cap　plays　in　the　French　connection　with　the　Arabs；　and　the　terror　this　article　of　army　insignia　alone　has　the　privilege　of　inspiring；　so　that　the　Civil　Service　has　been　obliged　to　put　all　its　employees　in　caps；　from　the　extra…copyist　to　the　receiver…general。　To　govern　Algeria　（the　prince　is　still　speaking）　there　is　no　need　of　a　strong　head；　or　even　of　any　head　at　all。　A　military　cap　does　it　alone；　if　showy　and　belaced；　and　shining　at　the　top　of　a　non…human　pole；　like　Gessler's。

Thus　chatting　and　philosophising；　the　caravan　proceeded。　　The　barefooted　porters　leaped　from　rock　to　rock　with　ape…like　screams。　The　guncases　clanked；　and　the　guns　themselves　flashed。　　The　natives　who　were　passing；　salaamed　to　the　ground　before　the　magic　cap。　　Up　above；　on　the　ramparts　of　Milianah；　the　head　of　the　Arab　Department；　who　was　out　for　an　airing　with　his　wife；　hearing　these　unusual　noises；　and　seeing　the　weapons　gleam　between　the　branches；　fancied　there　was　a　revolt；　and　ordered　the　drawbridge　to　be　raised；　the　general　alarm　to　be　sounded；　and　the　whole　town　put　under　a　state　of　siege。　A　capital　commencement　for　the　caravan！

Unfortunately；　before　the　day　ended；　things　went　wrong。　　Of　the　black　luggage…bearers；　one　was　doubled　up　with　atrocious　colics　from　having　eaten　the　diachylon　out　of　the　medicine…chest：　another　fell　on　the　roadside　dead　drunk　with　camphorated　brandy；　the　third；　carrier　of　the　travelling…album；　deceived　by　the　gilding　on　the　clasps　into　the　persuasion　that　he　was　flying　with　the　treasures　of　Mecca；　ran　off　into　the　Zaccar　on　his　best　legs。

This　required　consideration。　The　caravan　halted；　and　held　a　council　in　the　broken　shadow　of　an　old　fig…tree。

〃It's　my　advice　that　we　turn　up　Negro　porters　from　this　evening　forward；〃　said　the　prince；　trying　without　success　to　melt　a　cake　of　compressed　meat　in　an　　improved　　patent　triple…bottomed　sauce…　pan。　　〃There　is；　haply；　an　Arab　trader　quite　near　here。　　The　best　thing　to　do　is　to　stop　there；　and　buy　some　donkeys。〃

〃No；　no；　no　donkeys；〃　quickly　interrupted　　Tartarin；　　becoming　quite　red　at　memory　of　Noiraud。　〃How　can　you　expect；〃　he　added；　hypocrite　that　he　was；　〃that　such　little　beasts　could　carry　all　our　apparatus？〃

The　prince　smiled。

〃You　are　making　a　mistake；　my　illustrious　friend。　　However　weakly　and　meagre　the　Algerian　bourriquot　may　appear　to　you；　he　has　solid　loins。　　He　must　have　them　so　to　support　all　that　he　does。　　Just　ask　the　Arabs。　　Hark　to　how　they　explain　the　French　colonial　organisation。　　'On　the　top；'　they　say；　　'is　Mossoo；　the　Governor；　with　a　heavy　club　to　rap　the　staff；　the　staff；　for　revenge；　canes　the　soldier；　the　soldier　clubs　the　settler；　and　he　hammers　the　Arab；　the　Arab　smites　the　Negro；　the　Negro　beats　the　Jew；　and　he　takes　it　out　of　the　donkey。　　The　poor　bourriquot　having　nobody　to　belabour；　arches　up　his　back　and　bears　it　all。'　You　see　clearly　now　that　he　can　bear　your　boxes。〃

〃All　the　same；〃　remonstrated　Tartarin；　〃it　strikes　me　that　jackasses　will　not　chime　in　nicely　with　the　effect　of　our　caravan。　I　want　　something　more　Oriental。　For　instance；　if　we　could　only　get　a　camel〃　

〃As　many　as　you　like；〃　said　His　Highness；　and　off　they　started　for　the　Arab　mart。

It　was　held　a　few　miles　away；　on　the　banks　of　the　Shelliff。　　There　were　five　or　six　thousand　Arabs　in　tatters　here；　grovelling　in　the　sunshine　and　noisily　trafficking；　amid　jars　of　black　olives；　pots　of　honey；　bags　of　spices；　and　great　heaps　of　cigars；　huge　fires　were　roasting　whole　sheep；　basted　with　butter；　in　open　air　slaughter…　houses　stark　naked　Negroes；　with　ruddy　arms　and　their　feet　in　gore；　were　cutting　up　kids　hanging　from　crosspoles；　with　small　knives。

In　one　corner；　under　a　tent　patched　with　a　thousand　colours；　a　Moorish　clerk　of　the　market　in　sp