tartarin of tarascon-第2章
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It is needless to say that cap…selling is a fine business in the town。 There are even some hatters who sell hunting…caps ready shot； torn； and perforated for the bad shots； but the only buyer known is the chemist Bezuquet。 This is dishonourable！
As a marksman at caps； Tartarin of Tarascon never had his match。
Every Sunday morning out he would march in a new cap； and back he would strut every Sunday evening with a mere thing of shreds。 The loft of Baobab Villa was full of these glorious trophies。 Hence all Tarascon acknowledged him as master； and as Tartarin thoroughly understood hunting； and had read all the handbooks of all possible kinds of venery； from cap…popping to Burmese tiger… shooting； the sportsmen constituted him their great cynegetical judge； and took him for referee and arbitrator in all their differences。
Between three and four daily； at Costecalde the gunsmith's。 a stout stern pipe…smoker might be seen in a green leather…covered arm… chair in the centre of the shop crammed with cap…poppers； they all on foot and wrangling。 This was Tartarin of Tarascon delivering judgement Nimrod plus Solomon。
III。 〃Naw； naw； naw！'' The general glance protracted upon the good town。
AFTER the craze for sporting； the lusty Tarascon race cherishes one love： ballad…singing。 There's no believing what a quantity of ballads is used up in that little region。 All the sentimental stuff turning into sere and yellow leaves in the oldest portfolios； are to be found in full pristine lustre in Tarascon。 Ay； the entire collection。 Every family has its own pet； as is known to the town。
For instance； it is an established fact that this is the chemist Bezuquet's family's：
〃Thou art the fair star that I adore！〃
The gunmaker Costecalde's family's：
〃Would'st thou come to the land Where the log…cabins rise？〃
The official registrar's family's ：
〃If I wore a coat of invisible green； Do you think for a moment I could be seen？〃
And so on for the whole of Tarascon。 Two or three times a week there were parties where they were sung。 The singularity was their being always the same； and that the honest Tarasconers had never had an inclination to change them during the long； long time they had been harping on them。 They were handed down from father to son in the families； without anybody improving on them or Bowdlerising them： they were sacred。 Never did it occur to Costecalde's mind to sing the Bezuquets'； or the Bezuquets to try Costecalde's。 And yet you may believe that they ought to know by heart what they had been singing for two…score years！ But； nay！ every…body stuck to his own ；and they were all contented。
In ballad…singing。 as in cap…popping； Tartarin was still the foremost。 His superiority over his fellow…townsmen consisted in his not having any one song of his own； but in knowing the lot； the whole； mind you！ But there's a but it was the devil's own work to get him to sing them。
Surfeited early in life with his drawing…room successes； our hero preferred by far burying himself in his hunting story…books； or spending the evening at the club； to making a personal exhibition before a Nimes piano between a pair of home…made candles。 These musical parades seemed beneath him。 Nevertheless； at whiles； when there was a harmonic party at Bezuquet's； he would drop into the chemist's shop； as if by chance； and； after a deal of pressure； consent to do the grand duo in Robert le Diable with old Madame Bezuquet。 Whoso never heard that never heard anything！ For my part； even if I lived a hundred years； I should always see the mighty Tartarin solemnly stepping up to the piano； setting his arms akimbo； working up his tragic mien； and； beneath the green reflection from the show…bottles in the window； trying to give his pleasant visage the fierce and satanic expression of Robert the Devil。 Hardly would he fall into position before the whole audience would be shuddering with the foreboding that something uncommon was at hand。 After a hush； old Madame Bezuquet would commence to her own accompaniment：
〃Robert； my love is thine！ To thee I my faith did plight； Thou seest my affright； Mercy for thine own sake； And mercy for mine！〃
In an undertone she would add： 〃Now； then； Tartarin！〃 Whereupon Tartarin of Tarascon； with crooked arms； clenched fists； and quivering nostrils； would roar three times in a formidable voice； rolling like a thunderclap in the bowels of the instrument ：
〃No！ no！ no！〃 which； like the thorough southerner he was； he pronounced nasally as 〃Naw！ naw！ naw！〃 Then would old Madame Bezuquet again sing：
〃Mercy for thine own sake； And mercy for mine！〃
〃Naw！ naw！ naw！〃 bellowed Tartarin at his loudest； and there the gem ended。
Not long； you see； but it was so handsomely voiced forth； so clearly gesticulated； and so diabolical； that a tremor of terror overran the chemist's shop； and the 〃Naw！ naw！ naw！〃 would be encored several times running。
Upon this Tartarin would sponge his brow； smile on the ladies； wink to the sterner sex； and withdraw upon his triumph to go remark at the club with a trifling； offhand air：
〃I have just come from the Bezuquets'； where I was forced to sing 'em the duo from Robert le Diable。〃
The cream of the joke was that he really believed it！
IV。 〃They！〃
CHIEFLY to the account of these diverse talents did Tartarin owe his lofty position in the town of Tarascon。 Talking of captivating； though； this deuce of a fellow knew how to ensnare everybody。 Why； the army； at Tarascon； was for Tartarin。 The brave commandant； Bravida； honorary captain retired in the Military Clothing Factory Department called him a game fellow； and you may well admit that the warrior knew all about game fellows； he played such a capital knife and fork on game of all kinds。
So was the legislature on Tartarin's side。 Two or three times； in open court； the old chief judge； Ladevese； had said； in alluding to him：
〃He is a character！〃
Lastly； the masses were for Tartarin。 He had become the swell bruiser； the aristocratic pugilist； the crack bully of the local Corinthians for the Tarasconers； from his build； bearing； style that aspect of a guard's…trumpeter's charger which fears no noise； his reputation as a hero coming from nobody knew whence or for what； and some scramblings for coppers and a few kicks to the little ragamuffins basking at his doorway。
Along the waterside； when Tartarin came home from hunting on Sunday evenings； with his cap on the muzzle of his gun； and his fustian shooting…jacket belted in tightly； the sturdy river…lightermen would respectfully bob； and blinking towards the huge biceps swelling out his arms； would mutter among one another in admiration：
〃Now； there's a powerful chap if you like！ he has double…muscles！〃
〃Double muscles！〃 why； you never heard of such a thing outside of Tarascon！
For all this； with all his numberless parts； double…muscles； the popular favour； and the so precious esteem of brave Commandant Bravida； ex…captain （in the Army Clothing Factory）； Tartarin was not happy： this life in a petty town weighed upon him and suffocated him。
The great man of Tarascon was bored in Tarascon。
The fact is； for a heroic temperament like his； a wild adventurous spirit which dreamt of nothing but battles； races across the pampas； mighty battues； desert sands； blizzards and typhoons； it was not enough to go out every Sunday to pop at a cap； and the rest of the time to ladle out casting…votes at the gunmaker's。 Poor dear great man！ If this existence were only prolonged； there would be sufficient tedium in it to kill him with consumption。
In vain did he surround himself with baobabs and other African trees； to widen his horizon； and some little to forget his club and the market…place； in vain did he pile weapon upon weapon； and Malay kreese upon Malay kreese； in vain did he cram with romances； endeavouring like the immortal Don Quixote to wrench himself by the vigour of his fancy out of the talons of pitiless reality。 Alas！ all that he did to appease his thirst for deeds of daring only helped to augment it。 The sight of all the murderous implements kept him in a perpetual stew of wrath and exaltation。 His revolve
