tartarin of tarascon-第6章

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　was　winged；　and　ballad…singing　dead。　The　piano　in　Bezuquet's　shop　mouldered　away　under　a　green　fungus；　and　the　Spanish　flies　dried　upon　it；　belly　up。　　Tartarin's　expedition　had　a　put　a　stopper　on　everything。

Ah；　you　ought　to　have　seen　his　a　success　in　the　parlours。　He　was　snatched　away　by　one　from　another；　fought　for；　loaned　and　borrowed；　ay；　stolen。　　There　was　a　no　greater　honour　for　the　ladies　than　to　go　to　Mitaine's　Menagerie　on　Tartarin's　arms；　and　have　it　explained　before　the　lion's　den　how　such　large　game　are　hunted；　where　they　should　be　aimed　at；　at　how　many　paces　off；　if　the　accidents　were　numerous；　and　the　like　of　that。

　Tartarin　furnished　all　the　elucidation　desired。　　He　had　read　〃The　Life　of　a　Jules　Gerard；　the　Lion…Slayer；〃　and　had　lion…hunting　at　his　finger　ends；　as　if　he　had　been　through　it　himself。　　Hence　he　orated　upon　these　matters　with　great　eloquence。

But　where　he　shone　the　brightest　was　at　dinner　at　Chief　Judge　Ladeveze's；　or　brave　Commandant　Bravida's　（the　former　captain　　in　the　Army　Clothing　Factory；　you　will　keep　in　mind）；　when　coffee　came　in；　and　all　the　chairs　were　brought　up　closer　together；　whilst　they　chatted　of　his　future　hunts。

Thereupon；　his　elbow　on　the　cloth；　his　nose　over　his　Mocha；　our　hero　would　discourse　in　a　feeling　tone　of　all　the　dangers　awaiting　him　thereaway。　　He　spoke　of　the　long　moonless　night　lyings…in…　wait；　the　pestilential　fens；　the　rivers　envenomed　by　leaves　of　poison…plants；　the　deep　snow…drifts；　the　scorching　suns；　the　scorpions；　and　rains　of　grasshoppers；　he　also　descanted　on　the　peculiarities　of　the　great　lions　of　the　Atlas；　their　way　of　fighting；　their　phenomenal　vigour；　and　their　ferocity　in　the　mating　season。

Heating　with　his　own　recital；　he　would　rise　from　table；　bounding　to　the　middle　of　the　dining…room；　imitating　the　roar　of　a　lion　and　the　going　off　of　a　rifle　：　crack！　bang！　the　zizz　of　the　explosive　bullet　　gesticulating　and　roaring　about　till　he　had　overset　the　chairs。

Everybody　turned　pale　around　the　board：　the　gentlemen　looking　at　one　another　and　wagging　their　heads；　the　ladies　shutting　their　eyes　with　pretty　screams　of　fright；　the　elderly　men　combatively　brandishing　their　canes；　and；　in　the　side　apartments；　the　little　boys；　who　had　been　put　to　bed　betimes；　were　greatly　startled　by　the　sudden　outcries　and　imitated　gun…fire；　and　screamed　for　lights。　Meanwhile；　Tartarin　did　not　start。



XI。　〃Let's　have　it　out　with　swords　gentleman；　not　pins〃


A　DELICATE　question：　whether　Tartarin　really　had　any　intention　of　going；　and　one　which　the　historian　of　Tartarin　would　be　highly　embarrassed　to　answer。　　In　plain　words；　Mitaine's　Menagerie　had　left　Tarascon　over　three　months；　and　still　the　lion…slayer　had　not　started。　　After　all；　blinded　by　a　new　mirage；　our　candid　hero　may　have　imagined　in　perfectly　good　faith　that　he　had　gone　to　Algeria。　On　the　strength　of　having　related　his　future　hunts；　he　may　have　believed　he　had　performed　them　as　sincerely　as　he　fancied　he　had　hoisted　the　consular　flag　and　fired　on　the　Tartars；　zizz；　phit；　bang！　at　Shanghai。

Unfortunately；　granting　Tartarin　was　this　time　again　dupe　of　an　illusion；　his　fellow…townsfolk　were　not。　When；　after　the　quarter's　expectation；　they　perceived　that　the　hunter　had　not　packed　even　a　collar…box；　they　commenced　murmuring。

〃This　is　going　to　turn　out　like　the　Shanghai　expedition；〃　remarked　Costecalde；　smiling。

The　gunsmith's　comment　was　welcomed　all　over　town；　for　nobody　believed　any　longer　in　their　late　idol。　　The　simpletons　and　poltroons　　all　the　fellows　of　Bezuquet's　stamp；　whom　a　flea　would　put　to　flight；　and　who　could　not　fire　a　shot　without　closing　their　eyes　　were　conspicuously　pitiless。　　In　the　club…rooms　or　on　the　esplanade；　they　accosted　poor　Tartarin　with　bantering　mien：

〃And　furthermore；　when　is　that　trip　coming　off？〃

In　Costecalde's　shop；　his　opinions　gained　no　credence；　for　the　cap…　poppers　renounced　their　chief！

Next；　epigrams　dropped　into　the　affair。　Chief　Judge　Ladevese；　who　willingly　paid　court　in　his　leisure　hours　to　the　native　Muse；　composed　in　local　dialect　a　song　which　won　much　success。　　It　told　of　a　sportsman　called　〃Master　Gervais；〃　whose　dreaded　rifle　was　bound　to　exterminate　all　the　lions　in　Africa　to　the　very　last。　Unluckily；　this　terrible　gun　was　of　a　strange　kind：　〃though　loaded　daily；　it　never　went　off。〃

〃It　never　went　off〃　　you　will　catch　the　drift。

In　less　than　no　time；　this　ditty　became　popular；　and　when　Tartarin　came　by；　the　longshoremen　and　the　little　shoeblacks　before　his　door　sang　in　chorus　

Muster　Jarvey's　roifle　Allus　gittin'　chaarged；　Muster　Jarvey's　roifle　'il　hev　to　git　enlaarged；　Muster　Jarvey's　roifle's　Loaded　oft　　don't　scoff；　Muster　Jarvey's　roifle　Nivver　do　go　off！〃

But　it　was　shouted　out　from　a　safe　distance；　on　account　of　the　double　muscles。

Oh；　the　fragility　of　Tarascon's　fads！

The　great　object　himself　feigned　to　see　and　hear　nothing；　but；　under　the　surface；　this　sullen　and　venomous　petty　warfare　much　afflicted　him。　　He　felt　aware　that　Tarascon　was　slipping　out　of　his　grip；　and　that　popular　favour　was　going　to　others；　and　this　made　him　suffer　horribly。

Ah；　the　huge　bowl　of　popularity！　it's　all　very　well　to　have　a　seat　in　front　of　it；　but　what　a　scalding　you　catch　when　it　is　overturned！

Notwithstanding　his　pain；　Tartarin　smiled　and　peacefully　jogged　on　in　the　same　life　as　if　nothing　untoward　had　happened。　　Still；　the　mask　of　jovial　heedlessness　glued　by　pride　on　his　face　would　sometimes　be　suddenly　detached。　　Then；　in　lieu　of　laughter；　one　saw　grief　and　indignation。　　Thus　it　was　that　one　morning；　when　the　little　blackguards　yelped　〃Muster　Jarvey's　Roifle〃　beneath　his　window；　the　wretches'　voices　rose　even　into　the　poor　great　man's　room；　where　he　was　shaving　before　the　glass。　　（Tartarin　wore　a　full　beard；　but　as　it　grew　very　thick；　he　was　obliged　to　keep　it　trimmed　orderly。）

All　at　once　the　window　was　violently　opened；　and　Tartarin　appeared　in　shirt…sleeves　and　nightcap；　smothered　in　lather；　flourishing　his　razor　and　shaving…brush；　and　roaring　with　a　formidable　voice　；

〃Let's　have　it　out　with　swords；　gentlemen；　not　pins！〃

Fine　words；　worthy　of　history's　record；　with　only　the　blemish　that　they　were　addressed　to　little　scamps　not　higher　than　their　boot…　boxes；　and　who　were　quite　incapable　of　holding　a　smallsword。



XII。　A　memorable　Dialogue　in　the　little　Baobab　Villa。


Amid　the　general　falling　off；　the　army　alone　stuck　out　firmly　for　Tartarin。　　Brave　Commandant　Bravida　（the　former　captain　in　the　Army　Clothing　Department）　continued　to　show　him　the　same　esteem　as　ever。　　〃He's　game！〃　he　persisted　in　saying　　an　assertion；　I　beg　to　believe；　fully　worth　the　chemist　Bezuquet's。　　Not　once　did　the　brave　officer　let　out　any　allusion　to　the　trip　to　Africa；　but　when　the　public　clamour　grew　too　loud；　he　determined　to　have　his　say。

One　evening　the　luckless　Tartarin　was　in　his　study；　in　a　brown　study　himself；　when　he　saw　the　commandant　stride　in；　stern；　wearing　black　gloves；　buttoned　up　to　his　ears。

〃Tartarin；〃　said　the　ex…captain　authoritatively；　〃Tartarin；　you'll　have　to　go！〃

And　there　he　dwelt；　erect　in　the　doorway　frame；　grand　and　rigid　as　embodied　Duty。　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　comprehended　all　the　sense　in　〃Tartarin；　you'll　have　to　ago！〃

Very　pale；　he　rose　and　looked　around　with　a　softened　eye　upon　the　cosy　snuggery；　tightly　closed　in；　full　of　warmth　and　tender　light　　upon　the　commodious　easy　chair；　his　books；　the　carpet；　the　white　blinds　of　the　windows；　beyond　which　trembled　the　slender　twigs　of　the　little　garden。　　Then；　advancing　towards　the　brave　officer；　he　took　his　hand；　grasped　it　energetically；　and　said　in　a　voice　somewhat　tearful；　but　stoical　for　all　that：

〃I　am　going；　Bravida。〃

And　go　he　did；　as　he　said　he　would。　Not　straight　off　though；　for　it　takes　time　to　get　the　paraphernalia　together。

To　begin　with；　he　ordered　of　Bompard　two　large　boxes　bound　with　brass；　and　an　inscription　to　be　on　them：

…　I　　　　　　　　　TARTARIN；　OF　TARASCON　　　　　　　　　I　I　　　　　　　　　　　　　Firearms；　&c。　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　…

　The　binding　in　brass　and　the　lettering　took　much　time。　　He　also　ordered　at　Tastavin's　a　showy　album；　in　which　to　keep　a　diary　and　his　impressions　of　travel；　for　a　man　cannot　help　having　an　idea　or　two　s