tartarin of tarascon-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


one　another　in　all　languages。

On　the　waterside；　amidst　thick　green　or　black　rivulets　coming　down　from　the　soap　factories　loaded　with　oil　and　soda；　bustled　a　mass　of　custom…house　officers；　messengers；　porters；　and　truckmen　with　their　bogheys；　or　trolleys；　drawn　by　Corsican　ponies。

There　were　shops　selling　quaint　articles；　smoky　shanties　where　sailors　were　cooking　their　own　queer　messes；　dealers　in　pipes；　monkeys；　parrots；　ropes；　sailcloth；　fanciful　curios；　amongst　which　were　mingled　higgledy…piggledy　old　culverins；　huge　gilded　lanterns；　worn…out　pulley…blocks；　rusty　flukeless　anchors；　chafed　cordage；　battered　speaking…trumpets；　and　marine　glasses　almost　contemporary　with　the　Ark。　　Sellers　of　mussels　and　clams　squatted　beside　their　heaps　of　shellfish　and　yawped　their　goods。　　Seamen　rolled　by　with　tar…pots；　smoking　soup…bowls；　and　big　baskets　full　of　cuttlefish；　from　which　they　went　to　wash　the　ink　in　the　milky　waters　of　the　fountains。

Everywhere　a　prodigious　collection　of　all　kinds　of　goods：　silks；　minerals；　wood　in　stacks；　lead　in　pigs；　cloths；　sugars；　caruba　wood　logs；　colza　seed；　liquorice　sticks；　sugar…canes。　　The　East　and　the　West　cheek　by　jowl；　even　to　pyramids　of　Dutch　cheeses　which　the　Genoese　were　dyeing　red　by　contact　with　their　hands。

Yonder　was　the　corn　market：　porters　discharging　sacks　down　the　shoots　of　lofty　elevators　upon　the　pier；　and　loose　grain　rolling　as　a　golden　torrent　through　a　blonde　dust。　Men　in　red　skullcaps　were　sifting　it　as　they　caught　it　in　large　asses'…skin　sieves；　and　loading　it　upon　carts　which　took　their　millward　way；　followed　by　a　regiment　of　women　and　youngsters　with　wisps　and　gleaning　baskets。　　Farther　on；　the　dry　docks；　where　large　vessels　were　laid　low　on　their　sides　till　their　yards　dipped　in　the　water；　they　were　singed　with　thorn…　bushes　to　free　them　of　sea　weed；　there　rose　an　odour　of　pitch；　and　the　deafening　clatter　of　the　sheathers　coppering　the　bottoms　with　broad　sheets　of　yellow　metal。

At　whiles　a　gap　in　between　the　masts；　in　which　Tartarin　could　see　the　haven　mouth；　where　the　vessels　came　and　went：　a　British　frigate　off　for　Malta；　dainty　and　thoroughly　washed　down；　with　the　officer　in　primrose　gloves；　or　a　large　home…port　brig　hauling　out　in　the　midst　of　uproar　and　oaths；　whilst　the　fat　captain；　in　a　high　silk　hat　and　frockcoat；　ordered　the　operations　in　Provencal　dialect。　Other　craft　were　making　forth　under　all　sail；　and；　still　farther　out；　more　were　slowly　looming　up　in　the　sunshine　as　if　they　were　sailing　in　the　air。

All　the　time　a　frightful　riot；　the　rumbling　of　carts；　the　〃Haul　all；　haul　away！〃　of　the　shipmen；　oaths；　songs；　steamboat　whistles；　the　bugles　and　drums　in　Forts　Saint　Jean　and　Saint　Nicolas；　the　bells　of　the　Major；　the　Accoules；　and　Saint　Victor；　with　the　mistral　atop　of　all；　catching　up　the　noises　and　clamour；　and　rolling　them　up　together　with　a　furious　shaking；　till　confounded　with　its　own　voice；　which　intoned　a　mad；　wild；　heroic　melody　like　a　grand　charging　tune　　one　that　filled　hearers　with　a　longing　to　be　off；　and　the　farther　the　better　　a　craving　for　wings。

It　was　to　the　sound　of　this　splendid　blast　that　the　intrepid　Tartarin　Tarasco　of　Tarascon　embarked　for　the　land　of　lions。




EPISODE　THE　SECOND　AMONG　〃THE　TURKS〃



I。　The　Passage…The　Five　Positions　of　the　Fez　　The　Third　Evening　Out　　Mercy　upon　us！


JOYFUL　would　I　be；　my　dear　readers；　if　I　were　a　painter　　a　great　artist；　I　mean　　in　order　to　set　under　your　eyes；　at　the　head　of　this　second　episode；　the　various　positions　taken　by　Tartarin's　red　cap　in　the　three　days'　passage　it　made　on　board　of。　the　Zouave；　between　France　and　Algeria。

First　would　I　show　you　it　at　the　steaming　out；　upon　deck；　arrogant　and　heroic　as　it　was；　forming　a　glory　round　that　handsome　Tarasconian　head。　　Next　would　I　show　you　it　at　the　harbour…mouth；　when　the　bark　began　to　caper　upon　the　waves；　I　would　depict　it　for　you　all　of　a　quake　in　astonishment；　and　as　though　already　experiencing　the　preliminary　qualms　of　sea…sickness。　Then；　in　the　Gulf　of　the　Lion；　proportionably　to　the　nearing　the　open　sea；　where　the　white　caps　heaved　harder；　I　would　make　you　behold　it　wrestling　with　the　tempest；　and　standing　on　end　upon　the　hero's　cranium；　with　its　mighty　mane　of　blue　wool　bristling　out　in　the　spray　and　breeze。　Position　Fourth。：　at　six　in　the　afternoon；　with　the　Corsican　coast　in　view；　the　unfortunate　chechia。　hangs　over　the　ship's　side；　and　lamentably　stares　down　as　though　to　plumb　the　depths　of　ocean。　　Finally　and　lastly；　the　Fifth　Position　：　at　the　back　of　a　narrow　state…room；　in　a　box…bed　so　small　it　seemed　one　drawer　in　a　nest　of　them；　something　shapeless　rolled　on　the　pillow　with　moans　of　desolation。　　This　was　the　fez　　the　fez　so　defiant　at　the　sailing；　now　reduced　to　the　vulgar　condition　of　a　nightcap；　and　pulled　down　over　the　very　ears　of　the　head　of　a　pallid　and　convulsed　sufferer。

How　the　people　of　Tarascon　would　have　kicked　themselves　for　having　constrained　the　great　Tartarin　to　leave　home；　if　they　had　but　seen　him　stretched　in　the　bunk　in　the　dull；　wan　gleam　through　the　dead…light；　amid　the　sickly　odour　of　cooking　and　wet　wood　　the　heart…heaving　perfume　of　mail…boats；　if　they　had　but　heard　him　gurgle　at　every　turn　of　the　screw；　wail　for　tea　every　five　minutes；　and　swear　at　the　steward　in　a　childish　treble！

On　my　word　of　honour　as　a　story…teller；　the　poor　Turk　would　have　made　a　paste…board　dummy　pity　him。　Suddenly；　overcome　by　the　nausea；　the　hapless　victim　had　not　even　the　power　to　undo　the　Algerian　girdle…cloth；　or　lay　aside　his　armoury；　the　lumpy…handled　bunting…sword　pounded　his　ribs；　and　the　leather　revolver…case　made　his　thigh　raw。　　To　finish　him　arose　the　taunts　of　Sancho…　Tartarin；　who　never　ceased　to　groan　and　inveigh：

〃Well；　for　the　biggest　kind　of　imbecile；　you　are　the　finest　specimen！　I　told　you　truly　how　it　would　be。　　Ha；　ha！　you　were　bound　to　go　to　Africa；　of　course！　　Well；　old　merriman；　now　you　are　going　to　Africa；　how　do　you　like　it？〃

The　cruellest　part　of　it　was　that；　from　the　retreat　where　he　was　moaning；　the　hapless　invalid　could　hear　the　passengers　in　the　grand　saloon　laughing；　munching；　singing；　and　playing　at　cards。　　On　board　the　Zouave　the　company　was　as　jolly　as　numerous；　composed　of　officers　going　back　to　join　their　regiments；　ladies　from　the　Marseilles　Alcazar　Music　Hall；　strolling…players；　a　rich　Mussulman　returning　from　Mecca；　and　a　very　jocular　Montenegrin　prince；　who　favoured　them　with　imitations　of　the　low　comedians　of　Paris。　　Not　one　of　these　jokers　felt　the　sea…sickness；　and　their　time　was　passed　in　quaffing　champagne　with　the　steamer　captain；　a　good　fat　born　Marseillais；　who　had　a　wife　and　family　as　well　at　Algiers　as　at　home；　and　who　answered　to　the　merry　name　of　Barbassou。

Tartarin　of　Tarascon　hated　this　pack　of　wretches；　their　mirthfulness　deepened　his　ails。

At　length；　on　the　third　afternoon；　there　was　such　an　extraordinary　hullabaloo　on　the　deck　that　our　hero　was　roused　out　of　his　long　torpor。　　The　ship's　bell　was　ringing　and　the　seamen's　heavy　boots　ran　over　the　planks。

〃Go　ahead！　Stop　her！　Turn　astern！〃　barked　the　hoarse　voice　of　Captain　Barbassou；　and　then；　〃Stop　her　dead！〃

There　was　an　abrupt　check　of　movement；　a　shock；　and　no　more；　save　the　silent　rolling　of　the　boat　from　side　to　side　like　a　balloon　in　the　air。　　This　strange　stillness　alarmed　the　Tarasconian。

〃Heaven　ha'　mercy　upon　us！〃　he　yelled　in　a　terrifying　voice；　as；　recovering　his　strength　by　magic；　he　bounded　out　of　his　berth；　and　rushed　upon　deck　with　his　arsenal。



II。　〃To　arms！　to　arms〃


Only　the　arrival；　not　a　foundering。

The　Zouave　was　just　gliding　into　the　roadstead　　a　fine　one　of　black；　deep　water；　but　dull　and　still；　almost　deserted。　　On　elevated　ground　ahead　rose　Algiers；　the　White　City；　with　its　little　houses　of　a　dead　cream…colour　huddling　against　one　another　lest　they　slid　into　the　sea。　　It　was　like　Meudon　slope　with　a　laundress's　washing　hung　out　to　dry。　Over　it　a　vast　blue　satin　sky　　and　such　a　blue　！

A　little　restored　from　his　fright；　the　illustrious　Tartarin　gazed　on　the　landscape；　and　listened　with　respect　to　the　Montenegrin　prince；　who　stood　by　his；　side；　as　he　named　the　different　parts　of　the　capital；　the　Kasbah；　the　upper　town；　and　the　Rue　Bab…Az