osc.am2.redprophet-第11节

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　　But　La　Fayette　was　merely　talking　about　the　fact　that　at　last　the　Marie…Philippe　was　near　enough　to　heave　a　line　to　the　wharf。　The　Irrakwa　stevedores　caught　the　line　and　affixed　it　to　the　windlass；　and　then　chanted　in　their　unspeakable　language　as　they　towed　the　ship　close　in。　As　soon　as　it　was　in　place；　they　began　unloading　cargo　on　the　one　side；　and　passengers　on　the　other。
　　〃Isn't　that　ingenious；　how　they　speed　the　transfer　of　cargo；〃　said　La　Fayette。　〃Unload　it　on　those　heavy　cars；　which　sit　on　rails　　rails；　just　like　mining　carts！　　and　then　the　horses　tow　it　right　up　here；　smooth　and　easy　as　you　please。　On　rails　you　can　carry　a　much　heavier　load　than　on　regular　wagons；　you　know。　Stephenson　explained　it　to　me　the　last　time　I　was　here。　It's　because　you　don't　have　to　steer。〃　On　and　on　he　blathered。　Sure　enough；　within　moments　he　was　talking　again　about　Stephenson's　steam　engine；　which　La　Fayette　was　convinced　would　replace　the　horse。　He　had　built　some　in　England　or　Scotland　or　somewhere；　but　now　he　was　in　America；　and　do　you　think　La　Fayette　would　invite　Stephenson　to　build　his　steam　wagons　in　Canada？　Oh；　no　　La　Fayette　was　quite　content　to　let　him　build　them　for　the　Irrakwa；　mumbling　some　idiotic　excuse　like：　The　Irrakwa　are　already　using　steam　engines　for　their　spinning　wheels；　and　all　the　coal　is　on　the　American　side　　but　Frederic　de　Maurepas　knew　the　truth。　La　Fayette　believed　that　the　steam　engine；　pulling　cars　on　railed　roads；　would　make　merce　and　travel　infinitely　faster　and　cheaper　　and　he　thought　it　would　be　better　for　the　world　if　it　were　built　within　the　borders　of　a　democracy！　Of　course　Frederic　did　not　believe　the　engines　would　ever　be　as　fast　as　horses；　but　that　didn't　matter　　La　Fayette　did　believe　in　them；　and　so　the　fact　that　he　didn't　bring　them　to　Canada　was　pure　treason。
　　He　must　have　been　forming　the　word　with　his　lips。　Either　that　or　La　Fayette　could　hear　other　men's　thoughts　　Frederic　had　heard　rumors　that　La　Fayette　had　a　knack　for　that。　Or　perhaps　La　Fayette　merely　guessed。　Or　perhaps　the　devil　told　him　　there's　a　thought！　Anyway；　La　Fayette　laughed　aloud　and　said；　〃Frederic；　if　I　had　Stephenson　build　his　railroad　in　Canada；　you'd　have　me　cashiered　for　wasting　money　on　nonsense。　As　it　is；　if　you　made　a　report　accusing　me　of　treason　for　encouraging　Stephenson　to　remain　in　Irrakwa；　they'd　call　you　home　and　lock　you　up　in　a　padded　room！〃
　　〃Treason？　I　accuse　you？〃　said　Frederic。　〃It's　the　farthest　thought　from　my　mind。〃　Still；　he　crossed　himself；　on　the　off…chance　that　it　was　the　devil　who　had　told　La　Fayette。　〃Now；　haven't　we　had　enough　of　watching　the　stevedores　loading　cargo？　I　believe　we　have　an　officer　to　greet。〃
　　〃Why　are　you　so　eager　to　meet　him　now？〃　asked　La　Fayette。　〃Yesterday　you　kept　reminding　me　that　he　is　a　moner。　He　even　entered　the　service　as　a　corporal；　I　think　you　said。〃
　　〃He's　a　general　now；　and　His　Majesty　has　seen　fit　to　send　him　to　us。〃　Frederic　spoke　with　stiff　propriety。　Still　La　Fayette　insisted　on　smiling　with　amusement。　Someday；　Gilbert；　someday。
　　Several　officers　in　full　army　dress　uniform　were　milling　about　on　the　wharf；　but　none　was　of　general　rank。　The　hero　of　the　battle　of　Madrid　was　obviously　waiting　to　make　a　grand　entrance。　Or　did　he　expect　a　Marquis　and　the　son　of　a　te　to　e　and　meet　him　in　his　cabin？　Unthinkable。
　　And；　in　fact；　he　did　not　think　it。　The　officers　stepped　back；　and　from　their　position　by　the　railing　of　the　canal　barge　de　Maurepas　and　La　Fayette　could　see　him　step　off　the　Marie…Philippe　onto　the　wharf。
　　〃Why；　he's　not　a　very　large　man；　is　he；〃　said　Frederic。
　　〃They　aren't　very　tall　in　the　south　of　France。〃
　　〃South　of　France！〃　said　Frederic　scornfully。　〃He's　from　Corsica；　my　dear　Gilbert。　That's　hardly　even　French　at　all。　More　like　Italian。〃
　　〃He　defeated　the　Spanish　army　in　three　weeks；　while　his　superior　officer　was　indisposed　with　dysentery；〃　La　Fayette　reminded　him。
　　〃An　act　of　subordination　for　which　he　should　have　been　cashiered；〃　said　Frederic。
　　〃Oh；　I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　La　Fayette。　〃Only；　you　see；　he　did　win　the　war；　and　as　long　as　King　Charles　was　adding　the　crown　of　Spain　to　his　collection　of　headgear；　he　thought　it　would　be　churlish　to　court…martial　the　soldier　who　won　it　for　him。〃
　　〃Discipline　above　all。　Everybody　must　know　his　place　and　stay　in　it；　or　there　will　be　chaos。〃
　　〃No　doubt。　Well；　they　did　punish　him。　They　made　him　a　general；　but　they　sent　him　here。　Didn't　want　him　involved　with　the　Italian　campaign。　His　Majesty　wouldn't　mind　being　Doge　of　Venice；　but　this　General　Bonaparte　might　get　carried　away；　capture　the　College　of　Cardinals；　and　make　King　Charles　pope。〃
　　〃Your　sense　of　humor　is　a　crime。〃
　　〃Frederic；　look　at　the　man。〃
　　〃I　am　looking　at　him。〃
　　〃Then　don't　look　at　him。　Look　at　everyone　else。　Look　at　his　officers。　Have　you　ever　seen　soldiers　show　so　much　love　for　their　mander？〃
　　Frederic　reluctantly　tore　his　gaze　from　the　Corsican　general　and　looked　at　the　underlings　who　walked　quietly　behind。　Not　like　courtiers　there　was　no　sense　of　jockeying　for　position。　It　was　like　it　was　like　Frederic　couldn't　find　words　for　it
　　〃It's　as　if　each　man　knows　that　Bonaparte　loves　him；　and　values　him。〃
　　〃A　ridiculous　system；　if　that's　what　his　system　is；〃　said　Frederic。　〃You　cannot　control　your　underlings　if　you　don't　keep　them　in　constant　fear　of　losing　their　position。〃
　　〃Let's　go　meet　him。〃
　　〃Absurd！　He　must　e　to　us！〃
　　But　La　Fayette；　as　usual；　did　not　hesitate　between　the　word　and　the　deed　　he　was　already　on　the　wharf；　striding　the　last　few　yards　to　stand　before　Bonaparte　and　receive　his　salute。　Frederic；　however；　knew　his　station　in　life；　and　knew　Bonaparte's　as　well；　and　Bonaparte　would　have　to　e　to　him。　They　might　make　Bonaparte　a　general；　but　they　could　never　make　him　a　gentleman。
　　La　Fayette　was　fawning；　of　course。　〃General　Bonaparte；　we're　honored　to　have　you　here。　I　only　regret　that　we　cannot　offer　you　the　amenities　of　Paris〃
　　〃My　lord　Governor；〃　said　Bonaparte　　naturally　getting　the　form　of　address　all　wrong；　〃I　have　never　known　the　amenities　of　Paris。　All　my　happiest　moments　have　been　in　the　field。〃
　　〃And　the　happiest　moments；　too；　for　France；　are　when　you　are　in　the　field。　e；　meet　General　de　Maurepas。　He　will　be　your　superior　officer　in　Detroit。〃
　　Frederic　heard　the　slight　pause　before　La　Fayette　said　the　word　superior。　Frederic　knew　when　he　was　being　ridiculed。　I　will　remember　every　slight；　Gilbert；　and　I　will　repay。
　　The　Irrakwa　were　very　efficient　at　transferring　cargo；　it　wasn't　an　hour　before　the　canal　barge　was　under　way。　Naturally；　La　Fayette　spent　the　first　afternoon　telling　Bonaparte　all　about　Stephenson's　steam　engine。　Bonaparte　made　a　show　of　being　interested；　asking　all　about　the　possibilities　of　troop　transport；　and　how　quickly　track　could　be　laid　behind　an　advancing　army；　and　how　easily　these　railed　roads　might　be　disrupted　by　enemy　action　　but　it　was　all　so　tedious　and　boring　that　Frederic　could　not　imagine　how　Bonaparte　kept　it　up。　Of　course　an　officer　had　to　pretend　to　be　interested　in　everything　a　Governor　said；　but　Bonaparte　was　taking　it　to　extremes。
　　Before　too　long　the　conversation　obviously　excluded　Frederic；　but　he　didn't　mind。　He　let　his　thoughts　wander；　remembering　that　actress；　What's…her…name；　who　did　such　an　exquisite　job　of　that　part；　whatever　it　was；　or　was　she　a　ballerina？　He　remembered　her　legs；　anyway；　such　graceful　legs；　but　she　refused　to　e　to　Canada　with　him；　even　though　he　assured　her　he　loved　her　and　promised　to　set　her　up　in　a　house　even　nicer　than　the　one　he　would　build　for　his　wife。　If　only　she　had　e。　Of　course；　she　might　have　died　of　fever；　the　way　his　wife　did。　So　perhaps　it　was　all　for　the　best。　Was　she　still　on　the　stage　in　Paris？　Bonaparte　would　not　know；　of　course；　but　one　of　his　junior　officers　might　have　seen　her。　He　would　have　to　inquire。
　　They　supped　at　Governor　Rainbow's　table；　of　course；　since　that　was　the　only　table　on　the　canal　boat。　The　governor　had　sent　her　regrets　that　she　could　not　visit　the　distinguished　French　travelers；　but　she　hoped　her　staff　would　make　them　fortable。　Frederic；　supposing　this　meant　an　Irrakwa　chef；　had　braced　himself　for　another　tedious　Red　meal　of　tough　deer　gristle　　one　could　hardly　call　such　fare　venison　　but　instead　the　chef　was；　of　all　things；　a　Frenchman！　A　Huguenot；　or　rather　the　grandson　of　Huguenots；　but　he　didn't　hold　grudges；　so　the　food　was　superb。　Who　would　have　imagined　good　French　food　in　a　place　like　this　　and　not　the　spicy　Acadian　style；　either。
　　Frederic　did　try　to　take　a　more　active　part　in　the　conversation　at　supper；　once　he　had　finished　off　every　scrap　of　food　on　the　table。　He　tried　his　best　to　explain　to　Bonaparte　the　almost　impossible　military　situation　in　the　southwest。　He　counted　off　the　problems　one　by　one　　the　undisciplined　Red　allies；　the　unending　flow　of　immigrants。　〃Worst　of　all　is　our　own　soldiers；　though。　They　are　a　determinedly　superstitious　lot；　as　the　lower　classes　always　are。　They　see　omens　in　everything。　Some　Dutch　or　German　settler　puts　a　hex　on　his　door　and　you　practically　have　to　beat　our　soldiers　to　get　them　to　go　in。〃
　　Bonaparte　sipped　his　coffee　（barbaric　fluid！　but　he　seemed　to　r