st. ives-第4节

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I　have　said　the　conduct　of　some　of　our　visitors　was　unbearably　

offensive；　it　was　possibly　more　so　than　they　dreamed　…　as　the　

sight…seers　at　a　menagerie　may　offend　in　a　thousand　ways；　and　quite　

without　meaning　it；　the　noble　and　unfortunate　animals　behind　the　

bars；　and　there　is　no　doubt　but　some　of　my　compatriots　were　

susceptible　beyond　reason。　　Some　of　these　old　whiskerandos；　

originally　peasants；　trained　since　boyhood　in　victorious　armies；　

and　accustomed　to　move　among　subject　and　trembling　populations；　

could　ill　brook　their　change　of　circumstance。　　There　was　one　man　of　

the　name　of　Goguelat；　a　brute　of　the　first　water；　who　had　enjoyed　

no　touch　of　civilisation　beyond　the　military　discipline；　and　had　

risen　by　an　extreme　heroism　of　bravery　to　a　grade　for　which　he　was　

otherwise　unfitted　…　that　of　MARECHAL　DES　LOGIS　in　the　22nd　of　the　

line。　　In　so　far　as　a　brute　can　be　a　good　soldier；　he　was　a　good　

soldier；　the　Cross　was　on　his　breast；　and　gallantly　earned；　but　in　

all　things　outside　his　line　of　duty　the　man　was　no　other　than　a　

brawling；　bruising　ignorant　pillar　of　low　pothouses。　　As　a　

gentleman　by　birth；　and　a　scholar　by　taste　and　education；　I　was　the　

type　of　all　that　he　least　understood　and　most　detested；　and　the　

mere　view　of　our　visitors　would　leave　him　daily　in　a　transport　of　

annoyance；　which　he　would　make　haste　to　wreak　on　the　nearest　

victim；　and　too　often　on　myself。



It　was　so　now。　　Our　rations　were　scarce　served　out；　and　I　had　just　

withdrawn　into　a　corner　of　the　yard；　when　I　perceived　him　drawing　

near。　　He　wore　an　air　of　hateful　mirth；　a　set　of　young　fools；　among　

whom　he　passed　for　a　wit；　followed　him　with　looks　of　expectation；　

and　I　saw　I　was　about　to　be　the　object　of　some　of　his　insufferable　

pleasantries。　　He　took　a　place　beside　me；　spread　out　his　rations；　

drank　to　me　derisively　from　his　measure　of　prison　beer；　and　began。　　

What　he　said　it　would　be　impossible　to　print；　but　his　admirers；　who　

believed　their　wit　to　have　surpassed　himself；　actually　rolled　among　

the　gravel。　　For　my　part；　I　thought　at　first　I　should　have　died。　　I　

had　not　dreamed　the　wretch　was　so　observant；　but　hate　sharpens　the　

ears；　and　he　had　counted　our　interviews　and　actually　knew　Flora　by　

her　name。　　Gradually　my　coolness　returned　to　me；　accompanied　by　a　

volume　of　living　anger　that　surprised　myself。



'Are　you　nearly　done？'　I　asked。　　'Because　if　you　are；　I　am　about　to　

say　a　word　or　two　myself。'



'Oh；　fair　play！'　said　he。　　'Turn　about！　　The　Marquis　of　Carabas　to　

the　tribune。'



'Very　well；'　said　I。　　'I　have　to　inform　you　that　I　am　a　gentleman。　　

You　do　not　know　what　that　means；　hey？　　Well；　I　will　tell　you。　　It　

is　a　comical　sort　of　animal；　springs　from　another　strange　set　of　

creatures　they　call　ancestors；　and；　in　common　with　toads　and　other　

vermin；　has　a　thing　that　he　calls　feelings。　　The　lion　is　a　

gentleman；　he　will　not　touch　carrion。　　I　am　a　gentleman；　and　I　

cannot　bear　to　soil　my　fingers　with　such　a　lump　of　dirt。　　Sit　

still；　Philippe　Goguelat！　sit　still　and　do　not　say　a　word；　or　I　

shall　know　you　are　a　coward；　the　eyes　of　our　guards　are　upon　us。　　

Here　is　your　health！'　said　I；　and　pledged　him　in　the　prison　beer。　　

'You　have　chosen　to　speak　in　a　certain　way　of　a　young　child；'　I　

continued；　'who　might　be　your　daughter；　and　who　was　giving　alms　to　

me　and　some　others　of　us　mendicants。　　If　the　Emperor'　…　saluting　…　

'if　my　Emperor　could　hear　you；　he　would　pluck　off　the　Cross　from　

your　gross　body。　　I　cannot　do　that；　I　cannot　take　away　what　His　

Majesty　has　given；　but　one　thing　I　promise　you　…　I　promise　you；　

Goguelat；　you　shall　be　dead　to…night。'



I　had　borne　so　much　from　him　in　the　past；　I　believe　he　thought　

there　was　no　end　to　my　forbearance；　and　he　was　at　first　amazed。　　

But　I　have　the　pleasure　to　think　that　some　of　my　expressions　had　

pierced　through　his　thick　hide；　and　besides；　the　brute　was　truly　a　

hero　of　valour；　and　loved　fighting　for　itself。　　Whatever　the　cause；　

at　least；　he　had　soon　pulled　himself　together；　and　took　the　thing　

（to　do　him　justice）　handsomely。



'And　I　promise　you；　by　the　devil's　horns；　that　you　shall　have　the　

chance！'　said　he；　and　pledged　me　again；　and　again　I　did　him　

scrupulous　honour。



The　news　of　this　defiance　spread　from　prisoner　to　prisoner　with　the　

speed　of　wings；　every　face　was　seen　to　be　illuminated　like　those　of　

the　spectators　at　a　horse…race；　and　indeed　you　must　first　have　

tasted　the　active　life　of　a　soldier；　and　then　mouldered　for　a　while　

in　the　tedium　of　a　jail；　in　order　to　understand；　perhaps　even　to　

excuse；　the　delight　of　our　companions。　　Goguelat　and　I　slept　in　the　

same　squad；　which　greatly　simplified　the　business；　and　a　committee　

of　honour　was　accordingly　formed　of　our　shed…mates。　　They　chose　for　

president　a　sergeant…major　in　the　4th　Dragoons；　a　greybeard　of　the　

army；　an　excellent　military　subject；　and　a　good　man。　　He　took　the　

most　serious　view　of　his　functions；　visited　us　both；　and　reported　

our　replies　to　the　committee。　　Mine　was　of　a　decent　firmness。　　I　

told　him　the　young　lady　of　whom　Goguelat　had　spoken　had　on　several　

occasions　given　me　alms。　　I　reminded　him　that；　if　we　were　now　

reduced　to　hold　out　our　hands　and　sell　pill…boxes　for　charity；　it　

was　something　very　new　for　soldiers　of　the　Empire。　　We　had　all　seen　

bandits　standing　at　a　corner　of　a　wood　truckling　for　copper　

halfpence；　and　after　their　benefactors　were　gone　spitting　out　

injuries　and　curses。　　'But；'　said　I；　'I　trust　that　none　of　us　will　

fall　so　low。　　As　a　Frenchman　and　a　soldier；　I　owe　that　young　child　

gratitude；　and　am　bound　to　protect　her　character；　and　to　support　

that　of　the　army。　　You　are　my　elder　and　my　superior：　tell　me　if　I　

am　not　right。'



He　was　a　quiet…mannered　old　fellow；　and　patted　me　with　three　

fingers　on　the　back。　　'C'EST　BIEN；　MON　ENFANT；'　says　he；　and　

returned　to　his　committee。



Goguelat　was　no　more　accommodating　than　myself。　　'I　do　not　like　

apologies　nor　those　that　make　them；'　was　his　only　answer。　　And　

there　remained　nothing　but　to　arrange　the　details　of　the　meeting。　　

So　far　as　regards　place　and　time　we　had　no　choice；　we　must　settle　

the　dispute　at　night；　in　the　dark；　after　a　round　had　passed　by；　and　

in　the　open　middle　of　the　shed　under　which　we　slept。　　The　question　

of　arms　was　more　obscure。　　We　had　a　good　many　tools；　indeed；　which　

we　employed　in　the　manufacture　of　our　toys；　but　they　were　none　of　

them　suited　for　a　single　combat　between　civilised　men；　and；　being　

nondescript；　it　was　found　extremely　hard　to　equalise　the　chances　of　

the　combatants。　　At　length　a　pair　of　scissors　was　unscrewed；　and　a　

couple　of　tough　wands　being　found　in　a　corner　of　the　courtyard；　one　

blade　of　the　scissors　was　lashed　solidly　to　each　with　resined　twine　

…　the　twine　coming　I　know　not　whence；　but　the　resin　from　the　green　

pillars　of　the　shed；　which　still　sweated　from　the　axe。　　It　was　a　

strange　thing　to　feel　in　one's　hand　this　weapon；　which　was　no　

heavier　than　a　riding…rod；　and　which　it　was　difficult　to　suppose　

would　prove　more　dangerous。　　A　general　oath　was　administered　and　

taken；　that　no　one　should　interfere　in　the　duel　nor　（suppose　it　to　

result　seriously）　betray　the　name　of　the　survivor。　　And　with　that；　

all　being　then　ready；　we　composed　ourselves　to　await　the　moment。



The　evening　fell　cloudy；　not　a　star　was　to　be　seen　when　the　first　

round　of　the　night　passed　through　our　shed　and　wound　off　along　the　

ramparts；　and　as　we　took　our　places；　we　could　still　hear；　over　the　

murmurs　of　the　surrounding　city；　the　sentries　challenging　its　

further　passage。　　Leclos；　the　sergeant…major；　set　us　in　our　

stations；　engaged　our　wands；　and　left　us。　　To　avoid　blood…stained　

clothing；　my　adversary　and　I　had　stripped　to　the　shoes；　and　the　

chill　of　the　night　enveloped　our　bodies　like　a　wet　sheet。　　The　man　

was　better　at　fencing　than　myself；　he　was　vastly　taller　than　I；　

being　of　a　stature　almost　gigantic；　and　proportionately　strong。　　In　

the　inky　blackness　of　the　shed；　it　was　impossible　to　see　his　eyes；　

and　from　the　suppleness　of　the　wands；　I　did　not　like　to　trust　to　a　

parade。　　I　made　up　my　mind　accordingly　to　profit；　if　I　might；　by　my　

defect；　and　as　soon　as　the　signal　should　be　given；　to　throw　myself　

down　and　lunge　at　the　same　moment。　　It　was　to　play　my　life　upon　one　

card：　should　I　not　mortally　wound　him；　no　defence　would　be　left　me；　

what　was　yet　more　appalling；　I　thus　ran　the　risk　of　bringing　my　own　

face　against　his　scissor　with　the　double　force　of　our　assaults；　and　

my　face　and　eyes　are　not　that　part　of　me　that　I　would　the　most　

readily　expose。



'ALLEZ！'　said　the　sergeant…major。



Both　lunged　in　the　same　moment　with　an　equal　fury；　and　but　for　my　

manoeuvre　both　had　certainly　been　spitted。　　As　it　was；　he　did　no　

more　than　strike　my　shoulder；　while　my　scissor　plunged　below　the　

girdle　into　a　mortal　part；　and　that　great　bulk　of　a　man；　falling　

from　his　whole　height；