selected writings-第8节

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soldier　from　one　end　of　the　country　to　the　other。



Capmakers　became　colonels；　assuming　the　duties　of　generals；

revolvers　and　daggers　were　displayed　on　large　rotund　bodies；

enveloped　in　red　sashes；　common　citizens　turned　warriors；

commanding　battalions　of　noisy　volunteers；　and　swearing　like

troopers　to　emphasize　their　importance。



The　very　fact　of　bearing　arms　and　handling　guns　with　a　system

excited　a　people　who　hitherto　had　only　handled　scales　and

measures；　and　made　them　formidable　to　the　first　comer；　without

reason。　They　even　executed　a　few　innocent　people　to　prove　that

they　knew　how　to　kill；　and；　in　roaming　through　virgin　fields

still　belonging　to　the　Prussians；　they　shot　stray　dogs；　cows

chewing　the　cud　in　peace；　or　sick　horses　put　out　to　pasture。　Each

believed　himself　called　upon　to　play　a　great　role　in　military

affairs。　The　cafes　of　the　smallest　villages；　full　of　tradesmen　in

uniform；　resembled　barracks　or　field　hospitals。



Now；　the　town　of　Canneville　did　not　yet　know　the　exciting　news　of

the　army　and　the　Capital。　It　had；　however；　been　greatly　agitated

for　a　month　over　an　encounter　between　the　rival　political

parties。　The　mayor；　Viscount　de　Varnetot；　a　small；　thin　man；

already　old；　remained　true　to　the　Empire；　especially　since　he　saw

rising　up　against　him　a　powerful　adversary；　in　the　great；

sanguine　form　of　Doctor　Massarel；　head　of　the　Republican　party　in

the　district；　venerable　chief　of　the　Masonic　lodge；　president　of

the　Society　of　Agriculture　and　of　the　Fire　Department；　and

organizer　of　the　rural　militia　designed　to　save　the　country。



In　two　weeks　he　had　induced　sixty…three　men　to　volunteer　in

defense　of　their　countrymarried　men；　fathers　of　families；

prudent　farmers　and　merchants　of　the　town。　These　he　drilled　every

morning　in　front　of　the　mayor's　window。



Whenever　the　mayor　happened　to　appear；　Commander　Massarel；

covered　with　pistols；　passing　proudly　up　and　down　in　front　of　his

troops；　would　make　them　shout；　〃Long　live　our　country！〃　And　this；

they　noticed；　disturbed　the　little　viscount；　who　no　doubt　heard

in　it　menace　and　defiance；　and　perhaps　some　odious　recollection

of　the　great　Revolution。



On　the　morning　of　the　fifth　of　September；　in　uniform；　his

revolver　on　the　table；　the　doctor　gave　consultation　to　an　old

peasant　couple。　The　husband　had　suffered　with　a　varicose　vein　for

seven　years；　but　had　waited　until　his　wife　had　one　too；　so　that

they　might　go　and　hunt　up　a　physician　together；　guided　by　the

postman　when　he　should　come　with　the　newspaper。



Dr。　Massarel　opened　the　door；　grew　pale；　straightened　himself

abruptly　and；　raising　his　arms　to　heaven　in　a　gesture　of

exaltation；　cried　out　with　all　his　might；　in　the　face　of　the

amazed　rustics：



〃Long　live　the　Republic！　Long　live　the　Republic！　Long　live　the

Republic！〃



Then　he　dropped　into　his　armchair　weak　with　emotion。



When　the　peasant　explained　that　this　sickness　commenced　with　a


feeling　as　if　ants　were　running　up　and　down　in　his　legs；　the

doctor　exclaimed：　〃Hold　your　peace。　I　have　spent　too　much　time

with　you　stupid　people。　The　Republic　is　proclaimed！　The　Emperor

is　a　prisoner！　France　is　saved！　Long　live　the　Republic！〃　And；

running　to　the　door；　he　bellowed：　〃Celeste！　Quick！　Celeste！〃



The　frightened　maid　hastened　in。　He　stuttered；　so　rapidly　did　he

try　to　speak：　〃My　boots；　my　saber　my　cartridge　boxandthe

Spanish　dagger；　which　is　on　my　night　table。　Hurry　now！〃



The　obstinate　peasant；　taking　advantage　of　the　moment's　silence；

began　again：　〃This　seemed　like　some　cysts　that　hurt　me　when　I

walked。〃



The　exasperated　physician　shouted：　〃Hold　your　peace！　For　Heaven's

sake！　If　you　had　washed　your　feet　oftener；　it　would　not　have

happened。〃　Then；　seizing　him　by　the　neck；　he　hissed　in　his　face：

〃Can　you　not　comprehend　that　we　are　living　in　a　Republic；

stupid？〃



But　professional　sentiment　calmed　him　suddenly；　and　he　let　the

astonished　old　couple　out　of　the　house；　repeating　all　the　time：



〃Return　to…morrow；　return　to…morrow；　my　friends；　I　have　no　more

time　to…day。〃



While　equipping　himself　from　head　to　foot；　he　gave　another　series

of　urgent　orders　to　the　maid：



〃Run　to　Lieutenant　Picard's　and　to　Sub…lieutenant　Pommel's　and

say　to　them　that　I　want　them　here　immediately。　Send　Torcheboeuf

to　me；　too；　with　his　drum。　Quick；　now！　Quick！〃　And　when　Celeste

was　gone；　he　collected　his　thoughts　and　prepared　to　surmount　the

difficulties　of　the　situation。



The　three　men　arrived　together。　They　were　in　their　working

clothes。　The　Commander；　who　had　expected　to　see　them　in　uniform；

had　a　fit　of　surprise。



〃You　know　nothing；　then？　The　Emperor　has　been　taken　prisoner。　A

Republic　is　proclaimed。　My　position　is　delicate；　not　to　say

perilous。〃



He　reflected　for　some　minutes　before　the　astonished　faces　of　his

subordinates　and　then　continued：



〃It　is　necessary　to　act；　not　to　hesitate。　Minutes　now　are　worth

hours　at　other　times。　Everything　depends　upon　promptness　of

decision。　You；　Picard；　go　and　find　the　curate　and　get　him　to　ring

the　bell　to　bring　the　people　together；　while　I　get　ahead　of　them。

You；　Torcheboeuf；　beat　the　call　to　assemble　the　militia　in　arms；

in　the　square；　from　even　as　far　as　the　hamlets　of　Gerisaie　and

Salmare。　You；　Pommell　put　on　your　uniform　at　once；　that　is；　the

jacket　and　cap。　We；　together；　are　going　to　take　possession　of　the

mairie　and　summon　M。　de　Varnetot　to　transfer　his　authority　to　me。

Do　you　understand？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Act；　then；　and　promptly。　I　will　accompany　you　to　your　house；

Pommel；　since　we　are　to　work　together。〃



Five　minutes　later；　the　Commander　and　his　subaltern；　armed　to　the

teeth；　appeared　in　the　square；　just　at　the　moment　when　the　little

Viscount　de　Varnetot；　with　hunting　gaiters　on　and　his　rifle　on

his　shoulder；　appeared　by　another　street；　walking　rapidly　and

followed　by　three　guards　in　green　jackets；　each　carrying　a　knife

at　his　side　and　a　gun　over　his　shoulder。



While　the　doctor　stopped；　half　stupefied；　the　four　men　entered

the　mayor's　house　and　the　door　closed　behind　them。



〃We　are　forestalled；〃　murmured　the　doctor；　〃it　will　be　necessary

now　to　wait　for　re…enforcements；　nothing　can　be　done　for　a

quarter　of　an　hour。〃



Here　Lieutenant　Picard　appeared：　〃The　curate　refuses　to　obey；〃

said　he；　〃he　has　even　shut　himself　up　in　the　church　with　the

beadle　and　the　porter。〃



On　the　other　side　of　the　square；　opposite　the　white；　closed　front

of　the　mairie；　the　church；　mute　and　black；　showed　its　great　oak

door　with　the　wrought…iron　trimmings。



Then；　as　the　puzzled　inhabitants　put　their　noses　out　of　the

windows；　or　came　out　upon　the　steps　of　their　houses；　the　rolling

of　a　drum　was　heard；　and　Torcheboeuf　suddenly　appeared；　beating

with　fury　the　three　quick　strokes　of　the　call　to　arms。　He　crossed

the　square　with　disciplined　step；　and　then　disappeared　on　a　road

leading　to　the　country。



The　Commander　drew　his　sword；　advanced　alone　to　the　middle

distance　between　the　two　buildings　where　the　enemy　was　barricaded

and；　waving　his　weapon　above　his　head；　roared　at　the　top　of　his

lungs：　〃Long　live　the　Republic！　Death　to　traitors！〃　Then　he　fell

back　where　his　officers　were。　The　butcher；　the　baker；　and　the

apothecary；　feeling　a　little　uncertain；　put　up　their　shutters　and

closed　their　shops。　The　grocery　alone　remained　open。



Meanwhile　the　men　of　the　militia　were　arriving；　little　by　little；

variously　clothed；　but　all　wearing　caps；　the　cap　constituting　the

whole　uniform　of　the　corps。　They　were　armed　with　their　old；　rusty

guns；　guns　that　had　hung　on　chimney…pieces　in　kitchens　for　thirty

years；　and　looked　quite　like　a　detachment　of　country　soldiers。



When　there　were　about　thirty　around　him；　the　Commander　explained

in　a　few　words；　the　state　of　affairs。　Then；　turning　toward　his

major；　he　said：　〃Now；　we　must　act。〃



While　the　inhabitants　collected；　talked　over　and　discussed　the

matter；　the　doctor　quickly　formed　his　plan　of　campaign：



〃Lieutenant　Picard；　you　advance　to　the　windows　of　the　mayor's

house　and　order　M。　de　Varnetot　to　turn　over　the　townhall　to　me；

in　the　name　of　the　Republic。〃



But　the　lieutenant　was　a　master…mason　and　refused。



〃You　are　a　scamp；　you　are。　Trying　to　make　a　target　of　me！　Those

fellows　in　there　are　good　shots；　you　know　that。　No；　thanks！

Execute　your　commissions　yourself！〃



The　Commander　turned　red：　〃I　order　you　to　go　in　the　name　of

discipline；〃　said　he。



〃I　am　not　spoiling　my　features　without　knowing　why；〃　the

lieutenant　returned。



Men　of　influence；　in　a　group　near　by；　were　heard　laughing。　One　of

them　called　out：　〃You　are　right；　Picard；　it　is　not　the　proper

time。〃　The　doctor；　under　his　breath；　muttered：　〃Cowards！〃　And；

placing　his　sword　and　his　revolver　in　the　hands　of　a　soldier；　he

advanced　with　measured　step；　his　eye　fixed　on　the　windows；　as　if

he　expected　to　see　a　gun　or　a　cannon　pointed　at　him。



When　he　was　within