selected writings-第9节

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



When　he　was　within　a　few　steps　of　the　building　the　doors　at　the

two　extremities；　affording　an　entrance　to　two　schools；　opened；

and　a　flood　of　little　creatures；　boys　on　one　side；　girls　on　the

other；　poured　out　and　began　playing　in　the　open　space；　chattering

around　the　doctor　like　a　flock　of　birds。　He　scarcely　knew　what　to

make　of　it。



As　soon　as　the　last　were　out；　the　doors　closed。　The　greater　part

of　the　little　monkeys　finally　scattered　and　then　the　Commander

called　out　in　a　loud　voice



〃Monsieur　de　Varnetot？〃　A　window　in　the　first　story　opened　and　M。

de　Varnetot　appeared。



The　Commander　began：　〃Monsieur；　you　are　aware　of　the　great　events

which　have　changed　the　system　of　Government。　The　party　you

represent　no　longer　exists。　The　side　I　represent　now　comes　into

power。　Under　these　sad；　but　decisive　circumstances；　I　come　to

demand　you；　in　the　name　of　the　Republic；　to　put　in　my　hand　the

authority　vested　in　you　by　the　outgoing　power。〃



M。　de　Varnetot　replied：　〃Doctor　Massarel；　I　am　mayor　of

Canneville；　so　placed　by　the　proper　authorities；　and　mayor　of

Canneville　I　shall　remain　until　the　title　is　revoked　and　replaced

by　an　order　from　my　superiors。　As　mayor；　I　am　at　home　in　the

mairie；　and　there　I　shall　stay。　Furthermore；　just　try　to　put　me

out。〃　And　he　closed　the　window。



The　Commander　returned　to　his　troops。　But；　before　explaining

anything；　measuring　Lieutenant　Picard　from　head　to　foot；　he　said：



〃You　are　a　numskull；　you　are；a　goose；　the　disgrace　of　the　army。

I　shall　degrade　you。〃



The　Lieutenant　replied：　〃I'll　attend　to　that　myself。〃　And　he　went

over　to　a　group　of　muttering　civilians。



Then　the　doctor　hesitated。　What　should　he　do？　Make　an　assault？

Would　his　men　obey　him？　And　then；　was　he　surely　in　the　right？　An

idea　burst　upon　him。　He　ran　to　the　telegraph　office；　on　the　other

side　of　the　square；　and　hurriedly　sent　three　dispatches：　〃To　the

Members　of　the　Republican　Government；　at　Paris〃；　〃To　the　New

Republican　Prefect　of　the　Lower　Seine；　at　Rouen〃；　〃To　the　New

Republican　Sub…Prefect　of　Dieppe。〃



He　exposed　the　situation　fully；　told　of　the　danger　run　by　the

commonwealth　from　remaining　in　the　hands　of　the　monarchistic

mayor；　offered　his　devout　services；　asked　for　orders　and　signed

his　name；　following　it　up　with　all　his　titles。　Then　he　returned

to　his　army　corps　and；　drawing　ten　francs　out　of　his　pocket；

said：



〃Now；　my　friends；　go　and　eat　and　drink　a　little　something。　Only

leave　here　a　detachment　of　ten　men；　so　that　no　one　leaves　the

mayor's　house。〃



Ex…Lieutenant　Picard　chatting　with　the　watch…maker；　overheard

this。　With　a　sneer　he　remarked：



〃Pardon　me；　but　if　they　go　out；　there　will　be　an　opportunity　for

you　to　go　in。　Otherwise；　I　can't　see　how　you　are　to　get　in

there！〃



The　doctor　made　no　reply；　but　went　away　to　luncheon。　In　the

afternoon；　he　disposed　of　offices　all　about　town；　having　the　air

of　knowing　of　an　impending　surprise。　Many　times　he　passed　before

the　doors　of　the　mairie　and　of　the　church；　without　noticing

anything　suspicious；　one　could　have　believed　the　two　buildings

empty。



The　butcher；　the　baker；　and　the　apothecary　re…opened　their　shops；

and　stood　gossiping　on　the　steps。　If　the　Emperor　had　been　taken

prisoner；　there　must　be　a　traitor　somewhere。　They　did　not　feel

sure　of　the　revenue　of　a　new　Republic。



Night　came　on。　Toward　nine　o'clock；　the　doctor　returned　quietly

and　alone　to　the　mayor's　residence；　persuaded　that　his　adversary

had　retired。　And；　as　he　was　trying　to　force　an　entrance　with　a

few　blows　of　a　pickaxe；　the　loud　voice　of　a　guard　demanded

suddenly：　〃Who　goes　there？〃　Monsieur　Massarel　beat　a　retreat　at

the　top　of　his　speed。



Another　day　dawned　without　any　change　in　the　situation。　The

militia　in　arms　occupied　the　square。　The　inhabitants　stood　around

awaiting　the　solution。　People　from　neighboring　villages　came　to

look　on。　Finally；　the　doctor；　realizing　that　his　reputation　was

at　stake；　resolved　to　settle　the　thing　in　one　way　or　another。　He

had　just　decided　that　it　must　be　something　energetic；　when　the

door　of　the　telegraph　office　opened　and　the　little　servant　of　the

directress　appeared；　holding　in　her　hand　two　papers。



She　went　directly　to　the　Commander　and　gave　him　one　of　the

dispatches；　then；　crossing　the　square；　intimidated　by　so　many

eyes　fixed　upon　her；　with　lowered　head　and　mincing　steps；　she

rapped　gently　at　the　door　of　the　barricaded　house；　as　if　ignorant

that　a　part　of　the　army　was　concealed　there。



The　door　opened　slightly；　the　hand　of　a　man　received　the　message；

and　the　girl　returned；　blushing　and　ready　to　weep；　from　being

stared　at。



The　doctor　demanded；　with　stirring　voice：　〃A　little　silence；　if

you　please。〃　And；　after　the　populace　became　quiet；　he　continued

proudly：



〃Here　is　a　communication　which　I　have　received　from　the

Government。〃　And　raising　the　dispatch；　he　read：



〃Old　mayor　deposed。　Advise　us　of　what　is　most　necessary；

Instructions　later。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃For　the　Sub…Prefect；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃SAPIN；　Counselor。〃



He　had　triumphed。　His　heart　was　beating　with　joy。　His　hand

trembled；　when　Picard；　his　old　subaltern；　cried　out　to　him　from　a

neighboring　group：　〃That's　all　right；　but　if　the　others　in　there

won't　go　out；　your　paper　hasn't　a　leg　to　stand　on。〃　The　doctor

grew　a　little　pale。　If　they　would　not　go　out　in　fact；　he　must

go　ahead　now。　It　was　not　only　his　right；　but　his　duty。　And　he

looked　anxiously　at　the　house　of　the　mayoralty；　hoping　that　he

might　see　the　door　open　and　his　adversary　show　himself。　But　the

door　remained　closed。　What　was　to　be　done？　The　crowd　was

increasing；　surrounding　the　militia。　Some　laughed。



One　thought；　especially；　tortured　the　doctor。　If　he　should　make

an　assault；　he　must　march　at　the　head　of　his　men；　and　as；　with

him　dead；　all　contest　would　cease；　it　would　be　at　him；　and　at　him

alone　that　M。　de　Varnetot　and　the　three　guards　would　aim。　And

their　aim　was　good；　very　good！　Picard　had　reminded　him　of　that。



But　an　idea　shone　in　upon　him；　and　turning　to　Pommel；　he　said：

〃Go；　quickly；　and　ask　the　apothecary　to　send　me　a　napkin　and　a

pole。〃



The　Lieutenant　hurried　off。　The　doctor　was　going　to　make　a

political　banner；　a　white　one；　that　would　perhaps；　rejoice　the

heart　of　that　old　legitimist；　the　mayor。



Pommel　returned　with　the　required　linen　and　a　broom　handle。　With

some　pieces　of　string；　they　improvised　a　standard；　which　Massarel

seized　in　both　hands。　Again；　he　advanced　toward　the　house　of

mayoralty；　bearing　the　standard　before　him。　When　in　front　of　the

door；　he　called　out：　〃Monsieur　de　Varnetot！〃



The　door　opened　suddenly；　and　M。　de　Varnetot　and　the　three　guards

appeared　on　the　threshold。　The　doctor　recoiled；　instinctively。

Then；　he　saluted　his　enemy　courteously；　and　announced；　almost

strangled　by　emotion：　〃I　have　come；　sir；　to　communicate　to　you

the　instructions　I　have　just　received。〃



That　gentleman；　without　any　salutation　whatever；　replied：　〃I　am

going　to　withdraw；　sir；　but　you　must　understand　that　it　is　not

because　of　fear；　or　in　obedience　to　an　odious　government　that　has

usurped　the　power。〃　And；　biting　off　each　word；　he　declared：　〃I　do

not　wish　to　have　the　appearance　of　serving　the　Republic　for　a

single　day。　That　is　all。〃



Massarel；　amazed；　made　no　reply；　and　M；　de　Varnetot；　walking　off

at　a　rapid　pace；　disappeared　around　the　corner；　followed　closely

by　his　escort。　Then　the　doctors　slightly　dismayed；　returned　to

the　crowd。　When　he　was　near　enough　to　be　heard；　he　cried：

〃Hurrah！　Hurrah！　The　Republic　triumphs　all　along　the　line！〃



But　no　emotion　was　manifested。　The　doctor　tried　again。　〃The

people　are　free！　You　are　free　and　independent！　Do　you　understand？

Be　proud　of　it！〃



The　listless　villagers　looked　at　him　with　eyes　unlit　by　glory。　In

his　turn；　he　looked　at　them；　indignant　at　their　indifference；

seeking　for　some　word　that　could　make　a　grand　impression；

electrify　this　placid　country　and　make　good　his　mission。　The

inspiration　come；　and　turning　to　Pommel；　he　said：　〃Lieutenant；　go

and　get　the　bust　of　the　ex…Emperor；　which　is　in　the　Council　Hall；

and　bring　it　to　me　with　a　chair。〃



And　soon　the　man　reappears；　carrying　on　his　right　shoulder；

Napoleon　III。　in　plaster；　and　holding　in　his　left　hand　a

straw…bottomed　chair。



Massarel　met　him；　took　the　chair；　placed　it　on　the　ground；　put

the　white　image　upon　it；　fell　back　a　few　steps　and　called　out；　in

sonorous　voice：



〃Tyrant！　Tyrant！　Here　do　you　fall！　Fall　in　the　dust　and　in　the

mire。　An　expiring　country　groans　under　your　feet。　Destiny　has

called　you　the　Avenger。　Defeat　and　shame　cling　to　you。　You　fall

conquered；　a　prisoner　to　the　Prussians；　and　upon　the　ruins　of　the

crumbling　Empire　the　young　and　radiant　Republic　arises；　picking

up　your　broken　sword。〃



He　awaited　applause。　But　there　was　no　voice；　no