martin guerre-第1节

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　Martin　Guerre



by　　Alexandre　Dumas；　Pere









We　are　sometimes　astonished　at　the　striking　resemblance　existing

between　two　persons　who　are　absolute　strangers　to　each　other；　but　in

fact　it　is　the　opposite　which　ought　to　surprise　us。　　Indeed；　why

should　we　not　rather　admire　a　Creative　Power　so　infinite　in　its

variety　that　it　never　ceases　to　produce　entirely　different

combinations　with　precisely　the　same　elements？　　The　more　one

considers　this　prodigious　versatility　of　form；　the　more　overwhelming

it　appears。



To　begin　with；　each　nation　has　its　own　distinct　and　characteristic

type；　separating　it　from　other　races　of　men。　　Thus　there　are　the

English；　Spanish；　German；　or　Slavonic　types；　again；　in　each　nation　we

find　families　distinguished　from　each　other　by　less　general　but　still

well…pronounced　features；　and　lastly；　the　individuals　of　each　family；

differing　again　in　more　or　less　marked　gradations。　　What　a　multitude

of　physiognomies！　　What　variety　of　impression　from　the　innumerable

stamps　of　the　human　countenance！　　What　millions　of　models　and　no

copies！　　Considering　this　ever　changing　spectacle；　which　ought　to

inspire　us　with　most　astonishmentthe　perpetual　difference　of　faces

or　the　accidental　resemblance　of　a　few　individuals？　　Is　it　impossible

that　in　the　whole　wide　world　there　should　be　found　by　chance　two

people　whose　features　are　cast　in　one　and　the　same　mould？　　Certainly

not；　therefore　that　which　ought　to　surprise　us　is　not　that　these

duplicates　exist　here　and　there　upon　the　earth；　but　that　they　are　to

be　met　with　in　the　same　place；　and　appear　together　before　our　eyes；

little　accustomed　to　see　such　resemblances。　　From　Amphitryon　down　to

our　own　days；　many　fables　have　owed　their　origin　to　this　fact；　and

history　also　has　provided　a　few　examples；　such　as　the　false　Demetrius

in　Russia；　the　English　Perkin　Warbeck；　and　several　other　celebrated

impostors；　whilst　the　story　we　now　present　to　our　readers　is　no　less

curious　and　strange。



On　the　10th　of；　August　1557；　an　inauspicious　day　in　the　history　of

France；　the　roar　of　cannon　was　still　heard　at　six　in　the　evening　in

the　plains　of　St。　Quentin；　where　the　French　army　had　just　been

destroyed　by　the　united　troops　of　England　and　Spain；　commanded　by　the

famous　Captain　Emanuel　Philibert；　Duke　of　Savoy。　　An　utterly　beaten

infantry；　the　Constable　Montmorency　and　several　generals　taken

prisoner；　the　Duke　d'Enghien　mortally　wounded；　the　flower　of　the

nobility　cut　down　like　grass；such　were　the　terrible　results　of　a

battle　which　plunged　France　into　mourning；　and　which　would　have　been

a　blot　on　the　reign　of　Henry　II；　had　not　the　Duke　of　Guise　obtained　a

brilliant　revenge　the　following　year。



In　a　little　village　less　than　a　mile　from　the　field　of　battle　were　to

be　heard　the　groans　of　the　wounded　and　dying；　who　had　been　carried

thither　from　the　field　of　battle。　　The　inhabitants　had　given　up　their

houses　to　be　used　as　hospitals；　and　two　or　three　barber　surgeons　went

hither　and　thither；　hastily　ordering　operations　which　they　left　to

their　assistants；　and　driving　out　fugitives　who　had　contrived　to

accompany　the　wounded　under　pretence　of　assisting　friends　or　near

relations。　　They　had　already　expelled　a　good　number　of　these　poor

fellows；　when；　opening　the　door　of　a　small　room；　they　found　a　soldier

soaked　in　blood　lying　on　a　rough　mat；　and　another　soldier　apparently

attending　on　him　with　the　utmost　care。



〃Who　are　you？〃　said　one　of　the　surgeons　to　the　sufferer。　　〃I　don't

think　you　belong　to　our　French　troops。〃



〃Help！〃　cried　the　soldier；　〃only　help　me！　and　may　God　bless　you　for

it！〃



〃From　the　colour　of　that　tunic；〃　remarked　the　other　surgeon；　〃I

should　wager　the　rascal　belongs　to　some　Spanish　gentleman。　　By　what

blunder　was　he　brought　here？〃



〃For　pity's　sake！　murmured　the　poor　fellow；　〃I　am　in　such　pain。〃



〃Die；　wretch！〃　responded　the　last　speaker；　pushing　him　with　his　foot。

〃Die；　like　the　dog　you　are！〃



But　this　brutality；　answered　as　it　was　by　an　agonised　groan；

disgusted　the　other　surgeon。



〃After　all；　he　is　a　man；　and　a　wounded　man　who　implores　help。　　Leave

him　to　me；　Rene。〃



Rene　went　out　grumbling；　and　the　one　who　remained　proceeded　to

examine　the　wound。　　A　terrible　arquebus…shot　had　passed　through　the

leg；　shattering　the　bone：　amputation　was　absolutely　necessary。



Before　proceeding　to　the　operation；　the　surgeon　turned　to　the　other

soldier；　who　had　retired　into　the　darkest　corner　of　the　room。



〃And　you；　who　may　you　be？〃　he　asked。



The　man　replied　by　coming　forward　into　the　light：　no　other　answer　was

needed。　　He　resembled　his　companion　so　closely　that　no　one　could

doubt　they　were　brothers…twin　brothers；　probably。　　Both　were　above

middle　height；　both　had　olive…brown　complexions；　black　eyes；　hooked

noses；　pointed　chins；　a　slightly　projecting　lower　lip；　both　were

round…shouldered；　though　this　defect　did　not　amount　to　disfigurement：

the　whole　personality　suggested　strength；　and　was　not　destitute　of

masculine　beauty。　　So　strong　a　likeness　is　hardly　ever　seen；　even

their　ages　appeared　to　agree；　for　one　would　not　have　supposed　either

to　be　more　than　thirty…two；　and　the　only　difference　noticeable；

besides　the　pale　countenance　of　the　wounded　man；　was　that　he　was　thin

as　compared　with　the　moderate　fleshiness　of　the　other；　also　that　he

had　a　large　scar　over　the　right　eyebrow。



〃Look　well　after　your　brother's　soul；〃　said　the　surgeon　to　the

soldier；　who　remained　standing；　〃if　it　is　in　no　better　case　than　his

body；　it　is　much　to　be　pitied。〃



〃Is　there　no　hope？〃　inquired　the　Sosia　of　the　wounded　man。



〃The　wound　is　too　large　and　too　deep；〃　replied　the　man　of　science；

〃to　be　cauterised　with　boiling　oil；　according　to　the　ancient　method。

'Delenda　est　causa　mali；'　the　source　of　evil　must　be　destroyed；　as

says　the　learned　Ambrose　Pare；　I　ought　therefore　'secareferro；'that

is　to　say；　take　off　the　leg。　　May　God　grant　that　he　survive　the

operation！〃



While　seeking　his　instruments；　he　looked　the　supposed　brother　full　in

the　face；　and　added



〃But　how　is　it　that　you　are　carrying　muskets　in　opposing　armies；　for

I　see　that　you　belong　to　us；　while　this　poor　fellow　wears　Spanish

uniform？〃



〃Oh；　that　would　be　a　long　story　to　tell；〃　replied　the　soldier；

shaking　his　head。　　〃As　for　me；　I　followed　the　career　which　was　open

to　me；　and　took　service　of　my　own　free　will　under　the　banner　of　our

lord　king；　Henry　II。　　This　man；　whom　you　rightly　suppose　to　be　my

brother；　was　born　in　Biscay；　and　became　attached　to　the　household　of

the　Cardinal　of　Burgos；　and　afterwards　to　the　cardinal's　brother；

whom　he　was　obliged　to　follow　to　the　war。　　I　recognised　him　on　the

battle…field　just　as　he　fell；　I　dragged　him　out　of　a　heap　of　dead；

and　brought　him　here。〃



During　his　recital　this　individual's　features　betrayed　considerable

agitation；　but　the　surgeon　did　not　heed　it。　　Not　finding　some

necessary　instruments；　〃My　colleague；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃must　have

carried　them　off。　　He　constantly　does　this；　out　of　jealousy　of　my

reputation；　but　I　will　be　even　with　him　yet！　　Such　splendid

instruments！　　They　will　almost　work　of　themselves；　and　are　capable　of

imparting　some　skill　even　to　him；　dunce　as　he　is！。。。　　I　shall　be　back

in　an　hour　or　two；　he　must　rest；　sleep；　have　nothing　to　excite　him；

nothing　to　inflame　the　wound；　and　when　the　operation　is　well　over；　we

shall　see！　　May　the　Lord　be　gracious　to　him！〃



Then　he　went　to　the　door；　leaving　the　poor　wretch　to　the　care　of　his

supposed　brother。



〃My　God！〃　he　added；　shaking　his　head；　〃if　he　survive；　it　will　be　by

the　help　of　a　miracle。〃



Scarcely　had　he　left　the　room；　when　the　unwounded　soldier　carefully

examined　the　features　of　the　wounded　one。



〃Yes；〃　he　murmured　between　his　teeth；　〃they　were　right　in　saying　that

my　exact　double　was　to　be　found　in　the　hostile　army　。　　。　　。　　。　　Truly

one　would　not　know　us　apart！　　。　　。　　。　　I　might　be　surveying　myself　in

a　mirror。　　I　did　well　to　look　for　him　in　the　rear　of　the　Spanish

army；　and；　thanks　to　the　fellow　who　rolled　him　over　so　conveniently

with　that　arquebus…shot；　I　was　able　to　escape　the　dangers　of　the

melee　by　carrying　him　out　of　it。〃



〃But　that's　not　all；〃　he　thought；　still　carefully　studying　the

tortured　face　of　the　unhappy　sufferer；　〃it　is　not　enough　to　have　got

out　of　that。　　I　have　absolutely　nothing　in　the　world；　no　home；　no

resources。　　Beggar　by　birth；　adventurer　by　fortune；　I　have　enlisted；

and　have　consumed　my　pay；　I　hoped　for　plunder；　and　here　we　are　in

full　flight！　　What　am　I　to　do？　　Go　and　drown　myself？　　No；　certainly

a　cannon…ball　would　be　as　good　as　that。　　But　can't　I　profit　by　this

chance；　and　obtain　a　decent　position　by　turning　to　my　own　advantage

this　curious　resemblance；　and　making　some　use　of　this　man　whom　Fate

has　thrown　in　my　way；　and　who　has　but　a　short　time　to　live？〃



Arguing　thus；　he　bent　over　the　prostrate　man　with　a　cynical　laugh：

one　mig