stories by english authors in france(旅法英国作家的故事)-第19节
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had been drinking liquid firemy brain seemed all aflame。 No excess in
wine had ever had this effect on me before in my life。 Was it the result of a
stimulant acting upon my system when I was in a highly excited state？
Was my stomach in a particularly disordered condition？ Or was the
champagne amazingly strong？
〃Ex…brave of the French Army！〃 cried I； in a mad state of exhilaration；
〃I am on fire！ how are you？ You have set me on fire。 Do you hear； my hero
of Austerlitz？ Let us have a third bottle of champagne to put the flame
out！〃
The old soldier wagged his head； rolled his goggle…eyes； until I
expected to see them slip out of their sockets； placed his dirty forefinger
by the side of his broken nose； solemnly ejaculated 〃Coffee！〃 and
immediately ran off into an inner room。
The word pronounced by the eccentric veteran seemed to have a
magical effect on the rest of the company present。 With one accord they all
rose to depart。 Probably they had expected to profit by my intoxication；
but finding that my new friend was benevolently bent on preventing me
from getting dead drunk； had now abandoned all hope of thriving
pleasantly on my winnings。 Whatever their motive might be； at any rate
they went away in a body。 When the old soldier returned； and sat down
again opposite to me at the table； we had the room to ourselves。 I could
see the croupier； in a sort of vestibule which opened out of it； eating his
supper in solitude。 The silence was now deeper than ever。
A sudden change； too； had come over the 〃ex…brave〃。 He assumed a
portentously solemn look； and when he spoke to me again； his speech was
ornamented by no oaths； enforced by no finger…snapping； enlivened by no
apostrophes or exclamations。
〃Listen； my dear sir；〃 said he； in mysteriously confidential tones
〃listen to an old soldier's advice。 I have been to the mistress of the house
（a very charming woman； with a genius for cookery！） to impress on her
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the necessity of making us some particularly strong and good coffee。 You
must drink this coffee in order to get rid of your little amiable exaltation of
spirits before you think of going homeyou /must/； my good and gracious
friend！ With all that money to take home to…night； it is a sacred duty to
yourself to have your wits about you。 You are known to be a winner to an
enormous extent by several gentlemen present to…night； who； in a certain
point of view； are very worthy and excellent fellows； but they are mortal
men； my dear sir； and they have their amiable weaknesses。 Need I say
more？ Ah； no； no！ you understand me！ Now； this is what you must do
send for a cabriolet when you feel quite well againdraw up all the
windows when you get into itand tell the driver to take you home only
through the large and well… lighted thoroughfares。 Do this； and you and
your money will be safe。 Do this； and to…morrow you will thank an old
soldier for giving you a word of honest advice。〃
Just as the ex…brave ended his oration in very lachrymose tones； the
coffee came in； ready poured out in two cups。 My attentive friend handed
me one of the cups with a bow。 I was parched with thirst； and drank it off
at a draught。 Almost instantly afterwards； I was seized with a fit of
giddiness； and felt more completely intoxicated than ever。 The room
whirled round and round furiously； the old soldier seemed to be regularly
bobbing up and down before me like the piston of a steam…engine。 I was
half deafened by a violent singing in my ears； a feeling of utter
bewilderment； helplessness； idiocy； overcame me。 I rose from my chair；
holding on by the table to keep my balance； and stammered out that I felt
dreadfully unwellso unwell that I did not know how I was to get home。
〃My dear friend；〃 answered the old soldierand even his voice seemed
to be bobbing up and down as he spoke〃my dear friend； it would be
madness to go home in /your/ state； you would be sure to lose your money；
you might be robbed and murdered with the greatest ease。 /I/ am going to
sleep here； do you sleep here； toothey make up capital beds in this
housetake one； sleep off the effects of the wine； and go home safely with
your winnings to…morrowto…morrow； in broad daylight。〃
I had but two ideas left： one； that I must never let go hold of my
handkerchief full of money； the other； that I must lie down somewhere
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immediately； and fall off into a comfortable sleep。 So I agreed to the
proposal about the bed； and took the offered arm of the old soldier；
carrying my money with my disengaged hand。 Preceded by the croupier；
we passed along some passages and up a flight of stairs into the bedroom
which I was to occupy。 The ex…brave shook me warmly by the hand；
proposed that we should breakfast together； and then； followed by the
croupier； left me for the night。
I ran to the wash…hand stand； drank some of the water in my jug；
poured the rest out； and plunged my face into it； then sat down in a chair
and tried to compose myself。 I soon felt better。 The change for my lungs；
from the fetid atmosphere of the gambling…room to the cool air of the
apartment I now occupied； the almost equally refreshing change for my
eyes； from the glaring gaslights of the 〃salon〃 to the dim； quiet flicker of
one bedroom candle； aided wonderfully the restorative effects of cold
water。 The giddiness left me； and I began to feel a little like a reasonable
being again。 My first thought was of the risk of sleeping all night in a
gambling…house； my second； of the still greater risk of trying to get out
after the house was closed； and of going home alone at night through the
streets of Paris with a large sum of money about me。 I had slept in worse
places than this on my travels； so I determined to lock； bolt； and barricade
my door； and take my chance till the next morning。
Accordingly； I secured myself against all intrusion； looked under the
bed； and into the cupboard； tried the fastening of the window； and then；
satisfied that I had taken every proper precaution； pulled off my upper
clothing； put my light； which was a dim one； on the hearth among a
feathery litter of wood…ashes； and got into bed； with the handkerchief full
of money under my pillow。
I soon felt not only that I could not go to sleep； but that I could not
even close my eyes。 I was wide awake； and in a high fever。 Every nerve in
my body trembledevery one of my senses seemed to be preternaturally
sharpened。 I tossed and rolled； and tried every kind of position； and
perseveringly sought out the cold corners of the bed； and all to no purpose。
Now I thrust my arms over the clothes； now I poked them under the
clothes； now I violently shot my legs straight out down to the bottom of
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the bed； now I convulsively coiled them up as near my chin as they would
go； now I shook out my crumpled pillow； changed it to the cool side；
patted it flat； and lay down quietly on my back； now I fiercely doubled it
in two； set it up on end； thrust it against the board of the bed； and tried a
sitting posture。 Every effort was in vain； I groaned with vexation as I felt
that I was in for a sleepless night。
What could I do？ I had no book to read。 And yet； unless I found out
some method of diverting my mind； I felt certain that I was in the
condition to imagine all sorts of horrors； to rack my brain with
forebodings of every possible and impossible danger； in short； to pass the
night in suffering all conceivable varieties of nervous terror。
I raised myself on my elbow； and loo
