the red inn-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



rather　than　be　restricted　to　mere　military　duty；　little　in　keeping

with　their　early　education　and　their　peaceful　destinies。　Men　of

science；　pacific　yet　useful；　these　young　men　did　an　actual　good　in　the

midst　of　so　much　misery；　and　formed　a　bond　of　sympathy　with　other　men

of　science　in　the　various　countries　through　which　the　cruel

civilization　of　the　Republic　passed。



The　two　young　men　were　each　provided　with　a　pass　and　a　commission　as

assistant…surgeon　signed　Coste　and　Bernadotte；　and　they　were　on　their

way　to　join　the　demi…brigade　to　which　they　were　attached。　Both

belonged　to　moderately　rich　families　in　Beauvais；　a　town　in　which　the

gentle　manners　and　loyalty　of　the　provinces　are　transmitted　as　a

species　of　birthright。　Attracted　to　the　theatre　of　war　before　the　date

at　which　they　were　required　to　begin　their　functions；　they　had

travelled　by　diligence　to　Strasburg。　Though　maternal　prudence　had　only

allowed　them　a　slender　sum　of　money　they　thought　themselves　rich　in

possessing　a　few　louis；　an　actual　treasure　in　those　days　when

assignats　were　reaching　their　lowest　depreciation　and　gold　was　worth

far　more　than　silver。　The　two　young　surgeons；　about　twenty　years　of

age　at　the　most；　yielded　themselves　up　to　the　poesy　of　their　situation

with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　youth。　Between　Strasburg　and　Bonn　they　had

visited　the　Electorate　and　the　banks　of　the　Rhine　as　artists；

philosophers；　and　observers。　When　a　man's　destiny　is　scientific　he　is；

at　their　age；　a　being　who　is　truly　many…sided。　Even　in　making　love　or

in　travelling；　an　assistant…surgeon　should　be　gathering　up　the

rudiments　of　his　fortune　or　his　coming　fame。



The　two　young　had　therefore　given　themselves　wholly　to　that　deep

admiration　which　must　affect　all　educated　men　on　seeing　the　banks　of

the　Rhine　and　the　scenery　of　Suabia　between　Mayenne　and　Cologne；a

strong；　rich；　vigorously　varied　nature；　filled　with　feudal　memories；

ever　fresh　and　verdant；　yet　retaining　at　all　points　the　imprints　of

fire　and　sword。　Louis　XIV。　and　Turenne　have　cauterized　that　beautiful

land。　Here　and　there　certain　ruins　bear　witness　to　the　pride　or　rather

the　foresight　of　the　King　of　Versailles；　who　caused　to　be　pulled　down

the　ancient　castles　that　once　adorned　this　part　of　Germany。　Looking　at

this　marvellous　country；　covered　with　forests；　where　the　picturesque

charm　of　the　middle　ages　abounds；　though　in　ruins；　we　are　able　to

conceive　the　German　genius；　its　reverie；　its　mysticism。



The　stay　of　the　two　friends　at　Bonn　had　the　double　purpose　of　science

and　pleasure。　The　grand　hospital　of　the　Gallo…Batavian　army　and　of

Augereau's　division　was　established　in　the　very　palace　of　the　Elector。

These　assistant…surgeons　of　recent　date　went　there　to　see　old

comrades；　to　present　their　letters　of　recommendation　to　their　medical

chiefs；　and　to　familiarize　themselves　with　the　first　aspects　of　their

profession。　There；　as　elsewhere；　they　got　rid　of　a　few　prejudices　to

which　we　cling　so　fondly　in　favor　of　the　beauties　of　our　native　land。

Surprised　by　the　aspect　of　the　columns　of　marble　which　adorn　the

Electoral　Palace；　they　went　about　admiring　the　grandiose　effects　of

German　architecture；　and　finding　everywhere　new　treasures　both　modern

and　antique。



From　time　to　time　the　highways　along　which　the　two　friends　rode　at

leisure　on　their　way　to　Andernach；　led　them　over　the　crest　of　some

granite　hill　that　was　higher　than　the　rest。　Thence；　through　a　clearing

of　the　forest　or　cleft　in　the　rocky　barrier；　they　caught　sudden

glimpses　of　the　Rhine　framed　in　stone　or　festooned　with　vigorous

vegetation。　The　valleys；　the　forest　paths；　the　trees　exhaled　that

autumnal　odor　which　induced　to　reverie；　the　wooded　summits　were

beginning　to　gild　and　to　take　on　the　warm　brown　tones　significant　of

age；　the　leaves　were　falling；　but　the　skies　were　still　azure　and　the

dry　roads　lay　like　yellow　lines　along　the　landscape；　just　then

illuminated　by　the　oblique　rays　of　the　setting　sun。　At　a　mile　and　a

half　from　Andernach　the　two　friends　walked　their　horses　in　silence；　as

if　no　war　were　devastating　this　beautiful　land；　while　they　followed　a

path　made　for　the　goats　across　the　lofty　walls　of　bluish　granite

between　which　foams　the　Rhine。　Presently　they　descended　by　one　of　the

declivities　of　the　gorge；　at　the　foot　of　which　is　placed　the　little

town；　seated　coquettishly　on　the　banks　of　the　river　and　offering　a

convenient　port　to　mariners。



〃Germany　is　a　beautiful　country！〃　cried　one　of　the　two　young　men；　who

was　named　Prosper　Magnan；　at　the　moment　when　he　caught　sight　of　the

painted　houses　of　Andernach；　pressed　together　like　eggs　in　a　basket；

and　separated　only　by　trees；　gardens；　and　flowers。　Then　he　admired　for

a　moment　the　pointed　roofs　with　their　projecting　eaves；　the　wooden

staircases；　the　galleries　of　a　thousand　peaceful　dwellings；　and　the

vessels　swaying　to　the　waves　in　the　port。



＇At　the　moment　when　Monsieur　Hermann　uttered　the　name　of　Prosper

Magnan；　my　opposite　neighbor　seized　the　decanter；　poured　out　a　glass

of　water；　and　emptied　it　at　a　draught。　This　movement　having　attracted

my　attention；　I　thought　I　noticed　a　slight　trembling　of　the　hand　and　a

moisture　on　the　brow　of　the　capitalist。



〃What　is　that　man's　name？〃　I　asked　my　neighbor。



〃Taillefer；〃　she　replied。



〃Do　you　feel　ill？〃　I　said　to　him；　observing　that　this　strange

personage　was　turning　pale。



〃Not　at　all；〃　he　said　with　a　polite　gesture　of　thanks。　〃I　am

listening；〃　he　added；　with　a　nod　to　the　guests；　who　were　all

simultaneously　looking　at　him。



〃I　have　forgotten；〃　said　Monsieur　Hermann；　〃the　name　of　the　other

young　man。　But　the　confidences　which　Prosper　Magnan　subsequently　made

to　me　enabled　me　to　know　that　his　companion　was　dark；　rather　thin；　and

jovial。　I　will；　if　you　please；　call　him　Wilhelm；　to　give　greater

clearness　to　the　tale　I　am　about　to　tell　you。〃



The　worthy　German　resumed　his　narrative　after　having；　without　the

smallest　regard　for　romanticism　and　local　color；　baptized　the　young

French　surgeon　with　a　Teutonic　name。＇



By　the　time　the　two　young　men　reached　Andernach　the　night　was　dark。

Presuming　that　they　would　lose　much　time　in　looking　for　their　chiefs

and　obtaining　from　them　a　military　billet　in　a　town　already　full　of

soldiers；　they　resolved　to　spend　their　last　night　of　freedom　at　an　inn

standing　some　two　or　three　hundred　feet　from　Andernach；　the　rich　color

of　which；　embellished　by　the　fires　of　the　setting　sun；　they　had

greatly　admired　from　the　summit　of　the　hill　above　the　town。　Painted

entirely　red；　this　inn　produced　a　most　piquant　effect　in　the

landscape；　whether　by　detaching　itself　from　the　general　background　of

the　town；　or　by　contrasting　its　scarlet　sides　with　the　verdure　of　the

surrounding　foliage；　and　the　gray…blue　tints　of　the　water。　This　house

owed　its　name；　the　Red　Inn；　to　this　external　decoration；　imposed　upon

it；　no　doubt　from　time　immemorial　by　the　caprice　of　its　founder。　A

mercantile　superstition；　natural　enough　to　the　different　possessors　of

the　building；　far…famed　among　the　sailors　of　the　Rhine；　had　made　them

scrupulous　to　preserve　the　title。



Hearing　the　sound　of　horses'　hoofs；　the　master　of　the　Red　Inn　came　out

upon　the　threshold　of　his　door。



〃By　heavens！　gentlemen；〃　he　cried；　〃a　little　later　and　you'd　have　had

to　sleep　beneath　the　stars；　like　a　good　many　more　of　your　compatriots

who　are　bivouacking　on　the　other　side　of　Andernach。　Here　every　room　is

occupied。　If　you　want　to　sleep　in　a　good　bed　I　have　only　my　own　room

to　offer　you。　As　for　your　horses　I　can　litter　them　down　in　a　corner　of

the　courtyard。　The　stable　is　full　of　people。　Do　these　gentlemen　come

from　France？〃　he　added　after　a　slight　pause。



〃From　Bonn；〃　cried　Prosper；　〃and　we　have　eaten　nothing　since　morning。〃



〃Oh！　as　to　provisions；〃　said　the　innkeeper；　nodding　his　head；　〃people

come　to　the　Red　Inn　for　their　wedding　feast　from　thirty　miles　round。

You　shall　have　a　princely　meal；　a　Rhine　fish！　More；　I　need　not　say。〃



After　confiding　their　weary　steeds　to　the　care　of　the　landlord；　who

vainly　called　to　his　hostler；　the　two　young　men　entered　the　public

room　of　the　inn。　Thick　white　clouds　exhaled　by　a　numerous　company　of

smokers　prevented　them　from　at　first　recognizing　the　persons　with　whom

they　were　thrown；　but　after　sitting　awhile　near　the　table；　with　the

patience　practised　by　philosophical　travellers　who　know　the　inutility

of　making　a　fuss；　they　distinguished　through　the　vapors　of　tobacco　the

inevitable　accessories　of　a　German　inn：　the　stove；　the　clock；　the　pots

of　beer；　the　long　pipes；　and　here　and　there　the　eccentric

physiognomies　of　Jews；　or　Germans；　and　the　weather…beaten　faces　of

mariners。　The　epaulets　of　several　French　officers　were　glittering

through　the　mist；　and　the　clank　of　spurs　and　sabres　echoed　incessantly

from　the　brick　floor。　Some　were　playing　cards；　others　argued；　or　held

their　tongues　and　ate；　drank；　or　walked　about。　One　stout　little　woman；

wearing