the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第2节
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the most interesting way of picking it up； and before I was thirty I could
speak nearly every tongue in Europe； but it must be confessed that what
you learn is not of much use for the ordinary purposes of life。 My
business； for example； has usually been with soldiers and peasants； and
what advantage is it to be able to say to them that I love only them； and
that I will come back when the wars are over？
Never have I had so sweet a teacher as in Venice。 Lucia was her first
name； and her secondbut a gentleman forgets second names。 I can say
this with all discretion； that she was of one of the senatorial families of
Venice and that her grandfather had been Doge of the town。
She was of an exquisite beautyand when I； Etienne Gerard； use such
a word as 〃exquisite；〃 my friends； it has a meaning。 I have judgment； I
have memories； I have the means of comparison。 Of all the women who
have loved me there are not twenty to whom I could apply such a term as
that。 But I say again that Lucia was exquisite。
Of the dark type I do not recall her equal unless it were Dolores of
Toledo。 There was a little brunette whom I loved at Santarem when I
was soldiering under Massena in Portugalher name has escaped me。
She was of a perfect beauty； but she had not the figure nor the grace of
Lucia。 There was Agnes also。 I could not put one before the other； but I
do none an injustice when I say that Lucia was the equal of the best。
It was over this matter of pictures that I had first met her； for her father
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owned a palace on the farther side of the Rialto Bridge upon the Grand
Canal； and it was so packed with wall…paintings that Suchet sent a party of
sappers to cut some of them out and send them to Paris。
I had gone down with them； and after I had seen Lucia in tears it
appeared to me that the plaster would crack if it were taken from the
support of the wall。 I said so； and the sappers were withdrawn。 After
that I was the friend of the family； and many a flask of Chianti have I
cracked with the father and many a sweet lesson have I had from the
daughter。 Some of our French officers married in Venice that winter； and
I might have done the same； for I loved her with all my heart； but Etienne
Gerard has his sword； his horse； his regiment； his mother； his Emperor；
and his career。 A debonair Hussar has room in his life for love； but none
for a wife。 So I thought then； my friends； but I did not see the lonely
days when I should long to clasp those vanished hands； and turn my head
away when I saw old comrades with their tall children standing round their
chairs。 This love which I had thought was a joke and a playthingit is
only now that I understand that it is the moulder of one's life； the most
solemn and sacred of all things Thank you； my friend； thank you！ It
is a good wine； and a second bottle cannot hurt。
And now I will tell you how my love for Lucia was the cause of one of
the most terrible of all the wonderful adventures which have ever befallen
me； and how it was that I came to lose the top of my right ear。 You have
often asked me why it was missing。 To…night for the first time I will tell
you。
Suchet's head…quarters at that time was the old palace of the Doge
Dandolo； which stands on the lagoon not far from the place of San Marco。
It was near the end of the winter； and I had returned one night from the
Theatre Goldini； when I found a note from Lucia and a gondola waiting。
She prayed me to come to her at once as she was in trouble。 To a
Frenchman and a soldier there was but one answer to such a note。 In an
instant I was in the boat and the gondolier was pushing out into the dark
lagoon。
I remember that as I took my seat in the boat I was struck by the man's
great size。 He was not tall； but he was one of the broadest men that I
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have ever seen in my life。 But the gondoliers of Venice are a strong
breed； and powerful men are common enough among them。 The fellow
took his place behind me and began to row。
A good soldier in an enemy's country should everywhere and at all
times be on the alert。 It has been one of the rules of my life； and if I have
lived to wear grey hairs it is because I have observed it。 And yet upon
that night I was as careless as a foolish young recruit who fears lest he
should be thought to be afraid。 My pistols I had left behind in my hurry。
My sword was at my belt； but it is not always the most convenient of
weapons。 I lay back in my seat in the gondola； lulled by the gentle swish
of the water and the steady creaking of the oar。 Our way lay through a
network of narrow canals with high houses towering on either side and a
thin slit of star…spangled sky above us。 Here and there； on the bridges
which spanned the canal； there was the dim glimmer of an oil lamp； and
sometimes there came a gleam from some niche where a candle burned
before the image of a saint。 But save for this it was all black； and one
could only see the water by the white fringe which curled round the long
black nose of our boat。 It was a place and a time for dreaming。 I
thought of my own past life； of all the great deeds in which I had been
concerned； of the horses that I had handled； and of the women that I had
loved。 Then I thought also of my dear mother； and I fancied her joy
when she heard the folk in the village talking about the fame of her son。
Of the Emperor also I thought； and of France； the dear fatherland； the
sunny France； mother of beautiful daughters and of gallant sons。 My
heart glowed within me as I thought of how we had brought her colours so
many hundred leagues beyond her borders。 To her greatness I would
dedicate my life。 I placed my hand upon my heart as I swore it； and at
that instant the gondolier fell upon me from behind。
When I say that he fell upon me I do not mean merely that he attacked
me； but that he really did tumble upon me with all his weight。 The
fellow stands behind you and above you as he rows； so that you can
neither see him nor can you in any way guard against such an assault。
One moment I had sat with my mind filled with sublime resolutions；
the next I was flattened out upon the bottom of the boat； the breath dashed
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out of my body； and this monster pinning me down。 I felt the fierce pants
of his hot breath upon the back of my neck。 In an instant he had torn
away my sword； had slipped a sack over my head； and had tied a rope
firmly round the outside of it。
There I was at the bottom of the gondola as helpless as a trussed fowl。
I could not shout； I could not move； I was a mere bundle。 An instant later
I heard once more the swishing of the water and the creaking of the oar。
This fellow had done his work and had resumed his journey as quietly
and unconcernedly as if he were accustomed to clap a sack over a colonel
of Hussars every day of the week。
I cannot tell you the humiliation and also the fury which filled my
mind as I lay there like a helpless sheep being carried to the butcher's。 I；
Etienne Gerard； the champion of the six brigades of light cavalry and the
first swordsman of the Grand Army； to be overpowered by a single
unarmed man in such a fashion！ Yet I lay quiet； for there is a time to
