the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第37节
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〃Quick！ quick！〃 he cried； seizing my bridle。 〃Do what I say and you
may yet escape。 They have not observed you yet。 Come with me and I
will hide you until they pass。〃
Behind his house there was a low stable； and into this he thrust
Violette。 Then he half led and half dragged me into the kitchen of the inn。
It was a bare； brick… floored room。 A stout； red…faced woman was
cooking cutlets at the fire。
〃What's the matter now？〃 she asked； looking with a frown from me to
the innkeeper。 〃Who is this you have brought in？〃
〃It is a French officer； Marie。 We cannot let the Prussians take him。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why not？ Sacred name of a dog； was I not myself a soldier of
Napoleon？ Did I not win a musket of honour among the Velites of the
Guard？ Shall I see a comrade taken before my eyes？ Marie； we must
save him。〃 But the lady looked at me with most unfriendly eyes。
〃Pierre Charras；〃 she said； 〃you will not rest until you have your house
burned over your head。 Do you not understand； you blockhead； that if
you fought for Napoleon it was because Napoleon ruled Belgium？ He
does so no longer。 The Prussians are our allies and this is our enemy。 I
will have no Frenchman in this house。
Give him up！〃
The innkeeper scratched his head and looked at me in despair； but it
was very evident to me that it was neither for France nor for Belgium that
this woman cared； but that it was the safety of her own house that was
nearest her heart。
〃Madame；〃 said I； with all the dignity and assurance I could command；
〃the Emperor is defeating the English； and the French army will be here
before evening。
If you have used me well you will be rewarded； and if you have
denounced me you will be punished and your house will certainly be
burned by the provost…martial。〃
She was shaken by this； and I hastened to complete my victory by
other methods。
〃Surely；〃 said I； 〃it is impossible that anyone so beautiful can also be
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hard…hearted？ You will not refuse me the refuge which I need。〃
She looked at my whiskers and I saw that she was softened。 I took
her hand； and in two minutes we were on such terms that her husband
swore roundly that he would give me up himself if I pressed the matter
farther。
〃Besides； the road is full of Prussians；〃 he cried。
〃Quick！ quick！ into the loft！〃
〃Quick！ quick！ into the loft！〃 echoed his wife； and together they
hurried me toward a ladder which led to a trap…door in the ceiling。 There
was loud knocking at the door； so you can think that it was not long before
my spurs went twinkling through the hole and the board was dropped
behind me。 An instant later I heard the voices of the Germans in the
rooms below me。
The place in which I found myself was a single long attic； the ceiling
of which was formed by the roof of the house。 It ran over the whole of
one side of the inn； and through the cracks in the flooring I could look
down either upon the kitchen； the sitting…room； or the bar at my pleasure。
There were no windows； but the place was in the last stage of disrepair；
and several missing slates upon the roof gave me light and the means of
observation。
The place was heaped with lumber…fodder at one end and a huge pile
of empty bottles at the other。 There was no door or window save the hole
through which I had come up。
I sat upon the heap of hay for a few minutes to steady myself and to
think out my plans。 It was very serious that the Prussians should arrive
upon the field of battle earlier than our reserves； but there appeared to be
only one corps of them； and a corps more or less makes little difference to
such a man as the Emperor。 He could afford to give the English all this
and beat them still。
The best way in which I could serve him； since Grouchy was behind；
was to wait here until they were past； and then to resume my journey； to
see the Marshal； and to give him his orders。 If he advanced upon the rear
of the English instead of following the Prussians all would be well。 The
fate of France depended upon my judgment and my nerve。 It was not the
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first time； my friends； as you are well aware； and you know the reasons
that I had to trust that neither nerve nor judgment would ever fail me。
Certainly； the Emperor had chosen the right man for his mission。 〃The
prince of messengers〃 he had called me。 I would earn my title。
It was clear that I could do nothing until the Prussians had passed； so I
spent my time in observing them。 I have no love for these people； but I
am compelled to say that they kept excellent discipline； for not a man of
them entered the inn； though their lips were caked with dust and they were
ready to drop with fatigue。 Those who had knocked at the door were
bearing an insensible comrade； and having left him they returned at once
to the ranks。 Several others were carried in in the same fashion and laid
in the kitchen； while a young surgeon； little more than a boy； remained
behind in charge of them。
Having observed them through the cracks in the floor； I next turned my
attention to the holes in the roof； from which I had an excellent view of all
that was passing outside。 The Prussian corps was still streaming past。
It was easy to see that they had made a terrible march and had little food；
for the faces of the men were ghastly； and they were plastered from head
to foot with mud from their falls upon the foul and slippery roads。 Yet；
spent as they were； their spirit was excellent； and they pushed and hauled
at the gun…carriages when the wheels sank up to the axles in the mire； and
the weary horses were floundering knee…deep unable to draw them
through。
The officers rode up and down the column encouraging the more
active with words of praise； and the laggards with blows from the flat of
their swords。 All the time from over the wood in front of them there
came the tremendous roar of the battle； as if all the rivers on earth had
united in one gigantic cataract； booming and crashing in a mighty fall。
Like the spray of the cataract was the long veil of smoke which rose high
over the trees。
The officers pointed to it with their swords； and with hoarse cries from
their parched lips the mud…stained men pushed onward to the battle。 For
an hour I watched them pass； and I reflected that their vanguard must have
come into touch with Marbot's vedettes and that the Emperor knew
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already of their coming。 〃You are going very fast up the road； my friends；
but you will come down it a great deal faster；〃 said I to myself； and I
consoled myself with the thought。
But an adventure came to break the monotony of this long wait。 I
was seated beside my loophole and congratulating myself that the corps
was nearly past； and that the road would soon be clear for my journey；
when suddenly I heard a loud altercation break out in French in the
kitchen。
〃You shall not go！〃 cried a woman's voice。
〃I tell you that I will！〃 said a man's； and there was a sound of scuffling。
In an instant I had my eye to the crack in the floor。
There was my stout lady； like a faithful watch…dog； at the bottom of the
ladder； while the young German surgeon； white with anger； was
endeavouring to come up i
