the seven poor travellers-第5节

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And　down　to　that　hour　the　picture　in　his　mind　of　the　French　officer

had　never　been　compared　with　the　reality。



The　famous　regiment　was　in　action　early　in　the　battle；　and　received

its　first　check　in　many　an　eventful　year；　when　he　was　seen　to　fall。

But　it　swept　on　to　avenge　him；　and　left　behind　it　no　such　creature

in　the　world　of　consciousness　as　Lieutenant　Richard　Doubledick。



Through　pits　of　mire；　and　pools　of　rain；　along　deep　ditches；　once

roads；　that　were　pounded　and　ploughed　to　pieces　by　artillery；　heavy

waggons；　tramp　of　men　and　horses；　and　the　struggle　of　every　wheeled

thing　that　could　carry　wounded　soldiers；　jolted　among　the　dying　and

the　dead；　so　disfigured　by　blood　and　mud　as　to　be　hardly

recognisable　for　humanity；　undisturbed　by　the　moaning　of　men　and　the

shrieking　of　horses；　which；　newly　taken　from　the　peaceful　pursuits

of　life；　could　not　endure　the　sight　of　the　stragglers　lying　by　the

wayside；　never　to　resume　their　toilsome　journey；　dead；　as　to　any

sentient　life　that　was　in　it；　and　yet　alive；the　form　that　had　been

Lieutenant　Richard　Doubledick；　with　whose　praises　England　rang；　was

conveyed　to　Brussels。　　There　it　was　tenderly　laid　down　in　hospital；

and　there　it　lay；　week　after　week；　through　the　long　bright　summer

days；　until　the　harvest；　spared　by　war；　had　ripened　and　was　gathered

in。



Over　and　over　again　the　sun　rose　and　set　upon　the　crowded　city；　over

and　over　again　the　moonlight　nights　were　quiet　on　the　plains　of

Waterloo：　　and　all　that　time　was　a　blank　to　what　had　been　Lieutenant

Richard　Doubledick。　　Rejoicing　troops　marched　into　Brussels；　and

marched　out；　brothers　and　fathers；　sisters；　mothers；　and　wives；　came

thronging　thither；　drew　their　lots　of　joy　or　agony；　and　departed；　so

many　times　a　day　the　bells　rang；　so　many　times　the　shadows　of　the

great　buildings　changed；　so　many　lights　sprang　up　at　dusk；　so　many

feet　passed　here　and　there　upon　the　pavements；　so　many　hours　of

sleep　and　cooler　air　of　night　succeeded：　　indifferent　to　all；　a

marble　face　lay　on　a　bed；　like　the　face　of　a　recumbent　statue　on　the

tomb　of　Lieutenant　Richard　Doubledick。



Slowly　labouring；　at　last；　through　a　long　heavy　dream　of　confused

time　and　place；　presenting　faint　glimpses　of　army　surgeons　whom　he

knew；　and　of　faces　that　had　been　familiar　to　his　youth；dearest　and

kindest　among　them；　Mary　Marshall's；　with　a　solicitude　upon　it　more

like　reality　than　anything　he　could　discern；Lieutenant　Richard

Doubledick　came　back　to　life。　　To　the　beautiful　life　of　a　calm

autumn　evening　sunset；　to　the　peaceful　life　of　a　fresh　quiet　room

with　a　large　window　standing　open；　a　balcony　beyond；　in　which　were

moving　leaves　and　sweet…smelling　flowers；　beyond；　again；　the　clear

sky；　with　the　sun　full　in　his　sight；　pouring　its　golden　radiance　on

his　bed。



It　was　so　tranquil　and　so　lovely　that　he　thought　he　had　passed　into

another　world。　　And　he　said　in　a　faint　voice；　〃Taunton；　are　you　near

me？〃



A　face　bent　over　him。　　Not　his；　his　mother's。



〃I　came　to　nurse　you。　　We　have　nursed　you　many　weeks。　　You　were

moved　here　long　ago。　　Do　you　remember　nothing？〃



〃Nothing。〃



The　lady　kissed　his　cheek；　and　held　his　hand；　soothing　him。



〃Where　is　the　regiment？　　What　has　happened？　　Let　me　call　you　mother。

What　has　happened；　mother？〃



〃A　great　victory；　dear。　　The　war　is　over；　and　the　regiment　was　the

bravest　in　the　field。〃



His　eyes　kindled；　his　lips　trembled；　he　sobbed；　and　the　tears　ran

down　his　face。　　He　was　very　weak；　too　weak　to　move　his　hand。



〃Was　it　dark　just　now？〃　he　asked　presently。



〃No。〃



〃It　was　only　dark　to　me？　　Something　passed　away；　like　a　black

shadow。　　But　as　it　went；　and　the　sunO　the　blessed　sun；　how

beautiful　it　is！touched　my　face；　I　thought　I　saw　a　light　white

cloud　pass　out　at　the　door。　　Was　there　nothing　that　went　out？〃



She　shook　her　head；　and　in　a　little　while　he　fell　asleep；　she　still

holding　his　hand；　and　soothing　him。



From　that　time；　he　recovered。　　Slowly；　for　he　had　been　desperately

wounded　in　the　head；　and　had　been　shot　in　the　body；　but　making　some

little　advance　every　day。　　When　he　had　gained　sufficient　strength　to

converse　as　he　lay　in　bed；　he　soon　began　to　remark　that　Mrs。　Taunton

always　brought　him　back　to　his　own　history。　　Then　he　recalled　his

preserver's　dying　words；　and　thought；　〃It　comforts　her。〃



One　day　he　awoke　out　of　a　sleep；　refreshed；　and　asked　her　to　read　to

him。　　But　the　curtain　of　the　bed；　softening　the　light；　which　she

always　drew　back　when　he　awoke；　that　she　might　see　him　from　her

table　at　the　bedside　where　she　sat　at　work；　was　held　undrawn；　and　a

woman's　voice　spoke；　which　was　not　hers。



〃Can　you　bear　to　see　a　stranger？〃　it　said　softly。　　〃Will　you　like　to

see　a　stranger？〃



〃Stranger！〃　he　repeated。　　The　voice　awoke　old　memories；　before　the

days　of　Private　Richard　Doubledick。



〃A　stranger　now；　but　not　a　stranger　once；〃　it　said　in　tones　that

thrilled　him。　　〃Richard；　dear　Richard；　lost　through　so　many　years；

my　name〃



He　cried　out　her　name；　〃Mary；〃　and　she　held　him　in　her　arms；　and　his

head　lay　on　her　bosom。



〃I　am　not　breaking　a　rash　vow；　Richard。　　These　are　not　Mary

Marshall's　lips　that　speak。　　I　have　another　name。〃



She　was　married。



〃I　have　another　name；　Richard。　　Did　you　ever　hear　it？〃



〃Never！〃



He　looked　into　her　face；　so　pensively　beautiful；　and　wondered　at　the

smile　upon　it　through　her　tears。



〃Think　again；　Richard。　　Are　you　sure　you　never　heard　my　altered

name？〃



〃Never！〃



〃Don't　move　your　head　to　look　at　me；　dear　Richard。　　Let　it　lie　here；

while　I　tell　my　story。　　I　loved　a　generous；　noble　man；　loved　him

with　my　whole　heart；　loved　him　for　years　and　years；　loved　him

faithfully；　devotedly；　loved　him　without　hope　of　return；　loved　him；

knowing　nothing　of　his　highest　qualitiesnot　even　knowing　that　he

was　alive。　　He　was　a　brave　soldier。　　He　was　honoured　and　beloved　by

thousands　of　thousands；　when　the　mother　of　his　dear　friend　found　me；

and　showed　me　that　in　all　his　triumphs　he　had　never　forgotten　me。

He　was　wounded　in　a　great　battle。　　He　was　brought；　dying；　here；　into

Brussels。　　I　came　to　watch　and　tend　him；　as　I　would　have　joyfully

gone；　with　such　a　purpose；　to　the　dreariest　ends　of　the　earth。　　When

he　knew　no　one　else；　he　knew　me。　　When　he　suffered　most；　he　bore　his

sufferings　barely　murmuring；　content　to　rest　his　head　where　your

rests　now。　　When　he　lay　at　the　point　of　death；　he　married　me；　that

he　might　call　me　Wife　before　he　died。　　And　the　name；　my　dear　love；

that　I　took　on　that　forgotten　night〃



〃I　know　it　now！〃　he　sobbed。　　〃The　shadowy　remembrance　strengthens。

It　is　come　back。　　I　thank　Heaven　that　my　mind　is　quite　restored！　　My

Mary；　kiss　me；　lull　this　weary　head　to　rest；　or　I　shall　die　of

gratitude。　　His　parting　words　were　fulfilled。　　I　see　Home　again！〃



Well！　　They　were　happy。　　It　was　a　long　recovery；　but　they　were　happy

through　it　all。　　The　snow　had　melted　on　the　ground；　and　the　birds

were　singing　in　the　leafless　thickets　of　the　early　spring；　when

those　three　were　first　able　to　ride　out　together；　and　when　people

flocked　about　the　open　carriage　to　cheer　and　congratulate　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。



But　even　then　it　became　necessary　for　the　Captain；　instead　of

returning　to　England；　to　complete　his　recovery　in　the　climate　of

Southern　France。　　They　found　a　spot　upon　the　Rhone；　within　a　ride　of

the　old　town　of　Avignon；　and　within　view　of　its　broken　bridge；　which

was　all　they　could　desire；　they　lived　there；　together；　six　months；

then　returned　to　England。　　Mrs。　Taunton；　growing　old　after　three

yearsthough　not　so　old　as　that　her　bright；　dark　eyes　were　dimmed

and　remembering　that　her　strength　had　been　benefited　by　the　change

resolved　to　go　back　for　a　year　to　those　parts。　　So　she　went　with　a

faithful　servant；　who　had　often　carried　her　son　in　his　arms；　and　she

was　to　be　rejoined　and　escorted　home；　at　the　year's　end；　by　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。



She　wrote　regularly　to　her　children　（as　she　called　them　now）；　and

they　to　her。　　She　went　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Aix；　and　there；　in

their　own　chateau　near　the　farmer's　house　she　rented；　she　grew　into

intimacy　with　a　family　belonging　to　that　part　of　France。　　The

intimacy　began　in　her　often　meeting　among　the　vineyards　a　pretty

child；　a　girl　with　a　most　compassionate　heart；　who　was　never　tired

of　listening　to　the　solitary　English　lady's　stories　of　her　poor　son

and　the　cruel　wars。　　The　family　were　as　gentle　as　the　child；　and　at

length　she　came　to　know　them　so　well　that　she　accepted　their

invitation　to　pass　the　last　month　of　her　residence　abroad　under

their　roof。　　All　this　intelligence　she　wrote　home；　piecemeal　as　it

came　about；　from　time　to　time；　and　at　last　enclosed　a　polite　note；

from　the　head　of　the　chateau；　soliciting；　on　the　occasion　of　his

approaching　mission　to　that　neighbourhood；　the　honour　of　the　company

of　cet　homme　si　justement　celebre；　Monsieur　le　Capitaine