some reminiscences-第16节
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together left in the whole house。 They broke some very fine
mirrors； all the windows and every piece of glass and china。
They threw the books and papers out on the lawn and set fire to
the heap for the mere fun of the thing apparently。 Absolutely
the only one solitary thing which they left whole was a small
ivory crucifix； which remained hanging on the wall in the wrecked
bedroom above a wild heap of rags； broken mahogany and splintered
boards which had been Mr。 Nicholas B。's bedstead。 Detecting the
servant in the act of stealing away with a japanned tin box； they
tore it from him； and because he resisted they threw him out of
the dining…room window。 The house was on one floor but raised
well above the ground； and the fall was so serious that the man
remained lying stunned till the cook and a stable…boy ventured
forth at dusk from their hiding…places and picked him up。 By
that time the mob had departed carrying off the tin box； which
they supposed to be full of paper money。 Some distance from the
house in the middle of a field they broke it open。 They found
inside documents engrossed on parchment and the two crosses of
the Legion of Honour and For Valour。 At the sight of these
objects； which； the blacksmith explained； were marks of honour
given only by the Tsar； they became extremely frightened at what
they had done。 They threw the whole lot away into a ditch and
dispersed hastily。
On learning of this particular loss Mr。 Nicholas B。 broke down
completely。 The mere sacking of his house did not seem to affect
him much。 While he was still in bed from the shock the two
crosses were found and returned to him。 It helped somewhat his
slow convalescence； but the tin box and the parchments； though
searched for in all the ditches around； never turned up again。
He could not get over the loss of his Legion of Honour Patent；
whose preamble； setting forth his services； he knew by heart to
the very letter； and after this blow volunteered sometimes to
recite； tears standing in his eyes the while。 Its terms haunted
him apparently during the last two years of his life to such an
extent that he used to repeat them to himself。 This is confirmed
by the remark made more than once by his old servant to the more
intimate friends。 〃What makes my heart heavy is to hear our
master in his room at night walking up and down and praying aloud
in the French language。〃
It must have been somewhat over a year afterwards that I saw Mr。
Nicholas B。； or； more correctly； that he saw me； for the last
time。 It was； as I have already said； at the time when my mother
had a three months' leave from exile； which she was spending in
the house of her brother； and friends and relations were coming
from far and near to do her honour。 It is inconceivable that Mr。
Nicholas B。 should not have been of the number。 The little child
a few months old he had taken up in his arms on the day of his
home…coming after years of war and exile was confessing her faith
in national salvation by suffering exile in her turn。 I do not
know whether he was present on the very day of our departure。 I
have already admitted that for me he is more especially the man
who in his youth had eaten roast dog in the depths of a gloomy
forest of snow…loaded pines。 My memory cannot place him in any
remembered scene。 A hooked nose； some sleek white hair； an
unrelated evanescent impression of a meagre； slight； rigid figure
militarily buttoned up to the throat； is all that now exists on
earth of Mr。 Nicholas B。； only this vague shadow pursued by the
memory of his grand…nephew； the last surviving human being； I
suppose； of all those he had seen in the course of his taciturn
life。
But I remember well the day of our departure back to exile。 The
elongated； bizarre； shabby travelling…carriage with four post…
horses； standing before the long front of the house with its
eight columns； four on each side of the broad flight of stairs。
On the steps； groups of servants； a few relations； one or two
friends from the nearest neighbourhood； a perfect silence； on all
the faces an air of sober concentration； my grandmother all in
black gazing stoically； my uncle giving his arm to my mother down
to the carriage in which I had been placed already； at the top of
the flight my little cousin in a short skirt of a tartan pattern
with a deal of red in it； and like a small princess attended by
the women of her own household： the head gourvernante； our dear；
corpulent Francesca （who had been for thirty years in the service
of the B。 family）； the former nurse； now outdoor attendant； a
handsome peasant face wearing a compassionate expression； and the
good； ugly Mlle。 Durand； the governess； with her black eyebrows
meeting over a short thick nose and a complexion like pale brown
paper。 Of all the eyes turned towards the carriage； her good…
natured eyes only were dropping tears； and it was her sobbing
voice alone that broke the silence with an appeal to me：
〃N'oublie pas ton francais； mon cheri。〃 In three months； simply
by playing with us； she had taught me not only to speak French
but to read it as well。 She was indeed an excellent playmate。
In the distance； half way down to the great gates； a light； open
trap； harnessed with three horses in Russian fashion； stood drawn
up on one side with the police…captain of the district sitting in
it； the vizor of his flat cap with a red band pulled down over
his eyes。
It seems strange that he should have been there to watch our
going so carefully。 Without wishing to treat with levity the
just timidities of Imperialists all the world over； I may allow
myself the reflection that a woman； practically condemned by the
doctors； and a small boy not quite six years old could not be
regarded as seriously dangerous even for the largest of
conceivable empires saddled with the most sacred of
responsibilities。 And this good man； I believe； did not think so
either。
I learned afterwards why he was present on that day。 I don't
remember any outward signs； but it seems that； about a month
before； my mother became so unwell that there was a doubt whether
she could be made fit to travel in the time。 In this uncertainty
the Governor…General in Kiev was petitioned to grant her a
fortnight's extension of stay in her brother's house。 No answer
whatever was returned to this prayer； but one day at dusk the
police…captain of the district drove up to the house and told my
uncle's valet； who ran out to meet him； that he wanted to speak
with the master in private； at once。 Very much impressed （he
thought it was going to be an arrest） the servant； 〃more dead
than alive with fright；〃 as he related afterwards； smuggled him
through the big drawing…room； which was dark （that room was not
lighted every evening）； on tiptoe； so as not to attract the
attention of the ladies in the house； and led him by way of the
orangery to my uncle's private apartments。
The policeman； without any preliminaries； thrust a paper into my
uncle's hands。
〃There。 Pray read this。 I have no business to show this paper
to you。 It is wrong of me。 But I can't either eat or sleep with
such a job hanging over me。〃
That police…captain； a native of Great Russia； had been for many
years serving in the district。
My uncle unfolded and read the document。 It was a service order
issued from the Governor…General's secretariat； dealing with the
matter of the petition and directing the police…captain to
disregard all remonstrances and explanations in regard to that
illness either from medical men or others； 〃and if she has not
left her brother's house〃it went on to say〃on the morning of
the day specified on her permit； you are to despatch her at once
under escort； direct〃 （underlined） 〃to the prison…hospital in
Kiev； where she will be treated as her case demands。〃
〃For God's sake； Mr。 B。； see that your sister goes away
punctually on that day。 Don't give me this work to do with a
womanand with one of your family too。 I simply cannot bear to
think of it。〃
He was absolutely wringing his hands。 My uncle looked at him in
silence。
〃Thank you for this warning。 I assure you that even if she were
dying she would be carried out to the carriage。〃
〃Yesindeedand what difference would it maketravel to Kiev
or b
