lay morals-第44节

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'Surely　not；'　said　Mr。　Archer。

Oglethorpe　lay　in　a　low　bed；　one　of　several　in　a　long　garret　　of　the　inn。　　The　rain　soaked　in　places　through　the　roof　and　　fell　in　minute　drops；　there　was　but　one　small　window；　the　　beds　were　occupied　by　servants；　the　air　of　the　garret　was　　both　close　and　chilly。　　Mr。　Archer's　heart　sank　at　the　　threshold　to　see　a　man　lying　perhaps　mortally　hurt　in　so　poor　　a　sick…room；　and　as　he　drew　near　the　low　bed　he　took　his　hat　　off。　　The　guard　was　a　big；　blowsy；　innocent…looking　soul　with　　a　thick　lip　and　a　broad　nose；　comically　turned　up；　his　cheeks　　were　crimson；　and　when　Mr。　Archer　laid　a　finger　on　his　brow　　he　found　him　burning　with　fever。

'I　fear　you　suffer　much；'　he　said；　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　　as　he　sat　down　on　the　bedside。

'I　suppose　I　do；　sir；'　returned　Oglethorpe；　'it　is　main　　sore。'

'I　am　used　to　wounds　and　wounded　men；'　returned　the　visitor。　　　'I　have　been　in　the　wars　and　nursed　brave　fellows　before　now；　　and；　if　you　will　suffer　me；　I　propose　to　stay　beside　you　till　　the　doctor　comes。'

'It　is　very　good　of　you；　sir；　I　am　sure；'　said　Oglethorpe。　　　'The　trouble　is　they　won't　none　of　them　let　me　drink。'

'If　you　will　not　tell　the　doctor；'　said　Mr。　Archer；　'I　will　　give　you　some　water。　　They　say　it　is　bad　for　a　green　wound；　　but　in　the　Low　Countries　we　all　drank　water　when　we　found　the　　chance；　and　I　could　never　perceive　we　were　the　worse　for　it。'

'Been　wounded　yourself；　sir；　perhaps？'　called　Oglethorpe。

'Twice；'　said　Mr。　Archer；　'and　was　as　proud　of　these　hurts　as　　any　lady　of　her　bracelets。　　'Tis　a　fine　thing　to　smart　for　　one's　duty；　even　in　the　pangs　of　it　there　is　contentment。'

'Ah；　well！'　replied　the　guard；　'if　you've　been　shot　yourself；　　that　explains。　　But　as　for　contentment；　why；　sir；　you　see；　it　　smarts；　as　you　say。　　And　then；　I　have　a　good　wife；　you　see；　　and　a　bit　of　a　brat　…　a　little　thing；　so　high。'

'Don't　move；'　said　Mr。　Archer。

'No；　sir；　I　will　not；　and　thank　you　kindly；'　said　Oglethorpe。　　　'At　York　they　are。　　A　very　good　lass　is　my　wife　…　far　too　　good　for　me。　　And　the　little　rascal　…　well；　I　don't　know　how　　to　say　it；　but　he　sort　of　comes　round　you。　　If　I　were　to　go；　　sir；　it　would　be　hard　on　my　poor　girl　…　main　hard　on　her！'

'Ay；　you　must　feel　bitter　hardly　to　the　rogue　that　laid　you　　here；'　said　Archer。

'Why；　no；　sir；　more　against　Engleton　and　the　passengers；'　　replied　the　guard。　　'He　played　his　hand；　if　you　come　to　look　　at　it；　and　I　wish　he　had　shot　worse；　or　me　better。　　And　yet　　I'll　go　to　my　grave　but　what　I　covered　him；'　he　cried。　　'It　　looks　like　witchcraft。　　I'll　go　to　my　grave　but　what　he　was　　drove　full　of　slugs　like　a　pepper…box。'

'Quietly；'　said　Mr。　Archer；　'you　must　not　excite　yourself。　　　These　deceptions　are　very　usual　in　war；　the　eye；　in　the　　moment　of　alert；　is　hardly　to　be　trusted；　and　when　the　smoke　　blows　away　you　see　the　man　you　fired　at；　taking　aim；　it　may　　be；　at　yourself。　　You　should　observe；　too；　that　you　were　in　　the　dark　night；　and　somewhat　dazzled　by　the　lamps；　and　that　　the　sudden　stopping　of　the　mail　had　jolted　you。　　In　such　　circumstances　a　man　may　miss；　ay；　even　with　a　blunder…buss；　　and　no　blame　attach　to　his　marksmanship。'　。　。　。



THE　YOUNG　CHEVALIER　PROLOGUE　…　THE　WINE…SELLER'S　WIFE



THERE　was　a　wine…seller's　shop；　as　you　went　down　to　the　river　　in　the　city　of　the　Anti…popes。　　There　a　man　was　served　with　　good　wine　of　the　country　and　plain　country　fare；　and　the　　place　being　clean　and　quiet；　with　a　prospect　on　the　river；　　certain　gentlemen　who　dwelt　in　that　city　in　attendance　on　a　　great　personage　made　it　a　practice　（when　they　had　any　silver　　in　their　purses）　to　come　and　eat　there　and　be　private。

They　called　the　wine…seller　Paradou。　　He　was　built　more　like　　a　bullock　than　a　man；　huge　in　bone　and　brawn；　high　in　colour；　　and　with　a　hand　like　a　baby　for　size。　　Marie…Madeleine　was　　the　name　of　his　wife；　she　was　of　Marseilles；　a　city　of　　entrancing　women；　nor　was　any　fairer　than　herself。　　She　was　　tall；　being　almost　of　a　height　with　Paradou；　full…girdled；　　point…device　in　every　form；　with　an　exquisite　delicacy　in　the　　face；　her　nose　and　nostrils　a　delight　to　look　at　from　the　　fineness　of　the　sculpture；　her　eyes　inclined　a　hair's…breadth　　inward；　her　colour　between　dark　and　fair；　and　laid　on　even　　like　a　flower's。　　A　faint　rose　dwelt　in　it；　as　though　she　had　　been　found　unawares　bathing；　and　had　blushed　from　head　to　　foot。　　She　was　of　a　grave　countenance；　rarely　smiling；　yet　it　　seemed　to　be　written　upon　every　part　of　her　that　she　rejoiced　　in　life。　　Her　husband　loved　the　heels　of　her　feet　and　the　　knuckles　of　her　fingers；　he　loved　her　like　a　glutton　and　a　　brute；　his　love　hung　about　her　like　an　atmosphere；　one　that　　came　by　chance　into　the　wine…shop　was　aware　of　that　passion；　　and　it　might　be　said　that　by　the　strength　of　it　the　woman　had　　been　drugged　or　spell…bound。　　She　knew　not　if　she　loved　or　　loathed　him；　he　was　always　in　her　eyes　like　something　　monstrous　…　monstrous　in　his　love；　monstrous　in　his　person；　　horrific　but　imposing　in　his　violence；　and　her　sentiment　　swung　back　and　forward　from　desire　to　sickness。　　But　the　　mean；　where　it　dwelt　chiefly；　was　an　apathetic　fascination；　　partly　of　horror；　as　of　Europa　in　mid　ocean　with　her　bull。

On　the　10th　November　1749　there　sat　two　of　the　foreign　　gentlemen　in　the　wine…seller's　shop。　　They　were　both　handsome　　men　of　a　good　presence；　richly　dressed。　　The　first　was　　swarthy　and　long　and　lean；　with　an　alert；　black　look；　and　a　　mole　upon　his　cheek。　　The　other　was　more　fair。　　He　seemed　　very　easy　and　sedate；　and　a　little　melancholy　for　so　young　a　　man；　but　his　smile　was　charming。　　In　his　grey　eyes　there　was　　much　abstraction；　as　of　one　recalling　fondly　that　which　was　　past　and　lost。　　Yet　there　was　strength　and　swiftness　in　his　　limbs；　and　his　mouth　set　straight　across　his　face；　the　under　　lip　a　thought　upon　side；　like　that　of　a　man　accustomed　to　　resolve。　　These　two　talked　together　in　a　rude　outlandish　　speech　that　no　frequenter　of　that　wine…shop　understood。　　The　　swarthy　man　answered　to　the　name　of　BALLANTRAE；　he　of　the　　dreamy　eyes　was　sometimes　called　BALMILE；　and　sometimes　MY　　LORD；　or　MY　LORD　GLADSMUIR；　but　when　the　title　was　given　him；　　he　seemed　to　put　it　by　as　if　in　jesting；　not　without　　bitterness。

The　mistral　blew　in　the　city。　　The　first　day　of　that　wind；　　they　say　in　the　countries　where　its　voice　is　heard；　it　blows　　away　all　the　dust；　the　second　all　the　stones；　and　the　third　　it　blows　back　others　from　the　mountains。　　It　was　now　come　to　　the　third　day；　outside　the　pebbles　flew　like　hail；　and　the　　face　of　the　river　was　puckered；　and　the　very　building…stones　　in　the　walls　of　houses　seemed　to　be　curdled　with　the　savage　　cold　and　fury　of　that　continuous　blast。　　It　could　be　heard　to　　hoot　in　all　the　chimneys　of　the　city；　it　swept　about　the　　wine…shop；　filling　the　room　with　eddies；　the　chill　and　gritty　　touch　of　it　passed　between　the　nearest　clothes　and　the　bare　　flesh；　and　the　two　gentlemen　at　the　far　table　kept　their　　mantles　loose　about　their　shoulders。　　The　roughness　of　these　　outer　hulls；　for　they　were　plain　travellers'　cloaks　that　had　　seen　service；　set　the　greater　mark　of　richness　on　what　showed　　below　of　their　laced　clothes；　for　the　one　was　in　scarlet　and　　the　other　in　violet　and　white；　like　men　come　from　a　scene　of　　ceremony；　as　indeed　they　were。

It　chanced　that　these　fine　clothes　were　not　without　their　　influence　on　the　scene　which　followed；　and　which　makes　the　　prologue　of　our　tale。　　For　a　long　time　Balmile　was　in　the　　habit　to　come　to　the　wine…shop　and　eat　a　meal　or　drink　a　　measure　of　wine；　sometimes　with　a　comrade；　more　often　alone；　　when　he　would　sit　and　dream　and　drum　upon　the　table；　and　the　　thoughts　would　show　in　the　man's　face　in　little　glooms　and　　lightenings；　like　the　sun　and　the　clouds　upon　a　water。　　For　a　　long　time　Marie…Madeleine　had　observed　him　apart。　　His　　sadness；　the　beauty　of　his　smile　when　by　any　chance　he　　remembered　her　existence　and　addressed　her；　the　changes　of　　his　mind　signalled　forth　by　an　abstruse　play　of　feature；　the　　mere　fact　that　he　was　foreign　and　a　thing　detached　from　the　　local　and　the　accustomed；　insensibly　attracted　and　affected　　her。　　Kindness　was　ready　in　her　mind；　it　but　lacked　the　touch　　of　an　occasion　to　effervesce　and　crystallise。　　Now　Balmile　　had　come　hitherto　in　a　very　poor　plain　habit；　and　this　day　of　　the　mistral；　when　his　mantle　was　just　open；　and　she　saw　　beneath　it　the　glancing　of　the　violet　and　the　velvet　and　the　　silver；　and　the　clustering　fineness　of　the　lace；　it　seemed　to　　set　the　man　in　a　new　light；　with　which　he　shone　resplendent　　to　her　fancy。

The　high　inhuman　note　of　the　wind；　the　violence　and　　continuity　of　its　outpouring；　and　the　fierce　touch　of　it　upon　　man's　whole　periphery；　accelerated　the　functions　of　the　mind。　　　It　set　thoughts　whirling；　as　it　whirled　the　trees　of　the　　forest；　it　stirred　them　up　in　flights；　as　it　stirred　up　the　　dust　in　chambers。　　As　brief　as　sparks；　the　fancies　glittered　　and　succeeded　each　other　in　the　mind　of　Marie…Madeleine；　and　　the　grave　man　with　the　smile；　and　the　bright　clothes　under　　the　plain　mantle；　haunted　her　with　incongruous　explanations。　　　She　considered　him；　the　unknown；　the　speaker　of　an　unknown　　tongue；　the　hero　（as　she　placed　him）