tartarin of tarascon-第11节

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To　say　that　Tartarin　traversed　this　grisly　place　without　any　emotion　would　be　putting　forth　falsehood。　　On　the　contrary；　he　was　much　affected；　and　the　stout　fellow　only　went　up　the　obscure　lanes；　where　his　corporation　took　up　all　the　width；　with　the　utmost　precaution；　his　eye　skinned；　and　his　finger　on　his　revolver　trigger；　in　the　same　manner　as　he　went　to　the　clubhouse　at　Tarascon。　　At　any　moment　he　expected　to　have　a　whole　gang　of　eunuchs　and　janissaries　drop　upon　his　back；　yet　the　longing　to　behold　that　dark　damsel　again　gave　him　a　giant's　strength　and　boldness。

For　a　full　week　the　undaunted　Tartarin　never　quitted　the　high　town。　Yes；　for　all　that　period　he　might　have　been　seen　cooling　his　heels　before　the　Turkish　bath…houses；　awaiting　the　hour　when　the　ladies　came　forth　in　troops；　shivering　and　still　redolent　of　soap　and　hot　water；　or　squatting　at　the　doorways　of　mosques；　puffing　and　melting　in　trying　to　get　out　of　his　big　boots　in　order　to　enter　the　temples。

Betimes　at　nightfall；　when　he　was　returning　heart…broken　at　not　having　discovered　anything　at　either　bagnio　or　mosque；　our　man　from　Tarascon；　in　passing　mansions；　would　hear　monotonous　songs；　smothered　twanging　of　guitars；　thumping　of　tambourines；　and　feminine　laughter…peals；　which　would　make　his　heart　beat。

〃Haply　she　is　there！〃　he　would　say　to　himself。

Thereupon；　granting　the　street　was　unpeopled；　he　would　go　up　to　one　of　these　dwellings；　lift　the　heavy　knocker　of　the　low　postern；　and　timidly　rap。　　The　songs　and　merriment　would　instantly　cease。　There　would　be　audible　behind　the　wall　nothing　excepting　low；　dull　flutterings　as　in　a　slumbering　aviary。

〃Let's　stick　to　it；　old　boy；〃　our　hero　would　think。　　〃Something　will　befall　us　yet。　〃

What　most　often　befell　him　was　the　contents　of　the　cold…water　jug　on　the　head；　or　else　peel　of　oranges　and　Barbary　figs；　never　anything　more　serious。

Well　might　the　lions　of　the　Atlas　Mountains　doze　in　peace。



IX。　Prince　Gregory　of　Montenegro。


IT　was　two　long　weeks　that　the　unfortunate　Tartarin　had　been　seeking　his　Algerian　flame；　and　most　likely　he　would　have　been　seeking　after　her　to　this　day　if　the　little　god　kind　to　lovers　had　not　come　to　his　help　under　the　shape　of　a　Montenegrin　nobleman。

It　happened　as　follows。

Every　Saturday　night　in　winter　there　is　a　masked　ball　at　the　Grand　Theatre　of　Algiers；　just　as　at　the　Paris　Opera…House。　　It　is　the　undying　and　ever…tasteless　county　fancy　dress　ball　　very　few　people　on　the　floor；　several　castaways　from　the　Parisian　students'　ballrooms　or　midnight　dance…houses；　Joins　of　Arc　following　the　army；　faded　characters　out　of　the　Java　costume…book　of　1840；　and　half…a…dozen　laundress's　underlings　who　are　aiming　to　make　loftier　conquests；　but　still　preserve　a　faint　perfume　of　their　former　life　　garlic　and　saffron　sauce。　　The　real　spectacle　is　not　there；　but　in　the　green…room；　transformed　for　the　nonce　into　a　hall　of　green　cloth　or　gaming　saloon。

An　enfevered　and　motley　mob　hustle　one　another　around　the　long　green　table…covers：　Turcos　out　for　the　day　and　staking　their　double　halfpence；　Moorish　traders　from　the　native　town；　Negroes；　Maltese；　colonists　from　the　inland；　who　have　come　forty　leagues　in　order　to　risk　on　a　turning　card　the　price　of　a　plough　or　of　a　yoke　of　oxen；　all　a…quivering；　pale；　clenching　their　teeth；　and　with　that　singular；　wavering；　sidelong　look　of　the　gamester；　become　a　squint　from　always　staring　at　the　same　card　in　the　lay…out。

A　little　apart　are　the　tribes　of　Algerian　Jews；　playing　among　acquaintances。　　The　men　are　in　the　Oriental　costume；　hideously　varied　with　blue　stockings　and　velvet　caps。　The　puffy　and　flabby　women　sit　up　stiffly　in　tight　golden　bodices。　Grouped　around　the　tables；　the　whole　tribe　wail；　squeal；　combine；　reckon　on　the　fingers；　and　play　but　little。　Now　and　anon；　however；　after　long　conferences；　some　old　patriarch；　with　a　beard　like　those　of　saints　by　the　Old　Masters；　detaches　himself　from　the　party　and　goes　to　risk　the　family　duro。　　As　long　as　the　game　lasted　there　would　be　a　scintillation　of　Hebraic　eyes　directed　on　the　board　　dreadful　black　diamonds；　which　made　the　gold　pieces　shiver；　and　ended　by　gently　attracting　them；　as　if　drawn　by　a　thread。　　Then　arose　wrangles；　quarrels；　battles；　oaths　of　every　land；　mad　outcries　in　all　tongues；　knives　flashing　out；　the　guard　marching　in；　and　the　money　disappearing。

It　was　into　the　thick　of　this　saturnalia　that　the　great　Tartarin　came　straying　one　evening　to　find　oblivion　and　heart's　ease。

He　was　roving　alone　through　the　gathering；　brooding　about　his　Moorish　beauty；　when　two　angered　voices　arose　suddenly　from　a　gaming…table　above　all　the　clamour　and　chink　of　coin。

〃I　tell　you；　M'sieu；　that　I　am　twenty　francs　short！〃

〃Stuff；　M'sieu！〃

〃Stuff　yourself；　M'sieu！〃

〃You　shall　learn　whom　you　are　addressing；　M'sieu！〃

〃I　am　dying　to　do　that；　M'sieu！〃

〃I　am　Prince　Gregory　of　Montenegro；　M'sieu。〃

Upon　this　title　Tartarin；　much　excited；　cleft　the　throng　and　placed　himself　in　the　foremost　rank；　proud　and　happy　to　find　his　prince　again；　the　Montenegrin　noble　of　such　politeness　whose　acquaintance　he　had　begun　on　board　of　the　mail　steamer。　Unfortunately　the　title　of　Highness；　which　had　so　dazzled　the　worthy　Tarasconian；　did　not　produce　the　slightest　impression　upon　the　Chasseurs　officer　with　whom　the　noble　had　his　dispute。

〃I　am　much　the　wiser！〃　observed　the　military　gentleman　sneeringly　；　and　turning　to　the　bystanders　he　added：　〃'Prince　Gregory　of　Montenegro'　　who　knows　any　such　a　person？　Nobody！〃

The　indignant　Tartarin　took　one　step　forward。

〃Allow　me。　　I　know　the　prance；〃　said　he；　in　a　very　firm　voice；　and　with　his　finest　Tarasconian　accent。

The　light　cavalry　officer　eyed　him　hard　for　a　moment；　and　then；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　returned：

〃Come；　that　is　good！　Just　you　two　share　the　twenty　francs　lacking　between　you；　and　let　us　talk　no　more　on　the　score。〃

Whereupon　he　turned　his　back　upon　them　and　mixed　with　the　crowd。　　The　stormy　Tartarin　was　going　to　rush　after　him；　but　the　prince　prevented　that。

〃Let　him　go。　　I　can　manage　my　own　affairs。〃

Taking　the　interventionist　by　the　arm；　he　drew　him　rapidly　out　of　doors。　　When　they　were　upon　the　square；　Prince　Gregory　of　Montenegro　lifted　his　hat　off；　extended　his　hand　to　our　hero；　and　as　he　but　dimly　remembered　his　name；　he　began　in　a　vibrating　voice：

〃Monsieur　Barbarin　　〃

〃Tartarin！〃　prompted　the　other；　timidly。

〃Tartarin；　Barbarin；　no　matter！　Between　us　henceforward　it　is　a　league　of　life　and　death！〃

The　Montenegrin　noble　shook　his　hand　with　fierce　energy。　You　may　infer　that　the　Tarasconian　was　proud。

〃Prance；　prance！〃　he　repeated　enthusiastically。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　subsequently　the　two　gentlemen　were　installed　in　the　Platanes　Restaurant；　an　agreeable　late　supper…house；　with　terraces　running　out　over　the　sea；　where；　before　a　hearty　Russian　salad；　seconded　by　a　nice　Crescia　wine；　they　renewed　the　friendship。

You　cannot　image　any　one　more　bewitching　than　this　Montenegrin　prince。　Slender；　fine；　with　crisp　hair　curled　by　the　tongs；　shaved　〃a　week　under〃　and　pumice…stoned　on　that；　bestarred　with　out…of…the…　way　decorations；　he　had　the　wily　eye；　the　fondling　gestures；　and　vaguely　the　accent　of　an　Italian；　which　gave　him　an　air　of　Cardinal　Mazarin　without　his　chin…tuft　and　moustaches。　　He　was　deeply　versed　in　the　Latin　tongues；　and　lugged　in　quotations　from　Tacitus；　Horace；　and　Caesar's　Commentaries　at　every　opening。

Of　an　old　noble　strain；　it　appeared　that　his　brothers　had　had　him　exiled　at　the　age　of　ten；　on　account　of　his　liberal　opinions；　since　which　time　he　had　roamed　the　world　for　pleasure　and　instruction　as　a　philosophical　noble。　A　singular　coincidence！　the　prince　had　spent　three　years　in　Tarascon；　and　as　Tartarin　showed　amazement　at　never　having　met　him　at　the　club　or　on　the　esplanade；　His　Highness　evasively　remarked　that　he　never　went　about。　Through　delicacy；　the　Tarasconian　did　not　dare　to　question　further。　All　great　existences　have　such　mysterious　nooks。

To　sum　up；　this　Signor　Gregory　was　a　very　genial　aristocrat。　Whilst　sipping　the　rosy　Crescia　juice　he　patiently　listened　to　Tartarin's　expatiating　on　his　lovely　Moor；　and　he　even　promised　to　find　her　speedily；　as　he　had　full　knowledge　of　the　native　ladies。

They　drank　hard　and　lengthily　in　toasts　to　〃The　ladies　of　Algiers〃　and　〃The　freedom　of　Montenegro！〃

Outside；　upon　the　terrace；　heaved　the　sea；　and　its　rollers　slapped　the　strand　in　the　darkness　with　much　the　sound　of　wet　sails　flapping。　The　air　was　warm；　and　the　sky　full　of　stars。

In　the　plane…trees　a　nightingale　was　piping。

It　was　Tartarin　who　paid　the　piper。



X。　〃Tell　me　your　father's　name；　and　I　will　tell　you　the　name　of　that　flower。〃


PRINCES　of　Montenegro　are　the　ones　to　find　the　love…bird。

On　the　morrow　early　after　this　evening　at　the　Platanes；　Prince　Gregory　was　in　the　Tarasconian's　bedroom。

〃Quick！　　Dress　yourself　quickly！　　Your　Moorish　beauty　is　found；　Her　name　is　Baya。　She's　scarce　twenty　　as　pretty　as　a　love；　and　already　a　widow。〃

〃A　widow！　What　a　slice　of　luck！〃　joyfully　exclaimed　Tartarin；　who　dreaded　Oriental　husbands。

〃Ay；　but　woefully　closely　guarded　by　her　brother。〃

〃Oh；　the　mischief！〃

〃A　savage　chap　who　vends　pipes