tartarin of tarascon-第17节
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Night fell。
The rosy tint of nature changed into violet； and then into dark blue。 A petty pool of clear water gleamed like a hand…glass over the river…pebbles； this was the watering…place of the wild animals。
On the other slope the whitish trail was dimly to be discerned which their heavy paws had traced in the brush a mysterious path which made one's flesh creep。 Join to this sensation that from the vague swarming sound in African forests； the swishing of branches； the velvety…pads of roving creatures； the jackal's shrill yelp； and up in the sky； two or three hundred feet aloft； vast flocks of cranes passing on with screams like poor little children having their weasands slit。 You will own that there were grounds for a man being moved。
Tartarin was so； and even more than that； for the poor fellow's teeth chattered； and on the cross…bar of his hunting…knife； planted upright in the bank； as we repeat； his rifle…barrel rattled like a pair of castanets。 Do not ask too much of a man！ There are times when one is not in the mood； and； moreover； where would be the merit if heroes were never afraid？
Well； yes； Tartarin was afraid； and all the time； too； for the matter of that。 Nevertheless； he held out for an hour； better； for two； but heroism has its limits。 Nigh him； in the dry part of the rivulet…bed； the Tarasconian unexpectedly heard the sound of steps and of pebbles rolling。 This time terror lifted him off the ground。 He banged away both barrels at haphazard into the night； and retreated as fast as his legs would carry him to the marabout's chapel…vault； leaving his knife standing up in the sand like a cross commemorative of the grandest panic that ever assailed the soul of a conqueror of hydras。
〃Help！ this Way； prance； the lion is on me！〃
There was silence。 〃Prance； prance； are you there？〃
The prince was not there。 On the white moonlit wall of the fane the camel alone cast the queer…shaped shadow of his protuberance。 Prince Gregory had cut and run with the wallet of bank…notes。 His Highness had been for the month past awaiting this opportunity。
VI。 Bagged him at Last。
IT was not until early on the morrow of this adventurous and dramatic eve that our hero awoke； and acquired assurance doubly sure that the prince and the treasure had really gone off； without any prospect of return。 When he saw himself alone in the little white tombhouse； betrayed； robbed； abandoned in the heart of savage Algeria； with a one…humped camel and some pocket…money as all his resources； then did the representative of Tarascon for the first time doubt。 He doubted Montenegro； friendship； glory； and even lions； and the great man blubbered bitterly。
Whilst he was pensively seated on the sill of the sanctuary； holding his head between his hands and his gun between his legs； with the camel mooning at him； the thicket over the way was divided； and the stupor…stricken Tartarin saw a gigantic lion appear not a dozen paces off。 It thrust out its high head and emitted powerful roars； which made the temple walls shake beneath their votive decorations； and even the saint's slippers dance in their niche。
The Tarasconian alone did not tremble。
〃At last you've come！〃 he shouted； jumping up and levelling the rifle。
Bang； bang！ went a brace of shells into its head。
It was done。 For a minute； on the fiery background of the Afric sky； there was a dreadful firework display of scattered brains； smoking blood； and tawny hair。 When all fell； Tartarin perceived two colossal Negroes furiously running towards him； brandishing cudgels。 They were his two Negro acquaintances of Milianah！
Oh； misery！
This was the domesticated lion； the poor blind beggar of the Mohammed Monastery； whom the Tarasconian's bullets had knocked over。
This time； spite of Mahound； Tartarin escaped neatly。 Drunk with fanatical fury； the two African collectors would have surely beaten him to pulp had not the god of chase and war sent him a delivering angel in the shape of the rural constable of the Orleansville commune。 By a bypath this garde champetre came up； his sword tucked under his arm。
The sight of the municipal cap suddenly calmed the Negroes' choler。 Peaceful and majestic； the officer with the brass badge drew up a report on the affair； ordered the camel to be loaded with what remained of the king of beasts； and the plaintiffs as well as the delinquent to follow him； proceeding to Orleansville； where all was deposited with the law…courts receiver。
There issued a long and alarming case！
After the Algeria of the native tribes which he had overrun； Tartarin of Tarascon became thence acquainted with another Algeria； not less weird and to be dreaded the Algeria in the towns； surcharged with lawyers and their papers。 He got to know the pettifogger who does business at the back of a cafe the legal Bohemian with documents reeking of wormwood bitters and white neckcloths spotted with champoreau； the ushers； the attorneys； all the locusts of stamped paper； meagre and famished； who eat up the colonist body and boots ay； to the very straps of them； and leave him peeled to the core like an Indian cornstalk； stripped leaf by leaf。
Before all else it was necessary to ascertain whether the lion had been killed on the civil or the military territory。 In the former case the matter regarded the Tribunal of Commerce； in the second； Tartarin would be dealt with by the Council of War： and at the mere name the impressionable Tarasconian saw himself shot at the foot of the ramparts or huddled up in a casemate…silo。
The puzzle lay in the limitation of the two territories being very hazy in Algeria。
At length； after a month's running about； entanglements； and waiting under the sun in the yards of Arab Departmental offices； it was established that； whereas the lion had been killed on the military territory； on the other hand Tartarin was in the civil territory when he shot。 So the case was decided in the civil courts； and our hero was let off on paying two thousand five hundred francs damages； costs not included。
How could he pay such a sum？
The few piashtres escaped from the prince's sweep had long since gone in legal documents and judicial libations。 The unfortunate lion…destroyer was therefore reduced to selling the store of guns by retail； rifle by rifle； so went the daggers； the Malay kreeses； and the life…preservers。 A grocer purchased the preserved aliments； an apothecary what remained of the medicaments。 The big boots themselves walked off after the improved tent to a dealer of curiosities； who elevated them to the dignity of 〃rarities from Cochin…China。〃
When everything was paid up； only the lion's skin and the camel remained to Tartarin。 The hide he had carefully packed； to be sent to Tarascon to the address of brave Commandant Bravida； and； later on； we shall see what came of this fabulous trophy。 As for the camel； he reckoned on making use of him to get back to Algiers； not by riding on him； but by selling him to pay his coach…fare the best way to employ a camel in travelling。 Unhappily the beast was difficult to place； and no one would offer a copper for him。
Still Tartarin wanted to regain Algiers by hook or crook。 He was in haste again to behold Baya's blue bodice； his little snuggery and his fountains； as well as to repose on the white trefoils of his little cloister whilst awaiting money from France。 So our hero did not hesitate； distressed but not downcast； he undertook to make the journey afoot and penniless by short stages。
In this enterprise the camel did not cast him off。 The strange animal had taken an unaccountable fancy for his master； and on seeing him leave Orleansville； he set to striding steadfastly behind him； regulating his pace by this； and never quitting him by a yard。
At the first outset Tartarin found this touching； such fidelity and devotion above proof went to his heart； all the more because the creature was accommodating； and fed himself on nothing。 Nevertheless； after a few days； the Tarasconian was worried by having this glum companion perpetually at his heels； to remind him of his misadventures。 Ire arising； he hated him for his sad aspect； hump and gait of a goose in harness。 To tell the whole truth； he held him as his Old Man of the Sea； and only pondered on how to shake him off； but the follower would not be shaken off。 Tartarin attempted to lose him； but the camel always found him； he tried to outrun him； but the camel ran faster。 He bade him begone； and hurled stones at him。 The camel stopped with a mournful mien； but in a minute resumed the pursuit； and always ended by overtaking him。 Tartarin had to resign himself。
For all that； when； after eight full days of tramping； the dusty and harassed Tarasconian espied the first white housetops of Algiers glimmer from afar in the verdure； and when he got to the city gates on the noisy Mustapha Avenue； amid the Zouaves； Biskris； and Mahonnais； all swarming around him and staring at him trudging by with his camel； overtasked patience escaped him。
〃No！ no！〃 he growled； 〃it is not likely！ I cannot enter Algiers with such an animal！〃
Profiting by a jam of vehicles； he turned off into the fields and jumped into a ditch
