tartarin of tarascon-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　wrangling。　　This　was　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　delivering　judgement　　Nimrod　plus　Solomon。



III。　〃Naw；　naw；　naw！''　　The　general　glance　protracted　upon　the　good　town。


AFTER　the　craze　for　sporting；　the　lusty　Tarascon　race　cherishes　one　love：　ballad…singing。　　There's　no　believing　what　a　quantity　of　ballads　is　used　up　in　that　little　region。　　All　the　sentimental　stuff　turning　into　sere　and　yellow　leaves　in　the　oldest　portfolios；　are　to　be　found　in　full　pristine　lustre　in　Tarascon。　　Ay；　the　entire　collection。　Every　family　has　its　own　pet；　as　is　known　to　the　town。

For　instance；　it　is　an　established　fact　that　this　is　the　chemist　Bezuquet's　family's：

〃Thou　art　the　fair　star　that　I　adore！〃

The　gunmaker　Costecalde's　family's：

〃Would'st　thou　come　to　the　land　　Where　the　log…cabins　rise？〃

The　official　registrar's　family's　：

〃If　I　wore　a　coat　of　invisible　green；　　Do　you　think　for　a　moment　I　could　be　seen？〃

And　so　on　for　the　whole　of　Tarascon。　Two　or　three　times　a　week　there　were　parties　where　they　were　sung。　　The　singularity　was　their　being　always　the　same；　and　that　the　honest　Tarasconers　had　never　had　an　inclination　to　change　them　during　the　long；　long　time　they　had　been　harping　on　them。　They　were　handed　down　from　father　to　son　in　the　families；　without　anybody　improving　on　them　or　Bowdlerising　them：　they　were　sacred。　　Never　did　it　occur　to　Costecalde's　mind　to　sing　the　Bezuquets'；　or　the　Bezuquets　to　try　Costecalde's。　　And　yet　you　may　believe　that　they　ought　to　know　by　heart　what　they　had　been　singing　for　two…score　years！　　But；　nay！　every…body　stuck　to　his　own　；and　they　were　all　contented。

In　ballad…singing。　as　in　cap…popping；　Tartarin　was　still　the　foremost。　His　superiority　over　his　fellow…townsmen　consisted　in　his　not　having　any　one　song　of　his　own；　but　in　knowing　the　lot；　the　whole；　mind　you！　But　　there's　a　but　　it　was　the　devil's　own　work　to　get　him　to　sing　them。

Surfeited　early　in　life　with　his　drawing…room　successes；　our　hero　preferred　by　far　burying　himself　in　his　hunting　story…books；　or　spending　the　evening　at　the　club；　to　making　a　personal　exhibition　before　a　Nimes　piano　between　a　pair　of　home…made　candles。　These　musical　parades　seemed　beneath　him。　Nevertheless；　at　whiles；　when　there　was　a　harmonic　party　at　Bezuquet's；　he　would　drop　into　the　chemist's　shop；　as　if　by　chance；　and；　after　a　deal　of　pressure；　consent　to　do　the　grand　duo　in　Robert　le　Diable　with　old　Madame　Bezuquet。　　Whoso　never　heard　that　never　heard　anything！　　For　my　part；　even　if　I　lived　a　hundred　years；　I　should　always　see　the　mighty　Tartarin　solemnly　stepping　up　to　the　piano；　setting　his　arms　akimbo；　working　up　his　tragic　mien；　and；　beneath　the　green　reflection　from　the　show…bottles　in　the　window；　trying　to　give　his　pleasant　visage　the　fierce　and　satanic　expression　of　Robert　the　Devil。　　Hardly　would　he　fall　into　position　before　the　whole　audience　would　be　shuddering　with　the　foreboding　that　something　uncommon　was　at　hand。　　After　a　hush；　old　Madame　Bezuquet　would　commence　to　her　own　accompaniment：

〃Robert；　my　love　is　thine！　To　thee　I　my　faith　did　plight；　Thou　seest　my　affright；　　Mercy　for　thine　own　sake；　And　mercy　for　mine！〃

In　an　undertone　she　would　add：　〃Now；　then；　Tartarin！〃　　Whereupon　Tartarin　of　Tarascon；　with　crooked　arms；　clenched　fists；　and　quivering　nostrils；　would　roar　three　times　in　a　formidable　voice；　rolling　like　a　thunderclap　in　the　bowels　of　the　instrument　：

〃No！　no！　no！〃　which；　like　the　thorough　southerner　he　was；　he　pronounced　nasally　as　〃Naw！　naw！　naw！〃　　Then　would　old　Madame　Bezuquet　again　sing：

〃Mercy　for　thine　own　sake；　And　mercy　for　mine！〃

〃Naw！　naw！　naw！〃　bellowed　Tartarin　at　his　loudest；　and　there　the　gem　ended。

Not　long；　you　see；　but　it　was　so　handsomely　voiced　forth；　so　clearly　gesticulated；　and　so　diabolical；　that　a　tremor　of　terror　overran　the　chemist's　shop；　and　the　〃Naw！　naw！　naw！〃　would　be　encored　several　times　running。

Upon　this　Tartarin　would　sponge　his　brow；　smile　on　the　ladies；　wink　to　the　sterner　sex；　and　withdraw　upon　his　triumph　to　go　remark　at　the　club　with　a　trifling；　offhand　air：

〃I　have　just　come　from　the　Bezuquets'；　where　I　was　forced　to　sing　'em　the　duo　from　Robert　le　Diable。〃

The　cream　of　the　joke　was　that　he　really　believed　it！



IV。　〃They！〃


CHIEFLY　to　the　account　of　these　diverse　talents　did　Tartarin　owe　his　lofty　position　in　the　town　of　Tarascon。　　Talking　of　captivating；　though；　this　deuce　of　a　fellow　knew　how　to　ensnare　everybody。　Why；　the　army；　at　Tarascon；　was　for　Tartarin。　　The　brave　commandant；　Bravida；　honorary　captain　retired　　in　the　Military　Clothing　Factory　Department　　called　him　a　game　fellow；　and　you　may　well　admit　that　the　warrior　knew　all　about　game　fellows；　he　played　such　a　capital　knife　and　fork　on　game　of　all　kinds。

So　was　the　legislature　on　Tartarin's　side。　Two　or　three　times；　in　open　court；　the　old　chief　judge；　Ladevese；　had　said；　in　alluding　to　him：

〃He　is　a　character！〃

Lastly；　the　masses　were　for　Tartarin。　　He　had　become　the　swell　bruiser；　the　aristocratic　pugilist；　the　crack　bully　of　the　local　Corinthians　for　the　Tarasconers；　from　his　build；　bearing；　style　　that　aspect　of　a　guard's…trumpeter's　charger　which　fears　no　noise；　his　reputation　as　a　hero　coming　from　nobody　knew　whence　or　for　what；　and　some　scramblings　for　coppers　and　a　few　kicks　to　the　little　ragamuffins　basking　at　his　doorway。

Along　the　waterside；　when　Tartarin　came　home　from　hunting　on　Sunday　evenings；　with　his　cap　on　the　muzzle　of　his　gun；　and　his　fustian　shooting…jacket　belted　in　tightly；　the　sturdy　river…lightermen　would　respectfully　bob；　and　blinking　towards　the　huge　biceps　swelling　out　his　arms；　would　mutter　among　one　another　in　admiration：

〃Now；　there's　a　powerful　chap　if　you　like！　he　has　double…muscles！〃

〃Double　muscles！〃　why；　you　never　heard　of　such　a　thing　outside　of　Tarascon！

For　all　this；　with　all　his　numberless　parts；　double…muscles；　the　popular　favour；　and　the　so　precious　esteem　of　brave　Commandant　Bravida；　ex…captain　（in　the　Army　Clothing　Factory）；　Tartarin　was　not　happy：　this　life　in　a　petty　town　weighed　upon　him　and　suffocated　him。

The　great　man　of　Tarascon　was　bored　in　Tarascon。

The　fact　is；　for　a　heroic　temperament　like　his；　a　wild　adventurous　spirit　which　dreamt　of　nothing　but　battles；　races　across　the　pampas；　mighty　battues；　desert　sands；　blizzards　and　typhoons；　it　was　not　enough　to　go　out　every　Sunday　to　pop　at　a　cap；　and　the　rest　of　the　time　to　ladle　out　casting…votes　at　the　gunmaker's。　　Poor　dear　great　man！　　If　this　existence　were　only　prolonged；　there　would　be　sufficient　tedium　in　it　to　kill　him　with　consumption。

In　vain　did　he　surround　himself　with　baobabs　and　other　African　trees；　to　widen　his　horizon；　and　some　little　to　forget　his　club　and　the　market…place；　in　vain　did　he　pile　weapon　　upon　　weapon；　and　Malay　kreese　upon　Malay　kreese；　in　vain　did　he　cram　with　romances；　endeavouring　like　the　immortal　Don　Quixote　to　wrench　himself　by　the　vigour　of　his　fancy　out　of　the　talons　of　pitiless　reality。　Alas！　all　that　he　did　to　appease　his　thirst　for　deeds　of　daring　only　helped　to　augment　it。　The　sight　of　all　the　murderous　implements　kept　him　in　a　perpetual　stew　of　wrath　and　exaltation。　　His　revolvers；　repeating　rifles；　and　ducking…guns　shouted　〃Battle！　battle！〃　out　of　their　mouths。　　Through　the　twigs　of　his　baobab；　the　tempest　of　great　voyages　and　journeys　soughed　and　blew　bad　advice。　To　finish　him　came　Gustave　Aimard；　Mayne　Reid；　and　Fenimore　Cooper。

Oh；　how　many　times　did　Tartarin　with　a　howl　spring　up　on　the　sultry　summer　afternoons；　when　he　was　reading　alone　amidst　his　blades；　points；　and　edges　；　how　many　times　did　he　dash　down　his　book　and　rush　to　the　wall　to　unhook　a　deadly　arm！　　The　poor　man　forgot　he　was　at　home　in　Tarascon；　in　his　underclothes；　and　with　a　handkerchief　round　his　head。　　He　would　translate　his　readings　into　action；　and；　goading　himself　with　his　own　voice；　shout　out　whilst　swinging　a　battle…axe　or　tomahawk：

〃Now；　only　let　'em　come！〃

〃Them〃　？　who　were　they？

Tartarin　did　not　himself　any　too　clearly　understand。　　〃They〃　was　all　that　should　be　attacked　and　fought　with；　all　that　bites；　claws；　scalps；　whoops；　and　yells　　the　Sioux　Indians　dancing　around　the　war…　stake　to　which　the　unfortunate　pale…face　prisoner　is　lashed。　　The　grizzly　of　the　Rocky　Mountains；　who　wobbles　on　his　hind　legs；　and　licks　himself　with　a　tongue　full　of　blood。　The　Touareg；　too；　in　the　desert；　the　Malay　pirate；　the　brigand　of　the　Abruzzi　　in　short；　〃they〃　was　warfare；　travel；　adventure；　and　glory。

But；　alas！！　it　was　to　no　avail　that　the　fearless　Tarasconer　called　for　and　defied　them；　never　did　they　come。　　Odsboddikins！　what　would　they　have　come　to　do　in　Tarascon？

Nevertheless　Tartarin　always　expected　to　run　up　against　them；　particularly　some　evening　in　going　to　the　club。



V。　How　Tartarin　went　round　to　his　club。


LITTLE；　indeed；　beside　Tartarin　of　Tarascon；　arming　himself　capa…　pie　to　go　to　his　club　at　nine；　an　hour　after　the　retreat　had　sounded　on　the　bugle；　was　the　Templar　Knight　preparing　for　a　sortie　upon　the　infidel；　the　Chinese　tiger　equipping　himself　for　combat；　or　the　Comanche　warrior　painting　up　for　going　on　the　war…path。　〃All　hands　make　ready　for　action！〃　as　the　men…of…war's　men　say。

In　his　left　hand　Tarta