tartarin of tarascon-第8节

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〃Go　ahead！　Stop　her！　Turn　astern！〃　barked　the　hoarse　voice　of　Captain　Barbassou；　and　then；　〃Stop　her　dead！〃

There　was　an　abrupt　check　of　movement；　a　shock；　and　no　more；　save　the　silent　rolling　of　the　boat　from　side　to　side　like　a　balloon　in　the　air。　　This　strange　stillness　alarmed　the　Tarasconian。

〃Heaven　ha'　mercy　upon　us！〃　he　yelled　in　a　terrifying　voice；　as；　recovering　his　strength　by　magic；　he　bounded　out　of　his　berth；　and　rushed　upon　deck　with　his　arsenal。



II。　〃To　arms！　to　arms〃


Only　the　arrival；　not　a　foundering。

The　Zouave　was　just　gliding　into　the　roadstead　　a　fine　one　of　black；　deep　water；　but　dull　and　still；　almost　deserted。　　On　elevated　ground　ahead　rose　Algiers；　the　White　City；　with　its　little　houses　of　a　dead　cream…colour　huddling　against　one　another　lest　they　slid　into　the　sea。　　It　was　like　Meudon　slope　with　a　laundress's　washing　hung　out　to　dry。　Over　it　a　vast　blue　satin　sky　　and　such　a　blue　！

A　little　restored　from　his　fright；　the　illustrious　Tartarin　gazed　on　the　landscape；　and　listened　with　respect　to　the　Montenegrin　prince；　who　stood　by　his；　side；　as　he　named　the　different　parts　of　the　capital；　the　Kasbah；　the　upper　town；　and　the　Rue　Bab…Azoon。　A　very　finely…brought…up　prince　was　this　Montenegrin；　moreover；　knowing　Algeria　thoroughly；　and　fluently　speaking　Arabic。　Hence　Tartarin　thought　of　cultivating　his　acquaintance。

All　at　once；　along　the　bulwark　against　which　they　were　leaning；　the　Tarasconian　perceived　a　row　of　large　black　hands　clinging　to　it　from　over　the　side。　　Almost　instantly　a　Negro's　woolly　head　shot　up　before　him；　and；　ere　he　had　time　to　open　his　mouth；　the　deck　was　overwhelmed　on　every　side　by　a　hundred　black　or　yellow　desperadoes；　half　naked；　hideous；　and　fearsome。　Tartarin　knew　who　these　pirates　were　　〃they；〃　of　course；　the　celebrated　〃they〃　who　had　too　often　been　hunted　after　by　him　in　the　by…ways　of　Tarascon。　At　last　they　hid　decided　to　meet　him　face　to　face。　　At　the　outset　surprise　nailed　him　to　the　spot。　But　when　he　saw　the　outlaws　fall　upon　the　luggage；　tear　off　the　tarpaulin　covering；　and　actually　commence　the　pillage　of　the　ship；　then　the　hero　awoke。　　Whipping　out　his　hunting…sword；　〃To　arms！　to　arms　！〃　he　roared　to　the　passengers；　and　away　he　flew；　the　foremost　of　all；　upon　the　buccaneers。　〃Ques　aco？　What's　the　stir？　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　exclaimed　Captain　Barbassou；　coming　out　of　the　'tweendecks。

〃About　time　you　did　turn　up；　captain！　Quick；　quick；　arm　your　men！〃

〃Eh；　what　for？　dash　it　all！〃

〃Why；　can't　you　see？〃

〃See　what？〃

〃There；　before　you；　the　corsairs〃

Captain　Barbassou　stared；　bewildered。　At　this　juncture　a　tall　blackamoor　tore　by　with　our　hero's　medicine…chest　upon　his　back。

〃You　cut…throat！　just　wait　for　me！〃　yelled　the　Tarasconer　as　he　ran　after；　with　the　knife　uplifted。

But　Barbassou　caught　him　in　the　spring；　and　holding　him　by　the　waist…sash；　bade　him　be　quiet。

〃Tron　de　ler！　by　the　throne　on　high！　they're　no　pirates。　　It's　long　since　there　were　any　pirates　hereabout　　Those　dark　porters　are　light　porters。　　Ha；　ha！〃

〃Pp…porters？〃

〃Rather；　only　come　after　the　luggage　to　carry　it　ashore。　　So　put　up　your　cook's　galley　knife；　give　me　your　ticket；　and　walk　off　behind　that　nigger　　an　honest　dog；　who　will　see　you　to　land；　and　even　into　a　hotel；　if　you　like。〃

A　little　abashed；　Tartarin　handed　over　his　ticket；　and　falling　in　behind　the　representative　of　the　Dark　Continent；　clambered　down　by　the　hanging…ladder　into　a　big　skiff　dancing　alongside。　　All　his　effects　were　already　there　　boxes；　trunks；　gun…cases；　tinned　food；　　so　cramming　up　the　boat　that　there　was　no　need　to　wait　for　any　other　passengers。　　The　African　scrambled　upon　the　boxes；　and　squatted　there　like　a　baboon；　with　his　knees　clutched　by　his　hands。　Another　Negro　took　the　oars。　　Both　laughingly　eyed　Tartarin；　and　showed　their　white　teeth。

Standing　in　the　stern…sheets；　making　that　terrifying　face　which　had　daunted　his　fellow…countrymen；　the　great　Tarasconian　feverishly　fumbled　with　his　hunting…knife　haft；　for；　despite　what　Barbassou　had　told　him；　he　was　only　half　at　ease　as　regarded　the　intention　of　these　ebony…skinned　porters；　who　so　little　resembled　their　honest　mates　of　Tarascon。

Five　minutes　afterwards　the　skiff　landed　Tartarin；　and　he　set　foot　upon　the　little　Barbary　wharf；　where；　three　hundred　years　before；　a　Spanish　galley…slave　yclept　Miguel　Cervantes　devised；　under　the　cane　of　the　Algerian　taskmaster；　a　sublime　romance　which　was　to　bear　the　title　of　〃Don　Quixote。〃



III。　An　Invocation　to　Cervantes　　The　Disembarkation　　Where　are　the　Turks　？　　Not　a　sign　of　them　　Disenchantment


O　MIGUEL　CERVANTES　SAAVEDRA；　if　what　is　asserted　be　true；　to　wit；　that　wherever　great　men　have　dwelt　some　emanation　of　their　spirits　wanderingly　hovers　until　the　end　of　ages；　then　what　remained　of　your　essence　on　the　Barbary　coast　must　have　quivered　with　glee　on　beholding　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　disembark；　that　marvellous　type　of　the　French　Southerner；　in　whom　was　embodied　both　heroes　of　your　work；　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　Panza。

The　air　was　sultry　on　this　occasion。　　On　the　wharf；　ablaze　with　sunshine；　were　half　a　dozen　revenue　officers；　some　Algerians　expecting　news　from　France；　several　squatting　Moors　who　drew　at　long　pipes；　and　some　Maltese　mariners　dragging　large　nets；　between　the　meshes　of　which　thousands　of　sardines　glittered　like　small　silver　coins。

But　hardly　had　Tartarin　set　foot　on　earth　before　the　quay　sprang　into　life　and　changed　its　aspect。　　A　horde　of　savages；　still　more　hideous　than　the　pirates　upon　the　steamer；　rose　between　the　stones　on　the　strand　and　rushed　upon　the　new…comer。　　Tall　Arabs　were　there；　nude　under　woollen　blankets；　little　Moors　in　tatters；　Negroes；　Tunisians；　Port　Mahonese；　M'zabites；　hotel　servants　in　white　aprons；　all　yelling　and　shouting；　hooking　on　his　clothes；　fighting　over　his　luggage；　one　carrying　away　the　provender；　another　his　medicine…chest；　and　pelting　him　in　one　fantastic　medley　with　the　names　of　preposterously…entitled　hotels。

Bewildered　by　all　this　tumult；　poor　Tartarin　wandered　to　and　fro；　swore　and　stormed；　went　mad；　ran　after　his　property；　and　not　knowing　how　to　make　these　barbarians　understand　him；　speechified　them　in　French；　Provencal；　and　even　in　dog　Latin　：　〃Rosa；　the　rose；　bonus；　bona；　bonum！〃　　all　that　he　knew　　but　to　no　purpose。　He　was　not　heeded。　Happily；　like　a　god　in　Homer；　intervened　a　little　fellow　in　a　yellow…collared　tunic；　and　armed　with　a　long　running…　footman's　cane；　who　dispersed　the　whole　riff…raff　with　cudgel…play。　He　was　a　policeman　of　the　Algerian　capital。　Very　politely；　he　suggested　Tartarin　should　put　up　at　the　Hotel　de　l'Europe；　and　he　confided　him　to　its　waiters；　who　carted　him　and　his　impedimenta　thither　in　several　barrows。

At　the　first　steps　he　took　in　Algiers；　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　opened　his　eyes　widely。　Beforehand　he　had　pictured　it　as　an　Oriental　city　　a　fairy　one；　mythological；　something　between　Constantinople　and　Zanzibar；　but　it　was　back　into　Tarascon　he　fell。　　Cafes；　restaurants；　wide　streets；　four…storey　houses；　a　little　market…place；　macadamised；　where　the　infantry　band　played　Offenbachian　polkas；　whilst　fashionably　clad　gentlemen　occupied　chairs；　drinking　beer　and　eating　pancakes；　some　brilliant　ladies；　some　shady　ones；　and　soldiers　　more　soldiers　　no　end　of　soldiers；　but　not　a　solitary　Turk；　or；　better　to　say；　there　was　a　solitary　Turk；　and　that　was　he。

Hence　he　felt　a　little　abashed　about　crossing　the　square；　for　everybody　looked　at　him。　The　musicians　stopped；　the　Offenbachian　polka　halting　with　one　foot　in　the　air。

With　both　guns　on　his　shoulders；　and　the　revolver　flapping　on　his　hip；　as　fierce　and　stately　as　Robinson　Crusoe；　Tartarin　gravely　passed　through　the　groups；　but　on　arriving　at　the　hotel　his　powers　failed　him。　　All　spun　and　mingled　in　his　head：　the　departure　from　Tarascon；　the　harbour　of　Marseilles；　the　voyage；　the　Montenegrin　prince；　the　corsairs。　They　had　to　help　him　up　into　a　room　and　disarm　and　undress　him。　　They　began　to　talk　of　sending　for　a　medical　adviser；　but　hardly　was　our　hero's　head　upon　the　pillow　than　he　set　to　snoring；　so　loudly　and　so　heartily　that　the　landlord　judged　the　succour　of　science　useless；　and　everybody　considerately　withdrew。



IV。　The　First　Lying　in　Wait。


THREE　o'clock　was　striking　by　the　Government　clock　when　Tartarin　awoke。　　He　had　slept　all　the　evening；　night；　and　morning；　and　even　a　goodish　piece　of　the　afternoon。　　It　must　be　granted；　though；　that　in　the　last　three　days　the　red　fez　had　caught　it　pretty　hot　and　lively！

Our　hero's　first　thought　on　opening　his　eyes　was；　〃I　am　in　the　land　of　the　lions！〃　And　　well；　why　should　we　not　say　it？　　at　the　idea　that　lions　were　nigh　hereabouts；　within　a　couple　of　steps；　almost　at　hand's　reach；　and　that　he　would　have　to　disentangle　a　snarled　skein　with　them；　ugh！　a　deadly　chill　struck　him；　and　he　dived　intrepidly　under　the　coverlet。

But；　before　a　moment　was　over；　the　outward　gaiety；　the　blue　sky；　the　glowing　sun　that　streamed　into　the　bedchamber；　a　nice　little　breakfast　that　he　ate　in　bed；　his　window　wide　open　upon　the　sea；　the　whole　flavoured　with　an　uncommonly　good　bottle　of　Crescia　wine　　it　very　speedily　restored　him　his　former　pluckiness。

〃Let's　out　and　at　the　lion！〃　he　e