white lies-第20节

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As　for　Josephine；　she　came　into　the　drawing…room　beaming　with　love　and　happiness；　and　after　kissing　both　her　mother　and　Rose　with　gentle　violence；　she　let　them　know　the　strange　turn　things　had　taken。

And　she　whispered　to　Rose；　〃Only　think；　YOUR　Edouard　to　be　OUR　referee！〃

Rose　blushed　and　bent　over　her　work；　and　wondered　how　Edouard　would　discharge　so　grave　an　office。

The　matter　approached　a　climax；　for；　as　the　reader　is　aware；　Edouard　was　hourly　expected　at　Beaurepaire。

He　did　not　come；　but　it　was　not　his　fault。　　On　receiving　Rose's　letter　he　declined　to　stay　another　hour　at　his　uncle's。

He　flung　himself　on　his　horse；　and；　before　he　was　well　settled　on　the　stirrups；　the　animal　shied　violently　at　a　wheelbarrow　some　fool　had　left　there；　and　threw　Edouard　on　the　stones　of　the　courtyard。　He　jumped　up　in　a　moment　and　laughed　at　Marthe's　terror；　meantime　a　farm…servant　caught　the　nag　and　brought　him　back　to　his　work。

But　when　Edouard　went　to　put　his　hand　on　the　saddle；　he　found　it　would　not　obey　him。　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　he；　〃my　arm　is　benumbed。〃

〃Let　me　see！〃　said　the　farmer；　and　examined　the　limb　himself；　〃benumbed？　yes；　and　no　wonder。　　Jacques；　get　on　the　brute　and　ride　for　the　surgeon。〃

〃Are　you　mad；　uncle？〃　cried　Edouard。　　〃I　can't　spare　my　horse；　and　I　want　no　surgeon；　it　will　be　well　directly。〃

〃It　will　be　worse　before　it　is　better。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　uncle；　it　is　only　numbed；　ah！　it　hurts　when　I　rub　it。〃

〃It　is　worse　than　numbed；　boy；　it　is　broken。〃

〃Broken？　nonsense：〃　and　he　looked　at　it　in　piteous　bewilderment：　〃how　can　it　be　broken？　it　does　not　hurt　except　when　I　touch　it。〃

〃It　WILL　hurt：　I　know　all　about　it。　　I　broke　mine　fifteen　years　ago：　fell　off　a　haystack。〃

〃Oh；　how　unfortunate　I　am！〃　cried　Edouard；　piteously。　　〃But　I　will　go　to　Beaurepaire　all　the　same。　　I　can　have　the　thing　mended　there；　as　well　as　here。〃

〃You　will　go　to　bed；〃　said　the　old　man；　quietly；　〃that　is　where　YOU'LL　go。〃

〃I'll　go　to　blazes　sooner；〃　yelled　the　young　one。

The　old　man　made　a　signal　to　his　myrmidons；　whom　Marthe's　cries　had　brought　around；　and　four　stout　fellows　took　hold　of　Edouard　by　the　legs　and　the　left　shoulder　and　carried　him　up…stairs　raging　and　kicking；　and　deposited　him　on　a　bed。

Presently　he　began　to　feel　faint；　and　so　more　reasonable。　　They　cut　his　coat　off；　and　put　him　in　a　loose　wrapper；　and　after　considerable　delay　the　surgeon　came；　and　set　his　arm　skilfully；　and　behold　this　ardent　spirit　caged。　　He　chafed　and　fretted　sadly。　　Fortitude　was　not　his　forte。

It　was　two　days　after　his　accident。　　He　was　lying　on　his　back；　environed　by　slops　and　cursing　his　evil　fate；　and　fretting　his　soul　out　of　its　fleshly　prison；　when　suddenly　he　heard　a　cheerful　trombone　saying　three　words　to　Marthe；　then　came　a　clink…clank；　and　Marthe　ushered　into　the　sickroom　the　Commandant　Raynal。　　The　sick　man　raised　himself　in　bed；　with　great　surprise　and　joy。

〃O　commandant！　this　is　kind　to　come　and　see　your　poor　officer　in　purgatory。〃

〃Ah；〃　cried　Raynal；　〃you　see　I　know　what　it　is。　　I　have　been　chained　down　by　the　arm；　and　the　leg；　and　all：　it　is　deadly　tiresome。〃

〃Tiresome！　it　isit　isoh；　dear　commandant；　Heaven　bless　you　for　coming！〃

〃Ta！　ta！　ta！　　I　am　come　on　my　own　business。〃

〃All　the　better。　　I　have　nothing　to　do；　that　is　what　kills　me。　　I'm　eating　my　own　heart。〃

〃Cannibal！　　Well；　my　lad；　since　you　are　in　that　humor；　cheer　up；　for　I　bring　you　a　job；　and　a　tough　one；　it　has　puzzled　me。〃

〃What　is　it；　commandant？　　What　is　it？〃

〃Well；　do　you　know　a　house　and　a　family　called　Beaurepaire？〃

〃Do　I　know　Beaurepaire？〃

And　the　pale　youth　turned　very　red；　and　stared　with　awe　at　this　wizard　of　a　commandant。　　He　thought　he　was　going　to　be　called　over　the　coals　for　frequenting　a　disaffected　family。　　〃Well；〃　said　Raynal；　〃I　have　been　and　bought　this　Beaurepaire。〃

Edouard　uttered　a　loud　exclamation。　　〃It　was　YOU　bought　it！　she　never　told　me　that。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Raynal；　〃I　am　the　culprit；　and　we　have　fixed　on　you　to　undo　my　work　without　hurting　their　pride　too　much；　poor　souls；　but　let　us　begin　with　the　facts。〃

Then　Raynal　told　him　my　story　after　his　fashion。　　Of　course　I　shall　not　go　and　print　his　version；　you　might　like　his　concise　way　better　than　my　verbose；　and　I'm　not　here　to　hold　up　any　man's　coat…tails。　Short　as　he　made　it；　Edouard's　eyes　were　moist　more　than　once；　and　at　the　end　he　caught　Raynal's　hand　and　kissed　it。　　Then　he　asked　time　to　reflect；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃I　must　try　and　be　just。〃

〃I'll　give　you　an　hour；〃　said　Raynal；　with　an　air　of　grand　munificence。　　The　only　treasure　he　valued　was　time。

In　less　than　an　hour　Edouard　had　solved　the　knot；　to　his　entire　satisfaction；　he　even　gave　the　commandant　particular　instructions　for　carrying　out　his　sovereign　decree。　　Raynal　received　these　orders　from　his　subordinate　with　that　simplicity　which　formed　part　of　his　amazing　character；　and　rode　home　relieved　of　all　responsibility　in　the　matter。


COMMANDANT　RAYNAL　TO　MADEMOISELLE　DE　BEAUREPAIRE。

Mademoiselle；Before　I　could　find　time　to　write　to　our　referee；　news　came　in　that　he　had　just　broken　his　arm；


〃Oh！　oh；　dear！　our　poor　Edouard！〃

And　if　poor　Edouard　had　seen　the　pale　faces；　and　heard　the　faltering　accents；　it　would　have　reconciled　him　to　his　broken　arm　almost。　This　hand…grenade　the　commandant　had　dropped　so　coolly　among　them；　it　was　a　long　while　ere　they　could　recover　from　it　enough　to　read　the　rest　of　the　letter；


so　I　rode　over　to　him；　and　found　him　on　his　back；　fretting　for　want　of　something　to　do。　　I　told　him　the　whole　story。　　He　undertook　the　business。　　I　have　received　his　instructions；　and　next　week　shall　be　at　his　quarters　to　clear　off　his　arrears　of　business；　and　make　acquaintance　with　all　your　family；　if　they　permit。

RAYNAL。


As　the　latter　part　of　this　letter　seemed　to　require　a　reply；　the　baroness　wrote　a　polite　note；　and　Jacintha　sent　Dard　to　leave　it　for　the　commandant　at　Riviere's　lodgings。　　But　first　they　all　sat　down　and　wrote　kind　and　pitying　and　soothing　letters　to　Edouard。　　Need　I　say　these　letters　fell　upon　him　like　balm？

They　all　inquired　carelessly　in　their　postscripts　what　he　had　decided　as　their　referee。　　He　replied　mysteriously　that　they　would　know　that　in　a　week　or　two。　　Meantime；　all　he　thought　it　prudent　to　tell　them　was　that　he　had　endeavored　to　be　just　to　both　parties。

〃Little　solemn　puppy；〃　said　Rose；　and　was　racked　with　curiosity。

Next　week　Raynal　called　on　the　baroness。　　She　received　him　alone。　They　talked　about　Madame　Raynal。　　The　next　day　he　dined　with　the　whole　party；　and　the　commandant's　manners　were　the　opposite　of　what　the　baroness　had　inculcated。　　But　she　had　a　strong　prejudice　in　his　favor。　　Had　her　feelings　been　the　other　way　his　brusquerie　would　have　shocked　her。　　It　amused　her。　　If　people's　hearts　are　with　you；　THAT　for　their　heads！

He　came　every　day　for　a　week；　chatted　with　the　baroness；　walked　with　the　young　ladies；　and　when　after　work　he　came　over　in　the　evening；　Rose　used　to　cross…examine　him；　and　out　came　such　descriptions　of　battles　and　sieges；　such　heroism　and　such　simplicity　mixed；　as　made　the　evening　pass　delightfully。　　On　these　occasions　the　young　ladies　fixed　their　glowing　eyes　on　him；　and　drank　in　his　character　as　well　as　his　narrative；　in　which　were　fewer　〃I's〃　than　in　anything　of　the　sort　you　ever　read　or　heard。

At　length　Rose　contrived　to　draw　him　aside；　and；　hiding　her　curiosity　under　feigned　nonchalance；　asked　him　what　the　referee　had　decided。　　He　told　her　that　was　a　secret　for　the　present。

〃Well；　but；〃　said　Rose；　〃not　from　me。　　Edouard　and　I　have　no　secrets。〃

〃Come；　that's　good；〃　said　Raynal。　　〃Why；　you　are　the　very　one　he　warned　me　against　the　most；　said　you　were　as　curious　as　Mother　Eve；　and　as　sharp　as　her　needle。〃

〃Then　he　is　a　little　scurrilous　traitor；〃　cried　Rose；　turning　very　red。　　〃So　that　is　how　he　talks　of　me　behind　my　back；　and　calls　me　an　angel　to　my　face；　I'll　pay　him　for　this。　　Do　tell　me；　commandant；　never　mind　what　HE　says。〃

〃What！　disobey　orders？〃

〃Orders？　to　you　from　that　boy！〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Raynal；　〃for　that　matter；　we　soldiers　are　used　to　command　one　moment；　and　obey　the　next。〃

In　a　word；　this　military　pedant　was　impracticable；　and　Rose　gave　him　up　in　disgust；　and　began　to　call　up　a　sulky　look　when　the　other　two　sang　his　praises。　　For　the　old　lady　pronounced　him　charming；　and　Josephine　said　he　was　a　man　of　crystal；　never　said　a　word　he　did　not　mean；　and　she　wished　she　was　like　him。　　But　the　baroness　thought　this　was　going　a　little　too　far。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　she　hastily；　〃he　is　a　man；　a　thorough　man。　　He　would　make　an　intolerable　woman。　　A　fine　life　if　one　had　a　parcel　of　women　about；　all　blurting　out　their　real　minds　every　moment；　and　never　smoothing　matters。〃

〃Mamma；　what　a　horrid　picture！〃　chuckled　Rose。

She　then　proposed　that　at　his　next　visit　they　should　all　three　make　an　earnest　appeal　to　him　to　let　them　know　what　Edouard　had　decided。

But　Josephine　begged　to　be　excused；　feared　it　would　be　hardly　delicate；　and　said　languidly　that　for　her　part　she　felt　they　were　in　good　hands；　and　prescribed　patience。　　The　baroness　acquiesced；　and　poor　Rose　and　her　curiosity　were　baffled　on　every　side。

At　last；　one　fine　da