white lies-第57节

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Theirs　was　a　marvellous　love。　　Even　a　course　of　deceit　had　not　yet　prevailed　to　separate　or　chill　their　sister　bosoms。　　But　still　in　this　deep　and　wonderful　love　there　were　degrees：　one　went　a　shade　deeper　than　the　other　noway；　since　last　night。　　Which？　why；　she　who　had　sacrificed　herself　for　the　other；　and　dared　not　tell　her；　lest　the　sacrifice　should　be　refused。


It　was　the　gray　of　the　morning；　and　foggy；　when　Raynal；　after　taking　leave；　went　to　the　stable　for　his　horse。　　At　the　stable…door　he　came　upon　a　man　sitting　doubled　up　on　the　very　stones　of　the　yard；　with　his　head　on　his　knees。　　The　figure　lifted　his　head；　and　showed　him　the　face　of　Edouard　Riviere；　white　and　ghastly：　his　hair　lank　with　the　mist；　his　teeth　chattering　with　cold　and　misery。　　The　poor　wretch　had　walked　frantically　all　night　round　and　round　the　chateau；　waiting　till　Raynal　should　come　out。　　He　told　him　so。

〃But　why　didn't　you？Ah！　I　see。　　No！　you　could　not　go　into　the　house　after　that。　　My　poor　fellow；　there　is　but　one　thing　for　you　to　do。　　Turn　your　back　on　her；　and　forget　she　ever　lived；　she　is　dead　to　you。〃

〃There　is　something　to　be　done　besides　that；〃　said　Edouard；　gloomily。

〃What？〃

〃Vengeance。〃

〃That　is　my　affair；　young　man。　　When　I　come　back　from　the　Rhine；　she　will　tell　me　who　her　seducer　is。　　She　has　promised。〃

〃And　don't　you　see　through　that？〃　said　Edouard；　gnashing　his　teeth；　〃that　is　only　to　gain　time：　she　will　never　tell　you。　　She　is　young　in　years；　but　old　in　treachery。〃

He　groaned　and　was　silent　a　moment；　then　laying　his　hand　on　Raynal's　arm　said　grimly；　〃Thank　Heaven；　we　don't　depend　on　her　for　information！　　I　know　the　villain。〃

Raynal's　eyes　flashed：　〃Ah！　then　tell　me　this　moment。〃

〃It　is　that　scoundrel　Dujardin。〃

〃Dujardin！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that；　while　you　were　fighting　for　France；　your　house　was　turned　into　a　hospital　for　wounded　soldiers。〃

〃And　pray；　sir；　to　what　more　honorable　use　could　they　put　it？〃

〃Well；　this　Dujardin　was　housed　by　you；　was　nursed　by　your　wife　and　all　the　family；　and　in　return　has　seduced　your　sister；　my　affianced。〃

〃I　can　hardly　believe　that。　　Camille　Dujardin　was　always　a　man　of　honor；　and　a　good　soldier。〃

〃Colonel；　there　has　been　no　man　near　the　place　but　this　Dujardin。　　I　tell　you　it　is　he。　　Don't　make　me　tear　my　bleeding　heart　out：　must　I　tell　you　how　often　I　caught　them　together；　how　I　suspected；　and　how　she　gulled　me？　blind　fool　that　I　was；　to　believe　a　woman's　words　before　my　own　eyes。　　I　swear　to　you　he　is　the　villain；　the　only　question　is；　which　of　us　two　is　to　kill　him。〃

〃Where　is　the　man？〃

〃In　the　army　of　the　Rhine。〃

〃Ah！　all　the　better。〃

〃Covered　with　glory　and　honor。　　Curse　him！　oh；　curse　him！　curse　him！〃

〃I　am　in　luck。　　I　am　going　to　the　Rhine。〃

〃I　know　it。　　That　is　why　I　waited　here　all　through　this　night　of　misery。　　Yes；　you　are　in　luck。　　But　you　will　send　me　a　line　when　you　have　killed　him；　will　you　not？　　Then　I　shall　know　joy　again。　　Should　he　escape　you；　he　shall　not　escape　me。〃

〃Young　man；〃　said　Raynal；　with　dignity；　〃this　rage　is　unmanly。　Besides；　we　have　not　heard　his　side　of　the　story。　　He　is　a　good　soldier；　perhaps　he　is　not　all　to　blame：　or　perhaps　passion　has　betrayed　him　into　a　sin　that　his　conscience　and　honor　disapprove：　if　so；　he　must　not　die。　　You　think　only　of　your　wrong：　it　is　natural：　but　I　am　the　girl's　brother；　guardian　of　her　honor　and　my　own。　　His　life　is　precious　as　gold。　　I　shall　make　him　marry　her。〃

〃What！　reward　him　for　his　villany？〃　cried　Edouard；　frantically。

〃A　mighty　reward；〃　replied　Raynal；　with　a　sneer。

〃You　leave　one　thing　out　of　the　calculation；　monsieur；〃　said　Edouard；　trembling　with　anger；　〃that　I　will　kill　your　brother…in…law　at　the　altar；　before　her　eyes。〃

〃YOU　leave　one　thing　out　of　the　calculation：　that　you　will　first　have　to　cross　swords；　at　the　altar；　with　me。〃

〃So　be　it。　　I　will　not　draw　on　my　old　commandant。　　I　could　not；　but　be　sure　I　will　catch　him　and　her　alone　some　day；　and　the　bride　shall　be　a　widow　in　her　honeymoon。〃

〃As　you　please；〃　said　Raynal；　coolly。　　〃That　is　all　fair；　as　you　have　been　wronged。　　I　shall　make　her　an　honest　wife；　and　then　you　may　make　her　an　honest　widow。　　（This　is　what　they　call　LOVE；　and　sneer　at　me　for　keeping　clear　of　it。）　　But　neither　he　nor　you　shall　keep　MY　SISTER　what　she　is　now；　a　；〃　and　he　used　a　word　out　of　camp。

Edouard　winced　and　groaned。　　〃Oh！　don't　call　her　by　such　a　name。　There　is　some　mystery。　　She　loved　me　once。　　There　must　have　been　some　strange　seduction。〃

〃Now　you　deceive　yourself；〃　said　Raynal。　　〃I　never　saw　a　girl　that　could　take　her　own　part　better　than　she　can；　she　is　not　like　her　sister　at　all　in　character。　　Not　that　I　excuse　him；　it　was　a　dishonorable　act；　an　ungrateful　act　to　my　wife　and　my　mother。〃

〃And　to　you。〃

〃Now　listen　to　me：　in　four　days　I　shall　stand　before　him。　　I　shall　not　go　into　a　pet　like　you；　I　am　in　earnest。　　I　shall　just　say　to　him；　'Dujardin；　I　know　all！'　　Then　if　he　is　guilty　his　face　will　show　it　directly。　　Then　I　shall　say；　'Comrade；　you　must　marry　her　whom　you　have　dishonored。'〃

〃He　will　not。　　He　is　a　libertine；　a　rascal。〃

〃You　are　speaking　of　a　man　you　don't　know。　　He　WILL　marry　her　and　repair　the　wrong　he　has　done。〃

〃Suppose　he　refuses？〃

〃Why　should　he　refuse？　　The　girl　is　not　ugly　nor　old；　and　if　she　has　done　a　folly；　he　was　her　partner　in　it。〃

〃But　SUPPOSE　he　refuses？〃

Raynal　ground　his　teeth。　　〃Refuse？　　If　he　does；　I'll　run　my　sword　through　his　carcass　then　and　there；　and　the　hussy　shall　go　into　a　convent。〃


CHAPTER　XXI。


The　French　army　lay　before　a　fortified　place　near　the　Rhine；　which　we　will　call　Philipsburg。

This　army　knew　Bonaparte　by　report　only；　it　was　commanded　by　generals　of　the　old　school。

Philipsburg　was　defended　on　three　sides　by　the　nature　of　the　ground；　but　on　the　side　that　faced　the　French　line　of　march　there　was　only　a　zigzag　wall；　pierced；　and　a　low　tower　or　two　at　each　of　the　salient　angles。

There　were　evidences　of　a　tardy　attempt　to　improve　the　defences。　　In　particular　there　was　a　large　round　bastion；　about　three　times　the　height　of　the　wall；　but　the　masonry　was　new；　and　the　very　embrasures　were　not　yet　cut。

Young　blood　was　for　assaulting　these　equivocal　fortifications　at　the　end　of　the　day's　march　that　brought　the　French　advanced　guard　in　sight　of　the　place；　but　the　old　generals　would　not　hear　of　it；　the　soldiers'　lives　must　not　be　flung　away　assaulting　a　place　that　could　be　reduced　in　twenty…one　days　with　mathematical　certainty。　　For　at　this　epoch　a　siege　was　looked　on　as　a　process　with　a　certain　result；　the　only　problem　was　in　how　many　days　would　the　place　be　taken；　and　even　this　they　used　to　settle　to　a　day　or　two　on　paper　by　arithmetic；　so　many　feet　of　wall；　and　so　many　guns　on　the　one　side；　so　many　guns；　so　many　men；　and　such　and　such　a　soil　to　cut　the　trenches　in　on　the　other：　result；　two　figures　varying　from　fourteen　to　forty。　　These　two　figures　represented　the　duration　of　the　siege。

For　all　that；　siege　arithmetic；　right　in　general；　has　often　been　terribly　disturbed　by　one　little　incident；　that　occurs　from　time　to　time；　viz。；　Genius　INside。　　And；　indeed；　this　is　one　of　the　sins　of　genius；　it　goes　and　puts　out　calculations　that　have　stood　the　brunt　of　years。　　Archimedes　and　Todleben　were；　no　doubt；　clever　men　in　their　way　and　good　citizens；　yet　one　characteristic　of　delicate　men's　minds　they　lackedveneration；　they　showed　a　sad　disrespect　for　the　wisdom　of　the　ancients；　deranged　the　calculations　which　so　much　learning　and　patient　thought　had　hallowed；　disturbed　the　minds　of　white…haired　veterans；　took　sieges　out　of　the　grasp　of　science；　and　plunged　them　back　into　the　field　of　wild　conjecture。

Our　generals　then　sat　down　at　fourteen　hundred　yards'　distance；　and　planned　the　trenches　artistically；　and　directed　them　to　be　cut　at　artful　angles；　and　so　creep　nearer　and　nearer　the　devoted　town。　Then　the　Prussians；　whose　hearts　had　been　in　their　shoes　at　first　sight　of　the　French　shakos；　plucked　up；　and　turned　not　the　garrison　only　but　the　population　of　the　town　into　engineers　and　masons。　Their　fortifications　grew　almost　as　fast　as　the　French　trenches。

The　first　day　of　the　siege；　a　young　but　distinguished　brigadier　in　the　French　army　rode　to　the　quarters　of　General　Raimbaut；　who　commanded　his　division；　and　was　his　personal　friend；　and　respectfully　but　firmly　entreated　the　general　to　represent　to　the　commander…in…chief　the　propriety　of　assaulting　that　new　bastion　before　it　should　become　dangerous。　　〃My　brigade　shall　carry　it　in　fifteen　minutes；　general；〃　said　he。

〃What！　cross　all　that　open　under　fire？　　One…half　your　brigade　would　never　reach　the　bastion。〃

〃But　the　other　half　would　take　it。〃

〃That　is　not　so　certain。〃

General　Raimbaut　refused　to　forward　the　young　colonel's　proposal　to　headquarters。　　〃I　will　not　subject　you　to　TWO　refusals　in　one　matter；〃　said　he；　kindly。

The　young　colonel　lingered。　　He　said；　respectfully；　〃One　question；　general；　when　that　bastion　cuts　its　teeth　will　it　be　any　easier　to　take　than　now？〃

〃Certainly；　it　will　always　be　easier　to　take　it　from　the　sap　than　to　cross　the　open　under　fire　to　it；　and　take　it。　　Come；　colonel；　to　your　trenches；　and　if　your　friend　should　cut　its　te