white lies-第61节

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　rashness　of　last　night　was　pure　prudence。〃

Raimbaut's　eye　twinkled　with　suppressed　irony。　　〃No　doubt！〃　said　he；　〃no　doubt！〃

The　impassive　colonel　would　not　notice　the　other's　irony；　he　went　calmly　on：

〃I　suspected　something；　I　went　to　confute；　or　confirm　that　suspicion。　　I　confirmed　it。〃

Rat！　tat！　tat！　tat！　tat！　tat！　tat！　was　heard　a　drum。　　Relieving　guard　in　the　mine。

Colonel　Dujardin　interrupted　himself。

〃That　comes　apropos；〃　said　he。　　〃I　expect　one　proof　more　from　that　quarter。　　Sergeant；　send　me　the　sentinel　they　are　relieving。〃

Sergeant　La　Croix　soon　came　back；　as　pompous　as　a　hen　with　one　chick；　predominating　with　a　grand　military　air　over　a　droll　figure　that　chattered　with　cold；　and　held　its　musket　in　hands　clothed　in　great　mittens。　　Dard。

La　Croix　marched　him　up　as　if　he　had　been　a　file；　halted　him　like　a　file；　sang　out　to　him　as　to　a　file；　stentorian　and　unintelligible；　after　the　manner　of　sergeants。

〃Private　No。　4。〃

DARD。　　P…p…p…present！

LA　CROIX。　　Advance　to　the　word　of　command；　and　speak　to　the　colonel。

The　shivering　figure　became　an　upright　statue　directly；　and　carried　one　of　his　mittens　to　his　forehead。　　Then；　suddenly　recognizing　the　rank　of　the　gray…haired　officer；　he　was　morally　shaken；　but　remained　physically　erect；　and　stammered；

〃Colonel！general！colonel！〃

〃Don't　be　frightened；　my　lad。　　But　look　at　the　general　and　answer　me。〃

〃Yes！　general！　colonel！〃　and　he　levelled　his　eye　dead　at　the　general；　as　he　would　a　bayonet　at　a　foe；　being　so　commanded。

〃Now　answer　in　as　few　syllables　as　you　can。〃

〃Yes！　generalcolonel。〃

〃You　have　been　on　guard　in　the　mine。〃

〃Yes；　general。〃

〃What　did　you　see　there？〃

〃Nothing；　it　was　night　down　there。〃

〃What　did　you　feel？〃

〃Cold！　　Iwasinwaterhugh！〃

〃Did　you　hear　nothing；　then？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What？〃

〃Bum！　bum！　bum！〃

〃Are　you　sure　you　did　not　hear　particles　of　earth　fall　at　the　end　of　the　trench？〃

〃I　think　it　did；　and　this　（touching　his　musket）　sounded　of　its　own　accord。〃

〃Good！　you　have　answered　well；　go。〃

〃Sergeant；　I　did　not　miss　a　word；〃　cried　Dard；　exulting。　　He　thought　he　had　passed　a　sort　of　military　college　examination。　　The　sergeant　was　awe…struck　and　disgusted　at　his　familiarity；　speaking　to　him　before　the　great：　he　pushed　Private　Dard　hastily　out　of　the　presence；　and　bundled　him　into　the　trenches。

〃Are　you　countermined；　then？〃　asked　General　Raimbaut。

〃I　think　not；　general；　but　the　whole　bastion　is。　　And　we　found　it　had　been　opened　in　the　rear；　and　lately　half　a　dozen　broad　roads　cut　through　the　masonry。〃

〃To　let　in　re…enforcements？〃

〃Or　to　let　the　men　run　out　in　ease　of　an　assault。　　I　have　seen　from　the　first　an　able　hand　behind　that　part　of　the　defences。　　If　we　assault　the　bastion；　they　will　pick　off　as　many　of　us　as　they　can　with　their　muskets　then　they　will　run　for　it；　and　fire　a　train；　and　blow　it　and　us　into　the　air。〃

〃Colonel；　this　is　serious。　　Are　you　prepared　to　lay　this　statement　before　the　commander…in…chief？〃

〃I　am；　and　I　do　so　through　you；　the　general　of　my　division。　　I　even　beg　you　to　say；　as　from　me；　that　the　assault　will　be　mere　suicide　bloody　and　useless。〃

General　Raimbaut　went　off　to　headquarters　in　some　haste；　a　thorough　convert　to　Colonel　Dujardin's　opinion。　　Meantime　the　colonel　went　slowly　to　his　tent。　　At　the　mouth　of　it　a　corporal；　who　was　also　his　body…servant；　met　him；　saluted；　and　asked　respectfully　if　there　were　any　orders。

〃A　few　minutes'　repose；　Francois；　that　is　all。　　Do　not　let　me　be　disturbed　for　an　hour。〃

〃Attention！〃　cried　Francois。　　〃Colonel　wants　to　sleep。〃

The　tent　was　sentinelled；　and　Dujardin　was　alone　with　the　past。

Then　had　the　fools；　that　took　（as　fools　will　do）　deep　sorrow　for　sullenness；　seen　the　fiery　soldier　droop；　and　his　wan　face　fall　into　haggard　lines；　and　his　martial　figure　shrink；　and　heard　his　stout　heart　sigh！　　He　took　a　letter　from　his　bosom：　it　was　almost　worn　to　pieces。　　He　had　read　it　a　thousand　times；　yet　he　read　it　again。　　A　part　of　the　sweet　sad　words　ran　thus：


〃We　must　bow。　　We　can　never　be　happy　together　on　earth；　let　us　make　Heaven　our　friend。　　This　is　still　left　us；not　to　blush　for　our　love；　to　do　our　duty；　and　to　die。〃


〃How　tender；　but　how　firm；〃　thought　Camille。　　〃I　might　agitate；　taunt；　grieve　her　I　love；　but　I　could　not　shake　her。　　No！　　God　and　the　saints　to　my　aid！　they　saved　me　from　a　crime　I　now　shudder　at。　And　they　have　given　me　the　good　chaplain：　he　prays　with　me；　he　weeps　for　me。　　His　prayers　still　my　beating　heart。　　Yes；　poor　suffering　angel！　　I　read　your　will　in　these　tender；　but　bitter；　words：　you　prefer　duty　to　love。　　And　one　day　you　will　forget　me；　not　yet　awhile；　but　it　will　be　so。　　It　wounds　me　when　I　think　of　it；　but　I　must　bow。　　Your　will　is　sacred。　　I　must　rise　to　your　level；　not　drag　you　to　mine。〃

Then　the　soldier　that　had　stood　between　two　armies　in　a　hail　of　bullets；　and　fired　a　master…shot；　took　a　little　book　of　offices　in　one　hand；the　chaplain　had　given　it　him；and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　pious　words；　and　clung　like　a　child　to　the　pious　words；　and　kissed　his　lost　wife's　letter；　and　tried　hard　to　be　like　her　he　loved：　patient；　very　patient；　till　the　end　should　come。

〃Qui　vive？〃　cried　the　sentinel　outside　to　a　strange　officer。

〃France；〃　was　his　reply。　　He　then　asked　the　sentinel；　〃Where　is　the　colonel　commanding　the　brigade？〃

The　sentinel　lowered　his　voice；　〃Asleep；　my　officer；〃　said　he；　for　the　new…comer　carried　two　epaulets。

〃Wake　him；〃　said　the　officer　in　a　tone　of　a　man　used　to　command　on　a　large　scale。

Dujardin　heard；　and　did　not　choose　a　stranger　should　think　he　was　asleep　in　broad　day。　　He　came　hastily　out　of　the　tent；　therefore；　with　Josephine's　letter　in　his　hand；　and；　in　the　very　act　of　conveying　it　to　his　bosom；　found　himself　face　to　face　withher　husband。

Did　you　ever　see　two　duellists　cross　rapiers？

How　unlike　a　theatrical　duel！　　How　smooth　and　quiet　the　bright　blades　are！　they　glide　into　contact。　　They　are　polished　and　slippery；　yet　they　hold　each　other。　　So　these　two　men's　eyes　met；　and　fastened：　neither　spoke：　each　searched　the　other's　face　keenly。　Raynal's　countenance；　prepared　as　he　was　for　this　meeting；　was　like　a　stern　statue's。　　The　other's　face　flushed；　and　his　heart　raged　and　sickened　at　sight　of　the　man；　that；　once　his　comrade　and　benefactor；　was　now　possessor　of　the　woman　he　loved。　　But　the　figures　of　both　stood　alike　haughty；　erect；　and　immovable；　face　to　face。

Colonel　Raynal　saluted　Colonel　Dujardin　ceremoniously。　　Colonel　Dujardin　returned　the　salute　in　the　same　style。

〃You　thought　I　was　in　Egypt；〃　said　Raynal　with　grim　significance　that　caught　Dujardin's　attention；　though　he　did　not　know　quite　how　to　interpret　it。

He　answered　mechanically；　〃Yes；　I　did。〃

〃I　am　sent　here　by　General　Bonaparte　to　take　a　command；〃　explained　Raynal。

〃You　are　welcome。　　What　command？〃

〃Yours。〃

〃Mine？〃　cried　Dujardin；　his　forehead　flushing　with　mortification　and　anger。　　〃What；　is　it　not　enough　that　you　take　my〃　　He　stopped　then。

〃Come；　colonel；〃　said　the　other　calmly；　〃do　not　be　unjust　to　an　old　comrade。　　I　take　your　demi…brigade；　but　you　are　promoted　to　Raimbaut's　brigade。　　The　exchange　is　to　be　made　to…morrow。〃

〃Was　it　then　to　announce　to　me　my　promotion　you　came　to　my　quarters？〃　and　Camille　looked　with　a　strange　mixture　of　feelings　at　his　old　comrade。

〃That　was　the　first　thing；　being　duty；　you　know。〃

〃What？　have　you　anything　else　to　say　to　me；　then？〃

〃I　have。〃

〃Is　it　important？　for　my　own　duties　will　soon　demand　me。〃

〃It　is　so　important　that；　command　or　no　command；　I　should　have　come　further　than　the　Rhine　to　say　it　to　you。〃

Let　a　man　be　as　bold　as　a　lion；　a　certain　awe　still　waits　upon　doubt　and　mystery；　and　some　of　this　vague　awe　crept　over　Camille　Dujardin　at　Raynal's　mysterious　speech；　and　his　grave；　quiet；　significant　manner。

Had　he　discovered　something；　and　what？　　For　Josephine's　sake；　more　than　his　own；　Camille　was　on　his　guard　directly。

Raynal　looked　at　him　in　silence　a　moment。

〃What？〃　said　he　with　a　slight　sneer；　〃has　it　never　occurred　to　you　that　I　MUST　have　a　serious　word　to　say　to　you？　　First；　let　me　put　you　a　question：　did　they　treat　you　well　at　my　house？　at　the　chateau　de　Beaurepaire？〃

〃Yes；〃　faltered　Camille。

〃You　met；　I　trust；　all　the　kindness　and　care　due　to　a　wounded　soldier　and　an　officer　of　merit。　　It　would　annoy　me　greatly　if　I　thought　you　were　not　treated　like　a　brother　in　my　house。〃

Colonel　Dujardin　writhed　inwardly　at　this　view　of　matters。　　He　could　not　reply　in　few　words。　　This　made　him　hesitate。

His　inquisitor　waited；　but；　receiving　no　reply；　went　on；　〃Well；　colonel；　have　you　shown　the　sense　of　gratitude　we　had　a　right　to　look　for　in　return？　　In　a　word；　when　you　left　Beaurepaire；　had　your　conscience　nothing　to　reproach　you　with？〃

Dujardin　still　hesitated。　　He　scarcely　knew　what　to　think　or　what　to　say。　　But　he　thought　to　himself；　〃Who　has　told　him？　does　he　know　all？〃

〃Colonel　Dujardin；　I　am　the　husband　of　Josephine；　the　son　of　Madame　de　Beaurepaire；　and　the　brother　of　Rose。　　You　know　very　well　what　brings　me　here。　　Your　answer？〃

〃Colonel　Raynal；　between　men　of　honor；　placed　as　you　and　I　are；　few　words　should　pass；　for　words　are　idle。　　You　will　ne