white lies-第63节

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〃Well；　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　General　Raimbaut；　〃we　begin　by　settling　the　contingents　to　be　furnished　by　your　several　brigades。　Say；　an　equal　number　from　each。　　The　sum　total　shall　be　settled　by　Colonel　Dujardin；　who　has　so　long　and　ably　baffled　the　bastion　at　this　post。〃

Colonel　Dujardin　bowed　stiffly　and　not　very　graciously。　　In　his　heart　he　despised　these　old　fogies；　compounds　of　timidity　and　rashness。

〃So；　how　many　men　in　all；　colonel？〃　asked　General　Raimbaut。

〃The　fewer　the　better；〃　replied　the　other　solemnly；　〃since〃and　then　discipline　tied　his　tongue。

〃I　understand　you；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃Shall　we　say　eight　hundred　men？〃

〃I　should　prefer　three　hundred。　　They　have　made　a　back　door　to　the　bastion；　and　the　means　of　flight　at　hand　will　put　flight　into　their　heads。　　They　will　pick　off　some　of　our　men　as　we　go　at　them。　　When　the　rest　jump　in　they　will　jump　out；　and〃　　He　paused。

〃Why；　he　knows　all　about　it　before　it　comes；〃　said　one　of　the　colonels　naively。

〃I　do。　　I　see　the　whole　operation　and　its　result　before　me；　as　I　see　this　hand。　　Three　hundred　men　will　do。〃

〃But；　general；〃　objected　Raynal；　〃you　are　not　beginning　at　the　beginning。　　The　first　thing　in　these　cases　is　to　choose　the　officer　to　command　the　storming　party。〃

〃Yes；　Raynal；　unquestionably；　but　you　must　be　aware　that　is　a　painful　and　embarrassing　part　of　my　duty；　especially　after　Colonel　Dujardin's　remarks。〃

〃Ah；　bah！〃　cried　Raynal。　　〃He　is　prejudiced。　　He　has　been　digging　a　thundering　long　mine　here；　and　now　you　are　going　to　make　his　child　useless。　　We　none　of　us　like　that。　　But　when　he　gets　the　colors　in　his　hand；　and　the　storming　column　at　his　back；　his　misgivings　will　all　go　to　the　wind；　and　the　enemy　after　them；　unless　he　has　been　committing　some　crime；　and　is　very　much　changed　from　what　I　knew　him　four　years　ago。〃

〃Colonel　Raynal；〃　said　one　of　the　other　colonels；　politely　but　firmly；　〃pray　do　not　assume　that　Colonel　Dujardin　is　to　lead　the　column；　there　are　three　other　claimants。　　General　Raimbaut　is　to　select　from　us　four。〃

〃Yes；　gentlemen；　and　in　a　service　of　this　kind　I　would　feel　grateful　to　you　all　if　you　would　relieve　me　of　that　painful　duty。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Dujardin；　with　an　imperceptible　sneer；　〃the　general　means　to　say　this：　the　operation　is　so　glorious　that　he　could　hardly　without　partiality　assign　the　command　to　either　of　us　four　claimants。　　Well；　then；　let　us　cast　lots。〃

The　proposal　was　received　by　acclamation。

〃The　general　will　mark　a　black　cross　on　one　lot；　and　he　who　draws　it　wins　the　command。〃

The　young　colonels　prepared　their　lots　with　almost　boyish　eagerness。　These　fiery　spirits　were　sick　to　death　of　lying　and　skulking　in　the　trenches。　　They　flung　their　lots　into　the　hat。　　After　them；　who　should　approach　the　hat；　lot　in　hand；　but　Raynal。　　Dujardin　instantly　interfered；　and　held　his　arm　as　he　was　in　the　act　of　dropping　in　his　lot。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　Raynal；　sharply。

〃This　is　our　affair；　Colonel　Raynal。　　You　have　no　command　in　this　army。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　I　have　yours。〃

〃Not　till　to…morrow。〃

〃Why；　you　would　not　take　such　a　pettifogging　advantage　of　an　old　comrade　as　that。〃

〃Tell　him　the　day　ends　at　twelve　o'clock；〃　said　one　of　the　colonels　interested　by　this　strange　strife。

〃Ah！〃　cried　Raynal；　triumphantly；　〃but　no；〃　said　he；　altering　his　tone；　〃let　us　leave　that　sort　of　argument　to　lawyers。　　I　have　come　a　good　many　miles　to　fight　with　you；　general；　and　now　you　must　decide　to　pay　me　this　little　compliment　on　my　arrival；　or　put　a　bitter　affront　on　mechoose！〃

While　the　old　general　hesitated；　Camille　replied；　〃Since　you　take　that　tone　there　can　be　but　one　answer。　　You　are　too　great　a　credit　to　the　French　army　for　even　an　apparent　slight　to　be　put　on　you　here。　　The　rule；　I　think；　is；　that　one　of　the　privates　shall　hold　the　hat。Hallo！　　Private　Dard；　come　heretherehold　this　hat。〃

〃Yes；　colonel。Lord；　here　is　my　young　mistress's　husband！〃

〃Silence！〃

And　they　began　to　draw；　and；　in　the　act　of　drawing；　a　change　of　manner　was　first　visible　in　these　gay　and　ardent　spirits。

〃It　is　not　I；〃　said　one；　throwing　away　his　lot。

〃Nor　I。〃

〃It　is　I；〃　said　Raynal；　then　with　sudden　gravity；　〃I　am　the　lucky　one。〃

And　now　that　the　honor　and　the　danger　no　longer　floated　vaguely　over　four　heads；　but　had　fixed　on　one；　a　sudden　silence　and　solemnity　took　the　place　of　eager　voices。

It　was　first　broken　by　Private　Dard　saying；　with　foolish　triumph；　〃And　I　held　the　hat　for　you；　colonel。〃

〃Ah；　Raynal！〃　said　General　Raimbaut；　sorrowfully；　〃it　was　not　worth　while　to　come　from　Egypt　for　this。〃

Raynal　made　no　reply　to　this。　　He　drew　out　his　watch；　and　said　calmly；　he　had　no　time　to　lose；　he　must　inspect　the　detachments　he　was　to　command。　　〃Besides；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　some　domestic　arrangements　to　make。　　Hitherto　on　these　occasions　I　was　a　bachelor；　now　I　am　married。〃　　General　Raimbaut　could　not　help　sighing。　　Raynal　read　this　aright；　and　turned　to　him；　〃A　droll　marriage；　my　old　friend；　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it　if　ever　I　have　the　time。　　It　began　with　a　purchase；　general；　and　ends　withwith　a　bequest；　which　I　might　as　well　write　now；　and　so　have　nothing　to　think　of　but　duty　afterwards。　　Where　can　I　write？〃

〃Colonel　Dujardin　will　lend　you　his　tent；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃And；　messieurs；〃　said　Raynal；　〃if　I　waste　time　you　need　not。　　You　can　pick　me　my　men　from　your　brigades。　　Give　me　a　strong　spice　of　old　hands。〃

The　colonels　withdrew　on　this；　and　General　Raimbaut　walked　sadly　and　thoughtfully　towards　the　battery。　　Dujardin　and　Raynal　were　left　alone。

〃This　postpones　our　affair；　sir。〃

〃Yes；　Raynal。〃

〃Have　you　writing　materials　in　your　tent？〃

〃Yes；　on　the　table。〃

〃You　are　quite　sure　the　bastion　is　mined；　comrade？〃

This　unexpected　word　and　Raynal's　gentle　appeal　touched　Dujardin　deeply。　　It　was　in　a　broken　voice　he　replied　that　he　was　unfortunately　too　sure　of　it。

Raynal　received　this　reply　as　a　sentence　of　death；　and　without　another　word　walked　slowly　into　Dujardin's　tent。

Dujardin's　generosity　was　up　in　arms；　he　followed　Raynal；　and　said　eagerly；　〃Raynal；　for　Heaven's　sake　resign　this　command！〃

〃Allow　me　to　write　to　my　wife；　colonel；〃　was　the　cold　reply。

Camille　winced　at　this　affront；　and　drew　back　a　moment；　but　his　nobler　part　prevailed。　　He　seized　Raynal　by　the　wrist。　　〃You　shall　not　affront　me；　you　cannot　affront　me。　　You　go　to　certain　death　I　tell　you；　if　you　attack　that　bastion。〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool；　colonel；〃　said　Raynal：　〃somebody　must　lead　the　men。〃

〃Yes；　but　not　you。　　Who　has　so　good　a　right　to　lead　them　as　I；　their　colonel？〃

〃And　be　killed　in　my　place；　eh？〃

〃I　know　the　ground　better　than　you；〃　said　Camille。　　〃Besides；　who　cares　for　me？　　I　have　no　friends；　no　family。　　But　you　are　married　and　so　many　will　mourn　if　you〃

Raynal　interrupted　him　sternly。　　〃You　forget；　sir；　that　Rose　de　Beaurepaire　is　my　sister；　when　you　tell　me　you　have　no　tie　to　life。〃　He　added；　with　wonderful　dignity　and　sobriety；　〃Allow　me　to　write　to　my　wife；　sir；　and；　while　I　write；　reflect　that　you　can　embitter　an　old　comrade's　last　moments　by　persisting　in　your　refusal　to　restore　his　sister　the　honor　you　have　robbed　her　of。〃

And　leaving　the　other　staggered　and　confused　by　this　sudden　blow；　he　retired　into　Dujardin's　tent；　and　finding　writing　materials　on　a　little　table　that　was　there；　sat　down　to　pen　a　line　to　Josephine。

Camille　knew　to　whom　he　was　writing；　and　a　jealous　pang　passed　through　him。

What　he　wrote　ran　thus；


〃A　bastion　is　to　be　attacked　at　five。　　I　command。　　Colonel　Dujardin　proposed　we　should　draw　lots；　and　I　lost。　　The　service　is　honorable；　but　the　result　may；　I　fear；　give　you　some　pain。　　My　dear　wife；　it　is　our　fate。　　I　was　not　to　have　time　to　make　you　know；　and　perhaps　love　me。　　God　bless　you。〃


In　writing　these　simple　words；　Raynal's　hard　face　worked；　and　his　mustache　quivered；　and　once　he　had　to　clear　his　eye　with　his　hand　to　form　the　letters。　　He；　the　man　of　iron。

He　who　stood　there；　leaning　on　his　scabbard　and　watching　the　writer；　saw　this；　and　it　stirred　all　that　was　great　and　good　in　that　grand　though　passionate　heart　of　his。

〃Poor　Raynal！〃　thought　he；　〃you　were　never　like　that　before　on　going　into　action。　　He　is　loath　to　die。　　Ay；　and　it　is　a　coward's　trick　to　let　him　die。　　I　shall　have　her；　but　shall　I　have　her　esteem？　　What　will　the　army　say？　　What　will　my　conscience　say？　　Oh！　I　feel　already　it　will　gnaw　my　heart　to　death；　the　ghost　of　that　brave　fellowonce　my　dear　friend；　my　rival　now；　by　no　fault　of　hiswill　rise　between　her　and　me；　and　reproach　me　with　my　bloody　inheritance。　　The　heart　never　deceives；　I　feel　it　now　whispering　in　my　ear：　'Skulking　captain；　white…livered　soldier；　that　stand　behind　a　parapet　while　a　better　man　does　your　work！　you　assassinate　the　husband；　but　the　rival　conquers　you。'　　There；　he　puts　his　hand　to　his　eyes。　　What　shall　I　do？〃

〃Colonel；〃　said　a　low　voice；　and　at　the　same　time　a　hand　was　laid　on　his　shoulder。

It　was　General　Raimbaut。　　The　general　looked　pale　and　distressed。

〃Come　apart；　colonel；　for　Heaven's　sake！　　One　word；　while　he　is　writing。　　Ah！　that　was　an　unlucky　idea　of　yours。〃

〃Of　mine；　general？〃

〃'Twas　you　proposed　to　cast　lots。〃

〃Good　Go