monsieur beaucaire(博凯尔先生)-第5节
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turn and clasp themselves tremulously about his own。 At last she looked
up bravely and met his eyes。 The horn was wound again … nearer。
〃All the cold was gone from the snows … long ago；〃 she said。
〃My beautiful！〃 he whispered； it was all he could say。 〃My
beautiful！〃 But she clutched his arm； startled。
〃'Ware the road！〃 A wild halloo sounded ahead。 The horn wound
loudly。 〃'Ware the road！〃 There sprang up out of the night a flying
thunder of hoof…beats。 The gentlemen riding idly in front of the coach
scattered to the hedge…sides； and； with drawn swords flashing in the moon；
a party of horsemen charged down the highway； their cries blasting the
night。
〃Barber！ Kill the barber！〃 they screamed。 〃Barber！ Kill the
barber！〃
Beaucaire had but time to draw his sword when they were upon him。
〃A moi！〃 his voice rang out clearly as he rose in his stirrups。 〃A moi；
Francois； Louis； Berquin！ A moi； Francois！〃
The cavaliers came straight at him。 He parried the thrust of the first；
but the shock of collision hurled his horse against the side of the coach。
〃Sacred swine！〃 he cried bitterly。 〃To endanger a lady； to make this
brawl in a lady's presence！ Drive on！〃 he shouted。
〃No！〃 cried Lady Mary。
The Frenchman's assailants were masked； but they were not
highwaymen。 〃Barber！ Barber！〃 they shouted hoarsely； and closed in on
him in a circle。
〃See how he use his steel！〃 laughed M。 Beaucaire； as his point passed
through a tawdry waistcoat。 For a moment he cut through the ring and
cleared a space about him； and Lady Mary saw his face shining in the
moonlight。 〃Canaille！〃 he hissed； as his horse sank beneath him； and；
though guarding his head from the rain of blows from above； he managed
to drag headlong from his saddle the man who had hamstrung the poor
brute。 The fellow came suddenly to the ground； and lay there。
〃Is it not a compliment；〃 said a heavy voice； 〃to bring six large men to
subdue monsieur？〃
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Monsieur Beaucaire
〃Oh； you are there； my frien'！ In the rear … a little in the rear； I think。
Ha； ha！〃
The Frenchman's play with his weapon was a revelation of skill； the
more extraordinary as he held in his hand only a light dress sword。 But the
ring closed about him； and his keen defense could not avail him for more
than a few moments。 Lady Mary's outriders； the gallants of her escort；
rode up close to the coach and encircled it； not interfering。
〃Sir Hugh Guilford！〃 cried Lady Mary wildly； 〃if you will not help
him； give me your sword！〃 She would have leaped to the ground； but Sir
Hugh held the door。
〃Sit quiet； madam；〃 he said to her； then； to the man on the box； 〃Drive
on。〃
〃If he does； I'll kill him！〃 she said fiercely。 〃Ah； what cowards！ Will
you see the Duke murdered？〃
〃The Duke！〃 laughed Guilford。 〃They will not kill him； unless … be
easy； dear madam； 'twill be explained。 Gad's life！〃 he muttered to
Molyneux； 〃'Twere time the varlet had his lashing！ D'ye hear her？〃
〃Barber or no barber；〃 answered Molyneux； 〃I wish I had warned him。
He fights as few gentlemen could。 Ah … ah！ Look at that！ 'Tis a
shame！〃
On foot； his hat gone； his white coat sadly rent and gashed； flecked；
too； with red； M。 Beaucgjre； wary； alert； brilliant； seemed to transform
himself into a dozen fencing…masters； and； though his skill appeared to lie
in delicacy and quickness； his play being continually with the point； sheer
strength failed to beat him down。 The young man was laughing like a
child。
〃Believe me；〃 said Molyneux 〃he's no barber！ No； and never was！〃
For a moment there was even a chance that M。 Beaucaire might have
the best of it。 Two of his adversaries were prostrate； more than one were
groaning； and the indomitable Frenchman had actually almost beat off the
ruffians； when； by a trick； he was overcome。 One of them； dismounting；
ran in suddenly from behind； and seized his blade in a thick leather
gauntlet。 Before Beaucaire could disengage the weapon； two others
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Monsieur Beaucaire
threw themselves from their horses and hurled him to the earth。 〃A moi！
A moi； Francois！〃 he cried as he went down； his sword in fragments； but
his voice unbroken and clear。
〃Shame！〃 muttered one or two of the gentlemen about the coach。
〃'Twas dastardly to take him so； said Molyneux。 〃Whatever his
deservings； I'm nigh of a mind to offer bim a rescue in the Duke's face。〃
〃Truss him up； lads；〃 said the heavy voice。 Clear the way in front of
the coach。 There sit those whom we avenge upon a presumptuous lackey。
Now； Whiffen； you have a fair audience； lay on and baste him。〃
Two men began to drag M。 Beaucaire toward a great oak by the
roadside。 Another took from his saddle a heavy whip with three thongs。
〃A moi； Francois！〃
There was borne on the breeze an answer … 〃 Monseigneur！
Monseigneur！〃 The cry grew louder suddenly。 The clatter of hoofs
urged to an anguish of speed sounded on the night。 M。 Beaucaire's
servants had lagged sorely behind； but they made up for it now。 Almost
before the noise of their own steeds they came riding down the moonlit
aisle between the mists。 Chosen men； these servants of Beaucaire； and
like a thunderbolt they fell upon the astounded cavaliers。
〃Chateaurien！ Chateaurien！〃 they shouted； and smote so swiftly that；
through lack of time； they showed no proper judgment； discriminating
nothing between non…combatants and their master's foes。 They charged
first into the group about M。 Beaucaire； and broke and routed it utterly。
Two of them leaped to the young man's side； while the other four；
swerving； scarce losing the momentum of their onset； bore on upon the
gentlemen near the coach； who went down beneath the fierceness of the
onslaught； cursing manfully。
〃Our just deserts；〃 said Mr。 Moly…neux； his mouth full of dust and
philosophy。
Sir Hugh Guilford's horse fell with him； being literally ridden over；
and the baronet's leg was pinned under the saddle。 In less than ten
minutes from the first attack on M。 Beaucaire； the attacking party had fled
in disorder； and the patrician non…combatants； choking with expletives；
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Monsieur Beaucaire
consumed with wrath； were prisoners； disarmed by the Frenchman's
lackeys。
Guilford's discomfiture had freed the doors of the coach； so it was that
when M。 Beaucaire； struggling to rise； assisted by his servants； threw out
one hand to balance himself； he found it seized between two small； cold
palms； and he looked into two warm； dilating eyes； that were doubly
beautiful because of the fright and rage that found room in them； too。
M。 le Duc Chateaurien sprang to his feet without the aid of his lackeys；
and bowed low before Lady Mary。
〃I make ten thousan' apology to be' the cause of a such melee in your
presence；〃 he said； and then； turning to Francois； he spoke in French： 〃Ah；
thou scoundrel！ A little； and it had been too late。〃
Francois knelt in the dust before him。 〃Pardon！〃 he said。 〃Monseigneur
commanded us to follow far in the rear； to remain unobserved。 The wind
malignantly blew against monseigneur's voice。〃
〃See what it might have cost； my children；〃 said his master； pointing to
the ropes with which they would have bound him and to the whip lying
beside them。 A shudder passed over the lackey's frame； the utter horror
in his face echoed in the eyes of his fellows。
