The next morning at six o'clock a conveyance1 stopped at the door of the H?tel de la Lanterne.
Madame Teutch had declared that her little Charles was not strong enough to travel twenty-four miles in one day, and that the sergeant-major and she would drive him as far as Bischwiller, which was more than two-thirds of the way. At Bischwiller they would breakfast; and then, as the distance to Auenheim would only be about seven miles, Charles could do it on foot.
As we have already said, the general's headquarters were at Auenheim. On the way they would leave Eugene at the diligence, which at that period took four days and two nights to go from Strasbourg to Paris.
Madame Teutch and Augereau got in behind, Charles and Eugene in the front, and, with Sleepy-head on the driver's seat, they started. The carriage stopped at the diligence office, as had been arranged, where the diligence was all ready to start. Eugene got off the carriage; and as Charles, Madame Teutch, and the sergeant-major did not wish to leave him until the last moment, they also got out. Five minutes later the conductor gave the signal, and Eugene embraced each in turn. Madame Teutch thrust some cakes into his pocket, Charles pressed his hand tearfully, and Augereau explained to him for the hundredth time a secret thrust which he had learned from one of the best fencing-masters in Naples. At last they were obliged to part. Eugene disappeared into the immense vehicle; the door closed,[Pg 100] the horses started, and they saw Eugene's profile pressed against the window, and heard his voice crying, "Farewell!" then the diligence rumbled2 into the street and vanished from sight. For some seconds they could hear the creaking of the wheels, the galloping3 of the horses, and the cracking of the postilion's whip, then the sounds gradually grew fainter, and finally ceased altogether.
Nothing is sadder than a departure; those who remain do not seem to have done so voluntarily, but to have been forgotten. Madame Teutch, Augereau, and Charles looked at each other sadly.
"He is gone," said Charles, wiping his eyes.
"And it will be your turn in two hours, my poor little Charles," said citizeness Teutch.
"Pooh!" said Augereau, who represented the courage of the company; "as the proverb says, mountains do not meet, but men sometimes do."
They re-entered the carriage. In spite of his heroic resistance, Madame Teutch took Charles upon her knee and kissed him for himself and Eugene. Augereau filled his pipe and lighted it. Then they awakened5 Coclès, who, in order not to lose completely his right to his old name, had fallen asleep.
The carriage started, but at the gate the itinerary6 was changed. When they inquired of the gate-keeper as to which was the shorter and better road to Auenheim, that of Bischwiller or that of Offendorf, he replied that they need not hesitate to choose the latter, which was a government road, while the other was only a provincial7 one. They therefore took the one to Offendorf.
This road is charming; it skirts the Rhine, and travellers have constantly before them the isles8, which are so varied9 in form, and the broad majestic10 river, along which runs the road to Offendorf.
The travellers stopped a moment to breathe the horse,[Pg 101] and to inquire for a place to breakfast; for the brisk morning air and the breeze that shook the white frost from its wings had sharpened their appetites.
They were directed to Rohwillers. One hour later they halted at the inn of the Golden Lion, and inquired the distance from Rohwillers to Auenheim. It was only nine short miles, which a good walker could cover in two hours and a half. Charles declared that they should not come any further and that he would be ashamed to tell Pichegru that he had only walked nine miles. How would he feel if they should go as far as Auenheim? He would die of shame. Perhaps, if she had been alone, Madame Teutch would have insisted, but the sergeant-major, who doubtless had good reasons for wishing to be alone with her, took sides with Charles.
It was half-past ten o'clock; they ordered breakfast, and arranged that they should separate at noon, the traveller to continue on his way to Auenheim, Pierre Augereau, citizeness Teutch, and "Sleepy-head" to return to Strasbourg.
The breakfast was sad at first; but the sergeant-major was in no wise inclined to melancholy11, and, little by little, the Moselle and Rhine wine enlivened the guests. They drank to Augereau's promotion12, to Madame Teutch's continued good health, since they could not wish it to be better; to Eugene's safe journey, to the successful termination of his father's trial, to Charles's future; and, as a result of these toasts, sadness yielded to an illimitable trust in Providence13.
France believed neither in the ancient God who had been dethroned, nor in the new God who had just been proclaimed; the Eternal Father was too old, the Supreme14 Being was too young. Providence, of whom these destroyers of altars had not thought, made a fair compromise.
Noon struck. The sergeant-major rose first.
"Honest men," said he, "have but one word. We agreed to say good-by at noon, and it has just struck. Besides, if we were to stay together an hour longer, or even two, we[Pg 102] would still have to part; therefore let us do so now. Come, Charles, my boy, show us that you are a man."
Charles, without replying, slung15 his little bag across his shoulders, took his walking-stick in one hand and his hat in the other, embraced first the fencing-master, then Madame Teutch, and tried to thank her, but his voice failed him.
He could only say "Au revoir!" slip a twenty-franc note into Coclès' hand, and rush out into the road.
After he had gone fifty paces, he stopped just where the road made a bend, and saw that citizeness Teutch and the sergeant-major had gone up to a room on the first floor which overlooked the road to Auenheim.
Mistrusting her weakness, the good landlady16 of the H?tel de la Lanterne was leaning upon the sergeant-major's arm, and, with the hand that was free, was waving her handkerchief to Charles. Charles drew out his handkerchief and answered her signals.
Another turn in the road hid the window from him. He retraced17 his steps for a last wave of the hand to his two good friends. But the window was closed, and the curtain was drawn18 so carefully that it was impossible to see whether they had gone downstairs or not. Charles breathed a deep sigh, hastened his steps, and was soon beyond the village.
December was half gone. The winter had been severe. For three days, a most unusual occurrence in that village, the snow had fallen and had melted as fast as it fell. But in the open country, where it was seldom trampled19, it had accumulated and was hardened by a temperature of ten degrees. The road was dazzling; it seemed as if the night had spread a carpet of white velvet20, spangled with silver stars, beneath the feet of the traveller. The trees, adorned21 with icicles, looked like immense chandeliers. The birds fluttered along the road, anxiously seeking the accustomed food with which God provided them, but which, during the last three days, it had been so difficult to find. Shivering, and fluffing their feathers, they looked twice their natural[Pg 103] size, and when they perched on the flexible branches, or left them to fly away, they scattered22 a shower of diamonds.
Charles, who in after-life was so impressionable to the beauties of Nature, and who described them so perfectly23, lost his sad thoughts in the picturesque24 scene; and, proud of this his first liberty of mind and body, with which he was entering the world, walked on without noticing the road or feeling fatigue25.
He had already accomplished26 three-quarters of the way, when, just beyond Sessersheim, he was overtaken by a little squad27 of foot-soldiers, about twenty in all, commanded by a mounted captain who was smoking a cigar. The twenty men were marching in two files. In the middle of the road, like Charles, a horseman—easily identified as such by his boots and spurs—was walking. A large white cloak covered his shoulders and fell to his feet, leaving only a youthful head visible, in which intelligence seemed to combine with carelessness and gayety. He wore a foraging28 cap of a style not in vogue29 in the French army.
The captain, seeing Charles on the road near the man with the white cloak, looked sharply at him for a moment, and then, seeing that he was only a boy, smiled pleasantly to him.
"Where are you going, my young citizen?" he asked.
"Captain," replied the boy, believing that he must give a lengthy30 explanation, "I have come from Strasbourg, and I am on my way to General Pichegru's headquarters at Auenheim. Is that very far off?"
"About two hundred paces," replied the man in the white cloak; "see, you may get a glimpse of the first houses of Auenheim at the end of that avenue of trees which we are just about to enter."
"Thank you," said Charles, making ready to hurry on.
"Faith, young man," continued the man in the white cloak, "if you are not in too much of a hurry you might go along with us. Then I could ask you for some news from home."
[Pg 104]
"What home, citizen?" asked Charles in astonishment31, looking for the first time at the fine noble countenance32 which was for a moment veiled in sadness.
"Come," said the latter, "you are from Besan?on, or at least from the Franche-Comté. Can our national accent be disguised? I, too, come from the Franche-Comté, and I am proud of it."
Charles pondered a moment; this recognition of the accent awakened a college memory in his mind.
"Well," asked the young man, "do you wish to be unknown?"
"No, citizen; I was only thinking that Theophrastus, who was first called Tyrtamus, and whom the Athenians, as his name indicates, had surnamed the 'fine speaker,' was recognized as a Lesbian by his accent, after fifty years sojourn33 at Athens, by a dealer34 in herbs."
"You are learned, sir," replied the young man, smiling. "That is a luxury in these days."
"No, for I am on my way to General Pichegru, who is very learned himself. I hope to become his secretary, thanks to my letter of recommendation. And you, citizen, do you belong to the army?"
"Not exactly."
"Then," said Charles, "you are attached to the administration?"
"Attached—that's the word. Only I am not attached to the administration; I am attached to myself."
"But," said Charles, lowering his voice, "you called me monsieur out loud. Are you not afraid that you will lose your place?"
"Oh! I say, captain," laughed the young man, "here is a young citizen who is afraid that I shall lose my place for calling him monsieur! Do you know any one who wants my place? I will do him the honor of giving it to him instantly."
The captain replied only by a sad smile and a shrug35; but Charles thought he heard him murmur36, "Poor devil!"
[Pg 105]
"Tell me," continued the young man in the white cloak, "since you are from Besan?on—for you do come from there, do you not?"
"I do not deny it," replied Charles.
"You must know a family there named Sainte-Hermine."
"Yes, a widowed mother whose husband was guillotined eight months ago."
"That is the one," said the young man, lifting his eyes to heaven.
"And three sons."
"Three sons! yes, there are still three," murmured the other with a sigh.
"The eldest37, the Comte de Sainte-Hermine, who emigrated, and two others younger than he; one is about twenty and the other is not more than fourteen or fifteen."
"Thank you; how long is it since you left Besan?on?"
"About eight days."
"Then you can give me some recent news about this family?"
"Yes, but it is sad news."
"Tell it nevertheless."
"The night before I left, my father and I attended the funeral of the countess."
"Ah!" exclaimed the young man, as if he had received an unexpected blow; "then the countess is dead?"
"Yes."
"So much the better," said he with a sigh, as he raised his eyes wet with tears to heaven.
"What do you mean?" exclaimed Charles.
"Yes," replied the young man, "it is better that she should die of sickness than through grief when she learns that her son has been shot."
"What? has the Comte de Sainte-Hermine been shot?"
"No, but he is going to be."
"When?"
"Why, as soon as we reach the fortress38 of Auenheim; that is where the executions usually take place."
[Pg 106]
"Then the count is at the fortress?"
"No, they are taking him there."
"And they will shoot him?"
"As soon as I get there."
"Then you have charge of the execution?"
"No, but I hope they will let me give the order to fire. That is a favor that is seldom refused to any brave soldier taken with his arms in his hand, even if he has emigrated."
"Exactly, my young friend. That is why I laughed when you recommended prudence40, and why I offered to give my place to any one who wanted it, for I have no fear of losing it. As you said, I am attached."
And shaking aside his cloak with a movement of his shoulders, he showed the boy that his hands were fastened in front and his arms bound behind.
"Then," cried Charles, with a movement of terror, "you are—"
"The Comte de Sainte-Hermine, my child. You see I was right when I said that it is well my poor mother is dead."
"Oh!" exclaimed Charles.
"Luckily," he continued between his teeth, "my brothers still live!"
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
conveyance
|
|
| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
rumbled
|
|
| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
galloping
|
|
| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
itinerary
|
|
| n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
provincial
|
|
| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
isles
|
|
| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
varied
|
|
| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
majestic
|
|
| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
promotion
|
|
| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
providence
|
|
| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
slung
|
|
| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
landlady
|
|
| n.女房东，女地主 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
retraced
|
|
| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
trampled
|
|
| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
adorned
|
|
| [计]被修饰的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
fatigue
|
|
| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
squad
|
|
| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
foraging
|
|
| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
Vogue
|
|
| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
lengthy
|
|
| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sojourn
|
|
| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
dealer
|
|
| n.商人，贩子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
shrug
|
|
| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
eldest
|
|
| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
fortress
|
|
| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
prudence
|
|
| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |