“This is very strange!” said he to his valet de chambre, who accompanied him.
“Let us stop, monsieur — I conjure11 you!” replied the faithful servant; “how pale you are getting!”
“That will not prevent my pursuing my route, now I have once started,” replied the comte. And he gave his horse his head again. But suddenly, the animal, instead of obeying the thought of his master, stopped. A movement, of which Athos was unconscious, had checked the bit.
“Something,” said Athos, “wills that I should go no further. Support me,” added he, stretching out his arms; “quick! come closer! I feel my muscles relax — I shall fall from my horse.”
The valet had seen the movement made by his master at the moment he received the order. He went up to him quickly, received the comte in his arms, and as they were not yet sufficiently12 distant from the house for the servants, who had remained at the door to watch their master’s departure, not to perceive the disorder13 in the usually regular proceeding14 of the comte, the valet called his comrades by gestures and voice, and all hastened to his assistance. Athos had gone but a few steps on his return, when he felt himself better again. His strength seemed to revive and with it the desire to go to Blois. He made his horse turn round: but, at the animal’s first steps, he sunk again into a state of torpor15 and anguish16.
“Well! decidedly,” said he, “it is willed that I should stay at home.” His people flocked around him; they lifted him from his horse, and carried him as quickly as possible into the house. Everything was prepared in his chamber17, and they put him to bed.
“You will be sure to remember,” said he, disposing himself to sleep, “that I expect letters from Africa this very day.”
“Monsieur will no doubt hear with pleasure that Blaisois’s son is gone on horseback, to gain an hour over the courier of Blois,” replied his valet de chambre.
“Thank you,” replied Athos, with his placid18 smile.
The comte fell asleep, but his disturbed slumber19 resembled torture rather than repose. The servant who watched him saw several times the expression of internal suffering shadowed on his features. Perhaps Athos was dreaming.
The day passed away. Blaisois’s son returned; the courier had brought no news. The comte reckoned the minutes with despair; he shuddered20 when those minutes made an hour. The idea that he was forgotten seized him once, and brought on a fearful pang22 of the heart. Everybody in the house had given up all hopes of the courier — his hour had long passed. Four times the express sent to Blois had repeated his journey, and there was nothing to the address of the comte. Athos knew that the courier only arrived once a week. Here, then, was a delay of eight mortal days to be endured. He commenced the night in this painful persuasion23. All that a sick man, irritated by suffering, can add of melancholy suppositions to probabilities already gloomy, Athos heaped up during the early hours of this dismal24 night. The fever rose: it invaded the chest, where the fire soon caught, according to the expression of the physician, who had been brought back from Blois by Blaisois at his last journey. Soon it gained the head. The physician made two successive bleedings, which dislodged it for the time, but left the patient very weak, and without power of action in anything but his brain. And yet this redoubtable25 fever had ceased. It besieged26 with its last palpitations the tense extremities27; it ended by yielding as midnight struck.
The physician, seeing the incontestable improvement, returned to Blois, after having ordered some prescriptions28, and declared that the comte was saved. Then commenced for Athos a strange, indefinable state. Free to think, his mind turned towards Raoul, that beloved son. His imagination penetrated29 the fields of Africa in the environs of Gigelli, where M. de Beaufort must have landed with his army. A waste of gray rocks, rendered green in certain parts by the waters of the sea, when it lashed30 the shore in storms and tempest. Beyond, the shore, strewed31 over with these rocks like gravestones, ascended32, in form of an amphitheater among mastic-trees and cactus33, a sort of small town, full of smoke, confused noises, and terrified movements. All of a sudden, from the bosom34 of this smoke arose a flame, which succeeded, creeping along the houses, in covering the entire surface of the town, and increased by degrees, uniting in its red and angry vortices tears, screams, and supplicating35 arms outstretched to Heaven.
There was, for a moment, a frightful36 pele-mele of timbers falling to pieces, of swords broken, of stones calcined, trees burnt and disappearing. It was a strange thing that in this chaos37, in which Athos distinguished38 raised arms, in which he heard cries, sobs39, and groans40, he did not see one human figure. The cannon41 thundered at a distance, musketry madly barked, the sea moaned, flocks made their escape, bounding over the verdant42 slope. But not a soldier to apply the match to the batteries of cannon, not a sailor to assist in maneuvering43 the fleet, not a shepherd in charge of the flocks. After the ruin of the village, the destruction of the forts which dominated it, a ruin and destruction magically wrought44 without the cooperation of a single human being, the flames were extinguished, the smoke began to subside45, then diminished in intensity46, paled and disappeared entirely47. Night then came over the scene; night dark upon the earth, brilliant in the firmament48. The large blazing stars which spangled the African sky glittered and gleamed without illuminating49 anything.
A long silence ensued, which gave, for a moment, repose to the troubled imagination of Athos; and as he felt that that which he saw was not terminated, he applied50 more attentively51 the eyes of his understanding on the strange spectacle which his imagination had presented. This spectacle was soon continued for him. A mild pale moon rose behind the declivities of the coast, streaking53 at first the undulating ripples54 of the sea, which appeared to have calmed after the roaring it had sent forth55 during the vision of Athos — the moon, we say, shed its diamonds and opals upon the briers and bushes of the hills. The gray rocks, so many silent and attentive52 phantoms56, appeared to raise their heads to examine likewise the field of battle by the light of the moon, and Athos perceived that the field, empty during the combat, was now strewn with fallen bodies.
An inexpressible shudder21 of fear and horror seized his soul as he recognized the white and blue uniforms of the soldiers of Picardy, with their long pikes and blue handles, and muskets57 marked with the fleur-delis on the butts58. When he saw all the gaping59 wounds, looking up to the bright heavens as if to demand back of them the souls to which they had opened a passage — when he saw the slaughtered60 horses, stiff, their tongues hanging out at one side of their mouths, sleeping in the shiny blood congealed61 around them, staining their furniture and their manes — when he saw the white horse of M. de Beaufort, with his head beaten to pieces, in the first ranks of the dead, Athos passed a cold hand over his brow, which he was astonished not to find burning. He was convinced by this touch that he was present, as a spectator, without delirium’s dreadful aid, the day after the battle fought upon the shores of Gigelli by the army of the expedition, which he had seen leave the coast of France and disappear upon the dim horizon, and of which he had saluted62 with thought and gesture the last cannon-shot fired by the duke as a signal of farewell to his country.
Who can paint the mortal agony with which his soul followed, like a vigilant63 eye, these effigies64 of clay-cold soldiers, and examined them, one after the other, to see if Raoul slept among them? Who can express the intoxication65 of joy with which Athos bowed before God, and thanked Him for not having seen him he sought with so much fear among the dead? In fact, fallen in their ranks, stiff, icy, the dead, still recognizable with ease, seemed to turn with complacency towards the Comte de la Fere, to be the better seen by him, during his sad review. But yet, he was astonished, while viewing all these bodies, not to perceive the survivors66. To such a point did the illusion extend, that this vision was for him a real voyage made by the father into Africa, to obtain more exact information respecting his son.
Fatigued67, therefore, with having traversed seas and continents, he sought repose under one of the tents sheltered behind a rock, on the top of which floated the white fleur-delised pennon. He looked for a soldier to conduct him to the tent of M. de Beaufort. Then, while his eye was wandering over the plain, turning on all sides, he saw a white form appear behind the scented68 myrtles. This figure was clothed in the costume of an officer; it held in its hand a broken sword; it advanced slowly towards Athos, who, stopping short and fixing his eyes upon it, neither spoke69 nor moved, but wished to open his arms, because in this silent officer he had already recognized Raoul. The comte attempted to utter a cry, but it was stifled70 in his throat. Raoul, with a gesture, directed him to be silent, placing his finger on his lips and drawing back by degrees, without Athos being able to see his legs move. The comte, still paler than Raoul, followed his son, painfully traversing briers and bushes, stones and ditches, Raoul not appearing to touch the earth, no obstacle seeming to impede71 the lightness of his march. The comte, whom the inequalities of the path fatigued, soon stopped, exhausted72. Raoul still continued to beckon73 him to follow him. The tender father, to whom love restored strength, made a last effort, and climbed the mountain after the young man, who attracted him by gesture and by smile.
At length he gained the crest74 of the hill, and saw, thrown out in black, upon the horizon whitened by the moon, the aerial form of Raoul. Athos reached forth his hand to get closer to his beloved son upon the plateau, and the latter also stretched out his; but suddenly, as if the young man had been drawn75 away in his own despite, still retreating, he left the earth, and Athos saw the clear blue sky shine between the feet of his child and the ground of the hill. Raoul rose insensibly into the void, smiling, still calling with gesture:— he departed towards heaven. Athos uttered a cry of tenderness and terror. He looked below again. He saw a camp destroyed, and all those white bodies of the royal army, like so many motionless atoms. And, then, raising his head, he saw the figure of his son still beckoning76 him to climb the mystic void.
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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fibers
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| 光纤( fiber的名词复数 )； （织物的）质地； 纤维，纤维物质 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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6
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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8
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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9
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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10
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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12
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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torpor
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| n.迟钝；麻木；（动物的）冬眠 | |
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16
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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17
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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18
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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19
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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20
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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21
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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22
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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23
persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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24
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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25
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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26
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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28
prescriptions
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| 药( prescription的名词复数 )； 处方； 开处方； 计划 | |
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29
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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30
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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31
strewed
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| v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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32
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
cactus
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| n.仙人掌 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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35
supplicating
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的现在分词 ) | |
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36
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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37
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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38
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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39
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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40
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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41
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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42
verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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43
maneuvering
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| v.移动，用策略( maneuver的现在分词 )；操纵 | |
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44
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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45
subside
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| vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降 | |
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46
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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47
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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48
firmament
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| n.苍穹；最高层 | |
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49
illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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50
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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51
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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52
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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53
streaking
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| n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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54
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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55
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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56
phantoms
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| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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57
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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58
butts
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| 笑柄( butt的名词复数 )； （武器或工具的）粗大的一端； 屁股； 烟蒂 | |
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59
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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60
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
congealed
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| v.使凝结，冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 )；（指血）凝结 | |
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62
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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63
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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64
effigies
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| n.（人的）雕像，模拟像，肖像( effigy的名词复数 ) | |
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65
intoxication
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| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
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66
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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67
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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68
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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69
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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70
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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71
impede
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止 | |
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72
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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73
beckon
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| v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意，召唤 | |
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74
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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75
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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76
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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