[Pg 258]
It was a glorious June day when Lucie Bernard became Lucie Verney. The garrison chapel was packed, and Sergeant10 Duval commanded the guard of honor. Toni, who had helped to dress Paul for the great occasion, scampered11 off, with Powder under his arm, to the church, where he met Denise and her aunt. He escorted them to seats of honor reserved for them, a compliment to Toni which materially improved his standing12 with Mademoiselle Duval. The church was filled with music from the great organ, and outside the air was melodious13 with the song of birds and the rustling14 of leaves and the swaying of blossoms. Among the happiest faces in the church were those of Monsieur and Madame Verney, and also two persons that Toni had not seen for a long time, Captain and Madame Ravenel. Madame Ravenel was, for once, not in black, and her pale beauty was set off by a white gown. Her usually sad face wore a happy and tremulous smile. She felt herself the forgiven sinner and was not, as most sinners are, proud of her sins and contemptuous of their forgiveness. Lucie had demanded that Sophie and her husband be asked to the wedding and even to stay as guests at the Château Bernard. Madame Bernard, after having pro[Pg 259]tested, vowed15 and declared for six months that such should not be the case, promptly16 capitulated three weeks before the wedding. This meant the complete rehabilitation17 of Captain and Madame Ravenel and their return to that world from which their own desperate act had hurled18 them for a time. They had humbled19 themselves and had been punished, and had taken their punishment as proud and honorable souls do, acknowledging its justice and making no outcry. But now it was over, and forgiveness had been won for them by Lucie Bernard’s generous and determined21 little hand, which had never ceased to labor22 for them since she was ten years old.
While the church full of people was awaiting the entrance of the bride and bridegroom, Toni whispered to Denise that they would be married in the same church and that he expected to be as happy as Monsieur Paul, who was the happiest man he had ever seen. Paul’s countenance24, when he stood before the altar with Lucie on his arm, fully3 sustained this. Many bridegrooms wear a hunted and dejected appearance, but not so Paul Verney, although he had been hunted and captured by the charming creature at his side. Lucie, for once, was subdued25, but her pallor and the tears that trem[Pg 260]bled in her dark eyes did her as much honor as Paul’s happy countenance. She was asking herself all the time if she were really worthy26 of a man like Paul. But she recovered all her composure when they turned and marched out of the church together and passed under the uplifted swords of the guard of honor, and she was quite smiling and self-possessed, looking about her with the laughing, playful, penetrating27 glance peculiarly her own, and holding up her arm on which the big bracelet shone, to the delight of the honest hearts of the soldiers.
There was a large wedding breakfast at the Château Bernard, which was at its loveliest in June, with its broad, green terraces, its plashing fountains and the riot of color in its prim28 flower beds. The guests sat at many little tables on the broad terrace, where the bride and groom23 and the wedding party had a very gorgeous one in the middle, just by the fountain, which sparkled brilliantly in the sunshine. A little way off, in a grove29 of elm trees, a table was set for the soldiers who had acted as the guard of honor at the wedding ceremony. Their wives and sweethearts were included, and here Toni was the great man, second only to Sergeant Duval, who was the ranking non-commis[Pg 261]sioned officer present. Toni was the bridegroom’s humble20 friend and everybody knew the closeness of the tie which had existed between them since boyhood.
Toni made a speech which was a marvel30 of elegance31 and correctness. It had been written for him by Paul Verney two weeks before, and he had spent the whole fortnight getting it by heart. But at the end Toni suddenly burst into an impromptu32 speech of his own.
“The lieutenant4,” he said, “is the best lieutenant, he is the best man, he is the best master, he is the best of everything—”
Here Toni, without the least expectation on his part, suddenly found the tears rolling down his cheeks. He laughed and could not imagine what he was crying for and then his fellows all applauded him vociferously33, and Toni sat down and was not able to say another word. And then, when they were through with their breakfast, they saw the bride and groom approaching, Lucie holding up her dainty white skirts, her filmy veil floating about her and with nothing on her dark hair except her wedding veil and wreath. Paul carried his helmet with its horse-hair plume34 in his hand, and the sun [Pg 262]shone on his happy sunburned face as he led Lucie to where their humble friends were making merry. Toni had hauled out, from under the table, a mysterious box filled with ice and with long-necked bottles, and champagne35 was soon bubbling in every glass. The sergeant made a speech quite out of his own head, and much better than Toni’s, in which he assured Paul Verney of what he knew before—that his troop would die for him to a man. Paul returned thanks and declared that he was conscious of commanding the finest troop in the French army, and then Lucie said a few pretty words of thanks and held up her arm with the great bracelet on it and showed that she had worn no other ornament except that and the bridegroom’s gift. Then there were more cheers, more champagne, more of everything. It was a very happy wedding because it made many persons happy.
The very happiest person at the wedding, next to Paul and Lucie, was Madame Verney. That excellent woman was fully persuaded that by her efforts alone and single-handed, she had brought about this match between Paul and Lucie, which otherwise never would have taken place. The relatives and friends of the Bernards were very grand [Pg 263]people, indeed, but Paul had no reason to be ashamed of his family contingent36.
When the guests were all gone and only the family remained, Toni requested Paul to let the party from Bienville, consisting of himself and the Duvals, speak to the Bienville persons present—the Verneys and the Ravenels,—and this Paul very gladly did. The Ravenels and the Verneys were very kind, as was their nature, to their humbler friends from their native town. Paul did Toni a very good service by proclaiming before all the Bienville people, in Sergeant Duval’s presence, that Toni was the best fellow alive and the sergeant was doing well to betroth37 his daughter to such an excellent fellow. This was accepted by the Bienville people because on that glorious day everything went well. They could not but observe, however, that Toni was clean instead of being dirty, and Paul assured them that he had become as industrious38 as he had before been idle.
When the carriage drove off, in the summer dusk, with the bride and groom starting on their wedding journey, Toni was the last person with whom they shook hands, as he arranged them comfortably, and then Toni whispered to Denise:
[Pg 264]
“We will be just as happy as they some day.”
The next morning Toni waked up with a feeling of happiness which had been gradually growing on him ever since he had become a private soldier under Paul Verney. This made him long to whistle and sing like a blackbird had not the regulations forbidden soldiers to sing like blackbirds while at their duties. But the first sight that greeted him, as he marched on the parade ground, gave him an unpleasant shock. There were Nicolas and Pierre in the ranks. Their term of imprisonment39 had expired, and these two unworthy citizens were restored to their duties.
Toni avoided them all day long as much as he could, and in the evening, being off duty, he went into the town to see Denise. After spending half an hour with her, sitting on a bench in the public square while Mademoiselle Duval read her inevitable40 religious newspaper, a drizzle41 of rain coming on, he escorted his fiancée and his future aunt-in-law to their lodging42, then walked down into the town to spend the hour that yet remained to him before he was obliged to turn in. The night had grown dark and stormy and the rain had become a determined downpour. The street lamps shone fitfully out of [Pg 265]the gloom, but the windows of the cheap cafés, where the soldiers congregated43, were resplendent with lights.
Toni was standing before one of these and debating whether he should go in when he felt an arm on each side of him. He looked around and Nicolas’ red head was close to his ear, while Pierre’s monkey face was on the other side of him.
“Come,” said Nicolas, “I know where we can get a good bottle of wine and have a game of cards.”
Toni could easily have wrenched44 himself free from them, but his old cowardice45 returned to him with a rush. He went sullenly46 with them under a moral compulsion which he could not have explained to save his life. He hated and feared their company; nevertheless, he went with them. They turned into a dark and narrow side street and then, diving into a blind alley47 so dark and noisome48 that Toni’s heart sank within him at the thought of the crimes that could be committed there, they climbed a rickety outside stair by the side of a tumble-down old house. Toni found himself presently in a garret room, dimly lighted by a malodorous oil lamp. It was evidently a place of entertainment for a low class of persons. There were sounds of [Pg 266]voices below them and next them, but this room was unoccupied. There was a table in the middle of the floor and wine and glasses on it. Toni sat down, much against his will, and Pierre, pouring out some of the wine, which was vile49, began to expatiate50 on the delights of liberty.
“This is a million times better,” he said, “than being locked up in prison with the devil of a sentry51 keeping his eye on one perpetually and three days on bread and water for sneezing.”
Toni longed to say that that was what both of them richly deserved, but dared not. Then Nicolas began:
“We should not have been imprisoned52 at all but for that scoundrel, Lieutenant Verney. He has a spite against us and takes it out as only an officer can on a private soldier.”
“It’s a lie,” cried Toni. This aspersion53 on their honor was not in the least resented by either Pierre or Nicolas, who knew, as only they and God did, what liars54 they were.
“Well, Toni,” Nicolas continued, “I understand that you are to marry the sergeant’s daughter. My faith, you look prosperous. Count Delorme’s money must have done you a lot of good.”
[Pg 267]
“I never had any of Count Delorme’s money!” burst out Toni.
“Who is lying now?” murmured Nicolas softly. “What about the twenty-franc piece?”
“That was certainly a very neat job of yours, Toni,” said Pierre. “I have never seen a man done for quicker than you did for Count Delorme. One blow like this—” He drew off and went through a pantomime of giving Nicolas a blow on the side of the head. Nicolas, likewise pretending, tumbled over in his chair as Count Delorme had fallen over in the dark at the Château Bernard. It made Toni sick to see them. They laughed, after they had gone through with this mimic55 tragedy, and began to drink their wine. Then they again abused Paul Verney, and Toni said nothing. He scorned to defend his friend from two such scoundrels as those before him and he longed to get away, but that strange and inscrutable fear of them nailed him to his chair. Presently Nicolas said to him:
“Toni, we might as well tell you the truth. Lieutenant Verney is to die.”
To die! Paul, so full of life, so happy, only yesterday married! He saw Paul’s smiling face as he waved his hand back to Toni when he drove off in [Pg 268]the open carriage with Lucie, through the golden dusk of the June evening. But he did not quite take in what Nicolas meant.
“Yes,” said Pierre, “have you never heard, my man, of officers who abused and ill-treated their men, who were found dead like Count Delorme?—I won’t say murdered—that’s an ugly word to say. But it isn’t altogether safe for an officer to persecute56 a man, particularly a couple of men—it’s just as well to make an example of an officer like that once in a while.”
“No indeed, my dear fellow,” briskly responded Nicolas. “It will be quite a different affair from that little one of yours. We mean to kill him, however, but we will try our chances among the three of us. We don’t care to take the whole risk ourselves, and I think, considering how quiet we have kept about that little affair of yours in the park of the Château Bernard that you ought to help us out. So we will play a game of cards and the loser is to finish up Lieutenant Verney or be finished up [Pg 269]himself. That is quite fair. Don’t you agree to that, Pierre?”
Pierre nodded and grinned. Toni sat looking at them stupidly by the light of the oil lamp. He took in instantly what they meant—they intended that he should kill Paul Verney or else be killed himself. Nicolas took out of his pocket a greasy59 pack of cards and said:
“What shall it be—écarté?”
“As you please,” responded Pierre.
Toni would have given his soul, almost, to have rushed out of the room, but he was Toni still as boy and man. He had been cowed and enslaved by certain strange fears which many persons exercised over him, and these scoundrels in particular. He thought of himself as murdered by these wretches60, who, he knew, would do it with as little compunction as they would wring61 the neck of a chicken. He thought of Denise, of Paul Verney, and he was overwhelmed with sorrow for them and pity for himself, for he understood that he must die.
The cards were dealt and Toni took his up. He was in a horrible dream, but he retained enough of his faculties62 to know how the game was going. Nicolas and Pierre were quite cheerful and they [Pg 270]squabbled merrily over the game and took all the tricks. When they had finished, Nicolas slapped Toni on the back and said jovially63:
“Well, my man, you have got the job.”
Toni made no reply. He was too frightened to speak, and then Nicolas, suddenly growing perfectly64 serious, said:
“You know we begin our practice marches in about a fortnight. Now, on our first practice march you are to be ill and drop out of the ranks—see?—when the lieutenant is riding by the side of the troop where he can see you, and you must select a place where there is a thicket65 in which a man’s body can be hid from the observation of the people passing by. Now, when the lieutenant comes back to see what is the matter with you, it will be quite easy—he will be completely off his guard—and then—you had better do it with a knife—a knife makes no noise, you know, and if you don’t know how to use a knife on Lieutenant Verney—well, we’ll use it on you—that’s all—and on Lieutenant Verney later.”
Toni’s arms dropped by his side and he uttered a low groan66. What folly67 ever had thrown him with these men—what madness was his not to have come [Pg 271]out and told the truth about Count Delorme! And now his life must pay the penalty for it, and just as it was growing so sweet to him. He staggered to his feet and groped his way to the door, Pierre and Nicolas making no effort to stop him. They saw that they had fully impressed him with what they meant to do.
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1
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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2
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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3
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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4
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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5
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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6
amethyst
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| n.紫水晶 | |
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7
bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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8
subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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9
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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10
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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11
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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13
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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14
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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15
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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16
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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17
rehabilitation
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| n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位 | |
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18
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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19
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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20
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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21
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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22
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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23
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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24
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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25
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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26
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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27
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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28
prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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29
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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30
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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31
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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32
impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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33
vociferously
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| adv.喊叫地，吵闹地 | |
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34
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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35
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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36
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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37
betroth
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| v.订婚 | |
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38
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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39
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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40
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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41
drizzle
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| v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨 | |
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42
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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43
congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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45
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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46
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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47
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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48
noisome
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| adj.有害的，可厌的 | |
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49
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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50
expatiate
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| v.细说，详述 | |
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51
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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52
imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
aspersion
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| n.诽谤，中伤 | |
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54
liars
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| 说谎者( liar的名词复数 ) | |
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55
mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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56
persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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57
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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58
waylay
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| v.埋伏，伏击 | |
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59
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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60
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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61
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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62
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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63
jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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64
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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65
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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66
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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67
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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