villa rubein and other stories-第42部分

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in　his　fingers；　and　sat　staring　at　it。　　For　some　minutes　he　did　not

speak。



〃In　the　autumn　of　that　same　year　she　died　in　childbirth。　　He　had

deserted　her。　　Fortunately　for　him；　he　was　killed　on　the　Indian

frontier；　that　very　year。　　If　she　had　lived　she　would　have　been

thirty…two　next　June；　not　a　great　age。。。。　　I　know　I　am　what　they　call

a　crank；　doctors　will　tell　you　that　you　can't　be　cured　of　a　bad

illness；　and　be　the　same　man　again。　　If　you　are　bent；　to　force

yourself　straight　must　leave　you　weak　in　another　place。　　I　must　and

will　think　well　of　womeneverything　done；　and　everything　said

against　them　is　a　stone　on　her　dead　body。　　Could　you　sit；　and　listen

to　it？〃　　As　though　driven　by　his　own　question；　he　rose；　and　paced　up

and　down。　　He　came　back　to　the　seat　at　last。



〃That；　sir；　is　the　reason　of　my　behaviour　this　afternoon；　and　again

this　evening。　　You　have　been　so　kind；　I　wanted！wanted　to　tell　you。

She　had　a　little　daughterLucy　has　her　now。　　My　friend　Dalton　is

dead；　there　would　have　been　no　difficulty　about　money；　but；　I　am

sorry　to　say；　that　he　was　swindleddisgracefully。　　It　fell　to　me　to

administer　his　affairshe　never　knew　it；　but　he　died　penniless；　he

had　trusted　some　wretched　fellowshad　an　idea　they　would　make　his

fortune。　　As　I　very　soon　found；　they　had　ruined　him。　　It　was

impossible　to　let　Lucysuch　a　dear　womanbear　that　burden。　　I　have

tried　to　make　provision；　but；　you　see；〃　he　took　hold　of　my　sleeve；

〃I；　too；　have　not　been　fortunate；　in　fact；　it's　difficult　to　save　a

great　deal　out　of　L　190　a　year；　but　the　capital　is　perfectly　safe

and　I　get　L　47；　10s。　a　quarter；　paid　on　the　nail。　　I　have　often　been

tempted　to　reinvest　at　a　greater　rate　of　interest；　but　I've　never

dared。　　Anyway；　there　are　no　debtsI've　been　obliged　to　make　a　rule

not　to　buy　what　I　couldn't　pay　for　on　the　spot。。。。　　Now　I　am　really

plaguing　youbut　I　wanted　to　tell　youin　case…anything　should

happen　to　me。〃　　He　seemed　to　take　a　sudden　scare；　stiffened；　twisted

his　moustache；　and　muttering；　〃Your　great　kindness！　Shall　never

forget！〃　turned　hurriedly　away。



He　vanished；　his　footsteps；　and　the　tap　of　his　stick　grew　fainter　and

fainter。　　They　died　out。　　He　was　gone。　　Suddenly　I　got　up　and

hastened　after　him。　　I　soon　stoppedwhat　was　there　to　say？









VIII



The　following　day　I　was　obliged　to　go　to　Nice；　and　did　not　return

till　midnight。　　The　porter　told　me　that　Jules　le　Ferrier　had　been　to

see　me。　　The　next　morning；　while　I　was　still　in　bed；　the　door　was

opened；　and　Jules　appeared。　　His　face　was　very　pale；　and　the　moment

he　stood　still　drops　of　perspiration　began　coursing　down　his　cheeks。



〃Georges！〃　he　said；　〃he　is　dead。　　There；　there！　　How　stupid　you　look！

My　man　is　packing。　　I　have　half　an　hour　before　the　train；　my　evidence

shall　come　from　Italy。　　I　have　done　my　part；　the　rest　is　for　you。

Why　did　you　have　that　dinner？　　The　Don　Quixote！　　The　idiot！　　The　poor

man！　　Don't　move！　　Have　you　a　cigar？　　Listen！　　When　you　followed　him；

I　followed　the　other　two。　　My　infernal　curiosity！　　Can　you　conceive　a

greater　folly？　　How　fast　they　walked；　those　two！　feeling　their

cheeks；　as　if　he　had　struck　them　both；　you　know；　it　was　funny。　　They

soon　saw　me；　for　their　eyes　were　all　round　about　their　heads；　they

had　the　mark　of　a　glove　on　their　cheeks。〃　　The　colour　began　to　come

back；　into　Jules's　face；　he　gesticulated　with　his　cigar　and　became

more　and　more　dramatic。　　〃They　waited　for　me。　　'Tiens！'　said　one；

'this　gentleman　was　with　him。　　My　friend's　name　is　M。　Le　Baron　de…。

The　man　who　struck　him　was　an　odd…looking　person；　kindly　inform　me

whether　it　is　possible　for　my　friend　to　meet　him？'　　Eh！〃　commented

Jules；　〃he　was　offensive！　　Was　it　for　me　to　give　our　dignity　away？

'Perfectly；　monsieur！'　　I　answered。　　'In　that　case；'　he　said；　'please

give　me　his　name　and　ad　dress。。。。　　I　could　not　remember　his　name；　and

as　for　the　address；　I　never　knew　it。。。！　　I　reflected。　'That；'　I　said；

'I　am　unable　to　do；　for　special　reasons。'　　'Aha！'　he　said；　'reasons

that　will　prevent　our　fighting　him；　I　suppose？　　'On　the　contrary；'　I

said。　　'I　will　convey　your　request　to　him；　I　may　mention　that　I　have

heard　he　is　the　best　swordsman　and　pistol…shot　in　Europe。　　Good…

night！'　　I　wished　to　give　them　something　to　dream　of；　you

understand。。。。　　Patience；　my　dear！　　Patience！　　I　was；　coming　to　you；

but　I　thought　I　would　let　them　sleep　on　itthere　was　plenty　of　time！

But　yesterday　morning　I　came　into　the　Place；　and　there　he　was　on　the

bench；　with　a　big　dog。　　I　declare　to　you　he　blushed　like　a　young

girl。　　'Sir；'　he　said；　'I　was　hoping　to　meet　you；　last　evening　I　made

a　great　disturbance。　　I　took　an　unpardonable　liberty'and　he　put　in

my　hand　an　envelope。　　My　friend；　what　do　you　suppose　it　containeda

pair　of　gloves！　　Senor　Don　Punctilioso；　hein？　　He　was　the　devil；　this

friend　of　yours；　he　fascinated　me　with　his　gentle　eyes　and　his　white

moustachettes；　his　humility；　his　flamespoor　man。。。！　　I　told　him　I

had　been　asked　to　take　him　a　challenge。　　'If　anything　comes　of　it；'　I

said；　'make　use　of　me！'　　'Is　that　so？'　he　said。　　'I　am　most　grateful

for　your　kind　offer。　　Let　me　seeit　is　so　long　since　I　fought　a

duel。　　The　sooner　it's　over　the　better。　　Could　you　arrange　to…morrow

morning？　　Weapons？　　Yes；　let　them　choose。'　　You　see；　my　friend；　there

was　no　hanging　back　here；　nous　voila　en　train。〃



Jules　took　out　his　watch。　　〃I　have　sixteen　minutes。　　It　is　lucky　for

you　that　you　were　away　yesterday；　or　you　would　be　in　my　shoes　now。　　I

fixed　the　place；　right　hand　of　the　road　to　Roquebrune；　just　by　the

railway　cutting；　and　the　timefive…thirty　of　the　morning。　　It　was

arranged　that　I　should　call　for　him。　　Disgusting　hour；　I　have　not

been　up　so　early　since　I　fought　Jacques　Tirbaut　in　'85。　　At　five

o'clock　I　found　him　ready　and　drinking　tea　with　rum　in　itsingular

man！　he　made　me　have　some　too；　brrr！　　He　was　shaved；　and　dressed　in

that　old　frock…coat。　　His　great　dog　jumped　into　the　carriage；　but　he

bade　her　get　out；　took　her　paws　on　his　shoulders；　and　whispered　in

her　ear　some　Italian　words；　a　charm；　hein！　and　back　she　went；　the

tail　between　the　legs。　　We　drove　slowly；　so　as　not　to　shake　his　arm。

He　was　more　gay　than　I。　　All　the　way　he　talked　to　me　of　you：　how　kind

you　were！　how　good　you　had　been　to　him！　　'You　do　not　speak　of

yourself！'　I　said。　　'Have　you　no　friends；　nothing　to　say？　　Sometimes

an　accident　will　happen！'　　'Oh！'　he　answered；　'there　is　no　danger；

but　if　by　any　chancewell；　there　is　a　letter　in　my　pocket。'　　'And　if

you　should　kill　him？'　I　said。　　'But　I　shall　not；'　he　answered　slyly：

'do　you　think　I　am　going　to　fire　at　him？　　No；　no；　he　is　too　young。'

'But；'　I　said；　'I　'I　am　not　going　to　stand　that！'　　'Yes；'　he

replied；　'I　owe　him　a　shot；　but　there　is　no　dangernot　the　least

danger。'　　We　had　arrived；　already　they　were　there。　　Ah　bah！　　You　know

the　preliminaries；　the　politenessthis　duelling；　you　know；　it　is

absurd；　after　all。　　We　placed　them　at　twenty　paces。　　It　is　not　a　bad

place。　　There　are　pine…trees　round；　and　rocks；　at　that　hour　it　was

cool　and　grey　as　a　church。　　I　handed　him　the　pistol。　　How　can　I

describe　him　to　you；　standing　there；　smoothing　the　barrel　with　his

fingers！　　'What　a　beautiful　thing　a　good　pistol！'　he　said。　　'Only　a

fool　or　a　madman　throws　away　his　life；'　I　said。　　'Certainly；'　he

replied；　'certainly；　but　there　is　no　danger；'　and　he　regarded　me；

raising　his　moustachette。



〃There　they　stood　then；　back　to　back；　with　the　mouths　of　their

pistols　to　the　sky。　　'　Un！'　I　cried；　'deux！　tirez！'　They　turned；　I

saw　the　smoke　of　his　shot　go　straight　up　like　a　prayer；　his　pistol

dropped。　　I　ran　to　him。　　He　looked　surprised；　put　out　his　hand；　and

fell　into　my　arms。　　He　was　dead。　　Those　fools　came　running　up。　　'What

is　it？'　cried　one。　　I　made　him　a　bow。　　'As　you　see；'　I　said；　'you

have　made　a　pretty　shot。　　My　friend　fired　in　the　air。　　Messieurs；　you

had　better　breakfast　in　Italy。'　　We　carried　him　to　the　carriage；　and

covered　him　with　a　rug；　the　others　drove　for　the　frontier。　　I　brought

him　to　his　room。　　Here　is　his　letter。〃　　Jules　stopped；　tears　were

running　down　his　face。　　〃He　is　dead；　I　have　closed　his　eyes。　　Look

here；　you　know；　we　are　all　of　us　cadsit　is　the　rule；　but　this

this；　perhaps；　was　the　exception。〃　　And　without　another　word　he

rushed　away。。。。



Outside　the　old　fellow's　lodging　a　dismounted　cocher　was　standing

disconsolate　in　the　sun。　〃How　was　I　to　know　they　were　going　to　fight

a　duel？〃　he　burst　out　on　seeing　me。　　〃He　had　white　hairI　call　you

to　witness　he　had　white　hair。　　This　is　bad　for　me：　they　will　ravish

my　licence。　　Aha！　you　will　seethis　is　bad　for　me！〃　　I　gave　him　the

slip　and　found　my　way　upstairs。　　The　old　fellow　was　alone；　lying　on

the　bed；　his　feet　covered　with　a　rug　as　if　he　might　feel　cold；　his

eyes　were　closed；　but　in　this　sleep　of　death；　he　still　had　that　air

of　faint　surprise。　　At　full　length；　watching　the　bed　intently；　Freda

lay；　as　she　lay　nightly　when　he　was　really　asleep。　　The　shutters　were

half　open；　the　room　still　smelt　slightly　of　rum。　　I　stood　for　a　long

time　looking　at　the　face：　the　little　white　fans　of　moustache　brushed

upwards　even　in　death；　the　hollows　in　his　cheeks；　the　quiet　of　his

figure；　he　was　like　some　old　knight。。。。　　The　dog　broke　the　spell。

She　sat　up；　and　resting　her　paws　on　the　bed；　licked　his　face。　　I　went

downstairsI　couldn't　bear　to　hear　her　howl。　　This　was　his　letter　to

me；　written　in　a　pointed　handwriting：



〃MY　DEAR　SIR；Should　you　read　this；　I　shall　be　gone。　　I　am　ashamed

to　trouble　youa　man　should　surely　manage　so　as　not　to　give　trouble；

and　yet　I　believe　you　will　not　consider　me　importunate。　　If；　then；

you　will　pick　up　the　pieces　of　an　old　fellow；　I　ask　you　to　have　my

sword；　the　letter　enclosed　in　this；　and　the　photograph　that　stands　on

the　stove　buried　with　me。　　My　will　and　the　acknowledgments　of　my

property　are　between　the　leaves　of　the　Byron　in　my　tin　chest；　they

should　go　to　Lucy　Toraddress　thereo