the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第14章
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should give any heed to me。 The idea that a French officer might be
riding with them was too absurd to enter their minds。 I laughed as I rode；
for； indeed； amid all the danger； there was something of comic in the
situation。
I have said that the hunters were very unequally mounted； and so at the
end of a few miles； instead of being one body of men； like a charging
regiment； they were scattered over a considerable space； the better riders
well up to the dogs and the others trailing away behind。
Now； I was as good a rider as any； and my horse was the best of them
all； and so you can imagine that it was not long before he carried me to the
front。 And when I saw the dogs streaming over the open； and the red…
coated huntsman behind them； and only seven or eight horsemen between
us； then it was that the strangest thing of all happened； for I； too； went
madI； Etienne Gerard！
In a moment it came upon me； this spirit of sport； this desire to excel；
this hatred of the fox。 Accursed animal； should he then defy us？ Vile
robber； his hour was come！
Ah； it is a great feeling； this feeling of sport； my friends； this desire to
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trample the fox under the hoofs of your horse。 I have made the fox chase
with the English。 I have also； as I may tell you some day； fought the box…
fight with the Bustler； of Bristol。 And I say to you that this sport is a
wonderful thingfull of interest as well as madness。
The farther we went the faster galloped my horse； and soon there were
but three men as near the dogs as I was。
All thought of fear of discovery had vanished。 My brain throbbed；
my blood ran hotonly one thing upon earth seemed worth living for； and
that was to overtake this infernal fox。 I passed one of the horsemena
Hussar like myself。 There were only two in front of me now： the one in a
black coat； the other the blue artilleryman whom I had seen at the inn。
His grey whiskers streamed in the wind； but he rode magnificently。 For a
mile or more we kept in this order； and then； as we galloped up a steep
slope； my lighter weight brought me to the front。
I passed them both； and when I reached the crown I was riding level
with the little； hard…faced English huntsman。
In front of us were the dogs； and then； a hundred paces beyond them；
was a brown wisp of a thing； the fox itself； stretched to the uttermost。
The sight of him fired my blood。 〃Aha； we have you then； assassin！〃 I
cried； and shouted my encouragement to the huntsman。 I waved my hand
to show him that there was one upon whom he could rely。
And now there were only the dogs between me and my prey。 These
dogs； whose duty it is to point out the game； were now rather a hindrance
than a help to us； for it was hard to know how to pass them。 The
huntsman felt the difficulty as much as I； for he rode behind them； and
could make no progress toward the fox。 He was a swift rider； but
wanting in enterprise。 For my part； I felt that it would be unworthy of the
Hussars of Conflans if I could not overcome such a difficulty as this。
Was Etienne Gerard to be stopped by a herd of fox…dogs？
It was absurd。 I gave a shout and spurred my horse。
〃Hold hard； sir！ Hold hard！〃 cried the huntsman。
He was uneasy for me； this good old man； but I reassured him by a
wave and a smile。 The dogs opened in front of me。 One or two may
have been hurt； but what would you have？ The egg must be broken for
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the omelette。 I could hear the huntsman shouting his congratulations
behind me。 One more effort； and the dogs were all behind me。 Only
the fox was in front。
Ah； the joy and pride of that moment！ To know that I had beaten the
English at their own sport。 Here were three hundred； all thirsting for the
life of this animal； and yet it was I who was about to take it。 I thought of
my comrades of the light cavalry brigade； of my mother； of the Emperor；
of France。 I had brought honour to each and all。 Every instant brought
me nearer to the fox。 The moment for action had arrived； so I unsheathed
my sabre。 I waved it in the air； and the brave English all shouted behind
me。
Only then did I understand how difficult is this fox chase； for one may
cut again and again at the creature and never strike him once。 He is small；
and turns quickly from a blow。 At every cut I heard those shouts of
encouragement from behind me； and they spurred me to yet another effort。
And then at last the supreme moment of my triumph arrived。 In the very
act of turning I caught him fair with such another back…handed cut as that
with which I killed the aide…de…camp of the Emperor of Russia。 He flew
into two pieces； his head one way and his tail another。 I looked back and
waved the blood… stained sabre in the air。 For the moment I was exalted …
…superb！
Ah！ how I should have loved to have waited to have received the
congratulations of these generous enemies。
There were fifty of them in sight； and not one who was not waving his
hand and shouting。 They are not really such a phlegmatic race； the
English。 A gallant deed in war or in sport will always warm their hearts。
As to the old huntsman； he was the nearest to me； and I could see with my
own eyes how overcome he was by what he had seen。 He was like a man
paralysed； his mouth open； his hand； with outspread fingers； raised in the
air。 For a moment my inclination was to return and to embrace him。
But already the call of duty was sounding in my ears； and these
English； in spite of all the fraternity which exists among sportsmen； would
certainly have made me prisoner。 There was no hope for my mission
now； and I had done all that I could do。 I could see the lines of Massena's
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camp no very great distance off； for； by a lucky chance； the chase had
taken us in that direction。
I turned from the dead fox； saluted with my sabre； and galloped away。
But they would not leave me so easily； these gallant huntsmen。 I was
the fox now； and the chase swept bravely over the plain。 It was only at
the moment when I started for the camp that they could have known that I
was a Frenchman； and now the whole swarm of them were at my heels。
We were within gunshot of our pickets before they would halt； and then
they stood in knots and would not go away； but shouted and waved their
hands at me。 No； I will not think that it was in enmity。 Rather would I
fancy that a glow of admiration filled their breasts； and that their one
desire was to embrace the stranger who had carried himself so gallantly
and well。
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IV。 How the Brigadier Saved the
Army
I have told you； my friends； how we held the English shut up for six
months； from October； 1810； to March； 1811； within their lines of Torres
Vedras。 It was during this time that I hunted the fox in their company；
and showed them that amidst all their sportsmen there was not one who
could outride a Hussar of Conflans。 When I galloped back into the
French lines with the blood of the creature still moist upon my blade the
outposts who had seen what I had done raised a frenzied cry in my honour；
whilst these English hunters still yelled behind me； so that I had the
applause of both armies。 It made the tears rise to my eyes to feel that I
had won the admiration of so many brave men。 These English are
generous foes。 That very evening there came a packet under a white flag
addressed 〃To the Hussar officer who cut down the fox。〃 Within； I found
the fox itself in two pieces； as I had left it。 There was a note also； short
but hearty； as the English fashion is； to say that as I had slaughtered the
fox it only remained for me to eat it。 They could not know that it was not
our French custom to eat foxes； and it showed their desire that he who had
won the honours of the chase should also partake of the game。 It is not
for a Frenchman to be outdone in politeness； and so I returned it to these
brave hunters； and begged them to accept it as a side…dish for their next
dejeuner de la chasse。
It is thus that chivalrous opponents make war。
I had brought back with me from my ride a clear plan of the English
lines； and this I laid before Massena that very evening。
I had hoped that it would lead him to attack； but all the marshals were
at each other's throats； snapping and growling like so many hungry hounds。
Ney hated Massena； and Massena hated Junot； and Soult hated them all。
For this reason； nothing was done。 In the meantime food grew more and
more scarce； and our beautiful cavalry was ruined for want of fodder。
With the end of the winter we had swept the whole country bare； and
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nothing remained for us to eat； although we sent our forage parties far and
wide。 It was clear even to the bravest of us that the time had come to
retreat。 I was myself forced to admit it。
But retreat was not so easy。 Not only were the troops weak and
exhausted from want of supplies； but the enemy had been much
encouraged by our long inaction。
