the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第38章
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I will tell you no more stories； my dear friends。 It is said that man is
like the hare； which runs in a circle and comes back to die at the point
from which it started。
Gascony has been calling to me of late。 I see the blue Garonne
winding among the vineyards and the bluer ocean toward which its waters
sweep。 I see the old town also； and the bristle of masts from the side of
the long stone quay。 My heart hungers for the breath of my native air and
the warm glow of my native sun。
Here in Paris are my friends； my occupations； my pleasures。 There
all who have known me are in their grave。 And yet the southwest wind
as it rattles on my windows seems always to be the strong voice of the
motherland calling her child back to that bosom into which I am ready to
sink。 I have played my part in my time。 The time has passed。 I must
pass also。
Nay； dear friends； do not look sad； for what can be happier than a life
completed in honour and made beautiful with friendship and love？ And
yet it is solemn also when a man approaches the end of the long road and
sees the turning which leads him into the unknown。 But the Emperor and
all his Marshals have ridden round that dark turning and passed into the
beyond。 My Hussars； toothere are not fifty men who are not waiting
yonder。 I must go。 But on this the last night I will tell you that which is
more than a taleit is a great historical secret。 My lips have been sealed；
but I see no reason why I should not leave behind me some account of this
remarkable adventure； which must otherwise be entirely lost； since I and
only I； of all living men； have a knowledge of the facts。
I will ask you to go back with me to the year 1821。
In that year our great Emperor had been absent from us for six years；
and only now and then from over the seas we heard some whisper which
showed that he was still alive。 You cannot think what a weight it was
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upon our hearts for us who loved him to think of him in captivity eating
his giant soul out upon that lonely island。 From the moment we rose
until we closed our eyes in sleep the thought was always with us； and we
felt dishonoured that he； our chief and master； should be so humiliated
without our being able to move a hand to help him。 There were many
who would most willingly have laid down the remainder of their lives to
bring him a little ease； and yet all that we could do was to sit and grumble
in our cafes and stare at the map； counting up the leagues of water which
lay between us。
It seemed that he might have been in the moon for all that we could do
to help him。 But that was only because we were all soldiers and knew
nothing of the sea。
Of course； we had our own little troubles to make us bitter； as well as
the wrongs of our Emperor。 There were many of us who had held high
rank and would hold it again if he came back to his own。 We had not
found it possible to take service under the white flag of the Bourbons； or
to take an oath which might turn our sabres against the man whom we
loved。 So we found ourselves with neither work nor money。 What
could we do save gather together and gossip and grumble； while those
who had a little paid the score and those who had nothing shared the bottle？
Now and then； if we were lucky； we managed to pick a quarrel with one of
the Garde du Corps； and if we left him on his hack in the Bois we felt that
we had struck a blow for Napoleon once again。 They came to know our
haunts in time； and they avoided them as if they had been hornets' nests。
There was one of thesethe Sign of the Great Man in the Rue
Varennes； which was frequented by several of the more distinguished and
younger Napoleonic officers。 Nearly all of us had been colonels or aides…
de…camp； and when any man of less distinction came among us we
generally made him feel that he had taken a liberty。 There were Captain
Lepine； who had won the medal of honour at Leipzig； Colonel Bonnet；
aide…de…camp to Macdonald； Colonel Jourdan； whose fame in the army
was hardly second to my own； Sabbatier of my own Hussars； Meunier of
the Red Lancers； Le Breton of the Guards； and a dozen others。
Every night we met and talked； played dominoes； drank a glass or two；
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and wondered how long it would be before the Emperor would be back
and we at the head of our regiments once more。 The Bourbons had
already lost any hold they ever had upon the country； as was shown a few
years afterward； when Paris rose against them and they were hunted for
the third time out of France。 Napoleon had but to show himself on the
coast； and he would have marched without firing a musket to the capital；
exactly as he had done when he came back from Elba。
Well； when affairs were in this state there arrived one night in
February； in our cafe； a most singular little man。 He was short but
exceedingly broad； with huge shoulders； and a head which was a
deformity； so large was it。 His heavy brown face was scarred with white
streaks in a most extraordinary manner； and he had grizzled whiskers such
as seamen wear。 Two gold earrings in his ears； and plentiful tattooing
upon his hands and arms； told us also that he was of the sea before he
introduced himself to us as Captain Fourneau； of the Emperor's navy。 He
had letters of introduction to two of our number； and there could be no
doubt that he was devoted to the cause。 He won our respect； too； for he
had seen as much fighting as any of us； and the burns upon his face were
caused by his standing to his post upon the Orient； at the Battle of the Nile；
until the vessel blew up underneath him。 Yet he would say little about
himself； but he sat in the corner of the cafe watching us all with a
wonderfully sharp pair of eyes and listening intently to our talk。
One night I was leaving the cafe when Captain Fourneau followed me；
and touching me on the arm he led me without saying a word for some
distance until we reached his lodgings。 〃I wish to have a chat with you；〃
said he； and so conducted me up the stair to his room。 There he lit a
lamp and handed me a sheet of paper which he took from an envelope in
his bureau。 It was dated a few months before from the Palace of
Schonbrunn at Vienna。 〃Captain Fourneau is acting in the highest
interests of the Emperor Napoleon。
Those who love the Emperor should obey him without question。
Marie Louise。〃 That is what I read。 I was familiar with the signature of
the Empress； and I could not doubt that this was genuine。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃are you satisfied as to my credentials？〃
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〃Entirely。〃
〃Are you prepared to take your orders from me？〃
〃This document leaves me no choice。〃
〃Good！ In the first place； I understand from something you said in
the cafe that you can speak English？〃
〃Yes； I can。〃
〃Let me hear you do so。〃
I said in English； 〃Whenever the Emperor needs the help of Etienne
Gerard I am ready night and day to give my life in his service。〃 Captain
Fourneau smiled。
〃It is funny English；〃 said he； 〃but still it is better than no English。
For my own part I speak English like an Englishman。 It is all that I have
to show for six years spent in an English prison。 Now I will tell you why
I have come to Paris。 I have come in order to choose an agent who will
help me in a matter which affects the interests of the Emperor。 I was told
that it was at the cafe of the Great Man that I would find the pick of his old
officers； and that I could rely upon every man there being devoted to his
interests。 I studied you all； therefore； and I have come to the conclusion
that you are the one who is most suited for my purpose。〃
I acknowledged the compliment。 〃What is it that you wish me to
do？〃 I asked。
〃Merely to keep me company for a few months；〃 said he。 〃You must
know that after my release in England I settled down there； married an
English wife； and rose to command a small English merchant ship； in
which I have made several voyages from Southampton to the Guinea coast。
They look on me there as an Englishman。
You can understand； however； that with my feelings about the Emperor
I am lonely sometimes； and that it would be an advantage to me to have a
companion who would sympathize with my thoughts。 One gets very
bored on these long voyages； and I would make it worth your while to
share my cabin。〃
He looked hard at me with his shrewd grey eyes all the time that he
was uttering this rigmarole； and I gave him a glance in return which
showed him that he was not dealing with a fool。 He took out a canvas
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bag full of money。
〃There are a hundred pounds in gold in this bag；〃 said he。 〃You will
be able to buy some comforts for your voyage。 I should recommend you
to get them in Southampton； whence we will start in ten days。 The name
of the vessel is the Black Swan。 I return to Southampton to…morrow； and
I shall hope to see you in the course of the next week。〃
〃Come now；〃 said I。
