white lies-第47章

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〃I　can　hardly　believe　that。　　Camille　Dujardin　was　always　a　man　of　honor；　and　a　good　soldier。〃

〃Colonel；　there　has　been　no　man　near　the　place　but　this　Dujardin。　　I　tell　you　it　is　he。　　Don't　make　me　tear　my　bleeding　heart　out：　must　I　tell　you　how　often　I　caught　them　together；　how　I　suspected；　and　how　she　gulled　me？　blind　fool　that　I　was；　to　believe　a　woman's　words　before　my　own　eyes。　　I　swear　to　you　he　is　the　villain；　the　only　question　is；　which　of　us　two　is　to　kill　him。〃

〃Where　is　the　man？〃

〃In　the　army　of　the　Rhine。〃

〃Ah！　all　the　better。〃

〃Covered　with　glory　and　honor。　　Curse　him！　oh；　curse　him！　curse　him！〃

〃I　am　in　luck。　　I　am　going　to　the　Rhine。〃

〃I　know　it。　　That　is　why　I　waited　here　all　through　this　night　of　misery。　　Yes；　you　are　in　luck。　　But　you　will　send　me　a　line　when　you　have　killed　him；　will　you　not？　　Then　I　shall　know　joy　again。　　Should　he　escape　you；　he　shall　not　escape　me。〃

〃Young　man；〃　said　Raynal；　with　dignity；　〃this　rage　is　unmanly。　Besides；　we　have　not　heard　his　side　of　the　story。　　He　is　a　good　soldier；　perhaps　he　is　not　all　to　blame：　or　perhaps　passion　has　betrayed　him　into　a　sin　that　his　conscience　and　honor　disapprove：　if　so；　he　must　not　die。　　You　think　only　of　your　wrong：　it　is　natural：　but　I　am　the　girl's　brother；　guardian　of　her　honor　and　my　own。　　His　life　is　precious　as　gold。　　I　shall　make　him　marry　her。〃

〃What！　reward　him　for　his　villany？〃　cried　Edouard；　frantically。

〃A　mighty　reward；〃　replied　Raynal；　with　a　sneer。

〃You　leave　one　thing　out　of　the　calculation；　monsieur；〃　said　Edouard；　trembling　with　anger；　〃that　I　will　kill　your　brother…in…law　at　the　altar；　before　her　eyes。〃

〃YOU　leave　one　thing　out　of　the　calculation：　that　you　will　first　have　to　cross　swords；　at　the　altar；　with　me。〃

〃So　be　it。　　I　will　not　draw　on　my　old　commandant。　　I　could　not；　but　be　sure　I　will　catch　him　and　her　alone　some　day；　and　the　bride　shall　be　a　widow　in　her　honeymoon。〃

〃As　you　please；〃　said　Raynal；　coolly。　　〃That　is　all　fair；　as　you　have　been　wronged。　　I　shall　make　her　an　honest　wife；　and　then　you　may　make　her　an　honest　widow。　　（This　is　what　they　call　LOVE；　and　sneer　at　me　for　keeping　clear　of　it。）　　But　neither　he　nor　you　shall　keep　MY　SISTER　what　she　is　now；　a　；〃　and　he　used　a　word　out　of　camp。

Edouard　winced　and　groaned。　　〃Oh！　don't　call　her　by　such　a　name。　There　is　some　mystery。　　She　loved　me　once。　　There　must　have　been　some　strange　seduction。〃

〃Now　you　deceive　yourself；〃　said　Raynal。　　〃I　never　saw　a　girl　that　could　take　her　own　part　better　than　she　can；　she　is　not　like　her　sister　at　all　in　character。　　Not　that　I　excuse　him；　it　was　a　dishonorable　act；　an　ungrateful　act　to　my　wife　and　my　mother。〃

〃And　to　you。〃

〃Now　listen　to　me：　in　four　days　I　shall　stand　before　him。　　I　shall　not　go　into　a　pet　like　you；　I　am　in　earnest。　　I　shall　just　say　to　him；　'Dujardin；　I　know　all！'　　Then　if　he　is　guilty　his　face　will　show　it　directly。　　Then　I　shall　say；　'Comrade；　you　must　marry　her　whom　you　have　dishonored。'〃

〃He　will　not。　　He　is　a　libertine；　a　rascal。〃

〃You　are　speaking　of　a　man　you　don't　know。　　He　WILL　marry　her　and　repair　the　wrong　he　has　done。〃

〃Suppose　he　refuses？〃

〃Why　should　he　refuse？　　The　girl　is　not　ugly　nor　old；　and　if　she　has　done　a　folly；　he　was　her　partner　in　it。〃

〃But　SUPPOSE　he　refuses？〃

Raynal　ground　his　teeth。　　〃Refuse？　　If　he　does；　I'll　run　my　sword　through　his　carcass　then　and　there；　and　the　hussy　shall　go　into　a　convent。〃


CHAPTER　XXI。


The　French　army　lay　before　a　fortified　place　near　the　Rhine；　which　we　will　call　Philipsburg。

This　army　knew　Bonaparte　by　report　only；　it　was　commanded　by　generals　of　the　old　school。

Philipsburg　was　defended　on　three　sides　by　the　nature　of　the　ground；　but　on　the　side　that　faced　the　French　line　of　march　there　was　only　a　zigzag　wall；　pierced；　and　a　low　tower　or　two　at　each　of　the　salient　angles。

There　were　evidences　of　a　tardy　attempt　to　improve　the　defences。　　In　particular　there　was　a　large　round　bastion；　about　three　times　the　height　of　the　wall；　but　the　masonry　was　new；　and　the　very　embrasures　were　not　yet　cut。

Young　blood　was　for　assaulting　these　equivocal　fortifications　at　the　end　of　the　day's　march　that　brought　the　French　advanced　guard　in　sight　of　the　place；　but　the　old　generals　would　not　hear　of　it；　the　soldiers'　lives　must　not　be　flung　away　assaulting　a　place　that　could　be　reduced　in　twenty…one　days　with　mathematical　certainty。　　For　at　this　epoch　a　siege　was　looked　on　as　a　process　with　a　certain　result；　the　only　problem　was　in　how　many　days　would　the　place　be　taken；　and　even　this　they　used　to　settle　to　a　day　or　two　on　paper　by　arithmetic；　so　many　feet　of　wall；　and　so　many　guns　on　the　one　side；　so　many　guns；　so　many　men；　and　such　and　such　a　soil　to　cut　the　trenches　in　on　the　other：　result；　two　figures　varying　from　fourteen　to　forty。　　These　two　figures　represented　the　duration　of　the　siege。

For　all　that；　siege　arithmetic；　right　in　general；　has　often　been　terribly　disturbed　by　one　little　incident；　that　occurs　from　time　to　time；　viz。；　Genius　INside。　　And；　indeed；　this　is　one　of　the　sins　of　genius；　it　goes　and　puts　out　calculations　that　have　stood　the　brunt　of　years。　　Archimedes　and　Todleben　were；　no　doubt；　clever　men　in　their　way　and　good　citizens；　yet　one　characteristic　of　delicate　men's　minds　they　lackedveneration；　they　showed　a　sad　disrespect　for　the　wisdom　of　the　ancients；　deranged　the　calculations　which　so　much　learning　and　patient　thought　had　hallowed；　disturbed　the　minds　of　white…haired　veterans；　took　sieges　out　of　the　grasp　of　science；　and　plunged　them　back　into　the　field　of　wild　conjecture。

Our　generals　then　sat　down　at　fourteen　hundred　yards'　distance；　and　planned　the　trenches　artistically；　and　directed　them　to　be　cut　at　artful　angles；　and　so　creep　nearer　and　nearer　the　devoted　town。　Then　the　Prussians；　whose　hearts　had　been　in　their　shoes　at　first　sight　of　the　French　shakos；　plucked　up；　and　turned　not　the　garrison　only　but　the　population　of　the　town　into　engineers　and　masons。　Their　fortifications　grew　almost　as　fast　as　the　French　trenches。

The　first　day　of　the　siege；　a　young　but　distinguished　brigadier　in　the　French　army　rode　to　the　quarters　of　General　Raimbaut；　who　commanded　his　division；　and　was　his　personal　friend；　and　respectfully　but　firmly　entreated　the　general　to　represent　to　the　commander…in…chief　the　propriety　of　assaulting　that　new　bastion　before　it　should　become　dangerous。　　〃My　brigade　shall　carry　it　in　fifteen　minutes；　general；〃　said　he。

〃What！　cross　all　that　open　under　fire？　　One…half　your　brigade　would　never　reach　the　bastion。〃

〃But　the　other　half　would　take　it。〃

〃That　is　not　so　certain。〃

General　Raimbaut　refused　to　forward　the　young　colonel's　proposal　to　headquarters。　　〃I　will　not　subject　you　to　TWO　refusals　in　one　matter；〃　said　he；　kindly。

The　young　colonel　lingered。　　He　said；　respectfully；　〃One　question；　general；　when　that　bastion　cuts　its　teeth　will　it　be　any　easier　to　take　than　now？〃

〃Certainly；　it　will　always　be　easier　to　take　it　from　the　sap　than　to　cross　the　open　under　fire　to　it；　and　take　it。　　Come；　colonel；　to　your　trenches；　and　if　your　friend　should　cut　its　teeth；　you　shall　have　a　battery　in　your　attack　that　will　set　its　teeth　on　edge。　　Ha！　ha！〃

The　young　colonel　did　not　echo　his　chief's　humor；　he　saluted　gravely；　and　returned　to　the　trenches。

The　next　morning　three　fresh　tiers　of　embrasures　grinned　one　above　another　at　the　besiegers。　　The　besieged　had　been　up　all　night；　and　not　idle。　　In　half　these　apertures　black　muzzles　showed　themselves。

The　bastion　had　cut　its　front　teeth。

Thirteenth　day　of　the　siege。

The　trenches　were　within　four　hundred　yards　of　the　enemy's　guns；　and　it　was　hot　work　in　them。　　The　enemy　had　three　tiers　of　guns　in　the　round　bastion；　and　on　the　top　they　had　got　a　long　48…pounder；　which　they　worked　with　a　swivel　joint；　or　the　like；　and　threw　a　great　roaring　shot　into　any　part　of　the　French　lines。

As　to　the　commander…in…chief　and　his　generals；　they　were　dotted　about　a　long　way　in　the　rear；　and　no　shot　came　as　far　as　them；　but　in　the　trenches　the　men　began　now　to　fall　fast；　especially　on　the　left　attack；　which　faced　the　round　bastion。　　Our　young　colonel　had　got　his　heavy　battery；　and　every　now　and　then　he　would　divert　the　general　efforts　of　the　bastion；　and　compel　it　to　concentrate　its　attention　on　him；　by　pounding　away　at　it　till　it　was　all　in　sore　places。　　But　he　meant　it　worse　mischief　than　that。　　Still；　as　heretofore；　regarding　it　as　the　key　to　Philipsburg；　he　had　got　a　large　force　of　engineers　at　work　driving　a　mine　towards　it；　and　to　this　he　trusted　more　than　to　breaching　it；　for　the　bigger　holes　he　made　in　it　by　day　were　all　stopped　at　night　by　the　townspeople。

This　colonel　was　not　a　favorite　in　the　division　to　which　his　brigade　belonged。　　He　was　a　good　soldier；　but　a　dull　companion。　　He　was　also　accused　of　hauteur　and　of　an　unsoldierly　reserve　with　his　brother　officers。

Some　loose…tongued　ones　even　called　him　a　milk…sop；　because　he　was　constantly　seen　conversing　with　the　priesthe　who　had　nothing　to　say　to　an　honest　soldier。

Others　said；　〃No；　hang　it；　he　is　not　a　milk…sop：　he　is　a　tried　soldier：　he　is　a　sulky　beggar　all　the　same。〃　　Those　under　his　immediate　command　were　divided　in　opinion　about　him。　　There　was　something　about　him　they　could　not　understand。　　Why　was　his　sallow　face　so　stern；　so　sad？　and　why　with　all　that　was　his　voice　so　gentle？　somehow　the　few　words　that　did　fall　from　his　mouth　were　prized。　　One　old　soldier　used　to　say；　〃I　would　rather　have　a　word　from　our　brigadier　than　from　the　commander…in…chief。〃　　Others　thought　he　must　at　some　part　of　his　career　have　pillaged　a　church；　taken　the　altar…piece；　and　sold　it　to　a　picture…dealer　in　Paris；　or　whipped　the　earrings　out　of　the　Madonna's　ears；　or　admitted　the　female　enemy　to　quarter　upon　ungenerous　conditions：　this；　or　some　such　crime　to　which　we　poor　soldiers　are　liable：　and　now　was　committing　the　mistake　of　remording　himself　about　it。　　〃Always　alongside　the　chaplain；　you　see！〃

This　cold　and　silent　man　had　won　the　heart　of　the　most　talkative　sergeant　in　the　French　army。　　Sergeant　La　Croix　protested　with　many　oaths　that　all　the　best　generals　of　the　day　had　commanded　him　in　turn；　and　that　his　present　colonel　was　the　first　that　had　succeeded　in　inspiring　him　with　unlimited　confidence。　　〃He　knows　every　point　of　warthis　one；〃　said　La　Croix；　〃I　heard　him　beg　and　pray　for　leave　to　storm　this　thundering　bastion　before　it　was　armed：　but　no；　the　old　muffs　would　be　wiser　than　our　colonel。　　So　now　here　we　are　kept　at　bay　by　a　place　that　Julius　Caesar　and　Cannibal　wouldn't　have　made　two　bites　at　apiece；　no　more　would　I　if　I　was　the　old　boy　out　there　behind　the　hill。〃　　In　such　terms　do　sergeants　denote　commanders…in…chiefat　a　distance。　　A　voluble　sergeant　has　more　influence　with　the　men　than　the　minister　of　war　is　perhaps　aware：　on　the　whole；　the　24th　brigade　would　have　followed　its　gloomy　colonel　to　grim　death　and　a　foot　farther。　　One　thing　gave　these　men　a　touch　of　superstitious　reverence　for　their　commander。　　He　seemed　to　them　free　from　physical　weakness。　　He　never　SAT　DOWN　to　dinner；　and　seemed　never　to　sleep。　　At　no　hour　of　the　day　or　night　were　the　sentries　safe　from　his　visits。

Very　annoying。　　But；　after　awhile；　it　led　to　keen　watchful