the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第26章
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never met； but； my faith； it was very different with his only daughter； who
kept house for him。 She was a brunette； a rare thing in Russia； with
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creamy skin； raven hair； and a pair of the most glorious dark eyes that ever
kindled at the sight of a Hussar。 From the first glance I saw that she was
mine。 It was no time for love…making when a soldier's duty had to be
done； but still； as I took the simple meal which they laid before me； I
chatted lightly with the lady； and we were the best of friends before an
hour had passed。 Sophie was her first name； her second I never knew。 I
taught her to call me Etienne； and I tried to cheer her up； for her sweet face
was sad and there were tears in her beautiful dark eyes。 I pressed her to
tell me what it was which was grieving her。
〃How can I be otherwise；〃 said she； speaking French with a most
adorable lisp； 〃when one of my poor countrymen is a prisoner in your
hands？ I saw him between two of your Hussars as you rode into the
village。〃
〃It is the fortune of war；〃 said I。 〃His turn to…day； mine； perhaps； to…
morrow。〃
〃But consider； Monsieur〃 said she。
〃Etienne；〃 said I。
〃Oh； Monsieur〃
〃Etienne；〃 said I。
〃Well； then；〃 she cried； beautifully flushed and desperate； 〃consider；
Etienne； that this young officer will be taken back to your army and will
be starved or frozen； for if； as I hear； your own soldiers have a hard march；
what will be the lot of a prisoner？〃
I shrugged my shoulders。
〃You have a kind face； Etienne；〃 said she； 〃you would not condemn
this poor man to certain death。 I entreat you to let him go。〃
Her delicate hand rested upon my sleeve； her dark eyes looked
imploringly into mine。
A sudden thought passed through my mind。 I would grant her request；
but I would demand a favour in return。
At my order the prisoner was brought up into the room。
〃Captain Barakoff；〃 said I； 〃this young lady has begged me to release
you； and I am inclined to do so。 I would ask you to give your parole that
you will remain in this dwelling for twenty…four hours； and take no steps
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to inform anyone of our movements。〃
〃I will do so；〃 said he。
〃Then I trust in your honour。 One man more or less can make no
difference in a struggle between great armies； and to take you back as a
prisoner would be to condemn you to death。 Depart； sir； and show your
gratitude not to me； but to the first French officer who falls into your
hands。〃
When he was gone I drew my paper from my pocket。
〃Now； Sophie；〃 said I； 〃I have done what you asked me； and all that I
ask in return is that you will give me a lesson in Russian。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said she。
〃Let us begin on this；〃 said I； spreading out the paper before her。
〃Let us take it word for word and see what it means。〃
She looked at the writing with some surprise。 〃It means；〃 said she；
〃if the French come to Minsk all is lost。〃 Suddenly a look of
consternation passed over her beautiful face。 〃Great Heavens！〃 she cried；
〃what is it that I have done？ I have betrayed my country！ Oh； Etienne；
your eyes are the last for whom this message is meant。 How could you
be so cunning as to make a poor； simple…minded； and unsuspecting girl
betray the cause of her country？〃
I consoled my poor Sophie as best I might； and I assured her that it
was no reproach to her that she should be outwitted by so old a
campaigner and so shrewd a man as myself。 But it was no time now for
talk。 This message made it clear that the corn was indeed at Minsk； and
that there were no troops there to defend it。 I gave a hurried order from
the window； the trumpeter blew the assembly； and in ten minutes we had
left the village behind us and were riding hard for the city； the gilded
domes and minarets of which glimmered above the snow of the horizon。
Higher they rose and higher； until at last； as the sun sank toward the west；
we were in the broad main street； and galloped up it amid the shouts of the
moujiks and the cries of frightened women until we found ourselves in
front of the great town…hall。 My cavalry I drew up in the square； and I；
with my two sergeants； Oudin and Papilette； rushed into the building。
Heavens！ shall I ever forget the sight which greeted us？ Right in
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front of us was drawn up a triple line of Russian Grenadiers。 Their
muskets rose as we entered； and a crashing volley burst into our very faces。
Oudin and Papilette dropped upon the floor； riddled with bullets。
For myself； my busby was shot away and I had two holes through my
dolman。 The Grenadiers ran at me with their bayonets。 〃Treason！〃 I
cried。 〃We are betrayed！ Stand to your horses！〃 I rushed out of the hall；
but the whole square was swarming with troops。
From every side street Dragoons and Cossacks were riding down upon
us； and such a rolling fire had burst from the surrounding houses that half
my men and horses were on the ground。 〃Follow me！〃 I yelled； and
sprang upon Violette； but a giant of a Russian Dragoon officer threw his
arms round me and we rolled on the ground together。
He shortened his sword to kill me； but； changing his mind； he seized
me by the throat and banged my head against the stones until I was
unconscious。 So it was that I became the prisoner of the Russians。
When I came to myself my only regret was that my captor had not
beaten out my brains。 There in the grand square of Minsk lay half my
troopers dead or wounded； with exultant crowds of Russians gathered
round them。
The rest in a melancholy group were herded into the porch of the
town…hall； a sotnia of Cossacks keeping guard over them。 Alas！ what
could I say； what could I do？ It was evident that I had led my men into a
carefully… baited trap。 They had heard of our mission and they had
prepared for us。 And yet there was that despatch which had caused me to
neglect all precautions and to ride straight into the town。 How was I to
account for that？ The tears ran down my cheeks as I surveyed the ruin of
my squadron； and as I thought of the plight of my comrades of the Grand
Army who awaited the food which I was to have brought them。 Ney had
trusted me and I had failed him。 How often he would strain his eyes over
the snow…fields for that convoy of grain which should never gladden his
sight！ My own fate was hard enough。 An exile in Siberia was the best
which the future could bring me。 But you will believe me； my friends；
that it was not for his own sake； but for that of his starving comrades； that
Etienne Gerard's cheeks were lined by his tears； frozen even as they were
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shed。
〃What's this？〃 said a gruff voice at my elbow； and I turned to face the
huge； black…bearded Dragoon who had dragged me from my saddle。
〃Look at the Frenchman crying！ I thought that the Corsican was
followed by brave men and not by children。〃
〃If you and I were face to face and alone； I should let you see which is
the better man；〃 said I。
For answer the brute struck me across the face with his open hand。 I
seized him by the throat； but a dozen of his soldiers tore me away from
him； and he struck me again while they held my hands。
〃You base hound；〃 I cried； 〃is this the way to treat an officer and a
gentleman？〃
〃We never asked you to come to Russia；〃 said he。 〃If you do you
must take such treatment as you can get。 I would shoot you off…hand if I
had my way。〃
〃You will answer for this some day；〃 I cried； as I wiped the blood from
my moustache。
〃If the Hetman Platoff is of my way of thinking you will not be alive
this time to…morrow；〃 he answered； with a ferocious scowl。 He added
some words in Russian to his troops； and instantly they all sprang to their
saddles。
Poor Violette； looking as miserable as her master； was led round and I
was told to mount her。 My left arm was tied with a thong which was
fastened to the stirrup… iron of a sergeant of Dragoons。 So in most sorry
plight I and the remnant of my men set forth from Minsk。
Never have I met such a brute as this man Sergine； who commanded
the escort。 The Russian army contains the best and the worst in the
world； but a worse than Major Sergine of the Dragoons of Kieff I have
never seen in any force outside of the guerillas of the Peninsula。
He was a man of great stature； with a fierce； hard face and a bristling
black beard； which fell over his cuirass。
I have been told since that he was noted for his strength and his
bravery； and I could answer for it that he had the grip of a bear； for I had
felt it when he tore me from my saddle。 He was a wit； too； in his way；
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and made continual remarks in Russian at our expense which set all his
Dragoons and Cossacks laughing。 Twice he beat my comrades with his
riding…whip； and once he approached me wit
