st. ives-第4章

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returned　to　his　committee。



Goguelat　was　no　more　accommodating　than　myself。　　'I　do　not　like　

apologies　nor　those　that　make　them；'　was　his　only　answer。　　And　

there　remained　nothing　but　to　arrange　the　details　of　the　meeting。　　

So　far　as　regards　place　and　time　we　had　no　choice；　we　must　settle　

the　dispute　at　night；　in　the　dark；　after　a　round　had　passed　by；　and　

in　the　open　middle　of　the　shed　under　which　we　slept。　　The　question　

of　arms　was　more　obscure。　　We　had　a　good　many　tools；　indeed；　which　

we　employed　in　the　manufacture　of　our　toys；　but　they　were　none　of　

them　suited　for　a　single　combat　between　civilised　men；　and；　being　

nondescript；　it　was　found　extremely　hard　to　equalise　the　chances　of　

the　combatants。　　At　length　a　pair　of　scissors　was　unscrewed；　and　a　

couple　of　tough　wands　being　found　in　a　corner　of　the　courtyard；　one　

blade　of　the　scissors　was　lashed　solidly　to　each　with　resined　twine　

…　the　twine　coming　I　know　not　whence；　but　the　resin　from　the　green　

pillars　of　the　shed；　which　still　sweated　from　the　axe。　　It　was　a　

strange　thing　to　feel　in　one's　hand　this　weapon；　which　was　no　

heavier　than　a　riding…rod；　and　which　it　was　difficult　to　suppose　

would　prove　more　dangerous。　　A　general　oath　was　administered　and　

taken；　that　no　one　should　interfere　in　the　duel　nor　（suppose　it　to　

result　seriously）　betray　the　name　of　the　survivor。　　And　with　that；　

all　being　then　ready；　we　composed　ourselves　to　await　the　moment。



The　evening　fell　cloudy；　not　a　star　was　to　be　seen　when　the　first　

round　of　the　night　passed　through　our　shed　and　wound　off　along　the　

ramparts；　and　as　we　took　our　places；　we　could　still　hear；　over　the　

murmurs　of　the　surrounding　city；　the　sentries　challenging　its　

further　passage。　　Leclos；　the　sergeant…major；　set　us　in　our　

stations；　engaged　our　wands；　and　left　us。　　To　avoid　blood…stained　

clothing；　my　adversary　and　I　had　stripped　to　the　shoes；　and　the　

chill　of　the　night　enveloped　our　bodies　like　a　wet　sheet。　　The　man　

was　better　at　fencing　than　myself；　he　was　vastly　taller　than　I；　

being　of　a　stature　almost　gigantic；　and　proportionately　strong。　　In　

the　inky　blackness　of　the　shed；　it　was　impossible　to　see　his　eyes；　

and　from　the　suppleness　of　the　wands；　I　did　not　like　to　trust　to　a　

parade。　　I　made　up　my　mind　accordingly　to　profit；　if　I　might；　by　my　

defect；　and　as　soon　as　the　signal　should　be　given；　to　throw　myself　

down　and　lunge　at　the　same　moment。　　It　was　to　play　my　life　upon　one　

card：　should　I　not　mortally　wound　him；　no　defence　would　be　left　me；　

what　was　yet　more　appalling；　I　thus　ran　the　risk　of　bringing　my　own　

face　against　his　scissor　with　the　double　force　of　our　assaults；　and　

my　face　and　eyes　are　not　that　part　of　me　that　I　would　the　most　

readily　expose。



'ALLEZ！'　said　the　sergeant…major。



Both　lunged　in　the　same　moment　with　an　equal　fury；　and　but　for　my　

manoeuvre　both　had　certainly　been　spitted。　　As　it　was；　he　did　no　

more　than　strike　my　shoulder；　while　my　scissor　plunged　below　the　

girdle　into　a　mortal　part；　and　that　great　bulk　of　a　man；　falling　

from　his　whole　height；　knocked　me　immediately　senseless。



When　I　came　to　myself　I　was　laid　in　my　own　sleeping…place；　and　

could　make　out　in　the　darkness　the　outline　of　perhaps　a　dozen　heads　

crowded　around　me。　　I　sat　up。　　'What　is　it？'　I　exclaimed。



'Hush！'　said　the　sergeant…major。　　'Blessed　be　God；　all　is　well。'　　I　

felt　him　clasp　my　hand；　and　there　were　tears　in　his　voice。　　''Tis　

but　a　scratch；　my　child；　here　is　papa；　who　is　taking　good　care　of　

you。　　Your　shoulder　is　bound　up；　we　have　dressed　you　in　your　

clothes　again；　and　it　will　all　be　well。'



At　this　I　began　to　remember。　　'And　Goguelat？'　I　gasped。



'He　cannot　bear　to　be　moved；　he　has　his　bellyful；　'tis　a　bad　

business；'　said　the　sergeant…major。



The　idea　of　having　killed　a　man　with　such　an　instrument　as　half　a　

pair　of　scissors　seemed　to　turn　my　stomach。　　I　am　sure　I　might　have　

killed　a　dozen　with　a　firelock；　a　sabre；　a　bayonet；　or　any　accepted　

weapon；　and　been　visited　by　no　such　sickness　of　remorse。　　And　to　

this　feeling　every　unusual　circumstance　of　our　rencounter；　the　

darkness　in　which　we　had　fought；　our　nakedness；　even　the　resin　on　

the　twine；　appeared　to　contribute。　　I　ran　to　my　fallen　adversary；　

kneeled　by　him；　and　could　only　sob　his　name。



He　bade　me　compose　myself。　　'You　have　given　me　the　key　of　the　

fields；　comrade；'　said　he。　　'SANS　RANCUNE！'



At　this　my　horror　redoubled。　　Here　had　we　two　expatriated　Frenchmen　

engaged　in　an　ill…regulated　combat　like　the　battles　of　beasts。　　

Here　was　he；　who　had　been　all　his　life　so　great　a　ruffian；　dying　in　

a　foreign　land　of　this　ignoble　injury；　and　meeting　death　with　

something　of　the　spirit　of　a　Bayard。　　I　insisted　that　the　guards　

should　be　summoned　and　a　doctor　brought。　　'It　may　still　be　possible　

to　save　him；'　I　cried。



The　sergeant…major　reminded　me　of　our　engagement。　　'If　you　had　been　

wounded；'　said　he；　'you　must　have　lain　there　till　the　patrol　came　

by　and　found　you。　　It　happens　to　be　Goguelat　…　and　so　must　he！　　

Come；　child；　time　to　go　to　by…by。'　　And　as　I　still　resisted；　

'Champdivers！'　he　said；　'this　is　weakness。　　You　pain　me。'



'Ay；　off　to　your　beds　with　you！'　said　Goguelat；　and　named　us　in　a　

company　with　one　of　his　jovial　gross　epithets。



Accordingly　the　squad　lay　down　in　the　dark　and　simulated；　what　they　

certainly　were　far　from　experiencing；　sleep。　　It　was　not　yet　late。　　

The　city；　from　far　below；　and　all　around　us；　sent　up　a　sound　of　

wheels　and　feet　and　lively　voices。　　Yet　awhile；　and　the　curtain　of　

the　cloud　was　rent　across；　and　in　the　space　of　sky　between　the　

eaves　of　the　shed　and　the　irregular　outline　of　the　ramparts　a　

multitude　of　stars　appeared。　　Meantime；　in　the　midst　of　us　lay　

Goguelat；　and　could　not　always　withhold　himself　from　groaning。



We　heard　the　round　far　off；　heard　it　draw　slowly　nearer。　　Last　of　

all；　it　turned　the　corner　and　moved　into　our　field　of　vision：　two　

file　of　men　and　a　corporal　with　a　lantern；　which　he　swung　to　and　

fro；　so　as　to　cast　its　light　in　the　recesses　of　the　yards　and　

sheds。



'Hullo！'　cried　the　corporal；　pausing　as　he　came　by　Goguelat。



He　stooped　with　his　lantern。　　All　our　hearts　were　flying。



'What　devil's　work　is　this？'　he　cried；　and　with　a　startling　voice　

summoned　the　guard。



We　were　all　afoot　upon　the　instant；　more　lanterns　and　soldiers　

crowded　in　front　of　the　shed；　an　officer　elbowed　his　way　in。　　In　

the　midst　was　the　big　naked　body；　soiled　with　blood。　　Some　one　had　

covered　him　with　his　blanket；　but　as　he　lay　there　in　agony；　he　had　

partly　thrown　it　off。



'This　is　murder！'　cried　the　officer。　　'You　wild　beasts；　you　will　

hear　of　this　to…morrow。'



As　Goguelat　was　raised　and　laid　upon　a　stretcher；　he　cried　to　us　a　

cheerful　and　blasphemous　farewell。









CHAPTER　III　…　MAJOR　CHEVENIX　COMES　INTO　THE　STORY；　AND　GOGUELAT　

GOES　OUT





THERE　was　never　any　talk　of　a　recovery；　and　no　time　was　lost　in　

getting　the　man's　deposition。　　He　gave　but　the　one　account　of　it：　

that　he　had　committed　suicide　because　he　was　sick　of　seeing　so　many　

Englishmen。　　The　doctor　vowed　it　was　impossible；　the　nature　and　

direction　of　the　wound　forbidding　it。　　Goguelat　replied　that　he　was　

more　ingenious　than　the　other　thought　for；　and　had　propped　up　the　

weapon　in　the　ground　and　fallen　on　the　point　…　'just　like　

Nebuchadnezzar；'　he　added；　winking　to　the　assistants。　　The　doctor；　

who　was　a　little；　spruce；　ruddy　man　of　an　impatient　temper；　pished　

and　pshawed　and　swore　over　his　patient。　　'Nothing　to　be　made　of　

him！'　he　cried。　　'A　perfect　heathen。　　If　we　could　only　find　the　

weapon！'　　But　the　weapon　had　ceased　to　exist。　　A　little　resined　

twine　was　perhaps　blowing　about　in　the　castle　gutters；　some　bits　of　

broken　stick　may　have　trailed　in　corners；　and　behold；　in　the　

pleasant　air　of　the　morning；　a　dandy　prisoner　trimming　his　nails　

with　a　pair　of　scissors！



Finding　the　wounded　man　so　firm；　you　may　be　sure　the　authorities　

did　not　leave　the　rest　of　us　in　peace。　　No　stone　was　left　unturned。　　

We　were　had　in　again　and　again　to　be　examined；　now　singly；　now　in　

twos　and　threes。　　We　were　threatened　with　all　sorts　of　impossible　

severities　and　tempted　with　all　manner　of　improbable　rewards。　　I　

suppose　I　was　five　times　interrogated；　and　came　off　from　each　with　

flying　colours。　　I　am　like　old　Souvaroff；　I　cannot　understand　a　

soldier　being　taken　aback　by　any　question；　he　should　answer；　as　he　

marches　on　the　fire；　with　an　instant　briskness　and　gaiety。　　I　may　

have　been　short　of　bread；　gold　or　grace；　I　was　never　yet　found　

wanting　in　an　answer。　　My　comrades；　if　they　were　not　all　so　ready；　

were　none　of　them　less　staunch；　and　I　may　say　here　at　once　that　the　

inquiry　came　to　nothing　at　the　time；　and　the　death　of　Goguelat　

remained　a　mystery　of　the　prison。　　Such　were　the　veterans　of　

France！　　And　yet　I　should　be　disingenuous　if　I　did　not　own　this　was　

a　case　apart；　in　ordinary　circumstances；　some　one　might　have　

stumbled　or　been　intimidated　into　an　admission；　and　what　bound　us　

together　with　a　closeness　beyond　that　of　mere　comrades　was　a　secret　

to　which　we　were　all　committed　and　a　design　in　which　all　were　

equally　engaged。　　No　need　to　inquire　as　to　its　nature：　there　is　

only　one　desire；　and　only　one　kind　of　design；　that　blooms　in　

prisons。　　And　the　fact　that　our　tunnel　was　near　done　supported　and　

inspired　us。



I　came　off　in　public；　as　I　have　said；　with　flying　colours；　the　

sittings　of　the　court　of　inquiry　died　away　like　a　tune　that　no　one　

listens　to；　and　yet　I　was　unmasked　…　I；　whom　my　very　adversary　

defended；　as　good　as　confessed；　as　good　as　told　the　nature　of　the　

quarrel；　and　by　so　doing　prepared　for　myself　in　the　future　a　most　

anxious；　disagreeable　adventure。　　It　was　the　third　morning　after　

the　duel；　and　Goguelat　was　still　in　life；　when　the　time　came　round　

for　me　to　give　Major　Chevenix　a　lesson。　　I　was　fond　of　this　

occupation；　not　that　he　paid　me　much　…　no　more；　indeed；　than　

eighteenpence　a　month；　the　customary　figure；　being　a　miser　in　the　

grain；　but　because　I　liked　his　breakfasts　and　（to　some　extent）　

himself。　　At　least；　he　was　a　man　of　education；　and　of　the　others　

with　whom　I　had　any　opportunity　of　speech；　those　that　would　not　

have　held　a　book　upsidedown　would　have　torn　the　pages　out　for　pipe…

lights。　　For　I　must　repeat　again　that　our　body　of　prisoners　was　

exceptional：　there　was　in　Edinburgh　Castle　none　of　that　educational　

busyness　that　distinguished　some　of　the　other　prisons；　so　that　men　

entered　them　unable　to　read；　and　left　them　fit　for　high　

employments。　　Chevenix　was　handsome；　and　surprisingly　young　to　be　a　

major：　six　feet　in　his　stockings；　well　set　up；　with　regular　

features　and　very　clear　grey　eyes。　　It　was　impossible　to　pick　a　

fault　in　him；　and　yet　the　sum…total　was　displeasing。　　Perhaps　he　

was　too　clean；　he　seemed　to　bear　about　wi