st. ives-第7章

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'You　will　say　so　before　I　have　done；'　said　he。　　'For　there　have　two　

events　followed。　　The　first　of　these　was　an　encounter　of　M。　de　

Keroual　and　M。　de　Mauseant。'



'I　know　the　man　to　my　cost；'　said　I：　'it　was　through　him　I　lost　my　

commission。'



'Do　you　tell　me　so？'　he　cried。　　'Why；　here　is　news！'



'Oh；　I　cannot　complain！'　said　I。　　'I　was　in　the　wrong。　　I　did　it　

with　my　eyes　open。　　If　a　man　gets　a　prisoner　to　guard　and　lets　him　

go；　the　least　he　can　expect　is　to　be　degraded。'



'You　will　be　paid　for　it；'　said　he。　　'You　did　well　for　yourself　and　

better　for　your　king。'



'If　I　had　thought　I　was　injuring　my　emperor；'　said　I；　'I　would　have　

let　M。　de　Mauseant　burn　in　hell　ere　I　had　helped　him；　and　be　sure　

of　that！　　I　saw　in　him　only　a　private　person　in　a　difficulty：　I　let　

him　go　in　private　charity；　not　even　to　profit　myself　will　I　suffer　

it　to　be　misunderstood。'



'Well；　well；'　said　the　lawyer；　'no　matter　now。　　This　is　a　foolish　

warmth　…　a　very　misplaced　enthusiasm；　believe　me！　　The　point　of　the　

story　is　that　M。　de　Mauseant　spoke　of　you　with　gratitude；　and　drew　

your　character　in　such　a　manner　as　greatly　to　affect　your　uncle's　

views。　　Hard　upon　the　back　of　which；　in　came　your　humble　servant；　

and　laid　before　him　the　direct　proof　of　what　we　had　been　so　long　

suspecting。　　There　was　no　dubiety　permitted。　　M。　Alain's　expensive　

way　of　life；　his　clothes　and　mistresses；　his　dicing　and　racehorses；　

were　all　explained：　he　was　in　the　pay　of　Buonaparte；　a　hired　spy；　

and　a　man　that　held　the　strings　of　what　I　can　only　call　a　

convolution　of　extremely　fishy　enterprises。　　To　do　M。　de　Keroual　

justice；　he　took　it　in　the　best　way　imaginable；　destroyed　the　

evidences　of　the　one　great…nephew's　disgrace　…　and　transferred　his　

interest　wholly　to　the　other。'



'What　am　I　to　understand　by　that？'　said　I。



'I　will　tell　you；'　says　he。　　'There　is　a　remarkable　inconsistency　

in　human　nature　which　gentlemen　of　my　cloth　have　a　great　deal　of　

occasion　to　observe。　　Selfish　persons　can　live　without　chick　or　

child；　they　can　live　without　all　mankind　except　perhaps　the　barber　

and　the　apothecary；　but　when　it　comes　to　dying；　they　seem　

physically　unable　to　die　without　an　heir。　　You　can　apply　this　

principle　for　yourself。　　Viscount　Alain；　though　he　scarce　guesses　

it；　is　no　longer　in　the　field。　　Remains；　Viscount　Anne。'



'I　see；'　said　I；　'you　give　a　very　unfavourable　impression　of　my　

uncle；　the　Count。'



'I　had　not　meant　it；'　said　he。　　'He　has　led　a　loose　life　…　sadly　

loose　…　but　he　is　a　man　it　is　impossible　to　know　and　not　to　admire；　

his　courtesy　is　exquisite。'



'And　so　you　think　there　is　actually　a　chance　for　me？'　I　asked。



'Understand；'　said　he：　'in　saying　as　much　as　I　have　done；　I　travel　

quite　beyond　my　brief。　　I　have　been　clothed　with　no　capacity　to　

talk　of　wills；　or　heritages；　or　your　cousin。　　I　was　sent　here　to　

make　but　the　one　communication：　that　M。　de　Keroual　desires　to　meet　

his　great…nephew。'



'Well；'　said　I；　looking　about　me　on　the　battlements　by　which　we　sat　

surrounded；　'this　is　a　case　in　which　Mahomet　must　certainly　come　to　

the　mountain。'



'Pardon　me；'　said　Mr。　Romaine；　'you　know　already　your　uncle　is　an　

aged　man；　but　I　have　not　yet　told　you　that　he　is　quite　broken　up；　

and　his　death　shortly　looked　for。　　No；　no；　there　is　no　doubt　about　

it　…　it　is　the　mountain　that　must　come　to　Mahomet。'



'From　an　Englishman；　the　remark　is　certainly　significant；'　said　I；　

'but　you　are　of　course；　and　by　trade；　a　keeper　of　men's　secrets；　

and　I　see　you　keep　that　of　Cousin　Alain；　which　is　not　the　mark　of　a　

truculent　patriotism；　to　say　the　least。'



'I　am　first　of　all　the　lawyer　of　your　family！'　says　he。



'That　being　so；'　said　I；　'I　can　perhaps　stretch　a　point　myself。　　

This　rock　is　very　high；　and　it　is　very　steep；　a　man　might　come　by　a　

devil　of　a　fall　from　almost　any　part　of　it；　and　yet　I　believe　I　

have　a　pair　of　wings　that　might　carry　me　just　so　far　as　to　the　

bottom。　　Once　at　the　bottom　I　am　helpless。'



'And　perhaps　it　is　just　then　that　I　could　step　in；'　returned　the　

lawyer。　　'Suppose　by　some　contingency；　at　which　I　make　no　guess；　

and　on　which　I　offer　no　opinion　…　'



But　here　I　interrupted　him。　　'One　word　ere　you　go　further。　　I　am　

under　no　parole；'　said　I。



'I　understood　so　much；'　he　replied；　'although　some　of　you　French　

gentry　find　their　word　sit　lightly　on　them。'



'Sir；　I　am　not　one　of　those；'　said　I。



'To　do　you　plain　justice；　I　do　not　think　you　one；'　said　he。　　

'Suppose　yourself；　then；　set　free　and　at　the　bottom　of　the　rock；'　

he　continued；　'although　I　may　not　be　able　to　do　much；　I　believe　I　

can　do　something　to　help　you　on　your　road。　　In　the　first　place　I　

would　carry　this；　whether　in　an　inside　pocket　or　my　shoe。'　　And　he　

passed　me　a　bundle　of　bank　notes。



'No　harm　in　that；'　said　I；　at　once　concealing　them。



'In　the　second　place；'　he　resumed；　'it　is　a　great　way　from　here　to　

where　your　uncle　lives　…　Amersham　Place；　not　far　from　Dunstable；　

you　have　a　great　part　of　Britain　to　get　through；　and　for　the　first　

stages；　I　must　leave　you　to　your　own　luck　and　ingenuity。　　I　have　no　

acquaintance　here　in　Scotland；　or　at　least'　（with　a　grimace）　'no　

dishonest　ones。　　But　further　to　the　south；　about　Wakefield；　I　am　

told　there　is　a　gentleman　called　Burchell　Fenn；　who　is　not　so　

particular　as　some　others；　and　might　be　willing　to　give　you　a　cast　

forward。　　In　fact；　sir；　I　believe　it's　the　man's　trade：　a　piece　of　

knowledge　that　burns　my　mouth。　　But　that　is　what　you　get　by　

meddling　with　rogues；　and　perhaps　the　biggest　rogue　now　extant；　M。　

de　Saint…Yves；　is　your　cousin；　M。　Alain。'



'If　this　be　a　man　of　my　cousin's；'　I　observed；　'I　am　perhaps　better　

to　keep　clear　of　him？'



'It　was　through　some　paper　of　your　cousin's　that　we　came　across　his　

trail；'　replied　the　lawyer。　　'But　I　am　inclined　to　think；　so　far　as　

anything　is　safe　in　such　a　nasty　business；　you　might　apply　to　the　

man　Fenn。　　You　might　even；　I　think；　use　the　Viscount's　name；　and　

the　little　trick　of　family　resemblance　might　come　in。　　How；　for　

instance；　if　you　were　to　call　yourself　his　brother？'



'It　might　be　done；'　said　I。　　'But　look　here　a　moment？　　You　propose　

to　me　a　very　difficult　game：　I　have　apparently　a　devil　of　an　

opponent　in　my　cousin；　and；　being　a　prisoner　of　war；　I　can　scarcely　

be　said　to　hold　good　cards。　　For　what　stakes；　then；　am　I　playing？'



'They　are　very　large；'　said　he。　　'Your　great…uncle　is　immensely　

rich　…　immensely　rich。　　He　was　wise　in　time；　he　smelt　the　

revolution　long　before；　sold　all　that　he　could；　and　had　all　that　

was　movable　transported　to　England　through　my　firm。　　There　are　

considerable　estates　in　England；　Amersham　Place　itself　is　very　

fine；　and　he　has　much　money；　wisely　invested。　　He　lives；　indeed；　

like　a　prince。　　And　of　what　use　is　it　to　him？　　He　has　lost　all　that　

was　worth　living　for　…　his　family；　his　country；　he　has　seen　his　

king　and　queen　murdered；　he　has　seen　all　these　miseries　and　

infamies；'　pursued　the　lawyer；　with　a　rising　inflection　and　a　

heightening　colour；　and　then　broke　suddenly　off；　…　'In　short；　sir；　

he　has　seen　all　the　advantages　of　that　government　for　which　his　

nephew　carries　arms；　and　he　has　the　misfortune　not　to　like　them。'



'You　speak　with　a　bitterness　that　I　suppose　I　must　excuse；'　said　I；　

'yet　which　of　us　has　the　more　reason　to　be　bitter？　　This　man；　my　

uncle；　M。　de　Keroual；　fled。　　My　parents；　who　were　less　wise　

perhaps；　remained。　　In　the　beginning；　they　were　even　republicans；　

to　the　end　they　could　not　be　persuaded　to　despair　of　the　people。　　

It　was　a　glorious　folly；　for　which；　as　a　son；　I　reverence　them。　　

First　one　and　then　the　other　perished。　　If　I　have　any　mark　of　a　

gentleman；　all　who　taught　me　died　upon　the　scaffold；　and　my　last　

school　of　manners　was　the　prison　of　the　Abbaye。　　Do　you　think　you　

can　teach　bitterness　to　a　man　with　a　history　like　mine？'



'I　have　no　wish　to　try；'　said　he。　　'And　yet　there　is　one　point　I　

cannot　understand：　I　cannot　understand　that　one　of　your　blood　and　

experience　should　serve　the　Corsican。　　I　cannot　understand　it：　it　

seems　as　though　everything　generous　in　you　must　rise　against　that　…　

domination。'



'And　perhaps；'　I　retorted；　'had　your　childhood　passed　among　wolves；　

you　would　have　been　overjoyed　yourself　to　see　the　Corsican　

Shepherd。'



'Well；　well；'　replied　Mr。　Romaine；　'it　may　be。　　There　are　things　

that　do　not　bear　discussion。'



And　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　he　disappeared　abruptly　down　a　flight　

of　steps　and　under　the　shadow　of　a　ponderous　arch。









CHAPTER　V　…　ST。　IVES　IS　SHOWN　A　HOUSE





THE　lawyer　was　scarce　gone　before　I　remembered　many　omissions；　and　

chief　among　these；　that　I　had　neglected　to　get　Mr。　Burchell　Fenn's　

address。　　Here　was　an　essential　point　neglected；　and　I　ran　to　the　

head　of　the　stairs　to　find　myself　already　too　late。　　The　lawyer　was　

beyond　my　view；　in　the　archway　that　led　downward　to　the　castle　

gate；　only　the　red　coat　and　the　bright　arms　of　a　sentry　glittered　

in　the　shadow；　and　I　could　but　return　to　my　place　upon　the　

ramparts。



I　am　not　very　sure　that　I　was　properly　entitled　to　this　corner。　　

But　I　was　a　high　favourite；　not　an　officer；　and　scarce　a　private；　

in　the　castle　would　have　turned　me　back；　except　upon　a　thing　of　

moment；　and　whenever　I　desired　to　be　solitary；　I　was　suffered　to　

sit　here　behind　my　piece　of　cannon　unmolested。　　The　cliff　went　down　

before　me　almost　sheer；　but　mantled　with　a　thicket　of　climbing　

trees；　from　farther　down；　an　outwork　raised　its　turret；　and　across　

the　valley　I　had　a　view　of　that　long　terrace　of　Princes　Street　

which　serves　as　a　promenade　to　the　fashionable　inhabitants　of　

Edinburgh。　　A　singularity　in　a　military　prison；　that　it　should　

command　a　view　on　the　chief　thoroughfare！



It　is　not　necessary　that　I　should　trouble　you　with　the　train　of　my　

reflections；　which　turned　upon　the　interview　I　had　just　concluded　

and　the　hopes　that　were　now　opening　before　me。　　What　is　more　

essential；　my　eye　（even　while　I　thought）　kept　following　the　

movement　of　the　passengers　on　Princes　Street；　as　they　passed　

briskly　to　and　fro　…　met；　greeted；　and　bowed　to　each　other　…　or　

entered　and　left　the　shops；　which　are　in　that　quarter；　and；　for　a　

town　of　the　Britannic　provinces；　particularly　fine。　　My　mind　being　

busy　upon　other　things；　the　course　of　my　eye　was　the　more　random；　

and　it　chanced　that　I　followed；　for　some　time；　the　advance　of　a　

young　gentleman　with　a　red　head　and　a　white　great…coat；　for　whom　I　

cared　nothing　at　the　moment；　and　of　whom　it　is　probable　I　shall　be　

gathered　to　my　fathers　without　learning　more。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　

large　acquaintance：　his　hat　was　for　ever　in　his　hand；　and　I　daresay　

I　had　already　observed　him　exchanging　compliments　with　half　a　

dozen；　when　he　drew　up　at　last　before　a　young　man　and　a　young　lady