the seven poor travellers-第5章

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was　to　be　rejoined　and　escorted　home；　at　the　year's　end；　by　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。



She　wrote　regularly　to　her　children　（as　she　called　them　now）；　and

they　to　her。　　She　went　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Aix；　and　there；　in

their　own　chateau　near　the　farmer's　house　she　rented；　she　grew　into

intimacy　with　a　family　belonging　to　that　part　of　France。　　The

intimacy　began　in　her　often　meeting　among　the　vineyards　a　pretty

child；　a　girl　with　a　most　compassionate　heart；　who　was　never　tired

of　listening　to　the　solitary　English　lady's　stories　of　her　poor　son

and　the　cruel　wars。　　The　family　were　as　gentle　as　the　child；　and　at

length　she　came　to　know　them　so　well　that　she　accepted　their

invitation　to　pass　the　last　month　of　her　residence　abroad　under

their　roof。　　All　this　intelligence　she　wrote　home；　piecemeal　as　it

came　about；　from　time　to　time；　and　at　last　enclosed　a　polite　note；

from　the　head　of　the　chateau；　soliciting；　on　the　occasion　of　his

approaching　mission　to　that　neighbourhood；　the　honour　of　the　company

of　cet　homme　si　justement　celebre；　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard

Doubledick。



Captain　Doubledick；　now　a　hardy；　handsome　man　in　the　full　vigour　of

life；　broader　across　the　chest　and　shoulders　than　he　had　ever　been

before；　dispatched　a　courteous　reply；　and　followed　it　in　person。

Travelling　through　all　that　extent　of　country　after　three　years　of

Peace；　he　blessed　the　better　days　on　which　the　world　had　fallen。

The　corn　was　golden；　not　drenched　in　unnatural　red；　was　bound　in

sheaves　for　food；　not　trodden　underfoot　by　men　in　mortal　fight。　　The

smoke　rose　up　from　peaceful　hearths；　not　blazing　ruins。　　The　carts

were　laden　with　the　fair　fruits　of　the　earth；　not　with　wounds　and

death。　　To　him　who　had　so　often　seen　the　terrible　reverse；　these

things　were　beautiful　indeed；　and　they　brought　him　in　a　softened

spirit　to　the　old　chateau　near　Aix　upon　a　deep　blue　evening。



It　was　a　large　chateau　of　the　genuine　old　ghostly　kind；　with　round

towers；　and　extinguishers；　and　a　high　leaden　roof；　and　more　windows

than　Aladdin's　Palace。　　The　lattice　blinds　were　all　thrown　open

after　the　heat　of　the　day；　and　there　were　glimpses　of　rambling　walls

and　corridors　within。　　Then　there　were　immense　out…buildings　fallen

into　partial　decay；　masses　of　dark　trees；　terrace…gardens；

balustrades；　tanks　of　water；　too　weak　to　play　and　too　dirty　to　work；

statues；　weeds；　and　thickets　of　iron　railing　that　seemed　to　have

overgrown　themselves　like　the　shrubberies；　and　to　have　branched　out

in　all　manner　of　wild　shapes。　　The　entrance　doors　stood　open；　as

doors　often　do　in　that　country　when　the　heat　of　the　day　is　past；　and

the　Captain　saw　no　bell　or　knocker；　and　walked　in。



He　walked　into　a　lofty　stone　hall；　refreshingly　cool　and　gloomy

after　the　glare　of　a　Southern　day's　travel。　　Extending　along　the

four　sides　of　this　hall　was　a　gallery；　leading　to　suites　of　rooms；

and　it　was　lighted　from　the　top。　　Still　no　bell　was　to　be　seen。



〃Faith；〃　said　the　Captain　halting；　ashamed　of　the　clanking　of　his

boots；　〃this　is　a　ghostly　beginning！〃



He　started　back；　and　felt　his　face　turn　white。　　In　the　gallery；

looking　down　at　him；　stood　the　French　officerthe　officer　whose

picture　he　had　carried　in　his　mind　so　long　and　so　far。　　Compared

with　the　original；　at　lastin　every　lineament　how　like　it　was！



He　moved；　and　disappeared；　and　Captain　Richard　Doubledick　heard　his

steps　coming　quickly　down　own　into　the　hall。　　He　entered　through　an

archway。　　There　was　a　bright；　sudden　look　upon　his　face；　much　such　a

look　as　it　had　worn　in　that　fatal　moment。



Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard　Doubledick？　　Enchanted　to　receive　him！

A　thousand　apologies！　　The　servants　were　all　out　in　the　air。　　There

was　a　little　fete　among　them　in　the　garden。　　In　effect；　it　was　the

fete　day　of　my　daughter；　the　little　cherished　and　protected　of

Madame　Taunton。



He　was　so　gracious　and　so　frank　that　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard

Doubledick　could　not　withhold　his　hand。　　〃It　is　the　hand　of　a　brave

Englishman；〃　said　the　French　officer；　retaining　it　while　he　spoke。

〃I　could　respect　a　brave　Englishman；　even　as　my　foe；　how　much　more

as　my　friend！　　I　also　am　a　soldier。〃



〃He　has　not　remembered　me；　as　I　have　remembered　him；　he　did　not　take

such　note　of　my　face；　that　day；　as　I　took　of　his；〃　thought　Captain

Richard　Doubledick。　　〃How　shall　I　tell　him？〃



The　French　officer　conducted　his　guest　into　a　garden　and　presented

him　to　his　wife；　an　engaging　and　beautiful　woman；　sitting　with　Mrs。

Taunton　in　a　whimsical　old…fashioned　pavilion。　　His　daughter；　her

fair　young　face　beaming　with　joy；　came　running　to　embrace　him；　and

there　was　a　boy…baby　to　tumble　down　among　the　orange　trees　on　the

broad　steps；　in　making　for　his　father's　legs。　　A　multitude　of

children　visitors　were　dancing　to　sprightly　music；　and　all　the

servants　and　peasants　about　the　chateau　were　dancing　too。　　It　was　a

scene　of　innocent　happiness　that　might　have　been　invented　for　the

climax　of　the　scenes　of　peace　which　had　soothed　the　Captain's

journey。



He　looked　on；　greatly　troubled　in　his　mind；　until　a　resounding　bell

rang；　and　the　French　officer　begged　to　show　him　his　rooms。　　They

went　upstairs　into　the　gallery　from　which　the　officer　had　looked

down；　and　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　Richard　Doubledick　was　cordially

welcomed　to　a　grand　outer　chamber；　and　a　smaller　one　within；　all

clocks　and　draperies；　and　hearths；　and　brazen　dogs；　and　tiles；　and

cool　devices；　and　elegance；　and　vastness。



〃You　were　at　Waterloo；〃　said　the　French　officer。



〃I　was；〃　said　Captain　Richard　Doubledick。　　〃And　at　Badajos。〃



Left　alone　with　the　sound　of　his　own　stern　voice　in　his　ears；　he　sat

down　to　consider；　What　shall　I　do；　and　how　shall　I　tell　him？　　At

that　time；　unhappily；　many　deplorable　duels　had　been　fought　between

English　and　French　officers；　arising　out　of　the　recent　war；　and

these　duels；　and　how　to　avoid　this　officer's　hospitality；　were　the

uppermost　thought　in　Captain　Richard　Doubledick's　mind。



He　was　thinking；　and　letting　the　time　run　out　in　which　he　should

have　dressed　for　dinner；　when　Mrs。　Taunton　spoke　to　him　outside　the

door；　asking　if　he　could　give　her　the　letter　he　had　brought　from

Mary。　　〃His　mother；　above　all；〃　the　Captain　thought。　　〃How　shall　I

tell　her？〃



〃You　will　form　a　friendship　with　your　host；　I　hope；〃　said　Mrs。

Taunton；　whom　he　hurriedly　admitted；　〃that　will　last　for　life。　　He

is　so　true…hearted　and　so　generous；　Richard；　that　you　can　hardly

fail　to　esteem　one　another。　　If　He　had　been　spared；〃　she　kissed　（not

without　tears）　the　locket　in　which　she　wore　his　hair；　〃he　would　have

appreciated　him　with　his　own　magnanimity；　and　would　have　been　truly

happy　that　the　evil　days　were　past　which　made　such　a　man　his　enemy。〃



She　left　the　room；　and　the　Captain　walked；　first　to　one　window；

whence　he　could　see　the　dancing　in　the　garden；　then　to　another

window；　whence　he　could　see　the　smiling　prospect　and　the　peaceful

vineyards。



〃Spirit　of　my　departed　friend；〃　said　he；　〃is　it　through　thee　these

better　thoughts　are　rising　in　my　mind？　　Is　it　thou　who　hast　shown

me；　all　the　way　I　have　been　drawn　to　meet　this　man；　the　blessings　of

the　altered　time？　　Is　it　thou　who　hast　sent　thy　stricken　mother　to

me；　to　stay　my　angry　hand？　　Is　it　from　thee　the　whisper　comes；　that

this　man　did　his　duty　as　thou　didst；and　as　I　did；　through　thy

guidance；　which　has　wholly　saved　me　here　on　earth；and　that　he　did

no　more？〃



He　sat　down；　with　his　head　buried　in　his　hands；　and；　when　he　rose

up；　made　the　second　strong　resolution　of　his　life；that　neither　to

the　French　officer；　nor　to　the　mother　of　his　departed　friend；　nor　to

any　soul；　while　either　of　the　two　was　living；　would　he　breathe　what

only　he　knew。　　And　when　he　touched　that　French　officer's　glass　with

his　own；　that　day　at　dinner；　he　secretly　forgave　him　in　the　name　of

the　Divine　Forgiver　of　injuries。





Here　I　ended　my　story　as　the　first　Poor　Traveller。　　But；　if　I　had

told　it　now；　I　could　have　added　that　the　time　has　since　come　when

the　son　of　Major　Richard　Doubledick；　and　the　son　of　that　French

officer；　friends　as　their　fathers　were　before　them；　fought　side　by

side　in　one　cause；　with　their　respective　nations；　like　long…divided

brothers　whom　the　better　times　have　brought　together；　fast　united。







CHAPTER　IIITHE　ROAD







My　story　being　finished；　and　the　Wassail　too；　we　broke　up　as　the

Cathedral　bell　struck　Twelve。　　I　did　not　take　leave　of　my　travellers

that　night；　for　it　had　come　into　my　head　to　reappear；　in　conjunction

with　some　hot　coffee；　at　seven　in　the　morning。



As　I　passed　along　the　High　Street；　I　heard　the　Waits　at　a　distance；

and　struck　off　to　find　them。　　They　were　playing　near　one　of　the　old

gates　of　the　City；　at　the　corner　of　a　wonderfully　quaint　row　of　red…

brick　tenements；　which　the　clarionet　obligingly　informed　me　were

inhabited　by　the　Minor…Canons。　　They　had　odd　little　porches　over　the

doors；　like　sounding…boards　over　old　pulpits；　and　I　thought　I　should

like　to　see　one　of　the　Minor…Canons　come　out　upon　his　top　stop；　and

favour　us　with　a　little　Christmas　discourse　about　the　poor　scholars

of　Rochester；　taking　for　his　text　the　words　of　his　Master　relative

to　the　devouring　of　Widows'　houses。



The　clarionet　was　so　communicative；　and　my　inclinations　were　（as

they　generally　are）　of　so　vagabond　a　tendency；　that　I　accompanied

the　Waits　across　an　open　green　called　the　Vines；　and　assistedin

the　French　senseat　the　performance　of　two　waltzes；　two　polkas；　and

three　Irish　melodies；　before　I　thought　of　my　inn　any　more。　　However；

I　returned　to　it　then；　and　found　a　fiddle　in　the　kitchen；　and　Ben；

the　wall…eyed　young　man；　and　two　chambermaids；　circling　round　the

great　deal　table　with　the　utmost　animation。



I　had　a　very　bad　night。　　It　cannot　have　been　owing　to　the　turkey　or

the　beef；and　the　Wassail　is　out　of　the　questionbut　in　every

endeavour　that　I　made　to　get　to　sleep　I　failed　most　dismally。　　I　was

never　asleep；　and　in　whatsoever　unreasonable　direction　my　mind

rambled；　the　effigy　of　Master　Richard　Watts　perpetually　embarrassed

it。



In　a　word；　I　only　got　out　of　the　Worshipful　Master　Richard　Watts's

way　by　getting　out　of　bed　in　the　dark　at　six　o'clock；　and　tumbling；

as　my　custom　is；　into　all　the　cold　water　that　could　be　accumulated

for　the　purpose。　　The　outer　air　was　dull　and　cold　enough　in　the

street；　when　I　came　down　there；　and　the　one　candle　in　our　supper…

room　at　Watts's　Charity　looked　as　pale　in　the　burning　as　if　it　had

had　a　bad　night　too。　　But　my　Travellers　had　all　slept　soundly；　and

they　took　to　the　hot　coffee；　and　the　piles　of　bread…and…butter；

which　Ben　had　arranged　like　deals　in　a　timber…yard；　as　kindly　as　I

could　desire。



While　it　was　yet　scarcely　daylight；　we　all　came　out　into　the　street

together；　and　there　shook　hands。　　The　widow　took　the　little　sailor

towards　Chatham；　where　he　was　to　find　a　steamboat　fo