stories by english authors in france(旅法英国作家的故事)-第16章
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more？ Ah； no； no！ you understand me！ Now； this is what you must do
send for a cabriolet when you feel quite well againdraw up all the
windows when you get into itand tell the driver to take you home only
through the large and well… lighted thoroughfares。 Do this； and you and
your money will be safe。 Do this； and to…morrow you will thank an old
soldier for giving you a word of honest advice。〃
Just as the ex…brave ended his oration in very lachrymose tones； the
coffee came in； ready poured out in two cups。 My attentive friend handed
me one of the cups with a bow。 I was parched with thirst； and drank it off
at a draught。 Almost instantly afterwards； I was seized with a fit of
giddiness； and felt more completely intoxicated than ever。 The room
whirled round and round furiously； the old soldier seemed to be regularly
bobbing up and down before me like the piston of a steam…engine。 I was
half deafened by a violent singing in my ears； a feeling of utter
bewilderment； helplessness； idiocy； overcame me。 I rose from my chair；
holding on by the table to keep my balance； and stammered out that I felt
dreadfully unwellso unwell that I did not know how I was to get home。
〃My dear friend；〃 answered the old soldierand even his voice seemed
to be bobbing up and down as he spoke〃my dear friend； it would be
madness to go home in /your/ state； you would be sure to lose your money；
you might be robbed and murdered with the greatest ease。 /I/ am going to
sleep here； do you sleep here； toothey make up capital beds in this
housetake one； sleep off the effects of the wine； and go home safely with
your winnings to…morrowto…morrow； in broad daylight。〃
I had but two ideas left： one； that I must never let go hold of my
handkerchief full of money； the other； that I must lie down somewhere
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immediately； and fall off into a comfortable sleep。 So I agreed to the
proposal about the bed； and took the offered arm of the old soldier；
carrying my money with my disengaged hand。 Preceded by the croupier；
we passed along some passages and up a flight of stairs into the bedroom
which I was to occupy。 The ex…brave shook me warmly by the hand；
proposed that we should breakfast together； and then； followed by the
croupier； left me for the night。
I ran to the wash…hand stand； drank some of the water in my jug；
poured the rest out； and plunged my face into it； then sat down in a chair
and tried to compose myself。 I soon felt better。 The change for my lungs；
from the fetid atmosphere of the gambling…room to the cool air of the
apartment I now occupied； the almost equally refreshing change for my
eyes； from the glaring gaslights of the 〃salon〃 to the dim； quiet flicker of
one bedroom candle； aided wonderfully the restorative effects of cold
water。 The giddiness left me； and I began to feel a little like a reasonable
being again。 My first thought was of the risk of sleeping all night in a
gambling…house； my second； of the still greater risk of trying to get out
after the house was closed； and of going home alone at night through the
streets of Paris with a large sum of money about me。 I had slept in worse
places than this on my travels； so I determined to lock； bolt； and barricade
my door； and take my chance till the next morning。
Accordingly； I secured myself against all intrusion； looked under the
bed； and into the cupboard； tried the fastening of the window； and then；
satisfied that I had taken every proper precaution； pulled off my upper
clothing； put my light； which was a dim one； on the hearth among a
feathery litter of wood…ashes； and got into bed； with the handkerchief full
of money under my pillow。
I soon felt not only that I could not go to sleep； but that I could not
even close my eyes。 I was wide awake； and in a high fever。 Every nerve in
my body trembledevery one of my senses seemed to be preternaturally
sharpened。 I tossed and rolled； and tried every kind of position； and
perseveringly sought out the cold corners of the bed； and all to no purpose。
Now I thrust my arms over the clothes； now I poked them under the
clothes； now I violently shot my legs straight out down to the bottom of
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the bed； now I convulsively coiled them up as near my chin as they would
go； now I shook out my crumpled pillow； changed it to the cool side；
patted it flat； and lay down quietly on my back； now I fiercely doubled it
in two； set it up on end； thrust it against the board of the bed； and tried a
sitting posture。 Every effort was in vain； I groaned with vexation as I felt
that I was in for a sleepless night。
What could I do？ I had no book to read。 And yet； unless I found out
some method of diverting my mind； I felt certain that I was in the
condition to imagine all sorts of horrors； to rack my brain with
forebodings of every possible and impossible danger； in short； to pass the
night in suffering all conceivable varieties of nervous terror。
I raised myself on my elbow； and looked about the roomwhich was
brightened by a lovely moonlight pouring straight through the window to
see if it contained any pictures or ornaments that I could at all clearly
distinguish。 While my eyes wandered from wall to wall； a remembrance of
Le Maistre's delightful little book； 〃Voyage autour de ma Chambre；〃
occurred to me。 I resolved to imitate the French author； and find
occupation and amusement enough to relieve the tedium of my
wakefulness； by making a mental inventory of every article of furniture I
could see； and by following up to their sources the multitude of
associations which even a chair； a table； or a wash…hand stand may be
made to call forth。
In the nervous unsettled state of my mind at that moment； I found it
much easier to make my inventory than to make my reflections； and
thereupon soon gave up all hope of thinking in Le Maistre's fanciful track…
…or； indeed； of thinking at all。 I looked about the room at the different
articles of furniture； and did nothing more。
There was； first； the bed I was lying in； a four…post bed； of all things in
the world to meet with in Parisyes； a thoroughly clumsy British four…
poster； with the regular top lined with chintzthe regular fringed valance
all roundthe regular stifling； unwholesome curtains； which I remembered
having mechanically drawn back against the posts without particularly
noticing the bed when I first got into the room。 Then there was the marble…
topped wash…hand stand； from which the water I had spilled； in my hurry
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to pour it out； was still dripping； slowly and more slowly； on to the brick
floor。 Then two small chairs； with my coat； waistcoat； and trousers flung
on them。 Then a large elbow…chair covered with dirty…white dimity； with
my cravat and shirt collar thrown over the back。 Then a chest of drawers
with two of the brass handles off； and a tawdry； broken china inkstand
placed on it by way of ornament for the top。 Then the dressing…table；
adorned by a very small looking…glass； and a very large pincushion。 Then
the windowan unusually large window。 Then a dark old picture； which
the feeble candle dimly showed me。 It was a picture of a fellow in a high
Spanish hat； crowned with a plume of towering feathers。 A swarthy；
sinister ruffian； looking upward； shading his eyes with his hand； and
looking intently upwardit might be at some tall gallows at which he was
going to be hanged。 At any rate； he had the appearance of thoroughly
deserving it。
This picture put a kind of constraint upon me to look upward tooat
the top of the bed。 It was a gloomy and not an interesting object； and I
looked back at the picture。 I counted the feathers in the man's hat they
stood out in reliefthree white； two green。 I observed the crown of his hat；
which was of conical shape； according to the fashion supposed to have
been favoured by Guido Fawkes。 I wondered what he was looking up at。 It
couldn't be at the stars； such a desperado was neither astrologer nor
astronomer。 It must be at the high gallows； and he was going to be hanged
presently。 Would the executioner come into possession of his conical
crowned hat and plume of feathers？ I counted the feathers againthree
white； two green。
While I still lingered over this very improving and intellectual
employment； my thoughts insensibly began to wander。 The moonlight
shining into the room reminded me of a certain moonlight night in
Englandthe night after a picnic party in a Welsh valley。 Every incident of
the drive homeward； through lovely scenery； which the moonlight made
lovelier than ever； came back to my remembrance； though I had never
given the picnic a thought for years； though； if I had /tried/ to recollect it； I
could certainly have recalled little or nothing of that scene long past。 Of all
the wonderful faculties that help to tell us we are immortal； which speaks
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the sublime truth more eloquently than memory？ Here was I； in a strange
house of the most suspicious character； in a situation of uncertainty； and
even of peri
