the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第4部分
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would have been a heroic death； but who was there to see it or to chronicle
it？ I might be only postponing my fate； and yet I had been in so many
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bad places and come out unhurt that I had learned always to hope and to
trust my star。 I allowed these rascals to seize me； and I was led from the
room； the gondolier walking at my side with a long naked knife in his
hand。 I could see in his brutal eyes the satisfaction which it would give
him if he could find some excuse for plunging it into my body。
They are wonderful places； these great Venetian houses； palaces； and
fortresses； and prisons all in one。 I was led along a passage and down a
bare stone stair until we came to a short corridor from which three doors
opened。 Through one of these I was thrust and the spring lock closed
behind me。 The only light came dimly through a small grating which
opened on the passage。
Peering and feeling； I carefully examined the chamber in which I had
been placed。 I understood from what I had heard that I should soon have
to leave it again in order to appear before this tribunal； but still it is not my
nature to throw away any possible chances。
The stone floor of the cell was so damp and the walls for some feet
high were so slimy and foul that it was evident they were beneath the level
of the water。 A single slanting hole high up near the ceiling was the only
aperture for light or air。 Through it I saw one bright star shining down
upon me； and the sight filled me with comfort and with hope。 I have
never been a man of religion； though I have always had a respect for those
who were； but I remember that night that the star shining down the shaft
seemed to be an all…seeing eye which was upon me； and I felt as a young
and frightened recruit might feel in battle when he saw the calm gaze of
his colonel turned upon him。 Three of the sides of my prison were
formed of stone； but the fourth was of wood； and I could see that it had
only recently been erected。 Evidently a partition had been thrown up to
divide a single large cell into two smaller ones。 There was no hope for
me in the old walls； in the tiny window； or in the massive door。 It was
only in this one direction of the wooden screen that there was any
possibility of exploring。 My reason told me that if I should pierce it
which did not seem very difficultit would only be to find myself in
another cell as strong as that in which I then was。 Yet I had always rather
be doing something than doing nothing； so I bent all my attention and all
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my energies upon the wooden wall。 Two planks were badly joined； and
so loose that I was certain I could easily detach them。 I searched about
for some tool； and I found one in the leg of a small bed which stood in the
corner。 I forced the end of this into the chink of the planks； and I was
about to twist them outward when the sound of rapid footsteps caused me
to pause and to listen。
I wish I could forget what I heard。 Many a hundred men have I seen
die in battle； and I have slain more myself than I care to think of； but all
that was fair fight and the duty of a soldier。 It was a very different matter
to listen to a murder in this den of assassins。 They were pushing
someone along the passage； someone who resisted and who clung to my
door as he passed。 They must have taken him into the third cell； the one
which was farthest from me。 〃Help！ Help！〃 cried a voice； and then I
heard a blow and a scream。 〃Help！ Help！〃 cried the voice again； and
then 〃Gerard！ Colonel Gerard！〃 It was my poor captain of infantry
whom they were slaughtering。
〃Murderers！ Murderers！〃 I yelled； and I kicked at my door； but
again I heard him shout and then everything was silent。 A minute later
there was a heavy splash； and I knew that no human eye would ever see
Auret again。 He had gone as a hundred others had gone whose names
were missing from the roll…calls of their regiments during that winter in
Venice。
The steps returned along the passage； and I thought that they were
coming for me。 Instead of that they opened the door of the cell next to
mine and they took someone out of it。 I heard the steps die away up the
stair。
At once I renewed my work upon the planks； and within a very few
minutes I had loosened them in such a way that I could remove and
replace them at pleasure。 Passing through the aperture I found myself in
the farther cell； which； as I expected； was the other half of the one in
which I had been confined。 I was not any nearer to escape than I had
been before； for there was no other wooden wall which I could penetrate
and the spring lock of the door had been closed。 There were no traces to
show who was my companion in misfortune。 Closing the two loose
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planks behind me I returned to my own cell and waited there with all the
courage which I could command for the summons which would probably
be my death knell。
It was a long time in coming； but at last I heard the sound of feet once
more in the passage； and I nerved myself to listen to some other odious
deed and to hear the cries of the poor victim。 Nothing of the kind
occurred； however； and the prisoner was placed in the cell without
violence。 I had no time to peep through my hole of communication； for
next moment my own door was flung open and my rascally gondolier；
with the other assassins； came into the cell。
〃Come； Frenchman；〃 said he。 He held his blood… stained knife in his
great； hairy hand； and I read in his fierce eyes that he only looked for some
excuse in order to plunge it into my heart。 Resistance was useless。 I
followed without a word。 I was led up the stone stair and back into that
gorgeous chamber in which I had left the secret tribunal。 I was ushered
in； but to my surprise it was not on me that their attention was fixed。 One
of their own number； a tall； dark young man； was standing before them
and was pleading with them in low； earnest tones。 His voice quivered
with anxiety and his hands darted in and out or writhed together in an
agony of entreaty。 〃You cannot do it！ You cannot do it！〃 he cried。
〃I implore the tribunal to reconsider this decision。〃
〃Stand aside； brother；〃 said the old man who presided。
〃The case is decided and another is up for judgment。〃
〃For Heaven's sake be merciful！〃 cried the young man。
〃We have already been merciful；〃 the other answered。
〃Death would have been a small penalty for such an offence。 Be
silent and let judgment take its course。〃
I saw the young man throw himself in an agony of grief into his chair。
I had no time； however； to speculate as to what it was which was troubling
him； for his eleven colleagues had already fixed their stern eyes upon me。
The moment of fate had arrived。
〃You are Colonel Gerard？〃 said the terrible old man。
〃I am。〃
〃Aide…de…camp to the robber who calls himself General Suchet； who in
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turn represents that arch…robber Buonaparte？〃
It was on my lips to tell him that he was a liar； but there is a time to
argue and a time to be silent。
〃I am an honourable soldier；〃 said I。 〃I have obeyed my orders and
done my duty。〃
The blood flushed into the old man's face and his eyes blazed through
his mask。
〃You are thieves and murderers； every man of you；〃 he cried。 〃What
are you doing here？ You are Frenchmen。
Why are you not in France？ Did we invite you to Venice？ By what
right are you here？ Where are our pictures？ Where are the horses of St。
Mark？ Who are you that you should pilfer those treasures which our
fathers through so many centuries have collected？ We were a great city
when France was a desert。 Your drunken； brawling； ignorant soldiers
have undone the work of saints and heroes。 What have you to say to it？〃
He was； indeed； a formidable old man； for his white beard bristled
with fury and he barked out the little sentences like a savage hound。 For
my part I could have told him that his pictures would be safe in Paris； that
his horses were really not worth making a fuss about； and that he could see
heroesI say nothing of saintswithout going back to his ancestors or
even moving out of his chair。
