the country doctor-第51部分

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fteen　francs　together；　so　that　I　might　buy　him　of　Pere　Manseau。　One　day　his　wife　saw　that　the　dog　was　fond　of　me；　so　she　herself　took　a　sudden　violent　fancy　to　him。　The　dog；　mind　you；　could　not　bear　her。　Oh；　animals　know　people　by　instinct！　If　you　really　care　for　them；　they　find　it　out　in　a　moment。　I　had　a　gold　coin；　a　twenty…franc　piece；　sewed　into　the　band　of　my　skirt；　so　I　spoke　to　M。　Manseau：　'Dear　sir；　I　meant　to　offer　you　my　year's　savings　for　your　dog；　but　now　your　wife　has　a　mind　to　keep　him；　although　she　cares　very　little　about　him；　and　rather　than　that；　will　you　sell　him　to　me　for　twenty　francs？　Look；　I　have　the　money　here。'

〃　'No；　no；　little　woman；'　he　said；　'put　up　your　twenty　francs。　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　take　their　money　from　the　poor！　Keep　the　dog；　and　if　my　wife　makes　a　fuss　about　it；　you　must　go　away。'

〃His　wife　made　a　terrible　to…do　about　the　dog。　Ah！　mon　Dieu！　any　one　might　have　thought　the　house　was　on　fire！　You　never　would　guess　the　notion　that　next　came　into　her　head。　She　saw　that　the　little　fellow　looked　on　me　as　his　mistress；　and　that　she　could　only　have　him　against　his　will；　so　she　had　him　poisoned；　and　my　poor　spaniel　died　in　my　arms。　。　。　。　I　cried　over　him　as　if　he　had　been　my　child；　and　buried　him　under　a　pine…tree。　You　do　not　know　all　that　I　laid　in　that　grave。　As　I　sat　there　beside　it；　I　told　myself　that　henceforward　I　should　always　be　alone　in　the　world；　that　I　had　nothing　left　to　hope　for；　that　I　should　be　again　as　I　had　been　before；　a　poor　lonely　girl；　that　I　should　never　more　see　a　friendly　light　in　any　eyes。　I　stayed　out　there　all　through　the　night；　praying　God　to　have　pity　on　me。　When　I　went　back　to　the　highroad　I　saw　a　poor　little　child；　about　ten　years　old；　who　had　no　hands。

〃　'God　has　heard　me；'　I　thought。　I　had　prayed　that　night　as　I　had　never　prayed　before。　'I　will　take　care　of　the　poor　little　one；　we　will　beg　together；　and　I　will　be　a　mother　to　him。　Two　of　us　ought　to　do　better　than　one；　perhaps　I　should　have　more　courage　for　him　than　I　have　for　myself。'

〃At　first　the　little　boy　seemed　to　be　quite　happy；　and；　indeed；　he　would　have　been　hard　to　please　if　he　had　not　been　content。　I　did　everything　that　he　wanted；　and　gave　him　the　best　of　all　that　I　had；　I　was　his　slave　in　fact；　and　he　tyrannized　over　me；　but　that　was　nicer　than　being　alone；　I　used　to　think！　Pshaw！　no　sooner　did　the　little　good…for…nothing　know　that　I　carried　a　twenty…franc　piece　sewed　into　my　skirtband　than　he　cut　the　stitches；　and　stole　my　gold　coin；　the　price　of　my　poor　spaniel！　I　had　meant　to　have　masses　said　with　it。　。　。　。　A　child　without　hands；　too！　Oh；　it　makes　one　shudder！　Somehow　that　theft　took　all　the　heart　out　of　me。　It　seemed　as　if　I　was　to　love　nothing　but　it　should　come　to　some　wretched　end。

〃One　day　at　Echelles；　I　watched　a　fine　carriage　coming　slowly　up　the　hillside。　There　was　a　young　lady；　as　beautiful　as　the　Virgin　Mary；　in　the　carriage；　and　a　young　man；　who　looked　like　the　young　lady。　'Just　look；'　he　said；　'there　is　a　pretty　girl！'　and　he　flung　a　silver　coin　to　me。

〃No　one　but　you；　M。　Benassis；　could　understand　how　pleased　I　was　with　the　compliment；　the　first　that　I　had　ever　had：　but；　indeed；　the　gentleman　ought　not　to　have　thrown　the　money　to　me。　I　was　in　a　flutter；　I　knew　of　a　short　cut；　a　footpath　among　the　rocks；　and　started　at　once　to　run；　so　that　I　reached　the　summit　of　the　Echelles　long　before　the　carriage；　which　was　coming　up　very　slowly。　I　saw　the　young　man　again；　he　was　quite　surprised　to　find　me　there；　and　as　for　me；　I　was　so　pleased　that　my　heart　seemed　to　be　throbbing　in　my　throat。　Some　kind　of　instinct　drew　me　towards　him。　After　he　had　recognized　me；　I　went　on　my　way　again；　I　felt　quite　sure　that　he　and　the　young　lady　with　him　would　leave　the　carriage　to　see　the　waterfall　at　Couz；　and　so　they　did。　When　they　alighted；　they　saw　me　once　more；　under　the　walnut…trees　by　the　wayside。　They　asked　me　many　questions；　and　seemed　to　take　an　interest　in　what　I　told　them　about　myself。　In　all　my　life　I　had　never　heard　such　pleasant　voices　as　they　had；　that　handsome　young　man　and　his　sister；　for　she　was　his　sister；　I　am　sure。　I　thought　about　them　for　a　whole　year　afterwards；　and　kept　on　hoping　that　they　would　come　back。　I　would　have　given　two　years　of　my　life　only　to　see　that　traveler　again；　he　looked　so　nice。　Until　I　knew　M。　Benassis　these　were　the　greatest　events　of　my　life。　Although　my　mistress　turned　me　away　for　trying　on　that　horrid　ball…dress　of　hers；　I　was　sorry　for　her；　and　I　have　forgiven　her；　for　candidly；　if　you　will　give　me　leave　to　say　so；　I　thought　myself　the　better　woman　of　the　two；　countess　though　she　was。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Genestas；　after　a　moment's　pause；　〃you　see　that　Providence　has　kept　a　friendly　eye　on　you；　you　are　in　clover　here。〃

At　these　words　La　Fosseuse　looked　at　Benassis　with　eyes　full　of　gratitude。

〃Would　that　I　was　rich！〃　came　from　Genestas。　The　officer's　exclamation　was　followed　by　profound　silence。

〃You　owe　me　a　story；〃　said　La　Fosseuse　at　last；　in　coaxing　tones。

〃I　will　tell　it　at　once；〃　answered　Genestas。　〃On　the　evening　before　the　battle　of　Friedland；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　moment；　〃I　had　been　sent　with　a　despatch　to　General　Davoust's　quarters；　and　I　was　on　the　way　back　to　my　own；　when　at　a　turn　in　the　road　I　found　myself　face　to　face　with　the　Emperor。　Napoleon　gave　me　a　look。

〃　'You　are　Captain　Genestas；　are　you　not？'　he　said。

〃　'Yes；　your　Majesty。'

〃　'You　were　out　in　Egypt？'

〃　'Yes；　your　Majesty。'

〃　'You　had　better　not　keep　to　the　road　you　are　on；'　he　said；　'turn　to　the　left；　you　will　reach　your　division　sooner　that　way。'

〃That　was　what　the　Emperor　said；　but　you　would　never　imagine　how　kindly　he　said　it；　and　he　had　so　many　irons　in　the　fire　just　then；　for　he　was　riding　about　surveying　the　position　of　the　field。　I　am　telling　you　this　story　to　show　you　what　a　memory　he　had；　and　so　that　you　may　know　that　he　knew　my　face。　I　took　the　oath　in　1815。　But　for　that　mistake；　perhaps　I　might　have　been　a　colonel　to…day；　I　never　meant　to　betray　the　Bourbons；　France　must　be　defended；　and　that　was　all　I　thought　about。　I　was　a　Major　in　the　Grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard；　and　although　my　wound　still　gave　me　trouble；　I　swung　a　sabre　in　the　battle　of　Waterloo。　When　it　was　all　over；　and　Napoleon　returned　to　Paris；　I　went　too；　then　when　he　reached　Rochefort；　I　followed　him　against　his　orders；　it　was　some　sort　of　comfort　to　watch　over　him　and　to　see　that　no　mishap　befell　him　on　the　way。　So　when　he　was　walking　along　the　beach　he　turned　and　saw　me　on　duty　ten　paces　from　him。

〃　'Well；　Genestas；'　he　said；　as　he　came　towards　me；　'so　we　are　not　yet　dead；　either　of　us？'

〃It　cut　me　to　the　heart　to　hear　him　say　that。　If　you　had　heard　him；　you　would　have　shuddered　from　head　to　foot；　as　I　did。　He　pointed　to　the　villainous　English　vessel　that　was　keeping　the　entrance　to　the　Harbor。　'When　I　see　THAT；'　he　said；　'and　think　of　my　Guard；　I　wish　that　I　had　perished　in　that　torrent　of　blood。'

〃Yes；〃　said　Genestas；　looking　at　the　doctor　and　at　La　Fosseuse；　〃those　were　his　very　words。

〃　'The　generals　who　counseled　you　not　to　charge　with　the　Guard；　and　who　hurried　you　into　your　traveling　carriage；　were　not　true　friends　of　yours；'　I　said。

〃　'Come　with　me；'　he　cried　eagerly；　'the　game　is　not　ended　yet。'

〃　'I　would　gladly　go　with　your　Majesty；　but　I　am　not　free；　I　have　a　motherless　child　on　my　hands　just　now。'

〃And　so　it　happened　that　Adrien　over　there　prevented　me　from　going　to　St。　Helena。

〃　'Stay；'　he　said；　'I　have　never　given　you　anything。　You　are　not　one　of　those　who　fill　one　hand　and　then　hold　out　the　other。　Here　is　the　snuff…box　that　I　have　used　though　this　last　campaign。　And　stay　on　in　France；　after　all；　brave　men　are　wanted　there！　Remain　in　the　service；　and　keep　me　in　remembrance。　Of　all　my　army　in　Egypt；　you　are　the　last　that　I　have　seen　still　on　his　legs　in　France。'　And　he　gave　me　a　little　snuff…box。

〃　'Have　〃Honneur　et　patrie〃　engraved　on　it；'　he　said；　'the　history　of　our　last　two　campaigns　is　summed　up　in　those　three　words。'

〃Then　those　who　were　going　out　with　him　came　up；　and　I　spent　the　rest　of　the　morning　with　them。　The　Emperor　walked　to　and　fro　along　the　beach；　there　was　not　a　sign　of　agitation　about　him；　though　he　frowned　from　time　to　time。　At　noon；　it　was　considered　hopeless　for　him　to　attempt　to　escape　by　sea。　The　English　had　found　out　that　he　was　at　Rochefort；　he　must　either　give　himself　up　to　them；　or　cross　the　breadth　of　France　again。　We　were　wretchedly　anxious；　the　minutes　seemed　like　hours！　On　the　one　hand　there　were　the　Bourbons；　who　would　have　shot　Napoleon　if　he　had　fallen　into　their　clutches；　and　on　the　other；　the　English；　a　dishonored　race：　they　covered　themselves　with　shame　by　flinging　a　foe　who　asked　for　hospitality　away　on　a　desert　rock；　that　is　a　stain　which　they　will　never　wash　away。　Whilst　they　were　anxiously　debating；　some　one　or　other　among　his　suite　presented　a　sailor　to　him；　a　Lieutenant　Doret；　who　had　a　scheme　for　reaching　America　to　lay　before　him。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　a　brig　from　the　States　and　a　merchant　vessel　were　lying　in　the　harbor。

〃　'But　how　could　you　set　about　it；　captain？'　the　Emperor　asked　him。

〃　'You　will　be　on　board　the　merchant　vessel；　Sire；'　the　man　answered。　'I　will　run　up　the　white　flag　and　man　the　brig　with　a　few　devoted　followers。　We　will　tackle　the　English　vessel；　set　fire　to　her；　and　board　her；　and　you　will　get　clear　away。'

〃　'We　will　go　with　you！'　I　cried　to　the　captain。　But　Napoleon　looked　at　us　and　said；　'Captain　Doret；　keep　yourself　for　France。'

〃It　was　the　only　time　I　ever　saw　Napoleon　show　any　emotion。　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　to　us　he　went　in　again。　I　watched　him　go　on　board　the　English　vessel；　and　then　I　went　away。　It　was　all　over　with　him；　and　he　knew　it。　There　was　a　traitor　in　the　harbor；　who　by　means　of　signals　gave　warning　to　the　Emperor's　enemies　of　his　presence。　Then　Napoleon　fell　back　on　a　last　resource；　he　did　as　he　had　been　wont　to　do　on　the　battlefield：　he　went　to　his　foes　instead　of　letting　them　come　to　him。　Talk　of　troubles！　No　words　could　ever　make　you　understand　the　misery　of　those　who　loved　him　for　his　own　sake。〃

〃But　where　is　his　snuff…box？〃　asked　La　Fosseuse。

〃It　is　in　a　box　at　Grenoble；〃　the　commandant　replied。

〃I　will　go　over　to　see　it；　if　you