按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ll； then I dealt my gentleman a back…handed blow that stretched him on the floor。 The sound of the shot and the cries of the countess fetched all her people on the scene； and it was my turn to be in danger。
〃 'Stop！' she cried in German （for they were going to run me through the body）； 'this officer has saved my life！'
〃They drew back at that。 The lady gave me her handkerchief （a fine embroidered handkerchief； which I have yet）； telling me that her house would always be open to me； and that I should always find a sister and a devoted friend in her； if at any time I should be in any sort of trouble。 In short； she did not know how to make enough of me。 She was as fair as a wedding morning and as charming as a kitten。 We had dinner together。 Next day； I was distractedly in love； but next day I had to be at my place at Guntzburg； or wherever it was。 There was no help for it； I had to turn out； and started off with my handkerchief。
〃Well； we gave them battle； and all the time I kept on saying to myself； 'I wish a bullet would come my way！ Mon Dieu！ they are flying thick enough！'
〃I had no wish for a ball in the thigh； for I should have had to stop where I was in that case； and there would have been no going back to the chateau； but I was not particular； a nice wound in the arm I should have liked best； so that I might be nursed and made much of by the princess。 I flung myself on the enemy； like mad； but I had no sort of luck； and came out of the action quite safe and sound。 We must march； and there was an end of it； I never saw the countess again； and there is the whole story。〃
By this time they had reached Benassis' house； the doctor mounted his horse at once and disappeared。 Genestas recommended his son to Jacquotte's care； so the doctor on his return found that she had taken Adrien completely under her wing； and had installed him in M。 Gravier's celebrated room。 With no small astonishment； she heard her master's order to put up a simple camp…bed in his own room； for that the lad was to sleep there； and this in such an authoritative tone； that for once in her life Jacquotte found not a single word to say。
After dinner the commandant went back to Grenoble。 Benassis' reiterated assurances that the lad would soon be restored to health had taken a weight off his mind。
Eight months later； in the earliest days of the following December； Genestas was appointed to be lieutenant…colonel of a regiment stationed at Poitiers。 He was just thinking of writing to Benassis to tell him of the journey he was about to take； when a letter came from the doctor。 His friend told him that Adrien was once more in sound health。
〃The boy has grown strong and tall；〃 he said； 〃and he is wonderfully well。 He has profited by Butifer's instruction since you saw him last； and is now as good a shot as our smuggler himself。 He has grown brisk and active too； he is a good walker； and rides well； he is not in the least like the lad of sixteen who looked like a boy of twelve eight months ago； any one might think that he was twenty years old。 There is an air of self…reliance and independence about him。 In fact he is a man now； and you must begin to think about his future at once。〃
〃I shall go over to Benassis to…morrow； of course；〃 said Genestas to himself； 〃and I will see what he says before I make up my mind what to do with that fellow；〃 and with that he went to a farewell dinner given to him by his brother officers。 He would be leaving Grenoble now in a very few days。
As the lieutenant…colonel returned after the dinner； his servant handed him a letter。 It had been brought by a messenger； he said； who had waited a long while for an answer。
Genestas recognized Adrien's handwriting； although his head was swimming after the toasts that had been drunk in his honor； probably； he thought； the letter merely contained a request to gratify some boyish whim； so he left it unopened on the table。 The next morning； when the fumes of champagne had passed off； he took it up and began to read。
〃My dear father〃
〃Oh！ you young rogue；〃 was his comment； 〃you know how to coax whenever you want something。〃
〃Our dear M。 Benassis is dead〃
The letter dropped from Genestas' hands； it was some time before he could read any more。
〃Every one is in consternation。 The trouble is all the greater because it came as a sudden shock。 It was so unexpected。 M。 Benassis seemed perfectly well the day before； there was not a sign of ill…health about him。 Only the day before yesterday he went to see all his patients； even those who lived farthest away； it was as if he had known what was going to happen； and he spoke to every one whom he met； saying； 'Good…bye； my friends；' each time。 Towards five o'clock he came back just as usual to have dinner with me。 He was tired； Jacquotte noticed the purplish flush on his face； but the weather was so very cold that she would not get ready a warm foot…bath for him； as she usually did when she saw that the blood had gone to his head。 So she has been wailing； poor thing； through her tears for these two days past； 'If I had ONLY given him a foot…bath； he would be living now！'
〃M Benassis was hungry； he made a good dinner。 I thought that he was in higher spirits than usual； we both of us laughed a great deal； I had never seen him laugh so much before。 After dinner； towards seven o'clock； a man came with a message from Saint Laurent du Pont； it was a serious case； and M。 Benassis was urgently needed。 He said to me； 'I shall have to go； though I never care to set out on horseback when I have hardly digested my dinner； more especially when it is as cold as this。 It is enough to kill a man！'
〃For all that； he went。 At nine o'clock the postman Goguelat； brought a letter for M。 Benassis。 Jacquotte was tired out； for it was her washing…day。 She gave me the letter and went off to bed。 She begged me to keep a good fire in our bedroom； and to have some tea ready for M。 Benassis when he came in； for I am still sleeping in the little cot… bed in his room。 I raked out the fire in the salon； and went upstairs to wait for my good friend。 I looked at the letter； out of curiosity； before I laid it on the chimney… piece； and noticed the handwriting and the postmark。 It came from Paris； and I think it was a lady's hand。 I am telling you about it because of things that happened afterwards。
〃About ten o'clock； I heard the horse returning； and M。 Benassis' voice。 He said to Nicolle； 'It is cold enough to…night to bring the wolves out。 I do not feel at all well。' Nicolle said； 'Shall I go and wake Jacquotte？' And M。 Benassis answered； 'Oh！ no； no；' and came upstairs。
〃I said； 'I have your tea here； all ready for you；' and he smiled at me in the way that you know； and said； 'Thank you； Adrien。' That was his last smile。 In a moment he began to take off his cravat； as though he could not breathe。 'How hot it is in here！' he said and flung himself down in an armchair。 'A letter has come for you； my good friend；' I said； 'here it is；' and I gave him the letter。 He took it up and glanced at the handwriting。 'Ah！ mon Dieu！' he exclaimed； 'perhaps she is free at last！' Then his head sank back； and his hands shook。 After a little while he set the lamp on the table and opened the letter。 There was something so alarming in the cry he had given that I watched him while he read； and saw that his face was flushed； and there were tears in his eyes。 Then quite suddenly he fell； head forwards。 I tried to raise him； and saw how purple his face was。
〃 'It is all over with me；' he said； stammering； it was terrible to see how he struggled to rise。 'I must be bled； bleed me！' he cried； clutching my hand。 。 。 。 'Adrien；' he said again； 'burn this letter！' He gave it to me； and I threw it on the fire。 I called for Jacquotte and Nicolle。 Jacquotte did not hear me； but Nicolle did； and came hurrying upstairs； he helped me to lay M。 Benassis on my little bed。 Our dear friend could not hear us any longer when we spoke to him； and although his eyes were open； he did not see anything。 Nicolle galloped off at once to fetch the surgeon； M。 Bordier； and in this way spread the alarm through the town。 It was all astir in a moment。 M。 Janvier； M。 Dufau； and all the rest of your acquaintance were the first to come to us。 But all hope was at an end； M。 Benassis was dying fast。 He gave no sign of consciousness； not even when M。 Bordier cauterized the soles of his feet。 It was an attack of gout； combined with an apoplectic stroke。
〃I am giving you all these details； dear father； because I know how much you cared for him。 As for me； I am very sad and full of grief； for I can say to you that I cared more for him than for any one else except you。 I learned more from M。 Benassis' talk in the evenings than ever I could have learned at school。
〃You cannot imagine the scene next morning when the news of his death was known in the place。 The garden and the yard here were filled with people。 How they sobbed and wailed！ Nobody did any work that day。 Every one recalled the last time that they had seen M。 Benassis； and what he