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！
'Yes； Mr。 Ramornie；' says he； touching his hat。 'Begging your
pardon； Mr。 Ramornie。 But I've been very piticular； sir； up to
now； and you may trust me to be very piticular in the future。 It
were only a slip； sir。'
'My good boy；' said I； with the most imposing severity； 'there must
be no slips。 Be so good as to remember that my life is at stake。'
I did not embrace the occasion of telling him how many I had made
myself。 It is my principle that an officer must never be wrong。 I
have seen two divisions beating their brains out for a fortnight
against a worthless and quite impregnable castle in a pass： I knew
we were only doing it for discipline； because the General had said
so at first； and had not yet found any way out of his own words；
and I highly admired his force of character； and throughout these
operations thought my life exposed in a very good cause。 With
fools and children； which included Rowley； the necessity was even
greater。 I proposed to myself to be infallible； and even when he
expressed some wonder at the purchase of the claret…coloured
chaise； I put him promptly in his place。 In our situation； I told
him； everything had to be sacrificed to appearances； doubtless； in
a hired chaise； we should have had more freedom； but look at the
dignity！ I was so positive； that I had sometimes almost convinced
myself。 Not for long； you may be certain！ This detestable
conveyance always appeared to me to be laden with Bow Street
officers； and to have a placard upon the back of it publishing my
name and crimes。 If I had paid seventy pounds to get the thing； I
should not have stuck at seven hundred to be safely rid of it。
And if the chaise was a danger； what an anxiety was the despatch…
box and its golden cargo！ I had never had a care but to draw my
pay and spend it； I had lived happily in the regiment； as in my
father's house； fed by the great Emperor's commissariat as by
ubiquitous doves of Elijah … or； my faith！ if anything went wrong
with the commissariat； helping myself with the best grace in the
world from the next peasant！ And now I began to feel at the same
time the burthen of riches and the fear of destitution。 There were
ten thousand pounds in the despatch…box； but I reckoned in French
money； and had two hundred and fifty thousand agonies； I kept it
under my hand all day； I dreamed of it at night。 In the inns； I
was afraid to go to dinner and afraid to go to sleep。 When I
walked up a hill I durst not leave the doors of the claret…coloured
chaise。 Sometimes I would change the disposition of the funds：
there were days when I carried as much as five or six thousand
pounds on my own person； and only the residue continued to voyage
in the treasure…chest … days when I bulked all over like my cousin；
crackled to a touch with bank paper； and had my pockets weighed to
bursting…point with sovereigns。 And there were other days when I
wearied of the thing … or grew ashamed of it … and put all the
money back where it had come from： there let it take its chance；
like better people！ In short； I set Rowley a poor example of
consistency； and in philosophy； none at all。
Little he cared！ All was one to him so long as he was amused； and
I never knew any one amused more easily。 He was thrillingly
interested in life； travel； and his own melodramatic position。 All
day he would be looking from the chaise windows with ebullitions of
gratified curiosity； that were sometimes justified and sometimes
not； and that （taken altogether） it occasionally wearied me to be
obliged to share。 I can look at horses； and I can look at trees
too； although not fond of it。 But why should I look at a lame
horse； or a tree that was like the letter Y？ What exhilaration
could I feel in viewing a cottage that was the same colour as 'the
second from the miller's' in some place where I had never been； and
of which I had not previously heard？ I am ashamed to complain； but
there were moments when my juvenile and confidential friend weighed
heavy on my hands。 His cackle was indeed almost continuous； but it
was never unamiable。 He showed an amiable curiosity when he was
asking questions； an amiable guilelessness when he was conferring
information。 And both he did largely。 I am in a position to write
the biographies of Mr。 Rowley； Mr。 Rowley's father and mother； his
Aunt Eliza； and the miller's dog； and nothing but pity for the
reader； and some misgivings as to the law of copyright； prevail on
me to withhold them。
A general design to mould himself upon my example became early
apparent； and I had not the heart to check it。 He began to mimic
my carriage； he acquired； with servile accuracy； a little manner I
had of shrugging the shoulders； and I may say it was by observing
it in him that I first discovered it in myself。 One day it came
out by chance that I was of the Catholic religion。 He became
plunged in thought； at which I was gently glad。 Then suddenly …
'Odd…rabbit it！ I'll be Catholic too！' he broke out。 'You must
teach me it； Mr。 Anne … I mean； Ramornie。'
I dissuaded him： alleging that he would find me very imperfectly
informed as to the grounds and doctrines of the Church； and that；
after all； in the matter of religions； it was a very poor idea to
change。 'Of course； my Church is the best；' said I； 'but that is
not the reason why I belong to it： I belong to it because it was
the faith of my house。 I wish to take my chances with my own
people； and so should you。 If it is a question of going to hell；
go to hell like a gentleman with your ancestors。'
'Well； it wasn't that；' he admitted。 'I don't know that I was
exactly thinking of hell。 Then there's the inquisition； too。
That's rather a cawker； you know。'
'And I don't believe you were thinking of anything in the world；'
said I … which put a period to his respectable conversion。
He consoled himself by playing for awhile on a cheap flageolet；
which was one of his diversions； and to which I owed many intervals
of peace。 When he first produced it； in the joints； from his
pocket； he had the duplicity to ask me if I played upon it。 I
answered； no； and he put the instrument away with a sigh and the
remark that he had thought I might。 For some while he resisted the
unspeakable temptation； his fingers visibly itching and twittering
about his pocket； even his interest in the landscape and in
sporadic anecdote entirely lost。 Presently the pipe was in his
hands again； he fitted； unfitted； refitted； and played upon it in
dumb show for some time。
'I play it myself a little；' says he。
'Do you？' said I； and yawned。
And then he broke down。
'Mr。 Ramornie； if you please； would it disturb you； sir； if I was
to play a chune？' he pleaded。 And from that hour； the tootling of
the flageolet cheered our way。
He was particularly keen on the details of battles； single combats；
incidents of scouting parties； and the like。 These he would make
haste to cap with some of the exploits of Wallace； the only hero
with whom he had the least acquaintance。 His enthusiasm was
genuine and pretty。 When he learned we were going to Scotland；
'Well； then；' he broke out； 'I'll see where Wallace lived！' And
presently after； he fell to moralising。 'It's a strange thing；
sir；' he began； 'that I seem somehow to have always the wrong sow
by the ear。 I'm English after all； and I glory in it。 My eye！
don't I； though！ Let some of your Frenchies come over here to
invade； and you'll see whether or not！ Oh； yes； I'm English to the
backbone； I am。 And yet look at me！ I got hold of this 'ere
William Wallace and took to him right off； I never heard of such a
man before！ And then you came along； and I took to you。 And both
the two of you were my born enemies！ I … I beg your pardon； Mr。
Ramornie； but would you mind it very much if you didn't go for to
do anything against England' … he brought the word out suddenly；
like something hot … 'when I was along of you？'
I was more affected than I can tell。
'Rowley；' I said； 'you need have no fear。 By how much I love my
own honour； by so much I will take care to protect yours。 We are
but fraternising at the outposts； as soldiers do。 When the bugle
calls； my boy； we must face each other； one for England； one for
France； and may God defend the right！'
So I spoke at the moment； but for all my brave airs； the boy had
wounded me in a vital quarter。 His words continued to ring in my
hearing。 There was no remission all day of my remorseful thoughts；
and that night （which we lay at Lichfield； I believe） there was no
sleep for me in my bed。 I put out the candle and lay down with a
good resolution； and in a moment all was light about me like a
theatre； and I saw myself upon the stage of it playing i