第 53 节
作者:闲来一看      更新:2021-02-18 21:19      字数:9322
  clothing。 When the convalescent of the Hopital du Midi; the prisoner
  of the Luxembourg; entered the room; Flore Brazier felt a shiver pass
  over her at the repulsive sight。 Gilet himself was conscious of that
  particular disturbance both of mind and body; by which Nature
  sometimes warns us of a latent enmity; or a coming danger。 If there
  was something indescribably sinister in Philippe's countenance; due to
  his recent misfortunes; the effect was heightened by his clothes。 His
  forlorn blue great…coat was buttoned in military fashion to the
  throat; for painful reasons; and yet it showed much that it pretended
  to conceal。 The bottom edges of the trousers; ragged like those of an
  almshouse beggar; were the sign of abject poverty。 The boots left wet
  splashes on the floor; as the mud oozed from fissures in the soles。
  The gray hat; which the colonel held in his hand; was horribly greasy
  round the rim。 The malacca cane; from which the polish had long
  disappeared; must have stood in all the corners of all the cafes in
  Paris; and poked its worn…out end into many a corruption。 Above the
  velvet collar; rubbed and worn till the frame showed through it; rose
  a head like that which Frederick Lemaitre makes up for the last act in
  〃The Life of a Gambler;〃where the exhaustion of a man still in the
  prime of life is betrayed by the metallic; brassy skin; discolored as
  if with verdigris。 Such tints are seen on the faces of debauched
  gamblers who spend their nights in play: the eyes are sunken in a
  dusky circle; the lids are reddened rather than red; the brow is
  menacing from the wreck and ruin it reveals。 Philippe's cheeks; which
  were sunken and wrinkled; showed signs of the illness from which he
  had scarcely recovered。 His head was bald; except for a fringe of hair
  at the back which ended at the ears。 The pure blue of his brilliant
  eyes had acquired the cold tones of polished steel。
  〃Good…morning; uncle;〃 he said; in a hoarse voice。 〃I am your nephew;
  Philippe Bridau;a specimen of how the Bourbons treat a lieutenant…
  colonel; an old soldier of the old army; one who carried the Emperor's
  orders at the battle of Montereau。 If my coat were to open; I should
  be put to shame in presence of Mademoiselle。 Well; it is the rule of
  the game! We hoped to begin it again; we tried it; and we have failed!
  I am to reside in your city by the order of the police; with a full
  pay of sixty francs a month。 So the inhabitants needn't fear that I
  shall raise the price of provisions! I see you are in good and lovely
  company。〃
  〃Ah! you are my nephew;〃 said Jean…Jacques。
  〃Invite monsieur le colonel to breakfast with us;〃 said Flore。
  〃No; I thank you; madame;〃 answered Philippe; 〃I have breakfasted。
  Besides; I would cut off my hand sooner than ask a bit of bread or a
  farthing from my uncle; after the treatment my mother and brother
  received in this town。 It did not seem proper; however; that I should
  settle here; in Issoudun; without paying my respects to him from time
  to time。 You can do what you like;〃 he added; offering the old man his
  hand; into which Rouget put his own; which Philippe shook; 〃whatever
  you like。 I shall have nothing to say against it; provided the honor
  of the Bridaus is untouched。〃
  Gilet could look at the lieutenant…colonel as much as he pleased; for
  Philippe pointedly avoided casting his eyes in his direction。 Max;
  though the blood boiled in his veins; was too well aware of the
  importance of behaving with political prudencewhich occasionally
  resembles cowardiceto take fire like a young man; he remained;
  therefore; perfectly calm and cold。
  〃It wouldn't be right; monsieur;〃 said Flore; 〃to live on sixty francs
  a month under the nose of an uncle who has forty thousand francs a
  year; and who has already behaved so kindly to Captain Gilet; his
  natural relation; here present〃
  〃Yes; Philippe;〃 cried the old man; 〃you must see that!〃
  On Flore's presentation; Philippe made a half…timid bow to Max。
  〃Uncle; I have some pictures to return to you; they are now at
  Monsieur Hochon's。 Will you be kind enough to come over some day and
  identify them。〃
  Saying these last words in a curt tone; lieutenant…colonel Philippe
  Bridau departed。 The tone of his visit made; if possible; a deeper
  impression on Flore's mind; and also on that of Max; than the shock
  they had felt at the first sight of that horrible campaigner。 As soon
  as Philippe had slammed the door; with the violence of a disinherited
  heir; Max and Flore hid behind the window…curtains to watch him as he
  crossed the road; to the Hochons'。
  〃What a vagabond!〃 exclaimed Flore; questioning Max with a glance of
  her eye。
  〃Yes; unfortunately there were men like him in the armies of the
  Emperor; I sent seven to the shades at Cabrera;〃 answered Gilet。
  〃I do hope; Max; that you won't pick a quarrel with that fellow;〃 said
  Mademoiselle Brazier。
  〃He smelt so of tobacco;〃 complained the old man。
  〃He was smelling after your money…bags;〃 said Flore; in a peremptory
  tone。 〃My advice is that you don't let him into the house again。〃
  〃I'd prefer not to;〃 replied Rouget。
  〃Monsieur;〃 said Gritte; entering the room where the Hochon family
  were all assembled after breakfast; 〃here is the Monsieur Bridau you
  were talking about。〃
  Philippe made his entrance politely; in the midst of a dead silence
  caused by general curiosity。 Madame Hochon shuddered from head to foot
  as she beheld the author of all Agathe's woes and the murderer of good
  old Madame Descoings。 Adolphine also felt a shock of fear。 Baruch and
  Francois looked at each other in surprise。 Old Hochon kept his self…
  possession; and offered a seat to the son of Madame Bridau。
  〃I have come; monsieur;〃 said Philippe; 〃to introduce myself to you; I
  am forced to consider how I can manage to live here; for five years;
  on sixty francs a month。〃
  〃It can be done;〃 said the octogenarian。
  Philippe talked about things in general; with perfect propriety。 He
  mentioned the journalist Lousteau; nephew of the old lady; as a 〃rara
  avis;〃 and won her good graces from the moment she heard him say that
  the name of Lousteau would become celebrated。 He did not hesitate to
  admit his faults of conduct。 To a friendly admonition which Madame
  Hochon addressed to him in a low voice; he replied that he had
  reflected deeply while in prison; and could promise that in future he
  would live another life。
  On a hint from Philippe; Monsieur Hochon went out with him when he
  took his leave。 When the miser and the soldier reached the boulevard
  Baron; a place where no one could overhear them; the colonel turned to
  the old man;
  〃Monsieur;〃 he said; 〃if you will be guided by me; we will never speak
  together of matters and things; or people either; unless we are
  walking in the open country; or in places where we cannot be heard。
  Maitre Desroches has fully explained to me the influence of the gossip
  of a little town。 Therefore I don't wish you to be suspected of
  advising me; though Desroches has told me to ask for your advice; and
  I beg you not to be chary of giving it。 We have a powerful enemy in
  our front; and it won't do to neglect any precaution which may help to
  defeat him。 In the first place; therefore; excuse me if I do not call
  upon you again。 A little coldness between us will clear you of all
  suspicion of influencing my conduct。 When I want to consult you; I
  will pass along the square at half…past nine; just as you are coming
  out after breakfast。 If you see me carry my cane on my shoulder; that
  will mean that we must meetaccidentallyin some open space which
  you will point out to me。〃
  〃I see you are a prudent man; bent on success;〃 said old Hochon。
  〃I shall succeed; monsieur。 First of all; give me the names of the
  officers of the old army now living in Issoudun; who have not taken
  sides with Maxence Gilet; I wish to make their acquaintance。〃
  〃Well; there's a captain of the artillery of the Guard; Monsieur
  Mignonnet; a man about forty years of age; who was brought up at the
  Ecole Polytechnique; and lives in a quiet way。 He is a very honorable
  man; and openly disapproves of Max; whose conduct he considers
  unworthy of a true soldier。〃
  〃Good!〃 remarked the lieutenant…colonel。
  〃There are not many soldiers here of that stripe;〃 resumed Monsieur
  Hochon; 〃the only other that I know is an old cavalry captain。〃
  〃That is my arm;〃 said Philippe。 〃Was he in the Guard?〃
  〃Yes;〃 replied Monsieur Hochon。 〃Carpentier was; in 1810; sergeant…
  major in the dragoons; then he rose to be sub…lieutenant in the line;
  and subsequently captain of cavalry。〃
  〃Giroudeau may know him;〃 thought Philippe。
  〃This Monsieur Carpentier took the place in the mayor's office which
  Gilet threw up; he is a friend of Monsieur Mignonnet。〃
  〃How can I earn my living here?〃
  〃They are going; I think; to establish a mutual insurance a