第 47 节
作者:插翅难飞      更新:2021-04-30 17:18      字数:9322
  One night I was leaving the cafe when Captain Fourneau followed me;
  and touching me   on the   arm he   led me without   saying a   word for   some
  distance until we reached his lodgings。             〃I wish to have a chat with you;〃
  said   he;   and   so   conducted   me   up   the   stair   to   his   room。 There   he   lit   a
  lamp and handed me a sheet of paper which he took from an envelope in
  his   bureau。     It   was    dated   a  few    months     before    from    the  Palace    of
  Schonbrunn        at  Vienna。      〃Captain      Fourneau     is  acting    in  the   highest
  interests of the Emperor Napoleon。
  Those   who   love   the   Emperor   should   obey   him   without   question。
  Marie Louise。〃        That is what I read。        I was familiar with the signature of
  the Empress; and I could not doubt that this was genuine。
  〃Well;〃 said he; 〃are you satisfied as to my credentials?〃
  157
  … Page 158…
  THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
  〃Entirely。〃
  〃Are you prepared to take your orders from me?〃
  〃This document leaves me no choice。〃
  〃Good!      In the   first   place; I understand   from something   you   said in
  the cafe that you can speak English?〃
  〃Yes; I can。〃
  〃Let me hear you do so。〃
  I said in   English; 〃Whenever the   Emperor needs the help of   Etienne
  Gerard I am ready night and day to give my life in his service。〃                  Captain
  Fourneau smiled。
  〃It   is   funny   English;〃   said   he;   〃but   still   it   is   better   than   no   English。
  For my own part I speak English like an Englishman。                  It is all that I have
  to show for six years spent in an English prison。             Now I will tell you why
  I have come to Paris。         I have come in order to choose an agent who will
  help me in a matter which affects the interests of the Emperor。                I was told
  that it was at the cafe of the Great Man that I would find the pick of his old
  officers; and that I could rely upon every man there being devoted to his
  interests。    I studied you all; therefore; and I have come to the conclusion
  that you are the one who is most suited for my purpose。〃
  I   acknowledged   the   compliment。        〃What   is   it   that   you   wish   me   to
  do?〃 I asked。
  〃Merely to keep me company for a few months;〃 said he。                    〃You must
  know   that   after   my   release   in   England   I   settled   down   there;   married   an
  English   wife;   and   rose   to   command   a   small   English   merchant   ship;   in
  which I have made several voyages from Southampton to the Guinea coast。
  They look on me there as an Englishman。
  You can understand; however; that with my feelings about the Emperor
  I am lonely sometimes; and that it would be an advantage to me to have a
  companion   who   would   sympathize   with           my   thoughts。     One   gets   very
  bored   on   these   long   voyages;   and   I   would   make   it   worth   your   while   to
  share my cabin。〃
  He looked hard at me with his shrewd grey eyes all the time that he
  was   uttering   this   rigmarole;   and   I   gave   him   a   glance   in   return   which
  showed him that he was not dealing with a fool。                  He took out a canvas
  158
  … Page 159…
  THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
  bag full of money。
  〃There are a hundred pounds in gold in this bag;〃 said he。                 〃You will
  be able to buy some comforts for your voyage。                I should recommend you
  to get them in Southampton; whence we will start in ten days。                  The name
  of the vessel is the Black Swan。          I return to Southampton to…morrow; and
  I shall hope to see you in the course of the next week。〃
  〃Come now;〃 said I。         〃Tell me frankly what is the destination of our
  voyage?〃
  〃Oh; didn't I tell you?〃 he answered。            〃We are bound for the Guinea
  coast of Africa。〃
  〃Then   how   can   that   be   in   the   highest   interests   of   the   Emperor?〃   I
  asked。
  〃It is in his highest interests that you ask no indiscreet questions and I
  give    no   indiscreet   replies;〃   he  answered;     sharply。   So    he   brought    the
  interview to an end; and I found myself back in my lodgings with nothing
  save this bag of gold to show that this singular interview had indeed taken
  place。
  There was every reason why I should see the adventure to a conclusion;
  and   so   within   a   week   I   was on   my  way  to   England。    I   passed   from  St。
  Malo to Southampton; and on inquiry at the docks I had no difficulty in
  finding the Black Swan; a neat little vessel of a shape which is called; as I
  learned afterward; a brig。        There was Captain Fourneau himself upon the
  deck;   and   seven   or   eight   rough   fellows   hard   at   work   grooming   her   and
  making her ready for sea。         He greeted me and led me down to his cabin。
  〃You are plain Mr。 Gerard now;〃 said he; 〃and a Channel Islander。                    I
  would   be   obliged   to   you   if   you   would   kindly  forget   your   military   ways
  and drop your cavalry swagger when you walk up and down my deck。
  A beard; too; would seem more sailor…like than those moustaches。〃
  I was horrified by his words; but; after all; there are no ladies on the
  high seas; and what did it matter?          He rang for the steward。
  〃Gustav;〃     said   he;   〃you    will  pay    every    attention   to   my   friend;
  Monsieur      Etienne    Gerard;    who    makes     this  voyage    with   us。   This    is
  Gustav   Kerouan;   my   Breton   steward;〃   he   explained;   〃and   you   are   very
  safe in his hands。〃
  159
  … Page 160…
  THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
  This steward; with his harsh face and stern eyes; looked a very warlike
  person for so peaceful an employment。
  I   said   nothing;   however;   though   you   may   guess   that   I   kept   my   eyes
  open。     A  berth   had   been   prepared   for   me   next   the   cabin;   which   would
  have     seemed      comfortable      enough     had    it  not   contrasted     with    the
  extraordinary splendour of Fourneau's quarters。               He was certainly a most
  luxurious person; for his room was new…fitted with velvet and silver in a
  way which would have suited the yacht of a noble better than a little West
  African trader。
  So   thought   the   mate;  Mr。   Burns;   who   could   not   hide   his   amusement
  and contempt whenever he looked at it。
  This fellow; a big; solid; red…headed Englishman; had the other berth
  connected with the cabin。          There was a second mate named Turner; who
  lodged in the middle of the ship; and there were nine men and one boy in
  the crew; three of whom; as I was informed by Mr。 Burns; were Channel
  Islanders like myself。        This Burns; the first mate; was much interested to
  know why I was coming with them。
  〃I come for pleasure;〃 said I。
  He stared at me。
  〃Ever been to the West Coast?〃 he asked。
  I said that I had not。
  〃I   thought   not;〃   said   he。 〃You'll   never   come   again   for   that   reason;
  anyhow。〃
  Some three days after my arrival we untied the ropes by which the ship
  was tethered and we set off upon our journey。               I was never a good sailor;
  and I may confess that we were far out of sight of any land before I was
  able to venture upon deck。           At last; however; upon the fifth day I drank
  the   soup   which   the   good   Kerouan   brought   me;   and   I   was   able   to   crawl
  from my bunk and up the stair。            The fresh air revived me; and from that
  time   onward   I   accommodated   myself   to   the   motion   of   the   vessel。      My
  beard   had   begun   to   grow   also;   and   I   have   no   doubt   that   I   should   have
  made as fine a sailor as I have a soldier had I chanced to be born to that
  branch of the service。        I learned to pull the ropes which hoisted the sails;
  and also to haul round the long sticks to which they are attached。                 For the
  160
  … Page 161…
  THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
  most part; however; my duties were to play ecarte with Captain Fourneau;
  and to act as his companion。           It was not strange that he should need one;
  for neither of his mates could read or write; though each of them was an
  excellent seaman。
  If our captain had died suddenly I cannot imagine how we should have
  found   our   w