雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第63部分

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！


ing　in　the　opposite　direction；　and　in　which　there　was　but　one　person；　a　man　enveloped　in　a　mantle。
　　The　wheel　of　the　tilbury　received　quite　a　violent　shock。
　　The　postman　shouted　to　the　man　to　stop；　but　the　traveller　paid　no　heed　and　pursued　his　road　at　full　gallop。
　　〃That　man　is　in　a　devilish　hurry！〃　said　the　postman。
　　The　man　thus　hastening　on　was　the　one　whom　we　have　just　seen　struggling　in　convulsions　which　are　certainly　deserving　of　pity。
　　Whither　was　he　going？
　　He　could　not　have　told。
　　Why　was　he　hastening？　He　did　not　know。
　　He　was　driving　at　random；　straight　ahead。
　　Whither？　To　Arras；　no　doubt；　but　he　might　have　been　going　elsewhere　as　well。　At　times　he　was　conscious　of　it；　and　he　shuddered。
　　He　plunged　into　the　night　as　into　a　gulf。
　　Something　urged　him　forward；　something　drew　him　on。
　　No　one　could　have　told　what　was　taking　place　within　him；　every　one　will　understand　it。
　　What　man　is　there　who　has　not　entered；　at　least　once　in　his　life；　into　that　obscure　cavern　of　the　unknown？
　　However；　he　had　resolved　on　nothing；　decided　nothing；　formed　no　plan；　done　nothing。
　　None　of　the　actions　of　his　conscience　had　been　decisive。　He　was；　more　than　ever；　as　he　had　been　at　the　first　moment。
　　Why　was　he　going　to　Arras？
　　He　repeated　what　he　had　already　said　to　himself　when　he　had　hired　Scaufflaire's　cabriolet：
　　that；　whatever　the　result　was　to　be；　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should　not　see　with　his　own　eyes；　and　judge　of　matters　for　himself；　that　this　was　even　prudent；　that　he　must　know　what　took　place；　that　no　decision　could　be　arrived　at　without　having　observed　and　scrutinized；　that　one　made　mountains　out　of　everything　from　a　distance；　that；　at　any　rate；　when　he　should　have　seen　that　Champmathieu；　some　wretch；　his　conscience　would　probably　be　greatly　relieved　to　allow　him　to　go　to　the　galleys　in　his　stead；　that　Javert　would　indeed　be　there；　and　that　Brevet；　that　Chenildieu；　that　Cochepaille；　old　convicts　who　had　known　him；　but　they　certainly　would　not　recognize　him；bah！　what　an　idea！　that　Javert　was　a　hundred　leagues　from　suspecting　the　truth；　that　all　conjectures　and　all　suppositions　were　fixed　on　Champmathieu；　and　that　there　is　nothing　so　headstrong　as　suppositions　and　conjectures；　that　accordingly　there　was　no　danger。
　　That　it　was；　no　doubt；　a　dark　moment；　but　that　he　should　emerge　from　it；　that；　after　all；　he　held　his　destiny；　however　bad　it　might　be；　in　his　own　hand；　that　he　was　master　of　it。
　　He　clung　to　this　thought。
　　At　bottom；　to　tell　the　whole　truth；　he　would　have　preferred　not　to　go　to　Arras。
　　Nevertheless；　he　was　going　thither。
　　As　he　meditated；　he　whipped　up　his　horse；　which　was　proceeding　at　that　fine；　regular；　and　even　trot　which　acplishes　two　leagues　and　a　half　an　hour。
　　In　proportion　as　the　cabriolet　advanced；　he　felt　something　within　him　draw　back。
　　At　daybreak　he　was　in　the　open　country；　the　town　of　M。　sur　M。　lay　far　behind　him。
　　He　watched　the　horizon　grow　white；　he　stared　at　all　the　chilly　figures　of　a　winter's　dawn　as　they　passed　before　his　eyes；　but　without　seeing　them。
　　The　morning　has　its　spectres　as　well　as　the　evening。
　　He　did　not　see　them；　but　without　his　being　aware　of　it；　and　by　means　of　a　sort　of　penetration　which　was　almost　physical；　these　black　silhouettes　of　trees　and　of　hills　added　some　gloomy　and　sinister　quality　to　the　violent　state　of　his　soul。
　　Each　time　that　he　passed　one　of　those　isolated　dwellings　which　sometimes　border　on　the　highway；　he　said　to　himself；　〃And　yet　there　are　people　there　within　who　are　sleeping！〃
　　The　trot　of　the　horse；　the　bells　on　the　harness；　the　wheels　on　the　road；　produced　a　gentle；　monotonous　noise。
　　These　things　are　charming　when　one　is　joyous；　and　lugubrious　when　one　is　sad。
　　It　was　broad　daylight　when　he　arrived　at　Hesdin。
　　He　halted　in　front　of　the　inn；　to　allow　the　horse　a　breathing　spell；　and　to　have　him　given　some　oats。
　　The　horse　belonged；　as　Scaufflaire　had　said；　to　that　small　race　of　the　Boulonnais；　which　has　too　much　head；　too　much　belly；　and　not　enough　neck　and　shoulders；　but　which　has　a　broad　chest；　a　large　crupper；　thin；　fine　legs；　and　solid　hoofsa　homely；　but　a　robust　and　healthy　race。
　　The　excellent　beast　had　travelled　five　leagues　in　two　hours；　and　had　not　a　drop　of　sweat　on　his　loins。
　　He　did　not　get　out　of　the　tilbury。
　　The　stableman　who　brought　the　oats　suddenly　bent　down　and　examined　the　left　wheel。
　　〃Are　you　going　far　in　this　condition？〃　said　the　man。
　　He　replied；　with　an　air　of　not　having　roused　himself　from　his　revery：
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Have　you　e　from　a　great　distance？〃　went　on　the　man。
　　〃Five　leagues。〃
　　〃Ah！〃
　　〃Why　do　you　say；　‘Ah？'〃
　　The　man　bent　down　once　more；　was　silent　for　a　moment；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　wheel；　then　he　rose　erect　and　said：
　　〃Because；　though　this　wheel　has　travelled　five　leagues；　it　certainly　will　not　travel　another　quarter　of　a　league。〃
　　He　sprang　out　of　the　tilbury。
　　〃What　is　that　you　say；　my　friend？〃
　　〃I　say　that　it　is　a　miracle　that　you　should　have　travelled　five　leagues　without　you　and　your　horse　rolling　into　some　ditch　on　the　highway。　Just　see　here！〃
　　The　wheel　really　had　suffered　serious　damage。
　　The　shock　administered　by　the　mail…wagon　had　split　two　spokes　and　strained　the　hub；　so　that　the　nut　no　longer　held　firm。
　　〃My　friend；〃　he　said　to　the　stableman；　〃is　there　a　wheelwright　here？〃
　　〃Certainly；　sir。〃
　　〃Do　me　the　service　to　go　and　fetch　him。〃
　　〃He　is　only　a　step　from　here。
　　Hey！
　　Master　Bourgaillard！〃
　　Master　Bourgaillard；　the　wheelwright；　was　standing　on　his　own　threshold。　He　came；　examined　the　wheel　and　made　a　grimace　like　a　surgeon　when　the　latter　thinks　a　limb　is　broken。
　　〃Can　you　repair　this　wheel　immediately？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃When　can　I　set　out　again？〃
　　〃To…morrow。〃
　　〃To…morrow！〃
　　〃There　is　a　long　day's　work　on　it。
　　Are　you　in　a　hurry；　sir？〃
　　〃In　a　very　great　hurry。
　　I　must　set　out　again　in　an　hour　at　the　latest。〃
　　〃Impossible；　sir。〃
　　〃I　will　pay　whatever　you　ask。〃
　　〃Impossible。〃
　　〃Well；　in　two　hours；　then。〃
　　〃Impossible　to…day。　Two　new　spokes　and　a　hub　must　be　made。　Monsieur　will　not　be　able　to　start　before　to…morrow　morning。〃
　　〃The　matter　cannot　wait　until　to…morrow。　What　if　you　were　to　replace　this　wheel　instead　of　repairing　it？〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　〃You　are　a　wheelwright？〃
　　〃Certainly；　sir。〃
　　〃Have　you　not　a　wheel　that　you　can　sell　me？
　　Then　I　could　start　again　at　once。〃
　　〃A　spare　wheel？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　have　no　wheel　on　hand　that　would　fit　your　cabriolet。
　　Two　wheels　make　a　pair。
　　Two　wheels　cannot　be　put　together　hap…hazard。〃
　　〃In　that　case；　sell　me　a　pair　of　wheels。〃
　　〃Not　all　wheels　fit　all　axles；　sir。〃
　　〃Try；　nevertheless。〃
　　〃It　is　useless；　sir。
　　I　have　nothing　to　sell　but　cart…wheels。　We　are　but　a　poor　country　here。〃
　　〃Have　you　a　cabriolet　that　you　can　let　me　have？〃
　　The　wheelwright　had　seen　at　the　first　glance　that　the　tilbury　was　a　hired　vehicle。
　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　　〃You　treat　the　cabriolets　that　people　let　you　so　well！
　　If　I　had　one；　I　would　not　let　it　to　you！〃
　　〃Well；　sell　it　to　me；　then。〃
　　〃I　have　none。〃
　　〃What！　not　even　a　spring…cart？　I　am　not　hard　to　please；　as　you　see。〃
　　〃We　live　in　a　poor　country。
　　There　is；　in　truth；〃　added　the　wheelwright；　〃an　old　calash　under　the　shed　yonder；　which　belongs　to　a　bourgeois　of　the　town；　who　gave　it　to　me　to　take　care　of；　and　who　only　uses　it　on　the　thirty…sixth　of　the　monthnever；　that　is　to　say。
　　I　might　let　that　to　you；　for　what　matters　it　to　me？
　　But　the　bourgeois　must　not　see　it　passand　then；　it　is　a　calash；　it　would　require　two　horses。〃
　　〃I　will　take　two　post…horses。〃
　　〃Where　is　Monsieur　going？〃
　　〃To　Arras。〃
　　〃And　Monsieur　wishes　to　reach　there　to…day？〃
　　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　　〃By　taking　two　post…horses？〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Does　it　make　any　difference　whether　Monsieur　arrives　at　four　o'clock　to…morrow　morning？〃
　　〃Certainly　not。〃
　　〃There　is　one　thing　to　be　said　about　that；　you　see；　by　taking　post…horses　Monsieur　has　his　passport？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　by　taking　post…horses；　Monsieur　cannot　reach　Arras　before　to…morrow。　We　are　on　a　cross…road。　The　relays　are　badly　served；　the　horses　are　in　the　fields。
　　The　season　for　ploughing　is　just　beginning；　heavy　teams　are　required；　and　horses　are　seized　upon　everywhere；　from　the　post　as　well　as　elsewhere。
　　Monsieur　will　have　to　wait　three　or　four　hours　at　the　least　at　every　relay。　And；　then；　they　drive　at　a　walk。
　　There　are　many　hills　to　ascend。〃
　　〃e　then；　I　will　go　on　horseback。
　　Unharness　the　cabriolet。　Some　one　can　surely　sell　me　a　saddle　in　the　neighborhood。〃
　　〃Without　doubt。
　　But　will　this　horse　bear　the　saddle？〃
　　〃That　is　true；　you　remind　me　of　that；　he　will　not　bear　it。〃
　　〃Then〃
　　〃But　I　can　surely　hire　a　horse　in　the　village？〃
　　〃A　horse　to　travel　to　Arras　at　one　stretch？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃That　would　require　such　a　horse　as　does　not　exist　in　these　parts。　You　would　have　to　buy　it　to　begin　with；　because　no　one　knows　you。　But　you　will　not　find　one　for　sale　nor　to　l