第 99 节
作者:北方网      更新:2021-02-21 16:34      字数:9321
  citizen; this son of the she…wolf leaves me no quiet for sleep。
  Lately; in the night; he kneeled down in the bed and began to pray
  with a loud voice; so as to wake both my wife and myself。〃
  〃From that night on I have been sick and miserable;〃 moaned Jeanne
  Marie; 〃from that night I have not been able to sleep。〃
  〃You hear; citizen doctor; my wife was so terrified with that; that
  it made her sick; and now you shall have a proof of the disobedience
  of the little viper。 Capet; come here。〃
  The boy rose slowly from his chair; and stole along with drooping
  head to his master。
  〃Capet; we will sing;〃 said Simon。 〃You shall show the doctor that
  you are a good republican; and that you have entirely forgotten that
  you are the son of the Austrian; the rascally Madame Veto。 Come; we
  will sing the song about Madame Veto。 Quick; strike in; or I will
  beat you into pulp。 The song about Madame Veto; do you hear? Sing!〃
  A short pause ensued。 Then the boy raised his swollen face and fixed
  his great blue eyes with a defiant; flaming expression upon the face
  of the cobbler。
  〃Citizen;〃 he said; with clear; decided tones; 〃I shall not sing the
  song about Madame Veto; for I have not forgotten my dear mamma; and
  I can sing nothing bad about her; for I love my dear mamma so much;
  so much; and〃
  The voice of the boy was drowned in his tears; he let his head fall
  upon his breast; ready to receive the threatened chastisement。 But;
  before the fist of Simon; already raised; could fall upon the poor
  head of the little sufferer; a thrilling cry of pain resounded from
  the bed。
  〃Simon; come to me;〃 gasped Jeanne Marie。 〃Help me draw the dagger
  out of my breast; I am dyingoh; I am dying!〃
  〃What kind of a dagger?〃 cried Simon; rushing to the bed and taking
  the convulsed form of his wife in his arms。
  〃Hush!〃 whispered the doctor; who also had gone to the bed of the
  sick woman〃hush! she is speaking in her fever; and the dagger of
  which she talks she feels in her heart and conscience。 You must
  spare her; citizen; if you do not want her to die。 Every thing must
  be quiet around her; and you must be very careful not to agitate her
  nerves; lest she have an acute typhoid fever。 I will send her some
  cooling medicine at once; and to…morrow morning I will come early to
  see how it fares with her。 But; above every thing else; Simon;
  remember to have quiet; that your good wife may get well again。〃
  〃Who would have told me two weeks ago that Jeanne Marie had nerves?〃
  growled Simon。 〃The first knitter of the guillotine; and now all at
  once nerves and tears; but I must be careful of her。 For it would be
  too bad if she should die and leave me all alone with this tedious
  youngster。 I could not hold out。 I should run away。 Go; Capet; get
  into your room; and do not get in my way again to…day; else I will
  strangle you before you can make a sound。 Come; scud; clear; and do
  not let me see you again; if your life is worth any thing to you。〃
  The child stole into his room again; sat down upon the floor; folded
  his little hands in one another; fixed his great blue eyes on the
  ceiling above; and held his breath to listen to every little sound;
  every footfall that came from the room above。
  All at once he heard plainly the steps of some one walking up and
  down; and a pleased smile flitted across the face of the boy。
  〃That is certainly my dear mamma;〃 he whispered to himself。 〃Yes;
  yes; it is my mamma queen; and she is taking her walk in the
  sitting…room; just as she has done since she has not been allowed to
  go out upon the platform。 Oh; mamma; my dear mamma; I love you so
  much!〃
  And the child threw a kiss up to the ceiling; not knowing that she
  to whom he sent his greeting had long been resting in the silent
  grave; and that with the very hand which was throwing kisses to her;
  he had himself signed the paper which heaped upon his mother the
  most frightful calumnies。
  Even Simon had not had the cruel courage to tell the boy of the
  death of his mother; and of the unconscious wrong that he; poor
  child; had done to her memory; and in his silent chamber his longing
  thoughts of her were his only consolation。
  And so he sat there that day looking up to the ceiling; greeting his
  dear mamma with his thoughts; and seeing her in spirit greeting him
  again; nodding affectionately to him and drawing her dear little
  Louis Charles to her arms。
  These were the sweet; transporting fancies which made the child
  close his eyes so as not to lose them。 Immovably he sat there; until
  gradually thoughts and dreams flowed into each other; and not only
  his will; but sleep as well; kept his eyes closed。 But the dreams
  remained; and were sweet and refreshing; and displayed to the
  sleeping child; so harshly treated in his waking hours; only scenes
  of love and tenderness。 And it was not his mother alone who embraced
  him in his happy slumbers; no; there were his aunt and his sister as
  well; and at last evenoh how strange dreams are!at last he even
  saw Simon's wife advancing toward him with kindly and tender mien。
  She stooped down to him; took him up in her arms; kissed his eyes;
  and begged him in a low; trembling voice to forgive her for being so
  cruel and bad。 And while she was speaking the tears streamed from
  her eyes and flowed over his face。 She kissed them away with her hot
  lips; and whispered; 〃Forgive me; poor; unhappy angel; and do not
  bring me to judgment。 I will treat you well after this; I will
  rescue you from this hell; or I will die for you。 Oh; how the bad
  man has beaten your dear angel face! But believe me; I have felt
  every blow in my own heart; and when he treated you so abusively I
  felt the pain of hell。 Oh; forgive me; dear boy; forgive me!〃 and
  again the tears started from her eyes and flowed hot over his locks
  and forehead。 All at once Jeanne Marie quivered convulsively; laid
  the boy gently down; and ran hastily away。 A door was furiously
  opened now; and Simon's loud and angry voice was heard。
  The tones awakened the little Louis。 He opened his eyes and looked
  around。 Yes; it had really all been only a dreamhe had heard
  neither his mother nor Simon's wife; and yet it had been as natural
  as if it had all really transpired。 He had felt arms tenderly
  embracing him and tears hot upon his forehead。
  Entirely unconscious he raised his hand to his brow and drew it back
  affrighted; for his hair and his temples were wet; as if the tears
  of which he dreamed had really fallen there。
  〃What does this mean; Jeanne Marie?〃 asked Simon; angrily; 〃Why have
  you got out of bed while I was away; and what have you had to do in
  the room of the little viper?〃
  〃If you leave me alone with him I have to watch him; sick as I am;〃
  moaned she。 〃I had to see whether he was still there; whether he had
  not run away; and gone to report to the Convention that we have left
  him alone and have no care for him。〃
  〃Oh; bah! he will not complain of us;〃 laughed Simon; 〃but keep
  quiet; Jeanne Marie; I promise you that I will not leave you alone
  again with the wolf's cub。 Besides; here is the medicine that the
  doctor has sent; and to…morrow he will come himself again to see how
  you get on。 So keep up a good heart; Jeanne Marie; and all will come
  right again。〃
  The next morning; Dr。 Naudin came again to look after the sick
  woman。 Simon had just gone up…stairs to announce something to the
  two princesses in the name of the Convention; and had ordered the
  little Capet to remain in the anteroom; and; if the doctor should
  come; to open the door to him。
  Nobody else was in the anteroom when Dr。 Naudin entered; and the
  door leading into the next room was closed; so that the sick person
  who was there could see and hear nothing of what took place。
  〃Sir;〃 whispered the boy; softly and quickly; 〃you were yesterday so
  good to me; you protected me from blows; and I should like to thank
  you for it。〃
  The doctor made no reply; but he looked at the boy with such an
  expression of sympathy that he felt emboldened to go on。
  〃My dear sir;〃 continued the child; softly; and with a blush; 〃I
  have nothing with which to show my gratitude to you but these two
  pears that were given me for my supper last night。 And just because
  I am so poor; you would do me a great pleasure if you would accept
  my two pears。〃 'Footnote: The boy's own words。See Beauchesne; vol。
  ii。; p。 180。'
  He had raised his eyes to the doctor with a gentle; supplicatory
  expression; and taking the pears from the pocket of his worn; mended
  jacket; he gave them to the physician。
  Then happened something which; had Simon entered the room just then;
  would probably have filled him with exasperation。 It happened that
  the proud and celebrated Dr。 Naudin; the director and first
  physician of the Hotel Dieu; sank on his knee before this poor boy
  in the patched jacket; who had nothing to give but two pears; and
  that he was so overcome; either by inward pain or by reverence; that
  while taking the pears he could only whisper; with a faint voice: 〃I
  thank your majesty。 I have never received a nobler or more precious
  gift than this fruit; which my unfortunate king gives me; and I
  swear to you that I will be your devoted and faithful servant。〃