CHAPTERXI

chapterxi

thenightinamienswasdarkandsinisterwhenrainfellheavilyoutofamoonlesssky.hardlyatorch-lampflashedoutexceptwhereasolitarywomanscurrieddownthewetstreetstolonelyrooms.therewerenobritishofficersstrollingabout.theyhadturnedinearly,tohotbathsandustomedbeds,exceptforoneortwo,withtheirburberriesbuttonedtightatthethroat,andsoppingfield-capspulleddownabouttheears,andtop—bootswhichwentsplash,splashthroughdeeppuddlesastheyeredalittleuncertainlyandpeeredupatdarkcornerstofindtheirwhereabouts,byadimsenseoflocalityandtheshapesofthehouses.therainpatteredsharplyonthepavementsandbeatatattooonleadenguttersandslateroofs.everywindowwasshutteredandnolightgleamedthrough.

onsuchanightiwentoutwithbeachthomas,asoftenbefore,wetorfine,afterhardwriting.

“afoulnight,”saidthomas,settingoffinhisquick,jerkystep.“iliketofeeltherainonmyface.”

weturneddownasusualtotheriver.itwasverydark—therainwasheavyonthequayside,wheretherewasagroupofpeoplebareheadedintherainandchatteringinfrench,withgustsoflaughter.

“unebouteilledechampagne!”thewordswerespokeninaclearboy'svoice,withanelaboratecaricatureoffrenchaccent,inmusicalcadence,butunmistakablyenglish.

“adrunkenofficer,”saidthomas.

“poordevil!”

wedrewnearamongthepeopleandsawayoungofficerarminarmwithafrenchpeasant—oneofthemarketporters—tellingataleinbrokenfrenchtotheaudienceabouthim,withcomicgesticulationsandextraordinaryvolubility.

awomanputherhandonmyshoulderandspokeinfrench.

“hehasdrunktoomuchbadwine.hislegswalkawayfromhim.hewillbeintrouble,monsieur.andachild—noolderthanmyownboywhoisfightingintheargonne.”

“apportez-moiunebouteilledechampagne,vite!...”saidtheyoungofficer.thenhewavedhisarmandsaid:“j'aiperdumoncheval”(“akingdomforabloodyhorse!”),“asshakespearesaid.ya-t'ilquelqu'unquiavumonsacrecheval?inotherwords,ifidon'tfindthatfour-edbeastwhichledtomydamnationishallbeshotatdawn.fusille,comprenez?onvamefusillerparunmurblanc—orisitunemureblanche?quandl'auroreseleveaveclescouleursd'uneroseetl'odeurd'unejeunefillelaveeetparfumee.prettygoodthat,eh,what?butthefactremainsthatunlessifindmysteed,mycharger,mywar-horse,whichinrealitydoesnotbelongtomeatall,becauseipincheditfromthecolonel,ishallbeshotassureasfate,and,alas!idonotwanttodie.iamtooyoungtodie,andmeanwhileidesireencoreunebouteilledechampagne!”

thelittlecrowdofcitizensfoundagrimhumorinthisspeech,one-thirdofwhichtheyunderstood.theylaughedcoarsely,andamansaid:

“queldroledetype!quelnumero!”

butthewomanwhohadtouchedmeonthesleevespoketomeagain.

“hesayshehaslosthishorseandwillbeshotasadeserter.thosethingshappen.myboyintheargonnetellsmethatacomradeofhiswasshotforhidingfivedayswithhisyoungwoman.itwouldbesadifthispoorchildshouldbecondemnedtodeath.”

ipushedmywaythroughthecrowdandwentuptotheofficer.

“canihelpatall?”

hegreetedmewarmly,asthoughhehadknownmeforyears.

“mydearoldpal,youcanindeed!firstofalliwantabottleofchampagne-unebouteilledechampagne-”itwaswonderfulhowmuchmusicheputintothosewords—“andafterthatiwantmyrunawayhorse,asihaveexplainedtothesegoodpeoplewhodonotunderstandabloodyword,inspiteofmyexcellentfrenchaccent.istolethecolonel'shorsetocomeforajoy-ridetoamiens.thecolonelisoneofthebestofmen,butverytouchy,verytouchyindeed.youwouldbesurprised.healsohastheworsthorseintheworld,ordid,untilitranawayhalfanhouragointotheblacknessofthishellwhichmencallamiens.itisquitecertainthatifigobackwithoutthathorsemostunpleasantthingswillhappentoagallantyoungbritishofficer,meaningmyself,whowithmostinnocentintentionsofcleansinghissoulfromthefilthofbattle,fromthehorrorofbattle,fromthedisgustingfearofbattle—ohyes,i'vebeenafraidallright,andsohaveyouunlessyou'readamnedherooradamnedliar—desiredtogetasfarasthisbeautifulcity(sofairwithout,sofoulwithin!)inordertodrinkabottle,oreventwoorthree,ofrich,sparklingwine,toseethelovelinessofwomenastheytripaboutthesepestilentialstreets,tosayalittleprayerinlacathedrale,andthentorideback,refreshed,virtuous,knightly,allthroughthequietnight,todeliverupthehorsewhenceihadpinchedit,andnobodyanythewiserinthedewymorn.yousee,itwasagoodscheme.”

“whathappened?”iasked.

“ithappenedthuswise,”heanswered,breakingoutintofresheloquence,withfantasticsimilesandexpressionsofwhichicangiveonlythespirit.“leavingapozieres,which,asyoudoubtlessknow,unlessyouareabloodystaff-officer,isaplacewherethedevilgoesaboutlikearoaringlionseekingwhomhemaydevour,whereheleaveshisvictims'entrailshangingontobarbedwire,andwherethebodiesofyourfriendsandmineliedecomposinginmuddyholes—youknowtheplace?—iputmylegsacrossthecolonel'shorse,whichwasinthewagonlines,andsetforthforamiens.thathorseknewthatihadpinchedhim—forgivemyslang.ishouldhavesaiditinthefrenchlanguage,vole—andresentedme.thricewasinearlythrownfromhisback.twicedidheentanglehimselfinbarbedwiredeliberately.oncedidihavetocoercehimwithmanystripestopassatank.thentheheavensopeneduponusanditrained.itraineduntiliwaswettotheskin,inspiteofshelteringbeneathatree,onebranchofwhich,owingtothestubborntemperofmysteed,struckmeastingingblowacrosstheface.soinnojoyfulspiriticameatlasttoamiens,thiswhitedsepulcher,thiscirce'scapital,thisdenofthieves,thishomeofvampires.thereidined,notwisely,buttoowell.idrankoftheflowingcup—unebouteilledechampagne—andimetamaidenasuglyassin,butbeautifulinmyeyesafterpozieres—youunderstand—andaccompaniedhertoherpoorlodging—inamostverminousplace,sir—wherewediscoursedupontheproblemsoflifeandlove.oyouth!owar!ohell!...myhorse,thatbrutewhoresentedme,wasinchargeofan'ostler,whomibelieveverilyisalimbofsatan,intheyardwithout.itwaslatewhenileftthatlairofcirce,whereyoungbritishofficers,evenasmyself,areturnedintoswine.itwaslateanddark,andiwasdrunk.evennowiamverydrunk.imaysaythatiambecomingdrunkeranddrunker.”

itwastrue.thefumesofbadchampagnewereworkingintheboy'sbrain,andheleanedheavilyagainstme.

“itwasthenthatthathappenedwhichwillundoubtedlyleadtomyundoing,andblastmycareerasihaveblastedmysoul.thehorsewasthereintheyard,butwithoutsaddleorbridle.

“'whereismysaddleandwhereismybridle,oh,naughty'ostler?'ishouted,indismay.

“the'ostler,who,asiinformedyou,isoneofsatan'simps,answeredinincomprehensiblefrench,ledthehorseforthfromtheyard,and,givingitamightyblowontherump,sentitclatteringforthintotheouterdarkness.inmyfearoflosingit—forimustbeatpozieresatdawn—iranafterit,butitrantoofastinthedarkness,andistoppedandtriedtogropemywaybacktothestableyardtokillthat'ostler,therebyservinggod,andotherbritishofficers,forhewasthedevil'sagent.buticouldnotfindtheyardagain.ithaddisappeared!itwasswallowedupincimmeriangloom.soiwaswithoutrevengeandwithouthorse,and,asyouwillperceive,sir—unlessyouareabloodystaff-officerwhodoesn'tperceiveanything—iamutterlyundone.iamalsohorriblydrunk,andimustapologizeforleaningsoheavilyonyourarm.it'sawfullygoodofyou,anyway,oldman.”

thecrowdwasmostlymoving,drivenindoorsbytherain.thewomanwhohadspokentomesaid,“iheardahorse'shoofsuponthebridge,la-bas.”

thenshewentawaywithherapronoverherhead.

thomasandiwalkedeachsideoftheofficer,givinghimanarm.hecouldnotwalkstraight,andhislegsplayedfreakishtrickswithhim.allthewhilehetalkedinastrainofhighcomedyinterlardedwithgrimlittlephrases,revealinganunderlyingsenseoftragedyanddespair,untilhisspeechthickenedandhebecamelessfluent.wespentafantastichoursearchingforhishorse.itwaslikeanightmareinthedarknessandrain.everynowandthenweheard,distinctly,theklip-klopofahorse'shoofs,andwentoffinthatdirection,onlytobebaffledbydeadsilence,withnosignoftheanimal.thenagain,aswestoodlistening,weheardthebeatofhoofsonhardpavements,intheoppositedirection,andwalkedthatway,ingtheboy,whowasgettingmoreandmoreincapableofwalkingupright.atlastwegaveuphopeoffindingthehorse,thoughtheyoungofficerkeptassuringusthathemustfinditatallcosts.“it'sapointofhonor,”hesaid,thickly.“notmyhorse,youknowdoctor'shorse.deviltopayto-morrow.”

helaughedfoolishlyandsaid:

“alwaysdeviltopayinmorning.”

weweresoakedtotheskin.

“comehomewithme,”isaid.“wecangiveyouashake-down.”

“frightfullygood,oldman.awfullysorry,youknow,andallthat.areyouabloominggeneral,orsomething?butimustfindhorse.”

bysomemeansweeededinpersuadinghimthatthechasewasuselessandthatitwouldbebetterforhimtogetintoourbilletandstartoutnextmorning,early.weedhimuptheruedesaugustins,totherueamiralcourbet.outsidetheirongatesispoketohimwarningly:

“you'vegottobequiet.therearestaff-officersinside...”

“what?...staffofficers?...oh,mygod!”

theboywasdismayed.thethoughtoffacingstaff-officersalmostsoberedhim;did,indeed,soberhisbrainforamoment,thoughnothislegs.

“it'sallright,”isaid.“goquietly,andiwillgetyouupstairssafely.”

itwasastonishinghowquietlyhewent,hangingontome.thelittlecolonelwasreadingthetimesinthesalon.wepassedtheopendoor,andsawoverthepaperhishighforeheadpuckeredwithperplexityastothewaysoftheworld.buthedidnotraisehisheadordropthetimesatthesoundofourentry.itooktheboyupstairstomyroomandguidedhiminside.hesaid,“thanksawfully,”andthenlaydownonthefloorandfellintosodeepasleepthatiwasscaredandthoughtforamomenthemightbedead.iwentdownstairstochatwiththelittlecolonelandformanalibiincaseoftrouble.anhourlater,wheniwentintomyroom,ifoundtheboystilllyingasihadlefthim,withouthavingstirredalimb.hewasahandsomefellow,withhisheadhanginglimplyacrosshisrightarmandalockofdamphairfallingacrosshisforehead.ithoughtofasonofmine,whoinafewyearswouldbeasoldashe,andiprayedgodminemightbesparedthisboy'stragedy...throughthenighthesleptinaedway,butjustatdawnhewokeupandstretchedhimself,withaqueerlittlemoan.thenhesatupandsaid:

“whereami?”

“inabilletatamiens.youlostyourhorselastnightandibroughtyouhere.”

remembrancecameintohiseyesandhisfacewassweptwithasuddenflushofshameandagony.

“yes...imadeafoolofmyself.theworstpossible.howcanigetbacktopozieres?”

“youcouldjumpalorrywithluck.”

“imust.it'sseriousifidon'tgetbackintime.inanycase,thelossofthathorse—”

hethoughtdeeplyforamoment,andicouldseethathisheadwasachingtothebeatofsledge-hammers.

“caniwashanywhere?”

ipointedtoajugandbasin,andhesaid,“thanks,enormously.”

hewashedhurriedly,andthenstareddownwithashamedlookathismuddyuniform,allcreasedandled.afterthatheaskedifhecouldgetoutdownstairs,anditoldhimthedoorwasunlocked.