tartarin of tarascon-第7部分

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a；　where　the　white　caps　heaved　harder；　I　would　make　you　behold　it　wrestling　with　the　tempest；　and　standing　on　end　upon　the　hero's　cranium；　with　its　mighty　mane　of　blue　wool　bristling　out　in　the　spray　and　breeze。　Position　Fourth。：　at　six　in　the　afternoon；　with　the　Corsican　coast　in　view；　the　unfortunate　chechia。　hangs　over　the　ship's　side；　and　lamentably　stares　down　as　though　to　plumb　the　depths　of　ocean。　　Finally　and　lastly；　the　Fifth　Position　：　at　the　back　of　a　narrow　state…room；　in　a　box…bed　so　small　it　seemed　one　drawer　in　a　nest　of　them；　something　shapeless　rolled　on　the　pillow　with　moans　of　desolation。　　This　was　the　fez　　the　fez　so　defiant　at　the　sailing；　now　reduced　to　the　vulgar　condition　of　a　nightcap；　and　pulled　down　over　the　very　ears　of　the　head　of　a　pallid　and　convulsed　sufferer。

How　the　people　of　Tarascon　would　have　kicked　themselves　for　having　constrained　the　great　Tartarin　to　leave　home；　if　they　had　but　seen　him　stretched　in　the　bunk　in　the　dull；　wan　gleam　through　the　dead…light；　amid　the　sickly　odour　of　cooking　and　wet　wood　　the　heart…heaving　perfume　of　mail…boats；　if　they　had　but　heard　him　gurgle　at　every　turn　of　the　screw；　wail　for　tea　every　five　minutes；　and　swear　at　the　steward　in　a　childish　treble！

On　my　word　of　honour　as　a　story…teller；　the　poor　Turk　would　have　made　a　paste…board　dummy　pity　him。　Suddenly；　overcome　by　the　nausea；　the　hapless　victim　had　not　even　the　power　to　undo　the　Algerian　girdle…cloth；　or　lay　aside　his　armoury；　the　lumpy…handled　bunting…sword　pounded　his　ribs；　and　the　leather　revolver…case　made　his　thigh　raw。　　To　finish　him　arose　the　taunts　of　Sancho…　Tartarin；　who　never　ceased　to　groan　and　inveigh：

〃Well；　for　the　biggest　kind　of　imbecile；　you　are　the　finest　specimen！　I　told　you　truly　how　it　would　be。　　Ha；　ha！　you　were　bound　to　go　to　Africa；　of　course！　　Well；　old　merriman；　now　you　are　going　to　Africa；　how　do　you　like　it？〃

The　cruellest　part　of　it　was　that；　from　the　retreat　where　he　was　moaning；　the　hapless　invalid　could　hear　the　passengers　in　the　grand　saloon　laughing；　munching；　singing；　and　playing　at　cards。　　On　board　the　Zouave　the　company　was　as　jolly　as　numerous；　composed　of　officers　going　back　to　join　their　regiments；　ladies　from　the　Marseilles　Alcazar　Music　Hall；　strolling…players；　a　rich　Mussulman　returning　from　Mecca；　and　a　very　jocular　Montenegrin　prince；　who　favoured　them　with　imitations　of　the　low　comedians　of　Paris。　　Not　one　of　these　jokers　felt　the　sea…sickness；　and　their　time　was　passed　in　quaffing　champagne　with　the　steamer　captain；　a　good　fat　born　Marseillais；　who　had　a　wife　and　family　as　well　at　Algiers　as　at　home；　and　who　answered　to　the　merry　name　of　Barbassou。

Tartarin　of　Tarascon　hated　this　pack　of　wretches；　their　mirthfulness　deepened　his　ails。

At　length；　on　the　third　afternoon；　there　was　such　an　extraordinary　hullabaloo　on　the　deck　that　our　hero　was　roused　out　of　his　long　torpor。　　The　ship's　bell　was　ringing　and　the　seamen's　heavy　boots　ran　over　the　planks。

〃Go　ahead！　Stop　her！　Turn　astern！〃　barked　the　hoarse　voice　of　Captain　Barbassou；　and　then；　〃Stop　her　dead！〃

There　was　an　abrupt　check　of　movement；　a　shock；　and　no　more；　save　the　silent　rolling　of　the　boat　from　side　to　side　like　a　balloon　in　the　air。　　This　strange　stillness　alarmed　the　Tarasconian。

〃Heaven　ha'　mercy　upon　us！〃　he　yelled　in　a　terrifying　voice；　as；　recovering　his　strength　by　magic；　he　bounded　out　of　his　berth；　and　rushed　upon　deck　with　his　arsenal。



II。　〃To　arms！　to　arms〃


Only　the　arrival；　not　a　foundering。

The　Zouave　was　just　gliding　into　the　roadstead　　a　fine　one　of　black；　deep　water；　but　dull　and　still；　almost　deserted。　　On　elevated　ground　ahead　rose　Algiers；　the　White　City；　with　its　little　houses　of　a　dead　cream…colour　huddling　against　one　another　lest　they　slid　into　the　sea。　　It　was　like　Meudon　slope　with　a　laundress's　washing　hung　out　to　dry。　Over　it　a　vast　blue　satin　sky　　and　such　a　blue　！

A　little　restored　from　his　fright；　the　illustrious　Tartarin　gazed　on　the　landscape；　and　listened　with　respect　to　the　Montenegrin　prince；　who　stood　by　his；　side；　as　he　named　the　different　parts　of　the　capital；　the　Kasbah；　the　upper　town；　and　the　Rue　Bab…Azoon。　A　very　finely…brought…up　prince　was　this　Montenegrin；　moreover；　knowing　Algeria　thoroughly；　and　fluently　speaking　Arabic。　Hence　Tartarin　thought　of　cultivating　his　acquaintance。

All　at　once；　along　the　bulwark　against　which　they　were　leaning；　the　Tarasconian　perceived　a　row　of　large　black　hands　clinging　to　it　from　over　the　side。　　Almost　instantly　a　Negro's　woolly　head　shot　up　before　him；　and；　ere　he　had　time　to　open　his　mouth；　the　deck　was　overwhelmed　on　every　side　by　a　hundred　black　or　yellow　desperadoes；　half　naked；　hideous；　and　fearsome。　Tartarin　knew　who　these　pirates　were　　〃they；〃　of　course；　the　celebrated　〃they〃　who　had　too　often　been　hunted　after　by　him　in　the　by…ways　of　Tarascon。　At　last　they　hid　decided　to　meet　him　face　to　face。　　At　the　outset　surprise　nailed　him　to　the　spot。　But　when　he　saw　the　outlaws　fall　upon　the　luggage；　tear　off　the　tarpaulin　covering；　and　actually　commence　the　pillage　of　the　ship；　then　the　hero　awoke。　　Whipping　out　his　hunting…sword；　〃To　arms！　to　arms　！〃　he　roared　to　the　passengers；　and　away　he　flew；　the　foremost　of　all；　upon　the　buccaneers。　〃Ques　aco？　What's　the　stir？　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　exclaimed　Captain　Barbassou；　coming　out　of　the　'tweendecks。

〃About　time　you　did　turn　up；　captain！　Quick；　quick；　arm　your　men！〃

〃Eh；　what　for？　dash　it　all！〃

〃Why；　can't　you　see？〃

〃See　what？〃

〃There；　before　you；　the　corsairs〃

Captain　Barbassou　stared；　bewildered。　At　this　juncture　a　tall　blackamoor　tore　by　with　our　hero's　medicine…chest　upon　his　back。

〃You　cut…throat！　just　wait　for　me！〃　yelled　the　Tarasconer　as　he　ran　after；　with　the　knife　uplifted。

But　Barbassou　caught　him　in　the　spring；　and　holding　him　by　the　waist…sash；　bade　him　be　quiet。

〃Tron　de　ler！　by　the　throne　on　high！　they're　no　pirates。　　It's　long　since　there　were　any　pirates　hereabout　　Those　dark　porters　are　light　porters。　　Ha；　ha！〃

〃Pp…porters？〃

〃Rather；　only　come　after　the　luggage　to　carry　it　ashore。　　So　put　up　your　cook's　galley　knife；　give　me　your　ticket；　and　walk　off　behind　that　nigger　　an　honest　dog；　who　will　see　you　to　land；　and　even　into　a　hotel；　if　you　like。〃

A　little　abashed；　Tartarin　handed　over　his　ticket；　and　falling　in　behind　the　representative　of　the　Dark　Continent；　clambered　down　by　the　hanging…ladder　into　a　big　skiff　dancing　alongside。　　All　his　effects　were　already　there　　boxes；　trunks；　gun…cases；　tinned　food；　　so　cramming　up　the　boat　that　there　was　no　need　to　wait　for　any　other　passengers。　　The　African　scrambled　upon　the　boxes；　and　squatted　there　like　a　baboon；　with　his　knees　clutched　by　his　hands。　Another　Negro　took　the　oars。　　Both　laughingly　eyed　Tartarin；　and　showed　their　white　teeth。

Standing　in　the　stern…sheets；　making　that　terrifying　face　which　had　daunted　his　fellow…countrymen；　the　great　Tarasconian　feverishly　fumbled　with　his　hunting…knife　haft；　for；　despite　what　Barbassou　had　told　him；　he　was　only　half　at　ease　as　regarded　the　intention　of　these　ebony…skinned　porters；　who　so　little　resembled　their　honest　mates　of　Tarascon。

Five　minutes　afterwards　the　skiff　landed　Tartarin；　and　he　set　foot　upon　the　little　Barbary　wharf；　where；　three　hundred　years　before；　a　Spanish　galley…slave　yclept　Miguel　Cervantes　devised；　under　the　cane　of　the　Algerian　taskmaster；　a　sublime　romance　which　was　to　bear　the　title　of　〃Don　Quixote。〃



III。　An　Invocation　to　Cervantes　　The　Disembarkation　　Where　are　the　Turks　？　　Not　a　sign　of　them　　Disenchantment


O　MIGUEL　CERVANTES　SAAVEDRA；　if　what　is　asserted　be　true；　to　wit；　that　wherever　great　men　have　dwelt　some　emanation　of　their　spirits　wanderingly　hovers　until　the　end　of　ages；　then　what　remained　of　your　essence　on　the　Barbary　coast　must　have　quivered　with　glee　on　beholding　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　disembark；　that　marvellous　type　of　the　French　Southerner；　in　whom　was　embodied　both　heroes　of　your　work；　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　Panza。

The　air　was　sultry　on　this　occasion。　　On　the　wharf；　ablaze　with　sunshine；　were　half　a　dozen　revenue　officers；　some　Algerians　expecting　news　from　France；　several　squatting　Moors　who　drew　at　long　pipes；　and　some　Maltese　mariners　dragging　large　nets；　between　the　meshes　of　which　thousands　of　sardines　glittered　like　small　silver　coins。

But　hardly　had　Tartarin　set　foot　on　earth　before　the　quay　sprang　into　life　and　changed　its　aspect。　　A　horde　of　savages；　still　more　hideous　than　the　pirates　upon　the　steamer；　rose　between　the　stones　on　the　strand　and　rushed　upon　the　new…comer。　　Tall　Arabs　were　there；　nude　under　woollen　blankets；　little　Moors　in　tatters；　Negroes；　Tunisians；　Port　Mahonese；　M'zabites；　hotel　servants　in　white　aprons；　all　yelling　and　shouting；　hooking　on　his　clothes；　fighting　over　his　luggage；　one　carrying　away　the　provender；　another　his　medicine…chest；　and　pelting　him　in　one　fantastic　medley　with　the　names　of　preposterously…entitled　hotels。

Bewildered　by　all　this　tumult；　poor　Tartarin　wandered　to　and　fro；　swore　and　stormed；　went　mad；　ran　after　his　property；　and　not　knowing　how　to　make　these　barbarians　understand　him；　speechified　them　in　French；　Provencal；　and　even　in　dog　Latin　：　〃Rosa；　the　rose；　bonus；　bona；　bonum！〃　　all　that　he　knew　　but　to　no　purpose。　He　was　not　heeded。　Happily；　like　a　god　in　Homer；　intervened　a　little　fellow　in　a　yellow…collared　tunic；　and　armed　with　a　long　running…　footman's　cane；　who　dispersed　the　whole　riff…raff　with　cudgel…play。　He　was　a　policeman　of　the　Algerian　capital。　Very　politely；　he　suggested　Tartarin　should　put　up　at　the　Hotel　de　l'Europe；　and　he　confided　him　to　its　waiters；　who　carted　him　and　his　impedimenta　thither　in　several　barrows。

At　the　first　steps　he　took　in　Algiers；　Tartarin　of　Tarascon　opened　his　eyes　widely。　Beforehand　he　had　pictured　it　as　an　Oriental　city　　a　fairy　one；　mythological；　something　between　Constantinople　and　Zanzibar；　but　it　was　back　into　Tarascon　he　fell。　　Cafes；　restaurants；　wide　streets；　four…storey　houses；　a　little　market…place；　macadamised；　where　the　infantry　band　played　Offenbachian　polkas；　whilst　fashionably　clad　gentlemen　occupied　chairs；　drinking　beer　and　eating　pancakes；　some　brilliant　ladies；　some　shady　ones；　and　soldiers　　more　soldiers