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CAPTAIN BURLE-Part4_Emile Zola(1840-1902)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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Rue des Recollets, which he reached about nine o'clock. The street

door was still unlocked, and on going up he stood panting on the



third landing, when he heard voices on the upper floor. One of

these voices was Burle's, so he fancied, and out of curiosity he



ascended another flight of stairs. Then at the end of a passage on

the left he saw a ray of light coming from a door which stood ajar.



As the creaking of his boots resounded, this door was sharply

closed, and he found himself in the dark.



"Some cook going to bed!" he muttered angrily. "I'm a fool."

All the same he groped his way as gently as possible to the door and



listened. Two people were talking in the room, and he stood aghast,

for it was Burle and that fright Rose! Then he listened, and the



conversation he heard left him no doubt of the awful truth. For a

moment he lifted his stick as if to beat down the door. Then he



shuddered and, staggering back, leaned against the wall. His legs

were trembling under him, while in the darkness of the staircase he



brandished his stick as if it had been a saber.

What was to be done? After his first moment of passion there had



come thoughts of the poor old lady below. And these made him

hesitate. It was all over with the captain now; when a man sank as



low as that he was hardly worth the few shovelfuls of earth that are

thrown over carrion to prevent them from polluting the atmosphere.



Whatever might be said of Burle, however much one might try to shame

him, he would assuredly begin the next day. Ah, heavens, to think



of it! The money! The honor of the army! The name of Burle, that

respected name, dragged through the mire! By all that was holy this



could and should not be!

Presently the major softened. If he had only possessed five hundred



and forty-five francs! But he had not got such an amount. On the

previous day he had drunk too much cognac, just like a mere sub, and



had lost shockingly at cards. It served him right--he ought to have

known better! And if he was so lame he richly deserved it too; by



rights, in fact, his leg ought to be much worse.

At last he crept downstairs and rang at the bell of Mme Burle's



flat. Five minutes elapsed, and then the old lady appeared.

"I beg your pardon for keeping you waiting," she said; "I thought



that dormouse Rose was still about. I must go and shake her."

But the major detained her.



"Where is Burle?" he asked.

"Oh, he has been snoring since nine o'clock. Would you like to



knock at his door?"

"No, no, I only wanted to have a chat with you."



In the parlor Charles sat at his usual place, having just finished

his exercises. He looked terrified, and his poor little white hands



were tremulous. In point of fact, his grandmother, before sending

him to bed, was wont to read some martial stories aloud so as to



develop the latent family heroism in his bosom. That night she had

selected the episode of the Vengeur, the man-of-war freighted with



dying heroes and sinking into the sea. The child, while listening,

had become almost hysterical, and his head was racked as with some



ghastly nightmare.

Mme Burle asked the major to let her finish the perusal. "Long live



the republic!" She solemniy closed the volune. Charles was as

white as a sheet.



"You see," said the old lady, "the duty of every French soldier is

to die for his country."



"Yes, Grandmother."

Then the lad kissed her on the forehead and, shivering with fear,



went to bed in his big room, where the faintest creak of the

paneling threw him into a cold sweat.



The major had listened with a grave face. Yes, by heavens! Honor

was honor, and he would never permit that wretched Burle to disgrace



the old woman and the boy! As the lad was so devoted to the

military profession, it was necessary that he should be able to



enter Saint-Cyr with his head erect.

When Mme Burle took up the lamp to show the major out, she passed



the door of the captain's room, and stopped short, surprised to see

the key outside, which was a most unusual occurrence.



"Do go in," she said to Laguitte; "it is bad for him to sleep so

much."



And before he could interpose she had opened the door and stood




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