第57章

SeveraltimesduringtheforenoonMr。Jos’sIsidorwentfromhislodgingsintothetown，andtothegatesofthehotelsandlodging-housesroundabouttheParc，wheretheEnglishwerecongregated，andtheremingledwithothervalets，couriers，andlackeys，gatheredsuchnewsaswasabroad，andbroughtbackbulletinsforhismaster’sinformation。AlmostallthesegentlemenwereinheartpartisansoftheEmperor，andhadtheiropinionsaboutthespeedyendofthecampaign。TheEmperor’sproclamationfromAvesneshadbeendistributedeverywhereplentifullyinBrussels。”Soldiers！”itsaid，“thisistheanniversaryofMarengoandFriedland，bywhichthedestiniesofEuropeweretwicedecided。Then，asafterAusterlitz，asafterWagram，weweretoogenerous。Webelievedintheoathsandpromisesofprinceswhomwesufferedtoremainupontheirthrones。Letusmarchoncemoretomeetthem。Weandthey，arewenotstillthesamemen？Soldiers！thesesamePrussianswhoaresoarrogantto-day，werethreetooneagainstyouatJena，andsixtooneatMontmirail。ThoseamongyouwhowereprisonersinEnglandcantelltheircomradeswhatfrightfultormentstheysufferedonboardtheEnglishhulks。Madmen！amomentofprosperityhasblindedthem，andiftheyenterintoFranceitwillbetofindagravethere！”ButthepartisansoftheFrenchprophesiedamorespeedyexterminationoftheEmperor’senemiesthanthis；anditwasagreedonallhandsthatPrussiansandBritishwouldneverreturnexceptasprisonersintherearoftheconqueringarmy。

TheseopinionsinthecourseofthedaywerebroughttooperateuponMr。Sedley。HewastoldthattheDukeofWellingtonhadgonetotryandrallyhisarmy，theadvanceofwhichhadbeenutterlycrushedthenightbefore。

“Crushed，psha！”saidJos，whoseheartwasprettystoutatbreakfast-time。”TheDukehasgonetobeattheEmperorashehasbeatenallhisgeneralsbefore。”

“Hispapersareburned，hiseffectsareremoved，andhisquartersarebeinggotreadyfortheDukeofDalmatia。”

Jos’sinformantreplied。”Ihaditfromhisownmaitred’hotel。MilorDucdeRichemont’speoplearepackingupeverything。HisGracehasfledalready，andtheDuchessisonlywaitingtoseetheplatepackedtojointheKingofFranceatOstend。”

“TheKingofFranceisatGhent，fellow。”repliedJos，affectingincredulity。

“HefledlastnighttoBruges，andembarkstodayfromOstend。TheDucdeBerriistakenprisoner。Thosewhowishtobesafehadbettergosoon，forthedykeswillbeopenedto-morrow，andwhocanflywhenthewholecountryisunderwater？”

“Nonsense，sir，wearethreetoone，sir，againstanyforceBoneycanbringintothefield。”Mr。Sedleyobjected；“theAustriansandtheRussiansareontheirmarch。Hemust，heshallbecrushed。”Jossaid，slappinghishandonthetable。

“ThePrussianswerethreetooneatJena，andhetooktheirarmyandkingdominaweek。TheyweresixtooneatMontmirail，andhescatteredthemlikesheep。

TheAustrianarmyiscoming，butwiththeEmpressandtheKingofRomeatitshead；andtheRussians，bah！

theRussianswillwithdraw。NoquarteristobegiventotheEnglish，onaccountoftheircrueltytoourbravesonboardtheinfamouspontoons。Lookhere，hereitisinblackandwhite。Here’stheproclamationofhisMajestytheEmperorandKing。”saidthenowdeclaredpartisanofNapoleon，andtakingthedocumentfromhispocket，Isidorsternlythrustitintohismaster’sface，andalreadylookeduponthefroggedcoatandvaluablesashisownspoil。

Joswas，ifnotseriouslyalarmedasyet，atleastconsiderablydisturbedinmind。”Givememycoatandcap，sir，saidhe，“andfollowme。Iwillgomyselfandlearnthetruthofthesereports。”IsidorwasfuriousasJosputonthebraidedfrock。”Milorhadbetter。notwearthatmilitarycoat。”saidhe；“theFrenchmenhaveswornnottogivequartertoasingleBritishsoldier。”

“Silence，sirrah！”saidJos，witharesolutecountenancestill，andthrusthisarmintothesleevewithindomitableresolution，intheperformanceofwhichheroicacthewasfoundbyMrs。RawdonCrawley，whoatthisjuncturecameuptovisitAmelia，andenteredwithoutringingattheantechamberdoor。

Rebeccawasdressedveryneatlyandsmartly，asusual：

herquietsleepafterRawdon’sdeparturehadrefreshedher，andherpinksmilingcheekswerequitepleasanttolookat，inatownandonadaywheneverybodyelse’scountenanceworetheappearanceofthedeepestanxietyandgloom。ShelaughedattheattitudeinwhichJoswasdiscovered，andthestrugglesandconvulsionswithwhichthestoutgentlemanthrusthimselfintothebraide