Part 42 (1/2)
In those days war was our universal prayer. And the following year actually brought it.
Napoleon III.'s historical new year's greeting settled the dread destiny of the year.
One day my lieutenant again came to see me; I was still his guardian.
His face beamed with joy.
”G.o.d be with you, my friend!”
It was a strange beginning.
”I suppose you've got your promotion in your pocket?”
”Not that, but an order to march. Our whole regiment goes to Lombardy, and perhaps even farther. There will be war with Italy, but pray don't say anything about it. 'Tis a State secret.”
”I knew it long ago.”
”From whom?”
”From the Chief of the Police himself. One day he summoned before him all the newspaper editors in Buda-Pest and sternly commanded them not to write a single letter as _to the preparations_ for the impending war.
And thus we heard all about the coming campaign from the very best authority.”
”Well, they certainly might have acted more discreetly than that.”
”Where, then, shall I send you your remittances in the immediate future?”
”Nowhere at all, dear friend. Bessy will remain here. n.o.body is allowed to take his wife with him, not even the Colonel; whilst from the very day on which the war begins I shall receive double pay. So give the money to Bessy.”
”I'll _send_ it to her.”
”I say _give_ it to her. Take it yourself personally.”
”I am much obliged for your confidence.”
”It is more than confidence. I wish you, while I am away, to go and see her: be her guest every day, and make yourself quite at home.”
”The deuce! Do you consider me, then, one of those ninnies to whom one can confide a pretty woman _a l'outrance_?”
”_Au contraire!_ I am convinced of the contrary. I know that in such matters no reliance can be placed upon mere honour. The only thing a man expects from his worthy comrades is discretion. I am well informed of everything. My wife has confessed everything to me: the little wooden hut on the Comorn island, and then the visit in your private room, the meeting at the Pagan Altar.... He, he, he! we know all the circ.u.mstances quite well!”
(It was an unheard of case. To think that a pretty woman should become the trumpet of her own notoriety!)
”But, my dear comrade, on my word of honour ...”
”Here we have nothing to do with words of honour. You were in love with her once, and I need have no further fear of any one who _used_ to love Bessy. Jupiter was the chief of the G.o.ds, and had the loveliest of women for his wife, yet _he_ didn't keep the ten commandments. 'Twill be better to pour pure wine into our gla.s.ses, I think.”
”But, I repeat, I don't want to pour any wine at all into my gla.s.s.”
”Stuff and nonsense! We know all about that. Bessy makes a fool of every man, and showers contempt on her wors.h.i.+ppers. Of you alone does she always speak with rapture. Whenever your name is mentioned she sighs deeply, and says, 'Ah, and I might have been his, too!'”
”That proves all the more that our relations have been purely Platonic.”