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his fire in soapsuds。
He put the exercise down； leaned his chin upon his hand； and looked
at me with clear； severe eyes。
'I think we must have a little talk；' said he。
'I am entirely at your disposition；' I replied； but I quaked； for I
knew what subject to expect。
'You have been some time giving me these lessons；' he went on； 'and
I am tempted to think rather well of you。 I believe you are a
gentleman。'
'I have that honour； sir；' said I。
'You have seen me for the same period。 I do not know how I strike
you； but perhaps you will be prepared to believe that I also am a
man of honour；' said he。
'I require no assurances； the thing is manifest；' and I bowed。
'Very well； then；' said he。 'What about this Goguelat？'
'You heard me yesterday before the court；' I began。 'I was
awakened only … '
'Oh yes； I 〃heard you yesterday before the court；〃 no doubt；' he
interrupted； 'and I remember perfectly that you were 〃awakened
only。〃 I could repeat the most of it by rote； indeed。 But do you
suppose that I believed you for a moment？'
'Neither would you believe me if I were to repeat it here；' said I。
'I may be wrong … we shall soon see；' says he； 'but my impression
is that you will not 〃repeat it here。〃 My impression is that you
have come into this room； and that you will tell me something
before you go out。'
I shrugged my shoulders。
'Let me explain；' he continued。 'Your evidence； of course； is
nonsense。 I put it by； and the court put it by。'
'My compliments and thanks！' said I。
'You MUST know … that's the short and the long；' he proceeded。
'All of you in shed B are bound to know。 And I want to ask you
where is the common…sense of keeping up this farce； and maintaining
this cock…and…bull story between friends。 Come； come； my good
fellow； own yourself beaten； and laugh at it yourself。'
'Well； I hear you； go ahead；' said I。 'You put your heart in it。'
He crossed his legs slowly。 'I can very well understand；' he
began； 'that precautions have had to be taken。 I dare say an oath
was administered。 I can comprehend that perfectly。' （He was
watching me all the time with his cold； bright eyes。） 'And I can
comprehend that； about an affair of honour； you would be very
particular to keep it。'
'About an affair of honour？' I repeated； like a man quite puzzled。
'It was not an affair of honour； then？' he asked。
'What was not？ I do not follow；' said I。
He gave no sign of impatience； simply sat awhile silent； and began
again in the same placid and good…natured voice： 'The court and I
were at one in setting aside your evidence。 It could not deceive a
child。 But there was a difference between myself and the other
officers； because I KNEW MY MAN and they did not。 They saw in you
a common soldier； and I knew you for a gentleman。 To them your
evidence was a leash of lies； which they yawned to hear you
telling。 Now； I was asking myself； how far will a gentleman go？
Not surely so far as to help hush a murder up？ So that … when I
heard you tell how you knew nothing of the matter； and were only
awakened by the corporal； and all the rest of it … I translated
your statements into something else。 Now； Champdivers；' he cried；
springing up lively and coming towards me with animation； 'I am
going to tell you what that was； and you are going to help me to
see justice done： how； I don't know； for of course you are under
oath … but somehow。 Mark what I'm going to say。'
At that moment he laid a heavy； hard grip upon my shoulder； and
whether he said anything more or came to a full stop at once； I am
sure I could not tell you to this day。 For； as the devil would
have it； the shoulder he laid hold of was the one Goguelat had
pinked。 The wound was but a scratch； it was healing with the first
intention； but in the clutch of Major Chevenix it gave me agony。
My head swam； the sweat poured off my face； I must have grown
deadly pale。
He removed his hand as suddenly as he had laid it there。 'What is
wrong with you？' said he。
'It is nothing；' said I。 'A qualm。 It has gone by。'
'Are you sure？' said he。 'You are as white as a sheet。'
'Oh no； I assure you！ Nothing whatever。 I am my own man again；' I
said； though I could scarce command my tongue。
'Well； shall I go on again？' says he。 'Can you follow me？'
'Oh； by all means！' said I； and mopped my streaming face upon my
sleeve； for you may be sure in those days I had no handkerchief。
'If you are sure you can follow me。 That was a very sudden and
sharp seizure；' he said doubtfully。 'But if you are sure； all
right； and here goes。 An affair of honour among you fellows would；
naturally； be a little difficult to carry out； perhaps it would be
impossible to have it wholly regular。 And yet a duel might be very
irregular in form； and； under the peculiar circumstances of the
case； loyal enough in effect。 Do you take me？ Now； as a gentleman
and a soldier。'
His hand rose again at the words and hovered over me。 I could bear
no more； and winced away from him。 'No；' I cried； 'not that。 Do
not put your hand upon my shoulder。 I cannot bear it。 It is
rheumatism；' I made haste to add。 'My shoulder is inflamed and
very painful。'
He returned to his chair and deliberately lighted a cigar。
'I am sorry about your shoulder；' he said at last。 'Let me send
for the doctor。'
'Not in the least；' said I。 'It is a trifle。 I am quite used to
it。 It does not trouble me in the smallest。 At any rate； I don't
believe in doctors。'
'All right；' said he； and sat and smoked a good while in a silence
which I would have given anything to break。 'Well；' he began
presently； 'I believe there is nothing left for me to learn。 I
presume I may say that I know all。'
'About what？' said I boldly。
'About Goguelat；' said he。
'I beg your pardon。 I cannot conceive；' said I。
'Oh；' says the major； 'the man fell in a duel； and by your hand！ I
am not an infant。'
'By no means；' said I。 'But you seem to me to be a good deal of a
theorist。'
'Shall we test it？' he asked。 'The doctor is close by。 If there
is not an open wound on your shoulder； I am wrong。 If there is … '
He waved his hand。 'But I advise you to think twice。 There is a
deuce of a nasty drawback to the experiment … that what might have
remained private between us two becomes public property。'
'Oh； well！' said I； with a laugh； 'anything rather than a doctor！
I cannot bear the breed。'
His last words had a good deal relieved me； but I was still far
from comfortable。
Major Chevenix smoked awhile； looking now at his cigar ash； now at
me。 'I'm a soldier myself；' he says presently； 'and I've been out
in my time and hit my man。 I don't want to run any one into a
corner for an affair that was at all necessary or correct。 At the
same time； I want to know that much； and I'll take your word of
honour for it。 Otherwise； I shall be very sorry； but the doctor
must be called in。'
'I neither admit anything nor deny anything；' I returned。 'But if
this form of words will suffice you； here is what I say： I give you
my parole； as a gentleman and a soldier； there has nothing taken
place amongst us prisoners that was not honourable as the day。'
'All right；' says he。 'That was all I wanted。 You can go now；
Champdivers。'
And as I was going out he added； with a laugh： 'By the bye； I ought
to apologise： I had no idea I was applying the torture！'
The same afternoon the doctor came into the courtyard with a piece
of paper in his hand。 He seemed hot and angry； and had certainly
no mind to be polite。
'Here！' he cried。 'Which of you fellows knows any English？ Oh！' …
spying me … 'there you are； what's your name！ YOU'LL do。 Tell
these fellows that the other fellow's dying。 He's booked； no use
talking； I expect he'll go by evening。 And tell them I don't envy
the feelings of the fellow who spiked him。 Tell them that first。'
I did so。
'Then you can tell 'em；' he resumed； 'that the fellow； Goggle …
what's his name？ … wants to see some of them before he gets his
marching orders。 If I got it right； he wants to kiss or embrace
you； or some sickening stuff。 Got that？ Then here's a list he's
had written； and you'd better read it out to them … I can't make
head or tail of your beastly names … and they can answer PRESENT；
and fall in against that wall。'
It was with a singular movement of incongruous feelings that I read
the first name on the list。 I had no wish to look again on my own
handiwork； my flesh recoiled from the idea； and how could I be sure
what reception he designed to give me？ The cure was in my own
hand； I could pass that first name over … the doctor wo