signs of underlying ferocity； irregular teeth gave to the mouth； the
lips blood…red； an ironical expression full of evil audacity； the dark
and prominent cheek…bones had something animal about them。 The man was
of middle height； with strong shoulders； a thick…set neck； and the
large hairy hands of violent men capable of using their strength in a
brutal manner。 His last words pointed to some mystery； to which his
bearing； the expression of his countenance； and his whole person； gave
a sinister meaning。
〃You must be in my service； then？〃 said Veronique in a gentle voice。
〃Have I the honor of speaking to Madame Graslin？〃 asked Farrabesche。
〃Yes； my friend；〃 she answered。
Farrabesche instantly disappeared； with the rapidity of a wild animal；
after casting a glance at his mistress that was full of fear。
XIII
FARRABESCHE
Veronique hastened to mount her horse and rejoin the servants； who
were beginning to be uneasy about her； for the strange unhealthiness
of the Roche…Vive was well known throughout the neighborhood。 Colorat
begged his mistress to go down into the little valley which led to the
plain。 It would be dangerous； he said； to return by the hills； or by
the tangled paths they had followed in the morning； where； even with
his knowledge of the country； they were likely to be lost in the dusk。
Once on the plain Veronique rode slowly。
〃Who is this Farrabesche whom you employ？〃 she asked her forester。
〃Has madame met him？〃 cried Colorat。
〃Yes； but he ran away from me。〃
〃Poor man！ perhaps he does not know how kind madame is。〃
〃But what has he done？〃
〃Ah！ madame； Farrabesche is a murderer；〃 replied Champion； simply。
〃Then they pardoned him！〃 said Veronique； in a trembling voice。
〃No； madame；〃 replied Colorat； 〃Farrabesche was tried and condemned to
ten years at the galleys； he served half his time； and then he was
released on parole and came here in 1827。 He owes his life to the
rector； who persuaded him to give himself up to justice。 He had been
condemned to death by default； and sooner or later he must have been
taken and executed。 Monsieur Bonnet went to find him in the woods； all
alone； at the risk of being killed。 No one knows what he said to
Farrabesche。 They were alone together two days； on the third day the
rector brought Farrabesche to Tulle； where he gave himself up。
Monsieur Bonnet went to see a good lawyer and begged him to do his
best for the man。 Farrabesche escaped with ten years in irons。 The
rector went to visit him in prison； and that dangerous fellow； who
used to be the terror of the whole country； became as gentle as a
girl； he even let them take him to the galleys without a struggle。 On
his return he settled here by the rector's advice； no one says a word
against him； he goes to mass every Sunday and all the feast…days。
Though his place is among us he slips in beside the wall and sits
alone。 He goes to the altar sometimes and prays； but when he takes the
holy sacrament he always kneels apart。〃
〃And you say that man killed another man？〃
〃One！〃 exclaimed Colorat； 〃he killed several！ But he is a good man all
the same。〃
〃Is that possible？〃 exclaimed Veronique； letting the bridle fall on
the neck of her horse。
〃Well； you see； madame；〃 said the forester； who asked no better than
to tell the tale； 〃Farrabesche may have had good reason for what he
did。 He was the last of the Farrabesches；an old family of the
Correze； don't you know！ His elder brother； Captain Farrabesche； died
ten years earlier in Italy； at Montenotte； a captain when he was only
twenty…two years old。 Wasn't that ill…luck？ and such a lad； too！ knew
how to read and write； and bid fair to be a general。 The family
grieved terribly； and good reason； too。 As for me； I heard all about
his death； for I was serving at that time under L'AUTRE。 Oh！ he made a
fine death； did Captain Farrabesche； he saved the army and the Little
Corporal。 I was then in the division of General Steingel； a German；
that is； an Alsacian；a famous good general but rather short…sighted；
and that was the reason why he was killed soon after Captain
Farrabesche。 The younger brotherthat's this onewas only six years
old when he heard of his brother's death。 The second brother served
too； but only as a private soldier； he died a sergeant in the first
regiment of the Guard； at the battle of Austerlitz； where； d'ye see；
madame； they manoeuvred just as quietly as they might in the Carrousel。
I was there！ oh！ I had the luck of it！ went through it all without a
scratch！ Now this Farrabesche of ours； though he's a brave fellow；
took it into his head he wouldn't go to the wars； in fact； the army
wasn't a healthy place for one of his family。 So when the conscription
caught him in 1811 he ran away；a refractory； that's what they called
them。 And then it was he went and joined a party of /chauffeurs/； or
maybe he was forced to； at any rate he /chauffed/！ Nobody but the
rector knows what he really did with those brigandsall due respect
to them！ Many a fight he had with the gendarmes and the soldiers too；
I'm told he was in seven regular battles〃
〃They say he killed two soldiers and three gendarmes；〃 put in
Champion。
〃Who knows how many？he never told；〃 went on Colorat。 〃At last；
madame； they caught nearly all his comrades； but they never could
catch him； hang him！ he was so young and active； and knew the country
so well； he always escaped。 The /chauffeurs/ he consorted with kept
themselves mostly in the neighborhood of Brives and Tulle； sometimes
they came down this way； because Farrabesche knew such good hiding…
places about here。 In 1814 the conscription took no further notice of
him； because it was abolished； but for all that； he was obliged to
live in the woods in 1815； because； don't you see？ as he hadn't enough
to live on； he helped to stop a mail…coach over there； down that
gorge； and then it was they condemned him。 But； as I told you just
now； the rector persuaded him to give himself up。 It wasn't easy to
convict him； for nobody dared testify against him； and his lawyer and
Monsieur Bonnet worked so hard they got him sentenced for ten years
only； which was pretty good luck after being a /chauffeur/for he did
/chauffe/。〃
〃Will you tell me what /chauffeur/ means？〃
〃If you wish it； madame； I will tell you what they did； as far as I
know about it from others； for I never was /chauffed/ myself。 It
wasn't a good thing to do； but necessity knows no law。 Well； this is
how it was： seven or eight would go to some farmer or land…owner who
was thought to have money； the farmer would build a good fire and give
them a supper； lasting half through the night； and then； when the
feast was over； if the master of the house wouldn't give them the sum
demanded； they just fastened his feet to the spit； and didn't unfasten
them till they got it。 That's how it was。 They always went masked。
Among all their expeditions they sometimes made unlucky ones。 Hang it；
there'll always be obstinate； miserly old fellows in the world！ One of
them； a farmer； old Cochegrue； so mean he'd shave an egg； held out； he
let them roast his feet。 Well； he died of it。 The wife of Monsieur
David； near Brives； died of terror at merely seeing those fellows tie
her husband's feet。 She died saying to David： 'Give them all you
have。' He wouldn't； and so she just pointed out the hiding…place。 The
/chauffeurs/ （that's why they call them /chauffeurs/；warmers） were
the terror of the whole country for over five years。 But you must get
it well into your head；oh； excuse me； madame； but you must know that
more than one young man of good family belonged to them； though
somehow they were never the ones to be caught。〃
Madame Graslin listened without interrupting or replying。 There was
silence for a few moments； and then little Champion； jealous of the
right to amuse his mistress； wanted to tell her what he knew of the
late galley…slave。
〃Madame ought to know more about Farrabesche； he hasn't his equal at
running； or at riding a horse。 He can kill an ox with a blow of his
fist； nobody can shoot like him； he can carry seven hundred feet as
straight as a die；there！ One day they surprised him with three of
his comrades； two were wounded； one was killed；good！ Farrabesche was
all but taken。 Bah！ he just sprang on the horse of one of the
gendarmes behind the man； pricked the horse with his knife； made it
run with all its might； and so disappeared； holding the gendarme tight
round the body。 But he held him so tight that after a time he threw
the body on the ground and rode away alone on the horse and master of
the horse； and he had the cheek to go and sell it not thirty miles
from Limoges！ After that affair he hid himself for three months and
was never seen。 The authorities offered a hundred golden louis to
whoever would deliver him up。〃
〃Another time；〃 added Colorat； 〃when the prefect of Tulle offered a
hundred louis for him； he made one of his own cousins； Giriex of
Vizay； earn them。 His cousin denounced him； and appeared to deliver
him up。 Oh； yes； he delivered him sure enough！ The gendarmes were
delighted； and took him to Tulle； there they put him in the prison of
Lubersac； from which he escaped that very night； profiting by a hole
already begun by one of his accomplices who had been executed。 All
these adventures gave Farrabesche a fine reputation。 The /chauffeurs/
had lots of outside friends； people really loved them。 They were not
skinflints like those of to…day； they spent their money royally； those
fellows！ Just fancy； madame； one evening Farrabesche was chased by
gendarmes； well； he escaped them by staying twenty minutes under water
in the pond of a farm…yard。 He breathed air through a straw which he
kept above the surface of the pool； which was half muck。 But；
goodness！ what was that little disagreeableness to a man who spends
his nights in the tree…tops； where the sparrows can hardly hold
themselves； watching the soldiers going to and fro in search of him
below？ Farrabesche was one of the half…dozen /chauffeurs/ whom the
officers of justice could never lay hands on。 But as he belonged to
the region and was brought up with them； and had； as they said； only
fled th