the chouans- 第42部分

〃Francine；　my　dear；　I　am　going　on　an　excursion　into　the　country；　do　you　want　to　go　with　me；　or　will　you　stay　behind？〃

〃Stay　behind！〃　exclaimed　Francine；　〃then　who　would　dress　you？〃

〃Where　have　you　put　that　glove　I　gave　you　this　morning？〃

〃Here　it　is。〃

〃Sew　this　green　ribbon　into　it；　and；　above　all；　take　plenty　of　money。〃　Then　noticing　that　Francine　was　taking　out　a　number　of　the　new　Republican　coins；　she　cried　out；　〃Not　those；　they　would　get　us　murdered。　Send　Jeremie　to　Corentinno；　stay；　the　wretch　would　follow　mesend　to　the　commandant；　ask　him　from　me　for　some　six…franc　crowns。〃

With　the　feminine　sagacity　which　takes　in　the　smallest　detail；　she　thought　of　everything。　While　Francine　was　completing　the　arrangements　for　this　extraordinary　trip；　Marie　practised　the　art　of　imitating　an　owl；　and　so　far　succeeded　in　rivalling　Marche…a…Terre　that　the　illusion　was　a　good　one。　At　midnight　she　left　Fougeres　by　the　gate　of　Saint…Leonard；　took　the　little　path　to　Nid…aux…Crocs；　and　started；　followed　by　Francine；　to　cross　the　Val　de　Gibarry　with　a　firm　step；　under　the　impulse　of　that　strong　will　which　gives　to　the　body　and　its　bearing　such　an　expression　of　force。　To　leave　a　ball…room　with　sufficient　care　to　avoid　a　cold　is　an　important　affair　to　the　health　of　a　woman；　but　let　her　have　a　passion　in　her　heart；　and　her　body　becomes　adamant。　Such　an　enterprise　as　Marie　had　now　undertaken　would　have　floated　in　a　bold　man's　mind　for　a　long　time；　but　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　no　sooner　thought　of　it　than　its　dangers　became　to　her　attractions。

〃You　are　starting　without　asking　God　to　bless　you；〃　said　Francine；　turning　to　look　at　the　tower　of　Saint…Leonard。

The　pious　Breton　stopped；　clasped　her　hands；　and　said　an　〃Ave〃　to　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　imploring　her　to　bless　their　expedition；　during　which　time　her　mistress　waited　pensively；　looking　first　at　the　artless　attitude　of　her　maid　who　was　praying　fervently；　and　then　at　the　effects　of　the　vaporous　moonlight　as　it　glided　among　the　traceries　of　the　church　building；　giving　to　the　granite　all　the　delicacy　of　filagree。　The　pair　soon　reached　the　hut　of　Galope…Chopine。　Light　as　their　steps　were　they　roused　one　of　those　huge　watch…dogs　on　whose　fidelity　the　Bretons　rely；　putting　no　fastening　to　their　doors　but　a　simple　latch。　The　dog　ran　to　the　strangers；　and　his　bark　became　so　threatening　that　they　were　forced　to　retreat　a　few　steps　and　call　for　help。　But　no　one　came。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　then　gave　the　owl's　cry；　and　instantly　the　rusty　hinges　of　the　door　made　a　creaking　sound；　and　Galope…Chopine；　who　had　risen　hastily；　put　out　his　head。

〃I　wish　to　go　to　Saint…James；〃　said　Marie；　showing　the　Gars'　glove。　〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Bauvan　told　me　that　you　would　take　me　there　and　protect　me　on　the　way。　Therefore　be　good　enough　to　get　us　two　riding　donkeys；　and　make　yourself　ready　to　go　with　us。　Time　is　precious；　for　if　we　do　not　get　to　Saint…James　before　to…morrow　night　I　can　neither　see　the　ball　nor　the　Gars。〃

Galope…Chopine；　completely　bewildered；　took　the　glove　and　turned　it　over　and　over；　after　lighting　a　pitch　candle　about　a　finger　thick　and　the　color　of　gingerbread。　This　article　of　consumption；　imported　into　Brittany　from　the　North；　was　only　one　more　proof　to　the　eyes　in　this　strange　country　of　a　utter　ignorance　of　all　commercial　principles；　even　the　commonest。　After　seeing　the　green　ribbon；　staring　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　scratching　his　ear；　and　drinking　a　beaker　of　cider　（having　first　offered　a　glass　to　the　beautiful　lady）；　Galope…　Chopine　left　her　seated　before　the　table　and　went　to　fetch　the　required　donkeys。

The　violet　gleam　cast　by　the　pitch　candle　was　not　powerful　enough　to　counteract　the　fitful　moonlight；　which　touched　the　dark　floor　and　furniture　of　the　smoke…blackened　cottage　with　luminous　points。　The　little　boy　had　lifted　his　pretty　head　inquisitively；　and　above　it　two　cows　were　poking　their　rosy　muzzles　and　brilliant　eyes　through　the　holes　in　the　stable　wall。　The　big　dog；　whose　countenance　was　by　no　means　the　least　intelligent　of　the　family；　seemed　to　be　examining　the　strangers　with　as　much　curiosity　as　the　little　boy。　A　painter　would　have　stopped　to　admire　the　night　effects　of　this　scene；　but　Marie；　not　wishing　to　enter　into　conversation　with　Barbette；　who　sat　up　in　bed　and　began　to　show　signs　of　amazement　at　recognizing　her；　left　the　hovel　to　escape　its　fetid　air　and　the　questions　of　its　mistress。　She　ran　quickly　up　the　stone　staircase　behind　the　cottage；　admiring　the　vast　details　of　the　landscape；　the　aspect　of　which　underwent　as　many　changes　as　spectators　made　steps　either　upward　to　the　summits　or　downward　to　the　valleys。　The　moonlight　was　now　enveloping　like　a　luminous　mist　the　valley　of　Couesnon。　Certainly　a　woman　whose　heart　was　burdened　with　a　despised　love　would　be　sensitive　to　the　melancholy　which　that　soft　brilliancy　inspires　in　the　soul；　by　the　weird　appearance　it　gives　to　objects　and　the　colors　with　which　it　tints　the　streams。

The　silence　was　presently　broken　by　the　braying　of　a　donkey。　Marie　went　quickly　back　to　the　hut；　and　the　party　started。　Galope…Chopine；　armed　with　a　double…barrelled　gun；　wore　a　long　goatskin；　which　gave　him　something　the　look　of　Robinson　Crusoe。　His　blotched　face；　seamed　with　wrinkles；　was　scarcely　visible　under　the　broad…brimmed　hat　which　the　Breton　peasants　still　retain　as　a　tradition　of　the　olden　time；　proud　to　have　won；　after　their　servitude；　the　right　to　wear　the　former　ornament　of　seignorial　heads。　This　nocturnal　caravan；　protected　by　a　guide　whose　clothing；　attitudes；　and　person　had　something　patriarchal　about　them；　bore　no　little　resemblance　to　the　Flight　into　Egypt　as　we　see　it　represented　by　the　sombre　brush　of　Rembrandt。　Galope…Chopine　carefully　avoided　the　main…road　and　guided　the　two　women　through　the　labyrinth　of　by…ways　which　intersect　Brittany。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　then　understood　the　Chouan　warfare。　In　threading　these　complicated　paths；　she　could　better　appreciate　the　condition　of　a　country　which　when　she　saw　it　from　an　elevation　had　seemed　to　her　so　charming；　but　into　which　it　was　necessary　to　penetrate　before　the　dangers　and　inextricable　difficulties　of　it　could　be　understood。　Round　each　field；　and　from　time　immemorial；　the　peasants　have　piled　mud　walls；　about　six　feet　high；　and　prismatic　in　shape；　on　the　top　of　which　grow　chestnuts；　oaks　and　beeches。　The　walls　thus　planted　are　called　hedges　（Norman　hedges）　and　the　long　branches　of　the　trees　sweeping　over　the　pathways　arch　them。　Sunken　between　these　walls　（made　of　a　clay　soil）　the　paths　are　like　the　covered　ways　of　a　fortification；　and　where　the　granite　rock；　which　in　these　regions　comes　to　the　surface　of　the　ground；　does　not　make　a　sort　of　rugged　natural　pavement；　they　become　so　impracticable　that　the　smallest　vehicles　can　only　be　drawn　over　them　by　two　pairs　of　oxen　or　Breton　horses；　which　are　small　but　usually　vigorous。　These　by…ways　are　so　swampy　that　foot…passengers　have　gradually　by　long　usage　made　other　paths　beside　them　on　the　hedge…banks　which　are　called　〃rotes〃；　and　these　begin　and　end　with　each　division　into　fields。　In　order　to　cross　from　one　field　to　another　it　is　necessary　to　climb　the　clay　banks　by　means　of　steps　which　are　often　very　slippery　after　a　rain。

Travellers　have　many　other　obstacles　to　encounter　in　these　intricate　paths。　Thus　surrounded；　each　field　is　closed　by　what　is　called　in　the　West　an　/echalier/。　That　is　a　trunk　or　stout　branch　of　a　tree；　one　end　of　which；　being　pierced；　is　fitted　to　an　upright　post　which　serves　as　a　pivot　on　which　it　turns。　One　end　of　the　/echalier/　projects　far　enough　beyond　the　pivot　to　hold　a　weight；　and　this　singular　rustic　gate；　the　post　of　which　rests　in　a　hole　made　in　the　bank；　is　so　easy　to　work　that　a　child　can　handle　it。　Sometimes　the　peasants　economize　the　stone　which　forms　the　weight　by　lengthening　the　trunk　or　branch　beyond　the　pivot。　This　method　of　enclosure　varies　with　the　genius　of　each　proprietor。　Sometimes　it　consists　of　a　single　trunk　or　branch；　both　ends　of　which　are　embedded　in　the　bank。　In　other　places　it　looks　like　a　gate；　and　is　made　of　several　slim　branches　placed　at　regular　distances　like　the　steps　of　a　ladder　lying　horizontally。　The　form　turns；　like　the　/echalier/；　on　a　pivot。　These　〃hedges〃　and　/echaliers/　give　the　region　the　appearance　of　a　huge　chess…board；　each　field　forming　a　square；　perfectly　isolated　from　the　rest；　closed　like　a　fortress　and　protected　by　ramparts。　The　gate；　which　is　very　easy　to　defend；　is　a　dangerous　spot　for　assailants。　The　Breton　peasant　thinks　he　improves　his　fallow　land　by　encouraging　the　growth　of　gorse；　a　shrub　so　well　treated　in　these　regions　that　it　soon　attains　the　height　of　a　man。　This　delusion；　worthy　of　a　population　which　puts　its　manure　on　the　highest　spot　in　the　courtyard；　has　covered　the　soil　to　a　proportion　of　one　fourth　with　masses　of　gorse；　in　the　midst　of　which　a　thousand　men　might　ambush。　Also　there　is　scarcely　a　field　without　a　number　of　old　apple…trees；　the　fruit　being　used　for　cider；　which　kill　the　vegetation　wherever　their　branches　cover　the　ground。　Now；　if　the　reader　will　reflect　on　the　small　extent　of　open　ground　within　these　hedges　and　large　trees　whose　hungry　roots　impoverish　the　soil；　he　will　have　an　idea　of　the　cultivation　and　general　character　of　the　region　through　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　now　passing。

It　is　difficult　to　say　whether　the　object　of　these　enclosures　is　to　avoid　all　disputes　of　possession；　or　whether　the　custom　is　a　lazy　one　of　keeping　the　cattle　from　straying；　without　the　trouble　of　watching　them；　at　any　rate　such　formidable　barriers　are　permanent　obstacles；　which　make　these　regions　impenetrable　and　ordinary　warfare　impossible。　There　lies　the　whole　secret　of　the　Chouan　war。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　saw　plainly　the　necessity　the　Republic　was　under　to　strangle　the　disaffection　by　means　of　police　and　by　negotiation；　rather　than　by　a　useless　employment　of　military　force。　What　could　be　done；　in　fact；　with　a　people　wise　enough　to　despise　the　possession　of　towns；　and　hold　to　that　of　an　open　country　already　furnished　with　indestructible　fortifications？　Surely；　nothing　except　negotiate；　especially　as　the　whole　active　strength　of　these　deluded　peasants　lay　in　a　single　able　and　enterprising　leader。　She　admire