the chouans- 第53部分

〃Ever　with　you！〃

〃Ah！　Marie；　will　you　not　understand　me？〃

〃You　think　to　flatter　me　by　the　offer　of　your　hand　and　name；〃　she　said；　with　apparent　haughtiness；　but　looking　fixedly　at　the　marquis　as　if　to　detect　his　inmost　thought。　〃How　do　you　know　you　would　love　me　six　months　hence？　and　then　what　would　be　my　fate？　No；　a　mistress　is　the　only　woman　who　is　sure　of　a　man's　heart；　duty；　law；　society；　the　interests　of　children；　are　poor　auxiliaries。　If　her　power　lasts　it　gives　her　joys　and　flatteries　which　make　the　trials　of　life　endurable。　But　to　be　your　wife　and　become　a　drag　upon　you；rather　than　that；　I　prefer　a　passing　love　and　a　true　one；　though　death　and　misery　be　its　end。　Yes；　I　could　be　a　virtuous　mother；　a　devoted　wife；　but　to　keep　those　instincts　firmly　in　a　woman's　soul　the　man　must　not　marry　her　in　a　rush　of　passion。　Besides；　how　do　I　know　that　you　will　please　me　to…morrow？　No；　I　will　not　bring　evil　upon　you；　I　leave　Brittany；〃　she　said；　observing　hesitation　in　his　eyes。　〃I　return　to　Fougeres　now；　where　you　cannot　come　to　me〃

〃I　can！　and　if　to…morrow　you　see　smoke　on　the　rocks　of　Saint…Sulpice　you　will　know　that　I　shall　be　with　you　at　night；　your　lover；　your　husband；what　you　will　that　I　be　to　you；　I　brave　all！〃

〃Ah！　Alphonse；　you　love　me　well；〃　she　said；　passionately；　〃to　risk　your　life　before　you　give　it　to　me。〃

He　did　not　answer；　he　looked　at　her　and　her　eyes　fell；　but　he　read　in　her　ardent　face　a　passion　equal　to　his　own；　and　he　held　out　his　arms　to　her。　A　sort　of　madness　overcame　her；　and　she　let　herself　fall　softly　on　his　breast；　resolved　to　yield　to　him；　and　turn　this　yielding　to　great　results；staking　upon　it　her　future　happiness；　which　would　become　more　certain　if　she　came　victorious　from　this　crucial　test。　But　her　head　had　scarcely　touched　her　lover's　shoulder　when　a　slight　noise　was　heard　without。　She　tore　herself　from　his　arms　as　if　suddenly　awakened；　and　sprang　from　the　cottage。　Her　coolness　came　back　to　her；　and　she　thought　of　the　situation。

〃He　might　have　accepted　me　and　scorned　me；〃　she　reflected。　〃Ah！　if　I　could　think　that；　I　would　kill　him。　But　not　yet！〃　she　added；　catching　sight　of　Beau…Pied；　to　whom　she　made　a　sign　which　the　soldier　was　quick　to　understand。　He　turned　on　his　heel；　pretending　to　have　seen　nothing。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　re…entered　the　cottage；　putting　her　finger　to　her　lips　to　enjoin　silence。

〃They　are　there！〃　she　whispered　in　a　frightened　voice。

〃Who？〃

〃The　Blues。〃

〃Ah！　must　I　die　without　one　kiss！〃

〃Take　it；〃　she　said。

He　caught　her　to　him；　cold　and　unresisting；　and　gathered　from　her　lips　a　kiss　of　horror　and　of　joy；　for　while　it　was　the　first；　it　might　also　be　the　last。　Then　they　went　together　to　the　door　and　looked　cautiously　out。　The　marquis　saw　Gudin　and　his　men　holding　the　paths　leading　to　the　valley。　Then　he　turned　to　the　line　of　gates　where　the　first　rotten　trunk　was　guarded　by　five　men。　Without　an　instant's　pause　he　jumped　on　the　barrel　of　cider　and　struck　a　hole　through　the　thatch　of　the　roof；　from　which　to　spring　upon　the　rocks　behind　the　house；　but　he　drew　his　head　hastily　back　through　the　gap　he　had　made；　for　Hulot　was　on　the　height；　his　retreat　was　cut　off　in　that　direction。　The　marquis　turned　and　looked　at　his　mistress；　who　uttered　a　cry　of　despair；　for　she　heard　the　tramp　of　the　three　detachments　near　the　house。

〃Go　out　first；〃　he　said；　〃you　shall　save　me。〃

Hearing　the　words；　to　her　all…glorious；　she　went　out　and　stood　before　the　door。　The　marquis　loaded　his　musket。　Measuring　with　his　eye　the　space　between　the　door　of　the　hut　and　the　old　rotten　trunk　where　seven　men　stood；　the　Gars　fired　into　their　midst　and　sprang　forward　instantly；　forcing　a　passage　through　them。　The　three　troops　rushed　towards　the　opening　through　which　he　had　passed；　and　saw　him　running　across　the　field　with　incredible　celerity。

〃Fire！　fire！　a　thousand　devils！　You're　not　Frenchmen！　Fire；　I　say！〃　called　Hulot。

As　he　shouted　these　words　from　the　height　above；　his　men　and　Gudin's　fired　a　volley；　which　was　fortunately　ill…aimed。　The　marquis　reached　the　gate　of　the　next　field；　but　as　he　did　so　he　was　almost　caught　by　Gudin；　who　was　close　upon　his　heels。　The　Gars　redoubled　his　speed。　Nevertheless；　he　and　his　pursuer　reached　the　next　barrier　together；　but　the　marquis　dashed　his　musket　at　Gudin's　head　with　so　good　an　aim　that　he　stopped　his　rush。　It　is　impossible　to　depict　the　anxiety　betrayed　by　Marie；　or　the　interest　of　Hulot　and　his　troops　as　they　watched　the　scene。　They　all；　unconsciously　or　silently；　repeated　the　gestures　which　they　saw　the　runners　making。　The　Gars　and　Gudin　reached　the　little　wood　together；　but　as　they　did　so　the　latter　stopped　and　darted　behind　a　tree。　About　twenty　Chouans；　afraid　to　fire　at　a　distance　lest　they　should　kill　their　leader；　rushed　from　the　copse　and　riddled　the　tree　with　balls。　Hulot's　men　advanced　at　a　run　to　save　Gudin；　who；　being　without　arms；　retreated　from　tree　to　tree；　seizing　his　opportunity　as　the　Chouans　reloaded。　His　danger　was　soon　over。　Hulot　and　the　Blues　met　him　at　the　spot　where　the　marquis　had　thrown　his　musket。　At　this　instant　Gudin　perceived　his　adversary　sitting　among　the　trees　and　out　of　breath；　and　he　left　his　comrades　firing　at　the　Chouans；　who　had　retreated　behind　a　lateral　hedge；　slipping　round　them；　he　darted　towards　the　marquis　with　the　agility　of　a　wild　animal。　Observing　this　manoeuvre　the　Chouans　set　up　a　cry　to　warn　their　leader；　then；　having　fired　on　the　Blues　and　their　contingent　with　the　gusto　of　poachers；　they　boldly　made　a　rush　for　them；　but　Hulot's　men　sprang　through　the　hedge　which　served　them　as　a　rampart　and　took　a　bloody　revenge。　The　Chouans　then　gained　the　road　which　skirted　the　fields　and　took　to　the　heights　which　Hulot　had　committed　the　blunder　of　abandoning。　Before　the　Blues　had　time　to　reform；　the　Chouans　were　entrenched　behind　the　rocks；　where　they　could　fire　with　impunity　on　the　Republicans　if　the　latter　made　any　attempt　to　dislodge　them。

While　Hulot　and　his　soldiers　went　slowly　towards　the　little　wood　to　meet　Gudin；　the　men　from　Fougeres　busied　themselves　in　rifling　the　dead　Chouans　and　dispatching　those　who　still　lived。　In　this　fearful　war　neither　party　took　prisoners。　The　marquis　having　made　good　his　escape；　the　Chouans　and　the　Blues　mutually　recognized　their　respective　positions　and　the　uselessness　of　continuing　the　fight；　so　that　both　sides　prepared　to　retreat。

〃Ha！　ha！〃　cried　one　of　the　Fougeres　men；　busy　about　the　bodies；　〃here's　a　bird　with　yellow　wings。〃

And　he　showed　his　companions　a　purse　full　of　gold　which　he　had　just　found　in　the　pocket　of　a　stout　man　dressed　in　black。

〃What's　this？〃　said　another；　pulling　a　breviary　from　the　dead　man's　coat。

〃Communion　breadhe's　a　priest！〃　cried　the　first　man；　flinging　the　breviary　on　the　ground。

〃Here's　a　wretch！〃　cried　a　third；　finding　only　two　crowns　in　the　pockets　of　the　body　he　was　stripping；　〃a　cheat！〃

〃But　he's　got　a　fine　pair　of　shoes！〃　said　a　soldier；　beginning　to　pull　them　off。

〃You　can't　have　them　unless　they　fall　to　your　share；〃　said　the　Fougeres　man；　dragging　the　dead　feet　away　and　flinging　the　boots　on　a　heap　of　clothing　already　collected。

Another　Chouan　took　charge　of　the　money；　so　that　lots　might　be　drawn　as　soon　as　the　troops　were　all　assembled。　When　Hulot　returned　with　Gudin；　whose　last　attempt　to　overtake　the　Gars　was　useless　as　well　as　perilous；　he　found　about　a　score　of　his　own　men　and　thirty　of　the　contingent　standing　around　eleven　of　the　enemy；　whose　naked　bodies　were　thrown　into　a　ditch　at　the　foot　of　the　bank。

〃Soldiers！〃　cried　Hulot；　sternly。　〃I　forbid　you　to　share　that　clothing。　Form　in　line；　quick！〃

〃Commandant；〃　said　a　soldier；　pointing　to　his　shoes；　at　the　points　of　which　five　bare　toes　could　be　seen　on　each　foot；　〃all　right　about　the　money；　but　those　boots；〃　motioning　to　a　pair　of　hobnailed　boots　with　the　butt　of　his　gun；　〃would　fit　me　like　a　glove。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　put　English　shoes　on　your　feet？〃　retorted　Hulot。

〃But；〃　said　one　of　the　Fougeres　men；　respectfully；　〃we've　divided　the　booty　all　through　the　war。〃

〃I　don't　prevent　you　civilians　from　following　your　own　ways；〃　replied　Hulot；　roughly。

〃Here；　Gudin；　here's　a　purse　with　three　louis；〃　said　the　officer　who　was　distributing　the　money。　〃You　have　run　hard　and　the　commandant　won't　prevent　your　taking　it。〃

Hulot　looked　askance　at　Gudin；　and　saw　that　he　turned　pale。

〃It's　my　uncle's　purse！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man。

Exhausted　as　he　was　with　his　run；　he　sprang　to　the　mound　of　bodies；　and　the　first　that　met　his　eyes　was　that　of　his　uncle。　But　he　had　hardly　recognized　the　rubicund　face　now　furrowed　with　blue　lines；　and　seen　the　stiffened　arms　and　the　gunshot　wound　before　he　gave　a　stifled　cry；　exclaiming；　〃Let　us　be　off；　commandant。〃

The　Blues　started。　Hulot　gave　his　arm　to　his　young　friend。

〃God's　thunder！〃　he　cried。　〃Never　mind；　it　is　no　great　matter。〃

〃But　he　is　dead；〃　said　Gudin；　〃dead！　He　was　my　only　relation；　and　though　he　cursed　me；　still　he　loved　me。　If　the　king　returns；　the　neighborhood　will　want　my　head；　and　my　poor　uncle　would　have　saved　it。〃

〃What　a　fool　Gudin　is；〃　said　one　of　the　men　who　had　stayed　behind　to　share　the　spoils；　〃his　uncle　was　rich；　and　he　hasn't　had　time　to　make　a　will　and　disinherit　him。〃

The　division　over；　the　men　of　Fougeres　rejoined　the　little　battalion　of　the　Blues　on　their　way　to　the　town。

*****

Towards　midnight　the　cottage　of　Galope…Chopine；　hitherto　the　scene　of　life　without　a　care；　was　full　of　dread　and　horrible　anxiety。　Barbette　and　her　little　boy　returned　at　the　supper…hour；　one　with　her　heavy　burden　of　rushes；　the　other　carrying　fodder　for　the　cattle。　Entering　the　hut；　they　looked　about　in　vain　for　Galope…Chopine；　the　miserable　chamber　never　looked　to　them　as　large；　so　empty　was　it。　The　fire　was　out；　and　the　darkness；　the　silence；　seemed　to　tell　of　some　disaster。　Barbette　hastened　to　make　a　blaze；　and　to　light　two　/oribus/；　the　name　given　to　candles　made　of　pitch　in　the　region　between　the　villages　of　Amorique　and　the　Upper　Loire；　and　still　used　beyond　Amboise　in　the　Vendomois　districts。　Barbette　did　these　things　with　the　slowness　of　a　person　absorbed　in　one　overpowering　feeling。　She　listened　to　every　sound。　Deceived　by　the　whistling　of　the　wind　she　went　often