the chouans-第10节

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〃Not　kill　them；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃for　they　would　bind　your　hands；　with　all　the　respect　that　is　due　to　your　rank；　then；　having　levied　the　necessary　contribution　for　their　equipment；　subsistence；　and　munitions　from　our　enemies；　they　would　unbind　you　and　obey　you　blindly。〃

〃And　you　wish　me　to　command　such　men　under　such　circumstances？　If　my　life　is　necessary　to　the　cause　which　I　defend　allow　me　at　any　rate　to　save　the　honor　of　my　position。　If　I　withdraw　now　I　can　ignore　this　base　act。　I　will　return；　in　order　to　escort　you。〃

So　saying；　he　rapidly　disappeared。　The　young　lady　listened　to　his　receding　steps　with　evident　displeasure。　When　the　sound　on　the　dried　leaves　ceased；　she　stood　for　a　moment　as　if　confounded；　then　she　hastily　returned　to　the　Chouans。　With　a　gesture　of　contempt　she　said　to　Marche…a…Terre；　who　helped　her　to　dismount；　〃That　young　man　wants　to　make　regular　war　on　the　Republic！　Ah；　well！　he'll　get　over　that　in　a　few　days。　How　he　treated　me！〃　she　thought；　presently。

She　seated　herself　on　the　rock　where　the　marquis　had　been　sitting；　and　silently　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　coach。　It　was　one　of　the　phenomena　of　the　times；　and　not　the　least　of　them；　that　this　young　and　noble　lady　should　be　flung　by　violent　partisanship　into　the　struggle　of　monarchies　against　the　spirit　of　the　age；　and　be　driven　by　the　strength　of　her　feelings　into　actions　of　which　it　may　almost　be　said　she　was　not　conscious。　In　this　she　resembled　others　of　her　time　who　were　led　away　by　an　enthusiasm　which　was　often　productive　of　noble　deeds。　Like　her；　many　women　played　heroic　or　blameworthy　parts　in　the　fierce　struggle。　The　royalist　cause　had　no　emissaries　so　devoted　and　so　active　as　these　women；　but　none　of　the　heroines　on　that　side　paid　for　mistaken　devotion　or　for　actions　forbidden　to　their　sex；　with　a　greater　expiation　than　did　this　lady　when；　seated　on　that　wayside　rock；　she　was　forced　to　admire　the　young　leader's　noble　disdain　and　loyalty　to　principle。　Insensibly　she　dropped　into　reverie。　Bitter　memories　made　her　long　for　the　innocence　of　her　early　years；　and　regret　that　she　had　escaped　being　a　victim　of　the　Revolution　whose　victorious　march　could　no　longer　be　arrested　by　feeble　hands。

The　coach；　which；　as　we　now　see；　had　much　to　do　with　the　attack　of　the　Chouans；　had　started　from　the　little　town　of　Ernee　a　few　moments　before　the　skirmishing　began。　Nothing　pictures　a　region　so　well　as　the　state　of　its　social　material。　From　this　point　of　view　the　coach　deserves　a　mention。　The　Revolution　itself　was　powerless　to　destroy　it；　in　fact；　it　still　rolls　to　this　present　day。　When　Turgot　bought　up　the　privileges　of　a　company；　obtained　under　Louis　XIV。；　for　the　exclusive　right　of　transporting　travellers　from　one　part　of　the　kingdom　to　another；　and　instituted　the　lines　of　coaches　called　the　〃turgotines；〃　all　the　old　vehicles　of　the　former　company　flocked　into　the　provinces。　One　of　these　shabby　coaches　was　now　plying　between　Mayenne　and　Fougeres。　A　few　objectors　called　it　the　〃turgotine；〃　partly　to　mimic　Paris　and　partly　to　deride　a　minister　who　attempted　innovations。　This　turgotine　was　a　wretched　cabriolet　on　two　high　wheels；　in　the　depths　of　which　two　persons；　if　rather　fat；　could　with　difficulty　have　stowed　themselves。　The　narrow　quarters　of　this　rickety　machine　not　admitting　of　any　crowding；　and　the　box　which　formed　the　seat　being　kept　exclusively　for　the　postal　service；　the　travellers　who　had　any　baggage　were　forced　to　keep　it　between　their　legs；　already　tortured　by　being　squeezed　into　a　sort　of　little　box　in　shape　like　a　bellows。　The　original　color　of　coach　and　running…gear　was　an　insoluble　enigma。　Two　leather　curtains；　very　difficult　to　adjust　in　spite　of　their　long　service；　were　supposed　to　protect　the　occupants　from　cold　and　rain。　The　driver；　perched　on　a　plank　seat　like　those　of　the　worst　Parisian　〃coucous；〃　shared　in　the　conversation　by　reason　of　his　position　between　his　victims；　biped　and　quadruped。　The　equipage　presented　various　fantastic　resemblances　to　decrepit　old　men　who　have　gone　through　a　goodly　number　of　catarrhs　and　apoplexies　and　whom　death　respects；　it　moaned　as　it　rolled；　and　squeaked　spasmodically。　Like　a　traveller　overtaken　by　sleep；　it　rocked　alternately　forward　and　back；　as　though　it　tried　to　resist　the　violent　action　of　two　little　Breton　horses　which　dragged　it　along　a　road　which　was　more　than　rough。　This　monument　of　a　past　era　contained　three　travellers；　who；　on　leaving　Ernee；　where　they　had　changed　horses；　continued　a　conversation　begun　with　the　driver　before　reaching　the　little　town。

〃What　makes　you　think　the　Chouans　are　hereabouts？〃　said　the　coachman。　〃The　Ernee　people　tell　me　that　Commandant　Hulot　has　not　yet　started　from　Fougeres。〃

〃Ho；　ho；　friend　driver！〃　said　the　youngest　of　the　travellers；　〃you　risk　nothing　but　your　own　carcass！　If　you　had　a　thousand　francs　about　you；　as　I　have；　and　were　known　to　be　a　good　patriot；　you　wouldn't　take　it　so　easy。〃

〃You　are　pretty　free　with　your　tongue；　any　way；〃　said　the　driver；　shaking　his　head。

〃Count　your　lambs；　and　the　wolf　will　eat　them；〃　remarked　another　of　the　travellers。

This　man；　who　was　dressed　in　black；　seemed　to　be　about　forty　years　old；　and　was；　probably；　the　rector　of　some　parish　in　the　neighborhood。　His　chin　rested　on　a　double　fold　of　flesh；　and　his　florid　complexion　indicated　a　priest。　Though　short　and　fat；　he　displayed　some　agility　when　required　to　get　in　or　out　of　the　vehicle。

〃Perhaps　you　are　both　Chouans！〃　cried　the　man　of　the　thousand　francs；　whose　ample　goatskin；　covering　trousers　of　good　cloth　and　a　clean　waistcoat；　bespoke　a　rich　farmer。　〃By　the　soul　of　Saint　Robespierre！　I　swear　you　shall　be　roughly　handled。〃

He　turned　his　gray　eyes　from　the　driver　to　his　fellow…travellers　and　showed　them　a　pistol　in　his　belt。

〃Bretons　are　not　afraid　of　that；〃　said　the　rector；　disdainfully。　〃Besides；　do　we　look　like　men　who　want　your　money？〃

Every　time　the　word　〃money〃　was　mentioned　the　driver　was　silent；　and　the　rector　had　wit　enough　to　doubt　whether　the　patriot　had　any　at　all；　and　to　suspect　that　the　driver　was　carrying　a　good　deal。

〃Are　you　well　laden；　Coupiau？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh；　no；　Monsieur　Gudin；〃　replied　the　coachman。　〃I'm　carrying　next　to　nothing。〃

The　priest　watched　the　faces　of　the　patriot　and　Coupiau　as　the　latter　made　this　answer；　and　both　were　imperturbable。

〃So　much　the　better　for　you；〃　remarked　the　patriot。　〃I　can　now　take　measures　to　save　my　property　in　case　of　danger。〃

Such　despotic　assumption　nettled　Coupiau；　who　answered　gruffly：　〃I　am　the　master　of　my　own　carriage；　and　so　long　as　I　drive　you〃

〃Are　you　a　patriot；　or　are　you　a　Chouan？〃　said　the　other；　sharply　interrupting　him。

〃Neither　the　one　nor　the　other；〃　replied　Coupiau。　〃I'm　a　postilion；　and；　what　is　more；　a　Breton；consequently；　I　fear　neither　Blues　nor　nobles。〃

〃Noble　thieves！〃　cried　the　patriot；　ironically。

〃They　only　take　back　what　was　stolen　from　them；〃　said　the　rector；　vehemently。

The　two　men　looked　at　each　other　in　the　whites　of　their　eyes；　if　we　may　use　a　phrase　so　colloquial。　Sitting　back　in　the　vehicle　was　a　third　traveller　who　took　no　part　in　the　discussion；　and　preserved　a　deep　silence。　The　driver　and　the　patriot　and　even　Gudin　paid　no　attention　to　this　mute　individual；　he　was；　in　truth；　one　of　those　uncomfortable；　unsocial　travellers　who　are　found　sometimes　in　a　stage…　coach；　like　a　patient　calf　that　is　being　carried；　bound；　to　the　nearest　market。　Such　travellers　begin　by　filling　their　legal　space；　and　end　by　sleeping；　without　the　smallest　respect　for　their　fellow…　beings；　on　a　neighbor's　shoulder。　The　patriot；　Gudin；　and　the　driver　had　let　him　alone；　thinking　him　asleep；　after　discovering　that　it　was　useless　to　talk　to　a　man　whose　stolid　face　betrayed　an　existence　spent　in　measuring　yards　of　linen；　and　an　intellect　employed　in　selling　them　at　a　good　percentage　above　cost。　This　fat　little　man；　doubled…up　in　his　corner；　opened　his　porcelain…blue　eyes　every　now　and　then；　and　looked　at　each　speaker　with　a　sort　of　terror。　He　appeared　to　be　afraid　of　his　fellow…travellers　and　to　care　very　little　about　the　Chouans。　When　he　looked　at　the　driver；　however；　they　seemed　to　be　a　pair　of　free…masons。　Just　then　the　first　volley　of　musketry　was　heard　on　La　Pelerine。　Coupiau；　frightened；　stopped　the　coach。

〃Oh！　oh！〃　said　the　priest；　as　if　he　had　some　means　of　judging；　〃it　is　a　serious　engagement；　there　are　many　men。〃

〃The　trouble　for　us；　Monsieur　Gudin；〃　cried　Coupiau；　〃is　to　know　which　side　will　win。〃

The　faces　of　all　became　unanimously　anxious。

〃Let　us　put　up　the　coach　at　that　inn　which　I　see　over　there；〃　said　the　patriot；　〃we　can　hide　it　till　we　know　the　result　of　the　fight。〃

The　advice　seemed　so　good　that　Coupiau　followed　it。　The　patriot　helped　him　to　conceal　the　coach　behind　a　wood…pile；　the　abbe　seized　the　occasion　to　pull　Coupiau　aside　and　say　to　him；　in　a　low　voice：　〃Has　he　really　any　money？〃

〃Hey；　Monsieur　Gudin；　if　it　gets　into　the　pockets　of　your　Reverence；　they　won't　be　weighed　down　with　it。〃

When　the　Blues　marched　by；　after　the　encounter　on　La　Pelerine；　they　were　in　such　haste　to　reach　Ernee　that　they　passed　the　little　inn　without　halting。　At　the　sound　of　their　hasty　march；　Gudin　and　the　innkeeper；　stirred　by　curiosity；　went