the chouans-第13节

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eived　reinforcements。　The　new　minister　of　war　notified　them　that　General　Brune　was　appointed　to　command　the　troops　in　the　west　of　France。　Hulot；　whose　experience　was　known　to　the　government；　had　provisional　control　in　the　departments　of　the　Orne　and　Mayenne。　An　unusual　activity　began　to　show　itself　in　the　government　offices。　Circulars　from　the　minister　of　war　and　the　minister　of　police　gave　notice　that　vigorous　measures　entrusted　to　the　military　commanders　would　be　taken　to　stifle　the　insurrection　at　its　birth。　But　the　Chouans　and　the　Vendeans　had　profited　by　the　inaction　of　the　Directory　to　rouse　the　whole　region　and　virtually　take　possession　of　it。　A　new　Consular　proclamation　was　therefore　issued。　This　time；　it　was　the　general　speaking　to　his　troops：

　　SOLDIERS：

　　There　are　none　but　brigands；　/emigres/；　and　hirelings　of　England　　　now　remaining　in　the　West。

　　The　army　is　composed　of　more　than　fifty　thousand　brave　men。　Let　me　　　speedily　hear　from　them　that　the　rebel　chiefs　have　ceased　to　live。　　　Glory　is　won　by　toil　alone；　if　it　could　be　had　by　living　in　　　barracks　in　a　town；　all　would　have　it。

　　Soldiers；　whatever　be　the　rank　you　hold　in　the　army；　the　gratitude　　　of　the　nation　awaits　you。　To　be　worthy　of　it；　you　must　brave　the　　　inclemencies　of　weather；　ice；　snow；　and　the　excessive　coldness　of　　　the　nights；　you　must　surprise　your　enemies　at　daybreak；　and　　　exterminate　those　wretches；　the　disgrace　of　France。

　　Make　a　short　and　sure　campaign；　be　inexorable　to　those　brigands；　　　and　maintain　strict　discipline。

　　National　Guards；　join　the　strength　of　your　arms　to　that　of　the　　　line。

　　If　you　know　among　you　any　men　who　fraternize　with　the　brigands；　　　arrest　them。　Let　them　find　no　refuge；　pursue　them；　if　traitors　　　dare　to　harbor　and　defend　them；　let　them　perish　together。

〃What　a　man！〃　cried　Hulot。　〃It　is　just　as　it　was　in　the　army　of　Italy　he　rings　in　the　mass；　and　he　says　it　himself。　Don't　you　call　that　talking；　hey？〃

〃Yes；　but　he　speaks　by　himself　and　in　his　own　name；〃　said　Gerard；　who　began　to　feel　alarmed　at　the　possible　results　of　the　18th　Brumaire。

〃And　where's　the　harm；　since　he's　a　soldier？〃　said　Merle。

A　group　of　soldiers　were　clustered　at　a　little　distance　before　the　same　proclamation　posted　on　a　wall。　As　none　of　them　could　read；　they　gazed　at　it；　some　with　a　careless　eye；　others　with　curiosity；　while　two　or　three　hunted　about　for　a　citizen　who　looked　learned　enough　to　read　it　to　them。

〃Now　you　tell　us；　Clef…des…Coeurs；　what　that　rag　of　a　paper　says；〃　cried　Beau…Pied；　in　a　saucy　tone　to　his　comrade。

〃Easy　to　guess；〃　replied　Clef…des…Coeurs。

At　these　words　the　other　men　clustered　round　the　pair；　who　were　always　ready　to　play　their　parts。

〃Look　there；〃　continued　Clef…des…Coeurs；　pointing　to　a　coarse　woodcut　which　headed　the　proclamation　and　represented　a　pair　of　compasses；　which　had　lately　superseded　the　level　of　1793。　〃It　means　that　the　troopsthat's　usare　to　march　firm；　don't　you　see　the　compasses　are　open；　both　legs　apart？that's　an　emblem。〃

〃Such　much　for　your　learning；　my　lad；　it　isn't　an　emblemit's　called　a　problem。　I've　served　in　the　artillery；〃　continued　Beau…Pied；　〃and　problems　were　meat　and　drink　to　my　officers。〃

〃I　say　it's　an　emblem。〃

〃It's　a　problem。〃

〃What　will　you　bet？〃

〃Anything。〃

〃Your　German　pipe？〃

〃Done！〃

〃By　your　leave；　adjutant；　isn't　that　thing　an　emblem；　and　not　a　problem？〃　said　Clef…des…Coeurs；　following　Gerard；　who　was　thoughtfully　walking　away。

〃It　is　both；〃　he　replied；　gravely。

〃The　adjutant　was　making　fun　of　you；〃　said　Beau…Pied。　〃That　paper　means　that　our　general　in　Italy　is　promoted　Consul；　which　is　a　fine　grade；　and　we　are　to　get　shoes　and　overcoats。〃



II

ONE　OF　FOUCHE'S　IDEAS

One　morning　towards　the　end　of　Brumaire　just　as　Hulot　was　exercising　his　brigade；　now　by　order　of　his　superiors　wholly　concentrated　at　Mayenne；　a　courier　arrived　from　Alencon　with　despatches；　at　the　reading　of　which　his　face　betrayed　extreme　annoyance。

〃Forward；　then！〃　he　cried　in　an　angry　tone；　sticking　the　papers　into　the　crown　of　his　hat。　〃Two　companies　will　march　with　me　towards　Mortagne。　The　Chouans　are　there。　You　will　accompany　me；〃　he　said　to　Merle　and　Gerard。　〃May　be　I　created　a　nobleman　if　I　can　understand　one　word　of　that　despatch。　Perhaps　I'm　a　fool！　well；　anyhow；　forward；　march！　there's　no　time　to　lose。〃

〃Commandant；　by　your　leave；〃　said　Merle；　kicking　the　cover　of　the　ministerial　despatch　with　the　toe　of　his　boot；　〃what　is　there　so　exasperating　in　that？〃

〃God's　thunder！　nothing　at　allexcept　that　we　are　fooled。〃

When　the　commandant　gave　vent　to　this　military　oath　（an　object　it　must　be　said　of　Republican　atheistical　remonstrance）　it　gave　warning　of　a　storm；　the　diverse　intonations　of　the　words　were　degrees　of　a　thermometer　by　which　the　brigade　could　judge　of　the　patience　of　its　commander；　the　old　soldier's　frankness　of　nature　had　made　this　knowledge　so　easy　that　the　veriest　little　drummer…boy　knew　his　Hulot　by　heart；　simply　by　observing　the　variations　of　the　grimace　with　which　the　commander　screwed　up　his　cheek　and　snapped　his　eyes　and　vented　his　oath。　On　this　occasion　the　tone　of　smothered　rage　with　which　he　uttered　the　words　made　his　two　friends　silent　and　circumspect。　Even　the　pits　of　the　small…pox　which　dented　that　veteran　face　seemed　deeper；　and　the　skin　itself　browner　than　usual。　His　broad　queue；　braided　at　the　edges；　had　fallen　upon　one　of　his　epaulettes　as　he　replaced　his　three…cornered　hat；　and　he　flung　it　back　with　such　fury　that　the　ends　became　untied。　However；　as　he　stood　stock…still；　his　hands　clenched；　his　arms　crossed　tightly　over　his　breast；　his　mustache　bristling；　Gerard　ventured　to　ask　him　presently：　〃Are　we　to　start　at　once？〃

〃Yes；　if　the　men　have　ammunition。〃

〃They　have。〃

〃Shoulder　arms！　Left　wheel；　forward；　march！〃　cried　Gerard；　at　a　sign　from　the　commandant。

The　drum…corps　marched　at　the　head　of　the　two　companies　designated　by　Gerard。　At　the　first　roll　of　the　drums　the　commandant；　who　still　stood　plunged　in　thought；　seemed　to　rouse　himself；　and　he　left　the　town　accompanied　by　his　two　officers；　to　whom　he　said　not　a　word。　Merle　and　Gerard　looked　at　each　other　silently　as　if　to　ask；　〃How　long　is　he　going　to　keep　us　in　suspense？〃　and；　as　they　marched；　they　cautiously　kept　an　observing　eye　on　their　leader；　who　continued　to　vent　rambling　words　between　his　teeth。　Several　times　these　vague　phrases　sounded　like　oaths　in　the　ears　of　his　soldiers；　but　not　one　of　them　dared　to　utter　a　word；　for　they　all；　when　occasion　demanded；　maintained　the　stern　discipline　to　which　the　veterans　who　had　served　under　Bonaparte　in　Italy　were　accustomed。　The　greater　part　of　them　had　belonged；　like　Hulot；　to　the　famous　battalions　which　capitulated　at　Mayenne　under　a　promise　not　to　serve　again　on　the　frontier；　and　the　army　called　them　〃Les　Mayencais。〃　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　leaders　and　men　who　more　thoroughly　understood　each　other。

At　dawn　of　the　day　after　their　departure　Hulot　and　his　troop　were　on　the　high…road　to　Alencon；　about　three　miles　from　that　town　towards　Mortagne；　at　a　part　of　the　road　which　leads　through　pastures　watered　by　the　Sarthe。　A　picturesque　vista　of　these　meadows　lay　to　the　left；　while　the　woodlands　on　the　right　which　flank　the　road　and　join　the　great　forest　of　Menil…Broust；　serve　as　a　foil　to　the　delightful　aspect　of　the　river…scenery。　The　narrow　causeway　is　bordered　on　each　side　by　ditches　the　soil　of　which；　being　constantly　thrown　out　upon　the　fields；　has　formed　high　banks　covered　with　furze；the　name　given　throughout　the　West　to　this　prickly　gorse。　This　shrub；　which　spreads　itself　in　thorny　masses；　makes　excellent　fodder　in　winter　for　horses　and　cattle；　but　as　long　as　it　was　not　cut　the　Chouans　hid　themselves　behind　its　breastwork　of　dull　green。　These　banks　bristling　with　gorse；　signifying　to　travellers　their　approach　to　Brittany；　made　this　part　of　the　road　at　the　period　of　which　we　write　as　dangerous　as　it　was　beautiful；　it　was　these　dangers　which　compelled　the　hasty　departure　of　Hulot　and　his　soldiers；　and　it　was　here　that　he　at　last　let　out　the　secret　of　his　wrath。

He　was　now　on　his　return；　escorting　an　old　mail…coach　drawn　by　post…　horses；　which　the　weariness　of　his　soldiers；　after　their　forced　march；　was　compelling　to　advance　at　a　snail's　pace。　The　company　of　Blues　from　the　garrison　at　Mortagne；　who　had　escorted　the　rickety　vehicle　to　the　limits　of　their　district；　where　Hulot　and　his　men　had　met　them；　could　be　seen　in　the　distance；　on　their　way　back　to　their　quarters；　like　so　many　black　specks。　One　of　Hulot's　companies　was　in　the　rear；　the　other　in　advance　of　the　carriage。　The　commandant；　who　was　marching　with　Merle　and　Gerard　between　the　advance　guard　and　the　carriage；　suddenly　growled　out：　〃Ten　thousand　thunders！　would　you　believe　that　the　general　detached　us　from　Mayenne　to　escort　two　petticoats？〃

〃But；　commandant；〃　remarked　Gerard；　〃when　we　came　up　just　now　and　took　charge　I　observed　that　you　bowed　to　them　not　ungraciously。〃

〃Ha！　that's　the　infamy　of　it。　Those　dandies　in　Paris　ordered　the　greatest　attention　paid　to　their　damned　females。　How　dare　they　dishonor　good　and　brave　patriots　by　trailing　us　after　petticoats？　As　for　me；　I　march　straight；　and　I　don't　choose　to　have　to