the chouans-第20节

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〃Commandant；〃　said　the　youth；　〃it　is　time　all　this　nonsense　should　cease；　I　am　ready　to　go　with　you；　if　you　like；　to　headquarters。〃

〃And　bring　your　invisible　owl；　Marche…a…Terre？〃

〃Who　is　Marche…a…Terre？〃　asked　the　young　man；　showing　all　the　signs　of　genuine　surprise。

〃Didn't　he　hoot　just　now？〃

〃What　did　that　hooting　have　to　do　with　me；　I　should　like　to　know？　I　supposed　it　was　your　soldiers　letting　you　know　of　their　arrival。〃

〃Nonsense；　you　did　not　think　that。〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　But　do　drink　that　glass　of　Bordeaux；　the　wine　is　good。〃

Surprised　at　the　natural　behaviour　of　the　youth　and　also　by　the　frivolity　of　his　manners　and　the　youthfulness　of　his　face；　made　even　more　juvenile　by　the　careful　curling　of　his　fair　hair；　the　commandant　hesitated　in　the　midst　of　his　suspicions。　He　noticed　that　Madame　du　Gua　was　intently　watching　the　glances　that　her　son　gave　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　and　he　asked　her　abruptly：　〃How　old　are　you；　/citoyenne/？〃

〃Ah；　Monsieur　l'officier；〃　she　said；　〃the　rules　of　the　Republic　are　very　severe；　must　I　tell　you　that　I　am　thirty…eight？〃

〃May　I　be　shot　if　I　believe　it！　Marche…a…Terre　is　here；　it　was　he　who　gave　that　cry；　you　are　Chouans　in　disguise。　God's　thunder！　I'll　search　the　inn　and　make　sure　of　it！〃

Just　then　a　hoot；　somewhat　like　those　that　preceded　it；　came　from　the　courtyard；　the　commandant　rushed　out；　and　missed　seeing　the　pallor　that　covered　Madame　du　Gua's　face　as　he　spoke。　Hulot　saw　at　once　that　the　sound　came　from　a　postilion　harnessing　his　horses　to　the　coach；　and　he　cast　aside　his　suspicions；　all　the　more　because　it　seemed　absurd　to　suppose　that　the　Chouans　would　risk　themselves　in　Alencon。　He　returned　to　the　house　confounded。

〃I　forgive　him　now；　but　later　he　shall　pay　dear　for　the　anxiety　he　has　given　us；〃　said　the　mother　to　the　son；　in　a　low　voice；　as　Hulot　re…entered　the　room。

The　brave　old　officer　showed　on　his　worried　face　the　struggle　that　went　on　in　his　mind　betwixt　a　stern　sense　of　duty　and　the　natural　kindness　of　his　heart。　He　kept　his　gruff　air；　partly；　perhaps；　because　he　fancied　he　had　deceived　himself；　but　he　took　the　glass　of　Bordeaux；　and　said：　〃Excuse　me；　comrade；　but　your　Polytechnique　does　send　such　young　officers〃

〃The　Chouans　have　younger　ones；〃　said　the　youth；　laughing。

〃For　whom　did　you　take　my　son？〃　asked　Madame　du　Gua。

〃For　the　Gars；　the　leader　sent　to　the　Chouans　and　the　Vendeans　by　the　British　cabinet；　his　real　name　is　Marquis　de　Montauran。〃

The　commandant　watched　the　faces　of　the　suspected　pair；　who　looked　at　each　other　with　a　puzzled　expression　that　seemed　to　say：　〃Do　you　know　that　name？〃　〃No；　do　you？〃　〃What　is　he　talking　about？〃　〃He's　dreaming。〃

The　sudden　change　in　the　manner　of　Marie　de　Verneuil；　and　her　torpor　as　she　heard　the　name　of　the　royalist　general　was　observed　by　no　one　but　Francine；　the　only　person　to　whom　the　least　shade　on　that　young　face　was　visible。　Completely　routed；　the　commandant　picked　up　the　bits　of　his　broken　sword；　looked　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　whose　ardent　beauty　was　beginning　to　find　its　way　to　his　heart；　and　said：　〃As　for　you；　mademoiselle；　I　take　nothing　back；　and　to…morrow　these　fragments　of　my　sword　will　reach　Bonaparte；　unless〃

〃Pooh！　what　do　I　care　for　Bonaparte；　or　your　republic；　or　the　king；　or　the　Gars？〃　she　cried；　scarcely　repressing　an　explosion　of　ill…bred　temper。

A　mysterious　emotion；　the　passion　of　which　gave　to　her　face　a　dazzling　color；　showed　that　the　whole　world　was　nothing　to　the　girl　the　moment　that　one　individual　was　all　in　all　to　her。　But　she　suddenly　subdued　herself　into　forced　calmness；　observing；　like　a　trained　actor；　that　the　spectators　were　watching　her。　The　commandant　rose　hastily　and　went　out。　Anxious　and　agitated；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　followed　him；　stopped　him　in　the　corridor；　and　said；　in　an　almost　solemn　tone：　〃Have　you　any　good　reason　to　suspect　that　young　man　of　being　the　Gars？〃

〃God's　thunder！　mademoiselle；　that　fellow　who　rode　here　with　you　came　back　to　warn　me　that　the　travellers　in　the　mail…coach　had　all　been　murdered　by　the　Chouans；　I　knew　that；　but　what　I　didn't　know　was　the　name　of　the　murdered　persons；it　was　Gua　de　Saint…Cyr！〃

〃Oh！　if　Corentin　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　this；　nothing　surprises　me；〃　she　cried；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust。

The　commandant　went　his　way　without　daring　to　look　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　whose　dangerous　beauty　began　to　affect　him。

〃If　I　had　stayed　two　minutes　longer　I　should　have　committed　the　folly　of　taking　back　my　sword　and　escorting　her；〃　he　was　saying　to　himself　as　he　went　down　the　stairs。

As　Madame　du　Gua　watched　the　young　man；　whose　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　door　through　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　passed；　she　said　to　him　in　a　low　voice：　〃You　are　incorrigible。　You　will　perish　through　a　woman。　A　doll　can　make　you　forget　everything。　Why　did　you　allow　her　to　breakfast　with　us？　Who　is　a　Demoiselle　de　Verneuil　escorted　by　the　Blues；　who　accepts　a　breakfast　from　strangers　and　disarms　an　officer　with　a　piece　of　paper　hidden　in　the　bosom　of　her　gown　like　a　love…　letter？　She　is　one　of　those　contemptible　creatures　by　whose　aid　Fouche　expects　to　lay　hold　of　you；　and　the　paper　she　showed　the　commandant　ordered　the　Blues　to　assist　her　against　you。〃

〃Eh！　madame；〃　he　replied　in　a　sharp　tone　which　went　to　the　lady's　heart　and　turned　her　pale；　〃her　generous　action　disproves　your　supposition。　Pray　remember　that　the　welfare　of　the　king　is　the　sole　bond　between　us。　You；　who　have　had　Charette　at　your　feet　must　find　the　world　without　him　empty；　are　you　not　living　to　avenge　him？〃

The　lady　stood　still　and　pensive；　like　one　who　sees　from　the　shore　the　wreck　of　all　her　treasures；　and　only　the　more　eagerly　longs　for　the　vanished　property。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　re…entered　the　room；　the　young　man　exchanged　a　smile　with　her　and　gave　her　a　glance　full　of　gentle　meaning。　However　uncertain　the　future　might　seem；　however　ephemeral　their　union；　the　promises　of　their　sudden　love　were　only　the　more　endearing　to　them。　Rapid　as　the　glance　was；　it　did　not　escape　the　sagacious　eye　of　Madame　du　Gua；　who　instantly　understood　it；　her　brow　clouded；　and　she　was　unable　to　wholly　conceal　her　jealous　anger。　Francine　was　observing　her；　she　saw　the　eyes　glitter；　the　cheeks　flush；　she　thought　she　perceived　a　diabolical　spirit　in　the　face；　stirred　by　some　sudden　and　terrible　revulsion。　But　lightning　is　not　more　rapid；　nor　death　more　prompt　than　this　brief　exhibition　of　inward　emotion。　Madame　du　Gua　recovered　her　lively　manner　with　such　immediate　self…possession　that　Francine　fancied　herself　mistaken。　Nevertheless；　having　once　perceived　in　this　woman　a　violence　of　feeling　that　was　fully　equal　to　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　she　trembled　as　she　foresaw　the　clash　with　which　such　natures　might　come　together；　and　the　girl　shuddered　when　she　saw　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　go　up　to　the　young　man　with　a　passionate　look　and；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　draw　him　close　beside　her　and　into　the　light；　with　a　coquettish　glance　that　was　full　of　witchery。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　trying　to　read　his　eyes；　〃own　to　me　that　you　are　not　the　citizen　du　Gua　Saint…Cyr。〃

〃Yes；　I　am；　mademoiselle。〃

〃But　he　and　his　mother　were　killed　yesterday。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　that；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　〃However　that　may　be；　I　am　none　the　less　under　a　great　obligation　to　you；　for　which　I　shall　always　feel　the　deepest　gratitude　and　only　wish　I　could　prove　it　to　you。〃

〃I　thought　I　was　saving　an　/emigre/；　but　I　love　you　better　as　a　Republican。〃

The　words　escaped　her　lips　as　it　were　impulsively；　she　became　confused；　even　her　eyes　blushed；　and　her　face　bore　no　other　expression　than　one　of　exquisite　simplicity　of　feeling；　she　softly　released　the　young　man's　hand；　not　from　shame　at　having　pressed　it；　but　because　of　a　thought　too　weighty；　it　seemed；　for　her　heart　to　bear；　leaving　him　drunk　with　hope。　Suddenly　she　appeared　to　regret　this　freedom；　permissible　as　it　might　be　under　the　passing　circumstances　of　a　journey。　She　recovered　her　conventional　manner；　bowed　to　the　lady　and　her　son；　and　taking　Francine　with　her；　left　the　room。　When　they　reached　their　own　chamber　Francine　wrung　her　hands　and　tossed　her　arms；　as　she　looked　at　her　mistress；　saying：　〃Ah；　Marie；　what　a　crowd　of　things　in　a　moment　of　time！　who　but　you　would　have　such　adventures？〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　sprang　forward　and　clasped　Francine　round　the　neck。

〃Ah！　this　is　life　indeedI　am　in　heaven！〃

〃Or　hell；〃　retorted　Francine。

〃Yes；　hell　if　you　like！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃Here；　give　me　your　hand；　feel　my　heart；　how　it　beats。　There's　fever　in　my　veins；　the　whole　world　is　now　a　mere　nothing　to　me！　How　many　times　have　I　not　seen　that　man　in　my　dreams！　Oh！　how　beautiful　his　head　ishow　his　eyes　sparkle！〃

〃Will　he　love　you？〃　said　the　simple　peasant…woman；　in　a　quivering　voice；　her　face　full　of　sad　foreboding。

〃How　can　you　ask　me　that！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃But；　Francine；　tell　me；〃　she　added　throwing　herself　into　a　pose　that　was　half　serious；　half　comic；　〃will　it　be　very　hard　to　love　me？〃

〃No；　but　will　he　love　you　always？〃　replied　Francine；　smiling。

They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment　speechless；Francine　at　revealing　so　much　knowledge　of　life；　and　Marie　at　the　per