the chouans-第30节

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few　favorable　looks　wouldn't　you　feel　at　the　bottom　of　your　soul　a　respect　for　her？　A　certain　lady　has　prejudiced　you。　I　will　tell　you　this：　if　she　were　the　lost　creature　our　friends　are　trying　to　make　her　out；　I　would；　after　what　she　and　I　have　said　to　each　other；　kill　her　myself。〃

〃Do　you　suppose；〃　said　Madame　du　Gua；　joining　them；　〃that　Fouche　is　fool　enough　to　send　you　a　common　prostitute　out　of　the　streets？　He　has　provided　seductions　according　to　your　deserts。　You　may　choose　to　be　blind；　but　your　friends　are　keeping　their　eyes　open　to　protect　you。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　Gars；　his　eyes　flashing　with　anger；　〃be　warned；　take　no　steps　against　that　lady；　nor　against　her　escort；　if　you　do；　nothing　shall　save　you　from　my　vengeance。　I　choose　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　is　to　be　treated　with　the　utmost　respect；　and　as　a　lady　belonging　to　my　family。　We　are；　I　believe；　related　to　the　de　Verneuils。〃

The　opposition　the　marquis　was　made　to　feel　produced　the　usual　effect　of　such　obstacles　on　all　young　men。　Though　he　had；　apparently；　treated　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　rather　lightly；　and　left　it　to　be　supposed　that　his　passion　for　her　was　a　mere　caprice；　he　now；　from　a　feeling　of　pride；　made　immense　strides　in　his　relation　to　her。　By　openly　protecting　her；　his　honor　became　concerned　in　compelling　respect　to　her　person；　and　he　went　from　group　to　group　assuring　his　friends；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　whom　it　was　dangerous　to　contradict；　that　the　lady　was　really　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　The　doubts　and　gossip　ceased　at　once。　As　soon　as　Montauran　felt　that　harmony　was　restored　and　anxiety　allayed；　he　returned　to　his　mistress　eagerly；　saying　in　a　low　voice：

〃Those　mischievous　people　have　robbed　me　of　an　hour's　happiness。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　have　come　back　to　me；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃I　warn　you　that　I　am　inquisitive；　therefore　you　must　not　get　tired　of　my　questions。　Tell　me；　in　the　first　place；　who　is　that　worthy　in　a　green　cloth　jacket？〃

〃That　is　the　famous　Major　Brigaut；　a　man　from　the　Marais；　a　comrade　of　the　late　Mercier；　called　La　Vendee。〃

〃And　that　fat　priest　with　the　red　face　to　whom　he　is　talking　at　this　moment　about　me？〃　she　went　on。

〃Do　you　want　to　know　what　they　are　saying？〃

〃Do　I　want　to　know　it？　What　a　useless　question！〃

〃But　I　could　not　tell　it　without　offending　you。〃

〃If　you　allow　me　to　be　insulted　in　your　house　without　avenging　me；　marquis；　adieu！〃　she　said。　〃I　will　not　stay　another　moment。　I　have　some　qualms　already　about　deceiving　these　poor　Republicans；　loyal　and　confiding　as　they　are！〃

She　made　a　few　hasty　steps；　the　marquis　followed　her。

〃Dear　Marie；　listen　to　me。　On　my　honor；　I　have　silenced　their　evil　speaking；　without　knowing　whether　it　was　false　or　true。　But；　placed　as　I　am；　if　friends　whom　we　have　in　all　the　ministries　in　Paris　warn　me　to　beware　of　every　woman　I　meet；　and　assure　me　that　Fouche　has　employed　against　me　a　Judith　of　the　streets；　it　is　not　unnatural　that　my　best　friends　here　should　think　you　too　beautiful　to　be　an　honest　woman。〃

As　he　spoke　the　marquis　plunged　a　glance　into　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　eyes。　She　colored；　and　was　unable　to　restrain　her　tears。

〃I　deserve　these　insults；〃　she　said。　〃I　wish　you　really　thought　me　that　despicable　creature　and　still　loved　me；　then；　indeed；　I　could　no　longer　doubt　you。　I　believed　in　you　when　you　were　deceiving　me；　and　you　will　not　believe　me　now　when　I　am　true。　Let　us　make　an　end　of　this；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　frowning；　but　turning　pale　as　death；　〃adieu！〃

She　rushed　towards　the　dining…room　with　a　movement　of　despair。

〃Marie；　my　life　is　yours；〃　said　the　young　marquis　in　her　ear。

She　stopped　short　and　looked　at　him。

〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　be　generous。　Farewell。　In　coming　with　you　here　I　did　not　think　of　my　past　nor　of　your　futureI　was　beside　myself。〃

〃You　cannot　mean　that　you　will　leave　me　now　when　I　offer　you　my　life？〃

〃You　offer　it　in　a　moment　of　passionof　desire。〃

〃I　offer　it　without　regret；　and　forever；〃　he　replied。

She　returned　to　the　room　they　had　left。　Hiding　his　emotions　the　marquis　continued　the　conversation。

〃That　fat　priest　whose　name　you　asked　is　the　Abbe　Gudin；　a　Jesuit；　obstinate　enoughperhaps　I　ought　to　say　devoted　enough；to　remain　in　France　in　spite　of　the　decree　of　1793；　which　banished　his　order。　He　is　the　firebrand　of　the　war　in　these　regions　and　a　propagandist　of　the　religious　association　called　the　Sacre…Coeur。　Trained　to　use　religion　as　an　instrument；　he　persuades　his　followers　that　if　they　are　killed　they　will　be　brought　to　life　again；　and　he　knows　how　to　rouse　their　fanaticism　by　shrewd　sermons。　You　see；　it　is　necessary　to　work　upon　every　man's　selfish　interests　to　attain　a　great　end。　That　is　the　secret　of　all　political　success。〃

〃And　that　vigorous；　muscular　old　man；　with　the　repulsive　face；　who　is　he？　I　mean　the　one　in　the　ragged　gown　of　a　barrister。〃

〃Barrister！　he　aspires　to　be　considered　a　brigadier…general。　Did　you　never　hear　of　de　Longuy？〃

〃Is　that　he！〃　exclaimed　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　horrified。　〃You　employ　such　men　as　that？〃

〃Hush！　he'll　hear　you。　Do　you　see　that　other　man　in　malignant　conversation　with　Madame　du　Gua？〃

〃The　one　in　black　who　looks　like　a　judge？〃

〃That　is　one　of　our　go…betweens；　La　Billardiere；　son　of　a　councillor　to　the　Breton　Parliament；　whose　real　name　is　something　like　Flamet；　he　is　in　close　correspondence　with　the　princes。〃

〃And　his　neighbor？　the　one　who　is　just　putting　up　his　white　clay　pipe；　and　uses　all　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand　to　snap　the　box；　like　a　countryman。〃

〃By　Jove；　you　are　right；　he　was　game…keeper　to　the　deceased　husband　of　that　lady；　and　now　commands　one　of　the　companies　I　send　against　the　Republican　militia。　He　and　Marche…a…Terre　are　the　two　most　conscientious　vassals　the　king　has　here。〃

〃But　shewho　is　she？〃

〃Charette's　last　mistress；〃　replied　the　marquis。　〃She　wields　great　influence　over　all　these　people。〃

〃Is　she　faithful　to　his　memory？〃

For　all　answer　the　marquis　gave　a　dubious　smile。

〃Do　you　think　well　of　her？〃

〃You　are　very　inquisitive。〃

〃She　is　my　enemy　because　she　can　no　longer　be　my　rival；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　laughing。　〃I　forgive　her　her　past　errors　if　she　forgives　mine。　Who　is　that　officer　with　the　long　moustache？〃

〃Permit　me　not　to　name　him；　he　wants　to　get　rid　of　the　First　Consul　by　assassination。　Whether　he　succeeds　or　not　you　will　hear　of　him。　He　is　certain　to　become　famous。〃

〃And　you　have　come　here　to　command　such　men　as　these！〃　she　exclaimed　in　horror。　〃Are　/they/　they　king's　defenders？　Where　are　the　gentlemen　and　the　great　lords？〃

〃Where？〃　said　the　marquis；　coolly；　〃they　are　in　all　the　courts　of　Europe。　Who　else　should　win　over　kings　and　cabinets　and　armies　to　serve　the　Bourbon　cause　and　hurl　them　at　that　Republic　which　threatens　monarchies　and　social　order　with　death　and　destruction？〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　with　generous　emotion；　〃be　to　me　henceforth　the　source　from　which　I　draw　the　ideas　I　must　still　acquire　about　your　causeI　consent。　But　let　me　still　remember　that　you　are　the　only　noble　who　does　his　duty　in　fighting　France　with　Frenchmen；　without　the　help　of　foreigners。　I　am　a　woman；　I　feel　that　if　my　child　struck　me　in　anger　I　could　forgive　him；　but　if　he　saw　me　beaten　by　a　stranger；　and　consented　to　it；　I　should　regard　him　as　a　monster。〃

〃You　shall　remain　a　Republican；〃　said　the　marquis；　in　the　ardor　produced　by　the　generous　words　which　confirmed　his　hopes。

〃Republican！　no；　I　am　that　no　longer。　I　could　not　now　respect　you　if　you　submitted　to　the　First　Consul；〃　she　replied。　〃But　neither　do　I　like　to　see　you　at　the　head　of　men　who　are　pillaging　a　corner　of　France；　instead　of　making　war　against　the　whole　Republic。　For　whom　are　you　fighting？　What　do　you　expect　of　a　king　restored　to　his　throne　by　your　efforts？　A　woman　did　that　great　thing　once；　and　the　liberated　king　allowed　her　to　be　burned。　Such　men　are　the　anointed　of　the　Lord；　and　there　is　danger　in　meddling　with　sacred　things。　Let　God　take　care　of　his　own；　and　place；　displace；　and　replace　them　on　their　purple　seats。　But　if　you　have　counted　the　cost；　and　seen　the　poor　return　that　will　come　to　you；　you　are　tenfold　greater　in　my　eyes　than　I　thought　you〃

〃Ah！　you　are　bewitching。　Don't　attempt　to　indoctrinate　my　followers；　or　I　shall　be　left　without　a　man。〃

〃If　you　would　let　me　convert　you；　only　you；〃　she　said；　〃we　might　live　happily　a　thousand　leagues　away　from　all　this。〃

〃These　men　whom　you　seem　to　despise；〃　said　the　marquis；　in　a　graver　tone；　〃will　know　how　to　die　when　the　struggle　comes；　and　all　their　misdeeds　will　be　forgotten。　Besides；　if　my　efforts　are　crowned　with　some　success；　the　laurel　leaves　of　victory　will　hide　all。〃

〃I　see　no　one　but　you　who　is　risking　anything。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　I　am　not　the　only　one；〃　he　replied；　with　true　modesty。　〃See；　over　there；　the　new　leaders　from　La　Vendee。　The　first；　whom　you　must　have　heard　of　as　'Le　Grand　Jacques；'　is　the　Comte　de　Fontain；　the　other　is　La　Billardiere；　whom　I　mentioned　to　you　just　now。〃

〃Have　you　forgotten　Quiberon；　where　La　Billardiere　played　so　equivocal　a　part？〃　she　said；　struck　by　a　sudden　recollection。

〃La　Billardiere　took　a　great　deal　upon　himself。　Serving　princes　is　far　from　lying　on　a　bed　of　roses。〃

〃Ah！　you　make　me　shu