the chouans-第38节

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and　on　the　west　by　the　inaccessible　granite　rock　on　which　it　stands。

Seen　from　the　Promenade；　this　magnificent　relic　of　the　Middle　Ages；　wrapped　in　its　ivy　mantle；　adorned　with　its　square　or　rounded　towers；　in　either　of　which　a　whole　regiment　could　be　quartered；the　castle；　the　town；　and　the　rock；　protected　by　walls　with　sheer　surfaces；　or　by　the　glacis　of　the　fortifications；　form　a　huge　horseshoe；　lined　with　precipices；　on　which　the　Bretons　have；　in　course　of　ages；　cut　various　narrow　footways。　Here　and　there　the　rocks　push　out　like　architectural　adornments。　Streamlets　issue　from　the　fissures；　where　the　roots　of　stunted　trees　are　nourished。　Farther　on；　a　few　rocky　slopes；　less　perpendicular　than　the　rest；　afford　a　scanty　pasture　for　the　goats。　On　all　sides　heather；　growing　from　every　crevice；　flings　its　rosy　garlands　over　the　dark；　uneven　surface　of　the　ground。　At　the　bottom　of　this　vast　funnel　the　little　river　winds　through　meadows　that　are　always　cool　and　green；　lying　softly　like　a　carpet。

Beneath　the　castle　and　among　the　granite　boulders　is　a　church　dedicated　to　Saint…Sulpice；　whose　name　is　given　to　the　suburb　which　lies　across　the　Nancon。　This　suburb；　flung　as　it　were　to　the　bottom　of　a　precipice；　and　its　church；　the　spire　of　which　does　not　rise　to　the　height　of　the　rocks　which　threaten　to　crush　it；　are　picturesquely　watered　by　several　affluents　of　the　Nancon；　shaded　by　trees　and　brightened　by　gardens。　The　whole　region　of　Fougeres；　its　suburbs；　its　churches；　and　the　hills　of　Saint…Sulpice　are　surrounded　by　the　heights　of　Rille；　which　form　part　of　a　general　range　of　mountains　enclosing　the　broad　valley　of　Couesnon。

Such　are　the　chief　features　of　this　landscape；　the　principal　characteristic　of　which　is　a　rugged　wildness　softened　by　smiling　accidents；　by　a　happy　blending　of　the　finest　works　of　men's　hands　with　the　capricious　lay　of　a　land　full　of　unexpected　contrasts；　by　a　something；　hardly　to　be　explained；　which　surprises；　astonishes；　and　puzzles。　In　no　other　part　of　France　can　the　traveller　meet　with　such　grandiose　contrasts　as　those　offered　by　the　great　basin　of　the　Couesnon；　and　the　valleys　hidden　among　the　rocks　of　Fougeres　and　the　heights　of　Rille。　Their　beauty　is　of　that　unspeakable　kind　in　which　chance　triumphs　and　all　the　harmonies　of　Nature　do　their　part。　The　clear；　limpid；　flowing　waters；　the　mountains　clothed　with　the　vigorous　vegetation　of　those　regions；　the　sombre　rocks；　the　graceful　buildings；　the　fortifications　raised　by　nature；　and　the　granite　towers　built　by　man；　combined　with　all　the　artifices　of　light　and　shade；　with　the　contrasts　of　the　varieties　of　foliage；　with　the　groups　of　houses　where　an　active　population　swarms；　with　the　lonely　barren　places　where　the　granite　will　not　suffer　even　the　lichen　to　fasten　on　its　surface；　in　short；　with　all　the　ideas　we　ask　a　landscape　to　possess：　grace　and　awfulness；　poesy　with　its　renascent　magic；　sublime　pictures；　delightful　ruralities；all　these　are　here；　it　is　Brittany　in　bloom。

The　tower　called　the　Papegaut；　against　which　the　house　now　occupied　by　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　rested；　has　its　base　at　the　very　bottom　of　the　precipice；　and　rises　to　the　esplanade　which　forms　the　cornice　or　terrace　before　the　church　of　Saint…Leonard。　From　Marie's　house；　which　was　open　on　three　sides；　could　be　seen　the　horseshoe　（which　begins　at　the　tower　itself）；　the　winding　valley　of　the　Nancon；　and　the　square　of　Saint…Leonard。　It　is　one　of　a　group　of　wooden　buildings　standing　parallel　with　the　western　side　of　the　church；　with　which　they　form　an　alley…way；　the　farther　end　of　which　opens　on　a　steep　street　skirting　the　church　and　leading　to　the　gate　of　Saint…Leonard；　along　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　now　made　her　way。

Marie　naturally　avoided　entering　the　square　of　the　church　which　was　then　above　her；　and　turned　towards　the　Promenade。　The　magnificence　of　the　scene　which　met　her　eyes　silenced　for　a　moment　the　tumult　of　her　passions。　She　admired　the　vast　trend　of　the　valley；　which　her　eyes　took　in；　from　the　summit　of　La　Pelerine　to　the　plateau　where　the　main　road　to　Vitry　passes；　then　her　eyes　rested　on　the　Nid…aux…Crocs　and　the　winding　gorges　of　the　Val　de　Gibarry；　the　crests　of　which　were　bathed　in　the　misty　glow　of　the　setting　sun。　She　was　almost　frightened　by　the　depth　of　the　valley　of　the　Nancon；　the　tallest　poplars　of　which　scarcely　reached　to　the　level　of　the　gardens　below　the　Queen's　Staircase。　At　this　time　of　day　the　smoke　from　the　houses　in　the　suburbs　and　in　the　valleys　made　a　vapor　in　the　air；　through　which　the　various　objects　had　a　bluish　tinge；　the　brilliant　colors　of　the　day　were　beginning　to　fade；　the　firmament　took　a　pearly　tone；　the　moon　was　casting　its　veil　of　light　into　the　ravine；　all　things　tended　to　plunge　the　soul　into　reverie　and　bring　back　the　memory　of　those　beloved。

In　a　moment　the　scene　before　her　was　powerless　to　hold　Marie's　thoughts。　In　vain　did　the　setting　sun　cast　its　gold…dust　and　its　crimson　sheets　to　the　depths　of　the　river　and　along　the　meadows　and　over　the　graceful　buildings　strewn　among　the　rocks；　she　stood　immovable；　gazing　at　the　heights　of　the　Mont　Saint…Sulpice。　The　frantic　hope　which　had　led　her　to　the　Promenade　was　miraculously　realized。　Among　the　gorse　and　bracken　which　grew　upon　those　heights　she　was　certain　that　she　recognized；　in　spite　of　the　goatskins　which　they　wore；　a　number　of　the　guests　at　La　Vivetiere；　and　among　them　the　Gars；　whose　every　moment　became　vivid　to　her　eyes　in　the　softened　light　of　the　sinking　sun。　A　few　steps　back　of　the　ground　of　men　she　distinguished　her　enemy；　Madame　du　Gua。　For　a　moment　Marie　fancied　that　she　dreamed；　but　her　rival's　hatred　soon　proved　to　her　that　the　dream　was　a　living　one。　The　attention　she　was　giving　to　the　least　little　gesture　of　the　marquis　prevented　her　from　observing　the　care　with　which　Madame　du　Gua　aimed　a　musket　at　her。　But　a　shot　which　woke　the　echoes　of　the　mountains；　and　a　ball　that　whistled　past　her　warned　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　of　her　rival's　determination。　〃She　sends　me　her　card；〃　thought　Marie；　smiling。　Instantly　a　〃Qui　vive？〃　echoing　from　sentry　to　sentry；　from　the　castle　to　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard；　proved　to　the　Chouans　the　alertness　of　the　Blues；　inasmuch　as　the　least　accessible　of　their　ramparts　was　so　well　guarded。

〃It　is　sheand　he；〃　muttered　Marie　to　herself。

To　seek　the　marquis；　follow　his　steps　and　overtake　him；　was　a　thought　that　flashed　like　lightning　through　her　mind。　〃I　have　no　weapon！〃　she　cried。　She　remembered　that　on　leaving　Paris　she　had　flung　into　a　trunk　an　elegant　dagger　formerly　belonging　to　a　sultana；　which　she　had　jestingly　brought　with　her　to　the　theatre　of　war；　as　some　persons　take　note…books　in　which　to　jot　down　their　travelling　ideas；　she　was　less　attracted　by　the　prospect　of　shedding　blood　than　by　the　pleasure　of　wearing　a　pretty　weapon　studded　with　precious　stones；　and　playing　with　a　blade　that　was　stainless。　Three　days　earlier　she　had　deeply　regretted　having　put　this　dagger　in　a　trunk；　when　to　escape　her　enemies　at　La　Vivetiere　she　had　thought　for　a　moment　of　killing　herself。　She　now　returned　to　the　house；　found　the　weapon；　put　it　in　her　belt；　wrapped　a　large　shawl　round　her　shoulders　and　a　black　lace　scarf　about　her　hair；　and　covered　her　head　with　one　of　those　broad…　brimmed　hats　distinctive　of　Chouans　which　belonged　to　a　servant　of　the　house。　Then；　with　the　presence　of　mind　which　excited　passions　often　give；　she　took　the　glove　which　Marche…a…Terre　had　given　her　as　a　safeguard；　and　saying；　in　reply　to　Francine's　terrible　looks；　〃I　would　seek　him　in　hell；〃　she　returned　to　the　Promenade。

The　Gars　was　still　at　the　same　place；　but　alone。　By　the　direction　of　his　telescope　he　seemed　to　be　examining　with　the　careful　attention　of　a　commander　the　various　paths　across　the　Nancon；　the　Queen's　Staircase；　and　the　road　leading　through　the　Porte　Saint…Sulpice　and　round　the　church　of　that　name；　where　it　meets　the　high…road　under　range　of　the　guns　at　the　castle。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　took　one　of　the　little　paths　made　by　goats　and　their　keepers　leading　down　from　the　Promenade；　reached　the　Staircase；　then　the　bottom　of　the　ravine；　crossed　the　Nancon　and　the　suburb；　and　divining　like　a　bird　in　the　desert　her　right　course　among　the　dangerous　precipices　of　the　Mont　Saint…Sulpice；　she　followed　a　slippery　track　defined　upon　the　granite；　and　in　spite　of　the　prickly　gorse　and　reeds　and　loose　stones　which　hindered　her；　she　climbed　the　steep　ascent　with　an　energy　greater　perhaps　than　that　of　a　man；the　energy　momentarily　possessed　by　a　woman　under　the　influence　of　passion。

Night　overtook　her　as　she　endeavored　by　the　failing　moonlight　to　make　out　the　path　the　marquis　must　have　taken；　an　obstinate　quest　without　reward；　for　the　dead　silence　about　her　was　sufficient　proof　of　the　withdrawal　of　the　Chouans　and　their　leader。　This　effort　of　passion　collapsed　with　the　hope　that　inspired　it。　Finding　herself　alone；　after　nightfall；　in　a　hostile　country；　she　began　to　reflect；　and　Hulot's　advice；　together　with　the　recollection　of　Madame　du　Gua's　attempt；　made　her　tremble　with　fear。　The　stillness　of　the　night；　so　deep　in　mountain　regions；　enabled　her　to　hear　the　fall　of　every　leaf　even　at　a　distance；　and　these　slight　sounds　vibrated　on　the　air　as　though　to　give　a　measure　of　the