the chouans-第43节

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f　Saint…Sulpice　surrounded　by　a　council　of　men；　endeavored　to　pour　a　volley　upon　him；　but　the　spot　was　cleverly　selected；　and　the　young　leader　was　out　of　danger　in　a　moment。　Hulot　now　changed　parts　with　his　opponent　and　became　the　aggressor。　At　the　first　sign　of　the　Gars'　intention；　the　company　stationed　under　the　walls　of　the　castle　were　ordered　to　cut　off　the　Chouans'　retreat　by　seizing　the　upper　outlet　of　the　valley　of　the　Nancon。

Notwithstanding　her　desire　for　revenge；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　sympathies　were　with　the　men　commanded　by　her　lover；　and　she　turned　hastily　to　see　if　the　other　end　of　the　valley　were　clear　for　them；　but　the　Blues；　conquerors　no　doubt　on　the　opposite　side　of　Fougeres；　were　returning　from　the　valley　of　Couesnon　and　taking　possession　of　the　Nid…aux…Crocs　and　that　portion　of　the　Saint…Sulpice　rocks　which　overhang　the　lower　end　of　the　valley　of　the　Nancon。　The　Chouans；　thus　hemmed　in　to　the　narrow　fields　of　the　gorge；　seemed　in　danger　of　perishing　to　the　last　man；　so　cleverly　and　sagaciously　were　the　commandant's　measures　taken。　But　Hulot's　cannon　were　powerless　at　these　two　points；　and　here；　the　town　of　Fougeres　being　quite　safe；　began　one　of　those　desperate　struggles　which　denoted　the　character　of　Chouan　warfare。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　now　comprehended　the　presence　of　the　masses　of　men　she　had　seen　as　she　left　the　town；　the　meeting　of　the　leaders　at　d'Orgemont's　house；　and　all　the　other　events　of　the　night；　wondering　how　she　herself　had　escaped　so　many　dangers。　The　attack；　prompted　by　desperation；　interested　her　so　keenly　that　she　stood　motionless；　watching　the　living　pictures　as　they　presented　themselves　to　her　sight。　Presently　the　struggle　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain　had　a　deeper　interest　for　her。　Seeing　the　Blues　almost　masters　of　the　Chouans；　the　marquis　and　his　friends　rushed　into　the　valley　of　the　Nancon　to　support　their　men。　The　rocks　were　now　covered　with　straggling　groups　of　furious　combatants　deciding　the　question　of　life　or　death　on　a　ground　and　with　weapons　that　were　more　favorable　to　the　Goatskins。　Slowly　this　moving　arena　widened。　The　Chouans；　recovering　themselves；　gained　the　rocks；　thanks　to　the　shrubs　and　bushes　which　grew　here　and　there　among　them。　For　a　moment　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　felt　alarmed　as　she　saw；　rather　late；　her　enemies　swarming　over　the　summit　and　defending　the　dangerous　paths　by　which　alone　she　could　descend。　Every　issue　on　the　mountain　was　occupied　by　one　or　other　of　the　two　parties；　afraid　of　encountering　them　she　left　the　tree　behind　which　she　had　been　sheltering；　and　began　to　run　in　the　direction　of　the　farm　which　d'Orgemont　had　mentioned　to　her。　After　running　some　time　on　the　slope　of　Saint…Sulpice　which　overlooks　the　valley　of　Couesnon　she　saw　a　cow…shed　in　the　distance；　and　thought　it　must　belong　to　the　house　of　Galope…Chopine；　who　had　doubtless　left　his　wife　at　home　and　alone　during　the　fight。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　hoped　to　be　able　to　pass　a　few　hours　in　this　retreat　until　it　was　possible　for　her　to　return　to　Fougeres　without　danger。　According　to　all　appearance　Hulot　was　to　triumph。　The　Chouans　were　retreating　so　rapidly　that　she　heard　firing　all　about　her；　and　the　fear　of　being　shot　made　her　hasten　to　the　cottage；　the　chimney　of　which　was　her　landmark。　The　path　she　was　following　ended　at　a　sort　of　shed　covered　with　a　furze…roof；　supported　by　four　stout　trees　with　the　bark　still　on　them。　A　mud　wall　formed　the　back　of　this　shed；　under　which　were　a　cider…mill；　a　flail　to　thresh　buckwheat；　and　several　agricultural　implements。　She　stopped　before　one　of　the　posts；　unwilling　to　cross　the　dirty　bog　which　formed　a　sort　of　courtyard　to　the　house　which；　in　her　Parisian　ignorance；　she　had　taken　for　a　stable。

The　cabin；　protected　from　the　north　wind　by　an　eminence　towering　above　the　roof；　which　rested　against　it；　was　not　without　a　poetry　of　its　own；　for　the　tender　shoots　of　elms；　heather；　and　various　rock…flowers　wreathed　it　with　garlands。　A　rustic　staircase；　constructed　between　the　shed　and　the　house；　enabled　the　inhabitants　to　go　to　the　top　of　the　rock　and　breathe　a　purer　air。　On　the　left；　the　eminence　sloped　abruptly　down；　giving　to　view　a　series　of　fields；　the　first　of　which　belonged　no　doubt　to　this　farm。　These　fields　were　like　bowers；　separated　by　banks　which　were　planted　with　trees。　The　road　which　led　to　them　was　barred　by　the　trunk　of　an　old；　half…rotten　tree；a　Breton　method　of　enclosure　the　name　of　which　may　furnish；　further　on；　a　digression　which　will　complete　the　characterization　of　this　region。　Between　the　stairway　cut　in　the　schist　rock　and　the　path　closed　by　this　old　tree；　in　front　of　the　marsh　and　beneath　the　overhanging　rock；　several　granite　blocks　roughly　hewn；　and　piled　one　upon　the　other；　formed　the　four　corners　of　the　cottage　and　held　up　the　planks；　cobblestones；　and　pitch　amalgam　of　which　the　walls　were　made。　The　fact　that　one　half　of　the　roof　was　covered　with　furze　instead　of　thatch；　and　the　other　with　shingles　or　bits　of　board　cut　into　the　form　of　slates；　showed　that　the　building　was　in　two　parts；　one　half；　with　a　broken　hurdle　for　a　door；　served　as　a　stable；　the　other　half　was　the　dwelling　of　the　owner。　Though　this　hut　owed　to　the　neighborhood　of　the　town　a　few　improvements　which　were　wholly　absent　from　such　buildings　that　were　five　or　six　miles　further　off；　it　showed　plainly　enough　the　instability　of　domestic　life　and　habits　to　which　the　wars　and　customs　of　feudality　had　reduced　the　serf；　even　to　this　day　many　of　the　peasants　of　those　parts　call　a　seignorial　chateau；　〃The　Dwelling。〃

While　examining　the　place；　with　an　astonishment　we　can　readily　conceive；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　noticed　here　and　there　in　the　filth　of　the　courtyard　a　few　bits　of　granite　so　placed　as　to　form　stepping…　stones　to　the　house。　Hearing　the　sound　of　musketry　that　was　evidently　coming　nearer；　she　jumped　from　stone　to　stone；　as　if　crossing　a　rivulet；　to　ask　shelter。　The　house　was　closed　by　a　door　opening　in　two　parts；　the　lower　one　of　wood；　heavy　and　massive；　the　upper　one　a　shutter　which　served　as　a　window。　In　many　of　the　smaller　towns　of　France　the　shops　have　the　same　type　of　door　though　far　more　decorated；　the　lower　half　possessing　a　call…bell。　The　door　in　question　opened　with　a　wooden　latch　worthy　of　the　golden　age；　and　the　upper　part　was　never　closed　except　at　night；　for　it　was　the　only　opening　through　which　daylight　could　enter　the　room。　There　was；　to　be　sure；　a　clumsy　window；　but　the　glass　was　thick　like　the　bottom　of　a　bottle；　and　the　lead　which　held　the　panes　in　place　took　so　much　room　that　the　opening　seemed　intended　to　intercept　the　light　rather　than　admit　it。　As　soon　as　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　turned　the　creaking　hinges　of　the　lower　door　she　smelt　an　intolerable　ammoniacal　odor；　and　saw　that　the　beasts　in　the　stable　had　kicked　through　the　inner　partition　which　separated　the　stable　from　the　dwelling。　The　interior　of　the　farmhouse；　for　such　it　was；　did　not　belie　its　exterior。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　asking　herself　how　it　was　possible　for　human　beings　to　live　in　such　habitual　filth；　when　a　ragged　boy　about　eight　or　nine　years　old　suddenly　presented　his　fresh　and　rosy　face；　with　a　pair　of　fat　cheeks；　lively　eyes；　ivory　teeth；　and　a　mass　of　fair　hair；　which　fell　in　curls　upon　his　half…naked　shoulders。　His　limbs　were　vigorous；　and　his　attitude　had　the　charm　of　that　amazement　and　naive　curiosity　which　widens　a　child's　eyes。　The　little　fellow　was　a　picture　of　beauty。

〃Where　is　your　mother？〃　said　Marie；　in　a　gentle　voice；　stooping　to　kiss　him　between　the　eyes。

After　receiving　her　kiss　the　child　slipped　away　like　an　eel；　and　disappeared　behind　a　muck…heap　which　was　piled　at　the　top　of　a　mound　between　the　path　and　the　house；　for；　like　many　Breton　farmers　who　have　a　system　of　agriculture　that　is　all　their　own；　Galope…Chopine　put　his　manure　in　an　elevated　spot；　so　that　by　the　time　it　was　wanted　for　use　the　rains　had　deprived　it　of　all　its　virtue。　Alone　for　a　few　minutes；　Marie　had　time　to　make　an　inventory。　The　room　in　which　she　waited　for　Barbette　was　the　whole　house。　The　most　obvious　and　sumptuous　object　was　a　vast　fireplace　with　a　/mantle/…shelf　of　blue　granite。　The　etymology　of　that　word　was　shown　by　a　strip　of　green　serge；　edged　with　a　pale…green　ribbon；　cut　in　scallops；　which　covered　and　overhung　the　whole　shelf；　on　which　stood　a　colored　plaster　cast　of　the　Holy　Virgin。　On　the　pedestal　of　the　statuette　were　two　lines　of　a　religious　poem　very　popular　in　Brittany：

　　〃I　am　the　mother　of　God；　　　Protectress　of　the　sod。〃

Behind　the　Virgin　a　hideous　image；　daubed　with　red　and　blue　under　pretence　of　painting；　represented　Saint…Labre。　A　green　serge　bed　of　the　shape　called　〃tomb；〃　a　clumsy　cradle；　a　spinning…wheel；　common　chairs；　and　a　carved　chest　on　which　lay　utensils；　were　about　the　whole　of　Galope…Chopine's　domestic　possessions。　In　front　of　the　window　stood　a　chestnut　table　flanked　by　two　benches　of　the　same　wood；　to　which　the　sombre　light　coming　through　the　thick　panes　gave　the　tone　of　mahogany。　An　immense　cask　of　cider；　under　the　bung　of　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　noticed　a　pool　of　yellow　mud；　which　had　decomposed　the　flooring；　although　it　was　made　of　scraps　of　granite　conglomerated　in　clay；　proved　that　the　master　of　the　house　had　a　ri