the chouans-第55节

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e　an　enemy　you　want　to　catch　behind。〃

〃Oh；　you　can　fight　if　you　want　to；〃　replied　Corentin。　〃From　what　that　girl　has　dropped；　close…mouthed　as　you　think　she　is；　I　can　tell　you　that　you'll　have　to　skirmish　about；　and　I　myself　will　give　you　the　pleasure　of　an　interview　with　the　Gars　before　long。〃

〃How　so？〃　asked　Hulot；　moving　back　a　step　to　get　a　better　view　of　this　strange　individual。

〃Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　is　in　love　with　him；〃　replied　Corentin；　in　a　thick　voice；　〃and　perhaps　he　loves　her。　A　marquis；　a　knight　of　Saint…　Louis；　young；　brilliant；　perhaps　rich；what　a　list　of　temptations！　She　would　be　foolish　indeed　not　to　look　after　her　own　interests　and　try　to　marry　him　rather　than　betray　him。　The　girl　is　attempting　to　fool　us。　But　I　saw　hesitation　in　her　eyes。　They　probably　have　a　rendezvous；　perhaps　they've　met　already。　Well；　to…morrow　I　shall　have　him　by　the　forelock。　Yesterday　he　was　nothing　more　than　the　enemy　of　the　Republic；　to…day　he　is　mine；　and　I　tell　you　this；　every　man　who　has　been　so　rash　as　to　come　between　that　girl　and　me　has　died　upon　the　scaffold。〃

So　saying；　Corentin　dropped　into　a　reverie　which　hindered　him　from　observing　the　disgust　on　the　face　of　the　honest　soldier　as　he　discovered　the　depths　of　this　intrigue；　and　the　mechanism　of　the　means　employed　by　Fouche。　Hulot　resolved　on　the　spot　to　thwart　Corentin　in　every　way　that　did　not　conflict　essentially　with　the　success　of　the　government；　and　to　give　the　Gars　a　fair　chance　of　dying　honorably；　sword　in　hand；　before　he　could　fall　a　prey　to　the　executioner；　for　whom　this　agent　of　the　detective　police　acknowledged　himself　the　purveyor。

〃If　the　First　Consul　would　listen　to　me；〃　thought　Hulot；　as　he　turned　his　back　on　Corentin；　〃he　would　leave　those　foxes　to　fight　aristocrats；　and　send　his　solders　on　other　business。〃

Corentin　looked　coldly　after　the　old　soldier；　whose　face　had　brightened　at　the　resolve；　and　his　eyes　gleamed　with　a　sardonic　expression；　which　showed　the　mental　superiority　of　this　subaltern　Machiavelli。

〃Give　an　ell　of　blue　cloth　to　those　fellows；　and　hang　a　bit　of　iron　at　their　waists；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃and　they'll　think　there's　but　one　way　to　kill　people。〃　Then；　after　walking　up　and　down　awhile　very　slowly；　he　exclaimed　suddenly；　〃Yes；　the　time　has　come；　that　woman　shall　be　mine！　For　five　years　I've　been　drawing　the　net　round　her；　and　I　have　her　now；　with　her；　I　can　be　a　greater　man　in　the　government　than　Fouche　himself。　Yes；　if　she　loses　the　only　man　she　has　ever　loved；　grief　will　give　her　to　me；　body　and　soul；　but　I　must　be　on　the　watch　night　and　day。〃

A　few　moments　later　the　pale　face　of　this　man　might　have　been　seen　through　the　window　of　a　house；　from　which　he　could　observe　all　who　entered　the　cul…de…sac　formed　by　the　line　of　houses　running　parallel　with　Saint…Leonard；　one　of　those　houses　being　that　now　occupied　by　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　With　the　patience　of　a　cat　watching　a　mouse　Corentin　was　there　in　the　same　place　on　the　following　morning；　attentive　to　the　slightest　noise；　and　subjecting　the　passers…by　to　the　closest　examination。　The　day　that　was　now　beginning　was　a　market…day。　Although　in　these　calamitous　times　the　peasants　rarely　risked　themselves　in　the　towns；　Corentin　presently　noticed　a　small　man　with　a　gloomy　face；　wrapped　in　a　goatskin；　and　carrying　on　his　arm　a　small　flat　basket；　he　was　making　his　way　in　the　direction　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　house；　casting　careless　glances　about　him。　Corentin　watched　him　enter　the　house；　then　he　ran　down　into　the　street；　meaning　to　waylay　the　man　as　he　left；　but　on　second　thoughts　it　occurred　to　him　that　if　he　called　unexpectedly　on　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　he　might　surprise　by　a　single　glance　the　secret　that　was　hidden　in　the　basket　of　the　emissary。　Besides；　he　had　already　learned　that　it　was　impossible　to　extract　anything　from　the　inscrutable　answers　of　Bretons　and　Normans。

〃Galope…Chopine！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　when　Francine　brought　the　man　to　her。　〃Does　he　love　me？〃　she　murmured　to　herself；　in　a　low　voice。

The　instinctive　hope　sent　a　brilliant　color　to　her　cheeks　and　joy　into　her　heart。　Galope…Chopine　looked　alternately　from　the　mistress　to　the　maid　with　evident　distrust　of　the　latter；　but　a　sign　from　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　reassured　him。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃about　two　o'clock　/he/　will　be　at　my　house　waiting　for　you。〃

Emotion　prevented　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　from　giving　any　other　reply　than　a　movement　of　her　head；　but　the　man　understood　her　meaning。　At　that　moment　Corentin's　step　was　heard　in　the　adjoining　room；　but　Galope…Chopine　showed　no　uneasiness；　though　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　look　and　shudder　warned　him　of　danger；　and　as　soon　as　the　spy　had　entered　the　room　the　Chouan　raised　his　voice　to　an　ear…splitting　tone。

〃Ha；　ha！〃　he　said　to　Francine；　〃I　tell　you　there's　Breton　butter　/and/　Breton　butter。　You　want　the　Gibarry　kind；　and　you　won't　give　more　than　eleven　sous　a　pound；　then　why　did　you　send　me　to　fetch　it？　It　is　good　butter　that；〃　he　added；　uncovering　the　basket　to　show　the　pats　which　Barbette　had　made。　〃You　ought　to　be　fair；　my　good　lady；　and　pay　one　sou　more。〃

His　hollow　voice　betrayed　no　emotion；　and　his　green　eyes；　shaded　by　thick　gray　eyebrows；　bore　Corentin's　piercing　glance　without　flinching。

〃Nonsense；　my　good　man；　you　are　not　here　to　sell　butter；　you　are　talking　to　a　lady　who　never　bargained　for　a　thing　in　her　life。　The　trade　you　run；　old　fellow；　will　shorten　you　by　a　head　in　a　very　few　days〃；　and　Corentin；　with　a　friendly　tap　on　the　man's　shoulder；　added；　〃you　can't　keep　up　being　a　spy　of　the　Blues　and　a　spy　of　the　Chouans　very　long。〃

Galope…Chopine　needed　all　his　presence　of　mind　to　subdue　his　rage；　and　not　deny　the　accusation　which　his　avarice　had　made　a　just　one。　He　contented　himself　with　saying：

〃Monsieur　is　making　game　of　me。〃

Corentin　turned　his　back　on　the　Chouan；　but；　while　bowing　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　whose　heart　stood　still；　he　watched　him　in　the　mirror　behind　her。　Galope…Chopine；　unaware　of　this；　gave　a　glance　to　Francine；　to　which　she　replied　by　pointing　to　the　door；　and　saying；　〃Come　with　me；　my　man；　and　we　will　settle　the　matter　between　us。〃

Nothing　escaped　Corentin；　neither　the　fear　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　could　not　conceal　under　a　smile；　nor　her　color　and　the　contraction　of　her　features；　nor　the　Chouan's　sign　and　Francine's　reply；　he　had　seen　all。　Convinced　that　Galope…Chopine　was　sent　by　the　marquis；　he　caught　the　man　by　the　long　hairs　of　his　goatskin　as　he　was　leaving　the　room；　turned　him　round　to　face　him；　and　said　with　a　keen　look：　〃Where　do　you　live；　my　man？　I　want　butter；　too。〃

〃My　good　monsieur；〃　said　the　Chouan；　〃all　Fougeres　knows　where　I　live。　I　am〃

〃Corentin！〃　exclaimed　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　interrupting　Galope…　Chopine。　〃Why　do　you　come　here　at　this　time　of　day？　I　am　scarcely　dressed。　Let　that　peasant　alone；　he　does　not　understand　your　tricks　any　more　than　I　understand　the　motive　of　them。　You　can　go；　my　man。〃

Galope…Chopine　hesitated　a　moment。　The　indecision；　real　or　feigned；　of　the　poor　devil；　who　knew　not　which　to　obey；　deceived　even　Corentin；　but　the　Chouan；　finally；　after　an　imperative　gesture　from　the　lady；　left　the　room　with　a　dragging　step。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　Corentin　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。　This　time　Marie's　limpid　eyes　could　not　endure　the　gleam　of　cruel　fire　in　the　man's　look。　The　resolute　manner　in　which　the　spy　had　forced　his　way　into　her　room；　an　expression　on　his　face　which　Marie　had　never　seen　there　before；　the　deadened　tones　of　his　shrill　voice；　his　whole　demeanor；all　these　things　alarmed　her；　she　felt　that　a　secret　struggle　was　about　to　take　place　between　them；　and　that　he　meant　to　employ　against　her　all　the　powers　of　his　evil　influence。　But　though　she　had　at　this　moment　a　full　and　distinct　view　of　the　gulf　into　which　she　was　plunging；　she　gathered　strength　from　her　love　to　shake　off　the　icy　chill　of　these　presentiments。

〃Corentin；〃　she　said；　with　a　sort　of　gayety；　〃I　hope　you　are　going　to　let　me　make　my　toilet？〃

〃Marie；〃　he　said；〃yes；　permit　me　to　call　you　so；you　don't　yet　know　me。　Listen；　a　much　less　sagacious　man　than　I　would　see　your　love　for　the　Marquis　de　Montauran。　I　have　several　times　offered　you　my　heart　and　hand。　You　have　never　thought　me　worthy　of　you；　and　perhaps　you　are　right。　But　however　much　you　may　feel　yourself　too　high；　too　beautiful；　too　superior　for　me；　I　can　compel　you　to　come　down　to　my　level。　My　ambition　and　my　maxims　have　given　you　a　low　opinion　of　me；　frankly；　you　are　mistaken。　Men　are　not　worth　even　what　I　rate　them　at；　and　that　is　next　to　nothing。　I　shall　certainly　attain　a　position　which　will　gratify　your　pride。　Who　will　ever　love　you　better；　or　make　you　more　absolutely　mistress　of　yourself　and　of　him；　than　the　man　who　has　loved　you　now　for　five　years？　Though　I　run　the　risk　of　exciting　your　suspicions；for　you　cannot　conceive　that　any　one　should　renounce　an　idolized　woman　out　of　excessive　love；I　will　now　prove　to　you　the　unselfishness　of　my　passion。　If　the　marquis　loves　you；　marry　him；　but　before　you　do　so；　make　sure　of　his　sincerity。　I　could　not　endure　to　see　you　deceived；　for　I　do　prefer　your　happiness　to　my　own。　My　resolution　may　surprise　you；　lay　it　to　the　prudence　of　a　man　who