the chouans-第65节

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Midnight　was　striking。　The　moon　rose；　giving　the　appearance　of　white　smoke　to　the　fog。　Pille…Miche　squeezed　Marche…a…Terre's　arm　and　silently　showed　him　on　the　terrace　just　above　them；　the　triangular　iron　of　several　shining　bayonets。

〃The　Blues　are　there　already；〃　said　Pille…Miche；　〃we　sha'n't　gain　anything　by　force。〃

〃Patience；〃　replied　Marche…a…Terre；　〃if　I　examined　right　this　morning；　we　must　be　at　the　foot　of　the　Papegaut　tower　between　the　ramparts　and　the　Promenade；that　place　where　they　put　the　manure；　it　is　like　a　feather…bed　to　fall　on。〃

〃If　Saint…Labre；〃　remarked　Pille…Miche；　〃would　only　change　into　cider　the　blood　we　shall　shed　to…night　the　citizens　might　lay　in　a　good　stock　to…morrow。〃

Marche…a…Terre　laid　his　large　hand　over　his　friend's　mouth；　then　an　order　muttered　by　him　went　from　rank　to　rank　of　the　Chouans　suspended　as　they　were　in　mid…air　among　the　brambles　of　the　slate　rocks。　Corentin；　walking　up　and　down　the　esplanade　had　too　practiced　an　ear　not　to　hear　the　rustling　of　the　shrubs　and　the　light　sound　of　pebbles　rolling　down　the　sides　of　the　precipice。　Marche…a…Terre；　who　seemed　to　possess　the　gift　of　seeing　in　darkness；　and　whose　senses；　continually　in　action；　were　acute　as　those　of　a　savage；　saw　Corentin；　like　a　trained　dog　he　had　scented　him。　Fouche's　diplomatist　listened　but　heard　nothing；　he　looked　at　the　natural　wall　of　rock　and　saw　no　signs。　If　the　confusing　gleam　of　the　fog　enabled　him　to　see；　here　and　there；　a　crouching　Chouan；　he　took　him；　no　doubt；　for　a　fragment　of　rock；　for　these　human　bodies　had　all　the　appearance　of　inert　nature。　This　danger　to　the　invaders　was　of　short　duration。　Corentin's　attention　was　diverted　by　a　very　distinct　noise　coming　from　the　other　end　of　the　Promenade；　where　the　rock　wall　ended　and　a　steep　descent　leading　down　to　the　Queen's　Staircase　began。　When　Corentin　reached　the　spot　he　saw　a　figure　gliding　past　it　as　if　by　magic。　Putting　out　his　hand　to　grasp　this　real　or　fantastic　being；　who　was　there；　he　supposed；　with　no　good　intentions；　he　encountered　the　soft　and　rounded　figure　of　a　woman。

〃The　devil　take　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃if　any　one　else　had　met　you；　you'd　have　had　a　ball　through　your　head。　What　are　you　doing；　and　where　are　you　going；　at　this　time　of　night？　Are　you　dumb？　It　certainly　is　a　woman；〃　he　said　to　himself。

The　silence　was　suspicious；　but　the　stranger　broke　it　by　saying；　in　a　voice　which　suggested　extreme　fright；　〃Ah；　my　good　man；　I'm　on　my　way　back　from　a　wake。〃

〃It　is　the　pretended　mother　of　the　marquis；〃　thought　Corentin。　〃I'll　see　what　she's　about。　Well；　go　that　way；　old　woman；〃　he　replied；　feigning　not　to　recognize　her。　〃Keep　to　the　left　if　you　don't　want　to　be　shot。〃

He　stood　quite　still；　then　observing　that　Madame　du　Gua　was　making　for　the　Papegaut　tower；　he　followed　her　at　a　distance　with　diabolical　caution。　During　this　fatal　encounter　the　Chouans　had　posted　themselves　on　the　manure　towards　which　Marche…a…Terre　had　guided　them。

〃There's　the　Grande…Garce！〃　thought　Marche…a…Terre；　as　he　rose　to　his　feet　against　the　tower　wall　like　a　bear。

〃We　are　here；〃　he　said　to　her　in　a　low　voice。

〃Good；〃　she　replied；　〃there's　a　ladder　in　the　garden　of　that　house　about　six　feet　above　the　manure；　find　it；　and　the　Gars　is　saved。　Do　you　see　that　small　window　up　there？　It　is　in　the　dressing…room；　you　must　get　to　it。　This　side　of　the　tower　is　the　only　one　not　watched。　The　horses　are　ready；　if　you　can　hold　the　passage　over　the　Nancon；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　will　put　him　out　of　dangerin　spite　of　his　folly。　But　if　that　woman　tries　to　follow　him；　stab　her。〃

Corentin　now　saw　several　of　the　forms　he　had　hitherto　supposed　to　be　stones　moving　cautiously　but　swiftly。　He　went　at　once　to　the　guard…　room　at　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard；　where　he　found　the　commandant　fully　dressed　and　sound　asleep　on　a　camp　bed。

〃Let　him　alone；〃　said　Beau…Pied；　roughly；　〃he　has　only　just　lain　down。〃

〃The　Chouans　are　here！〃　cried　Corentin；　in　Hulot's　ear。

〃Impossible！　but　so　much　the　better；〃　cried　the　old　soldier；　still　half　asleep；　〃then　he　can　fight。〃

When　Hulot　reached　the　Promenade　Corentin　pointed　out　to　him　the　singular　position　taken　by　the　Chouans。

〃They　must　have　deceived　or　strangled　the　sentries　I　placed　between　the　castle　and　the　Queen's　Staircase。　Ah！　what　a　devil　of　a　fog！　However；　patience！　I'll　send　a　squad　of　men　under　a　lieutenant　to　the　foot　of　the　rock。　There　is　no　use　attacking　them　where　they　are；　for　those　animals　are　so　hard　they'd　let　themselves　roll　down　the　precipice　without　breaking　a　limb。〃

The　cracked　clock　of　the　belfry　was　ringing　two　when　the　commandant　got　back　to　the　Promenade　after　giving　these　orders　and　taking　every　military　precaution　to　seize　the　Chouans。　The　sentries　were　doubled　and　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　house　became　the　centre　of　a　little　army。　Hulot　found　Corentin　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　the　window　which　overlooked　the　tower。

〃Citizen；〃　said　the　commandant；　〃I　think　the　/ci…devant/　has　fooled　us；　there's　nothing　stirring。〃

〃He　is　there；〃　cried　Corentin；　pointing　to　the　window。　〃I　have　seen　a　man's　shadow　on　the　curtain。　But　I　can't　think　what　has　become　of　that　boy。　They　must　have　killed　him　or　locked　him　up。　There！　commandant；　don't　you　see　that？　there's　a　man's　shadow；　come；　come　on！〃

〃I　sha'n't　seize　him　in　bed；　thunder　of　God！　He　will　come　out　if　he　went　in；　Gudin　won't　miss　him；〃　cried　Hulot；　who　had　his　own　reasons　for　waiting　till　the　Gars　could　defend　himself。

〃Commandant；　I　enjoin　you；　in　the　name　of　the　law　to　proceed　at　once　into　that　house。〃

〃You're　a　fine　scoundrel　to　try　to　make　me　do　that。〃

Without　showing　any　resentment　at　the　commandant's　language；　Corentin　said　coolly：　〃You　will　obey　me。　Here　is　an　order　in　good　form；　signed　by　the　minister　of　war；　which　will　force　you　to　do　so。〃　He　drew　a　paper　from　his　pocket　and　held　it　out。　〃Do　you　suppose　we　are　such　fools　as　to　leave　that　girl　to　do　as　she　likes？　We　are　endeavoring　to　suppress　a　civil　war；　and　the　grandeur　of　the　purpose　covers　the　pettiness　of　the　means。〃

〃I　take　the　liberty；　citizen；　of　sending　you　toyou　understand　me？　Enough。　To　the　right…about；　march！　Let　me　alone；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you。〃

〃But　read　that；〃　persisted　Corentin。

〃Don't　bother　me　with　your　functions；〃　cried　Hulot；　furious　at　receiving　orders　from　a　man　he　regarded　as　contemptible。

At　this　instant　Galope…Chopine's　boy　suddenly　appeared　among　them　like　a　rat　from　a　hole。

〃The　Gars　has　started！〃　he　cried。

〃Which　way？〃

〃The　rue　Saint…Leonard。〃

〃Beau…Pied；〃　said　Hulot　in　a　whisper　to　the　corporal　who　was　near　him；　〃go　and　tell　your　lieutenant　to　draw　in　closer　round　the　house；　and　make　ready　to　fire。　Left　wheel；　forward　on　the　tower；　the　rest　of　you！〃　he　shouted。

To　understand　the　conclusion　of　this　fatal　drama　we　must　re…enter　the　house　with　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　when　she　returned　to　it　after　denouncing　the　marquis　to　the　commandant。

When　passions　reach　their　crisis　they　bring　us　under　the　dominion　of　far　greater　intoxication　than　the　petty　excitements　of　wine　or　opium。　The　lucidity　then　given　to　ideas；　the　delicacy　of　the　high…wrought　senses；　produce　the　most　singular　and　unexpected　effects。　Some　persons　when　they　find　themselves　under　the　tyranny　of　a　single　thought　can　see　with　extraordinary　distinctness　objects　scarcely　visible　to　others；　while　at　the　same　time　the　most　palpable　things　become　to　them　almost　as　if　they　did　not　exist。　When　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　hurried；　after　reading　the　marquis's　letter；　to　prepare　the　way　for　vengeance　just　as　she　had　lately　been　preparing　all　for　love；　she　was　in　that　stage　of　mental　intoxication　which　makes　real　life　like　the　life　of　a　somnambulist。　But　when　she　saw　her　house　surrounded；　by　her　own　orders；　with　a　triple　line　of　bayonets　a　sudden　flash　of　light　illuminated　her　soul。　She　judged　her　conduct　and　saw　with　horror　that　she　had　committed　a　crime。　Under　the　first　shock　of　this　conviction　she　sprang　to　the　threshold　of　the　door　and　stood　there　irresolute；　striving　to　think；　yet　unable　to　follow　out　her　reasoning。　She　knew　so　vaguely　what　had　happened　that　she　tried　in　vain　to　remember　why　she　was　in　the　antechamber；　and　why　she　was　leading　a　strange　child　by　the　hand。　A　million　of　stars　were　floating　in　the　air　before　her　like　tongues　of　fire。　She　began　to　walk　about；　striving　to　shake　off　the　horrible　torpor　which　laid　hold　of　her；　but；　like　one　asleep；　no　object　appeared　to　her　under　its　natural　form　or　in　its　own　colors。　She　grasped　the　hand　of　the　little　boy　with　a　violence　not　natural　to　her；　dragging　him　along　with　such　precipitate　steps　that　she　seemed　to　have　the　motions　of　a　madwoman。　She　saw　neither　persons　nor　things　in　the　salon　as　she　crossed　it；　and　yet　she　was　saluted　by　three　men　who　made　way　to　let　her　pass。

〃That　must　be　she；〃　said　one　of　them。

〃She　is　very　handsome；〃　exclaimed　another；　who　was　a　priest。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　first；　〃but　how　pale　and　agitated〃

〃And　beside　herself；〃　said　the　third；　〃she　did　not　even　see　us。〃

At　the　door　of　her　own　room　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　saw　the　smiling　face　of　Francine；　who　whispered　to　her：　〃He　is　here；　Marie。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　awoke；　reflected；　looked　at　the　child　whose　hand　she　held；　re