the chouans-第67节

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　heavy　tread　of　soldiers；no　doubt　relieving　the　guard　in　the　church　which　she　had　herself　demanded。　She　trembled　violently　and　raised　her　eyes　to　the　cross　on　the　altar。

〃A　saint　at　last；〃　said　Francine；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Give　me　such　saints；　and　I'll　be　devilishly　devout；〃　added　the　count；　in　a　whisper。

When　the　priest　made　the　customary　inquiry　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　she　answered　by　a　〃yes〃　uttered　with　a　deep　sigh。　Bending　to　her　husband's　ear　she　said：　〃You　will　soon　know　why　I　have　broken　the　oath　I　made　never　to　marry　you。〃

After　the　ceremony　all　present　passed　into　the　dining…room；　where　dinner　was　served；　and　as　they　took　their　places　Jeremie；　Marie's　footman；　came　into　the　room　terrified。　The　poor　bride　rose　and　went　to　him；　Francine　followed　her。　With　one　of　those　pretexts　which　never　fail　a　woman；　she　begged　the　marquis　to　do　the　honors　for　a　moment；　and　went　out；　taking　Jeremie　with　her　before　he　could　utter　the　fatal　words。

〃Ah！　Francine；　to　be　dying　a　thousand　deaths　and　not　to　die！〃　she　cried。

This　absence　might　well　be　supposed　to　have　its　cause　in　the　ceremony　that　had　just　taken　place。　Towards　the　end　of　the　dinner；　as　the　marquis　was　beginning　to　feel　uneasy；　Marie　returned　in　all　the　pomp　of　a　bridal　robe。　Her　face　was　calm　and　joyful；　while　that　of　Francine　who　followed　her　had　terror　imprinted　on　every　feature；　so　that　the　guests　might　well　have　thought　they　saw　in　these　two　women　a　fantastic　picture　by　Salvator　Rosa；　of　Life　and　Death　holding　each　other　by　the　hand。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Marie　to　the　priest；　the　baron；　and　the　count；　〃you　are　my　guests　for　the　night。　I　find　you　cannot　leave　Fougeres；　it　would　be　dangerous　to　attempt　it。　My　good　maid　has　instructions　to　make　you　comfortable　in　your　apartments。　No；　you　must　not　rebel；〃　she　added　to　the　priest；　who　was　about　to　speak。　〃I　hope　you　will　not　thwart　a　woman　on　her　wedding…day。〃

An　hour　later　she　was　alone　with　her　husband　in　the　room　she　had　so　joyously　arranged　a　few　hours　earlier。　They　had　reached　that　fatal　bed　where；　like　a　tomb；　so　many　hopes　are　wrecked；　where　the　waking　to　a　happy　life　is　all　uncertain；　where　love　is　born　or　dies；　according　to　the　natures　that　are　tried　there。　Marie　looked　at　the　clock。　〃Six　hours　to　live；〃　she　murmured。

〃Can　I　have　slept？〃　she　cried　toward　morning；　wakening　with　one　of　those　sudden　movements　which　rouse　us　when　we　have　made　ourselves　a　promise　to　wake　at　a　certain　hour。　〃Yes；　I　have　slept；〃　she　thought；　seeing　by　the　light　of　the　candles　that　the　hands　of　the　clock　were　pointing　to　two　in　the　morning。　She　turned　and　looked　at　the　sleeping　marquis；　lying　like　a　child　with　his　head　on　one　hand；　the　other　clasping　his　wife's　hand；　his　lips　half　smiling　as　though　he　had　fallen　asleep　while　she　kissed　him。

〃Ah！〃　she　whispered　to　herself；　〃he　sleeps　like　an　infant；　he　does　not　distrust　meme；　to　whom　he　has　given　a　happiness　without　a　name。〃

She　touched　him　softly　and　he　woke；　continuing　to　smile。　He　kissed　the　hand　he　held　and　looked　at　the　wretched　woman　with　eyes　so　sparkling　that　she　could　not　endure　their　light　and　slowly　lowered　her　large　eyelids。　Her　husband　might　justly　have　accused　her　of　coquetry　if　she　were　not　concealing　the　terrors　of　her　soul　by　thus　evading　the　fire　of　his　looks。　Together　they　raised　their　charming　heads　and　made　each　other　a　sign　of　gratitude　for　the　pleasures　they　had　tasted；　but　after　a　rapid　glance　at　the　beautiful　picture　his　wife　presented；　the　marquis　was　struck　with　an　expression　on　her　face　which　seemed　to　him　melancholy；　and　he　said　in　a　tender　voice；　〃Why　sad；　dear　love？〃

〃Poor　Alphonse；〃　she　answered；　〃do　you　know　to　what　I　have　led　you？〃

〃To　happiness。〃

〃To　death！〃

Shuddering　with　horror　she　sprang　from　the　bed；　the　marquis；　astonished；　followed　her。　His　wife　motioned　him　to　a　window　and　raised　the　curtain；　pointing　as　she　did　so　to　a　score　of　soldiers。　The　moon　had　scattered　the　fog　and　was　now　casting　her　white　light　on　the　muskets　and　the　uniforms；　on　the　impassible　Corentin　pacing　up　and　down　like　a　jackal　waiting　for　his　prey；　on　the　commandant；　standing　still；　his　arms　crossed；　his　nose　in　the　air；　his　lips　curling；　watchful　and　displeased。

〃Come；　Marie；　leave　them　and　come　back　to　me。〃

〃Why　do　you　smile？　I　placed　them　there。〃

〃You　are　dreaming。〃

〃No。〃

They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment。　The　marquis　divined　the　whole　truth；　and　he　took　her　in　his　arms。　〃No　matter！〃　he　said；　〃I　love　you　still。〃

〃All　is　not　lost！〃　cried　Marie；　〃it　cannot　be！　Alphonse；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃there　is　hope。〃

At　this　moment　they　distinctly　heard　the　owl's　cry；　and　Francine　entered　from　the　dressing…room。

〃Pierre　has　come！〃　she　said　with　a　joy　that　was　like　delirium。

The　marquise　and　Francine　dressed　Montauran　in　Chouan　clothes　with　that　amazing　rapidity　that　belongs　only　to　women。　As　soon　as　Marie　saw　her　husband　loading　the　gun　Francine　had　brought　in　she　slipped　hastily　from　the　room　with　a　sign　to　her　faithful　maid。　Francine　then　took　the　marquis　to　the　dressing…room　adjoining　the　bed…chamber。　The　young　man　seeing　a　large　number　of　sheets　knotted　firmly　together；　perceived　the　means　by　which　the　girl　expected　him　to　escape　the　vigilance　of　the　soldiers。

〃I　can't　get　through　there；〃　he　said；　examining　the　bull's…eye　window。

At　that　instant　it　was　darkened　by　a　thickset　figure；　and　a　hoarse　voice；　known　to　Francine；　said　in　a　whisper；　〃Make　haste；　general；　those　rascally　Blues　are　stirring。〃

〃Oh！　one　more　kiss；〃　said　a　trembling　voice　beside　him。

The　marquis；　whose　feet　were　already　on　the　liberating　ladder；　though　he　was　not　wholly　through　the　window；　felt　his　neck　clasped　with　a　despairing　pressure。　Seeing　that　his　wife　had　put　on　his　clothes；　he　tried　to　detain　her；　but　she　tore　herself　roughly　from　his　arms　and　he　was　forced　to　descend。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　fragment　of　some　stuff　which　the　moonlight　showed　him　was　a　piece　of　the　waistcoat　he　had　worn　the　night　before。

〃Halt！　fire！〃

These　words　uttered　by　Hulot　in　the　midst　of　a　silence　that　was　almost　horrible　broke　the　spell　which　seemed　to　hold　the　men　and　their　surroundings。　A　volley　of　balls　coming　from　the　valley　and　reaching　to　the　foot　of　the　tower　succeeded　the　discharges　of　the　Blues　posted　on　the　Promenade。　Not　a　cry　came　from　the　Chouans。　Between　each　discharge　the　silence　was　frightful。

But　Corentin　had　heard　a　fall　from　the　ladder　on　the　precipice　side　of　the　tower；　and　he　suspected　some　ruse。

〃None　of　those　animals　are　growling；〃　he　said　to　Hulot；　〃our　lovers　are　capable　of　fooling　us　on　this　side；　and　escaping　themselves　on　the　other。〃

The　spy；　to　clear　up　the　mystery；　sent　for　torches；　Hulot；　understanding　the　force　of　Corentin's　supposition；　and　hearing　the　noise　of　a　serious　struggle　in　the　direction　of　the　Porte　Saint…　Leonard；　rushed　to　the　guard…house　exclaiming：　〃That's　true；　they　won't　separate。〃

〃His　head　is　well…riddled；　commandant；〃　said　Beau…Pied；　who　was　the　first　to　meet　him；　〃but　he　killed　Gudin；　and　wounded　two　men。　Ha！　the　savage；　he　got　through　three　ranks　of　our　best　men　and　would　have　reached　the　fields　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　sentry　at　the　gate　who　spitted　him　on　his　bayonet。〃

The　commandant　rushed　into　the　guard…room　and　saw　on　a　camp　bedstead　a　bloody　body　which　had　just　been　laid　there。　He　went　up　to　the　supposed　marquis；　raised　the　hat　which　covered　the　face；　and　fell　into　a　chair。

〃I　suspected　it！〃　he　cried；　crossing　his　arms　violently；　〃she　kept　him；　cursed　thunder！　too　long。〃

The　soldiers　stood　about；　motionless。　The　commandant　himself　unfastened　the　long　black　hair　of　a　woman。　Suddenly　the　silence　was　broken　by　the　tramp　of　men　and　Corentin　entered　the　guardroom；　preceding　four　soldiers　who　bore　on　their　guns；　crossed　to　make　a　litter；　the　body　of　Montauran；　who　was　shot　in　the　thighs　and　arms。　They　laid　him　on　the　bedstead　beside　his　wife。　He　saw　her；　and　found　strength　to　clasp　her　hand　with　a　convulsive　gesture。　The　dying　woman　turned　her　head；　recognized　her　husband；　and　shuddered　with　a　spasm　that　was　horrible　to　see；　murmuring　in　a　voice　almost　extinct：　〃A　day　without　a　morrow！　God　heard　me　too　well！〃

〃Commandant；〃　said　the　marquis；　collecting　all　his　strength；　and　still　holding　Marie's　hand；　〃I　count　on　your　honor　to　send　the　news　of　my　death　to　my　young　brother；　who　is　now　in　London。　Write　him　that　if　he　wishes　to　obey　my　last　injunction　he　will　never　bear　arms　against　his　countryneither　must　he　abandon　the　king's　service。〃

〃It　shall　be　done；〃　said　Hulot；　pressing　the　hand　of　the　dying　man。

〃Take　them　to　the　nearest　hospital；〃　cried　Corentin。

Hulot　took　the　spy　by　the　arm　with　a　grip　that　left　the　imprint　of　his　fingers　on　the　flesh。

〃Out　of　this　camp！〃　he　cried；　〃your　business　is　done　here。　Look　well　at　the　face　of　Commander　Hulot；　and　never　find　yourself　again　in　his　way　if　you　don't　want　your　belly　to　be　the　scabbard　of　his　blade〃

And　the　older　soldier　flourished　his　sabre。

〃That's　another　of　the　honest　men　who　will　never　make　their　way；〃　said　Corentin　to　himself　when　he　was　some　distance　from　the　guard…room。

The　marquis　was　still　able　to　thank　his　gallant　adversary　by　a　look　marking　the　respect　which　all　soldiers　feel　for　loyal　enemies。