the chouans-第9节

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so　large　a　detachment。　According　to　Hulot　the　young　royalist　whom　he　had　seen　was　undoubtedly　the　Gars；　the　new　general　sent　to　France　by　the　princes；　who；　following　the　example　of　the　other　royalist　chiefs；　concealed　his　real　name　and　title　under　one　of　those　pseudonyms　called　〃noms　de　guerre。〃　This　circumstance　made　the　commandant　quite　as　uneasy　after　his　melancholy　victory　as　he　had　been　before　it　while　expecting　the　attack。　He　turned　several　times　to　consider　the　table…land　of　La　Pelerine　which　he　was　leaving　behind　him；　across　which　he　could　still　hear　faintly　at　intervals　the　drums　of　the　National　Guard　descending　into　the　valley　of　Couesnon　at　the　same　time　that　the　Blues　were　descending　into　that　of　La　Pelerine。

〃Can　either　of　you；〃　he　said　to　his　two　friends；　〃guess　the　motives　of　that　attack　of　the　Chouans？　To　them；　fighting　is　a　matter　of　business；　and　I　can't　see　what　they　expected　to　gain　by　this　attack。　They　have　lost　at　least　a　hundred　men；　and　we〃he　added；　screwing　up　his　right　cheek　and　winking　by　way　of　a　smile；　〃have　lost　only　sixty。　God's　thunder！　I　don't　understand　that　sort　of　speculation。　The　scoundrels　needn't　have　attacked　us；　we　might　just　as　well　have　been　allowed　to　pass　like　letters　through　the　postNo；　I　don't　see　what　good　it　has　done　them　to　bullet…hole　our　men；〃　he　added；　with　a　sad　shake　of　his　head　toward　the　carts。　〃Perhaps　they　only　intended　to　say　good…day　to　us。〃

〃But　they　carried　off　our　recruits；　commander；〃　said　Merle。

〃The　recruits　could　have　skipped　like　frogs　into　the　woods　at　any　time；　and　we　should　never　have　gone　after　them；　especially　if　those　fellows　had　fired　a　single　volley；〃　returned　Hulot。　〃No；　no；　there's　something　behind　all　this。〃　Again　he　turned　and　looked　at　La　Pelerine。　〃See！〃　he　cried；　〃see　there！〃

Though　they　were　now　at　a　long　distance　from　the　fatal　plateau；　they　could　easily　distinguish　Marche…a…Terre　and　several　Chouans　who　were　again　occupying　it。

〃Double…quick；　march！〃　cried　Hulot　to　his　men；　〃open　your　compasses　and　trot　the　steeds　faster　than　that！　Are　your　legs　frozen？〃

These　words　drove　the　little　troop　into　a　rapid　motion。

〃There's　a　mystery；　and　it's　hard　to　make　out；〃　continued　Hulot；　speaking　to　his　friends。　〃God　grant　it　isn't　explained　by　muskets　at　Ernee。　I'm　very　much　afraid　that　we　shall　find　the　road　to　Mayenne　cut　off　by　the　king's　men。〃

*****

The　strategical　problem　which　troubled　the　commandant　was　causing　quite　as　much　uneasiness　to　the　persons　whom　he　had　just　seen　on　the　summit　of　Mont　Pelerine。　As　soon　as　the　drums　of　the　National　Guard　were　out　of　hearing　and　Marche…a…Terre　had　seen　the　Blues　at　the　foot　of　the　declivity；　he　gave　the　owl's　cry　joyously；　and　the　Chouans　reappeared；　but　their　numbers　were　less。　Some　were　no　doubt　busy　in　taking　care　of　the　wounded　in　the　little　village　of　La　Pelerine；　situated　on　the　side　of　the　mountain　which　looks　toward　the　valley　of　Couesnon。　Two　or　three　chiefs　of　what　were　called　the　〃Chasseurs　du　Roi〃　clustered　about　Marche…a…Terre。　A　few　feet　apart　sat　the　young　noble　called　The　Gars；　on　a　granite　rock；　absorbed　in　thoughts　excited　by　the　difficulties　of　his　enterprise；　which　now　began　to　show　themselves。　Marche…a…Terre　screened　his　forehead　with　his　hand　from　the　rays　of　the　sun；　and　looked　gloomily　at　the　road　by　which　the　Blues　were　crossing　the　valley　of　La　Pelerine。　His　small　black　eyes　could　see　what　was　happening　on　the　hill…slopes　on　the　other　side　of　the　valley。

〃The　Blues　will　intercept　the　messenger；〃　said　the　angry　voice　of　one　of　the　leaders　who　stood　near　him。

〃By　Saint　Anne　of　Auray！〃　exclaimed　another。　〃Why　did　you　make　us　fight？　Was　it　to　save　your　own　skin　from　the　Blues？〃

Marche…a…Terre　darted　a　venomous　look　at　his　questioner　and　struck　the　ground　with　his　heavy　carbine。

〃Am　I　your　leader？〃　he　asked。　Then　after　a　pause　he　added；　pointing　to　the　remains　of　Hulot's　detachment；　〃If　you　had　all　fought　as　I　did；　not　one　of　those　Blues　would　have　escaped；　and　the　coach　could　have　got　here　safely。〃

〃They'd　never　have　thought　of　escorting　it　or　holding　it　back　if　we　had　let　them　go　by　without　a　fight。　No；　you　wanted　to　save　your　precious　skin　and　get　out　of　their　handsHe　has　bled　us　for　the　sake　of　his　own　snout；〃　continued　the　orator；　〃and　made　us　lose　twenty　thousand　francs　in　good　coin。〃

〃Snout　yourself！〃　cried　Marche…a…Terre；　retreating　three　steps　and　aiming　at　his　aggressor。　〃It　isn't　that　you　hate　the　Blues；　but　you　love　the　gold。　Die　without　confession　and　be　damned；　for　you　haven't　taken　the　sacrament　for　a　year。〃

This　insult　so　incensed　the　Chouan　that　he　turned　pale　and　a　low　growl　came　from　his　chest　as　he　aimed　in　turn　at　Marche…a…Terre。　The　young　chief　sprang　between　them　and　struck　their　weapons　from　their　hands　with　the　barrel　of　his　own　carbine；　then　he　demanded　an　explanation　of　the　dispute；　for　the　conversation　had　been　carried　on　in　the　Breton　dialect；　an　idiom　with　which　he　was　not　familiar。

〃Monsieur　le　marquis；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　as　he　ended　his　account　of　the　quarrel；　〃it　is　all　the　more　unreasonable　in　them　to　find　fault　with　me　because　I　have　left　Pille…Miche　behind　me；　he'll　know　how　to　save　the　coach　for　us。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　angrily；　〃are　you　waiting　here；　all　of　you；　to　pillage　that　coach？a　parcel　of　cowards　who　couldn't　win　a　victory　in　the　first　fight　to　which　I　led　you！　But　why　should　you　win　if　that's　your　object？　The　defenders　of　God　and　the　king　are　thieves；　are　they？　By　Saint　Anne　of　Auray！　I'd　have　you　know；　we　are　making　war　against　the　Republic；　and　not　robbing　travellers。　Those　who　are　guilty　in　future　of　such　shameful　actions　shall　not　receive　absolution；　nor　any　of　the　favors　reserved　for　the　faithful　servants　of　the　king。〃

A　murmur　came　from　the　group　of　Chouans；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　authority　of　the　new　chief　was　about　to　be　disputed。　The　young　man；　on　whom　this　effect　of　his　words　was　by　no　means　lost；　was　thinking　of　the　best　means　of　maintaining　the　dignity　of　his　command；　when　the　trot　of　a　horse　was　heard　in　the　vicinity。　All　heads　turned　in　the　direction　from　which　the　sound　came。　A　lady　appeared；　sitting　astride　of　a　little　Breton　horse；　which　she　put　at　a　gallop　as　soon　as　she　saw　the　young　leader；　so　as　to　reach　the　group　of　Chouans　as　quickly　as　possible。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　looking　first　at　the　Chouans　and　then　at　their　chief。

〃Could　you　believe　it；　madame？　they　are　waiting　to　rob　the　diligence　from　Mayenne　to　Fougeres　when　we　have　just　had　a　skirmish；　in　order　to　release　the　conscripts　of　Fougeres；　which　has　cost　us　a　great　many　men　without　defeating　the　Blues。〃

〃Well；　where's　the　harm　of　that？〃　asked　the　young　lady；　to　whom　the　natural　shrewdness　of　a　woman　explained　the　whole　scene。　〃You　have　lost　men；　but　there's　no　lack　of　others；　the　coach　is　bringing　gold；　and　there's　always　a　lack　of　that。　We　bury　men；　who　go　to　heaven；　and　we　take　money；　which　goes　into　the　pockets　of　heroes。　I　don't　see　the　difficulty。〃

The　Chouans　approved　of　her　speech　by　unanimous　smiles。

〃Do　you　see　nothing　in　all　that　to　make　you　blush？〃　said　the　young　man；　in　a　low　voice。　〃Are　you　in　such　need　of　money　that　you　must　pillage　on　the　high…road？〃

〃I　am　so　eager　for　it；　marquis；　that　I　should　put　my　heart　in　pawn　if　it　were　not　already　captured；〃　she　said；　smiling　coquettishly。　〃But　where　did　you　get　the　strange　idea　that　you　could　manage　Chouans　without　letting　them　rob　a　few　Blues　here　and　there？　Don't　you　know　the　saying；　'Thieving　as　an　owl'？and　that's　a　Chouan。　Besides；〃　she　said；　raising　her　voice　to　be　heard　by　the　men；　〃it　is　just；　haven't　the　Blues　seized　the　property　of　the　Church；　and　our　own？〃

Another　murmur；　very　different　from　the　growl　with　which　the　Chouans　had　answered　their　leader；　greeted　these　words。　The　young　man's　face　grew　darker；　he　took　the　young　lady　aside　and　said　in　the　annoyed　tone　of　a　well…bred　man；　〃Will　those　gentlemen　be　at　La　Vivetiere　on　the　appointed　day？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃all　of　them；　the　Claimant；　Grand…Jacques；　and　perhaps　Ferdinand。〃

〃Then　allow　me　to　return　there。　I　cannot　sanction　such　robbery。　Yes；　madame；　I　call　it　robbery。　There　may　be　honor　in　being　robbed；　but〃

〃Well；　well；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃then　I　shall　have　your　share　of　the　booty；　and　I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　giving　it　up　to　me；　the　extra　sum　will　be　extremely　useful；　for　my　mother　has　delayed　sending　me　money；　so　that　I　am　almost　destitute。〃

〃Adieu！〃　cried　the　marquis。

He　turned　away；　but　the　lady　ran　after　him。

〃Why　won't　you　stay　with　me？〃　she　said；　giving　him　the　look；　half…　despotic；　half…caressing；　with　which　women　who　have　a　right　to　a　man's　respect　let　him　know　their　wishes。

〃You　are　going　to　pillage　that　coach？〃

〃Pillage？　what　a　word！〃　she　said。　〃Let　me　explain　to　you〃

〃Explain　nothing；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand　and　kissing　it　with　the　superficial　gallantry　of　a　courtier。　〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　added　after　a　short　pause：　〃if　I　were　to　stay　here　while　they　capture　that　diligence　our　people　would　kill　me；　for　I　should　certainly〃

〃Not　kill　them；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃for　they　would　bind　your　hands；　with　all　the　respect　that　is　due　to　your　rank；　then；　having　levied　the　necessary　contribution　for　their