the chouans-第21节

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They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment　speechless；Francine　at　revealing　so　much　knowledge　of　life；　and　Marie　at　the　perception；　which　now　came　to　her　for　the　first　time；　of　a　future　of　happiness　in　her　passion。　She　seemed　to　herself　hanging　over　a　gulf　of　which　she　had　wanted　to　know　the　depth；　and　listening　to　the　fall　of　the　stone　she　had　flung；　at　first　heedlessly；　into　it。

〃Well；　it　is　my　own　affair；〃　she　said；　with　the　gesture　of　a　gambler。　〃I　should　never　pity　a　betrayed　woman；　she　has　no　one　but　herself　to　blame　if　she　is　abandoned。　I　shall　know　how　to　keep；　either　living　or　dead；　the　man　whose　heart　has　once　been　mine。　But；〃　she　added；　with　some　surprise　and　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃where　did　you　get　your　knowledge　of　love；　Francine？〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　peasant…woman；　hastily；　〃hush；　I　hear　steps　in　the　passage。〃

〃Ah！　not　/his/　steps！〃　said　Marie；　listening。　〃But　you　are　evading　an　answer；　well；　well；　I'll　wait　for　it；　or　guess　it。〃

Francine　was　right；　however。　Three　taps　on　the　door　interrupted　the　conversation。　Captain　Merle　appeared；　after　receiving　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　permission　to　enter。

With　a　military　salute　to　the　lady；　whose　beauty　dazzled　him；　the　soldier　ventured　on　giving　her　a　glance；　but　he　found　nothing　better　to　say　than：　〃Mademoiselle；　I　am　at　your　orders。〃

〃Then　you　are　to　be　my　protector；　in　place　of　the　commander；　who　retires；　is　that　so？〃

〃No；　my　superior　is　the　adjutant…major　Gerard；　who　has　sent　me　here。〃

〃Your　commandant　must　be　very　much　afraid　of　me；〃　she　said。

〃Beg　pardon；　mademoiselle；　Hulot　is　afraid　of　nothing。　But　women；　you　see；　are　not　in　his　line；　it　ruffled　him　to　have　a　general　in　a　mob…　cap。〃

〃And　yet；〃　continued　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　〃it　was　his　duty　to　obey　his　superiors。　I　like　subordination；　and　I　warn　you　that　I　shall　allow　no　one　to　disobey　me。〃

〃That　would　be　difficult；〃　replied　Merle；　gallantly。

〃Let　us　consult；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃You　can　get　fresh　troops　here　and　accompany　me　to　Mayenne；　which　I　must　reach　this　evening。　Shall　we　find　other　soldiers　there；　so　that　I　might　go　on　at　once；　without　stopping　at　Mayenne？　The　Chouans　are　quite　ignorant　of　our　little　expedition。　If　we　travel　at　night；　we　can　avoid　meeting　any　number　of　them；　and　so　escape　an　attack。　Do　you　think　this　feasible？〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle。〃

〃What　sort　of　road　is　it　between　Mayenne　and　Fougeres？〃

〃Rough；　all　up　and　down；　a　regular　squirrel…wheel。〃

〃Well；　let　us　start　at　once。　As　we　have　nothing　to　fear　near　Alencon；　you　can　go　before　me；　we'll　join　you　soon。〃

〃One　would　think　she　had　seen　ten　years'　service；〃　thought　Merle；　as　he　departed。　〃Hulot　is　mistaken；　that　young　girl　is　not　earning　her　living　out　of　a　feather…bed。　Ten　thousand　carriages！　if　I　want　to　be　adjutant…major　I　mustn't　be　such　a　fool　as　to　mistake　Saint…Michael　for　the　devil。〃

During　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　conference　with　the　captain；　Francine　had　slipped　out　for　the　purpose　of　examining；　through　a　window　of　the　corridor；　the　spot　in　the　courtyard　which　had　excited　her　curiosity　on　arriving　at　the　inn。　She　watched　the　stable　and　the　heaps　of　straw　with　the　absorption　of　one　who　was　saying　her　prayers　to　the　Virgin；　and　she　presently　saw　Madame　du　Gua　approaching　Marche…　a…Terre　with　the　precaution　of　a　cat　that　dislikes　to　wet　its　feet。　When　the　Chouan　caught　sight　of　the　lady；　he　rose　and　stood　before　her　in　an　attitude　of　deep　respect。　This　singular　circumstance　aroused　Francine's　curiosity；　she　slipped　into　the　courtyard　and　along　the　walls；　avoiding　Madame　du　Gua's　notice；　and　trying　to　hide　herself　behind　the　stable　door。　She　walked　on　tiptoe；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　and　succeeded　in　posting　herself　close　to　Marche…a…Terre；　without　exciting　his　attention。

〃If；　after　all　this　information；〃　the　lady　was　saying　to　the　Chouan；　〃it　proves　not　to　be　her　real　name；　you　are　to　fire　upon　her　without　pity；　as　you　would　on　a　mad　dog。〃

〃Agreed！〃　said　Marche…a…Terre。

The　lady　left　him。　The　Chouan　replaced　his　red　woollen　cap　upon　his　head；　remained　standing；　and　was　scratching　his　ear　as　if　puzzled　when　Francine　suddenly　appeared　before　him；　apparently　by　magic。

〃Saint　Anne　of　Auray！〃　he　exclaimed。　Then　he　dropped　his　whip；　clasped　his　hands；　and　stood　as　if　in　ecstasy。　A　faint　color　illuminated　his　coarse　face；　and　his　eyes　shone　like　diamonds　dropped　on　a　muck…heap。　〃Is　it　really　the　brave　girl　from　Cottin？〃　he　muttered；　in　a　voice　so　smothered　that　he　alone　heard　it。　〃You　/are/　fine；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause；　using　the　curious　word；　〃godaine；〃　a　superlative　in　the　dialect　of　those　regions　used　by　lovers　to　express　the　combination　of　fine　clothes　and　beauty。

〃I　daren't　touch　you；〃　added　Marche…a…Terre；　putting　out　his　big　hand　nevertheless；　as　if　to　weigh　the　gold　chain　which　hung　round　her　neck　and　below　her　waist。

〃You　had　better　not；　Pierre；〃　replied　Francine；　inspired　by　the　instinct　which　makes　a　woman　despotic　when　not　oppressed。　She　drew　back　haughtily；　after　enjoying　the　Chouan's　surprise；　but　she　compensated　for　the　harshness　of　her　words　by　the　softness　of　her　glance；　saying；　as　she　once　more　approached　him：　〃Pierre；　that　lady　was　talking　to　you　about　my　young　mistress；　wasn't　she？〃

Marche…a…Terre　was　silent；　his　face　struggled；　like　the　dawn；　between　clouds　and　light。　He　looked　in　turn　at　Francine；　at　the　whip　he　had　dropped；　and　at　the　chain；　which　seemed　to　have　as　powerful　an　attraction　for　him　as　the　Breton　girl　herself。　Then；　as　if　to　put　a　stop　to　his　own　uneasiness；　he　picked　up　his　whip　and　still　kept　silence。

〃Well；　it　is　easy　to　see　that　that　lady　told　you　to　kill　my　mistress；〃　resumed　Francine；　who　knew　the　faithful　discretion　of　the　peasant；　and　wished　to　relieve　his　scruples。

Marche…a…Terre　lowered　his　head　significantly。　To　the　Cottin　girl　that　was　answer　enough。

〃Very　good；　Pierre；〃　she　said；　〃if　any　evil　happens　to　her；　if　a　hair　of　her　head　is　injured；　you　and　I　will　have　seen　each　other　for　the　last　time；　for　I　shall　be　in　heaven；　and　you　will　go　to　hell。〃

The　possessed　of　devils　whom　the　Church　in　former　days　used　to　exorcise　with　great　pomp　were　not　more　shaken　and　agitated　than　Marche…a…Terre　at　this　prophecy；　uttered　with　a　conviction　that　gave　it　certainty。　His　glance；　which　at　first　had　a　character　of　savage　tenderness；　counteracted　by　a　fanaticism　as　powerful　in　his　soul　as　love；　suddenly　became　surly；　as　he　felt　the　imperious　manner　of　the　girl　he　had　long　since　chosen。　Francine　interpreted　his　silence　in　her　own　way。

〃Won't　you　do　anything　for　my　sake？〃　she　said　in　a　tone　of　reproach。

At　these　words　the　Chouan　cast　a　glance　at　his　mistress　from　eyes　that　were　black　as　a　crow's　wing。

〃Are　you　free？〃　he　asked　in　a　growl　that　Francine　alone　could　have　understood。

〃Should　I　be　here　if　I　were　not？〃　she　replied　indignantly。　〃But　you；　what　are　you　doing　here？　Still　playing　bandit；　still　roaming　the　country　like　a　mad　dog　wanting　to　bite。　Oh！　Pierre；　if　you　were　wise；　you　would　come　with　me。　This　beautiful　young　lady；　who；　I　ought　to　tell　you；　was　nursed　when　a　baby　in　our　home；　has　taken　care　of　me。　I　have　two　hundred　francs　a　year　from　a　good　investment。　And　Mademoiselle　has　bought　me　my　uncle　Thomas's　big　house　for　fifteen　hundred　francs；　and　I　have　saved　two　thousand　beside。〃

But　her　smiles　and　the　announcement　of　her　wealth　fell　dead　before　the　dogged　immovability　of　the　Chouan。

〃The　priests　have　told　us　to　go　to　war；〃　he　replied。　〃Every　Blue　we　shoot　earns　one　indulgence。〃

〃But　suppose　the　Blues　shoot　you？〃

He　answered　by　letting　his　arms　drop　at　his　sides；　as　if　regretting　the　poverty　of　the　offering　he　should　thus　make　to　God　and　the　king。

〃What　will　become　of　me？〃　exclaimed　the　young　girl；　sorrowfully。

Marche…a…Terre　looked　at　her　stupidly；　his　eyes　seemed　to　enlarge；　tears　rolled　down　his　hairy　cheeks　upon　the　goatskin　which　covered　him；　and　a　low　moan　came　from　his　breast。

〃Saint　Anne　of　Auray！Pierre；　is　this　all　you　have　to　say　to　me　after　a　parting　of　seven　years？　You　have　changed　indeed。〃

〃I　love　you　the　same　as　ever；〃　said　the　Chouan；　in　a　gruff　voice。

〃No；〃　she　whispered；　〃the　king　is　first。〃

〃If　you　look　at　me　like　that　I　shall　go；〃　he　said。

〃Well；　then；　adieu；〃　she　replied；　sadly。

〃Adieu；〃　he　repeated。

He　seized　her　hand；　wrung　it；　kissed　it；　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and　rushed　into　the　stable；　like　a　dog　who　fears　that　his　bone　will　be　taken　from　him。

〃Pille…Miche；〃　he　said　to　his　comrade。　〃Where's　your　tobacco…box？〃

〃Ho！　/sacre　bleu/！　what　a　fine　chain！〃　cried　Pille…Miche；　fumbling　in　a　pocket　constructed　in　his　goatskin。

Then　he　held　out　to　Marche…a…Terre　the　little　horn　in　which　Bretons　put　the　finely　powdered　tobacco　which　they　prepare　themselves　during　the　long　winter　nights。　The　Chouan　raised　his　thumb　and　made　a　hollow　in　the　palm　of　his　hand；　after　the　manner　in　which　an　〃Invalide〃　takes　his　tobacco；　then　he　shook　the　horn；　the　small　end　of　which　Pille…　Miche　had　unscrewed。　A　fine　powder　fell　slowly　from　the　little　hole　pierced　in　the　point　of　this　Breton　utensil。　Marche…a…Terre　went　through　the　same　process　seven　or　eight　times　silently；　as　if　the　powder　had　power　to　change　the　current　of　his　thoughts。　Suddenly　he