the chouans-第40节

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many。　The　moans　of　his　prisoner　produced　a　broad　grin　upon　features　that　were　ribbed　with　wrinkles　and　tanned　by　the　sun。

〃You　see；〃　he　said　to　his　victim；　〃that　we　Christians　keep　our　promises；　which　you　don't。　That　fire　is　going　to　thaw　out　your　legs　and　tongue　and　hands。　Hey！　hey！　I　don't　see　a　dripping…pan　to　put　under　your　feet；　they　are　so　fat　the　grease　may　put　out　the　fire。　Your　house　must　be　badly　furnished　if　it　can't　give　its　master　all　he　wants　to　warm　him。〃

The　victim　uttered　a　sharp　cry；　as　if　he　hoped　someone　would　hear　him　through　the　ceiling　and　come　to　his　assistance。

〃Ho！　sing　away；　Monsieur　d'Orgemont；　they　are　all　asleep　upstairs；　and　Marche…a…Terre　is　just　behind　me；　he'll　shut　the　cellar　door。〃

While　speaking　Pille…Miche　was　sounding　with　the　butt…end　of　his　musket　the　mantel…piece　of　the　chimney；　the　tiles　of　the　floor；　the　walls　and　the　ovens；　to　discover；　if　possible；　where　the　miser　hid　his　gold。　This　search　was　made　with　such　adroitness　that　d'Orgemont　kept　silence；　as　if　he　feared　to　have　been　betrayed　by　some　frightened　servant；　for；　though　he　trusted　his　secrets　to　no　one；　his　habits　gave　plenty　of　ground　for　logical　deductions。　Pille…Miche　turned　several　times　sharply　to　look　at　his　victim；　as　children　do　when　they　try　to　guess；　by　the　conscious　expression　of　the　comrade　who　has　hidden　an　article；　whether　they　are　nearer　to　or　farther　away　from　it。　D'Orgemont　pretended　to　be　alarmed　when　the　Chouan　tapped　the　ovens；　which　sounded　hollow；　and　seemed　to　wish　to　play　upon　his　eager　credulity。　Just　then　three　other　Chouans　rushed　down　the　steps　and　entered　the　kitchen。　Seeing　Marche…a…Terre　among　them　Pille…Miche　discontinued　his　search；　after　casting　upon　d'Orgemont　a　look　that　conveyed　the　wrath　of　his　balked　covetousness。

〃Marie　Lambrequin　has　come　to　life！〃　cried　Marche…a…Terre；　proclaiming　by　his　manner　that　all　other　interests　were　of　no　account　beside　this　great　piece　of　news。

〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　said　Pille…Miche；　〃he　took　the　sacrament　so　often；　the　good　God　belonged　to　him。〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　observed　Mene…a…Bien；　〃that　didn't　stand　him　in　anything　at　his　death。　He　hadn't　received　absolution　before　the　affair　at　La　Pelerine。　He　had　cheapened　Goguelu's　daughter；　and　was　living　in　mortal　sin。　The　Abbe　Gudin　said　he'd　have　to　roam　round　two　months　as　a　ghost　before　he　could　come　to　life。　We　saw　him　pass　us；he　was　pale；　he　was　cold；　he　was　thin；　he　smelt　of　the　cemetery。〃

〃And　his　Reverence　says　that　if　a　ghost　gets　hold　of　a　living　man　he　can　force　him　to　be　his　companion；〃　said　the　fourth　Chouan。

The　grotesque　appearance　of　this　last　speaker　drew　Marche…a…Terre　from　the　pious　reflections　he　had　been　making　on　the　accomplishment　of　this　miracle　of　coming　to　life　which；　according　to　the　Abbe　Gudin　would　happen　to　every　true　defender　of　religion　and　the　king。

〃You　see；　Galope…Chopine；〃　he　said　to　the　fourth　man　gravely；　〃what　comes　of　omitting　even　the　smallest　duty　commanded　by　our　holy　religion。　It　is　a　warning　to　us；　given　by　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　to　be　rigorous　with　ourselves　for　the　slightest　sin。　Your　cousin　Pille…Miche　has　asked　the　Gars　to　give　you　the　surveillance　of　Fougeres；　and　the　Gars　consents；　and　you'll　be　well　paidbut　you　know　with　what　flour　we　bake　a　traitor's　bread。〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　Marche…a…Terre。〃

〃And　you　know　why　I　tell　you　that。　Some　say　you　like　cider　and　gambling；　but　you　can't　play　heads　or　tails　now；　remember；　you　must　belong　to　us　only；　or〃

〃By　your　leave；　Monsieur　Marche…a…Terre；　cider　and　stakes　are　two　good　things　which　don't　hinder　a　man's　salvation。〃

〃If　my　cousin　commits　any　folly；〃　said　Pille…Miche；　〃it　will　be　out　of　ignorance。〃

〃In　any　way　he　commits　it；　if　harm　comes；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　in　a　voice　which　made　the　arched　roof　tremble；　〃my　gun　won't　miss　him。　You　will　answer　for　him　to　me；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Pille…Miche；　〃for　if　he　does　wrong　I　shall　take　it　out　on　the　thing　that　fills　your　goatskin。〃

〃But；　Monsieur　Marche…a…Terre；　with　all　due　respect；〃　said　Galope…　Chopine；　〃haven't　you　sometimes　taken　a　counterfeit　Chouan　for　a　real　one。〃

〃My　friend；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre　in　a　curt　tone；　〃don't　let　that　happen　in　your　case；　or　I'll　cut　you　in　two　like　a　turnip。　As　to　the　emissaries　of　the　Gars；　they　all　carry　his　glove；　but　since　that　affair　at　La　Vivetiere　the　Grande　Garce　has　added　a　green　ribbon　to　it。〃

Pille　Miche　nudged　his　comrade　by　the　elbow　and　showed　him　d'Orgemont；　who　was　pretending　to　be　asleep；　but　Pille…Miche　and　Marche…a…Terre　both　knew　by　experience　that　no　one　ever　slept　by　the　corner　of　their　fire；　and　though　the　last　words　said　to　Galope…Chopine　were　almost　whispered；　they　must　have　been　heard　by　the　victim；　and　the　four　Chouans　looked　at　him　fixedly；　thinking　perhaps　that　fear　had　deprived　him　of　his　senses。

Suddenly；　at　a　slight　sign　from　Marche…a…Terre；　Pille…Miche　pulled　off　d'Orgemont's　shoes　and　stockings；　Mene…a…Bien　and　Galope…Chopine　seized　him　round　the　body　and　carried　him　to　the　fire。　Then　Marche…a…　Terre　took　one　of　the　thongs　that　tied　the　fagots　and　fastened　the　miser's　feet　to　the　crane。　These　actions　and　the　horrible　celerity　with　which　they　were　done　brought　cries　from　the　victim；　which　became　heart…rending　when　Pille…Miche　gathered　the　burning　sticks　under　his　legs。

〃My　friends；　my　good　friends；〃　screamed　d'Orgemont；　〃you　hurt　me；　you　kill　me！　I'm　a　Christian　like　you。〃

〃You　lie　in　your　throat！〃　replied　Marche…a…Terre。　〃Your　brother　denied　God；　and　as　for　you；　you　bought　the　abbey　of　Juvigny。　The　Abbe　Gudin　says　we　can　roast　apostates　when　we　find　them。〃

〃But；　my　brothers　in　God；　I　don't　refuse　to　pay。〃

〃We　gave　you　two　weeks；　and　it　is　now　two　months；　and　Galope…Chopine　here　hasn't　received　the　money。〃

〃Haven't　you　received　any　of　it；　Galope…Chopine？〃　asked　the　miser；　in　despair。

〃None　of　it；　Monsieur　d'Orgemont；〃　replied　Galope…Chopine；　frightened。

The　cries；　which　had　sunk　into　groans；　continuous　as　the　rattle　in　a　dying　throat；　now　began　again　with　dreadful　violence。　Accustomed　to　such　scenes；　the　four　Chouans　looked　at　d'Orgemont；　who　was　twisting　and　howling；　so　coolly　that　they　seemed　like　travellers　watching　before　an　inn　fire　till　the　roast　meat　was　done　enough　to　eat。

〃I'm　dying；　I'm　dying！〃　cried　the　victim；　〃and　you　won't　get　my　money。〃

In　spite　of　these　agonizing　cries；　Pille…Miche　saw　that　the　fire　did　not　yet　scorch　the　skin；　he　drew　the　sticks　cleverly　together　so　as　to　make　a　slight　flame。　On　this　d'Orgemont　called　out　in　a　quavering　voice：　〃My　friends；　unbind　me！　How　much　do　you　want？　A　hundred　crowns　a　thousand　crownsten　thousand　crownsa　hundred　thousand　crownsI　offer　you　two　hundred　thousand　crowns！〃

The　voice　became　so　lamentable　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　forgot　her　own　danger　and　uttered　an　exclamation。

〃Who　spoke？〃　asked　Marche…a…Terre。

The　Chouans　looked　about　them　with　terrified　eyes。　These　men；　so　brave　in　fight；　were　unable　to　face　a　ghost。　Pille…Miche　alone　continued　to　listen　to　the　promises　which　the　flames　were　now　extracting　from　his　victim。

〃Five　hundred　thousand　crownsyes；　I'll　give　them；〃　cried　the　victim。

〃Well；　where　are　they？〃　answered　Pille…Miche；　tranquilly。

〃Under　the　first　apple…treeHoly　Virgin！　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden　to　the　leftyou　are　brigandsthieves！　Ah！　I'm　dyingthere's　ten　thousand　francs〃

〃Francs！　we　don't　want　francs；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　〃those　Republican　coins　have　pagan　figures　which　oughtn't　to　pass。〃

〃They　are　not　francs；　they　are　good　louis　d'or。　But　oh！　undo　me；　unbind　me！　I've　told　you　where　my　life　ismy　money。〃

The　four　Chouans　looked　at　each　other　as　if　thinking　which　of　their　number　they　could　trust　sufficiently　to　disinter　the　money。

The　cannibal　cruelty　of　the　scene　so　horrified　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　that　she　could　bear　it　no　longer。　Though　doubtful　whether　the　role　of　ghost；　which　her　pale　face　and　the　Chouan　superstitions　evidently　assigned　to　her；　would　carry　her　safely　through　the　danger；　she　called　out；　courageously；　〃Do　you　not　fear　God's　anger？　Unbind　him；　brutes！〃

The　Chouans　raised　their　heads　and　saw　in　the　air　above　them　two　eyes　which　shone　like　stars；　and　they　fled；　terrified。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　sprang　into　the　kitchen；　ran　to　d'Orgemont；　and　pulled　him　so　violently　from　the　crane　that　the　thong　broke。　Then　with　the　blade　of　her　dagger　she　cut　the　cords　which　bound　him。　When　the　miser　was　free　and　on　his　feet；　the　first　expression　of　his　face　was　a　painful　but　sardonic　grin。

〃Apple…tree！　yes；　go　to　the　apple…tree；　you　brigands；〃　he　said。　〃Ho；　ho！　this　is　the　second　time　I've　fooled　them。　They　won't　get　a　third　chance　at　me。〃

So　saying；　he　caught　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　hand；　drew　her　under　the　mantel…shelf　to　the　back　of　the　hearth　in　a　way　to　avoid　disturbing　the　fire；　which　covered　only　a　small　part　of　it；　then　he　touched　a　spring；　the　iron　back　was　lifted；　and　when　their　enemies　returned　to　the　kitchen　the　heavy　door　of　the　hiding…place　had　already　fallen　noiselessly。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　then　understood　the　carp…　like　movements　she　had　seen　the　miser　making。

〃The　ghost　has　taken　the　Blue　with　him；〃　cried　the　voice　of　Marche…a…　Terre。

The　fright　of　the　Chouans　must　have　been　great；　for　the　words　were　foll