the chouans- 第35部分

〃Well；　I'll　try；　but　you　must　stay　here；　and　don't　move。〃

Francine　at　once　let　go　his　arm；　and　waited　in　horrible　suspense　in　the　courtyard　where　Merle　found　her。　Meantime　Marche…a…Terre　joined　his　comrade　at　the　moment　when　the　latter；　after　dragging　his　victim　to　the　barn；　was　compelling　her　to　get　into　the　coach。　Pille…Miche　called　to　him　to　help　in　pulling　out　the　vehicle。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　all　that？〃　asked　Marche…a…Terre。

〃The　Grande　Garce　gave　me　the　woman；　and　all　that　belongs　to　her　is　mine。〃

〃The　coach　will　put　a　sou　or　two　in　your　pocket；　but　as　for　the　woman；　she'll　scratch　your　eyes　out　like　a　cat。〃

Pille…Miche　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。

〃Then　I'll　tie　her　up　and　take　her　home；〃　he　answered。

〃Very　good；　suppose　we　harness　the　horses；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre。

A　few　moments　later　Marche…a…Terre；　who　had　left　his　comrade　mounting　guard　over　his　prey；　led　the　coach　from　the　stable　to　the　causeway；　where　Pille…Miche　got　into　it　beside　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　not　perceiving　that　she　was　on　the　point　of　making　a　spring　into　the　lake。

〃I　say；　Pille…Miche！〃　cried　Marche…a…Terre。

〃What！〃

〃I'll　buy　all　your　booty。〃

〃Are　you　joking？〃　asked　the　other；　catching　his　prisoner　by　the　petticoat；　as　a　butcher　catches　a　calf　that　is　trying　to　escape　him。

〃Let　me　see　her；　and　I'll　set　a　price。〃

The　unfortunate　creature　was　made　to　leave　the　coach　and　stand　between　the　two　Chouans；　who　each　held　a　hand　and　looked　at　her　as　the　Elders　must　have　looked　at　Susannah。

〃Will　you　take　thirty　francs　in　good　coin？〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　with　a　groan。

〃Really？〃

〃Done？〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　holding　out　his　hand。

〃Yes；　done；　I　can　get　plenty　of　Breton　girls　for　that；　and　choice　morsels；　too。　But　the　coach；　whose　is　that？〃　asked　Pille…Miche；　beginning　to　reflect　upon　his　bargain。

〃Mine！〃　cried　Marche…a…Terre；　in　a　terrible　tone　of　voice；　which　showed　the　sort　of　superiority　his　ferocious　character　gave　him　over　his　companions。

〃But　suppose　there's　money　in　the　coach？〃

〃Didn't　you　say；　'Done'？〃

〃Yes；　I　said；　'Done。'〃

〃Very　good；　then　go　and　fetch　the　postilion　who　is　gagged　in　the　stable　over　there。〃

〃But　if　there's　money　in　the〃

〃Is　there　any？〃　asked　Marche…a…Terre；　roughly；　shaking　Marie　by　the　arm。

〃Yes；　about　a　hundred　crowns。〃

The　two　Chouans　looked　at　each　other。

〃Well；　well；　friend；〃　said　Pille…Miche；　〃we　won't　quarrel　for　a　female　Blue；　let's　pitch　her　into　the　lake　with　a　stone　around　her　neck；　and　divide　the　money。〃

〃I'll　give　you　that　money　as　my　share　in　d'Orgemont's　ransom；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　smothering　a　groan；　caused　by　such　sacrifice。

Pille…Miche　uttered　a　sort　of　hoarse　cry　as　he　started　to　find　the　postilion；　and　his　glee　brought　death　to　Merle；　whom　he　met　on　his　way。

Hearing　the　shot；　Marche…a…Terre　rushed　in　the　direction　where　he　had　left　Francine；　and　found　her　praying　on　her　knees；　with　clasped　hands；　beside　the　poor　captain；　whose　murder　had　deeply　horrified　her。

〃Run　to　your　mistress；〃　said　the　Chouan；　〃she　is　saved。〃

He　ran　himself　to　fetch　the　postilion；　returning　with　all　speed；　and；　as　he　repassed　Merle's　body；　he　noticed　the　Gars'　glove；　which　was　still　convulsively　clasped　in　the　dead　hand。

〃Oho！〃　he　cried。　〃Pille…Miche　has　blundered　horriblyhe　won't　live　to　spend　his　crowns。〃

He　snatched　up　the　glove　and　said　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　who　was　already　in　the　coach　with　Francine：　〃Here；　take　this　glove。　If　any　of　our　men　attack　you　on　the　road；　call　out　'Ho；　the　Gars！'　show　the　glove；　and　no　harm　can　happen　to　you。　Francine；〃　he　said；　turning　towards　her　and　seizing　her　violently；　〃you　and　I　are　quits　with　that　woman；　come　with　me　and　let　the　devil　have　her。〃

〃You　can't　ask　me　to　abandon　her　just　at　this　moment！〃　cried　Francine；　in　distress。

Marche…a…Terre　scratched　his　ear　and　forehead；　then　he　raised　his　head；　and　his　mistress　saw　the　ferocious　expression　of　his　eyes。　〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　〃I　leave　you　with　her　one　week；　if　at　the　end　of　that　time　you　don't　come　with　me〃　he　did　not　finish　the　sentence；　but　he　slapped　the　muzzle　of　his　gun　with　the　flat　of　his　hand。　After　making　the　gesture　of　taking　aim　at　her；　he　disappeared；　without　waiting　for　her　reply。

No　sooner　was　he　gone　than　a　voice；　which　seemed　to　issue　from　the　lake；　called；　in　a　muffled　tone：　〃Madame；　madame！〃

The　postilion　and　the　two　women　shuddered；　for　several　corpses　were　floating　near　them。　A　Blue；　hidden　behind　a　tree；　cautiously　appeared。

〃Let　me　get　up　behind　the　coach；　or　I'm　a　dead　man。　That　damned　cider　which　Clef…des…Coeurs　would　stop　to　drink　cost　more　than　a　pint　of　blood。　If　he　had　done　as　I　did；　and　made　his　round；　our　poor　comrades　there　wouldn't　be　floating　dead　in　the　pond。〃

*****

While　these　events　were　taking　place　outside　the　chateau；　the　leaders　sent　by　the　Vendeans　and　those　of　the　Chouans　were　holding　a　council　of　war；　with　their　glasses　in　their　hands；　under　the　presidency　of　the　Marquis　de　Montauran。　Frequent　libations　of　Bordeaux　animated　the　discussion；　which；　however；　became　more　serious　and　important　at　the　end　of　the　meal。　After　the　general　plan　of　military　operations　had　been　decided　on；　the　Royalists　drank　to　the　health　of　the　Bourbons。　It　was　at　that　moment　that　the　shot　which　killed　Merle　was　heard；　like　an　echo　of　the　disastrous　war　which　these　gay　and　noble　conspirators　were　about　to　make　against　the　Republic。　Madame　du　Gua　quivered　with　pleasure　at　the　thought　that　she　was　freed　from　her　rival；　the　guests　looked　at　each　other　in　silence；　the　marquis　rose　from　the　table　and　went　out。

〃He　loved　her！〃　said　Madame　du　Gua；　sarcastically。　〃Follow　him；　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　and　keep　him　company；　he　will　be　as　irritating　as　a　fly　if　we　let　him　sulk。〃

She　went　to　a　window　which　looked　on　the　courtyard　to　endeavor　to　see　Marie's　body。　There；　by　the　last　gleams　of　the　sinking　moon；　she　caught　sight　of　the　coach　being　rapidly　driven　down　the　avenue　of　apple…trees。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　veil　was　fluttering　in　the　wind。　Madame　du　Gua；　furious　at　the　sight；　left　the　room　hurriedly。　The　marquis；　standing　on　the　portico　absorbed　in　gloomy　thought；　was　watching　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　Chouans；　who；　having　divided　their　booty　in　the　gardens；　were　now　returning　to　finish　the　cider　and　the　rye…bread　provided　for　the　Blues。　These　soldiers　of　a　new　species；　on　whom　the　monarchy　was　resting　its　hopes；　dispersed　into　groups。　Some　drank　the　cider；　others；　on　the　bank　before　the　portico；　amused　themselves　by　flinging　into　the　lake　the　dead　bodies　of　the　Blues；　to　which　they　fastened　stones。　This　sight；　joined　to　the　other　aspects　of　the　strange　scene；the　fantastic　dress；　the　savage　expressions　of　the　barbarous　and　uncouth　/gars/；was　so　new　and　so　amazing　to　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　accustomed　to　the　nobler　and　better…regulated　appearance　of　the　Vendean　troops；　that　he　seized　the　occasion　to　say　to　the　Marquis　de　Montauran；　〃What　do　you　expect　to　do　with　such　brutes？〃

〃Not　very　much；　my　dear　count；〃　replied　the　Gars。

〃Will　they　ever　be　fit　to　manoeuvre　before　the　enemy？〃

〃Never。〃

〃Can　they　understand　or　execute　an　order？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　what　good　will　they　be　to　you？〃

〃They　will　help　me　to　plunge　my　sword　into　the　entrails　of　the　Republic；〃　replied　the　marquis　in　a　thundering　voice。　〃They　will　give　me　Fougeres　in　three　days；　and　all　Brittany　in　ten！　Monsieur；〃　he　added　in　a　gentler　voice；　〃start　at　once　for　La　Vendee；　if　d'Auticamp；　Suzannet；　and　the　Abbe　Bernier　will　act　as　rapidly　as　I　do；　if　they'll　not　negotiate　with　the　First　Consul；　as　I　am　afraid　they　will〃　（here　he　wrung　the　hand　of　the　Vendean　chief）　〃we　shall　be　within　reach　of　Paris　in　a　fortnight。〃

〃But　the　Republic　is　sending　sixty　thousand　men　and　General　Brune　against　us。〃

〃Sixty　thousand　men！　indeed！〃　cried　the　marquis；　with　a　scoffing　laugh。　〃And　how　will　Bonaparte　carry　on　the　Italian　campaign？　As　for　General　Brune；　he　is　not　coming。　The　First　Consul　has　sent　him　against　the　English　in　Holland；　and　General　Hedouville；　/the　friend　of　our　friend　Barras/；　takes　his　place　here。　Do　you　understand？〃

As　Monsieur　de　Fontaine　heard　these　words　he　gave　Montauran　a　look　of　keen　intelligence　which　seemed　to　say　that　the　marquis　had　not　himself　understood　the　real　meaning　of　the　words　addressed　to　him。　The　two　leaders　then　comprehended　each　other　perfectly；　and　the　Gars　replied　with　an　undefinable　smile　to　the　thoughts　expressed　in　both　their　eyes：　〃Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　do　you　know　my　arms？　our　motto　is　'Persevere　unto　death。'〃

The　Comte　de　Fontaine　took　Montauran's　hand　and　pressed　it；　saying：　〃I　was　left　for　dead　at　Quatre…Chemins；　therefore　you　need　never　doubt　me。　But　believe　in　my　experiencetimes　have　changed。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　La　Billardiere；　who　now　joined　them。　〃You　are　young；　marquis。　Listen　to　me；　your　property　has　not　yet　been　sold〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Montauran；　〃can　you　conceive　of　devotion　without　sacrifice？〃

〃Do　you　really　know　the　king？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Then　I　admire　your　loyalty。〃

〃The　king；〃　replied　the　young　chieftain；　〃is　the　priest；　I　am　fighting　not　for　the　man；　but　for　the　faith。〃

They　parted；the　Vendean　leader　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　yielding　to　circumstances　and　keeping　his　beli