the chouans-第1章

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The　Chouans

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley





DEDICATION

　　To　Monsieur　Theodore　Dablin；　Merchant。

　　To　my　first　friend；　my　first　work。

De　Balzac。




THE　CHOUANS



I

AN　AMBUSCADE

Early　in　the　year　VIII。；　at　the　beginning　of　Vendemiaire；　or；　to　conform　to　our　own　calendar；　towards　the　close　of　September；　1799；　a　hundred　or　so　of　peasants　and　a　large　number　of　citizens；　who　had　left　Fougeres　in　the　morning　on　their　way　to　Mayenne；　were　going　up　the　little　mountain　of　La　Pelerine；　half…way　between　Fougeres　and　Ernee；　a　small　town　where　travellers　along　that　road　are　in　the　habit　of　resting。　This　company；　divided　into　groups　that　were　more　or　less　numerous；　presented　a　collection　of　such　fantastic　costumes　and　a　mixture　of　individuals　belonging　to　so　many　and　diverse　localities　and　professions　that　it　will　be　well　to　describe　their　characteristic　differences；　in　order　to　give　to　this　history　the　vivid　local　coloring　to　which　so　much　value　is　attached　in　these　days；though　some　critics　do　assert　that　it　injures　the　representation　of　sentiments。

Many　of　the　peasants；　in　fact　the　greater　number；　were　barefooted；　and　wore　no　other　garments　than　a　large　goatskin；　which　covered　them　from　the　neck　to　the　knees；　and　trousers　of　white　and　very　coarse　linen；　the　ill…woven　texture　of　which　betrayed　the　slovenly　industrial　habits　of　the　region。　The　straight　locks　of　their　long　hair　mingling　with　those　of　the　goatskin　hid　their　faces；　which　were　bent　on　the　ground；　so　completely　that　the　garment　might　have　been　thought　their　own　skin；　and　they　themselves　mistaken　at　first　sight　for　a　species　of　the　animal　which　served　them　as　clothing。　But　through　this　tangle　of　hair　their　eyes　were　presently　seen　to　shine　like　dew…drops　in　a　thicket；　and　their　glances；　full　of　human　intelligence；　caused　fear　rather　than　pleasure　to　those　who　met　them。　Their　heads　were　covered　with　a　dirty　head…gear　of　red　flannel；　not　unlike　the　Phrygian　cap　which　the　Republic　had　lately　adopted　as　an　emblem　of　liberty。　Each　man　carried　over　his　shoulder　a　heavy　stick　of　knotted　oak；　at　the　end　of　which　hung　a　linen　bag　with　little　in　it。　Some　wore；　over　the　red　cap；　a　coarse　felt　hat；　with　a　broad　brim　adorned　by　a　sort　of　woollen　chenille　of　many　colors　which　was　fastened　round　it。　Others　were　clothed　entirely　in　the　coarse　linen　of　which　the　trousers　and　wallets　of　all　were　made；　and　showed　nothing　that　was　distinctive　of　the　new　order　of　civilization。　Their　long　hair　fell　upon　the　collar　of　a　round　jacket　with　square　pockets；　which　reached　to　the　hips　only；　a　garment　peculiar　to　the　peasantry　of　western　France。　Beneath　this　jacket；　which　was　worn　open；　a　waistcoat　of　the　same　linen　with　large　buttons　was　visible。　Some　of　the　company　marched　in　wooden　shoes；　others；　by　way　of　economy；　carried　them　in　their　hand。　This　costume；　soiled　by　long　usage；　blackened　with　sweat　and　dust；　and　less　original　than　that　of　the　other　men；　had　the　historic　merit　of　serving　as　a　transition　between　the　goatskins　and　the　brilliant；　almost　sumptuous；　dress　of　a　few　individuals　dispersed　here　and　there　among　the　groups；　where　they　shone　like　flowers。　In　fact；　the　blue　linen　trousers　of　these　last；　and　their　red　or　yellow　waistcoats；　adorned　with　two　parallel　rows　of　brass　buttons　and　not　unlike　breast…plates；　stood　out　as　vividly　among　the　white　linen　and　shaggy　skins　of　their　companions　as　the　corn…　flowers　and　poppies　in　a　wheat…field。　Some　of　them　wore　wooden　shoes；　which　the　peasants　of　Brittany　make　for　themselves；　but　the　greater　number　had　heavy　hobnailed　boots；　and　coats　of　coarse　cloth　cut　in　the　fashion　of　the　old　regime；　the　shape　of　which　the　peasants　have　religiously　retained　even　to　the　present　day。　The　collars　of　their　shirts　were　held　together　by　buttons　in　the　shape　of　hearts　or　anchors。　The　wallets　of　these　men　seemed　to　be　better　than　those　of　their　companions；　and　several　of　them　added　to　their　marching　outfit　a　flask；　probably　full　of　brandy；　slung　round　their　necks　by　a　bit　of　twine。　A　few　burgesses　were　to　be　seen　in　the　midst　of　these　semi…　savages；　as　if　to　show　the　extremes　of　civilization　in　this　region。　Wearing　round　hats；　or　flapping　brims　or　caps；　high…topped　boots；　or　shoes　and　gaiters；　they　exhibited　as　many　and　as　remarkable　differences　in　their　costume　as　the　peasants　themselves。　About　a　dozen　of　them　wore　the　republican　jacket　known　by　the　name　of　〃la　carmagnole。〃　Others；　well…to…do　mechanics；　no　doubt；　were　clothed　from　head　to　foot　in　one　color。　Those　who　had　most　pretension　to　their　dress　wore　swallow…tail　coats　or　surtouts　of　blue　or　green　cloth；　more　or　less　defaced。　These　last；　evidently　characters；　marched　in　boots　of　various　kinds；　swinging　heavy　canes　with　the　air　and　manner　of　those　who　take　heart　under　misfortune。　A　few　heads　carefully　powdered；　and　some　queues　tolerably　well　braided　showed　the　sort　of　care　which　a　beginning　of　education　or　prosperity　inspires。　A　casual　spectator　observing　these　men；　all　surprised　to　find　themselves　in　one　another's　company；　would　have　thought　them　the　inhabitants　of　a　village　driven　out　by　a　conflagration。　But　the　period　and　the　region　in　which　they　were　gave　an　altogether　different　interest　to　this　body　of　men。　Any　one　initiated　into　the　secrets　of　the　civil　discords　which　were　then　agitating　the　whole　of　France　could　easily　have　distinguished　the　few　individuals　on　whose　fidelity　the　Republic　might　count　among　these　groups；　almost　entirely　made　up　of　men　who　four　years　earlier　were　at　war　with　her。

One　other　and　rather　noticeable　sign　left　no　doubt　upon　the　opinions　which　divided　the　detachment。　The　Republicans　alone　marched　with　an　air　of　gaiety。　As　to　the　other　individuals　of　the　troop；　if　their　clothes　showed　marked　differences；　their　faces　at　least　and　their　attitudes　wore　a　uniform　expression　of　ill…fortune。　Citizens　and　peasantry；　their　faces　all　bore　the　imprint　of　deepest　melancholy；　their　silence　had　something　sullen　in　it；　they　all　seemed　crushed　under　the　yoke　of　a　single　thought；　terrible　no　doubt　but　carefully　concealed；　for　their　faces　were　impenetrable；　the　slowness　of　their　gait　alone　betraying　their　inward　communings。　From　time　to　time　a　few　of　them；　noticeable　for　the　rosaries　hanging　from　their　necks　（dangerous　as　it　was　to　carry　that　sign　of　a　religion　which　was　suppressed；　rather　than　abolished）　shook　their　long　hair　and　raised　their　heads　defiantly。　They　covertly　examined　the　woods；　and　paths；　and　masses　of　rock　which　flanked　the　road；　after　the　manner　of　a　dog　with　his　nose　to　the　wind　trying　to　scent　his　game；　and　then；　hearing　nothing　but　the　monotonous　tramp　of　the　silent　company；　they　lowered　their　heads　once　more　with　the　old　expression　of　despair；　like　criminals　on　their　way　to　the　galleys　to　live　or　die。

The　march　of　this　column　upon　Mayenne；　the　heterogeneous　elements　of　which　it　was　composed；　and　the　divers　sentiments　which　evidently　pervaded　it；　will　explain　the　presence　of　another　troop　which　formed　the　head　of　the　detachment。　About　a　hundred　and　fifty　soldiers；　with　arms　and　baggage；　marched　in　the　advance；　commanded　by　the　/chief　of　a　half…brigade/。　We　may　mention　here；　for　the　benefit　of　those　who　did　not　witness　the　drama　of　the　Revolution；　that　this　title　was　made　to　supersede　that　of　colonel；　proscribed　by　patriots　as　too　aristocratic。　These　soldiers　belonged　to　a　demi…brigade　of　infantry　quartered　at　Mayenne。　During　these　troublous　times　the　inhabitants　of　the　west　of　France　called　all　the　soldiers　of　the　Republic　〃Blues。〃　This　nickname　came　originally　from　their　blue　and　red　uniforms；　the　memory　of　which　is　still　so　fresh　as　to　render　a　description　superfluous。　A　detachment　of　the　Blues　was　therefore　on　this　occasion　escorting　a　body　of　recruits；　or　rather　conscripts；　all　displeased　at　being　taken　to　Mayenne　where　military　discipline　was　about　to　force　upon　them　the　uniformity　of　thought；　clothing；　and　gait　which　they　now　lacked　entirely。

This　column　was　a　contingent　slowly　and　with　difficulty　raised　in　the　district　of　Fougeres；　from　which　it　was　due　under　the　levy　ordered　by　the　executive　Directory　of　the　Republic　on　the　preceding　10th　Messidor。　The　government　had　asked　for　a　hundred　million　of　fr