the chouans-第12章

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iot　and　even　Gudin　paid　no　attention　to　this　mute　individual；　he　was；　in　truth；　one　of　those　uncomfortable；　unsocial　travellers　who　are　found　sometimes　in　a　stage…　coach；　like　a　patient　calf　that　is　being　carried；　bound；　to　the　nearest　market。　Such　travellers　begin　by　filling　their　legal　space；　and　end　by　sleeping；　without　the　smallest　respect　for　their　fellow…　beings；　on　a　neighbor's　shoulder。　The　patriot；　Gudin；　and　the　driver　had　let　him　alone；　thinking　him　asleep；　after　discovering　that　it　was　useless　to　talk　to　a　man　whose　stolid　face　betrayed　an　existence　spent　in　measuring　yards　of　linen；　and　an　intellect　employed　in　selling　them　at　a　good　percentage　above　cost。　This　fat　little　man；　doubled…up　in　his　corner；　opened　his　porcelain…blue　eyes　every　now　and　then；　and　looked　at　each　speaker　with　a　sort　of　terror。　He　appeared　to　be　afraid　of　his　fellow…travellers　and　to　care　very　little　about　the　Chouans。　When　he　looked　at　the　driver；　however；　they　seemed　to　be　a　pair　of　free…masons。　Just　then　the　first　volley　of　musketry　was　heard　on　La　Pelerine。　Coupiau；　frightened；　stopped　the　coach。

〃Oh！　oh！〃　said　the　priest；　as　if　he　had　some　means　of　judging；　〃it　is　a　serious　engagement；　there　are　many　men。〃

〃The　trouble　for　us；　Monsieur　Gudin；〃　cried　Coupiau；　〃is　to　know　which　side　will　win。〃

The　faces　of　all　became　unanimously　anxious。

〃Let　us　put　up　the　coach　at　that　inn　which　I　see　over　there；〃　said　the　patriot；　〃we　can　hide　it　till　we　know　the　result　of　the　fight。〃

The　advice　seemed　so　good　that　Coupiau　followed　it。　The　patriot　helped　him　to　conceal　the　coach　behind　a　wood…pile；　the　abbe　seized　the　occasion　to　pull　Coupiau　aside　and　say　to　him；　in　a　low　voice：　〃Has　he　really　any　money？〃

〃Hey；　Monsieur　Gudin；　if　it　gets　into　the　pockets　of　your　Reverence；　they　won't　be　weighed　down　with　it。〃

When　the　Blues　marched　by；　after　the　encounter　on　La　Pelerine；　they　were　in　such　haste　to　reach　Ernee　that　they　passed　the　little　inn　without　halting。　At　the　sound　of　their　hasty　march；　Gudin　and　the　innkeeper；　stirred　by　curiosity；　went　to　the　gate　of　the　courtyard　to　watch　them。　Suddenly；　the　fat　ecclesiastic　rushed　to　a　soldier　who　was　lagging　in　the　rear。

〃Gudin！〃　he　cried；　〃you　wrong…headed　fellow；　have　you　joined　the　Blues？　My　lad；　you　are　surely　not　in　earnest？〃

〃Yes；　uncle；〃　answered　the　corporal。　〃I've　sworn　to　defend　France。〃

〃Unhappy　boy！　you'll　lose　your　soul；〃　said　the　uncle；　trying　to　rouse　his　nephew　to　the　religious　sentiments　which　are　so　powerful　in　the　Breton　breast。

〃Uncle；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃if　the　king　had　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　armies；　I　don't　say　but　what〃

〃Fool！　who　is　talking　to　you　about　the　king？　Does　your　republic　give　abbeys？　No；　it　has　upset　everything。　How　do　you　expect　to　get　on　in　life？　Stay　with　us；　sooner　or　later　we　shall　triumph　and　you'll　be　counsellor　to　some　parliament。〃

〃Parliaments！〃　said　young　Gudin；　in　a　mocking　tone。　〃Good…bye；　uncle。〃

〃You　sha'n't　have　a　penny　at　my　death；〃　cried　his　uncle；　in　a　rage。　〃I'll　disinherit　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　uncle；〃　said　the　Republican；　as　they　parted。

The　fumes　of　the　cider　which　the　patriot　copiously　bestowed　on　Coupiau　during　the　passage　of　the　little　troop　had　somewhat　dimmed　the　driver's　perceptions；　but　he　roused　himself　joyously　when　the　innkeeper；　having　questioned　the　soldiers；　came　back　to　the　inn　and　announced　that　the　Blues　were　victorious。　He　at　once　brought　out　the　coach　and　before　long　it　was　wending　its　way　across　the　valley。

When　the　Blues　reached　an　acclivity　on　the　road　from　which　the　plateau　of　La　Pelerine　could　again　be　seen　in　the　distance；　Hulot　turned　round　to　discover　if　the　Chouans　were　still　occupying　it；　and　the　sun；　glinting　on　the　muzzles　of　the　guns；　showed　them　to　him；　each　like　a　dazzling　spot。　Giving　a　last　glance　to　the　valley　of　La　Pelerine　before　turning　into　that　of　Ernee；　he　thought　he　saw　Coupiau's　vehicle　on　the　road　he　had　just　traversed。

〃Isn't　that　the　Mayenne　coach？〃　he　said　to　his　two　officers。

They　looked　at　the　venerable　turgotine；　and　easily　recognized　it。

〃But；〃　said　Hulot；　〃how　did　we　fail　to　meet　it？〃

Merle　and　Gerard　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。

〃Another　enigma！〃　cried　the　commandant。　〃But　I　begin　to　see　the　meaning　of　it　all。〃

At　the　same　moment　Marche…a…Terre；　who　also　knew　the　turgotine；　called　his　comrades'　attention　to　it；　and　the　general　shout　of　joy　which　they　sent　up　roused　the　young　lady　from　her　reflections。　She　advanced　a　little　distance　and　saw　the　coach；　which　was　beginning　the　ascent　of　La　Pelerine　with　fatal　rapidity。　The　luckless　vehicle　soon　reached　the　plateau。　The　Chouans；　who　had　meantime　hidden　themselves；　swooped　on　their　prey　with　hungry　celerity。　The　silent　traveller　slipped　to　the　floor　of　the　carriage；　bundling　himself　up　into　the　semblance　of　a　bale。

〃Well　done！〃　cried　Coupiau　from　his　wooden　perch；　pointing　to　the　man　in　the　goatskin；　〃you　must　have　scented　this　patriot　who　has　lots　of　gold　in　his　pouch〃

The　Chouans　greeted　these　words　with　roars　of　laughter；　crying　out：　〃Pille…Miche！　hey；　Pille…Miche！　Pille…Miche！〃

Amid　the　laughter；　to　which　Pille…Miche　responded　like　an　echo；　Coupiau　came　down　from　his　seat　quite　crestfallen。　When　the　famous　Cibot；　otherwise　called　Pille…Miche；　helped　his　neighbor　to　get　out　of　the　coach；　a　respectful　murmur　was　heard　among　the　Chouans。

〃It　is　the　Abbe　Gudin！〃　cried　several　voices。　At　this　respected　name　every　hat　was　off；　and　the　men　knelt　down　before　the　priest　as　they　asked　his　blessing；　which　he　gave　solemnly。

〃Pille…Miche　here　could　trick　Saint　Peter　and　steal　the　keys　of　Paradise；〃　said　the　rector；　slapping　that　worthy　on　the　shoulder。　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　him；　the　Blues　would　have　intercepted　us。〃

Then；　noticing　the　lady；　the　abbe　went　to　speak　to　her　apart。　Marche…　a…Terre；　who　had　meantime　briskly　opened　the　boot　of　the　cabriolet；　held　up　to　his　comrades；　with　savage　joy；　a　bag；　the　shape　of　which　betrayed　its　contents　to　be　rolls　of　coin。　It　did　not　take　long　to　divide　the　booty。　Each　Chouan　received　his　share；　so　carefully　apportioned　that　the　division　was　made　without　the　slightest　dispute。　Then　Marche…a…Terre　went　to　the　lady　and　the　priest；　and　offered　them　each　about　six　thousand　francs。

〃Can　I　conscientiously　accept　this　money；　Monsieur　Gudin？〃　said　the　lady；　feeling　a　need　of　justification。

〃Why　not；　madame？　In　former　days　the　Church　approved　of　the　confiscation　of　the　property　of　Protestants；　and　there's　far　more　reason　for　confiscating　that　of　these　revolutionists；　who　deny　God；　destroy　chapels；　and　persecute　religion。〃

The　abbe　then　joined　example　to　precept　by　accepting；　without　the　slightest　scruple；　the　novel　sort　of　tithe　which　Marche…a…Terre　offered　to　him。　〃Besides；〃　he　added；　〃I　can　now　devote　all　I　possess　to　the　service　of　God　and　the　king；　for　my　nephew　has　joined　the　Blues；　and　I　disinherit　him。〃

Coupiau　was　bemoaning　himself　and　declaring　that　he　was　ruined。

〃Join　us；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　〃and　you　shall　have　your　share。〃

〃They'll　say　I　let　the　coach　be　robbed　on　purpose　if　I　return　without　signs　of　violence。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　all？〃　exclaimed　Marche…a…Terre。

He　gave　a　signal　and　a　shower　of　bullets　riddled　the　turgotine。　At　this　unexpected　volley　the　old　vehicle　gave　forth　such　a　lamentable　cry　that　the　Chouans；　superstitious　by　nature；　recoiled　in　terror；　but　Marche…a…Terre　caught　sight　of　the　pallid　face　of　the　silent　traveller　rising　from　the　floor　of　the　coach。

〃You've　got　another　fowl　in　your　coop；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　to　Coupiau。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　driver；　〃but　I　make　it　a　condition　of　my　joining　you　that　I　be　allowed　to　take　that　worthy　man　safe　and　sound　to　Fougeres。　I'm　pledged　to　it　in　the　name　of　Saint　Anne　of　Auray。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Pille…Miche。

〃That　I　can't　tell　you；〃　replied　Coupiau。

〃Let　him　alone！〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　shoving　Pille…Miche　with　his　elbow；　〃he　has　vowed　by　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　and　he　must　keep　his　word。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Pille…Miche；　addressing　Coupiau；　〃but　mind　you　don't　go　down　the　mountain　too　fast；　we　shall　overtake　you；a　good　reason　why；　I　want　to　see　the　cut　of　your　traveller；　and　give　him　his　passport。〃

Just　then　the　gallop　of　a　horse　coming　rap