the chouans-第15章

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〃Forward；　then！〃　he　cried　in　an　angry　tone；　sticking　the　papers　into　the　crown　of　his　hat。　〃Two　companies　will　march　with　me　towards　Mortagne。　The　Chouans　are　there。　You　will　accompany　me；〃　he　said　to　Merle　and　Gerard。　〃May　be　I　created　a　nobleman　if　I　can　understand　one　word　of　that　despatch。　Perhaps　I'm　a　fool！　well；　anyhow；　forward；　march！　there's　no　time　to　lose。〃

〃Commandant；　by　your　leave；〃　said　Merle；　kicking　the　cover　of　the　ministerial　despatch　with　the　toe　of　his　boot；　〃what　is　there　so　exasperating　in　that？〃

〃God's　thunder！　nothing　at　allexcept　that　we　are　fooled。〃

When　the　commandant　gave　vent　to　this　military　oath　（an　object　it　must　be　said　of　Republican　atheistical　remonstrance）　it　gave　warning　of　a　storm；　the　diverse　intonations　of　the　words　were　degrees　of　a　thermometer　by　which　the　brigade　could　judge　of　the　patience　of　its　commander；　the　old　soldier's　frankness　of　nature　had　made　this　knowledge　so　easy　that　the　veriest　little　drummer…boy　knew　his　Hulot　by　heart；　simply　by　observing　the　variations　of　the　grimace　with　which　the　commander　screwed　up　his　cheek　and　snapped　his　eyes　and　vented　his　oath。　On　this　occasion　the　tone　of　smothered　rage　with　which　he　uttered　the　words　made　his　two　friends　silent　and　circumspect。　Even　the　pits　of　the　small…pox　which　dented　that　veteran　face　seemed　deeper；　and　the　skin　itself　browner　than　usual。　His　broad　queue；　braided　at　the　edges；　had　fallen　upon　one　of　his　epaulettes　as　he　replaced　his　three…cornered　hat；　and　he　flung　it　back　with　such　fury　that　the　ends　became　untied。　However；　as　he　stood　stock…still；　his　hands　clenched；　his　arms　crossed　tightly　over　his　breast；　his　mustache　bristling；　Gerard　ventured　to　ask　him　presently：　〃Are　we　to　start　at　once？〃

〃Yes；　if　the　men　have　ammunition。〃

〃They　have。〃

〃Shoulder　arms！　Left　wheel；　forward；　march！〃　cried　Gerard；　at　a　sign　from　the　commandant。

The　drum…corps　marched　at　the　head　of　the　two　companies　designated　by　Gerard。　At　the　first　roll　of　the　drums　the　commandant；　who　still　stood　plunged　in　thought；　seemed　to　rouse　himself；　and　he　left　the　town　accompanied　by　his　two　officers；　to　whom　he　said　not　a　word。　Merle　and　Gerard　looked　at　each　other　silently　as　if　to　ask；　〃How　long　is　he　going　to　keep　us　in　suspense？〃　and；　as　they　marched；　they　cautiously　kept　an　observing　eye　on　their　leader；　who　continued　to　vent　rambling　words　between　his　teeth。　Several　times　these　vague　phrases　sounded　like　oaths　in　the　ears　of　his　soldiers；　but　not　one　of　them　dared　to　utter　a　word；　for　they　all；　when　occasion　demanded；　maintained　the　stern　discipline　to　which　the　veterans　who　had　served　under　Bonaparte　in　Italy　were　accustomed。　The　greater　part　of　them　had　belonged；　like　Hulot；　to　the　famous　battalions　which　capitulated　at　Mayenne　under　a　promise　not　to　serve　again　on　the　frontier；　and　the　army　called　them　〃Les　Mayencais。〃　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　leaders　and　men　who　more　thoroughly　understood　each　other。

At　dawn　of　the　day　after　their　departure　Hulot　and　his　troop　were　on　the　high…road　to　Alencon；　about　three　miles　from　that　town　towards　Mortagne；　at　a　part　of　the　road　which　leads　through　pastures　watered　by　the　Sarthe。　A　picturesque　vista　of　these　meadows　lay　to　the　left；　while　the　woodlands　on　the　right　which　flank　the　road　and　join　the　great　forest　of　Menil…Broust；　serve　as　a　foil　to　the　delightful　aspect　of　the　river…scenery。　The　narrow　causeway　is　bordered　on　each　side　by　ditches　the　soil　of　which；　being　constantly　thrown　out　upon　the　fields；　has　formed　high　banks　covered　with　furze；the　name　given　throughout　the　West　to　this　prickly　gorse。　This　shrub；　which　spreads　itself　in　thorny　masses；　makes　excellent　fodder　in　winter　for　horses　and　cattle；　but　as　long　as　it　was　not　cut　the　Chouans　hid　themselves　behind　its　breastwork　of　dull　green。　These　banks　bristling　with　gorse；　signifying　to　travellers　their　approach　to　Brittany；　made　this　part　of　the　road　at　the　period　of　which　we　write　as　dangerous　as　it　was　beautiful；　it　was　these　dangers　which　compelled　the　hasty　departure　of　Hulot　and　his　soldiers；　and　it　was　here　that　he　at　last　let　out　the　secret　of　his　wrath。

He　was　now　on　his　return；　escorting　an　old　mail…coach　drawn　by　post…　horses；　which　the　weariness　of　his　soldiers；　after　their　forced　march；　was　compelling　to　advance　at　a　snail's　pace。　The　company　of　Blues　from　the　garrison　at　Mortagne；　who　had　escorted　the　rickety　vehicle　to　the　limits　of　their　district；　where　Hulot　and　his　men　had　met　them；　could　be　seen　in　the　distance；　on　their　way　back　to　their　quarters；　like　so　many　black　specks。　One　of　Hulot's　companies　was　in　the　rear；　the　other　in　advance　of　the　carriage。　The　commandant；　who　was　marching　with　Merle　and　Gerard　between　the　advance　guard　and　the　carriage；　suddenly　growled　out：　〃Ten　thousand　thunders！　would　you　believe　that　the　general　detached　us　from　Mayenne　to　escort　two　petticoats？〃

〃But；　commandant；〃　remarked　Gerard；　〃when　we　came　up　just　now　and　took　charge　I　observed　that　you　bowed　to　them　not　ungraciously。〃

〃Ha！　that's　the　infamy　of　it。　Those　dandies　in　Paris　ordered　the　greatest　attention　paid　to　their　damned　females。　How　dare　they　dishonor　good　and　brave　patriots　by　trailing　us　after　petticoats？　As　for　me；　I　march　straight；　and　I　don't　choose　to　have　to　do　with　other　people's　zigzags。　When　I　saw　Danton　taking　mistresses；　and　Barras　too；　I　said　to　them：　'Citizens；　when　the　Republic　called　you　to　govern；　it　was　not　that　you　might　authorize　the　vices　of　the　old　regime！'　You　may　tell　me　that　womenoh　yes！　we　must　have　women；　that's　all　right。　Good　soldiers　of　course　must　have　women；　and　good　women；　but　in　times　of　danger；　no！　Besides；　where　would　be　the　good　of　sweeping　away　the　old　abuses　if　patriots　bring　them　back　again？　Look　at　the　First　Consul；　there's　a　man！　no　women　for　him；　always　about　his　business。　I'd　bet　my　left　mustache　that　he　doesn't　know　the　fool's　errand　we've　been　sent　on！〃

〃But；　commandant；〃　said　Merle；　laughing；　〃I　have　seen　the　tip…end　of　the　nose　of　the　young　lady；　and　I'll　declare　the　whole　world　needn't　be　ashamed　to　feel　an　itch；　as　I　do；　to　revolve　round　that　carriage　and　get　up　a　bit　of　a　conversation。〃

〃Look　out；　Merle；〃　said　Gerard；　〃the　veiled　beauties　have　a　man　accompanying　them　who　seems　wily　enough　to　catch　you　in　a　trap。〃

〃Who？　that　/incroyable/　whose　little　eyes　are　ferretting　from　one　side　of　the　road　to　the　other；　as　if　he　saw　Chouans？　The　fellow　seems　to　have　no　legs；　the　moment　his　horse　is　hidden　by　the　carriage；　he　looks　like　a　duck　with　its　head　sticking　out　of　a　pate。　If　that　booby　can　hinder　me　from　kissing　the　pretty　linnet〃

〃'Duck'！　'linnet'！　oh；　my　poor　Merle；　you　have　taken　wings　indeed！　But　don't　trust　the　duck。　His　green　eyes　are　as　treacherous　as　the　eyes　of　a　snake；　and　as　sly　as　those　of　a　woman　who　forgives　her　husband。　I　distrust　the　Chouans　much　less　than　I　do　those　lawyers　whose　faces　are　like　bottles　of　lemonade。〃

〃Pooh！〃　cried　Merle；　gaily。　〃I'll　risk　itwith　the　commandant's　permission。　That　woman　has　eyes　like　stars；　and　it's　worth　playing　any　stakes　to　see　them。〃

〃Caught；　poor　fellow！〃　said　Gerard　to　the　commandant；　〃he　is　beginning　to　talk　nonsense！〃

Hulot　made　a　face；　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　said：　〃Before　he　swallows　the　soup；　I　advise　him　to　smell　it。〃

〃Bravo；　Merle；〃　said　Gerard；　judging　by　his　friend's　lagging　step　that　he　meant　to　let　the　carriage　overtake　him。　Isn't　he　a　happy　fellow？　He　is　the　only　man　I　know　who　can　laugh　over　the　death　of　a　comrade　without　being　thought　unfeeling。〃

〃He's　the　true　French　soldier；〃　said　Hulot；　in　a　grave　tone。

〃Just　look　at　him　pulling　his　epaulets　back　to　his　shoulders；　to　show　he　is　a　captain；〃　cried　Gerard；　laughing；〃as　if　his　rank　mattered！〃

The　coach　toward　which　the　officer　was　pivoting　did；　in　fact；　contain　two　women；　one　of　whom　seemed　to　be　the　servant　of　the　other。

〃Such　women　always　run　in　couples；〃　said　Hulot。

A　lean　and　sharp…looking　little　man　ambled　his　horse　sometimes　before；　sometimes　behind　the　carriage；　but；　though　he　was　evidently　accompanying　these　privileged　women；　no　one　had　yet　seen　him　speak　to　them。　This　silence；　a　proof　either　of　respect　or　contempt；　as　the　case　might　be；　the　quantity　of　baggage　belonging　to　the　lady；　who