the chouans-第21章

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Mademoiselle　felt　instinctively　that　Madame　du　Gua　had　no　real　interest　in　her；　and　the　question　alarmed　her。

〃Madame；〃　she　replied；　〃I　really　do　not　know　myself　the　exact　nature　of　my　relations　to　the　Republic。〃

〃Perhaps　it　fears　you？〃　said　the　young　man；　rather　satirically。

〃We　must　respect　her　secrets；〃　interposed　Madame　du　Gua。

〃Oh；　madame；　the　secrets　of　a　young　girl　who　knows　nothing　of　life　but　its　misfortunes　are　not　interesting。〃

〃But；〃　answered　Madame　du　Gua；　wishing　to　continue　a　conversation　which　might　reveal　to　her　all　that　she　wanted　to　know；　〃the　First　Consul　seems　to　have　excellent　intentions。　They　say　that　he　is　going　to　remove　the　disabilities　of　the　/emigres/。〃

〃That　is　true；　madame；〃　she　replied；　with　rather　too　much　eagerness；　〃and　if　so；　why　do　we　rouse　Brittany　and　La　Vendee？　Why　bring　civil　war　into　France？〃

This　eager　cry；　in　which　she　seemed　to　share　her　own　reproach；　made　the　young　sailor　quiver。　He　looked　earnestly　at　her；　but　was　unable　to　detect　either　hatred　or　love　upon　her　face。　Her　beautiful　skin；　the　delicacy　of　which　was　shown　by　the　color　beneath　it；　was　impenetrable。　A　sudden　and　invincible　curiosity　attracted　him　to　this　strange　creature；　to　whom　he　was　already　drawn　by　violent　desires。

〃Madame；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　after　a　pause；　〃may　I　ask　if　you　are　going　to　Mayenne？〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　young　man　with　a　questioning　look。

〃Then；　madame；〃　she　continued；　〃as　your　son　serves　the　Republic〃　（she　said　the　words　with　an　apparently　indifferent　air；　but　she　gave　her　companions　one　of　those　furtive　glances　the　art　of　which　belongs　to　women　and　diplomatists）；　〃you　must　fear　the　Chouans；　and　an　escort　is　not　to　be　despised。　We　are　now　almost　travelling　companions；　and　I　hope　you　will　come　with　me　to　Mayenne。〃

Mother　and　son　hesitated；　and　seemed　to　consult　each　other's　faces。

〃I　am　not　sure；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃that　it　is　prudent　in　me　to　tell　you　that　interests　of　the　highest　importance　require　our　presence　to…night　in　the　neighborhood　of　Fougeres；　and　we　have　not　yet　been　able　to　find　a　means　of　conveyance；　but　women　are　so　naturally　generous　that　I　am　ashamed　not　to　confide　in　you。　Nevertheless；〃　he　added；　〃before　putting　ourselves　in　your　hands；　I　ought　to　know　whether　we　shall　get　out　of　them　safe　and　sound。　In　short；　mademoiselle；　are　you　the　sovereign　or　the　slave　of　your　Republican　escort？　Pardon　my　frankness；　but　your　position　does　not　seem　to　me　exactly　natural〃

〃We　live　in　times；　monsieur；　when　nothing　takes　place　naturally。　You　can　accept　my　proposal　without　anxiety。　Above　all；〃　she　added；　emphasizing　her　words；　〃you　need　fear　no　treachery　in　an　offer　made　by　a　woman　who　has　no　part　in　political　hatreds。〃

〃A　journey　thus　made　is　not　without　danger；〃　he　said；　with　a　look　which　gave　significance　to　that　commonplace　remark。

〃What　is　it　you　fear？〃　she　answered；　smiling　sarcastically。　〃I　see　no　peril　for　any　one。〃

〃Is　this　the　woman　who　a　moment　ago　shared　my　desires　in　her　eyes？〃　thought　the　young　man。　〃What　a　tone　in　her　voice！　she　is　laying　a　trap　for　me。〃

At　that　instant　a　shrill　cry　of　an　owl　which　appeared　to　have　perched　on　the　chimney　top　vibrated　in　the　air　like　a　warning。

〃What　does　that　mean？〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃Our　journey　together　will　not　begin　under　favorable　auspices。　Do　owls　in　these　woods　screech　by　daylight？〃　she　added；　with　a　surprised　gesture。

〃Sometimes；〃　said　the　young　man；　coolly。　〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　continued；　〃we　may　bring　you　ill…luck；　you　are　thinking　of　that；　I　am　sure。　We　had　better　not　travel　together。〃

These　words　were　said　with　a　calmness　and　reserve　which　puzzled　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　with　truly　aristocratic　insolence；　〃I　am　far　from　wishing　to　compel　you。　Pray　let　us　keep　the　little　liberty　the　Republic　leaves　us。　If　Madame　were　alone；　I　should　insist〃

The　heavy　step　of　a　soldier　was　heard　in　the　passage；　and　the　Commandant　Hulot　presently　appeared　in　the　doorway　with　a　frowning　brow。

〃Come　here；　colonel；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　smiling　and　pointing　to　a　chair　beside　her。　〃Let　us　talk　over　the　affairs　of　State。　But　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　Are　there　Chouans　here？〃

The　commandant　stood　speechless　on　catching　sight　of　the　young　man；　at　whom　he　looked　with　peculiar　attention。

〃Mamma；　will　you　take　some　more　hare？　Mademoiselle；　you　are　not　eating；〃　said　the　sailor　to　Francine；　seeming　busy　with　the　guests。

But　Hulot's　astonishment　and　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　close　observation　had　something　too　dangerously　serious　about　them　to　be　ignored。

〃What　is　it；　citizen？〃　said　the　young　man；　abruptly；　〃do　you　know　me？〃

〃Perhaps　I　do；〃　replied　the　Republican。

〃You　are　right；　I　remember　you　at　the　School。〃

〃I　never　went　to　any　school；〃　said　the　soldier；　roughly。　〃What　school　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　Polytechnique。〃

〃Ha；　ha；　those　barracks　where　they　expect　to　make　soldiers　in　dormitories；〃　said　the　veteran；　whose　aversion　for　officers　trained　in　that　nursery　was　insurmountable。　〃To　what　arm　do　you　belong？〃

〃I　am　in　the　navy。〃

〃Ha！〃　cried　Hulot；　smiling　vindictively；　〃how　many　of　your　fellow…　students　are　in　the　navy？　Don't　you　know；〃　he　added　in　a　serious　tone；　〃that　none　but　the　artillery　and　the　engineers　graduate　from　there？〃

The　young　man　was　not　disconcerted。

〃An　exception　was　made　in　my　favor；　on　account　of　the　name　I　bear；〃　he　answered。　〃We　are　all　naval　men　in　our　family。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　your　family；　citizen？〃　asked　Hulot。

〃Du　Gua　Saint…Cyr。〃

〃Then　you　were　not　killed　at　Mortagne？〃

〃He　came　very　near　being　killed；〃　said　Madame　du　Gua；　quickly；　〃my　son　received　two　balls　in〃

〃Where　are　your　papers？〃　asked　Hulot；　not　listening　to　the　mother。

〃Do　you　propose　to　read　them？〃　said　the　young　man；　cavalierly；　his　blue　eye；　keen　with　suspicion；　studied　alternately　the　gloomy　face　of　the　commandant　and　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。

〃A　stripling　like　you　to　pretend　to　fool　me！　Come；　produce　your　papers；　or〃

〃La！　la！　citizen；　I'm　not　such　a　babe　as　I　look　to　be。　Why　should　I　answer　you？　Who　are　you？〃

〃The　commander　of　this　department；〃　answered　Hulot。

〃Oh；　then；　of　course；　the　matter　is　serious；　I　am　taken　with　arms　in　my　hand；〃　and　he　held　a　glass　full　of　Bordeaux　to　the　soldier。

〃I　am　not　thirsty；〃　said　Hulot。　〃Come；　your　papers。〃

At　that　instant　the　rattle　of　arms　and　the　tread　of　men　was　heard　in　the　street。　Hulot　walked　to　the　window　and　gave　a　satisfied　look　which　made　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　tremble。　That　sign　of　interest　on　her　part　seemed　to　fire　the　young　man；　whose　face　had　grown　cold　and　haughty。　After　feeling　in　the　pockets　of　his　coat　he　drew　forth　an　elegant　portfolio　and　presented　certain　papers　to　the　commandant；　which　the　latter　read　slowly；　comparing　the　description　given　in　the　passport　with　the　face　and　figure　of　the　young　man　before　him。　During　this　prolonged　examination　the　owl's　cry　rose　again；　but　this　time　there　was　no　difficulty　whatever　in　recognizing　a　human　voice。　The　commandant　at　once　returned　the　papers　to　the　young　man；　with　a　scoffing　look。

〃That's　all　very　fine；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　don't　like　the　music。　You　will　come　with　me　to　headquarters。〃

〃Why　do　you　take　him　there？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　in　a　tone　of　some　excitement。

〃My　good　lady；〃　replied　the　commandant；　with　his　usual　grimace；　〃that's　none　of　your　business。〃

Irritated　by　the　tone　and　words　of　the　old　soldier；　but　still　more　at　the　sort　of　humiliation　offered　to　her　in　presence　of　a　man　who　was　under　the　influence　of　her　charms；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　rose；　abandoning　the　simple　and　modest　manner　she　had　hitherto　adopted；　her　cheeks　glowed　and　her　eyes　shone　as　she　said　in　a　quiet　tone　but　with　a　trembling　voice：　〃Tell　me；　has　this　young　man　met　all　the　requirements　of　the　law？〃

〃Yesapparently；〃　said　Hulot　ironically。

〃Then；　I　desire　that　you　will　leave　him；　/apparently/；　alone；〃　she　said。　〃Are　you　afraid　he　will　escape　you？　You　are　to　escort　him　with　me　to　Mayenne；　he　will　be　in　the　coach　with　his　mother。　Make　no　objection；　it　is　my　willWell；　what？〃　she　added；　noticing　Hulot's　grimace；　〃do　you　suspect　him　still？〃

〃Rath