the chouans-第23章

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f　you；　and　the　paper　she　showed　the　commandant　ordered　the　Blues　to　assist　her　against　you。〃

〃Eh！　madame；〃　he　replied　in　a　sharp　tone　which　went　to　the　lady's　heart　and　turned　her　pale；　〃her　generous　action　disproves　your　supposition。　Pray　remember　that　the　welfare　of　the　king　is　the　sole　bond　between　us。　You；　who　have　had　Charette　at　your　feet　must　find　the　world　without　him　empty；　are　you　not　living　to　avenge　him？〃

The　lady　stood　still　and　pensive；　like　one　who　sees　from　the　shore　the　wreck　of　all　her　treasures；　and　only　the　more　eagerly　longs　for　the　vanished　property。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　re…entered　the　room；　the　young　man　exchanged　a　smile　with　her　and　gave　her　a　glance　full　of　gentle　meaning。　However　uncertain　the　future　might　seem；　however　ephemeral　their　union；　the　promises　of　their　sudden　love　were　only　the　more　endearing　to　them。　Rapid　as　the　glance　was；　it　did　not　escape　the　sagacious　eye　of　Madame　du　Gua；　who　instantly　understood　it；　her　brow　clouded；　and　she　was　unable　to　wholly　conceal　her　jealous　anger。　Francine　was　observing　her；　she　saw　the　eyes　glitter；　the　cheeks　flush；　she　thought　she　perceived　a　diabolical　spirit　in　the　face；　stirred　by　some　sudden　and　terrible　revulsion。　But　lightning　is　not　more　rapid；　nor　death　more　prompt　than　this　brief　exhibition　of　inward　emotion。　Madame　du　Gua　recovered　her　lively　manner　with　such　immediate　self…possession　that　Francine　fancied　herself　mistaken。　Nevertheless；　having　once　perceived　in　this　woman　a　violence　of　feeling　that　was　fully　equal　to　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　she　trembled　as　she　foresaw　the　clash　with　which　such　natures　might　come　together；　and　the　girl　shuddered　when　she　saw　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　go　up　to　the　young　man　with　a　passionate　look　and；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　draw　him　close　beside　her　and　into　the　light；　with　a　coquettish　glance　that　was　full　of　witchery。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　trying　to　read　his　eyes；　〃own　to　me　that　you　are　not　the　citizen　du　Gua　Saint…Cyr。〃

〃Yes；　I　am；　mademoiselle。〃

〃But　he　and　his　mother　were　killed　yesterday。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　that；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　〃However　that　may　be；　I　am　none　the　less　under　a　great　obligation　to　you；　for　which　I　shall　always　feel　the　deepest　gratitude　and　only　wish　I　could　prove　it　to　you。〃

〃I　thought　I　was　saving　an　/emigre/；　but　I　love　you　better　as　a　Republican。〃

The　words　escaped　her　lips　as　it　were　impulsively；　she　became　confused；　even　her　eyes　blushed；　and　her　face　bore　no　other　expression　than　one　of　exquisite　simplicity　of　feeling；　she　softly　released　the　young　man's　hand；　not　from　shame　at　having　pressed　it；　but　because　of　a　thought　too　weighty；　it　seemed；　for　her　heart　to　bear；　leaving　him　drunk　with　hope。　Suddenly　she　appeared　to　regret　this　freedom；　permissible　as　it　might　be　under　the　passing　circumstances　of　a　journey。　She　recovered　her　conventional　manner；　bowed　to　the　lady　and　her　son；　and　taking　Francine　with　her；　left　the　room。　When　they　reached　their　own　chamber　Francine　wrung　her　hands　and　tossed　her　arms；　as　she　looked　at　her　mistress；　saying：　〃Ah；　Marie；　what　a　crowd　of　things　in　a　moment　of　time！　who　but　you　would　have　such　adventures？〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　sprang　forward　and　clasped　Francine　round　the　neck。

〃Ah！　this　is　life　indeedI　am　in　heaven！〃

〃Or　hell；〃　retorted　Francine。

〃Yes；　hell　if　you　like！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃Here；　give　me　your　hand；　feel　my　heart；　how　it　beats。　There's　fever　in　my　veins；　the　whole　world　is　now　a　mere　nothing　to　me！　How　many　times　have　I　not　seen　that　man　in　my　dreams！　Oh！　how　beautiful　his　head　ishow　his　eyes　sparkle！〃

〃Will　he　love　you？〃　said　the　simple　peasant…woman；　in　a　quivering　voice；　her　face　full　of　sad　foreboding。

〃How　can　you　ask　me　that！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃But；　Francine；　tell　me；〃　she　added　throwing　herself　into　a　pose　that　was　half　serious；　half　comic；　〃will　it　be　very　hard　to　love　me？〃

〃No；　but　will　he　love　you　always？〃　replied　Francine；　smiling。

They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment　speechless；Francine　at　revealing　so　much　knowledge　of　life；　and　Marie　at　the　perception；　which　now　came　to　her　for　the　first　time；　of　a　future　of　happiness　in　her　passion。　She　seemed　to　herself　hanging　over　a　gulf　of　which　she　had　wanted　to　know　the　depth；　and　listening　to　the　fall　of　the　stone　she　had　flung；　at　first　heedlessly；　into　it。

〃Well；　it　is　my　own　affair；〃　she　said；　with　the　gesture　of　a　gambler。　〃I　should　never　pity　a　betrayed　woman；　she　has　no　one　but　herself　to　blame　if　she　is　abandoned。　I　shall　know　how　to　keep；　either　living　or　dead；　the　man　whose　heart　has　once　been　mine。　But；〃　she　added；　with　some　surprise　and　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃where　did　you　get　your　knowledge　of　love；　Francine？〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　peasant…woman；　hastily；　〃hush；　I　hear　steps　in　the　passage。〃

〃Ah！　not　/his/　steps！〃　said　Marie；　listening。　〃But　you　are　evading　an　answer；　well；　well；　I'll　wait　for　it；　or　guess　it。〃

Francine　was　right；　however。　Three　taps　on　the　door　interrupted　the　conversation。　Captain　Merle　appeared；　after　receiving　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　permission　to　enter。

With　a　military　salute　to　the　lady；　whose　beauty　dazzled　him；　the　soldier　ventured　on　giving　her　a　glance；　but　he　found　nothing　better　to　say　than：　〃Mademoiselle；　I　am　at　your　orders。〃

〃Then　you　are　to　be　my　protector；　in　place　of　the　commander；　who　retires；　is　that　so？〃

〃No；　my　superior　is　the　adjutant…major　Gerard；　who　has　sent　me　here。〃

〃Your　commandant　must　be　very　much　afraid　of　me；〃　she　said。

〃Beg　pardon；　mademoiselle；　Hulot　is　afraid　of　nothing。　But　women；　you　see；　are　not　in　his　line；　it　ruffled　him　to　have　a　general　in　a　mob…　cap。〃

〃And　yet；〃　continued　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　〃it　was　his　duty　to　obey　his　superiors。　I　like　subordination；　and　I　warn　you　that　I　shall　allow　no　one　to　disobey　me。〃

〃That　would　be　difficult；〃　replied　Merle；　gallantly。

〃Let　us　consult；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃You　can　get　fresh　troops　here　and　accompany　me　to　Mayenne；　which　I　must　reach　this　evening。　Shall　we　find　other　soldiers　there；　so　that　I　might　go　on　at　once；　without　stopping　at　Mayenne？　The　Chouans　are　quite　ignorant　of　our　little　expedition。　If　we　travel　at　night；　we　can　avoid　meeting　any　number　of　them；　and　so　escape　an　attack。　Do　you　think　this　feasible？〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle。〃

〃What　sort　of　road　is　it　between　Mayenne　and　Fougeres？〃

〃Rough；　all　up　and　down；　a　regular　squirrel…wheel。〃

〃Well；　let　us　start　at　once。　As　we　have　nothing　to　fear　near　Alencon；　you　can　go　before　me；　we'll　join　you　soon。〃

〃One　would　think　she　had　seen　ten　years'　service；〃　thought　Merle；　as　he　departed。　〃Hulot　is　mistaken；　that　young　girl　is　not　earning　her　living　out　of　a　feather…bed。　Ten　thousand　carriages！　if　I　want　to　be　adjutant…major　I　mustn't　be　such　a　fool　as　to　mistake　Saint…Michael　for　the　devil。〃

During　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　conference　with　the　captain；　Francine　had　slipped　out　for　the　purpose　of　examining；　through　a　window　of　the　corridor；　the　spot　in　the　courtyard　which　had　excited　her　curiosity　on　arriving　at　the　inn。　She　watched　the　stable　and　the　heaps　of　straw　with　the　absorption　of　one　who　was　saying　her　prayers　to　the　Virgin；　and　she　presently　saw　Madame　du　Gua　approaching　Marche…　a…Terre　with　the　precaution　of　a　cat　that　dislikes　to　wet　its　feet。　When　the　Chouan　caught　sight　of　the　lady；　he　rose　and　stood　before　her　in　an　attitude　of　deep　respect。　This　singular　circumstance　aroused　Francine's　curiosity；　she　slipped　into　the　courtyard　and　along　the　walls；　avoiding　Madame　du　Gua's　notice；　and　trying　to　hide　herself　behind　the　stable　door。　She　walked　on　tiptoe；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　and　succeeded　in　posting　herself　close　to　Marche…a…Terre；　without　exciting　his　attention。

〃If；　after　all　this　information；〃　the　lady　was　saying　to　the　Chouan；　〃it　proves　not　to　be　her　real　name；　you　are　to　fire　upon　her　without　pity；　as　you　would　on　a　mad　dog。〃

〃Agreed！〃　said　Marche…a…Terre。

The　lady　left　him。　The　Chouan　replaced　his　red　woollen　cap　upon　his　head；　remained　standing；　and　was　scratching　his　ear　as　if　puzzled　when　Francine　suddenly　appeared　before　him；　apparently　by　magic。

〃Saint　Anne　of　Auray！〃　he　exclaimed。　Then　he　dropped　his　wh