the chouans-第48章

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Meantime；　however；　other　Chouans；　masters　of　the　little　valley　of　the　Nancon；　had　swarmed　up　the　rocks　and　reached　the　Promenade；　which　was　soon　covered　with　goatskins；　giving　it　to　Marie's　eyes　the　appearance　of　a　thatched　roof；　brown　with　age。　At　the　same　moment　loud　reports　were　heard　from　the　part　of　the　town　which　overlooks　the　valley　of　Couesnon。　Evidently；　Fougeres　was　attacked　on　all　sides　and　completely　surrounded。　Flames　rising　on　the　western　side　of　the　rock　showed　that　the　Chouans　were　setting　fire　to　the　suburbs；　but　these　soon　ceased；　and　a　column　of　black　smoke　which　succeeded　them　showed　that　the　fire　was　extinguished。　Brown　and　white　clouds　again　hid　the　scene　from　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　but　they　were　clouds　of　smoke　from　the　fire　and　powder；　which　the　wind　dispersed。　The　Republican　commander；　as　soon　as　he　saw　his　first　orders　admirably　executed；　changed　the　direction　of　his　battery　so　as　to　sweep；　successively；　the　valley　of　the　Nancon；　the　Queen's　Staircase；　and　the　base　of　the　rock　of　Fougeres。　Two　guns　posted　at　the　gate　of　Saint…Leonard　scattered　the　ant…hill　of　Chouans　who　had　seized　that　position；　and　the　national　guard　of　the　town；　rushing　in　haste　to　the　square　before　the　Church；　succeeded　in　dislodging　the　enemy。　The　fight　lasted　only　half　an　hour；　and　cost　the　Blues　a　hundred　men。　The　Chouans；　beaten　on　all　sides；　retreated　under　orders　from　the　Gars；　whose　bold　attempt　failed　（although　he　did　not　know　this）　in　consequence　of　the　massacre　at　La　Vivetiere；　which　had　brought　Hulot　secretly　and　in　all　haste　to　Fougeres。　The　artillery　had　arrived　only　that　evening；　and　the　news　had　not　reached　Montauran；　otherwise；　he　would　certainly　have　abandoned　an　enterprise　which；　if　it　failed；　could　only　have　bad　results。　As　soon　as　he　heard　the　guns　the　marquis　knew　it　would　be　madness　to　continue；　out　of　mere　pride；　a　surprise　which　had　missed　fire。　Therefore；　not　to　lose　men　uselessly；　he　sent　at　once　to　all　points　of　the　attack；　ordering　an　immediate　retreat。　The　commandant；　seeing　his　adversary　on　the　rocks　of　Saint…Sulpice　surrounded　by　a　council　of　men；　endeavored　to　pour　a　volley　upon　him；　but　the　spot　was　cleverly　selected；　and　the　young　leader　was　out　of　danger　in　a　moment。　Hulot　now　changed　parts　with　his　opponent　and　became　the　aggressor。　At　the　first　sign　of　the　Gars'　intention；　the　company　stationed　under　the　walls　of　the　castle　were　ordered　to　cut　off　the　Chouans'　retreat　by　seizing　the　upper　outlet　of　the　valley　of　the　Nancon。

Notwithstanding　her　desire　for　revenge；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　sympathies　were　with　the　men　commanded　by　her　lover；　and　she　turned　hastily　to　see　if　the　other　end　of　the　valley　were　clear　for　them；　but　the　Blues；　conquerors　no　doubt　on　the　opposite　side　of　Fougeres；　were　returning　from　the　valley　of　Couesnon　and　taking　possession　of　the　Nid…aux…Crocs　and　that　portion　of　the　Saint…Sulpice　rocks　which　overhang　the　lower　end　of　the　valley　of　the　Nancon。　The　Chouans；　thus　hemmed　in　to　the　narrow　fields　of　the　gorge；　seemed　in　danger　of　perishing　to　the　last　man；　so　cleverly　and　sagaciously　were　the　commandant's　measures　taken。　But　Hulot's　cannon　were　powerless　at　these　two　points；　and　here；　the　town　of　Fougeres　being　quite　safe；　began　one　of　those　desperate　struggles　which　denoted　the　character　of　Chouan　warfare。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　now　comprehended　the　presence　of　the　masses　of　men　she　had　seen　as　she　left　the　town；　the　meeting　of　the　leaders　at　d'Orgemont's　house；　and　all　the　other　events　of　the　night；　wondering　how　she　herself　had　escaped　so　many　dangers。　The　attack；　prompted　by　desperation；　interested　her　so　keenly　that　she　stood　motionless；　watching　the　living　pictures　as　they　presented　themselves　to　her　sight。　Presently　the　struggle　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain　had　a　deeper　interest　for　her。　Seeing　the　Blues　almost　masters　of　the　Chouans；　the　marquis　and　his　friends　rushed　into　the　valley　of　the　Nancon　to　support　their　men。　The　rocks　were　now　covered　with　straggling　groups　of　furious　combatants　deciding　the　question　of　life　or　death　on　a　ground　and　with　weapons　that　were　more　favorable　to　the　Goatskins。　Slowly　this　moving　arena　widened。　The　Chouans；　recovering　themselves；　gained　the　rocks；　thanks　to　the　shrubs　and　bushes　which　grew　here　and　there　among　them。　For　a　moment　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　felt　alarmed　as　she　saw；　rather　late；　her　enemies　swarming　over　the　summit　and　defending　the　dangerous　paths　by　which　alone　she　could　descend。　Every　issue　on　the　mountain　was　occupied　by　one　or　other　of　the　two　parties；　afraid　of　encountering　them　she　left　the　tree　behind　which　she　had　been　sheltering；　and　began　to　run　in　the　direction　of　the　farm　which　d'Orgemont　had　mentioned　to　her。　After　running　some　time　on　the　slope　of　Saint…Sulpice　which　overlooks　the　valley　of　Couesnon　she　saw　a　cow…shed　in　the　distance；　and　thought　it　must　belong　to　the　house　of　Galope…Chopine；　who　had　doubtless　left　his　wife　at　home　and　alone　during　the　fight。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　hoped　to　be　able　to　pass　a　few　hours　in　this　retreat　until　it　was　possible　for　her　to　return　to　Fougeres　without　danger。　According　to　all　appearance　Hulot　was　to　triumph。　The　Chouans　were　retreating　so　rapidly　that　she　heard　firing　all　about　her；　and　the　fear　of　being　shot　made　her　hasten　to　the　cottage；　the　chimney　of　which　was　her　landmark。　The　path　she　was　following　ended　at　a　sort　of　shed　covered　with　a　furze…roof；　supported　by　four　stout　trees　with　the　bark　still　on　them。　A　mud　wall　formed　the　back　of　this　shed；　under　which　were　a　cider…mill；　a　flail　to　thresh　buckwheat；　and　several　agricultural　implements。　She　stopped　before　one　of　the　posts；　unwilling　to　cross　the　dirty　bog　which　formed　a　sort　of　courtyard　to　the　house　which；　in　her　Parisian　ignorance；　she　had　taken　for　a　stable。

The　cabin；　protected　from　the　north　wind　by　an　eminence　towering　above　the　roof；　which　rested　against　it；　was　not　without　a　poetry　of　its　own；　for　the　tender　shoots　of　elms；　heather；　and　various　rock…flowers　wreathed　it　with　garlands。　A　rustic　staircase；　constructed　between　the　shed　and　the　house；　enabled　the　inhabitants　to　go　to　the　top　of　the　rock　and　breathe　a　purer　air。　On　the　left；　the　eminence　sloped　abruptly　down；　giving　to　view　a　series　of　fields；　the　first　of　which　belonged　no　doubt　to　this　farm。　These　fields　were　like　bowers；　separated　by　banks　which　were　planted　with　trees。　The　road　which　led　to　them　was　barred　by　the　trunk　of　an　old；　half…rotten　tree；a　Breton　method　of　enclosure　the　name　of　which　may　furnish；　further　on；　a　digression　which　will　complete　the　characterization　of　this　region。　Between　the　stairway　cut　in　the　schist　rock　and　the　path　closed　by　this　old　tree；　in　front　of　the　marsh　and　beneath　the　overhanging　rock；　several　granite　blocks　roughly　hewn；　and　piled　one　upon　the　other；　formed　the　four　corners　of　the　cottage　and　held　up　the　planks；　cobblestones；　and　pitch　amalgam　of　which　the　walls　were　made。　The　fact　that　one　half　of　the　roof　was　covered　with　furze　instead　of　thatch；　and　the　other　with　shingles　or　bits　of　board　cut　into　the　form　of　slates；　showed　that　the　building　was　in　two　parts；　one　half；　with　a　broken　hurdle　for　a　door；　served　as　a　stable；　the　other　half　was　the　dwelling　of　the　owner。　Though　this　hut　owed　to　the　neighborhood　of　the　town　a　few　improvements　which　were　wholly　absent　from　such　buildings　that　were　five　or　six　miles　further　off；　it　showed　plainly　enough　the　instability　of　domestic　life　and　habits　to　which　the　wars　and　customs　of　feudality　had　reduced　the　serf；　even　to　this　day　many　of　the　peasants　of　those　parts　call　a　seignorial　chateau；　〃The　Dwelling。〃

While　examining　the　place；　with　an　astonishment　we　can　readily　conceive；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　noticed　here　and　there　in　the　filth　of　the　courtyard　a　few　bits　of　granite　so　placed　as　to　form　stepping…　stones　to　the　house。　Hearing　the　sound　of　musketry　that　was　evidently　coming　nearer；　she　jumped　from　stone　to　stone；　as　if　crossing　a　rivulet；　to　ask　shelter。　The　house　was　closed　by　a　door　opening　in　two　parts；　the　lower　one　of　wood；　heavy　and　massive；　the　upper　one　a　shutter　which　served　as　a　window。　In　many　of　the　smaller　towns　of　France　the　shops　have　the　same　type　of　door　though　far　more　decorated；　the　lower　half　possessin