the chouans-第55章

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nce　of　the　clergy　over　the　rural　masses；　and　the　tremendous　effect　of　the　scene　which　was　now　beginning。

The　peasants　advanced　one　by　one　and　knelt　down；　presenting　their　guns　to　the　preacher；　who　laid　them　upon　the　altar。　Galope…Chopine　offered　his　old　duck…shooter。　The　three　priests　sang　the　hymn　〃Veni；　Creator；〃　while　the　celebrant　wrapped　the　instruments　of　death　in　bluish　clouds　of　incense；　waving　the　smoke　into　shapes　that　appeared　to　interlace　one　another。　When　the　breeze　had　dispersed　the　vapor　the　guns　were　returned　in　due　order。　Each　man　received　his　own　on　his　knees　from　the　hands　of　the　priests；　who　recited　a　Latin　prayer　as　they　returned　them。　After　the　men　had　regained　their　places；　the　profound　enthusiasm　of　the　congregation；　mute　till　then；　broke　forth　and　resounded　in　a　formidable　manner。

〃/Domine　salvum　fac　regem/！〃　was　the　prayer　which　the　preacher　intoned　in　an　echoing　voice；　and　was　then　sung　vehemently　by　the　people。　The　cry　had　something　savage　and　warlike　in　it。　The　two　notes　of　the　word　/regem/；　readily　interpreted　by　the　peasants；　were　taken　with　such　energy　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　thoughts　reverted　almost　tenderly　to　the　exiled　Bourbon　family。　These　recollections　awakened　those　of　her　past　life。　Her　memory　revived　the　fetes　of　a　court　now　dispersed；　in　which　she　had　once　a　share。　The　face　of　the　marquis　entered　her　reverie。　With　the　natural　mobility　of　a　woman's　mind　she　forgot　the　scene　before　her　and　reverted　to　her　plans　of　vengeance；　which　might　cost　her　her　life　or　come　to　nought　under　the　influence　of　a　look。　Seeing　a　branch　of　holly　the　trivial　thought　crossed　her　mind　that　in　this　decisive　moment；　when　she　wished　to　appear　in　all　her　beauty　at　the　ball；　she　had　no　decoration　for　her　hair；　and　she　gathered　a　tuft　of　the　prickly　leaves　and　shining　berries　with　the　idea　of　wearing　them。

〃Ho！　ho！　my　gun　may　miss　fire　on　a　duck；　but　on　a　Blue；　never！〃　cried　Galope…Chopine；　nodding　his　head　in　sign　of　satisfaction。

Marie　examined　her　guide's　face　attentively；　and　found　it　of　the　type　of　those　she　had　just　seen。　The　old　Chouan　had　evidently　no　more　ideas　than　a　child。　A　naive　joy　wrinkled　his　cheeks　and　forehead　as　he　looked　at　his　gun；　but　a　pious　conviction　cast　upon　that　expression　of　his　joy　a　tinge　of　fanaticism；　which　brought　into　his　face　for　an　instant　the　signs　of　the　vices　of　civilization。

Presently　they　reached　a　village；　or　rather　a　collection　of　huts　like　that　of　Galope…Chopine；　where　the　rest　of　the　congregation　arrived　before　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　finished　the　milk　and　bread　and　butter　which　formed　the　meal。　This　irregular　company　was　led　by　the　abbe；　who　held　in　his　hand　a　rough　cross　draped　with　a　flag；　followed　by　a　gars；　who　was　proudly　carrying　the　parish　banner。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　compelled　to　mingle　with　this　detachment；　which　was　on　its　way；　like　herself；　to　Saint…James；　and　would　naturally　protect　her　from　all　danger　as　soon　as　Galope…Chopine　informed　them　that　the　Gars　glove　was　in　her　possession；　provided　always　that　the　abbe　did　not　see　her。

Towards　sunset　the　three　travellers　arrived　safely　at　Saint…James；　a　little　town　which　owes　its　name　to　the　English；　by　whom　it　was　built　in　the　fourteenth　century；　during　their　occupation　of　Brittany。　Before　entering　it　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　witness　of　a　strange　scene　of　this　strange　war；　to　which；　however；　she　gave　little　attention；　she　feared　to　be　recognized　by　some　of　her　enemies；　and　this　dread　hastened　her　steps。　Five　or　six　thousand　peasants　were　camping　in　a　field。　Their　clothing　was　not　in　any　degree　warlike；　in　fact；　this　tumultuous　assembly　resembled　that　of　a　great　fair。　Some　attention　was　needed　to　even　observe　that　these　Bretons　were　armed；　for　their　goatskins　were　so　made　as　to　hide　their　guns；　and　the　weapons　that　were　chiefly　visible　were　the　scythes　with　which　some　of　the　men　had　armed　themselves　while　awaiting　the　distribution　of　muskets。　Some　were　eating　and　drinking；　others　were　fighting　and　quarrelling　in　loud　tones；　but　the　greater　part　were　sleeping　on　the　ground。　An　officer　in　a　red　uniform　attracted　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　attention；　and　she　supposed　him　to　belong　to　the　English　service。　At　a　little　distance　two　other　officers　seemed　to　be　trying　to　teach　a　few　Chouans；　more　intelligent　than　the　rest；　to　handle　two　cannon；　which　apparently　formed　the　whole　artillery　of　the　royalist　army。　Shouts　hailed　the　coming　of　the　gars　of　Marignay；　who　were　recognized　by　their　banner。　Under　cover　of　the　tumult　which　the　new…comers　and　the　priests　excited　in　the　camp；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　able　to　make　her　way　past　it　and　into　the　town　without　danger。　She　stopped　at　a　plain…looking　inn　not　far　from　the　building　where　the　ball　was　to　be　given。　The　town　was　so　full　of　strangers　that　she　could　only　obtain　one　miserable　room。　When　she　was　safely　in　it　Galope…Chopine　brought　Francine　the　box　which　contained　the　ball　dress；　and　having　done　so　he　stood　stock…　still　in　an　attitude　of　indescribable　irresolution。　At　any　other　time　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　would　have　been　much　amused　to　see　what　a　Breton　peasant　can　be　like　when　he　leaves　his　native　parish；　but　now　she　broke　the　charm　by　opening　her　purse　and　producing　four　crowns　of　six　francs　each；　which　she　gave　him。

〃Take　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　you　wish　to　oblige　me；　you　will　go　straight　back　to　Fougeres　without　entering　the　camp　or　drinking　any　cider。〃

The　Chouan；　amazed　at　her　liberality；　looked　first　at　the　crowns　（which　he　had　taken）　and　then　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　but　she　made　him　a　sign　with　her　hand　and　he　disappeared。

〃How　could　you　send　him　away；　mademoiselle？〃　said　Francine。　〃Don't　you　see　how　the　place　is　surrounded？　we　shall　never　get　away！　and　who　will　protect　you　here？〃

〃You　have　a　protector　of　your　own；〃　said　Marie　maliciously；　giving　in　an　undertone　Marche…a…Terre's　owl　cry　which　she　was　constantly　practising。

Francine　colored；　and　smiled　rather　sadly　at　her　mistress's　gaiety。

〃But　who　is　yours？〃　she　said。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　plucked　out　her　dagger；　and　showed　it　to　the　frightened　girl；　who　dropped　on　a　chair　and　clasped　her　hands。

〃What　have　you　come　here　for；　Marie？〃　she　cried　in　a　supplicating　voice　which　asked　no　answer。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　busily　twisting　the　branches　of　holly　which　she　had　gathered。

〃I　don't　know　whether　this　holly　will　be　becoming；〃　she　said；　〃a　brilliant　skin　like　mine　may　possibly　bear　a　dark　wreath　of　this　kind。　What　do　you　think；　Francine？〃

Several　remarks　of　the　same　kind　as　she　dressed　for　the　ball　showed　the　absolute　self…possession　and　coolness　of　this　strange　woman。　Whoever　had　listened　to　her　then　would　have　found　it　hard　to　believe　in　the　gravity　of　a　situation　in　which　she　was　risking　her　life。　An　Indian　muslin　gown；　rather　short　and　clinging　like　damp　linen；　revealed　the　delicate　outlines　of　her　shape；　over　this　she　wore　a　red　drapery；　numerous　folds　of　which；　gradually　lengthening　as　they　fell　by　her　side；　took　the　graceful　curves　of　a　Greek　peplum。　This　voluptuous　garment　of　the　pagan　priestesses　lessened　the　indecency　of　the　rest　of　the　attire　which　the　fashions　of　the　time　suffered　women　to　wear。　To　soften　its　immodesty　still　further；　Marie　threw　a　gauze　scarf　over　her　shoulders；　left　bare　and　far　too　low　by　the　red　drapery。　She　wound　the　long　braids　of　her　hair　into　the　flat　irregular　cone　above　the　nape　of　the　neck　which　gives　such　grace　to　certain　antique　statues　by　an　artistic　elongation　of　the　head；　while　a　few　stray　locks　escaping　from　her　forehead　fell　in　shining　curls　beside　her　cheeks。　With　a　form　and　head　thus　dressed；　she　presented　a　perfect　likeness　of　the　noble　masterpieces　of　Greek　sculpture。　She　smiled　as　she　looked　with　approval　at　the　arrangement　of　her　hair；　which　brought　out　the　beauties　of　her　face；　while　the　scarlet　berries　of　the　holly　wreath　which　she　laid　upon　it　repeated　charmingly　the　color　of　the　peplum。　As　she　twisted　and　turned　a　few　leaves；　to　give　capricious　diversity　to　their　arrangement；　she　examined　her　whole　costume　in　a　mirror　to　judge　of　its　general　effect。

〃I　am　horrible　to…night；〃　she　said；　as　though　she　were　surrounded　by　flatterers。　〃I　look　like　a　statue　of　Liberty。〃

She　pl