the chouans-第75章

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euil　was　now　solemnized；　like　many　other　unions；　by　a　service　contrary　to　the　recent　legal　enactments。　In　after　years　these　marriages；　mostly　celebrated　at　the　foot　of　oaks；　were　scrupulously　recognized　and　considered　legal。　The　priest　who　thus　preserved　the　ancient　usages　was　one　of　those　men　who　hold　to　their　principles　in　the　height　of　the　storm。　His　voice；　which　never　made　the　oath　exacted　by　the　Republic；　uttered　no　word　throughout　the　tempest　that　did　not　make　for　peace。　He　never　incited；　like　the　Abbe　Gudin；　to　fire　and　sword；　but　like　many　others；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　still　more　dangerous　mission　of　performing　his　priestly　functions　for　the　souls　of　faithful　Catholics。　To　accomplish　this　perilous　ministry　he　used　all　the　pious　deceptions　necessitated　by　persecution；　and　the　marquis；　when　he　sought　his　services　on　this　occasion；　had　found　him　in　one　of　those　excavated　caverns　which　are　known；　even　to　the　present　day；　by　the　name　of　〃the　priest's　hiding…place。〃　The　mere　sight　of　that　pale　and　suffering　face　was　enough　to　give　this　worldly　room　a　holy　aspect。

All　was　now　ready　for　the　act　of　misery　and　of　joy。　Before　beginning　the　ceremony　the　priest　asked；　in　the　dead　silence；　the　names　of　the　bride。

〃Marie…Nathalie；　daughter　of　Mademoiselle　Blanche　de　Casteran；　abbess；　deceased；　of　Notre…Dame　de　Seez；　and　Victor…Amedee；　Duc　de　Verneuil。〃

〃Where　born？〃

〃At　La　Chasterie；　near　Alencon。〃

〃I　never　supposed；〃　said　the　baron　in　a　low　voice　to　the　count；　〃that　Montauran　would　have　the　folly　to　marry　her。　The　natural　daughter　of　a　duke！horrid！〃

〃If　it　were　of　the　king；　well　and　good；〃　replied　the　Comte　de　Bauvan；　smiling。　〃However；　it　is　not　for　me　to　blame　him；　I　like　Charette's　mistress　full　as　well；　and　I　shall　transfer　the　war　to　herthough　she's　not　one　to　bill　and　coo。〃

The　names　of　the　marquis　had　been　filled　in　previously；　and　the　two　lovers　now　signed　the　document　with　their　witnesses。　The　ceremony　then　began。　At　that　instant　Marie；　and　she　alone；　heard　the　sound　of　muskets　and　the　heavy　tread　of　soldiers；no　doubt　relieving　the　guard　in　the　church　which　she　had　herself　demanded。　She　trembled　violently　and　raised　her　eyes　to　the　cross　on　the　altar。

〃A　saint　at　last；〃　said　Francine；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Give　me　such　saints；　and　I'll　be　devilishly　devout；〃　added　the　count；　in　a　whisper。

When　the　priest　made　the　customary　inquiry　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　she　answered　by　a　〃yes〃　uttered　with　a　deep　sigh。　Bending　to　her　husband's　ear　she　said：　〃You　will　soon　know　why　I　have　broken　the　oath　I　made　never　to　marry　you。〃

After　the　ceremony　all　present　passed　into　the　dining…room；　where　dinner　was　served；　and　as　they　took　their　places　Jeremie；　Marie's　footman；　came　into　the　room　terrified。　The　poor　bride　rose　and　went　to　him；　Francine　followed　her。　With　one　of　those　pretexts　which　never　fail　a　woman；　she　begged　the　marquis　to　do　the　honors　for　a　moment；　and　went　out；　taking　Jeremie　with　her　before　he　could　utter　the　fatal　words。

〃Ah！　Francine；　to　be　dying　a　thousand　deaths　and　not　to　die！〃　she　cried。

This　absence　might　well　be　supposed　to　have　its　cause　in　the　ceremony　that　had　just　taken　place。　Towards　the　end　of　the　dinner；　as　the　marquis　was　beginning　to　feel　uneasy；　Marie　returned　in　all　the　pomp　of　a　bridal　robe。　Her　face　was　calm　and　joyful；　while　that　of　Francine　who　followed　her　had　terror　imprinted　on　every　feature；　so　that　the　guests　might　well　have　thought　they　saw　in　these　two　women　a　fantastic　picture　by　Salvator　Rosa；　of　Life　and　Death　holding　each　other　by　the　hand。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Marie　to　the　priest；　the　baron；　and　the　count；　〃you　are　my　guests　for　the　night。　I　find　you　cannot　leave　Fougeres；　it　would　be　dangerous　to　attempt　it。　My　good　maid　has　instructions　to　make　you　comfortable　in　your　apartments。　No；　you　must　not　rebel；〃　she　added　to　the　priest；　who　was　about　to　speak。　〃I　hope　you　will　not　thwart　a　woman　on　her　wedding…day。〃

An　hour　later　she　was　alone　with　her　husband　in　the　room　she　had　so　joyously　arranged　a　few　hours　earlier。　They　had　reached　that　fatal　bed　where；　like　a　tomb；　so　many　hopes　are　wrecked；　where　the　waking　to　a　happy　life　is　all　uncertain；　where　love　is　born　or　dies；　according　to　the　natures　that　are　tried　there。　Marie　looked　at　the　clock。　〃Six　hours　to　live；〃　she　murmured。

〃Can　I　have　slept？〃　she　cried　toward　morning；　wakening　with　one　of　those　sudden　movements　which　rouse　us　when　we　have　made　ourselves　a　promise　to　wake　at　a　certain　hour。　〃Yes；　I　have　slept；〃　she　thought；　seeing　by　the　light　of　the　candles　that　the　hands　of　the　clock　were　pointing　to　two　in　the　morning。　She　turned　and　looked　at　the　sleeping　marquis；　lying　like　a　child　with　his　head　on　one　hand；　the　other　clasping　his　wife's　hand；　his　lips　half　smiling　as　though　he　had　fallen　asleep　while　she　kissed　him。

〃Ah！〃　she　whispered　to　herself；　〃he　sleeps　like　an　infant；　he　does　not　distrust　meme；　to　whom　he　has　given　a　happiness　without　a　name。〃

She　touched　him　softly　and　he　woke；　continuing　to　smile。　He　kissed　the　hand　he　held　and　looked　at　the　wretched　woman　with　eyes　so　sparkling　that　she　could　not　endure　their　light　and　slowly　lowered　her　large　eyelids。　Her　husband　might　justly　have　accused　her　of　coquetry　if　she　were　not　concealing　the　terrors　of　her　soul　by　thus　evading　the　fire　of　his　looks。　Together　they　raised　their　charming　heads　and　made　each　other　a　sign　of　gratitude　for　the　pleasures　they　had　tasted；　but　after　a　rapid　glance　at　the　beautiful　picture　his　wife　presented；　the　marquis　was　struck　with　an　expression　on　her　face　which　seemed　to　him　melancholy；　and　he　said　in　a　tender　voice；　〃Why　sad；　dear　love？〃

〃Poor　Alphonse；〃　she　answered；　〃do　you　know　to　what　I　have　led　you？〃

〃To　happiness。〃

〃To　death！〃

Shuddering　with　horror　she　sprang　from　the　bed；　the　marquis；　astonished；　followed　her。　His　wife　motioned　him　to　a　window　and　raised　the　curtain；　pointing　as　she　did　so　to　a　score　of　soldiers。　The　moon　had　scattered　the　fog　and　was　now　casting　her　white　light　on　the　muskets　and　the　uniforms；　on　the　impassible　Corentin　pacing　up　and　down　like　a　jackal　waiting　for　his　prey；　on　the　commandant；　standing　still；　his　arms　crossed；　his　nose　in　the　air；　his　lips　curling；　watchful　and　displeased。

〃Come；　Marie；　leave　them　and　come　back　to　me。〃

〃Why　do　you　smile？　I　placed　them　there。〃

〃You　are　dreaming。〃

〃No。〃

They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment。　The　marquis　divined　the　whole　truth；　and　he　took　her　in　his　arms。　〃No　matter！〃　he　said；　〃I　love　you　still。〃

〃All　is　not　lost！〃　cried　Marie；　〃it　cannot　be！　Alphonse；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃there　is　hope。〃

At　this　moment　they　distinctly　heard　the　owl's　cry；　and　Francine　entered　from　the　dressing…room。

〃Pierre　has　come！〃　she　said　with　a　joy　that　was　like　delirium。

The　marquise　and　Francine　dressed　Montauran　in　Chouan　clothes　with　that　amazing　rapidity　that　belongs　only　to　women。　As　soon　as　Marie　saw　her　husband　loading　the　gun　Francine　had　brought　in　she　slipped　hastily　from　the　room　with　a　sign　to　her　faithful　maid。　Francine　then　took　the　marquis　to　the　dressing…room　adjoining　the　bed…chamber。　The　young　man　seeing　a　large　number　of　sheets　knotted　firmly　together；　perceived　the　means　by　which　the　girl　expected　him　to　escape　the　vigilance　of　the　soldiers。

〃I　can't　get　through　there；〃　he　said；　examining　the　bull's…eye　window。

At　that　instant　it　was　darkened　by　a　thickset　figure；　and　a　hoarse　voice；　known　to　Francine；　said　in　a　whisper；　〃Make　haste；　general；　those　rascally　Blues　are　stirring。〃

〃Oh！　one　more　kiss；〃　said　a　trembling　voice　beside　him。

The　marquis；　whose　feet　were　already　on　the　liberating　ladder；　though　he　was　not　wholly　through　the　window；　felt　his　neck　clasped　with　a　despairing　pressure。　Seeing　that　his　wife　had　put　on　his　clothes；　he　tried　to　detain　her；　but　she　tore　herself　roughly　from　his　arms　and　he　was　forced　to　descend。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　fragment　of　some　stuff　which　the　moonlight　showed　him　was　a　piece　of　the　waistcoat　he　had　worn　the　night　before。

〃Halt！　fire！〃

These　words　uttered　by　Hulot　in　the　midst　of　a　silence　that　was　almost　horrible　broke　the　spell　which　seemed　to　hold　the　men　and　their　surroundings。　A　volley　of　balls　coming　from　the　valley　and　reachin