the chouans-第9章

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at　difficulty　in　maintaining　themselves　without　breaking　their　little　line　of　battle。

〃If　he　wasn't　a　young　man；〃　thought　Hulot；　as　he　retreated　step　by　step；　〃we　shouldn't　have　been　attacked　in　this　way。　Who　ever　heard　of　the　Chouans　fighting　an　open　battle？　Well；　all　the　better！　they　won't　shoot　us　off　like　dogs　along　the　road。〃　Then；　raising　his　voice　till　it　echoed　through　the　woods；　he　exclaimed；　〃Come　on；　my　men！　Shall　we　let　ourselves　be　/fooled/　by　those　brigands？〃

The　word　here　given　is　but　a　feeble　equivalent　of　the　one　the　brave　commandant　used；　but　every　veteran　can　substitute　the　real　one；　which　was　far　more　soldierly　in　character。

〃Gerard！　Merle！〃　added　Hulot；　〃call　in　your　men；　form　them　into　a　battalion；　take　the　rear；　fire　upon　those　dogs；　and　let's　make　an　end　of　this！〃

The　order　was　difficult　to　obey；　for　the　young　chief；　hearing　Hulot's　voice；　cried　out：　〃By　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　don't　let　them　get　away！　Spread　out；　spread　out；　my　lads！〃　and　each　of　the　two　wings　of　the　Blues　was　followed　by　Chouans　who　were　fully　as　obstinate　and　far　superior　in　numbers。　The　Republicans　were　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　the　Goatskins　uttering　their　savage　cries；　which　were　more　like　howls。

〃Hold　your　tongues；　gentlemen；〃　cried　Beau…Pied；　〃we　can't　hear　ourselves　be　killed。〃

This　jest　revived　the　courage　of　the　Blues。　Instead　of　fighting　only　at　one　point；　the　Republicans　spread　themselves　to　three　different　points　on　the　table…land　of　La　Pelerine；　and　the　rattle　of　musketry　woke　all　the　echoes　of　the　valleys；　hitherto　so　peaceful　beneath　it。　Victory　might　have　remained　doubtful　for　many　hours；　or　the　fight　might　have　come　to　an　end　for　want　of　combatants；　for　Blues　and　Chouans　were　equally　brave　and　obstinate。　Each　side　was　growing　more　and　more　incensed；　when　the　sound　of　a　drum　in　the　distance　told　that　the　body　of　men　must　be　crossing　the　valley　of　Couesnon。

〃There's　the　National　Guard　of　Fougeres！〃　cried　Gudin；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃my　man　has　brought　them。〃

The　words　reached　the　ears　of　the　young　leader　of　the　Chouans　and　his　ferocious　aide…de…camp；　and　the　royalists　made　a　hasty　retrograde　movement；　checked；　however；　by　a　brutal　shout　from　Marche…a…Terre。　After　two　or　three　orders　given　by　the　leader　in　a　low　voice；　and　transmitted　by　Marche…a…Terre　in　the　Breton　dialect；　the　Chouans　made　good　their　retreat　with　a　cleverness　which　disconcerted　the　Republicans　and　even　the　commandant。　At　the　first　word　of　command　they　formed　in　line；　presenting　a　good　front；　behind　which　the　wounded　retreated；　and　the　others　reloaded　their　guns。　Then；　suddenly；　with　the　agility　already　shown　by　Marche…a…Terre；　the　wounded　were　taken　over　the　brow　of　the　eminence　to　the　right　of　the　road；　while　half　the　others　followed　them　slowly　to　occupy　the　summit；　where　nothing　could　be　seen　of　them　by　the　Blues　but　their　bold　heads。　There　they　made　a　rampart　of　the　trees　and　pointed　the　muzzles　of　their　guns　on　the　Republicans；　who　were　rapidly　reformed　under　reiterated　orders　from　Hulot　and　turned　to　face　the　remainder　of　the　Chouans；　who　were　still　before　them　in　the　road。　The　latter　retreated　slowly；　disputing　the　ground　and　wheeling　so　as　to　bring　themselves　under　cover　of　their　comrades'　fire。　When　they　reached　the　broad　ditch　which　bordered　the　road；　they　scaled　the　high　bank　on　the　other　side；　braving　the　fire　of　the　Republicans；　which　was　sufficiently　well…directed　to　fill　the　ditch　with　dead　bodies。　The　Chouans　already　on　the　summit　answered　with　a　fire　that　was　no　less　deadly。　At　that　moment　the　National　Guard　of　Fougeres　reached　the　scene　of　action　at　a　quick　step；　and　its　mere　presence　put　an　end　to　the　affair。　The　Guard　and　some　of　the　soldiers　crossed　the　road　and　began　to　enter　the　woods；　but　the　commandant　called　to　them　in　his　martial　voice；　〃Do　you　want　to　be　annihilated　over　there？〃

The　victory　remained　to　the　Republicans；　though　not　without　heavy　loss。　All　the　battered　old　hats　were　hung　on　the　points　of　the　bayonets　and　the　muskets　held　aloft；　while　the　soldiers　shouted　with　one　voice：　〃Vive　la　Republique！〃　Even　the　wounded；　sitting　by　the　roadside；　shared　in　the　general　enthusiasm；　and　Hulot；　pressing　Gerard's　hand；　exclaimed：

〃Ha；　ha！　those　are　what　I　call　/veterans/！〃

Merle　was　directed　to　bury　the　dead　in　a　ravine；　while　another　party　of　men　attended　to　the　removal　of　the　wounded。　The　carts　and　horses　of　the　neighborhood　were　put　into　requisition；　and　the　suffering　men　were　carefully　laid　on　the　clothing　of　the　dead。　Before　the　little　column　started；　the　National　Guard　of　Fougeres　turned　over　to　Hulot　a　Chouan；　dangerously　wounded；　whom　they　had　captured　at　the　foot　of　the　slope　up　which　his　comrades　had　escaped；　and　where　he　had　fallen　from　weakness。

〃Thanks　for　your　help；　citizens；〃　said　the　commandant。　〃God's　thunder！　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you；　we　should　have　had　a　pretty　bad　quarter　of　an　hour。　Take　care　of　yourselves；　the　war　has　begun。　Adieu；　friends。〃　Then；　turning　to　the　prisoner；　he　asked；　〃What's　the　name　of　your　general？〃

〃The　Gars。〃

〃Who？　Marche…a…Terre？〃

〃No；　the　Gars。〃

〃Where　does　the　Gars　come　from？〃

To　this　question　the　prisoner；　whose　face　was　convulsed　with　suffering；　made　no　reply；　he　took　out　his　beads　and　began　to　say　his　prayers。

〃The　Gars　is　no　doubt　that　young　/ci…devant/　with　the　black　cravat；　sent　by　the　tyrant　and　his　allies　Pitt　and　Coburg。〃

At　that　words　the　Chouan　raised　his　head　proudly　and　said：　〃Sent　by　God　and　the　king！〃　He　uttered　the　words　with　an　energy　which　exhausted　his　strength。　The　commandant　saw　the　difficulty　of　questioning　a　dying　man；　whose　countenance　expressed　his　gloomy　fanaticism；　and　he　turned　away　his　head　with　a　frown。　Two　soldiers；　friends　of　those　whom　Marche…a…Terre　had　so　brutally　killed　with　the　butt　of　his　whip；　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　took　aim　at　the　Chouan；　whose　fixed　eyes　did　not　blink　at　the　muzzles　of　their　guns；　fired　at　short　range；　and　brought　him　down。　When　they　approached　the　dead　body　to　strip　it；　the　dying　man　found　strength　to　cry　out　loudly；　〃Vive　le　roi！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　you　canting　hypocrite；〃　cried　Clef…des…Coeurs；　〃go　and　make　your　report　to　that　Virgin　of　yours。　Didn't　he　shout　in　our　faces；　'Vive　le　roi！'　when　we　thought　him　cooked？〃

〃Here　are　his　papers；　commandant；〃　said　Beau…Pied。

〃Ho！　ho！〃　cried　Clef…des…Coeurs。　〃Come；　all　of　you；　and　see　this　minion　of　the　good　God　with　colors　on　his　stomach！〃

Hulot　and　several　soldiers　came　round　the　body；　now　entirely　naked；　and　saw　upon　its　breast　a　blue　tattooing　in　the　form　of　a　swollen　heart。　It　was　the　sign　of　initiation　into　the　brotherhood　of　the　Sacred　Heart。　Above　this　sign　were　the　words；　〃Marie　Lambrequin；〃　no　doubt　the　man's　name。

〃Look　at　that；　Clef…des…Coeurs；〃　said　Beau…Pied；　〃it　would　take　you　a　hundred　years　to　find　out　what　that　accoutrement　is　good　for。〃

〃What　should　I　know　about　the　Pope's　uniform？〃　replied　Clef…des…Coeurs；　scornfully。

〃You　worthless　bog…trotter；　you'll　never　learn　anything；〃　retorted　Beau…Pied。　〃Don't　you　see　that　they've　promised　that　poor　fool　that　he　shall　live　again；　and　he　has　painted　his　gizzard　in　order　to　find　himself？〃

At　this　sallywhich　was　not　without　some　foundationeven　Hulot　joined　in　the　general　hilarity。　At　this　moment　Merle　returned；　and　the　burial　of　the　dead　being　completed　and　the　wounded　placed　more　or　less　comfortably　in　two　carts；　the　rest　of　the　late　escort　formed　into　two　lines　round　the　improvised　ambulances；　and　descended　the　slope　of　the　mountain　towards　Maine；　where　the　beautiful　valley　of　La　Pelerine；　a　rival　to　that　of　Couesnon　lay　before　it。

Hulot　with　his　two　officers　followed　the　troop　slowly；　hoping　to　get　safely　to　Ernee　where　the　wounded　could　be　cared　for。　The　fight　we　have　just　described；　which　was　almost　forgotten　in　the　midst　of　the　greater　events　which　were　soon　to　occur；　was　called　by　the　name　of　the　mountain　on　which　it　took　place。　It　obtained　some　notice　at　the　West；　where　the　inhabitants；　observant　of　this　second　uprising；　noticed　on　this　occasion　a　great　change　in　the　manner　in　which　the　Chouans　now　made　war。　In　earlier　days　they　would　never　have　attacked　so　large　a　detachment。　According　to　Hulot　the　young　royalist　whom　he　had　seen　was　undoubtedly　the　Ga