the chouans-第2章

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　which　was　known　to　be　a　hot…bed　of　〃Chouannerie。〃　He　hoped　by　this　means　to　weaken　its　strength　in　these　formidable　districts。　This　devoted　soldier　made　use　of　the　illusory　provisions　of　the　new　law　to　declare　that　he　would　equip　and　arm　at　once　all　recruits；　and　he　announced　that　he　held　at　their　disposal　the　one　month's　advanced　pay　promised　by　the　government　to　these　exceptional　levies。　Though　Brittany　had　hitherto　refused　all　kinds　of　military　service　under　the　Republic；　the　levies　were　made　under　the　new　law　on　the　faith　of　its　promises；　and　with　such　promptness　that　even　the　commander　was　startled。　But　he　was　one　of　those　wary　old　watch…dogs　who　are　hard　to　catch　napping。　He　no　sooner　saw　the　contingents　arriving　one　after　the　other　than　he　suspected　some　secret　motive　for　such　prompt　action。　Possibly　he　was　right　in　ascribing　it　to　the　fact　of　getting　arms。　At　any　rate；　no　sooner　were　the　Fougeres　recruits　obtained　than；　without　delaying　for　laggards；　he　took　immediate　steps　to　fall　back　towards　Alencon；　so　as　to　be　near　a　loyal　neighborhood；though　the　growing　disaffection　along　the　route　made　the　success　of　this　measure　problematical。　This　old　officer；　who；　under　instruction　of　his　superiors；　kept　secret　the　disasters　of　our　armies　in　Italy　and　Germany　and　the　disturbing　news　from　La　Vendee；　was　attempting　on　the　morning　when　this　history　begins；　to　make　a　forced　march　on　Mayenne；　where　he　was　resolved　to　execute　the　law　according　to　his　own　good　pleasure；　and　fill　the　half…　empty　companies　of　his　own　brigade　with　his　Breton　conscripts。　The　word　〃conscript〃　which　later　became　so　celebrated；　had　just　now　for　the　first　time　taken　the　place　in　the　government　decrees　of　the　word　/requisitionnaire/　hitherto　applied　to　all　Republican　recruits。

Before　leaving　Fougeres　the　chief　secretly　issued　to　his　own　men　ample　supplies　of　ammunition　and　sufficient　rations　of　bread　for　the　whole　detachment；　so　as　to　conceal　from　the　conscripts　the　length　of　the　march　before　them。　He　intended　not　to　stop　at　Ernee　（the　last　stage　before　Mayenne）；　where　the　men　of　the　contingent　might　find　a　way　of　communicating　with　the　Chouans　who　were　no　doubt　hanging　on　his　flanks。　The　dead　silence　which　reigned　among　the　recruits；　surprised　at　the　manoeuvring　of　the　old　republican；　and　their　lagging　march　up　the　mountain　excited　to　the　very　utmost　the　distrust　and　watchfulness　of　the　chiefwhose　name　was　Hulot。　All　the　striking　points　in　the　foregoing　description　had　been　to　him　matters　of　the　keenest　interest；　he　marched　in　silence；　surrounded　by　five　young　officers；　each　of　whom　respected　the　evident　preoccupation　of　their　leader。　But　just　as　Hulot　reached　the　summit　of　La　Pelerine　he　turned　his　head；　as　if　by　instinct；　to　inspect　the　anxious　faces　of　the　recruits；　and　suddenly　broke　silence。　The　slow　advance　of　the　Bretons　had　put　a　distance　of　three　or　four　hundred　feet　between　themselves　and　their　escort。　Hulot's　face　contorted　after　a　fashion　peculiar　to　himself。

〃What　the　devil　are　those　dandies　up　to？〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　sonorous　voice。　〃Creeping　instead　of　marching；　I　call　it。〃

At　his　first　words　the　officers　who　accompanied　him　turned　spasmodically；　as　if　startled　out　of　sleep　by　a　sudden　noise。　The　sergeants　and　corporals　followed　their　example；　and　the　whole　company　paused　in　its　march　without　receiving　the　wished　for　〃Halt！〃　Though　the　officers　cast　a　first　look　at　the　detachment；　which　was　creeping　like　an　elongated　tortoise　up　the　mountain　of　La　Pelerine；　these　young　men；　all　dragged；　like　many　others；　from　important　studies　to　defend　their　country；　and　in　whom　war　had　not　yet　smothered　the　sentiment　of　art；　were　so　much　struck　by　the　scene　which　lay　spread　before　their　eyes　that　they　made　no　answer　to　their　chief's　remark；　the　real　significance　of　which　was　unknown　to　them。　Though　they　had　come　from　Fougeres；　where　the　scene　which　now　presented　itself　to　their　eyes　is　also　visible　（but　with　certain　differences　caused　by　the　change　of　perspective）；　they　could　not　resist　pausing　to　admire　it　again；　like　those　dilettanti　who　enjoy　all　music　the　more　when　familiar　with　its　construction。

From　the　summit　of　La　Pelerine　the　traveller's　eye　can　range　over　the　great　valley　of　Couesnon；　at　one　of　the　farthest　points　of　which；　along　the　horizon；　lay　the　town　of　Fougeres。　From　here　the　officers　could　see；　to　its　full　extent；　the　basin　of　this　intervale；　as　remarkable　for　the　fertility　of　its　soil　as　for　the　variety　of　its　aspects。　Mountains　of　gneiss　and　slate　rose　on　all　sides；　like　an　ampitheatre；　hiding　their　ruddy　flanks　behind　forests　of　oak；　and　forming　on　their　declivities　other　and　lesser　valleys　full　of　dewy　freshness。　These　rocky　heights　made　a　vast　enclosure；　circular　in　form；　in　the　centre　of　which　a　meadow　lay　softly　stretched；　like　the　lawn　of　an　English　garden。　A　number　of　evergreen　hedges；　defining　irregular　pieces　of　property　which　were　planted　with　trees；　gave　to　this　carpet　of　verdure　a　character　of　its　own；　and　one　that　is　somewhat　unusual　among　the　landscapes　of　France；　it　held　the　teeming　secrets　of　many　beauties　in　its　various　contrasts；　the　effects　of　which　were　fine　enough　to　arrest　the　eye　of　the　most　indifferent　spectator。

At　this　particular　moment　the　scene　was　brightened　by　the　fleeting　glow　with　which　Nature　delights　at　times　in　heightening　the　beauty　of　her　imperishable　creations。　While　the　detachment　was　crossing　the　valley；　the　rising　sun　had　slowly　scattered　the　fleecy　mists　which　float　above　the　meadows　of　a　September　morning。　As　the　soldiers　turned　to　look　back；　an　invisible　hand　seemed　to　lift　from　the　landscape　the　last　of　these　veilsa　delicate　vapor；　like　a　diaphanous　gauze　through　which　the　glow　of　precious　jewels　excites　our　curiosity。　Not　a　cloud　could　be　seen　on　the　wide　horizon　to　mark　by　its　silvery　whiteness　that　the　vast　blue　arch　was　the　firmament；　it　seemed；　on　the　contrary；　a　dais　of　silk；　held　up　by　the　summits　of　the　mountains　and　placed　in　the　atmosphere；　to　protect　that　beautiful　assemblage　of　fields　and　meadows　and　groves　and　brooks。

The　group　of　young　officers　paused　to　examine　a　scene　so　filled　with　natural　beauties。　The　eyes　of　some　roved　among　the　copses；　which　the　sterner　tints　of　autumn　were　already　enriching　with　their　russet　tones；　contrasting　the　more　with　the　emerald…green　of　the　meadows　in　which　they　grew；　others　took　note　of　a　different　contrast；　made　by　the　ruddy　fields；　where　the　buckwheat　had　been　cut　and　tied　in　sheaves　（like　stands　of　arms　around　a　bivouac）；　adjoining　other　fields　of　rich　ploughed　land；　from　which　the　rye　was　already　harvested。　Here　and　there　were　dark　slate　roofs　above　which　puffs　of　white　smoke　were　rising。　The　glittering　silver　threads　of　the　winding　brooks　caught　the　eye；　here　and　there；　by　one　of　those　optic　lures　which　render　the　soul　one　knows　not　how　or　whyperplexed　and　dreamy。　The　fragrant　freshness　of　the　autumn　breeze；　the　stronger　odors　of　the　forest；　rose　like　a　waft　of　incense　to　the　admirers　of　this　beautiful　region；　who　noticed　with　delight　its　rare　wild…flowers；　its　vigorous　vegetation；　and　its　verdure；　worthy　of　England；　the　very　word　being　common　to　the　two　languages。　A　few　cattle　gave　life　to　the　scene；　already　so　dramatic。　The　birds　sang；　filling　the　valley　with　a　sweet；　vague　melody　that　quivered　in　the　air。　If　a　quiet　imagination　will　picture　to　itself　these　rich　fluctuations　of　light　and　shade；　the　vaporous　outline　of　the　mountains；　the　mysterious　perspectives　which　were　seen　where　the　trees　gave　an　opening；　or　the　streamlets　ran；　or　some　coquettish　little　glade　fled　away　in　the　distance；　if　memory　will　color；　as　it　were；　this　sketch；　as　fleeting　as　the　moment　when　it　was　taken；　the　persons　for　whom　such　pictures　are　not　without　charm　will　have　an　imperfect　image　of　the　magic　scene　which　delighted　the　still　impressionable　souls　of　the　young　officers。

Thinking　that　the　poor　recruits　must　be　leaving；　with　regret；　their　own　country　and　their　beloved　customs；　to　die；　perhaps；　in　foreign　lands；　they　involuntarily　excused　a　tardiness　their　feelings　comprehended。　Then；　with　the　generosity　natural　to　soldiers；　they　disguised　their　indulgence　under　an　apparent　desire　to　examine　into　the　military　position　of　the　land。　But　Hulot；　whom　we　shall　henceforth　call　the　commandant；　to　avoid　giving　him　the　inharmonious　title　of　〃chief　of　a　half…brigade〃　was　one　of　those　soldiers　who；　in　critical　moments；　cannot　be　caught　by　the　charms　of　a　landscape；　were　they　even　those　of　a　terrestrial　paradise。　He　shook　his　head　with　an　impatient　gesture　and　contracted　the　thick；　black　eyebrows　which　gave　so　stern　an　expression　to　his　face。

〃Why　the　devil　don't　they　come　up？〃　he　said；　for　the　second　time；　in　a　hoarse　voice；　roughened　by　the　toils　of　war。

〃You　ask　why？〃　replied　a　voice。

Hearing　these　words；　which　seemed　to　issue　from　a　horn；　such　as　the　peasants　of　the　western　valleys　use　to　call　their　flocks；　the　commandant　turned　sharply　round；　as　if　pricked　by　a　sword；　and　beheld；　close　behind　him；　a　personage　even　more　fantastic　in　appearance　than　any　of　those　who　were　now　being　escorted　to　Mayenne　to　serve　the　Republic。　This　unknown　man；　short　and　thick…set　in　figure　and　broad…　shouldered；　had　a　head　like　a　bull；　to　which；　in　fact；　he　bore　more　than　one　resemblance。　His　nose　seemed　shorter　than　it　was；　on　account　of　the　thick　nostrils。　His　full　lips；　drawn　from　the　teeth　which　were　white　as　snow；　his　large　and　round　black　eyes　with　their　shaggy　brows；　his　hanging　ears　and　tawny　hair；seemed　to　belong　far　less　to　our　fine　Caucasian　race　than　to　a　breed　of　herbivorous　animals。　The　total　absence　of　all　the　usual　characteristics　of　the　social　man　made　that　bare　head　still　more　remarkable。　The　face；　bronzed　by　the　sun　（its　angular　outlines　presenting　a　sort　of　vague　likeness　to　the　granite　which　forms　the　soil　of　the　region）；　was　the　only　visible　portion　of　the　body　of　this　singular　being。　From　the　neck　down　he　was　wrapped　in　a　〃sarrau〃　or　smock；　a　sort　of　russet　linen　blouse；　coarser　in　texture　than　that　of　the　trousers　of　the　less　fortunate　conscripts。　This　〃sarrau；〃　in　which　an　antiquary　would　have　recognized　the　〃saye；〃　or　the　〃sayon〃　of　the　Gauls；　ended　at　his　middle；　where　it　was　fastened　to　two　leggings　of　goatskin　by　slivers；　or　thongs　of　wood；　roughly　cut；some　of　them　still　covered　with　their　peel　or　bark。　These　hides　of　the　nanny…goat　（to　give　them　the　name　by　which　they　were　known　to　the　peasantry）　covered　his　legs　and　thighs；　and　masked　all　appearance　of　human　shape。　Enormous　sabots　hid　his　feet。　His　long　and　shining　hair　fell　straight；　like　the　goat's　hair；　on　either　side　of　his　face；　being　parted　in　the　centre　like　the　hair　of　certain　statues　of　the　Middle…Ages　which　are　still　to　be　seen　in　our　cathedrals。　In　place　of　the　knotty　stick　which　the　conscripts　carried　over　their　shoulders；　this　man　held　against　his　breast　as　though　it　were　a　musket；　a　heavy　whip；　the　lash　of　which　was　closely　braided　and　seemed　to　be　twice　as　long　as　that　of　an　ordinary　whip。　The　sudden　apparition　of　this　strange　being　seemed　easily　explained。　At　first　sight　some　of　the　officers　took　him　for　a　recruit　or　conscript　（the　words　were　used　indiscriminately）　who　had　outstripped　the　column。　But　the　commandant　himself　was　singularly　surprised　by　the　man's　presence；　he　showed　no　al