the chouans-第3章

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e　column。　But　the　commandant　himself　was　singularly　surprised　by　the　man's　presence；　he　showed　no　alarm；　but　his　face　grew　thoughtful。　After　looking　the　intruder　well　over；　he　repeated；　mechanically；　as　if　preoccupied　with　anxious　thought：　〃Yes；　why　don't　they　come　on？　do　you　know；　you？〃

〃Because；〃　said　the　gloomy　apparition；　with　an　accent　which　proved　his　difficulty　in　speaking　French；　〃there　Maine　begins〃　（pointing　with　his　huge；　rough　hand　towards　Ernee）；　〃and　Bretagne　ends。〃

Then　he　struck　the　ground　sharply　with　the　handle　of　his　heavy　whip　close　to　the　commandant's　feet。　The　impression　produced　on　the　spectators　by　the　laconic　harangue　of　the　stranger　was　like　that　of　a　tom…tom　in　the　midst　of　tender　music。　But　the　word　〃harangue〃　is　insufficient　to　reproduce　the　hatred；　the　desires　of　vengeance　expressed　by　the　haughty　gesture　of　the　hand；　the　brevity　of　the　speech；　and　the　look　of　sullen　and　cool…blooded　energy　on　the　countenance　of　the　speaker。　The　coarseness　and　roughness　of　the　man；　chopped　out；　as　it　seemed　by　an　axe；　with　his　rough　bark　still　left　on　him；and　the　stupid　ignorance　of　his　features；　made　him　seem；　for　the　moment；　like　some　half…savage　demigod。　He　stood　stock…still　in　a　prophetic　attitude；　as　though　he　were　the　Genius　of　Brittany　rising　from　a　slumber　of　three　years；　to　renew　a　war　in　which　victory　could　only　be　followed　by　twofold　mourning。

〃A　pretty　fellow　this！〃　thought　Hulot；　〃he　looks　to　me　like　the　emissary　of　men　who　mean　to　argue　with　their　muskets。〃

Having　growled　these　words　between　his　teeth；　the　commandant　cast　his　eyes　in　turn　from　the　man　to　the　valley；　from　the　valley　to　the　detachment；　from　the　detachment　to　the　steep　acclivities　on　the　right　of　the　road；　the　ridges　of　which　were　covered　with　the　broom　and　gorse　of　Brittany；　then　he　suddenly　turned　them　full　on　the　stranger；　whom　he　subjected　to　a　mute　interrogation；　which　he　ended　at　last　by　roughly　demanding；　〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

His　eager；　piercing　eye　strove　to　detect　the　secrets　of　that　impenetrable　face；　which　never　changed　from　the　vacant；　torpid　expression　in　which　a　peasant　when　doing　nothing　wraps　himself。

〃From　the　country　of　the　Gars；〃　replied　the　man；　without　showing　any　uneasiness。

〃Your　name？〃

〃Marche…a…Terre。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　yourself　by　your　Chouan　name　in　defiance　of　the　law？〃

Marche…a…Terre；　to　use　the　name　he　gave　to　himself；　looked　at　the　commandant　with　so　genuine　an　air　of　stupidity　that　the　soldier　believed　the　man　had　not　understood　him。

〃Do　you　belong　to　the　recruits　from　Fougeres？〃

To　this　inquiry　Marche…a…Terre　replied　by　the　bucolic　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　hopeless　imbecility　of　which　puts　an　end　to　all　inquiry。　He　seated　himself　by　the　roadside；　drew　from　his　smock　a　few　pieces　of　thin；　black　buckwheat…bread；a　national　delicacy；　the　dismal　delights　of　which　none　but　a　Breton　can　understand；and　began　to　eat　with　stolid　indifference。　There　seemed　such　a　total　absence　of　all　human　intelligence　about　the　man　that　the　officers　compared　him　in　turn　to　the　cattle　browsing　in　the　valley　pastures；　to　the　savages　of　America；　or　the　aboriginal　inhabitants　of　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。　Deceived　by　his　behavior；　the　commandant　himself　was　about　to　turn　a　deaf　ear　to　his　own　misgivings；　when；　casting　a　last　prudence　glance　on　the　man　whom　he　had　taken　for　the　herald　of　an　approaching　carnage；　he　suddenly　noticed　that　the　hair；　the　smock；　and　the　goatskin　leggings　of　the　stranger　were　full　of　thorns；　scraps　of　leaves；　and　bits　of　trees　and　bushes；　as　though　this　Chouan　had　lately　made　his　way　for　a　long　distance　through　thickets　and　underbrush。　Hulot　looked　significantly　at　his　adjutant　Gerard　who　stood　beside　him；　pressed　his　hand　firmly；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃We　came　for　wool；　but　we　shall　go　back　sheared。〃

The　officers　looked　at　each　other　silently　in　astonishment。

It　is　necessary　here　to　make　a　digression；　or　the　fears　of　the　commandant　will　not　be　intelligible　to　those　stay…at…home　persons　who　are　in　the　habit　of　doubting　everything　because　they　have　seen　nothing；　and　who　might　therefore　deny　the　existence　of　Marche…a…Terre　and　the　peasantry　of　the　West；　whose　conduct；　in　the　times　we　are　speaking　of；　was　often　sublime。

The　word　〃gars〃　pronounced　〃ga〃　is　a　relic　of　the　Celtic　language。　It　has　passed　from　low　Breton　into　French；　and　the　word　in　our　present　speech　has　more　ancient　associations　than　any　other。　The　〃gais〃　was　the　principal　weapon　of　the　Gauls；　〃gaisde〃　meant　armed；　〃gais〃　courage；　〃gas；〃　force。　The　word　has　an　analogy　with　the　Latin　word　〃vir〃　man；　the　root　of　〃virtus〃　strength；　courage。　The　present　dissertation　is　excusable　as　of　national　interest；　besides；　it　may　help　to　restore　the　use　of　such　words　as：　〃gars；　garcon；　garconette；　garce；　garcette；〃　now　discarded　from　our　speech　as　unseemly；　whereas　their　origin　is　so　warlike　that　we　shall　use　them　from　time　to　time　in　the　course　of　this　history。　〃She　is　a　famous　'garce'！〃　was　a　compliment　little　understood　by　Madame　de　Stael　when　it　was　paid　to　her　in　a　little　village　of　La　Vendee；　where　she　spent　a　few　days　of　her　exile。

Brittany　is　the　region　in　all　France　where　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　Gauls　have　left　their　strongest　imprint。　That　portion　of　the　province　where；　even　to　our　own　times；　the　savage　life　and　superstitious　ideas　of　our　rude　ancestors　still　continueif　we　may　use　the　wordrampant；　is　called　〃the　country　of　the　Gars。〃　When　a　canton　（or　district）　is　inhabited　by　a　number　of　half…savages　like　the　one　who　has　just　appeared　upon　the　scene；　the　inhabitants　call　them　〃the　Gars　of　such　or　such　a　parish。〃　This　classic　name　is　a　reward　for　the　fidelity　with　which　they　struggle　to　preserve　the　traditions　of　the　language　and　manners　of　their　Gaelic　ancestors；　their　lives　show　to　this　day　many　remarkable　and　deeply　embedded　vestiges　of　the　beliefs　and　superstitious　practices　of　those　ancient　times。　Feudal　customs　are　still　maintained。　Antiquaries　find　Druidic　monuments　still　standing。　The　genius　of　modern　civilization　shrinks　from　forcing　its　way　through　those　impenetrable　primordial　forests。　An　unheard…of　ferociousness；　a　brutal　obstinacy；　but　also　a　regard　for　the　sanctity　of　an　oath；　a　complete　ignoring　of　our　laws；　our　customs；　our　dress；　our　modern　coins；　our　language；　but　withal　a　patriarchal　simplicity　and　virtues　that　are　heroic；unite　in　keeping　the　inhabitants　of　this　region　more　impoverished　as　to　all　intellectual　knowledge　than　the　Redskins；　but　also　as　proud；　as　crafty；　and　as　enduring　as　they。　The　position　which　Brittany　occupies　in　the　centre　of　Europe　makes　it　more　interesting　to　observe　than　Canada。　Surrounded　by　light　whose　beneficent　warmth　never　reaches　it；　this　region　is　like　a　frozen　coal　left　black　in　the　middle　of　a　glowing　fire。　The　efforts　made　by　several　noble　minds　to　win　this　glorious　part　of　France；　so　rich　in　neglected　treasures；　to　social　life　and　to　prosperity　have　all；　even　when　sustained　by　government；　come　to　nought　against　the　inflexibility　of　a　population　given　over　to　the　habits　of　immemorial　routine。　This　unfortunate　condition　is　partly　accounted　for　by　the　nature　of　the　land；　broken　by　ravines；　mountain　torrents；　lakes；　and　marshes；　and　bristling　with　hedges　or　earth…works　which　make　a　sort　of　citadel　of　every　field；　without　roads；　without　canals；　and　at　the　mercy　of　prejudices　which　scorn　our　modern　agriculture。　These　will　further　be　shown　with　all　their　dangers　in　our　present　history。

The　picturesque　lay　of　the　land　and　the　superstitions　of　the　inhabitants　prevent　the　formation　of　communities　and　the　benefits　arising　from　the　exchange　and　comparison　of　ideas。　There　are　no　villages。　The　rickety　buildings　which　the　people　call　homes　are　sparsely　scattered　through　the　wilderness。　Each　family　lives　as　in　a　desert。　The　only　meetings　among　them　are　on　Sundays　and　feast…days　in　the　parish　church。　These　silent　assemblies；　under　the　eye　of　the　rector　（the　only　ruler　of　these　rough　minds）　last　some　hours。　After　listening　to　the　awful　words　of　the　priest　they　return　to　their　noisome　hovels　for　another　week；　they　leave　them　only　to　work；　they　return　to　them　only　to　sleep。　No　one　ever　visits　them；　unless　it　is　the　rector。　Consequently；　it　was　the　voice　of　the　priesthood　which　roused　Brittany　against　the　Republic；　and　sent　thousands　of　men；　five　years　before　this　history　begins；　to　the　support　of　the　first　Chouannerie。　The　brothers　Cottereau；　whose　name　was　given　to　that　first　uprising；　were　bold　smugglers；　plying　their　perilous　trade　between　Laval　and　Fougeres。　The　insurrections　of　Brittany　had　nothing　fine　or　noble　about　them；　and　it　may　be　truly　said　that　if　La　Vendee　turned　its　brigandage　into　a　great　war；　Brittany　turned　war　into　a　brigandage。　The　proscription　of　princes；　the　destruction　of　religion；　far　from　inspiring　great　sacrifices；　were　to　the　Chouans　pretexts　for　mere　pillage；　and　the　events　of　this　intestine　warfare　had　all　the　savage　moroseness　of　their　own　natures。　When　the　real　defenders　of　the　monarchy　came　to　recruit　men　among　these　ignorant　and　violent　people　they　vainly　tried　to　give；　for　the　honor　of　the　white　flag；　some　grandeur　to　the　enterprises　which　had　hitherto　rendered　the　brigands　odious；　the　Chouans　remain　in　history　as　a　memorable　example　of　the　danger　of　uprousing　the　uncivilized　masses　of　the　nation。

The　sketch　here　made　of　a　Breton　valley　and　of　the　Breton　men　in　the　detachment　of　recruits；　more　especially　that　of　the　〃gars〃　who　so　suddenly　appeared　on　the　summit　of　Mont　Pelerine；　gives　a　brief　but　faithful　picture　of　the　province　and　its　inhabitants。　A　trained　imagination　can　by　the　help　of　these　details　obtain　some　idea　of　the　theatre　of　the　war　and　of　the　men　who　were　its　instruments。　The　flowering　hedges　of　the　beautiful　valleys　concealed　the　combatants。　Each　field　was　a　fortress；　every　tree　an　ambush；　the　hollow　trunk　of　each　old　willow　hid　a　stratagem。　The　place　for　a　fight　was　everywhere。　Sharpshooters　were　lurking　at　every　turn　for　the　Blues；　whom　laughing　young　girls；　unmindful　of　their　perfidy；　attracted　within　range；for　had　they　not　made　pilgrimages　with　their　fathers　and　their　brothers；　imploring　to　be　taught　wiles；　and　receiving　absolution　from　their　wayside　Virgin　of　rotten　wood？　Religion；　or　rather　the　fetichism　of　these　ignorant　creatures；　absolved　such　murders　of　remorse。

Thus；　when　the　struggle　had　once　begun；　every　part　of　the　country　was　dangerous；in　fact；　all　things　were　full　of　peril；　sound　as　well　as　silence；　attraction　as　well　as　fear；　the　family　hearth　or　the　open　country。　Treachery　was　everywhere；　but　it　was　treachery　from　conviction。　The　people　were　savages　serving　God　and　the　King　after　the　fashion　of　Red　Indians。　To　make　this　sketch　of　the　struggle　exact　and　true　at　all　points；　the　historian　must　add　that　the　moment　Hoche　had　signed　his　peace　the　whole　country　subsided　into　smiles　and　friendliness。　Families　who　were　rending　each　other　to　pieces　over　night；　were　supping　together　without　danger　the　next　day。

The　very　moment　that　Commandant　Hulot　became　aware　of　the　secret　treachery　betrayed　by　the　hairy　skins　of　Marche…a…Terre；　he　was　convinced　that　this　peace；　due　to　the　genius　of　Hoche；　the　stability　of　which　he　had　always　doubted；　was　at　an　end。　The　civil　war；　he　felt；　was　about　to　be　renewed；doubtless　more　terrible