the chouans-第30章

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〃Yes；　at　once；〃　she　cried。

〃I　want　a　few　hours　to　have　it　cleaned　and　put　in　order　for　you；　so　that　you　may　like　it。〃

〃What　matter？〃　she　said。　〃I　could　live　in　a　cloister　or　a　prison　without　caring。　However；　see　that　everything　is　in　order　before　night；　so　that　I　may　sleep　there　in　perfect　solitude。　Go；　leave　me；　your　presence　is　intolerable。　I　wish　to　be　alone　with　Francine；　she　is　better　for　me　than　my　own　company；　perhaps。　Adieu；　gogo；　I　say。〃

These　words；　said　volubly　with　a　mingling　of　coquetry；　despotism；　and　passion；　showed　she　had　entirely　recovered　her　self…possession。　Sleep　had　no　doubt　classified　the　impressions　of　the　preceding　day；　and　reflection　had　determined　her　on　vengeance。　If　a　few　reluctant　signs　appeared　on　her　face　they　only　proved　the　ease　with　which　certain　women　can　bury　the　better　feelings　of　their　souls；　and　the　cruel　dissimulation　which　enables　them　to　smile　sweetly　while　planning　the　destruction　of　a　victim。　She　sat　alone　after　Corentin　had　left　her；　thinking　how　she　could　get　the　marquis　still　living　into　her　toils。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　this　woman　had　lived　according　to　her　inmost　desires；　but　of　that　life　nothing　remained　but　one　craving；　that　of　vengeance；vengeance　complete　and　infinite。　It　was　her　one　thought；　her　sole　desire。　Francine's　words　and　attentions　were　unnoticed。　Marie　seemed　to　be　sleeping　with　her　eyes　open；　and　the　long　day　passed　without　an　action　or　even　a　gesture　that　bore　testimony　to　her　thoughts。　She　lay　on　a　couch　which　she　had　made　of　chairs　and　pillows。　It　was　late　in　the　evening　when　a　few　words　escaped　her；　as　if　involuntarily。

〃My　child；〃　she　said　to　Francine；　〃I　understood　yesterday　what　it　was　to　live　for　love；　to…day　I　know　what　it　means　to　die　for　vengeance。　Yes；　I　will　give　my　life　to　seek　him　wherever　he　may　be；　to　meet　him；　seduce　him；　make　him　mine！　If　I　do　not　have　that　man；　who　dared　to　despise　me；　at　my　feet　humble　and　submissive；　if　I　do　not　make　him　my　lackey　and　my　slave；　I　shall　indeed　be　base；　I　shall　not　be　a　woman；　I　shall　not　be　myself。〃

The　house　which　Corentin　now　hired　for　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　offered　many　gratifications　to　the　innate　love　of　luxury　and　elegance　that　was　part　of　this　girl。　The　capricious　creature　took　possession　of　it　with　regal　composure；　as　of　a　thing　which　already　belonged　to　her；　she　appropriated　the　furniture　and　arranged　it　with　intuitive　sympathy；　as　though　she　had　known　it　all　her　life。　This　is　a　vulgar　detail；　but　one　that　is　not　unimportant　in　sketching　the　character　of　so　exceptional　a　person。　She　seemed　to　have　been　already　familiarized　in　a　dream　with　the　house　in　which　she　now　lived　on　her　hatred　as　she　might　have　lived　on　her　love。

〃At　least；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃I　did　not　rouse　insulting　pity　in　him；　I　do　not　owe　him　my　life。　Oh；　my　first；　my　last；　my　only　love！　what　an　end　to　it！〃　She　sprang　upon　Francine；　who　was　terrified。　〃Do　you　love　a　man？　Oh；　yes；　yes；　I　remember；　you　do。　I　am　glad　I　have　a　woman　here　who　can　understand　me。　Ah；　my　poor　Francette；　man　is　a　miserable　being。　Ha！　he　said　he　loved　me；　and　his　love　could　not　bear　the　slightest　test！　But　I；if　all　men　had　accused　him　I　would　have　defended　him；　if　the　universe　rejected　him　my　soul　should　have　been　his　refuge。　In　the　old　days　life　was　filled　with　human　beings　coming　and　going　for　whom　I　did　not　care；　it　was　sad　and　dull；　but　not　horrible；　but　now；　now；　what　is　life　without　him？　He　will　live　on；　and　I　not　near　him！　I　shall　not　see　him；　speak　to　him；　feel　him；　hold　him；　press　him；ha！　I　would　rather　strangle　him　myself　in　his　sleep！〃

Francine；　horrified；　looked　at　her　in　silence。

〃Kill　the　man　you　love？〃　she　said；　in　a　soft　voice。

〃Yes；　yes；　if　he　ceases　to　love　me。〃

But　after　those　ruthless　words　she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　sat　down　silently。

The　next　day　a　man　presented　himself　without　being　announced。　His　face　was　stern。　It　was　Hulot；　followed　by　Corentin。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　looked　at　the　commandant　and　trembled。

〃You　have　come；〃　she　said；　〃to　ask　me　to　account　for　your　friends。　They　are　dead。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　he　replied；　〃and　not　in　the　service　of　the　Republic。〃

〃For　me；　and　by　me；〃　she　said。　〃You　preach　the　nation　to　me。　Can　the　nation　bring　to　life　those　who　die　for　her？　Can　she　even　avenge　them？　But　II　will　avenge　them！〃　she　cried。　The　awful　images　of　the　catastrophe　filled　her　imagination　suddenly；　and　the　graceful　creature　who　held　modesty　to　be　the　first　of　women's　wiles　forgot　herself　in　a　moment　of　madness；　and　marched　towards　the　amazed　commandant　brusquely。

〃In　exchange　for　a　few　murdered　soldiers；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　bring　to　the　block　a　head　that　is　worth　a　million　heads　of　other　men。　It　is　not　a　woman's　business　to　wage　war；　but　you；　old　as　you　are；　shall　learn　good　stratagems　from　me。　I'll　deliver　a　whole　family　to　your　bayonets　him；　his　ancestors；　his　past；　his　future。　I　will　be　as　false　and　treacherous　to　him　as　I　was　good　and　true。　Yes；　commandant；　I　will　bring　that　little　noble　to　my　arms；　and　he　shall　leave　them　to　go　to　death。　I　have　no　other　rival。　The　wretch　himself　pronounced　his　doom；　/a　day　without　a　morrow/。　Your　Republic　and　I　shall　be　avenged。　The　Republic！〃　she　cried　in　a　voice　the　strange　intonations　of　which　horrified　Hulot。　〃Is　he　to　die　for　bearing　arms　against　the　nation？　Shall　I　suffer　France　to　rob　me　of　my　vengeance？　Ah！　what　a　little　thing　is　life！　death　can　expiate　but　one　crime。　He　has　but　one　head　to　fall；　but　I　will　make　him　know　in　one　night　that　he　loses　more　than　life。　Commandant；　you　who　will　kill　him；〃　and　she　sighed；　〃see　that　nothing　betrays　my　betrayal；　he　must　die　convinced　of　my　fidelity。　I　ask　that　of　you。　Let　him　know　only　meme；　and　my　caresses！〃

She　stopped；　but　through　the　crimson　of　her　cheeks　Hulot　and　Corentin　saw　that　rage　and　delirium　had　not　entirely　smothered　all　sense　of　shame。　Marie　shuddered　violently　as　she　said　the　words；　she　seemed　to　listen　to　them　as　though　she　doubted　whether　she　herself　had　said　them；　and　she　made　the　involuntary　movement　of　a　woman　whose　veil　is　falling　from　her。

〃But　you　had　him　in　your　power；〃　said　Corentin。

〃Very　likely。〃

〃Why　did　you　stop　me　when　I　had　him？〃　asked　Hulot。

〃I　did　not　know　what　he　would　prove　to　be；〃　she　cried。　Then；　suddenly；　the　excited　woman；　who　was　walking　up　and　down　with　hurried　steps　and　casting　savage　glances　at　the　spectators　of　the　storm；　calmed　down。　〃I　do　not　know　myself；〃　she　said；　in　a　man's　tone。　〃Why　talk？　I　must　go　and　find　him。〃

〃Go　and　find　him？〃　said　Hulot。　〃My　dear　woman；　take　care；　we　are　not　yet　masters　of　this　part　of　the　country；　if　you　venture　outside　of　the　town　you　will　be　taken　or　killed　before　you've　gone　a　hundred　yards。〃

〃There's　never　any　danger　for　those　who　seek　vengeance；〃　she　said；　driving　from　her　presence　with　a　disdainful　gesture　the　two　men　whom　she　was　ashamed　to　face。

〃What　a　woman！〃　cried　Hulot　as　he　walked　away　with　Corentin。　〃A　queer　idea　of　those　police　fellows　in　Paris　to　send　her　here；　but　she'll　never　deliver　him　up　to　us；〃　he　added；　shaking　his　head。

〃Oh　yes；　she　will；〃　replied　Corentin。

〃Don't　you　see　she　loves　him？〃　said　Hulot。

〃That's　just　why　she　will。　Besides；〃　looking　at　the　amazed　commandant；　〃I　am　here　to　see　that　she　doesn't　commit　any　folly。　In　my　opinion；　comrade；　there　is　no　love　in　the　world　worth　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　she'll　make　out　of　this。〃

When　the　police　diplomatist　left　the　soldier　the　latter　stood　looking　after　him；　and　as　the　sound　of　the　man's　steps　died　away　he　gave　a　sigh；　muttering　to　himself；　〃It　may　be　a　good　thing　after　all　to　be　such　a　dullard　as　I　am。　God's　thunder！　if　I　meet　the　Gars　I'll　fight　him　hand　to　hand；　or　my　name's　not　Hulot；　for　if　that　fox　brings　him　before　me　in　any　of　their　new…fangled　councils　of　war；　my　honor　will　be　as　soiled　as　the　shirt　of　a　young　trooper　who　is　under　fire　for　the　first　time。〃

The　massacre　at　La　Vivetiere；　and　the　desire　to　avenge　his　friends　had　led　Hulot　to　accept　a　reinstatement　in　his　late　command；　in　fact；　the　new　minister；　Berthier；　had　refused　to　accept　his　resignation　under　existing　circumstances。　To　the　official　despatch　was　added　a　private　letter；　in　which；　without　explaining　the　mission　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　the　minister　informed　him　that　the　affair　was　entirely　outside　of　the　war；　and　not　to　interfere　with　any　military　operations。　The　duty　of　the　commanders；　he　said；　was　limited　to　giving　assistance　to　that　honorable　/citoyenne/；　if　occasion　arose。　Learning　from　his　scouts　that　the　movements　of　the　Chouans　all　tended　towards　a　concentration　of　their　forces　in　the　neighborhood　of　Fougeres；　Hulot　secretly　and　with　forced　marches　brought　two　battalions　of　his　brigade　into　the　town。　The　nation's　danger；　his　hatred　of　aristocracy；　whose　partisans　threatened　to　convulse　so　large　a　section　of　country；　his　desire　to　avenge　his　murdered　friends；　revived　in　the　old　veteran　the　fire　of　his　youth。

*****

〃So　this　is　the　life　I　craved；〃　exclaimed　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　when　she　was　left　alone　with　Francine。　〃No　matter　how　fast　the　hours　go；　they　are　to　me　like　centuries　of　thought。〃

Suddenly　she　took　Francine's　hand；　and　her　voice；　soft　as　that　of　the　first　red…throat　singing　after　a　storm；　slowly　gave　sound　to　the　following　words：

〃Try　as　I　will　to　forget　them；　I　see　those　two　delicious　lips；　that　chin　just　raised；　those　eyes　of　fire；　I　hear　the　'Hue！'　of　the　postilion；　I　dream；　I　dream；why　then　such　hatred　on　awakening！〃

She　drew　a　long　sigh；　rose；　and　then　for　the　first　time　looked　out　upon　the　country　delivered　over　to　civil　war　by　the　cruel　leader　whom　she　was　plotting　to　destroy。　Attracted　by　the　scene　she　wandered　out　to　breathe　at　her　ease　beneath　the　sky；　and　though　her　steps　conducted　her　at　a　venture；　she　was　surely　led　to　the　Promenade　of　the　town　by　one　of　those　occult　impulses　of　the　soul　which　lead　us　to　follow　hope　irrationally。　Thoughts　conceived　under　the　dominion　of　that　spell　are　often　realized；　but　we　then　attribute　their　pre…vision　to　a　power　we　call　presentiment；an　inexplicable　power；　but　a　real　one；which　our　passions　find　accommodating；　like　a　flatterer　who；　among　his　many　lies；　does　sometimes　tell　the　truth。



III

A　DAY　WITHOUT　A　MORROW

The　preceding　events　of　this　history　having　been　greatly　influenced　by　the　formation　of　the　regions　in　which　they　happened；　it　is　desirable　to　give　a　minute　description　of　them；　without　which　the　closing　scenes　might　be　difficult　of　comprehension。

The　town　of　Fougeres　is　partly　built　upon　a　slate　rock；　which　seems　to　have　slipped　from　the　mountains　that　hem　in　the　broad　valley　of　Couesnon　to　the　west　and　take　various　names　according　to　their　localities。　The　town　is　separated　from　the　mountains　by　a　gorge；　through　which　flows　a　small　river　called　the　Nancon。　To　the　east；　the　view　is　the　same　as　from　the　summit　of　La　Pelerine；　to　the　west；　the　town　looks　down　into　the　tortuous　valley　of　the　Nancon；　but　there　is　a　spot　from　which　a　section　of　the　great　valley　and　the　picturesque　windings　of　the　gorge　can　be　seen　at　the　same　time。　This　place；　chosen　by　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　for　their　Promenade；　and　to　which　the　steps　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　were　now　turned；　was　destined　to　be　the　theatre　on　which　the　drama　begun　at　La　Vivetie