beatrix-第4部分

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crossed　to　Ireland；　faithful　to　the　ancient　Breton　hatred　for　England。

The　people　of　Guerande　feigned　utter　ignorance　of　the　baron's
existence。　In　the　whole　course　of　twenty　years　not　a　single　indiscreet
word　was　ever　uttered。　Mademoiselle　du　Guenic　received　the　rents　and
sent　them　to　her　brother　by　fishermen。　Monsieur　du　Guenic　returned　to
Guerande　in　1813；　as　quietly　and　simply　as　if　he　had　merely　passed　a
season　at　Nantes。　During　his　stay　in　Dublin　the　old　Breton；　despite
his　fifty　years；　had　fallen　in　love　with　a　charming　Irish　woman；
daughter　of　one　of　the　noblest　and　poorest　families　of　that　unhappy
kingdom。　Fanny　O'Brien　was　then　twenty…one　years　old。　The　Baron　du
Guenic　came　over　to　France　to　obtain　the　documents　necessary　for　his
marriage；　returned　to　Ireland；　and；　after　about　ten　months　（at　the
beginning　of　1814）；　brought　his　wife　to　Guerande；　where　she　gave　him
Calyste　on　the　very　day　that　Louis　XVIII。　landed　at　Calais；a
circumstance　which　explains　the　young　man's　final　name　of　Louis。

The　old　and　loyal　Breton　was　now　a　man　of　seventy…three；　but　his　long…
continued　guerilla　warfare　with　the　Republic；　his　exile；　the　perils　of
his　five　crossings　through　a　turbulent　sea　in　open　boats；　had　weighed
upon　his　head；　and　he　looked　a　hundred；　therefore；　at　no　period　had
the　chief　of　the　house　of　Guenic　been　more　in　keeping　with　the　worn…
out　grandeur　of　their　dwelling；　built　in　the　days　when　a　court　reigned
at　Guerande。

Monsieur　du　Guenic　was　a　tall；　straight；　wiry；　lean　old　man。　His　oval
face　was　lined　with　innumerable　wrinkles；　which　formed　a　net…work　over
his　cheek…bones　and　above　his　eyebrows；　giving　to　his　face　a
resemblance　to　those　choice　old　men　whom　Van　Ostade；　Rembrandt；
Mieris；　and　Gerard　Dow　so　loved　to　paint；　in　pictures　which　need　a
microscope　to　be　fully　appreciated。　His　countenance　might　be　said　to
be　sunken　out　of　sight　beneath　those　innumerable　wrinkles；　produced　by
a　life　in　the　open　air　and　by　the　habit　of　watching　his　country　in　the
full　light　of　the　sun　from　the　rising　of　that　luminary　to　the　sinking
of　it。　Nevertheless；　to　an　observer　enough　remained　of　the
imperishable　forms　of　the　human　face　which　appealed　to　the　soul；　even
though　the　eye　could　see　no　more　than　a　lifeless　head。　The　firm
outline　of　the　face；　the　shape　of　the　brow；　the　solemnity　of　the
lines；　the　rigidity　of　the　nose；　the　form　of　the　bony　structure　which
wounds　alone　had　slightly　altered；all　were　signs　of　intrepidity
without　calculation；　faith　without　reserve；　obedience　without
discussion；　fidelity　without　compromise；　love　without　inconstancy。　In
him；　the　Breton　granite　was　made　man。

The　baron　had　no　longer　any　teeth。　His　lips；　once　red；　now　violet；　and
backed　by　hard　gums　only　（with　which　he　ate　the　bread　his　wife　took
care　to　soften　by　folding　it　daily　in　a　damp　napkin）；　drew　inward　to
the　mouth　with　a　sort　of　grin；　which　gave　him　an　expression　both
threatening　and　proud。　His　chin　seemed　to　seek　his　nose；　but　in　that
nose；　humped　in　the　middle；　lay　the　signs　of　his　energy　and　his　Breton
resistance。　His　skin；　marbled　with　red　blotches　appearing　through　his
wrinkles；　showed　a　powerfully　sanguine　temperament；　fitted　to　resist
fatigue　and　to　preserve　him；　as　no　doubt　it　did；　from　apoplexy。　The
head　was　crowned　with　abundant　hair；　as　white　as　silver；　which　fell　in
curls　upon　his　shoulders。　The　face；　extinguished；　as　we　have　said；　in
part；　lived　through　the　glitter　of　the　black　eyes　in　their　brown
orbits；　casting　thence　the　last　flames　of　a　generous　and　loyal　soul。
The　eyebrows　and　lashes　had　disappeared；　the　skin；　grown　hard；　could
not　unwrinkle。　The　difficulty　of　shaving　had　obliged　the　old　man　to
let　his　beard　grow；　and　the　cut　of　it　was　fan…shaped。　An　artist　would
have　admired　beyond　all　else　in　this　old　lion　of　Brittany　with　his
powerful　shoulders　and　vigorous　chest；　the　splendid　hands　of　the
soldier；hands　like　those　du　Guesclin　must　have　had；　large；　broad；
hairy；　hands　that　once　had　clasped　the　sword　never；　like　Joan　of　Arc；
to　relinquish　it　until　the　royal　standard　floated　in　the　cathedral　of
Rheims；　hands　that　were　often　bloody　from　the　thorns　and　furze　of　the
Bocage；　hands　which　had　pulled　an　oar　in　the　Marais　to　surprise　the
Blues；　or　in　the　offing　to　signal　Georges；　the　hands　of　a　guerilla；　a
cannoneer；　a　common　solder；　a　leader；　hands　still　white　though　the
Bourbons　of　the　Elder　branch　were　again　in　exile。　Looking　at　those
hands　attentively；　one　might　have　seen　some　recent　marks　attesting　the
fact　that　the　Baron　had　recently　joined　MADAME　in　La　Vendee。　To…day
that　fact　may　be　admitted。　These　hands　were　a　living　commentary　on　the
noble　motto　to　which　no　Guenic　had　proved　recreant：　/Fac！/

His　forehead　attracted　attention　by　the　golden　tones　of　the　temples；
contrasting　with　the　brown　tints　of　the　hard　and　narrow　brow；　which
the　falling　off　of　the　hair　had　somewhat　broadened；　giving　still　more
majesty　to　that　noble　ruin。　The　countenancea　little　material；
perhaps；　but　how　could　it　be　otherwise？presented；　like　all　the
Breton　faces　grouped　about　the　baron；　a　certain　savagery；　a　stolid
calm　which　resembled　the　impassibility　of　the　Huguenots；　something；
one　might　say；　stupid；　due　perhaps　to　the　utter　repose　which　follows
extreme　fatigue；　in　which　the　animal　nature　alone　is　visible。　Thought
was　rare。　It　seemed　to　be　an　effort；　its　seat　was　in　the　heart　more
than　in　the　head；　it　led　to　acts　rather　than　ideas。　But；　examining
that　grand　old　man　with　sustained　observation；　one　could　penetrate　the
mystery　of　this　strange　contradiction　to　the　spirit　of　the　century。　He
had　faiths；　sentiments；　inborn　so　to　speak；　which　allowed　him　to
dispense　with　thought。　His　duty；　life　had　taught　him。　Institutions　and
religion　thought　for　him。　He　reserved　his　mind；　he　and　his　kind；　for
action；　not　dissipating　it　on　useless　things　which　occupied　the　minds
of　other　persons。　He　drew　his　thought　from　his　heart　like　his　sword
from　its　scabbard；　holding　it　aloft　in　his　ermined　hand；　as　on　his
scutcheon；　shining　with　sincerity。　That　secret　once　penetrated；　all　is
clear。　We　can　comprehend　the　depth　of　convictions　that　are　not
thoughts；　but　living　principles；clear；　distinct；　downright；　and　as
immaculate　as　the　ermine　itself。　We　understand　that　sale　made　to　his
sister　before　the　war；　which　provided　for　all；　and　faced　all；　death；
confiscation；　exile。　The　beauty　of　the　character　of　these　two　old
people　（for　the　sister　lived　only　for　and　by　the　brother）　cannot　be
understood　to　its　full　extent　by　the　right　of　the　selfish　morals；　the
uncertain　aims；　and　the　inconstancy　of　this　our　epoch。　An　archangel；
charged　with　the　duty　of　penetrating　to　the　inmost　recesses　of　their
hearts　could　not　have　found　one　thought　of　personal　interest。　In　1814；
when　the　rector　of　Guerande　suggested　to　the　baron　that　he　should　go
to　Paris　and　claim　his　recompense　from　the　triumphant　Bourbons；　the
old　sister；　so　saving　and　miserly　for　the　household；　cried　out：

〃Oh；　fy！　does　my　brother　need　to　hold　out　his　hand　like　a　beggar？〃

〃It　would　be　thought　I　served　a　king　from　interest；〃　said　the　old　man。
〃Besides；　it　is　for　him　to　remember。　Poor　king！　he　must　be　weary
indeed　of　those　who　harass　him。　If　he　gave　them　all　France　in　bits；
they　still　would　ask。〃

This　loyal　servant；　who　had　spent　his　life　and　means　on　Louis　XVIII。；
received　the　rank　of　colonel；　the　cross　of　Saint…Louis；　and　a　stipend
of　two　thousand　francs　a　year。

〃The　king　did　remember！〃　he　said　when　the　news　reached　him。

No　one　undeceived　him。　The　gift　was　really　made　by　the　Duc　de　Feltre。
But；　as　an　act　of　gratitude　to　the　king；　the　baron　sustained　a　siege
at　Guerande　against　the　forces　of　General　Travot。　He　refused　to
surrender　the　fortress；　and　when　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to
evacuate　it　he　escaped　into　the　woods　with　a　band　of　Chouans；　who
continued　armed　until　the　second　restoration　of　the　Bourbons。　Guerande
still　treasures　the　memory　of　that　siege。

We　must　admit　that　the　Baron　du　Guenic　was　illiterate　as　a　peasant。　He
could　read；　write；　and　do　some　little　ciphering；　he　knew　the　military
art　and　heraldry；　but；　excepting　always　his　prayer…book；　he　had　not
read　three　volumes　in　the　course　of　his　life。　His　clothing；　which　is
not　an　insignificant　point；　was　invariably　the　same；　it　consisted　of
stout　shoes；　ribbed　stockings；　breeches　of　greenish　velveteen；　a　cloth
waistcoat；　and　a　loose　coat　with　a　collar；　from　which　hung　the　cross
of　Saint…Louis。　A　noble　serenity　now　reigned　upon　that　face　where；　for
the　last　year　or　so；　sleep；　the　forerunner　of　death；　seemed　to　be
preparing　him　for　rest　eternal。　This　constant　somnolence；　becoming
daily　more　and　more　frequent；　did　not　alarm　either　his　wife；　his　blind
sister；　or　his　friends；　whose　medical　knowledge　was　of　the　slightest。
To　them　these　solemn　pauses　of　a　life　without　reproach；　but　very
weary；　were　naturally　explained：　the　baron　had　done　his　duty；　that　was
all。

In　this　ancient　mansion　the　absorbing　interests　were　the　fortunes　of
the　dispossessed　Elder　branch。　The　future　of　the　exiled　Bourbons；　that
of　the　Catholic　religion；　the　influence　of　political　innovations　on
Brittany　were　the　exclusive　topics　of　conversation　in　the　baron's
family。　There　was　but　one　personal　interest　mingled　with　these　most
absorbing　ones：　the　attachment　of　all　for　the　only　son；　for　Calyste；
the　heir；　the　sole　hope　of　the　great　name　of　the　du　Guenics。

The　old　Vendean；　the　old　Chouan；　had；　some　years　previously；　a　return
of　his　own　youth　in　order　to　train　his　son　to　those　manly　exercises
which　were　proper　for　a　gentleman　liable　to　be　summoned　at　any　moment
to　take　arms。　No　sooner　was　Calyste　sixteen　years　of　age　than　his
father　accompanied　him　to　the　marshes　and　the　forest；　teaching　him
through　the　pleasures　of　the　chase　the　rudiments　of　war；　preaching　by
example；　indifferent　to　fatigue；　firm　in　his　saddle；　sure　of　his　shot
whatever　the　game　might　be；deer；　hare；　or　a　bird　on　the　wing；
intrepid　in　face　of　obstacles；　bidding　his　son　follow　him　into　danger
as　though　he　had　ten　other　sons　to　take　Calyste's　place。

So；　when　the　Duchesse　de　Berry　landed　in　France　to　conquer　back　the
kingdom　for　her　son；　the　father　judged　it　right　to　take　his　boy　to
join　her；　and　put　in