the chouans-第51部分

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During　this　time　Corentin　had　gone　to　find　the　commandant。　He　had　some　difficulty　in　recognizing　Hulot　when　he　found　him　in　a　little　square；　where　he　was　busy　with　certain　military　preparations。　The　brave　veteran　had　made　a　sacrifice；　the　full　merit　of　which　may　be　difficult　to　appreciate。　His　queue　and　his　moustache　were　cut　off；　and　his　hair　had　a　sprinkling　of　powder。　He　had　changed　his　uniform　for　a　goatskin；　wore　hobnailed　shoes；　a　belt　full　of　pistols；　and　carried　a　heavy　carbine。　In　this　costume　he　was　reviewing　about　two　hundred　of　the　natives　of　Fougeres；　all　in　the　same　kind　of　dress；　which　was　fitted　to　deceive　the　eye　of　the　most　practised　Chouan。　The　warlike　spirit　of　the　little　town　and　the　Breton　character　were　fully　displayed　in　this　scene；　which　was　not　at　all　uncommon。　Here　and　there　a　few　mothers　and　sisters　were　bringing　to　their　sons　and　brothers　gourds　filled　with　brandy；　or　forgotten　pistols。　Several　old　men　were　examining　into　the　number　and　condition　of　the　cartridges　of　these　young　national　guards　dressed　in　the　guise　of　Chouans；　whose　gaiety　was　more　in　keeping　with　a　hunting　expedition　than　the　dangerous　duty　they　were　undertaking。　To　them；　such　encounters　with　Chouannerie；　where　the　Breton　of　the　town　fought　the　Breton　of　the　country　district；　had　taken　the　place　of　the　old　chivalric　tournaments。　This　patriotic　enthusiasm　may　possibly　have　been　connected　with　certain　purchases　of　the　〃national　domain。〃　Still；　the　benefits　of　the　Revolution　which　were　better　understood　and　appreciated　in　the　towns；　party　spirit；　and　a　certain　national　delight　in　war；　had　a　great　deal　to　do　with　their　ardor。

Hulot；　much　gratified；　was　going　through　the　ranks　and　getting　information　from　Gudin；　on　whom　he　was　now　bestowing　the　confidence　and　good…will　he　had　formerly　shown　to　Merle　and　Gerard。　A　number　of　the　inhabitants　stood　about　watching　the　preparations；　and　comparing　the　conduct　of　their　tumultuous　contingent　with　the　regulars　of　Hulot's　brigade。　Motionless　and　silent　the　Blues　were　awaiting；　under　control　of　their　officers；　the　orders　of　the　commandant；　whose　figure　they　followed　with　their　eyes　as　he　passed　from　rank　to　rank　of　the　contingent。　When　Corentin　came　near　the　old　warrior　he　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　change　which　had　taken　place　in　him。　He　looked　like　a　portrait　that　has　little　or　no　resemblance　to　the　original。

〃What's　all　this？〃　asked　Corentin。

〃Come　with　us　under　fire；　and　you'll　find　out；〃　replied　Hulot。

〃Oh！　I'm　not　a　Fougeres　man；〃　said　Corentin。

〃Easy　to　see　that；　citizen；〃　retorted　Gudin。

A　few　contemptuous　laughs　came　from　the　nearest　ranks。

〃Do　you　think；〃　said　Corentin；　sharply；　〃that　the　only　way　to　serve　France　is　with　bayonets？〃

Then　he　turned　his　back　to　the　laughers；　and　asked　a　woman　beside　him　if　she　knew　the　object　of　the　expedition。

〃Hey！　my　good　man；　the　Chouans　are　at　Florigny。　They　say　there　are　more　than　three　thousand；　and　they　are　coming　to　take　Fougeres。〃

〃Florigny？〃　cried　Corentin；　turning　white；　〃then　the　rendezvous　is　not　there！　Is　Florigny　on　the　road　to　Mayenne？〃　he　asked。

〃There　are　not　two　Florignys；〃　replied　the　woman；　pointing　in　the　direction　of　the　summit　of　La　Pelerine。

〃Are　you　going　in　search　of　the　Marquis　de　Montauran？〃　said　Corentin　to　Hulot。

〃Perhaps　I　am；〃　answered　the　commandant；　curtly。

〃He　is　not　at　Florigny；〃　said　Corentin。　〃Send　your　troops　there　by　all　means；　but　keep　a　few　of　those　imitation　Chouans　of　yours　with　you；　and　wait　for　me。〃

〃He　is　too　malignant　not　to　know　what　he's　about；〃　thought　Hulot　as　Corentin　made　off　rapidly；　〃he's　the　king　of　spies。〃

Hulot　ordered　the　battalion　to　start。　The　republican　soldiers　marched　without　drums　and　silently　through　the　narrow　suburb　which　led　to　the　Mayenne　high…road；　forming　a　blue　and　red　line　among　the　trees　and　houses。　The　disguised　guard　followed　them；　but　Hulot；　detaining　Gudin　and　about　a　score　of　the　smartest　young　fellows　of　the　town；　remained　in　the　little　square；　awaiting　Corentin；　whose　mysterious　manner　had　piqued　his　curiosity。　Francine　herself　told　the　astute　spy；　whose　suspicions　she　changed　into　certainty；　of　her　mistress's　departure。　Inquiring　of　the　post　guard　at　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard；　he　learned　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　passed　that　way。　Rushing　to　the　Promenade；　he　was；　unfortunately；　in　time　to　see　her　movements。　Though　she　was　wearing　a　green　dress　and　hood；　to　be　less　easily　distinguished；　the　rapidity　of　her　almost　distracted　step　enabled　him　to　follow　her　with　his　eye　through　the　leafless　hedges；　and　to　guess　the　point　towards　which　she　was　hurrying。

〃Ha！〃　he　cried；　〃you　said　you　were　going　to　Florigny；　but　you　are　in　the　valley　of　Gibarry！　I　am　a　fool；　she　has　tricked　me！　No　matter；　I　can　light　my　lamp　by　day　as　well　as　by　night。〃

Corentin；　satisfied　that　he　knew　the　place　of　the　lovers'　rendezvous；　returned　in　all　haste　to　the　little　square；　which　Hulot；　resolved　not　to　wait　any　longer；　was　just　quitting　to　rejoin　his　troops。

〃Halt；　general！〃　he　cried　to　the　commandant；　who　turned　round。

He　then　told　Hulot　the　events　relating　to　the　marquis　and　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　and　showed　him　the　scheme　of　which　he　held　a　thread。　Hulot；　struck　by　his　perspicacity；　seized　him　by　the　arm。

〃God's　thunder！　citizen；　you　are　right；〃　he　cried。　〃The　brigands　are　making　a　false　attack　over　there　to　keep　the　coast　clear；　but　the　two　columns　I　sent　to　scour　the　environs　between　Antrain　and　Vitre　have　not　yet　returned；　so　we　shall　have　plenty　of　reinforcements　if　we　need　them；　and　I　dare　say　we　shall；　for　the　Gars　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　risk　his　life　without　a　bodyguard　of　those　damned　owls。　Gudin；〃　he　added；　〃go　and　tell　Captain　Lebrun　that　he　must　rub　those　fellows'　noses　at　Florigny　without　me；　and　come　back　yourself　in　a　flash。　You　know　the　paths。　I'll　wait　till　you　return；　and　/then/we'll　avenge　those　murders　at　La　Vivetiere。　Thunder！　how　he　runs；〃　he　added；　seeing　Gudin　disappear　as　if　by　magic。　〃Gerard　would　have　loved　him。〃

On　his　return　Gudin　found　Hulot's　little　band　increased　in　numbers　by　the　arrival　of　several　soldiers　taken　from　the　various　posts　in　the　town。　The　commandant　ordered　him　to　choose　a　dozen　of　his　compatriots　who　could　best　counterfeit　the　Chouans；　and　take　them　out　by　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard；　so　as　to　creep　round　the　side　of　the　Saint…Sulpice　rocks　which　overlooks　the　valley　of　Couesnon　and　on　which　was　the　hovel　of　Galope…Chopine。　Hulot　himself　went　out　with　the　rest　of　his　troop　by　the　Porte　Saint…Sulpice；　to　reach　the　summit　of　the　same　rocks；　where；　according　to　his　calculations；　he　ought　to　meet　the　men　under　Beau…Pied；　whom　he　meant　to　use　as　a　line　of　sentinels　from　the　suburb　of　Saint…Sulpice　to　the　Nid…aux…Crocs。

Corentin；　satisfied　with　having　delivered　over　the　fate　of　the　Gars　to　his　implacable　enemies；　went　with　all　speed　to　the　Promenade；　so　as　to　follow　with　his　eyes　the　military　arrangements　of　the　commandant。　He　soon　saw　Gudin's　little　squad　issuing　from　the　valley　of　the　Nancon　and　following　the　line　of　the　rocks　to　the　great　valley；　while　Hulot；　creeping　round　the　castle　of　Fougeres；　was　mounting　the　dangerous　path　which　leads　to　the　summit　of　Saint…Sulpice。　The　two　companies　were　therefore　advancing　on　parallel　lines。　The　trees　and　shrubs；　draped　by　the　rich　arabesques　of　the　hoarfrost；　threw　whitish　reflections　which　enabled　the　watcher　to　see　the　gray　lines　of　the　squads　in　motion。　When　Hulot　reached　the　summit　of　the　rocks；　he　detached　all　the　soldiers　in　uniform　from　his　main　body；　and　made　them　into　a　line　of　sentinels；　each　communicating　with　the　other；　the　first　with　Gudin；　the　last　with　Hulot；　so　that　no　shrub　could　escape　the　bayonets　of　the　three　lines　which　were　now　in　a　position　to　hunt　the　Gars　across　field　and　mountain。

〃The　sly　old　wolf！〃　thought　Corentin；　as　the　shining　muzzle　of　the　last　gun　disappeared　in　the　bushes。　〃The　Gars　is　done　for。　If　Marie　had　only　betrayed　that　damned　marquis；　she　and　I　would　have　been　united　in　the　strongest　of　all　bondsa　vile　deed。　But　she's　mine；　in　any　case。〃

The　twelve　young　men　under　Gudin　soon　reached　the　base　of　the　rocks　of　Saint…Sulpice。　Here　Gudin　himself　left　the　road　with　six　of　them；　jumping　the　stiff　hedge　into　the　first　field　of　gorse　that　he　came　to；　while　the　other　six　by　his　orders　did　the　same　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　Gudin　advanced　to　an　apple…tree　which　happened　to　be　in　the　middle　of　the　field。　Hearing　the　rustle　of　this　movement　through　the　gorse；　seven　or　eight　men；　at　the　head　of　whom　was　Beau…Pied；　hastily　hid　behind　some　chestnut…trees　which　topped　the　bank　of　this　particular　field。　Gudin's　men　did　not　see　them；　in　spite　of　the　white　reflections　of　the　hoar…frost　and　their　own　practised　sight。

〃Hush！　here　they　are；〃　said　Beau…Pied；　cautiously　putting　out　his　head。　〃The　brigands　have　more　men　than　we；　but　we　have　'em　at　the　muzzles　of　our　guns；　and　we　mustn't　miss　them；　or；　by　the　Lord；　we　are　not　fit　to　be　soldiers　of　the　pope。〃

By　this　time　Gudin's　keen　eyes　had　discovered　a　few　muzzles　pointing　through　the　branches　at　his　little　squad。　Just　then　eight　voices　cried　in　derision；　〃Qui　vive？〃　and　eight　shots　followed。　The　balls　whistled　round　Gudin　and　his　men。　One　fell；　another　was　shot　in　the　arm。　The　five　others　who　were　safe　and　sound　replied　with　a　volley　and　the　cry；　〃Friends！〃　Then　they　marched　rapidly　on　their　assailants　so　as　to　reach　them　before　they　had　time　to　reload。

〃We　did　not　know　how　true　we　spoke；〃　cried　Gudin；　as　he　recognized　the　uniforms　and　the　battered　hats　of　his　own　brigade。　〃Well；　we　behaved　like　Bretons；　and　fought　before　explaining。〃

The　other　men　were　stupefied　on　recognizing　the　little　company。

〃Who　the　devil　would　have　known　them　in　those　goatskins？〃　cried　Beau…　Pied；　dismally。

〃It　is　a　misfortune；〃　said　Gudin；　〃but　we　are　all　innocent　if　you　were　not　informed　of　the　sortie。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　asked。

〃A　dozen　of　those　Chouans　are　amusing　themselves　by　picking　us　off；　and　we　are　getting　away　as　best　we　can；　like　poisoned　rats；　but　by　dint　of　scrambling　over　these　hedges　and　rocksmay　the　lightning　blast　'em！our　compasses　have　got　so　rusty　we　are　forced　to　take　a　rest。　I　think　those　brigands　are　now　somewhere　near　the　old　hovel　where　you　see