"Pille-Miche here could trick Saint Peter and steal the keys of Paradise," said the rector, slapping that worthy on the shoulder."If it hadn't been for him, the Blues would have intercepted us."Then, noticing the lady, the abbe went to speak to her apart.Marche-a-Terre, who had meantime briskly opened the boot of the cabriolet, held up to his comrades, with savage joy, a bag, the shape of which betrayed its contents to be rolls of coin.It did not take long to divide the booty.Each Chouan received his share, so carefully apportioned that the division was made without the slightest dispute.
Then Marche-a-Terre went to the lady and the priest, and offered them each about six thousand francs.
"Can I conscientiously accept this money, Monsieur Gudin?" said the lady, feeling a need of justification.
"Why not, madame? In former days the Church approved of the confiscation of the property of Protestants, and there's far more reason for confiscating that of these revolutionists, who deny God, destroy chapels, and persecute religion."The abbe then joined example to precept by accepting, without the slightest scruple, the novel sort of tithe which Marche-a-Terre offered to him."Besides," he added, "I can now devote all I possess to the service of God and the king; for my nephew has joined the Blues, and I disinherit him."Coupiau was bemoaning himself and declaring that he was ruined.
"Join us," said Marche-a-Terre, "and you shall have your share.""They'll say I let the coach be robbed on purpose if I return without signs of violence.""Oh, is that all?" exclaimed Marche-a-Terre.
He gave a signal and a shower of bullets riddled the turgotine.At this unexpected volley the old vehicle gave forth such a lamentable cry that the Chouans, superstitious by nature, recoiled in terror; but Marche-a-Terre caught sight of the pallid face of the silent traveller rising from the floor of the coach.
"You've got another fowl in your coop," he said in a low voice to Coupiau.
"Yes," said the driver; "but I make it a condition of my joining you that I be allowed to take that worthy man safe and sound to Fougeres.
I'm pledged to it in the name of Saint Anne of Auray.""Who is he?" asked Pille-Miche.
"That I can't tell you," replied Coupiau.
"Let him alone!" said Marche-a-Terre, shoving Pille-Miche with his elbow; "he has vowed by Saint Anne of Auray, and he must keep his word.""Very good," said Pille-Miche, addressing Coupiau; "but mind you don't go down the mountain too fast; we shall overtake you,--a good reason why; I want to see the cut of your traveller, and give him his passport."Just then the gallop of a horse coming rapidly up the slopes of La Pelerine was heard, and the young chief presently reappeared.The lady hastened to conceal the bag of plunder which she held in her hand.
"You can keep that money without any scruple," said the young man, touching the arm which the lady had put behind her."Here is a letter for you which I have just found among mine which were waiting for me at La Vivetiere; it is from your mother." Then, looking at the Chouans who were disappearing into the woods, and at the turgotine which was now on its way to the valley of Couesnon, he added: "After all my haste I see I am too late.God grant I am deceived in my suspicions!""It was my poor mother's money!" cried the lady, after opening her letter, the first lines of which drew forth her exclamation.
A smothered laugh came from the woods, and the young man himself could not help smiling as he saw the lady holding in her hand the bag containing her share in the pillage of her own money.She herself began to laugh.
"Well, well, marquis, God be praised! this time, at least, you can't blame me," she said, smiling.
"Levity in everything! even your remorse!" said the young man.
She colored and looked at the marquis with so genuine a contrition that he was softened.The abbe politely returned to her, with an equivocal manner, the sum he had received; then he followed the young leader who took the by-way through which he had come.Before following them the lady made a sign to Marche-a-Terre, who came to her.
"Advance towards Mortagne," she said to him in a low voice."I know that the Blues are constantly sending large sums of money in coin to Alencon to pay for their supplies of war.If I allow you and your comrades to keep what you captured to-day it is only on condition that you repay it later.But be careful that the Gars knows nothing of the object of the expedition; he would certainly oppose it; in case of ill-luck, I will pacify him.""Madame," said the marquis, after she had rejoined him and had mounted his horse /en croupe/, giving her own to the abbe, "my friends in Paris write me to be very careful of what we do; the Republic, they say, is preparing to fight us with spies and treachery.""It wouldn't be a bad plan," she replied; "they have clever ideas, those fellows.I could take part in that sort of war and find foes.""I don't doubt it!" cried the marquis."Pichegru advises me to be cautious and watchful in my friendships and relations of every kind.
The Republic does me the honor to think me more dangerous than all the Vendeans put together, and counts on certain of my weaknesses to lay hands upon me.""Surely you will not distrust me?" she said, striking his heart with the hand by which she held to him.
"Are you a traitor, madame?" he said, bending towards her his forehead, which she kissed.
"In that case," said the abbe, referring to the news, "Fouche's police will be more dangerous for us than their battalions of recruits and counter-Chouans.""Yes, true enough, father," replied the marquis.
"Ah! ah!" cried the lady."Fouche means to send women against you, does he? I shall be ready for them," she added in a deeper tone of voice and after a slight pause.
*****
