〃Yes；　mademoiselle。〃
  〃Well；　were　you　afraid　of　him？〃
  〃He　was　chained。〃
  〃And　Corentin　is　muzzled；　my　dear。〃
  〃We　used　to　play　with　Patriot　by　the　hour；〃　said　Francine；〃I　know　that；　but　he　always　ended　by　serving　us　some　bad　trick。〃　So　saying；　Francine　threw　herself　hastily　back　close　to　her　mistress；　whose　hands　she　caught　and　kissed　in　a　coaxing　way；　saying　in　a　tone　of　deep　affection：　〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Marie；　but　you　will　not　answer　me。　How　can　you；　after　all　that　sadness　which　did　so　grieve　meoh；　indeed　it　grieved　me！how　can　you；　in　twenty…four　hours；　change　about　and　become　so　gay？　you；　who　talked　of　suicide！　Why　have　you　changed？　I　have　a　right　to　ask　these　questions　of　your　soulit　is　mine；　my　claim　to　it　is　before　that　of　others；　for　you　will　never　be　better　loved　than　you　are　by　me。　Speak；　mademoiselle。〃
  〃Why；　Francine；　don't　you　see　all　around　you　the　secret　of　my　good　spirits？　Look　at　the　yellowing　tufts　of　those　distant　tree…tops；　not　one　is　like　another。　As　we　look　at　them　from　this　distance　don't　they　seem　like　an　old　bit　of　tapestry？　See　the　hedges　from　behind　which　the　Chouans　may　spring　upon　us　at　any　moment。　When　I　look　at　that　gorse　I　fancy　I　can　see　the　muzzles　of　their　guns。　Every　time　the　road　is　shady　under　the　trees　I　fancy　I　shall　hear　firing；　and　then　my　heart　beats　and　a　new　sensation　comes　over　me。　It　is　neither　the　shuddering　of　fear　nor　an　emotion　of　pleasure；　no；　it　is　better　than　either；　it　is　the　stirring　of　everything　within　meit　is　life！　Why　shouldn't　I　be　gay　when　a　little　excitement　is　dropped　into　my　monotonous　existence？〃
  〃Ah！　you　are　telling　me　nothing；　cruel　girl！　Holy　Virgin！〃　added　Francine；　raising　her　eyes　in　distress　to　heaven；　〃to　whom　will　she　confess　herself　if　she　denies　the　truth　to　me？〃
  〃Francine；〃　said　the　lady；　in　a　grave　tone；　〃I　can't　explain　to　you　my　present　enterprise；　it　is　horrible。〃
  〃Why　do　wrong　when　you　know　it　to　be　wrong？〃
  〃How　can　I　help　it？　I　catch　myself　thinking　as　if　I　were　fifty；　and　acting　as　if　I　were　still　fifteen。　You　have　always　been　my　better　self；　my　poor　Francine；　but　in　this　affair　I　must　stifle　conscience。　And；〃　she　added　after　a　pause；　〃I　cannot。　Therefore；　how　can　you　expect　me　to　take　a　confessor　as　stern　as　you？〃　and　she　patted　the　girl's　hand。
  〃When　did　I　ever　blame　your　actions？〃　cried　Francine。　〃Evil　is　so　mixed　with　good　in　your　nature。　Yes；　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　to　whom　I　pray　to　save　you；　will　absolve　you　for　all　you　do。　And；　Marie；　am　I　not　here　beside　you；　without　so　much　as　knowing　where　you　go？〃　and　she　kissed　her　hands　with　effusion。
  〃But；〃　replied　Marie；　〃you　may　yet　desert　me；　if　your　conscience〃
  〃Hush；　hush；　mademoiselle；〃　cried　Francine；　with　a　hurt　expression。　〃But　surely　you　will　tell　me〃
  〃Nothing！〃　said　the　young　lady；　in　a　resolute　voice。　〃Onlyand　I　wish　you　to　know　itI　hate　this　enterprise　even　more　than　I　hate　him　whose　gilded　tongue　induced　me　to　undertake　it。　I　will　be　rank　and　own　to　you　that　I　would　never　have　yielded　to　their　wishes　if　I　had　not　foreseen；　in　this　ignoble　farce；　a　mingling　of　love　and　danger　which　tempted　me。　I　cannot　bear　to　leave　this　empty　world　without　at　least　attempting　to　gather　the　flowers　that　it　owes　me；whether　I　perish　in　the　attempt　or　not。　But　remember；　for　the　honor　of　my　memory；　that　had　I　ever　been　a　happy　woman；　the　sight　of　their　great　knife；　ready　to　fall　upon　my　neck；　would　not　have　driven　me　to　accept　a　part　in　this　tragedyfor　it　is　a　tragedy。　But　now；〃　she　said；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust；　〃if　it　were　countermanded；　I　should　instantly　fling　myself　into　the　Sarthe。　It　would　not　be　destroying　life；　for　I　have　never　lived。〃
  〃Oh；　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　forgive　her！〃
  〃What　are　you　so　afraid　of？　You　know　very　well　that　the　dull　round　of　domestic　life　gives　no　opportunity　for　my　passions。　That　would　be　bad　in　most　women；　I　admit；　but　my　soul　is　made　of　a　higher　sensibility　and　can　bear　great　tests。　I　might　have　been；　perhaps；　a　gentle　being　like　you。　Why；　why　have　I　risen　above　or　sunk　beneath　the　level　of　my　sex？　Ah！　the　wife　of　Bonaparte　is　a　happy　woman！　Yes；　I　shall　die　young；　for　I　am　gay；　as　you　say；gay　at　this　pleasure…party；　where　there　is　blood　to　drink；　as　that　poor　Danton　used　to　say。　There；　there；　forget　what　I　am　saying；　it　is　the　woman　of　fifty　who　speaks。　Thank　God！　the　girl　of　fifteen　is　still　within　me。〃
  The　young　country…girl　shuddered。　She　alone　knew　the　fiery；　impetuous　nature　of　her　mistress。　She　alone　was　initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　a　soul　rich　with　enthusiasm；　into　the　secret　emotions　of　a　being　who；　up　to　this　time；　had　seen　life　pass　her　like　a　shadow　she　could　not　grasp；　eager　as　she　was　to　do　so。　After　sowing　broadcast　with　full　hands　and　harvesting　nothing；　this　woman　was　still　virgin　in　soul；　but　irritated　by　a　multitude　of　baffled　desires。　Weary　of　a　struggle　without　an　adversary；　she　had　reached　in　her　despair　to　the　point　of　preferring　good　to　evil；　if　it　came　in　the　form　of　enjoyment；　evil　to　good；　if　it　offered　her　some　poetic　emotion；　misery　to　mediocrity；　as　something　nobler　and　higher；　the　gloomy　and　mysterious　future　of　present　death　to　a　life　without　hopes　or　even　without　sufferings。　Never　in　any　heart　was　so　much　powder　heaped　ready　for　the　spark；　never　were　so　many　riches　for　love　to　feed　on；　no　daughter　of　Eve　was　ever　moulded；　with　a　greater　mixture　of　gold　in　her　clay。　Francine；　like　an　angel　of　earth；　watched　over　this　being　whose　perfections　she　adored；　believing　that　she　obeyed　a　celestial　mandate　in　striving　to　bring　that　spirit　back　among　the　choir　of　seraphim　whence　it　was　banished　for　the　sin　of　pride。
  〃There　is　the　clock…tower　of　Alencon；〃　said　the　horseman；　riding　up　to　the　carriage。
  〃I　see　it；〃　replied　the　young　lady；　in　a　cold　tone。
  〃Ah；　well；〃　he　said；　turning　away　with　all　the　signs　of　servile　submission；　in　spite　of　his　disappointment。
  〃Go　faster；〃　said　the　lady　to　the　postilion。　〃There　is　no　longer　any　danger；　go　at　a　fast　trot；　or　even　a　gallop；　if　you　can；　we　are　almost　into　Alencon。〃
  As　the　carriage　passed　the　commandant；　she　called　out　to　him；　in　a　sweet　voice：
  〃We　will　meet　at　the　inn；　commandant。　Come　and　see　me。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　growled　the　commandant。　〃'The　inn'！　'Come　and　see　me'！　Is　that　how　you　speak　to　an　officer　in　command　of　the　army？〃　and　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　carriage；　which　was　now　rolling　rapidly　along　the　road。
  〃Don't　be　vexed；　commandant；　she　has　got　your　rank　as　general　up　her　sleeve；〃　said　Corentin；　laughing；　as　he　endeavored　to　put　his　horse　into　a　gallop　to　overtake　the　carriage。
  〃I　sha'n't　let　myself　be　fooled　by　any　such　folks　as　they；〃　said　Hulot　to　his　two　friends；　in　a　growling　tone。　〃I'd　rather　throw　my　general's　coat　into　that　ditch　than　earn　it　out　of　a　bed。　What　are　these　birds　after？　Have　you　any　idea；　either　of　you？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Merle；　〃I've　an　idea　that　that's　the　handsomest　women　I　ever　saw！　I　think　you're　reading　the　riddle　all　wrong。　Perhaps　she's　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul。〃
  〃Pooh！　the　First　Consul's　wife　is　old；　and　this　woman　is　young；〃　said　Hulot。　〃Besides；　the　order　I　received　from　the　minister　gives　her　name　as　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　She　is　a　/ci…devant/。　Don't　I　know　'em？　They　all　plied　one　trade　before　the　Revolution；　and　any　man　could　make　himself　a　major；　or　a　general　in　double…quick　time；　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　say　'Dear　heart'　to　them　now　and　then。〃
  While　each　soldier　opened　his　compasses；　as　the　commandant　was　wont　to　say；　the　miserable　vehicle　which　was　then　used　as　the　mail…coach　drew　up　before　the　inn　of　the　Trois　Maures；　in　the　middle　of　the　main　street　of　Alencon。　The　sound　of　the　wheels　brought　the　landlord　to　the　door。　No　one　in　Alencon　could　have　expected　the　arrival　of　the　mail…　coach　at　the　Trois　Maures；　for　the　murderous　attack　upon　the　coach　at　Mortagne　was　already　known；　and　so　many　people　followed　it　along　the　street　that　the　two　women；　anxious　to　escape　the　curiosity　of　the　crowd；　ran　quickly　into　the　kitchen；　which　forms　the　inevitable　antechamber　to　all　Western　inns。　The　landlord　was　about　to　follow　them；　after　examining　the　coach；　when　the　postilion　caught　him　by　the　arm。
  〃Attention；　citizen　Brutus；〃　he　said；　〃there's　an　escort　of　the　Blues　behind　us；　but　it　is　I　who　bring　you　these　female　citizens；　they'll　pay　like　/ci…devant/　princesses；　therefore〃
  〃Therefore；　we'll　drink　a　glass　of　wine　together　presently；　my　lad；〃　said　the　landlord。
  After　glancing　about　the　kitchen；　blackened　with　smoke；　and　noticing　a　table　bloody　from　raw　meat；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　flew　into　the　next　room　with　the　celerity　of　a　bird；　for　she　shuddered　at　the　sight　and　smell　of　the　place；　and　feared　the　inquisitive　eyes　of　a　dirty　/chef/；　and　a　fat　little　woman　who　examined　her　attentively。
  〃What　are　we　to　do；　wife？〃　said　the　landlord。　〃Who　the　devil　could　have　supposed　we　would　have　so　many　on　our　hands　in　these　days？　Before　I　serve　her　a　decent　breakfast　that　woman　will　get　impatient。　Stop；　an　idea！　evidently　she　is　a　person　of　quality。　I'll　propose　to　put　her　with　the　one　we　have　upstairs。　What　do　you　think？〃
  When　the　landlord　went　to　look　for　the　new　arrival　he　found　only　Francine；　to　whom　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　taking　her　to　the　farther　end　of　the　kitchen；　so　as　not　to　be　overheard。