g　his　cap　in　one　hand　and　his　heavy　carbine　in　the　other；　dumpy　and　thickset　as　a　gnome；　and　bathed　in　that　white　light　the　shadows　of　which　give　such　fantastic　aspects　to　forms；　seemed　to　belong　more　to　a　world　of　goblins　than　to　reality。　This　apparition　and　its　tone　of　reproach　came　upon　Francine　with　the　suddenness　of　a　phantom。　He　turned　rapidly　to　Madame　du　Gua；　with　whom　he　exchanged　a　few　eager　words；　which　Francine；　who　had　somewhat　forgotten　the　dialect　of　Lower　Brittany；　did　not　understand。　The　lady　seemed　to　be　giving　him　a　series　of　orders。　The　short　conference　ended　by　an　imperious　gesture　of　the　lady's　hand　pointing　out　to　the　Chouan　the　lovers　standing　a　little　distance　apart。　Before　obeying；　Marche…a…　Terre　glanced　at　Francine　whom　he　seemed　to　pity；　he　wished　to　speak　to　her；　and　the　girl　was　aware　that　his　silence　was　compulsory。　The　rough　and　sunburnt　skin　of　his　forehead　wrinkled；　and　his　eyebrows　were　drawn　violently　together。　Did　he　think　of　disobeying　a　renewed　order　to　kill　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil？　The　contortion　of　his　face　made　him　all　the　more　hideous　to　Madame　du　Gua；　but　to　Francine　the　flash　of　his　eye　seemed　almost　gentle；　for　it　taught　her　to　feel　intuitively　that　the　violence　of　his　savage　nature　would　yield　to　her　will　as　a　woman；　and　that　she　reigned；　next　to　God；　in　that　rough　heart。
  The　lovers　were　interrupted　in　their　tender　interview　by　Madame　du　Gua；　who　ran　up　to　Marie　with　a　cry；　and　pulled　her　away　as　though　some　danger　threatened　her。　Her　real　object　however；　was　to　enable　a　member　of　the　royalist　committee　of　Alencon；　whom　she　saw　approaching　them；　to　speak　privately　to　the　Gars。
  〃Beware　of　the　girl　you　met　at　the　hotel　in　Alencon；　she　will　betray　you；〃　said　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　in　the　young　man's　ear；　and　immediately　he　and　his　little　Breton　horse　disappeared　among　the　bushes　from　which　he　had　issued。
  The　firing　was　heavy　at　that　moment；　but　the　combatants　did　not　come　to　close　quarters。
  〃Adjutant；〃　said　Clef…des…Coeurs；　〃isn't　it　a　sham　attack；　to　capture　our　travellers　and　get　a　ransom。〃
  〃The　devil　is　in　it；　but　I　believe　you　are　right；〃　replied　Gerard；　darting　back　towards　the　highroad。
  Just　then　the　Chouan　fire　slackened；　for；　in　truth；　the　whole　object　of　the　skirmish　was　to　give　the　chevalier　an　opportunity　to　utter　his　warning　to　the　Gars。　Merle；　who　saw　the　enemy　disappearing　across　the　hedges；　thought　best　not　to　follow　them　nor　to　enter　upon　a　fight　that　was　uselessly　dangerous。　Gerard　ordered　the　escort　to　take　its　former　position　on　the　road；　and　the　convoy　was　again　in　motion　without　the　loss　of　a　single　man。　The　captain　offered　his　hand　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　to　replace　her　in　the　coach；　for　the　young　nobleman　stood　motionless；　as　if　thunderstruck。　Marie；　amazed　at　his　attitude；　got　into　the　carriage　alone　without　accepting　the　politeness　of　the　Republican；　she　turned　her　head　towards　her　lover；　saw　him　still　motionless；　and　was　stupefied　at　the　sudden　change　which　had　evidently　come　over　him。　The　young　man　slowly　returned；　his　whole　manner　betraying　deep　disgust。
  〃Was　I　not　right？〃　said　Madame　du　Gua　in　his　ear；　as　she　led　him　to　the　coach。　〃We　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　a　creature　who　is　trafficking　for　your　head；　but　since　she　is　such　a　fool　as　to　have　fallen　in　love　with　you；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　behave　like　a　boy；　pretend　to　love　her　at　least　till　we　reach　La　Vivetiere；　once　there　But；〃　she　thought　to　herself；　seeing　the　young　man　take　his　place　with　a　dazed　air；　as　if　bewildered；　〃can　it　be　that　he　already　loves　her？〃
  The　coach　rolled　on　over　the　sandy　road。　To　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　eyes　all　seemed　changed。　Death　was　gliding　beside　her　love。　Perhaps　it　was　only　fancy；　but；　to　a　woman　who　loves；　fancy　is　as　vivid　as　reality。　Francine；　who　had　clearly　understood　from　Marche…a…Terre's　glance　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　fate；　over　which　she　had　commanded　him　to　watch；　was　in　other　hands　than　his；　looked　pale　and　haggard；　and　could　scarcely　restrain　her　tears　when　her　mistress　spoke　to　her。　To　her　eyes　Madame　du　Gua's　female　malignancy　was　scarcely　concealed　by　her　treacherous　smiles；　and　the　sudden　changes　which　her　obsequious　attentions　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　made　in　her　manners；　voice；　and　expression　was　of　a　nature　to　frighten　a　watchful　observer。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　herself　shuddered　instinctively；　asking　herself；　〃Why　should　I　fear？　She　is　his　mother。〃　Then　she　trembled　in　every　limb　as　the　thought　crossed　her　mind；　〃Is　she　really　his　mother？〃　An　abyss　suddenly　opened　before　her；　and　she　cast　a　look　upon　the　mother　and　son；　which　finally　enlightened　her。　〃That　woman　loves　him！〃　she　thought。　〃But　why　has　she　begun　these　attentions　after　showing　me　such　coolness？　Am　I　lost？　oris　she　afraid　of　me？〃
  As　for　the　young　man；　he　was　flushed　and　pale　by　turns；　but　he　kept　a　quiet　attitude　and　lowered　his　eyes　to　conceal　the　emotions　which　agitated　him。　The　graceful　curve　of　his　lips　was　lost　in　their　close　compression；　and　his　skin　turned　yellow　under　the　struggle　of　his　stormy　thoughts。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　unable　to　decide　whether　any　love　for　her　remained　in　his　evident　anger。　The　road；　flanked　by　woods　at　this　particular　point；　became　darker　and　more　gloomy；　and　the　obscurity　prevented　the　eyes　of　the　silent　travellers　from　questioning　each　other。　The　sighing　of　the　wind；　the　rustling　of　the　trees；　the　measured　step　of　the　escort；　gave　that　almost　solemn　character　to　the　scene　which　quickens　the　pulses。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　could　not　long　try　in　vain　to　discover　the　reason　of　this　change。　The　recollection　of　Corentin　came　to　her　like　a　flash；　and　reminded　her　suddenly　of　her　real　destiny。　For　the　first　time　since　the　morning　she　reflected　seriously　on　her　position。　Until　then　she　had　yielded　herself　up　to　the　delight　of　loving；　without　a　thought　of　the　past　or　of　the　future。　Unable　to　bear　the　agony　of　her　mind；　she　sought；　with　the　patience　of　love；　to　obtain　a　look　from　the　young　man's　eyes；　and　when　she　did　so　her　paleness　and　the　quiver　in　her　face　had　so　penetrating　an　influence　over　him　that　he　wavered；　but　the　softening　was　momentary。
  〃Are　you　ill；　mademoiselle？〃　he　said；　but　his　voice　had　no　gentleness；　the　very　question；　the　look；　the　gesture；　all　served　to　convince　her　that　the　events　of　this　day　belonged　to　a　mirage　of　the　soul　which　was　fast　disappearing　like　mists　before　the　wind。
  〃Am　I　ill？〃　she　replied；　with　a　forced　laugh。　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　the　same　question。〃
  〃I　supposed　you　understood　each　other；〃　remarked　Madame　du　Gua　with　specious　kindliness。
  Neither　the　young　man　nor　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　replied。　The　girl；　doubly　insulted；　was　angered　at　feeling　her　powerful　beauty　powerless。　She　knew　she　could　discover　the　cause　of　the　present　situation　the　moment　she　chose　to　do　so；　but；　for　the　first　time；　perhaps；　a　woman　recoiled　before　a　secret。　Human　life　is　sadly　fertile　in　situations　where；　as　a　result　of　either　too　much　meditation　or　of　some　catastrophe；　our　thoughts　seem　to　hold　to　nothing；　they　have　no　substance；　no　point　of　departure；　and　the　present　has　no　hooks　by　which　to　hold　to　the　past　or　fasten　on　the　future。　This　was　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　condition　at　the　present　moment。　Leaning　back　in　the　carriage；　she　sat　there　like　an　uprooted　shrub。　Silent　and　suffering；　she　looked　at　no　one；　wrapped　herself　in　her　grief；　and　buried　herself　so　completely　in　the　unseen　world；　the　refuge　of　the　miserable；　that　she　saw　nothing　around　her。　Crows　crossed　the　road　in　the　air　above　them　cawing；　but　although；　like　all　strong　hearts；　hers　had　a　superstitious　corner；　she　paid　no　attention　to　the　omen。　The　party　travelled　on　in　silence。　〃Already　parted？〃　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　saying　to　herself。　〃Yet　no　one　about　us　has　uttered　one　word。　Could　it　be　Corentin？　It　is　not　his　interest　to　speak。　Who　can　have　come　to　this　spot　and　accused　me？　Just　loved；　and　already　abandoned！　I　sow　attraction；　and　I　reap　contempt。　Is　it　my　perpetual　fate　to　see　happiness　and　ever　lose　it？〃　Pangs　hitherto　unknown　to　her　wrung　her　heart；　for　she　now　loved　truly　and　for　the　first　time。　Yet　she　had　not　so　wholly　delivered　herself　to　her　lover　that　she　could　not　take　refuge　from　her　pain　in　the　natural　pride　and　dignity　of　a　young　and　beautiful　woman。　The　secret　of　her　lovea　secret　often　kept　by　women　under　torture　itselfhad　not　escaped　her　lips。　Presently　she　rose　from　her　reclining　attitude；　ashamed　that　she　had　shown　her　passion　by　her　silent　sufferings；　she　shook　her　head　with　a　light…　hearted　action；　and　showed　a　face；　or　rather　a　mask；　that　was　gay　and　smiling；　then　she　raised　her　voice　to　disguise　the　quiver　of　it。
  〃Where　are　we？〃　she　said　to　Captain　Merle；　who　kept　himself　at　a　certain　distance　from　the　carriage。
  〃About　six　miles　from　Fougeres；　mademoiselle。〃
  〃We　shall　soon　be　there；　shall　we　not？〃　she　went　on；　to　encourage　a　conversation　in　which　she　might　show　some　preference　for　the　young　captain。
  〃A　Breton　mile；〃　said　Merle　much　delighted；　〃has　the　disadvantage　of　never　ending；　when　you　are　at　the　top　of　one　hill　you　see　a　valley　and　another　hill。　When　you　reach　the　summit　of　the　slope　we　are　now　ascending　you　will　see　the　plateau　of　Mont　Pelerine　in　the　distance。　Let　us　h