De héros en héros, d’age en age, embelli.”
DE LILLE.
The health of the good Sister Frances, which had suffered much from the shock her mind received at the commencement of the revolution, declined so rapidly in the course of the two succeeding years, that she was obliged to leave Paris, and she retired1 to a little village in the neighbourhood of Chantilly. She chose this situation, because here she was within a morning’s walk of Mad. de Fleury’s country-seat. The Chateau2 de Fleury had not yet been seized as national property, nor had it suffered from the attacks of the mob, though it was in a perilous3 situation, within view of the high road to Paris. The Parisian populace had not yet extended their outrages4 to this distance from the city; and the poor people who lived on the estate of Fleury, attached from habit, principle, and gratitude5 to their lord, were not disposed to take advantage of the disorder6 of the times, to injure the property of those from whom they had all their lives received favours and protection. A faithful old steward7 had the care of the castle and the grounds. Sister Frances was impatient to talk to him, and to visit the chateau, which she had never seen; but for some days after her arrival in the village, she was so much fatigued8 and so weak, that she could not attempt so long a walk. Victoire had obtained permission from her mistress to accompany the nun9 for a few days to the country, as Annette undertook to do all the business of the shop during the absence of her companion. Victoire was fully10 as eager as Sister Frances to see the faithful steward and the Chateau de Fleury, and the morning was now fixed11 for their walk: but in the middle of the night they were awakened12 by the shouts of a mob, who had just entered the village fresh from the destruction of a neighbouring castle. The nun and Victoire listened; but in the midst of the horrid13 yells of joy, no human voice, no intelligible14 word, could be distinguished15: they looked through a chink in the window-shutter, and they saw the street below filled with a crowd of men, whose countenances17 were by turns illuminated18 by the glare of the torches which they brandished19.
“Good Heavens!” whispered the nun to Victoire: “I should know the face of that man who is loading his musket20 — the very man whom I nursed ten years ago, when he was ill with a jail fever!”
This man, who stood in the midst of the crowd, taller by the head than the others, seemed to be the leader of the party; they were disputing whether they should proceed further, spend the remainder of the night in the village alehouse, or return to Paris. Their leader ordered spirits to be distributed to his associates, and exhorted21 them in a loud voice to proceed in their glorious work. Tossing his firebrand over his head, he declared that he would never return to Paris till he had razed22 to the ground the Chateau de Fleury. At these words, Victoire, forgetful of all personal danger, ran out into the midst of the mob, pressed her way up to the leader of these ruffians, caught him by the arm, exclaiming, “You will not touch a stone in the Chateau de Fleury — I have my reasons — I say you will not suffer a stone in the Chateau de Fleury to be touched.”
“And why not?” cried the man, turning astonished; “and who are you, that I should listen to you?”
“No matter who I am,” said Victoire; “follow me, and I will show you one to whom you will not refuse to listen. Here! — here she is,” continued Victoire, pointing to the nun, who had followed her in amazement23; “here is one to whom you will listen — yes, look at her well: hold the light to her face.”
The nun, in a supplicating24 attitude, stood in speechless expectation.
“Ay, I see you have gratitude, I know you will have mercy,” cried Victoire, watching the workings in the countenance16 of the man; “you will save the Chateau de Fleury, for her sake — who saved your life.”
“I will,” cried this astonished chief of a mob, fired with sudden generosity25. “By my faith you are a brave girl, and a fine girl, and know how to speak to the heart, and in the right moment. Friends, citizens! this nun, though she is a nun, is good for something. When I lay ill with a fever, and not a soul else to help me, she came and gave me medicines and food — in short, I owe my life to her. ’Tis ten years ago, but I remember it well; and now it is our turn to rule, and she shall be paid as she deserves. Not a stone of the Chateau de Fleury shall be touched!”
With loud acclamations, the mob joined in the generous enthusiasm of the moment, and followed their leader peaceably out of the village. All this passed with such rapidity as scarcely to leave the impression of reality upon the mind. As soon as the sun rose in the morning, Victoire looked out for the turrets26 of the Chateau de Fleury, and she saw that they were safe — safe in the midst of the surrounding devastation27. Nothing remained of the superb palace of Chantilly but the white arches of its foundation!
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1
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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outrages
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| 引起…的义愤，激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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13
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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15
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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16
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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exhorted
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| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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razed
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| v.彻底摧毁，将…夷为平地( raze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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24
supplicating
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的现在分词 ) | |
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25
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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26
turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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27
devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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