Urbaine and Martin sat together on that night which followed the sunny afternoon when they had been alone together on the promontory1, in one of the smaller caverns3 that opened out of the large one--a cavern2 which, of late, Cavalier had used as that in which they ate their meals--Roland, who shared with him the position of chief of the Camisards (and indeed claimed to be the absolute chief), being rarely in this part of the mountains. To-night, however, Cavalier was absent too, he having gone on one of those terribly dangerous visits to the valleys which he periodically made, sometimes to spy into what the following of Baville were doing, or what the king's troops; or to head some sanguinary raid upon a place where arms or ammunition4, food or clothes, were likely to be obtained.
But to-night he had gone forth5 on a different mission: to precede Martin on his way to N?mes, to see if all the mountain passes were free of their enemies and, should such be the case, to conduct him into the city, there to have an interview with the English agent.
Therefore Urbaine and Martin were alone together, save for the Camisard woman who waited upon them at their meal, and who did not obtrude7 herself more than was necessary into the cavern they were in.
As with the larger one and with those which each of them used as their sleeping apartment, its furnishing and surroundings would have created intense astonishment8 to any of the outside world who should have been able to observe it. Hung with skins in some places, with rich and costly9 tapestry10 and arras in others, all of which were the results of successful forays upon chateaux and manoirs which, a few hours after the raids, were nothing but smoking ruins, the onlooker11 might well have believed that, instead of a natural vault12 originally fashioned by Nature's own hands, he stood within the hall of some ancient feudal13 castle, such as the De Rohans or the Ruvignys had once possessed14 in the vicinity. Also he might have thought that the table at which those two sat was one prepared for the reception of guests at Versailles.
A table covered with the whitest napery, on which sparkled many pieces of the prized vaisselles of the noblesse and the haut-monde, so prized, indeed, that laws and edicts had been passed preventing the sale of such things or their transposition from one family to another; adorned15 as well with verres-fins, and with silver-handled knives and silver forks. Also for provisions there were upon this table a poularde and the remains16 of a choice ham, a bottle of Ginestoux and another of Lunel, a silver basketful of delicate, white chipped bread, and a crystal bowl of mountain fruit. Yet the glass and the silver bore no two crests17 alike. The arms that were broidered on the napery represented still a third family. All was spoil torn from half a dozen ruined and sacked mansions18.
"I pray God, mademoiselle," Martin said, after having in vain pressed his companion to eat more than the shred19 of poularde she had trifled with, and to drink at least one glass of the Ginestoux, "that this task on which I go may end all your grief. You know that Cavalier promises on my return, our object accomplished20, to allow me to take you away from here, to return you in safety to your father's--to M. Baville's arms."
"Yes," she answered, looking up at him, "yes, to return me to my father's arms."
"You will pray, therefore, for my success? It means all you can most desire, all that you can hope for till these troubles are past. Once back in his house, no further harm can come near you; you are safe with him. Nay21, even though he were in danger through any further success of theirs, you are still safe. They deem you one of themselves."
"I will pray," she said, "for your success, your prosperity, now and forever--for all that you may undertake. Yet--yet--do you know?--I have almost ceased to pray at all now."
"Oh, oh, God forbid!" he exclaimed, his heart wrung22 by her words.
"To whom am I to pray? What am I, how am I to approach Him? If I am a Protestant I must pray for his, my father's, downfall; if a Catholic, for the destruction of what I----" She did not finish her sentence, but added instead: "Best never utter prayer at all; forget that from my childhood I have been taught to worship humbly23 and to never know a petition unheard. Oh," she said, thrusting her hands through the great coils of golden hair that adorned her head, "oh, that I had died on the day you saved my life, that the bullet which pierced my poor gouvernante's breast had found mine instead!"
Profoundly touched, moved to the deepest pity and sympathy by her words--the words of one so young and fair, yet, alas24! so distraught--he moved nearer to her and, unaware25 even, perhaps, of his action, took her hand.
"Why," he said, speaking very low, yet with a voice that seemed as music in her ears, "why feel thus, suffer thus? In spite of all the dissensions between our faiths--grant even that you are no Protestant--we worship the same God though we see him with different eyes. Urbaine," he whispered, forgetting as he spoke26 that he had broken down the barrier of formality which had been between them until now, "if you can not pray for me to-night, can not pray that my efforts may meet with success, how can I depart and leave you here? How go, knowing that your heart is not with me?"
"Not with you?" she whispered in her turn. "Not with you? Alas----" and again broke off, saying no more.
"Urbaine," he continued, emboldened27 now to repeat softly her name, and perhaps not understanding her repetition of his words, deeming, it may be, that the repetition confirmed them, "Urbaine, your heart, your wishes must go with me, with the cause I undertake. It is the cause of peace and reconciliation28, of strengthening your king's hands by winning back his subjects to him. For if this fleet can but get a foothold for its men on shore, Louis must make terms with all who are now beating him down; not only in this fair Languedoc, but over all Europe a lasting29 peace may ensue. A peace," he continued, still gently yet impressively, "between your land and mine. Yours and mine," he repeated, dwelling30, it seemed to her, pleasantly on the coupling of their interests together--"yours and mine."
For answer she only sighed, then she said a moment later:
"Yet to go on this mission may mean death to you. If Montrevel or Julien caught you--O God! it sickens me to think of your peril31. They might not know, might not even believe, all that you have done for me. The end would be awful."
"Yet remember also that they would not know, can not know, that I am a Protestant--worse than all else within their eyes, an Englishman. And, not knowing, nothing would be suspected."
"Still I fear," she answered. "Am overcome with horror and anxiety. Oh!" she exclaimed again, "oh! if your reward for your noble chivalry32 to me should be nothing but disaster. If--if we should never meet again."
"Fear not," he said. "We shall meet again. I know it; it is borne in upon me. We shall meet again. I shall restore you to your father's arms."
Yet, even as he spoke, he remembered the words that Cavalier had uttered under the seal of confidence, the words: "When she has heard what is to be told, it may be she will never seek to return to him, to set eyes on her beloved Intendant again." Remembered them and wondered what they might portend33.
As he did so there came into the cavern one of the Camisards, a man who had been deputed to lead him at a given time to where Cavalier was to await his coming. A guide who said briefly34 that the horses were prepared and ready to set forth at monsieur's pleasure, then went outside to wait for him.
"Farewell, Urbaine," Martin said. "Adieu. Nay, do not weep. All will, all must be, well with you, otherwise I would not leave you. And, remember, once my task is accomplished you are free. It is for that, as for other things, in other hopes, that I go. Bid me Godspeed."
It seemed, however, as if she could not let him depart. Weeping, she clung to his arm, her cheeks bedashed with the tears that ran down them, her hands clasping his. And then, overmastered by her misery35, he said that to her which he had never meant to say until, at least, happier days had dawned for both--if, as he sometimes thought, he should ever dare to say it.
"Urbaine," he whispered, "Urbaine, be brave; take heart; pray for me. Listen, hear my last words ere I go. I love you--have loved you since that night we sat beneath the acacias after I had saved you. I shall love you ever--till I die."
* * * * * * *
The moon shone out through deep inky clouds that scurried36 swiftly beneath her face as Martin and the guide set forth to descend37 to the spot where Cavalier was to await them. Up here there were no precautions necessary to be taken, since to the higher portions of the Cévennes it was impossible that any enemy could have penetrated38 from below. The paths that led up to the caves which formed the barracks and dwelling places of the two thousand men who now kept all Languedoc in dread39 and two of Louis' armies at check were of so narrow and impassable a nature that Thermopyl? itself might have acknowledged them as worthy40 rivals; and, even had they been less close and tortuous41, were so guarded at intervals42 by pickets43 of Camisards that none could have surmounted44 them. Also in many places the route had been made to pass specially45 over terrible chasms46 and ravines, since, by so doing, it enabled the defenders47 of the passes to construct drawbridges which could be lowered or raised at their own pleasure, or, in case of necessity, destroyed altogether.
Yet one precaution had been taken for their journey--a precaution never neglected by those dwellers48 of the mountains, in case they were forced to take to flight and desired to leave no trace behind them--their animals were shod backward on their fore6 feet, a method which, in conjunction with the usual shoeing of the hind49 feet, was almost certain to baffle those who should endeavour to follow their tracks.
Beneath that moon which shone fitfully from the deep masses of rain-charged clouds the two men paced in Indian file down the narrow passes, seeing as they went that which, for now many weeks, had been visible to all eyes in the province--namely, the flames of villages on fire at different points of the compass; hearing, too, as they were borne on the winds, the distant ringing of alarm bells and tocsins from many a beleaguered50 church and monastery51. For not only did those flames spring from edifices52 wherein the old faith was still maintained, but also from the villages and hamlets where some Protestants continued to dwell and worship in their own manner, hoping ever for better, happier days. Already it was calculated that more than forty Romish churches had been destroyed, with, in many cases, the bourgs in which they stood; ere all was over the number was doubled. And already, also, more than that number of Protestant places of worship, with the villages around them, had been pillaged53, sacked, and burned by Montrevel and Julien, while, in their case, ere all was over the number was almost trebled.
Thinking of his newly declared love for Urbaine, thinking, too, of how, in whispered words, she had declared her love for him in return, of how in their last hasty embrace, which had been also their first, they had sworn deathless fidelity54 to each other, Martin took but little heed55 of those midnight sights telling of happy homes ruined forever which he had now been forced so often to gaze upon from the heights where the Camisards dwelt. He had grown accustomed to these beacons56 of horror, in spite of the unhappiness they caused him.
But now he saw a new phase of stern justice and punishment at which he could not fail to shudder57.
High up upon three gibbets at the wayside by which they passed--gibbets so placed that, when their ghastly burdens should rot from the chains which held them now, they would fall down and down until they reached the bottom of the ravine a thousand feet below--there hung three corpses58; swung waving to the mountain air, while ever and anon upon their white but blood-stained faces the moon glinted now and again, making those faces look as though they perspired59 in her rays, were clammy with sweat. And two grinned hideously60 in those rays, a bullet wound which had shattered the mouth of one giving to his face the appearance of a man convulsed with laughter, while the smirk61 of the other face was, in truth, the last grimace62 of the death agony. The features of the third told naught63, since, from a wound in his forehead, there had run out the blood which was now caked and hardened to a mask, hiding all below.
"My God!" exclaimed Martin, with a shiver, "who are they? Men caught here and executed as spys, troopers made prisoners and done to death by the avengers?"
"Nay," replied the man, while he made a contemptuous gesture at the loathsome64 things that at the moment executed a weird65 fantastic movement in unison66 as a fresh gust67 of wind swept down from the mountains above, making them sway and dance to its cold breath, "nay, vagabonds, marauds. Murderers these, not soldiers. Those men are of our number--were of our number--Protestants--ourselves."
"What, traitors68?"
"Ay, traitors--to humanity. Listen! They caught one, a good woman, Madame de Miramand, a Papist, yet a kindly69 creature who succoured all alike. Also she was young, not twenty, and beautiful. She was en voyage"--again Martin shuddered70, thinking of another woman young and beautiful who had also been en voyage, and almost caught--"had with her her jewels, also her vaisselles. Well they slew71 her even as she knelt before them, stabbed her, left her to die, left her thus as she prayed God to pardon them."
"Go on," Martin said, seeing that he paused.
"God may pardon them," the guide said. "One, however, would not. Cavalier! We caught them, tried them; you see the sentence. It is not women we war upon."
As he finished, again the loathsome figures swung to the breeze, again they danced and pirouetted in their chains, while from behind a rock Cavalier himself strode forward.
It was the spot that had been the meeting place appointed with the guide.
"It is true," he said. "We war not with women. Let Montrevel or Julien do that. Or their master--Louis!"
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1
promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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2
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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5
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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7
obtrude
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| v.闯入；侵入；打扰 | |
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8
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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9
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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10
tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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onlooker
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| n.旁观者，观众 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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13
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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14
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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15
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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16
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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17
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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18
mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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19
shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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20
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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21
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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22
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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23
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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25
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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27
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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29
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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30
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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31
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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32
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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portend
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| v.预兆，预示；给…以警告 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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36
scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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38
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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39
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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40
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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41
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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42
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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43
pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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44
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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45
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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46
chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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48
dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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52
edifices
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| n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 ) | |
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53
pillaged
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| v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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55
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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56
beacons
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| 灯塔( beacon的名词复数 )； 烽火； 指路明灯； 无线电台或发射台 | |
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57
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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perspired
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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61
smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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62
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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63
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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64
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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65
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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66
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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67
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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69
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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70
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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71
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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