They had met again. Were together, never more to part unless parted by one thing, Death! Death that was imminent1 at any moment, that might overtake them that very night, or to-morrow, or the next day; for Cavalier was on his way down to the plains to make those reprisals2 of which Montbonneux had spoken. God only knew what might be the end of all.
She, riding on the captured little mule4 and enveloped5 in costly6 furs--as usual, part of a spoil of a successful foray made by the Camisards on a more or less unprotected manoir--had seen him as the large body of Cavalier's followers7 had rounded a point in the mountain pass, and, springing from the animal's back, had thrown herself into his outstretched arms, unheeding those who came behind her and the Cévenole chief, thinking of naught8 at the moment but that he was safe and with her again, deeming all else insignificant9 beside that one supreme10 mercy vouchsafed11 by God. For she knew in what awful danger he had stood not many hours before; knew that, not more for the purpose of exacting12 vengeance13 than for that of rescuing him, was this descent from the mountains being made. And now he was safe, by her side again.
He drew her apart from where Cavalier stood with all his followers behind him; drew her apart and whispered words of love and thankfulness at seeing her once more. Then suddenly, observing on the fair young face and in the clear, pure eyes a look that he had never seen before, he murmured:
"What--what is it, Urbaine, my sweet?"
But she would not answer him, only contenting herself with saying, "Not now, not now," while even as she did so he saw beneath the light of the full moon that her eyes were full of tears. Felt, too, the warm hand which he held quiver in his grasp.
And as he noticed those symptoms of unhappiness he wondered if she had learned while among these Camisards that secret which one at least of them knew--that secret which, to prevent her from ever learning, had caused Baville to bid him fly with her out of France, away, anywhere, so that she might never know it. Never know that her father's death lay at his door.
"Come," said Cavalier, approaching them and speaking very quietly, after having carried on a hurried conversation for some moments with Montbonneux and the other two men, "come, we must move forward. Thank God, you are free, out of the tiger's claws; for your sake and ours as well, if what my followers report of the news you bring is true. Is it?" and he looked piercingly at the other in the moonbeam's light.
"It is true if they have told you that a large force is making its way toward these mountains. They must have left N?mes some time before me, since I followed them a considerable distance before coming up with their rear, and I have outstripped14 them by perhaps two hours, though not longer, I think."
Then he told Cavalier that Baville had himself released him.
"Baville released you! Because of my threat?"
"Because of----" yet since Urbaine was by his side he paused and told no more, or only with a look which Cavalier understood sufficiently15 well, for he also now knew of the Intendant's part in the death of Urbain Ducaire, understood that his love for Urbaine had grown out of his remorse16.
"Come," he said shortly, after meditating17 for a moment with his eyes fixed18 on the ground, "come, we must go forward now. Best meet this force and check it, or part of it. How many strong are they, do you suppose?"
"At least a thousand. Perhaps more. Composed of dragoons, chevaux-légers, and Miquelets. Can you cope with those?"
"If we are united, yes. But Roland is away, ahead, with half our men; yet, stay. We have to meet at the Tour de Bellot. If we can join them before these soldiers reach that, then we can win. If not, if they catch Roland's force alone, then God help Roland!"
As he spoke3, from afar off there came a sound that none in all the vast band which had descended19 from the mountains could have mistaken, unless it were Urbaine alone. A sound deep, muffled20, roaring. That of cannons22 firing. Heard first down in the valley, then reverberating23 high up amid the clouds that capped the summits of the cold mountain tops.
"You hear?" he said. "You hear? We must on at once. On, on! What will you do with the lady? She is yours now. You see, I remembered my promise. I was bringing her to you, knowing full well that either by threats or siege we would have you out of the hands of Baville. Yet I thought not you could have been free to-night, so soon."
"My place is by her side forever now. Where she is, there am I."
"Be it so. Will you go back with her? Yet I know not, if they gain the passes, the caverns24 will be surrounded and--and--if they succeed we shall not be there to help or succour. God, he knows what is best!"
"Can they do that, gain the summits?"
"Scarce can I say. Yet now at last I fear. The prophets see visions, speak of rebuffs at last. The extasées, the woman seers, the female children--all foretell25 disaster. Even I, who have ere now believed that I could read the future, am shaken, not in my courage, but my hopes."
His last words were lost, or almost lost, in the dead muffled roar that rose once more from far down in the valley, and as the sound was heard again Cavalier started.
"We must not tarry, even for her. Decide, therefore, and decide quickly," while, as he spoke, he gave orders briefly26 to all who surrounded them and commanded that they should be transmitted along the line of Camisards which stretched far behind and up to where the great plateau was.
"I have decided27," Martin answered. "That firing is some distance off, some five or six miles at least. At the foot of the mountains there are many side-paths leading east and west. I can convey her by one of those to some haven28 of shelter, out of harm. Let us accompany you to the valley; then, Cavalier, we part."
"Do as you will," the other answered. "I gave you my word that all should be as you desired when you returned from Cette. I keep it to the last. We part to-night forever. Remember me in years to come as one who was an honourable29 man."
Then, as though he wished no more said, he gave another order for the band under his command to set forth30 again upon its descent, and, quitting Martin, went forward and placed himself at its head.
And now Martin took his place by the side of her he loved, walking by the little mule, holding her hand in his beneath the richly-furred cloak. Also he told her what was decided on as best for her safety. Once, too, he asked, after he had informed her of the arranged plan:
"You do not fear? Are content?"
"Content! To be with you!"
And the glance that rested on him, and plainly to be seen beneath the ray of the moon, told more than further words could have done.
"We shall be together forever and always now," he continued, speaking clearly though low, so that she might catch his words above the deep thud of the Camisards' tread as they swept down the mountain road. Above, too, the roar of the cannon21 that grew louder as they approached nearer and nearer to the spot whence it proceeded. "Forever and always, once we are across the frontier and in the Duke of Savoy's dominions31. Man and wife, ma mie, in a week's time if we escape to-night. Will that suffice?"
And once more she answered with a glance.
They were descending32 fast now toward the plain, yet, as they neared it, it almost seemed as though the booming of the cannon grew less continuous, as if the pauses were longer between each roar. What did it mean? the Camisards asked each other. Was the cannon becoming silent because Julien and his detachments had been caught in some trap, or had the royalist troops been driven back again as they had been so often driven back before? Were the outcasts, the attroupés, again successful, still invincible33? Above all else, above that thud of mountaineers' heavy feet and the clatter34 of musketoon and fusil shifted from shoulder to shoulder; above, too, sword scabbards clanging on the ground, Cavalier's voice arose now.
"Down to meet them!" he cried. "Down! Down! Faster and faster, to join Roland and sweep the tyrant's soldier from out our land, or perish beneath their glaives. On, my brethren, on!" and as he spoke the tramp of the men was swifter and heavier, the march of the band more swinging.
The plain was reached. They poured out upon it, no longer a long, thin line, but a compact body now which marched not only on the straight, white road that gleamed a thread beneath the moon's rays, but spread itself over the sodden35 marshy36 lands bordering that road; went on swift and fast, while as they almost ran they saw to the priming of their firelocks, and buckled37 rough goatskin baudriers and bandoleers, wrenched38 from many a dying royalist, tighter round them, and loosened swords and knives in their sheaths.
Yet, as they went, the firing ceased or rather rolled farther away from them, sounded now as if coming from where, beneath the moonlit sky, the cathedral spire39 of N?mes lifted its head. Surely, all thought, the enemy must be driven back. Otherwise the booming of the cannon would not have ceased altogether; at least would not become more distant, farther off.
And now they were near the Tour de Bellot, the rendezvous40, the spot where Roland was to have joined forces with them, if all was well. So near that the solitary41 and lofty structure--once the round tower of an ancient feudal42 castle that had stood many a siege in days as far off as those of the Albigensian crusade, but on to which, in later years, had been built a farmhouse43, now a ruin also--could be seen rising clear and pointed44 to the heavens; clearer than the more distant spire of N?mes itself.
And Roland was not there, nor any of his force. One glance showed that, long ere they reached it, the battle which had been going on for now more than two hours was farther off than they had at first supposed.
The place was deserted45, except for the shepherd who dwelt within it, a man holding the creed46 of the outcasts, one who had also at that time two sons in their ranks.
"Where is Roland?" demanded Cavalier of this man as they all streamed into the place, leaping over the stone walls which surrounded the pasturage and rushing hastily into grange and granary, there to snatch some rest, even though but half an hour's, ere they might have to set forth again. "Where? Where?"
"Forward toward N?mes," the fellow answered, speaking stolidly47 and, as it seemed to Martin, who stood by, stupidly; "toward N?mes. He has driven them back."
"God be praised!" exclaimed Cavalier and many who stood around. Then the former asked: "And followed them toward N?mes? Is that so?"
"Nay48, I know not," the other replied, seeming even more stupid than before. "I know not. They are not here. The battle was afar. I did but hear it."
"We can do nothing as yet," Cavalier said, "nothing. Can but wait and abide49 events. Yet 'tis strange, strange that of all his force he could not send back one messenger to tell me of his doings, his whereabouts. Our rendezvous was to be ten of the clock; 'tis past that now. Strange!" he repeated, "strange!" And his eyes followed the shepherd searchingly as he moved about preparing rough, coarse food for as many of the band as he could supply. He had been warned that the descent was to be made that night from the mountains, and also to prepare as much bread and wine as possible; and now he produced all that he had, he said, been able to obtain without arousing suspicions.
At this time Martin was standing50 beside Urbaine, she having been placed in a rude armchair possessing neither pillow nor covering, which had been set in front of the fire for her; and to them Cavalier now addressed himself, saying:
"For you to go forward now would be madness; nay, madness even to quit this house and seek any road either to right or left. For--for--Heaven forgive me if I am wrong, yet I misdoubt me of this man, one of us as he is and the father of two others."
"I have Baville's pass; they would respect that. Would not harm her. Even though the men in command have never seen her, they would understand. And--and--it is imperative51 that I convey her across the frontier to Savoy without loss of time." Then, drawing the banished52 chief away from the close neighbourhood of Urbaine, he said in a lower tone, "He dreads53 that she should learn from any here that he caused her father, Urbain Ducaire's death!"
With a swift glance the other looked up into Martin's face, far above his own; looked up with a glance that was almost a mocking one.
"He dreads that, does he?" Cavalier replied. "Malheureusement pour lui! he dreads too late. He should have taken steps bef----"
"What?"
"She knows it."
"Great God! 'Tis from that her fresh sorrow springs. How--how did she----?"
But ere he could finish his question there came an interruption which prevented it from ever being answered.
Across the broken flags of the farmhouse kitchen there came a man, one of the prophets, known as Le Léopard, because of his fierce staring eyes, a man in whose belt there was a long knife, the hilt of which he fingered savagely54, and on whose back was strapped55 a long military carabine, another spoil of the enemy. And, reaching Cavalier's side, he muttered hoarsely56 from beneath his ragged57, dishevelled mustache:
"We are betrayed. There has been no battle. Roland is not within leagues of this spot. The cannon was a snare58, a lure59. And--and--come forth into the moonlight and see what is without."
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1
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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reprisals
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| n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 ) | |
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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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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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8
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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9
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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12
exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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14
outstripped
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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17
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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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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19
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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23
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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24
caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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25
foretell
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| v.预言，预告，预示 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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27
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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32
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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33
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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34
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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38
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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40
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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41
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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42
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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43
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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44
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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45
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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46
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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47
stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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48
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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49
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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50
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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51
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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52
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
dreads
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| n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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55
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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56
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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57
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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58
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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59
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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