Morgan got off, unfastened the valise, pulled the pistols from the holsters, and placed them in his belt, next to those already there. Addressing the monk in a tone of command, he said: “I thought I should find the brothers assembled in council.”
“They are assembled,” replied the monk.
“Where?”
“At La Correrie. Suspicious persons have been seen prowling around the Chartreuse these last few days, and orders have been issued to take the greatest precautions.”
The young man shrugged6 his shoulders as if he considered such precautions useless, and, always in the same tone of command, said: “Have some one take my horse to the stable and conduct me to the council.”
The monk summoned another brother, to whom he flung the bridle. He lighted a torch at a lamp, in the little chapel7 which can still be seen to the right of the great portal, and walked before the new-comer. Crossing the cloister8, he took a few steps in the garden, opened a door leading into a sort of cistern9, invited Morgan to enter, closed it as carefully as he had the outer door, touched with his foot a stone which seemed to be accidentally lying there, disclosed a ring and raised a slab10, which concealed11 a flight of steps leading down to a subterraneous passage. This passage had a rounded roof and was wide enough to admit two men walking abreast12.
The two men proceeded thus for five or six minutes, when they reached a grated door. The monk, drawing a key from his frock, opened it. Then, when both had passed through and the door was locked again, he asked: “By what name shall I announce you?”
“As Brother Morgan.”
“Wait here; I will return in five minutes.”
The young man made a sign with his head which showed that he was familiar with these precautions and this distrust. Then he sat down upon a tomb—they were in the mortuary vaults13 of the convent—and waited. Five minutes had scarcely elapsed before the monk reappeared.
“Follow me,” said he; “the brothers are glad you have come. They feared you had met with some mishap14.”
Twelve monks16 awaited him, their hoods17 drawn18 low over their eyes. But, once the door had closed and the serving brother had disappeared, while Morgan was removing his mask, the hoods were thrown back and each monk exposed his face.
No brotherhood19 had ever been graced by a more brilliant assemblage of handsome and joyous20 young men. Two or three only of these strange monks had reached the age of forty. All hands were held out to Morgan and several warm kisses were imprinted21 upon the new-comer’s cheek.
“‘Pon my word,” said one who had welcomed him most tenderly, “you have drawn a mighty22 thorn from my foot; we thought you dead, or, at any rate, a prisoner.”
“Dead, I grant you, Amiet; but prisoner, never! citizen—as they still say sometimes, and I hope they’ll not say it much longer. It must be admitted that the whole affair was conducted on both sides with touching23 amenity24. As soon as the conductor saw us he shouted to the postilion to stop; I even believe he added: ‘I know what it is.’ ‘Then,’ said I, ‘if you know what it is, my dear friend, our explanations needn’t be long.’ ‘The government money?’ he asked. ‘Exactly,’ I replied. Then as there was a great commotion25 inside the carriage, I added: ‘Wait! first come down and assure these gentlemen, and especially the ladies, that we are well-behaved folk and will not harm them—the ladies; you understand—and nobody will even look at them unless they put their heads out of the window.’ One did risk it; my faith! but she was charming. I threw her a kiss, and she gave a little cry and retired26 into the carriage, for all the world like Galatea, and as there were no willows27 about, I didn’t pursue her. In the meantime the guard was rummaging28 in his strong-box in all expedition, and to such good purpose, indeed, that with the government money, in his hurry, he passed over two hundred louis belonging to a poor wine merchant of Bordeaux.”
“Ah, the devil!” exclaimed the brother called Amiet—an assumed name, probably, like that of Morgan—“that is annoying! You know the Directory, which is most imaginative, has organized some bands of chauffeurs29, who operate in our name, to make people believe that we rob private individuals. In other words, that we are mere30 thieves.”
“Wait an instant,” resumed Morgan; “that is just what makes me late. I heard something similar at Lyons. I was half-way to Valence when I discovered this breach31 of etiquette32. It was not difficult, for, as if the good man had foreseen what happened, he had marked his bag ‘Jean Picot, Wine Merchant at Fronsac, Bordeaux.’”
“And you sent his money back to him?”
“I did better; I returned it to him.”
“At Fronsac?”
“Ah! no, but at Avignon. I suspected that so careful a man would stop at the first large town to inquire what chance he had to recover his two hundred louis. I was not mistaken. I inquired at the inn if they knew citizen Jean Picot. They replied that not only did they know him, but in fact he was then dining at the table d’hôte. I went in. You can imagine what they were talking about—the stoppage of the diligence. Conceive the sensation my apparition33 caused. The god of antiquity34 descending35 from the machine produced a no more unexpected finale than I. I asked which one of the guests was called Jean Picot. The owner of this distinguished36 and melodious37 name stood forth38. I placed the two hundred louis before him, with many apologies, in the name of the Company, for the inconvenience its followers39 had occasioned him. I exchanged a friendly glance with Barjols and a polite nod with the Abbé de Rians who were present, and, with a profound bow to the assembled company, withdrew. It was only a little thing, but it took me fifteen hours; hence the delay. I thought it preferable to leaving a false conception of us in our wake. Have I done well, my masters?”
“Only,” said one of the participants, “I think you were somewhat imprudent to return the money yourself to citizen Jean Picot.”
“My dear colonel,” replied the young man, “there’s an Italian proverb which says: ‘Who wills, goes; who does not will, sends.’ I willed—I went.”
“And there’s a jolly buck41 who, if you ever have the misfortune to fall into the hands of the Directory, will reward you by recognizing you; a recognition which means cutting off your head!”
“Oh! I defy him to recognize me.”
“What can prevent it?”
“Oh! You seem to think that I play such pranks42 with my face uncovered? Truly, my dear colonel, you mistake me for some one else. It is well enough to lay aside my mask among friends; but among strangers—no, no! Are not these carnival43 times? I don’t see why I shouldn’t disguise myself as Abellino or Karl Moor44, when Messieurs Gohier, Sieyès, Roger Ducos, Moulin and Barras are masquerading as kings of France.”
“And you entered the city masked?”
“The city, the hotel, the dining-room. It is true that if my face was covered, my belt was not, and, as you see, it is well garnished45.”
The young man tossed aside his coat, displaying his belt, which was furnished with four pistols and a short hunting-knife. Then, with a gayety which seemed characteristic of his careless nature, he added: “I ought to look ferocious46, oughtn’t I? They may have taken me for the late Mandrin, descending from the mountains of Savoy. By the bye, here are the sixty thousand francs of Her Highness, the Directory.” And the young man disdainfully kicked the valise which he had placed on the ground, which emitted a metallic47 sound indicating the presence of gold. Then he mingled48 with the group of friends from whom he had been separated by the natural distance between a narrator and his listeners.
One of the monks stooped and lifted the valise.
“Despise gold as much as you please, my dear Morgan, since that doesn’t prevent you from capturing it. But I know of some brave fellows who are awaiting these sixty thousand francs, you so disdainfully kick aside, with as much impatience49 and anxiety as a caravan50, lost in the desert, awaits the drop of water which is to save it from dying of thirst.”
“Our friends of the Vendée, I suppose?” replied Morgan. “Much good may it do them! Egotists, they are fighting. These gentlemen have chosen the roses and left us the thorns. Come! don’t they receive anything from England?”
“Oh, yes,” said one of the monks, gayly; “at Quiberon they got bullets and grapeshot.”
“I did not say from the English,” retorted Morgan; “I said from England.”
“Not a penny.”
“It seems to me, however,” said one of those present, who apparently51 possessed52 a more reflective head than his comrades, “it seems to me that our princes might send a little gold to those who are shedding their blood for the monarchy53. Are they not afraid the Vendée may weary some day or other of a devotion which up to this time has not, to my knowledge, won her a word of thanks.”
“The Vendée, dear friend,” replied Morgan, “is a generous land which will not weary, you may be sure. Besides, where is the merit of fidelity54 unless it has to deal with ingratitude55? From the instant devotion meets recognition, it is no longer devotion. It becomes an exchange which reaps its reward. Let us be always faithful, and always devoted56, gentlemen, praying Heaven that those whom we serve may remain ungrateful, and then, believe me, we shall bear the better part in the history of our civil wars.”
Morgan had scarcely formulated57 this chivalric58 axiom, expressive59 of a desire which had every chance of accomplishment60, than three Masonic blows resounded61 upon the door through which he had entered.
“Gentlemen,” said the monk who seemed to fill the rôle of president, “quick, your hoods and masks. We do not know who may be coming to us.”
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1
affiliated
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| adj. 附属的, 有关连的 | |
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2
monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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3
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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6
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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7
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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8
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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9
cistern
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| n.贮水池 | |
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10
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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11
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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12
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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13
vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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14
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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15
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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16
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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17
hoods
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| n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩 | |
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18
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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19
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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20
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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21
imprinted
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| v.盖印（imprint的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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22
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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23
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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24
amenity
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| n.pl.生活福利设施，文娱康乐场所；（不可数）愉快，适意 | |
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25
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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26
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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27
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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28
rummaging
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| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查 | |
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29
chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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30
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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31
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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32
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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33
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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34
antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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35
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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36
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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37
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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38
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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39
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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40
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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41
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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42
pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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43
carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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44
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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45
garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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47
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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48
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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49
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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50
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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51
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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52
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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53
monarchy
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| n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国 | |
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54
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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55
ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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56
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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57
formulated
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| v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示 | |
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58
chivalric
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| 有武士气概的，有武士风范的 | |
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59
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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60
accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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61
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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