CHAPTER XXXII. WHITE AND BLUE
Roland entered, as we have said, behind Georges, and as he entered casta glance of careless curiosity around him. That glance sufficed to showhim that they were alone.
"Are these your quarters, general?" asked Roland with a smile, turningthe soles of his boots to the blaze.
"Yes, colonel."
"They are singularly guarded."
Georges smiled in turn.
"Do you say that because you found the road open from La Roche-Bernardhere?" he asked.
"I did not meet a soul."
"That does not prove that the road was not guarded."
"Unless by the owls, who seemed to fly from tree to tree, andaccompanied me all the way, general. In that case, I withdraw myassertion."
"Exactly," replied Cadoudal. "Those owls were my sentinels, sentinelswith good eyes, inasmuch as they have this advantage over the eyes ofmen, they can see in the dark."
"It is not the less true that I was fortunate in having inquired my wayat La Roche-Bernard; for I didn't meet even a cat who could have told mewhere to find you."
"But if you had raised your voice at any spot on the road and asked:'Where shall I find Georges Cadoudal?' a voice would have answered: 'Atthe village of Muzillac, fourth house to the right.' You saw no one,colonel; but at that very moment fifteen hundred men, or thereabout,knew that Colonel Roland, the First Consul's aide-de-camp, was on hisway to a conference with the son of the miller of Leguerno."
"But if they knew that I was a colonel in the Republican service andaide-de-camp to the First Consul, how came they to let me pass?"
"Because they were ordered to do so."
"Then you knew that I was coming?"
"I not only knew that you were coming, but also why you have come."
Roland looked at him fixedly.
"Then it is useless for me to tell you; and you will answer me eventhough I say nothing?"
"You are about right."
"The deuce! I should like to have a proof of this superiority of yourpolice over ours."
"I will supply it, colonel."
"I shall receive it with much satisfaction, especially before thisexcellent fire, which also seems to have been expecting me."
"You say truer than you know, colonel; and it is not the fire only thatis striving to welcome you warmly."
"Yes, but it does not tell me, any more than you have done, the objectof my mission."
"Your mission, which you do me the honor to extend to me, was primarilyintended for the Abbe Bernier alone. Unhappily the Abbe Bernier, inthe letter he sent his friend Martin Duboys, presumed a little on hisstrength. He offered his mediation to the First Consul."
"Pardon me," interrupted Roland, "you tell me something I did not know;namely that the Abbe Bernier had written to General Bonaparte."
"I said he wrote to his friend Martin Duboys, which is very different.My men intercepted the letter and brought it to me. I had it copied, andforwarded the original, which I am certain reached the right hands. Yourvisit to General Hedouville proves it."
"You know that General Hedouville is no longer in command at Nantes.General Brune has taken his place."
"You may even say that General Brune commands at La Roche-Bernard, fora thousand Republican soldiers entered that town to-night aboutsix o'clock, bringing with them a guillotine and the citizencommissioner-general Thomas Milliere. Having the instrument, it wasnecessary to have the executioner."
"Then you say, general, that I came to see the Abbe Bernier?"
"Yes; the Abbe Bernier had offered his mediation. But he forgot that atthe present there are two Vendees--the Vendee of the left bank, and theVendee of the right bank--and that, after treating with d'Autichamp,Chatillon, and Suzannet at Pouance, it would still be necessary tonegotiate with Frotte, Bourmont and Cadoudal--and where? That no onecould tell--"
"Except you, general."
"So, with the chivalry that is the basis of your nature, youundertook to bring me the treaty signed on the 25th. The Abbe Bernier,d'Autichamp, Chatillon, and Suzannet signed your pass, and here youare."
"On my word, general, I must admit that you are perfectly well-informed.The First Consul desires peace with all his heart. He knows that in youhe has a brave and honorable adversary, and being unable to meet youhimself, since you were not likely to come to Paris, he expedited me toyou in his behalf."
"That is to say, to the Abbe Bernier."
"That can hardly matter to you, general, if I bind myself to make theFirst Consul ratify what may be agreed upon between you and me. What areyour conditions of peace?"
"They are very simple, colonel: that the First Consul shall restorehis Majesty Louis XVIII. to the throne; that he himself be constable,lieutenant-general, general-in-chief by land and sea, and I his firstsubordinate."
"The First Consul has already replied to that demand."
"And that is why I have decided to reply myself to his response."
"When?"
"This very night, if occasion offers."
"In what way?"
"By resuming hostilities."
"But are you aware that Chatillon, d'Autichamp and Suzannet have laiddown their arms?"
"They are the leaders of the Vendeans, and in the name of the Vendeansthey can do as they see fit. I am the leader of the Chouans, and in thename of the Chouans I shall do what suits me."
"Then you condemn this unhappy land to a war of extermination, general!"
"It is a martyrdom to which I summon all Christians and royalists."
"General Brune is at Nantes with the eight thousand prisoners justreturned to us by the English after their defeats at Alkmaar andCastricum."
"That is the last time they will have the chance. The Blues have taughtus the bad habit of not making prisoners. As for the number of ourenemies, we don't care for that; it is a mere detail."
"If General Brune with his eight thousand men, joined to the twentythousand he has received from General Hedouville, is not sufficient, theFirst Consul has decided to march against you in person with one hundredthousand men."
Cadoudal smiled.
"We will try to prove to him," he said, "that we are worthy to fightagainst him."
"He will burn your towns."
"We shall retire to our huts."
"He will burn your huts."
"We will live in the woods."
"Reflect, general."
"Do me the honor to remain here forty-eight hours, colonel, and you willsee that my reflections are already made."
"I am tempted to accept."
"Only, colonel, don't ask for more than I can give; a night's sleepbeneath a thatched roof or wrapped in a cloak under an oak tree, a horseto follow me, and a safe-guard when you leave me."
"I accept."
"Have I your word, colonel, that you will not interfere with any ordersI give, and will do nothing to defeat the surprises I may attempt?"
"I am too curious to see for that. You have my word, general."
"Whatever takes place before your eyes?"
"Whatever takes place before my eyes, I renounce the role of actor andconfine myself wholly to that of spectator. I wish to say to the FirstConsul: 'I have seen.'"
Cadoudal smiled.
"Well, you shall see," said he.
At that moment the door opened, and two peasants brought in a table alllaid, on which stood a smoking bowl of cabbage-soup and a piece of lard;an enormous pot of cider, just drawn from the cask, was foaming over theedges of the jug between two glasses. A few buckwheat cakes served as adesert to this modest repast. The table was laid for two.
"You see, Monsieur de Montrevel, that my lads hoped you would do me thehonor to sup with me."
"Faith! they were not far wrong. I should have asked for supper, had younot invited me; and I might have been forced to seize some had you notinvited me."
"Then fall to!"
The young colonel sat down gayly.
"Excuse the repast I offer you," sai
d Cadoudal; "unlike your generals, Idon't make prize money; my soldiers feed me. Have you anything else forus, Brise-Bleu?"
"A chicken fricassee, general."
"That's your dinner, Monsieur de Montrevel."
"A feast! Now, I have but one fear, general."
"What is it?"
"All will go well for the eating, but when it comes to drinking--"
"Don't you like cider? The devil! I'm sorry; cider or water, that's mycellar."
"Oh! that's not it; but whose health are we going to drink?"
"Is that all, sir?" said Cadoudal, with great dignity. "We will drinkto the health of our common mother, France. We are serving her withdifferent minds, but, I hope, the same hearts. To _France_, Monsieur,"said Cadoudal, filling the two glasses.
"To _France_, general!" replied Roland, clinking his glass against thatof Georges.
And both gayly reseated themselves, their consciences at rest, andattacked the soup with appetites that were not yet thirty years old.