Ch. 2 - One of Fouche's Ideas - Page 2

to vent rambling
words between his teeth. Several times these vague phrases sounded
like oaths in the ears of his soldiers, but not one of them dared to
utter a word; for they all, when occasion demanded, maintained the
stern discipline to which the veterans who had served under Bonaparte
in Italy were accustomed. The greater part of them had belonged, like
Hulot, to the famous battalions which capitulated at Mayenne under a
promise not to serve again on the frontier, and the army called them
"Les Mayencais." It would be difficult to find leaders and men who
more thoroughly understood each other.

At dawn of the day after their departure Hulot and his troop were on
the high-road to Alencon, about three miles from that town towards
Mortagne, at a part of the road which leads through pastures watered
by the Sarthe. A picturesque vista of these meadows lay to the left,
while the woodlands on the right which flank the road and join the
great forest of Menil-Broust, serve as a foil to the delightful aspect
of the river-scenery. The narrow causeway is bordered on each side by
ditches the soil of which, being constantly thrown out upon the
fields, has formed high banks covered with furze,--the name given
throughout the West to this prickly gorse. This shrub, which spreads
itself in thorny masses, makes excellent fodder in winter for horses
and cattle; but as long as it was not cut the Chouans hid themselves
behind its breastwork of dull green. These banks bristling with gorse,
signifying to travellers their approach to Brittany, made this part of
the road at the period of which we write as dangerous as it was
beautiful; it was these dangers which compelled the hasty departure of
Hulot and his soldiers, and it was here that he at last let out the
secret of his wrath.

He was now on his return, escorting an old mail-coach drawn by
post-horses, which the weariness of his soldiers, after their forced
march, was compelling to advance at a snail's pace. The company of
Blues from the garrison at Mortagne, who had escorted the rickety
vehicle to the limits of their district, where Hulot and his men had
met them, could be seen in the distance, on their way back to their
quarters, like so many black specks. One of Hulot's companies was in
the rear, the other in advance of the carriage. The commandant, who
was marching with Merle and Gerard between the advance guard and the
carriage, suddenly growled out: "Ten thousand thunders! would you
believe that the general detached us from Mayenne to escort two
petticoats?"

"But, commandant," remarked Gerard, "when we came up just now and took
charge I observed that you bowed to them not ungraciously."

"Ha! that's