Part 50 (2/2)
”What, to mow down the enemies of the Republic, you call that a sad chance? You, my old fellow?”
”Civil war is always a sad thing, my friend. And it is death to the soul when it must resign itself to take up arms against our brothers, against the sons of our common mother, the nation.”
”Ah, but tell me, friend John, did not these brigands pull sweet faces and send the blue-bonnets to ambush and cannonade the patriots on the 14th of July, on the 5th and 6th of October, on the day of the Field of Mars, on the 10th of August, and everywhere, and all the time? The aristocrats are our enemies.”
”If our adversaries are strangers to the sentiment of brotherhood, must we then imitate them, my friend? In civil war either chance is cause for mourning--victory or defeat.”
”Come, John, we shall never agree on that. As to me, I know but one motto--'To a good cat, a good rat,' or if you like it better, 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,' as they said of old. That's why, in September, we did jolly well to purge the prisons, I'm thinking.”
”If you are set on recalling dates, my good comrade, speak of the great days of July 14 and August 10. Let us combat abuse, and be indulgent toward individuals. We are on the eve of a very grave crisis. To-morrow the whole people will be in the public place in arms, not to fight--G.o.d be thanked!--but to demonstrate in the name of its rights, in its fullness and power and sovereign might. All must bow before the people.”
”Good! I know it, old friend. A manifestation is afoot like that of the 20th of June of last year, when we went to say to Capet, full in his face, 'Here, my man, you are the hereditary guardian of the nation! It has given you for your pains forty million pledges. Excuse yourself! you betray the nation, in place of serving it. Attention to the command, my man. If you do not walk straight, we shall sack you, if we don't do worse!' Capet didn't walk straight; on the contrary; accordingly, we both sacked him and did worse besides, as was just; we shaved him.”
”To-morrow's manifestation should be as peaceable as that of the 20th of June.”
”And for what purpose is the demonstration? It is good to know the reasons for it.”
”I shall tell you, along with your comrades. Let us go down to the shop.
It is nine o'clock, and while we work we shall talk. I shall bring with me certain papers which will be necessary to give you the full lay of the land,” added John, taking several written sheets in a portfolio from the bureau. ”Return to our comrades, I shall soon join you.”
”So be it, my old friend, we await you, big and little, journeymen and apprentices. Speaking of apprentices, how is Oliver? We have not seen him to-day. Poor boy, do you know he seems to be in a bad way? He is so weak he can hardly drag himself along. And yet he does not lack courage!
He haunts the workshop like a lost soul, so great is his chagrin at seeing us at work while he remains idle against his will. Day before yesterday he tried to fit in a gunlock, a girl's work, but, bah! almost at once his weakness seized him, and we had barely time to open our arms to catch him and carry him out to the garden. He had fainted outright.”
”We shall talk again of the good boy. Perhaps I shall have to beg you to do him a service.”
”You have but to speak. We all love Oliver in the shop, and I am like the rest.”
”Thanks, Castillon. I knew I could count on you.” And ringing the bell, John added: ”I have two words to say to Gertrude before joining our friends in the smithy; you shall not have long to await me.”
Castillon left, and Gertrude having come in in response to the bell, John said to her:
”Is my sister in her room?”
”No, monsieur, she went out two hours ago, saying that perhaps she might not be back for supper. Poor mademoiselle! You really ought, Monsieur John, to consult Oliver's physician about her.”
”Do you know where the boy is?”
”He went up to his room at sundown; he was very tired, he said, complained of a fever, and s.h.i.+vered with the cold. He asked me to give him some coals in a chafing dish to keep his medicine warm, which I did immediately.”
”Go, Gertrude, please, and see how he is, and whether he wants for anything,” replied Lebrenn; and to himself he continued, ”Ah, what sorrows I foresee if, as Charlotte supposes and as I have every reason to fear, Victoria loves Oliver, and he feels for her a mad pa.s.sion, a fatal love barren of hope. My sister's past, her betrothal to the poor boy's brother, condemn her never to marry him. The difference of age would not in itself const.i.tute any obstacle, but my sister is of too dignified and firm a mold not to resign herself to the cruel position in which the memory of Maurice has placed her, even should the resignation carry her to the grave.” And thoughtfully John mused on: ”The departure of Oliver can alone prevent these woes; the matter must be hastened through.”
At that moment Gertrude broke in, saying to John in a mysterious, almost frightened air:
”Ah! monsieur, something strange--”
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