The Chouans
THE CHOUANS I AN AMBUSCADE Early in the year VIII., at the beginning of Vendemiaire, or, to conform to our own calendar, towards the close of September, 1799, a hundred or so of peasants and a large number of citizens, who had left Fougeres in the morning on their way to Mayenne, were going up the little mountain of La Pelerine, half-way between Fougeres and Ernee, a small town where travellers along that road are in the habit of resting. This company, divided into groups that were more or less numerous, presented a collection of such fantastic costumes and a mixture of individuals belonging to so many and diverse localities and professions that it will be well to describe their characteristic differences, in order to give to this history the vivid local coloring to which so much value is attached in these days,--though some critics do assert that it injures the representation of sentiments.
dolphin left off guiding the vessel, and swam playfully around it,
while a brisk west wind filled the sail, and bore the voyagers safely
into port.
Then the dolphin changed into the form of a glowing star, which,
shooting high into the heavens, lit up the whole world with its glory;
and as the awe-stricken crew stood gazing at the wonder, it fell with
the quickness of light upon Mount Parnassus. Into his temple Apollo
hastened, and there he kindled an undying fire. Then, in the form of a
handsome youth, with golden hair falling in waves upon his shoulders,
he hastened to the beach to welcome the Cretan strangers.
"Hall, seamen!" he cried. "Who are you, and whence do you come? Shall
I greet you as friends and guests, or shall I know you as robbers
bringing death and distress to many a fair home?"
Then answered the Cretan captain, "Fair stranger, the gods have brought
us hither; for by no wish of our own have we come. We are Cretan
merchants, and we were on our way to Pylos with stores of merchandise,
to barter with the tradesmen of that city. But some unknown being,
whose might is greater than the might of men, has carried us far beyond
our wished-for port, even to this unknown shore. Tell us now, we pray
thee, what land is this? And who art thou who lookest so like a god?"
"Friends and guests, for such indeed you must be," answered the radiant
youth, "think never again of sailing upon the wine-faced sea, but draw
THE CHOUANS I AN AMBUSCADE Early in the year VIII., at the beginning of Vendemiaire, or, to conform to our own calendar, towards the close of September, 1799, a hundred or so of peasants and a large number of citizens, who had left Fougeres in the morning on their way to Mayenne, were going up the little mountain of La Pelerine, half-way between Fougeres and Ernee, a small town where travellers along that road are in the habit of resting. This company, divided into groups that were more or less numerous, presented a collection of such fantastic costumes and a mixture of individuals belonging to so many and diverse localities and professions that it will be well to describe their characteristic differences, in order to give to this history the vivid local coloring to which so much value is attached in these days,--though some critics do assert that it injures the representation of sentiments.