The attack,
prompted by desperation, interested her so keenly that she stood
motionless, watching the living pictures as they presented themselves
to her sight. Presently the struggle at the foot of the mountain had a
deeper interest for her. Seeing the Blues almost masters of the
Chouans, the marquis and his friends rushed into the valley of the
Nancon to support their men. The rocks were now covered with
straggling groups of furious combatants deciding the question of life
or death on a ground and with weapons that were more favorable to the
Goatskins. Slowly this moving arena widened. The Chouans, recovering
themselves, gained the rocks, thanks to the shrubs and bushes which
grew here and there among them. For a moment Mademoiselle de Verneuil
felt alarmed as she saw, rather late, her enemies swarming over the
summit and defending the dangerous paths by which alone she could
descend. Every issue on the mountain was occupied by one or other of
the two parties; afraid of encountering them she left the tree behind
which she had been sheltering, and began to run in the direction of
the farm which d'Orgemont had mentioned to her. After running some
time on the slope of Saint-Sulpice which overlooks the valley of
Couesnon she saw a cow-shed in the distance, and thought it must
belong to the house of Galope-Chopine, who had doubtless left his wife
at home and alone during the fight.
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