"Have you got eyes? Look at the rocks of Saint-Sulpice, there, my good
man, to the right of Saint-Leonard."
Corentin, who was with Hulot, looked towards the summit in the
direction pointed out by Barbette, and, as the fog was beginning to
lift, he could see with some distinctness the column of white smoke
the woman told of.
"But when is he coming, old woman?--to-night, or this evening?"
"My good man," said Barbette, "I don't know."
"Why do you betray your own side?" said Hulot, quickly, having drawn
her out of hearing of Corentin.
"Ah! general, see my boy's foot--that's washed in the blood of my man,
whom the Chouans have killed like a calf, to punish him for the few
words you got out of me the other day when I was working in the
fields. Take my boy, for you've deprived him of his father and his
mother; make a Blue of him, my good man, teach him to kill Chouans.
Here, there's two hundred crowns,--keep them for him; if he is
careful, they'll last him long, for it took his father twelve years to
lay them by."
Hulot looked with amazement at the pale and withered woman, whose eyes
were dry.
"But you, mother," he said, "what will become of you? you had better
keep the money."
"I?" she replied, shaking her head sadly. "I don't need anything in
this world. You might bolt me into that highest tower over there"
(pointing to the battlements of the castle) "and the Chouans would
contrive to come and kill me.
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