The Blacksmith's Hammer; or, The Peasant Code: A Tale of the Grand Monarch

by Eugène Sue

  CHAPTER IX.

  THE PEASANTS' DEFEAT.

  Mademoiselle Plouernel entered the apartment walking slowly. She lookedfresher, more beautiful than ever. She was dressed in white. The oldequerry bowed respectfully and said to her, who upon seeing him, uttereda cry of surprise:

  "I did not hurry to present myself before mademoiselle because thetidings that I bring are of the saddest."

  "Leave us alone, Marion," said Mademoiselle Plouernel to her nurse. "Imust see Du Buisson privately for a moment."

  Marion left the room, and Bertha kindly addressed the equerry:

  "I am all the sorrier for the trouble I have put you to, Du Buisson,seeing that it was to prove fruitless;" and seating herself, the younggirl added: "Do not remain standing; you must feel tired after your longjourney."

  Out of deference for his mistress the old man hesitated to obey. Bertharepeated:

  "Take a seat; I want it."

  Du Buisson sat down. Bertha proceeded:

  "Then you bring me back my letter?"

  "Here it is, mademoiselle," answered the old man. "I could not find theaddressee," and taking a letter out of his wallet, he passed it over toBertha, who laid the folded and sealed paper on a table beside her,saying:

  "So then you found it impossible to ascertain the whereabouts ofMonsieur Nominoe Lebrenn? Could you gather no information concerninghim?"

  "None, mademoiselle! When I left Mezlean I learned that the troop ofinsurgent peasants took the road to Rennes, was greatly augmented bycontingents from the parishes which it traversed, and must have numberedabout twenty thousand men, more or less well armed. It was a veritablearmy. Monsieur Nominoe Lebrenn, his father and Monsieur Serdan hadbrought the body under considerable disciplinary order. Nevertheless,all their efforts to the contrary, not a few disorderly acts wereindulged in at the castles and rectories. The peasant army moved all thewhile towards Rennes. I hoped to encounter it at Guemenee. But there Ilearned that envoys of Monsieur the Duke of Chaulnes, Governor ofBrittany, had arrived at that town ahead of the insurgents and announcedto the inhabitants that the new royal taxes were repealed, that theparliament of Brittany was to assemble at Vannes, that it would registerthe Peasant Code, that the vassals also were to be exonerated frompaying the royal taxes, and that thenceforth they were all to beprotected against any further extortions and maltreatment by theseigneurs and the curates. The promises made by the emissaries ofMonsieur the Duke of Chaulnes caused great jubilation among thepeasants. They declared that, having obtained what they wanted, the warwas ended, and they would return home to their respective parishes. Sofar from sharing the confidence into which the peasants were lulled,Lebrenn and Serdan urged upon them the necessity of not disbanding andnot laying down their arms; they assured the peasants that they werebeing deceived, and that the plan was to dissolve their army by means ofmendacious promises, and then to fall upon and crush them. Indeed, thepromises were but a snare and a lure. But the lure seduced the peasants,who were homesick for their huts, their wives and their children. Invain did their chiefs urge them to march upon Rennes, the usual placefor the parliament to hold its sessions, and support the assembly in itsdefiance of the King."

  "And the advice was not heeded?"

  "No, mademoiselle. The vassals, delighted at the realization of theiraspirations, answered that it was impossible to suppose Monseigneur theGovernor would vilely lie to them. They broke ranks and struck the roadshome in separate bands, proclaiming everywhere along their passage thatthe Peasant Code was accepted by the seigneurs and the curates. Greatrejoicing reigned in all the parishes of Brittany. Everywhere bonfireswere lighted. Upon learning at Guemenee of the dispersion of theinsurgents, I inquired after their chiefs. I learned that MonsieurSalaun Lebrenn, his son and Monsieur Serdan had proceeded to Rennes. Iwent thither. The masses of the people, especially the bourgeoisie,being less credulous than the peasants, remained in arms, the same asat Nantes, awaiting the opening of the parliament promised by Monsieurthe Duke of Chaulnes. While at Rennes I looked for the Lebrenns andMonsieur Serdan. Later I learned they had departed for Nantes. Thither Iwended my way. Upon arriving at Nantes I learned that a body of tenthousand troops, commanded by Monsieur De Forbin, had just enteredBrittany in order to crush the rebellious parliamentarians--were theybourgeois or peasants. On the following day the town of Nantes wasoccupied by two regiments of infantry, supported by artillery andcavalry. The executions commenced. On the first day forty-seven leadingbourgeois were hanged, and eleven men of the common people, who weremarked as seditious, broken alive on the wheel."

  "My God!" cried Mademoiselle Plouernel horrified. "How much blood! Howmuch blood!"

  "The city was mulcted of one hundred thousand ecus, the sum to bedelivered to the troops within forty-eight hours. Thereupon a decree ofthe Governor of Brittany was posted pronouncing sentence of death uponall those who would afford refuge to the chiefs of the insurrection. Atthe head of the list of the chiefs, whose heads were pronounced forfeit,were the names of Salaun and Nominoe Lebrenn."

  "I am not surprised," put in Bertha calmly. "And at Nantes neither wereyou able to find any traces of Monsieur Lebrenn and his son?"

  "No, mademoiselle. From that moment it seemed to me there was nothingleft for me to do but to return and inform you of the miscarriage of myerrand. But, alas! as I crossed Brittany, what a lamentable spectacle!Pillage, desolation, gallows--everywhere! The soldiers treat Brittanylike a conquered country, and demean themselves in the identical mannerthat they did in Flanders. Their acts of rapine and cruelty transcenddescription. I saw along the roads almost as many gibbets as trees! Thepeasants are tortured and then butchered. Those who flee to the woodsare tracked, hunted and killed like wild beasts by the soldiers! Theyspare neither old men nor children--the women are outraged. In short,such is the terror that reigns in the country that yesterday, as Icrossed Lesneven, which was just occupied by a company of soldiers, Isaw a score of peasants throw themselves upon their knees, clasp theirhands, and offering their throats, cry out pitifully to the soldiers:'Cut our throats, if you wish, but do not make us languish in torture!'Finally this morning, at Karer, a lot of drunken soldiers roasted achild alive!"

  "Enough! That's horrible!" cried Mademoiselle Plouernel, shivering. "Oh,great century! Oh, Grand Monarch! Blessed be the hour when I shalldepart from this land, the scene of so many horrors and so manyinfamies!"

  "Is mademoiselle going on a voyage?"

  "Yes," answered Bertha with an indefinable smile; "yes, I contemplateundertaking a long voyage."

  "May I hope that mademoiselle will keep me near her? I am old, butdevoted."

  "I know your devotion, good and faithful servitor. It matches Marion,my nurse's. Nevertheless, I could hardly think of taking you with me,either you, or her."

  "Is it possible!" exclaimed the old man, tears coming to his eyes."What! Are we not to accompany mademoiselle? But, good God! I may askwithout presuming too much, where will mademoiselle find more faithfulservants, or more devoted to her? We must implore mademoiselle to keepus near her, in her service."

  "Can you imagine that, if I were to keep any servants, I would look forothers than yourselves?"

  "But, mademoiselle," persisted Du Buisson, stupefied, "mademoiselle cannot think of traveling alone!"

  "Exactly! That surprises you? I can well understand that it does. Andyet, it is so. I need not add that I shall provide for your old age, mygood Du Buisson."

  "Oh, I hope mademoiselle does not think that my private interest--iswhat concerns me--"

  "Your disinterestedness, Du Buisson, is equal to your probity andzeal--I know it. For that very reason it will be an agreeable duty on mypart to recompense your long services. That is not yet all. I shallleave you--you and Marion--charged with a mission that, I am sure, youwill be thankful to me for entrusting you with. I can entrust it to noworthier hands. The large number of executions, which, by order of LouisXIV will turn Brittany into a vast cemetery, will make many widows, manyorphans. Before my
departure I shall leave with you a considerable sumin gold and valuables. You and Marion shall use the same towardsalleviating the distress of the poor families whose breadwinners willhave perished and--"

  Marion burst into the room. She was pale and trembling. In a brokenvoice she said:

  "Oh, mademoiselle! What a singular occurrence!"

  "What is the matter, nurse?"

  "I hardly dare tell you! My God, you will be so much surprised! It willbe so strange to you--I am all upset!"

  "What is the matter?"

  "Margarid, the porter's wife, came up to the house to announce to methat someone knocked at the gate, that she opened, a person appeared andasked to speak--"

  "Well?"

  "I told Margarid to let the person come in; he did--I saw him. Itis--Nominoe Lebrenn."

  "Heaven be praised! Thanks, Oh Lord, thanks!" cried MademoisellePlouernel, clasping her hands tightly and raising her eyes moistenedwith joyful tears. Immediately after her first transport of gladness,Bertha said to Marion in a voice that trembled:

  "Bring him to me. Let him come."

  Marion left, and Bertha returned to her old equerry:

  "You will not forget my recommendations regarding the sum that I destinefor the widows and orphans--whom the savage soldiers of the GrandMonarch will have made."

  "Mademoiselle's wishes shall be carried out," answered the old man,bowing.

  He left the room; almost immediately after Nominoe entered the hall. Hisclothes were dusty; he threw his wallet and traveling stick upon an armchair. He stood alone before Bertha.