CHAPTER IX.

by Alexandre Dumas

　　WE left the ruins on the side opposite to that on which we hadentered, Lucien going first.As soon as we had got into the brushwood a pheasant once more loudlyannounced his presence.He was about eighty paces from us, roosting in the branches of thechestnut tree, the approach to which was prevented on all sides by theundergrowth."I do not quite see how you are going to get him," I said to Lucien;"it does not appear a very easy shot.""No," he replied; "but if I could just see him, I would fire fromhere.""You do not mean to say that your gun will kill a pheasant at eightyyards?""Not with shot," he replied; "it will with a bullet.""Ah! that is a different thing altogether. I did not know you wereloaded with ball. You were right to undertake the shot.""Would you like to see the pheasant?" asked Orlandi."Yes," said Lucien, "I confess that I should.""Wait a moment, then;" and Orlandi began to imitate the clucking ofthe hen pheasant.Then, without our being able to see the bird, we perceived a movementin the leaves of the chestnut-tree. The pheasant was evidentlymounting branch by branch as he replied to the call of the henimitated by Orlandi.At length he arrived at the end of a branch, and was quite visible inthe moonlight.Orlandi ceased, and the pheasant remained motionless.At the same moment Lucien levelled his gun, and, with a quick aim,fired.The pheasant fell like a stone."Fetch it!" said Lucien to Diamond.The dog rushed into the brushwood, and soon returned with the bird,pierced by the bullet, in his mouth."That is a good shot," I said. "I congratulate you upon it,particularly with a fowling-piece.""Oh," said Lucien, "I do not deserve your praise, for one barrel isrifled, and carries a ball like a carbine.""Never mind, such a shot with a carbine deserves honourable mention.""Bah!" said Orlandi; "why, with a carbine, Monsieur Lucien could hit afive-franc piece at three hundred paces.""And can you shoot with a pistol as well as with a gun?""Yes," said Lucien, "very nearly. At twenty-five paces I can alwaysdivide six balls out of twelve on the blade of a knife."I took off my hat and saluted the speaker, saying,"Is your brother an equally good shot?""My brother?" he replied. "Poor Louis! he has never handled gun norpistol in his life. My great fear is that he will get mixed up in someaffair in Paris, and, brave as he undoubtedly is, he will be killed tosustain the honour of the country."Lucien, as he spoke, thrust the pheasant into the great pocket of hisvelveteen coat."Now," he said, "my dear Orlandi, till to-morrow farewell.""Till to-morrow, Monsieur Lucien?""I count upon your punctuality. At ten o'clock your friends andrelatives will be at the end of the street. On the opposite sideColona, with his friends, will be likewise present, and we shall be onthe steps of the church.""That is agreed, Monsieur Lucien. Many thanks for your trouble; and toyou, monsieur," he added, turning to me, "I am obliged for the honouryou have done me."After this exchange of compliments we separated, Orlandi disappearingin the brushwood, while we took our way back to the village.As for Diamond, he was puzzled which to follow, and he stood lookingright and left at the Orlandi and ourselves alternately. Afterhesitating for about five minutes, he did us the honour to accompanyLucien and me.I must confess that while I had been scaling the ruined walls I hadhad my misgivings as to how I should descend, for the descent isusually more difficult, under such circumstances, than the ascent.But I was glad to see that Lucien, apparently divining my thoughts,took another route home. This road, also, was advantageous in anotherrespect, for it was not so rough, and conversation was easier.At length, finding the path quite smooth, I continued my questions tomy companion, in accordance with my usual custom, and said--"Now peace is made, I suppose?""Yes, and as you see, it has not been concluded without some trouble.I have been obliged to represent all the advances as having been madeby the Colona; for, you see, they have had five men killed, while theOrlandi have lost but four. The former consented to the arrangementyesterday, and the latter to-day. The upshot of it all is that theColona have agreed to hand over a live hen to the Orlandi, aconcession which will prove them in the wrong. This last considerationhas settled the matter.""And to-morrow this touching reconciliation will be effected?""Yes, to-morrow, at ten o'clock. You are still unfortunate; you hopedto see a Vendetta?"The young man smiled bitterly as he continued--"But this is a finerthing than a Vendetta! isn't it? For four hundred years, in Corsica,they have been talking of nothing else. Now you will see areconciliation. I assure you it is a much rarer sight than aVendetta!"I could not help laughing."There, you see, you are laughing at us," he said. "And you are right,after all. We are really a very droll people.""No," I replied, "I was laughing at another strange thing, and thatis, to see that you are annoyed with yourself because you havesucceeded so well in bringing about a reconciliation.""Ah!" he replied. "If you had understood what we said you would haveadmired my eloquence. But come back in ten years' time, and you willfind us all speaking French.""You would make a first-rate pleader.""No, no--I am a referee--an arbitrator. What the deuce do you expect?Must not an arbitrator reconcile opposing factions? They mightnominate me the arbiter between Heaven and Hell, that I might teachthem to be reconciled, although, in my own heart, I should feel that Iwas a fool for my pains."I perceived that this conversation was only irritating to my newacquaintance, so I let it drop, and as he did not attempt to resumeit, we proceeded in silence, and did not speak again until we hadreached his house.