CHAPTER V.

by Alexandre Dumas

　　I MUST confess that as I descended to the supper-room I could not helpthinking of Lucien's last remark, "The other is my mother's carbine;"and this circumstance compelled me to regard Madame de Franchi moreclosely than I had hitherto done.When her son entered the _salle à manger,_ he respectfully kissed herhand, and she received this homage with queenly dignity."I am afraid that we have kept you waiting, mother," said Lucien; "Imust ask your pardon.""In any case, that would be my fault, madame," I said, bowing to her."Monsieur Lucien has been telling me and pointing out many curiousthings, and by my reiterated questions I have delayed him.""Rest assured," she said, "I have not been kept waiting; I have butthis moment come downstairs. But," she continued, addressing Lucien,"I was rather anxious to ask you what news there was of Louis.""Your son has been ill, madame?" I asked."Lucien is afraid so," she said."Have you received a letter from your brother?" I inquired."No," he replied, "and that is the very thing that makes me uneasy.""But, then, how can you possibly tell that he is out of sorts?""Because during the last few days I have been suffering myself.""I hope you will excuse my continual questions; but, really, youranswer does not make matters any clearer.""Well, you know that we are twins, don't you?""Yes, my guide told me as much.""Were you also informed that when we came into the world we werejoined together?""No; I was ignorant of that circumstance.""Well, then, it was a fact, and we were obliged to be cut asunder. Sothat, you see, however distant we may be, we have ever the same body,so that any impression, physical or moral, which one may receive isimmediately reflected in the other. During the last few days I felt_triste,_ morose, dull, and without any predisposing cause, so far asI am aware. I have experienced terrible pains in the region of theheart, and palpitations, so it is evident to me that my brother issuffering some great grief."I looked with astonishment at this young man, who affirmed such astrange thing without the slightest fear of contradiction, and hismother also appeared to entertain the same conviction as he did.Madame de Franchi smiled sadly, and said, "The absent are in the handsof God, the great point is that you are certain that he is alive.""Yes," replied Lucien, calmly, "for if he were dead I should have seenhim.""And you would have told me, would you not, my son?""Oh, of course, mother, at once.""I am satisfied. Excuse me, monsieur," she continued, turning to me,"I trust you will pardon my maternal anxiety. Not only are Louis andLucien my sons, but they are the last of their race. Will you pleasetake the chair at my right hand? Lucien, sit here."She indicated to the young man the vacant place at her left hand.We seated ourselves at the extremity of a long table, at the oppositeend of which were laid six other covers, destined for those who inCorsica are called the family; that is to say, the people who in largeestablishments occupy a position between the master and the servants.The table was abundantly supplied with good cheer. But I confess thatalthough at the moment blessed with a very good appetite, I contentedmyself with eating and drinking as it were mechanically, for my senseswere not in any way attracted by the pleasures of the table. For,indeed, it appeared to me that I had entered into a strange world whenI came into that house, and that I was now living in a dream.Who could this woman be who was accustomed to carry a carbine like asoldier?What sort of person could this brother be, who felt the same griefthat his brother experienced at a distance of three hundred leagues?What sort of mother could this be who made her son declare that if hesaw the spirit of his dead brother he would tell her at once?These were the questions that perplexed me, and it will be readilyunderstood they gave me ample food for thought.However, feeling that continual silence was not polite, I made aneffort to collect my ideas. I looked up.The mother and son at the same instant perceived that I wished toenter into conversation."So," said Lucien to me, as if he were continuing his remarks, "so youmade up your mind to come to Corsica?""Yes, as you see, I had for a long time had a desire to do so, and atlast I have accomplished it.""_Ma foi!_ you have done well not to delay your visit; for with thesuccessive encroachments of French tastes and manners those who cometo look for Corsica in a few years will not find it.""However," I replied, "if the ancient national spirit retires beforecivilization and takes refuge in any corner of the island, itcertainly will be in the province of Sartène, and in the valley of theTavaro.""Do you think so, really?" said the young man, smiling."Yes, and it appears to me that here at the present moment there is abeautiful and noble tablet of ancient Corsican manners.""Yes, and nevertheless, even here, between my mother and myself, inthe face of four hundred years of reminiscences of this old fortifiedmansion, the French spirit has come to seek out my brother--hascarried him away to Paris, when he will return to us a lawyer. He willlive in Ajaccio instead of dwelling in his ancestral home. He willplead--if he possess the talent--he may be nominated _procureur duroi_ perhaps; then he will pursue the poor devils who have 'taken askin,' as they say here. He will confound the assassin with theavenger--as you yourself have done already. He will demand, in thename of the law, the heads of those who had done what their fatherswould have considered themselves dishonoured _not_ to have done. Hewill substitute the judgment of men for the justice of God; and in theevening, when he shall have claimed a head for the scaffold, he willbelieve that he has performed his duty, and has brought his stone as atribute to the temple of Civilization, as our préfect says. Oh! monDieu! mon Dieu!"The young man raised his eyes to heaven, as Hannibal is reported tohave done after the battle of Zama."But," I replied, "you must confess that it is the will of God toequalize these things, since in making your brother a proselyte of thenew order He has kept you here as a representative of the old mannersand customs.""Yes; but what is there to prove that my brother will not follow theexample of his uncle instead of following mine? And even I myself maybe about to do something unworthy of a de Franchi.""You!" I exclaimed, with astonishment."Yes, I. Do you wish me to tell you why you have come into thisprovince of Sartène?""Yes, tell me.""You have come here to satisfy your curiosity as a man of the world,an artist, or a poet. I do not know what you are, nor do I ask; youcan tell us when you leave, if you wish; if not, you need not informus; you are perfectly free to do as you like. Well, you have come inthe hope of seeing some village Vendetta, of being introduced to someoriginal bandit, such as Mr. Merimée has described in 'Columba.'""Well, it appears to me that I have not made such a bad choice, for ifmy eyes do not deceive me, your house is the only one in the villagethat is not fortified.""That only proves I have degenerated, as I have said. My father, mygrandfather, and my ancestors for many generations have always takenone side or the other in the disputes which in the last ten years havedivided the village. And do you know what I have become in the midstof musket shots and stabs? Well, I am the arbitrator. You have comeinto the province of Sartène to see bandits; is not that the fact? Socome with me this evening and I will show you one.""What! will you really allow me to go with you this evening?""Certainly, if it will amuse you. It entirely depends upon yourself.""I accept, then, with much pleasure.""Our guest is fatigued," said Madame de Franchi, looking meaningly ather son, as if she felt ashamed Corsica had so far degenerated."No, mother, no, he had better come; and when in some Parisian _salon_people talk of the terrible Vendettas, of the implacable Corsicanbandits who strike terror into the hearts of children in Bastia andAjaccio, he will be able to tell them how things actually are.""But what is the great motive for this feud, which, as I understand,is now by your intercession to be for ever extinguished?""Oh," replied Lucien, "in a quarrel it is not the motive that matters,it is the result. If a fly causes a man's death the man is none theless dead because a fly caused it."I saw that he hesitated to tell me the cause of this terrible war,which for the last ten years had desolated the village of Sullacaro.But, as may be imagined, the more he attempted to conceal it the moreanxious I was to discover it."But," said I, "this quarrel must have a motive; is that motive asecret?""Good gracious, no! The mischief arose between the Orlandi and theColona.""On what occasion?""Well, a fowl escaped from the farm yard of the Orlandi and flew intothat of the Colona."The Orlandi attempted to get back the hen, the Colona declared itbelonged to them. The Orlandi then threatened to bring the Colonabefore the judge and make them declare on oath it was theirs. And thenthe old woman in whose house the hen had taken refuge wrung its neck,and threw the dead fowl into her neighbour's face, saying--"'Well, then, if it belongs to you, eat it.'"Then one of the Orlandi picked up the fowl by the feet, and attemptedto beat the person who had thrown it in his sister's face; but just ashe was about to do so, one of the Colona appeared, who, unfortunately,carried a loaded gun, and he immediately sent a bullet through theOrlandi's heart.""And how many lives have been sacrificed since?""Nine people have been killed altogether.""And all for a miserable hen not worth twelve sous?""Yes, but as I said just now, it is not the cause, but the effect thatwe have to look at.""Since there were nine people killed, then, there might easily be adozen.""Yes, very likely there would be if they had not appointed me asarbitrator.""At the intercession of one of the two families no doubt?""Oh! dear no, at my brother's request, who heard of the matter at theChancellor's house. I asked him what on earth they had to do in Pariswith the affairs of an out-of-the-way little village in Corsica; butit seems the préfect mentioned it when he wrote to Paris, and saidthat if I were to say a word the whole thing would finish like afarce, by a marriage and a public recitation; so my brother took thehint, and replied he would answer for me. What could I do?" added theyoung man, throwing back his head proudly; "it shall never be saidthat a de Franchi passed his word for his brother, and that hisbrother did not fulfil the engagement.""And so you have arranged everything?""I am afraid so.""And we shall see the chief of one of these two parties this evening,no doubt?""Just so; last night I saw the other.""Are we going to see an Orlandi or a Colona?""An Orlandi.""Is it far from here?""In the ruins of the Castle of Vicentello d'Istria.""Ah! yes--they told me those ruins were close by.""Yes, they are about a league from here.""So in three-quarters of an hour we shall be there?""Yes, in about that time.""Lucien," said Madame de Franchi, "remember you speak for yourself.For a mountaineer as you are it is scarcely three-quarters of an hourdistance, but recollect that our guest may not be able to proceed soquickly.""That is true; we had better allow ourselves an hour and a half atleast.""In that case you have no time to lose," said Madame de Franchi, asshe glanced at the clock."Mother," said Lucien as he rose, "you will excuse our leaving you,will you not?"She extended her hand to him, and the young man kissed it with thesame respect as he had previously done.Then turning to me, Lucien said--"If you prefer to finish your supper quietly, and to smoke your cigarafterwards----""No, no!" I cried; "hang it, you have promised me a bandit, and I musthave one.""Well, then, let us take our guns and be off."I bowed respectfully to Madame de Franchi, and we left the room,preceded by Griffo, who carried a light.Our preparations did not occupy us very long.I clasped a travelling belt round my waist, from which was suspended asort of hunting-knife, and in the folds of which I carried powder andball.Lucien soon re-appeared with his cartridge case, and carrying adouble-barrelled Manton, and a sort of peaked cap, woven for him bysome Penelope of Sullacaro."Shall I go with your Excellency?" asked Griffo."No, it will be useless," replied Lucien; "but you may as well looseDiamond, as we might put up a pheasant, and the moon is so clear weshould be able to shoot as well as in daylight."An instant afterwards a great spaniel bounded out, and jumped joyouslyaround its master.We had not gone many paces from the house when Lucien turned round andsaid--"By-the-by, Griffo, tell them if they hear any shots on the mountainthat it is we who have fired them.""Very well, your Excellency.""If we did not take some such precautions," said Lucien, "they wouldthink that hostilities had recommenced, and we should soon hear ourshots echoing in the streets of Sullacaro. A little farther on youwill see a footpath to the right that will lead us directly up themountain."