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and that was the reason why he was killed soon after Captain
Farrabesche。 The younger brotherthat's this onewas only six years
old when he heard of his brother's death。 The second brother served
too； but only as a private soldier； he died a sergeant in the first
regiment of the Guard； at the battle of Austerlitz； where； d'ye see；
madame； they manoeuvred just as quietly as they might in the Carrousel。
I was there！ oh！ I had the luck of it！ went through it all without a
scratch！ Now this Farrabesche of ours； though he's a brave fellow；
took it into his head he wouldn't go to the wars； in fact； the army
wasn't a healthy place for one of his family。 So when the conscription
caught him in 1811 he ran away；a refractory； that's what they called
them。 And then it was he went and joined a party of /chauffeurs/； or
maybe he was forced to； at any rate he /chauffed/！ Nobody but the
rector knows what he really did with those brigandsall due respect
to them！ Many a fight he had with the gendarmes and the soldiers too；
I'm told he was in seven regular battles〃
〃They say he killed two soldiers and three gendarmes；〃 put in
Champion。
〃Who knows how many？he never told；〃 went on Colorat。 〃At last；
madame； they caught nearly all his comrades； but they never could
catch him； hang him！ he was so young and active； and knew the country
so well； he always escaped。 The /chauffeurs/ he consorted with kept
themselves mostly in the neighborhood of Brives and Tulle； sometimes
they came down this way； because Farrabesche knew such good hiding…
places about here。 In 1814 the conscription took no further notice of
him； because it was abolished； but for all that； he was obliged to
live in the woods in 1815； because； don't you see？ as he hadn't enough
to live on； he helped to stop a mail…coach over there； down that
gorge； and then it was they condemned him。 But； as I told you just
now； the rector persuaded him to give himself up。 It wasn't easy to
convict him； for nobody dared testify against him； and his lawyer and
Monsieur Bonnet worked so hard they got him sentenced for ten years
only； which was pretty good luck after being a /chauffeur/for he did
/chauffe/。〃
〃Will you tell me what /chauffeur/ means？〃
〃If you wish it； madame； I will tell you what they did； as far as I
know about it from others； for I never was /chauffed/ myself。 It
wasn't a good thing to do； but necessity knows no law。 Well； this is
how it was： seven or eight would go to some farmer or land…owner who
was thought to have money； the farmer would build a good fire and give
them a supper； lasting half through the night； and then； when the
feast was over； if the master of the house wouldn't give them the sum
demanded； they just fastened his feet to the spit； and didn't unfasten
them till they got it。 That's how it was。 They always went masked。
Among all their expeditions they sometimes made unlucky ones。 Hang it；
there'll always be obstinate； miserly old fellows in the world！ One of
them； a farmer； old Cochegrue； so mean he'd shave an egg； held out； he
let them roast his feet。 Well； he died of it。 The wife of Monsieur
David； near Brives； died of terror at merely seeing those fellows tie
her husband's feet。 She died saying to David： 'Give them all you
have。' He wouldn't； and so she just pointed out the hiding…place。 The
/chauffeurs/ （that's why they call them /chauffeurs/；warmers） were
the terror of the whole country for over five years。 But you must get
it well into your head；oh； excuse me； madame； but you must know that
more than one young man of good family belonged to them； though
somehow they were never the ones to be caught。〃
Madame Graslin listened without interrupting or replying。 There was
silence for a few moments； and then little Champion； jealous of the
right to amuse his mistress； wanted to tell her what he knew of the
late galley…slave。
〃Madame ought to know more about Farrabesche； he hasn't his equal at
running； or at riding a horse。 He can kill an ox with a blow of his
fist； nobody can shoot like him； he can carry seven hundred feet as
straight as a die；there！ One day they surprised him with three of
his comrades； two were wounded； one was killed；good！ Farrabesche was
all but taken。 Bah！ he just sprang on the horse of one of the
gendarmes behind the man； pricked the horse with his knife； made it
run with all its might； and so disappeared； holding the gendarme tight
round the body。 But he held him so tight that after a time he threw
the body on the ground and rode away alone on the horse and master of
the horse； and he had the cheek to go and sell it not thirty miles
from Limoges！ After that affair he hid himself for three months and
was never seen。 The authorities offered a hundred golden louis to
whoever would deliver him up。〃
〃Another time；〃 added Colorat； 〃when the prefect of Tulle offered a
hundred louis for him； he made one of his own cousins； Giriex of
Vizay； earn them。 His cousin denounced him； and appeared to deliver
him up。 Oh； yes； he delivered him sure enough！ The gendarmes were
delighted； and took him to Tulle； there they put him in the prison of
Lubersac； from which he escaped that very night； profiting by a hole
already begun by one of his accomplices who had been executed。 All
these adventures gave Farrabesche a fine reputation。 The /chauffeurs/
had lots of outside friends； people really loved them。 They were not
skinflints like those of to…day； they spent their money royally； those
fellows！ Just fancy； madame； one evening Farrabesche was chased by
gendarmes； well； he escaped them by staying twenty minutes under water
in the pond of a farm…yard。 He breathed air through a straw which he
kept above the surface of the pool； which was half muck。 But；
goodness！ what was that little disagreeableness to a man who spends
his nights in the tree…tops； where the sparrows can hardly hold
themselves； watching the soldiers going to and fro in search of him
below？ Farrabesche was one of the half…dozen /chauffeurs/ whom the
officers of justice could never lay hands on。 But as he belonged to
the region and was brought up with them； and had； as they said； only
fled the conscription； all the women were on his side；and that's a
great deal； you know。〃
〃Is it really certain that Farrabesche did kill several persons？〃
asked Madame Graslin。
〃Yes； certain；〃 replied Colorat； 〃it is even said that it was he who
killed the traveller by the mail…coach in 1812； but the courier and
the postilion； the only witnesses who could have identified him； were
dead before he was tried。〃
〃Tried for the robbery？〃 asked Madame Graslin。
〃Yes； they took everything； amongst it twenty…five thousand francs
belonging to the government。〃
Madame Graslin rode silently after that for two or three miles。 The
sun had now set； the moon was lighting the gray plain； which looked
like an open sea。 Champion and Colorat began to wonder at Madame
Graslin； whose silence seemed strange to them； and they were greatly
astonished to see the shining track of tears upon her cheeks； her eyes
were red and full of tears； which were falling drop by drop as she
rode along。
〃Oh； madame；〃 said Colorat； 〃don't pi