e approached him, he pulled his hat again over his face and sprang
towards them. But he was instantly surrounded by Marche-a-Terre and
several Chouans. Hulot thought he perceived between the heads which
clustered about this young leader, a broad red ribbon worn across his
chest. The eyes of the commandant, caught by this royal decoration (then
almost forgotten by republicans), turned quickly to the young man's
face, which, however, he soon lost sight of under the necessity of
controlling and protecting his own little troop. Though he had barely
time to notice a pair of brilliant eyes (the color of which escaped
him), fair hair and delicate features bronzed by the sun, he was much
struck by the dazzling whiteness of the neck, relieved by a black cravat
carelessly knotted. The fiery attitude of the young leader proved him
to be a soldier of the stamp of those who bring a certain conventional
poesy into battle. His well-gloved hand waved above his head a sword
which gleamed in the sunlight. His whole person gave an impression both
of elegance and strength. An air of passionate self-devotion, enhanced
by the charms of youth and distinguished manners, made this _emigre_ a
graceful image of the French _noblesse_. He presented a strong contrast
to Hulot, who, ten feet distant from him, was quite as vivid an image of
the vigorous Republic for which the old soldier was fighting; his stern
face, his well-worn blue uniform with its shabby red facings and its
blackened epaulettes hanging back of his shoulders, being visible signs
of its needs and character.

The graceful attitude and expression of the young man were not lost
on the commandant, who exclaimed as he pressed towards him: "Come on,
opera-dancer, come on, and let me crush you!"

The royalist leader, provoked by his momentary disadvantage, advanced
with an angry movement, but at the same moment the men who were about
him rushed forward and flung themselves with fury on the Blues. Suddenly
a soft, clear voice was heard above the din of battle saying: "Here died
Saint-Lescure! Shall we not avenge him?"

At the magic words the efforts of the Chouans became terrible, and the
soldiers of the Republic had great difficulty in maintaining themselves
without breaking their little line of battle.

"If he wasn't a young man," thought Hulot, as he retreated step by step,
"we shouldn't have been attacked in this way. Who ever heard of the
Chouans fighting an open battle? Well, all