Summary of the Shuans, or Brittany in 1799
O. de Balzac
Shuans, or Brittany in 1799
At the beginning of the Vandemater (late September in the normal calendar), a crowd of recruits came from Fougères to Mayenne. Four years ago these places were covered by the royalist rebellion, and Fougeres was always considered one of the most dangerous of its foci. That’s why the commander of the half-brigade Hulot decided to make a set as soon as possible, announced by the Directory, but when the Bretons obediently appeared at the assembly point, he suspected something was amiss. Most of the recruits are too much like the Shuans – the Royalist peasants leading guerrilla warfare in the name of God and the King. These fierce people in goatskins look at the officers from under their brows, and their intentions are clear – to take possession of the weapon. Attention Hulot attracts a stocky overgrown savage with a whip in his hand: on a request to name himself, he answers that his name is Crude-on-Earth. This is
The captain’s misgivings come true: as soon as the squadron rises to Mount Pelerin, Crash-on-Earth whistles deafeningly, and immediately a volley is heard. Despite the unexpected attack, the “blue” are desperately fighting off, and they are already rushing to the rescue from the detachment from Fougeres. Among the royalists, Hulot noticed a young man – an aristocrat in appearance and bearing. Obviously, this was “Good” – if it were not for him, the peasants would hardly have decided to engage in an open battle. In addition, in the midst of the fight, all clearly heard a woman’s voice, inciting the Shuans to fight more boldly. When the republican detachment leaves, the Bretons attack the postal coach and rob it – to the great displeasure of the young leader. The Marquis de Montoran landed in France recently and still can not get used to the habits of the shuans, which irritates the belligerent lady, who took part in the battle. The peasants do not care about these disputes: having seized the wealthy D’Orzhemon
After two and a half months, Hulot receives a dispatch from his general – two companies must accompany the carriage, in which very important personalities travel. The old warrior is enraged: guarding two women and a Parisian bush – what a shame! But the order is an order: Marie de Verneuil with the maid Francina and a smart-looking gentleman named Corentin safely reach Alençon. In the hotel, they get acquainted with the naval officer and his too young-looking mother – both are closely eyeing Marie, trying to figure out who she is and why she is traveling under escort. The beauty of a stranger makes a strong impression on a sailor. In its turn. Marie feels an irresistible attraction for the young man and does not allow him to be arrested, although Hulot recognizes the leader of the Shuans therein. In the meantime, the vigilant Francine saw the crouching in the yard Cripple-on-Earth – this is Pierre Leroy, her betrothed. Madame du Ga, overwhelmed by jealousy, told him to kill Marie. Francine threatens Pierre with eternal separation, if only the hair falls from the head of her mistress.
Accompanied by sixty Republican soldiers, Madame du Ga, her “son” and Marie are sent to Fougeres. Along the way young people fall in love more and more. Du Ga swears that he is just a friend of Montoran, and Marie is thrilled with this, unwilling, however, to enter into explanations. The young man offers to rest in the castle of Vivetiur and gives the honest word of the nobleman that the “blues” will be there in complete safety. But when Count de Beauvan and Mama du Ga (in love with Montoran’s lady from the first part of the novel) publicly declare Marie a dirty girl hired by Fouche to search for the leader of the Shuans, “Good” comes in a terrible fury: Republic soldiers are perfidiously murdered, and Marie is given to fun for the peasants – from a terrible fate it saves Crip-on-Earth, who is afraid of losing Francine. Returning to the wine glass, Marie is only thinking about revenge and even ready to resort to the help of her hated by Corentin – the right hand of Fouche. But before her eyes still stand the fiery gaze and the beautiful face of the Marquis de Montoran.
The city of Fougeres rises on a steep rock. Five days after the massacre in Vivetiere, Marie, walking around the boulevard at sunset, notices in the Moloda Valley and decides to track him down. On the outskirts of the city gathered a lot of Shuans – they are preparing for the assault. Marie falls swiftly down, and from her in horror they shy away, mistaking for a ghost. Realizing, finally, the danger, the girl hides in the first house and finds herself a witness. a terrible scene: Grab-Karavai and Crude-on-Earth are tortured by the D’Or-gemon, who never paid the ransom. When the Mari appears, the shuans run away, and the old man takes her out through a secret passage and tells the password so she can take refuge in the hut of Nalei-Zhban, ready to serve both “white” and “blue.” In the meantime, Republicans, repulsing the attack, go on the offensive, and the Count of Bovan resorts to the Nile-Jaban. Taking him prisoner with the help of one of the soldiers, Marie proves to him that she is the daughter of the Duke de Verneuil. A crushed aristocrat repents of having insulted her in Vivetiere, and Marie demands that she be whitewashed before all the royalists. Then the Count invites the girl to the ball at her estate St. James, where her appearance generates a furore: everyone is amazed both by her beauty and noble birth. Montoran begs his beloved to forgive him, and Marie admits it in a fit of repentance: she has been forced into a vile role, but she renounces the former – of course, the Marquis can not marry her now, but she will not give it to the executioners. The shocked “Good” does not hold her, and she returns to Fougeres in deep sorrow. that she was the daughter of the Duke de Verneuil. A crushed aristocrat repents of having insulted her in Vivetiere, and Marie demands that she be whitewashed before all the royalists. Then the Count invites the girl to the ball at her estate St. James, where her appearance generates a furore: everyone is amazed both by her beauty and noble birth. Montoran begs his beloved to forgive him, and Marie admits it in a fit of repentance: she has been forced into a vile role, but she renounces the former – of course, the Marquis can not marry her now, but she will not give it to the executioners. The shocked “Good” does not hold her, and she returns to Fougeres in deep sorrow. that she was the daughter of the Duke de Verneuil. A crushed aristocrat repents of having insulted her in Vivetiere, and Marie demands that she be whitewashed before all the royalists. Then the Count invites the girl to the ball at her estate St. James, where her appearance generates a furore: everyone is amazed both by her beauty and noble birth. Montoran begs his beloved to forgive him, and Marie admits it in a fit of repentance: she has been forced into a vile role, but she renounces the former – of course, the Marquis can not marry her now, but she will not give it to the executioners. The shocked “Good” does not hold her, and she returns to Fougeres in deep sorrow. Then the Count invites the girl to the ball at her estate St. James, where her appearance generates a furore: everyone is amazed both by her beauty and noble birth. Montoran begs his beloved to forgive him, and Marie admits it in a fit of repentance: she has been forced into a vile role, but she renounces the former – of course, the Marquis can not marry her now, but she will not give it to the executioners. The shocked “Good” does not hold her, and she returns to Fougeres in deep sorrow. Then the Count invites the girl to the ball at her estate St. James, where her appearance generates a furore: everyone is amazed both by her beauty and noble birth. Montoran begs his beloved to forgive him, and Marie admits it in a fit of repentance: she has been forced into a vile role, but she renounces the former – of course, the Marquis can not marry her now, but she will not give it to the executioners. The shocked “Good” does not hold her, and she returns to Fougeres in deep sorrow.
The next day to her is Nalej-Zhban – at two o’clock the marquis will wait for her in the hut. Unfortunately, Corentin, who entered at that moment, will recognize the shuana. When the spirit-laden Marie goes on a date, the “blues” follow her – in order to deceive the peasants, they dress up as Bretons, and the wife of Naley-Zhban, taking them for her own, involuntarily gives out “The Man”. And lovers can not look at each other: everything is behind – and mutual suspicions, and resentments. Montoran announces to Marie that tomorrow they will be married by a priest in her Fougères house, and then they will leave these places, desecrated by a merciless war. At this point, the soldiers creep up to the house, but the marquis somehow miraculously breaks through their ranks. The frustrated Koranten understands that now Marie can not do without the help: however, it suits a clever spy – he needs to poke out a proud girl in the mud, in order to get her right. Marie does not know the handwriting of the Marquis, and Corentin scribbles a fake message in which Montoran assures Madame du Ga that he won the bet – the saleswoman is already ready to surrender to him. Marie brings this letter, allegedly intercepted by the Shuans, and the light fades before her eyes. She makes the final decision – the marquis who betrayed her must die.
Hulot and Corentin carefully prepare the ambush. The son of Nalej-Zhban becomes their liaison. They steal from the Earth and Hvatai-Karavai cut off his father’s head, accused of treason, and the mother, flushing with revenge, took the boy to the “blue” with the order to kill the Shuans. Unsuspecting Montoran is to Marie, accompanied by three people – after seeing the priest and witnesses, the girl falls to her knees with a cry of “forgive!”. The Holy Father performs a wedding ceremony: Marie is unusually pale, but at such a solemn moment this surprises no one. For the couple comes the first wedding night, and only Marie knows that they have only six hours left to live. At dawn, they suddenly hear the cry of an owl, and in the heart of Marie, a hope awakens – he managed to get to the house. Steal on Earth. Montoran is wearing a shuang dress, and Marie in a self-denying impulse puts on his suit. A volley is heard, then the gunfire comes from somewhere from afar. The soldiers tell Hulot that the “Well done” was stabbed in the head. Taking off his hat from the imaginary marquise, the commander sees the long black braids of Marie de Verneuil. Soon they bring Monttoran with his legs broken – he is placed next to his wife on the camp bed. The dying marquis asks Hulot to inform his younger brother of his death – let him serve the king, but he never raises his arms against France. And the old soldier tells Corentin to get out and never to be seen again on the road. For a spy, this threat does not mean anything at all – Hulot is one of those decent people who never make a career. they put a bullet in the head. Taking off his hat from the imaginary marquise, the commander sees the long black braids of Marie de Verneuil. Soon they bring Monttoran with his legs broken – he is placed next to his wife on the camp bed. The dying marquis asks Hulot to inform his younger brother of his death – let him serve the king, but he never raises his arms against France. And the old soldier tells Corentin to get out and never to be seen again on the road. For a spy, this threat does not mean anything at all – Hulot is one of those decent people who never make a career. they put a bullet in the head. Taking off his hat from the imaginary marquise, the commander sees the long black braids of Marie de Verneuil. Soon they bring Monttoran with his legs broken – he is placed next to his wife on the camp bed. The dying marquis asks Hulot to inform his younger brother of his death – let him serve the king, but he never raises his arms against France. And the old soldier tells Corentin to get out and never to be seen again on the road. For a spy, this threat does not mean anything at all – Hulot is one of those decent people who never make a career. The dying marquis asks Hulot to inform his younger brother of his death – let him serve the king, but he never raises his arms against France. And the old soldier tells Corentin to get out and never to be seen again on the road. For a spy, this threat does not mean anything at all – Hulot is one of those decent people who never make a career. The dying marquis asks Hulot to inform his younger brother of his death – let him serve the king, but he never raises his arms against France. And the old soldier tells Corentin to get out and never to be seen again on the road. For a spy, this threat does not mean anything at all – Hulot is one of those decent people who never make a career.
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