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They were inexplicable scruples, since he had ceased to be a believer. But all his will, all his audacity, all his life, were concentrated and directed, more and more, toward this unique end. And the prohibition, ordered by Itchoua, from seeing Gracieuse before the great attempt, exasperated his impatient dream.
Little by little the tension of their senses weakens, a lassitude comes to them with the need of sleep and they would sleep there, under this winter rain, if the place were not so dangerous. Itchoua then consults in a low voice, in Basque language, the two eldest, and they decide to do a bold thing.
Dividing the journey into two stages, they have slept last night at Mendichoco. And at present they are rolling quickly, the two young men, so preoccupied doubtless that they hardly care to regulate the pace of their vigorous beast. Itchoua, however, is not with them.
"You," says Itchoua to Ramuntcho, in his manner which admits of no discussion, "you shall be the one to watch the bark, since you have never been in the path that we are taking; you shall tie it to the bottom, but not too solidly, do you hear? We must be ready to run if the carbineers arrive."
It is again Itchoua's band, which this time will work by the river. They have slept for a few moments, all dressed, in the house of a receiver who lives near the water, and, at the needed hour, Itchoua, who never closes but one eye, has shaken his men; then, they have gone out with hushed tread, into the darkness, under the cold shower propitious to smuggling.
Nothing in the hands, nothing in the pockets: they are now ordinary people, returning from a natural promenade. In the rear guard, at a distance from the singers, Itchoua on his long legs walks with his hands resting on Ramuntcho's shoulder. Interested and ardent for success, since the sum has been agreed upon, Itchoua whispers in Ramuntcho's ear imperious advices.
It revolted him to hear one talk thus of her and surprised him that the one who spoke thus was that Itchoua whom he had always known as the quiet husband of an ugly and old woman. But the blow struck by the impertinent phrase followed nevertheless, in his imagination, a dangerous and unforeseen path. Gracieuse, "imprisoned a room with him!"
Ramuntcho came down soon, rubbing his eyelids, still heavy from a youthful sleep, and, at his aspect, the gloomy visage of Itchoua was illuminated by a smile.
"Hail at your ease now and let the devil answer you!" The current also helps them; they go into the thick obscurity with the rapidity of fishes. There! Now they are in French waters, in safety, not far, doubtless, from the slime of the banks. "Let us stop to breathe a little," proposes Itchoua. And they raise their oars, halting, wet with perspiration and with rain.
They played, in the beautiful twilight, until the hour when the first bats appeared, until the hour when the flying pelota could hardly be seen in the air. Perhaps they felt, unconsciously, that the moment was rare and might not be regained: then, as much as possible, they should prolong it And at last, they went together to take to Itchoua his Spanish coins.
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