an historical mystery-第18部分

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〃'France　and　Charles'　for　the　soldiers；　'Laurence　and　Louis'　for　the
Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　and　Simeuse。　Good　God！　to　think　that　I　saw　them
yesterday　for　the　first　time　in　eleven　years；　and　that　now　they　are　in
danger　of　deathand　what　a　death！　Michu；〃　she　said；　with　a　melancholy
look；　〃be　as　prudent　during　the　next　fifteen　hours　as　you　have　been
grand　and　devoted　during　the　last　twelve　years。　If　disaster　were　to
overtake　my　cousins　now　I　should　die　of　itNo；〃　she　added；　quickly；
〃I　would　live　long　enough　to　kill　Bonaparte。〃

〃There　will　be　two　of　us　to　do　that　when　all　is　lost；〃　said　Michu。

Laurence　took　his　rough　hand　and　wrung　it　warmly；　as　the　English　do。
Michu　looked　at　his　watch；　it　was　midnight。

〃We　must　leave　here　at　any　cost；〃　he　said。　〃Death　to　the　gendarme　who
attempts　to　stop　me！　And　you；　madame　la　comtesse；　without　presuming　to
dictate；　ride　back　to　Cinq…Cygne　as　fast　as　you　can。　The　police　are
there　by　this　time；　fool　them！　delay　them！〃

The　hole　once　opened；　Michu　flung　himself　down　with　his　ear　to　the
earth；　then　he　rose　precipitately。　〃The　gendarmes　are　at　the　edge　of
the　forest　towards　Troyes！〃　he　said。　〃Ha；　I'll　get　the　better　of　them
yet！〃

He　helped　the　countess　to　come　out；　and　replaced　the　stones。　When　this
was　done　he　heard　her　soft　voice　telling　him　she　must　see　him　mounted
before　mounting　herself。　Tears　came　to　the　eyes　of　the　stern　man　as　he
exchanged　a　last　look　with　his　young　mistress；　whose　own　eyes　were
tearless。

〃Fool　them！　yes；　he　is　right！〃　she　said　when　she　heard　him　no　longer。
Then　she　darted　towards　Cinq…Cygne　at　full　gallop。



CHAPTER　VIII

TRIALS　OF　THE　POLICE

Madame　d'Hauteserre；　roused　by　the　danger　of　her　sons；　and　not
believing　that　the　Revolution　was　over；　but　still　fearing　its　summary
justice；　recovered　her　senses　by　the　violence　of　the　same　distress
which　made　her　lose　them。　Led　by　an　agonizing　curiosity　she　returned
to　the　salon；　which　presented　a　picture　worthy　of　the　brush　of　a　genre
painter。　The　abbe；　still　seated　at　the　card…table　and　mechanically
playing　with　the　counters；　was　covertly　observing　Corentin　and
Peyrade；　who　were　standing　together　at　a　corner　of　the　fireplace　and
speaking　in　a　low　voice。　Several　times　Corentin's　keen　eye　met　the　not
less　keen　glance　of　the　priest；　but；　like　two　adversaries　who　knew
themselves　equally　strong；　and　who　return　to　their　guard　after
crossing　their　weapons；　each　averted　his　eyes　the　instant　they　met。
The　worthy　old　d'Hauteserre；　poised　on　his　long　thin　legs　like　a
heron；　was　standing　beside　the　stout　form　of　the　mayor；　in　an　attitude
expressive　of　utter　stupefaction。　The　mayor；　though　dressed　as　a
bourgeois；　always　looked　like　a　servant。　Each　gazed　with　a　bewildered
eye　at　the　gendarmes；　in　whose　clutches　Gothard　was　still　sobbing；　his
hands　purple　and　swollen　from　the　tightness　of　the　cord　that　bound
them。　Catherine　maintained　her　attitude　of　artless　simplicity；　which
was　quite　impenetrable。　The　corporal；　who；　according　to　Corentin；　had
committed　a　great　blunder　in　arresting　these　smaller　fry；　did　not　know
whether　to　stay　where　he　was　or　to　depart。　He　stood　pensively　in　the
middle　of　the　salon；　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sabre；　his　eye　on　the
two　Parisians。　The　Durieus；　also　stupefied；　and　the　other　servants　of
the　chateau　made　an　admirable　group　of　expressive　uneasiness。　If　it
had　not　been　for　Gothard's　convulsive　snifflings　those　present　could
have　heard　the　flies　fly。

When　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　pale　and　terrified；　opened　the　door　and
entered　the　room；　almost　carried　by　Mademoiselle　Goujet；　whose　red
eyes　had　evidently　been　weeping；　all　faces　turned　to　her　at　once。　The
two　agents　hoped　as　much　as　the　household　feared　to　see　Laurence
enter。　This　spontaneous　movement　of　both　masters　and　servants　seemed
produced　by　the　sort　of　mechanism　which　makes　a　number　of　wooden
figures　perform　the　same　gesture　or　wink　the　same　eye。

Madame　d'Hauteserre　advanced　by　three　rapid　strides　towards　Corentin
and　said；　in　a　broken　voice　but　violently：　〃For　pity's　sake；　monsieur；
tell　me　what　my　sons　are　accused　of。　Do　you　really　think　they　have
been　here？〃

The　abbe；　who　seemed　to　be　saying　to　himself　when　he　saw　the　old　lady；
〃She　will　certainly　commit　some　folly；〃　lowered　his　eyes。

〃My　duty　and　the　mission　I　am　engaged　in　forbid　me　to　tell　you；〃
answered　Corentin；　with　a　gracious　but　rather　mocking　air。

This　refusal；　which　the　detestable　politeness　of　the　vulgar　fop　seemed
to　make　all　the　more　emphatic；　petrified　the　poor　mother；　who　fell
into　a　chair　beside　the　Abbe　Goujet；　clasped　her　hands　and　began　to
pray。

〃Where　did　you　arrest　that　blubber？〃　asked　Corentin；　addressing　the
corporal　and　pointing　to　Laurence's　little　henchman。

〃On　the　road　that　leads　to　the　farm　along　the　park　walls；　the　little
scamp　had　nearly　reached　the　Closeaux　woods；〃　replied　the　corporal。

〃And　that　girl？〃

〃She？　oh；　it　was　Oliver　who　caught　her。〃

〃Where　was　she　going？〃

〃Towards　Gondreville。〃

〃They　were　going　in　opposite　directions？〃　said　Corentin。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　gendarme。

〃Is　that　boy　the　groom；　and　the　girl　the　maid　of　the　citizeness　Cinq…
Cygne？〃　said　Corentin　to　the　mayor。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Goulard。

After　Corentin　had　exchanged　a　few　words　with　Peyrade　in　a　whisper；
the　latter　left　the　room；　taking　the　corporal　of　gendarmes　with　him。

Just　then　the　corporal　of　Arcis　made　his　appearance。　He　went　up　to
Corentin　and　spoke　to　him　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　know　these　premises
well；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　searched　everywhere；　unless　those　young
fellows　are　buried；　they　are　not　here。　We　have　sounded　all　the　floors
and　walls　with　the　butt　end　of　our　muskets。〃

Peyrade；　who　presently　returned；　signed　to　Corentin　to　come　out；　and
then　took　him　to　the　breach　in　the　moat　and　showed　him　the　sunken　way。

〃We　have　guessed　the　trick；〃　said　Peyrade。

〃And　I'll　tell　you　how　it　was　done；〃　added　Corentin。　〃That　little
scamp　and　the　girl　decoyed　those　idiots　of　gendarmes　and　thus　made
time　for　the　game　to　escape。〃

〃We　can't　know　the　truth　till　daylight；〃　said　Peyrade。　〃The　road　is
damp；　I　have　ordered　two　gendarmes　to　barricade　it　top　and　bottom。
We'll　examine　it　after　daylight；　and　find　out　by　the　footsteps　who
went　that　way。〃

〃I　see　a　hoof…mark；〃　said　Corentin；　〃let　us　go　to　the　stables。〃

〃How　many　horses　do　you　keep？〃　said　Peyrade；　returning　to　the　salon
with　Corentin；　and　addressing　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　and　Goulard。

〃Come；　monsieur　le　maire；　you　know；　answer；〃　cried　Corentin；　seeing
that　that　functionary　hesitated。

〃Why；　there's　the　countess's　mare；　Gothard's　horse；　and　Monsieur
d'Hauteserre's。〃

〃There　is　only　one　in　the　stable；〃　said　Peyrade。

〃Mademoiselle　is　out　riding；〃　said　Durieu。

〃Does　she　often　ride　about　at　this　time　of　night？〃　said　the　libertine
Peyrade；　addressing　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃Often；〃　said　the　good　man；　simply。　〃Monsieur　le　maire　can　tell　you
that。〃

〃Everybody　knows　she　has　her　freaks；〃　remarked　Catherine；　〃she　looked
at　the　sky　before　she　went　to　bed；　and　I　think　the　glitter　of　your
bayonets　in　the　moonlight　puzzled　her。　She　told　me　she　wanted　to　know
if　there　was　going　to　be　another　revolution。〃

〃When　did　she　go？〃　asked　Peyrade。

〃When　she　saw　your　guns。〃

〃Which　road　did　she　take？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃There's　another　horse　missing；〃　said　Corentin。

〃The　gendarmestook　itaway　from　me；〃　said　Gothard。

〃Where　were　you　going？〃　said　one　of　them。

〃I　wasfollowingmy　mistress　to　the　farm；〃　sobbed　the　boy。

The　gendarme　looked　towards　Corentin　as　if　expecting　an　order。　But
Gothard's　speech　was　evidently　so　true　and　yet　so　false；　so　perfectly
innocent　and　so　artful　that　the　two　Parisians　again　looked　at　each
other　as　if　to　echo　Peyrade's　former　words：　〃They　are　not　ninnies。〃

Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　seemed　incapable　of　a　word；　the　mayor　was
bewildered；　the　mother；　imbecile　from　maternal　fears；　was　putting
questions　to　the　police　agents　that　were　idiotically　innocent；　the
servants　had　been　roused　from　their　sleep。　Judging　by　these　trifling
signs；　and　these　diverse　characters；　Corentin　came　to　the　conclusion
that　his　only　real　adversary　was　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。　Shrewd
and　dexterous　as　the　police　may　be；　they　are　always　under　certain
disadvantages。　Not　only　are　they　forced　to　discover　all　that　is　known
to　a　conspirator；　but　they　must　also　suppose　and　test　a　great　number
of　things　before　they　hit　upon　the　right　one。　The　conspirator　is
always　thinking　of　his　own　safety；　whereas　the　police　is　only　on　duty
at　certain　hours。　Were　it　not　for　treachery　and　betrayals；　nothing
would　be　easier　than　to　conspire　successfully。　The　conspirator　has
more　mind　concentrated　upon　himself　than　the　police　can　bring　to　bear
with　all　its　vast　facilities　of　action。　Finding　themselves　stopped
short　morally；　as　they　might　be　physically　by　a　door　which　they
expected　to　find　open　being　shut　in　their　faces；　Corentin　and　Peyrade
saw　they　were　tricked　and　misled；　without　knowing　by　whom。

〃I　assert；〃　said　the　corporal　of　Arcis；　in　their　ear；　〃that　if　the
four　young　men　slept　here　last　night　it　must　have　been　in　the　beds　of
their　father　and　mother；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　or　those　of
the　serva