an historical mystery-第20部分

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the　Simeuse　brothers。　His　motive　in　threatening　Marion　and　aiming　at
Malin　must　be　the　same。　I　thought　when　I　saw　him　that　he　was　capable
of　ideas；　evidently　he　has　but　one；　he　discovered　what　was　going　on
and　he　must　have　come　here　to　warn　them。〃

〃Probably　Malin　talked　about　the　conspiracy　to　his　friend　the　notary；
and　Michu　from　his　ambush　overheard　what　was　said；〃　remarked　Corentin；
continuing　the　inductions　of　his　colleague。　〃No　doubt　he　has　only
postponed　his　shot　to　prevent　an　evil　he　thinks　worse　than　the　loss　of
Gondreville。〃

〃He　knew　what　we　were　the　moment　he　laid　eyes　on　us；〃　said　Peyrade。　〃I
thought　then　that　he　was　amazingly　intelligent　for　a　peasant。〃

〃That　proves　that　he　is　always　on　his　guard；〃　replied　Corentin。　〃But；
mind　you；　my　old　man；　don't　let　us　make　a　mistake。　Treachery　stinks　in
the　nostrils；　and　primitive　folks　do　scent　it　from　afar。〃

〃But　that's　our　strength；〃　said　the　Provencal。

〃Call　the　corporal　of　Arcis；〃　cried　Corentin　to　one　of　the　gendarmes。
〃I　shall　send　him　at　once　to　Michu's　house；〃　he　added　to　Peyrade。

〃Our　ear；　Violette；　is　there；〃　said　Peyrade。

〃We　started　without　getting　news　from　him。　Two　of　us　are　not　enough；
we　ought　to　have　had　Sabatier　with　usCorporal；〃　he　said；　when　the
gendarme　appeared；　taking　him　aside　with　Peyrade；　〃don't　let　them　fool
you　as　they　did　the　Troyes　corporal　just　now。　We　think　Michu　is　in
this　business。　Go　to　his　house；　put　your　eye　on　everything；　and　bring
word　of　the　result。〃

〃One　of　my　men　heard　horses　in　the　forest　just　as　they　arrested　the
little　groom；　I've　four　fine　fellows　now　on　the　track　of　whoever　is
hiding　there；〃　replied　the　gendarme。

He　left　the　room；　and　the　gallop　of　his　horse　which　echoed　on　the
paved　courtyard　died　rapidly　away。

〃One　thing　is　certain；〃　said　Corentin　to　himself；　〃either　they　have
gone　to　Paris　or　they　are　retreating　to　Germany。〃

He　sat　down；　pulled　a　note…book　from　the　pocket　of　his　spencer；　wrote
two　orders　in　pencil；　sealed　them；　and　made　a　sign　to　one　of　the
gendarmes　to　come　to　him。

〃Be　off　at　full　gallop　to　Troyes；　wake　up　the　prefect；　and　tell　him　to
start　the　telegraph　as　soon　as　there's　light　enough。〃

The　gendarme　departed。　The　meaning　of　this　movement　and　Corentin's
intentions　were　so　evident　that　the　hearts　of　the　household　sank
within　them；　but　this　new　anxiety　was　additional　to　another　that　was
now　martyrizing　them；　their　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　sandal…wood　box！
All　the　while　the　two　agents　were　talking　together　they　were　each
taking　note　of　those　eager　looks。　A　sort　of　cold　anger　stirred　the
unfeeling　hearts　of　these　men　who　relished　the　power　of　inspiring
terror。　The　police　man　has　the　instincts　and　emotions　of　a　hunter：　but
where　the　one　employs　his　powers　of　mind　and　body　in　killing　a　hare；　a
partridge；　or　a　deer；　the　other　is　thinking　of　saving　the　State；　or　a
king；　and　of　winning　a　large　reward。　So　the　hunt　for　men　is　superior
to　the　other　class　of　hunting　by　all　the　distance　that　there　is
between　animals　and　human　beings。　Moreover；　a　spy　is　forced　to　lift
the　part　he　plays　to　the　level　and　the　importance　of　the　interests　to
which　he　is　bound。　Without　looking　further　into　this　calling；　it　is
easy　to　see　that　the　man　who　follows　it　puts　as　much　passionate　ardor
into　his　chase　as　another　man　does　into　the　pursuit　of　game。　Therefore
the　further　these　men　advanced　in　their　investigations　the　more　eager
they　became；　but　the　expression　of　their　faces　and　their　eyes
continued　calm　and　cold；　just　as　their　ideas；　their　suspicions；　and
their　plans　remained　impenetrable。　To　any　one　who　watched　the　effects
of　the　moral　scent；　if　we　may　so　call　it；　of　these　bloodhounds　on　the
track　of　hidden　facts；　and　who　noted　and　understood　the　movements　of
canine　agility　which　led　them　to　strike　the　truth　in　their　rapid
examination　of　probabilities；　there　was　in　it　all　something　actually
horrifying。　How　and　why　should　men　of　genius　fall　so　low　when　it　was
in　their　power　to　be　so　high？　What　imperfection；　what　vice；　what
passion　debases　them？　Does　a　man　become　a　police…agent　as　he　becomes　a
thinker；　writer；　statesmen；　painter；　general；　on　the　condition　of
knowing　nothing　but　how　to　spy；　as　the　others　speak；　write；　govern；
paint；　and　fight？　The　inhabitants　of　the　chateau　had　but　one　wish；
that　the　thunderbolts　of　heaven　might　fall　upon　these　miscreants；　they
were　athirst　for　vengeance；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　presence；　up
to　this　time；　of　the　gendarmes　there　would　undoubtedly　have　been　an
outbreak。

〃No　one；　I　suppose；　has　the　key　of　this　box？〃　said　the　cynical
Peyrade；　questioning　the　family　as　much　by　the　movement　of　his　huge
red　nose　as　by　his　words。

The　Provencal　noticed；　not　without　fear；　that　the　guards　were　no
longer　present；　he　and　Corentin　were　alone　with　the　family。　The
younger　man　drew　a　small　dagger　from　his　pocket；　and　began　to　force
the　lock　of　the　box。　Just　then　the　desperate　galloping　of　a　horse　was
heard　upon　the　road　and　then　upon　the　pavement　by　the　lawn；　but　most
horrible　of　all　was　the　fall　and　sighing　of　the　animal；　which　seemed
to　drop　all　at　once　at　the　door　of　the　middle　tower。　A　convulsion　like
that　which　a　thunderbolt　might　produce　shook　the　spectators　when
Laurence；　the　trailing　of　whose　riding…habit　announced　her　coming；
entered　the　room。　The　servants　hastily　formed　into　two　lines　to　let
her　pass。

In　spite　of　her　rapid　ride；　the　girl　had　felt　the　full　anguish　the
discovery　of　the　conspiracy　must　needs　cause　her。　All　her　hopes　were
overthrown！　she　had　galloped　through　ruins　as　her　thoughts　turned　to
the　necessity　of　submission　to　the　Consular　government。　Were　it　not
for　the　danger　which　threatened　the　four　gentlemen；　and　which　served
as　a　tonic　to　conquer　her　weariness　and　her　despair；　she　would　have
dropped　asleep　on　the　way。　The　mare　was　almost　killed　in　her　haste　to
reach　the　chateau；　and　stand　between　her　cousins　and　death。　As　all
present　looked　at　the　heroic　girl；　pale；　her　features　drawn；　her　veil
aside；　her　whip　in　her　hand；　standing　on　the　threshold　of　the　door；
whence　her　burning　glance　grasped　the　whole　scene　and　comprehended　it；
each　knew　from　the　almost　imperceptible　motion　which　crossed　the
soured　and　bittered　face　of　Corentin；　that　the　real　adversaries　had
met。　A　terrible　duel　was　about　to　begin。

Noticing　the　box；　now　in　the　hands　of　Corentin；　the　countess　raised
her　whip　and　sprang　rapidly　towards　him。　Striking　his　hands　with　so
violent　a　blow　that　the　casket　fell　to　the　ground；　she　seized　it；
flung　it　into　the　middle　of　the　fire；　and　stood　with　her　back　to　the
chimney　in　a　threatening　attitude　before　either　of　the　agents
recovered　from　their　surprise。　The　scorn　which　flamed　from　her　eyes；
her　pale　brow；　her　disdainful　lips；　were　even　more　insulting　than　the
haughty　action　which　treated　Corentin　as　though　he　were　a　venomous
reptile。　Old　d'Hauteserre　felt　himself　once　more　a　cavalier；　all　his
blood　rushed　to　his　face；　and　he　grieved　that　he　had　no　sword。　The
servants　trembled　for　an　instant　with　joy。　The　vengeance　they　had
called　down　upon　these　men　had　come。　But　their　joy　was　driven　back
within　their　souls　by　a　terrible　fear；　the　gendarmes　were　still　heard
coming　and　going　in　the　garrets。

The　/spy/noun　of　strength；　under　which　all　shades　of　the　police　are
confounded；　for　the　public　has　never　chosen　to　specify　in　language　the
varieties　of　those　who　compose　this　dispensary　of　social　remedies　so
essential　to　all　governmentsthe　spy　has　this　curious　and　magnificent
quality：　he　never　becomes　angry；　he　possesses　the　Christian　humility
of　a　priest；　his　eyes　are　stolid　with　an　indifference　which　he　holds
as　a　barrier　against　the　world　of　fools　who　do　not　understand　him；　his
forehead　is　adamant　under　insult；　he　pursues　his　ends　like　a　reptile
whose　carapace　is　fractured　only　by　a　cannonball；　but　（like　that
reptile）　he　is　all　the　more　furious　when　the　blow　does　reach　him；
because　he　believed　his　armor　invulnerable。　The　lash　of　the　whip　upon
his　fingers　was　to　Corentin；　pain　apart；　the　cannonball　that　cracked
the　shell。　Coming　from　that　magnificent　and　noble　girl；　this　action；
emblematic　of　her　disgust；　humiliated　him；　not　only　in　the　eyes　of　the
people　about　him；　but　in　his　own。

Peyrade　sprang　to　the　hearth；　caught　Laurence's　foot；　raised　it；　and
compelled　her；　out　of　modesty；　to　throw　herself　on　the　sofa；　where　she
had　lately　lain　asleep。　The　scene；　like　other　contrasts　in　human
things；　was　burlesque　in　the　midst　of　terror。　Peyrade　scorched　his
hand　as　he　dashed　it　into　the　fire　to　seize　the　box；　but　he　got　it；
threw　it　on　the　floor　and　sat　down　upon　it。　These　little　actions　were
done　with　great　rapidity　and　without　a　word　being　uttered。　Corentin；
recovering　from　the　pain　of　the　blow；　caught　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…
Cygne　by　both　hands；　and　held　her。

〃Do　not　compel　me　to　use　force　against　you；〃　he　said；　with　withering
politeness。

Peyrade's　action　had　extinguished　the　fire　by　the　natural　process　of
suppressing　the　air。

〃Gendarmes！　here！〃　he　cried；　still　occupying　his　ridiculous　position。

〃Will　you　promise　to　behave　yourself？〃　said　Corentin；　insolently；
addressing　Laurence；　and　picking　up　his　dagger；　but　not　committing　the
great　fault　of