an historical mystery-第21部分

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addressing　Laurence；　and　picking　up　his　dagger；　but　not　committing　the
great　fault　of　threatening　her　with　it。

〃The　secrets　of　that　box　do　not　concern　the　government；〃　she　answered；
with　a　tinge　of　melancholy　in　her　tone　and　manner。　〃When　you　have　read
the　letters　it　contains　you　will；　in　spite　of　your　infamy；　feel
ashamed　of　having　read　themthat　is；　if　you　can　still　feel　shame　at
anything；〃　she　added；　after　a　pause。

The　abbe　looked　at　her　as　if　to　say；　〃For　God's　sake；　be　calm！〃

Peyrade　rose。　The　bottom　of　the　box；　which　had　been　nearly　burned
through；　left　a　mark　upon　the　floor；　the　lid　was　scorched　and　the
sides　gave　way。　The　grotesque　Scaevola；　who　had　offered　to　the　god　of
the　Police　and　Terror　the　seat　of　his　apricot　breeches；　opened　the　two
sides　of　the　box　as　if　it　had　been　a　book；　and　slid　three　letters　and
two　locks　of　hair　upon　the　card…table。　He　was　about　to　smile　at
Corentin　when　he　perceived　that　the　locks　were　of　two　shades　of　gray。
Corentin　released　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne's　hands　and　went　up　to
the　table　to　read　the　letter　from　which　the　hair　had　fallen。

Laurence　rose；　moved　to　the　table　beside　the　spies；　and　said：〃Read
it　aloud；　that　shall　be　your　punishment。〃

As　the　two　men　continued　to　read　to　themselves；　she　herself　read　out
the　following　words：

　　Dear　Laurence；My　husband　and　I　have　heard　of　your　noble　conduct
　　on　the　day　of　our　arrest。　We　know　that　you　love　our　dear　twins　as
　　much；　almost；　as　we　love　them　ourselves。　Therefore　it　is　with　you
　　that　we　leave　a　token　which　will　be　both　precious　and　sad　to　them。
　　The　executioner　has　come　to　cut　our　hair；　for　we　are　to　die　in　a
　　few　moments；　he　has　promised　to　put　into　your　hands　the　only
　　remembrance　we　are　able　to　leave　to　our　beloved　orphans。　Keep
　　these　last　remains　of　us　and　give　them　to　our　sons　in　happier
　　days。　We　have　kissed　these　locks　of　hair　and　have　laid　our
　　blessing　upon　them。　Our　last　thought　will　be　of　our　sons；　of　you；
　　and　of　God。　Love　them；　Laurence。

Berthe　de　Cinq…Cygne。
Jean　de　Simeuse。


Tears　came　to　the　eyes　of　all　the　household　as　they　listened　to　the
letter。

Laurence　looked　at　the　agents　with　a　petrifying　glance　and　said；　in　a
firm　voice：

〃You　have　less　pity　than　the　executioner。〃

Corentin　quietly　folded　the　hair　in　the　letter；　laid　the　letter　aside
on　the　table；　and　put　a　box　of　counters　on　the　top　of　it　as　if　to
prevent　its　blowing　away。　His　coolness　in　the　midst　of　the　general
emotion　was　horrible。

Peyrade　unfolded　the　other　letters。

〃Oh；　as　for　those；〃　said　Laurence；　〃they　are　very　much　alike。　You　hear
the　will；　you　can　now　hear　of　its　fulfilment。　In　future　I　shall　have
no　secrets　from　any　one。〃


　　1794；　Andernach。　Before　the　battle。

　　My　dear　Laurence；I　love　you　for　life；　and　I　wish　you　to　know　it。
　　But　you　ought　also　to　know；　in　case　I　die；　that　my　brother；　Paul…
　　Marie；　loves　you　as　much　as　I　love　you。　My　only　consolation　in
　　dying　would　be　the　thought　that　you　might　some　day　make　my　brother
　　your　husband　without　being　forced　to　see　me　die　of　jealousywhich
　　must　surely　happen　if；　both　of　us　being　alive；　you　preferred　him
　　to　me。　After　all；　that　preference　seems　natural；　for　he　is；
　　perhaps；　more　worthy　of　your　love　than　I

　　Marie…Paul。


〃Here　is　the　other　letter；〃　she　said；　with　the　color　in　her　cheeks。


　　Andernach。　Before　the　battle。

　　My　kind　Laurence；My　heart　is　sad；　but　Marie…Paul　has　a　gayer
　　nature；　and　will　please　you　more　than　I　am　able　to　do。　Some　day
　　you　will　have　to　choose　between　uswell；　though　I　love　you
　　passionately


〃You　are　corresponding　with　/emigres/；〃　said　Peyrade；　interrupting
Laurence；　and　holding　the　letters　between　himself　and　the　light　to　see
if　they　contained　between　the　lines　any　treasonable　writing　with
invisible　ink。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Laurence；　folding　the　precious　letters；　the　paper　of
which　was　already　yellow　with　time。　〃But　by　virtue　of　what　right　do
you　presume　to　violate　my　dwelling　and　my　personal　liberty？〃

〃Ah；　that's　the　point！〃　cried　Peyrade。　〃By　what　right；　indeed！it　is
time　to　let　you　know　it；　beautiful　aristocrat；〃　he　added；　taking　a
warrant　from　his　pocket；　which　came　from　the　minister　of　justice　and
was　countersigned　by　the　minister　of　the　interior。　〃See；　the
authorities　have　their　eye　upon　you。〃

〃We　might　also　ask　you；〃　said　Corentin；　in　her　ear；　〃by　what　right　you
harbor　in　this　house　the　assassins　of　the　First　Consul。　You　have
applied　your　whip　to　my　hands　in　a　manner　that　authorizes　me　to　take
my　revenge　upon　your　cousins；　whom　I　came　here　to　save。〃

At　the　mere　movement　of　her　lips　and　the　glance　which　Laurence　cast
upon　Corentin；　the　abbe　guessed　what　that　great　artist　was　saying；　and
he　made　her　a　sign　to　be　distrustful；　which　no　one　intercepted　but
Goulard。　Peyrade　struck　the　cover　of　the　box　to　see　if　there　were　a
double　top。

〃Don't　break　it！〃　she　exclaimed；　taking　the　cover　from　him。

She　took　a　pin；　pushed　the　head　of　one　of　the　carved　figures；　and　the
two　halves　of　the　top；　joined　by　a　spring；　opened。　In　the　hollow　half
lay　miniatures　of　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse；　in　the　uniform　of　the　army
of　Conde；　two　portraits　on　ivory　done　in　Germany。　Corentin；　who　felt
himself　in　presence　of　an　adversary　worthy　of　his　efforts；　called
Peyrade　aside　into　a　corner　of　the　room　and　conferred　with　him。

〃How　could　you　throw　/that/　into　the　fire？〃　said　the　abbe；　speaking　to
Laurence　and　pointing　to　the　letter　of　the　marquise　which　enclosed　the
locks　of　hair。

For　all　answer　the　young　girl　shrugged　her　shoulders　significantly。
The　abbe　comprehended　then　that　she　had　made　the　sacrifice　to　mislead
the　agents　and　gain　time；　he　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　with　a　gesture
of　admiration。

〃Where　did　they　arrest　Gothard；　whom　I　hear　crying？〃　she　asked　him；
loud　enough　to　be　overheard。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃Did　he　reach　the　farm？〃

〃The　farm！〃　whispered　Peyrade　to　Corentin。　〃Let　us　send　there。〃

〃No；〃　said　Corentin；　〃that　girl　never　trusted　her　cousins'　safety　to　a
farmer。　She　is　playing　with　us。　Do　as　I　tell　you；　so　that　we　mayn't
have　to　leave　here　without　detecting　something；　after　committing　the
great　blunder　of　coming　here　at　all。〃

Corentin　stationed　himself　before　the　fire；　lifting　the　long　pointed
skirts　of　his　coat　to　warm　himself　and　assuming　the　air；　manner；　and
tone　of　a　gentleman　who　was　paying　a　visit。

〃Mesdames；　you　can　go　to　bed；　and　the　servants　also。　Monsieur　le
maire；　your　services　are　no　longer　needed。　The　sternness　of　our　orders
does　not　permit　us　to　act　otherwise　than　as　we　have　done；　but　as　soon
as　the　walls；　which　seem　to　me　rather　thick；　have　been　thoroughly
examined；　we　shall　take　our　departure。〃

The　mayor　bowed　to　the　company　and　retired；　but　neither　the　abbe　nor
Mademoiselle　Goujet　stirred。　The　servants　were　too　uneasy　not　to　watch
the　fate　of　their　young　mistress。　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　who；　from　the
moment　of　Laurence's　entrance；　had　studied　her　with　the　anxiety　of　a
mother；　rose；　took　her　by　the　arm；　led　her　aside；　and　said　in　a　low
voice；　〃Have　you　seen　them？〃

〃Do　you　think　I　could　have　let　your　sons　be　under　this　roof　without
your　knowing　it？〃　replied　Laurence。　〃Durieu；〃　she　added；　〃see　if　it　is
possible　to　save　my　poor　Stella；　she　is　still　breathing。〃

〃She　must　have　gone　a　great　distance；〃　said　Corentin。

〃Forty　miles　in　three　hours；〃　she　answered；　addressing　the　abbe；　who
watched　her　with　amazement。　〃I　started　at　half…past　nine；　and　it　was
well　past　one　when　I　returned。〃

She　looked　at　the　clock　which　said　half…past　two。

〃So　you　don't　deny　that　you　have　ridden　forty　miles？〃　said　Corentin。

〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　admit　that　my　cousins；　in　their　perfect　innocence；
expected　not　to　be　excluded　from　the　amnesty；　and　were　on　their　way　to
Cinq…Cygne。　When　I　found　that　the　Sieur　Malin　was　plotting　to　injure
them；　I　went　to　warn　them　to　return　to　Germany；　where　they　will　be
before　the　telegraph　can　have　guarded　the　frontier。　If　I　have　done
wrong　I　shall　be　punished　for　it。〃

This　answer；　which　Laurence　had　carefully　considered；　was　so　probable
in　all　its　parts　that　Corentin's　convictions　were　shaken。　In　that
decisive　moment；　when　every　soul　present　hung　suspended；　as　it　were；
on　the　faces　of　the　two　adversaries；　and　all　eyes　turned　from　Corentin
to　Laurence　and　from　Laurence　to　Corentin；　again　the　gallop　of　a
horse；　coming　from　the　forest；　resounded　on　the　road　and　from　there
through　the　gates　to　the　paved　courtyard。　Frightful　anxiety　was
stamped　on　every　face。

Peyrade　entered；　his　eyes　gleaming　with　joy。　He　went　hastily　to
Corentin　and　said；　loud　enough　for　the　countess　to　hear　him：　〃We　have
caught　Michu。〃

Laurence；　to　whom　the　agony；　fatigue；　and　tension　of　all　her
intellectual　faculties　had　given　an　unusual　color；　turned　white　and
fell　back　almost　fainting　on　a　chair。　Madame　Durieu；　Mademoiselle
Goujet；　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　sprang　to　help　her；　for　she　was
suffocating。　She　signed　to　cut　the　frogging　of　her　habit。

〃Duped！〃　said　Corentin　to　Peyrade。　〃I　am　certain　now　they　are　on　their
way　to　Paris。　Change　the　orders。〃

They　left　the　room　and　the　house；　placing　one　gendarme　on　guard　at　the
door　of　the　salon。　The　infernal　clever