an historical mystery-第22部分

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They　left　the　room　and　the　house；　placing　one　gendarme　on　guard　at　the
door　of　the　salon。　The　infernal　cleverness　of　the　two　men　had　gained　a
terrible　advantage　by　taking　Laurence　in　the　trap　of　a　not　uncommon
trick。



CHAPTER　IX

FOILED

At　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　as　day　was　dawning；　Corentin　and
Peyrade　returned。　Having　explored　the　covered　way　they　were　satisfied
that　horses　had　passed　through　it　to　reach　the　forest。　They　were　now
awaiting　the　report　of　the　captain　of　gendarmerie　sent　to　reconnoitre
the　neighborhood。　Leaving　the　chateau　in　charge　of　a　corporal；　they
went　to　the　tavern　at　Cinq…Cygne　to　get　their　breakfast；　giving　orders
that　Gothard；　who　never　ceased　to　reply　to　all　questions　with　a　burst
of　tears；　should　be　set　at　liberty；　also　Catherine；　who　still
continued　silent　and　immovable。　Catherine　and　Gothard　went　to　the
salon　to　kiss　the　hands　of　their　mistress；　who　lay　exhausted　on　the
sofa；　Durieu　also　went　in　to　tell　her　that　Stella　would　recover；　but
needed　great　care。

The　mayor；　uneasy　and　inquisitive；　met　Peyrade　and　Corentin　in　the
village。　He　declared　that　he　could　not　allow　such　important　officials
to　breakfast　in　a　miserable　tavern；　and　he　took　them　to　his　own　house。
The　abbey　was　only　three　quarters　of　a　mile　distant。　On　the　way；
Peyrade　remarked　that　the　corporal　of　Arcis　had　sent　no　news　of　Michu
or　of　Violette。

〃We　are　dealing　with　very　able　people；〃　said　Corentin；　〃they　are
stronger　than　we。　The　priest　no　doubt　has　a　finger　in　all　this。〃

Just　as　the　mayor's　wife　was　ushering　her　guests　into　a　vast　dining…
room　（without　any　fire）　the　lieutenant　of　gendarmes　arrived　with　an
anxious　air。

〃We　met　the　horse　of　the　corporal　of　Arcis　in　the　forest　without　his
master；〃　he　said　to　Peyrade。

〃Lieutenant；〃　cried　Corentin；　〃go　instantly　to　Michu's　house　and　find
out　what　is　going　on　there。　They　must　have　murdered　the　corporal。〃

This　news　interfered　with　the　mayor's　breakfast。　Corentin　and　Peyrade
swallowed　their　food　with　the　rapidity　of　hunters　halting　for　a　meal；
and　drove　back　to　the　chateau　in　their　wicker　carriage；　so　as　to　be
ready　to　start　at　the　first　call　for　any　point　where　their　presence
might　be　necessary。　When　the　two　men　reappeared　in　the　salon　into
which　they　had　brought　such　trouble；　terror；　grief；　and　anxiety；　they
found　Laurence；　in　a　dressing…gown；　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　and　his
wife；　the　abbe　and　his　sister；　sitting　round　the　fire；　to　all
appearance　tranquil。

〃If　they　had　caught　Michu；〃　Laurence　told　herself；　〃they　would　have
brought　him　with　them。　I　have　the　mortification　of　knowing　that　I　was
not　the　mistress　of　myself；　and　that　I　threw　some　light　upon　the
matter　for　those　wretches；　but　the　harm　can　be　undoneHow　long　are　we
to　be　your　prisoners？〃　she　asked　sarcastically；　with　an　easy　manner。

〃How　can　she　know　anything　about　Michu？　No　one　from　the　outside　has
got　near　the　chateau；　she　is　laughing　at　us；〃　said　the　two　agents　to
each　other　by　a　look。

〃We　shall　not　inconvenience　you　long；〃　replied　Corentin。　〃In　three
hours　from　now　we　shall　offer　our　regrets　for　having　troubled　your
solitude。〃

No　one　replied。　This　contemptuous　silence　redoubled　Corentin's　inward
rage。　Laurence　and　the　abbe　（the　two　minds　of　their　little　world）　had
talked　the　man　over　and　drawn　their　conclusions。　Gothard　and　Catherine
had　set　the　breakfast…table　near　the　fire　and　the　abbe　and　his　sister
were　sharing　the　meal。　Neither　masters　nor　servants　paid　the　slightest
attention　to　the　two　spies；　who　walked　up　and　down　the　garden；　the
courtyard　or　the　lawn；　returning　every　now　and　then　to　the　salon。

At　half…past　two　the　lieutenant　reappeared。

〃I　found　the　corporal；〃　he　said　to　Corentin；　〃lying　in　the　road　which
leads　from　the　pavilion　of　Cinq…Cygne　to　the　farm　at　Bellache。　He　has
no　wound；　only　a　bad　contusion　of　the　head；　caused；　apparently；　by　his
fall。　He　told　me　he　had　been　lifted　suddenly　off　his　horse　and　flung
so　violently　to　the　ground　that　he　could　not　discover　how　the　thing
was　done。　His　feet　left　the　stirrups；　which　was　lucky；　for　he　might
have　been　killed　by　the　horse　dragging　him。　We　put　him　in　charge　of
Michu　and　Violette〃

〃Michu！　is　Michu　in　his　own　house？〃　said　Corentin；　glancing　at
Laurence。

The　countess　smiled　ironically；　like　a　woman　obtaining　her　revenge。

〃He　is　bargaining　with　Violette　about　the　sale　of　some　land；〃　said　the
lieutenant。　〃They　seemed　to　me　drunk；　and　it's　no　wonder；　for　they
have　been　drinking　all　night　and　discussing　the　matter；　and　they
haven't　come　to　terms　yet。〃

〃Did　Violette　tell　you　so？〃　cried　Corentin。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　lieutenant。

〃Nothing　is　right　if　we　don't　attend　to　it　ourselves！〃　cried　Peyrade；
looking　at　Corentin；　who　doubted　the　lieutenant's　news　as　much　as　the
other　did。

〃At　what　hour　did　you　get　to　Michu's　house？〃　asked　Corentin；　noticing
that　the　countess　had　glanced　at　the　clock。

〃About　two；〃　replied　the　lieutenant。

Laurence　covered　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　the　abbe　and　his
sister　in　one　comprehensive　glance；　which　made　them　fancy　they　were
wrapped　in　an　azure　mantle；　triumph　sparkled　in　her　eyes；　she　blushed；
and　the　tears　welled　up　beneath　her　lids。　Strong　under　all
misfortunes；　the　girl　knew　not　how　to　weep　except　from　joy。　At　this
moment　she　was　all　glorious；　especially　to　the　priest；　who　was
sometimes　distressed　by　the　virility　of　her　character；　and　who　now
caught　a　glimpse　of　the　infinite　tenderness　of　her　woman's　nature。　But
such　feelings　lay　in　her　soul　like　a　treasure　hidden　at　a　great　depth
beneath　a　block　of　granite。

Just　then　a　gendarme　entered　the　salon　to　ask　if　he　might　bring　in
Michu's　son；　sent　by　his　father　to　speak　to　the　gentlemen　from　Paris。
Corentin　gave　an　affirmative　nod。　Francois　Michu；　a　sly　little　chip　of
the　old　block；　was　in　the　courtyard；　where　Gothard；　now　at　liberty；
got　a　chance　to　speak　to　him　for　an　instant　under　the　eyes　of　a
gendarme。　The　little　fellow　managed　to　slip　something　into　Gothard's
hand　without　being　detected；　and　the　latter　glided　into　the　salon
after　him　till　he　reached　his　mistress；　to　whom　he　stealthily　conveyed
both　halves　of　the　wedding…ring；　a　sure　sign；　she　knew；　that　Michu　had
met　the　four　gentlemen　and　put　them　in　safety。

〃My　papa　wants　to　know　what　he's　to　do　with　the　corporal；　who　ain't
doing　well；〃　said　Francois。

〃What's　the　matter　with　him？〃　asked　Peyrade。

〃It's　his　headhe　pitched　down　hard　on　the　ground；〃　replied　the　boy。
〃For　a　gindarme　who　knows　how　to　ride　it　was　bad　luckI　suppose　the
horse　stumbled。　He's　got　a　holemy！　as　big　as　your　fistin　the　back
of　his　head。　Seems　as　if　he　must　have　hit　some　big　stone；　poor　man！　He
may　be　a　gindarme；　but　he　suffers　all　the　sameyou'd　pity　him。〃

The　captain　of　the　gendarmerie　now　arrived　and　dismounted　in　the
courtyard。　Corentin　threw　up　the　window；　not　to　lose　time。

〃What　has　been　done？〃

〃We　are　back　like　the　Dutchmen！　We　found　nothing　but　five　dead　horses；
their　coats　stiff　with　sweat；　in　the　middle　of　the　forest。　I　have　kept
them　to　find　out　where　they　came　from　and　who　owns　them。　The　forest　is
surrounded；　whoever　is　in　it　can't　get　out。〃

〃At　what　hour　do　you　suppose　those　horsemen　entered　the　forest？〃

〃About　half…past　twelve。〃

〃Don't　let　a　hare　leave　that　forest　without　your　seeing　it；〃　whispered
Corentin。　〃I'll　station　Peyrade　at　the　village　to　help　you；　I　am　going
to　see　the　corporal　myselfGo　to　the　mayor's　house；〃　he　added；　still
whispering；　to　Peyrade。　〃I'll　send　some　able　man　to　relieve　you。　We
shall　have　to　make　use　of　the　country…people；　examine　all　faces。〃　He
turned　towards　the　family　and　said　in　a　threatening　tone；　〃Au　revoir！〃

No　one　replied；　and　the　two　agents　left　the　room。

〃What　would　Fouche　say　if　he　knew　we　had　made　a　domiciliary　visit
without　getting　any　results？〃　remarked　Peyrade　as　he　helped　Corentin
into　the　osier　vehicle。

〃It　isn't　over　yet；〃　replied　the　other；　〃those　four　young　men　are　in
the　forest。　Look　there！〃　and　he　pointed　to　Laurence　who　was　watching
them　from　a　window。　〃I　once　revenged　myself　on　a　woman　who　was　worth　a
dozen　of　that　one　and　had　stirred　my　bile　a　good　deal　less。　If　this
girl　comes　in　the　way　of　my　hatchet　I'll　pay　her　for　the　lash　of　that
whip。〃

〃The　other　was　a　strumpet；〃　said　Peyrade；　〃this　one　has　rank。〃

〃What　difference　is　that　to　me？　All's　fish　that　swims　in　the　sea；〃
replied　Corentin；　signing　to　the　gendarme　who　drove　him　to　whip　up。

Ten　minutes　later　the　chateau　de　Cinq…Cygne　was　completely　evacuated。

〃How　did　they　get　rid　of　the　corporal？〃　said　Laurence　to　Francois
Michu；　whom　she　had　ordered　to　sit　down　and　eat　some　breakfast。

〃My　father　told　me　it　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death　and　I　mustn't　let
anybody　get　into　our　house；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃I　knew　when　I　heard　the
horses　in　the　forest　that　I'd　got　to　do　with　them　hounds　of　gindarmes；
and　I　meant　to　keep　'em　from　getting　in。　So　I　took　some　big　ropes　that
were　in　my　garret　and　fastened　one　of　'em　to　a　tree　at　the　corner　of
the　road。　Then　I　drew　the　rope　high　enough　to　hit　the　breast　of　a　man
on　horseback；　and　tied　it　to　the　tree　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way
in　the　direction　where　I　heard　the　horses。　That　barred　the　road。　It
didn