an historical mystery-第23部分

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in　the　direction　where　I　heard　the　horses。　That　barred　the　road。　It
didn't　miss　fire；　I　can　tell　you！　There　was　no　moon；　and　the　corporal
just　pitched！but　he　wasn't　killed；　they're　tough；　them　gindarmes！　I
did　what　I　could。〃

〃You　have　saved　us！〃　said　Laurence；　kissing　him　as　she　took　him　to　the
gate。　When　there；　she　looked　about　her　and　seeing　no　one　she　said
cautiously；　〃Have　they　provisions？〃

〃I　have　just　taken　them　twelve　pounds　of　bread　and　four　bottles　of
wine；〃　said　the　boy。　〃They'll　be　snug　for　a　week。〃

Returning　to　the　salon；　the　girl　was　beset　with　mute　questions　in　the
eyes　of　all；　each　of　whom　looked　at　her　with　as　much　admiration　as
eagerness。

〃But　have　you　really　seen　them？〃　cried　Madame　d'Hauteserre。

The　countess　put　a　finger　on　her　lips　and　smiled；　then　she　left　the
room　and　went　to　bed；　her　triumph　sure；　utter　weariness　had　overtaken
her。

The　shortest　road　from　Cinq…Cygne　to　Michu's　lodge　was　that　which　led
from　the　village　past　the　farm　at　Bellache　to　the　/rond…point/　where
the　Parisian　spies　had　first　seen　Michu　on　the　preceding　evening。　The
gendarme　who　was　driving　Corentin　took　this　way；　which　was　the　one　the
corporal　of　Arcis　had　taken。　As　they　drove　along；　the　agent　was　on　the
look…out　for　signs　to　show　why　the　corporal　had　been　unhorsed。　He
blamed　himself　for　having　sent　but　one　man　on　so　important　an　errand；
and　he　drew　from　this　mistake　an　axiom　for　the　police　Code；　which　he
afterwards　applied。

〃If　they　have　got　rid　of　the　corporal；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they　have
done　as　much　by　Violette。　Those　five　horses　have　evidently　brought　the
four　conspirators　and　Michu　from　the　neighborhood　of　Paris　to　the
forest。　Has　Michu　a　horse？〃　he　inquired　of　the　gendarme　who　was
driving　him　and　who　belonged　to　the　squad　from　Arcis。

〃Yes；　and　a　famous　little　horse　it　is；〃　answered　the　man；　〃a　hunter
from　the　stables　of　the　ci…devant　Marquis　de　Simeuse。　There's　no
better　beast；　though　it　is　nearly　fifteen　years　old。　Michu　can　ride
him　fifty　miles　and　he　won't　turn　a　hair。　He　takes　mighty　good　care　of
him　and　wouldn't　sell　him　at　any　price。〃

〃What　does　the　horse　look　like？〃

〃He's　brown；　turning　rather　to　black；　white　stockings　above　the　hoofs；
thin；　all　nerves　like　an　Arab。〃

〃Did　you　ever　see　an　Arab？〃

〃In　Egyptlast　year。　I've　ridden　the　horses　of　the　mamelukes。　We　have
to　serve　twelve　years　in　the　cavalry；　and　I　was　on　the　Rhine　under
General　Steingel；　after　that　in　Italy；　and　then　I　followed　the　First
Consul　to　Egypt。　I'll　be　a　corporal　soon。〃

〃When　I　get　to　Michu's　house　go　to　the　stable；　if　you　have　served
twelve　years　in　the　cavalry　you　know　when　a　horse　is　blown。　Let　me
know　the　condition　of　Michu's　beast。〃

〃See！　that's　where　our　corporal　was　thrown；〃　said　the　man；　pointing　to
a　spot　where　the　road　they　were　following　entered　the　/rond…point/。

〃Tell　the　captain　to　come　and　pick　me　up　at　Michu's；　and　I'll　go　with
him　to　Troyes。〃

So　saying　Corentin　got　down；　and　stood　about　for　a　few　minutes
examining　the　ground。　He　looked　at　the　two　elms　which　faced　each
other；one　against　the　park　wall；　the　other　on　the　bank　of　the　/rond…
point/；　then　he　saw　（what　no　one　had　yet　noticed）　the　button　of　a
uniform　lying　in　the　dust；　and　he　picked　it　up。　Entering　the　lodge　he
saw　Violette　and　Michu　sitting　at　the　table　in　the　kitchen　and　talking
eagerly。　Violette　rose；　bowed　to　Corentin；　and　offered　him　some　wine。

〃Thank　you；　no；　I　came　to　see　the　corporal；〃　said　the　young　man；　who
saw　with　half　a　glance　that　Violette　had　been　drunk　all　night。

〃My　wife　is　nursing　him　upstairs；〃　said　Michu。

〃Well；　corporal；　how　are　you？〃　said　Corentin　who　had　run　up　the　stairs
and　found　the　gendarme　with　his　head　bandaged；　and　lying　on　Madame
Michu's　bed；　his　hat；　sabre；　and　shoulder…belt　on　a　chair。

Marthe；　faithful　in　her　womanly　instincts；　and　knowing　nothing　of　her
son's　prowess；　was　giving　all　her　care　to　the　corporal；　assisted　by
her　mother。

〃We　expect　Monsieur　Varlet　the　doctor　from　Arcis；〃　she　said　to
Corentin；　〃our　servant…lad　has　gone　to　fetch　him。〃

〃Leave　us　alone　for　a　moment；〃　said　Corentin；　a　good　deal　surprised　at
the　scene；　which　amply　proved　the　innocence　of　the　two　women。　〃Where
were　you　struck？〃　he　asked　the　man；　examining　his　uniform。

〃On　the　breast；〃　replied　the　corporal。

〃Let's　see　your　belt；〃　said　Corentin。

On　the　yellow　band　with　a　white　edge；　which　a　recent　regulation　had
made　part　of　the　equipment　of　the　guard　now　called　National；　was　a
metal　plate　a　good　deal　like　that　of　the　foresters；　on　which　the　law
required　the　inscription　of　these　remarkable　words：　〃Respect　to
persons　and　to　properties。〃　Francois's　rope　had　struck　the　belt　and
defaced　it。　Corentin　took　up　the　coat　and　found　the　place　where　the
button　he　had　picked　up　upon　the　road　belonged。

〃What　time　did　they　find　you？〃　asked　Corentin。

〃About　daybreak。〃

〃Did　they　bring　you　up　here　at　once？〃　said　Corentin；　noticing　that　the
bed　had　not　been　slept　in。

〃Yes。〃

〃Who　brought　you　up？〃

〃The　women　and　little　Michu；　who　found　me　unconscious。〃

〃So！〃　thought　Corentin：　〃evidently　they　didn't　go　to　bed。　The　corporal
was　not　shot　at；　nor　struck　by　any　weapon；　for　an　assailant　must　have
been　at　his　own　height　to　strike　a　blow。　Something；　some　obstacle；　was
in　his　way　and　that　unhorsed　him。　A　piece　of　wood？　not　possible！　an
iron　chain？　that　would　have　left　marks。　What　did　you　feel？〃　he　said
aloud。

〃I　was　knocked　over　so　suddenly〃

〃The　skin　is　rubbed　off　under　your　chin；〃　said　Corentin　quickly。

〃I　think；〃　said　the　corporal；　〃that　a　rope　did　go　over　my　face。〃

〃I　have　it！〃　cried　Corentin；　〃somebody　tied　a　rope　from　tree　to　tree
to　bar　the　way。〃

〃Like　enough；〃　replied　the　corporal。

Corentin　went　downstairs　to　the　kitchen。

〃Come；　you　old　rascal；〃　Michu　was　saying　to　Violette；　〃let's　make　an
end　of　this。　One　hundred　thousand　francs　for　the　place；　and　you　are
master　of　my　whole　property。　I　shall　retire　on　my　income。〃

〃I　tell　you；　as　there's　a　God　in　heaven；　I　haven't　more　than　sixty
thousand。〃

〃But　don't　I　offer　you　time　to　pay　the　rest？　You've　kept　me　here　since
yesterday；　arguing　it。　The　land　is　in　prime　order。〃

〃Yes；　the　soil　is　good；〃　said　Violette。

〃Wife；　some　more　wine；〃　cried　Michu。

〃Haven't　you　drunk　enough？〃　called　down　Marthe's　mother。　〃This　is　the
fourteenth　bottle　since　nine　o'clock　yesterday。〃

〃You　have　been　here　since　nine　o'clock　this　morning；　haven't　you？〃
said　Corentin　to　Violette。

〃No；　beg　your　pardon；　since　last　night　I　haven't　left　the　place；　and
I've　gained　nothing　after　all；　the　more　he　makes　me　drink　the　more　he
puts　up　the　price。〃

〃In　all　markets　he　who　raises　his　elbow　raises　a　price；〃　said
Corentin。

A　dozen　empty　bottles　ranged　along　the　table　proved　the　truth　of　the
old　woman's　words。　Just　then　the　gendarme　who　had　driven　him　made　a
sign　to　Corentin；　who　went　to　the　door　to　speak　to　him。

〃There　is　no　horse　in　the　stable；〃　said　the　man。

〃You　sent　your　boy　on　horseback　to　the　chateau；　didn't　you？〃　said
Corentin；　returning　to　the　kitchen。　〃Will　he　be　back　soon？〃

〃No；　monsieur；〃　said　Michu；　〃he　went　on　foot。〃

〃What　have　you　done　with　your　horse；　then？〃

〃I　have　lent　him；〃　said　Michu；　curtly。

〃Come　out　here；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Corentin；　〃I've　a　word　for　your
ear。〃

Corentin　and　Michu　left　the　house。

〃The　gun　which　you　were　loading　yesterday　at　four　o'clock　you　meant　to
use　in　murdering　the　Councillor　of　State；　but　we　can't　take　you　up　for
thatplenty　of　intention；　but　no　witnesses。　You　managed；　I　don't　know
how；　to　stupefy　Violette；　and　you　and　your　wife　and　that　young　rascal
of　yours　spent　the　night　out　of　doors　to　warn　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…
Cygne　and　save　her　cousins；　whom　you　are　hiding　here；though　I　don't
as　yet　know　where。　Your　son　or　your　wife　threw　the　corporal　off　his
horse　cleverly　enough。　Well；　you've　got　the　better　of　us　just　now；
you're　a　devil　of　a　fellow。　But　the　end　is　not　yet；　and　you　won't　have
the　last　word。　Hadn't　you　better　compromise？　your　masters　would　be　the
better　for　it。〃

〃Come　this　way；　where　we　can　talk　without　being　overheard；〃　said
Michu；　leading　the　way　through　the　park　to　the　pond。

When　Corentin　saw　the　water　he　looked　fixedly　at　Michu；　who　was　no
doubt　reckoning　on　his　physical　strength　to　fling　the　spy　into　seven
feet　of　mud　below　three　feet　of　water。　Michu　replied　with　a　look　that
was　not　less　fixed。　The　scene　was　absolutely　as　if　a　cold　and　flabby
boa　constrictor　had　defied　one　of　those　tawny；　fierce　leopards　of
Brazil。

〃I　am　not　thirsty；〃　said　Corentin；　stopping　short　at　the　edge　of　the
field　and　putting　his　hand　into　his　pocket　to　feel　for　his　dagger。

〃We　shall　never　come　to　terms；〃　said　Michu；　coldly。

〃Mind　what　you're　about；　my　good　fellow；　the　law　has　its　eye　upon
you。〃

〃If　the　law　can't　see　any　clearer　than　you；　there's　danger　to　every
one；〃　said　the　bailiff。

〃Do　you　refuse？〃　said　Corentin；　in　a　significant　tone。

〃I'd　rather　have　my　head　cut　off　a　thousand　times；　if　that　could　be
done；　than　come　to　an　agreement　with　such　a　villain　as　you。〃

Corentin　got　into　his　vehicle　hastily；　after　one　more　comprehensive
look　at　Michu；　the　lodge；　and　Couraut；　who　barked　at　him