an historical mystery-第28部分

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Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf。

Gradually　the　old　man　made　them　aware；　though　vaguely；　of　some
threatened　danger。　When　Laurence　begged　him　to　explain　the　nature　of
it；　he　advised　the　four　young　men　to　refrain　from　hunting　and　to　keep
themselves　as　much　in　retirement　as　possible。

〃You　treat　the　domain　of　Gondreville　as　if　it　were　your　own；〃　he　said
to　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse；　〃and　you　are　keeping　alive　a　deadly
hatred。　I　see；　by　the　surprise　upon　your　faces；　that　you　are　quite
unaware　of　the　ill…will　against　you　at　Troyes；　where　your　late　brave
conduct　is　remembered。　They　tell　of　how　you　foiled　the　police　of　the
Empire；　some　praise　you　for　it；　but　others　regard　you　as　enemies　of
the　Emperor；　partisans　declare　that　Napoleon's　clemency　is
inexplicable。　That；　however；　is　nothing。　The　real　danger　lies　here；
you　foiled　men　who　thought　themselves　cleverer　than　you；　and　low…bred
men　never　forgive。　Sooner　or　later　justice；　which　in　your　department
emanates　from　your　enemy；　Senator　Malin　（who　has　his　henchmen
everywhere；　even　in　the　ministerial　offices）；/his/　justice　will
rejoice　to　see　you　involved　in　some　annoying　scrape。　A　peasant；　for
instance；　will　quarrel　with　you　for　riding　over　his　field；　your　guns
are　in　your　hands；　you　are　hot…tempered；　and　something　happens。　In
your　position　it　is　absolutely　essential　that　you　should　not　put
yourselves　in　the　wrong。　I　do　not　speak　to　you　thus　without　good
reason。　The　police　keep　this　arrondissement　under　strict　surveillance；
they　have　an　agent　in　that　little　hole　of　Arcis　expressly　to　protect
the　Imperial　senator　Malin　against　your　attacks。　He　is　afraid　of　you；
and　says　so　openly。〃

〃It　is　a　calumny！〃　cried　the　younger　Simeuse。

〃A　calumny；I　am　sure　of　it　myself；　but　will　the　public　believe　it？
Michu　certainly　did　aim　at　the　senator；　who　does　not　forget　the　danger
he　was　in；　and　since　your　return　the　countess　has　taken　Michu　into　her
service。　To　many　persons；　in　fact　to　the　majority；　Malin　will　seem　to
be　in　the　right。　You　do　not　understand　how　delicate　the　position　of　an
/emigre/　is　towards　those　who　are　now　in　possession　of　his　property。
The　prefect；　a　very　intelligent　man；　dropped　a　word　to　me　yesterday
about　you　which　has　made　me　uneasy。　In　short；　I　sincerely　wish　you
would　not　remain　here。〃

This　speech　was　received　in　dumb　amazement。　Marie…Paul　rang　the　bell。

〃Gothard；〃　he　said；　to　the　little　page；　〃send　Michu　here。〃

〃Michu；　my　friend；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse　when　the　man　appeared；
〃is　it　true　that　you　intended　to　kill　Malin？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　marquis；　and　when　he　comes　here　again　I　shall　lie　in
wait　for　him。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　we　are　suspected　of　instigating　it；　and　that　our
cousin；　by　taking　you　as　her　farmer　is　supposed　to　be　furthering　your
scheme？〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　Michu；　〃am　I　accursed？　Shall　I　never　be　able　to　rid
you　of　that　villain？〃

〃No；　my　man；　no！〃　said　Paul…Marie。　〃But　we　will　always　take　care　of
you；　though　you　will　have　to　leave　our　service　and　the　country　too。
Sell　your　property　here；　we　will　send　you　to　Trieste　to　a　friend　of
ours　who　has　immense　business　connections；　and　he'll　employ　you　until
things　are　better　in　this　country　for　all　of　us。〃

Tears　came　into　Michu's　eyes；　he　stood　rooted　to　the　floor。

〃Were　there　any　witnesses　when　you　aimed　at　Malin？〃　asked　the　Marquis
de　Chargeboeuf。

〃Grevin　the　notary　was　talking　with　him；　and　that　prevented　my　killing
himvery　fortunately；　as　Madame　la　Comtesse　knows；〃　said　Michu；
looking　at　his　mistress。

〃Grevin　is　not　the　only　one　who　knows　it？〃　said　Monsieur　de
Chargeboeuf；　who　seemed　annoyed　at　what　was　said；　though　none　but　the
family　were　present。

〃That　police　spy　who　came　here　to　trap　my　masters；　he　knew　it　too；〃
said　Michu。

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　rose　as　if　to　look　at　the　gardens；　and　said；
〃You　have　made　the　most　of　Cinq…Cygne。〃　Then　he　left　the　house；
followed　by　the　two　brothers　and　Laurence；　who　now　saw　the　meaning　of
his　visit。

〃You　are　frank　and　generous；　but　most　imprudent；〃　said　the　old　man。
〃It　was　natural　enough　that　I　should　warn　you　of　a　rumor　which　was
certain　to　be　a　slander；　but　what　have　you　done　now？　you　have　let　such
weak　persons　as　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　their　sons　see
that　there　was　truth　in　it。　Oh；　young　men！　young　men！　You　ought　to
keep　Michu　here　and　go　away　yourselves。　But　if　you　persist　in
remaining；　at　least　write　a　letter　to　the　senator　and　tell　him　that
having　heard　the　rumors　about　Michu　you　have　dismissed　him　from　your
employ。〃

〃We！〃　exclaimed　the　brothers；　〃what；　write　to　Malin；to　the　murderer
of　our　father　and　our　mother；　to　the　insolent　plunderer　of　our
property！〃

〃All　true；　but　he　is　one　of　the　chief　personages　at　the　Imperial
court；　and　the　king　of　your　department。〃

〃He；　who　voted　for　the　death　of　Louis　XVI。　in　case　the　army　of　Conde
entered　France！〃　cried　Laurence。

〃He；　who　probably　advised　the　murder　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien！〃　exclaimed
Paul…Marie。

〃Well；　well；　if　you　want　to　recapitulate　his　titles　of　nobility；〃　cried
Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　〃say　he　who　pulled　Robespierre　by　the　skirts
of　his　coat　to　make　him　fall　when　he　saw　that　his　enemies　were
stronger　than　he；　he　who　would　have　shot　Bonaparte　if　the　18th
Brumaire　had　missed　fire；　he　who　manoeuvres　now　to　bring　back　the
Bourbons　if　Napoleon　totters；　he　whom　the　strong　will　ever　find　on
their　side　to　handle　either　sword　or　pistol　and　put　an　end　to　an
adversary　whom　they　fear！　Butall　that　is　only　reason　the　more　for
what　I　urge　upon　you。〃

〃We　have　fallen　very　low；〃　said　Laurence。

〃Children；〃　said　the　old　marquis；　taking　them　by　the　hand　and　going　to
the　lawn；　then　covered　by　a　slight　fall　of　snow；　〃you　will　be　angry　at
the　prudent　advice　of　an　old　man；　but　I　am　bound　to　give　it；　and　here
it　is：　If　I　were　you　I　would　employ　as　go…between　some　trustworthy　old
fellowlike　myself；　for　instance；　I　would　commission　him　to　ask　Malin
for　a　million　of　francs　for　the　title…deeds　of　Gondreville；　he　would
gladly　consent　if　the　matter　were　kept　secret。　You　will　then　have
capital　in　hand；　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　you　can
buy　a　fine　estate　in　another　part　of　France。　As　for　Cinq…Cygne；　it　can
safely　be　left　to　the　management　of　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　and　you　can
draw　lots　as　to　which　of　you　shall　win　the　hand　of　this　dear　heiress
But　ah！　I　know　the　words　of　an　old　man　in　the　ears　of　the　young　are
like　the　words　of　the　young　in　the　ears　of　the　old；　a　sound　without
meaning。〃

The　old　marquis　signed　to　his　three　relatives　that　he　wished　no
answer；　and　returned　to　the　salon；　where；　during　their　absence；　the
abbe　and　his　sister　had　arrived。

The　proposal　to　draw　lots　for　their　cousin's　hand　had　offended　the
brothers；　while　Laurence　revolted　in　her　soul　at　the　bitterness　of　the
remedy　the　old　marquis　counselled。　All　three　were　now　less　gracious　to
him；　though　they　did　not　cease　to　be　polite。　The　warmth　of　their
feeling　was　chilled。　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　who　felt　the　change；
cast　frequent　looks　of　kindly　compassion　on　these　charming　young
people。　The　conversation　became　general；　but　the　old　marquis　still
dwelt　on　the　necessity　of　submitting　to　events；　and　he　applauded
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　for　his　persistence　in　urging　his　sons　to　take
service　under　the　Empire。

〃Bonaparte；〃　he　said；　〃makes　dukes。　He　has　created　Imperial　fiefs；　he
will　therefore　make　counts。　Malin　is　determined　to　be　Comte　de
Gondreville。　That　is　a　fancy；〃　he　added；　looking　at　the　Simeuse
brothers；　〃which　might　be　profitable　to　you〃

〃Or　fatal；〃　said　Laurence。

As　soon　as　the　horses　were　put…to　the　marquis　took　leave；　accompanied
to　the　door　by　the　whole　party。　When　fairly　in　the　carriage　he　made　a
sign　to　Laurence　to　come　and　speak　to　him；　and　she　sprang　upon　the
foot…board　with　the　lightness　of　a　swallow。

〃You　are　not　an　ordinary　woman；　and　you　ought　to　understand　me；〃　he
said　in　her　ear。　〃Malin's　conscience　will　never　allow　him　to　leave　you
in　peace；　he　will　set　some　trap　to　injure　you。　I　implore　you　to　be
careful　of　all　your　actions；　even　the　most　unimportant。　Compromise；
negotiate；　those　are　my　last　words。〃

The　brothers　stood　motionless　behind　their　cousin　and　watched　the
/berlingot/　as　it　turned　through　the　iron　gates　and　took　the　road　to
Troyes。　Laurence　repeated　the　old　man's　last　words。　But　sage
experience　should　not　present　itself　to　the　eyes　of　youth　in　a
/berlingot/；　colored　stockings；　and　a　queue。　These　ardent　young　hearts
had　no　conception　of　the　change　that　had　passed　over　France；
indignation　crisped　their　nerves；　honor　boiled　with　their　noble　blood
through　every　vein。

〃He；　the　head　of　the　house　of　Chargeboeuf！〃　said　the　Marquis　de
Simeuse。　〃A　man　who　bears　the　motto　/Adsit　fortior/；　the　noblest　of
warcries！〃

〃We　are　no　longer　in　the　days　of　Saint…Louis；〃　said　the　younger
Simeuse。

〃But　'We　die　singing；'〃　said　the　countess。　〃The　cry　of　the　five　young
girls　of　my　house　is　mine！〃

〃And　ours；　'Cy　meurs；'〃　said　the　elder　Simeuse。　〃Therefore；　no
quarter；　I　say；　for；　on　reflection；　we　shall　find　that　our　relative
had　pondered　well　what　he　told　usGondreville　to　be　the　title　of　a
Malin！〃

〃And　his　seat！〃　said　the　younger。

〃Mansart　designed　it　for