an historical mystery-第29部分

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Malin！〃

〃And　his　seat！〃　said　the　younger。

〃Mansart　designed　it　for　noble　stock；　and　the　populace　will　get　their
children　in　it！〃　exclaimed　the　elder。

〃If　that　were　to　come　to　pass；　I'd　rather　see　Gondreville　in　ashes！〃
cried　Mademoiselle　Cinq…Cygne。

One　of　the　villagers；　who　had　entered　the　grounds　to　examine　a　calf
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　was　trying　to　sell　him；　overheard　these　words　as
he　came　from　the　cow…sheds。

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　said　Laurence；　laughing；　〃this　is　very　imprudent；　we
are　giving　the　old　marquis　a　right　to　blame　us。　My　poor　Michu；〃　she
added；　as　she　entered　the　salon；　〃I　had　forgotten　your　adventure；　as
we　are　not　in　the　odor　of　sanctity　in　these　parts　you　must　be　careful
not　to　compromise　us　in　future。　Have　you　any　other　peccadilloes　on
your　conscience？〃

〃I　blame　myself　for　not　having　killed　the　murderer　of　my　old　masters
before　I　came　to　the　rescue　of　my　present　ones〃

〃Michu！〃　said　the　abbe　in　a　warning　tone。

〃But　I'll　not　leave　the　country；〃　Michu　continued；　paying　no　heed　to
the　abbe's　exclamation；　〃till　I　am　certain　you　are　safe。　I　see　fellows
roaming　about　here　whom　I　distrust。　The　last　time　we　hunted　in　the
forest；　that　keeper　who　took　my　place　at　Gondreville　came　to　me　and
asked　if　we　supposed　we　were　on　our　own　property。　'Ho！　my　lad；'　I
said；　'we　can't　get　rid　in　two　weeks　of　ideas　we've　had　for
centuries。'〃

〃You　did　wrong；　Michu；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse；　smiling　with
satisfaction。

〃What　answer　did　he　make？〃　asked　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃He　said　he　would　inform　the　senator　of　our　claims；〃　replied　Michu。

〃Comte　de　Gondreville！〃　repeated　the　elder　Simeuse；　〃what　a
masquerade！　But　after　all；　they　say　'your　Majesty'　to　Bonaparte！〃

〃And　to　the　Grand　Duc　de　Berg；　'your　Highness！'〃　said　the　abbe。

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse。

〃Murat；　Napoleon's　brother…in…law；〃　replied　old　d'Hauteserre。

〃Delightful！〃　remarked　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。　〃Do　they　also　say
'your　Majesty'　to　the　widow　of　Beauharnais？〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃We　ought　to　go　to　Paris　and　see　it　all；〃　cried　Laurence。

〃Alas；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Michu；　〃I　was　there　to　put　Francois　at
school；　and　I　swear　to　you　there's　no　joking　with　what　they　call　the
Imperial　Guard。　If　the　rest　of　the　army　are　like　them；　the　thing　may
last　longer　than　we。〃

〃They　say　many　of　the　noble　families　are　taking　service；〃　said
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃According　to　the　present　law；〃　added　the　abbe；　〃you　will　be　compelled
to　serve。　The　conscription　makes　no　distinction　of　ranks　or　names。〃

〃That　man　is　doing　us　more　harm　with　his　court　than　the　Revolution　did
with　its　axe！〃　cried　Laurence。

〃The　Church　prays　for　him；〃　said　the　abbe。

These　remarks；　made　rapidly　one　after　another；　were　so　many
commentaries　on　the　wise　counsel　of　the　old　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；
but　the　young　people　had　too　much　faith；　too　much　honor；　to　dream　of
resorting　to　a　compromise。　They　told　themselves；　as　all　vanquished
parties　in　all　times　have　declared；　that　the　luck　of　the　conquerors
would　soon　be　at　an　end；　that　the　Emperor　had　no　support　but　that　of
the　army；　that　the　power　/de　facto/　must　sooner　or　later　give　way　to
the　Divine　Right；　etc。　So；　in　spite　of　the　wise　counsel　given　to　them；
they　fell　into　the　pitfall；　which　others；　like　old　d'Hauteserre；　more
prudent　and　more　amenable　to　reason；　would　have　been　able　to　avoid。　If
men　were　frank　they　might　perhaps　admit　that　misfortunes　never
overtake　them　until　after　they　have　received　either　an　actual　or　an
occult　warning。　Many　do　not　perceive　the　deep　meaning　of　such　visible
or　invisible　signs　until　after　the　disaster　is　upon　them。

〃In　any　case；　Madame　la　comtesse　knows　that　I　cannot　leave　the　country
until　I　have　given　up　a　certain　trust；〃　said　Michu　in　a　low　voice　to
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。

For　all　answer　she　made　him　a　sign　of　acquiescence；　and　he　left　the
room。



CHAPTER　XII

THE　FACTS　OF　A　MYSTERIOUS　AFFAIR

Michu　sold　his　farm　at　once　to　Beauvisage；　a　farmer　at　Bellache；　but
he　was　not　to　receive　the　money　for　twenty　days。　A　month　after　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf's　visit；　Laurence；　who　had　told　her　cousins　of
their　buried　fortune；　proposed　to　them　to　take　the　day　of　the
Mi…careme　to　disinter　it。　The　unusual　quantity　of　snow　which　fell　that
winter　had　hitherto　prevented　Michu　from　obtaining　the　treasure；　and
it　now　gave　him　pleasure　to　undertake　the　operation　with　his　masters。
He　was　determined　to　leave　the　neighborhood　as　soon　as　it　was　over；
for　he　feared　himself。

〃Malin　has　suddenly　arrived　at　Gondreville；　and　no　one　knows　why；〃　he
said　to　his　mistress。　〃I　shall　never　be　able　to　resist　putting　the
property　into　the　market　by　the　death　of　its　owner。　I　feel　I　am　guilty
in　not　following　my　inspirations。〃

〃Why　should　he　leave　Paris　at　this　season？〃　said　the　countess。

〃All　Arcis　is　talking　about　it；〃　replied　Michu；　〃he　has　left　his
family　in　Paris；　and　no　one　is　with　him　but　his　valet。　Monsieur
Grevin；　the　notary　of　Arcis；　Madame　Marion；　the　wife　of　the　receiver…
general；　and　her　sister…in…law　are　staying　at　Gondreville。〃

Laurence　had　chosen　the　mid…lent　day　for　their　purpose　because　it
enabled　her　to　give　her　servants　a　holiday　and　so　get　them　out　of　the
way。　The　usual　masquerade　drew　the　peasantry　to　the　town　and　no　one
was　at　work　in　the　fields。　Chance　made　its　calculations　with　as　much
cleverness　as　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　made　hers。　The　uneasiness　of
Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　at　the　idea　of　keeping　eleven　hundred
thousand　francs　in　gold　in　a　lonely　chateau　on　the　borders　of　a　forest
was　likely　to　be　so　great　that　their　sons　advised　they　should　know
nothing　about　it。　The　secret　of　the　expedition　was　therefore　confined
to　Gothard；　Michu；　Laurence；　and　the　four　gentlemen。

After　much　consultation　it　seemed　possible　to　put　forty…eight　thousand
francs　in　a　long　sack　on　the　crupper　of　each　of　their　horses。　Three
trips　would　therefore　bring　the　whole。　It　was　agreed　to　send　all　the
servants；　whose　curiosity　might　be　troublesome；　to　Troyes　to　see　the
shows。　Catherine；　Marthe；　and　Durieu；　who　could　be　relied　on；　stayed
at　home　in　charge　of　the　house。　The　other　servants　were　glad　of　their
holiday　and　started　by　daybreak。　Gothard；　assisted　by　Michu；　saddled
the　horses　as　soon　as　they　were　gone；　and　the　party　started　by　way　of
the　gardens　to　reach　the　forest。　Just　as　they　were　mountingfor　the
park　gate　was　so　low　on　the　garden　side　that　they　led　their　horses
until　they　were　through　itold　Beauvisage；　the　farmer　at　Bellache；
happened　to　pass。

〃There！〃　cried　Gothard；　〃I　hear　some　one。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　only　I；〃　said　the　worthy　man；　coming　toward　them。　〃Your
servant；　gentleman；　are　you　off　hunting；　in　spite　of　the　new　decrees？
/I/　don't　complain　of　you；　but　do　take　care！　though　you　have　friends
you　have　also　enemies。〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　said　the　elder　Hauteserre；　smiling；　〃God　grant　that
our　hunt　may　be　lucky　to…day；if　so；　you　will　get　your　masters　back
again。〃

These　words；　to　which　events　were　destined　to　give　a　totally　different
meaning；　earned　a　severe　look　from　Laurence。　The　elder　Simeuse　was
confident　that　Malin　would　restore　Gondreville　for　an　indemnity。　These
rash　youths　were　determined　to　do　exactly　the　contrary　of　what　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　had　advised。　Robert；　who　shared　these　hopes；
was　thinking　of　them　when　he　gave　utterance　to　the　fatal　words。

〃Not　a　word　of　this；　old　friend；〃　said　Michu　to　Beauvisage；　waiting
behind　the　others　to　lock　the　gate。

It　was　one　of　those　fine　mornings　in　March　when　the　air　is　dry；　the
earth　pure；　the　sky　clear；　and　the　atmosphere　a　contradiction　to　the
leafless　trees；　the　season　was　so　mild　that　the　eye　caught　glimpses
here　and　there　of　verdure。

〃We　are　seeking　treasure　when　all　the　while　you　are　the　real　treasure
of　our　house；　cousin；〃　said　the　elder　Simeuse；　gaily。

Laurence　was　in　front；　with　a　cousin　on　each　side　of　her。　The
d'Hauteserres　were　behind；　followed　by　Michu。　Gothard　had　gone　forward
to　clear　the　way。

〃Now　that　our　fortune　is　restored；　you　must　marry　my　brother；〃　said
the　younger　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　adores　you；　together　you　will　be　as
rich　as　nobles　ought　to　be　in　these　days。〃

〃No；　give　the　whole　fortune　to　him　and　I　will　marry　you；〃　said
Laurence；　〃I　am　rich　enough　for　two。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　cried　the　Marquis；　〃I　will　leave　you；　and　find　a　wife
worthy　to　be　your　sister。〃

〃So　you　really　love　me　less　than　I　thought　you　did？〃　said　Laurence
looking　at　him　with　a　sort　of　jealousy。

〃No；　I　love　you　better　than　either　of　you　love　me；〃　replied　the
marquis。

〃And　therefore　you　would　sacrifice　yourself？〃　asked　Laurence　with　a
glance　full　of　momentary　preference。

The　marquis　was　silent。

〃Well；　then；　I　shall　think　only　of　you；　and　that　will　be　intolerable
to　my　husband；〃　exclaimed　Laurence；　impatient　at　his　silence。

〃How　could　I　live　without　you？〃　said　the　younger　twin　to　his　brother。

〃But；　after　all；　you　can't　marry　us　both；〃　said　the　marquis；　replying
to　Laurence；　〃and　the　time　has　come；〃　he　continued；　in　the　brusque
tone　of　a　man　who　is　struck　to　the　heart；　〃to　make　your　decision。〃

He　urged　his　horse　in　advance　so　that　the　d'Hauteserres　might