an historical mystery-第33部分
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strange hunt your sons have joined in to…day。〃
Though said in jest the words made the old lady tremble。 Catherine
entered to announce dinner。 Laurence took Monsieur d'Hauteserre's arm；
smiling for a moment at the necessity she thus forced upon her cousins
to offer an arm to Madame d'Hauteserre； who； according to agreement；
was now to be the arbiter of their fate。
The Marquis de Simeuse took in Madame d'Hauteserre。 The situation was
so momentous that after the Benedicite was said Laurence and the young
men trembled from the violent palpitation of their hearts。 Madame
d'Hauteserre； who carved； was struck by the anxiety on the faces of
the Simeuse brothers and the great alteration that was noticeable in
Laurence's lamb…like features。
〃Something extraordinary is going on； I am sure of it！〃 she exclaimed；
looking at all of them。
〃To whom are you speaking？〃 asked Laurence。
〃To all of you；〃 said the old lady。
〃As for me； mother；〃 said Robert； 〃I am frightfully hungry； and that
is not extraordinary。〃
Madame d'Hauteserre； still troubled； offered the Marquis de Simeuse a
plate intended for his brother。
〃I am like your mother；〃 she said。 〃I don't know you apart even by
your cravats。 I thought I was helping your brother。〃
〃You have helped me better than you thought for；〃 said the youngest；
turning pale； 〃you have made him Comte de Cinq…Cygne。〃
〃What！ do you mean to tell me the countess has made her choice？〃 cried
Madame d'Hauteserre。
〃No；〃 said Laurence； 〃we left the decision to fate and you are its
instrument。〃
She told of the agreement made that morning。 The elder Simeuse；
watching the increasing pallor of his brother's face； was momentarily
on the point of crying out； 〃Marry her； I will go away and die！〃 Just
then； as the dessert was being served； all present heard raps upon the
window of the dining…room on the garden side。 The eldest d'Hauteserre
opened it and gave entrance to the abbe； whose breeches were torn in
climbing over the walls of the park。
〃Fly！ they are coming to arrest you；〃 he cried。
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know yet； but there's a warrant against you。〃
The words were greeted with general laughter。
〃We are innocent；〃 said the young men。
〃Innocent or guilty；〃 said the abbe； 〃mount your horses and make for
the frontier。 There you can prove your innocence。 You could overcome a
sentence by default； you will never overcome a sentence rendered by
popular passion and instigated by prejudice。 Remember the words of
President de Harlay； 'If I were accused of carrying off the towers of
Notre…Dame the first thing I should do would be to run away。'〃
〃To run away would be to admit we were guilty；〃 said the Marquis de
Simeuse。
〃Don't do it！〃 cried Laurence。
〃Always the same sublime folly！〃 exclaimed the abbe； in despair。 〃If I
had the power of God I would carry you away。 But if I am found here in
this state they will turn my visit against you； and against me too；
therefore I leave you by the way I came。 Consider my advice； you have
still time。 The gendarmes have not yet thought of the wall which
adjoins the parsonage； but you are hemmed in on the other sides。〃
The sound of many feet and the jangle of the sabres of the gendarmerie
echoed through the courtyard and reached the dining…room a few moments
after the departure of the poor abbe； whose advice had met the same
fate as that of the Marquis de Chargeboeuf。
〃Our twin existence；〃 said the younger Simeuse； speaking to Laurence；
〃is an anomalyour love for you is anomalous； it is that very quality
which was won your heart。 Possibly； the reason why all twins known to
us in history have been unfortunate is that the laws of nature are
subverted in them。 In our case； see how persistently an evil fate
follows us！ your decision is now postponed。〃
Laurence was stupefied； the fatal words of the director of the jury
hummed in her ears：〃In the name of the Emperor and the laws； I
arrest the Sieurs Paul…Marie and Marie…Paul Simeuse； Adrien and Robert
d'HauteserreThese gentlemen；〃 he added； addressing the men who
accompanied him and pointing to the mud on the clothing of the
prisoners； 〃cannot deny that they have spent the greater part of this
day on horseback。〃
〃Of what are they accused？〃 asked Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne；
haughtily。
〃Don't you mean to arrest Mademoiselle？〃 said Giguet。
〃I shall leave her at liberty under bail； until I can carefully
examine the charges against her；〃 replied the director。
The mayor offered bail； asking the countess to merely give her word of
honor that she would not escape。 Laurence blasted him with a look
which made him a mortal enemy； a tear started from her eyes； one of
those tears of rage which reveal a hell of suffering。 The four
gentlemen exchanged a terrible look； but remained motionless。 Monsieur
and Madame d'Hauteserre； dreading lest the young people had practised
some deceit； were in a state of indescribable stupefaction。 Clinging
to their chairs these unfortunate parents； finding their sons torn
from them after so many fears and their late hopes of safety； sat
gazing before them without seeing； listening without hearing。
〃Must I ask you to bail me； Monsieur d'Hauteserre？〃 cried Laurence to
her former guardian； who was roused by the cry； clear and agonizing to
his ear as the sound of the last trumpet。
He tried to wipe the tears which sprang to his eyes； he now understood
what was passing； and said to his young relation in a quivering voice；
〃Forgive me； countess； you know that I am yours； body and soul。〃
Lechesneau； who at first was much struck by the evident tranquillity
in which the whole party were dining； now returned to his former
opinion of their guilt as he noticed the stupefaction of the old
people and the evident anxiety of Laurence； who was seeking to
discover the nature of the trap which was set for them。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； politely； 〃you are too well…bred to make a
useless resistance； follow me to the stables； where I must； in your
presence； have the shoes of your horses taken off； they afford
important proof of either guilt or innocence。 Come； too；
mademoiselle。〃
The blacksmith of Cinq…Cygne and his assistant had been summoned by
Lechesneau as experts。 While the operation at the stable was going on
the justice of peace brought in Gothard and Michu。 The work of
detaching the shoes of each horse； putting them together and ticketing
them； so as to compare them with the hoof…prints in the park； took
time。 Lechesneau； notified of the arrival of Pigoult； left the
prisoners with the gendarmes and returned to the dining…room to
dictate the indictment。 The justice of peace called his attention to
the condition of Michu's clothes and related the circumstances of his
arrest。
〃They must have killed the senator and plastered the body up in some
wall；〃 said Pigoult。
〃I begin to fear it；〃 answered Lechesneau。 〃Where did you carry that
plaster？〃 he said to Gothard。
The boy began to cry。
〃The law frightens him；〃 said Michu； whose eyes were darting flames
like those of a lion in the toils。
The servants； who had been detained at the village by order of the
mayor； now arrived and filled the antechamber where Catherine and
Gothard were weeping。 To all the questions of the director of the jury
and the justice of peace Gothard replied by sobs； and by dint of
weeping he brought on a species of convulsion which alarmed them so
much that they let him alone。 The little scamp； perceiving that he was
no longer watched； looked at Michu with a grin； and Michu signified
his approval by a glance。 Lechesneau left the justice of peace and
returned to the stables。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Madame d'Hauteserre； at last； addressing Pigoult；
〃can you explain these arrests？〃
〃The gentlemen are accused of abducting the senator by armed force and
keeping him a prisoner； for we do not think they have murdered himin
spite of appearances；〃 replied Pigoult。
〃What penalties are attached to the crime？〃 asked Monsieur
d'Hauteserre。
〃Well； as the old law continues in force； and they are not amenable
under the Code； the penalty is death；〃 replied the justice。
〃Death！〃 cried Madame d'Hauteserre； fainting away。
The abbe now came in with his sister； who stopped to speak to
Catherine and Madame Durieu。
〃We haven't even seen your cursed senator！〃 said Michu。
〃Madame Marion； Madame Grevin； Monsieur Grevin； the senator's valet；
and Violette all tell another tale；〃 replied Pigoult； with the sour
smile of magisterial conviction。
〃I don't understand a thing about it；〃 said Michu； dumbfounded by his
reply； and beginning now to believe that his masters and himself were
entangled in some plot which had been laid against them。
Just then the party from the stables returned。 Laurence went up to
Madame d'Hauteserre； who recovered her senses enough to say： 〃The
penalty is death！〃
〃Death！〃 repeated Laurence； looking at the four gentlemen。
The word excited a general terror； of which Giguet； formerly
instructed by Corentin； took immediate advantage。
〃Everything can be arranged；〃 he said； drawing the Marquis de Simeuse
into a corner of the dining…room。 〃Perhaps after all it is nothing but
a
