an historical mystery-第43部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


we　do　against　so　many？　Remember；　too；　that　my　present　influence
depends　on　my　keeping　silent。　I　must　order　the　scaffold　to　be
prepared；　or　my　late　client　is　certain　to　be　beheaded。〃

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　knew　Laurence　well　enough　to　be　certain　she
would　never　consent　to　save　her　cousins　at　the　expense　of　Michu；　he
therefore　resolved　on　making　one　more　effort。　He　asked　an　audience　of
the　minister　of　foreign　affairs　to　learn　if　salvation　could　be　looked
for　through　the　influence　of　the　great　diplomat。　He　took　Bordin　with
him；　for　the　latter　knew　the　minister　and　had　done　him　some　service。
The　two　old　men　found　Talleyrand　sitting　with　his　feet　stretched　out；
absorbed　in　contemplation　of　his　fire；　his　head　resting　on　his　hand；
his　elbow　on　the　table；　a　newspaper　lying　at　his　feet。　The　minister
had　just　read　the　decision　of　the　Court　of　Appeals。

〃Pray　sit　down；　Monsieur　le　marquis；〃　said　Talleyrand；　〃and　you；
Bordin；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　a　place　at　the　table；　〃write　as
follows：〃

　　Sire；Four　innocent　gentlemen；　declared　guilty　by　a　jury　have
　　just　had　their　condemnation　confirmed　by　your　Court　of　Appeals。

　　Your　Imperial　Majesty　can　now　only　pardon　them。　These　gentlemen
　　ask　this　pardon　of　your　august　clemency；　in　the　hope　that　they　may
　　enter　your　army　and　meet　their　death　in　battle　before　your　eyes；
　　and　thus　praying；　they　are；　of　your　Imperial　and　Royal　Majesty；
　　with　reverence；　etc。

〃None　but　princes　can　do　such　prompt　and　graceful　kindness；〃　said　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　taking　the　precious　draft　of　the　petition　from
the　hands　of　Bordin　that　he　might　have　it　signed　by　the　four
gentlemen；　resolving　in　his　own　mind　that　he　would　also　obtain　the
signatures　of　several　august　names。

〃The　life　of　your　young　relatives；　Monsieur　le　marquis；〃　said　the
minister；　〃now　depends　on　the　turn　of　a　battle。　Endeavor　to　reach　the
Emperor　on　the　morning　after　a　victory　and　they　are　saved。〃

He　took　a　pen　and　himself　wrote　a　private　and　confidential　letter　to
the　Emperor；　and　another　of　ten　lines　to　Marechal　Duroc。　Then　he　rang
the　bell；　asked　his　secretary　for　a　diplomatic　passport；　and　said
tranquilly　to　the　old　lawyer；　〃What　is　your　honest　opinion　of　that
trial？〃

〃Do　you　know；　monseigneur；　who　was　at　the　bottom　of　this　cruel　wrong？〃

〃I　presume　I　do；　but　I　have　reasons　to　wish　for　certainty；〃　replied
Talleyrand。　〃Return　to　Troyes；　bring　me　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；
here；　to…morrow　at　the　same　hour；　but　secretly；　ask　to　be　ushered　into
Madame　de　Talleyrand's　salon；　I　will　tell　her　you　are　coming。　If
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　shall　be　placed　where　she　can　see　a
man　who　will　be　standing　before　me；　recognizes　that　man　as　an
individual　who　came　to　her　house　during　the　conspiracy　of　de　Polignac
and　Riviere；　tell　her　to　remember　that；　no　matter　what　I　say　or　what
he　answers　me；　she　must　not　utter　a　word　nor　make　a　gesture。　One　thing
more；　think　only　of　saving　the　de　Simeuse　brothers；　don't　embarrass
yourself　with　that　scoundrel　of　a　bailiff〃

〃A　sublime　man；　monseigneur！〃　exclaimed　Bordin。

〃Enthusiasm！　in　you；　Bordin！　The　man　must　be　remarkable。　Our　sovereign
has　an　immense　self…love；　Monsieur　le　marquis；〃　he　said；　changing　the
conversation。　〃He　is　about　to　dismiss　me　that　he　may　commit　follies
without　warning。　The　Emperor　is　a　great　soldier　who　can　change　the
laws　of　time　and　distance；　but　he　cannot　change　men；　yet　he　persists
in　trying　to　run　them　in　his　own　mould！　Now；　remember　this；　the　young
men's　pardon　can　be　obtained　by　one　person　onlyMademoiselle　de　Cinq…
Cygne。〃

The　marquis　went　alone　to　Troyes　and　told　the　whole　matter　to
Laurence。　She　obtained　permission　from　the　authorities　to　see　Michu；
and　the　marquis　accompanied　her　to　the　gates　of　the　prison；　where　he
waited　for　her。　When　she　came　out　her　face　was　bathed　in　tears。

〃Poor　man！〃　she　said；　〃he　tried　to　kneel　to　me；　praying　that　I　would
not　think　of　him；　and　forgetting　the　shackles　that　were　on　his　feet！
Ah；　marquis；　I　/will/　plead　his　cause。　Yes；　I'll　kiss　the　boot　of
their　Emperor。　If　I　failwell；　the　memory　of　that　man　shall　live
eternally　honored　in　our　family。　Present　his　petition　for　mercy　so　as
to　gain　time；　meantime　I　am　resolved　to　have　his　portrait。　Come；　let
us　go。〃

The　next　day；　when　Talleyrand　was　informed　by　a　sign　agreed　upon　that
Laurence　was　at　her　post；　he　rang　the　bell；　his　orderly　came　to　him；
and　received　orders　to　admit　Monsieur　Corentin。

〃My　friend；　you　are　a　very　clever　fellow；〃　said　Talleyrand；　〃and　I
wish　to　employ　you。〃

〃Monsiegneur〃

〃Listen。　In　serving　Fouche　you　will　get　money；　but　never　honor　nor　any
position　you　can　acknowledge。　But　in　serving　me；　as　you　have　lately
done　at　Berlin；　you　can　win　credit　and　repute。〃

〃Monseigneur　is　very　good。〃

〃You　displayed　genius　in　that　late　affair　at　Gondreville。〃

〃To　what　does　Monseigneur　allude？〃　said　Corentin；　with　a　manner　that
was　neither　too　reserved　nor　too　surprised。

〃Ah；　Monsieur！〃　observed　the　minister；　dryly；　〃you　will　never　make　a
successful　man；　you　fear〃

〃What；　monseigneur？〃

〃Death！〃　replied　Talleyrand；　in　his　fine；　deep　voice。　〃Adieu；　my　good
friend。〃

〃That　is　the　man；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　entering　the　room
after　Corentin　was　dismissed；　〃but　we　have　nearly　killed　the
countess。〃

〃He　is　the　only　man　I　know　capable　of　playing　such　a　trick；〃　replied
the　minister。　〃Monsieur　le　marquis；　you　are　in　danger　of　not
succeeding　in　your　mission。　Start　ostensibly　for　Strasburg；　I'll　send
you　double　passports　in　blank　to　be　filled　out。　Provide　yourself　with
substitutes；　change　your　route　and　above　all　your　carriage；　let　your
substitutes　go　on　to　Strasburg；　and　do　you　reach　Prussia　through
Switzerland　and　Bavaria。　Not　a　wordprudence！　The　police　are　against
you；　and　you　do　not　know　what　the　police　are〃

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　offered　the　then　celebrated　Robert　Lefebvre
a　sufficient　sum　to　induce　him　to　go　to　Troyes　and　take　Michu's
portrait。　Monsieur　de　Grandville　promised　to　afford　the　painter　every
possible　facility。　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　then　started　in　the　old
/berlingot/；　with　Laurence　and　a　servant　who　spoke　German。　Not　far
from　Nancy　they　overtook　Mademoiselle　Goujet　and　Gothard；　who　had
preceded　them　in　an　excellent　carriage；　which　the　marquis　took；　giving
them　in　exchange　the　/berlingot/。

Talleyrand　was　right。　At　Strasburg　the　commissary…general　of　police
refused　to　countersign　the　passport　of　the　travellers；　and　gave　them
positive　orders　to　return。　By　that　time　the　marquis　and　Laurence　were
leaving　France　by　way　of　Besancon　with　the　diplomatic　passport。

Laurence　crossed　Switzerland　in　the　first　days　of　October；　without
paying　the　slightest　attention　to　that　glorious　land。　She　lay　back　in
the　carriage　in　the　torpor　which　overtakes　a　criminal　on　the　eve　of
his　execution。　To　her　eyes　all　nature　was　shrouded　in　a　seething
vapor；　even　common　things　assumed　fantastic　shapes。　The　one　thought；
〃If　I　do　not　succeed　they　will　kill　themselves；〃　fell　upon　her　soul
with　reiterated　blows；　as　the　bar　of　the　executioner　fell　upon　the
victim's　members　when　tortured　on　the　wheel。　She　felt　herself
breaking；　she　lost　her　energy　in　this　terrible　waiting　for　the　cruel
moment；　short　and　decisive；　when　she　should　find　herself　face　to　face
with　that　man　on　whom　the　fate　of　the　condemned　depended。　She　chose　to
yield　to　her　depression　rather　than　waste　her　strength　uselessly。　The
marquis；　who　was　incapable　of　understanding　this　resolve　of　firm
minds；　which　often　assumes　quite　diverse　aspects　（for　in　such　moments
of　tension　certain　superior　minds　give　way　to　surprising　gaiety）；
began　to　fear　that　he　might　never　bring　Laurence　alive　to　the
momentous　interview；　solemn　to　them　only；　and　yet　beyond　the　ordinary
limits　of　private　life。　To　Laurence；　the　necessity　of　humiliating
herself　before　that　man；　the　object　of　her　hatred　and　contempt；　meant
the　sacrifice　of　all　her　noblest　feelings。

〃After　this；〃　she　said；　〃the　Laurence　who　survives　will　bear　no
likeness　to　her　who　is　now　to　perish。〃

The　travellers　could　not　fail　to　be　aware　of　the　vast　movement　of　men
and　material　which　surrounded　them　the　moment　they　entered　Prussia。
The　campaign　of　Jena　had　just　begun。　Laurence　and　the　marquis　beheld
the　magnificent　divisions　of　the　French　army　deploying　and　parading　as
if　at　the　Tuileries。　In　this　display　of　military　power；　which　can　be
adequately　described　only　with　the　words　and　images　of　the　Bible；　the
proportions　of　the　Man　whose　spirit　moved　these　masses　grew　gigantic
to　Laurence's　imagination。　Soon；　the　cry　of　victory　resounded　in　her
ears。　The　Imperial　arms　had　just　obtained　two　signal　advantages。　The
Prince　of　Prussia　had　been　killed　the　evening　before　the　day　on　which
the　travellers　arrived　at　Saalfeld　on　their　endeavor　to　overtake
Napoleon；　who　was　marching　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。

At　last；　on　the　13th　of　October　（date　of　ill…omen）　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne　was　skirting　a　river　in　the　midst　of　the　Grand　Army；　seeing
nought　but　confusion；　sent　hither　and　thither　from　one　village　to
another；　from　division　to　division；　frightened　at　finding　herself
alone　with　one　old　man　tossed　about　in　an　ocean　of　a　hundred　and　fifty