an historical mystery-第16章

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collusion；　and　took　care　to　say　nothing　about　it　to　the　First　Consul。
He　preferred　to　make　Malin　his　instrument　rather　than　destroy　him。　It
was　Fouche's　habit　to　keep　to　himself　a　good　part　of　the　secrets　he
detected；　and　he　thus　obtained　for　his　own　purposes　a　power　over　those
concerned　which　was　even　greater　than　that　of　Bonaparte。　This
duplicity　was　one　of　the　Emperor's　charges　against　his　minister。

Fouche　knew　of　the　swindling　transaction　by　which　Malin　became
possessed　of　Gondreville　and　which　led　him　to　keep　his　eyes　so
anxiously　on　the　Simeuse　brothers。　These　gentlemen　were　now　serving　in
the　army　of　Conde；　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　was　their　cousin；
possibly　they　were　in　her　neighborhood；　and　were　sharers　in　the
conspiracy；　if　so；　it　would　implicate　the　house　of　Conde　to　which　they
were　devoted。　Talleyrand　and　Fouche　were　bent　on　casting　light　into
this　dark　corner　of　the　conspiracy　of　1803。　All　these　considerations
Fouche　saw　at　a　glance；　rapidly　and　with　great　clearness。　But　between
Malin；　Talleyrand；　and　himself　there　were　strong　ties　which　forced　him
to　the　utmost　circumspection；　and　made　him　anxious　to　know　the　exact
state　of　things　within　the　walls　of　Gondreville。　Corentin　was
unreservedly　attached　to　Fouche；　just　as　Monsieur　de　la　Besnardiere
was　to　Talleyrand；　Gentz　to　Monsieur　de　Metternich；　Dundas　to　Pitt；
Duroc　to　Napoleon；　Chavigny　to　Cardinal　Richelieu。　Corentin　was　not
the　counsellor　of　his　master；　but　his　instrument；　the　Tristan　to　this
Louis　XI。　of　low　estate。　Fouche　had　kept　him　in　the　ministry　of　the
police　when　he　himself　left　it；　so　as　to　still　keep　an　eye　and　a
finger　in　it。　It　was　said　that　Corentin　belonged　to　Fouche　by　some
unavowed　relationship；　for　he　rewarded　him　lavishly　after　every
service。　Corentin　had　a　friend　in　Peyrade；　the　old　pupil　of　the　last
lieutenant　of　police；　but　he　kept　a　good　many　of　his　secrets　from　him。
Fouche　gave　Corentin　an　order　to　explore　the　chateau　of　Gondreville；
to　get　the　plan　of　it　into　his　memory；　and　to　know　every　hiding…place
within　its　walls。

〃We　may　be　obliged　to　return　there；〃　said　the　ex…minister；　precisely
as　Napoleon　told　his　lieutenants　to　explore　the　field　of　Austerlitz　on
which　he　intended　to　fall　back。

Corentin　was　also　to　study　Malin's　conduct；　discover　what　influence　he
had　in　the　neighborhood；　and　observe　the　men　he　employed。　Fouche
regarded　it　as　certain　that　the　Simeuse　brothers　were　in　that　part　of
the　country。　By　cautiously　watching　the　two　officers；　who　were　closely
allied　with　the　Prince　de　Conde；　Peyrade　and　Corentin　could　obtain
precious　light　on　the　ramifications　of　the　conspiracy　beyond　the
Rhine。　In　any　case；　however；　Corentin　received　the　means；　the　orders；
and　the　agents；　to　surround　the　chateau　of　Cinq…Cygne　and　watch　the
whole　region；　from　the　forest　of　Nodesme　into　Paris。　Fouche　insisted
on　the　utmost　caution；　and　would　only　allow　a　domiciliary　visit　to
Cinq…Cygne　in　case　Malin　gave　them　positive　information　which　made　it
necessary。　By　way　of　instructions　he　explained　to　Corentin　the
otherwise　inexplicable　personality　of　Michu；　who　had　been　watched　by
the　police　for　the　last　three　years。　Corentin's　idea　was　that　of　his
master：　〃Malin　knows　all　about　the　conspiracyBut；〃　he　added　to
himself；　〃perhaps　Fouche　does；　too；　who　knows？〃

Corentin；　having　started　for　Troyes　before　Malin；　had　made
arrangements　with　the　commandant　of　the　gendarmerie　in　that　town；　who
picked　out　a　number　of　his　most　intelligent　men　and　placed　them　under
orders　of　an　able　captain。　Corentin　chose　Gondreville　as　the　place　of
rendezvous；　and　directed　the　captain　to　send　some　of　his　men　at　night
in　four　detachments　to　different　points　of　the　valley　of　Cinq…Cygne　at
sufficient　distance　from　each　other　to　cause　no　alarm。　These　four
pickets　were　to　form　a　square　and　close　in　around　the　chateau　of　Cinq…
Cygne。　By　leaving　Corentin　alone　at　Gondreville　during　his
consultation　in　the　fields　with　Grevin；　Malin　had　enabled　him　to
fulfil　part　of　Fouche's　orders　and　explore　the　house。　When　the
Councillor　of　State　returned　home　he　told　Corentin　so　positively　that
the　d'Hauteserre　and　Simeuse　brothers　were　in　the　neighborhood　and
probably　at　Cinq…Cygne　that　the　two　agents　despatched　the　captain　with
the　rest　of　his　company；　who；　fortunately　for　the　four　gentlemen；
crossed　the　forest　on　their　way　to　the　chateau　during　the　time　when
Michu　was　making　Violette　drunk。　Malin　had　told　Corentin　and　Peyrade
of　the　escape　he　had　from　lying　in　wait　for　him。　The　two　agents
related　the　incident　of　the　gun　they　had　seen　the　bailiff　load；　and
Grevin　had　sent　Violette　to　obtain　information　as　to　what　was　going　on
at　Michu's　house。　Corentin　advised　the　notary　to　take　Malin　to　his　own
house　in　the　little　town　of　Arcis；　and　let　him　sleep　there　as　a
measure　of　precaution。　At　the　moment　when　Michu　and　his　wife　were
rushing　through　the　forest　on　their　way　to　Cinq…Cygne；　Peyrade　and
Corentin　were　starting　from　Gondreville　for　Cinq…Cygne　in　a　shabby
wicker　carriage；　drawn　by　one　post…horse　driven　by　the　corporal　of
Arcis；　one　of　the　shrewdest　men　in　the　Legion；　whom　the　commandant　at
Troyes　advised　them　to　employ。

〃The　surest　way　to　seize　them　all　is　to　warn　them；〃　said　Peyrade　to
Corentin。　〃At　the　moment　when　they　are　well　frightened　and　are　trying
to　save　their　papers　or　to　escape　we'll　fall　upon　them　like　a
thunderbolt。　The　gendarmes　surround　the　chateau　now　and　are　as　good　as
a　net。　We　sha'n't　lose　one　of　them！〃

〃You　had　better　send　the　mayor　to　warn　them；〃　said　the　corporal。　〃He
is　friendly　to　them　and　wouldn't　like　to　see　them　harmed；　they　won't
distrust　him。〃

Just　as　Goulard　was　preparing　to　go　to　bed；　Corentin；　who　stopped　the
vehicle　in　a　little　wood；　went　to　his　house　and　told　him；
confidentially；　that　in　a　few　moments　an　emissary　from　the　government
would　require　him　to　enter　the　chateau　of　Cinq…Cygne　and　arrest　the
brothers　d'Hauteserre　and　Simeuse；　and　in　case　they　had　already
disappeared　he　would　have　to　ascertain　if　they　had　slept　there　the
night　before；　search　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne's　papers；　and；
possibly；　arrest　both　the　masters　and　servants　of　the　household。

〃Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；〃　said　Corentin；　〃is　undoubtedly　protected
by　some　great　personages；　for　I　have　received　private　orders　to　warn
her　of　this　visit；　and　to　do　all　I　can　to　save　her　without
compromising　myself。　Once　on　the　ground；　I　shall　no　longer　be　able　to
do　so；　for　I　am　not　alone；　go　to　the　chateau　yourself　and　warn　them。〃

The　mayor's　visit　at　that　time　of　night　was　all　the　more　bewildering
to　the　card…players　when　they　saw　the　agitation　of　his　face。

〃Where　is　the　countess？〃　were　his　first　words。

〃She　has　gone　to　bed；〃　said　Madame　d'Hauteserre。

The　mayor；　incredulous；　listened　to　noises　that　were　heard　on　the
upper　floor。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　Goulard？〃　said　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

Goulard　was　dumb　with　surprise　as　he　noted　the　tranquil　ease　of　the
faces　about　him。　Observing　the　peaceful　and　innocent　game　of　cards
which　he　had　thus　interrupted；　he　was　unable　to　imagine　what　the
Parisian　police　meant　by　their　suspicions。

At　that　moment　Laurence；　kneeling　in　her　oratory；　was　praying
fervently　for　the　success　of　the　conspiracy。　She　prayed　to　God　to　send
help　and　succor　to　the　murderers　of　Bonaparte。　She　implored　Him
ardently　to　destroy　that　fatal　being。　The　fanaticism　of　Harmodius；
Judith；　Jacques　Clement；　Ankarstroem；　of　Charlotte　Corday　and
Limoelan；　inspired　this　pure　and　virgin　spirit。　Catherine　was
preparing　the　bed；　Gothard　was　closing　the　blinds；　when　Marthe　Michu
coming　under　the　windows　flung　a　pebble　on　the　glass　and　was　seen　at
once。

〃Mademoiselle；　here's　some　one；〃　said　Gothard；　seeing　a　woman。

〃Hush！〃　said　Marthe；　in　a　low　voice。　〃Come　down　and　speak　to　me。〃

Gothard　was　in　the　garden　in　less　time　than　a　bird　would　have　taken　to
fly　down　from　a　tree。

〃In　a　minute　the　chateau　will　be　surrounded　by　the　gendarmerie。　Saddle
mademoiselle's　horse　without　making　any　noise　and　take　it　down　through
the　breach　in　the　moat　between　the　stables　and　this　tower。〃

Marthe　quivered　when　she　saw　Laurence；　who　had　followed　Gothard；
standing　beside　her。

〃What