an historical mystery-第17章

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

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Laurence；　quietly。

〃The　conspiracy　against　the　First　Consul　is　discovered；〃　replied
Marthe；　in　a　whisper。　〃My　husband；　who　seeks　to　save　your　two　cousins；
sends　me　to　ask　you　to　come　and　speak　to　him。〃

Laurence　drew　back　and　looked　at　Marthe。　〃Who　are　you？〃　she　said。

〃Marthe　Michu。〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　you　want　of　me；〃　replied　the　countess；　coldly。

〃Take　care；　you　will　kill　them。　Come　with　me；　I　implore　you　in　the
Simeuse　name；〃　said　Marthe；　clasping　her　hands　and　stretching　them
towards　Laurence。　〃Have　you　papers　here　which　may　compromise　you？　If
so；　destroy　them。　From　the　heights　over　there　my　husband　has　just　seen
the　silver…laced　hats　and　the　muskets　of　the　gendarmerie。〃

Gothard　had　already　clambered　to　the　hay…loft　and　seen　the　same　sight；
he　heard　in　the　stillness　of　the　evening　the　sound　of　their　horses'
hoofs。　Down　he　slipped　into　the　stable　and　saddled　his　mistress's
mare；　whose　feet　Catherine；　at　a　word　from　the　lad；　muffled　in　linen。

〃Where　am　I　to　go？〃　said　Laurence　to　Marthe；　whose　look　and　language
bore　the　unmistakable　signs　of　sincerity。

〃Through　the　breach；〃　she　replied；　〃my　noble　husband　is　there。　You
shall　learn　the　value　of　a　'Judas'！〃

Catherine　went　quickly　into　the　salon；　picked　up　the　hat；　veil；　whip；
and　gloves　of　her　mistress；　and　disappeared。　This　sudden　apparition
and　action　were　so　striking　a　commentary　on　the　mayor's　inquiry　that
Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　the　abbe　exchanged　glances　which　contained　the
melancholy　thought：　〃Farewell　to　all　our　peace！　Laurence　is
conspiring；　she　will　be　the　death　of　her　cousins。〃

〃But　what　do　you　really　mean？〃　said　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　to　the
mayor。

〃The　chateau　is　surrounded。　You　are　about　to　receive　a　domiciliary
visit。　If　your　sons　are　here　tell　them　to　escape；　and　the　Simeuse
brothers　too；　if　they　are　with　them。〃

〃My　sons！〃　exclaimed　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　stupefied。

〃We　have　seen　no　one；〃　said　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Goulard；　〃but　I　care　too　much　for　the　Cinq…
Cygne　and　Simeuse　families　to　let　any　harm　come　to　them。　Listen　to　me。
If　you　have　any　compromising　papers〃

〃Papers！〃　repeated　the　old　gentleman。

〃Yes；　if　you　have　any；　burn　them　at　once；〃　said　the　mayor。　〃I'll　go
and　amuse　the　police　agents。〃

Goulard；　whose　object　was　to　run　with　the　royalist　hare　and　hold　with
the　republican　hounds；　left　the　room；　at　that　moment　the　dogs　barked
violently。

〃There　is　no　longer　time；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃here　they　come！　But　who　is
to　warn　the　countess？　Where　is　she？〃

〃Catherine　didn't　come　for　her　hat　and　whip　to　make　relics　of　them；〃
remarked　Mademoiselle　Goujet。

Goulard　tried　to　detain　the　two　agents　for　a　few　moments；　assuring
them　of　the　perfect　ignorance　of　the　family　at　Cinq…Cygne。

〃You　don't　know　these　people！〃　said　Peyrade；　laughing　at　him。

The　two　agents；　insinuatingly　dangerous；　entered　the　house　at　once；
followed　by　the　corporal　from　Arcis　and　one　gendarme。　The　sight　of
them　paralyzed　the　peaceful　card…players；　who　kept　their　seats　at　the
table；　terrified　by　such　a　display　of　force。　The　noise　produced　by　a
dozen　gendarmes　whose　horses　were　stamping　on　the　terrace；　was　heard
without。

〃I　do　not　see　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；〃　said　Corentin。

〃She　is　probably　asleep　in　her　bedroom；〃　said　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃Come　with　me；　ladies；〃　said　Corentin；　turning　to　pass　through　the
ante…chamber　and　up　the　staircase；　followed　by　Mademoiselle　Goujet　and
Madame　d'Hauteserre。　〃Rely　upon　me；〃　he　whispered　to　the　old　lady。　〃I
am　in　your　interests。　I　sent　the　mayor　to　warn　you。　Distrust　my
colleague　and　look　to　me。　I　can　save　every　one　of　you。〃

〃But　what　is　it　all　about？〃　said　Mademoiselle　Goujet。

〃A　matter　of　life　and　death；　you　must　know　that；〃　replied　Corentin。

Madame　d'Hauteserre　fainted。　To　Mademoiselle　Goujet's　great
astonishment　and　Corentin's　disappointment；　Laurence's　room　was　empty。
Certain　that　no　one　could　have　escaped　from　the　park　or　the　chateau；
for　all　the　issues　were　guarded；　Corentin　stationed　a　gendarme　in
every　room　and　ordered　others　to　search　the　farm　buildings；　stables；
and　sheds。　Then　he　returned　to　the　salon；　where　Durieu　and　his　wife
and　the　other　servants　had　rushed　in　the　wildest　excitement。　Peyrade
was　studying　their　faces　with　his　little　blue　eye；　cold　and　calm　in
the　midst　of　the　uproar。　Just　as　Corentin　reappeared　alone
（Mademoiselle　Goujet　remaining　behind　to　take　care　of　Madame
d'Hauteserre）　the　tramp　of　horses　was　heard；　and　presently　the　sound
of　a　child's　weeping。　The　horses　entered　by　the　small　gate；　and　the
general　suspense　was　put　an　end　to　by　a　corporal　appearing　at　the　door
of　the　salon　pushing　Gothard；　whose　hands　were　tied；　and　Catherine
whom　he　led　to　the　agents。

〃Here　are　some　prisoners；〃　he　said；　〃that　little　scamp　was　escaping　on
horseback。〃

〃Fool！〃　said　Corentin；　in　his　ear；　〃why　didn't　you　let　him　alone？　You
could　have　found　out　something　by　following　him。〃

Gothard　had　chosen　to　burst　into　tears　and　behave　like　an　idiot。
Catherine　took　an　attitude　of　artless　innocence　which　made　the　old
agent　reflective。　The　pupil　of　Lenoir；　after　considering　the　two
prisoners　carefully；　and　noting　the　vacant　air　of　the　old　gentleman
whom　he　took　to　be　sly；　the　intelligent　eye　of　the　abbe　who　was　still
fingering　the　cards；　and　the　utter　stupefaction　of　the　servants　and
Durieu；　approached　Corentin　and　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃We　are　not
dealing　with　ninnies。〃

Corentin　answered　with　a　look　at　the　card…table；　then　he　added；　〃They
were　playing　at　boston！　Mademoiselle's　bed　was　just　being　made　for　the
night；　she　escaped　in　a　hurry；　it　is　a　regular　surprise；　we　shall
catch　them。〃



CHAPTER　VII

A　FOREST　NOOK

A　breach　has　always　a　cause　and　a　purpose。　Here　is　the　explanation　of
how　the　one　which　led　from　the　tower　called　that　of　Mademoiselle　and
the　stables　came　to　be　made。　After　his　installation　as　Laurence's
guardian　at　Cinq…Cygne　old　d'Hauteserre　converted　a　long　ravine；
through　which　the　water　of　the　forest　flowed　into　the　moat；　into　a
roadway　between　two　tracts　of　uncultivated　land　belonging　to　the
chateau；　by　merely　planting　out　in　it　about　a　hundred　walnut　trees
which　he　found　ready　in　the　nursery。　In　eleven　years　these　trees　had
grown　and　branched　so　as　to　nearly　cover　the　road；　hidden　already　by
steep　banks；　which　ran　into　a　little　wood　of　thirty　acres　recently
purchased。　When　the　chateau　had　its　full　complement　of　inhabitants
they　all　preferred　to　take　this　covered　way　through　the　breach　to　the
main　road　which　skirted　the　park　walls　and　led　to　the　farm；　rather
than　go　round　by　the　entrance。　By　dint　of　thus　using　it　the　breach　in
the　sides　of　the　moat　had　gradually　been　widened　on　both　sides；　with
all　the　less　scruple　because　in　this　nineteenth　century　of　ours　moats
are　no　longer　of　the　slightest　use；　and　Laurence's　guardian　had　often
talked　of　putting　this　one　to　some　other　purpose。　The　constant
crumbling　away　of　the　earth　and　stones　and　gravel　had　ended　by　filling
up　the　ditch；　so　that　only　after　heavy　rains　was　the　causeway　thus
constructed　covered。　But　the　bank　was　still　so　steep　that　it　was
difficult　to　make　a　horse　descend　it；　and　even　more　difficult　to　get
him　up　upon　the　main　road。　Horses；　however；　seem　in　times　of　peril　to
share　their　masters'　thought。

While　the　young　countess　was　hesitating　to　follow　Marthe；　and　asking
explanations；　Michu；　from　his　vantage…ground　watched　the　closing　in　of
the　gendarmes　and　understood　their　plan。　He　grew　desperate　as　time
went　by　and　the　countess　did　not　come　to　him。　A　squad　of　gendarmes
were　marching　along　the　park　wall　and　stationing　themselves　as
sentinels；　each　man　being　near　enough　to　communicate　with　those　on
either　side　of　them；　by　voice　and　eye。　Michu；　lying　flat　on　his
stomach；　his　ear　to　earth；　gauged；　like　a　red　Indian；　by　the　strength
of　the　sounds　the　time　that　remained　to　him。

〃I　came　too　late！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃Violette　shall　pay　dear　for
this！　what　a　time　it　took　to　make　him　drunk！　What　can　be　done？〃

He　heard　the　detachment　that　was　coming　through　the　forest　r