an historical mystery-第21章

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bayonets　in　the　moonlight　puzzled　her。　She　told　me　she　wanted　to　know
if　there　was　going　to　be　another　revolution。〃

〃When　did　she　go？〃　asked　Peyrade。

〃When　she　saw　your　guns。〃

〃Which　road　did　she　take？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃There's　another　horse　missing；〃　said　Corentin。

〃The　gendarmestook　itaway　from　me；〃　said　Gothard。

〃Where　were　you　going？〃　said　one　of　them。

〃I　wasfollowingmy　mistress　to　the　farm；〃　sobbed　the　boy。

The　gendarme　looked　towards　Corentin　as　if　expecting　an　order。　But
Gothard's　speech　was　evidently　so　true　and　yet　so　false；　so　perfectly
innocent　and　so　artful　that　the　two　Parisians　again　looked　at　each
other　as　if　to　echo　Peyrade's　former　words：　〃They　are　not　ninnies。〃

Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　seemed　incapable　of　a　word；　the　mayor　was
bewildered；　the　mother；　imbecile　from　maternal　fears；　was　putting
questions　to　the　police　agents　that　were　idiotically　innocent；　the
servants　had　been　roused　from　their　sleep。　Judging　by　these　trifling
signs；　and　these　diverse　characters；　Corentin　came　to　the　conclusion
that　his　only　real　adversary　was　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。　Shrewd
and　dexterous　as　the　police　may　be；　they　are　always　under　certain
disadvantages。　Not　only　are　they　forced　to　discover　all　that　is　known
to　a　conspirator；　but　they　must　also　suppose　and　test　a　great　number
of　things　before　they　hit　upon　the　right　one。　The　conspirator　is
always　thinking　of　his　own　safety；　whereas　the　police　is　only　on　duty
at　certain　hours。　Were　it　not　for　treachery　and　betrayals；　nothing
would　be　easier　than　to　conspire　successfully。　The　conspirator　has
more　mind　concentrated　upon　himself　than　the　police　can　bring　to　bear
with　all　its　vast　facilities　of　action。　Finding　themselves　stopped
short　morally；　as　they　might　be　physically　by　a　door　which　they
expected　to　find　open　being　shut　in　their　faces；　Corentin　and　Peyrade
saw　they　were　tricked　and　misled；　without　knowing　by　whom。

〃I　assert；〃　said　the　corporal　of　Arcis；　in　their　ear；　〃that　if　the
four　young　men　slept　here　last　night　it　must　have　been　in　the　beds　of
their　father　and　mother；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　or　those　of
the　servants；　or　they　must　have　spent　the　night　in　the　park。　There　is
not　a　trace　of　their　presence。〃

〃Who　could　have　warned　them？〃　said　Corentin；　to　Peyrade。　〃No　one　but
the　First　Consul；　Fouche；　the　ministers；　the　prefect　of　police；　and
Malin　knew　anything　about　it。〃

〃We　must　set　spies　in　the　neighborhood；〃　whispered　Peyrade。

〃And　watch　the　spies；〃　said　the　abbe；　who　smiled　as　he　overheard　the
word　and　guessed　all。

〃Good　God！〃　thought　Corentin；　replying　to　the　abbe's　smile　with　one　of
his　own；　〃there　is　but　one　intelligent　being　here；he's　the　one　to
come　to　an　understanding　with；　I'll　try　him。〃

〃Gentlemen〃　said　the　mayor；　anxious　to　give　some　proof　of　devotion
to　the　First　Consul　and　addressing　the　two　agents。

〃Say　'citizens'；　the　Republic　still　exists；〃　interrupted　Corentin；
looking　at　the　priest　with　a　quizzical　air。

〃Citizens；〃　resumed　the　mayor；　〃just　as　I　entered　this　salon　and
before　I　had　opened　my　mouth　Catherine　rushed　in　and　took　her
mistress's　hat；　gloves；　and　whip。〃

A　low　murmur　of　horror　came　from　the　breasts　of　all　the　household
except　Gothard。　All　eyes　but　those　of　the　agent　and　the　gendarmes　were
turned　threateningly　on　Goulard；　the　informer；　seeming　to　dart　flames
at　him。

〃Very　good；　citizen　mayor；〃　said　Peyrade。　〃We　see　it　all　plainly。　Some
one〃　（this　with　a　glance　of　evident　distrust　at　Corentin）　〃warned　the
citizeness　Cinq…Cygne　in　time。〃

〃Corporal；　handcuff　that　boy；〃　said　Corentin；　to　the　gendarme；　〃and
take　him　away　by　himself。　And　shut　up　that　girl；　too；〃　pointing　to
Catherine。　〃As　for　you；　Peyrade；　search　for　papers；〃　adding　in　his
ear；　〃Ransack　everything；　spare　nothing。Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　he　said；
confidentially；　〃I　have　an　important　communication　to　make　to　you〃；
and　he　took　him　into　the　garden。

〃Listen　to　me　attentively；　monsieur；〃　he　went　on；　〃you　seem　to　have
the　mind　of　a　bishop；　and　（no　one　can　hear　us）　you　will　understand　me。
I　have　no　longer　any　hope　except　through　you　of　saving　these　families；
who；　with　the　greatest　folly；　are　letting　themselves　roll　down　a
precipice　where　no　one　can　save　them。　The　Messieurs　Simeuse　and
d'Hauteserre　have　been　betrayed　by　one　of　those　infamous　spies　whom
governments　introduce　into　all　conspiracies　to　learn　their　objects；
means；　and　members。　Don't　confound　me；　I　beg　of　you；　with　the　wretch
who　is　with　me。　He　belongs　to　the　police；　but　I　am　honorably　attached
to　the　Consular　cabinet；　I　am　therefore　behind　the　scenes。　The　ruin　of
the　Simeuse　brothers　is　not　desired。　Though　Malin　would　like　to　see
them　shot；　the　First　Consul；　if　they　are　here　and　have　come　without
evil　intentions；　wishes　them　to　be　warned　out　of　danger；　for　he　likes
good　soldiers。　The　agent　who　accompanies　me　has　all　the　powers；　I；
apparently；　am　nothing。　But　I　see　plainly　what　is　hatching。　The　agent
is　pledged　to　Malin；　who　has　doubtless　promised　him　his　influence；　an
office；　and　perhaps　money　if　he　finds　the　Simeuse　brothers　and
delivers　them　up。　The　First　Consul；　who　is　a　really　great　man；　never
favors　selfish　schemesI　don't　want　to　know　if　those　young　men　are
here；〃　he　added；　quickly；　observing　the　abbe's　gesture；　〃but　I　wish　to
tell　you　that　there　is　only　one　way　to　save　them。　You　know　the　law　of
the　6th　Floreal；　year　X。；　which　amnestied　all　the　/emigres/　who　were
still　in　foreign　countries　on　condition　that　they　returned　home　before
the　1st　Vendemiaire　of　the　year　XI。；　that　is　to　say；　in　September　of
last　year。　But　the　Messieurs　Simeuse　having；　like　the　Messieurs
d'Hauteserre；　served　in　the　army　of　Conde；　they　come　into　the　category
of　exceptions　to　this　law。　Their　presence　in　France　is　therefore
criminal；　and　suffices；　under　the　circumstances　in　which　we　are；　to
make　them　suspected　of　collusion　in　a　horrible　plot。　The　First　Consul
saw　the　error　of　this　exception　which　has　made　enemies　for　his
government；　and　he　wishes　the　Messieurs　Simeuse　to　know　that　no　steps
will　be　taken　against　them；　if　they　will　send　him　a　petition　saying
that　they　have　re…entered　France　intending　to　submit　to　the　laws；　and
agreeing　to　take　oath　to　the　Constitution。　You　can　understand　that　the
document　ought　to　be　in　my　hands　before　they　are　arrested；　and　be
dated　some　days　earlier。　I　would　then　be　the　bearer　of　itI　do　not
ask　you　where　those　young　men　are；〃　he　said　again；　seeing　another
gesture　of　denial　from　the　priest。　〃We　are；　unfortunately；　sure　of
finding　them；　the　forest　is　guarded；　the　entrances　to　Paris　and　the
frontiers　are　all　watched。　Pray　listen　to　me；　if　these　gentlemen　are
between　the　forest　and　Paris　they　must　be　taken；　if　they　are　in　Paris
they　will　be　found；　if　they　retreat　to　the　frontier　they　will　still　be
arrested。　The　First　Consul　likes　the　/ci…devants/；　and　cannot　endure
the　republicanssimple　enough；　if　he　wants　a　throne　he　must　needs
strangle　Liberty。　Keep　the　matter　a　secret　between　us。　This　is　what　I
will　do；　I　will　stay　here　till　to…morrow　and　/be　blind/；　but　beware　of
the　agent；　that　cursed　Provencal　is　the　devil's　own　valet；　he　has　the
ear　of　Fouche　just　as　I　have　that　of　the　First　Consul。〃

〃If　the　Messieurs　Simeuse　are　here；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃I　would　give　ten
pints　of　my　blood　and　my　right　arm　to　save　them；　but　if　Mademoiselle
de　Cinq…Cygne　is　in　the　secret　she　has　notand　this　I　swear　on　my
eternal　salvationbetrayed　it　in　any　way；　neither　has　she　done　me　the
honor　to　consult　me。　I　am　now　very　glad　of　her　discretion；　if
discretion　there　be。　We　played　cards　last　night　as　usual；　at　boston；
in　almost　complete　silence；　until　half…past　ten　o'clock；　and　we
neither　saw　nor　heard　anything。　Not　a　child　can　pass　through　this
solitary　valley　without　the　whole　community　knowing　it；　and　for　the
last　two　weeks　no　one　has　come　from　other　places。　Now　the　d'Hauteserre
and　the　Simeuse　brothers　would　make　a　party　of　four。　Old　d'Hauteserre
and　his　wife　have　submitted　to　the　present　government；　and　they　have
made　all　imaginable　efforts　to　persuade　their　sons　to　return　to
France；　they　wrote　to　them　again　yesterday。　I　can　only　say；　upon　my
soul　and　conscience；　that　your　visit　has　alone　sha