an historical mystery-第25章

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hours　from　now　we　shall　offer　our　regrets　for　having　troubled　your
solitude。〃

No　one　replied。　This　contemptuous　silence　redoubled　Corentin's　inward
rage。　Laurence　and　the　abbe　（the　two　minds　of　their　little　world）　had
talked　the　man　over　and　drawn　their　conclusions。　Gothard　and　Catherine
had　set　the　breakfast…table　near　the　fire　and　the　abbe　and　his　sister
were　sharing　the　meal。　Neither　masters　nor　servants　paid　the　slightest
attention　to　the　two　spies；　who　walked　up　and　down　the　garden；　the
courtyard　or　the　lawn；　returning　every　now　and　then　to　the　salon。

At　half…past　two　the　lieutenant　reappeared。

〃I　found　the　corporal；〃　he　said　to　Corentin；　〃lying　in　the　road　which
leads　from　the　pavilion　of　Cinq…Cygne　to　the　farm　at　Bellache。　He　has
no　wound；　only　a　bad　contusion　of　the　head；　caused；　apparently；　by　his
fall。　He　told　me　he　had　been　lifted　suddenly　off　his　horse　and　flung
so　violently　to　the　ground　that　he　could　not　discover　how　the　thing
was　done。　His　feet　left　the　stirrups；　which　was　lucky；　for　he　might
have　been　killed　by　the　horse　dragging　him。　We　put　him　in　charge　of
Michu　and　Violette〃

〃Michu！　is　Michu　in　his　own　house？〃　said　Corentin；　glancing　at
Laurence。

The　countess　smiled　ironically；　like　a　woman　obtaining　her　revenge。

〃He　is　bargaining　with　Violette　about　the　sale　of　some　land；〃　said　the
lieutenant。　〃They　seemed　to　me　drunk；　and　it's　no　wonder；　for　they
have　been　drinking　all　night　and　discussing　the　matter；　and　they
haven't　come　to　terms　yet。〃

〃Did　Violette　tell　you　so？〃　cried　Corentin。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　lieutenant。

〃Nothing　is　right　if　we　don't　attend　to　it　ourselves！〃　cried　Peyrade；
looking　at　Corentin；　who　doubted　the　lieutenant's　news　as　much　as　the
other　did。

〃At　what　hour　did　you　get　to　Michu's　house？〃　asked　Corentin；　noticing
that　the　countess　had　glanced　at　the　clock。

〃About　two；〃　replied　the　lieutenant。

Laurence　covered　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　the　abbe　and　his
sister　in　one　comprehensive　glance；　which　made　them　fancy　they　were
wrapped　in　an　azure　mantle；　triumph　sparkled　in　her　eyes；　she　blushed；
and　the　tears　welled　up　beneath　her　lids。　Strong　under　all
misfortunes；　the　girl　knew　not　how　to　weep　except　from　joy。　At　this
moment　she　was　all　glorious；　especially　to　the　priest；　who　was
sometimes　distressed　by　the　virility　of　her　character；　and　who　now
caught　a　glimpse　of　the　infinite　tenderness　of　her　woman's　nature。　But
such　feelings　lay　in　her　soul　like　a　treasure　hidden　at　a　great　depth
beneath　a　block　of　granite。

Just　then　a　gendarme　entered　the　salon　to　ask　if　he　might　bring　in
Michu's　son；　sent　by　his　father　to　speak　to　the　gentlemen　from　Paris。
Corentin　gave　an　affirmative　nod。　Francois　Michu；　a　sly　little　chip　of
the　old　block；　was　in　the　courtyard；　where　Gothard；　now　at　liberty；
got　a　chance　to　speak　to　him　for　an　instant　under　the　eyes　of　a
gendarme。　The　little　fellow　managed　to　slip　something　into　Gothard's
hand　without　being　detected；　and　the　latter　glided　into　the　salon
after　him　till　he　reached　his　mistress；　to　whom　he　stealthily　conveyed
both　halves　of　the　wedding…ring；　a　sure　sign；　she　knew；　that　Michu　had
met　the　four　gentlemen　and　put　them　in　safety。

〃My　papa　wants　to　know　what　he's　to　do　with　the　corporal；　who　ain't
doing　well；〃　said　Francois。

〃What's　the　matter　with　him？〃　asked　Peyrade。

〃It's　his　headhe　pitched　down　hard　on　the　ground；〃　replied　the　boy。
〃For　a　gindarme　who　knows　how　to　ride　it　was　bad　luckI　suppose　the
horse　stumbled。　He's　got　a　holemy！　as　big　as　your　fistin　the　back
of　his　head。　Seems　as　if　he　must　have　hit　some　big　stone；　poor　man！　He
may　be　a　gindarme；　but　he　suffers　all　the　sameyou'd　pity　him。〃

The　captain　of　the　gendarmerie　now　arrived　and　dismounted　in　the
courtyard。　Corentin　threw　up　the　window；　not　to　lose　time。

〃What　has　been　done？〃

〃We　are　back　like　the　Dutchmen！　We　found　nothing　but　five　dead　horses；
their　coats　stiff　with　sweat；　in　the　middle　of　the　forest。　I　have　kept
them　to　find　out　where　they　came　from　and　who　owns　them。　The　forest　is
surrounded；　whoever　is　in　it　can't　get　out。〃

〃At　what　hour　do　you　suppose　those　horsemen　entered　the　forest？〃

〃About　half…past　twelve。〃

〃Don't　let　a　hare　leave　that　forest　without　your　seeing　it；〃　whispered
Corentin。　〃I'll　station　Peyrade　at　the　village　to　help　you；　I　am　going
to　see　the　corporal　myselfGo　to　the　mayor's　house；〃　he　added；　still
whispering；　to　Peyrade。　〃I'll　send　some　able　man　to　relieve　you。　We
shall　have　to　make　use　of　the　country…people；　examine　all　faces。〃　He
turned　towards　the　family　and　said　in　a　threatening　tone；　〃Au　revoir！〃

No　one　replied；　and　the　two　agents　left　the　room。

〃What　would　Fouche　say　if　he　knew　we　had　made　a　domiciliary　visit
without　getting　any　results？〃　remarked　Peyrade　as　he　helped　Corentin
into　the　osier　vehicle。

〃It　isn't　over　yet；〃　replied　the　other；　〃those　four　young　men　are　in
the　forest。　Look　there！〃　and　he　pointed　to　Laurence　who　was　watching
them　from　a　window。　〃I　once　revenged　myself　on　a　woman　who　was　worth　a
dozen　of　that　one　and　had　stirred　my　bile　a　good　deal　less。　If　this
girl　comes　in　the　way　of　my　hatchet　I'll　pay　her　for　the　lash　of　that
whip。〃

〃The　other　was　a　strumpet；〃　said　Peyrade；　〃this　one　has　rank。〃

〃What　difference　is　that　to　me？　All's　fish　that　swims　in　the　sea；〃
replied　Corentin；　signing　to　the　gendarme　who　drove　him　to　whip　up。

Ten　minutes　later　the　chateau　de　Cinq…Cygne　was　completely　evacuated。

〃How　did　they　get　rid　of　the　corporal？〃　said　Laurence　to　Francois
Michu；　whom　she　had　ordered　to　sit　down　and　eat　some　breakfast。

〃My　father　told　me　it　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death　and　I　mustn't　let
anybody　get　into　our　house；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃I　knew　when　I　heard　the
horses　in　the　forest　that　I'd　got　to　do　with　them　hounds　of　gindarmes；
and　I　meant　to　keep　'em　from　getting　in。　So　I　took　some　big　ropes　that
were　in　my　garret　and　fastened　one　of　'em　to　a　tree　at　the　corner　of
the　road。　Then　I　drew　the　rope　high　enough　to　hit　the　breast　of　a　man
on　horseback；　and　tied　it　to　the　tree　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way
in　the　direction　where　I　heard　the　horses。　That　barred　the　road。　It
didn't　miss　fire；　I　can　tell　you！　There　was　no　moon；　and　the　corporal
just　pitched！but　he　wasn't　killed；　they're　tough；　them　gindarmes！　I
did　what　I　could。〃

〃You　have　saved　us！〃　said　Laurence；　kissing　him　as　she　took　him　to　the
gate。　When　there；　she　looked　about　her　and　seeing　no　one　she　said
cautiously；　〃Have　they　provisions？〃

〃I　have　just　taken　them　twelve　pounds　of　bread　and　four　bottles　of
wine；〃　said　the　boy。　〃They'll　be　snug　for　a　week。〃

Returning　to　the　salon；　the　girl　was　beset　with　mute　questions　in　the
eyes　of　all；　each　of　whom　looked　at　her　with　as　much　admiration　as
eagerness。

〃But　have　you　really　seen　them？〃　cried　Madame　d'Hauteserre。

The　countess　put　a　finger　on　her　lips　and　smiled；　then　she　left　the
room　and　went　to　bed；　her　triumph　sure；　utter　weariness　had　overtaken
her。

The　shortest　road　from　Cinq…Cygne　to　Michu's　lodge　was　that　which　led
from　the　village　past　the　farm　at　Bellache　to　the　/rond…point/　where
the　Parisian　spies　had　first　seen　Michu　on　the　preceding　evening。　The
gendarme　who　was　driving　Corentin　took　this　way；　which　was　the　one　the
corporal　of　Arcis　had　taken。　As　they　drove　along；　the　agent　was　on　the
look…out　for　signs　to　show　why　the　corporal　had　been　unhorsed。　He
blamed　himself　for　having　sent　but　one　man　on　so　important　an　errand；
and　he　drew　from　this　mistake　an　axiom　for　the　police　Code；　which　he
afterwards　applied。

〃If　they　have　got　rid　of　the　corporal；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃they　have
done　as　much　by　Violette。　Those　five　horses　have　evidently　brought　the
four　conspirators　and　Michu　from　the　neighborhood　of　Paris　to　the
forest。　Has　Michu　a　horse？〃　he　inquired　of　the　gendarme　who　was
driving　him　and　who　belonged　to　the　squad　from　Arcis。

〃Yes；　and　a　famous　little　horse　it　is；〃　answered　the　man；　〃a　hunter
from　the　stables　of　the　ci…devant　Marquis　de　Simeuse。　There's　no
better　beast；　though　it　is　nearly　fifteen　years　old。　Michu　can　ride
him　fifty　miles　and　he　won't　turn　a　hair。　He　takes　mighty　good　care　of
him　and　wouldn't　sell　him　at　any　price。〃