an historical mystery-第3章

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his　past　a　foolish　affair；　envenomed　by　the　gossip　of　the　country…
side；　revived　the　latent　and　very　general　belief　in　the　ferocity　of
his　character。

One　evening；　coming　away　from　Troyes　in　company　with　several　peasants；
among　whom　was　the　farmer　at　Cinq…Cygne；　he　let　fall　a　paper　on　the
main　road；　the　farmer；　who　was　walking　behind　him；　stooped　and　picked
it　up。　Michu　turned　round；　saw　the　paper　in　the　man's　hands；　pulled　a
pistol　from　his　belt　and　threatened　the　farmer　（who　knew　how　to　read）
to　blow　his　brains　out　if　he　opened　the　paper。　Michu's　action　was　so
sudden　and　violent；　the　tone　of　his　voice　so　alarming；　his　eyes　blazed
so　savagely；　that　the　men　about　him　turned　cold　with　fear。　The　farmer
of　Cinq…Cygne　was　already　his　enemy。　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　the
man's　employer；　was　a　cousin　of　the　Simeuse　brothers；　she　had　only　one
farm　left　for　her　maintenance　and　was　now　residing　at　her　chateau　of
Cinq…Cygne。　She　lived　for　her　cousins　the　twins；　with　whom　she　had
played　in　childhood　at　Troyes　and　at　Gondreville。　Her　only　brother；
Jules　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　emigrated　before　the　twins；　died　at　Mayence；
but　by　a　privilege　which　was　somewhat　rare　and　will　be　mentioned
later；　the　name　of　Cinq…Cygne　was　not　to　perish　through　lack　of　male
heirs。

This　affair　between　Michu　and　the　farmer　made　a　great　noise　in　the
arrondissement　and　darkened　the　already　mysterious　shadows　which
seemed　to　veil　him。　Nor　was　it　the　only　circumstance　which　made　him
feared。　A　few　months　after　this　scene　the　citizen　Marion；　present
owner　of　the　Gondreville　estate；　came　to　inspect　it　with　the　citizen
Malin。　Rumor　said　that　Marion　was　about　to　sell　the　property　to　his
companion；　who　had　profited　by　political　events　and　had　just　been
appointed　on　the　Council　of　State　by　the　First　Consul；　in　return　for
his　services　on　the　18th　Brumaire。　The　shrewd　heads　of　the　little　town
of　Arcis　now　perceived　that　Marion　had　been　the　agent　of　Malin　in　the
purchase　of　the　property；　and　not　of　the　brothers　Simeuse；　as　was
first　supposed。　The　all…powerful　Councillor　of　State　was　the　most
important　personage　in　Arcis。　He　had　obtained　for　one　of　his　political
friends　the　prefecture　of　Troyes；　and　for　a　farmer　at　Gondreville　the
exemption　of　his　son　from　the　draft；　in　fact；　he　had　done　services　to
many。　Consequently；　the　sale　met　with　no　opposition　in　the
neighborhood　where　Malin　then　reigned；　and　where　he　still　reigns
supreme。

The　Empire　was　just　dawning。　Those　who　in　these　days　read　the
histories　of　the　French　Revolution　can　form　no　conception　of　the　vast
spaces　which　public　thought　traversed　between　events　which　now　seem　to
have　been　so　near　together。　The　strong　need　of　peace　and　tranquillity
which　every　one　felt　after　the　violent　tumults　of　the　Revolution
brought　about　a　complete　forgetfulness　of　important　anterior　facts。
History　matured　rapidly　under　the　advance　of　new　and　eager　interests。
No　one；　therefore；　except　Michu；　looked　into　the　past　of　this　affair；
which　the　community　accepted　as　a　simple　matter。　Marion；　who　had
bought　Gondreville　for　six　hundred　thousand　francs　in　assignats；　sold
it　for　the　value　of　a　couple　of　million　in　coin；　but　the　only　payments
actually　made　by　Malin　were　for　the　costs　of　registration。　Grevin；　a
seminary　comrade　of　Malin；　assisted　the　transaction；　and　the
Councillor　rewarded　his　help　with　the　office　of　notary　at　Arcis。　When
the　news　of　the　sale　reached　the　pavilion；　brought　there　by　a　farmer
whose　farm；　at　Grouage；　was　situated　between　the　forest　and　the　park
on　the　left　of　the　noble　avenue；　Michu　turned　pale　and　left　the　house。
He　lay　in　wait　for　Marion；　and　finally　met　him　alone　in　one　of　the
shrubberies　of　the　park。

〃Is　monsieur　about　to　sell　Gondreville？〃　asked　the　bailiff。

〃Yes；　Michu；　yes。　You　will　have　a　man　of　powerful　influence　for　your
master。　He　is　the　friend　of　the　First　Consul；　and　very　intimate　with
all　the　ministers；　he　will　protect　you。〃

〃Then　you　were　holding　the　estate　for　him？〃

〃I　don't　say　that；〃　replied　Marion。　〃At　the　time　I　bought　it　I　was
looking　for　a　place　to　put　my　money；　and　I　invested　in　national
property　as　the　best　security。　But　it　doesn't　suit　me　to　keep　an
estate　once　belonging　to　a　family　in　which　my　father　was〃

〃a　servant；〃　said　Michu；　violently。　〃But　you　shall　not　sell　it！　I
want　it；　and　I　can　pay　for　it。〃

〃You？〃

〃Yes；　I；　seriously；　in　good　gold；eight　hundred　thousand　francs。〃

〃Eight　hundred　thousand　francs！〃　exclaimed　Marion。　〃Where　did　you　get
them？〃

〃That's　none　of　your　business；〃　replied　Michu；　then；　softening　his
tone；　he　added　in　a　low　voice：　〃My　father…in…law　saved　the　lives　of
many　persons。〃

〃You　are　too　late；　Michu；　the　sale　is　made。〃

〃You　must　put　it　off；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　bailiff；　seizing　his　master
by　the　hand　which　he　held　as　in　a　vice。　〃I　am　hated；　but　I　choose　to
be　rich　and　powerful；　and　I　must　have　Gondreville。　Listen　to　me；　I
don't　cling　to　life；　sell　me　that　place　or　I'll　blow　your　brains
out！〃

〃But　do　give　me　time　to　get　off　my　bargain　with　Malin；　he's
troublesome　to　deal　with。〃

〃I'll　give　you　twenty…four　hours。　If　you　say　a　word　about　this　matter
I'll　chop　your　head　off　as　I　would　chop　a　turnip。〃

Marion　and　Malin　left　the　chateau　in　the　course　of　the　night。　Marion
was　frightened；　he　told　Malin　of　the　meeting　and　begged　him　to　keep　an
eye　on　the　bailiff。　It　was　impossible　for　Marion　to　avoid　delivering
the　property　to　the　man　who　had　been　the　real　purchaser；　and　Michu　did
not　seem　likely　to　admit　any　such　reason。　Moreover；　this　service　done
by　Marion　to　Malin　was　to　be；　and　in　fact　ended　by　being；　the　origin
of　the　former's　political　fortune；　and　also　that　of　his　brother。　In
1806　Malin　had　him　appointed　chief　justice　of　an　imperial　court；　and
after　the　creation　of　tax…collectors　his　brother　obtained　the　post　of
receiver…general　for　the　department　of　the　Aube。　The　State　Councillor
told　Marion　to　stay　in　Paris；　and　he　warned　the　minister　of　police；
who　gave　orders　that　Michu　should　be　secretly　watched。　Not　wishing　to
push　the　man　to　extremes；　Malin　kept　him　on　as　bailiff；　under　the　iron
rule　of　Grevin　the　notary　of　Arcis。

From　that　moment　Michu　became　more　absorbed　and　taciturn　than　ever；
and　obtained　the　reputation　of　a　man　who　was　capable　of　committing　a
crime。　Malin；　the　Councillor　of　State　（a　function　which　the　First
Consul　raised　to　the　level　of　a　ministry）；　and　a　maker　of　the　Code；
played　a　great　part　in　Paris；　where　he　bought　one　of　the　finest
mansions　in　the　Faubuorg　Saint…Germain　after　marrying　the　only
daughter　of　a　rich　contractor　named　Sibuelle。　He　never　came　to
Gondreville；　leaving　all　matters　concerning　the　property　to　the
management　of　Grevin；　the　Arcis　notary。　After　all；　what　had　he　to
fear？he；　a　former　representative　of　the　Aube；　and　president　of　a
club　of　Jacobins。　And　yet；　the　unfavorable　opinion　of　Michu　held　by
the　lower　classes　was　shared　by　the　bourgeoisie；　and　Marion；　Grevin；
and　Malin；　without　giving　any　reason　or　compromising　themselves　on　the
subject；　showed　that　they　regarded　him　as　an　extremely　dangerous　man。
The　authorities；　who　were　under　instructions　from　the　minister　of
police　to　watch　the　bailiff；　did　not　of　course　lessen　this　belief。　The
neighborhood　wondered　that　he　kept　his　place；　but　supposed　it　was　in
consequence　of　the　terror　he　inspired。　It　is　easy　now；　after　these
explanations；　to　understand　the　anxiety　and　sadness　expressed　in　the
face　of　Michu's　wife。

In　the　first　place；　Marthe　had　been　piously　brought　up　by　her　mother。
Both；　being　good　Catholics；　had　suffered　much　from　the　opinions　and
behavior　of　the　tanner。　Marthe　could　never　think　without　a　blush　of
having　marched　through　the　street　of　Troyes　in　the　garb　of　a　goddess。
Her　father　had　forced　her　to　marry　Michu；　whose　bad　reputation　was
then　increasing；　and　she　feared　him　too　much　to　be　able　to　judge　him。
Nevertheless；　she　knew　that　he　loved　her；　and　at　the　bottom　of　her
heart　lay　the　truest　affection　for　this　awe…inspiring　man；　she　had
never　known　him　to　do　anything　that　was　not　just；　never　did　he　say　a
brutal　word；　to　her　at　least；　in　fact；　he　endeavored　to　forestall　her
every　wish。　The　poor　pariah；　believing　himself　disagreeable　to