an historical mystery-第31章

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〃In　spite　of　this　cold　weather！　Why；　you　are　a　knight　of　the　olden
time；〃　said　Laurence；　to　her　visitor；　taking　his　arm　and　leading　him
into　the　salon。

〃What　has　he　come　for？〃　thought　old　d'Hauteserre。

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　a　handsome　old　gentleman　of　sixty…six；　in
light…colored　breeches；　his　small　weak　legs　encased　in　colored
stockings；　wore　powder；　pigeon…wings　and　a　queue。　His　green　cloth
hunting…coat　with　gold　buttons　was　braided　and　frogged　with　gold。　His
white　waistcoat　glittered　with　gold　embroidery。　This　apparel；　still　in
vogue　among　old　people；　became　his　face；　which　was　not　unlike　that　of
Frederick　the　Great。　He　never　put　on　his　three…cornered　hat　lest　he
should　destroy　the　effect　of　the　half…moon　traced　upon　his　cranium　by
a　layer　of　powder。　His　right　hand；　resting　on　a　hooked　cane；　held　both
cane　and　hat　in　a　manner　worthy　of　Louis　XIV。　The　fine　old　gentleman
took　off　his　wadded　silk　pelisse　and　seated　himself　in　an　armchair；
holding　the　three…cornered　hat　and　the　cane　between　his　knees　in　an
attitude　the　secret　of　which　has　never　been　grasped　by　any　but　the
roues　of　Louis　XV。's　court；　an　attitude　which　left　the　hands　free　to
play　with　a　snuff…box；　always　a　precious　trinket。　Accordingly　the
marquis　drew　from　the　pocket　of　his　waistcoat；　which　was　closed　by　a
flap　embroidered　in　gold　arabesques；　a　sumptuous　snuff…box。　While
fingering　his　own　pinch　and　offering　the　box　around　him　with　another
charming　gesture　accompanied　with　kindly　smiles；　he　noticed　the
pleasure　which　his　visit　gave。　He　seemed　then　to　comprehend　why　these
young　/emigres/　had　been　remiss　in　their　duty　towards　him；　and　to　be
saying　to　himself；　〃When　we　are　making　love　we　can't　make　visits。〃

〃You　will　stay　with　us　some　days？〃　said　Laurence。

〃Impossible；〃　he　replied。　〃If　we　were　not　so　separated　by　events　（for
as　to　distance；　you　go　farther　than　that　which　lies　between　us）　you
would　know；　my　dear　child；　that　I　have　daughters；　daughters…in…law；
and　grand…children。　All　these　dear　creatures　would　be　very　uneasy　if　I
did　not　return　to　them　to…night；　and　I　have　forty…five　miles　to　go。〃

〃Your　horses　are　in　good　condition；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse。

〃Oh！　I　am　just　from　Troyes；　where　I　had　business　yesterday。〃

After　the　customary　polite　inquiries　for　the　Marquise　de　Chargeboeuf
and　other　matters　really　uninteresting　but　about　which　politeness
assumes　that　we　are　keenly　interested；　it　dawned　on　Monsieur
d'Hauteserre　that　the　old　gentleman　had　come　to　warn　his　young
relatives　against　imprudence。　He　remarked　that　times　were　changed　and
no　one　could　tell　what　the　Emperor　might　now　become。

〃Oh！〃　said　Laurence；　〃he'll　make　himself　God。〃

The　Marquis　spoke　of　the　wisdom　of　concession。　When　he　stated；　with
more　emphasis　and　authority　than　he　put　into　his　other　remarks；　the
necessity　of　submission；　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　looked　at　his　sons　with
an　almost　supplicating　air。

〃Would　you　serve　that　man？〃　asked　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse。

〃Yes；　I　would；　if　the　interests　of　my　family　required　it；〃　replied
Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf。

Gradually　the　old　man　made　them　aware；　though　vaguely；　of　some
threatened　danger。　When　Laurence　begged　him　to　explain　the　nature　of
it；　he　advised　the　four　young　men　to　refrain　from　hunting　and　to　keep
themselves　as　much　in　retirement　as　possible。

〃You　treat　the　domain　of　Gondreville　as　if　it　were　your　own；〃　he　said
to　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse；　〃and　you　are　keeping　alive　a　deadly
hatred。　I　see；　by　the　surprise　upon　your　faces；　that　you　are　quite
unaware　of　the　ill…will　against　you　at　Troyes；　where　your　late　brave
conduct　is　remembered。　They　tell　of　how　you　foiled　the　police　of　the
Empire；　some　praise　you　for　it；　but　others　regard　you　as　enemies　of
the　Emperor；　partisans　declare　that　Napoleon's　clemency　is
inexplicable。　That；　however；　is　nothing。　The　real　danger　lies　here；
you　foiled　men　who　thought　themselves　cleverer　than　you；　and　low…bred
men　never　forgive。　Sooner　or　later　justice；　which　in　your　department
emanates　from　your　enemy；　Senator　Malin　（who　has　his　henchmen
everywhere；　even　in　the　ministerial　offices）；/his/　justice　will
rejoice　to　see　you　involved　in　some　annoying　scrape。　A　peasant；　for
instance；　will　quarrel　with　you　for　riding　over　his　field；　your　guns
are　in　your　hands；　you　are　hot…tempered；　and　something　happens。　In
your　position　it　is　absolutely　essential　that　you　should　not　put
yourselves　in　the　wrong。　I　do　not　speak　to　you　thus　without　good
reason。　The　police　keep　this　arrondissement　under　strict　surveillance；
they　have　an　agent　in　that　little　hole　of　Arcis　expressly　to　protect
the　Imperial　senator　Malin　against　your　attacks。　He　is　afraid　of　you；
and　says　so　openly。〃

〃It　is　a　calumny！〃　cried　the　younger　Simeuse。

〃A　calumny；I　am　sure　of　it　myself；　but　will　the　public　believe　it？
Michu　certainly　did　aim　at　the　senator；　who　does　not　forget　the　danger
he　was　in；　and　since　your　return　the　countess　has　taken　Michu　into　her
service。　To　many　persons；　in　fact　to　the　majority；　Malin　will　seem　to
be　in　the　right。　You　do　not　understand　how　delicate　the　position　of　an
/emigre/　is　towards　those　who　are　now　in　possession　of　his　property。
The　prefect；　a　very　intelligent　man；　dropped　a　word　to　me　yesterday
about　you　which　has　made　me　uneasy。　In　short；　I　sincerely　wish　you
would　not　remain　here。〃

This　speech　was　received　in　dumb　amazement。　Marie…Paul　rang　the　bell。

〃Gothard；〃　he　said；　to　the　little　page；　〃send　Michu　here。〃

〃Michu；　my　friend；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse　when　the　man　appeared；
〃is　it　true　that　you　intended　to　kill　Malin？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　marquis；　and　when　he　comes　here　again　I　shall　lie　in
wait　for　him。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　we　are　suspected　of　instigating　it；　and　that　our
cousin；　by　taking　you　as　her　farmer　is　supposed　to　be　furthering　your
scheme？〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　Michu；　〃am　I　accursed？　Shall　I　never　be　able　to　rid
you　of　that　villain？〃

〃No；　my　man；　no！〃　said　Paul…Marie。　〃But　we　will　always　take　care　of
you；　though　you　will　have　to　leave　our　service　and　the　country　too。
Sell　your　property　here；　we　will　send　you　to　Trieste　to　a　friend　of
ours　who　has　immense　business　connections；　and　he'll　employ　you　until
things　are　better　in　this　country　for　all　of　us。〃

Tears　came　into　Michu's　eyes；　he　stood　rooted　to　the　floor。

〃Were　there　any　witnesses　when　you　aimed　at　Malin？〃　asked　the　Marquis
de　Chargeboeuf。

〃Grevin　the　notary　was　talking　with　him；　and　that　prevented　my　killing
himvery　fortunately；　as　Madame　la　Comtesse　knows；〃　said　Michu；
looking　at　his　mistress。

〃Grevin　is　not　the　only　one　who　knows　it？〃　said　Monsieur　de
Chargeboeuf；　who　seemed　annoyed　at　what　was　said；　though　none　but　the
family　were　present。

〃That　police　spy　who　came　here　to　trap　my　masters；　he　knew　it　too；〃
said　Michu。

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　rose　as　if　to　look　at　the　gardens；　and　said；
〃You　have　made　the　most　of　Cinq…Cygne。〃　Then　he　left　the　house；
followed　by　the　two　brothers　and　Laurence；　who　now　saw　the　meaning　of
his　visit。

〃You　are　frank　and　generous；　but　most　imprudent；〃　said　the　old　man。
〃It　was　natural　enough　that　I　should　warn　you　of　a　rumor　which　was
certain　to　be　a　slander；　but　what　have　you　done　now？　you　have　let　such
weak　persons　as　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　their　sons　see
that　there　was　truth　in　it。　Oh；　young　men！　young　men！　You　ought　to
keep　Michu　here　and　go　away　yourselves。　But　if　you　persist　in
remaining；　at　least　write　a　letter　to　the　senator　and　tell　him　that
having　heard　the　rumors　about　Michu　you　have　dismissed　him　from　your
employ。〃

〃We！〃　exclaimed　the　brothers；　〃what；　write　to　Malin；to　the　murderer
of　our　father　and　our　mother；　to　the　insolent　plunderer　of　our
property！〃

〃All　true；　but　he　is　one　of　the　chief　personages　at　the　Imperial
court；　and　the　king　of　your　department。〃

〃He；　who　voted　for　the　death　of　Louis　XVI。　in　case　the　army　of　Conde
entered　France！〃　cried　Laurence。

〃He；　who　probably　advised　the　murder　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien！〃　exclaimed
Paul…Marie。

〃Well；　well；　if　you　want　to　recapitulate　his　titles　of　nobility；〃　cried
Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　〃say　he　who　pulled　Robespierre　by　the　skirts
of　his　coat　to　make　him　fall　when　he　saw　that　hi