an historical mystery-第32章

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of　his　coat　to　make　him　fall　when　he　saw　that　his　enemies　were
stronger　than　he；　he　who　would　have　shot　Bonaparte　if　the　18th
Brumaire　had　missed　fire；　he　who　manoeuvres　now　to　bring　back　the
Bourbons　if　Napoleon　totters；　he　whom　the　strong　will　ever　find　on
their　side　to　handle　either　sword　or　pistol　and　put　an　end　to　an
adversary　whom　they　fear！　Butall　that　is　only　reason　the　more　for
what　I　urge　upon　you。〃

〃We　have　fallen　very　low；〃　said　Laurence。

〃Children；〃　said　the　old　marquis；　taking　them　by　the　hand　and　going　to
the　lawn；　then　covered　by　a　slight　fall　of　snow；　〃you　will　be　angry　at
the　prudent　advice　of　an　old　man；　but　I　am　bound　to　give　it；　and　here
it　is：　If　I　were　you　I　would　employ　as　go…between　some　trustworthy　old
fellowlike　myself；　for　instance；　I　would　commission　him　to　ask　Malin
for　a　million　of　francs　for　the　title…deeds　of　Gondreville；　he　would
gladly　consent　if　the　matter　were　kept　secret。　You　will　then　have
capital　in　hand；　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　you　can
buy　a　fine　estate　in　another　part　of　France。　As　for　Cinq…Cygne；　it　can
safely　be　left　to　the　management　of　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　and　you　can
draw　lots　as　to　which　of　you　shall　win　the　hand　of　this　dear　heiress
But　ah！　I　know　the　words　of　an　old　man　in　the　ears　of　the　young　are
like　the　words　of　the　young　in　the　ears　of　the　old；　a　sound　without
meaning。〃

The　old　marquis　signed　to　his　three　relatives　that　he　wished　no
answer；　and　returned　to　the　salon；　where；　during　their　absence；　the
abbe　and　his　sister　had　arrived。

The　proposal　to　draw　lots　for　their　cousin's　hand　had　offended　the
brothers；　while　Laurence　revolted　in　her　soul　at　the　bitterness　of　the
remedy　the　old　marquis　counselled。　All　three　were　now　less　gracious　to
him；　though　they　did　not　cease　to　be　polite。　The　warmth　of　their
feeling　was　chilled。　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　who　felt　the　change；
cast　frequent　looks　of　kindly　compassion　on　these　charming　young
people。　The　conversation　became　general；　but　the　old　marquis　still
dwelt　on　the　necessity　of　submitting　to　events；　and　he　applauded
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　for　his　persistence　in　urging　his　sons　to　take
service　under　the　Empire。

〃Bonaparte；〃　he　said；　〃makes　dukes。　He　has　created　Imperial　fiefs；　he
will　therefore　make　counts。　Malin　is　determined　to　be　Comte　de
Gondreville。　That　is　a　fancy；〃　he　added；　looking　at　the　Simeuse
brothers；　〃which　might　be　profitable　to　you〃

〃Or　fatal；〃　said　Laurence。

As　soon　as　the　horses　were　put…to　the　marquis　took　leave；　accompanied
to　the　door　by　the　whole　party。　When　fairly　in　the　carriage　he　made　a
sign　to　Laurence　to　come　and　speak　to　him；　and　she　sprang　upon　the
foot…board　with　the　lightness　of　a　swallow。

〃You　are　not　an　ordinary　woman；　and　you　ought　to　understand　me；〃　he
said　in　her　ear。　〃Malin's　conscience　will　never　allow　him　to　leave　you
in　peace；　he　will　set　some　trap　to　injure　you。　I　implore　you　to　be
careful　of　all　your　actions；　even　the　most　unimportant。　Compromise；
negotiate；　those　are　my　last　words。〃

The　brothers　stood　motionless　behind　their　cousin　and　watched　the
/berlingot/　as　it　turned　through　the　iron　gates　and　took　the　road　to
Troyes。　Laurence　repeated　the　old　man's　last　words。　But　sage
experience　should　not　present　itself　to　the　eyes　of　youth　in　a
/berlingot/；　colored　stockings；　and　a　queue。　These　ardent　young　hearts
had　no　conception　of　the　change　that　had　passed　over　France；
indignation　crisped　their　nerves；　honor　boiled　with　their　noble　blood
through　every　vein。

〃He；　the　head　of　the　house　of　Chargeboeuf！〃　said　the　Marquis　de
Simeuse。　〃A　man　who　bears　the　motto　/Adsit　fortior/；　the　noblest　of
warcries！〃

〃We　are　no　longer　in　the　days　of　Saint…Louis；〃　said　the　younger
Simeuse。

〃But　'We　die　singing；'〃　said　the　countess。　〃The　cry　of　the　five　young
girls　of　my　house　is　mine！〃

〃And　ours；　'Cy　meurs；'〃　said　the　elder　Simeuse。　〃Therefore；　no
quarter；　I　say；　for；　on　reflection；　we　shall　find　that　our　relative
had　pondered　well　what　he　told　usGondreville　to　be　the　title　of　a
Malin！〃

〃And　his　seat！〃　said　the　younger。

〃Mansart　designed　it　for　noble　stock；　and　the　populace　will　get　their
children　in　it！〃　exclaimed　the　elder。

〃If　that　were　to　come　to　pass；　I'd　rather　see　Gondreville　in　ashes！〃
cried　Mademoiselle　Cinq…Cygne。

One　of　the　villagers；　who　had　entered　the　grounds　to　examine　a　calf
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　was　trying　to　sell　him；　overheard　these　words　as
he　came　from　the　cow…sheds。

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　said　Laurence；　laughing；　〃this　is　very　imprudent；　we
are　giving　the　old　marquis　a　right　to　blame　us。　My　poor　Michu；〃　she
added；　as　she　entered　the　salon；　〃I　had　forgotten　your　adventure；　as
we　are　not　in　the　odor　of　sanctity　in　these　parts　you　must　be　careful
not　to　compromise　us　in　future。　Have　you　any　other　peccadilloes　on
your　conscience？〃

〃I　blame　myself　for　not　having　killed　the　murderer　of　my　old　masters
before　I　came　to　the　rescue　of　my　present　ones〃

〃Michu！〃　said　the　abbe　in　a　warning　tone。

〃But　I'll　not　leave　the　country；〃　Michu　continued；　paying　no　heed　to
the　abbe's　exclamation；　〃till　I　am　certain　you　are　safe。　I　see　fellows
roaming　about　here　whom　I　distrust。　The　last　time　we　hunted　in　the
forest；　that　keeper　who　took　my　place　at　Gondreville　came　to　me　and
asked　if　we　supposed　we　were　on　our　own　property。　'Ho！　my　lad；'　I
said；　'we　can't　get　rid　in　two　weeks　of　ideas　we've　had　for
centuries。'〃

〃You　did　wrong；　Michu；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse；　smiling　with
satisfaction。

〃What　answer　did　he　make？〃　asked　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃He　said　he　would　inform　the　senator　of　our　claims；〃　replied　Michu。

〃Comte　de　Gondreville！〃　repeated　the　elder　Simeuse；　〃what　a
masquerade！　But　after　all；　they　say　'your　Majesty'　to　Bonaparte！〃

〃And　to　the　Grand　Duc　de　Berg；　'your　Highness！'〃　said　the　abbe。

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse。

〃Murat；　Napoleon's　brother…in…law；〃　replied　old　d'Hauteserre。

〃Delightful！〃　remarked　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。　〃Do　they　also　say
'your　Majesty'　to　the　widow　of　Beauharnais？〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃We　ought　to　go　to　Paris　and　see　it　all；〃　cried　Laurence。

〃Alas；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Michu；　〃I　was　there　to　put　Francois　at
school；　and　I　swear　to　you　there's　no　joking　with　what　they　call　the
Imperial　Guard。　If　the　rest　of　the　army　are　like　them；　the　thing　may
last　longer　than　we。〃

〃They　say　many　of　the　noble　families　are　taking　service；〃　said
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre。

〃According　to　the　present　law；〃　added　the　abbe；　〃you　will　be　compelled
to　serve。　The　conscription　makes　no　distinction　of　ranks　or　names。〃

〃That　man　is　doing　us　more　harm　with　his　court　than　the　Revolution　did
with　its　axe！〃　cried　Laurence。

〃The　Church　prays　for　him；〃　said　the　abbe。

These　remarks；　made　rapidly　one　after　another；　were　so　many
commentaries　on　the　wise　counsel　of　the　old　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；
but　the　young　people　had　too　much　faith；　too　much　honor；　to　dream　of
resorting　to　a　compromise。　They　told　themselves；　as　all　vanquished
parties　in　all　times　have　declared；　that　the　luck　of　the　conquerors
would　soon　be　at　an　end；　that　the　Emperor　had　no　support　but　that　of
the　army；　that　the　power　/de　facto/　must　sooner　or　later　give　way　to
the　Divine　Right；　etc。　So；　in　spite　of　the　wise　counsel　given　to　them；
they　fell　into　the　pitfall；　which　others；　like　old　d'Hauteserre；　more
prudent　and　more　amenable　to　reason；　would　have　been　able　to　avoid。　If
men　were　frank　they　might　perhaps　admit　that　misfortunes　never
overtake　them　until　after　they　have　received　either　an　actual　or　an
occult　warning。　Many　do　not　perceive　the　deep　meaning　of　such　visible
or　invisible　signs　until　after　the　disaster　is　upon　them。

〃In　any　case；　Madame　la　comtesse　knows　that　I　cannot　leave　the　country
until　I　have　given　up　a　certain　trust；〃　said　Michu　in　a　low　voice　to
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。

For　all　answer　she　made　him　a　sign　of　acquiescence；　and　he　left　the
room。



CHAPTER　XII

THE　FACTS　OF　A　MYSTERIOUS　AFFAIR

Michu　sold　his　farm　at　once　to　Beauvisage；　a　farmer　at　Bellache；　but
he　was　not　to　receive　the　money　for　twenty　days。　A　month　after　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf's　visit；　Laurence；　who　had　told　her