an historical mystery-第33章

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he　was　not　to　receive　the　money　for　twenty　days。　A　month　after　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf's　visit；　Laurence；　who　had　told　her　cousins　of
their　buried　fortune；　proposed　to　them　to　take　the　day　of　the
Mi…careme　to　disinter　it。　The　unusual　quantity　of　snow　which　fell　that
winter　had　hitherto　prevented　Michu　from　obtaining　the　treasure；　and
it　now　gave　him　pleasure　to　undertake　the　operation　with　his　masters。
He　was　determined　to　leave　the　neighborhood　as　soon　as　it　was　over；
for　he　feared　himself。

〃Malin　has　suddenly　arrived　at　Gondreville；　and　no　one　knows　why；〃　he
said　to　his　mistress。　〃I　shall　never　be　able　to　resist　putting　the
property　into　the　market　by　the　death　of　its　owner。　I　feel　I　am　guilty
in　not　following　my　inspirations。〃

〃Why　should　he　leave　Paris　at　this　season？〃　said　the　countess。

〃All　Arcis　is　talking　about　it；〃　replied　Michu；　〃he　has　left　his
family　in　Paris；　and　no　one　is　with　him　but　his　valet。　Monsieur
Grevin；　the　notary　of　Arcis；　Madame　Marion；　the　wife　of　the　receiver…
general；　and　her　sister…in…law　are　staying　at　Gondreville。〃

Laurence　had　chosen　the　mid…lent　day　for　their　purpose　because　it
enabled　her　to　give　her　servants　a　holiday　and　so　get　them　out　of　the
way。　The　usual　masquerade　drew　the　peasantry　to　the　town　and　no　one
was　at　work　in　the　fields。　Chance　made　its　calculations　with　as　much
cleverness　as　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　made　hers。　The　uneasiness　of
Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　at　the　idea　of　keeping　eleven　hundred
thousand　francs　in　gold　in　a　lonely　chateau　on　the　borders　of　a　forest
was　likely　to　be　so　great　that　their　sons　advised　they　should　know
nothing　about　it。　The　secret　of　the　expedition　was　therefore　confined
to　Gothard；　Michu；　Laurence；　and　the　four　gentlemen。

After　much　consultation　it　seemed　possible　to　put　forty…eight　thousand
francs　in　a　long　sack　on　the　crupper　of　each　of　their　horses。　Three
trips　would　therefore　bring　the　whole。　It　was　agreed　to　send　all　the
servants；　whose　curiosity　might　be　troublesome；　to　Troyes　to　see　the
shows。　Catherine；　Marthe；　and　Durieu；　who　could　be　relied　on；　stayed
at　home　in　charge　of　the　house。　The　other　servants　were　glad　of　their
holiday　and　started　by　daybreak。　Gothard；　assisted　by　Michu；　saddled
the　horses　as　soon　as　they　were　gone；　and　the　party　started　by　way　of
the　gardens　to　reach　the　forest。　Just　as　they　were　mountingfor　the
park　gate　was　so　low　on　the　garden　side　that　they　led　their　horses
until　they　were　through　itold　Beauvisage；　the　farmer　at　Bellache；
happened　to　pass。

〃There！〃　cried　Gothard；　〃I　hear　some　one。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　only　I；〃　said　the　worthy　man；　coming　toward　them。　〃Your
servant；　gentleman；　are　you　off　hunting；　in　spite　of　the　new　decrees？
/I/　don't　complain　of　you；　but　do　take　care！　though　you　have　friends
you　have　also　enemies。〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　said　the　elder　Hauteserre；　smiling；　〃God　grant　that
our　hunt　may　be　lucky　to…day；if　so；　you　will　get　your　masters　back
again。〃

These　words；　to　which　events　were　destined　to　give　a　totally　different
meaning；　earned　a　severe　look　from　Laurence。　The　elder　Simeuse　was
confident　that　Malin　would　restore　Gondreville　for　an　indemnity。　These
rash　youths　were　determined　to　do　exactly　the　contrary　of　what　the
Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　had　advised。　Robert；　who　shared　these　hopes；
was　thinking　of　them　when　he　gave　utterance　to　the　fatal　words。

〃Not　a　word　of　this；　old　friend；〃　said　Michu　to　Beauvisage；　waiting
behind　the　others　to　lock　the　gate。

It　was　one　of　those　fine　mornings　in　March　when　the　air　is　dry；　the
earth　pure；　the　sky　clear；　and　the　atmosphere　a　contradiction　to　the
leafless　trees；　the　season　was　so　mild　that　the　eye　caught　glimpses
here　and　there　of　verdure。

〃We　are　seeking　treasure　when　all　the　while　you　are　the　real　treasure
of　our　house；　cousin；〃　said　the　elder　Simeuse；　gaily。

Laurence　was　in　front；　with　a　cousin　on　each　side　of　her。　The
d'Hauteserres　were　behind；　followed　by　Michu。　Gothard　had　gone　forward
to　clear　the　way。

〃Now　that　our　fortune　is　restored；　you　must　marry　my　brother；〃　said
the　younger　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　adores　you；　together　you　will　be　as
rich　as　nobles　ought　to　be　in　these　days。〃

〃No；　give　the　whole　fortune　to　him　and　I　will　marry　you；〃　said
Laurence；　〃I　am　rich　enough　for　two。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　cried　the　Marquis；　〃I　will　leave　you；　and　find　a　wife
worthy　to　be　your　sister。〃

〃So　you　really　love　me　less　than　I　thought　you　did？〃　said　Laurence
looking　at　him　with　a　sort　of　jealousy。

〃No；　I　love　you　better　than　either　of　you　love　me；〃　replied　the
marquis。

〃And　therefore　you　would　sacrifice　yourself？〃　asked　Laurence　with　a
glance　full　of　momentary　preference。

The　marquis　was　silent。

〃Well；　then；　I　shall　think　only　of　you；　and　that　will　be　intolerable
to　my　husband；〃　exclaimed　Laurence；　impatient　at　his　silence。

〃How　could　I　live　without　you？〃　said　the　younger　twin　to　his　brother。

〃But；　after　all；　you　can't　marry　us　both；〃　said　the　marquis；　replying
to　Laurence；　〃and　the　time　has　come；〃　he　continued；　in　the　brusque
tone　of　a　man　who　is　struck　to　the　heart；　〃to　make　your　decision。〃

He　urged　his　horse　in　advance　so　that　the　d'Hauteserres　might　not
overhear　them。　His　brother's　horse　and　Laurence's　followed　him。　When
they　had　put　some　distance　between　themselves　and　the　rest　of　the
party　Laurence　attempted　to　speak；　but　tears　were　at　first　her　only
language。

〃I　will　enter　a　cloister；〃　she　said　at　last。

〃And　let　the　race　of　Cinq…Cygne　end？〃　said　the　younger　brother。
〃Instead　of　one　unhappy　man；　would　you　make　two？　No；　whichever　of　us
must　be　your　brother　only；　will　resign　himself　to　that　fate。　It　is　the
knowledge　that　we　are　no　longer　poor　that　has　brought　us　to　explain
ourselves；〃　he　added；　glancing　at　the　marquis。　〃If　I　am　the　one
preferred；　all　this　money　is　my　brother's。　If　I　am　rejected；　he　will
give　it　to　me　with　the　title　of　de　Simeuse；　for　he　must　then　take　the
name　and　title　of　Cinq…Cygne。　Whichever　way　it　ends；　the　loser　will
have　a　chance　of　recoverybut　if　he　feels　he　must　die　of　grief；　he
can　enter　the　army　and　die　in　battle；　not　to　sadden　the　happy
household。〃

〃We　are　true　knights　of　the　olden　time；　worthy　of　our　fathers；〃　cried
the　elder。　〃Speak；　Laurence；　decide　between　us。〃

〃We　cannot　continue　as　we　are；〃　said　the　younger。

〃Do　not　think；　Laurence；　that　self…denial　is　without　its　joys；〃　said
the　elder。

〃My　dear　loved　ones；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I　am　unable　to　decide。　I　love
you　both　as　though　you　were　one　beingas　your　mother　loved　you。　God
will　help　us。　I　cannot　choose。　Let　us　put　it　to　chancebut　I　make　one
condition。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Whichever　one　of　you　becomes　my　brother　must　stay　with　me　until　I
suffer　him　to　leave　me。　I　wish　to　be　sole　judge　of　when　to　part。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　brothers；　without　explaining　to　themselves　her
meaning。

〃The　first　of　you　to　whom　Madame　d'Hauteserre　speaks　to…night　at　table
after　the　Benedicite；　shall　be　my　husband。　But　neither　of　you　must
practise　fraud　or　induce　her　to　answer　a　question。〃

〃We　will　play　fair；〃　said　the　younger；　smiling。

Each　kissed　her　hand。　The　certainty　of　some　decision　which　both　could
fancy　favorable　made　them　gay。

〃Either　way；　dear　Laurence；　you　create　a　Comte　de　Cinq…Cygne〃

〃I　believe；〃　thought　Michu；　riding　behind　them；　〃that　mademoiselle
will　not　long　be　unmarried。　How　gay　my　masters　are！　If　my　mistress
makes　her　choice　I　shall　not　leave；　I　must　stay　and　see　that　wedding。〃

Just　then　a　magpie　flew　suddenly　before　his　face。　Michu；　superstitious
like　all　primitive　beings；　fancied　he　heard　the　muffled　tones　of　a
death…knell。　The　day；　however；　began　brightly　enough　for　lovers；　who
rarely　see　magpies　when　together　in　the　woods。　Michu；　armed　with　his
plan；　verified　the　spots；　each　gentleman　had　brought　a　pickaxe；　and
the　money　was　soon　found。　The　part　of　the　forest　where　it　was　buried
was　quite　wild；　far　from　all　paths　or　habitations；　so　that　the
cavalcade　bearing　the　gold　returned　unseen。　This　proved　to　be　a　great
misfortune。　On　their　way　from　Cinq…Cygne　to　fetch　the　last　two　hundred
thousand　francs；　the　party；　emboldened　by　success；　took　a　more　direct
way　than　on　their　other　trips。　The　path　passed　an　op