an historical mystery-第39章

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call　an　unjust　spoliation。

The　unfortunate　young　nobles　were　therefore　considered　as　robbers；
brigands；　murderers；　and　their　connection　with　Michu　was　particularly
fatal　to　them。　Michu；　who　was　declared；　either　he　or　his　father…in…
law；　to　have　cut　off　all　the　heads　that　fell　under　the　Terror　in　that
department；　was　made　the　subject　of　ridiculous　tales。　The　exasperation
of　the　public　mind　was　all　the　more　intense　because　nearly　all　the
functionaries　of　the　department　owed　their　offices　to　Malin。　No
generous　voice　uplifted　itself　against　the　verdict　of　the　public。
Besides　all　this；　the　accused　had　no　legal　means　with　which　to　combat
prejudice；　for　the　Code　of　Brumaire；　year　IV。；　giving　as　it　did　both
the　prosecution　of　a　charge　and　the　verdict　upon　it　into　the　hands　of
a　jury；　deprived　the　accused　of　the　vast　protection　of　an　appeal
against　legal　suspicion。

The　day　after　the　arrest　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau　of　Cinq…
Cygne；　both　masters　and　servants；　were　summoned　to　appear　before　the
prosecuting　jury。　Cinq…Cygne　was　left　in　charge　of　a　farmer；　under　the
supervision　of　the　abbe　and　his　sister　who　moved　into　it。　Mademoiselle
de　Cinq…Cygne；　with　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　went　to　Troyes
and　occupied　a　small　house　belonging　to　Durieu　in　one　of　the　long　and
wide　faubourgs　which　lead　from　the　little　town。　Laurence's　heart　was
wrung　when　she　at　last　comprehended　the　temper　of　the　populace；　the
malignity　of　the　bourgeoisie；　and　the　hostility　of　the　administration；
from　the　many　little　events　which　happened　to　them　as　relatives　of
prisoners　accused　of　criminal　wrong…doing　and　about　to　be　judged　in　a
provincial　town。　Instead　of　hearing　encouraging　or　compassionate　words
they　heard　only　speeches　which　called　for　vengeance；　proofs　of　hatred
surrounded　them　in　place　of　the　strict　politeness　or　the　reserve
required　by　mere　decency；　but　above　all　they　were　conscious　of　an
isolation　which　every　mind　must　feel；　but　more　particularly　those
which　are　made　distrustful　by　misfortune。

Laurence；　who　had　recovered　her　vigor　of　mind；　relied　upon　the
innocence　of　the　accused；　and　despised　the　community　too　much　to　be
frightened　by　the　stern　and　silent　disapproval　they　met　with
everywhere。　She　sustained　the　courage　of　Monsieur　and　Madame
d'Hauteserre；　all　the　while　thinking　of　the　judicial　struggle　which
was　now　being　hurried　on。　She　was；　however；　to　receive　a　blow　she
little　expected；　which；　undoubtedly；　diminished　her　courage。

In　the　midst　of　this　great　disaster；　at　the　moment　when　this　afflicted
family　were　made　to　feel　themselves；　as　it　were；　in　a　desert；　a　man
suddenly　became　exalted　in　Laurence's　eyes　and　showed　the　full　beauty
of　his　character。　The　day　after　the　indictment　was　found　by　the　jury；
and　the　prisoners　were　finally　committed　for　trial；　the　Marquis　de
Chargeboeuf　courageously　appeared；　still　in　the　same　old　caleche；　to
support　and　protect　his　young　cousin。　Foreseeing　the　haste　with　which
the　law　would　be　administered；　this　chief　of　a　great　family　had
already　gone　to　Paris　and　secured　the　services　of　the　most　able　as
well　as　the　most　honest　lawyer　of　the　old　school；　named　Bordin；　who
was　for　ten　years　counsel　of　the　nobility　in　Paris；　and　was　ultimately
succeeded　by　the　celebrated　Derville。　This　excellent　lawyer　chose　for
his　assistant　the　grandson　of　a　former　president　of　the　parliament　of
Normandy；　whose　studies　had　been　made　under　his　tuition。　This　young
lawyer；　who　was　destined　to　be　appointed　deputy…attorney…general　in
Paris　after　the　conclusion　of　the　present　trial；　became　eventually　one
of　the　most　celebrated　of　French　magistrates。　Monsieur　de　Grandville；
for　that　was　his　name；　accepted　the　defence　of　the　four　young　men；
being　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　make　his　first　appearance　as　an
advocate　with　distinction。

The　old　marquis；　alarmed　at　the　ravages　which　troubles　had　wrought　in
Laurence's　appearance；　was　charmingly　kind　and　considerate。　He　made　no
allusion　to　his　neglected　advice；　he　presented　Bordin　as　an　oracle
whose　counsel　must　be　followed　to　the　letter；　and　young　de　Grandville
as　a　defender　in　whom　the　utmost　confidence　might　be　placed。

Laurence　held　out　her　hand　to　the　kind　old　man；　and　pressed　his　with
an　eagerness　which　delighted　him。

〃You　were　right；〃　she　said。

〃Will　you　now　take　my　advice？〃　he　asked。

The　young　countess　bowed　her　head　in　assent；　as　did　Monsieur　and
Madame　d'Hauteserre。

〃Well；　then；　come　to　my　house；　it　is　in　the　middle　of　town；　close　to
the　courthouse。　You　and　your　lawyers　will　be　better　off　there　than
here；　where　you　are　crowded　and　too　far　from　the　field　of　battle。
Here；　you　would　have　to　cross　the　town　twice　a　day。〃

Laurence；　accepted；　and　the　old　man　took　her　with　Madame　d'Hauteserre
to　his　house；　which　became　the　home　of　the　Cinq…Cygne　household　and
the　lawyers　of　the　defence　during　the　whole　time　the　trial　lasted。
After　dinner；　when　the　doors　were　closed；　Bordin　made　Laurence　relate
every　circumstance　of　the　affair；　entreating　her　to　omit　nothing；　not
the　most　trifling　detail。　Though　many　of　the　facts　had　already　been
told　to　him　and　his　young　assistant　by　the　marquis　on　their　journey
from　Paris　to　Troyes；　Bordin　listened；　his　feet　on　the　fender；　without
obtruding　himself　into　the　recital。　The　young　lawyer；　however；　could
not　help　being　divided　between　his　admiration　for　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne；　and　the　attention　he　was　bound　to　give　to　the　facts　of　his
case。

〃Is　that　really　all？〃　asked　Bordin　when　Laurence　had　related　the
events　of　the　drama　just　as　the　present　narrative　has　given　them　up　to
the　present　time。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。

Profound　silence　reigned　for　several　minutes　in　the　salon　of　the
Chargeboeuf　mansion　where　this　scene　took　place；one　of　the　most
important　which　occur　in　life。　All　cases　are　judged　by　the　counsellors
engaged　in　them；　just　as　the　death　or　life　or　a　patient　is　foreseen　by
a　physician；　before　the　final　struggle　which　the　one　sustains　against
nature；　the　other　against　law。　Laurence；　Monsieur　and　Madame
d'Hauteserre；　and　the　marquis　sat　with　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　swarthy
and　deeply　pitted　face　of　the　old　lawyer；　who　was　now　to　pronounce　the
words　of　life　or　death。　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　wiped　the　sweat　from　his
brow。　Laurence　looked　at　the　younger　man　and　noted　his　saddened　face。

〃Well；　my　dear　Bordin？〃　said　the　marquis　at　last；　holding　out　his
snuffbox；　from　which　the　old　lawyer　took　a　pinch　in　an　absent…minded
way。

Bordin　rubbed　the　calf　of　his　leg；　covered　with　thick　stockings　of
black　raw　silk；　for　he　always　wore　black　cloth　breeches　and　a　coat
made　somewhat　in　the　shape　of　those　which　are　now　termed　/a　la
Francaise/。　He　cast　his　shrewd　eyes　upon　his　clients　with　an　anxious
expression；　the　effect　of　which　was　icy。

〃Must　I　analyze　all　that？〃　he　said；　〃am　I　to　speak　frankly？〃

〃Yes；　go　on；　monsieur；〃　said　Laurence。

〃All　that　you　have　innocently　done　can　be　converted　into　proof　against
you；〃　said　the　old　lawyer。　〃We　cannot　save　your　friends；　we　can　only
reduce　the　penalty。　The　sale　which　you　induced　Michu　to　make　of　his
property　will　be　taken　as　evident　proof　of　your　criminal　intentions
against　the　senator。　You　sent　your　servants　to　Troyes　so　that　you
might　be　alone；　that　is　all　the　more　plausible　because　it　is　actually
true。　The　elder　d'Hauteserre　made　an　unfortunate　speech　to　Beauvisage；
which　will　be　your　ruin。　You　yourself；　mademoiselle；　made　another　in
your　own　courtyard；　which　proves　that　you　have　long　shown　ill…will　to
the　possessor　of　Gondreville。　Besides；　you　were　at　the　gate　of　the
/rond…point/；　apparently　on　the　watch；　about　the　time　when　the
abduction　took　place；　if　they　have　not　arrested　you；　it　is　solely
because　they　fear　to　bring　a　sentimental　element　into　the　affair。〃

〃The　case　cannot　be　successfully　defended；〃　said　Monsieur　de
Grandville。

〃The　less　so；〃　continued　Bordin；　〃because　we　cannot　tell　the　whole
truth。　Michu　and　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　and　d'Hauteserre　must　hold
to　the　assertion　that　you　merely　went　for　an　excursion　into　the　forest
and　returned　to　Cinq…Cygne　for　luncheon。　Allowing　that　we　can　show　you
were　in　the　house　at　three　o'clock　（the　exact　hour　at　which　the　attack