an historical mystery-第50章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


muddy　boots　gave　evidence　of　a　long　tramp　across　country。　He　had　taken
off　the　famous　top…coat；　and　his　equally　famous　green　uniform；　crossed
by　the　red　cordon　of　the　Legion　of　honor　and　heightened　by　the　white
of　his　kerseymere　breeches　and　of　his　waistcoat；　brought　out　vividly
his　pale　and　terrible　Caesarian　face。　One　hand　was　on　a　map　which　lay
unfolded　on　his　knees。　Berthier　stood　near　him　in　the　brilliant
uniform　of　the　vice…constable　of　the　Empire。　Constant；　the　valet；　was
offering　the　Emperor　his　coffee　from　a　tray。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　Napoleon；　with　a　show　of　roughness；　darting
his　eye　like　a　flash　through　Laurence's　head。　〃You　are　no　longer
afraid　to　speak　to　me　before　the　battle？　What　is　it　about？〃

〃Sire；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him　with　as　firm　an　eye；　〃I　am
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。〃

〃Well？〃　he　replied；　in　an　angry　voice；　thinking　her　look　braved　him。

〃Do　you　not　understand？　I　am　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；　come　to　ask
mercy；〃　she　said；　falling　on　her　knees　and　holding　out　to　him　the
petition　drawn　up　by　Talleyrand；　endorsed　by　the　Empress；　by
Cambaceres　and　by　Malin。

The　Emperor　raised　her　graciously；　and　said　with　a　keen　look：　〃Have
you　come　to　your　senses？　Do　you　now　understand　what　the　French　Empire
is　and　must　be？〃

〃Ah！　at　this　moment　I　understand　only　the　Emperor；〃　she　said；
vanquished　by　the　kindly　manner　with　which　the　man　of　destiny　had　said
the　words　that　foretold　to　her　ears　success。

〃Are　they　innocent？〃　asked　the　Emperor。

〃Yes；　all　of　them；〃　she　said　with　enthusiasm。

〃All？　No；　that　bailiff　is　a　dangerous　man；　who　would　have　killed　my
senator　without　taking　your　advice。〃

〃Ah；　Sire；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　had　a　friend　devoted　to　you；　would　you
abandon　him？　Would　you　not　rather〃

〃You　are　a　woman；〃　he　said；　interrupting　her　in　a　faint　tone　of
ridicule。

〃And　you；　a　man　of　iron！〃　she　replied　with　a　passionate　sternness
which　pleased　him。

〃That　man　has　been　condemned　to　death　by　the　laws　of　his　country；〃　he
continued。

〃But　he　is　innocent！〃

〃Child！〃　he　said。

He　took　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　by　the　hand　and　led　her　from　the
hut　to　the　plateau。

〃See；〃　he　continued；　with　that　eloquence　of　his　which　changed　even
cowards　to　brave　men；　〃see　those　three　hundred　thousand　menall
innocent。　And　yet　to…morrow　thirty　thousand　of　them　will　be　lying
dead；　dead　for　their　country！　Among　those　Prussians　there　is；　perhaps；
some　great　mathematician；　a　man　of　genius；　an　idealist；　who　will　be
mown　down。　On　our　side　we　shall　assuredly　lose　many　a　great　man　never
known　to　fame。　Perhaps　even　I　shall　see　my　best　friend　die。　Shall　I
blame　God？　No。　I　shall　bear　it　silently。　Learn　from　this；
mademoiselle；　that　a　man　must　die　for　the　laws　of　his　country　just　as
men　die　here　for　her　glory。〃　So　saying；　he　led　her　back　into　the　hut。
〃Return　to　France；〃　he　said；　looking　at　the　marquis；　〃my　orders　shall
follow　you。〃

Laurence　believed　in　a　commutation　of　Michu's　punishment；　and　in　her
gratitude　she　knelt　again　before　the　Emperor　and　kissed　his　hand。

〃You　are　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf？〃　said　Napoleon；　addressing　the
marquis。

〃Yes；　Sire。〃

〃You　have　children？〃

〃Many　children。〃

〃Why　not　give　me　one　of　your　grandsons？　he　shall　be　my　page。〃

〃Ah！〃　thought　Laurence；　〃there's　the　sub…lieutenant　after　all；　he
wants　to　be　paid　for　his　mercy。〃

The　marquis　bowed　without　replying。　Happily　at　this　moment　General
Rapp　rushed　into　the　hut。

〃Sire；　the　cavalry　of　the　Guard；　and　that　of　the　Grand…duc　de　Berg
cannot　be　set　up　before　midday　to…morrow。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Napoleon；　turning　to　Berthier；　〃we；　too；　get　our
reprieves；　let　us　profit　by　them。〃

At　a　sign　of　his　hand　the　marquis　and　Laurence　retired　and　again
entered　their　carriage；　the　corporal　showed　them　their　road　and
accompanied　them　to　a　village　where　they　passed　the　night。　The　next
day　they　left　the　field　of　battle　behind　them；　followed　by　the　thunder
of　the　cannon；eight　hundred　pieces；which　pursued　them　for　ten
hours。　While　still　on　their　way　they　learned　of　the　amazing　victory　of
Jena。

Eight　days　later；　they　were　driving　through　the　faubourg　of　Troyes；
where　they　learned　that　an　order　of　the　chief　justice；　transmitted
through　the　/procureur　imperial/　of　Troyes；　commanded　the　release　of
the　four　gentlemen　on　bail　during　the　Emperor's　pleasure。　But　Michu's
sentence　was　confirmed；　and　the　warrant　for　his　execution　had　been
forwarded　from　the　ministry　of　police。　These　orders　had　reached　Troyes
that　very　morning。　Laurence　went　at　once　to　the　prison；　though　it　was
two　in　the　morning；　and　obtained　permission　to　stay　with　Michu；　who
was　about　to　undergo　the　melancholy　ceremony　called　〃the　toilet。〃　The
good　abbe；　who　had　asked　permission　to　accompany　him　to　the　scaffold；
had　just　given　absolution　to　the　man；　whose　only　distress　in　dying　was
his　uncertainty　as　to　the　fate　of　his　young　masters。　When　Laurence
entered　his　cell　he　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。

〃I　can　die　now；〃　he　said。

〃They　are　pardoned；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　know　on　what　conditions；　but
they　are　pardoned。　I　did　all　I　could　for　you；　dear　friendagainst　the
advice　of　others。　I　thought　I　had　saved　you；　but　the　Emperor　deceived
me　with　his　graciousness。〃

〃It　was　written　above；〃　said　Michu；　〃that　the　watch…dog　should　be
killed　on　the　spot　where　his　old　masters　died。〃

The　last　hour　passed　rapidly。　Michu；　at　the　moment　of　parting；　asked
to　kiss　her　hand；　but　Laurence　held　her　cheek　to　the　lips　of　the　noble
victim　that　he　might　sacredly　kiss　it。　Michu　refused　to　mount　the
cart。

〃Innocent　men　should　go　afoot；〃　he　said。

He　would　not　let　the　abbe　give　him　his　arm；　resolutely　and　with
dignity　he　walked　alone　to　the　scaffold。　As　he　laid　his　head　on　the
plank　he　said　to　the　executioner；　after　asking　him　to　turn　down　the
collar　of　his　coat；　〃My　clothes　belong　to　you；　try　not　to　spot　them。〃

*****

The　four　gentlemen　had　hardly　time　to　even　see　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…
Cygne。　An　orderly　of　the　general　commanding　the　division　to　which　they
were　assigned；　brought　them　their　commissions　as　sub…lieutenants　in
the　same　regiment　of　cavalry；　with　orders　to　proceed　at　once　to
Bayonne；　the　base　of　supplies　for　its　particular　army…corps。　After　a
scene　of　heart…rending　farewells；　for　they　all　foreboded　what　the
future　should　bring　forth；　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　returned　to　her
desolate　home。

The　two　brothers　were　killed　together　under　the　eyes　of　the　Emperor　at
Sommo…Sierra；　the　one　defending　the　other；　both　being　already　in
command　of　their　troop。　The　last　words　of　each　were；　〃Laurence；　/cy
meurs/！〃

The　elder　d'Hauteserre　died　a　colonel　at　the　attack　on　the　redoubt　at
Moscow；　where　his　brother　took　his　place。

Adrien　d'Hauteserre；　appointed　brigadier…general　at　the　battle　of
Dresden；　was　dangerously　wounded　there　and　was　sent　to　Cinq…Cygne　for
proper　nursing。　While　endeavoring　to　save　this　relic　of　the　four
gentlemen　who　for　a　few　brief　months　had　been　so　happy　around　her；
Laurence；　then　thirty…two　years　of　age；　married　him。　She　offered　him　a
withered　heart；　but　he　accepted　it；　those　who　truly　love　doubt　nothing
or　doubt　all。

The　Restoration　found　Laurence　without　enthusiasm。　The　Bourbons
returned　too　late　for　her。　Nevertheless；　she　had　no　cause　for
complaint。　Her　husband；　made　peer　of　France　with　the　title　of　Marquis
de　Cinq…Cygne；　became　lieutenant…general　in　1816；　and　was　rewarded
with　the　blue　ribbon　for　the　eminent　services　which　he　then　performed。

Michu's　son；　of　whom　Laurence　took　care　as　though　he　were　her　own
child；　was　admitted　to　the　bar　in　1817。　After　practising　two　years　he
was　made　assistant…judge　at　the　court　of　Alencon；　and　from　there　he
became　/procureur…du…roi/　at　Arcis　in　1827。　Laurence；　who　had　also
taken　charge　of　Michu's　property；　made　over　to　the　young　man　on　the
day　of　his　majority　an　investment　in　the　public　Funds　which　yielded
him　an　income　of　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year。　Later；　she　arranged　a
marriage　for　him　with　Mademoiselle　Girel；　an　heiress　at　Troyes。

The　Marquis　de　Cinq…Cygne　died　in　1829；　in　the　arms　of　his　wife；
surrounded　by　his　father　and　mother；　and　his　children　who　adored　him。
At　the　time　of　his　death　no　one　had　ever　fathomed