an historical mystery-第54章

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Duc　d'Enghien。　The　execution　of　that　prince　is　connected　by　a　series
of　discoverable　ramifications　with　the　plot　which　was　laid　on　that
June　evening　in　the　boudoir　of　the　ministry　of　foreign　affairs；　the
night　before　the　battle　of　Marengo。　Those　who　have　the　means　of
judging；　and　who　have　known　persons　who　were　well…informed；　are　fully
aware　that　Bonaparte　was　handled　like　a　child　by　Talleyrand　and
Fouche；　who　were　determined　to　alienate　him　irrevocably　from　the　House
of　Bourbon；　whose　agents　were　even　then；　at　the　last　moment；
endeavoring　to　negotiate　with　the　First　Consul。〃

〃Talleyrand　was　playing　whist　in　the　salon　of　Madame　de　Luynes；〃　said
a　personage　who　had　been　listening　attentively　to　de　Marsay's
narrative。　〃It　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　when　he　pulled
out　his　watch；　looked　at　it；　stopped　the　game；　and　asked　his　three
companions　abruptly　and　without　any　preface　whether　the　Prince　de
Conde　had　any　other　children　than　the　Duc　d'Enghien。　Such　an　absurd
inquiry　from　the　lips　of　Talleyrand　caused　the　utmost　surprise。　'Why
do　you　ask　us　what　you　know　perfectly　well　yourself？'　they　said　to
him。　'Only　to　let　you　know　that　the　House　of　Conde　comes　to　an　end　at
this　moment。'　Now　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand　had　been　at　the　hotel　de
Luynes　the　entire　evening；　and　he　must　have　known　that　Bonaparte　was
absolutely　unable　to　grant　the　pardon。〃

〃But；〃　said　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　〃I　don't　see　in　all　this　any
connection　with　Madame　de　Cinq…Cygnes　and　her　troubles。〃

〃Ah；　you　were　so　young　at　that　time；　my　dear　fellow；　I　forgot　to
explain　the　conclusion。　You　all　know　the　affair　of　the　abduction　of
the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　then　senator　of　the　Empire；　for　which　the
Simeuse　brothers　and　the　two　d'Hauteserres　were　condemned　to　the
galleys；an　affair　which　did；　in　fact；　lead　to　their　death。〃

De　Marsay；　entreated　by　several　persons　present　to　whom　the
circumstances　were　unknown；　related　the　whole　trial；　stating　that　the
mysterious　abductors　were　five　sharks　of　the　secret　service　of　the
ministry　of　the　police；　who　were　ordered　to　obtain　the　proclamations
of　the　would…be　Directory　which　Malin　had　surreptitiously　taken　from
his　house　in　Paris；　and　which　he　had　himself　come　to　Gondreville　for
the　express　purpose　of　destroying；　being　convinced　at　last　that　the
Empire　was　on　a　sure　foundation　and　could　not　be　overthrown。　〃I　have
no　doubt；〃　added　de　Marsay；　〃that　Fouche　took　the　opportunity　to　have
the　house　searched　for　the　correspondence　between　Malin　and　Louis
XVIII。；　which　was　always　kept　up；　even　during　the　Terror。　But　in　this
cruel　affair　there　was　a　private　element；　a　passion　of　revenge　in　the
mind　of　the　leader　of　the　party；　a　man　named　Corentin；　who　is　still
living；　and　who　is　one　of　those　subaltern　agents　whom　nothing　can
replace　and　who　makes　himself　felt　by　his　amazing　ability。　It　appears
that　Madame；　then　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　had　ill…treated　him　on　a
former　occasion　when　he　attempted　to　arrest　the　Simeuse　brothers。　What
happened　afterwards　in　connection　with　the　senator's　abduction　was　the
result　of　his　private　vengeance。

〃These　facts　were　known；　of　course；　to　Malin；　and　through　him　to　Louis
XVIII。　You　may　therefore；〃　added　de　Marsay；　turning　to　the　Princesse
de　Cadignan；　〃explain　the　whole　matter　to　the　Marquise　de　Cinq…Cygne；
and　show　her　why　Louis　XVIII。　thought　fit　to　keep　silence。〃








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