an historical mystery-第6章

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was　coming？〃

〃I　am　not　on　such　terms　with　him　as　to　be　in　his　confidence。〃

〃Then　you　have　not　seen　him？〃

〃I　did　not　know　he　was　here　till　I　got　back　from　my　rounds　in　the
forest；〃　said　Michu；　reloading　his　gun。

〃He　has　sent　to　Arcis　for　Monsieur　Grevin；〃　said　Violette；　〃they　are
scheming　something。〃

〃If　you　are　going　round　by　Cinq…Cygne；　take　me　up　behind　you；〃　said
the　bailiff。　〃I'm　going　there。〃

Violette　was　too　timid　to　have　a　man　of　Michu's　strength　on　his
crupper；　and　he　spurred　his　beast。　Judas　slung　his　gun　over　his
shoulder　and　walked　rapidly　up　the　avenue。

〃Who　can　it　be　that　Michu　is　angry　with？〃　said　Marthe　to　her　mother。

〃Ever　since　he　heard　of　Monsieur　Malin's　arrival　he　has　been　gloomy；〃
replied　the　old　woman。　〃But　it　is　getting　damp　here；　let　us　go　in。〃

After　the　two　women　had　settled　themselves　in　the　chimney　corner　they
heard　Couraut's　bark。

〃There's　my　husband　returning！〃　cried　Marthe。

Michu　passed　up　the　stairs；　his　wife；　uneasy；　followed　him　to　their
bedroom。

〃See　if　any　one　is　about；〃　he　said　to　her；　in　a　voice　of　some　emotion。

〃No　one；〃　she　replied。　〃Marianne　is　in　the　field　with　the　cow；　and
Gaucher〃

〃Where　is　Gaucher？〃　he　asked。

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃I　distrust　that　little　scamp。　Go　up　in　the　garret；　look　in　the　hay…
loft；　look　everywhere　for　him。〃

Marthe　left　the　room　to　obey　the　order。　When　she　returned　she　found
Michu　on　his　knees；　praying。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　frightened。

The　bailiff　took　his　wife　round　the　waist　and　drew　her　to　him；　saying
in　a　voice　of　deep　feeling：　〃If　we　never　see　each　other　again
remember；　my　poor　wife；　that　I　loved　you　well。　Follow　minutely　the
instructions　which　you　will　find　in　a　letter　buried　at　the　foot　of　the
larch　in　that　copse。　It　is　enclosed　in　a　tin　tube。　Do　not　touch　it
until　after　my　death。　And　remember；　Marthe；　whatever　happens　to　me；
that　in　spite　of　man's　injustice；　my　arm　has　been　the　instrument　of
the　justice　of　God。〃

Marthe；　who　turned　pale　by　degrees；　became　white　as　her　own　linen；　she
looked　at　her　husband　with　fixed　eyes　widened　by　fear；　she　tried　to
speak；　but　her　throat　was　dry。　Michu　disappeared　like　a　shadow；　having
tied　Couraut　to　the　foot　of　his　bed　where　the　dog；　after　the　manner　of
all　dogs；　howled　in　despair。

Michu's　anger　against　Monsieur　Marion　had　serious　grounds；　but　it　was
now　concentrated　on　another　man；　far　more　criminal　in　his　eyes；on
Malin；　whose　secrets　were　known　to　the　bailiff；　he　being　in　a　better
position　than　others　to　understand　the　conduct　of　the　State
Councillor。　Michu's　father…in…law　had　had；　politically　speaking；　the
confidence　of　the　former　representative　to　the　Convention；　through
Grevin。

Perhaps　it　would　be　well　here　to　relate　the　circumstances　which
brought　the　Simeuse　and　the　Cinq…Cygne　families　into　connection　with
Malin；circumstances　which　weighed　heavily　on　the　fate　of
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne's　twin　cousins；　but　still　more　heavily　on
that　of　Marthe　and　Michu。

The　Cinq…Cygne　mansion　at　Troyes　stands　opposite　to　that　of　Simeuse。
When　the　populace；　incited　by　minds　that　were　as　shrewd　as　they　were
cautious；　pillaged　the　hotel　Simeuse；　discovered　the　marquis　and
marchioness；　who　were　accused　of　corresponding　with　the　nation's
enemies；　and　delivered　them　to　the　national　guards　who　took　them　to
prison；　the　crowd　shouted；　〃Now　for　the　Cinq…Cygnes！〃　To　their　minds
the　Cinq…Cygnes　were　as　guilty　as　other　aristocrats。　The　brave　and
worthy　Monsieur　de　Simeuse　in　the　endeavor　to　save　his　two　sons；　then
eighteen　years　of　age；　whose　courage　was　likely　to　compromise　them；
had　confided　them；　a　few　hours　before　the　storm　broke；　to　their　aunt；
the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne。　Two　servants　attached　to　the　Simeuse
family　accompanied　the　young　men　to　her　house。　The　old　marquis；　who
was　anxious　that　his　name　should　not　die　out；　requested　that　what　was
happening　might　be　concealed　from　his　sons；　even　in　the　event　of　dire
disaster。　Laurence；　the　only　daughter　of　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；
was　then　twelve　years　of　age；　her　cousins　both　loved　her　and　she　loved
them　equally。　Like　other　twins　the　Simeuse　brothers　were　so　alike　that
for　a　long　while　their　mother　dressed　them　in　different　colors　to　know
them　apart。　The　first　comer；　the　eldest；　was　named　Paul…Marie；　the
other　Marie…Paul。　Laurence　de　Cinq…Cygne；　to　whom　their　danger　was
revealed；　played　her　woman's　part　well　though　still　a　mere　child。　She
coaxed　and　petted　her　cousins　and　kept　them　occupied　until　the　very
moment　when　the　populace　surrounded　the　Cinq…Cygne　mansion。　The　two
brothers　then　knew　their　danger　for　the　first　time；　and　looked　at　each
other。　Their　resolution　was　instantly　taken；　they　armed　their　own
servants　and　those　of　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；　barricaded　the
doors；　and　stood　guard　at　the　windows；　after　closing　the　wooden
blinds；　with　the　five　men…servants　and　the　Abbe　d'Hauteserre；　a
relative　of　the　Cinq…Cygnes。　These　eight　courageous　champions　poured　a
deadly　fire　into　the　crowd。　Every　shot　killed　or　wounded　an　assailant。
Laurence；　instead　of　wringing　her　hands；　loaded　the　guns　with
extraordinary　coolness；　and　passed　the　balls　and　powder　to　those　who
needed　them。　The　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne　was　on　her　knees。

〃What　are　you　doing；　mother？〃　said　Laurence。

〃I　am　praying；〃　she　answered；　〃for　them　and　for　you。〃

Sublime　words；said　also　by　the　mother　of　Godoy；　prince　of　the　Peace；
in　Spain；　under　similar　circumstances。

In　a　moment　eleven　persons　were　killed　and　lying　on　the　ground　among　a
number　of　wounded。　Such　results　either　cool　or　excite　a　populace；
either　it　grows　savage　at　the　work　or　discontinues　it。　On　the　present
occasion　those　in　advance　recoiled；　but　the　crowd　behind　them　were
there　to　kill　and　rob；　and　when　they　saw　their　own　dead；　they　cried
out：　〃Murder！　Murder！　Revenge！〃　The　wiser　heads　went　in　search　of　the
representative　to　the　Convention；　Malin。　The　twins；　by　this　time　aware
of　the　disastrous　events　of　the　day；　suspected　Malin　of　desiring　the
ruin　of　their　family；　and　of　causing　the　arrest　of　their　parents；　and
the　suspicion　soon　became　a　certainty。　They　posted　themselves　beneath
the　porte…cochere；　gun　in　hand；　intending　to　kill　Malin　as　soon　as　he
made　his　appearance；　but　the　countess　lost　her　head；　she　imagined　her
house　in　ashes　and　her　daughter　assassinated；　and　she　blamed　the　young
men　for　their　heroic　defence　and　compelled　them　to　desist。　It　was
Laurence　who　opened　the　door　slightly　when　Malin　summoned　the
household　to　admit　him。　Seeing　her；　the　representative　relied　upon　the
awe　he　expected　to　inspire　in　a　mere　child；　and　he　entered　the　house。
To　his　first　words　of　inquiry　as　to　why　the　family　were　making　such　a
resistance；　the　girl　replied：　〃If　you　really　desire　to　give　liberty　to
France　how　is　it　that　you　do　not　protect　us　in　our　homes？　They　are
trying　to　tear　down　this　house；　monsieur；　to　murder　us；　and　you　say　we
have　no　right　to　oppose　force　to　force！〃

Malin　stood　rooted　to　the　ground。

〃You；　the　son　of　a　mason　employed　by　the　Grand　Marquis　to　build　his
castle！〃　exclaimed　Marie…Paul；　〃you　have　let　them　drag　our　father　to
prisonyou　have　believed　calumnies！〃

〃He　shall　be　released　at　once；〃　said　Malin；　who　thought　himself　lost
when　he　saw　each　youth　clutch　his　weapon　convulsively。

〃You　owe　your　life　to　that　promise；〃　said　Marie…Paul；　solemnly。　〃If　it
is　not　fulfilled　to…night　we　shall　find　you　again。〃

〃As　to　that　howling　populace；〃　said　Laurence；　〃If　you　do　not　send　them
away；　the　next　blood　will　be　yours。　Now；　Monsieur　Malin；　leave　this
house！〃

The　Conventionalist　did　leave　it；　and　he　harangued　the　crowd；　dwelling
on　the　sacred　rights　of　the　domestic　hearth；　the　habeas　corpus　and　the
English　〃home。〃　He　told　them　that　the　law　and　the　people　were
sovereigns；　that　the　law　/was/　the　people；　and　that　the　people　could
only　act　through　the　law；　and　that　power　was　vested　in　the　law。　The
particular　law　of　personal　necessity　made　him　eloquent；　and　he　managed
to　disperse　the　crowd。　But　he　never　forgot　the　contemptuous　expression
of　the　two　brothers；　nor　the　〃Leave　this　house！〃　of　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne。　Therefore；　when　it　was　a　question　of　selling　the　estates
of　the　Co