an historical mystery-第8章

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ruins。　I　am　at　the　mercy　of　some　event；　some　fortunate　pistol…shot；
some　infernal　machine　which　does　its　work。　Even　I　don't　know　the　whole
conspiracy；　they　don't　tell　me　all；　but　they　have　asked　me　to　call　the
Council　of　State　at　the　critical　moment　and　direct　its　action　towards
the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons。〃

〃Wait；〃　said　the　notary。

〃Impossible！　I　am　compelled　to　make　my　decision　at　once。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Well；　the　Simeuse　brothers　are　in　the　conspiracy；　they　are　here　in
the　neighborhood；　I　must　either　have　them　watched；　let　them　compromise
themselves；　and　so　be　rid　of　them；　or　else　I　must　privately　protect
them。　I　asked　the　prefect　for　underlings　and　he　has　sent　me　lynxes；
who　came　through　Troyes　and　have　got　the　gendarmerie　to　support　them。〃

〃Gondreville　is　your　real　object；〃　said　Grevin；　〃and　this　conspiracy
your　best　chance　of　keeping　it。　Fouche；　Talleyrand；　and　those　two
fellows　have　nothing　to　do　with　that。　Therefore　play　fair　with　them。
What　nonsense！　those　who　cut　Louis　XVI。's　head　off　are　in　the
government；　France　is　full　of　men　who　have　bought　national　property；
and　yet　you　talk　of　bringing　back　those　who　would　require　you　to　give
up　Gondreville！　If　the　Bourbons　were　not　imbeciles　they　would　pass　a
sponge　over　all　we　have　done。　Warn　Bonaparte；　that's　my　advice。〃

〃A　man　of　my　rank　can't　denounce；〃　said　Malin；　quickly。

〃Your　rank！〃　exclaimed　Grevin；　smiling。

〃They　have　offered　to　make　me　Keeper　of　the　Seals。〃

〃Ah！　Now　I　understand　your　bewilderment；　and　it　is　for　me　to　see　clear
in　this　political　darkness　and　find　a　way　out　for　you。　Now；　it　is
quite　impossible　to　foresee　what　events　may　happen　to　bring　back　the
Bourbons　when　a　General　Bonaparte　is　in　possession　of　eighty　line　of
battle　ships　and　four　hundred　thousand　men。　The　most　difficult　thing
of　all　in　expectant　politics　is　to　know　when　a　power　that　totters　will
fall；　but；　my　old　man；　Bonaparte's　power　is　not　tottering；　it　is　in
the　ascendant。　Don't　you　think　that　Fouche　may　be　sounding　you　so　as
to　get　to　the　bottom　of　your　mind；　and　then　get　rid　of　you？〃

〃No；　I　am　sure　of　my　go…between。　Besides；　Fouche　would　never；　under
those　circumstances；　send　me　such　fellows　as　these；　he　would　know　they
would　make　me　suspicious。〃

〃They　alarm　me；〃　said　Grevin。　〃If　Fouche　does　not　distrust　you；　and　is
not　seeking　to　probe　you；　why　does　he　send　them？　Fouche　doesn't　play
such　a　trick　as　that　without　a　motive；　what　is　it？〃

〃What　decides　me；〃　said　Malin；　〃is　that　I　should　never　be　easy　with
those　two　Simeuse　brothers　in　France。　Perhaps　Fouche；　who　knows　how　I
am　placed　towards　them；　wants　to　make　sure　they　don't　escape　him；　and
hopes　through　them　to　reach　the　Condes。〃

〃That's　right；　old　fellow；　it　is　not　under　Bonaparte　that　the　present
possessor　of　Gondreville　can　be　ousted。〃

Just　then　Malin；　happening　to　look　up；　saw　the　muzzle　of　a　gun　through
the　foliage　of　a　tall　linden。

〃I　was　not　mistaken；　I　thought　I　heard　the　click　of　a　trigger；〃　he
said　to　Grevin；　after　getting　behind　the　trunk　of　a　large　tree；　where
the　notary；　uneasy　at　his　friend's　sudden　movement；　followed　him。

〃It　is　Michu；〃　said　Grevin；　〃I　see　his　red　beard。〃

〃Don't　let　us　seem　afraid；〃　said　Malin；　who　walked　slowly　away；　saying
at　intervals：　〃Why　is　that　man　so　bitter　against　the　owners　of　this
property？　It　was　not　you　he　was　covering。　If　he　overheard　us　he　had
better　ask　the　prayers　of　the　congregation！　Who　the　devil　would　have
thought　of　looking　up　into　the　trees！〃

〃There's　always　something　to　learn；〃　said　the　notary。　〃But　he　was　a
good　distance　off；　and　we　spoke　low。〃

〃I　shall　tell　Corentin　about　it；〃　replied　Malin。



CHAPTER　III

THE　MASK　THROWN　OFF

A　few　moments　later　Michu　returned　home；　his　face　pale；　his　features
contracted。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　his　wife；　frightened。

〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　seeing　Violette　whose　presence　silenced　him。

Michu　took　a　chair　and　sat　down　quietly　before　the　fire；　into　which　he
threw　a　letter　which　he　drew　from　a　tin　tube　such　as　are　given　to
soldiers　to　hold　their　papers。　This　act；　which　enabled　Marthe　to　draw
a　long　breath　like　one　relieved　of　a　great　burden；　greatly　puzzled
Violette。　The　bailiff　laid　his　gun　on　the　mantel…shelf　with　admirable
composure。　Marianne　the　servant；　and　Marthe's　mother　were　spinning　by
the　light　of　a　lamp。

〃Come；　Francois；〃　said　the　father；　presently；　〃it　is　time　to　go　to
bed。〃

He　lifted　the　boy　roughly　by　the　middle　of　his　body　and　carried　him
off。

〃Run　down　to　the　cellar；〃　he　whispered；　when　they　reached　the　stairs。
〃Empty　one　third　out　of　two　bottles　of　the　Macon　wine；　and　fill　them
up　with　the　Cognac　brandy　which　is　on　the　shelf。　Then　mix　a　bottle　of
white　wine　with　one　half　brandy。　Do　it　neatly；　and　put　the　three
bottles　on　the　empty　cask　which　stands　by　the　cellar　door。　When　you
hear　me　open　the　window　in　the　kitchen　come　out　of　the　cellar；　run　to
the　stable；　saddle　my　horse；　mount　it；　and　go　and　wait　for　me　at
Poteaudes…GueuxThat　little　scamp　hates　to　go　to　bed；〃　said　Michu；
returning；　〃he　likes　to　do　as　grown　people　do；　see　all；　hear　all；　and
know　all。　You　spoil　my　people；　pere　Violette。〃

〃Goodness！〃　cried　Violette；　〃what　has　loosened　your　tongue？　I　never
heard　you　say　as　much　before。〃

〃Do　you　suppose　I　let　myself　be　spied　upon　without　taking　notice　of
it？　You　are　on　the　wrong　side；　pere　Violette。　If；　instead　of　serving
those　who　hate　me；　you　were　on　my　side　I　could　do　better　for　you　than
renew　that　lease　of　yours。〃

〃How？〃　said　the　peasant；　opening　wide　his　avaricious　eyes。

〃I'll　sell　you　my　property　cheap。〃

〃Nothing　is　cheap　when　we　have　to　pay；〃　said　Violette；　sententiously。

〃I　want　to　leave　the　neighborhood；　and　I'll　let　you　have　my　farm　of
Mousseau；　the　buildings；　granary；　and　cattle　for　fifty　thousand
francs。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Does　that　suit　you？〃

〃Hang　it！　I　must　think〃

〃We'll　talk　about　itI　shall　want　earnest　money。〃

〃I　have　no　money。〃

〃Well；　a　note。〃

〃Can't　give　it。〃

〃Tell　me　who　sent　you　here　to…day。〃

〃I　am　on　my　way　back　from　where　I　spent　this　afternoon；　and　I　only
stopped　in　to　say　good…evening。〃

〃Back　without　your　horse？　What　a　fool　you　must　take　me　for！　You　are
lying；　and　you　shall　not　have　my　farm。〃

〃Well；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　it　was　monsieur　Grevin　who　sent　me。　He
said　'Violette；　we　want　Michu；　do　you　go　and　get　him；　if　he　isn't　at
home；　wait　for　him。'　I　saw　I　should　have　to　stay　here　all　this
evening。〃

〃Are　those　sharks　from　Paris　still　at　the　chateau？〃

〃Ah！　that　I　don't　know；　but　there　were　people　in　the　salon。〃

〃You　shall　have　my　farm；　we'll　settle　the　terms　now。　Wife；　go　and　get
some　wine　to　wash　down　the　contract。　Take　the　best　Roussillon；　the
wine　of　the　ex…marquis；we　are　not　babes。　You'll　find　a　couple　of
bottles　on　the　empty　cask　near　the　door；　and　a　bottle　of　white　wine。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Violette；　who　never　got　drunk。　〃Let　us　drink。〃

〃You　have　fifty　thousand　francs　beneath　the　floor　of　your　bedroom
under　your　bed；　pere　Violette；　you　will　give　them　to　me　two　weeks
after　we　sign　the　deed　of　sale　before　Grevin〃　Violette　stared　at
Michu　and　grew　livid。　〃Ah！　you　came　here　to　spy　upon　a　Jacobin　who　had
the　honor　to　be　president　of　the　club　at　Arcis；　and　you　imagine　he
will　let　you　get　the　better　of　him！　I　have　eyes；　I　saw　where　your
tiles　have　been　freshly　cemented；　and　I　concluded　that　you　did　not　pry
them　up　to　plant　wheat　there。　Come；　drink。〃

Violette；　much　troubled；　drank　a　large　glass　of　wine　without　noticing
the　quality；　terror　had　put　a　hot　iron　in　his　stomach；　the　brandy　was
not　hotter　than　his　cupidity。　He　would　have　given　many　things　to　be
safely　home　and　able　to　change　the　hiding…place　of　his　treasure。　The
three　women　smiled。

〃Do　you　like　that　wine？〃　said　Michu；　refilling　his　glass。

〃Yes；　I　do。〃

After　a　good　half…hour's　decision　on　the　time　when　the　buyer　might
take　possession；　and　on　the　various　punctilios　which　the　peasantry
bring　forward　when　concluding　a　bargain；in　the　midst　of　assertions
and　counter…assertions；　the　filling　and　emptying　of　glasses；　the
giving　of　promises　and　denials；　Violette　suddenly　fell　forward　with
his　head　on　the　table；　not　tipsy；　but　dead…drunk。　The　in