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第34章

she stands accused(她是被告)-第34章

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found him scratched and bruised。             But the old man could not summon up 

the strength of mind to be quit of this succubine virago。 

     At last; on the 29th of August; 1829; Sophie's ‘persuasions' succeeded。 

The Prince consented to sign the will; and did so the following morning。 

In   its   terms   the   Duc   d'Aumale   became   residuary   legatee;   and   2;000;000 

francs;    free   of   death…duty;    were    bequeathed      to  the   Prince's    ‘‘faithful 

companion;   Mme   la   baronne   de   Feucheres;''   together   with   the   chateaux 

and   estates    of  Saint…Leu…Taverny;        Boissy;    Enghien;     Montmorency;       and 

Mortefontaine;   and   the   pavilion   in   the   Palais…Bourbon;   besides   all   the 

Prince's furniture; carriages; horses; and so on。             Moreover; the estate and 

chateau of Ecouen was also given her; on condition that she allowed the 

latter to be used as an orphanage for the descendants of soldiers who had 

served with   the Armies   of  Conde  and   La Vendee。              The  cost of   running 

this establishment; however; was to be borne by the Duc d'Aumale。 

     It   might   be   thought   that   Sophie;   having     got   her   way;   would   have 

turned   to   kindness in   her  treatment   of   her  old   lover。     But   no。    All   her 

mind was   now  concentrated on   working; through the   Duc   d'Orleans;  for 

being received again at Court。           She ultimately succeeded in this。           On the 

7th   of   February;   1830;   she   appeared   in   the   presence   of   the   King;   the 

Dauphin   and   Dauphine。         In   the   business of preparing   for  this   great   day 

Chantilly and the Prince de Conde were greatly neglected。                      The beggar 

on horseback had to be about Paris。 

     But   events   were   shaping   in   France   at   that   time   which   were   to   be 

important to the royal family; to Sophie and her supporters of the house of 

Orleans; and fatal in consequence to the old man at Chantilly。 

     On the 27th of July  revolution broke out in   France。                Charles X  and 

his    family   had    to  seek    shelter   in  England;     and   Louis…Philippe;       Duc 



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d'Orleans;   becamenot   King        of   France;   but   ‘‘King   of   the   French''  by 

election。     This consummation had not been achieved without intrigue on 

the part of Egalite's son。        It was not an achievement calculated to abate 

the Prince de Conde's hatred for him。             Rather did it inflame that hatred。 

In the matter of the famous will; moreover; as the King's son the little Duc 

d'Aumale would be now in no need of the provision made for him by his 

unwilling   godfather;   while   members   of   the   exiled   royal   familynotably 

the   grandson   of   Charles;   the   Duc   de   Bordeaux;   certainly   cut   out   of   the 

Prince's    will   by  the   intrigues   of  Sophie    and   familywere      in  want   of 

assistance。     This is a point to be remembered in the light of subsequent 

events。 



     % IV 

     While she had been looking after herself Sophie Dawes had not been 

unmindful ofthe advancement of hangers…on of her own family。                      She had 

about her a nephew and a niece。            The latter; supposed by some to have a 

closer relationship to Sophie than that of mere niece; she had contrived to 

marry off to a marquis。          The Marquise de Chabannes de la Palice need 

not here concern us further。         But notice must be taken of the nephew。              A 

few million francs; provided by the Prince de Conde; had secured for this 

James Dawes the title of Baron de Flassans; from a domain also bestowed 

upon him by Sophie's elderly lover。             De Flassans; with some minor post 

in the Prince's household; acted as his aunt's jackal。 

     If   Sophie;   after   the   election   to   kingship   of   Louis…Philippe;   found   it 

necessary to be in Paris a great deal to worship at the throne her nephew 

kept her well informed about the Prince de Conde's activities。                    The old 

man;   it   appeared;   had   suddenly   developed   the   habit   of   writing   letters。 

The Prince; then at the chateau of Saint…Leu expressed a desire to remove 

to   Chantilly。    He   was   behaving   very   oddly  all   round;   was   glad   to   have 

Sophie   out   of   his   sight;   and   seemed   unwilling   even   to   hear   her   name。 

The projected move to Chantilly; as a fact; was merely a blind to cover a 

flight   out   of   Sophie's   reach   and   influence。  Rumour   arose   about   Saint… 

Leu   and   in   Paris   that   the   Prince   had   made   another   willone   in   which 

neither Sophie nor the Duc d'Aumale was mentioned。                    This was a move 



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of which Sophie had been afraid。              She saw to it that the Prince did not get 

away   from   Saint…Leu。        Rumour   and   the   Prince's   conduct   made   Sophie 

very   anxious。      She   tried   to   get   him   to   make   over   to   her   in   his   lifetime 

those   properties   which   he   had   left   to   her   in   his   will;   and   it   is   probable 

enough   that   she   would   have   forced   this   request   but   for   the   fact   that;   to 

raise the legal costs; the property of Saint…Leu would have had to be sold。 

     This was the position of affairs about the middle of August 1830。                        It 

was believed the Prince had already signed a will in favour of the exiled 

little   Duc    de  Bordeaux;      but   that  he   had   kept   the   act  secret   from   his 

mistress。 

     On the morning of the 11th of the month the Prince was met outside 

his bedroom in his night attire。          It was a young man called Obry who thus 

met the Prince。        He was the old man's godchild。              The old man's left eye 

was   bleeding;   and   there   was   a   scratch   on   his   cheek   as   if   made   by   a 

fingernail。      To Obry the Prince attributed these wounds to the spite of the 

Baronne de Feucheres。            Half an hour later he told his valet he had hit his 

head against a night…table。          Later again in the day he gave another version 

still: he had fallen against the door to a secret staircase from his bedroom 

while letting the Baronne de Feucheres out; the secret staircase being   in 

communication with Sophie's private apartments。 

     For the next ten days or so the Prince was engaged in contriving his 

flight from the gentle Sophie; a second plan which again was spoiled by 

Sophie's spies。       There was something of a fete at Saint…Leu on the 26th; 

the   Prince's   saint's   day。    There   was   a   quarrel   between   Sophie   and   the 

Prince   on   the   morning   of   the   26th   in   the   latter's   bedroom。   Sophie   had 

then been back in Saint…Leu for three days。                At midnight on the 26th the 

old man retired after playing a game or two at whist。                 He was to go on the 

30th to Chantilly。        He   was accompanied to his bedroom by his   surgeon 

and   a   valet;   one   Lecomte;   and   expressed   a   desire   to   be   called   at   eight 

o'clock。     Lecomte found a paper in the Prince's trousers and gave it to the 

old   man;   who   placed   it   on   the   mantelshelf。     Then   the   valet;   as   he   said 

later; locked the door of the Prince's dressing…room; thus except for the 

entrance from the secret staircaselocking the old man in his room。 

     The   Prince's   apartments   were   on   the   first   floor   of   the   chateau。   His 



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