the brotherhood of consolation-第25章
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through her guilty influence upon him she might have done so。 She
made her waiting…woman； the girl Godard； an accomplice。 As for
Leveille； he took an active part in the actual perpetration of the
crime by seeking the axe the brigands asked for。
The woman Bourget； Vauthier； the Chaussards； Pannier； the woman
Lechantre； Mallet and Ratel； all participated in the crime in
their several degrees； as did the innkeepers Melin； Binet；
Laraviniere； and Chargegrain。
Bourget has died during the investigation； after making a
confession which removes all doubt as to the part played by
Vauthier and the woman Bryond； if he attempted to extenuate that
of his wife and his nephews Chaussard； his motives are easy to
understand。
The Chaussards knowingly fed and lodged the brigands； they saw
them armed； they witnessed all their arrangements and knew the
object of them； and lastly； they received the plunder； which they
hid； and as it appears； stole from their accomplices。
Pannier； the former treasurer of the rebels； concealed the woman
Bryond in his house； he is one of the most dangerous accomplices
of this crime； which he knew from its inception。 In him certain
mysterious relations which are still obscure took their rise； the
authorities now have these matters under investigation。 Pannier
was the right hand of Rifoel； the depositary of the secrets of the
counter…revolutionary party of the West； he regretted that Rifoel
introduced women into the plot and confided in them； it was he who
received the stolen money from the woman Bryond and conveyed it to
Rifoel。
As for the conduct of the two gendarmes Ratel and Mallet； it
deserves the severest penalty of the law。 They betrayed their
duty。 One of them； foreseeing his fate； committed suicide； but not
until he had made important revelations。 The other； Mallet； denies
nothing； his tacit admissions preclude all doubt； especially as to
the guilt of the woman Bryond。
The woman Lechantre； in spite of her constant denials； was privy
to all。 The hypocrisy of this woman； who attempts to shelter her
assumed innocence under the mask of a false piety； has certain
antecedents which prove her decision of character and her
intrepidity in extreme cases。 She alleges that she was misled by
her daughter； and believed that the plundered money belonged to
the Sieur Bryond；a common excuse！ If the Sieur Bryond had
possessed any property； he would not have left the department on
account of his debts。 The woman Lechantre claims that she did not
suspect a shameful theft； because she saw the proceedings approved
by her ally； Boislaurier。 But how does she explain the presence of
Rifoel （already executed） at Saint…Savin； the journeys to and fro；
the relations of that young man with her daughter； the stay of the
brigands at Saint…Savin； where they were served by her daughter
and the girl Godard？ She alleges sleep； declares it to be her
practice to go to bed at seven in the evening； and has no answer
to make when the magistrate points out to her that if she rises；
as she says she does； at dawn； she must have seen some signs of
the plot； of the sojourn of so many persons； and of the nocturnal
goings and comings of her daughter。 To this she replies that she
was occupied in prayer。 This woman is a mass of hypocrisy。 Lastly；
her journey on the day of the crime； the care she takes to carry
her daughter to Mortagne； her conduct about the money； her
precipitate flight when all is discovered； the pains she is at to
conceal herself； even the circumstances of her arrest； all go to
prove a long…existing complicity。 She has not acted like a mother
who desires to save her daughter and withdraw her from danger； but
like a trembling accomplice。 And her complicity is not that of a
misguided tenderness； it is the fruit of party spirit； the
inspiration of a well…known hatred against the government of His
Imperial and Royal Majesty。 Misguided maternal tenderness； if that
could be fairly alleged in her defence； would not； however； excuse
it； and we must not forget that consentment； long…standing and
premeditated； is the surest sign of guilt。
Thus all the elements of the crime and the persons committing it
are fully brought to light。
We see the madness of faction combining with pillage and greed； we
see assassination advised by party spirit； under whose aegis these
criminals attempt to justify themselves for the basest crimes。 The
leaders give the signal for the pillage of the public money； which
money is to be used for their ulterior crimes； vile stipendiaries
do this work for a paltry price； not recoiling from murder； then
the fomenters of rebellion； not less guilty because their own
hands have neither robbed nor murdered； divide the booty and
dispose of it。 What community can tolerate such outrages？ The law
itself is scarcely rigorous enough to duly punish them。
It is upon the above facts that this Court of Criminal and Special
Justice is called upon to decide whether the prisoners Herbomez；
Hiley； Cibot； Grenier； Horeau； Cabot； Minard； Melin； Binet；
Laraviniere； Rousseau； the woman Bryond； Leveille； the woman
Bourget； Vauthier； Chaussard the elder； Pannier； the widow
Lechantre； Mallet； all herein named and described； and arraigned
before this court； also Boislaurier； Dubut； Courceuil； Bruce； the
younger Chaussard； Chargegrain； and the girl Godard；these latter
being absent and fugitives from justice；are or are not guilty of
the crimes charged in this indictment。
Done at Caen； this 1st of December； 180。
（Signed） Baron Bourlac；
Attorney…General。
X
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU
This legal paper； much shorter and more imperative than such
indictments are these days； when they are far more detailed and more
precise； especially as to the antecedent life of accused persons；
affected Godefroid deeply。 The dryness of the statement in which the
official pen narrated in red ink the principal details of the affair
stirred his imagination。 Concise； abbreviated narratives are to some
minds texts into the hidden meaning of which they love to burrow。
In the middle of the night； aided by the silence； by the darkness； by
the terrible relation intimated by the worthy Alain between the facts
of that document and Madame de la Chanterie； Godefroid applied all the
forces of his intellect to decipher the dreadful theme。
Evidently the name Lechantre stood for la Chanterie； in all probably
the aristocracy of the name was intentionally thus concealed during
the Revolution and under the Empire。
Godefroid saw； in imagination； the landscape and the scenes where this
drama had taken place。 The forms and faces of the accomplices passed
before his eyes。 He pictured to himself not 〃one Rifoel〃 but a
Chevalier du Vissard； a young man something like the Fergus of Walter
Scott； a French Jacobite。 He developed the romance of an ardent young
girl grossly deceived by an infamous husband （a style of romance then
much the fashion）； loving the young and gallant leader of a rebellion
against the Empire； giving herself； body and soul； like another Diana
Vernon； to the conspiracy； and then； once launched on that fatal
incline； unable to stop herself。 Had she rolled to the scaffold？
The young man saw in his own mind a whole world； and he peopled it。 He
wandered in the shade of those Norman groves； he saw the Breton hero
and Madame Bryond among the gorse and shrubbery； he inhabited the old
chateau of Saint…Savin； he shared in the diverse acts of all those
many personages； picturing to himself the notary； the merchant； and
those bold Chouans。 His mind conceived the state of that wild country
where lingered still the memory of the Comtes de Bauvan； de Longuy；
the exploits of Marche…a…Terre； the massacre at La Vivetiere； the
death of the Marquis de Montauranof whose prowess Madame de la
Chanterie had told him。
This sort of vision of things； of men； of places was rapid。 When he
remembered that this drama must relate to the dignified； nob
