cousin betty-第79章

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brought　before　the　bench　at　Assizes；〃　said　the　Marshal；　〃like　that
clerk　of　the　Treasury！　And　you　take　this；　monsieur；　with　such　levity。〃

〃But　there　is　a　great　difference；　monseigneur！〃　cried　the　baron。　〃Have
I　dipped　my　hands　into　a　cash　box　intrusted　to　my　care？〃

〃When　a　man　of　your　rank　commits　such　an　infamous　crime；〃　said　the
Marshal；　〃he　is　doubly　guilty　if　he　does　it　clumsily。　You　have
compromised　the　honor　of　our　official　administration；　which　hitherto
has　been　the　purest　in　Europe！And　all　for　two　hundred　thousand
francs　and　a　hussy！〃　said　the　Marshal；　in　a　terrible　voice。　〃You　are　a
Councillor　of　Stateand　a　private　soldier　who　sells　anything
belonging　to　his　regiment　is　punished　with　death！　Here　is　a　story　told
to　me　one　day　by　Colonel　Pourin　of　the　Second　Lancers。　At　Saverne；　one
of　his　men　fell　in　love　with　a　little　Alsatian　girl　who　had　a　fancy
for　a　shawl。　The　jade　teased　this　poor　devil　of　a　lancer　so
effectually；　that　though　he　could　show　twenty　years'　service；　and　was
about　to　be　promoted　to　be　quartermasterthe　pride　of　the　regiment
to　buy　this　shawl　he　sold　some　of　his　company's　kit。Do　you　know　what
this　lancer　did；　Baron　d'Ervy？　He　swallowed　some　window…glass　after
pounding　it　down；　and　died　in　eleven　hours；　of　an　illness；　in
hospital。Try；　if　you　please；　to　die　of　apoplexy；　that　we　may　not　see
you　dishonored。〃

Hulot　looked　with　haggard　eyes　at　the　old　warrior；　and　the　Prince；
reading　the　look　which　betrayed　the　coward；　felt　a　flush　rise　to　his
cheeks；　his　eyes　flamed。

〃Will　you；　sir；　abandon　me？〃　Hulot　stammered。

Marshal　Hulot；　hearing　that　only　his　brother　was　with　the　Minister；
ventured　at　this　juncture　to　come　in；　and；　like　all　deaf　people；　went
straight　up　to　the　Prince。

〃Oh；〃　cried　the　hero　of　Poland；　〃I　know　what　you　are　here　for；　my　old
friend！　But　we　can　do　nothing。〃

〃Do　nothing！〃　echoed　Marshal　Hulot；　who　had　heard　only　the　last　word。

〃Nothing；　you　have　come　to　intercede　for　your　brother。　But　do　you　know
what　your　brother　is？〃

〃My　brother？〃　asked　the　deaf　man。

〃Yes；　he　is　a　damned　infernal　blackguard；　and　unworthy　of　you。〃

The　Marshal　in　his　rage　shot　from　his　eyes　those　fulminating　fires
which；　like　Napoleon's；　broke　a　man's　will　and　judgment。

〃You　lie；　Cottin！〃　said　Marshal　Hulot；　turning　white。　〃Throw　down　your
baton　as　I　throw　mine！　I　am　ready。〃

The　Prince　went　up　to　his　old　comrade；　looked　him　in　the　face；　and
shouted　in　his　ear　as　he　grasped　his　hand：

〃Are　you　a　man？〃

〃You　will　see　that　I　am。〃

〃Well；　then；　pull　yourself　together！　You　must　face　the　worst
misfortune　that　can　befall　you。〃

The　Prince　turned　round；　took　some　papers　from　the　table；　and　placed
them　in　the　Marshal's　hands；　saying；　〃Read　that。〃

The　Comte　de　Forzheim　read　the　following　letter；　which　lay
uppermost：

　　〃To　his　Excellency　the　President　of　the　Council。

〃/Private　and　Confidential/。

〃ALGIERS。

　　〃MY　DEAR　PRINCE；We　have　a　very　ugly　business　on　our　hands；　as
　　you　will　see　by　the　accompanying　documents。

　　〃The　story；　briefly　told；　is　this：　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervy　sent　out　to
　　the　province　of　Oran　an　uncle　of　his　as　a　broker　in　grain　and
　　forage；　and　gave　him　an　accomplice　in　the　person　of　a　storekeeper。
　　This　storekeeper；　to　curry　favor；　has　made　a　confession；　and
　　finally　made　his　escape。　The　Public　Prosecutor　took　the　matter　up
　　very　thoroughly；　seeing；　as　he　supposed；　that　only　two　inferior
　　agents　were　implicated；　but　Johann　Fischer；　uncle　to　your　Chief　of
　　the　Commissariat　Department；　finding　that　he　was　to　be　brought　up
　　at　the　Assizes；　stabbed　himself　in　prison　with　a　nail。

　　〃That　would　have　been　the　end　of　the　matter　if　this　worthy　and
　　honest　man；　deceived；　it　would　seem；　by　his　agent　and　by　his
　　nephew；　had　not　thought　proper　to　write　to　Baron　Hulot。　This
　　letter；　seized　as　a　document；　so　greatly　surprised　the　Public
　　Prosecutor；　that　he　came　to　see　me。　Now；　the　arrest　and　public
　　trial　of　a　Councillor　of　State　would　be　such　a　terrible　thingof
　　a　man　high　in　office　too；　who　has　a　good　record　for　loyal　service
　　for　after　the　Beresina；　it　was　he　who　saved　us　all　by
　　reorganizing　the　administrationthat　I　desired　to　have　all　the
　　papers　sent　to　me。

　　〃Is　the　matter　to　take　its　course？　Now　that　the　principal　agent　is
　　dead；　will　it　not　be　better　to　smother　up　the　affair　and　sentence
　　the　storekeeper　in　default？

　　〃The　Public　Prosecutor　has　consented　to　my　forwarding　the
　　documents　for　your　perusal；　the　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervy；　being　resident
　　in　Paris；　the　proceedings　will　lie　with　your　Supreme　Court。　We
　　have　hit　on　this　rather　shabby　way　of　ridding　ourselves　of　the
　　difficulty　for　the　moment。

　　〃Only；　my　dear　Marshal；　decide　quickly。　This　miserable　business　is
　　too　much　talked　about　already；　and　it　will　do　as　much　harm　to　us
　　as　to　you　all　if　the　name　of　the　principal　culpritknown　at
　　present　only　to　the　Public　Prosecutor；　the　examining　judge；　and
　　myselfshould　happen　to　leak　out。〃

At　this　point　the　letter　fell　from　Marshal　Hulot's　hands；　he　looked　at
his　brother；　he　saw　that　there　was　no　need　to　examine　the　evidence。
But　he　looked　for　Johann　Fischer's　letter；　and　after　reading　it　at　a
glance；　held　it　out　to　Hector：

〃FROM　THE　PRISON　AT　ORAN。

　　〃DEAR　NEPHEW；When　you　read　this　letter；　I　shall　have　ceased　to
　　live。

　　〃Be　quite　easy；　no　proof　can　be　found　to　incriminate　you。　When　I
　　am　dead　and　your　Jesuit　of　a　Chardin　fled；　the　trial　must
　　collapse。　The　face　of　our　Adeline；　made　so　happy　by　you；　makes
　　death　easy　to　me。　Now　you　need　not　send　the　two　hundred　thousand
　　francs。　Good…bye。

　　〃This　letter　will　be　delivered　by　a　prisoner　for　a　short　term　whom
　　I　can　trust；　I　believe。

〃JOHANN　FISCHER。〃


〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Marshal　Hulot　to　the　Prince　de　Wissembourg
with　pathetic　pride。

〃Come；　come；　say　/tu/；　not　the　formal　/vous/；〃　replied　the　Minister；
clasping　his　old　friend's　hand。　〃The　poor　lancer　killed　no　one　but
himself；〃　he　added；　with　a　thunderous　look　at　Hulot　d'Ervy。

〃How　much　have　you　had？〃　said　the　Comte　de　Forzheim　to　his　brother。

〃Two　hundred　thousand　francs。〃

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　Count；　addressing　the　Minister；　〃you　shall
have　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs　within　forty…eight　hours。　It
shall　never　be　said　that　a　man　bearing　the　name　of　Hulot　has　wronged
the　public　treasury　of　a　single　sou。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　said　the　Prince。　〃I　know　where　the　money　is；　and　I
can　get　it　back。Send　in　your　resignation　and　ask　for　your　pension！〃
he　went　on；　sending　a　double　sheet　of　foolscap　flying　across　to　where
the　Councillor　of　State　had　sat　down　by　the　table；　for　his　legs　gave
way　under　him。　〃To　bring　you　to　trial　would　disgrace　us　all。　I　have
already　obtained　from　the　superior　Board　their　sanction　to　this　line
of　action。　Since　you　can　accept　life　with　dishonorin　my　opinion　the
last　degradationyou　will　get　the　pension　you　have　earned。　Only　take
care　to　be　forgotten。〃

The　Minister　rang。

〃Is　Marneffe；　the　head…clerk；　out　there？〃

〃Yes；　monseigneur。〃

〃Show　him　in！〃

〃You；〃　said　the　Minister　as　Marneffe　came　in；　〃you　and　your　wife　have
wittingly　and　intentionally　ruined　the　Baron　d'Ervy　whom　you　see。〃

〃Monsieur　le　Ministre；　I　beg　your　pardon。　We　are　very　poor。　I　have
nothing　to　live　on　but　my　pay；　and　I　have　two　children；　and　the　one
that　is　coming　will　have　been　brought　into　the　family　by　Monsieur　le
Baron。〃

〃What　a　villain　he　looks！〃　said　the　Prince；　pointing　to　Marneffe　and
addressing　Marshal　Hulot。〃No　more　of　Sganarelle　speeches；〃　he　went
on；　〃you　will　disgorge　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　or　be　packed　off
to　Algiers。〃

〃But；　Monsieur　le　Ministre；　you　do　not　know　my　wife。　She　has　spent　it
all。　Monsieur　le　Baron　asked　six　persons　to　dinner　every　evening。
Fifty　thousand　francs　a　year　are　spent　in　my　house。〃

〃Leave　the　room！〃　said　the　Minister；　in　the　formidable　tones　that　had
given　the　word　to　charge　in　battle。　〃You　will　have　notice　of　your
transfer　within　two　hours。　Go！〃

〃I　prefer　to　send　in　my　resignation；〃　said　Marneffe　insolently。　〃For
it　is　too　much　to　be　what　I　am　already；　and　thrashed　into　the　bargain。
That　would　not　satisfy　me　at　all。〃

And　he　left　the　room。

〃Wh