the collection of antiquities-第24章

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Chesnel　was　rubbing　his　hands。　〃A　hundred　thousand　francs　will　go　a　long　way　in　buying　up　debts；〃　he　thought。　〃The　young　man　is　paying　a　high　rate　of　interest　on　his　loans。　We　will　lock　him　up　down　here。　I　will　go　yonder　myself　and　bring　those　curs　to　terms。〃

Chesnel；　honest　Chesnel；　upright；　worthy　Chesnel；　called　his　darling　Comte　Victurnien's　creditors　〃curs。〃

Meanwhile　his　successor　was　making　his　way　along　the　Rue　du　Bercail　just　as　Mlle。　Armande's　traveling　carriage　turned　into　it。　Any　young　man　might　be　expected　to　feel　some　curiosity　if　he　saw　a　traveling　carriage　stop　at　a　notary's　door　in　such　a　town　and　at　such　an　hour　of　the　night；　the　young　man　in　question　was　sufficiently　inquisitive　to　stand　in　a　doorway　and　watch。　He　saw　Mlle。　Armande　alight。

〃Mlle。　Armande　d'Esgrignon　at　this　time　of　night！〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃What　can　be　going　forward　at　the　d'Esgrignons'？〃

At　the　sight　of　mademoiselle；　Chesnel　opened　the　door　circumspectly　and　set　down　the　light　which　he　was　carrying；　but　when　he　looked　out　and　saw　Victurnien；　Mlle。　Armande's　first　whispered　word　made　the　whole　thing　plain　to　him。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　it　seemed　quite　deserted；　he　beckoned；　and　the　young　Count　sprang　out　of　the　carriage　and　entered　the　courtyard。　All　was　lost。　Chesnel's　successor　had　discovered　Victurnien's　hiding　place。

Victurnien　was　hurried　into　the　house　and　installed　in　a　room　beyond　Chesnel's　private　office。　No　one　could　enter　it　except　across　the　old　man's　dead　body。

〃Ah！　M。　le　Comte！〃　exclaimed　Chesnel；　notary　no　longer。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　the　Count　answered；　understanding　his　old　friend's　exclamation。　〃I　did　not　listen　to　you；　and　now　I　have　fallen　into　the　depths；　and　I　must　perish。〃

〃No；　no；〃　the　good　man　answered；　looking　triumphantly　from　Mlle。　Armande　to　the　Count。　〃I　have　sold　my　connection。　I　have　been　working　for　a　very　long　time　now；　and　am　thinking　of　retiring。　By　noon　to…　morrow　I　shall　have　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　many　things　can　be　settled　with　that。　Mademoiselle；　you　are　tired；〃　he　added；　〃go　back　to　the　carriage　and　go　home　and　sleep。　Business　to…morrow。〃

〃Is　he　safe？〃　returned　she；　looking　at　Victurnien。

〃Yes。〃

She　kissed　her　nephew；　a　few　tears　fell　on　his　forehead。　Then　she　went。

〃My　good　Chesnel；〃　said　the　Count；　when　they　began　to　talk　of　business；　〃what　are　your　hundred　thousand　francs　in　such　a　position　as　mine？　You　do　not　know　the　full　extent　of　my　troubles；　I　think。〃

Victurnien　explained　the　situation。　Chesnel　was　thunderstruck。　But　for　the　strength　of　his　devotion；　he　would　have　succumbed　to　this　blow。　Tears　streamed　from　the　eyes　that　might　well　have　had　no　tears　left　to　shed。　For　a　few　moments　he　was　a　child　again；　for　a　few　moments　he　was　bereft　of　his　senses；　he　stood　like　a　man　who　should　find　his　own　house　on　fire；　and　through　a　window　see　the　cradle　ablaze　and　hear　the　hiss　of　the　flames　on　his　children's　curls。　He　rose　to　his　full　height　il　se　dressa　en　pied；　as　Amyot　would　have　said；　he　seemed　to　grow　taller；　he　raised　his　withered　hands　and　wrung　them　despairingly　and　wildly。

〃If　only　your　father　may　die　and　never　know　this；　young　man！　To　be　a　forger　is　enough；　a　parricide　you　must　not　be。　Fly；　you　say？　No。　They　would　condemn　you　for　contempt　of　court！　Oh；　wretched　boy！　Why　did　you　not　forge　MY　signature？　_I_　would　have　paid；　I　should　not　have　taken　the　bill　to　the　public　prosecutor。Now　I　can　do　nothing。　You　have　brought　me　to　a　stand　in　the　lowest　pit　in　hell！Du　Croisier！　What　will　come　of　it？　What　is　to　be　done？If　you　had　killed　a　man；　there　might　be　some　help　for　it。　But　forgeryFORGERY！　And　timethe　time　is　flying；〃　he　went　on；　shaking　his　fist　towards　the　old　clock。　〃You　will　want　a　sham　passport　now。　One　crime　leads　to　another。　First；〃　he　added；　after　a　pause；　〃first　of　all　we　must　save　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon。〃

〃But　the　money　is　still　in　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse's　keeping；〃　exclaimed　Victurnien。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Chesnel。　〃Well；　there　is　some　hope　lefta　faint　hope。　Could　we　soften　du　Croisier；　I　wonder；　or　buy　him　over？　He　shall　have　all　the　lands　if　he　likes。　I　will　go　to　him；　I　will　wake　him　and　offer　him　all　we　have。Besides；　it　was　not　you　who　forged　that　bill；　it　was　I。　I　will　go　to　jail；　I　am　too　old　for　the　hulks；　they　can　only　put　me　in　prison。〃

〃But　the　body　of　the　bill　is　in　my　handwriting；〃　objected　Victurnien；　without　a　sign　of　surprise　at　this　reckless　devotion。

〃Idiot！　。　。　。　that　is；　pardon；　M。　le　Comte。　Josephin　should　have　been　made　to　write　it；〃　the　old　notary　cried　wrathfully。　〃He　is　a　good　creature；　he　would　have　taken　it　all　on　his　shoulders。　But　there　is　an　end　of　it；　the　world　is　falling　to　pieces；〃　the　old　man　continued；　sinking　exhausted　into　a　chair。　〃Du　Croisier　is　a　tiger；　we　must　be　careful　not　to　rouse　him。　What　time　is　it？　Where　is　the　draft？　If　it　is　at　Paris；　it　might　be　bought　back　from　the　Kellers；　they　might　accommodate　us。　Ah！　but　there　are　dangers　on　all　sides；　a　single　false　step　means　ruin。　Money　is　wanted　in　any　case。　But　there！　nobody　knows　you　are　here；　you　must　live　buried　away　in　the　cellar　if　needs　must。　I　will　go　at　once　to　Paris　as　fast　as　I　can；　I　can　hear　the　mail　coach　from　Brest。〃

In　a　moment　the　old　man　recovered　the　faculties　of　his　youthhis　agility　and　vigor。　He　packed　up　clothes　for　the　journey；　took　money；　brought　a　six…pound　loaf　to　the　little　room　beyond　the　office；　and　turned　the　key　on　his　child　by　adoption。

〃Not　a　sound　in　here；〃　he　said；　〃no　light　at　night；　and　stop　here　till　I　come　back；　or　you　will　go　to　the　hulks。　Do　you　understand；　M。　le　Comte？　Yes；　TO　THE　HULKS！　if　anybody　in　a　town　like　this　knows　that　you　are　here。〃

With　that　Chesnel　went　out；　first　telling　his　housekeeper　to　give　out　that　he　was　ill；　to　allow　no　one　to　come　into　the　house；　to　send　everybody　away；　and　to　postpone　business　of　every　kind　for　three　days。　He　wheedled　the　manager　of　the　coach…office；　made　up　a　tale　for　his　benefithe　had　the　makings　of　an　ingenious　novelist　in　himand　obtained　a　promise　that　if　there　should　be　a　place；　he　should　have　it；　passport　or　no　passport；　as　well　as　a　further　promise　to　keep　the　hurried　departure　a　secret。　Luckily；　the　coach　was　empty　when　it　arrived。

In　the　middle　of　the　following　night　Chesnel　was　set　down　in　Paris。　At　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　waited　on　the　Kellers；　and　learned　that　the　fatal　draft　had　returned　to　du　Croisier　three　days　since；　but　while　obtaining　this　information；　he　in　no　way　committed　himself。　Before　he　went　away　he　inquired　whether　the　draft　could　be　recovered　if　the　amount　were　refunded。　Francois　Keller's　answer　was　to　the　effect　that　the　document　was　du　Croisier's　property；　and　that　it　was　entirely　in　his　power　to　keep　or　return　it。　Then；　in　desperation；　the　old　man　went　to　the　Duchess。

Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse　was　not　at　home　to　any　visitor　at　that　hour。　Chesnel；　feeling　that　every　moment　was　precious；　sat　down　in　the　hall；　wrote　a　few　lines；　and　succeeded　in　sending　them　to　the　lady　by　dint　of　wheedling；　fascinating；　bribing；　and　commanding　the　most　insolent　and　inaccessible　servants　in　the　world。　The　Duchess　was　still　in　bed；　but；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　her　household；　the　old　man　in　black　knee…breeches；　ribbed　stockings；　and　shoes　with　buckles　to　them；　was　shown　into　her　room。

〃What　is　it；　monsieur？〃　she　asked；　posing　in　her　disorder。　〃What　does　he　want　of　me；　ungrateful　that　he　is？〃

〃It　is　this；　Mme。　la　Duchesse；〃　the　good　man　exclaimed；　〃you　have　a　hundred　thousand　crowns　belonging　to　us。〃

〃Yes；〃　began　she。　〃What　does　it　signify？〃

〃The　money　was　gained　by　a　forgery；　for　which　we　are　going　to　the　hulks；　a　forgery　which　we　committed　for　love　of　you；〃　Chesnel　said　quickly。　〃How　is　it　that　you　did　not　guess　it；　so　clever　as　you　are？　Instead　of　scolding　the　boy；　you　ought　to　have　had　the　truth　out　of　him；　and　stopped　him　while　there　was　time；　and　saved　him。〃

At　the　first　words　the　Duchess　understood；　she　felt　ashamed　of　her　behavior　to　so　impassioned　a　lover；　and　afraid　besides　that　she　might　be　suspected　of　complicity。　In　her　wish　to　prove　that　she　had　not　touched　the　money　left　in　her　keeping；　she　lost　all　regard　for　appearances；　and　besides；　it　did　not　occur　to　her　that　the　notary　was　a　man。　She　flung　off