the collection of antiquities-第25章
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off the eider…down quilt； sprang to her desk （flitting past the lawyer like an angel out of one of the vignettes which illustrate Lamartine's books）； held out the notes； and went back in confusion to bed。
〃You are an angel； madame。〃 （She was to be an angel for all the world； it seemed。） 〃But this will not be the end of it。 I count upon your influence to save us。〃
〃To save you！ I will do it or die！ Love that will not shrink from a crime must be love indeed。 Is there a woman in the world for whom such a thing has been done？ Poor boy！ Come； do not lose time； dear M。 Chesnel； and count upon me as upon yourself。〃
〃Mme。 la Duchesse！ Mme。 la Duchesse！〃 It was all that he could say； so overcome was he。 He cried； he could have danced； but he was afraid of losing his senses； and refrained。
〃Between us； we will save him；〃 she said； as he left the room。
Chesnel went straight to Josephin。 Josephin unlocked the young Count's desk and writing…table。 Very luckily； the notary found letters which might be useful； letters from du Croisier and the Kellers。 Then he took a place in a diligence which was just about to start； and by dint of fees to the postilions； the lumbering vehicle went as quickly as the coach。 His two fellow…passengers on the journey happened to be in as great a hurry as himself； and readily agreed to take their meals in the carriage。 Thus swept over the road； the notary reached the Rue du Bercail； after three days of absence； an hour before midnight。 And yet he was too late。 He saw the gendarmes at the gate； crossed the threshold； and met the young Count in the courtyard。 Victurnien had been arrested。 If Chesnel had had the power； he would beyond a doubt have killed the officers and men； as it was； he could only fall on Victurnien's neck。
〃If I cannot hush this matter up； you must kill yourself before the indictment is made out；〃 he whispered。 But Victurnien had sunk into such stupor； that he stared back uncomprehendingly。
〃Kill myself？〃 he repeated。
〃Yes。 If your courage should fail； my boy； count upon me；〃 said Chesnel； squeezing Victurnien's hand。
In spite of the anguish of mind and tottering limbs； he stood firmly planted； to watch the son of his heart； the Comte d'Esgrignon； go out of the courtyard between two gendarmes； with the commissary； the justice of the peace； and the clerk of the court； and not until the figures had disappeared； and the sound of footsteps had died away into silence； did he recover his firmness and presence of mind。
〃You will catch cold； sir；〃 Brigitte remonstrated。
〃The devil take you！〃 cried her exasperated master。
Never in the nine…and…twenty years that Brigitte had been in his service had she heard such words from him！ Her candle fell out of her hands； but Chesnel neither heeded his housekeeper's alarm nor heard her exclaim。 He hurried off towards the Val…Noble。
〃He is out of his mind；〃 said she； 〃after all； it is no wonder。 But where is he off to？ I cannot possibly go after him。 What will become of him？ Suppose that he should drown himself？〃
And Brigitte went to waken the head…clerk and send him to look along the river bank； the river had a gloomy reputation just then； for there had lately been two cases of suicideone a young man full of promise； and the other a girl； a victim of seduction。 Chesnel went straight to the Hotel du Croisier。 There lay his only hope。 The law requires that a charge of forgery must be brought by a private individual。 It was still possible to withdraw if du Croisier chose to admit that there had been a misapprehension； and Chesnel had hopes； even then； of buying the man over。
M。 and Mme。 du Croisier had much more company than usual that evening。 Only a few persons were in the secret。 M。 du Ronceret； president of the Tribunal； M。 Sauvager； deputy Public Prosecutor； and M。 du Coudrai； a registrar of mortgages； who had lost his post by voting on the wrong side； were the only persons who were supposed to know about it； but Mesdames du Ronceret and du Coudrai had told the news； in strict confidence； to one or two intimate friends； so that it had spread half over the semi…noble； semi…bourgeois assembly at M。 du Croisier's。 Everybody felt the gravity of the situation； but no one ventured to speak of it openly； and； moreover； Mme。 du Croisier's attachment to the upper sphere was so well known； that people scarcely dared to mention the disaster which had befallen the d'Esgrignons or to ask for particulars。 The persons most interested were waiting till good Mme。 du Croisier retired； for that lady always retreated to her room at the same hour to perform her religious exercises as far as possible out of her husband's sight。
Du Croisier's adherents； knowing the secret and the plans of the great commercial power； looked round when the lady of the house disappeared； but there were still several persons present whose opinions or interests marked them out as untrustworthy； so they continued to play。 About half past eleven all had gone save intimates： M。 Sauvager； M。 Camusot； the examining magistrate； and his wife； M。 and Mme。 du Ronceret and their son Fabien； M。 and Mme。 du Coudrai； and Joseph Blondet； the eldest of an old judge； ten persons in all。
It is told of Talleyrand that one fatal day； three hours after midnight； he suddenly interrupted a game of cards in the Duchesse de Luynes' house by laying down his watch on the table and asking the players whether the Prince de Conde had any child but the Duc d'Enghien。
〃Why do you ask？〃 returned Mme。 de Luynes； 〃when you know so well that he has not。〃
〃Because if the Prince has no other son； the House of Conde is now at an end。〃
There was a moment's pause； and they finished the game。President du Ronceret now did something very similar。 Perhaps he had heard the anecdote； perhaps； in political life； little minds and great minds are apt to hit upon the same expression。 He looked at his watch； and interrupted the game of boston with：
〃At this moment M。 le Comte d'Esgrignon is arrested； and that house which has held its head so high is dishonored forever。〃
〃Then； have you got hold of the boy？〃 du Coudrai cried gleefully。
Every one in the room； with the exception of the President； the deputy； and du Croisier； looked startled。
〃He has just been arrested in Chesnel's house； where he was hiding；〃 said the deputy public prosecutor； with the air of a capable but unappreciated public servant； who ought by rights to be Minister of Police。 M。 Sauvager； the deputy； was a thin； tall young man of five… and…twenty； with a lengthy olive…hued countenance； black frizzled hair； and deep…set eyes； the wide； dark rings beneath them were completed by the wrinkled purple eyelids above。 With a nose like the beak of some bird of prey； a pinched mouth； and cheeks worn lean with study and hollowed by ambition； he was the very type of a second…rate personage on the lookout for something to turn up； and ready to do anything if so he might get on in the world； while keeping within the limitations of the possible and the forms of law。 His pompous expression was an admirable indication of the time…serving eloquence to be expected of him。 Chesnel's successor had discovered the young Count's hiding place to him； and he took great credit to himself for his penetration。
The news seemed to come as a shock to the examining magistrate； M。 Camusot； who had granted the warrant of arrest on Sauvager's application； with no idea that it was to be executed so promptly。 Camusot was short； fair； and fat already； though he was only thirty years old or thereabouts； he had the flabby； livid look peculiar to officials who live shut up in their private study or in a court of justice； and his little； pale； yellow eyes were full of the suspicion which is often mistaken for shrewdness。
Mme。 Camusot looked at her spouse； as who should say； 〃Was I not right？〃
〃Then the case will come on；〃 was Camusot's comment。
〃Could you doubt it？〃 asked du Coudrai。 〃Now they have got the Count； all is over。〃
〃There is the jury；〃 said Camusot。 〃In this case M。 le Prefet is sure to take care that after the challenges from the prosecution and the defence； the jury to a man will be for an acquittal。My advice would be to come to a comprom
