the collection of antiquities-第26章

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　and　the　defence；　the　jury　to　a　man　will　be　for　an　acquittal。My　advice　would　be　to　come　to　a　compromise；〃　he　added；　turning　to　du　Croisier。

〃Compromise！〃　echoed　the　President；　〃why；　he　is　in　the　hands　of　justice。〃

〃Acquitted　or　convicted；　the　Comte　d'Esgrignon　will　be　dishonored　all　the　same；〃　put　in　Sauvager。

〃I　am　bringing　an　action；〃＇*＇　said　du　Croisier。　〃I　shall　have　Dupin　senior。　We　shall　see　how　the　d'Esgrignon　family　will　escape　out　of　his　clutches。〃

＇*＇　A　trial　for　an　offence　of　this　kind　in　France　is　an　action　brought　　　　　by　a　private　person　（partie　civile）　to　recover　damages；　and　at　the　　　　　same　time　a　criminal　prosecution　conducted　on　behalf　of　the　　　　　Government。Tr。

〃The　d'Esgrignons　will　defend　the　case　and　have　counsel　from　Paris；　they　will　have　Berryer；〃　said　Mme。　Camusot。　〃You　will　have　a　Roland　for　your　Oliver。〃

Du　Croisier；　M。　Sauvager；　and　the　President　du　Ronceret　looked　at　Camusot；　and　one　thought　troubled　their　minds。　The　lady's　tone；　the　way　in　which　she　flung　her　proverb　in　the　faces　of　the　eight　conspirators　against　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon；　caused　them　inward　perturbation；　which　they　dissembled　as　provincials　can　dissemble；　by　dint　of　lifelong　practice　in　the　shifts　of　a　monastic　existence。　Little　Mme。　Camusot　saw　their　change　of　countenance　and　subsequent　composure　when　they　scented　opposition　on　the　part　of　the　examining　magistrate。　When　her　husband　unveiled　the　thoughts　in　the　back　of　his　own　mind；　she　had　tried　to　plumb　the　depths　of　hate　in　du　Croisier's　adherents。　She　wanted　to　find　out　how　du　Croisier　had　gained　over　this　deputy　public　prosecutor；　who　had　acted　so　promptly　and　so　directly　in　opposition　to　the　views　of　the　central　power。

〃In　any　case；〃　continued　she；　〃if　celebrated　counsel　come　down　from　Paris；　there　is　a　prospect　of　a　very　interesting　session　in　the　Court　of　Assize；　but　the　matter　will　be　snuffed　out　between　the　Tribunal　and　the　Court　of　Appeal。　It　is　only　to　be　expected　that　the　Government　should　do　all　that　can　be　done；　below　the　surface；　to　save　a　young　man　who　comes　of　a　great　family；　and　has　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　for　a　friend。　So　I　think　that　we　shall　have　a　'sensation　at　Landernau。'　〃

〃How　you　go　on；　madame！〃　the　President　said　sternly。　〃Can　you　suppose　that　the　Court　of　First　Instance　will　be　influenced　by　considerations　which　have　nothing　to　do　with　justice？〃

〃The　event　proves　the　contrary；〃　she　said　meaningly；　looking　full　at　Sauvager　and　the　President；　who　glanced　coldly　at　her。

〃Explain　yourself；　madame；〃　said　Sauvager。　〃you　speak　as　if　we　had　not　done　our　duty。〃

〃Mme。　Camusot　meant　nothing；〃　interposed　her　husband。

〃But　has　not　M。　le　President　just　said　something　prejudicing　a　case　which　depends　on　the　examination　of　the　prisoner？〃　said　she。　〃And　the　evidence　is　still　to　be　taken；　and　the　Court　had　not　given　its　decision？〃

〃We　are　not　at　the　law…courts；〃　the　deputy　public　prosecutor　replied　tartly；　〃and　besides；　we　know　all　that。〃

〃But　the　public　prosecutor　knows　nothing　at　all　about　it　yet；〃　returned　she；　with　an　ironical　glance。　〃He　will　come　back　from　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　in　all　haste。　You　have　cut　out　his　work　for　him；　and　he；　no　doubt；　will　speak　for　himself。〃

The　deputy　prosecutor　knitted　his　thick　bushy　brows。　Those　interested　read　tardy　scruples　in　his　countenance。　A　great　silence　followed；　broken　by　no　sound　but　the　dealing　of　the　cards。　M。　and　Mme。　Camusot；　sensible　of　a　decided　chill　in　the　atmosphere；　took　their　departure　to　leave　the　conspirators　to　talk　at　their　ease。

〃Camusot；〃　the　lady　began　in　the　street；　〃you　went　too　far。　Why　lead　those　people　to　suspect　that　you　will　have　no　part　in　their　schemes？　They　will　play　you　some　ugly　trick。〃

〃What　can　they　do？　I　am　the　only　examining　magistrate。〃

〃Cannot　they　slander　you　in　whispers；　and　procure　your　dismissal？〃

At　that　very　moment　Chesnel　ran　up　against　the　couple。　The　old　notary　recognized　the　examining　magistrate；　and　with　the　lucidity　which　comes　of　an　experience　of　business；　he　saw　that　the　fate　of　the　d'Esgrignons　lay　in　the　hands　of　the　young　man　before　him。

〃Ah；　sir！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃we　shall　soon　need　you　badly。　Just　a　word　with　you。Your　pardon；　madame；〃　he　added；　as　he　drew　Camusot　aside。

Mme。　Camusot；　as　a　good　conspirator；　looked　towards　du　Croisier's　house；　ready　to　break　up　the　conversation　if　anybody　appeared；　but　she　thought；　and　thought　rightly；　that　their　enemies　were　busy　discussing　this　unexpected　turn　which　she　had　given　to　the　affair。　Chesnel　meanwhile　drew　the　magistrate　into　a　dark　corner　under　the　wall；　and　lowered　his　voice　for　his　companion's　ear。

〃If　you　are　for　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon；〃　he　said；　〃Mme。　la　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；　the　Prince　of　Cadignan；　the　Ducs　de　Navarreins　and　de　Lenoncourt；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　the　Chancellor；　the　King　himself；　will　interest　themselves　in　you。　I　have　just　come　from　Paris；　I　knew　all　about　this；　I　went　post…haste　to　explain　everything　at　Court。　We　are　counting　on　you；　and　I　will　keep　your　secret。　If　you　are　hostile；　I　shall　go　back　to　Paris　to…morrow　and　lodge　a　complaint　with　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　that　there　is　a　suspicion　of　corruption。　Several　functionaries　were　at　du　Croisier's　house　to…night；　and　no　doubt；　ate　and　drank　there；　contrary　to　law；　and　besides；　they　are　friends　of　his。〃

Chesnel　would　have　brought　the　Almighty　to　intervene　if　he　had　had　the　power。　He　did　not　wait　for　an　answer；　he　left　Camusot　and　fled　like　a　deer　towards　du　Croisier's　house。　Camusot；　meanwhile；　bidden　to　reveal　the　notary's　confidences；　was　at　once　assailed　with；　〃Was　I　not　right；　dear？〃a　wifely　formula　used　on　all　occasions；　but　rather　more　vehemently　when　the　fair　speaker　is　in　the　wrong。　By　the　time　they　reached　home；　Camusot　had　admitted　the　superiority　of　his　partner　in　life；　and　appreciated　his　good　fortune　in　belonging　to　her；　which　confession；　doubtless；　was　the　prelude　of　a　blissful　night。

Chesnel　met　his　foes　in　a　body　as　they　left　du　Croisier's　house；　and　began　to　fear　that　du　Croisier　had　gone　to　bed。　In　his　position　he　was　compelled　to　act　quickly；　and　any　delay　was　a　misfortune。

〃In　the　King's　name！〃　he　cried；　as　the　man…servant　was　closing　the　hall　door。　He　had　just　brought　the　King　on　the　scene　for　the　benefit　of　an　ambitious　little　official；　and　the　word　was　still　on　his　lips。　He　fretted　and　chafed　while　the　door　was　unbarred；　then；　swift　as　a　thunderbolt；　dashed　into　the　ante…chamber；　and　spoke　to　the　servant。

〃A　hundred　crowns　to　you；　young　man；　if　you　can　wake　Mme。　du　Croisier　and　send　her　to　me　this　instant。　Tell　her　anything　you　like。〃

Chesnel　grew　cool　and　composed　as　he　opened　the　door　of　the　brightly　lighted　drawing…room；　where　du　Croisier　was　striding　up　and　down。　For　a　moment　the　two　men　scanned　each　other；　with　hatred　and　enmity；　twenty　years'　deep；　in　their　eyes。　One　of　the　two　had　his　foot　on　the　heart　of　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon；　the　other；　with　a　lion's　strength；　came　forward　to　pluck　it　away。

〃Your　humble　servant；　sir；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃Have　you　made　the　charge？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃When　was　it　made？〃

〃Yesterday。〃

〃Have　any　steps　been　taken　since　the　warrant　of　arrest　was　issued？〃

〃I　believe　so。〃

〃I　have　come　to　treat　with　you。〃

〃Justice　must　take　its　course；　nothing　can　stop　it；　the　arrest　has　been　made。〃

〃Never　mind　that；　I　am　at　your　orders；　at　your　feet。〃　The　old　man　knelt　before　du　Croisier；　and　stretched　out　his　hands　entreatingly。

〃What　do　you　want？　Our　lands；　our　castle？　Take　all；　withdraw　the　charge；　leave　us　nothing　but　life　and　honor。　And　over　and　besides　all　this；　I　will　be　your　servant；　command　and　I　will　obey。〃

Du　Croisier　sat　down　in　an　easy…chair　and　left　the　old　man　to　kneel。

〃You　are　not　vindictive；〃　pleaded　Chesnel；　〃you　are　good…hearted；　you　do　not　bear　us　such　a　grudge　that　you　will　not　listen　to　terms。　Before　daylight　the　young　man　ought　to　be　at　liberty。〃

〃The　whole　town　knows　that　he　has　been　arrested；〃　returned　du　Croisier；　enjoying　his　revenge。

〃It　is　a　great　misfortune；　but　as　there　will　be　neither　proofs　nor　trial；　we　can　easily　manage　that。〃

Du　Croisier　reflected。　He　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　self…interest；　Chesnel　thought　that　he　had　gained　a　hold　on　his　enemy　through