an historical mystery-第24章

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〃Ah；　that's　the　point！〃　cried　Peyrade。　〃By　what　right；　indeed！it　is
time　to　let　you　know　it；　beautiful　aristocrat；〃　he　added；　taking　a
warrant　from　his　pocket；　which　came　from　the　minister　of　justice　and
was　countersigned　by　the　minister　of　the　interior。　〃See；　the
authorities　have　their　eye　upon　you。〃

〃We　might　also　ask　you；〃　said　Corentin；　in　her　ear；　〃by　what　right　you
harbor　in　this　house　the　assassins　of　the　First　Consul。　You　have
applied　your　whip　to　my　hands　in　a　manner　that　authorizes　me　to　take
my　revenge　upon　your　cousins；　whom　I　came　here　to　save。〃

At　the　mere　movement　of　her　lips　and　the　glance　which　Laurence　cast
upon　Corentin；　the　abbe　guessed　what　that　great　artist　was　saying；　and
he　made　her　a　sign　to　be　distrustful；　which　no　one　intercepted　but
Goulard。　Peyrade　struck　the　cover　of　the　box　to　see　if　there　were　a
double　top。

〃Don't　break　it！〃　she　exclaimed；　taking　the　cover　from　him。

She　took　a　pin；　pushed　the　head　of　one　of　the　carved　figures；　and　the
two　halves　of　the　top；　joined　by　a　spring；　opened。　In　the　hollow　half
lay　miniatures　of　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse；　in　the　uniform　of　the　army
of　Conde；　two　portraits　on　ivory　done　in　Germany。　Corentin；　who　felt
himself　in　presence　of　an　adversary　worthy　of　his　efforts；　called
Peyrade　aside　into　a　corner　of　the　room　and　conferred　with　him。

〃How　could　you　throw　/that/　into　the　fire？〃　said　the　abbe；　speaking　to
Laurence　and　pointing　to　the　letter　of　the　marquise　which　enclosed　the
locks　of　hair。

For　all　answer　the　young　girl　shrugged　her　shoulders　significantly。
The　abbe　comprehended　then　that　she　had　made　the　sacrifice　to　mislead
the　agents　and　gain　time；　he　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　with　a　gesture
of　admiration。

〃Where　did　they　arrest　Gothard；　whom　I　hear　crying？〃　she　asked　him；
loud　enough　to　be　overheard。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃Did　he　reach　the　farm？〃

〃The　farm！〃　whispered　Peyrade　to　Corentin。　〃Let　us　send　there。〃

〃No；〃　said　Corentin；　〃that　girl　never　trusted　her　cousins'　safety　to　a
farmer。　She　is　playing　with　us。　Do　as　I　tell　you；　so　that　we　mayn't
have　to　leave　here　without　detecting　something；　after　committing　the
great　blunder　of　coming　here　at　all。〃

Corentin　stationed　himself　before　the　fire；　lifting　the　long　pointed
skirts　of　his　coat　to　warm　himself　and　assuming　the　air；　manner；　and
tone　of　a　gentleman　who　was　paying　a　visit。

〃Mesdames；　you　can　go　to　bed；　and　the　servants　also。　Monsieur　le
maire；　your　services　are　no　longer　needed。　The　sternness　of　our　orders
does　not　permit　us　to　act　otherwise　than　as　we　have　done；　but　as　soon
as　the　walls；　which　seem　to　me　rather　thick；　have　been　thoroughly
examined；　we　shall　take　our　departure。〃

The　mayor　bowed　to　the　company　and　retired；　but　neither　the　abbe　nor
Mademoiselle　Goujet　stirred。　The　servants　were　too　uneasy　not　to　watch
the　fate　of　their　young　mistress。　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　who；　from　the
moment　of　Laurence's　entrance；　had　studied　her　with　the　anxiety　of　a
mother；　rose；　took　her　by　the　arm；　led　her　aside；　and　said　in　a　low
voice；　〃Have　you　seen　them？〃

〃Do　you　think　I　could　have　let　your　sons　be　under　this　roof　without
your　knowing　it？〃　replied　Laurence。　〃Durieu；〃　she　added；　〃see　if　it　is
possible　to　save　my　poor　Stella；　she　is　still　breathing。〃

〃She　must　have　gone　a　great　distance；〃　said　Corentin。

〃Forty　miles　in　three　hours；〃　she　answered；　addressing　the　abbe；　who
watched　her　with　amazement。　〃I　started　at　half…past　nine；　and　it　was
well　past　one　when　I　returned。〃

She　looked　at　the　clock　which　said　half…past　two。

〃So　you　don't　deny　that　you　have　ridden　forty　miles？〃　said　Corentin。

〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　admit　that　my　cousins；　in　their　perfect　innocence；
expected　not　to　be　excluded　from　the　amnesty；　and　were　on　their　way　to
Cinq…Cygne。　When　I　found　that　the　Sieur　Malin　was　plotting　to　injure
them；　I　went　to　warn　them　to　return　to　Germany；　where　they　will　be
before　the　telegraph　can　have　guarded　the　frontier。　If　I　have　done
wrong　I　shall　be　punished　for　it。〃

This　answer；　which　Laurence　had　carefully　considered；　was　so　probable
in　all　its　parts　that　Corentin's　convictions　were　shaken。　In　that
decisive　moment；　when　every　soul　present　hung　suspended；　as　it　were；
on　the　faces　of　the　two　adversaries；　and　all　eyes　turned　from　Corentin
to　Laurence　and　from　Laurence　to　Corentin；　again　the　gallop　of　a
horse；　coming　from　the　forest；　resounded　on　the　road　and　from　there
through　the　gates　to　the　paved　courtyard。　Frightful　anxiety　was
stamped　on　every　face。

Peyrade　entered；　his　eyes　gleaming　with　joy。　He　went　hastily　to
Corentin　and　said；　loud　enough　for　the　countess　to　hear　him：　〃We　have
caught　Michu。〃

Laurence；　to　whom　the　agony；　fatigue；　and　tension　of　all　her
intellectual　faculties　had　given　an　unusual　color；　turned　white　and
fell　back　almost　fainting　on　a　chair。　Madame　Durieu；　Mademoiselle
Goujet；　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　sprang　to　help　her；　for　she　was
suffocating。　She　signed　to　cut　the　frogging　of　her　habit。

〃Duped！〃　said　Corentin　to　Peyrade。　〃I　am　certain　now　they　are　on　their
way　to　Paris。　Change　the　orders。〃

They　left　the　room　and　the　house；　placing　one　gendarme　on　guard　at　the
door　of　the　salon。　The　infernal　cleverness　of　the　two　men　had　gained　a
terrible　advantage　by　taking　Laurence　in　the　trap　of　a　not　uncommon
trick。



CHAPTER　IX

FOILED

At　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　as　day　was　dawning；　Corentin　and
Peyrade　returned。　Having　explored　the　covered　way　they　were　satisfied
that　horses　had　passed　through　it　to　reach　the　forest。　They　were　now
awaiting　the　report　of　the　captain　of　gendarmerie　sent　to　reconnoitre
the　neighborhood。　Leaving　the　chateau　in　charge　of　a　corporal；　they
went　to　the　tavern　at　Cinq…Cygne　to　get　their　breakfast；　giving　orders
that　Gothard；　who　never　ceased　to　reply　to　all　questions　with　a　burst
of　tears；　should　be　set　at　liberty；　also　Catherine；　who　still
continued　silent　and　immovable。　Catherine　and　Gothard　went　to　the
salon　to　kiss　the　hands　of　their　mistress；　who　lay　exhausted　on　the
sofa；　Durieu　also　went　in　to　tell　her　that　Stella　would　recover；　but
needed　great　care。

The　mayor；　uneasy　and　inquisitive；　met　Peyrade　and　Corentin　in　the
village。　He　declared　that　he　could　not　allow　such　important　officials
to　breakfast　in　a　miserable　tavern；　and　he　took　them　to　his　own　house。
The　abbey　was　only　three　quarters　of　a　mile　distant。　On　the　way；
Peyrade　remarked　that　the　corporal　of　Arcis　had　sent　no　news　of　Michu
or　of　Violette。

〃We　are　dealing　with　very　able　people；〃　said　Corentin；　〃they　are
stronger　than　we。　The　priest　no　doubt　has　a　finger　in　all　this。〃

Just　as　the　mayor's　wife　was　ushering　her　guests　into　a　vast　dining…
room　（without　any　fire）　the　lieutenant　of　gendarmes　arrived　with　an
anxious　air。

〃We　met　the　horse　of　the　corporal　of　Arcis　in　the　forest　without　his
master；〃　he　said　to　Peyrade。

〃Lieutenant；〃　cried　Corentin；　〃go　instantly　to　Michu's　house　and　find
out　what　is　going　on　there。　They　must　have　murdered　the　corporal。〃

This　news　interfered　with　the　mayor's　breakfast。　Corentin　and　Peyrade
swallowed　their　food　with　the　rapidity　of　hunters　halting　for　a　meal；
and　drove　back　to　the　chateau　in　their　wicker　carriage；　so　as　to　be
ready　to　start　at　the　first　call　for　any　point　where　their　presence
might　be　necessary。　When　the　two　men　reappeared　in　the　salon　into
which　they　had　brought　such　trouble；　terror；　grief；　and　anxiety；　they
found　Laurence；　in　a　dressing…gown；　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　and　his
wife；　the　abbe　and　his　sister；　sitting　round　the　fire；　to　all
appearance　tranquil。

〃If　they　had　caught　Michu；〃　Laurence　told　herself；　〃they　would　have
brought　him　with　them。　I　have　the　mortification　of　knowing　that　I　was
not　the　mistress　of　myself；　and　that　I　threw　some　light　upon　the
matter　for　those　wretches；　but　the　harm　can　be　undoneHow　long　are　we
to　be　your　prisoners？〃　she　asked　sarcastically；　with　an　easy　manner。

〃How　can　she　know　anything　about　Michu？　No　one　from　the　outside　has
got　near　the　chateau；　she　is　laughing　at　us；〃　said　the　two　agents　to
each　other　by　a　look。

〃We　shall　not　inconvenience　you　long；〃　replied　Corentin。　〃In　three
hours　from　now　we　shall　offer　our　regrets　for　having　tr