an historical mystery-第4章

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every　wish。　The　poor　pariah；　believing　himself　disagreeable　to　his
wife；　spent　most　of　his　time　out　of　doors。　Marthe　and　Michu；
distrustful　of　each　other；　lived　in　what　is　called　in　these　days　an
〃armed　peace。〃　Marthe；　who　saw　no　one；　suffered　keenly　from　the
ostracism　which　for　the　last　seven　years　had　surrounded　her　as　the
daughter　of　a　revolutionary　butcher；　and　the　wife　of　a　so…called
traitor。　More　than　once　she　had　overheard　the　laborers　of　the
adjoining　farm　（held　by　a　man　named　Beauvisage；　greatly　attached　to
the　Simeuse　family）　say　as　they　passed　the　pavilion；　〃That's　where
Judas　lives！〃　The　singular　resemblance　between　the　bailiff's　head　and
that　of　the　thirteenth　apostle；　which　his　conduct　appeared　to　carry
out；　won　him　that　odious　nickname　throughout　the　neighborhood。　It　was
this　distress　of　mind；　added　to　vague　but　constant　fears　for　the
future；　which　gave　Marthe　her　thoughtful　and　subdued　air。　Nothing
saddens　so　deeply　as　unmerited　degradation　from　which　there　seems　no
escape。　A　painter　could　have　made　a　fine　picture　of　this　family　of
pariahs　in　the　bosom　of　their　pretty　nook　in　Champagne；　where　the
landscape　is　generally　sad。

〃Francois！〃　called　the　bailiff；　to　hasten　his　son。

Francois　Michu；　a　child　of　ten；　played　in　the　park　and　forest；　and
levied　his　little　tithes　like　a　master；　he　ate　the　fruits；　he　chased
the　game；　he　at　least　had　neither　cares　nor　troubles。　Of　all　the
family；　Francois　alone　was　happy　in　a　home　thus　isolated　from　the
neighborhood　by　its　position　between　the　park　and　the　forest；　and　by
the　still　greater　moral　solitude　of　universal　repulsion。

〃Pick　up　these　things；〃　said　his　father；　pointing　to　the　parapet；　〃and
put　them　away。　Look　at　me！　You　love　your　father　and　your　mother；　don't
you？〃　The　child　flung　himself　on　his　father　as　if　to　kiss　him；　but
Michu　made　a　movement　to　shift　the　gun　and　pushed　him　back。　〃Very
good。　You　have　sometimes　chattered　about　things　that　are　done　here；〃
continued　the　father；　fixing　his　eyes；　dangerous　as　those　of　a　wild…
cat；　on　the　boy。　〃Now　remember　this；　if　you　tell　the　least　little
thing　that　happens　here　to　Gaucher；　or　to　the　Grouage　and　Bellache
people；　or　even　to　Marianne　who　loves　us；　you　will　kill　your　father。
Never　tattle　again；　and　I　will　forgive　what　you　said　yesterday。〃　The
child　began　to　cry。　〃Don't　cry；　but　when　any　one　questions　you；　say；
as　the　peasants　do；　'I　don't　know。'　There　are　persons　roaming　about
whom　I　distrust。　Run　along！　As　for　you　two；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the
women；　〃you　have　heard　what　I　said。　Keep　a　close　mouth；　both　of　you。〃

〃Husband；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

Michu；　who　was　carefully　measuring　a　charge　of　powder；　poured　it　into
the　barrel　of　his　gun；　rested　the　weapon　against　the　parapet　and　said
to　Marthe：

〃No　one　knows　I　own　that　gun。　Stand　in　front　of　it。〃

Couraut；　who　had　sprung　to　his　feet；　was　barking　furiously。

〃Good；　intelligent　fellow！〃　cried　Michu。　〃I　am　certain　there　are　spies
about〃

Man　and　beast　feel　a　spy。　Couraut　and　Michu；　who　seemed　to　have　one
and　the　same　soul；　lived　together　as　the　Arab　and　his　horse　in　the
desert。　The　bailiff　knew　the　modulations　of　the　dog's　voice；　just　as
the　dog　read　his　master's　meaning　in　his　eyes；　or　felt　it　exhaling　in
the　air　from　his　body。

〃What　do　you　say　to　that？〃　said　Michu；　in　a　low　voice；　calling　his
wife's　attention　to　two　strangers　who　appeared　in　a　by…path　making　for
the　/rond…point/。

〃What　can　it　mean？〃　cried　the　old　mother。　〃They　are　Parisians。〃

〃Here　they　come！〃　said　Michu。　〃Hide　my　gun；〃　he　whispered　to　his　wife。

The　two　men　who　now　crossed　the　wide　open　space　of　the　/rond…point/
were　typical　enough　for　a　painter。　One；　who　appeared　to　be　the
subaltern；　wore　top…boots；　turned　down　rather　low；　showing　well…made
calves；　and　colored　silk　stockings　of　doubtful　cleanliness。　The
breeches；　of　ribbed　cloth；　apricot　color　with　metal　buttons；　were　too
large；　they　were　baggy　about　the　body；　and　the　lines　of　their　creases
seemed　to　indicate　a　sedentary　man。　A　marseilles　waistcoat；　overloaded
with　embroidery；　open；　and　held　together　by　one　button　only　just　above
the　stomach；　gave　to　the　wearer　a　dissipated　look；all　the　more　so；
because　his　jet　black　hair；　in　corkscrew　curls；　hid　his　forehead　and
hung　down　his　cheeks。　Two　steel　watch…chains　were　festooned　upon　his
breeches。　The　shirt　was　adorned　with　a　cameo　in　white　and　blue。　The
coat；　cinnamon…colored；　was　a　treasure　to　caricaturists　by　reason　of
its　long　tails；　which；　when　seen　from　behind；　bore　so　perfect　a
resemblance　to　a　cod　that　the　name　of　that　fish　was　given　to　them。　The
fashion　of　codfish　tails　lasted　ten　years；　almost　the　whole　period　of
the　empire　of　Napoleon。　The　cravat；　loosely　fastened；　and　with
numerous　small　folds；　allowed　the　wearer　to　bury　his　face　in　it　up　to
the　nostrils。　His　pimpled　skin；　his　long；　thick；　brick…dust　colored
nose；　his　high　cheek…bones；　his　mouth；　lacking　half　its　teeth　but
greedy　for　all　that　and　menacing；　his　ears　adorned　with　huge　gold
rings；　his　low　forehead；all　these　personal　details；　which　might　have
seemed　grotesque　in　many　men；　were　rendered　terrible　in　him　by　two
small　eyes　set　in　his　head　like　those　of　a　pig；　expressive　of
insatiable　covetousness；　and　of　insolent；　half…jovial　cruelty。　These
ferreting　and　perspicacious　blue　eyes；　glassy　and　glacial；　might　be
taken　for　the　model　of　that　famous　Eye；　the　formidable　emblem　of　the
police；　invented　during　the　Revolution。　Black　silk　gloves　were　on　his
hands　and　he　carried　a　switch。　He　was　certainly　some　official
personage；　for　he　showed　in　his　bearing；　in　his　way　of　taking　snuff
and　ramming　it　into　his　nose；　the　bureaucratic　importance　of　an　office
subordinate；　one　who　signs　for　his　superiors　and　acquires　a　passing
sovereignty　by　enforcing　their　orders。

The　other　man；　whose　dress　was　in　the　same　style；　but　elegant　and
elegantly　put　on　and　careful　in　its　smallest　detail；　wore　boots　/a　la/
Suwaroff　which　came　high　upon　the　leg　above　a　pair　of　tight　trousers；
and　creaked　as　he　walked。　Above　his　coat　he　wore　a　spencer；　an
aristocratic　garment　adopted　by　the　Clichiens　and　the　young　bloods　of
Paris；　which　survived　both　the　Clichiens　and　the　fashionable　youths。
In　those　days　fashions　sometimes　lasted　longer　than　parties；a
symptom　of　anarchy　which　the　year　of　our　Lord　1830　has　again　presented
to　us。　This　accomplished　dandy　seemed　to　be　thirty　years　of　age。　His
manners　were　those　of　good　society；　he　wore　jewels　of　value；　the
collar　of　his　shirt　came　to　the　tops　of　his　ears。　His　conceited　and
even　impertinent　air　betrayed　a　consciousness　of　hidden　superiority。
His　pallid　face　seemed　bloodless；　his　thin　flat　nose　had　the　sardonic
expression　which　we　see　in　a　death's　head；　and　his　green　eyes　were
inscrutable；　their　glance　was　discreet　in　meaning　just　as　the　thin
closed　mouth　was　discreet　in　words。　The　first　man　seemed　on　the　whole
a　good　fellow　compared　with　this　younger　man；　who　was　slashing　the　air
with　a　cane；　the　top　of　which；　made　of　gold；　glittered　in　the
sunshine。　The　first　man　might　have　cut　off　a　head　with　his　own　hand；
but　the　second　was　capable　of　entangling　innocence；　virtue；　and　beauty
in　the　nets　of　calumny　and　intrigue；　and　then　poisoning　them　or
drowning　them。　The　rubicund　stranger　would　have　comforted　his　victim
with　a　jest；　the　other　was　incapable　of　a　smile。　The　first　was　forty…
five　years　old；　and　he　loved；　undoubtedly；　both　women　and　good　cheer。
Such　men　have　passions　which　keep　them　slaves　to　their　calling。　But
the　young　man　was　plainly　without　passions　and　without　vices。　If　he
was　a　spy　he　belonged　to　diplomacy；　and　did　such　work　from　a　pure　love
of　art。　He　conceived；　the　other　executed；　he　was　the　idea；　the　other
was　the　form。

〃This　must　be　Gondreville；　is　it　not；　my　good　woman？〃　said　the　young
man。

〃We　don't　say　'my　good　woman'　here；〃　said　Michu。　〃We　are　still　simple
enough　to　say　'citizen'　and　'citizeness'　in　these　parts。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　in　a　natural　way；　and　without　seeming
at　all　annoyed。

Players　of　ecarte　often　have　a　sense　of　inward　disaster　when　some
unknown　person　sits　down　at　the　same　table　with　them；　whose　manners；
look；　voice；　and　method　of　shuffling　the　cards