an historical mystery-第1章

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An　Historical　Mystery

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley





DEDICATION

To　Monsieur　de　Margone。

In　grateful　remembrance；　from　his　guest　at　the　Chateau　de　Sache。

De　Balzac。




AN　HISTORICAL　MYSTERY




PART　I



CHAPTER　I

JUDAS

The　autumn　of　the　year　1803　was　one　of　the　finest　in　the　early　part　of
that　period　of　the　present　century　which　we　now　call　〃Empire。〃　Rain
had　refreshed　the　earth　during　the　month　of　October；　so　that　the　trees
were　still　green　and　leafy　in　November。　The　French　people　were
beginning　to　put　faith　in　a　secret　understanding　between　the　skies　and
Bonaparte；　then　declared　Consul　for　life；a　belief　in　which　that　man
owes　part　of　his　prestige；　strange　to　say；　on　the　day　the　sun　failed
him；　in　1812；　his　luck　ceased！

About　four　in　the　afternoon　on　the　fifteenth　of　November；　1803；　the
sun　was　casting　what　looked　like　scarlet　dust　upon　the　venerable　tops
of　four　rows　of　elms　in　a　long　baronial　avenue；　and　sparkling　on　the
sand　and　grassy　places　of　an　immense　/rond…point/；　such　as　we　often
see　in　the　country　where　land　is　cheap　enough　to　be　sacrificed　to
ornament。　The　air　was　so　pure；　the　atmosphere　so　tempered　that　a
family　was　sitting　out　of　doors　as　if　it　were　summer。　A　man　dressed　in
a　hunting…jacket　of　green　drilling　with　green　buttons；　and　breeches　of
the　same　stuff；　and　wearing　shoes　with　thin　soles　and　gaiters　to　the
knee；　was　cleaning　a　gun　with　the　minute　care　a　skilful　huntsman　gives
to　the　work　in　his　leisure　hours。　This　man　had　neither　game　nor　game…
bag；　nor　any　of　the　accoutrements　which　denote　either　departure　for　a
hunt　or　the　return　from　it；　and　two　women　sitting　near　were　looking　at
him　as　though　beset　by　a　terror　they　could　ill…conceal。　Any　one
observing　the　scene　taking　place　in　this　leafy　nook　would　have
shuddered；　as　the　old　mother…in…law　and　the　wife　of　the　man　we　speak
of　were　now　shuddering。　A　huntsman　does　not　take　such　minute
precautions　with　his　weapon　to　kill　small　game；　neither　does　he　use；
in　the　department　of　the　Aube；　a　heavy　rifled　carbine。

〃Shall　you　kill　a　roe…buck；　Michu？〃　said　his　handsome　young　wife；
trying　to　assume　a　laughing　air。

Before　replying；　Michu　looked　at　his　dog；　which　had　been　lying　in　the
sun；　its　paws　stretched　out　and　its　nose　on　its　paws；　in　the　charming
attitude　of　a　trained　hunter。　The　animal　had　just　raised　its　head　and
was　snuffing　the　air；　first　down　the　avenue　nearly　a　mile　long　which
stretched　before　them；　and　then　up　the　cross　road　where　it　entered　the
/rond…point/　to　the　left。

〃No；〃　answered　Michu；　〃but　a　brute　I　do　not　wish　to　miss；　a　lynx。〃

The　dog；　a　magnificent　spaniel；　white　with　brown　spots；　growled。

〃Hah！〃　said　Michu；　talking　to　himself；　〃spies！　the　country　swarms　with
them。〃

Madame　Michu　looked　appealingly　to　heaven。　A　beautiful　fair　woman　with
blue　eyes；　composed　and　thoughtful　in　expression　and　made　like　an
antique　statue；　she　seemed　to　be　a　prey　to　some　dark　and　bitter　grief。
The　husband's　appearance　may　explain　to　a　certain　extent　the　evident
fear　of　the　two　women。　The　laws　of　physiognomy　are　precise；　not　only
in　their　application　to　character；　but　also　in　relation　to　the
destinies　of　life。　There　is　such　a　thing　as　prophetic　physiognomy。　If
it　were　possible　（and　such　a　vital　statistic　would　be　of　value　to
society）　to　obtain　exact　likenesses　of　those　who　perish　on　the
scaffold；　the　science　of　Lavatar　and　also　that　of　Gall　would　prove
unmistakably　that　the　heads　of　all　such　persons；　even　those　who　are
innocent；　show　prophetic　signs。　Yes；　fate　sets　its　mark　on　the　faces
of　those　who　are　doomed　to　die　a　violent　death　of　any　kind。　Now；　this
sign；　this　seal；　visible　to　the　eye　of　an　observer；　was　imprinted　on
the　expressive　face　of　the　man　with　the　rifled　carbine。　Short　and
stout；　abrupt　and　active　in　his　motions　as　a　monkey；　though　calm　in
temperament；　Michu　had　a　white　face　injected　with　blood；　and　features
set　close　together　like　those　of　a　Tartar；a　likeness　to　which　his
crinkled　red　hair　conveyed　a　sinister　expression。　His　eyes；　clear　and
yellow　as　those　of　a　tiger；　showed　depths　behind　them　in　which　the
glance　of　whoever　examined　the　man　might　lose　itself　and　never　find
either　warmth　or　motion。　Fixed；　luminous；　and　rigid；　those　eyes
terrified　whoever　gazed　into　them。　The　singular　contrast　between　the
immobility　of　the　eyes　and　the　activity　of　the　body　increased　the
chilling　impression　conveyed　by　a　first　sight　of　Michu。　Action；　always
prompt　in　this　man；　was　the　outcome　of　a　single　thought；　just　as　the
life　of　animals　is；　without　reflection；　the　outcome　of　instinct。　Since
1793　he　had　trimmed　his　red　beard　to　the　shape　of　a　fan。　Even　if　he
had　not　been　（as　he　was　during　the　Terror）　president　of　a　club　of
Jacobins；　this　peculiarity　of　his　head　would　in　itself　have　made　him
terrible　to　behold。　His　Socratic　face　with　its　blunt　nose　was
surmounted　by　a　fine　forehead；　so　projecting；　however；　that　it
overhung　the　rest　of　the　features。　The　ears；　well　detached　from　the
head；　had　the　sort　of　mobility　which　we　find　in　those　of　wild　animals；
which　are　ever　on　the　qui…vive。　The　mouth；　half…open；　as　the　custom
usually　is　among　country…people；　showed　teeth　that　were　strong　and
white　as　almonds；　but　irregular。　Gleaming　red　whiskers　framed　this
face；　which　was　white　and　yet　mottled　in　spots。　The　hair；　cropped
close　in　front　and　allowed　to　grow　long　at　the　sides　and　on　the　back
of　the　head；　brought　into　relief；　by　its　savage　redness；　all　the
strange　and　fateful　peculiarities　of　this　singular　face。　The　neck
which　was　short　and　thick；　seemed　to　tempt　the　axe。

At　this　moment　the　sunbeams；　falling　in　long　lines　athwart　the　group；
lighted　up　the　three　heads　at　which　the　dog　from　time　to　time　glanced
up。　The　spot　on　which　this　scene　took　place　was　magnificently　fine。
The　/rond…point/　is　at　the　entrance　of　the　park　of　Gondreville；　one　of
the　finest　estates　in　France；　and　by　far　the　finest　in　the　departments
of　the　Aube；　it　boasts　of　long　avenues　of　elms；　a　castle　built　from
designs　by　Mansart；　a　park　of　fifteen　hundred　acres　enclosed　by　a
stone　wall；　nine　large　farms；　a　forest；　mills；　and　meadows。　This
almost　regal　property　belonged　before　the　Revolution　to　the　family　of
Simeuse。　Ximeuse　was　a　feudal　estate　in　Lorraine；　the　name　was
pronounced　Simeuse；　and　in　course　of　time　it　came　to　be　written　as
pronounced。

The　great　fortune　of　the　Simeuse　family；　adherents　of　the　House　of
Burgundy；　dates　from　the　time　when　the　Guises　were　in　conflict　with
the　Valois。　Richelieu　first；　and　afterwards　Louis　XIV。　remembered
their　devotion　to　the　factious　house　of　Lorraine；　and　rebuffed　them。
Then　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse；　an　old　Burgundian；　old　Guiser；　old
leaguer；　old　/frondeur/　（he　inherited　the　four　great　rancors　of　the
nobility　against　royalty）；　came　to　live　at　Cinq…Cygne。　The　former
courtier；　rejected　at　the　Louvre；　married　the　widow　of　the　Comte　de
Cinq…Cygne；　younger　branch　of　the　famous　family　of　Chargeboeuf；　one　of
the　most　illustrious　names　in　Champagne；　and　now　as　celebrated　and
opulent　as　the　elder。　The　marquis；　among　the　richest　men　of　his　day；
instead　of　wasting　his　substance　at　court；　built　the　chateau　of
Gondreville；　enlarged　the　estate　by　the　purchase　of　others；　and　united
the　several　domains；　solely　for　the　purposes　of　a　hunting…ground。　He
also　built　the　Simeuse　mansion　at　Troyes；　not　far　from　that　of　the
Cinq…Cygnes。　These　two　old　houses　and　the　bishop's　palace　were　long
the　only　stone　mansions　at　Troyes。　The　marquis　sold　Simeuse　to　the　Duc
de　Lorraine。　His　son　wasted　the　father's　savings　and　some　part　of　his
great　fortune　under　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。；　but　he　subsequently
entered　the　navy；　became　a　vice…admiral；　and　redeemed　the　follies　of
his　youth　by　brilliant　services。　The　Marquis　de　Simeuse；　son　of　this
naval　worthy；　perished　with　his　wife　on　the　scaffold　at　Troyes；
leaving　twin　sons；　who　emigrated　and　were；　at　the　time　our　history
opens；　still　in　foreign　parts　following　the　fortunes　of　the　house　of
Conde。

The　/rond…point/　was　the　scene　of　the　meet　in　the　time　of　the　〃Grand
Marquis〃a　name　given　in　the　family　to　the　Simeuse　who　built
Gondreville。　Since　1789　Michu　lived　in　the　hunting　lodge　at　the
entrance　to　the　park；　built　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XIV。；　and　called　the
pavilion　of　Cinq…Cygne。　The　village　of　Cinq…Cygne　is　at　the　end　of　the
forest　of　Nodesme　（a　corruption　of　Notre…Dame）　which　was　reached
through　the　fine　avenue　of　four　rows　of　elms　where　Michu's　dog　was　now
suspecting　spies。　After　the　death　of　the　Grand　Marquis　this　pavilion
fell　into　disuse。　The　vice…admiral　preferred　the　court　and　the　sea　to
Champagne；　and　his　son　gave　the　dilapidated　building　to　Michu　for　a
dwelling。

This　noble　structure　is　of　brick；　with　vermiculated　stone…work　at　the
angles　and　on　the　casings　of　the　doors　and　windows。　On　either　side　is
a　gateway　of　finely　wrought　iron；　eaten　with　rust　and　connected　by　a
railing；　beyond　which　is　a　wide　and　deep　ha…ha；　full　of　vigorous
trees；　its　parapets　bristling　with　iron　arabesques；　the　innumerable
sharp　points　of　which　are　a　warning　to　evil…doers。

The　park　walls　begin　on　each　side　of　the　circumference　of　the　/rond…
point/；　on　the　one　hand　the　fine　semi…circle　is　defined　by　slopes
planted　with　elms；　on　the　other；　within　the　park；　a　corresponding
half…circle　is　formed　by　groups　of　rare　trees。　The　pavilion；
therefore；　stands　at　the　centre　of　this　round　open　space；　which
extends　before　it　and　behind　it　in　the　shape　of　two　horseshoes。　Michu
had　turned　the　rooms　on　the　lower　floor　into　a　stable；　a　kitchen；　and
a　wood…shed。　The　only　trace　remaining　of　their　ancient　splendor　was　an
antechamber　paved　with　marble　in　squares　of　black　and　white；　which　was
entered　on　the　park　side　through　a　door　with　small　leaded　panes；　such
as　might　still　be　seen　at　Versailles　before　Louis…Philippe　turned　that
Chateau　into　an　asylum　for　the　glories　of　France。　The　pavilion　is
divided　inside　by　an　old　staircase　of　worm…eaten　wood；　full　of
character；　which　leads　to　the　first　story。　Above　that　is　an　immense
garret。　This　venerable　edifice　is　covered　by　one　of　those　vast　roofs
with　four　sides；　a　ridgepole　decorated　with　leaden　ornaments；　and　a
round　projecting　window　on　each　side；　such　as　Mansart　very　justly
delighted　in；　for　in　France；　the　Italian　attics　and　flat　roofs　are　a
folly　against　which　our　climate　protests。　Michu　kept　his　fodder　in
this　garret。　That　portion　of　the　park　which　surrounds　the　old　pavilion
is　English　in　style。　A　hundred　feet　from　the　house　a　former　lake；　now
a　mere　pond　well　stocked　with　fish；　makes　known　its　vicinity　as　much
by　a　thin　mist　rising　above　the　tree…tops　as　by　the　croaking　of　a
thousand　frogs；　toads；　and　other　amphibious　gossips　who　discourse　at
sunset。　The　time…worn　look　of　everything；　the　deep　silence　of　the
woods；　the　long　perspective　of　the　avenue；　the　forest　in　the　distance；
the　rusty　iron…work；　the　masses　of　stone　draped　with　velvet　mosses；
all　made　poetry　of　this　old　structure；　which　still　exists。

At　the　moment　when　our　history　begins　Michu　was　leaning　against　a
mossy　parapet　on　which　he　had　laid　his　powder…horn；　cap；　handkerchief；
screw…driver；　and　rags；in　fact；　all　the　utensils　needed　for　his