an historical mystery-第10章

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places。　Twice　a　week　the　pair　dined　at　the　chateau；　but　they　came
every　evening　to　play　boston　with　the　d'Hauteserres；　for　Laurence；
unable　to　play　a　game；　did　not　even　know　one　card　from　another。

The　Abbe　Goujet；　an　old　man　with　white　hair　and　a　face　as　white　as
that　of　an　old　woman；　endowed　with　a　kindly　smile　and　a　gentle　and
persuasive　voice；　redeemed　the　insipidity　of　his　rather　mincing　face
by　a　fine　intellectual　brow　and　a　pair　of　keen　eyes。　Of　medium　height；
and　very　well　made；　he　still　wore　the　old…fashioned　black　coat；　silver
shoe…buckles；　breeches；　black　silk　stockings；　and　a　black　waistcoat　on
which　lay　his　clerical　bands；　giving　him　a　distinguished　air　which
detracted　nothing　from　his　dignity。　This　abbe；　who　became　bishop　of
Troyes　after　the　Restoration；　had　long　made　a　study　of　young　people
and　fully　understood　the　noble　character　of　the　young　countess；　he
appreciated　her　at　her　full　value；　and　had　shown　her；　from　the　first；
a　respectful　deference　which　contributed　much　to　her　independence　at
Cinq…Cygne；　for　it　led　the　austere　old　lady　and　the　kind　old　gentleman
to　yield　to　the　young　girl；　who　by　rights　should　have　yielded　to　them。
For　the　last　six　months　the　abbe　had　watched　Laurence　with　the
intuition　peculiar　to　priests；　the　most　sagacious　of　men；　and　although
he　did　not　know　that　this　girl　of　twenty…three　was　thinking　of
overturning　Bonaparte　as　she　lay　there　twisting　with　slender　fingers
the　frogged　lacing　of　her　riding…habit；　he　was　well　aware　that　she　was
agitated　by　some　great　project。

Mademoiselle　Goujet　was　one　of　those　unmarried　women　whose　portrait
can　be　drawn　in　one　word　which　will　enable　the　least　imaginative　mind
to　picture　her；　she　was　ungainly。　She　knew　her　own　ugliness　and　was
the　first　to　laugh　at　it；　showing　her　long　teeth；　yellow　as　her
complexion　and　her　bony　hands。　She　was　gay　and　hearty。　She　wore　the
famous　short　gown　of　former　days；　a　very　full　skirt　with　pockets　full
of　keys；　a　cap　with　ribbons　and　a　false　front。　She　was　forty　years　of
age　very　early；　but　had；　so　she　said；　caught　up　with　herself　by
keeping　at　that　age　for　twenty　years。　She　revered　the　nobility；　and
knew　well　how　to　preserve　her　own　dignity　by　giving　to　persons　of
noble　birth　the　respect　and　deference　that　were　due　to　them。

This　little　company　was　a　god…send　to　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　who　had
not；　like　her　husband；　rural　occupations；　nor；　like　Laurence；　the
tonic　of　hatred；　to　enable　her　to　bear　the　dulness　of　a　retired　life。
Many　things　had　happened　to　ameliorate　that　life　within　the　last　six
years。　The　restoration　of　Catholic　worship　allowed　the　faithful　to
fulfil　their　religious　duties；　which　play　more　of　a　part　in　country
life　than　elsewhere。　Protected　by　the　conservative　edicts　of　the　First
Consul；　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　had　been　able　to　correspond
with　their　sons；　and　no　longer　in　dread　of　what　might　happen　to　them
could　even　hope　for　the　erasure　of　their　names　from　the　lists　of　the
proscribed　and　their　consequent　return　to　France。　The　Treasury　had
lately　made　up　the　arrearages　and　now　paid　its　dividends　promptly；　so
that　the　d'Hauteserres　received；　over　and　above　their　annuity；　about
eight　thousand　francs　a　year。　The　old　man　congratulated　himself　on　the
sagacity　of　his　foresight　in　having　put　all　his　savings；　amounting　to
twenty　thousand　francs；　together　with　those　of　his　ward；　in　the　public
Funds　before　the　18th　Brumaire；　which；　as　we　all　know；　sent　those
stocks　up　from　twelve　to　eighteen　francs。

The　chateau　of　Cinq…Cygne　had　long　been　empty　and　denuded　of
furniture。　The　prudent　guardian　was　careful　not　to　alter　its　aspect
during　the　revolutionary　troubles；　but　after　the　peace　of　Amiens　he
made　a　journey　to　Troyes　and　brought　back　various　relics　of　the
pillaged　mansions　which　he　obtained　from　the　dealers　in　second…hand
furniture。　The　salon　was　furnished　for　the　first　time　since　their
occupation　of　the　house。　Handsome　curtains　of　white　brocade　with　green
flowers；　from　the　hotel　de　Simeuse；　draped　the　six　windows　of　the
salon；　in　which　the　family　were　now　assembled。　The　walls　of　this　vast
room　were　entirely　of　wood；　with　panels　encased　in　beaded　mouldings
with　masks　at　the　angles；　the　whole　painted　in　two　shades　of　gray。　The
spaces　over　the　four　doors　were　filled　with　those　designs；　painted　in
cameo　of　two　colors；　which　were　so　much　in　vogue　under　Louis　XV。
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　had　picked　up　at　Troyes　certain　gilded　pier…
tables；　a　sofa　in　green　damask；　a　crystal　chandelier；　a　card…table　of
marquetry；　among　other　things　that　served　him　to　restore　the　chateau。
In　1792　all　the　furniture　of　the　house　had　been　taken　or　destroyed；
for　the　pillage　of　the　mansions　in　town　was　imitated　in　the　valley。
Each　time　that　the　old　man　went　to　Troyes　he　returned　with　some　relic
of　the　former　splendor；　sometimes　a　fine　carpet　for　the　floor　of　the
salon；　at　other　times　part　of　a　dinner　service；　or　a　bit　of　rare　old
porcelain　of　either　Sevres　or　Dresden。　During　the　last　six　months　he
had　ventured　to　dig　up　the　family　silver；　which　the　cook　had　buried　in
the　cellar　of　a　little　house　belonging　to　him　at　the　end　of　one　of　the
long　faubourgs　in　Troyes。

That　faithful　servant；　named　Durieu；　and　his　wife　had　followed　the
fortunes　of　their　young　mistress。　Durieu　was　the　factotum　of　the
chateau；　and　his　wife　was　the　housekeeper。　He　was　helped　in　the
cooking　by　the　sister　of　Catherine；　Laurence's　maid；　to　whom　he　was
teaching　his　art　and　who　gave　promise　of　becoming　an　excellent　cook。
An　old　gardener；　his　wife；　a　son　paid　by　the　day；　and　a　daughter　who
served　as　a　dairy…woman；　made　up　the　household。　Madame　Durieu　had
lately　and　secretly　had　the　Cinq…Cygne　liveries　made　for　the
gardener's　son　and　for　Gothard。　Though　blamed　for　this　imprudence　by
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　the　housekeeper　took　great　pleasure　in　seeing
the　dinner　served　on　the　festival　of　Saint…Laurence；　the　countess's
fete…day；　with　almost　as　much　style　as　in　former　times。

This　slow　and　difficult　restoration　of　departed　things　was　the　delight
of　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　the　Durieus。　Laurence　smiled
at　what　she　thought　nonsense。　But　the　worthy　old　d'Hauteserre　did　not
forget　the　more　solid　matters；　he　repaired　the　buildings；　put　up　the
walls；　planted　trees　wherever　there　was　a　chance　to　make　them　grow；
and　did　not　leave　an　inch　of　unproductive　land。　The　whole　valley
regarded　him　as　an　oracle　in　the　matter　of　agriculture。　He　had　managed
to　recover　a　hundred　acres　of　contested　land；　not　sold　as　national
property；　being　in　some　way　confounded　with　that　of　the　township。　This
land　he　had　turned　into　fields　which　afforded　good　pasturage　for　his
horses　and　cattle；　and　he　planted　them　round　with　poplars；　which　now；
at　the　end　of　six　years；　were　making　a　fine　growth。　He　intended　to　buy
back　some　of　the　lost　estate；　and　to　utilize　all　the　out…buildings　of
the　chateau　by　making　a　second　farm　and　managing　it　himself。

Life　at　the　chateau　had　thus　become　during　the　last　two　years
prosperous　and　almost　happy。　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　was　off　at
daybreaks　to　overlook　his　laborers；　for　he　employed　them　in　all
weathers。　He　came　home　to　breakfast；　mounted　his　farm　pony　as　soon　as
the　meal　was　over；　and　made　his　rounds　of　the　estate　like　a　bailiff；
getting　home　in　time　for　dinner；　and　finishing　the　day　with　a　game　of
boston。　All　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau　had　their　stated
occupations；　life　was　as　closely　regulated　there　as　in　a　convent。
Laurence　alone　disturbed　its　even　tenor　by　her　sudden　journeys；　her
uncertain　returns；　and　by　what　Madame　d'Hauteserre　called　her　pranks。
But　with　all　this　peacefulness　there　existed　at　Cinq…Cygne　conflicting
interests　and　certain　causes　of　dissension。　In　the　first　place　Durieu
and　his　wife　were　jealous　of　Catherine　and　Gothard；　who　lived　in
greater　intimacy　with　their　young　mistress；　the　idol　of　the　household；
than　they　did。　Then　the　two　d'Hauteserres；　encouraged　by　Mademoiselle
Goujet　and　the　abbe；　wanted　their　sons　as　well　as　the　Simeuse　brothers
to　take　the　oath　and　return　to　this　quiet　life；　instead　of　living
miserably　in　foreign　countries。　Laurence　scouted　the　odious　compromise
and　stood　firmly　for　the　monarchy；　militant　and　implacable。　The　four
old　people；　anxious　that　their　present　peaceful　existence　should　not
be　risked；　nor　their　spot　of　refuge；　saved　from　the　furious　waters　of
the　revolutionary　torrent；　lost；　did　their　best　to　convert　Laurence　to
their　cautious　views；　believing　that　her　influence　counted　for　much　in
the　unwillingness　of　their　sons　and　the　Simeuse　twins　to　return　to
France。　The　superb　disdain　with　which　she　met　the　project　frightened
these　poor　people；　who　were　not　mistaken　in　their　fears　that　she　was
meditating　what　they　called　knight…errantry。　This　jarring　of　opinion
came　to　the　surface　after　the　explosion　of　the　infernal　machine　in　the
rue　Saint…Nicaise；　the　first　royalist　attempt　against　the　conqueror　of
Marengo　after　his　refusal　to　treat　with　the　house　of　Bourbon。　The
d'Hauteserres　considered　it　fortunate　that　Bonaparte　escaped　that
danger；　believing　that　the　republicans　had　instigated　it。　But　Laurence
wept　with　rage　when　she　heard　he　was　safe。　Her　despair　overcame　her
usual　reticence；　and　she　vehemently　complained　that　God　had　deserted
the　sons　of　Saint…Louis。

〃I；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　could　have　succeeded！　Have　we　no　right；〃　she
added；　seeing　the　stupefaction　her　words　produced　on　the　faces　about
her；　and　addressing　the　abbe；　〃no　right　to　attack　the　usurper　by　every
means　in　our　power？〃

〃My　child；〃　replied　the　abbe；　〃the　Church　has　been　greatly　blamed　by
philosophers　for　declaring　in　former　times　that　the　same　weapons　might
be　employed　against　usurpers　which　the　usurpers　themselves　had
employed　to　succeed；　but　in　these　days　the　Church　owes　far　too　much　to
the　First　Consul　not　to　protect　him　against　that　maxim；which；　by　the
by；　was　due　to　the　Jesuits。〃

〃So　the　Church　abandons　us！〃　she　answered；　gloomily。

From　that　day　forth　whenever　the　four　old　people　talked　of　submitting
to　the　decrees　of　Providence；　Laurence　left　the　room。　Of　late；　the
abbe；　shrewder　than　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　instead　of　discussing
principles；　drew　pictures　of　the　material　advantages　of　the　consular
rule；　less　to　convert　the　countess　than　to　detect　in　her　eyes　some
expression　which　might　enlighten　him　as　to　her　projects。　Gothard's
frequent　disappearances；　the　long　rides　of　his　mistress；　and　her
evident　preoccupation；　which；　for　the　last　few　days；　had　appeared　in
her　face；　together　with　other　little　signs　not　to　be　hidden　in　the
silence　and　tranquillity　of　such　a　life；　had　roused　the　fears　of　these
submissive　royalists。　Still；　as　no　event　happened；　and　perfect　quiet
appeared　to　reign　in　the　political　atmosphere；　the　minds　of　the　little
household　were　soothed　into　peace；　and　the　countess's　long　rides　were
one　more　attributed　to　her　passion　for　hunting。

It　is　easy　to　imagine　the　deep　silence　which　reigned　at　nine　o'clock
in　the　evening　in　the　park；　courtyards；　and　gardens　of　Cinq…Cygne；
where　at　that　particular　moment　the　persons　we　have　described　were
harmoniously　grouped；　where　perfect　peace　pervaded　all　things；　where
comfort　and　abundance　were　again　enjoyed；　and　where　the　worthy　and