an historical mystery-第20章

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Gothard　in　accompanying　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　in　her　many　rides；
which　had　for　their　object；　as　may　well　be　imagined；　the　feeding　of
the　four　gentlemen　and　perpetual　watching　that　they　were　still　in
safety。　Francois　and　Gothard；　assisted　by　Couraut　and　the　countess's
dogs；　went　in　front　and　beat　the　woods　all　around　the　hiding…place　to
make　sure　that　there　was　no　one　within　sight。　Laurence　and　Michu
carried　the　provisions　which　Marthe；　her　mother；　and　Catherine
prepared；　unknown　to　the　other　servants　of　the　household　so　as　to
restrict　the　secret　to　themselves；　for　all　were　sure　that　there　were
spies　in　the　village。　These　expeditions　were　never　made　oftener　than
twice　a　week　and　on　different　days　and　at　different　hours；　sometimes
by　day；　sometimes　by　night。

These　precautions　lasted　until　the　trial　of　Riviere；　Polignac；　and
Moreau　ended。　When　the　senatus…consultum；　which　called　the　dynasty　of
Bonaparte　to　the　throne　and　nominated　Napoleon　as　Emperor　of　the
French；　was　submitted　to　the　French　people　for　acceptance　Monsieur
d'Hauteserre　signed　the　paper　Goulard　brought　him。　When　it　was　made
known　that　the　Pope　would　come　to　France　to　crown　the　Emperor；
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　no　longer　opposed　the　general　desire　that
her　cousins　and　the　young　d'Hauteserres　should　petition　to　have　their
names　struck　off　the　list　of　/emigres/；　and　be　themselves　reinstated
in　their　rights　as　citizens。　On　this；　old　d'Hauteserre　went　to　Paris
and　consulted　the　ci…devant　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　who　knew
Talleyrand。　That　minister；　then　in　favor；　conveyed　the　petition　to
Josephine；　and　Josephine　gave　it　to　her　husband；　who　was　addressed　as
Emperor；　Majesty；　Sire；　before　the　result　of　the　popular　vote　was
known。　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　and　the　Abbe
Goujet；　who　also　went　to　Paris；　obtained　an　interview　with　Talleyrand；
who　promised　them　his　support。　Napoleon　had　already　pardoned　several
of　the　principal　actors　in　the　great　royalist　conspiracy；　and　yet；
though　the　four　gentlemen　were　merely　suspected　of　complicity；　the
Emperor；　after　a　meeting　of　the　Council　of　State；　called　the　senator
Malin；　Fouche；　Talleyrand；　Cambaceres；　Lebrun；　and　Dubois；　prefect　of
police；　into　his　cabinet。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　future　Emperor；　who　still　wore　the　dress　of　the
First　Consul；　〃we　have　received　from　the　Sieurs　de　Simeuse　and
d'Hauteserre；　officers　in　the　army　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　a　request
to　be　allowed　to　re…enter　France。〃

〃They　are　here　now；〃　said　Fouche。

〃Like　many　others　whom　I　meet　in　Paris；〃　remarked　Talleyrand。

〃I　think　you　have　not　met　these　gentlemen；〃　said　Malin；　〃for　they　are
hidden　in　the　forest　of　Nodesme；　where　they　consider　themselves　at
home。〃

He　was　careful　not　to　tell　the　First　Consul　and　Fouche　how　he　himself
had　given　them　warning；　by　talking　with　Grevin　within　hearing　of
Michu；　but　he　made　the　most　of　Corentin's　reports　and　convinced
Napoleon　that　the　four　gentlemen　were　sharers　in　the　plot　of　Riviere
and　Polignac；　with　Michu　for　an　accomplice。　The　prefect　of　police
confirmed　these　assertions。

〃But　how　could　that　bailiff　know　that　the　conspiracy　was　discovered？〃
said　the　prefect；　〃for　the　Emperor　and　the　council　and　I　were　the　only
persons　in　the　secret。〃

No　one　paid　attention　to　this　remark。

〃If　they　have　been　hidden　in　that　forest　for　the　last　seven　months　and
you　have　not　been　able　to　find　them；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　Fouche；
〃they　have　expiated　their　misdeeds。〃

〃Since　they　are　my　enemies　as　well；〃　said　Malin；　frightened　by　the
Emperor's　clear…sightedness；　〃I　desire　to　follow　the　magnanimous
example　of　your　Majesty；　I　therefore　make　myself　their　advocate　and
ask　that　their　names　be　stricken　from　the　list　of　/emigres/。〃

〃They　will　be　less　dangerous　to　you　here　than　if　they　are　exiled；　for
they　will　now　have　to　swear　allegiance　to　the　Empire　and　the　laws；〃
said　Fouche；　looking　at　Malin　fixedly。

〃In　what　way　are　they　dangerous　to　the　senator？〃　asked　Napoleon。

Talleyrand　spoke　to　the　Emperor　for　some　minutes　in　a　low　voice。　The
reinstatement　of　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　and　d'Hauteserre　appeared　to
be　granted。

〃Sire；〃　said　Fouche；　〃rely　upon　it；　you　will　hear　of　those　men　again。〃

Talleyrand；　who　had　been　urged　by　the　Duc　de　Grandlieu；　gave　the
Emperor　pledges　in　the　name　of　the　young　men　on　their　honor　as
gentlemen　（a　term　which　had　great　fascination　for　Napoleon）；　to
abstain　from　all　attacks　upon　his　Majesty　and　to　submit　themselves　to
his　government　in　good　faith。

〃Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　and　de　Simeuse　are　not　willing　to　bear　arms
against　France；　now　that　events　have　taken　their　present　course；〃　he
said；　aloud；　〃they　have　little　sympathy；　it　is　true；　with　the　Imperial
government；　but　they　are　just　the　men　that　your　Majesty　ought　to
conciliate。　They　will　be　satisfied　to　live　on　French　soil　and　obey　the
laws。〃

Then　he　laid　before　the　Emperor　a　letter　he　had　received　from　the
brothers　in　which　these　sentiments　were　expressed。

〃Anything　so　frank　is　likely　to　be　sincere；〃　said　the　Emperor；
returning　the　letter　and　looking　at　Lebrun　and　Cambaceres。　〃Have　you
any　further　suggestions？〃　he　asked　of　Fouche。

〃In　your　Majesty's　interests；〃　replied　the　future　minister　of　police；
〃I　ask　to　be　allowed　to　inform　these　gentlemen　of　their　reinstatement
when　it　is　/really　granted/；〃　he　added；　in　a　louder　tone。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Napoleon；　noticing　an　anxious　look　on　Fouche's　face。

The　matter　did　not　seem　positively　decided　when　the　Council　rose；　but
it　had　the　effect　of　putting　into　Napoleon's　mind　a　vague　distrust　of
the　four　young　men。　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　believing　that　all　was
gained；　wrote　a　letter　announcing　the　good　news。　The　family　at　Cinq…
Cygne　were　therefore　not　surprised　when；　a　few　days　later；　Goulard
came　to　inform　the　countess　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　that　they　were　to
send　the　four　gentlemen　to　Troyes；　where　the　prefect　would　show　them
the　decree　reinstating　them　in　their　rights　and　administer　to　them　the
oath　of　allegiance　to　the　Empire　and　the　laws。　Laurence　replied　that
she　would　send　the　notification　to　her　cousins　and　the　Messieurs
d'Hauteserre。

〃Then　they　are　not　here？〃　said　Goulard。

Madame　d'Hauteserre　looked　anxiously　after　Laurence；　who　left　the　room
to　consult　Michu。　Michu　saw　no　reason　why　the　young　men　should　not　be
released　at　once　from　their　hiding…place。　Laurence；　Michu；　his　son；
and　Gothard　therefore　started　as　soon　as　possible　for　the　forest；
taking　an　extra　horse；　for　the　countess　resolved　to　accompany　her
cousins　to　Troyes　and　return　with　them。　The　whole　household；　made
aware　of　the　good　news；　gathered　on　the　lawn　to　witness　the　departure
of　the　happy　cavalcade。　The　four　young　men　issued　from　their　long
confinement；　mounted　their　horses；　and　took　the　road　to　Troyes；
accompanied　by　Mademoiselle　Cinq…Cygne。　Michu；　with　the　help　of　his
son　and　Gothard；　closed　the　entrance　to　the　cellar；　and　started　to
return　home　on　foot。　On　the　way　he　recollected　that　he　had　left　the
forks　and　spoons　and　a　silver　cup；　which　the　young　men　had　been　using；
in　the　cave；　and　he　went　back　for　them　alone。　When　he　reached　the　edge
of　the　pond　he　heard　voices；　and　went　straight　to　the　entrance　of　the
cave　through　the　brushwood。

〃Have　you　come　for　your　silver？〃　said　Peyrade；　showing　his　big　red
nose　through　the　branches。

Without　knowing　why；　for　at　any　rate　his　young　masters　were　safe；
Michu　felt　a　sharp　agony　in　all　his　joints；　so　keen　was　the　sense　of
vague；　indefinable　coming　evil　which　took　possession　of　him；　but　he
went　forward　at　once；　and　found　Corentin　on　the　stairs　with　a　taper　in
his　hand。

〃We　are　not　very　harsh；〃　he　said　to　Michu；　〃we　might　have　seized　your
ci…devants　any　day　for　the　last　week；　but　we　knew　they　were　reinstated
You're　a　tough　fellow　to　deal　with；　and　you　gave　us　too　much　trouble
not　to　make　us　anxious　to　satisfy　our　curiosity　about　this　hiding…
place　of　yours。〃

〃I'd　give　something；〃　cried　Michu；　〃to　know　how　and　by　whom　we　have
been　sold。〃

〃If　that　puzzles　you；　old　fellow；〃　said　Peyrade；　laughing；　〃look　at
your　horses'　shoes；　and　you'll　see　that　you　betrayed　yourselves。〃

〃Well；　there　need　be　no　rancor！〃　said　Corentin；　whistling　for　the
captain　of　gendarmerie　and　their　horses。

〃So　that　rascally　Parisian　blacksmith　who　shoed　the　horses　in　the
English　fashion　and　left　Cinq…Cygne　only　the　other　day　was　their　spy！〃
thought　Michu。　〃They　must　have　followed　our　tracks　when　the　ground　was
damp。　Well；　we're　quits　now！〃

Michu　consoled　himself　by　thinking　that　the　discovery　was　of　no
consequence；　as　the　young　men　were　now　safe；　Frenchmen　once　more；　and
at　liberty。　Yet　his　first　presentiment　was　a　true　one。　The　police；
like　the　Jesuits；　have　the　one　virtue　of　never　abandoning　their
friends　or　their　enemies。

Old　d'Hauteserre　returned　from　Paris　and　was　more　than　surprised　not
to　be　the　first　to　bring　the　news。　Durieu　prepared　a　succulent　dinner；
the　servants　donned　their　best　clothes；　and　the　household　impatiently
awaited　the　exiles；　who　arrived　about　four　o'clock；　happy；and　yet
humiliated；　for　they　found　they　were　to　be　under　police　surveillance
for　two　years；　obliged　to　present　themselves　at　the　prefecture　every
month　and　ordered　to　remain　in　the　commune　of　Cinq…Cygne　during　the
said　two　years。　〃I'll　send　you　the　papers　for　signature；〃　the　prefect
said　to　them。　〃Then；　in　the　course　of　a　few　months；　you　can　ask　to　be
relieved　of　these　conditions；　which　are　imposed　on　all　of　Pichegru's
accomplices。　I　will　back　your　request。〃

These　restrictions；　fairly　deserved；　rather　dispirited　the　young　men；
but　Laurence　laughed　at　them。

〃The　Emperor　of　the　French；〃　she　said；　〃was　badly　brought　up；　he　has
not　yet　acquired　the　habit　of　bestowing　favors　graciously。〃

The　party　found　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau　at　the　gates；　and　a
goodly　proportion　of　the　people　of　the　village　waiting　on　the　road　to
see　the　young　men；　whose　adventures　had　made　them　famous　throughout
the　department。　Madame　d'Hauteserre　held　her　sons　to　her　breast　for　a
long　time；　her　face　covered　with　tears；　she　was　unable　to　speak　and
remained　silent；　though　happy；　through　a　part　of　the　evening。　No
sooner　had　the　Simeuse　twins　dismounted　than　a　cry　of　surprise　arose
on　all　sides；　caused　by　their　amazing　resemblance；the　same　look；　the
same　voice；　the　same　actions。　They　both　had　the　same　movement　in
rising　from　their　saddles；　in　throwing　their　leg　over　the　crupper　of
their　horses　when　dismounting；　in　flinging　the　reins　upon　the　animal's
neck。　Their　dress；　precisely　the　same；　contributed　to　this　likeness。
They　wore　boots　/a　la/　Suwaroff；　made　to　fit　the　instep；　tight
trousers　of　white　leather；　green　hunting…jackets　with　metal　buttons；
black　cravats；　and　buckskin　gloves。　The　two　young　men；　just　thirty…one
years　of　age；　wereto　use　a　term　in　vogue　in　those　dayscharming
cavaliers；　of　medium　height　but　well　set　up；　brilliant　eyes　with　long
lashes；　floating　in　liquid　like　those　of　children；　black　hair；　noble
brows；　and　olive　skin。　Their　speech；　gentle　as　that　of　a　woman；　fell
graciously　from　their　fresh　red　lips；　their　manners；　more　elegant　and
polished　than　those　of　the　provincial　gentlemen；　showed　that　knowledge
of　men　and　things　had　given　them　th