an historical mystery-第26章

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Grevin；　Violette；　the　senator's　valet；　and　the　justice　of　peace　with
his　clerk。　The　chateau　had　already　been　examined；　the　justice；
assisted　by　Grevin；　had　carefully　collected　the　first　testimony。　The
first　thing　that　struck　him　was　the　obvious　intention　shown　in　the
choice　of　the　day　and　hour　for　the　attack。　The　hour　prevented　an
immediate　search　for　proofs　and　traces。　At　this　season　it　was　nearly
dark　by　half…past　five；　the　hour　at　which　Violette　gave　the　alarm；　and
darkness　often　means　impunity　to　evil…doers。　The　choice　of　a　holiday；
when　most　persons　had　gone　to　the　masquerade　at　Arcis；　and　the　senator
was　comparatively　alone　in　the　house；　showed　an　obvious　intention　to
get　rid　of　witnesses。

〃Let　us　do　justice　to　the　intelligence　of　the　prefecture　of　police；〃
said　Lechesneau；　〃they　have　never　ceased　to　warn　us　to　be　on　our　guard
against　the　nobles　at　Cinq…Cygne；　they　have　always　declared　that
sooner　or　later　those　people　would　play　us　some　dangerous　trick。〃

Sure　of　the　active　co…operation　of　the　prefect　of　the　Aube；　who　sent
messengers　to　all　the　surrounding　prefectures　asking　them　to　search
for　the　five　abductors　and　the　senator；　Lechesneau　began　his　work　by
verifying　the　first　facts。　This　was　soon　done　by　the　help　of　two　such
legal　heads　as　those　of　Grevin　and　the　justice　of　peace。　The　latter；
named　Pigoult；　formerly　head…clerk　in　the　office　where　Malin　and
Grevin　had　first　studied　law　in　Paris；　was　soon　after　appointed　judge
of　the　municipal　court　at　Arcis。　In　relation　to　Michu；　Lechesneau　knew
of　the　threats　the　man　had　made　about　the　sale　of　Gondreville　to
Marion；　and　the　danger　Malin　had　escaped　in　his　own　park　from　Michu's
gun。　These　two　facts；　one　being　the　consequence　of　the　other；　were　no
doubt　the　precursors　of　the　present　successful　attack；　and　they
pointed　so　obviously　to　the　late　bailiff　as　the　instigator　of　the
outrage　that　Grevin；　his　wife；　Violette；　and　Madame　Marion　declared
that　they　had　recognized　among　the　five　masked　men　one　who　exactly
resembled　Michu。　The　color　of　the　hair　and　whiskers　and　the　thick…set
figure　of　the　man　made　the　mask　he　wore　useless。　Besides；　who　but
Michu　could　have　opened　the　iron　gates　of　the　park　with　a　key？　The
present　bailiff　and　his　wife；　now　returned　from　the　masquerade；
deposed　to　have　locked　both　gates　before　leaving　the　pavilion。　The
gates　when　examined　showed　no　sign　of　being　forced。

〃When　we　turned　him　off　he　must　have　taken　some　duplicate　keys　with
him；〃　remarked　Grevin。　〃No　doubt　he　has　been　meditating　a　desperate
step；　for　he　has　lately　sold　his　whole　property；　and　he　received　the
money　for　it　in　my　office　day　before　yesterday。〃

〃The　others　have　followed　his　lead！〃　exclaimed　Lechesneau；　struck　with
the　circumstances。　〃He　has　been　their　evil　genius。〃

Moreover；　who　could　know　as　well　as　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　the　ins
and　outs　of　the　chateau。　None　of　the　assailants　seemed　to　have
blundered　in　their　search；　they　had　gone　through　the　house　in　a
confident　way　which　showed　that　they　knew　what　they　wanted　to　find　and
where　to　find　it。　The　locks　of　none　of　the　opened　closets　had　been
forced；　therefore　the　delinquents　had　keys。　Strange　to　say；　however；
nothing　had　been　taken；　the　motive；　therefore；　was　not　robbery。　More
than　all；　when　Violette　had　followed　the　tracks　of　the　horses　as　far
as　the　/rond…point/；　he　had　found　the　countess；　evidently　on　guard；　at
the　pavilion。　From　such　a　combination　of　facts　and　depositions　arose　a
presumption　as　to　the　guilt　of　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse；　d'Hauteserre；
and　Michu；　which　would　have　been　strong　to　unprejudiced　minds；　and　to
the　director　of　the　jury　had　the　force　of　certainty。　What　were　they
likely　to　do　to　the　future　Comte　de　Gondreville？　Did　they　mean　to
force　him　to　make　over　the　estate　for　which　Michu　declared　in　1799　he
had　the　money　to　pay？

But　there　was　another　aspect　of　the　cast　to　the　knowing　criminal
lawyer。　He　asked　himself　what　could　be　the　object　of　the　careful
search　made　of　the　chateau。　If　revenge　were　at　the　bottom　of　the
matter；　the　assailants　would　have　killed　the　senator。　Perhaps　he　had
been　killed　and　buried。　The　abduction；　however；　seemed　to　point　to
imprisonment。　But　why　keep　their　victim　imprisoned　after　searching　the
castle？　It　was　folly　to　suppose　that　the　abduction　of　a　dignitary　of
the　Empire　could　long　remain　secret。　The　publicity　of　the　matter　would
prevent　any　benefit　from　it。

To　these　suggestions　Pigoult　replied　that　justice　was　never　able　to
make　out　all　the　motives　of　scoundrels。　In　every　criminal　case　there
were　obscurities；　he　said；　between　the　judge　and　the　guilty　person；
conscience　had　depths　into　which　no　human　mind　could　enter　unless　by
the　confession　of　the　criminal。

Grevin　and　Lechesneau　nodded　their　assent；　without；　however；　relaxing
their　determination　to　see　to　the　bottom　of　the　present　mystery。

〃The　Emperor　pardoned　those　young　men；〃　said　Pigoult　to　Grevin。　〃He
removed　their　names　from　the　list　of　/emigres/；　though　they　certainly
took　part　in　that　last　conspiracy　against　him。〃

Lechesneau　make　no　delay　in　sending　his　whole　force　of　gendarmerie　to
the　forest　and　to　the　valley　of　Cinq…Cygne；　telling　Giguet　to　take
with　him　the　justice　of　peace；　who；　according　to　the　terms　of　the
Code；　would　then　become　an　auxiliary　police…officer。　He　ordered　them
to　make　all　preliminary　inquiries　in　the　township　of　Cinq…Cygne；　and
to　take　testimony　if　necessary；　and　to　save　time；　he　dictated　and
signed　a　warrant　for　the　arrest　of　Michu；　against　whom　the　charge　was
evident　on　the　positive　testimony　of　Violette。　After　the　departure　of
the　gendarmes　Lechesneau　returned　to　the　important　question　of　issuing
warrants　for　the　arrest　of　the　Simeuse　and　d'Hauteserre　brothers。
According　to　the　Code　these　warrants　would　have　to　contain　the　charges
against　the　delinquents。

Giguet　and　the　justice　of　peace　rode　so　rapidly　to　Cinq…Cygne　that
they　met　Laurence's　servants　returning　from　the　festivities　at　Troyes。
Stopped；　and　taken　before　the　mayor　where　they　were　interrogated；　they
all　stated；　being　ignorant　of　the　importance　of　the　answer；　that　their
mistress　had　given　them　permission　to　spend　the　whole　day　at　Troyes。
To　a　question　put　by　the　justice　of　the　peace；　each　replied　that
Mademoiselle　had　offered　them　the　amusement　which　they　had　not　thought
of　asking　for。　This　testimony　seemed　so　important　to　the　justice　of
the　peace　that　he　sent　back　a　messenger　to　Gondreville　to　advise
Lechesneau　to　proceed　himself　to　Cinq…Cygne　and　arrest　the　four
gentlemen；　while　he　went　to　Michu's　farm；　so　that　the　five　arrests
might　be　made　simultaneously。

This　new　element　was　so　convincing　that　Lechesneau　started　at　once　for
Cinq…Cygne。　He　knew　well　what　pleasure　would　be　felt　in　Troyes　at　such
proceedings　against　the　old　nobles；　the　enemies　of　the　people；　now
become　the　enemies　of　the　Emperor。　In　such　circumstances　a　magistrate
is　very　apt　to　take　mere　presumptive　evidence　for　actual　proof。
Nevertheless；　on　his　way　from　Gondreville　to　Cinq…Cygne；　in　the
senator's　own　carriage；　it　did　occur　to　Lechesneau　（who　would
certainly　have　made　a　fine　magistrate　had　it　not　been　for　his　love…
affair；　and　the　Emperor's　sudden　morality　to　which　he　owed　his
disgrace）　to　think　the　audacity　of　the　young　men　and　Michu　a　piece　of
folly　which　was　not　in　keeping　with　what　he　knew　of　the　judgment　and
character　of　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。　He　imagined　in　his　own　mind
some　other　motives　for　the　deed　than　the　restitution　of　Gondreville。
In　all　things；　even　in　the　magistracy；　there　is　what　may　be　called　the
conscience　of　a　calling。　Lechesneau's　perplexities　came　from　this
conscience；　which　all　men　put　into　the　proper　performance　of　the
duties　they　likescientific　men　into　science；　artists　into　art；
judges　into　the　rendering　of　justice。　Perhaps　for　this　reason　judges
are　really　greater　safeguards　for　persons　accused　of　wrong…doing　than
are　juries。　A　magistrate　relies　only　on　reason　and　its　laws；　juries
are　floated　to　and　fro　by　the　waves　of　sentiment。　The　director　of　the
jury　accordingly　set　several　questions　before　his　mind；　resolving　to
find　in　their　solution　satisfactory　reasons　for　making　the　arrests。

Though　the　news　of　the　abduction　was　already　agitating　the　town　of
Troyes；　it　was　still　unknown　at　Arcis；　where　the　inhabitants　were
supping　when　the　messenger　arrived　to　summon　the　gendarmes。　No　one；　of
course；　knew　it　in　the　village　of　Cinq…Cygne；　the　valley　and　the
chateau　of　which　were　now；　for　the　second　time；　encircled　by
gendarmes。

Laurence　had　only　to　tell　Marthe；　Catherine；　and　the　Durieus　not　to
leave　the　chateau；　to　be　strictly　obeyed。　After　each　trip　to　fetch　the
gold；　the　horses　were　fastened　in　the　covered　way　opposite　to　the
breach　in　the　moat；　and　from　there　Robert　and　Michu；　the　strongest　of
the　party；　carried　the　sacks　through　the　breach　to　a　cellar　under　the
staircase　in　the　tower　called　Mademoiselle's。　Reaching　the　chateau
with　the　last　load　about　half…past　five　o'clock；　the　four　gentlemen
and　Michu　proceeded　to　bury　the　treasure　in　the　floor　of　the　cellar
and　then　to　wall　up　the　entrance。　Michu　took　charge　of　the　matter　with
Gothard　to　help　him；　the　lad　was　sent　to　the　farm　for　some　sacks　of
plaster　left　over　when　the　new　buildings　were　put　up；　and　Marthe　went
with　him　to　show　him　where　they　were。　Michu；　very　hungry；　made　such
haste　that　by　half…past　seven　o'clock　the　work　was　done；　and　he
started　for　home　at　a　quick　pace　to　stop　Gothard；　who　had　been　sent
for　another　sack　of　plaster　which　he　thought　he　might　want。　The　farm
was　already　watched　by　the　forester　of　Cinq…Cygne；　the　justice　of
peace；　his　clerk　and　four　gendarmes　who；　however；　kept　out　of　sight
and　allowed　him　to　enter　the　house　without　seeing　them。

Michu　saw　Gothard　with　the　sack　on　his　shoulder　and　called　to　him　from
a　distance：　〃It　is　all　finished；　my　lad；　take　that　back　and　stay　and
dine　with　us。〃

Michu；　his　face　perspiring；　his　clothes　soiled　with　plaster　and
covered　with　fragments　of　muddy　stone　from　the　breach；　reached　home
joyfully　and　entered　the　kitchen　where　Marthe　and　her　mother　were
serving　the　soup　in　expectation　of　his　coming。

Just　as　Michu　was　turning　the　faucet　of　the　water…pipe　intending　to
wash　his　hands；　the　justice　of　peace　entered　the　house　accompanied　by
his　clerk　and　the　forester。

〃What　have　you　come　for；　Monsieur　Pigoult？〃　asked　Michu。

〃In　the　name　of　the　Emperor　and　the　laws；　I　arrest　you；〃　replied　the
justice。

The　three　gendarmes　entered　the　kitchen　leading　Gothard。　Seeing　the
silver　lace　on　their　hats　Marthe　and　her　mother　looked　at　each　other
in　terror。

〃Pooh！　why？〃　asked　Michu；　who　sat　down　at　the　table　and　called　to　his
wife；　〃Give　me　something　to　eat；　I'm　famished。〃

〃You　know　why　as　well　as　we　do；〃　said　the　justice；　making　a　sign　to
his　clerk　to　begin　the　/proces…verbal/　and　exhibiting　the　warrant　of
arrest。

〃Well；　well；　Gothard；　you　needn't　stare　so；〃　said　Michu。　〃Do　you　want
some　dinner；　yes　or　no？　Let　them　write　down　their　nonsense。〃

〃You　admit；　of　course；　the　condition　of　your　clothes？〃　said　the
justice　of　peace；　〃and　you　can't　deny　the　words　you　said　just　now　to
Gothard？〃

Michu；　supplied　with　food　by　his　wife；　who　was　amazed　at　his　coolness；
wa