an historical mystery-第29章

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whose　counsel　must　be　followed　to　the　letter；　and　young　de　Grandville
as　a　defender　in　whom　the　utmost　confidence　might　be　placed。

Laurence　held　out　her　hand　to　the　kind　old　man；　and　pressed　his　with
an　eagerness　which　delighted　him。

〃You　were　right；〃　she　said。

〃Will　you　now　take　my　advice？〃　he　asked。

The　young　countess　bowed　her　head　in　assent；　as　did　Monsieur　and
Madame　d'Hauteserre。

〃Well；　then；　come　to　my　house；　it　is　in　the　middle　of　town；　close　to
the　courthouse。　You　and　your　lawyers　will　be　better　off　there　than
here；　where　you　are　crowded　and　too　far　from　the　field　of　battle。
Here；　you　would　have　to　cross　the　town　twice　a　day。〃

Laurence；　accepted；　and　the　old　man　took　her　with　Madame　d'Hauteserre
to　his　house；　which　became　the　home　of　the　Cinq…Cygne　household　and
the　lawyers　of　the　defence　during　the　whole　time　the　trial　lasted。
After　dinner；　when　the　doors　were　closed；　Bordin　made　Laurence　relate
every　circumstance　of　the　affair；　entreating　her　to　omit　nothing；　not
the　most　trifling　detail。　Though　many　of　the　facts　had　already　been
told　to　him　and　his　young　assistant　by　the　marquis　on　their　journey
from　Paris　to　Troyes；　Bordin　listened；　his　feet　on　the　fender；　without
obtruding　himself　into　the　recital。　The　young　lawyer；　however；　could
not　help　being　divided　between　his　admiration　for　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne；　and　the　attention　he　was　bound　to　give　to　the　facts　of　his
case。

〃Is　that　really　all？〃　asked　Bordin　when　Laurence　had　related　the
events　of　the　drama　just　as　the　present　narrative　has　given　them　up　to
the　present　time。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。

Profound　silence　reigned　for　several　minutes　in　the　salon　of　the
Chargeboeuf　mansion　where　this　scene　took　place；one　of　the　most
important　which　occur　in　life。　All　cases　are　judged　by　the　counsellors
engaged　in　them；　just　as　the　death　or　life　or　a　patient　is　foreseen　by
a　physician；　before　the　final　struggle　which　the　one　sustains　against
nature；　the　other　against　law。　Laurence；　Monsieur　and　Madame
d'Hauteserre；　and　the　marquis　sat　with　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　swarthy
and　deeply　pitted　face　of　the　old　lawyer；　who　was　now　to　pronounce　the
words　of　life　or　death。　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　wiped　the　sweat　from　his
brow。　Laurence　looked　at　the　younger　man　and　noted　his　saddened　face。

〃Well；　my　dear　Bordin？〃　said　the　marquis　at　last；　holding　out　his
snuffbox；　from　which　the　old　lawyer　took　a　pinch　in　an　absent…minded
way。

Bordin　rubbed　the　calf　of　his　leg；　covered　with　thick　stockings　of
black　raw　silk；　for　he　always　wore　black　cloth　breeches　and　a　coat
made　somewhat　in　the　shape　of　those　which　are　now　termed　/a　la
Francaise/。　He　cast　his　shrewd　eyes　upon　his　clients　with　an　anxious
expression；　the　effect　of　which　was　icy。

〃Must　I　analyze　all　that？〃　he　said；　〃am　I　to　speak　frankly？〃

〃Yes；　go　on；　monsieur；〃　said　Laurence。

〃All　that　you　have　innocently　done　can　be　converted　into　proof　against
you；〃　said　the　old　lawyer。　〃We　cannot　save　your　friends；　we　can　only
reduce　the　penalty。　The　sale　which　you　induced　Michu　to　make　of　his
property　will　be　taken　as　evident　proof　of　your　criminal　intentions
against　the　senator。　You　sent　your　servants　to　Troyes　so　that　you
might　be　alone；　that　is　all　the　more　plausible　because　it　is　actually
true。　The　elder　d'Hauteserre　made　an　unfortunate　speech　to　Beauvisage；
which　will　be　your　ruin。　You　yourself；　mademoiselle；　made　another　in
your　own　courtyard；　which　proves　that　you　have　long　shown　ill…will　to
the　possessor　of　Gondreville。　Besides；　you　were　at　the　gate　of　the
/rond…point/；　apparently　on　the　watch；　about　the　time　when　the
abduction　took　place；　if　they　have　not　arrested　you；　it　is　solely
because　they　fear　to　bring　a　sentimental　element　into　the　affair。〃

〃The　case　cannot　be　successfully　defended；〃　said　Monsieur　de
Grandville。

〃The　less　so；〃　continued　Bordin；　〃because　we　cannot　tell　the　whole
truth。　Michu　and　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse　and　d'Hauteserre　must　hold
to　the　assertion　that　you　merely　went　for　an　excursion　into　the　forest
and　returned　to　Cinq…Cygne　for　luncheon。　Allowing　that　we　can　show　you
were　in　the　house　at　three　o'clock　（the　exact　hour　at　which　the　attack
was　made）；　who　are　our　witnesses？　Marthe；　the　wife　of　one　of　the
accused；　the　Durieus；　and　Catherine；　your　own　servants；　and　Monsieur
and　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　father　and　mother　of　two　of　the　accused。　Such
testimony　is　valueless；　the　law　does　not　admit　it　against　you；　and
commonsense　rejects　it　when　given　in　your　favor。　If；　on　the　other
hand；　you　were　to　say　you　went　to　the　forest　to　recover　eleven　hundred
thousand　francs　in　gold；　you　would　send　the　accused　to　the　galleys　as
robbers。　Judge；　jury；　audience；　and　the　whole　of　France　would　believe
that　you　took　that　gold　from　Gondreville；　and　abducted　the　senator
that　you　might　ransack　his　house。　The　accusation　as　it　now　stands　is
not　wholly　clear；　but　tell　the　truth　about　the　matter　and　it　would
become　as　plain　as　day；　the　jury　would　declare　that　the　robbery
explained　the　mysterious　features；for　in　these　days；　you　must
remember；　a　royalist　means　a　thief。　This　very　case　is　welcomed　as　a
legitimate　political　vengeance。　The　prisoners　are　now　in　danger　of　the
death　penalty；　but　that　is　not　dishonoring　under　some　circumstances。
Whereas；　if　they　can　be　proved　to　have　stolen　money；　which　can　never
be　made　to　seem　excusable；　you　lose　all　benefit　of　whatever　interest
may　attach　to　persons　condemned　to　death　for　other　crimes。　If；　at　the
first；　you　had　shown　the　hiding…places　of　the　treasure；　the　plan　of
the　forest；　the　tubes　in　which　the　gold　was　buried；　and　the　gold
itself；　as　an　explanation　of　your　day's　work；　it　is　possible　you　might
have　been　believed　by　an　impartial　magistrate；　but　as　it　is　we　must　be
silent。　God　grant　that　none　of　the　prisoners　may　reveal　the　truth　and
compromise　the　defence；　if　they　do；　we　must　rely　on　our　cross…
examinations。〃

Laurence　wrung　her　hands　in　despair　and　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven　with
a　despondent　look；　for　she　saw　at　last　in　all　its　depths　the　gulf　into
which　her　cousins　had　fallen。　The　marquis　and　the　young　lawyer　agreed
with　the　dreadful　view　of　Bordin。　Old　d'Hauteserre　wept。

〃Ah！　why　did　they　not　listen　to　the　Abbe　Goujet　and　fly！〃　cried　Madame
d'Hauteserre；　exasperated。

〃If　they　could　have　escaped；　and　you　prevented　them；〃　said　Bordin；
〃you　have　killed　them　yourselves。　Judgment　by　default　gains　time；　time
enables　the　innocent　to　clear　themselves。　This　is　the　most　mysterious
case　I　have　ever　known　in　my　life；　in　the　course　of　which　I　have
certainly　seen　and　known　many　strange　things。〃

〃It　is　inexplicable　to　every　one；　even　to　us；〃　said　Monsieur　de
Grandville。　〃If　the　prisoners　are　innocent　some　one　else　has　committed
the　crime。　Five　persons　do　not　come　to　a　place　as　if　by　enchantment；
obtain　five　horses　shod　precisely　like　those　of　the　accused；　imitate
the　appearance　of　some　of　them；　and　put　Malin　apparently　underground
for　the　sole　purpose　of　casting　suspicion　on　Michu　and　the　four
gentlemen。　The　unknown　guilty　parties　must　have　had　some　strong　reason
for　wearing　the　skin；　as　it　were；　of　five　innocent　men。　To　discover
them；　even　to　get　upon　their　traces；　we　need　as　much　power　as　the
government　itself；　as　many　agents　and　as　many　eyes　as　there　are
townships　in　a　radius　of　fifty　miles。〃

〃The　thing　is　impossible；〃　said　Bordin。　〃There's　no　use　thinking　of
it。　Since　society　invented　law　it　has　never　found　a　way　to　give　an
innocent　prisoner　an　equal　chance　against　a　magistrate　who　is　pre…
disposed　against　him。　Law　is　not　bilateral。　The　defence；　without　spies
or　police；　cannot　call　social　power　to　the　rescue　of　its　innocent
clients。　Innocence　has　nothing　on　her　side　but　reason；　and　reasoning
which　may　strike　a　judge　is　often　powerless　on　the　narrow　minds　of
jurymen。　The　whole　department　is　against　you。　The　eight　jurors　who
have　signed　the　indictment　are　each　and　all　purchasers　of　national
domain。　Among　the　trial　jurors　we　are　certain　to　have　some　who　have
either　sold　or　bought　the　same　property。　In　short；　we　can　get　nothing
but　a　Malin　jury。　You　must　therefore　set　up　a　consistent　defence；　hold
fast　to　it；　and　perish　in　your　innocence。　You　will　certainly　be
condemned。　But　there's　a　court　of　appeal；　we　will　go　there　and　try　to
remain　there　as　long　as　possible。　If　in　the　mean　time　we　can　collect
proofs　in　your　favor　you　must　apply　for　pardon。　That's　the　anatomy　of
the　business；　and　my　advice。　If　we　triumph　（for　everything　is　possible
in　law）　it　will　be　a　miracle；　but　your　advocate　Monsieur　de　Grandville
is　the　most　likely　man　among　all　I　know　to　produce　that　miracle；　and
I'll　do　my　best　to　help　him。〃

〃The　senator　has　the　key　to　the　mystery；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Grandville；
〃for　a　man　knows　his　enemies　and　why　they　are　so。　Here　we　find　him
leaving　Paris　at　the　close　of　the　winter；　coming　to　Gondreville　alone；
shutting　himself　up　with　his　notary；　and　delivering　himself　over；　as
one　might　say；　to　five　men　who　seize　him。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Bordin；　〃his　conduct　seems　inexplicable。　But　how
could　we；　in　the　face　of　a　hostile　community；　become　accusers　when　we
ourselves　are　the　accused？　We　should　need　the　help　and　good…will　of
the　government　and　a　thousand　times　more　proof　than　is　wanted　in
ordinary　circumstances。　I　am　convinced　there　was　premeditation；　and
subtle　premeditation；　on　the　part　of　our　mysterious　adversaries；　who
must　have　known　the　situation　of　Michu　and　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse
towards　Malin。　Not　to　utter　one　word；　not　to　steal　one　thing！
remarkable　prudence！　I　see　something　very　different　from　ordinary
evil…doers　behind　those　masks。　But　what　would　be　the　use　of　saying　so
to　the　sort　of　jurors　we　shall　have　to　face？〃

This　insight　into　hidden　matters　which　gives　such　power　to　certain
lawyers　and　certain　magistrates　astonished　and　confounded　Laurence；
her　heart　was　wrung　by　that　inexorable　logic。

〃Out　of　every　hundred　criminal　cases；〃　continued　Bordin；　〃there　are
not　ten　where　the　law　really　lays　bare　the　truth　to　its　full　extent；
and　there　is　perhaps　a　good　third　in　which　the　truth　is　never　brought
to　light　at　all。　Yours　is　one　of　those　cases　which　are　inexplicable　to
all　parties；　to　accused　and　accusers；　to　the　law　and　to　the　public。　As
for　the　Emperor；　he　has　other　fish　to　fry　than　to　consider　the　case　of
these　gentlemen；　supposing　even　that　they　had　not　conspired　against
him。　But　who　the　devil　/is/　Malin's　enemy？　and　what　has　really　been
done　with　him？〃

Bordin　and　Monsieur　de　Grandville　looked　at　each　other；　they　seemed　in
doubt　as　to　Laurence's　veracity。　This　evident　suspicion　was　the　most
cutting　of　all　the　many　pangs　the　girl　had　suffered　in　the　affair；　and
she　turned　upon　the　lawyers　a　look　which　effectually　put　an　end　to
their　distrust。

The　next　day　the　indictment　was　handed　over　to　the　defence；　and　the
lawyers　were　then　enabled　to　communicate　with　the　prisoners。　Bordin
informed　the　family　that　the　six　accused　men　were　〃well　supported；〃
using　a　professional　term。

〃Monsieur　de　Grandville　will　defend　Michu；〃　said　Bordin。

〃Michu！〃　exclaimed　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　amazed　at　the　change。

〃He　is　the　pivot　of　the　affairthe　danger　lies　there；〃　replied　the
old　lawyer。

〃If　he　is　more　in　danger　than　t