an historical mystery-第33章

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〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Bordin；　〃if；　as　it　appears；　a　fire　was　kindled　on
that　piece　of　ground　some　one　brought　to　the　spot　whatever　was　burned
there。〃

The　testimony　of　the　abbe　and　that　of　Mademoiselle　Goujet　made　a
favorable　impression。　They　said　that　as　they　left　the　church　after
vespers　and　were　walking　towards　home；　they　met　the　four　gentlemen　and
Michu　leaving　the　chateau　on　horseback　and　making　their　way　to　the
forest。　The　character；　position；　and　known　uprightness　of　the　Abbe
Goujet　gave　weight　to　his　words。

The　summing　up　of　the　public　prosecutor；　who　felt　sure　of　obtaining　a
verdict；　was　in　the　nature　of　all　such　speeches。　The　prisoners　were
the　incorrigible　enemies　of　France；　her　institutions　and　laws。　They
thirsted　for　tumult　and　conspiracy。　Though　they　had　belonged　to　the
army　of　Conde　and　had　shared　in　the　late　attempts　against　the　life　of
the　Emperor；　that　magnanimous　sovereign　had　erased　their　names　from
the　list　of　/emigres/。　This　was　the　return　they　made　for　his　clemency！
In　short；　all　the　oratorical　declamations　of　the　Bourbons　against　the
Bonapartists；　which　in　our　day　are　repeated　against　the　republicans
and　the　legitimists　by　the　Younger　Branch；　flourished　in　the　speech。
These　trite　commonplaces；　which　might　have　some　meaning　under　a　fixed
government；　seem　farcical　in　the　mouth　of　administrators　of　all　epochs
and　opinions。　A　saying　of　the　troublous　times　of　yore　is　still
applicable：　〃The　label　is　changed；　but　the　wine　is　the　same　as　ever。〃
The　public　prosecutor；　one　of　the　most　distinguished　legal　men　under
the　Empire；　attributed　the　crime　to　a　fixed　determination　on　the　part
of　returned　/emigres/　to　protest　against　the　sale　of　their　estates。　He
made　the　audience　shudder　at　the　probable　condition　of　the　senator；
then　he　massed　together　proofs；　half…proofs；　and　probabilities　with　a
cleverness　stimulated　by　a　sense　that　his　zeal　was　certain　of　its
reward；　and　sat　down　tranquilly　to　await　the　fire　of　his　opponents。

Monsieur　de　Grandville　never　argued　but　this　one　criminal　case；　and　it
made　his　reputation。　In　the　first　place；　he　spoke　with　the　same
glowing　eloquence　which　to…day　we　admire　in　Berryer。　He　was　profoundly
convinced　of　the　innocence　of　his　clients；　and　that　in　itself　is　a
most　powerful　auxiliary　of　speech。　The　following　are　the　chief　points
of　his　defence；　which　was　reported　in　full　by　all　the　leading
newspapers　of　the　period。　In　the　first　place　he　exhibited　the
character　and　life　of　Michu　in　its　true　light。　He　made　it　a　noble
tale；　ringing　with　lofty　sentiments；　and　it　awakened　the　sympathies　of
many。　When　Michu　heard　himself　vindicated　by　that　eloquent　voice；
tears　sprang　from　his　yellow　eyes　and　rolled　down　his　terrible　face。
He　appeared　then　for　what　he　really　was；a　man　as　simple　and　as　wily
as　a　child；　a　being　whose　whole　existence　had　but　one　thought；　one
aim。　He　was　suddenly　explained　to　the　minds　of　all　present；　more
especially　by　his　tears；　which　produced　a　great　effect　upon　the　jury。
His　able　defender　seized　that　moment　of　strong　interest　to　enter　upon
a　discussion　of　the　charges：

〃Where　is　the　body　of　the　person　abducted？　Where　is　the　senator？〃　he
asked。　〃You　accuse　us　of　walling　him　up　with　stones　and　plaster。　If
so；　we　alone　know　where　he　is；　you　have　kept　us　twenty…three　days　in
prison；　and　the　senator　must　be　dead　by　this　time　for　want　of　food。　We
are　therefore　murderers；　but　you　have　not　accused　us　of　murder。　On　the
other　hand；　if　he　still　lives；　we　must　have　accomplices。　If　we　have
them；　and　if　the　senator　is　living；　we　should　assuredly　have　set　him
at　liberty。　The　scheme　in　relation　to　Gondreville　which　you　attribute
to　us　is　a　failure；　and　only　aggravates　our　position　uselessly。　We
might　perhaps　obtain　a　pardon　for　an　abortive　attempt　by　releasing　our
victim；　instead　of　that　we　persist　in　detaining　a　man　from　whom　we　can
obtain　no　benefit　whatever。　It　is　absurd！　Take　away　your　plaster；　the
effect　is　a　failure；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　public　prosecutor。　〃We
are　either　idiotic　criminals　（which　you　do　not　believe）　or　the
innocent　victims　of　circumstances　as　inexplicable　to　us　as　they　are　to
you。　You　ought　rather　to　search　for　the　mass　of　papers　which　were
burned　at　Gondreville；　which　will　reveal　motives　stronger　far　than
yours　or　ours　and　put　you　on　the　track　of　the　causes　of　this
abduction。〃

The　speaker　discussed　these　hypotheses　with　marvellous　ability。　He
dwelt　on　the　moral　character　of　the　witnesses　for　the　defence；　whose
religious　faith　was　a　living　one；　who　believed　in　a　future　life　and　in
eternal　punishment。　He　rose　to　grandeur　in　this　part　of　his　speech　and
moved　his　hearers　deeply：

〃Remember！〃　he　said；　〃these　criminals　were　tranquilly　dining　when　told
of　the　abduction　of　the　senator。　When　the　officer　of　gendarmes
intimated　to　them　the　best　means　of　ending　the　whole　affair　by　giving
up　the　senator；　they　refused；　for　they　did　not　understand　what　was
asked　of　them！〃

Then；　reverting　to　the　mystery　of　the　matter；　he　declared　that　its
solution　was　in　the　hands　of　time；　which　would　eventually　reveal　the
injustice　of　the　charge。　Once　on　this　ground；　he　boldly　and
ingeniously　supposed　himself　a　juror；　related　his　deliberations　with
his　colleagues；　imagined　his　distress　lest；　having　condemned　the
innocent；　the　error　should　be　known　too　late；　and　drew　such　a　picture
of　his　remorse；　dwelling　on　the　grave　doubts　which　the　case　presented；
that　he　brought　the　jury　to　a　condition　of　intense　anxiety。

Juries　were　not　in　those　days　so　blase　to　this　sort　of　allocution　as
they　are　now；　Monsieur　de　Grandville's　appeal　had　the　power　of　things
new；　and　the　jurors　were　evidently　shaken。　After　this　passionate
outburst　they　had　to　listen　to　the　wily　and　specious　prosecutor；　who
went　over　the　whole　case；　brought　out　the　darkest　points　against　the
prisoners　and　made　the　rest　inexplicable。　His　aim　was　to　reach　the
minds　and　the　reasoning　faculties　of　his　hearers　just　as　Monsieur　de
Grandville　had　aimed　at　the　heart　and　the　imagination。　The　latter；
however；　had　seriously　entangled　the　convictions　of　the　jury；　and　the
public　prosecutor　found　his　well…laid　arguments　ineffectual。　This　was
so　plain　that　the　counsel　for　the　Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　and　Gothard
appealed　to　the　judgment　of　the　jury；　asking　that　the　case　against
their　clients　be　abandoned。　The　prosecutor　demanded　a　postponement
till　the　next　day　in　order　that　he　might　prepare　an　answer。　Bordin；
who　saw　acquittal　in　the　eyes　of　the　jury　if　they　deliberated　on　the
case　at　once；　opposed　the　delay　of　even　one　night　by　arguments　of
legal　right　and　justice　to　his　innocent　clients；　but　in　vain；the
court　allowed　it。

〃The　interests　of　society　are　as　great　as　those　of　the　accused；〃　said
the　president。　〃The　court　would　be　lacking　in　equity　if　it　denied　a
like　request　when　made　by　the　defence；　it　ought　therefore　to　grant
that　of　the　prosecution。〃

〃All　is　luck　or　ill…luck！〃　said　Bordin　to　his　clients　when　the　session
was　over。　〃Almost　acquitted　tonight　you　may　be　condemned　to…morrow。〃

〃In　either　case；〃　said　the　elder　de　Simeuse；　〃we　can　only　admire　your
skill。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne's　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　After　the　doubts
and　fears　of　the　counsel　for　the　defence；　she　had　not　expected　this
success。　Those　around　her　congratulated　her　and　predicted　the
acquittal　of　her　cousins。　But　alas！　the　matter　was　destined　to　end　in
a　startling　and　almost　theatrical　event；　the　most　unexpected　and
disastrous　circumstance　which　ever　changed　the　face　of　a　criminal
trial。

At　five　in　the　morning　of　the　day　after　Monsieur　de　Grandville's
speech；　the　senator　was　found　on　the　high　road　to　Troyes；　delivered
from　captivity　during　his　sleep；　unaware　of　the　trial　that　was　going
on　or　of　the　excitement　attaching　to　his　name　in　Europe；　and　simply
happy　in　being　once　more　able　to　breathe　the　fresh　air。　The　man　who
was　the　pivot　of　the　drama　was　quite　as　amazed　at　what　was　now　told　to
him　as　the　persons　who　met　him　on　his　way　to　Troyes　were　astounded　at
his　reappearance。　A　farmer　lent　him　a　carriage　and　he　soon　reached　the
house　of　the　prefect　at　Troyes。　The　prefect　notified　the　director　of
the　jury；　the　commissary　of　the　government；　and　the　public　prosecutor；
who；　after　a　statement　made　to　them　by　Malin；　arrested　Marthe；　while
she　was　still　in　bed　at　the　Durieu's　house　in　the　suburbs。
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　was　only　at　liberty　under　bail；　was
also　snatched　from　one　of　the　few　hours　of　slumber　she　had　been　able
to　obtain　at　rare　intervals　in　the　course　of　her　ceaseless　anxiety；
and　taken　to　the　prefecture　to　undergo　an　examination。　An　order　to
keep　the　accused　from　holding　any　communication　with　each　other　or
with　their　counsel　was　sent　to　the　prison。　At　ten　o'clock　the　crowd
which　assembled　around　the　courtroom　were　informed　that　the　trial　was
postponed　until　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　same　day。

This　change　of　hour；　following　on　the　news　of　the　senator's
deliverance；　Marthe's　arrest；　and　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；
together　with　the　denial　of　the　right　to　communicate　with　the
prisoners　carried　terror　to　the　hotel　de　Chargeboeuf。　The　whole　town
and　the　spectators　who　had　come　to　Troyes　to　be　present　at　the　trial；
the　short…hand　writers　for　the　daily　journals；　even　the　populace　were
in　a　ferment　which　can　readily　be　imagined。　The　Abbe　Goujet　came　at
ten　o'clock　to　see　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre　and　the　counsel
for　the　defence；　who　were　breakfastingas　well　as　they　could　under
the　circumstances。　The　abbe　took　Bordin　and　Monsieur　Grandville　apart；
told　them　what　Marthe　had　confided　to　him　the　day　before；　and　gave
them　the　fragment　of　the　letter　she　had　received。　The　two　lawyers
exchanged　a　look；　after　which　Bordin　said　to　the　abbe：　〃Not　a　word　of
all　this！　The　case　is　lost；　but　at　any　rate　let　us　show　a　firm　front。〃

Marthe　was　not　strong　enough　to　evade　the　cross…questioning　of　the
director　of　the　jury　and　the　public　prosecutor。　Moreover　the　proof
against　her　was　too　overwhelming。　Lechesneau　had　sent　for　the　under
crust　of　the　last　loaf　of　bread　she　had　carried　to　the　cavern；　also
for　the　empty　bottles　and　various　other　articles。　During　the　senator's
long　hours　of　captivity　he　had　formed　conjectures　in　his　own　mind　and
had　looked　for　indications　which　might　put　him　on　the　track　of　his
enemies。　These　he　now　communicated　to　the　authorities。　Michu's
farmhouse；　lately　built；　had；　he　supposed；　a　new　oven；　the　tiles　or
bricks　on　which　the　bread　was　baked　would　show　their　jointed　lines　on
the　bottom　of　the　loaves；　and　thus　afford　a　proof　that　the　bread
supplied　to　him　was　baked　on　that　particular　oven。　So　with　the　wine
brought　in　bottles　sealed　with　green　wax；　which　would　probably　be
found　identical　with　other　bottles　in　Michu's　cellar。　These　shrewd
observations；　which　Malin　imparted　to　the　justice　of　peace；　who　made
the　first　examination　（taking　Marthe　with　him）；　led　to　the　results
foreseen　by　the　senator。

Marthe；　deceived　by　the　apparent　friendliness　of　Lechesneau　and　the
public　prosecutor；　who　assured　her　that　complete　confession　could
alone　save　her　husband's　life；　admitted　that　the　cavern　where　the
senator　had　been　hidden　was　known　only　to　her　husband　and　the
Messieurs　de　Sim