an historical mystery-第9章

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precautions；　this　valuable　detachment　had　at　last　reached；　without
accident；　the　forest　of　Nodesme；　which　was　chosen　as　the　rendezvous。
Twenty…seven　other　gentlemen　had　entered　France　from　Switzerland　and
crossed　Burgundy；　guided　towards　Paris　with　the　same　caution。

Monsieur　de　Riviere　counted　on　collecting　five　hundred　men；　one
hundred　of　whom　were　young　nobles；　the　officers　of　this　sacred　legion。
Monsieur　de　Polignac　and　Monsieur　de　Riviere；　whose　conduct　as　chiefs
of　this　advance　was　most　remarkable；　afterwards　preserved　an
impenetrable　secrecy　as　to　the　names　of　those　of　their　accomplices　who
were　not　discovered。　It　may　be　said；　therefore；　now　that　the
Restoration　has　made　matters　clearer；　that　Bonaparte　never　knew　the
extent　of　the　danger　he　then　ran；　any　more　than　England　knew　the　peril
she　had　escaped　from　the　camp　at　Boulogne；　and　yet　the　police　of
France　was　never　more　intelligently　or　ably　managed。

At　the　period　when　this　history　begins；　a　cowardfor　cowards　are
always　to　be　found　in　conspiracies　which　are　not　confined　to　a　small
number　of　equally　strong　mena　sworn　confederate；　brought　face　to
face　with　death；　gave　certain　information；　happily　insufficient　to
cover　the　extent　of　the　conspiracy；　but　precise　enough　to　show　the
object　of　the　enterprise。　The　police　had　therefore；　as　Malin　told
Grevin；　left　the　conspirators　at　liberty；　though　all　the　while
watching　them；　hoping　to　discover　the　ramifications　of　the　plot。
Nevertheless；　the　government　found　its　hand　to　a　certain　extent　forced
by　Georges　Cadoudal；　a　man　of　action　who　took　counsel　of　himself　only；
and　who　was　hiding　in　Paris　with　twenty…five　/chouans/　for　the　purpose
of　attacking　the　First　Consul。

Laurence　combined　both　hatred　and　love　within　her　breast。　To　destroy
Bonaparte　and　bring　back　the　Bourbons　was　to　recover　Gondreville　and
make　the　fortune　of　her　cousins。　The　two　sentiments；　one　the
counterpart　of　the　other；　were　sufficient；　more　especially　at　twenty…
three　years　of　age；　to　excite　all　the　faculties　of　her　soul　and　all
the　powers　of　her　being。　So；　for　the　last　two　months；　she　had　seemed
to　the　inhabitants　of　Cinq…Cygne　more　beautiful　than　at　any　other
period　of　her　life。　Her　cheeks　became　rosy；　hope　gave　pride　to　her
brow；　but　when　old　d'Hauteserre　read　the　Gazette　at　night　and
discussed　the　conservative　course　of　the　First　Consul　she　lowered　her
eyes　to　conceal　her　passionate　hopes　of　the　coming　fall　of　that　enemy
of　the　Bourbons。

No　one　at　the　chateau　had　the　faintest　idea　that　the　young　countess
had　met　her　cousins　the　night　before。　The　two　sons　of　Monsieur　and
Madame　d'Hauteserre　had　passed　the　preceding　night　in　Laurence's　own
room；　under　the　same　roof　with　their　father　and　mother；　and　Laurence；
after　knowing　them　safely　in　bed　had　gone　between　one　and　two　o'clock
in　the　morning　to　a　rendezvous　with　her　cousins　in　the　forest；　where
she　hid　them　in　the　deserted　hut　of　a　wood…dealer's　agent。　The
following　day；　certain　of　seeing　them　again；　she　showed　no　signs　of
her　joy；　nothing　about　her　betrayed　emotion；　she　was　able　to　efface
all　traces　of　pleasure　at　having　met　them　again；　in　fact；　she　was
impassible。　Catherine；　her　pretty　maid；　daughter　of　her　former　nurse；
and　Gothard；　both　in　the　secret；　modelled　their　behavior　upon　hers。
Catherine　was　nineteen　years　old。　At　that　age　a　girl　is　a　fanatic　and
would　let　her　throat　be　cut　before　betraying　a　thought　of　one　she
loves。　As　for　Gothard；　merely　to　inhale　the　perfume　which　the　countess
used　in　her　hair　and　among　her　clothes　he　would　have　born　the　rack
without　a　word。



CHAPTER　V

ROYALIST　HOMES　AND　PORTRAITS　UNDER　THE　CONSULATE

At　the　moment　when　Marthe；　driven　by　the　imminence　of　the　peril；　was
gliding　with　the　rapidity　of　a　shadow　towards　the　breach　of　which
Michu　had　told　her；　the　salon　of　the　chateau　of　Cinq…Cygne　presented　a
peaceful　sight。　Its　occupants　were　so　far　from　suspecting　the　storm
that　was　about　to　burst　upon　them　that　their　quiet　aspect　would　have
roused　the　compassion　of　any　one　who　knew　their　situation。　In　the
large　fireplace；　the　mantel　of　which　was　adorned　with　a　mirror　with
shepherdesses　in　paniers　painted　on　its　frame；　burned　a　fire　such　as
can　be　seen　only　in　chateaus　bordering　on　forests。　At　the　corner　of
this　fireplace；　on　a　large　square　sofa　of　gilded　wood　with　a
magnificent　brocaded　cover；　the　young　countess　lay　as　it　were
extended；　in　an　attitude　of　utter　weariness。　Returning　at　six　o'clock
from　the　confines　of　Brie；　having　played　the　part　of　scout　to　the　four
gentlemen　whom　she　guided　safely　to　their　last　halting…place　before
they　entered　Paris；　she　had　found　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre
just　finishing　their　dinner。　Pressed　by　hunger　she　sat　down　to　table
without　changing　either　her　muddy　habit　or　her　boots。　Instead　of　doing
so　at　once　after　dinner；　she　was　suddenly　overcome　with　fatigue　and
allowed　her　head　with　its　beautiful　fair　curls　to　drop　on　the　back　of
the　sofa；　her　feet　being　supported　in　front　of　her　by　a　stool。　The
warmth　of　the　fire　had　dried　the　mud　on　her　habit　and　on　her　boots。
Her　doeskin　gloves　and　the　little　peaked　cap　with　its　green　veil　and　a
whip　lay　on　the　table　where　she　had　flung　them。　She　looked　sometimes
at　the　old　Boule　clock　which　stood　on　the　mantelshelf　between　the
candelabra；　perhaps　to　judge　if　her　four　conspirators　were　asleep；　and
sometimes　at　the　card…table　in　front　of　the　fire　where　Monsieur　and
Madame　d'Hauteserre；　the　cure　of　Cinq…Cygne；　and　his　sister　were
playing　a　game　of　boston。

Even　if　these　personages　were　not　embedded　in　this　drama；　their
portraits　would　have　the　merit　of　representing　one　of　the　aspects　of
the　aristocracy　after　its　overthrow　in　1793。　From　this　point　of　view；
a　sketch　of　the　salon　at　Cinq…Cygne　has　the　raciness　of　history　seen
in　dishabille。

Monsieur　d'Hauteserre；　then　fifty…two　years　of　age；　tall；　spare；　high…
colored；　and　robust　in　health；　would　have　seemed　the　embodiment　of
vigor　if　it　were　not　for　a　pair　of　porcelain　blue　eyes；　the　glance　of
which　denoted　the　most　absolute　simplicity。　In　his　face；　which　ended
in　a　long　pointed　chin；　there　was；　judging　by　the　rules　of　design；　an
unnatural　distance　between　his　nose　and　mouth　which　gave　him　a
submissive　air；　wholly　in　keeping　with　his　character；　which
harmonized；　in　fact；　with　other　details　of　his　appearance。　His　gray
hair；　flattened　by　his　hat；　which　he　wore　nearly　all　day；　looked　much
like　a　skull…cap　on　his　head；　and　defined　its　pear…shaped　outline。　His
forehead；　much　wrinkled　by　life　in　the　open　air　and　by　constant
anxieties；　was　flat　and　expressionless。　His　aquiline　nose　redeemed　the
face　somewhat；　but　the　sole　indication　of　any　strength　of　character
lay　in　the　bushy　eyebrows　which　retained　their　blackness；　and　in　the
brilliant　coloring　of　his　skin。　These　signs　were　in　some　respects　not
misleading；　for　the　worthy　gentlemen；　though　simple　and　very　gentle；
was　Catholic　and　monarchical　in　faith；　and　no　consideration　on　earth
could　make　him　change　his　views。　Nevertheless　he　would　have　let
himself　be　arrested　without　an　effort　at　defence；　and　would　have　gone
to　the　scaffold　quietly。　His　annuity　of　three　thousand　francs　kept　him
from　emigrating。　He　therefore　obeyed　the　government　/de　facto/　without
ceasing　to　love　the　royal　family　and　to　pray　for　their　return；　though
he　would　firmly　have　refused　to　compromise　himself　by　any　effort　in
their　favor。　He　belonged　to　that　class　of　royalists　who　ceaselessly
remembered　that　they　were　beaten　and　robbed；　and　who　remained
thenceforth　dumb；　economical；　rancorous；　without　energy；　incapable　of
abjuring　the　past；　but　equally　incapable　of　sacrifice；　waiting　to
greet　triumphant　royalty；　true　to　religion　and　true　to　the　priesthood；
but　firmly　resolved　to　bear　in　silence　the　shocks　of　fate。　Such　an
attitude　cannot　be　considered　that　of　maintaining　opinions；　it　becomes
sheer　obstinacy。　Action　is　the　essence　of　party。　Without　intelligence；
but　loyal；　miserly　as　a　peasant　yet　noble　in　demeanor；　bold　in　his
wishes　but　discreet　in　word　and　action；　turning　all　things　to　profit；
willing　even　to　be　made　mayor　of　Cinq…Cygne；　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　was
an　admirable　representative　of　those　honorable　gentlemen　on　whose　brow
God　Himself　has　written　the　word　/mites/；Frenchmen　who　burrowed　in
their　country　homes　and　let　the　storms　of　the　Revolution　pass　above
their　heads；　who　came　once　more　to　the　surface　under　the　Restoration；
rich　with　their　hidden　savings；　proud　of　their　discreet　attachment　to
the　monarchy；　and　who；　after　1830；　recovered　their　estates。

Monsieur　d'Hauteserre's　costume；　expressive　envelope　of　his
distinctive　character；　described　to　the　eye　both　the　man　and　his
period。　He　always　wore　one　of　those　nut…colored　great…coats　with　small
collars　which　the　Duc　d'Orleans　made　the　fashion　after　his　return　from
England；　and　which　were；　during　the　Revolution；　a　sort　of　compromise
between　the　hideous　popular　garments　and　the　elegant　surtouts　of　the
aristocracy。　His　velvet　waistcoat　with　flowered　stripes；　the　style　of
which　recalled　those　of　Robespierre　and　Saint…Just；　showed　the　upper
part　of　a　shirt…frill　in　fine　plaits。　He　still　wore　breeches；　but　his
were　of　coarse　blue　cloth；　with　burnished　steel　buckles。　His　stockings
of　black　spun…silk　defined　his　deer…like　legs；　the　feet　of　which　were
shod　in　thick　shoes；　held　in　place　by　gaiters　of　black　cloth。　He
retained　the　former　fashion　of　a　muslin　cravat　in　innumerable　folds
fastened　by　a　gold　buckle　at　the　throat。　The　worthy　man　had　not
intended　an　act　of　political　eclecticism　in　adopting　this　costume；
which　combined　the　styles　of　peasant；　revolutionist；　and　aristocrat；
he　simply　and　innocently　obeyed　the　dictates　of　circumstances。

Madame　d'Hauteserre；　forty　years　of　age　and　wasted　by　emotions；　had　a
faded　face　which　seemed　to　be　always　posing　for　its　portrait。　A　lace
cap；　trimmed　with　bows　of　white　satin；　contributed　singularly　to　give
her　a　solemn　air。　She　still　wore　powder；　in　spite　of　a　white　kerchief；
and　a　gown　of　puce…colored　silk　with　tight　sleeves　and　full　skirt；　the
sad　last　garments　of　Marie…Antoinette。　Her　nose　was　pinched；　her　chin
sharp；　the　whole　face　nearly　triangular；　the　eyes　worn…out　with
weeping；　but　she　now　wore　a　touch　of　rouge　which　brightened　their
grayness。　She　took　snuff；　and　each　time　that　she　did　so　she　employed
all　the　pretty　precautions　of　the　fashionable　women　of　her　early　days；
the　details　of　this　snuff…taking　constituted　a　ceremony　which　could　be
explained　by　one　factshe　had　very　pretty　hands。

For　the　last　two　years　the　former　tutor　of　the　Simeuse　twins；　a　friend
of　the　late　Abbe　d'Hauteserre；　named　Goujet；　Abbe　des　Minimes；　had
taken　charge　of　the　parish　of　Cinq…Cygne　out　of　friendship　for　the
d'Hauteserres　and　the　young　countess。　His　sister；　Mademoiselle　Goujet；
who　possessed　a　little　income　of　seven　hundred　francs；　added　that　sum
to　the　meagre　salary　of　her　brother　and　kept　his　house。　Neither　church
nor　parsonage　had　been　sold　during　the　Revolution　on　account　of　their
small　value。　The　abbe　and　his　sister　lived　close　to　the　chateau；　for
the　wall　of　the　parsonage　garden　and　that　of　the　park　were　the　same　in
places。　Twice　a　week　the　pair　dined　at　the　chateau；　but　they　came
every　evening　to