an historical mystery-第31部分

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the　crime　and　the　negative　results　of　the　inquiries。　The　forest；
searched　throughout；　the　department　of　the　Aube；　ransacked　from　end　to
end；　gave　not　the　slightest　indication　of　the　passage　of　the　Comte　de
Gondreville　nor　of　his　imprisonment。　Napoleon　sent　for　the　chief
justice；　who；　after　obtaining　certain　information　from　the　ministry　of
police；　explained　to　his　Majesty　the　position　of　Malin　in　regard　to
the　Simeuse　brothers　and　the　Gondreville　estate。　The　Emperor；　at　that
time　pre…occupied　with　serious　matters；　considered　the　affair
explained　by　these　anterior　facts。

〃Those　young　men　are　fools；〃　he　said。　〃A　lawyer　like　Malin　will　escape
any　deed　they　may　force　him　to　sign　under　violence。　Watch　those
nobles；　and　discover　the　means　they　take　to　set　the　Comte　de
Gondreville　at　liberty。〃

He　ordered　the　affair　to　be　conducted　with　the　utmost　celerity；
regarding　it　as　an　attack　on　his　own　institutions；　a　fatal　example　of
resistance　to　the　results　of　the　Revolution；　an　effort　to　open　the
great　question　of　the　sales　of　〃national　property；〃　and　a　hindrance　to
that　fusion　of　parties　which　was　the　constant　object　of　his　home
policy。　Besides　all　this；　he　thought　himself　tricked　by　these　young
nobles；　who　had　given　him　their　promise　to　live　peaceably。

〃Fouche's　prediction　has　come　true；〃　he　cried；　remembering　the　words
uttered　two　years　earlier　by　his　present　minister　of　police；　who　said
them　under　the　impressions　conveyed　to　him　by　Corentin's　report　as　to
the　character　and　designs　of　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。

It　is　impossible　for　persons　living　under　a　constitutional　government；
where　no　one　really　cares　for　that　cold　and　thankless；　blind；　deaf
Thing　called　public　interest；　to　imagine　the　zeal　which　a　mere　word　of
the　Emperor　was　able　to　inspire　in　his　political　or　administrative
machine。　That　powerful　will　seemed　to　impress　itself　as　much　upon
things　as　upon　men。　His　decision　once　uttered；　the　Emperor；　overtaken
by　the　coalition　of　1806；　forgot　the　whole　matter。　He　thought　only　of
new　battles　to　fight；　and　his　mind　was　occupied　in　massing　his
regiments　to　strike　the　great　blow　at　the　heart　of　the　Prussian
monarchy。　His　desire　for　prompt　justice　in　the　present　case　found
powerful　assistance　in　the　great　uncertainty　which　affected　the
position　of　all　magistrates　of　the　Empire。　Just　at　this　time
Cambaceres；　as　arch…chancellor；　and　Regnier；　chief　justice；　were
preparing　to　organize　/tribunaux　de　premiere　instance/　（lower　civil
courts）；　imperial　courts；　and　a　court　of　appeal　or　supreme　court。　They
were　agitating　the　question　of　a　legal　garb　or　costume；　to　which
Napoleon　attached；　and　very　justly；　so　much　importance　in　all　official
stations；　and　they　were　also　inquiring　into　the　character　of　the
persons　composing　the　magistracy。　Naturally；　therefore；　the　officials
of　the　department　of　the　Aube　considered　they　could　have　no　better
recommendation　than　to　give　proofs　of　their　zeal　in　the　matter　of　the
abduction　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville。　Napoleon's　suppositions　became
certainties　to　these　courtiers　and　also　to　the　populace。

Peace　still　reigned　on　the　continent；　admiration　for　the　Emperor　was
unanimous　in　France；　he　cajoled　all　interests；　persons；　vanities；　and
things；　in　short；　everything；　even　memories。　This　attack；　therefore；
directed　against　his　senator；　seemed　in　the　eyes　of　all　an　assault
upon　the　public　welfare。　The　luckless　and　innocent　gentlemen　were　the
objects　of　general　opprobrium。　A　few　nobles　living　quietly　on　their
estates　deplored　the　affair　among　themselves　but　dared　not　open　their
lips；　in　fact；　how　was　it　possible　for　them　to　oppose　the　current　of
public　opinion。　Throughout　the　department　the　deaths　of　the　eleven
persons　killed　by　the　Simeuse　brothers　in　1792　from　the　windows　of　the
hotel　Cinq…Cygne　were　brought　up　against　them。　It　was　feared　that
other　returned　and　now　emboldened　/emigres/　might　follow　this　example
of　violence　against　those　who　had　bought　their　estates　from　the
〃national　domain；〃　as　a　method　of　protesting　against　what　they　might
call　an　unjust　spoliation。

The　unfortunate　young　nobles　were　therefore　considered　as　robbers；
brigands；　murderers；　and　their　connection　with　Michu　was　particularly
fatal　to　them。　Michu；　who　was　declared；　either　he　or　his　father…in…
law；　to　have　cut　off　all　the　heads　that　fell　under　the　Terror　in　that
department；　was　made　the　subject　of　ridiculous　tales。　The　exasperation
of　the　public　mind　was　all　the　more　intense　because　nearly　all　the
functionaries　of　the　department　owed　their　offices　to　Malin。　No
generous　voice　uplifted　itself　against　the　verdict　of　the　public。
Besides　all　this；　the　accused　had　no　legal　means　with　which　to　combat
prejudice；　for　the　Code　of　Brumaire；　year　IV。；　giving　as　it　did　both
the　prosecution　of　a　charge　and　the　verdict　upon　it　into　the　hands　of
a　jury；　deprived　the　accused　of　the　vast　protection　of　an　appeal
against　legal　suspicion。

The　day　after　the　arrest　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau　of　Cinq…
Cygne；　both　masters　and　servants；　were　summoned　to　appear　before　the
prosecuting　jury。　Cinq…Cygne　was　left　in　charge　of　a　farmer；　under　the
supervision　of　the　abbe　and　his　sister　who　moved　into　it。　Mademoiselle
de　Cinq…Cygne；　with　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　went　to　Troyes
and　occupied　a　small　house　belonging　to　Durieu　in　one　of　the　long　and
wide　faubourgs　which　lead　from　the　little　town。　Laurence's　heart　was
wrung　when　she　at　last　comprehended　the　temper　of　the　populace；　the
malignity　of　the　bourgeoisie；　and　the　hostility　of　the　administration；
from　the　many　little　events　which　happened　to　them　as　relatives　of
prisoners　accused　of　criminal　wrong…doing　and　about　to　be　judged　in　a
provincial　town。　Instead　of　hearing　encouraging　or　compassionate　words
they　heard　only　speeches　which　called　for　vengeance；　proofs　of　hatred
surrounded　them　in　place　of　the　strict　politeness　or　the　reserve
required　by　mere　decency；　but　above　all　they　were　conscious　of　an
isolation　which　every　mind　must　feel；　but　more　particularly　those
which　are　made　distrustful　by　misfortune。

Laurence；　who　had　recovered　her　vigor　of　mind；　relied　upon　the
innocence　of　the　accused；　and　despised　the　community　too　much　to　be
frightened　by　the　stern　and　silent　disapproval　they　met　with
everywhere。　She　sustained　the　courage　of　Monsieur　and　Madame
d'Hauteserre；　all　the　while　thinking　of　the　judicial　struggle　which
was　now　being　hurried　on。　She　was；　however；　to　receive　a　blow　she
little　expected；　which；　undoubtedly；　diminished　her　courage。

In　the　midst　of　this　great　disaster；　at　the　moment　when　this　afflicted
family　were　made　to　feel　themselves；　as　it　were；　in　a　desert；　a　man
suddenly　became　exalted　in　Laurence's　eyes　and　showed　the　full　beauty
of　his　character。　The　day　after　the　indictment　was　found　by　the　jury；
and　the　prisoners　were　finally　committed　for　trial；　the　Marquis　de
Chargeboeuf　courageously　appeared；　still　in　the　same　old　caleche；　to
support　and　protect　his　young　cousin。　Foreseeing　the　haste　with　which
the　law　would　be　administered；　this　chief　of　a　great　family　had
already　gone　to　Paris　and　secured　the　services　of　the　most　able　as
well　as　the　most　honest　lawyer　of　the　old　school；　named　Bordin；　who
was　for　ten　years　counsel　of　the　nobility　in　Paris；　and　was　ultimately
succeeded　by　the　celebrated　Derville。　This　excellent　lawyer　chose　for
his　assistant　the　grandson　of　a　former　president　of　the　parliament　of
Normandy；　whose　studies　had　been　made　under　his　tuition。　This　young
lawyer；　who　was　destined　to　be　appointed　deputy…attorney…general　in
Paris　after　the　conclusion　of　the　present　trial；　became　eventually　one
of　the　most　celebrated　of　French　magistrates。　Monsieur　de　Grandville；
for　that　was　his　name；　accepted　the　defence　of　the　four　young　men；
being　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　make　his　first　appearance　as　an
advocate　with　distinction。

The　old　marquis；　alarmed　at　the　ravages　which　troubles　had　wrought　in
Laurence's　appearance；　was　charmingly　kind　and　considerate。　He　made　no
allusion　to　his　neglected　advice；　he　presented　Bordin　as　an　oracle
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　pronoun