an historical mystery-第39部分

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the　Emperor；　and　another　of　ten　lines　to　Marechal　Duroc。　Then　he　rang
the　bell；　asked　his　secretary　for　a　diplomatic　passport；　and　said
tranquilly　to　the　old　lawyer；　〃What　is　your　honest　opinion　of　that
trial？〃

〃Do　you　know；　monseigneur；　who　was　at　the　bottom　of　this　cruel　wrong？〃

〃I　presume　I　do；　but　I　have　reasons　to　wish　for　certainty；〃　replied
Talleyrand。　〃Return　to　Troyes；　bring　me　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；
here；　to…morrow　at　the　same　hour；　but　secretly；　ask　to　be　ushered　into
Madame　de　Talleyrand's　salon；　I　will　tell　her　you　are　coming。　If
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　shall　be　placed　where　she　can　see　a
man　who　will　be　standing　before　me；　recognizes　that　man　as　an
individual　who　came　to　her　house　during　the　conspiracy　of　de　Polignac
and　Riviere；　tell　her　to　remember　that；　no　matter　what　I　say　or　what
he　answers　me；　she　must　not　utter　a　word　nor　make　a　gesture。　One　thing
more；　think　only　of　saving　the　de　Simeuse　brothers；　don't　embarrass
yourself　with　that　scoundrel　of　a　bailiff〃

〃A　sublime　man；　monseigneur！〃　exclaimed　Bordin。

〃Enthusiasm！　in　you；　Bordin！　The　man　must　be　remarkable。　Our　sovereign
has　an　immense　self…love；　Monsieur　le　marquis；〃　he　said；　changing　the
conversation。　〃He　is　about　to　dismiss　me　that　he　may　commit　follies
without　warning。　The　Emperor　is　a　great　soldier　who　can　change　the
laws　of　time　and　distance；　but　he　cannot　change　men；　yet　he　persists
in　trying　to　run　them　in　his　own　mould！　Now；　remember　this；　the　young
men's　pardon　can　be　obtained　by　one　person　onlyMademoiselle　de　Cinq…
Cygne。〃

The　marquis　went　alone　to　Troyes　and　told　the　whole　matter　to
Laurence。　She　obtained　permission　from　the　authorities　to　see　Michu；
and　the　marquis　accompanied　her　to　the　gates　of　the　prison；　where　he
waited　for　her。　When　she　came　out　her　face　was　bathed　in　tears。

〃Poor　man！〃　she　said；　〃he　tried　to　kneel　to　me；　praying　that　I　would
not　think　of　him；　and　forgetting　the　shackles　that　were　on　his　feet！
Ah；　marquis；　I　/will/　plead　his　cause。　Yes；　I'll　kiss　the　boot　of
their　Emperor。　If　I　failwell；　the　memory　of　that　man　shall　live
eternally　honored　in　our　family。　Present　his　petition　for　mercy　so　as
to　gain　time；　meantime　I　am　resolved　to　have　his　portrait。　Come；　let
us　go。〃

The　next　day；　when　Talleyrand　was　informed　by　a　sign　agreed　upon　that
Laurence　was　at　her　post；　he　rang　the　bell；　his　orderly　came　to　him；
and　received　orders　to　admit　Monsieur　Corentin。

〃My　friend；　you　are　a　very　clever　fellow；〃　said　Talleyrand；　〃and　I
wish　to　employ　you。〃

〃Monsiegneur〃

〃Listen。　In　serving　Fouche　you　will　get　money；　but　never　honor　nor　any
position　you　can　acknowledge。　But　in　serving　me；　as　you　have　lately
done　at　Berlin；　you　can　win　credit　and　repute。〃

〃Monseigneur　is　very　good。〃

〃You　displayed　genius　in　that　late　affair　at　Gondreville。〃

〃To　what　does　Monseigneur　allude？〃　said　Corentin；　with　a　manner　that
was　neither　too　reserved　nor　too　surprised。

〃Ah；　Monsieur！〃　observed　the　minister；　dryly；　〃you　will　never　make　a
successful　man；　you　fear〃

〃What；　monseigneur？〃

〃Death！〃　replied　Talleyrand；　in　his　fine；　deep　voice。　〃Adieu；　my　good
friend。〃

〃That　is　the　man；〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　entering　the　room
after　Corentin　was　dismissed；　〃but　we　have　nearly　killed　the
countess。〃

〃He　is　the　only　man　I　know　capable　of　playing　such　a　trick；〃　replied
the　minister。　〃Monsieur　le　marquis；　you　are　in　danger　of　not
succeeding　in　your　mission。　Start　ostensibly　for　Strasburg；　I'll　send
you　double　passports　in　blank　to　be　filled　out。　Provide　yourself　with
substitutes；　change　your　route　and　above　all　your　carriage；　let　your
substitutes　go　on　to　Strasburg；　and　do　you　reach　Prussia　through
Switzerland　and　Bavaria。　Not　a　wordprudence！　The　police　are　against
you；　and　you　do　not　know　what　the　police　are〃

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　offered　the　then　celebrated　Robert　Lefebvre
a　sufficient　sum　to　induce　him　to　go　to　Troyes　and　take　Michu's
portrait。　Monsieur　de　Grandville　promised　to　afford　the　painter　every
possible　facility。　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　then　started　in　the　old
/berlingot/；　with　Laurence　and　a　servant　who　spoke　German。　Not　far
from　Nancy　they　overtook　Mademoiselle　Goujet　and　Gothard；　who　had
preceded　them　in　an　excellent　carriage；　which　the　marquis　took；　giving
them　in　exchange　the　/berlingot/。

Talleyrand　was　right。　At　Strasburg　the　commissary…general　of　police
refused　to　countersign　the　passport　of　the　travellers；　and　gave　them
positive　orders　to　return。　By　that　time　the　marquis　and　Laurence　were
leaving　France　by　way　of　Besancon　with　the　diplomatic　passport。

Laurence　crossed　Switzerland　in　the　first　days　of　October；　without
paying　the　slightest　attention　to　that　glorious　land。　She　lay　back　in
the　carriage　in　the　torpor　which　overtakes　a　criminal　on　the　eve　of
his　execution。　To　her　eyes　all　nature　was　shrouded　in　a　seething
vapor；　even　common　things　assumed　fantastic　shapes。　The　one　thought；
〃If　I　do　not　succeed　they　will　kill　themselves；〃　fell　upon　her　soul
with　reiterated　blows；　as　the　bar　of　the　executioner　fell　upon　the
victim's　members　when　tortured　on　the　wheel。　She　felt　herself
breaking；　she　lost　her　energy　in　this　terrible　waiting　for　the　cruel
moment；　short　and　decisive；　when　she　should　find　herself　face　to　face
with　that　man　on　whom　the　fate　of　the　condemned　depended。　She　chose　to
yield　to　her　depression　rather　than　waste　her　strength　uselessly。　The
marquis；　who　was　incapable　of　understanding　this　resolve　of　firm
minds；　which　often　assumes　quite　diverse　aspects　（for　in　such　moments
of　tension　certain　superior　minds　give　way　to　surprising　gaiety）；
began　to　fear　that　he　might　never　bring　Laurence　alive　to　the
momentous　interview；　solemn　to　them　only；　and　yet　beyond　the　ordinary
limits　of　private　life。　To　Laurence；　the　necessity　of　humiliating
herself　before　that　man；　the　object　of　her　hatred　and　contempt；　meant
the　sacrifice　of　all　her　noblest　feelings。

〃After　this；〃　she　said；　〃the　Laurence　who　survives　will　bear　no
likeness　to　her　who　is　now　to　perish。〃

The　travellers　could　not　fail　to　be　aware　of　the　vast　movement　of　men
and　material　which　surrounded　them　the　moment　they　entered　Prussia。
The　campaign　of　Jena　had　just　begun。　Laurence　and　the　marquis　beheld
the　magnificent　divisions　of　the　French　army　deploying　and　parading　as
if　at　the　Tuileries。　In　this　display　of　military　power；　which　can　be
adequately　described　only　with　the　words　and　images　of　the　Bible；　the
proportions　of　the　Man　whose　spirit　moved　these　masses　grew　gigantic
to　Laurence's　imagination。　Soon；　the　cry　of　victory　resounded　in　her
ears。　The　Imperial　arms　had　just　obtained　two　signal　advantages。　The
Prince　of　Prussia　had　been　killed　the　evening　before　the　day　on　which
the　travellers　arrived　at　Saalfeld　on　their　endeavor　to　overtake
Napoleon；　who　was　marching　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。

At　last；　on　the　13th　of　October　（date　of　ill…omen）　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne　was　skirting　a　river　in　the　midst　of　the　Grand　Army；　seeing
nought　but　confusion；　sent　hither　and　thither　from　one　village　to
another；　from　division　to　division；　frightened　at　finding　herself
alone　with　one　old　man　tossed　about　in　an　ocean　of　a　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　armed　men　facing　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　more。　Weary　of
watching　the　river　through　the　hedges　of　the　muddy　road　which　she　was
following　along　a　hillside；　she　asked　its　name　of　a　passing　soldier。

〃That's　the　Saale；〃　he　said；　showing　her　the　Prussian　army；　grouped　in
great　masses　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。

Night　came　on。　Laurence　beheld　the　camp…fires　lighted　and　the　glitter
of　stacked　arms。　The　old　marquis；　whose　courage　was　chivalric；　drove
the　horses　himself　（two　strong　beasts　bought　the　evening　before）；　his
servant　sitting　beside　him。　He　knew　very　well　he　should　find　neither
horses　nor　postilions　within　the　lines　of　the　army。　Suddenly　the　bold
equipage；　an　object　of　great　astonishment　to　the　soldiers；　was　stopped
by　a　gendarme　of　the　military　gendarmerie；　who　galloped　up　to　the
carriage；　calling　out　to　the　marquis：　〃Who　are　you？　where　are　you
going？　what　do　you　want？〃

〃The　Emperor；〃　replied　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　〃I　have　an
important　dispatch　for　the　Grand…marechal　Duroc。〃

〃Well；　you　can't　stay　here；〃　said　the　gendarme。

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　marquis　were；　however；　compelled　to
remain　where　they　were　on　account　of　the　darkness。

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked；　stopping　two　officers　whom　she　saw　passing；
whose　uniforms　were　concealed　by　cloth　overcoats。

〃You　are　among　the　advanced　guard　of　the　French　army；〃　answered　one　of
the　officers。　〃You　cannot　stay　here；　for　if　the　enemy　makes　a　movement
and　the　artillery　opens　you　will　be　between　two　fires。〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　with　an　indifferent　air。

Hearing　that　〃Ah！〃　the　other　officer　turned　and　said：　〃How　did　that
woman　come　here？〃

〃We　are　waiting；〃　said　Laurence；　〃for　a　gendarme　who　has　gone　to　find
General　Duroc；　a　protector　who　will　enable　us　to　speak　to　the
Emperor。〃

〃Speak　to　the　Emperor！〃　exclaimed　the　first　officer；　〃how　can　you
think　of　such　a　thingon　the　eve　of　a　decisive　battle？〃

〃True；〃　she　said；　〃I　ought　to　speak　to　him　on　the　morrowvictory
would　make　him　kind。〃

The　two　officers　stationed　themselves　at　a　little　distance　and　sat
motionless　on　their　horses。　The　carriage　was　now　surrounded　by　a　mass
of　generals；　marshals；　and　other　officers；　all　extremely　brilliant　in
appearance；　who　appeared　to　pay　deference　to　the　carriage　merely
because　it　was　there。

〃Good　God！〃　said　the　marquis　to　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　〃I　am
afraid　you　spoke　to　the　Emperor。〃

〃The　Emperor？〃　said　a　colonel；　beside　them；　〃why　there　he　is！〃
pointing　to　the　officer　who　had　said；　〃How　did　that　woman　get　here？〃
He　was　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　richly　caparisoned；　and　wore　the
celebrated　gray　top…coat　over　his　green　uniform。　He　was　scanning　with
a　field…glass　the　Prussian　army　massed　beyond　the　Saale。　Laurence
understood　then　why　the　carriage　remained　there；　and　why　the　Emperor's
escort　respected　it。　She　was　seized　with　a　convulsive　tremorthe　hour
had　come！　She　heard　the　heavy　sound　of　the　tramp　of　men　and　the　clang
of　their　arms　as　they　arrived　at　a　quick　step　on　the　p