an historical mystery-第6部分

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In　all　the　chief　circumstances　of　Malin's　life　he　had　never　failed　to
consult　his　faithful　friend　Grevin；　the　notary　of　Arcis；　whose
judgment　on　men　and　things　was；　at　a　distance；　clear…cut　and　precise。
This　faculty　is　the　wisdom　and　makes　the　strength　of　second…rate　men。
Now；　in　November；　1803；　a　combination　of　events　（already　related　in
the　〃Depute　d'Arcis〃）　made　matters　so　serious　for　the　Councillor　of
State　that　a　letter　might　have　compromised　the　two　friends。　Malin；　who
hoped　to　be　appointed　senator；　was　afraid　to　offer　his　explanations　in
Paris。　He　came　to　Gondreville；　giving　the　First　Consul　only　one　of　the
reasons　that　made　him　wish　to　be　there；　that　reason　gave　him　an
appearance　of　zeal　in　the　eyes　of　Bonaparte；　whereas　his　journey；　far
from　concerning　the　interests　of　the　State；　related　to　his　own
interests　only。　On　this　particular　day；　as　Michu　was　watching　the　park
and　expecting；　after　the　manner　of　a　red　Indian；　a　propitious　moment
for　his　vengeance；　the　astute　Malin；　accustomed　to　turn　all　events　to
his　own　profit；　was　leading　his　friend　Grevin　to　a　little　field　in　the
English　garden；　a　lonely　spot　in　the　park；　favorable　for　a　secret
conference。　There；　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　grass　plot　and
speaking　low；　the　friends　were　at　too　great　a　distance　to　be　overheard
if　any　one　were　lurking　near　enough　to　listen　to　them；　they　were　also
sure　of　time　to　change　the　conversation　if　others　unwarily　approached。

〃Why　couldn't　we　have　stayed　in　a　room　in　the　chateau？〃　asked　Grevin。

〃Didn't　you　take　notice　of　those　two　men　whom　the　prefect　of　police
has　sent　here　to　me？〃

Though　Fouche　made　himself　in　the　matter　of　the　Pichegru；　Georges；
Moreau；　and　Polignac　conspiracy　the　soul　of　the　Consular　cabinet；　he
did　not　at　this　time　control　the　ministry　of　police；　but　was　merely　a
councillor　of　State　like　Malin。

〃Those　men；〃　continued　Malin；　〃are　Fouche's　two　arms。　One；　that　dandy
Corentin；　whose　face　is　like　a　glass　of　lemonade；　vinegar　on　his　lips
and　verjuice　in　his　eyes；　put　an　end　to　the　insurrection　at　the　West
in　the　year　VII。　in　less　than　fifteen　days。　The　other　is　a　disciple　of
Lenoir；　he　is　the　only　one　who　preserves　the　great　traditions　of　the
police。　I　had　asked　for　an　agent　of　no　great　account；　backed　by　some
official　personage；　and　they　send　me　those　past…masters　of　the
business！　Ah；　Grevin；　Fouche　wants　to　pry　into　my　game。　That's　why　I
left　those　fellows　dining　at　the　chateau；　they　may　look　into
everything　for　all　I　care；　they　won't　find　Louis　XVIII。　nor　any　sign
of　him。〃

〃But　see　here；　my　dear　fellow；　what　game　are　you　playing？〃　cried
Grevin。

〃Ha；　my　friend；　a　double　game　is　a　dangerous　one；　but　this；　taking
Fouche　into　account；　is　a　triple　one。　He　may　have　nosed　the　fact　that
I　am　in　the　secrets　of　the　house　of　Bourbon。〃

〃You？〃

〃I；〃　replied　Malin。

〃Have　you　forgotten　Favras？〃

The　words　made　an　impression　on　the　councillor。

〃Since　when？〃　asked　Grevin；　after　a　pause。

〃Since　the　Consulate　for　life。〃

〃I　hope　there's　no　proof　of　it？〃

〃Not　that！〃　said　Malin；　clicking　his　thumb…nail　against　his　teeth。

In　few　words　the　Councillor　of　State　gave　a　clear　and　succinct　account
of　the　critical　position　in　which　Bonaparte　was　about　to　hold　England；
by　threatening　her　with　invasion　from　the　camp　at　Boulogne；　he
explained　to　Grevin　the　bearings　of　that　project；　which　was　unobserved
by　France　and　Europe　but　suspected　by　Pitt；　also　the　critical　position
in　which　England　was　about　to　put　Bonaparte。　A　powerful　coalition；
Prussia；　Austria；　and　Russia；　paid　by　English　gold；　was　pledged　to
furnish　seven　hundred　thousand　men　under　arms。　At　the　same　time　a
formidable　conspiracy　was　throwing　a　network　over　the　whole　of　France；
including　among　its　members　montagnards；　chouans；　royalists；　and　their
princes。

〃Louis　XVIII。　held　that　as　long　as　there　were　three　Consuls　anarchy
was　certain；　and　that　he　could　at　some　opportune　moment　take　his
revenge　for　the　13th　Vendemiaire　and　the　18th　Fructidor；〃　said　Malin；
〃but　the　Consulate　for　life　has　unmasked　Bonaparte's　intentionshe
will　soon　be　emperor。　The　late　sub…lieutenant　means　to　create　a
dynasty！　This　time　his　life　is　in　actual　danger；　and　the　plot　is　far
better　laid　than　that　of　the　Rue　Saint…Nicaise。　Pichegru；　Georges；
Moreau；　the　Duc　d'Enghien；　Polignac　and　Riviere；　the　two　friends　of
the　Comte　d'Artois　are　in　it。〃

〃What　an　amalgamation！〃　cried　Grevin。

〃France　is　being　silently　invaded；　no　stone　is　left　unturned；　the
thing　will　be　carried　with　a　rush。　A　hundred　picked　men；　commanded　by
Georges；　are　to　attack　the　Consular　guard　and　the　Consul　hand　to
hand。〃

〃Well　then；　denounce　them。〃

〃For　the　last　two　months　the　Consul；　his　minister　of　police；　the
prefect　and　Fouche；　hold　some　of　the　clues　of　this　vast　conspiracy；
but　they　don't　know　its　full　extent；　and　at　this　particular　moment
they　are　leaving　nearly　all　the　conspirators　free；　so　as　to　discover
more　about　it。〃

〃As　to　rights；〃　said　the　notary；　〃the　Bourbons　have　much　more　right　to
conceive；　plan；　and　execute　a　scheme　against　Bonaparte；　than　Bonaparte
had　on　the　18th　Brumaire　against　the　Republic；　whose　product　he　was。
He　murdered　his　mother　on　that　occasion；　but　these　royalists　only　seek
to　recover　what　was　theirs。　I　can　understand　that　the　princes　and
their　adherents；　seeing　the　lists　of　the　/emigres/　closed；　mortgages
suppressed；　the　Catholic　faith　restored；　anti…revolutionary　decrees
accumulating；　should　begin　to　see　that　their　return　is　becoming
difficult；　not　to　say　impossible。　Bonaparte　being　the　sole　obstacle
now　in　their　way；　they　want　to　get　rid　of　himnothing　simpler。
Conspirators　if　defeated　are　brigands；　if　successful；　heroes；　and　your
perplexity　seems　to　me　very　natural。〃

〃The　matter　now　is；〃　said　Malin；　〃to　make　Bonaparte　fling　the　head　of
the　Duc　d'Enghien　at　the　Bourbons；　just　as　the　Convention　flung　the
head　of　Louis　XVI。　at　the　kings；　so　as　to　commit　him　as　fully　as　we
are　to　the　Revolution；　/or　else/；　we　must　upset　the　idol　of　the　French
people　and　their　future　emperor；　and　seat　the　true　throne　upon　his
ruins。　I　am　at　the　mercy　of　some　event；　some　fortunate　pistol…shot；
some　infernal　machine　which　does　its　work。　Even　I　don't　know　the　whole
conspiracy；　they　don't　tell　me　all；　but　they　have　asked　me　to　call　the
Council　of　State　at　the　critical　moment　and　direct　its　action　towards
the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons。〃

〃Wait；〃　said　the　notary。

〃Impossible！　I　am　compelled　to　make　my　decision　at　once。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Well；　the　Simeuse　brothers　are　in　the　conspiracy；　they　are　here　in
the　neighborhood；　I　must　either　have　them　watched；　let　them　compromise
themselves；　and　so　be　rid　of　them；　or　else　I　must　privately　protect
them。　I　asked　the　prefect　for　underlings　and　he　has　sent　me　lynxes；
who　came　through　Troyes　and　have　got　the　gendarmerie　to　support　them。〃

〃Gondreville　is　your　real　object；〃　said　Grevin；　〃and　this　conspiracy
your　best　chance　of　keeping　it。　Fouche；　Talleyrand；　and　those　two
fellows　have　nothing　to　do　with　that。　Therefore　play　fair　with　them。
What　nonsense！　those　who　cut　Louis　XVI。's　head　off　are　in　the
government；　France　is　full　of　men　who　have　bought　national　property；
and　yet　you　talk　of　bringing　back　those　who　would　require　you　to　give
up　Gondreville！　If　the　Bourbons　were　not　imbeciles　they　would　pass　a
sponge　over　all　we　have　done。　Warn　Bonaparte；　that's　my　advice。〃

〃A　man　of　my　rank　can't　denounce；〃　said　Malin；　quickly。

〃Your　rank！〃　exclaimed　Grevin；　smiling。

〃They　have　offered　to　make　me　Keeper　of　the　Seals。〃

〃Ah！　Now　I　understand　your　bewilderment；　and　it　is　for　me　to　see　clear
in　this　political　darkness　and　find　a　way　out　for　you。　Now；　it　is
quite　impossible　to　foresee　what　events　may　happen　to　bring　back　the
Bourbons　when　a　General　Bonaparte　is　in　possession　of　eighty　line　of
battle　ships　and　four　hundred　thousand　men。　The　most　difficult　thing
of　all　in　expectant　politics　is　to　know　when　a　power　that　totters　will
fall；　but；　my　old　man；　Bonaparte's　power　is　not　tottering；　it　is　in
the　ascendant。　Don't　you　think　that　Fouche　may　be　sounding　you　so　as
to　get　to　the　bottom　of　your　mind；　and　then　get　rid　of　you？〃

〃No；　I　am　sure　of　my　go…between。　Besides；　Fouche　would　never；　under
those　circumstances；　send　me　such　fellows　as　these；　he　would　know　they
would　make　me　suspicious。〃

〃They　alarm　me；〃　said　Grevin。　〃If　Fouche　does　not　distrust　you；　and　is
not　seeking　to　probe　you；　why　does　he　send　them？　Fouche　doesn't　play
such　a　trick　as　that　without　a　motive；　what　is　it？〃

〃What　decides　me；〃　said　Malin；　〃is　that　I　should　never　be　easy　with
those　two　Simeuse　brothers　in　France。　Perhaps　Fouche；　who　knows　how　I
am　placed　towards　them；　wants　to　make　sure　they　don't　escape　him；　and
hopes　through　them　to　reach　the　Condes。〃

〃That's　right；　old　fellow；　it　is　not　under　Bonaparte　that　the　present
possessor　of　Gondreville　can　be　ousted。〃

Just　then　Malin；　happening　to　look　up；　saw　the　muzzle　of　a　gun　through
the　foliage　of　a　tall　linden。

〃I　was　not　mistaken；　I　thought　I　heard　the　click　of　a　trigger；〃　he
said　to　Grevin；　after　getting　behind　the　trunk　of　a　large　tree；　where
the　notary；　uneasy　at　his　friend's　sudden　movement；　followed　him。

〃It　is　Michu；〃　said　Grevin；　〃I　see　his　red　beard。〃

〃Don't　let　us　seem　afraid；〃　said　Malin；　who　walked　slowly　away；　saying
at　intervals：　〃Why　is　that　man　so　bitter　against　the　owners　of　this
property？　It　was　not　you　he　was　covering。　If　he　overheard　us　he　had
better　ask　the　prayers　of　the　congregation！　Who　the　devil　would　have
thought　of　looking　up　into　the　trees！〃

〃There's　always　something　to　learn；〃　said　the　notary。　〃But　he　was　a
good　distance　off；　and　we　spoke　low。〃

〃I　shall　tell　Corentin　about　it；〃　replied　Malin。



CHAPTER　III

THE　MASK　THROWN　OFF

A　few　moments　later　Michu　returned　home；　his　face　pale；　his　features
contracted。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　his　wife；　frightened。

〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　seeing　Violette　whose　presence　silenced　him。

Michu　took　a　chair　and　sat　down　quietly　before　the　fire；　into　which　he
threw　a　letter　which　he　drew　from　a　tin　tube　such　as　are　given　to
soldiers　to　hold　their　papers。　This　act；　which　enabled　Marthe　to　draw
a　long　breath　like　on