the two brothers-第50节
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her room and stay there; both of you。 Sit down; gentlemen;〃 continued
the old man。 〃The mistake to which we owe your visit will soon; I
hope; be cleared up。〃
〃Even if it should be a mistake;〃 said Monsieur Mouilleron; 〃the
excitement of the crowd is so great; and their minds are so
exasperated; that I fear for the safety of the accused。 I should like
to get him arrested; and that might satisfy these people。〃
〃Who would ever have believed that Monsieur Maxence Gilet had inspired
so much affection in this town?〃 asked Lousteau…Prangin。
〃One of my men says there's a crowd of twelve hundred more just coming
in from the faubourg de Rome;〃 said the lieutenant of gendarmes; 〃and
they are threatening death to the assassin。〃
〃Where is your guest?〃 said Monsieur Mouilleron to Monsieur Hochon。
〃He has gone to walk in the country; I believe。〃
〃Call Gritte;〃 said the judge gravely。 〃I was in hopes he had not left
the house。 You are aware that the crime was committed not far from
here; at daybreak。〃
While Monsieur Hochon went to find Gritte; the three functionaries
looked at each other significantly。
〃I never liked that painter's face;〃 said the lieutenant to Monsieur
Mouilleron。
〃My good woman;〃 said the judge to Gritte; when she appeared; 〃they
say you saw Monsieur Joseph Bridau leave the house this morning?〃
〃Yes; monsieur;〃 she answered; trembling like a leaf。
〃At what hour?〃
〃Just as I was getting up: he walked about his room all night; and was
dressed when I came downstairs。〃
〃Was it daylight?〃
〃Barely。〃
〃Did he seem excited?〃
〃Yes; he was all of a twitter。〃
〃Send one of your men for my clerk;〃 said Lousteau…Prangin to the
lieutenant; 〃and tell him to bring warrants with him〃
〃Good God! don't be in such a hurry;〃 cried Monsieur Hochon。 〃The
young man's agitation may have been caused by something besides the
premeditation of this crime。 He meant to return to Paris to…day; to
attend to a matter in which Gilet and Mademoiselle Brazier had doubted
his honor。〃
〃Yes; the affair of the pictures;〃 said Monsieur Mouilleron。 〃Those
pictures caused a very hot quarrel between them yesterday; and it is a
word and a blow with artists; they tell me。〃
〃Who is there in Issoudun who had any object in killing Gilet?〃 said
Lousteau。 〃No one;neither a jealous husband nor anybody else; for
the fellow has never harmed a soul。〃
〃But what was Monsieur Gilet doing in the streets at four in the
morning?〃 remarked Monsieur Hochon。
〃Now; Monsieur Hochon; you must allow us to manage this affair in our
own way;〃 answered Mouilleron; 〃you don't know all: Gilet recognized
your painter。〃
At this instant a clamor was heard from the other end of the town;
growing louder and louder; like the roll of thunder; as it followed
the course of the Grande…Narette。
〃Here he is! here he is!he's arrested!〃
These words rose distinctly on the ear above the hoarse roar of the
populace。 Poor Joseph; returning quietly past the mill at Landrole
intending to get home in time for breakfast; was spied by the various
groups of people; as soon as he reached the place Misere。 Happily for
him; a couple of gendarmes arrived on a run in time to snatch him from
the inhabitants of the faubourg de Rome; who had already pinioned him
by the arms and were threatening him with death。
〃Give way! give way!〃 cried the gendarmes; calling to some of their
comrades to help them; and putting themselves one before and the other
behind Bridau。
〃You see; monsieur;〃 said the one who held the painter; 〃it concerns
our skin as well as yours at this moment。 Innocent or guilty; we must
protect you against the tumult raised by the murder of Captain Gilet。
And the crowd is not satisfied with suspecting you; they declare; hard
as iron; that you are the murderer。 Monsieur Gilet is adored by all
the people; wholook at them!want to take justice into their own
hands。 Ah! didn't we see them; in 1830; dusting the jackets of the
tax…gatherers? whose life isn't a bed of roses; anyway!〃
Joseph Bridau grew pale as death; and collected all his strength to
walk onward。
〃After all;〃 he said; 〃I am innocent。 Go on!〃
Poor artist! he was forced to bear his cross。 Amid the hooting and
insults and threats from the mob; he made the dreadful transit from
the place Misere to the place Saint…Jean。 The gendarmes were obliged
to draw their sabres on the furious mob; which pelted them with
stones。 One of the officers was wounded; and Joseph received several
of the missiles on his legs; and shoulders; and hat。
〃Here we are!〃 said one of the gendarmes; as they entered Monsieur
Hochon's hall; 〃and not without difficulty; lieutenant。〃
〃We must now manage to disperse the crowd; and I see but one way;
gentlemen;〃 said the lieutenant to the magistrates。 〃We must take
Monsieur Bridau to the Palais accompanied by all of you; I and my
gendarmes will make a circle round you。 One can't answer for anything
in presence of a furious crowd of six thousand〃
〃You are right;〃 said Monsieur Hochon; who was trembling all the while
for his gold。
〃If that's your only way to protect innocence in Issoudun;〃 said
Joseph; 〃I congratulate you。 I came near being stoned〃
〃Do you wish your friend's house to be taken by assault and pillaged?〃
asked the lieutenant。 〃Could we beat back with our sabres a crowd of
people who are pushed from behind by an angry populace that knows
nothing of the forms of justice?〃
〃That will do; gentlemen; let us go; we can come to explanations
later;〃 said Joseph; who had recovered his self…possession。
〃Give way; friends!〃 said the lieutenant to the crowd; 〃HE is
arrested; and we are taking him to the Palais。〃
〃Respect the law; friends!〃 said Monsieur Mouilleron。
〃Wouldn't you prefer to see him guillotined?〃 said one of the
gendarmes to an angry group。
〃Yes; yes; they shall guillotine him!〃 shouted one madman。
〃They are going to guillotine him!〃 cried the women。
By the time they reached the end of the Grande…Narette the crowd were
shouting: 〃They are taking him to the guillotine!〃 〃They found the
knife upon him!〃 〃That's what Parisians are!〃 〃He carries crime on his
face!〃
Though all Joseph's blood had flown to his head; he walked the
distance from the place Saint…Jean to the Palais with remarkable
calmness and self…possession。 Nevertheless; he was very glad to find
himself in the private office of Monsieur Lousteau…Prangin。
〃I need hardly tell you; gentlemen; that I am innocent;〃 said Joseph;
addressing Monsieur Mouilleron; Monsieur Lousteau…Prangin; and the
clerk。 〃I can only beg you to assist me in proving my innocence。 I
know nothing of this affair。〃
When the judge had stated all the suspicious facts which were against
him; ending with Max's declaration; Joseph was astounded。
〃But;〃 said he; 〃it was past five o'clock when I left the house。 I
went up the Grande rue; and at half…past five I was standing looking
up at the facade of the parish church of Saint…Cyr。 I talked there
with the sexton; who came to ring the angelus; and asked him for
information about the building; which seems to me fantastic and
incomplete。 Then I passed through the vegetable…market; where some
women had already assembled。 From there; crossing the place Misere; I
went as far as the mill of Landrole by the Pont aux Anes; where I
watched the ducks for five or six minutes; and the miller's men must
have noticed me。 I saw the women going to wash; they are probably
still there。 They made a little fun of me; and declared that I was not
handsome; I told them it was not all gold that glittered。 From there;
I followed the long avenue to Tivoli; where I talked with the
gardener。 Pray have these facts verified; and do not even arrest me;
for I give you my word of honor that I will stay quietly in this
office till you are convinced of my innocence。〃
These sensible words; said without the least hesitation; and with the
ease of a man who is perfectly sure of his facts; made some impression
on the magistrates。
〃Yes; we must find all these persons and summon them;〃 said Monsieur
Mouilleron; 〃but it is more than the affair of a day。 Make up your
mind; therefore; in your own interests; to be imprisoned in the
Palais。〃
〃Provided I can write to my mother; so as to reassure her; poor woman
oh! you can read the letter;〃 he added。
This request was too just not to be granted; and Joseph wrote the
following letter:
〃Do not be uneasy; dear mother; the mistake of which I am a victim
can easily be rectified; I have already given them the means of
doing so。 To…morrow; or perhaps this evening; I shall be at
liberty。 I kiss you; and beg you to say to Monsieur and Madame
Hochon how grieved I am at this affair; in which; however; I have
had no hand;it is the re