the brotherhood of consolation-第22节

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　　accompanied　by　Ratel；　Mallet；　and　the　girl　Godard。　She　makes　the
　　journey　by　night。　She　has　a　conference　alone　with　one　of　the
　　brothers　Chaussard；　an　excited　conference。　She　is　armed　with　a
　　pistol；　and　threatens　to　blow　out　the　brains　of　her　accomplice　if
　　he　refuses　the　money。　Then　he　goes　with　her　into　the　forest；　and
　　they　return　with　a　heavy　bag　of　coin。　In　the　bag　are　copper　coins
　　and　twelve…sous　silver　pieces　to　the　amount　of　fifteen　hundred
　　francs。

　　When　the　woman　Bryond　returns　to　Alencon　the　accomplices　propose
　　to　go　in　a　body　to　the　Chaussards'　house　and　torture　them　until
　　they　deliver　up　the　whole　sum。

　　When　Pannier　hears　of　this　failure　he　is　furious。　He　threatens。
　　The　woman　Bryond；　though　threatening　him　in　return　with　Rifoel's
　　wrath；　is　forced　to　fly。

　　These　facts　rest　on　the　confession　of　Ratel。

　　Mallet；　pitying　the　woman　Bryond's　position；　offers　her　an　asylum。
　　Then　Mallet　and　Ratel；　accompanied　by　Hiley　and　Cibot；　go　at　night
　　to　the　brothers　Chaussard；　this　time　they　find　these　brothers　have
　　left　the　place　and　have　taken　the　rest　of　the　money　with　them。

　　This　was　the　last　effort　of　the　accomplices　to　recover　the
　　proceeds　of　the　robbery。

　　It　now　becomes　necessary　to　show　the　exact　part　taken　by　each　of
　　the　actors　in　this　crime。

　　Dubut；　Boislaurier；　Herbomez；　Courceuil；　and　Hiley　were　the
　　ringleaders。　Some　deliberated　and　planned；　others　acted。

　　Boislaurier；　Dubut；　and　Courceuil；　all　three　fugitives　from
　　justice　and　outlawed；　are　addicted　to　rebellion；　fomenters　of
　　trouble；　implacable　enemies　of　Napoleon　the　Great；　his　victories；
　　his　dynasty；　and　his　government；　haters　of　our　new　laws　and　of　the
　　constitution　of　the　Empire。

　　Herbomez　and　Hiley　audaciously　executed　that　which　the　three
　　former　planned。

　　The　guilt　of　the　seven　instruments　of　the　crime；　namely；　Cibot；
　　Lisieux；　Grenier；　Bruce；　Horeau；　Cabot；　and　Minard；　is　evident；　it
　　appears　from　the　confessions　of　those　of　them　who　are　now　in　the
　　hands　of　justice；　Lisieux　died　during　the　investigation；　and　Bruce
　　has　fled　the　country。

　　The　conduct　of　Rousseau；　who　drove　the　coach；　marks　him　as　an
　　accomplice。　His　slow　method　of　driving；　his　haste　at　the　entrance
　　of　the　wood；　his　persistent　declaration　that　his　head　was　covered；
　　whereas　the　passengers　testify　that　the　leader　of　the　brigands
　　told　him　to　take　the　handkerchief　off　his　head　and　recognize　them；
　　all　these　facts　are　strong　presumptive　evidence　of　collusion。

　　As　for　the　woman　Bryond　and　the　notary　Leveille；　could　any
　　co…operation　be　more　connected；　more　continuous　than　theirs？　They
　　repeatedly　furnished　means　for　the　crime；　they　were　privy　to　it；
　　and　they　abetted　it。　Leveille　travelled　constantly。　The　woman
　　Bryond　invented　scheme　after　scheme；　she　risked　all；　even　her
　　life；　to　recover　the　plunder。　She　lent　her　house；　her　carriage；
　　her　hand　is　seen　in　the　plot　from　the　beginning；　she　did　not
　　dissuade　the　chief　leader　of　all；　Rifoel；　since　executed；　although
　　through　her　guilty　influence　upon　him　she　might　have　done　so。　She
　　made　her　waiting…woman；　the　girl　Godard；　an　accomplice。　As　for
　　Leveille；　he　took　an　active　part　in　the　actual　perpetration　of　the
　　crime　by　seeking　the　axe　the　brigands　asked　for。

　　The　woman　Bourget；　Vauthier；　the　Chaussards；　Pannier；　the　woman
　　Lechantre；　Mallet　and　Ratel；　all　participated　in　the　crime　in
　　their　several　degrees；　as　did　the　innkeepers　Melin；　Binet；
　　Laraviniere；　and　Chargegrain。

　　Bourget　has　died　during　the　investigation；　after　making　a
　　confession　which　removes　all　doubt　as　to　the　part　played　by
　　Vauthier　and　the　woman　Bryond；　if　he　attempted　to　extenuate　that
　　of　his　wife　and　his　nephews　Chaussard；　his　motives　are　easy　to
　　understand。

　　The　Chaussards　knowingly　fed　and　lodged　the　brigands；　they　saw
　　them　armed；　they　witnessed　all　their　arrangements　and　knew　the
　　object　of　them；　and　lastly；　they　received　the　plunder；　which　they
　　hid；　and　as　it　appears；　stole　from　their　accomplices。

　　Pannier；　the　former　treasurer　of　the　rebels；　concealed　the　woman
　　Bryond　in　his　house；　he　is　one　of　the　most　dangerous　accomplices
　　of　this　crime；　which　he　knew　from　its　inception。　In　him　certain
　　mysterious　relations　which　are　still　obscure　took　their　rise；　the
　　authorities　now　have　these　matters　under　investigation。　Pannier
　　was　the　right　hand　of　Rifoel；　the　depositary　of　the　secrets　of　the
　　counter…revolutionary　party　of　the　West；　he　regretted　that　Rifoel
　　introduced　women　into　the　plot　and　confided　in　them；　it　was　he　who
　　received　the　stolen　money　from　the　woman　Bryond　and　conveyed　it　to
　　Rifoel。

　　As　for　the　conduct　of　the　two　gendarmes　Ratel　and　Mallet；　it
　　deserves　the　severest　penalty　of　the　law。　They　betrayed　their
　　duty。　One　of　them；　foreseeing　his　fate；　committed　suicide；　but　not
　　until　he　had　made　important　revelations。　The　other；　Mallet；　denies
　　nothing；　his　tacit　admissions　preclude　all　doubt；　especially　as　to
　　the　guilt　of　the　woman　Bryond。

　　The　woman　Lechantre；　in　spite　of　her　constant　denials；　was　privy
　　to　all。　The　hypocrisy　of　this　woman；　who　attempts　to　shelter　her
　　assumed　innocence　under　the　mask　of　a　false　piety；　has　certain
　　antecedents　which　prove　her　decision　of　character　and　her
　　intrepidity　in　extreme　cases。　She　alleges　that　she　was　misled　by
　　her　daughter；　and　believed　that　the　plundered　money　belonged　to
　　the　Sieur　Bryond；a　common　excuse！　If　the　Sieur　Bryond　had
　　possessed　any　property；　he　would　not　have　left　the　department　on
　　account　of　his　debts。　The　woman　Lechantre　claims　that　she　did　not
　　suspect　a　shameful　theft；　because　she　saw　the　proceedings　approved
　　by　her　ally；　Boislaurier。　But　how　does　she　explain　the　presence　of
　　Rifoel　（already　executed）　at　Saint…Savin；　the　journeys　to　and　fro；
　　the　relations　of　that　young　man　with　her　daughter；　the　stay　of　the
　　brigands　at　Saint…Savin；　where　they　were　served　by　her　daughter
　　and　the　girl　Godard？　She　alleges　sleep；　declares　it　to　be　her
　　practice　to　go　to　bed　at　seven　in　the　evening；　and　has　no　answer
　　to　make　when　the　magistrate　points　out　to　her　that　if　she　rises；
　　as　she　says　she　does；　at　dawn；　she　must　have　seen　some　signs　of
　　the　plot；　of　the　sojourn　of　so　many　persons；　and　of　the　nocturnal
　　goings　and　comings　of　her　daughter。　To　this　she　replies　that　she
　　was　occupied　in　prayer。　This　woman　is　a　mass　of　hypocrisy。　Lastly；
　　her　journey　on　the　day　of　the　crime；　the　care　she　takes　to　carry
　　her　daughter　to　Mortagne；　her　conduct　about　the　money；　her
　　precipitate　flight　when　all　is　discovered；　the　pains　she　is　at　to
　　conceal　herself；　even　the　circumstances　of　her　arrest；　all　go　to
　　prove　a　long…existing　complicity。　She　has　not　acted　like　a　mother
　　who　desires　to　save　her　daughter　and　withdraw　her　from　danger；　but
　　like　a　trembling　accomplice。　And　her　complicity　is　not　that　of　a
　　misguided　tenderness；　it　is　the　fruit　of　party　spirit；　the
　　inspiration　of　a　well…known　hatred　against　the　government　of　His
　　Imperial　and　Royal　Majesty。　Misguided　maternal　tenderness；　if　that
　　could　be　fairly　alleged　in　her　defence；　would　not；　however；　excuse
　　it；　and　we　must　not　forget　that　consentment；　long…standing　and
　　premeditated；　is　the　surest　sign　of　guilt。

　　Thus　all　the　elements　of　the　crime　and　the　persons　committing　it
　　are　fully　brought　to　light。

　　We　see　the　madness　of　faction　combining　with　pillage　and　greed；　we
　　see　assassination　advised　by　party　spirit；　under　whose　aegis　these
　　criminals　attempt　to　justify　themselves　for　the　basest　crimes。　The
　　leaders　give　the　signal　for　the　pillage　of　the　public　money；　which
　　money　is　to　be　used　for　their　ulterior　crimes；　vile　stipendiaries
　　do　this　work　for　a　paltry　price；　not　recoiling　from　murder；　then
　　the　fomenters　of　rebellion；　not　less　guilty　because　their　own
　　hands　have　neither　robbed　nor　murdered；　divide　the　booty　and
　　dispose　of　it。　What　community　can　tolerate　such　outrages？　The　law
　　itself　is　scarcely　rigorous　enough　to　duly　punish　them。

　　It　is　upon　the　above　facts　that　this　Court　of　Criminal　and　Special
　　Justice　is　called　upon　to　decide　whether　the　prisoners　Herbomez；
　　Hiley；　Cibot；　Grenier；　Horeau；　Cabot；　Minard；　Melin；　Binet；
　　Laraviniere；　Rousseau；　the　woman　Bryond；　Leveille；　the　woman
　　Bourget；　Vauthier；　Chaussard　the　elder；　Pannier；　the　widow
　　Lechantre；　Mallet；　all　herein　named　and　described；　and　arraigned
　　before　this　court；　also　Boislaurier；　Dubut；　Courceuil；　Bruce；　the
　　younger　Chaussard；　Chargegrain；　and　the　girl　Godard；these　latter
　　being　absent　and　fugitives　from　justice；are　or　are　not　guilty　of
　　the　crimes　charged　in　this　indictment。

　　Done　at　Caen；　this　1st　of　December；　180。

（Signed）　　　Baron　Bourlac；
Attorney…General。



X

PRAY　FOR　THOSE　WHO　DESPITEFULLY　USE　YOU　AND　PERSECUTE　YOU

This　legal　paper；　much　shorter　and　more　imperative　than　such
indictments　are　these　days；　when　they　are　far　more　detailed　and　more
precise；　especially　as　to　the　antecedent　life　of　accused　persons；
affected　Godefroid　deeply。　The　dryness　of　the　statement　in　which　the
official　pen　narrated　in　red　ink　the　principal　details　of　the　affair