the collection of antiquities-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃When　was　it　made？〃

〃Yesterday。〃

〃Have　any　steps　been　taken　since　the　warrant　of　arrest　was　issued？〃

〃I　believe　so。〃

〃I　have　come　to　treat　with　you。〃

〃Justice　must　take　its　course；　nothing　can　stop　it；　the　arrest　has　been　made。〃

〃Never　mind　that；　I　am　at　your　orders；　at　your　feet。〃　The　old　man　knelt　before　du　Croisier；　and　stretched　out　his　hands　entreatingly。

〃What　do　you　want？　Our　lands；　our　castle？　Take　all；　withdraw　the　charge；　leave　us　nothing　but　life　and　honor。　And　over　and　besides　all　this；　I　will　be　your　servant；　command　and　I　will　obey。〃

Du　Croisier　sat　down　in　an　easy…chair　and　left　the　old　man　to　kneel。

〃You　are　not　vindictive；〃　pleaded　Chesnel；　〃you　are　good…hearted；　you　do　not　bear　us　such　a　grudge　that　you　will　not　listen　to　terms。　Before　daylight　the　young　man　ought　to　be　at　liberty。〃

〃The　whole　town　knows　that　he　has　been　arrested；〃　returned　du　Croisier；　enjoying　his　revenge。

〃It　is　a　great　misfortune；　but　as　there　will　be　neither　proofs　nor　trial；　we　can　easily　manage　that。〃

Du　Croisier　reflected。　He　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　self…interest；　Chesnel　thought　that　he　had　gained　a　hold　on　his　enemy　through　the　great　motive　of　human　action。　At　that　supreme　moment　Mme。　du　Croisier　appeared。

〃Come　here　and　help　me　to　soften　your　dear　husband；　madame？〃　said　Chesnel；　still　on　his　knees。　Mme。　du　Croisier　made　him　rise　with　every　sign　of　profound　astonishment。　Chesnel　explained　his　errand；　and　when　she　knew　it；　the　generous　daughter　of　the　intendants　of　the　Ducs　de　Alencon　turned　to　du　Croisier　with　tears　in　her　eyes。

〃Ah！　monsieur；　can　you　hesitate？　The　d'Esgrignons；　the　honor　of　the　province！〃　she　said。

〃There　is　more　in　it　than　that；〃　exclaimed　du　Croisier；　rising　to　begin　his　restless　walk　again。

〃More？　What　more？〃　asked　Chesnel　in　amazement。

〃France　is　involved；　M。　Chesnel！　It　is　a　question　of　the　country；　of　the　people；　of　giving　my　lords　your　nobles　a　lesson；　and　teaching　them　that　there　is　such　a　thing　as　justice；　and　law；　and　a　bourgeoisiea　lesser　nobility　as　good　as　they；　and　a　match　for　them！　There　shall　be　no　more　trampling　down　half　a　score　of　wheat　fields　for　a　single　hare；　no　bringing　shame　on　families　by　seducing　unprotected　girls；　they　shall　not　look　down　on　others　as　good　as　they　are；　and　mock　at　them　for　ten　whole　years；　without　finding　out　at　last　that　these　things　swell　into　avalanches；　and　those　avalanches　will　fall　and　crush　and　bury　my　lords　the　nobles。　You　want　to　go　back　to　the　old　order　of　things。　You　want　to　tear　up　the　social　compact；　the　Charter　in　which　our　rights　are　set　forth…〃

〃And　so？〃

〃Is　it　not　a　sacred　mission　to　open　the　people's　eyes？〃　cried　du　Croisier。　〃Their　eyes　will　be　opened　to　the　morality　of　your　party　when　they　see　nobles　going　to　be　tried　at　the　Assize　Court　like　Pierre　and　Jacques。　They　will　say；　then；　that　small　folk　who　keep　their　self…　respect　are　as　good　as　great　folk　that　bring　shame　on　themselves。　The　Assize　Court　is　a　light　for　all　the　world。　Here；　I　am　the　champion　of　the　people；　the　friend　of　law。　You　yourselves　twice　flung　me　on　the　side　of　the　peopleonce　when　you　refused　an　alliance；　twice　when　you　put　me　under　the　ban　of　your　society。　You　are　reaping　as　you　have　sown。〃

If　Chesnel　was　startled　by　this　outburst；　so　no　less　was　Mme。　du　Croisier。　To　her　this　was　a　terrible　revelation　of　her　husband's　character；　a　new　light　not　merely　on　the　past　but　on　the　future　as　well。　Any　capitulation　on　the　part　of　the　colossus　was　apparently　out　of　the　question；　but　Chesnel　in　no　wise　retreated　before　the　impossible。

〃What；　monsieur？〃　said　Mme。　du　Croisier。　〃Would　you　not　forgive？　Then　you　are　not　a　Christian。〃

〃I　forgive　as　God　forgives；　madame；　on　certain　conditions。〃

〃And　what　are　they？〃　asked　Chesnel；　thinking　that　he　saw　a　ray　of　hope。

〃The　elections　are　coming　on；　I　want　the　votes　at　your　disposal。〃

〃You　shall　have　them。〃

〃I　wish　that　we；　my　wife　and　I；　should　be　received　familiarly　every　evening；　with　an　appearance　of　friendliness　at　any　rate；　by　M。　le　Marquis　d'Esgrignon　and　his　circle；〃　continued　du　Croisier。

〃I　do　not　know　how　we　are　going　to　compass　it；　but　you　shall　be　received。〃

〃I　wish　to　have　the　family　bound　over　by　a　surety　of　four　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　by　a　written　document　stating　the　nature　of　the　compromise；　so　as　to　keep　a　loaded　cannon　pointed　at　its　heart。〃

〃We　agree；〃　said　Chesnel；　without　admitting　that　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　was　in　his　possession；　〃but　the　amount　must　be　deposited　with　a　third　party　and　returned　to　the　family　after　your　election　and　repayment。〃

〃No；　after　the　marriage　of　my　grand…niece；　Mlle。　Duval。　She　will　very　likely　have　four　million　francs　some　day；　the　reversion　of　our　property　（mine　and　my　wife's）　shall　be　settled　upon　her　by　her　marriage…contract；　and　you　shall　arrange　a　match　between　her　and　the　young　Count。〃

〃Never！〃

〃NEVER！〃　repeated　du　Croisier；　quite　intoxicated　with　triumph。　〃Good…　night！〃

〃Idiot　that　I　am；〃　thought　Chesnel；　〃why　did　I　shrink　from　a　lie　to　such　a　man？〃

Du　Croisier　took　himself　off；　he　was　pleased　with　himself；　he　had　enjoyed　Chesnel's　humiliation；　he　had　held　the　destinies　of　a　proud　house；　the　representatives　of　the　aristocracy　of　the　province；　suspended　in　his　hand；　he　had　set　the　print　of　his　heel　on　the　very　heart　of　the　d'Esgrignons；　and；　finally；　he　had　broken　off　the　whole　negotiation　on　the　score　of　his　wounded　pride。　He　went　up　to　his　room；　leaving　his　wife　alone　with　Chesnel。　In　his　intoxication；　he　saw　his　victory　clear　before　him。　He　firmly　believed　that　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　had　been　squandered；　the　d'Esgrignons　must　sell　or　mortgage　all　that　they　had　to　raise　the　money；　the　Assize　Court　was　inevitable　to　his　mind。

An　affair　of　forgery　can　always　be　settled　out　of　court　in　France　if　the　missing　amount　is　returned。　The　losers　by　the　crime　are　usually　well…to…do；　and　have　no　wish　to　blight　an　imprudent　man's　character。　But　du　Croisier　had　no　mind　to　slacken　his　hold　until　he　knew　what　he　was　about。　He　meditated　until　he　fell　asleep　on　the　magnificent　manner　in　which　his　hopes　would　be　fulfilled　by　the　way　of　the　Assize　Court　or　by　marriage。　The　murmur　of　voices　below；　the　lamentations　of　Chesnel　and　Mme。　du　Croisier；　sounded　sweet　in　his　ears。

Mme。　du　Croisier　shared　Chesnel's　views　of　the　d'Esgrignons。　She　was　a　deeply　religious　woman；　a　Royalist　attached　to　the　noblesse；　the　interview　had　been　in　every　way　a　cruel　shock　to　her　feelings。　She；　a　staunch　Royalist；　had　heard　the　roaring　of　that　Liberalism；　which；　in　her　director's　opinion；　wished　to　crush　the　Church。　The　Left　benches　for　her　meant　the　popular　upheaval　and　the　scaffolds　of　1793。

〃What　would　your　uncle；　that　sainted　man　who　hears　us；　say　to　this？〃　exclaimed　Chesnel。　Mme。　du　Croisier　made　no　reply；　but　the　great　tears　rolled　down　her　checks。

〃You　have　already　been　the　cause　of　one　poor　boy's　death；　his　mother　will　go　mourning　all　her　days；〃　continued　Chesnel；　he　saw　how　his　words　told；　but　he　would　have　struck　harder　and　even　broken　this　woman's　heart　to　save　Victurnien。　〃Do　you　want　to　kill　Mlle。　Armande；　for　she　would　not　survive　the　dishonor　of　the　house　for　a　week？　Do　you　wish　to　be　the　death　of　poor　Chesnel；　your　old　notary？　For　I　shall　kill　the　Count　in　prison　before　they　shall　bring　the　charge　against　him；　and　take　my　own　life　afterwards；　before　they　shall　try　me　for　murder　in　an　Assize　Court。〃

〃That　is　enough！　that　is　enough；　my　friend！　I　would　do　anything　to　put　a　stop　to　such　an　affair；　but　I　never　knew　M。　du　Croisier's　real　character　until　a　few　minutes　ago。　To　you　I　can　make　the　admission：　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。〃

〃But　what　if　there　is？〃

〃I　would　give　half　the　blood　in　my　veins　that　it　were　so；〃　said　she；　finishing　her　sentence　by　a　wistful　shake　of　the　head。

As　the　First　Consul；　beaten　on　the　field　of　Marengo　till　five　o'clock　in　the　evening；　by　six　o'clock　saw　the　tide　of　battle　turned　by　Desaix's　desperate　attack　and　Kellermann's　terrific　charge；　so　Chesnel　in　the　midst　of　defeat　saw　the　beginnings　of　victory。　No　one　but　a　Chesnel；　an　old　notary；　an　ex…steward　of　the　manor；　old　Maitre　Sorbier's　junior　clerk；　in　the　sudden　flash　of　lucidity　which　comes　with　despair；　could　rise　thus；　high　as　a　Napoleon；　nay；　higher。　This　was　not　Marengo；　it　was　Waterloo；　and　the　Prussians　had　come　up；　Chesnel　saw　this；　and　was　determined　to　beat　them　off　the　field。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃remember　that　I　have　been　your　man　of　business　for　twenty　years；　remember　that　if　the　d'Esgrignons　mean　the　honor　of　the　province；　you　represent　the　honor　of　the　bourgeoisie；　it　rests　with　you；　and　you　alone；　to　save　the　ancient　house。　Now；　answer　me；　are　you　going　to　allow　dishonor　to　fall　on　the　shade　of　your　dead　uncle；　on　the　d'Esgrignons；　on　poor　Chesnel？　Do　you　want　to　kill　Mlle。　Armande　weeping　yonder？　Or　do　you　wish　to　expiate　wrongs　done　to　others　by　a　deed　which　will　rejoice　your　ancestors；　the　intendants　of　the　dukes　of　Alencon；　and　bring　comfort　to　the　soul　of　our　dear　Abbe？　If　he　could　rise　from　his　grave；　he　would　command　you　to　do　this　thing　that　I　beg　of　you　upon　my　knees。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mme。　du　Croisier。

〃Well。　Here　are　the　hundred　thousand　crowns；〃　sai