the collection of antiquities-第31节

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d　Camusot　out　of　bed　and　into　his　study　with　all　his　clothes；　bidding　him　dress　himself　at　once　and　wait　there。　The　transformation　scene　had　been　brought　about　by　a　bit　of　pasteboard　with　the　words　MADAME　LA　DUCHESSE　DE　MAUFRIGNEUSE　engraved　upon　it。　A　daughter　of　the　usher　of　the　royal　cabinet　took　in　the　whole　situation　at　once。

〃Well！〃　exclaimed　the　maid…servant；　left　with　Chesnel　in　the　dining…　room；　〃Would　not　any　one　think　that　a　thunderbolt　had　dropped　in　among　us？　The　master　is　dressing　in　his　study；　you　can　go　upstairs。〃

〃Not　a　word　of　all　this；　mind；〃　said　Chesnel。

Now　that　he　was　conscious　of　the　support　of　a　great　lady　who　had　the　King's　consent　（by　word　of　mouth）　to　the　measures　about　to　be　taken　for　rescuing　the　Comte　d'Esgrignon；　he　spoke　with　an　air　of　authority；　which　served　his　cause　much　better　with　Camusot　than　the　humility　with　which　he　would　otherwise　have　approached　him。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃the　words　let　fall　last　evening　may　have　surprised　you；　but　they　are　serious。　The　house　of　d'Esgrignon　counts　upon　you　for　the　proper　conduct　of　investigations　from　which　it　must　issue　without　a　spot。〃

〃I　shall　pass　over　anything　in　your　remarks；　sir；　which　must　be　offensive　to　me　personally；　and　obnoxious　to　justice；　for　your　position　with　regard　to　the　d'Esgrignons　excuses　you　up　to　a　certain　point；　but〃

〃Pardon　me；　sir；　if　I　interrupt　you；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃I　have　just　spoken　aloud　the　things　which　your　superiors　are　thinking　and　dare　not　avow；　though　what　those　things　are　any　intelligent　man　can　guess；　and　you　are　an　intelligent　man。Grant　that　the　young　man　had　acted　imprudently；　can　you　suppose　that　the　sight　of　a　d'Esgrignon　dragged　into　an　Assize　Court　can　be　gratifying　to　the　King；　the　Court；　or　the　Ministry？　Is　it　to　the　interest　of　the　kingdom；　or　of　the　country；　that　historic　houses　should　fall？　Is　not　the　existence　of　a　great　aristocracy；　consecrated　by　time；　a　guarantee　of　that　Equality　which　is　the　catchword　of　the　Opposition　at　this　moment？　Well　and　good；　now　not　only　has　there　not　been　the　slightest　imprudence；　but　we　are　innocent　victims　caught　in　a　trap。〃

〃I　am　curious　to　know　how；〃　said　the　examining　magistrate。

〃For　the　last　two　years；　the　Sieur　du　Croisier　has　regularly　allowed　M。　le　Comte　d'Esgrignon　to　draw　upon　him　for　very　large　sums；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃We　are　going　to　produce　drafts　for　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　crowns；　which　he　continually　met；　the　amounts　being　remitted　by　mebear　that　well　in　mindeither　before　or　after　the　bills　fell　due。　M。　le　Comte　d'Esgrignon　is　in　a　position　to　produce　a　receipt　for　the　sum　paid　by　him；　before　this　bill；　this　alleged　forgery　was　drawn。　Can　you　fail　to　see　in　that　case　that　this　charge　is　a　piece　of　spite　and　party　feeling？　And　a　charge　brought　against　the　heir　of　a　great　house　by　one　of　the　most　dangerous　enemies　of　the　Throne　and　Altar；　what　is　it　but　an　odious　slander？　There　has　been　no　more　forgery　in　this　affair　than　there　has　been　in　my　office。　Summon　Mme。　du　Croisier；　who　knows　nothing　as　yet　of　the　charge　of　forgery；　she　will　declare　to　you　that　I　brought　the　money　and　paid　it　over　to　her；　so　that　in　her　husband's　absence　she　might　remit　the　amount　for　which　he　has　not　asked　her。　Examine　du　Croisier　on　the　point；　he　will　tell　you　that　he　knows　nothing　of　my　payment　to　Mme。　du　Croisier。

〃You　may　make　such　assertions　as　these；　sir；　in　M。　d'Esgrignon's　salon；　or　in　any　other　house　where　people　know　nothing　of　business；　and　they　may　be　believed；　but　no　examining　magistrate；　unless　he　is　a　driveling　idiot；　can　imagine　that　a　woman　like　Mme。　du　Croisier；　so　submissive　as　she　is　to　her　husband；　has　a　hundred　thousand　crowns　lying　in　her　desk　at　this　moment；　without　saying　a　word　to　him；　nor　yet　that　an　old　notary　would　not　have　advised　M。　du　Croisier　of　the　deposit　on　his　return　to　town。〃

〃The　old　notary；　sir；　had　gone　to　Paris　to　put　a　stop　to　the　young　man's　extravagance。〃

〃I　have　not　yet　examined　the　Comte　d'Esgrignon；〃　Camusot　began；　〃his　answers　will　point　out　my　duty。〃

〃Is　he　in　close　custody？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Chesnel；　seeing　danger　ahead；　〃the　examination　can　be　made　in　our　interests　or　against　them。　But　there　are　two　courses　open　to　you：　you　can　establish　the　fact　on　Mme。　du　Croisier's　deposition　that　the　amount　was　deposited　with　her　before　the　bill　was　drawn；　or　you　can　examine　the　unfortunate　young　man　implicated　in　this　affair；　and　he　in　his　confusion　may　remember　nothing　and　commit　himself。　You　will　decide　which　is　the　more　crediblea　slip　of　memory　on　the　part　of　a　woman　in　her　ignorance　of　business；　or　a　forgery　committed　by　a　d'Esgrignon。〃

〃All　this　is　beside　the　point；〃　began　Camusot；　〃the　question　is；　whether　M。　le　Comte　d'Esgrignon　has　or　has　not　used　the　lower　half　of　a　letter　addressed　to　him　by　du　Croisier　as　a　bill　of　exchange。〃

〃Eh！　and　so　he　might；〃　a　voice　cried　suddenly；　as　Mme。　Camusot　broke　in；　followed　by　the　handsome　stranger；　〃so　he　might　when　M。　Chesnel　had　advanced　the　money　to　meet　the　bill〃

She　leant　over　her　husband。

〃You　will　have　the　first　vacant　appointment　as　assistant　judge　at　Paris；　you　are　serving　the　King　himself　in　this　affair；　I　have　proof　of　it；　you　will　not　be　forgotten；〃　she　said；　lowering　her　voice　in　his　ear。　〃This　young　man　that　you　see　here　is　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；　you　must　never　have　seen　her；　and　do　all　that　you　can　for　the　young　Count　boldly。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Camusot；　〃even　if　the　preliminary　examination　is　conducted　to　prove　the　young　Count's　innocence；　can　I　answer　for　the　view　the　court　may　take？　M。　Chesnel；　and　you　also；　my　sweet；　know　what　M。　le　President　wants。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　tut！〃　said　Mme。　Camusot；　〃go　yourself　to　M。　Michu　this　morning；　and　tell　him　that　the　Count　has　been　arrested；　you　will　be　two　against　two　in　that　case；　I　will　be　bound。　MICHU　comes　from　Paris；　and　you　know　he　is　devoted　to　the　noblesse。　Good　blood　cannot　lie。〃

At　that　very　moment　Mlle。　Cadot's　voice　was　heard　in　the　doorway。　She　had　brought　a　note；　and　was　waiting　for　an　answer。　Camusot　went　out；　and　came　back　again　to　read　the　note　aloud：

〃M。　le　Vice…President　begs　M。　Camusot　to　sit　in　audience　to…day　and　for　the　next　few　days；　so　that　there　may　be　a　quorum　during　M。　le　President's　absence。〃

〃Then　there　is　an　end　of　the　preliminary　examination！〃　cried　Mme。　Camusot。　〃Did　I　not　tell　you；　dear；　that　they　would　play　you　some　ugly　trick？　The　President　has　gone　off　to　slander　you　to　the　public　prosecutor　and　the　President　of　the　Court…Royal。　You　will　be　changed　before　you　can　make　the　examination。　Is　that　clear？〃

〃You　will　stay；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Duchess。　〃The　public　prosecutor　is　coming；　I　hope；　in　time。〃

〃When　the　public　prosecutor　arrives；〃　little　Mme。　Camusot　said；　with　some　heat；　〃he　must　find　all　over。Yes；　my　dear；　yes；〃　she　added；　looking　full　at　her　amazed　husband。〃Ah！　old　hypocrite　of　a　President；　you　are　setting　your　wits　against　us；　you　shall　remember　it！　You　have　a　mind　to　help　us　to　a　dish　of　your　own　making；　you　shall　have　two　served　up　to　you　by　your　humble　servant　Cecile　Amelie　Thirion！Poor　old　Blondet！　It　is　lucky　for　him　that　the　President　has　taken　this　journey　to　turn　us　out；　for　now　that　great　oaf　of　a　Joseph　Blondet　will　marry　Mlle。　Blandureau。　I　will　let　Father　Blondet　have　some　seeds　in　return。As　for　you；　Camusot；　go　to　M。　Michu's；　while　Mme。　la　Duchesse　and　I　will　go　to　find　old　Blondet。　You　must　expect　to　hear　it　said　all　over　the　town　to…morrow　that　I　took　a　walk　with　a　lover　this　morning。〃

Mme。　Camusot　took　the　Duchess'　arm；　and　they　went　through　the　town　by　deserted　streets　to　avoid　any　unpleasant　adventure　on　the　way　to　the　old　Vice…President's　house。　Chesnel　meanwhile　conferred　with　the　young　Count　in　prison；　Camusot　had　arranged　a　stolen　interview。　Cook…maids；　servants；　and　the　other　early　risers　of　a　country　town；　seeing　Mme。　Camusot　and　the　Duchess　taking　their　way　through　the　back　streets；　took　the　young　gentleman　for　an　adorer　from　Paris。　That　evening；　as　Cecile　Amelie　had　said；　the　news　of　her　behavior　was　circulated　about　the　town；　and　more　than　one　scandalous　rumor　was　occasioned　thereby。　Mme。　Camusot　and　her　supposed　lover　found　old　Blondet　in　his　green…　house。　He　greeted　his　colleague's　wife　and　her　companion；　and　gave　the　charming　young　man　a　keen；　uneasy　glance。

〃I　have　the　honor　to　introduce　one　of　my　husband's　cousins；〃　said　Mme。　Camusot；　bringing　forward　the　Duchess；　〃he　is　one　of　the　most　distinguished　horticulturists　in　Paris；　and　as　he　cannot　spend　more　than　one　day　with　us；　on　his　way　back　from　Brittany；　and　has　heard　of　your　flowers　and　plants；　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　coming　early。〃

〃Oh；　the　gentleman　is　a　horticulturist；　is　he？〃　said　the　old　Blondet。

The　Duchess　bowed。

〃This　is　my　coffee…plant；〃　said　Blondet；　〃and　here　is　a　tea…plant。〃

〃What　can　have　taken　M。　le　President　away　from　home？〃　put　in　Mme。　Camusot。　〃I　will　wager　that　his　absence　concerns　M。　Camusot。〃

〃Exactly。This；　monsieur；　is　the　queerest　of　all　cactuses；〃　he　continued；　producing　a　flower…pot　which　appeared　to　contain　a　piece　of　mildewed　rattan；　〃it　comes　from　Australia。　You　are　very　young；　sir；　to　be　a　horticulturist。〃

〃Dear　M。　Blondet；　never　mind　your　flowers；〃　said　Mme。　Camusot。　〃YOU　are　concerned；　you　and　your