an historical mystery-第17节

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foundations　of　the　former　abbey。　He　continued；　all　alone；　this
archaeological　enterprise；　he　sounded　the　earth　and　discovered　a
hollowness　on　the　level　of　the　pond　between　two　trees；　at　the　foot　of
the　only　craggy　part　of　the　hillock。

One　fine　night　he　came　to　the　place　armed　with　a　pickaxe；　and　by　the
sweat　of　his　brow　uncovered　a　succession　of　cellars；　which　were
entered　by　a　flight　of　stone　steps。　The　pond；　which　was　three　feet
deep　in　the　middle；　formed　a　sort　of　dipper；　the　handle　of　which
seemed　to　come　from　the　little　eminence；　and　went　far　to　prove　that　a
spring　had　once　issued　from　the　crags；　and　was　now　lost　by
infiltration　through　the　forest。　The　marshy　shores　of　the　pond；
covered　with　aquatic　trees；　alders；　willow；　and　ash；　were　the　terminus
of　all　the　wood…paths；　the　remains　of　former　roads　and　forest　by…ways；
now　abandoned。　The　water；　flowing　from　a　spring；　though　apparently
stagnant；　was　covered　with　large…leaved　plants　and　cresses；　which　gave
it　a　perfectly　green　surface　almost　indistinguishable　from　the　shores；
which　were　covered　with　fine　close　herbage。　The　place　is　too　far　from
human　habitations　for　any　animal；　unless　a　wild　one；　to　come　there。
Convinced　that　no　game　was　in　the　marsh　and　repelled　by　the　craggy
sides　of　the　hills；　keepers　and　hunters　had　never　explored　or　visited
this　nook；　which　belonged　to　a　part　of　the　forest　where　the　timber　had
not　been　cut　for　many　years　and　which　Michu　meant　to　keep　in　its　full
growth　when　the　time　came　round　to　fell　it。

At　the　further　end　of　the　first　cellar　was　a　vaulted　chamber；　clean
and　dry；　built　with　hewn　stone；　a　sort　of　convent　dungeon；　such　as
they　called　in　monastic　days　the　/in　pace/。　The　salubrity　of　the
chamber　and　the　preservation　of　this　part　of　the　staircase　and　of　the
vaults　were　explained　by　the　presence　of　the　spring；　which　had　been
enclosed　at　some　time　by　a　wall　of　extraordinary　thickness　built　in
brick　and　cement　like　those　of　the　Romans；　and　received　all　the
waters。　Michu　closed　the　entrance　to　this　retreat　with　large　stones；
then；　to　keep　the　secret　of　it　to　himself　and　make　it　impenetrable　to
others；　he　made　a　rule　never　to　enter　it　except　from　the　wooded　height
above；　by　clambering　down　the　crag　instead　of　approaching　it　from　the
pond。

Just　as　the　fugitives　arrived；　the　moon　was　casting　her　beautiful
silvery　light　on　the　aged　tree…tops　above　the　crag；　and　flickering　on
the　splendid　foliage　at　the　corners　of　the　several　paths；　all　of　which
ended　here；　some　with　one　tree；　some　with　a　group　of　trees。　On　all
sides　the　eye　was　irresistibly　led　along　their　vanishing　perspectives；
following　the　curve　of　a　wood…path　or　the　solemn　stretch　of　a　forest
glade　flanked　by　a　wall　of　verdure　that　was　nearly　black。　The
moonlight；　filtering　through　the　branches　of　the　crossways；　made　the
lonely；　tranquil　waters；　where　they　peeped　between　the　crosses　and　the
lily…pads；　sparkle　like　diamonds。　The　croaking　of　the　frogs　broke　the
deep　silence　of　this　beautiful　forest…nook；　the　wild　odors　of　which
incited　the　soul　to　thoughts　of　liberty。

〃Are　we　safe？〃　said　the　countess　to　Michu。

〃Yes；　mademoiselle。　But　we　have　each　some　work　to　do。　Do　you　go　and
fasten　our　horses　to　the　trees　at　the　top　of　the　little　hill；　tie　a
handkerchief　round　the　mouth　of　each　of　them；〃　he　said；　giving　her　his
cravat；　〃your　beast　and　mine　are　both　intelligent；　they　will
understand　they　are　not　to　neigh。　When　you　have　done　that；　come　down
the　crag　directly　above　the　pond；　but　don't　let　your　habit　catch
anywhere。　You　will　find　me　below。〃

While　the　countess　hid　the　horses　and　tied　and　gagged　them；　Michu
removed　the　stones　and　opened　the　entrance　to　the　caverns。　The
countess；　who　thought　she　knew　the　forest　by　heart；　was　amazed　when
she　descended　into　the　vaulted　chambers。　Michu　replaced　the　stones
above　them　with　the　dexterity　of　a　mason。　As　he　finished；　the　sound　of
horses'　feet　and　the　voices　of　the　gendarmes　echoed　in　the　darkness；
but　he　quietly　struck　a　match；　lighted　a　resinous　bit　of　wood　and　led
the　countess　to　the　/in　pace/；　where　there　was　still　a　piece　of　the
candle　with　which　he　had　first　explored　the　caves。　An　iron　door　of
some　thickness；　eaten　in　several　places　by　rust；　had　been　put　in　good
order　by　the　bailiff；　and　could　be　fastened　securely　by　bars　slipping
into　holes　in　the　wall　on　either　side　of　it。　The　countess；　half　dead
with　fatigue；　sat　down　on　a　stone　bench；　above　which　there　still
remained　an　iron　ring；　the　staple　of　which　was　embedded　in　the
masonry。

〃We　have　a　salon　to　converse　in；〃　said　Michu。　〃The　gendarmes　may　prowl
as　much　as　they　like；　the　worst　they　could　do　would　be　to　take　our
horses。〃

〃If　they　do　that；〃　said　Laurence；　〃it　would　be　the　death　of　my　cousins
and　the　Messieurs　d'Hauteserre。　Tell　me　now；　what　do　you　know？〃

Michu　related　what　he　had　overheard　Malin　say　to　Grevin。

〃They　are　already　on　the　road　to　Paris；　they　were　to　enter　it
to…morrow　morning；〃　said　the　countess　when　he　had　finished。

〃Lost！〃　exclaimed　Michu。　〃All　persons　entering　or　leaving　the　barriers
are　examined。　Malin　has　strong　reasons　to　let　my　masters　compromise
themselves；　he　is　seeking　to　get　them　killed　out　of　his　way。〃

〃And　I；　who　don't　know　anything　of　the　general　plan　of　the　affair；〃
cried　Laurence；　〃how　can　I　warn　Georges；　Riviere；　and　Moreau？　Where
are　they？However；　let　us　think　only　of　my　cousins　and　the
d'Hauteserres；　you　must　catch　up　with　them；　no　matter　what　it　costs。〃

〃The　telegraph　goes　faster　than　the　best　horse；〃　said　Michu；　〃and　of
all　the　nobles　concerned　in　this　conspiracy　your　cousins　are　the
closest　watched。　If　I　can　find　them；　they　must　be　hidden　here　and　kept
here　till　the　affair　is　over。　Their　poor　father　may　have　had　a
foreboding　when　he　set　me　to　search　for　this　hiding…place；　perhaps　he
felt　that　his　sons　would　be　saved　here。〃

〃My　mare　is　from　the　stables　of　the　Comte　d'Artois；she　is　the
daughter　of　his　finest　English　horse；〃　said　Laurence；　〃but　she　has
already　gone　sixty　miles；　she　would　drop　dead　before　you　reached
them。〃

〃Mine　is　in　good　condition；〃　replied　Michu；　〃and　if　you　did　sixty
miles　I　shall　have　only　thirty　to　do。〃

〃Nearer　forty；〃　she　said；　〃they　have　been　walking　since　dark。　You　will
overtake　them　beyond　Lagny；　at　Coupvrai；　where　they　expected　to　be　at
daybreak。　They　are　disguised　as　sailors；　and　will　enter　Paris　by　the
river　on　some　vessel。　This；〃　she　added；　taking　half　of　her　mother's
wedding…ring　from　her　finger；　〃is　the　only　thing　which　will　make　them
trust　you；　they　have　the　other　half。　The　keeper　of　Couvrai　is　the
father　of　one　of　their　soldiers；　he　has　hidden　them　tonight　in　a　hut
in　the　forest　deserted　by　charcoal…burners。　They　are　eight　in　all；
Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　and　four　others　are　with　my　cousins。〃

〃Mademoiselle；　no　one　is　looking　for　the　others！　let　them　save
themselves　as　they　can；　we　must　think　only　of　the　Messieurs　de
Simeuse。　It　is　enough　just　to　warn　the　rest。〃

〃What！　abandon　the　Hauteserres？　never！〃　she　said。　〃They　must　all
perish　or　be　saved　together！〃

〃Only　petty　noblemen！〃　remarked　Michu。

〃They　are　only　chevaliers；　I　know　that；〃　she　replied；　〃but　they　are
related　to　the　Cinq…Cygne　and　Simeuse　blood。　Save　them　all；　and　advise
them　how　best　to　regain　this　forest。〃

〃The　gendarmes　are　here；don't　you　hear　them？　they　are　holding　a
council　of　war。〃

〃Well；　you　have　twice　had　luck　to…night；　go！　bring　my　cousins　here　and
hide　them　in　these　vaults；　they'll　be　safe　from　all　pursuitAlas！　I
am　good　for　nothing！〃　she　cried；　with　rage；　〃I　should　be　only　a　beacon
to　light　the　enemybut　the　police　will　never　imagine　that　my　cousins
are　in　the　forest　if　they　see　me　at　my　ease。　So　the　question　resolves
itself　into　this：　how　can　we　get　five　good　horses　to　bring　them　in　six
hours　from　Lagny　to　the　forest；five　horses　to　be　killed　and　hidden
in　some　thicket。〃

〃And　the　money？〃　said　Michu；　who　was　thinking　deeply　as　he　listened　to
the　young　countess。

〃I　gave　my　cousins　a　hundred　louis　this　evening；〃　she　replied。

〃I'll　answer　for　them！〃　cried　Michu。　〃But　once　hidden　here　you　must
not　attempt　to　see　them。　My　wife；　or　the　little　one；　shall　bring　them
food　twice　a　week。　But；　as　I　can't　be　sure　of　what　may　happen　to　me；
remember；　mademoiselle；　in　case　of　trouble；　that　the　main　beam　in　my
hay…loft　has　been　bored　with　an　auger。　In　the　hole；　which　is　plugged
with　a　bit　of　wood；　you　will　find　a　plan　showing　how　to　reach　this
spot。　The　trees　which　you　will　find　marked　with　a　red　dot　on　the　plan
have　a　black　mark　at　their　foot　close　to　the　earth。　Each　of　these
trees　is　a　sign…post。　At　the　foot　of　the　third　old　oak　which　stands　to
the　left　of　each　sign…post；　two　feet　in　front　of　it　and　buried　seven
feet　in　the　ground；　you　will　find　a　large　metal　tube；　in　each　tube　are
one　hundred　thousand　francs　in　gold。　These　eleven　treesthere　are
only　elevencontain　the　whole　fortune　of　the　Simeuse　brothers；　now
that　Gondreville　has　been　taken　from　them。〃

〃It　will　take　a　hundred　years　for　the　nobility　to　recover　from　such
blows；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　slowly。

〃Is　there　a　pass…word？〃　asked　Michu。

〃'France　and　Charles'　for　the　soldiers；　'Laurence　and　Louis'　for　the
Messieurs　d'Hauteserre　a