an historical mystery-第2节
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The park walls begin on each side of the circumference of the /rond…
point/; on the one hand the fine semi…circle is defined by slopes
planted with elms; on the other; within the park; a corresponding
half…circle is formed by groups of rare trees。 The pavilion;
therefore; stands at the centre of this round open space; which
extends before it and behind it in the shape of two horseshoes。 Michu
had turned the rooms on the lower floor into a stable; a kitchen; and
a wood…shed。 The only trace remaining of their ancient splendor was an
antechamber paved with marble in squares of black and white; which was
entered on the park side through a door with small leaded panes; such
as might still be seen at Versailles before Louis…Philippe turned that
Chateau into an asylum for the glories of France。 The pavilion is
divided inside by an old staircase of worm…eaten wood; full of
character; which leads to the first story。 Above that is an immense
garret。 This venerable edifice is covered by one of those vast roofs
with four sides; a ridgepole decorated with leaden ornaments; and a
round projecting window on each side; such as Mansart very justly
delighted in; for in France; the Italian attics and flat roofs are a
folly against which our climate protests。 Michu kept his fodder in
this garret。 That portion of the park which surrounds the old pavilion
is English in style。 A hundred feet from the house a former lake; now
a mere pond well stocked with fish; makes known its vicinity as much
by a thin mist rising above the tree…tops as by the croaking of a
thousand frogs; toads; and other amphibious gossips who discourse at
sunset。 The time…worn look of everything; the deep silence of the
woods; the long perspective of the avenue; the forest in the distance;
the rusty iron…work; the masses of stone draped with velvet mosses;
all made poetry of this old structure; which still exists。
At the moment when our history begins Michu was leaning against a
mossy parapet on which he had laid his powder…horn; cap; handkerchief;
screw…driver; and rags;in fact; all the utensils needed for his
suspicious occupation。 His wife's chair was against the wall beside
the outer door of the house; above which could still be seen the arms
of the Simeuse family; richly carved; with their noble motto; 〃Cy
meurs。〃 The old mother; in peasant dress; had moved her chair in front
of Madame Michu; so that the latter might put her feet upon the rungs
and keep them from dampness。
〃Where's the boy?〃 said Michu to his wife。
〃Round the pond; he is crazy about the frogs and the insects;〃
answered the mother。
Michu whistled in a way that made his hearers tremble。 The rapidity
with which his son ran up to him proved plainly enough the despotic
power of the bailiff of Gondreville。 Since 1789; but more especially
since 1793; Michu had been well…nigh master of the property。 The
terror he inspired in his wife; his mother…in…law; a servant…lad named
Gaucher; and the cook named Marianne; was shared throughout a
neighborhood of twenty miles in circumference。 It may be well to give;
without further delay; the reasons for this fear;all the more
because an account of them will complete the moral portrait of the
man。
The old Marquis de Simeuse transferred the greater part of his
property in 1790; but; overtaken by circumstances; he had not been
able to put the estate of Gondreville into sure hands。 Accused of
corresponding with the Duke of Brunswick and the Prince of Cobourg;
the marquis and his wife were thrust into prison and condemned to
death by the revolutionary tribunal of Troyes; of which Madame Michu's
father was then president。 The fine domain of Gondreville was sold as
national property。 The head…keeper; to the horror of many; was present
at the execution of the marquis and his wife in his capacity as
president of the club of Jacobins at Arcis。 Michu; the orphan son of a
peasant; showered with benefactions by the marquise; who brought him
up in her own home and gave him his place as keeper; was regarded as a
Brutus by excited demagogues; but the people of the neighborhood
ceased to recognize him after this act of base ingratitude。 The
purchaser of the estate was a man from Arcis named Marion; grandson of
a former bailiff in the Simeuse family。 This man; a lawyer before and
after the Revolution; was afraid of the keeper; he made him his
bailiff with a salary of three thousand francs; and gave him an
interest in the sales of timber; Michu; who was thought to have some
ten thousand francs of his own laid by; married the daughter of a
tanner at Troyes; an apostle of the Revolution in that town; where he
was president of the revolutionary tribunal。 This tanner; a man of
profound convictions; who resembled Saint…Just as to character; was
afterwards mixed up in Baboeuf's conspiracy and killed himself to
escape execution。 Marthe was the handsomest girl in Troyes。 In spite
of her shrinking modesty she had been forced by her formidable father
to play the part of Goddess of Liberty in some republican ceremony。
The new proprietor came only three times to Gondreville in the course
of seven years。 His grandfather had been bailiff of the estate under
the Simeuse family; and all Arcis took for granted that the citizen
Marion was the secret representative of the present Marquis and his
twin brother。 As long as the Terror lasted; Michu; still bailiff of
Gondreville; a devoted patriot; son…in…law of the president of the
revolutionary tribunal of Troyes and flattered by Malin;
representative from the department of the Aube; was the object of a
certain sort of respect。 But when the Mountain was overthrown and
after his father…in…law committed suicide; he found himself a scape…
goat; everybody hastened to accuse him; in common with his father…in…
law; of acts to which; so far as he was concerned; he was a total
stranger。 The bailiff resented the injustice of the community; he
stiffened his back and took an attitude of hostility。 He talked
boldly。 But after the 18th Brumaire he maintained an unbroken silence;
the philosophy of the strong; he struggled no longer against public
opinion; and contented himself with attending to his own affairs;
wise conduct; which led his neighbors to pronounce him sly; for he
owned; it was said; a fortune of not less than a hundred thousand
francs in landed property。 In the first place; he spent nothing; next;
this property was legitimately acquired; partly from the inheritance
of his father…in…law's estate; and partly from the savings of six…
thousand francs a year; the salary he derived from his place with its
profits and emoluments。 He had been bailiff of Gondreville for the
last twelve years and every one had estimated the probable amount of
his savings; so that when; after the Consulate was proclaimed; he
bought a farm for fifty thousand francs; the suspicions attaching to
his former opinions lessened; and the community of Arcis gave him
credit for intending to recover himself in public estimation。
Unfortunately; at the very moment when public opinion was condoning
his past a foolish affair; envenomed by the gossip of the country…
side; revived the latent and very general belief in the ferocity of
his character。
One evening; coming away from Troyes in company with several peasants;
among whom was the farmer at Cinq…Cygne; he let fall a paper on the
main road; the farmer; who was walking behind him; stooped and picked
it up。 Michu turned round; saw the paper in the man's hands; pulled a
pistol from his belt and threatened the farmer (who knew how to read)
to blow his brains out if he opened the paper。 Michu's action was so
sudden and violent; the tone of his voice so alarming; his eyes blazed
so savagely; that the men about him turned cold with fear。 The farmer
of Cinq…Cygne was already his enemy。 Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne; the
man's employer; was a cousin of the Simeuse brothers; she had only one
farm left for her maintenance and was now residing at her chateau of
Cinq…Cygne。 She lived for her cousins the twins; with whom she had
played in childhood at Troyes and at Gondreville。 Her only brother;
Jules de Cinq…Cygne; who emigrated before the twins; died at Mayence;
but by a privilege which was somewhat rare and will be mentioned
later; the name of Cinq…Cygne was not to perish through lack of male
heirs。
This affair between Michu and the farmer made a great noise in the
arrondissement and darkened the already mysterious shadows which
seemed to veil him。 Nor was it the only circumstance which made him
feared。 A few months after this scene the citizen Marion; present
owner of the Gondreville estate; came to inspect it with the citizen
Malin。 Rumor said that Marion was about to sell the property to his
companion; who had profited by political events and had just been
appointed on the Council of State by the First Consul; in return for
his services on the 18th Brumaire。 The shrewd heads of the little town
of Arcis now perceived that Marion had been the agent of Malin in the
purchase of the property; and not of the brothers Simeuse; as was
first supposed。 The all…powerful Councillor of State was the most
important personage in Arcis。 He h