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matter; the assailants would have killed the senator。 Perhaps he had
been killed and buried。 The abduction; however; seemed to point to
imprisonment。 But why keep their victim imprisoned after searching the
castle? It was folly to suppose that the abduction of a dignitary of
the Empire could long remain secret。 The publicity of the matter would
prevent any benefit from it。

To these suggestions Pigoult replied that justice was never able to
make out all the motives of scoundrels。 In every criminal case there
were obscurities; he said; between the judge and the guilty person;
conscience had depths into which no human mind could enter unless by
the confession of the criminal。

Grevin and Lechesneau nodded their assent; without; however; relaxing
their determination to see to the bottom of the present mystery。

〃The Emperor pardoned those young men;〃 said Pigoult to Grevin。 〃He
removed their names from the list of /emigres/; though they certainly
took part in that last conspiracy against him。〃

Lechesneau make no delay in sending his whole force of gendarmerie to
the forest and to the valley of Cinq…Cygne; telling Giguet to take
with him the justice of peace; who; according to the terms of the
Code; would then become an auxiliary police…officer。 He ordered them
to make all preliminary inquiries in the township of Cinq…Cygne; and
to take testimony if necessary; and to save time; he dictated and
signed a warrant for the arrest of Michu; against whom the charge was
evident on the positive testimony of Violette。 After the departure of
the gendarmes Lechesneau returned to the important question of issuing
warrants for the arrest of the Simeuse and d'Hauteserre brothers。
According to the Code these warrants would have to contain the charges
against the delinquents。

Giguet and the justice of peace rode so rapidly to Cinq…Cygne that
they met Laurence's servants returning from the festivities at Troyes。
Stopped; and taken before the mayor where they were interrogated; they
all stated; being ignorant of the importance of the answer; that their
mistress had given them permission to spend the whole day at Troyes。
To a question put by the justice of the peace; each replied that
Mademoiselle had offered them the amusement which they had not thought
of asking for。 This testimony seemed so important to the justice of
the peace that he sent back a messenger to Gondreville to advise
Lechesneau to proceed himself to Cinq…Cygne and arrest the four
gentlemen; while he went to Michu's farm; so that the five arrests
might be made simultaneously。

This new element was so convincing that Lechesneau started at once for
Cinq…Cygne。 He knew well what pleasure would be felt in Troyes at such
proceedings against the old nobles; the enemies of the people; now
become the enemies of the Emperor。 In such circumstances a magistrate
is very apt to take mere presumptive evidence for actual proof。
Nevertheless; on his way from Gondreville to Cinq…Cygne; in the
senator's own carriage; it did occur to Lechesneau (who would
certainly have made a fine magistrate had it not been for his love…
affair; and the Emperor's sudden morality to which he owed his
disgrace) to think the audacity of the young men and Michu a piece of
folly which was not in keeping with what he knew of the judgment and
character of Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne。 He imagined in his own mind
some other motives for the deed than the restitution of Gondreville。
In all things; even in the magistracy; there is what may be called the
conscience of a calling。 Lechesneau's perplexities came from this
conscience; which all men put into the proper performance of the
duties they likescientific men into science; artists into art;
judges into the rendering of justice。 Perhaps for this reason judges
are really greater safeguards for persons accused of wrong…doing than
are juries。 A magistrate relies only on reason and its laws; juries
are floated to and fro by the waves of sentiment。 The director of the
jury accordingly set several questions before his mind; resolving to
find in their solution satisfactory reasons for making the arrests。

Though the news of the abduction was already agitating the town of
Troyes; it was still unknown at Arcis; where the inhabitants were
supping when the messenger arrived to summon the gendarmes。 No one; of
course; knew it in the village of Cinq…Cygne; the valley and the
chateau of which were now; for the second time; encircled by
gendarmes。

Laurence had only to tell Marthe; Catherine; and the Durieus not to
leave the chateau; to be strictly obeyed。 After each trip to fetch the
gold; the horses were fastened in the covered way opposite to the
breach in the moat; and from there Robert and Michu; the strongest of
the party; carried the sacks through the breach to a cellar under the
staircase in the tower called Mademoiselle's。 Reaching the chateau
with the last load about half…past five o'clock; the four gentlemen
and Michu proceeded to bury the treasure in the floor of the cellar
and then to wall up the entrance。 Michu took charge of the matter with
Gothard to help him; the lad was sent to the farm for some sacks of
plaster left over when the new buildings were put up; and Marthe went
with him to show him where they were。 Michu; very hungry; made such
haste that by half…past seven o'clock the work was done; and he
started for home at a quick pace to stop Gothard; who had been sent
for another sack of plaster which he thought he might want。 The farm
was already watched by the forester of Cinq…Cygne; the justice of
peace; his clerk and four gendarmes who; however; kept out of sight
and allowed him to enter the house without seeing them。

Michu saw Gothard with the sack on his shoulder and called to him from
a distance: 〃It is all finished; my lad; take that back and stay and
dine with us。〃

Michu; his face perspiring; his clothes soiled with plaster and
covered with fragments of muddy stone from the breach; reached home
joyfully and entered the kitchen where Marthe and her mother were
serving the soup in expectation of his coming。

Just as Michu was turning the faucet of the water…pipe intending to
wash his hands; the justice of peace entered the house accompanied by
his clerk and the forester。

〃What have you come for; Monsieur Pigoult?〃 asked Michu。

〃In the name of the Emperor and the laws; I arrest you;〃 replied the
justice。

The three gendarmes entered the kitchen leading Gothard。 Seeing the
silver lace on their hats Marthe and her mother looked at each other
in terror。

〃Pooh! why?〃 asked Michu; who sat down at the table and called to his
wife; 〃Give me something to eat; I'm famished。〃

〃You know why as well as we do;〃 said the justice; making a sign to
his clerk to begin the /proces…verbal/ and exhibiting the warrant of
arrest。

〃Well; well; Gothard; you needn't stare so;〃 said Michu。 〃Do you want
some dinner; yes or no? Let them write down their nonsense。〃

〃You admit; of course; the condition of your clothes?〃 said the
justice of peace; 〃and you can't deny the words you said just now to
Gothard?〃

Michu; supplied with food by his wife; who was amazed at his coolness;
was eating with the avidity of a hungry man。 He made no answer to the
justice; for his mouth was full and his heart innocent。 Gothard's
appetite was destroyed by fear。

〃Look here;〃 said the forester; going up to Michu and whispering in
his ear: 〃What have you done with the senator? You had better make a
clean breast of it; for if we are to believe these people it is a
matter of life or death to you。〃

〃Good God!〃 cried Marthe; who overheard the last words and fell into a
chair as if annihilated。

〃Violette must have played us some infamous trick;〃 cried Michu;
recollecting what Laurence had said in the forest。

〃Ha! so you do know that Violette saw you?〃 said the justice of peace。

Michu bit his lips and resolved to say no more。 Gothard imitated him。
Seeing the uselessness of all attempts to make them talk; and knowing
what the neighborhood chose to call Michu's perversity; the justice
ordered the gendarmes to bind his hands and those of Gothard; and take
them both to the chateau; whither he now went himself to rejoin the
director of the jury。



CHAPTER XIV

THE ARRESTS

The four young men and Laurence were so hungry and the dinner so
acceptable that they would not delay it by changing their dress。 They
entered the salon; she in her riding…habit; they in their white
leather breeches; high…top boots and green…cloth jackets; where they
found Monsieur d'Hauteserre and his wife; not a little uneasy at their
long absence。 The goodman had noticed their goings and comings; and;
above all; their evident distrust of him; for Laurence had been unable
to get rid of him as she had of her servants。 Once when his own sons
evidently avoided making any reply to his questions; he went to his
wife and said; 〃I am afraid that Laurence may still get us into
trouble!〃

〃What sort of game did you hunt to…day?〃 said Madame d'Hauteserre to
Laurence。

〃Ah!〃 replied the young girl; laughing; 〃you'll hear some day what a
strange hunt your sons have joined in to…day。〃

Though

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