an historical mystery-第37节

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him。〃

He　put　the　letter　into　Marthe's　hand　and　disappeared　toward　the　forest
without　waiting　for　an　answer。　Marthe　trembled　at　the　thought　that　she
was　now　to　hear　the　secret　of　the　mystery。　She　ran　to　the　farm　with
her　mother　and　shut　herself　up　to　read　the　following　letter：

　　My　dear　Marthe；You　can　rely　on　the　discretion　of　the　man　who
　　will　give　you　this　letter；　he　does　not　know　how　to　read　or　to
　　write。　He　is　a　stanch　Republican；　and　shared　in　Baboeuf's
　　conspiracy；　your　father　often　made　use　of　him；　and　he　regards　the
　　senator　as　a　traitor。　Now；　my　dear　wife；　attend　to　my　directions。
　　The　senator　has　been　shut　up　by　us　in　the　cave　where　our　masters
　　were　hidden。　The　poor　creature　had　provisions　for　only　five　days；
　　and　as　it　is　our　interest　that　he　should　live；　I　wish　you；　as　soon
　　as　you　receive　this　letter；　to　take　him　food　for　at　least　five
　　days　more。　The　forest　is　of　course　watched；　therefore　take　as　many
　　precautions　as　we　formerly　did　for　our　young　masters。　Don't　say　a
　　word　to　Malin；　don't　speak　to　him；　and　put　on　one　of　our　masks
　　which　you　will　find　on　the　steps　which　lead　down　to　the　cave。
　　Unless　you　wish　to　compromise　our　heads　you　must　be　absolutely
　　silent　about　this　letter　and　the　secret　I　have　now　confided　to
　　you。　Don't　say　a　word　to　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　might
　　tell　of　it。　Don't　fear　for　me。　We　are　certain　that　the　matter　will
　　turn　out　well；　when　the　time　comes　Malin　himself　will　save　us。　I
　　don't　need　to　tell　you　to　burn　this　letter　as　soon　as　you　have
　　read　it；　for　it　would　cost　me　my　head　if　a　line　of　it　were　seen。　I
　　kiss　you　for　now　and　always；

Michu。


The　existence　of　the　cave　was　known　only　to　Marthe；　her　son；　Michu；
the　four　gentlemen；　and　Laurence；　or　rather；　Marthe；　to　whom　her
husband　had　not　related　the　incident　of　his　meeting　with　Peyrade　and
Corentin；　believed　it　was　known　only　to　them。　Had　she　consulted　her
mistress　and　the　two　lawyers；　who　knew　the　innocence　of　the　prisoners；
the　shrewd　Bordin　would　have　gained　some　light　upon　the　perfidious
trap　which　was　evidently　laid　for　his　clients。　But　Marthe；　acting　like
most　women　under　a　first　impulse；　was　convinced　by　this　proof　which
came　to　her　own　eyes；　and　flung　the　letter　into　the　fire　as　directed。
Nevertheless；　moved　by　a　singular　gleam　of　caution；　she　caught　a
portion　of　it　from　the　flames；　tore　off　the　five　first　lines；　which
compromised　no　one；　and　sewed　them　into　the　hem　of　her　dress。
Terrified　at　the　thought　that　the　prisoner　had　been　without　food　for
twenty…four　hours；　she　resolved　to　carry　bread；　meat；　and　wine　to　him
at　once；　curiosity　was　well　as　humanity　permitting　no　delay。
Accordingly；　she　heated　her　oven　and　made；　with　her　mother's　help；　a
/pate/　of　hare　and　ducks；　a　rice　cake；　roasted　two　fowls；　selected
three　bottles　of　wine；　and　baked　two　loaves　of　bread。　About　two　in　the
morning　she　started　for　the　forest；　carrying　the　load　on　her　back；
accompanied　by　Couraut；　who　in　all　such　expeditions　showed　wonderful
sagacity　as　a　guide。　He　scented　strangers　at　immense　distances；　and　as
soon　as　he　was　certain　of　their　presence　he　returned　to　his　mistress
with　a　low　growl；　looking　at　her　fixedly　and　turning　his　muzzle　in　the
direction　of　the　danger。

Marthe　reached　the　pond　about　three　in　the　morning；　and　left　the　dog
as　sentinel　on　the　bank。　After　half　an　hour's　labor　in　clearing　the
entrance　she　came　with　a　dark　lantern　to　the　door　of　the　cave；　her
face　covered　with　a　mask；　which　she　had　found；　as　directed；　on　the
steps。　The　imprisonment　of　the　senator　seemed　to　have　been　long
premeditated。　A　hole　about　a　foot　square；　which　Marthe　had　never　seen
before；　was　roughly　cut　in　the　upper　part　of　the　iron　door　which
closed　the　cave；　but　in　order　to　prevent　Malin　from　using　the　time　and
patience　all　prisoners　have　at　their　command　in　loosening　the　iron　bar
which　held　the　door；　it　was　securely　fastened　with　a　padlock。

The　senator；　who　had　risen　from　his　bed　of　moss；　sighed　when　he　saw
the　masked　face　and　felt　that　there　was　no　chance　then　of　his
deliverance。　He　examined　Marthe；　as　much　as　he　could　by　the　unsteady
light　of　her　dark　lantern；　and　he　recognized　her　by　her　clothes；　her
stoutness；　and　her　motions。　When　she　passed　the　/pate/　through　the
door　he　dropped　it　to　seize　her　hand　and　then；　with　great　swiftness；
he　tried　to　pull　the　rings　from　her　fingers；one　her　wedding…ring；
the　other　a　gift　from　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。

〃You　cannot　deny　that　it　is　you；　my　dear　Madame　Michu；〃　he　said。

Marthe　closed　her　fist　the　moment　she　felt　his　fingers；　and　gave　him　a
vigorous　blow　in　the　chest。　Then；　without　a　word；　she　turned　away　and
cut　a　stick；　at　the　end　of　which　she　held　out　to　the　senator　the　rest
of　the　provisions。

〃What　do　they　want　of　me？〃　he　asked。

Marthe　departed　giving　him　no　answer。　By　five　o'clock　she　had　reached
the　edge　of　the　forest　and　was　warned　by　Couraut　of　the　presence　of
strangers。　She　retraced　her　steps　and　made　for　the　pavilion　where　she
had　lived　so　long；　but　just　as　she　entered　the　avenue　she　was　seen
from　afar　by　the　forester　of　Gondreville；　and　she　quickly　reflected
that　her　best　plan　was　to　go　straight　up　to　him。

〃You　are　out　early；　Madame　Michu；〃　he　said；　accosting　her。

〃We　are　so　unfortunate；〃　she　replied；　〃that　I　am　obliged　to　do　a
servant's　work　myself。　I　am　going　to　Bellache　for　some　grain。〃

〃Haven't　you　any　at　Cinq…Cygne？〃　said　the　forester。

Marthe　made　no　answer。　She　continued　on　her　way　and　reached　the　farm
at　Bellache；　where　she　asked　Beauvisage　to　give　her　some　seed…grain；
saying　that　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　advised　her　to　get　it　from　him　to
renew　her　crop。　As　soon　as　Marthe　had　left　the　farm；　the　forester　went
there　to　find　out　what　she　asked　for。

Six　days　later；　Marthe；　determined　to　be　prudent；　went　at　midnight
with　her　provisions　so　as　to　avoid　the　keepers　who　were　evidently
patrolling　the　forest。　After　carrying　a　third　supply　to　the　senator
she　suddenly　became　terrified　on　hearing　the　abbe　read　aloud　the
public　examination　of　the　prisoners；for　the　trial　was　by　that　time
begun。　She　took　the　abbe　aside；　and　after　obliging　him　to　swear　that
he　would　keep　the　secret　she　was　about　to　reveal　as　though　it　was　said
to　him　in　the　confessional；　she　showed　him　the　fragments　of　Michu's
letter；　told　him　the　contents　of　it；　and　also　the　secret　of　the
hiding…place　where　the　senator　then　was。

The　abbe　at　once　inquired　if　she　had　other　letters　from　her　husband
that　he　might　compare　the　writing。　Marthe　went　to　her　home　to　fetch
them　and　there　found　a　summons　to　appear　in　court。　By　the　time　she
returned　to　the　chateau　the　abbe　and　his　sister　had　received　a　similar
summons　on　behalf　of　the　defence。　They　were　obliged　therefore　to　start
for　Troyes　immediately。　Thus　all　the　personages　of　our　drama；　even
those　who　were　only；　as　it　were；　supernumeraries；　were　collected　on
the　spot　where　the　fate　of　the　two　families　was　about　to　be　decided。



CHAPTER　XVII

THE　TRIAL

There　are　but　few　localities　in　France　where　Law　derives　from　outward
appearance　the　dignity　which　ought　always　to　accompany　it。　Yet　it
surely　is；　after　religion　and　royalty；　the　greatest　engine　of　society。
Everywhere；　even　in　Paris；　the　meanness　of　its　surroundings；　the
wretched　arrangement　of　the　courtrooms；　their　barrenness　and　want　of
decoration　in　the　most　ornate　and　showy　nation　upon　earth　in　the
matter　of　its　public　monuments；　lessens　the　action　of　the　law's　mighty
power。　At　the　farther　end　of　some　oblong　room　may　be　seen　a　desk　with
a　green　baize　covering　raised　on　a　platform；　behind　it　sit　the　judges
on　the　commonest　of　arm…chairs。　To　the　left；　is　the　seat　of　the　public
prosecutor；　and　beside　him；　close　to　the　wall；　is　a　long　pen　filled
with　chairs　for　the　jury。　Opposite　to　the　jury　is　another　pen　with　a
bench　for　the　prisoners　and　the　gendarmes　who　guard　them。　The　clerk　of
the　court　sits　below　the　platform　at　a　table　covered　with　the　papers
of　the　case。　Before　the　imperial　changes　in　the　administration　of
justice　were　instituted；　a　commissary　of　the　government　and　the
director　of　the　jury　each　had　a　seat　and　a　table；　one　to　the　right；
the　other　to　the　left　of　the　baize…covered　desk。　Two　sheriffs　hovered
about　in　the　space　left　in　front　of　the　desk　for　the　station　of
witnesses。　Facing　the　judges　and　against　the　wall　above　the　entrance；
there　is　always　a　shabby　gallery　reserved　for　officials　and　for　women；
to　which　admittance　is　granted　only　by　the　president　of　the　court；　to
whom　the　proper　management　of　the　courtroom　belongs。　The　non…
privileged　public　are　compelled　to　stand　in　the　empty　space　between
the　door　of　the　hall　and　the　bar。　This　normal　appearance　of　all　French
law　courts　and　assize…rooms　was　that　of　the　Criminal　court　of　Troyes。

In　April；　1806；　neither　the　four　judges　nor　the　president　（or　chief…
justice）　who　made　up　the　court；　nor　the　public　prosecutor；　the
director　of　the　jury；　the　commissary　of　the　government；　nor　the
sheriffs　or　lawyers；　in　fact　no　one　except　the　gendarmes；　wore　any
robes　or　other　distinctive　sign　which　might　have　relieved　the
nakedness　of　the　surroundings　and　the　somewhat　meagre　aspect　of　the
figures。　The　crucifix　was　suppressed；