an historical mystery-第5节

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neighborhood　of　Paris　use　so　much；　soon　appeared；　wearing　a　round　hat
with　a　broad　brim；　beneath　which　his　wood…colored　face；　deeply
wrinkled；　appeared　in　shadow。　His　gray　eyes；　mischievous　and　lively；
concealed　in　a　measure　the　treachery　of　his　nature。　His　skinny　legs；
covered　with　gaiters　of　white　linen　which　came　to　the　knee；　hung
rather　than　rested　in　the　stirrups；　seemingly　held　in　place　by　the
weight　of　his　hob…nailed　shoes。　Above　his　jacket　of　blue　cloth　he　wore
a　cloak　of　some　coarse　woollen　stuff　woven　in　black　and　white　stripes。
His　gray　hair　fell　in　curls　behind　his　ears。　This　dress；　the　gray
horse　with　its　short　legs；　the　manner　in　which　Violette　sat　him；
stomach　projecting　and　shoulders　thrown　back；　the　big　chapped　hands
which　held　the　shabby　bridle；　all　depicted　him　plainly　as　the
grasping；　ambitious　peasant　who　desires　to　own　land　and　buys　it　at　any
price。　His　mouth；　with　its　bluish　lips　parted　as　if　a　surgeon　had
pried　them　open　with　a　scalpel；　and　the　innumerable　wrinkles　of　his
face　and　forehead　hindered　the　play　of　features　which　were　expressive
only　in　their　outlines。　Those　hard；　fixed　lines　seemed　menacing；　in
spite　of　the　humility　which　country…folks　assume　and　beneath　which
they　conceal　their　emotions　and　schemes；　as　savages　and　Easterns　hide
theirs　behind　an　imperturbable　gravity。　First　a　mere　laborer；　then　the
farmer　of　Grouage　through　a　long　course　of　persistent　ill…doing；　he
continued　his　evil　practices　after　conquering　a　position　which
surpassed　his　early　hopes。　He　wished　harm　to　all　men　and　wished　it
vehemently。　When　he　could　assist　in　doing　harm　he　did　it　eagerly。　He
was　openly　envious；　but；　no　matter　how　malignant　he　might　be；　he　kept
within　the　limits　of　the　law；neither　beyond　it　nor　behind　it；　like　a
parliamentary　opposition。　He　believed　his　prosperity　depended　on　the
ruin　of　others；　and　that　whoever　was　above　him　was　an　enemy　against
whom　all　weapons　were　good。　A　character　like　this　is　very　common　among
the　peasantry。

Violette's　present　business　was　to　obtain　from　Malin　an　extension　of
the　lease　of　his　farm；　which　had　only　six　years　longer　to　run。　Jealous
of　the　bailiff's　means；　he　watched　him　narrowly。　The　neighbors
reproached　him　for　his　intimacy　with　〃Judas〃；　but　the　sly　old　farmer；
wishing　to　obtain　a　twelve　years'　lease；　was　really　lying　in　wait　for
an　opportunity　to　serve　either　the　government　or　Malin；　who　distrusted
Michu。　Violette；　by　the　help　of　the　game…keeper　of　Gondreville　and
others　belonging　to　the　estate；　kept　Malin　informed　of　all　Michu's
actions。　Malin　had　endeavored；　fruitlessly；　to　win　over　Marianne；　the
Michus'　servant…woman；　but　Violette　and　his　satellites　heard
everything　from　Gaucher；a　lad　on　whose　fidelity　Michu　relied；　but
who　betrayed　him　for　cast…off　clothing；　waistcoats；　buckles；　cotton
socks　and　sugar…plums。　The　boy　had　no　suspicion　of　the　importance　of
his　gossip。　Violette　in　his　reports　blackened　all　Michu's　actions　and
gave　them　a　criminal　aspect　by　absurd　suggestions；unknown；　of
course；　to　the　bailiff；　who　was　aware；　however；　of　the　base　part
played　by　the　farmer；　and　took　delight　in　mystifying　him。

〃You　must　have　a　deal　of　business　at　Bellache　to　be　here　again；〃　said
Michu。

〃Again！　is　that　meant　as　a　reproach；　Monsieur　Michu？Hey！　I　did　not
know　you　had　that　gun。　You　are　not　going　to　whistle　for　the　sparrows
on　that　pipe；　I　suppose〃

〃It　grew　in　a　field　of　mine　which　bears　guns；〃　replied　Michu。　〃Look！
this　is　how　I　sow　them。〃

The　bailiff　took　aim　at　a　viper　thirty　feet　away　and　cut　it　in　two。

〃Have　you　got　that　bandit's　weapon　to　protect　your　master？〃　said
Violette。　〃Perhaps　he　gave　it　to　you。〃

〃He　came　from　Paris　expressly　to　bring　it　to　me；〃　replied　Michu。

〃People　are　talking　all　round　the　neighborhood　of　this　journey　of　his；
some　say　he　is　in　disgrace　and　has　to　retire　from　office；　others　that
he　wants　to　see　things　for　himself　down　here。　But　anyway；　why　does　he
come；　like　the　First　Consul；　without　giving　warning？　Did　you　know　he
was　coming？〃

〃I　am　not　on　such　terms　with　him　as　to　be　in　his　confidence。〃

〃Then　you　have　not　seen　him？〃

〃I　did　not　know　he　was　here　till　I　got　back　from　my　rounds　in　the
forest；〃　said　Michu；　reloading　his　gun。

〃He　has　sent　to　Arcis　for　Monsieur　Grevin；〃　said　Violette；　〃they　are
scheming　something。〃

〃If　you　are　going　round　by　Cinq…Cygne；　take　me　up　behind　you；〃　said
the　bailiff。　〃I'm　going　there。〃

Violette　was　too　timid　to　have　a　man　of　Michu's　strength　on　his
crupper；　and　he　spurred　his　beast。　Judas　slung　his　gun　over　his
shoulder　and　walked　rapidly　up　the　avenue。

〃Who　can　it　be　that　Michu　is　angry　with？〃　said　Marthe　to　her　mother。

〃Ever　since　he　heard　of　Monsieur　Malin's　arrival　he　has　been　gloomy；〃
replied　the　old　woman。　〃But　it　is　getting　damp　here；　let　us　go　in。〃

After　the　two　women　had　settled　themselves　in　the　chimney　corner　they
heard　Couraut's　bark。

〃There's　my　husband　returning！〃　cried　Marthe。

Michu　passed　up　the　stairs；　his　wife；　uneasy；　followed　him　to　their
bedroom。

〃See　if　any　one　is　about；〃　he　said　to　her；　in　a　voice　of　some　emotion。

〃No　one；〃　she　replied。　〃Marianne　is　in　the　field　with　the　cow；　and
Gaucher〃

〃Where　is　Gaucher？〃　he　asked。

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃I　distrust　that　little　scamp。　Go　up　in　the　garret；　look　in　the　hay…
loft；　look　everywhere　for　him。〃

Marthe　left　the　room　to　obey　the　order。　When　she　returned　she　found
Michu　on　his　knees；　praying。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　frightened。

The　bailiff　took　his　wife　round　the　waist　and　drew　her　to　him；　saying
in　a　voice　of　deep　feeling：　〃If　we　never　see　each　other　again
remember；　my　poor　wife；　that　I　loved　you　well。　Follow　minutely　the
instructions　which　you　will　find　in　a　letter　buried　at　the　foot　of　the
larch　in　that　copse。　It　is　enclosed　in　a　tin　tube。　Do　not　touch　it
until　after　my　death。　And　remember；　Marthe；　whatever　happens　to　me；
that　in　spite　of　man's　injustice；　my　arm　has　been　the　instrument　of
the　justice　of　God。〃

Marthe；　who　turned　pale　by　degrees；　became　white　as　her　own　linen；　she
looked　at　her　husband　with　fixed　eyes　widened　by　fear；　she　tried　to
speak；　but　her　throat　was　dry。　Michu　disappeared　like　a　shadow；　having
tied　Couraut　to　the　foot　of　his　bed　where　the　dog；　after　the　manner　of
all　dogs；　howled　in　despair。

Michu's　anger　against　Monsieur　Marion　had　serious　grounds；　but　it　was
now　concentrated　on　another　man；　far　more　criminal　in　his　eyes；on
Malin；　whose　secrets　were　known　to　the　bailiff；　he　being　in　a　better
position　than　others　to　understand　the　conduct　of　the　State
Councillor。　Michu's　father…in…law　had　had；　politically　speaking；　the
confidence　of　the　former　representative　to　the　Convention；　through
Grevin。

Perhaps　it　would　be　well　here　to　relate　the　circumstances　which
brought　the　Simeuse　and　the　Cinq…Cygne　families　into　connection　with
Malin；circumstances　which　weighed　heavily　on　the　fate　of
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne's　twin　cousins；　but　still　more　heavily　on
that　of　Marthe　and　Michu。

The　Cinq…Cygne　mansion　at　Troyes　stands　opposite　to　that　of　Simeuse。
When　the　populace；　incited　by　minds　that　were　as　shrewd　as　they　were
cautious；　pillaged　the　hotel　Simeuse；　discovered　the　marquis　and
marchioness；　who　were　accused　of　corresponding　with　the　nation's
enemies；　and　delivered　them　to　the　national　guards　who　took　them　to
prison；　the　crowd　shouted；　〃Now　for　the　Cinq…Cygnes！〃　To　their　minds
the　Cinq…Cygnes　were　as　guilty　as　other　aristocrats。　The　brave　and
worthy　Monsieur　de　Simeuse　in　the　endeavor　to　save　his　two　sons；　then
eighteen　years　of　age；　whose　courage　was　likely　to　compromise　them；
had　confided　them；　a　few　hours　before　the　storm　broke；　to　their　aunt；
the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne。　Two　servants　attached　to　the　Simeuse
family　accompanied　the　young　men　to　her　house。　The　old　marquis；　who
was　anxious　that　his　name　should　not　die　out；　requested　that　what　was
happening　might　be　concealed　from　his　sons；　even　in　the　event　of　dire
disaster。　Laurence；　the　only　daughter　of　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；
was　then　twelve　years　of　age；　her　cousins　both　loved　her　and　she　loved
them　equally。　Like　other　twins　the　Simeuse　brothers　were　so　alike　that
for　a　long　while　their　mother　dressed　them　in　different　colors　to　know
them　apart。　The　first　comer；　the　eldest；　was　named　Paul…Marie；　the
other　Marie…Paul。　Laurence　de　Cinq…Cygne；　to　whom　their　danger　was
revealed；　played　her　woman's　part　well　though　still　a　mere　child。　She
coaxed　and　petted　her　cousins　and　kept　them　occupied　until　the　very
moment　when　the　populace　surrounded　the　Cinq…Cygne　mansion。　The　two
brothers　then　knew　their　danger　for　the　first　time；　and　looked　at　each
other。　Their　resolution　was　instantly　taken；　they　armed　their　own
servants　and　those　of　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；　barricaded　the
doors；　and　stood　guard　at　the　windows；　after　closing　the　wooden
blinds；　with　the　five　men…servants　and　the　Abbe　d'Hauteserre；　a
relative　of　the　Cinq…Cygnes。　These　eight　courageous　champions　poured　a
deadly　fire　into　the　crowd。　Every　shot　killed　or　wounded　an　assailant。
Laurence；　instead　of　wringing　her　hands；　loaded　the　guns　with
extraordinary　coolness；　and　passed　the　balls　and　powder　to　those　who
needed　them。　The　Comtesse　de