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Descoutoux; in the mountains; between Lavoine and Thiers。  The

Marchioness de Bouille had a chateau there where she occasionally

spent some time。



The child was nursed at Descoutoux by Gabrielle Moini; who was paid a

month in advance; but she only kept it a week or so; because they

refused to tell her the father and mother and to refer her to a place

where she might send reports of her charge。  This woman having made

these reasons public; no nurse could be found to take charge of the

child; which was removed from the village of Descoutoux。  The persons

who removed it took the highroad to Burgundy; crossing a densely

wooded country; and here they lost their way。



The above particulars were subsequently proved by the nurses; the

carrier; and others who made legal depositions。  They are stated at

length here; as they proved very important in the great lawsuit。  The

compilers of the case; into which we search for information; have

however omitted to tell us how the absence of the major…domo was

accounted for at the castle; probably the far…sighted marquis had got

an excuse ready。



The countess's state of drowsiness continued till daybreak。  She woke

bathed in blood; completely exhausted; but yet with a sensation of

comfort which convinced her that she had been delivered from her

burden。  Her first words were about her child; she wished to see it;

kiss it; she asked where it was。  The midwife coolly told her; whilst

the girls who were by were filled with amazement at her audacity;

that she had not been confined at all。  The countess maintained the

contrary; and as she grew very excited; the midwife strove to calm

her; assuring her that in any case her delivery could not be long

protracted; and that; judging from all the indications of the night;

she would give birth to a boy。  This promise comforted the count and

the countess dowager; but failed to satisfy the countess; who

insisted that a child had been born。



The same day a scullery…maid met a woman going to the water's edge in

the castle moat; with a parcel in her arms。  She recognised the

midwife; and asked what she was carrying and where she was going so

early。  The latter replied that she was very inquisitive; and that it

was nothing at all; but the girl; laughingly pretending to be angry

at this answer; pulled open one of the ends of the parcel before the

midwife had time to stop her; and exposed to view some linen soaked

in blood。



〃Madame has been confined; then?〃 she said to the matron。



〃No;〃 replied she briskly;〃 she has not。〃



The girl was unconvinced; and said; 〃How do you mean that she has

not; when madame the marchioness; who was there; says she has?  The

matron in great confusion replied; 〃She must have a very long tongue;

if she said so。〃



The girl's evidence was later found most important。



The countess's uneasiness made her worse the next day。  She implored

with sighs and tears at least to be told what had become of her

child; steadily maintaining that she was not mistaken when she

assured them that she had given birth to one。  The midwife with great

effrontery told her that the new moon was unfavourable to childbirth;

and that she must wait for the wane; when it would be easier as

matters were already prepared。



Invalids' fancies do not obtain much credence; still; the persistence

of the countess would have convinced everyone in the long run; had

not the dowager said that she remembered at the end of the ninth

month of one of her own pregnancies she had all the premonitory

symptoms of lying in; but they proved false; and in fact the

accouchement took place three months later。



This piece of news inspired great confidence。  The marquis and Madame

de Bouille did all in their power to confirm it; but the countess

obstinately refused to listen to it; and her passionate transports of

grief gave rise to the greatest anxiety。  The midwife; who knew not

how to gain time; and was losing all hope in face of the countess's

persistence; was almost frightened out of her wits; she entered into

medical details; and finally said that some violent exercise must be

taken to induce labour。  The countess; still unconvinced; refused to

obey this order; but the count; the dowager; and all the family

entreated her so earnestly that she gave way。



They put her in a close carriage; and drove her a whole day over

ploughed fields; by the roughest and hardest roads。  She was so

shaken that she lost the power of breathing; it required all the

strength of her constitution to support this barbarous treatment in

the delicate condition of a lady so recently confined。  They put her

to bed again after this cruel drive; and seeing that nobody took her

view; she threw herself into the arms of Providence; and consoled

herself by religion; the midwife administered violent remedies to

deprive her of milk; she got over all these attempts to murder her;

and slowly got better。



Time; which heals the deepest affliction; gradually soothed that of

the countess; her grief nevertheless burst out periodically on the

slightest cause; but eventually it died out; till the following

events rekindled it。



There had been in Paris a fencing…master who used to boast that he

had a brother in the service of a great house。  This fencing…master

had married a certain Marie Pigoreau; daughter of an actor。  He had

recently died in poor circumstances; leaving her a widow with two

children。  This woman Pigoreau did not enjoy the best of characters;

and no one knew how she made a living; when all at once; after some

short absences from home and visit from a man who came in the

evening; his face muffled in his cloak; she launched out into a more

expensive style of living; the neighbours saw in her house costly

clothes; fine swaddling…clothes; and at last it became known that she

was nursing a strange child。



About the same time it also transpired that she had a deposit of two

thousand livres in the hands of a grocer in the quarter; named

Raguenet; some days later; as the child's baptism had doubtless been

put off for fear of betraying his origin; Pigoreau had him christened

at St。 Jean en Greve。  She did not invite any of the neighbours to

the function; and gave parents' names of her own choosing at the

church。  For godfather she selected the parish sexton; named Paul

Marmiou; who gave the child the name of Bernard。  La Pigoreau

remained in a confessional during the ceremony; and gave the man ten

sou。  The godmother was Jeanne Chevalier; a poor woman of the parish。



The entry in the register was as follows:…



     〃On the seventh day of March one thousand six hundred and

     forty…two was baptized Bernard; son of 。  。  。  and 。  。  。  his

     godfather being Paul Marmiou; day labourer and servant of this

     parish; and his godmother Jeanne Chevalier; widow of Pierre

     Thibou。〃



A few days afterwards la Pigoreau put out the child to nurse in the

village of Torcy en Brie; with a woman who had been her godmother;

whose husband was called Paillard。  She gave out that it was a child

of quality which had been entrusted to her; and that she should not

hesitate; if such a thing were necessary; to save its life by the

loss of one of her own children。  The nurse did not keep it long;

because she fell ill; la Pigoreau went to fetch the child away;

lamenting this accident; and further saying that she regretted it all

the more; as the nurse would have earned enough to make her

comfortable for the rest of her life。  She put the infant out again

in the same village; with the widow of a peasant named Marc Peguin。

The monthly wage was regularly paid; and the child brought up as one

of rank。  La Pigoreau further told the woman that it was the son of a

great nobleman; and would later make the fortunes of those who served

him。  An elderly man; whom the people supposed to be the child's

father; but who Pigoreau assured them was her brother…in…law; often

came to see him。



When the child was eighteen months old; la Pigoreau took him away and

weaned him。  Of the two by her husband the elder was called Antoine;

the second would have been called Henri if he had lived; but he was

born on the 9th of August 1639; after the death of his father; who

was killed in June of the same year; and died shortly after his

birth。  La Pigoreau thought fit to give the name and condition of

this second son to the stranger; and thus bury for ever the secret of

his birth。  With this end in view; she left the quarter where she

lived; and removed to conceal herself in another parish where she was

not known。  The child was brought up under the name and style of

Henri; second son of la Pigoreau; till he was two and a half years of

age; but at this time; whether she was not engaged to keep it any

longer; or whether she had spent the two thousand livres deposited

with the grocer Raguenet; and could get no more from

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