an historical mystery-第36部分

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for　wearing　the　skin；　as　it　were；　of　five　innocent　men。　To　discover
them；　even　to　get　upon　their　traces；　we　need　as　much　power　as　the
government　itself；　as　many　agents　and　as　many　eyes　as　there　are
townships　in　a　radius　of　fifty　miles。〃

〃The　thing　is　impossible；〃　said　Bordin。　〃There's　no　use　thinking　of
it。　Since　society　invented　law　it　has　never　found　a　way　to　give　an
innocent　prisoner　an　equal　chance　against　a　magistrate　who　is　pre…
disposed　against　him。　Law　is　not　bilateral。　The　defence；　without　spies
or　police；　cannot　call　social　power　to　the　rescue　of　its　innocent
clients。　Innocence　has　nothing　on　her　side　but　reason；　and　reasoning
which　may　strike　a　judge　is　often　powerless　on　the　narrow　minds　of
jurymen。　The　whole　department　is　against　you。　The　eight　jurors　who
have　signed　the　indictment　are　each　and　all　purchasers　of　national
domain。　Among　the　trial　jurors　we　are　certain　to　have　some　who　have
either　sold　or　bought　the　same　property。　In　short；　we　can　get　nothing
but　a　Malin　jury。　You　must　therefore　set　up　a　consistent　defence；　hold
fast　to　it；　and　perish　in　your　innocence。　You　will　certainly　be
condemned。　But　there's　a　court　of　appeal；　we　will　go　there　and　try　to
remain　there　as　long　as　possible。　If　in　the　mean　time　we　can　collect
proofs　in　your　favor　you　must　apply　for　pardon。　That's　the　anatomy　of
the　business；　and　my　advice。　If　we　triumph　（for　everything　is　possible
in　law）　it　will　be　a　miracle；　but　your　advocate　Monsieur　de　Grandville
is　the　most　likely　man　among　all　I　know　to　produce　that　miracle；　and
I'll　do　my　best　to　help　him。〃

〃The　senator　has　the　key　to　the　mystery；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Grandville；
〃for　a　man　knows　his　enemies　and　why　they　are　so。　Here　we　find　him
leaving　Paris　at　the　close　of　the　winter；　coming　to　Gondreville　alone；
shutting　himself　up　with　his　notary；　and　delivering　himself　over；　as
one　might　say；　to　five　men　who　seize　him。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Bordin；　〃his　conduct　seems　inexplicable。　But　how
could　we；　in　the　face　of　a　hostile　community；　become　accusers　when　we
ourselves　are　the　accused？　We　should　need　the　help　and　good…will　of
the　government　and　a　thousand　times　more　proof　than　is　wanted　in
ordinary　circumstances。　I　am　convinced　there　was　premeditation；　and
subtle　premeditation；　on　the　part　of　our　mysterious　adversaries；　who
must　have　known　the　situation　of　Michu　and　the　Messieurs　de　Simeuse
towards　Malin。　Not　to　utter　one　word；　not　to　steal　one　thing！
remarkable　prudence！　I　see　something　very　different　from　ordinary
evil…doers　behind　those　masks。　But　what　would　be　the　use　of　saying　so
to　the　sort　of　jurors　we　shall　have　to　face？〃

This　insight　into　hidden　matters　which　gives　such　power　to　certain
lawyers　and　certain　magistrates　astonished　and　confounded　Laurence；
her　heart　was　wrung　by　that　inexorable　logic。

〃Out　of　every　hundred　criminal　cases；〃　continued　Bordin；　〃there　are
not　ten　where　the　law　really　lays　bare　the　truth　to　its　full　extent；
and　there　is　perhaps　a　good　third　in　which　the　truth　is　never　brought
to　light　at　all。　Yours　is　one　of　those　cases　which　are　inexplicable　to
all　parties；　to　accused　and　accusers；　to　the　law　and　to　the　public。　As
for　the　Emperor；　he　has　other　fish　to　fry　than　to　consider　the　case　of
these　gentlemen；　supposing　even　that　they　had　not　conspired　against
him。　But　who　the　devil　/is/　Malin's　enemy？　and　what　has　really　been
done　with　him？〃

Bordin　and　Monsieur　de　Grandville　looked　at　each　other；　they　seemed　in
doubt　as　to　Laurence's　veracity。　This　evident　suspicion　was　the　most
cutting　of　all　the　many　pangs　the　girl　had　suffered　in　the　affair；　and
she　turned　upon　the　lawyers　a　look　which　effectually　put　an　end　to
their　distrust。

The　next　day　the　indictment　was　handed　over　to　the　defence；　and　the
lawyers　were　then　enabled　to　communicate　with　the　prisoners。　Bordin
informed　the　family　that　the　six　accused　men　were　〃well　supported；〃
using　a　professional　term。

〃Monsieur　de　Grandville　will　defend　Michu；〃　said　Bordin。

〃Michu！〃　exclaimed　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　amazed　at　the　change。

〃He　is　the　pivot　of　the　affairthe　danger　lies　there；〃　replied　the
old　lawyer。

〃If　he　is　more　in　danger　than　the　others；　I　think　that　is　just；〃　cried
Laurence。

〃We　see　certain　chances；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　〃and　we　shall
study　them　carefully。　If　we　are　able　to　save　these　gentlemen　it　will
be　because　Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　ordered　Michu　to　repair　one　of　the
stone　posts　in　the　covered　way；　and　also　because　a　wolf　has　been　seen
in　the　forest；　in　a　criminal　court　everything　depends　on　discussions；
and　discussions　often　turn　on　trivial　matters　which　then　become　of
immense　importance。〃

Laurence　sank　into　that　inward　dejection　which　humiliates　the　soul　of
all　thoughtful　and　energetic　persons　when　the　uselessness　of　thought
and　action　is　made　manifest　to　them。　It　was　no　longer　a　matter　of
overthrowing　a　usurper；　or　of　coming　to　the　help　of　devoted　friends；
fanatical　sympathies　wrapped　in　a　shroud　of　mystery。　She　now　saw　all
social　forces　full…armed　against　her　cousins　and　herself。　There　was　no
taking　a　prison　by　assault　with　her　own　hands；　no　deliverance　of
prisoners　from　the　midst　of　a　hostile　population　and　beneath　the　eyes
of　a　watchful　police。　So；　when　the　young　lawyer；　alarmed　at　the　stupor
of　the　generous　and　noble　girl；　which　the　natural　expression　of　her
face　made　still　more　noticeable；　endeavored　to　revive　her　courage；　she
turned　to　him　and　said：　〃I　must　be　silent；　I　suffer；I　wait。〃

The　accent；　gesture；　and　look　with　which　the　words　were　said　made　this
answer　one　of　those　sublime　things　which　only　need　a　wider　stage　to
make　them　famous。

A　few　moments　later　old　d'Hauteserre　was　saying　to　the　Marquis　de
Chargeboeuf：　〃What　efforts　I　have　made　for　my　two　unfortunate　sons！　I
have　already　laid　by　in　the　Funds　enough　to　give　them　eight　thousand
francs　a　year。　If　they　had　only　been　willing　to　serve　in　the　army　they
would　have　reached　the　higher　grades　by　this　time；　and　could　now　have
married　to　advantage。　Instead　of　that；　all　my　plans　are　scattered　to
the　winds！〃

〃How　can　you；〃　said　his　wife；　〃think　of　their　interests　when　it　is　a
question　of　their　honor　and　their　lives？〃

〃Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　thinks　of　everything；〃　said　the　marquis。



CHAPTER　XVI

MARTHE　INVEIGLED

While　the　masters　of　Cinq…Cygne　were　waiting　at　Troyes　for　the　opening
of　the　trial　before　the　Criminal　court　and　vainly　soliciting
permission　to　see　the　prisoners；　an　event　of　the　utmost　importance　had
taken　place　at　the　chateau。

Marthe　returned　to　Cinq…Cygne　as　soon　as　she　had　given　her　testimony
before　the　indicting　jury。　This　testimony　was　so　insignificant　that　it
was　not　thought　necessary　to　summon　her　before　the　Criminal　court。
Like　all　persons　of　extreme　sensibility；　the　poor　woman　sat　silent　in
the　salon；　where　she　kept　company　with　Mademoiselle　Goujet；　in　a
pitiable　state　of　stupefaction。　To　her；　as　to　the　abbe；　and　indeed　to
all　others　who　did　not　know　how　the　accused　had　been　employed　on　that
day；　their　innocence　seemed　doubtful。　There　were　moments　when　Marthe
believed　that　Michu　and　his　masters　and　Laurence　had　executed
vengeance　on　the　senator。　The　unhappy　woman　now　knew　Michu's　devotion
well　enough　to　be　certain　that　he　was　the　one　who　would　be　most　in
danger；　not　only　because　of　his　antecedents；　but　because　of　the　part
he　was　sure　to　have　taken　in　the　execution　of　the　scheme。

The　Abbe　Goujet　and　his　sister　and　Marthe　were　bewildered　among　the
possibilities　to　which　this　opinion　gave　rise；　and　yet；　in　the　process
of　thinking　them　over；　their　minds　insensibly　took　hold　of　them　in　a
certain　way。　The　absolute　doubt　which　Descartes　demands　can　no　more
exist　in　the　brain　of　a　man　than　a　vacuum　can　exist　in　nature；　and　the
mental　operation　required　to　produce　it　would；　like　the　effect　of　a
pneumatic　machine；　be　exceptional　and　anomalous。　Whatever　a　case　may
be；　the　mind　believes　in　something。　Now　Marthe　was　so　afraid　that　the
accused　were　guilty　that　her　fear　became　equivalent　to　belief；　and
this　condition　of　her　mind　proved　fatal　to　her。

Five　days　after　the　arrests；　just　as　she　was　in　the　act　of　going　to
bed　about　ten　o'clock　at　night；　she　was　called　from　the　courtyard　by
her　mother；　who　had　come　from　the　farm　on　foot。

〃A　laboring　man　from　Troyes　wants　to　speak　to　you；　he　is　sent　by
Michu；　and　is　waiting　in　the　covered　way；〃　she　said　to　Marthe。

They　passed　through　the　breach　so　as　to　take　the　shortest　path。　In　the
darkness　it　was　impossible　for　Marthe　to　distinguish　anything　more
than　the　form　of　a　person　which　loomed　through　the　shadows。

〃Speak；　madame；　so　that　I　may　be　certain　you　are　really　Madame　Michu；〃
said　the　person；　in　a　rather　anxious　voice。

〃I　am　Madame　Michu；〃　said　Marthe；　〃what　do　you　want　of　me？〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　the　unknown；　〃give　me　your　hand；　do　not　fear　me。　I
come；〃　he　added；　leaning　towards　her　and　speaking　low；　〃from　Michu
with　a　note　for　you。　I　am　employed　at　the　prison；　and　if　my　superiors
discover　my　absence　we　shall　all　be　lost。　Trust　me；　your　good　father
placed　me　where　I　am。　For　that　reason　Michu　counted　on　my　helping
him。〃

He　put　the　letter　into　Marthe's　hand　and　disappeared　toward　the　forest
without　waiti