the collection of antiquities-第22部分

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e　peopleonce　when　you　refused　an　alliance；　twice　when　you　put　me　under　the　ban　of　your　society。　You　are　reaping　as　you　have　sown。〃

If　Chesnel　was　startled　by　this　outburst；　so　no　less　was　Mme。　du　Croisier。　To　her　this　was　a　terrible　revelation　of　her　husband's　character；　a　new　light　not　merely　on　the　past　but　on　the　future　as　well。　Any　capitulation　on　the　part　of　the　colossus　was　apparently　out　of　the　question；　but　Chesnel　in　no　wise　retreated　before　the　impossible。

〃What；　monsieur？〃　said　Mme。　du　Croisier。　〃Would　you　not　forgive？　Then　you　are　not　a　Christian。〃

〃I　forgive　as　God　forgives；　madame；　on　certain　conditions。〃

〃And　what　are　they？〃　asked　Chesnel；　thinking　that　he　saw　a　ray　of　hope。

〃The　elections　are　coming　on；　I　want　the　votes　at　your　disposal。〃

〃You　shall　have　them。〃

〃I　wish　that　we；　my　wife　and　I；　should　be　received　familiarly　every　evening；　with　an　appearance　of　friendliness　at　any　rate；　by　M。　le　Marquis　d'Esgrignon　and　his　circle；〃　continued　du　Croisier。

〃I　do　not　know　how　we　are　going　to　compass　it；　but　you　shall　be　received。〃

〃I　wish　to　have　the　family　bound　over　by　a　surety　of　four　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　by　a　written　document　stating　the　nature　of　the　compromise；　so　as　to　keep　a　loaded　cannon　pointed　at　its　heart。〃

〃We　agree；〃　said　Chesnel；　without　admitting　that　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　was　in　his　possession；　〃but　the　amount　must　be　deposited　with　a　third　party　and　returned　to　the　family　after　your　election　and　repayment。〃

〃No；　after　the　marriage　of　my　grand…niece；　Mlle。　Duval。　She　will　very　likely　have　four　million　francs　some　day；　the　reversion　of　our　property　（mine　and　my　wife's）　shall　be　settled　upon　her　by　her　marriage…contract；　and　you　shall　arrange　a　match　between　her　and　the　young　Count。〃

〃Never！〃

〃NEVER！〃　repeated　du　Croisier；　quite　intoxicated　with　triumph。　〃Good…　night！〃

〃Idiot　that　I　am；〃　thought　Chesnel；　〃why　did　I　shrink　from　a　lie　to　such　a　man？〃

Du　Croisier　took　himself　off；　he　was　pleased　with　himself；　he　had　enjoyed　Chesnel's　humiliation；　he　had　held　the　destinies　of　a　proud　house；　the　representatives　of　the　aristocracy　of　the　province；　suspended　in　his　hand；　he　had　set　the　print　of　his　heel　on　the　very　heart　of　the　d'Esgrignons；　and；　finally；　he　had　broken　off　the　whole　negotiation　on　the　score　of　his　wounded　pride。　He　went　up　to　his　room；　leaving　his　wife　alone　with　Chesnel。　In　his　intoxication；　he　saw　his　victory　clear　before　him。　He　firmly　believed　that　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　had　been　squandered；　the　d'Esgrignons　must　sell　or　mortgage　all　that　they　had　to　raise　the　money；　the　Assize　Court　was　inevitable　to　his　mind。

An　affair　of　forgery　can　always　be　settled　out　of　court　in　France　if　the　missing　amount　is　returned。　The　losers　by　the　crime　are　usually　well…to…do；　and　have　no　wish　to　blight　an　imprudent　man's　character。　But　du　Croisier　had　no　mind　to　slacken　his　hold　until　he　knew　what　he　was　about。　He　meditated　until　he　fell　asleep　on　the　magnificent　manner　in　which　his　hopes　would　be　fulfilled　by　the　way　of　the　Assize　Court　or　by　marriage。　The　murmur　of　voices　below；　the　lamentations　of　Chesnel　and　Mme。　du　Croisier；　sounded　sweet　in　his　ears。

Mme。　du　Croisier　shared　Chesnel's　views　of　the　d'Esgrignons。　She　was　a　deeply　religious　woman；　a　Royalist　attached　to　the　noblesse；　the　interview　had　been　in　every　way　a　cruel　shock　to　her　feelings。　She；　a　staunch　Royalist；　had　heard　the　roaring　of　that　Liberalism；　which；　in　her　director's　opinion；　wished　to　crush　the　Church。　The　Left　benches　for　her　meant　the　popular　upheaval　and　the　scaffolds　of　1793。

〃What　would　your　uncle；　that　sainted　man　who　hears　us；　say　to　this？〃　exclaimed　Chesnel。　Mme。　du　Croisier　made　no　reply；　but　the　great　tears　rolled　down　her　checks。

〃You　have　already　been　the　cause　of　one　poor　boy's　death；　his　mother　will　go　mourning　all　her　days；〃　continued　Chesnel；　he　saw　how　his　words　told；　but　he　would　have　struck　harder　and　even　broken　this　woman's　heart　to　save　Victurnien。　〃Do　you　want　to　kill　Mlle。　Armande；　for　she　would　not　survive　the　dishonor　of　the　house　for　a　week？　Do　you　wish　to　be　the　death　of　poor　Chesnel；　your　old　notary？　For　I　shall　kill　the　Count　in　prison　before　they　shall　bring　the　charge　against　him；　and　take　my　own　life　afterwards；　before　they　shall　try　me　for　murder　in　an　Assize　Court。〃

〃That　is　enough！　that　is　enough；　my　friend！　I　would　do　anything　to　put　a　stop　to　such　an　affair；　but　I　never　knew　M。　du　Croisier's　real　character　until　a　few　minutes　ago。　To　you　I　can　make　the　admission：　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。〃

〃But　what　if　there　is？〃

〃I　would　give　half　the　blood　in　my　veins　that　it　were　so；〃　said　she；　finishing　her　sentence　by　a　wistful　shake　of　the　head。

As　the　First　Consul；　beaten　on　the　field　of　Marengo　till　five　o'clock　in　the　evening；　by　six　o'clock　saw　the　tide　of　battle　turned　by　Desaix's　desperate　attack　and　Kellermann's　terrific　charge；　so　Chesnel　in　the　midst　of　defeat　saw　the　beginnings　of　victory。　No　one　but　a　Chesnel；　an　old　notary；　an　ex…steward　of　the　manor；　old　Maitre　Sorbier's　junior　clerk；　in　the　sudden　flash　of　lucidity　which　comes　with　despair；　could　rise　thus；　high　as　a　Napoleon；　nay；　higher。　This　was　not　Marengo；　it　was　Waterloo；　and　the　Prussians　had　come　up；　Chesnel　saw　this；　and　was　determined　to　beat　them　off　the　field。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃remember　that　I　have　been　your　man　of　business　for　twenty　years；　remember　that　if　the　d'Esgrignons　mean　the　honor　of　the　province；　you　represent　the　honor　of　the　bourgeoisie；　it　rests　with　you；　and　you　alone；　to　save　the　ancient　house。　Now；　answer　me；　are　you　going　to　allow　dishonor　to　fall　on　the　shade　of　your　dead　uncle；　on　the　d'Esgrignons；　on　poor　Chesnel？　Do　you　want　to　kill　Mlle。　Armande　weeping　yonder？　Or　do　you　wish　to　expiate　wrongs　done　to　others　by　a　deed　which　will　rejoice　your　ancestors；　the　intendants　of　the　dukes　of　Alencon；　and　bring　comfort　to　the　soul　of　our　dear　Abbe？　If　he　could　rise　from　his　grave；　he　would　command　you　to　do　this　thing　that　I　beg　of　you　upon　my　knees。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mme。　du　Croisier。

〃Well。　Here　are　the　hundred　thousand　crowns；〃　said　Chesnel；　drawing　the　bundles　of　notes　from　his　pocket。　〃Take　them；　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　it。〃

〃If　that　is　all；〃　she　began；　〃and　if　no　harm　can　come　of　it　to　my　husband〃

〃Nothing　but　good；〃　Chesnel　replied。　〃You　are　saving　him　from　eternal　punishment　in　hell；　at　the　cost　of　a　slight　disappointment　here　below。〃

〃He　will　not　be　compromised；　will　he？〃　she　asked；　looking　into　Chesnel's　face。

Then　Chesnel　read　the　depths　of　the　poor　wife's　mind。　Mme。　du　Croisier　was　hesitating　between　her　two　creeds；　between　wifely　obedience　to　her　husband　as　laid　down　by　the　Church；　and　obedience　to　the　altar　and　the　throne。　Her　husband；　in　her　eyes；　was　acting　wrongly；　but　she　dared　not　blame　him；　she　would　fain　save　the　d'Esgrignons；　but　she　was　loyal　to　her　husband's　interests。

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　Chesnel　answered；　〃your　old　notary　swears　it　by　the　Holy　Gospels〃

He　had　nothing　left　to　lose　for　the　d'Esgrignons　but　his　soul；　he　risked　it　now　by　this　horrible　perjury；　but　Mme。　du　Croisier　must　be　deceived；　there　was　no　other　choice　but　death。　Without　losing　a　moment；　he　dictated　a　form　of　receipt　by　which　Mme。　du　Croisier　acknowledged　payment　of　a　hundred　thousand　crowns　five　days　before　the　fatal　letter　of　exchange　appeared；　for　he　recollected　that　du　Croisier　was　away　from　home；　superintending　improvements　on　his　wife's　property　at　the　time。

〃Now　swear　to　me　that　you　will　declare　before　the　examining　magistrate　that　you　received　the　money　on　that　date；〃　he　said；　when　Mme。　du　Croisier　had　taken　the　notes　and　he　held　the　receipt　in　his　hand。

〃It　will　be　a　lie；　will　it　not？〃

〃Venial　sin；〃　said　Chesnel。

〃I　could　not　do　it　without　consulting　my　director；　M。　l'Abbe　Couturier。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Chesnel；　〃will　you　be　guided　entirely　by　his　advice　in　this　affair？〃

〃I　promise　that。〃

〃And　you　must　not　give　the　money　to　M。　du　Croisier　until　you　have　been　before　the　magistrate。〃

〃No。　Ah！　God　give　me　strength　to　appear　in　a　Court　of　Justice　and　maintain　a　lie　before　men！〃

Chesnel　kissed　Mme。　du　Croisier's　hand；　then　stood　upright；　and　majestic　as　one　of　the　prophets　that　Raphael　painted　in　the　Vatican。

〃You　uncle's　soul　is　thrilled　with　joy；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　wiped　out　for　ever　the　wrong　that　you　did　by　marrying　an　enemy　of　altar　and　throne〃words　that　made　a　lively　impression　on　Mme。　du　Croisier's　timorous　mind。

Then　Chesnel　all　at　once　bethought　himself　that　he　must　make　sure　of　the　lady's　director；　the　Abbe　Couturier。　He　knew　how　obstinately　devout　souls　can　work　for　the　triumph　of　their　views　when　once　they　come　forward　for　their　side；　and　wished　to　secure　the　concurrence　of　the　Church　as　early　as　possible。　So　he　went　to　the　Hotel　d'Esgrignon；　roused　up　Mlle。　Armande；　gave　her　an　account　of　that　night's　work；　and　sped　her　to　fetch　the　Bishop　himself　into　the　forefront　of　the　battle。

〃Ah；　God　in　heaven！　Thou　must　save　the　house　of　d'Esgrignon！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　went　slowly　home　again。　〃The　affair　is　developing　now　into　a　fight　in　a　Court　of　Law。　We　are　face　to　face　with　men　that　have　passions　and　interests　of　their　own；　we　can　get　anything　out　of　them。　This　du　Croisier　has　taken　advantage　of　the　public　prosecutor's　absence；　the　public　prosecutor　is　devoted　to　us；　but　since　the　opening　of　the　Chambers　he　has　gone　to　Paris。　Now；　what　can　they　have　done　to　get　round　his　deputy？　They　have　induced　him　to　take　up　the　charge　without　consulting　his　chief。　This　mystery　must　be　looked　into；　and　the　ground　surveyed　to…morrow；　and　then；　perhaps；　when　I　have　unraveled　this　web　of　theirs；　I　will　go　back　to　Paris　to　set　great　powers　at　work　through　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse。〃

So　he　reasoned；　poor；　aged；　clear…sighted　wrestler；　before　he　lay　down　half　dead　with　bearing　the　weight　of　so　much　emotion　and　fatigue。　And　yet；　before　he　fell　asleep　he　ran　a　searching　eye　over　the　list　of　magistrates；　taking　all　their　secret　ambitions　into　account；　casting　about　for　ways　of　influencing　them；　calculating　his　chances　in　the　coming　struggle。　Chesnel's　prolonged　scrutiny　of　consciences；　given　in　a　condensed　form；　will　perhaps　serve　as　a　picture　of　the　judicial　world　in　a　country　tow