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instead of wasting his substance at court； built the chateau of
Gondreville； enlarged the estate by the purchase of others； and united
the several domains； solely for the purposes of a hunting…ground。 He
also built the Simeuse mansion at Troyes； not far from that of the
Cinq…Cygnes。 These two old houses and the bishop's palace were long
the only stone mansions at Troyes。 The marquis sold Simeuse to the Duc
de Lorraine。 His son wasted the father's savings and some part of his
great fortune under the reign of Louis XV。； but he subsequently
entered the navy； became a vice…admiral； and redeemed the follies of
his youth by brilliant services。 The Marquis de Simeuse； son of this
naval worthy； perished with his wife on the scaffold at Troyes；
leaving twin sons； who emigrated and were； at the time our history
opens； still in foreign parts following the fortunes of the house of
Conde。
The /rond…point/ was the scene of the meet in the time of the 〃Grand
Marquis〃a name given in the family to the Simeuse who built
Gondreville。 Since 1789 Michu lived in the hunting lodge at the
entrance to the park； built in the reign of Louis XIV。； and called the
pavilion of Cinq…Cygne。 The village of Cinq…Cygne is at the end of the
forest of Nodesme （a corruption of Notre…Dame） which was reached
through the fine avenue of four rows of elms where Michu's dog was now
suspecting spies。 After the death of the Grand Marquis this pavilion
fell into disuse。 The vice…admiral preferred the court and the sea to
Champagne； and his son gave the dilapidated building to Michu for a
dwelling。
This noble structure is of brick； with vermiculated stone…work at the
angles and on the casings of the doors and windows。 On either side is
a gateway of finely wrought iron； eaten with rust and connected by a
railing； beyond which is a wide and deep ha…ha； full of vigorous
trees； its parapets bristling with iron arabesques； the innumerable
sharp points of which are a warning to evil…doers。
The park walls begin on each side of the circumference of the /rond…
point/； on the one hand the fine semi…circle is defined by slopes
planted with elms； on the other； within the park； a corresponding
half…circle is formed by groups of rare trees。 The pavilion；
therefore； stands at the centre of this round open space； which
extends before it and behind it in the shape of two horseshoes。 Michu
had turned the rooms on the lower floor into a stable； a kitchen； and
a wood…shed。 The only trace remaining of their ancient splendor was an
antechamber paved with marble in squares of black and white； which was
entered on the park side through a door with small leaded panes； such
as might still be seen at Versailles before Louis…Philippe turned that
Chateau into an asylum for the glories of France。 The pavilion is
divided inside by an old staircase of worm…eaten wood； full of
character； which leads to the first story。 Above that is an immense
garret。 This venerable edifice is covered by one of those vast roofs
with four sides； a ridgepole decorated with leaden ornaments； and a
round projecting window on each side； such as Mansart very justly
delighted in； for in France； the Italian attics and flat roofs are a
folly against which our climate protests。 Michu kept his fodder in
this garret。 That portion of the park which surrounds the old pavilion
is English in style。 A hundred feet from the house a former lake； now
a mere pond well stocked with fish； makes known its vicinity as much
by a thin mist rising above the tree…tops as by the croaking of a
thousand frogs； toads； and other amphibious gossips who discourse at
sunset。 The time…worn look of everything； the deep silence of the
woods； the long perspective of the avenue； the forest in the distance；
the rusty iron…work； the masses of stone draped with velvet mosses；
all made poetry of this old structure； which still exists。
At the moment when our history begins Michu was leaning against a
mossy parapet on which he had laid his powder…horn； cap； handkerchief；
screw…driver； and rags；in fact； all the utensils needed for his
suspicious occupation。 His wife's chair was against the wall beside
the outer door of the house； above which could still be seen the arms
of the Simeuse family； richly carved； with their noble motto； 〃Cy
meurs。〃 The old mother； in peasant dress； had moved her chair in front
of Madame Michu； so that the latter might put her feet upon the rungs
and keep them from dampness。
〃Where's the boy？〃 said Michu to his wife。
〃Round the pond； he is crazy about the frogs and the insects；〃
answered the mother。
Michu whistled in a way that made his hearers tremble。 The rapidity
with which his son ran up to him proved plainly enough the despotic
power of the bailiff of Gondreville。 Since 1789； but more especially
since 1793； Michu had been well…nigh master of the property。 The
terror he inspired in his wife； his mother…in…law； a servant…lad named
Gaucher； and the cook named Marianne； was shared throughout a
neighborhood of twenty miles in circumference。 It may be well to give；
without further delay； the reasons for this fear；all the more
because an account of them will complete the moral portrait of the
man。
The old Marquis de Simeuse transferred the greater part of his
property in 1790； but； overtaken by circumstances； he had not been
able to put the estate of Gondreville into sure hands。 Accused of
corresponding with the Duke of Brunswick and the Prince of Cobourg；
the marquis and his wife were thrust into prison and condemned to
death by the revolutionary tribunal of Troyes； of which Madame Michu's
father was then president。 The fine domain of Gondreville was sold as
national property。 The head…keeper； to the horror of many； was present
at the execution of the marquis and his wife in his capacity as
president of the club of Jacobins at Arcis。 Michu； the orphan son of a
peasant； showered with benefactions by the marquise； who brought him
up in her own home and gave him his place as keeper； was regarded as a
Brutus by excited demagogues； but the people of the neighborhood
ceased to recognize him after this act of base ingratitude。 The
purchaser of the estate was a man from Arcis named Marion； grandson of
a former bailiff in the Simeuse family。 This man； a lawyer before and
after the Revolution； was afraid of the keeper； he made him his
bailiff with a salary of three thousand francs； and gave him an
interest in the sales of timber； Michu； who was thought to have some
ten thousand francs of his own laid by； married the daughter of a
tanner at Troyes； an apostle of the Revolution in that town； where he
was president of the revolutionary tribunal。 This tanner； a man of
profound convictions； who resembled Saint…Just as to character； was
afterwards mixed up in Baboeuf's conspiracy and killed himself to
escape execution。 Marthe was the handsomest girl in Troyes。 In spite
of her shrinking modesty she had been forced by her formidable father
to play the part of Goddess of Liberty in some republican ceremony。
The new proprietor came only three times to Gondreville in the course
of seven years。 His grandfather had been bailiff of the estate under