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Gothard had chosen to burst into tears and behave like an idiot。
Catherine took an attitude of artless innocence which made the old
agent reflective。 The pupil of Lenoir； after considering the two
prisoners carefully； and noting the vacant air of the old gentleman
whom he took to be sly； the intelligent eye of the abbe who was still
fingering the cards； and the utter stupefaction of the servants and
Durieu； approached Corentin and whispered in his ear； 〃We are not
dealing with ninnies。〃
Corentin answered with a look at the card…table； then he added； 〃They
were playing at boston！ Mademoiselle's bed was just being made for the
night； she escaped in a hurry； it is a regular surprise； we shall
catch them。〃
CHAPTER VII
A FOREST NOOK
A breach has always a cause and a purpose。 Here is the explanation of
how the one which led from the tower called that of Mademoiselle and
the stables came to be made。 After his installation as Laurence's
guardian at Cinq…Cygne old d'Hauteserre converted a long ravine；
through which the water of the forest flowed into the moat； into a
roadway between two tracts of uncultivated land belonging to the
chateau； by merely planting out in it about a hundred walnut trees
which he found ready in the nursery。 In eleven years these trees had
grown and branched so as to nearly cover the road； hidden already by
steep banks； which ran into a little wood of thirty acres recently
purchased。 When the chateau had its full complement of inhabitants
they all preferred to take this covered way through the breach to the
main road which skirted the park walls and led to the farm； rather
than go round by the entrance。 By dint of thus using it the breach in
the sides of the moat had gradually been widened on both sides； with
all the less scruple because in this nineteenth century of ours moats
are no longer of the slightest use； and Laurence's guardian had often
talked of putting this one to some other purpose。 The constant
crumbling away of the earth and stones and gravel had ended by filling
up the ditch； so that only after heavy rains was the causeway thus
constructed covered。 But the bank was still so steep that it was
difficult to make a horse descend it； and even more difficult to get
him up upon the main road。 Horses； however； seem in times of peril to
share their masters' thought。
While the young countess was hesitating to follow Marthe； and asking
explanations； Michu； from his vantage…ground watched the closing in of
the gendarmes and understood their plan。 He grew desperate as time
went by and the countess did not come to him。 A squad of gendarmes
were marching along the park wall and stationing themselves as
sentinels； each man being near enough to communicate with those on
either side of them； by voice and eye。 Michu； lying flat on his
stomach； his ear to earth； gauged； like a red Indian； by the strength
of the sounds the time that remained to him。
〃I came too late！〃 he said to himself。 〃Violette shall pay dear for
this！ what a time it took to make him drunk！ What can be done？〃
He heard the detachment that was coming through the forest reach the
iron gates and turn into the main road； where before long it would
meet the squad coming up from the other direction。
〃Still five or six minutes！〃 he said。
At that instant the countess appeared。 Michu took her with a firm hand
and pushed her into the covered way。
〃Keep straight before you！ Lead her to where my horse is；〃 he said to
his wife； 〃and remember that gendarmes have ears。〃
Seeing Catherine； who carried the hat and whip； and Gothard leading
the mare； the man； keen…witted in presence of danger； bethought
himself of playing the gendarmes a trick as useful as the one he had
just played Violette。 Gothard had forced the mare to mount the bank。
〃Her feet muffled！ I thank thee； boy；〃 exclaimed the bailiff。
Michu let the mare follow her mistress and took the hat； gloves； and
whip from Catherine。
〃You have sense； boy； you'll understand me；〃 he said。 〃Force your own
horse up here； jump on him； and draw the gendarmes after you across
the fields towards the farm； get the whole squad to follow youAnd
you；〃 he added to Catherine； 〃there are other gendarmes coming up on
the road from Cinq…Cygne to Gondreville； run in the opposite direction
to the one Gothard takes； and draw them towards the forest。 Manage so
that we shall not be interfered with in the covered way。〃
Catherine and the boy； who were destined to give in this affair such
remarkable proofs of intelligence； executed the manoeuvre in a way to
make both detachments of gendarmes believe that they held the game。
The dim light of the moon prevented the pursuers from distinguishing
the figure； clothing； sex； or number of those they followed。 The
pursuit was based on the maxim； 〃Always arrest those who are
escaping；〃the folly of which saying was； as we have seen；
energetically declared by Corentin to the corporal in command。 Michu；
counting on this instinct of the gendarmes； was able to reach the
forest a few moments after the countess； whom Marthe had guided to the
appointed place。
〃Go home now；〃 he said to Marthe。 〃The forest is watched and it is
dangerous to remain here。 We need all our freedom。〃
Michu unfastened his horse and asked the countess to follow him。
〃I shall not go a step further；〃 said Laurence； 〃unless you give me
some proof of the interest you seem to have in usfor； after all； you
are Michu。〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he answered； in a gentle voice； 〃the part I am playing
can be explained to you in two words。 I am； unknown to the Marquis de
Simeuse and his brother； the guardian of their property。 On this
subject I received the last instructions of their late father and
their dear mother； my protectress。 I have played the part of a
virulent Jacobin to serve my dear young masters。 Unhappily； I began
this course too late； I could not save their parents。〃 Here； Michu's
voice broke down。 〃Since the young men emigrated I have sent them
regularly the sums they needed to live upon。〃
〃Through the house of Breintmayer of Strasburg？〃 asked the countess。
〃Yes； mademoiselle； the correspondents of Monsieur Girel of Troyes； a
royalist who； like me； made himself for good reasons； a Jacobin。 The
paper which your farmer picked up one evening and which I forced him
to surrender； related to the affair and would have compromised your
cousins。 My life no longer belongs to me； but to them； you understand。
I could not buy in Gondreville。 In my position； I should have lost my
head had the authorities known I had the money。 I preferred to wait
and buy it later。 But that scoundrel of a Marion was the slave of
another scoundrel； Malin。 All the same； Gondreville shall once more
belong to its rightful masters。 That's my affair。 Four hours ago I had
Malin sighted by my gun； ha！ he was almost gone then！ Were he dead；
the property would be sold and you could have bought it。 In case of my
death my wife would have brought you a letter which would have given
you the means of buying it。 But I overheard that villain telling his
accomplice Grevinanother scoundrel like himselfthat the Marquis
and his broth