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accomplice Grevinanother scoundrel like himselfthat the Marquis
and his brother were conspiring against the First Consul； that they
were here in the neighborhood； and that he meant to give them up and
get rid of them so as to keep Gondreville in peace。 I myself saw the
police spies； I laid aside my gun； and I have lost no time in coming
here； thinking that you must be the one to know best how to warn the
young men。 That's the whole of it。〃
〃You are worthy to be a noble；〃 said Laurence； offering her hand to
Michu； who tried to kneel and kiss it。 She saw his motion and
prevented it； saying： 〃Stand up！〃 in a tone of voice and with a look
which made him amends for all the scorn of the last twelve years。
〃You reward me as though I had done all that remains for me to do；〃 he
said。 〃But don't you hear them； those huzzars of the guillotine？ Let
us go elsewhere。〃
He took the mare's bridle； and led her a little distance。
〃Think only of sitting firm；〃 he said； 〃and of saving your head from
the branches of the trees which might strike you in the face。〃
Then he mounted his own horse and guided the young girl for half an
hour at full gallop； making turns and half turns； and striking into
wood…paths； so as to confuse their traces； until they reached a spot
where he pulled up。
〃I don't know where I am；〃 said the countess looking about her；〃I；
who know the forest as well as you do。〃
〃We are in the heart of it；〃 he replied。 〃Two gendarmes are after us；
but we are quite safe。〃
The picturesque spot to which the bailiff had guided Laurence was
destined to be so fatal to the principal personages of this drama； and
to Michu himself； that it becomes our duty； as an historian； to
describe it。 The scene became； as we shall see hereafter； one of noted
interest in the judiciary annals of the Empire。
The forest of Nodesme belonged to the monastery of Notre…Dame。 That
monastery； seized； sacked； and demolished； had disappeared entirely；
monks and property。 The forest； an object of much cupidity； was taken
into the domain of the Comtes de Champagne； who mortgaged it later and
allowed it to be sold。 In the course of six centuries nature covered
its ruins with her rich and vigorous green mantle； and effaced them so
thoroughly that the existence of one of the finest convents was no
longer even indicated except by a slight eminence shaded by noble
trees and circled by thick； impenetrable shrubbery； which； since 1794；
Michu had taken great pains to make still more impenetrable by
planting the thorny acacia in all the slight openings between the
bushes。 A pond was at the foot of the eminence and showed the
existence of a hidden stream which no doubt determined in former days
the site of the monastery。 The late owner of the title to the forest
of Nodesme was the first to recognize the etymology of the name； which
dated back for eight centuries； and to discover that at one time a
monastery had existed in the heart of the forest。 When the first
rumblings of the thunder of the Revolution were heard； the Marquis de
Simeuse； who had been forced to look into his title by a lawsuit and
so learned the above facts as it were by chance； began； with a secret
intention not difficult to conceive； to search for some remains of the
former monastery。 The keeper； Michu； to whom the forest was well
known； helped his master in the search； and it was his sagacity as a
forester which led to the discovery of the site。 Observing the trend
of the five chief roads of the forest； some of which were now effaced；
he saw that they all ended either at the little eminence or by the
pond at the foot of it； to which points travellers from Troyes； from
the valley of Arcis and that of Cinq…Cygne； and from Bar…sur…Aube
doubtless came。 The marquis wished to excavate the hillock but he
dared not employ the people of the neighborhood。 Pressed by
circumstances； he abandoned the intention； leaving in Michu's mind a
strong conviction that the eminence had either the treasure or the
foundations of the former abbey。 He continued； all alone； this
archaeological enterprise； he sounded the earth and discovered a
hollowness on the level of the pond between two trees； at the foot of
the only craggy part of the hillock。
One fine night he came to the place armed with a pickaxe； and by the
sweat of his brow uncovered a succession of cellars； which were
entered by a flight of stone steps。 The pond； which was three feet
deep in the middle； formed a sort of dipper； the handle of which
seemed to come from the little eminence； and went far to prove that a
spring had once issued from the crags； and was now lost by
infiltration through the forest。 The marshy shores of the pond；
covered with aquatic trees； alders； willow； and ash； were the terminus
of all the wood…paths； the remains of former roads and forest by…ways；
now abandoned。 The water； flowing from a spring； though apparently
stagnant； was covered with large…leaved plants and cresses； which gave
it a perfectly green surface almost indistinguishable from the shores；
which were covered with fine close herbage。 The place is too far from
human habitations for any animal； unless a wild one； to come there。
Convinced that no game was in the marsh and repelled by the craggy
sides of the hills； keepers and hunters had never explored or visited
this nook； which belonged to a part of the forest where the timber had
not been cut for many years and which Michu meant to keep in its full
growth when the time came round to fell it。
At the further end of the first cellar was a vaulted chamber； clean
and dry； built with hewn stone； a sort of convent dungeon； such as
they called in monastic days the /in pace/。 The salubrity of the
chamber and the preservation of this part of the staircase and of the
vaults were explained by the presence of the spring； which had been
enclosed at some time by a wall of extraordinary thickness built in
brick and cement like those of the Romans； and received all the
waters。 Michu closed the entrance to this retreat with large stones；
then； to keep the secret of it to himself and make it impenetrable to
others； he made a rule never to enter it except from the wooded height
above； by clambering down the crag instead of approaching it from the
pond。
Just as the fugitives arrived； the moon was casting her beautiful
silvery light on the aged tree…tops above the crag； and flickering on
the splendid foliage at the corners of the several paths； all of which
ended here； some with one tree； some with a group of trees。 On all
sides the eye was irresistibly led along their vanishing perspectives；
following the curve of a wood…path or the solemn stretch of a forest
glade flanked by a wall of verdure that was nearly black。 The
moonlight； filtering through the branches of the crossways； made the
lonely； tranquil waters； where they peeped between the crosses and the
lily…pads； sparkle like diamonds。 The croaking of the frogs broke the
deep silence of this beautiful forest…nook； the wild odors of which
incited the soul to thoughts of liberty。
〃Are we safe？〃 said the countess to Michu。
〃Yes； mademoiselle。 But we have each some work to do。 Do