按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
passion debases them？ Does a man become a police…agent as he becomes a
thinker； writer； statesmen； painter； general； on the condition of
knowing nothing but how to spy； as the others speak； write； govern；
paint； and fight？ The inhabitants of the chateau had but one wish；
that the thunderbolts of heaven might fall upon these miscreants； they
were athirst for vengeance； and had it not been for the presence； up
to this time； of the gendarmes there would undoubtedly have been an
outbreak。
〃No one； I suppose； has the key of this box？〃 said the cynical
Peyrade； questioning the family as much by the movement of his huge
red nose as by his words。
The Provencal noticed； not without fear； that the guards were no
longer present； he and Corentin were alone with the family。 The
younger man drew a small dagger from his pocket； and began to force
the lock of the box。 Just then the desperate galloping of a horse was
heard upon the road and then upon the pavement by the lawn； but most
horrible of all was the fall and sighing of the animal； which seemed
to drop all at once at the door of the middle tower。 A convulsion like
that which a thunderbolt might produce shook the spectators when
Laurence； the trailing of whose riding…habit announced her coming；
entered the room。 The servants hastily formed into two lines to let
her pass。
In spite of her rapid ride； the girl had felt the full anguish the
discovery of the conspiracy must needs cause her。 All her hopes were
overthrown！ she had galloped through ruins as her thoughts turned to
the necessity of submission to the Consular government。 Were it not
for the danger which threatened the four gentlemen； and which served
as a tonic to conquer her weariness and her despair； she would have
dropped asleep on the way。 The mare was almost killed in her haste to
reach the chateau； and stand between her cousins and death。 As all
present looked at the heroic girl； pale； her features drawn； her veil
aside； her whip in her hand； standing on the threshold of the door；
whence her burning glance grasped the whole scene and comprehended it；
each knew from the almost imperceptible motion which crossed the
soured and bittered face of Corentin； that the real adversaries had
met。 A terrible duel was about to begin。
Noticing the box； now in the hands of Corentin； the countess raised
her whip and sprang rapidly towards him。 Striking his hands with so
violent a blow that the casket fell to the ground； she seized it；
flung it into the middle of the fire； and stood with her back to the
chimney in a threatening attitude before either of the agents
recovered from their surprise。 The scorn which flamed from her eyes；
her pale brow； her disdainful lips； were even more insulting than the
haughty action which treated Corentin as though he were a venomous
reptile。 Old d'Hauteserre felt himself once more a cavalier； all his
blood rushed to his face； and he grieved that he had no sword。 The
servants trembled for an instant with joy。 The vengeance they had
called down upon these men had come。 But their joy was driven back
within their souls by a terrible fear； the gendarmes were still heard
coming and going in the garrets。
The /spy/noun of strength； under which all shades of the police are
confounded； for the public has never chosen to specify in language the
varieties of those who compose this dispensary of social remedies so
essential to all governmentsthe spy has this curious and magnificent
quality： he never becomes angry； he possesses the Christian humility
of a priest； his eyes are stolid with an indifference which he holds
as a barrier against the world of fools who do not understand him； his
forehead is adamant under insult； he pursues his ends like a reptile
whose carapace is fractured only by a cannonball； but （like that
reptile） he is all the more furious when the blow does reach him；
because he believed his armor invulnerable。 The lash of the whip upon
his fingers was to Corentin； pain apart； the cannonball that cracked
the shell。 Coming from that magnificent and noble girl； this action；
emblematic of her disgust； humiliated him； not only in the eyes of the
people about him； but in his own。
Peyrade sprang to the hearth； caught Laurence's foot； raised it； and
compelled her； out of modesty； to throw herself on the sofa； where she
had lately lain asleep。 The scene； like other contrasts in human
things； was burlesque in the midst of terror。 Peyrade scorched his
hand as he dashed it into the fire to seize the box； but he got it；
threw it on the floor and sat down upon it。 These little actions were
done with great rapidity and without a word being uttered。 Corentin；
recovering from the pain of the blow； caught Mademoiselle de Cinq…
Cygne by both hands； and held her。
〃Do not compel me to use force against you；〃 he said； with withering
politeness。
Peyrade's action had extinguished the fire by the natural process of
suppressing the air。
〃Gendarmes！ here！〃 he cried； still occupying his ridiculous position。
〃Will you promise to behave yourself？〃 said Corentin； insolently；
addressing Laurence； and picking up his dagger； but not committing the
great fault of threatening her with it。
〃The secrets of that box do not concern the government；〃 she answered；
with a tinge of melancholy in her tone and manner。 〃When you have read
the letters it contains you will； in spite of your infamy； feel
ashamed of having read themthat is； if you can still feel shame at
anything；〃 she added； after a pause。
The abbe looked at her as if to say； 〃For God's sake； be calm！〃
Peyrade rose。 The bottom of the box； which had been nearly burned
through； left a mark upon the floor； the lid was scorched and the
sides gave way。 The grotesque Scaevola； who had offered to the god of
the Police and Terror the seat of his apricot breeches； opened the two
sides of the box as if it had been a book； and slid three letters and
two locks of hair upon the card…table。 He was about to smile at
Corentin when he perceived that the locks were of two shades of gray。
Corentin released Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne's hands and went up to
the table to read the letter from which the hair had fallen。
Laurence rose； moved to the table beside the spies； and said：〃Read
it aloud； that shall be your punishment。〃
As the two men continued to read to themselves； she herself read out
the following words：
Dear Laurence；My husband and I have heard of your noble conduct
on the day of our arrest。 We know that you love our dear twins as
much； almost； as we love them ourselves。 Therefore it is with you
that we leave a token which will be both precious and sad to them。
The executioner has come to cut our hair； for we are to die in a
few moments； he has promised to put into your hands the only
remembrance we are able to leave to our beloved orphans。 Keep
these last remains of us and give them to our sons in happier
days。 We have kissed these locks of hair and have laid our
blessing upon them。 Our last thought will be of our sons； of you；
and of God。 Love them； Laurence。
Berthe de Cinq…Cygne。
Jean de Simeuse。
Tears came to the eyes of all the