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surrounded； whoever is in it can't get out。〃
〃At what hour do you suppose those horsemen entered the forest？〃
〃About half…past twelve。〃
〃Don't let a hare leave that forest without your seeing it；〃 whispered
Corentin。 〃I'll station Peyrade at the village to help you； I am going
to see the corporal myselfGo to the mayor's house；〃 he added； still
whispering； to Peyrade。 〃I'll send some able man to relieve you。 We
shall have to make use of the country…people； examine all faces。〃 He
turned towards the family and said in a threatening tone； 〃Au revoir！〃
No one replied； and the two agents left the room。
〃What would Fouche say if he knew we had made a domiciliary visit
without getting any results？〃 remarked Peyrade as he helped Corentin
into the osier vehicle。
〃It isn't over yet；〃 replied the other； 〃those four young men are in
the forest。 Look there！〃 and he pointed to Laurence who was watching
them from a window。 〃I once revenged myself on a woman who was worth a
dozen of that one and had stirred my bile a good deal less。 If this
girl comes in the way of my hatchet I'll pay her for the lash of that
whip。〃
〃The other was a strumpet；〃 said Peyrade； 〃this one has rank。〃
〃What difference is that to me？ All's fish that swims in the sea；〃
replied Corentin； signing to the gendarme who drove him to whip up。
Ten minutes later the chateau de Cinq…Cygne was completely evacuated。
〃How did they get rid of the corporal？〃 said Laurence to Francois
Michu； whom she had ordered to sit down and eat some breakfast。
〃My father told me it was a matter of life and death and I mustn't let
anybody get into our house；〃 replied the boy。 〃I knew when I heard the
horses in the forest that I'd got to do with them hounds of gindarmes；
and I meant to keep 'em from getting in。 So I took some big ropes that
were in my garret and fastened one of 'em to a tree at the corner of
the road。 Then I drew the rope high enough to hit the breast of a man
on horseback； and tied it to the tree on the opposite side of the way
in the direction where I heard the horses。 That barred the road。 It
didn't miss fire； I can tell you！ There was no moon； and the corporal
just pitched！but he wasn't killed； they're tough； them gindarmes！ I
did what I could。〃
〃You have saved us！〃 said Laurence； kissing him as she took him to the
gate。 When there； she looked about her and seeing no one she said
cautiously； 〃Have they provisions？〃
〃I have just taken them twelve pounds of bread and four bottles of
wine；〃 said the boy。 〃They'll be snug for a week。〃
Returning to the salon； the girl was beset with mute questions in the
eyes of all； each of whom looked at her with as much admiration as
eagerness。
〃But have you really seen them？〃 cried Madame d'Hauteserre。
The countess put a finger on her lips and smiled； then she left the
room and went to bed； her triumph sure； utter weariness had overtaken
her。
The shortest road from Cinq…Cygne to Michu's lodge was that which led
from the village past the farm at Bellache to the /rond…point/ where
the Parisian spies had first seen Michu on the preceding evening。 The
gendarme who was driving Corentin took this way； which was the one the
corporal of Arcis had taken。 As they drove along； the agent was on the
look…out for signs to show why the corporal had been unhorsed。 He
blamed himself for having sent but one man on so important an errand；
and he drew from this mistake an axiom for the police Code； which he
afterwards applied。
〃If they have got rid of the corporal；〃 he said to himself； 〃they have
done as much by Violette。 Those five horses have evidently brought the
four conspirators and Michu from the neighborhood of Paris to the
forest。 Has Michu a horse？〃 he inquired of the gendarme who was
driving him and who belonged to the squad from Arcis。
〃Yes； and a famous little horse it is；〃 answered the man； 〃a hunter
from the stables of the ci…devant Marquis de Simeuse。 There's no
better beast； though it is nearly fifteen years old。 Michu can ride
him fifty miles and he won't turn a hair。 He takes mighty good care of
him and wouldn't sell him at any price。〃
〃What does the horse look like？〃
〃He's brown； turning rather to black； white stockings above the hoofs；
thin； all nerves like an Arab。〃
〃Did you ever see an Arab？〃
〃In Egyptlast year。 I've ridden the horses of the mamelukes。 We have
to serve twelve years in the cavalry； and I was on the Rhine under
General Steingel； after that in Italy； and then I followed the First
Consul to Egypt。 I'll be a corporal soon。〃
〃When I get to Michu's house go to the stable； if you have served
twelve years in the cavalry you know when a horse is blown。 Let me
know the condition of Michu's beast。〃
〃See！ that's where our corporal was thrown；〃 said the man； pointing to
a spot where the road they were following entered the /rond…point/。
〃Tell the captain to come and pick me up at Michu's； and I'll go with
him to Troyes。〃
So saying Corentin got down； and stood about for a few minutes
examining the ground。 He looked at the two elms which faced each
other；one against the park wall； the other on the bank of the /rond…
point/； then he saw （what no one had yet noticed） the button of a
uniform lying in the dust； and he picked it up。 Entering the lodge he
saw Violette and Michu sitting at the table in the kitchen and talking
eagerly。 Violette rose； bowed to Corentin； and offered him some wine。
〃Thank you； no； I came to see the corporal；〃 said the young man； who
saw with half a glance that Violette had been drunk all night。
〃My wife is nursing him upstairs；〃 said Michu。
〃Well； corporal； how are you？〃 said Corentin who had run up the stairs
and found the gendarme with his head bandaged； and lying on Madame
Michu's bed； his hat； sabre； and shoulder…belt on a chair。
Marthe； faithful in her womanly instincts； and knowing nothing of her
son's prowess； was giving all her care to the corporal； assisted by
her mother。
〃We expect Monsieur Varlet the doctor from Arcis；〃 she said to
Corentin； 〃our servant…lad has gone to fetch him。〃
〃Leave us alone for a moment；〃 said Corentin； a good deal surprised at
the scene； which amply proved the innocence of the two women。 〃Where
were you struck？〃 he asked the man； examining his uniform。
〃On the breast；〃 replied the corporal。
〃Let's see your belt；〃 said Corentin。
On the yellow band with a white edge； which a recent regulation had
made part of the equipment of the guard now called National； was a
metal plate a good deal like that of the foresters； on which the law
required the inscription of these remarkable words： 〃Respect to
persons and to properties。〃 Francois's rope had struck the belt and
defaced it。 Corentin took up the coat and found the place where the
button he had picked up upon the road belonged。
〃What time did they find you？〃 asked Corentin。
〃About daybreak。〃
〃Did they bring you up here at once？〃 said Corentin； noticing that the
bed had not been slept in。
〃Yes。〃
〃Who brought you up？〃
〃The women and little Michu； who found me unconscious。〃
〃So！〃 thought Corentin： 〃evidently they didn't go to bed。 The corporal
was