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important proof of either guilt or innocence。 Come； too；
mademoiselle。〃
The blacksmith of Cinq…Cygne and his assistant had been summoned by
Lechesneau as experts。 While the operation at the stable was going on
the justice of peace brought in Gothard and Michu。 The work of
detaching the shoes of each horse； putting them together and ticketing
them； so as to compare them with the hoof…prints in the park； took
time。 Lechesneau； notified of the arrival of Pigoult； left the
prisoners with the gendarmes and returned to the dining…room to
dictate the indictment。 The justice of peace called his attention to
the condition of Michu's clothes and related the circumstances of his
arrest。
〃They must have killed the senator and plastered the body up in some
wall；〃 said Pigoult。
〃I begin to fear it；〃 answered Lechesneau。 〃Where did you carry that
plaster？〃 he said to Gothard。
The boy began to cry。
〃The law frightens him；〃 said Michu； whose eyes were darting flames
like those of a lion in the toils。
The servants； who had been detained at the village by order of the
mayor； now arrived and filled the antechamber where Catherine and
Gothard were weeping。 To all the questions of the director of the jury
and the justice of peace Gothard replied by sobs； and by dint of
weeping he brought on a species of convulsion which alarmed them so
much that they let him alone。 The little scamp； perceiving that he was
no longer watched； looked at Michu with a grin； and Michu signified
his approval by a glance。 Lechesneau left the justice of peace and
returned to the stables。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Madame d'Hauteserre； at last； addressing Pigoult；
〃can you explain these arrests？〃
〃The gentlemen are accused of abducting the senator by armed force and
keeping him a prisoner； for we do not think they have murdered himin
spite of appearances；〃 replied Pigoult。
〃What penalties are attached to the crime？〃 asked Monsieur
d'Hauteserre。
〃Well； as the old law continues in force； and they are not amenable
under the Code； the penalty is death；〃 replied the justice。
〃Death！〃 cried Madame d'Hauteserre； fainting away。
The abbe now came in with his sister； who stopped to speak to
Catherine and Madame Durieu。
〃We haven't even seen your cursed senator！〃 said Michu。
〃Madame Marion； Madame Grevin； Monsieur Grevin； the senator's valet；
and Violette all tell another tale；〃 replied Pigoult； with the sour
smile of magisterial conviction。
〃I don't understand a thing about it；〃 said Michu； dumbfounded by his
reply； and beginning now to believe that his masters and himself were
entangled in some plot which had been laid against them。
Just then the party from the stables returned。 Laurence went up to
Madame d'Hauteserre； who recovered her senses enough to say： 〃The
penalty is death！〃
〃Death！〃 repeated Laurence； looking at the four gentlemen。
The word excited a general terror； of which Giguet； formerly
instructed by Corentin； took immediate advantage。
〃Everything can be arranged；〃 he said； drawing the Marquis de Simeuse
into a corner of the dining…room。 〃Perhaps after all it is nothing but
a joke； you've been a soldier and soldiers understand each other。 Tell
me； what have you really done with the senator？ If you have killed him
why； that's the end of it！ But if you have only locked him up；
release him； for you see for yourself your game is balked。 Do this and
I am certain the director of the jury and the senator himself will
drop the matter。〃
〃We know absolutely nothing about it；〃 said the marquis。
〃If you take that tone the matter is likely to go far；〃 replied the
lieutenant。
〃Dear cousin；〃 said the Marquis de Simeuse； 〃we are forced to go to
prison； but do not be uneasy； we shall return in a few hours； for
there is some misunderstanding in all this which can be explained。〃
〃I hope so； for your sakes； gentlemen；〃 said the magistrate； signing
to the gendarmes to remove the four gentlemen； Michu； and Gothard。
〃Don't take them to Troyes； keep them in your guardhouse at Arcis；〃 he
said to the lieutenant； 〃they must be present to…morrow； at daybreak；
when we compare the shoes of their horses with the hoof…prints in the
park。〃
Lechesneau and Pigoult did not follow until they had closely
questioned Catherine； Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre； and Laurence。
The Durieus； Catherine； and Marthe declared they had only seen their
masters at breakfast…time； Monsieur d'Hauteserre said he had seen them
at three o'clock。
When； at midnight； Laurence found herself alone with Monsieur and
Madame d'Hauteserre； the abbe and his sister； and without the four
young men who for the last eighteen months had been the life of the
chateau and the love and joy of her own life； she fell into a gloomy
silence which no one present dared to break。 No affliction was ever
deeper or more complete than hers。 At last a deep sigh broke the
stillness； and all eyes turned towards the sound。
Marthe； forgotten in a corner； rose； exclaiming； 〃Death！ They will
kill them in spite of their innocence！〃
〃Mademoiselle； what is the matter with you？〃 said the abbe。
Laurence left the room without replying。 She needed solitude to
recover strength in presence of this terrible unforeseen disaster。
CHAPTER XV
DOUBTS AND FEARS OF COUNSEL
At a distance of thirty…four years； during which three great
revolutions have taken place； none but elderly persons can recall the
immense excitement produced in Europe by the abduction of a senator of
the French Empire。 No trial； if we except that of Trumeaux； the grocer
of the Place Saint…Michel； and that of the widow Morin； under the
Empire； those of Fualdes and de Castaing； under the Restoration； those
of Madame Lafarge and Fieschi； under the present government； ever
roused so much curiosity or so deep an interest as that of the four
young men accused of abducting Malin。 Such an attack against a member
of his Senate excited the wrath of the Emperor； who was told of the
arrest of the delinquents almost at the moment when he first heard of
the crime and the negative results of the inquiries。 The forest；
searched throughout； the department of the Aube； ransacked from end to
end； gave not the slightest indication of the passage of the Comte de
Gondreville nor of his imprisonment。 Napoleon sent for the chief
justice； who； after obtaining certain information from the ministry of
police； explained to his Majesty the position of Malin in regard to
the Simeuse brothers and the Gondreville estate。 The Emperor； at that
time pre…occupied with serious matters； considered the affair
explained by these anterior facts。
〃Those young men are fools；〃 he said。 〃A lawyer like Malin will escape
any deed they may force him to sign under violence。 Watch those
nobles； and discover the means they take to set the Comte de
Gondreville at liberty。〃
He ordered the affair to be conducted with the utmost celerity；
regarding it as an attack on his own institutions； a fatal example of
resistance to the results of the Revolution； an effort to open the
great question of the sales of 〃national property；〃 and a hindrance to
that fusion of parties which was the constant o