"You treat the domain of Gondreville as if it were your own," he said to the Messieurs de Simeuse, "and you are keeping alive a deadly hatred. I see, by the surprise upon your faces, that you are quite unaware of the ill-will against you at Troyes, where your late brave conduct is remembered. They tell of how you foiled the police of the Empire; some praise you for it, but others regard you as enemies of the Emperor; partisans declare that Napoleon's clemency is inexplicable. That, however, is nothing. The real danger lies here;you foiled men who thought themselves cleverer than you; and low-bred men never forgive. Sooner or later justice, which in your department emanates from your enemy, Senator Malin (who has his henchmen everywhere, even in the ministerial offices),--/his/ justice will rejoice to see you involved in some annoying scrape. A peasant, for instance, will quarrel with you for riding over his field; your guns are in your hands, you are hot-tempered, and something happens. In your position it is absolutely essential that you should not put yourselves in the wrong. I do not speak to you thus without good reason. The police keep this arrondissement under strict surveillance;they have an agent in that little hole of Arcis expressly to protect the Imperial senator Malin against your attacks. He is afraid of you, and says so openly.""It is a calumny!" cried the younger Simeuse.
"A calumny,--I am sure of it myself, but will the public believe it?
Michu certainly did aim at the senator, who does not forget the danger he was in; and since your return the countess has taken Michu into her service. To many persons, in fact to the majority, Malin will seem to be in the right. You do not understand how delicate the position of an /emigre/ is towards those who are now in possession of his property.
The prefect, a very intelligent man, dropped a word to me yesterday about you which has made me uneasy. In short, I sincerely wish you would not remain here."This speech was received in dumb amazement. Marie-Paul rang the bell.
"Gothard," he said, to the little page, "send Michu here.""Michu, my friend," said the Marquis de Simeuse when the man appeared, "is it true that you intended to kill Malin?""Yes, Monsieur le marquis; and when he comes here again I shall lie in wait for him.""Do you know that we are suspected of instigating it, and that our cousin, by taking you as her farmer is supposed to be furthering your scheme?""Good God!" cried Michu, "am I accursed? Shall I never be able to rid you of that villain?""No, my man, no!" said Paul-Marie. "But we will always take care of you, though you will have to leave our service and the country too.
Sell your property here; we will send you to Trieste to a friend of ours who has immense business connections, and he'll employ you until things are better in this country for all of us."Tears came into Michu's eyes; he stood rooted to the floor.
"Were there any witnesses when you aimed at Malin?" asked the Marquis de Chargeboeuf.
"Grevin the notary was talking with him, and that prevented my killing him--very fortunately, as Madame la Comtesse knows," said Michu, looking at his mistress.
"Grevin is not the only one who knows it?" said Monsieur de Chargeboeuf, who seemed annoyed at what was said, though none but the family were present.
"That police spy who came here to trap my masters, he knew it too,"said Michu.
Monsieur de Chargeboeuf rose as if to look at the gardens, and said, "You have made the most of Cinq-Cygne." Then he left the house, followed by the two brothers and Laurence, who now saw the meaning of his visit.
"You are frank and generous, but most imprudent," said the old man.
"It was natural enough that I should warn you of a rumor which was certain to be a slander; but what have you done now? you have let such weak persons as Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre and their sons see that there was truth in it. Oh, young men! young men! You ought to keep Michu here and go away yourselves. But if you persist in remaining, at least write a letter to the senator and tell him that having heard the rumors about Michu you have dismissed him from your employ.""We!" exclaimed the brothers; "what, write to Malin,--to the murderer of our father and our mother, to the insolent plunderer of our property!""All true; but he is one of the chief personages at the Imperial court, and the king of your department.""He, who voted for the death of Louis XVI. in case the army of Conde entered France!" cried Laurence.
"He, who probably advised the murder of the Duc d'Enghien!" exclaimed Paul-Marie.
"Well, well, if you want to recapitulate his titles of nobility," cried Monsieur de Chargeboeuf, "say he who pulled Robespierre by the skirts of his coat to make him fall when he saw that his enemies were stronger than he; he who would have shot Bonaparte if the 18th Brumaire had missed fire; he who manoeuvres now to bring back the Bourbons if Napoleon totters; he whom the strong will ever find on their side to handle either sword or pistol and put an end to an adversary whom they fear! But--all that is only reason the more for what I urge upon you.""We have fallen very low," said Laurence.
