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places。 Twice a week the pair dined at the chateau； but they came
every evening to play boston with the d'Hauteserres； for Laurence；
unable to play a game； did not even know one card from another。
The Abbe Goujet； an old man with white hair and a face as white as
that of an old woman； endowed with a kindly smile and a gentle and
persuasive voice； redeemed the insipidity of his rather mincing face
by a fine intellectual brow and a pair of keen eyes。 Of medium height；
and very well made； he still wore the old…fashioned black coat； silver
shoe…buckles； breeches； black silk stockings； and a black waistcoat on
which lay his clerical bands； giving him a distinguished air which
detracted nothing from his dignity。 This abbe； who became bishop of
Troyes after the Restoration； had long made a study of young people
and fully understood the noble character of the young countess； he
appreciated her at her full value； and had shown her； from the first；
a respectful deference which contributed much to her independence at
Cinq…Cygne； for it led the austere old lady and the kind old gentleman
to yield to the young girl； who by rights should have yielded to them。
For the last six months the abbe had watched Laurence with the
intuition peculiar to priests； the most sagacious of men； and although
he did not know that this girl of twenty…three was thinking of
overturning Bonaparte as she lay there twisting with slender fingers
the frogged lacing of her riding…habit； he was well aware that she was
agitated by some great project。
Mademoiselle Goujet was one of those unmarried women whose portrait
can be drawn in one word which will enable the least imaginative mind
to picture her； she was ungainly。 She knew her own ugliness and was
the first to laugh at it； showing her long teeth； yellow as her
complexion and her bony hands。 She was gay and hearty。 She wore the
famous short gown of former days； a very full skirt with pockets full
of keys； a cap with ribbons and a false front。 She was forty years of
age very early； but had； so she said； caught up with herself by
keeping at that age for twenty years。 She revered the nobility； and
knew well how to preserve her own dignity by giving to persons of
noble birth the respect and deference that were due to them。
This little company was a god…send to Madame d'Hauteserre； who had
not； like her husband； rural occupations； nor； like Laurence； the
tonic of hatred； to enable her to bear the dulness of a retired life。
Many things had happened to ameliorate that life within the last six
years。 The restoration of Catholic worship allowed the faithful to
fulfil their religious duties； which play more of a part in country
life than elsewhere。 Protected by the conservative edicts of the First
Consul； Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre had been able to correspond
with their sons； and no longer in dread of what might happen to them
could even hope for the erasure of their names from the lists of the
proscribed and their consequent return to France。 The Treasury had
lately made up the arrearages and now paid its dividends promptly； so
that the d'Hauteserres received； over and above their annuity； about
eight thousand francs a year。 The old man congratulated himself on the
sagacity of his foresight in having put all his savings； amounting to
twenty thousand francs； together with those of his ward； in the public
Funds before the 18th Brumaire； which； as we all know； sent those
stocks up from twelve to eighteen francs。
The chateau of Cinq…Cygne had long been empty and denuded of
furniture。 The prudent guardian was careful not to alter its aspect
during the revolutionary troubles； but after the peace of Amiens he
made a journey to Troyes and brought back various relics of the
pillaged mansions which he obtained from the dealers in second…hand
furniture。 The salon was furnished for the first time since their
occupation of the house。 Handsome curtains of white brocade with green
flowers； from the hotel de Simeuse； draped the six windows of the
salon； in which the family were now assembled。 The walls of this vast
room were entirely of wood； with panels encased in beaded mouldings
with masks at the angles； the whole painted in two shades of gray。 The
spaces over the four doors were filled with those designs； painted in
cameo of two colors； which were so much in vogue under Louis XV。
Monsieur d'Hauteserre had picked up at Troyes certain gilded pier…
tables； a sofa in green damask； a crystal chandelier； a card…table of
marquetry； among other things that served him to restore the chateau。
In 1792 all the furniture of the house had been taken or destroyed；
for the pillage of the mansions in town was imitated in the valley。
Each time that the old man went to Troyes he returned with some relic
of the former splendor； sometimes a fine carpet for the floor of the
salon； at other times part of a dinner service； or a bit of rare old
porcelain of either Sevres or Dresden。 During the last six months he
had ventured to dig up the family silver； which the cook had buried in
the cellar of a little house belonging to him at the end of one of the
long faubourgs in Troyes。
That faithful servant； named Durieu； and his wife had followed the
fortunes of their young mistress。 Durieu was the factotum of the
chateau； and his wife was the housekeeper。 He was helped in the
cooking by the sister of Catherine； Laurence's maid； to whom he was
teaching his art and who gave promise of becoming an excellent cook。
An old gardener； his wife； a son paid by the day； and a daughter who
served as a dairy…woman； made up the household。 Madame Durieu had
lately and secretly had the Cinq…Cygne liveries made for the
gardener's son and for Gothard。 Though blamed for this imprudence by
Monsieur d'Hauteserre； the housekeeper took great pleasure in seeing
the dinner served on the festival of Saint…Laurence； the countess's
fete…day； with almost as much style as in former times。
This slow and difficult restoration of departed things was the delight
of Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre and the Durieus。 Laurence smiled
at what she thought nonsense。 But the worthy old d'Hauteserre did not
forget the more solid matters； he repaired the buildings； put up the
walls； planted trees wherever there was a chance to make them grow；
and did not leave an inch of unproductive land。 The whole valley
regarded him as an oracle in the matter of agriculture。 He had managed
to recover a hundred acres of contested land； not sold as national
property； being in some way confounded with that of the township。 This
land he had turned into fields which afforded good pasturage for his
horses and cattle； and he planted them round with poplars； which now；
at the end of six years； were making a fine growth。 He intended to buy
back some of the lost estate； and to utilize all the out…buildings of
the chateau by making a second farm and managing it himself。
Life at the chateau had thus become during the last two years
prosperous and almost happy。 Monsieur d'Hauteserre was off at
daybreaks to overlook his laborers； for he employed them in all
weathers。 He came home to breakfast； mounted his farm pony as soon as
the meal was over； and made his rounds of the estate like a bailiff；
getting home in time for dinner； and finishing the day with a game of
boston。 All the inhabitants of the chateau had their stated
occupations； life was as closely regulated there as in a convent。
Laurence alone disturbed its even tenor by her sudden journeys； her
uncertain returns； and by what Madame d'Hauteserre called her pranks。
But with all this peacefulness there existed at Cinq…Cygne conflicting
interests and certain causes of dissension。 In the first place Durieu
and his wife were jealous of Catherine and Gothard； who lived in
greater intimacy with their young mistress； the idol of the household；
than they did。 Then the two d'Hauteserres； encouraged by Mademoiselle
Goujet and the abbe； wanted their sons as well as the Simeuse brothers
to take the oath and return to this quiet life； instead of living
miserably in foreign countries。 Laurence scouted the odious compromise
and stood firmly for the monarchy； militant and implacable。 The four
old people； anxious that their present peaceful existence should not
be risked； nor their spot of refuge； saved from the furious waters of
the revolutionary torrent； lost； did their best to convert Laurence to
their cautious views； believing that her influence counted for much in
the unwillingness of their sons and the Simeuse twins to return to
France。 The superb disdain with which she met the project frightened
these poor people； who were not mistaken in their fears that she was
meditating what they called knight…errantry。 This jarring of opinion
came to the surface after the explosion of the infernal machine in the
rue Saint…Nicaise； the first royalist attempt against the conqueror of
Marengo after his refusal to treat with the house of Bourbon。 The
d'Hauteserres considered it fortunate that Bonaparte escaped that
danger； believing that the republicans had instigated it。 But Laurence
wept with rage when she heard he was safe。 Her despair overcame her
usual reticence