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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 household as they listened to the
letter。
Laurence looked at the agents with a petrifying glance and said； in a
firm voice：
〃You have less pity than the executioner。〃
Corentin quietly folded the hair in the letter； laid the letter aside
on the table； and put a box of counters on the top of it as if to
prevent its blowing away。 His coolness in the midst of the general
emotion was horrible。
Peyrade unfolded the other letters。
〃Oh； as for those；〃 said Laurence； 〃they are very much alike。 You hear
the will； you can now hear of its fulfilment。 In future I shall have
no secrets from any one。〃
1794； Andernach。 Before the battle。
My dear Laurence；I love you for life； and I wish you to know it。
But you ought also to know； in case I die； that my brother； Paul…
Marie； loves you as much as I love you。 My only consolation in
dying would be the thought that you might some day make my brother
your husband without being forced to see me die of jealousywhich
must surely happen if； both of us being alive； you preferred him
to me。 After all； that preference seems natural； for he is；
perhaps； more worthy of your love than I
Marie…Paul。
〃Here is the other letter；〃 she said； with the color in her cheeks。
Andernach。 Before the battle。
My kind Laurence；My heart is sad； but Marie…Paul has a gayer
nature； and will please you more than I am able to do。 Some day
you will have to choose between uswell； though I love you
passionately
〃You are corresponding with /emigres/；〃 said Peyrade； interrupting
Laurence； and holding the letters between himself and the light to see
if they contained between the lines any treasonable writing with
invisible ink。
〃Yes；〃 replied Laurence； folding the precious letters； the paper of
which was already yellow with time。 〃But by virtue of what right do
you presume to violate my dwelling and my personal liberty？〃
〃Ah； that's the point！〃 cried Peyrade。 〃By what right； indeed！it is
time to let you know it； beautiful aristocrat；〃 he added； taking a
warrant from his pocket； which came from the minister of justice and
was countersigned by the minister of the interior。 〃See； the
authorities have their eye upon you。〃
〃We might also ask you；〃 said Corentin； in her ear； 〃by what right you
harbor in this house the assassins of the First Consul。 You have
applied your whip to my hands in a manner that authorizes me to take
my revenge upon your cousins； whom I came here to save。〃
At the mere movement of her lips and the glance which Laurence cast
upon Corentin； the abbe guessed what that great artist was saying； and
he made her a sign to be distrustful； which no one intercepted but
Goulard。 Peyrade struck the cover of the box to see if there were a
double top。
〃Don't break it！〃 she exclaimed； taking the cover from him。
She took a pin； pushed the head of one of the carved figures； and the
two halves of the top； joined by a spring； opened。 In the hollow half
lay miniatures of the Messieurs de Simeuse； in the uniform of the army
of Conde； two portraits on ivory done in Germany。 Corentin； who felt
himself in presence of an adversary worthy of his efforts； called
Peyrade aside into a corner of the room and conferred with him。
〃How could you throw /that/ into the fire？〃 said the abbe； speaking to
Laurence and pointing to the letter of the marquise which enclosed the
locks of hair。
For all answer the young girl shrugged her shoulders significantly。
The abbe comprehended then that she had made the sacrifice to mislead
the agents and gain time； he raised his eyes to heaven with a gesture
of admiration。
〃Where did they arrest Gothard； whom I hear crying？〃 she asked him；
loud enough to be overheard。
〃I don't know；〃 said the abbe。
〃Did he reach the farm？〃
〃The farm！〃 whispered Peyrade to Corentin。 〃Let us send there。〃
〃No；〃 said Corentin； 〃that girl never trusted her cousins' safety to a
farmer。 She is playing with us。 Do as I tell you； so that we mayn't
have to leave here without detecting something； after committing the
great blunder of coming here at all。〃
Corentin stationed himself before the fire； lifting the long pointed
skirts of his coat to warm himself and assuming the air； manner； and
tone of a gentleman who was paying a visit。
〃Mesdames； you can go to bed； and the servants also。 Monsieur le
maire； your services are no longer needed。 The sternness of our orders
does not permit us to act otherwise than as we have done； but as soon
as the walls； which seem to me rather thick； have been thoroughly
examined； we shall take our departure。〃
The mayor bowed to the company and retired； but neither the abbe nor
Mademoiselle Goujet stirred。 The servants were too uneasy not to watch
the fate of their young mistress。 Madame d'Hauteserre； who； from the
moment of Laurence's entrance； had studied her with the anxiety of a
mother； rose； took her by the arm； led her aside； and said in a low
voice； 〃Have you seen them？〃
〃Do you think I could have let your sons be under this roof without
your knowing it？〃 replied Laurence。 〃Durieu；〃 she added； 〃see if it is
possible to save my poor Stella； she is still breathing。〃
〃She must have gone a great distance；〃 said Corentin。
〃Forty miles in three hours；〃 she answered； addressing the abbe； who
watched her with amazement。 〃I started at half…past nine； and it was
well past one when I returned。〃
She looked at the clock which said half…past two。
〃So you don't deny that you have ridden forty miles？〃 said Corentin。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I admit that my cousins； in their perfect innocence；
expected not to be excluded from the amnesty； and were on their way to
Cinq…Cygne。 When I found that the Sieur Malin was plotting to injure
them； I went to warn them to return to Germany； where they will be
before the telegraph can have guarded the frontier。 If I have done
wrong I shall be punished for it。〃
This answer； which Laurence had carefully considered； was so probable
in all its parts that Corentin's convictions were shaken。 In that
decisive moment； when every soul present hung suspended； as it were；
on the faces of the two adversaries； and all eyes turned from Corentin
to Laurence and from Laurence to Corentin； again the gallop of a
horse； coming from the forest； resounded on the road and from there
through the gates to the paved courtyard。 Frightful anxiety was
stamped on every face。
Peyrade entered； his eyes gleaming with joy。 He went hastily to
Corentin and said； loud enough for the countess to hear him： 〃We have
caught Michu。〃
Laurence； to whom the agony； fatigue； and tension of all her
intellectual faculties had given an unusual color； turned white and
fell back almost fainting on a chair。 Madame Durieu； Mademoiselle
Goujet； and Madame d'Hauteserre sprang to help her； for she was
suffocating。 She signed to cut the frogging of her habit。
〃Duped！〃 said Corentin to Peyrade。 〃I am certain now they are on their
way to Paris。 Change the orders。〃
They left the room and the house； placing one gendarme on guard at the
door of the salon。 The infernal clever