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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 not shot at； nor struck by any weapon； for an assailant must have
been at his own height to strike a blow。 Something； some obstacle； was
in his way and that unhorsed him。 A piece of wood？ not possible！ an
iron chain？ that would have left marks。 What did you feel？〃 he said
aloud。
〃I was knocked over so suddenly〃
〃The skin is rubbed off under your chin；〃 said Corentin quickly。
〃I think；〃 said the corporal； 〃that a rope did go over my face。〃
〃I have it！〃 cried Corentin； 〃somebody tied a rope from tree to tree
to bar the way。〃
〃Like enough；〃 replied the corporal。
Corentin went downstairs to the kitchen。
〃Come； you old rascal；〃 Michu was saying to Violette； 〃let's make an
end of this。 One hundred thousand francs for the place； and you are
master of my whole property。 I shall retire on my income。〃
〃I tell you； as there's a God in heaven； I haven't more than sixty
thousand。〃
〃But don't I offer you time to pay the rest？ You've kept me here since
yesterday； arguing it。 The land is in prime order。〃
〃Yes； the soil is good；〃 said Violette。
〃Wife； some more wine；〃 cried Michu。
〃Haven't you drunk enough？〃 called down Marthe's mother。 〃This is the
fourteenth bottle since nine o'clock yesterday。〃
〃You have been here since nine o'clock this morning； haven't you？〃
said Corentin to Violette。
〃No； beg your pardon； since last night I haven't left the place； and
I've gained nothing after all； the more he makes me drink the more he
puts up the price。〃
〃In all markets he who raises his elbow raises a price；〃 said
Corentin。
A dozen empty bottles ranged along the table proved the truth of the
old woman's words。 Just then the gendarme who had driven him made a
sign to Corentin； who went to the door to speak to him。
〃There is no horse in the stable；〃 said the man。
〃You sent your boy on horseback to the chateau； didn't you？〃 said
Corentin； returning to the kitchen。 〃Will he be back soon？〃
〃No； monsieur；〃 said Michu； 〃he went on foot。〃
〃What have you done with your horse； then？〃
〃I have lent him；〃 said Michu； curtly。
〃Come out here； my good fellow；〃 said Corentin； 〃I've a word for your
ear。〃
Corentin and Michu left the house。
〃The gun which you were loading yesterday at four o'clock you meant to
use in murdering the Councillor of State； but we can't take you up for
thatplenty of intention； but no witnesses。 You managed； I don't know
how； to stupefy Violette； and you and your wife and that young rascal
of yours spent the night out of doors to warn Mademoiselle de Cinq…
Cygne and save her cousins； whom you are hiding here；though I don't
as yet know where。 Your son or your wife threw the corporal off his
horse cleverly enough。 Well； you've got the better of us just now；
you're a devil of a fellow。 But the end is not yet； and you won't have
the last word。 Hadn't you better compromise？ your masters would be the
better for it。〃
〃Come this way； where we can talk without being overheard；〃 said
Michu； leading the way through the park to the pond。
When Corentin saw the water he looked fixedly at Michu； who was no
doubt reckoning on his physical strength to fling the spy into seven
feet of mud below three feet of water。 Michu replied with a look that
was not less fixed。 The scene was absolutely as if a cold and flabby
boa constrictor had defied one of those tawny； fierce leopards of
Brazil。
〃I am not thirsty；〃 said Corentin； stopping short at the edge of the
field and putting his hand into his pocket to feel for his dagger。
〃We shall never come to terms；〃 said Michu； coldly。
〃Mind what you're about； my good fellow； the law has its eye upon
you。〃
〃If the law can't see any clearer than you； there's danger to every
one；〃 said the bailiff。
〃Do you refuse？〃 said Corentin； in a significant tone。
〃I'd rather have my head cut off a thousand times； if that could be
done； than come to an agreement with such a villain as you。〃
Corentin got into his vehicle hastily； after one more comprehensive
look at Michu； the lodge； and Couraut； who barked at him