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in the cave； and he went back for them alone。 When he reached the edge
of the pond he heard voices； and went straight to the entrance of the
cave through the brushwood。
〃Have you come for your silver？〃 said Peyrade； showing his big red
nose through the branches。
Without knowing why； for at any rate his young masters were safe；
Michu felt a sharp agony in all his joints； so keen was the sense of
vague； indefinable coming evil which took possession of him； but he
went forward at once； and found Corentin on the stairs with a taper in
his hand。
〃We are not very harsh；〃 he said to Michu； 〃we might have seized your
ci…devants any day for the last week； but we knew they were reinstated
You're a tough fellow to deal with； and you gave us too much trouble
not to make us anxious to satisfy our curiosity about this hiding…
place of yours。〃
〃I'd give something；〃 cried Michu； 〃to know how and by whom we have
been sold。〃
〃If that puzzles you； old fellow；〃 said Peyrade； laughing； 〃look at
your horses' shoes； and you'll see that you betrayed yourselves。〃
〃Well； there need be no rancor！〃 said Corentin； whistling for the
captain of gendarmerie and their horses。
〃So that rascally Parisian blacksmith who shoed the horses in the
English fashion and left Cinq…Cygne only the other day was their spy！〃
thought Michu。 〃They must have followed our tracks when the ground was
damp。 Well； we're quits now！〃
Michu consoled himself by thinking that the discovery was of no
consequence； as the young men were now safe； Frenchmen once more； and
at liberty。 Yet his first presentiment was a true one。 The police；
like the Jesuits； have the one virtue of never abandoning their
friends or their enemies。
Old d'Hauteserre returned from Paris and was more than surprised not
to be the first to bring the news。 Durieu prepared a succulent dinner；
the servants donned their best clothes； and the household impatiently
awaited the exiles； who arrived about four o'clock； happy；and yet
humiliated； for they found they were to be under police surveillance
for two years； obliged to present themselves at the prefecture every
month and ordered to remain in the commune of Cinq…Cygne during the
said two years。 〃I'll send you the papers for signature；〃 the prefect
said to them。 〃Then； in the course of a few months； you can ask to be
relieved of these conditions； which are imposed on all of Pichegru's
accomplices。 I will back your request。〃
These restrictions； fairly deserved； rather dispirited the young men；
but Laurence laughed at them。
〃The Emperor of the French；〃 she said； 〃was badly brought up； he has
not yet acquired the habit of bestowing favors graciously。〃
The party found all the inhabitants of the chateau at the gates； and a
goodly proportion of the people of the village waiting on the road to
see the young men； whose adventures had made them famous throughout
the department。 Madame d'Hauteserre held her sons to her breast for a
long time； her face covered with tears； she was unable to speak and
remained silent； though happy； through a part of the evening。 No
sooner had the Simeuse twins dismounted than a cry of surprise arose
on all sides； caused by their amazing resemblance；the same look； the
same voice； the same actions。 They both had the same movement in
rising from their saddles； in throwing their leg over the crupper of
their horses when dismounting； in flinging the reins upon the animal's
neck。 Their dress； precisely the same； contributed to this likeness。
They wore boots /a la/ Suwaroff； made to fit the instep； tight
trousers of white leather； green hunting…jackets with metal buttons；
black cravats； and buckskin gloves。 The two young men； just thirty…one
years of age； wereto use a term in vogue in those dayscharming
cavaliers； of medium height but well set up； brilliant eyes with long
lashes； floating in liquid like those of children； black hair； noble
brows； and olive skin。 Their speech； gentle as that of a woman； fell
graciously from their fresh red lips； their manners； more elegant and
polished than those of the provincial gentlemen； showed that knowledge
of men and things had given them that supplementary education which
makes its possessor a man of the world。
Not lacking money； thanks to Michu； during their emigration； they had
been able to travel and be received at foreign courts。 Old
d'Hauteserre and the abbe thought them rather haughty； but in their
present position this may have been the sign of nobility of character。
They possessed all the eminent little marks of a careful education； to
which they added a wonderful dexterity in bodily exercises。 Their only
dissimilarity was in the region of ideas。 The youngest charmed others
by his gaiety； the eldest by his melancholy； but the contrast； which
was purely spiritual； was not at first observable。
〃Ah； wife；〃 whispered Michu in Marthe's ear； 〃how could one help
devoting one's self to those young fellows？〃
Marthe； who admired them as a wife and mother； nodded her head
prettily and pressed her husband's hand。 The servants were allowed to
kiss their new masters。
During their seven months' seclusion in the forest （which the young
men had brought upon themselves） they had several times committed the
imprudence of taking walks about their hiding…place； carefully guarded
by Michu； his son； and Gothard。 During these walks； taken usually on
starlit nights； Laurence； reuniting the thread of their past and
present lives； felt the utter impossibility of choosing between the
brothers。 A pure and equal love for each divided her heart。 She
fancied indeed that she had two hearts。 On their side； the brothers
dared not speak to themselves of their impending rivalry。 Perhaps all
three were trusting to time and accident。 The condition of her mind on
this subject acted no doubt upon Laurence as they entered the house；
for she hesitated a moment； and then took an arm of each as she
entered the salon followed by Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre； who
were occupied with their sons。 Just then a cheer burst from the
servants； 〃Long live the Cinq…Cygne and the Simeuse families！〃
Laurence turned round； still between the brothers； and made a charming
gesture of acknowledgement
When these nine persons came to actually observe each other；for in
all meetings； even in the bosom of families； there comes a moment when
friends observe those from whom they have been long parted；the first
glance which Adrien d'Hauteserre cast upon Laurence seemed to his
mother and to the abbe to betray love。 Adrien； the youngest of the
d'Hauteserres； had a sweet and tender soul； his heart had remained
adolescent in spite of the catastrophes which had nerved the man。 Like
many young heroes； kept virgin in spirit by perpetual peril； he was
daunted by the timidities of youth。 In this he was very different from
his brother； a man of rough manners； a great hunter； an intrepid
soldier； full of resolution； but coarse in fibre and without activity
of mind or delicacy in matters of the heart。 One was all soul； the
other all action； and yet they both possessed in the same degree that
sense of honor which is the vital essence of a gentleman。 Dark； short；
slim and wiry； Adrien d'Hauteserre gave an impression of strength；
whereas Robert； who was tall； pale and fair； seemed weakly。 Adrien；
nervous in temperament； was stronger in soul； while his brother though
lymphatic； was fonder of bodily exercise。 Families often present these
singularities of contrast； the causes of which it might be interesting
to examine； but they are mentioned here merely to explain how it was
that Adrien was not likely to find a rival in his brother。 Robert's
affection for Laurence was that of a relation； the respect of a noble
for a girl of his own caste。 In matters of sentiment the elder
d'Hauteserre belonged to the class of men who consider woman as an
appendage to man； limiting her sphere to the physical duties of
maternity； demanding perfection in that respect； but regarding her
mentally as of no account。 To such men the admittance of woman as an
actual sharer in society； in the body politic； in the family； meant
the subversion of the social system。 In these days we are so far
removed from this theory of primitive people that almost all women；
even those who do not desire the fatal emancipation offered by the new
sects； will be shocked in merely hearing of it； but it must be owned
that Robert d'Hauteserre had the misfortune to think in that way。
Robert was a man of the middle…ages； Adrien a man of to…day。 These
differences instead of hindering their affection had drawn its bonds
the closer。 On the first evening after the return of the young men
these shades of character were caught and understood by the abbe；
Mademoiselle Goujet； and Madame d'Hauteserre； who； while playing their
boston； were secretly foreseeing the difficulties of the future。
At twenty…three years of age； having passed through the many
reflections of a long solitude and the anguish of a defeated
enterprise； Laurence had become a woman； and felt within her an
absorbing desire for affection。 She now put forth all her graces of
her mind and was charming； she revealed the hidden b