re…entered the salon。 The opening and shutting of doors and closets
could be heard from the bedrooms above。 The gendarmes pulled open the
beds； Peyrade； with the quick perception of a spy； handled and sounded
everything。 Such desecration excited both fear and indignation among
the faithful servants of the house； who still stood motionless about
the salon。 Monsieur d'Hauteserre exchanged looks of commiseration with
his wife and Mademoiselle Goujet。 A species of horrible curiosity kept
every one on the qui vive。 Peyrade at length came down； holding in his
hand a sandal…wood box which had probably been brought from China by
Admiral de Simeuse。 This pretty casket was flat and about the size of
a quarto volume。
Peyrade made a sign to Corentin and took him into the embrasure of a
window。
〃I've an idea！〃 he said； 〃that Michu； who was ready to pay Marion
eight hundred thousand francs in gold for Gondreville； and who
evidently meant to shoot Malin yesterday； is the man who is helping
the Simeuse brothers。 His motive in threatening Marion and aiming at
Malin must be the same。 I thought when I saw him that he was capable
of ideas； evidently he has but one； he discovered what was going on
and he must have come here to warn them。〃
〃Probably Malin talked about the conspiracy to his friend the notary；
and Michu from his ambush overheard what was said；〃 remarked Corentin；
continuing the inductions of his colleague。 〃No doubt he has only
postponed his shot to prevent an evil he thinks worse than the loss of
Gondreville。〃
〃He knew what we were the moment he laid eyes on us；〃 said Peyrade。 〃I
thought then that he was amazingly intelligent for a peasant。〃
〃That proves that he is always on his guard；〃 replied Corentin。 〃But；
mind you； my old man； don't let us make a mistake。 Treachery stinks in
the nostrils； and primitive folks do scent it from afar。〃
〃But that's our strength；〃 said the Provencal。
〃Call the corporal of Arcis；〃 cried Corentin to one of the gendarmes。
〃I shall send him at once to Michu's house；〃 he added to Peyrade。
〃Our ear； Violette； is there；〃 said Peyrade。
〃We started without getting news from him。 Two of us are not enough；
we ought to have had Sabatier with usCorporal；〃 he said； when the
gendarme appeared； taking him aside with Peyrade； 〃don't let them fool
you as they did the Troyes corporal just now。 We think Michu is in
this business。 Go to his house； put your eye on everything； and bring
word of the result。〃
〃One of my men heard horses in the forest just as they arrested the
little groom； I've four fine fellows now on the track of whoever is
hiding there；〃 replied the gendarme。
He left the room； and the gallop of his horse which echoed on the
paved courtyard died rapidly away。
〃One thing is certain；〃 said Corentin to himself； 〃either they have
gone to Paris or they are retreating to Germany。〃
He sat down； pulled a note…book from the pocket of his spencer； wrote
two orders in pencil； sealed them； and made a sign to one of the
gendarmes to come to him。
〃Be off at full gallop to Troyes； wake up the prefect； and tell him to
start the telegraph as soon as there's light enough。〃
The gendarme departed。 The meaning of this movement and Corentin's
intentions were so evident that the hearts of the household sank
within them； but this new anxiety was additional to another that was
now martyrizing them； their eyes were fixed on the sandal…wood box！
All the while the two agents were talking together they were each
taking note of those eager looks。 A sort of cold anger stirred the
unfeeling hearts of these men who relished the power of inspiring
terror。 The police man has the instincts and emotions of a hunter： but
where the one employs his powers of mind and body in killing a hare； a
partridge； or a deer； the other is thinking of saving the State； or a
king； and of winning a large reward。 So the hunt for men is superior
to the other class of hunting by all the distance that there is
between animals and human beings。 Moreover； a spy is forced to lift
the part he plays to the level and the importance of the interests to
which he is bound。 Without looking further into this calling； it is
easy to see that the man who follows it puts as much passionate ardor
into his chase as another man does into the pursuit of game。 Therefore
the further these men advanced in their investigations the more eager
they became； but the expression of their faces and their eyes
continued calm and cold； just as their ideas； their suspicions； and
their plans remained impenetrable。 To any one who watched the effects
of the moral scent； if we may so call it； of these bloodhounds on the
track of hidden facts； and who noted and understood the movements of
canine agility which led them to strike the truth in their rapid
examination of probabilities； there was in it all something actually
horrifying。 How and why should men of genius fall so low when it was
in their power to be so high？ What imperfection； what vice； what
passion debases them？ Does a man become a police…agent as he becomes a
thinker； writer； statesmen； painter； general； on the condition of
knowing nothing but how to spy； as the others speak； write； govern；
paint； and fight？ The inhabitants of the chateau had but one wish；
that the thunderbolts of heaven might fall upon these miscreants； they
were athirst for vengeance； and had it not been for the presence； up
to this time； of the gendarmes there would undoubtedly have been an
outbreak。
〃No one； I suppose； has the key of this box？〃 said the cynical
Peyrade； questioning the family as much by the movement of his huge
red nose as by his words。
The Provencal noticed； not without fear； that the guards were no
longer present； he and Corentin were alone with the family。 The
younger man drew a small dagger from his pocket； and began to force
the lock of the box。 Just then the desperate galloping of a horse was
heard upon the road and then upon the pavement by the lawn； but most
horrible of all was the fall and sighing of the animal； which seemed
to drop all at once at the door of the middle tower。 A convulsion like
that which a thunderbolt might produce shook the spectators when
Laurence； the trailing of whose riding…habit announced her coming；
entered the room。 The servants hastily formed into two lines to let
her pass。
In spite of her rapid ride； the girl had felt the full anguish the
discovery of the conspiracy must needs cause her。 All her hopes were
overthrown！ she had galloped through ruins as her thoughts turned to
the necessity of submission to the Consular government。 Were it not
for the danger which threatened the four gentlemen； and which served
as a tonic to conquer her weariness and her despair； she would have
dropped asleep on the way。 The mare was almost killed in her haste to
reach the chateau； and stand between her cousins and death。 As all
present looked at the heroic girl； pale； her features drawn； her veil
aside； her whip in her hand； standing on the threshold of the door；
whence her burning glance grasped the whole scene and comprehended it；
each knew from the almost imperceptible motion which crossed the
soured and bittered face of Corentin； that the real adversaries had
met。 A terrible duel was about to begin。
Noticing the box； now in the hands of Corentin； the countess raised
her whip and sprang rapidly towards him。 Striking his hands with so
violent a blow that the casket fell to the ground； she seized it；
flung it into the middle of the fire； and stood with her back to the
chimney in a threatening attitude before either of the agents
recovered from their surprise。 The scorn which flamed from her eyes；
her pale brow； her disdainful lips； were even more insulting than the
haughty action which treated Corentin as though he were a venomous
reptile。 Old d'Hauteserre felt himself once more a cavalier； all his
blood rushed to his face； and he grieved that he had no sword。 The
servants trembled for an instant with joy。 The vengeance they had
called down upon these men had come。 But their joy was driven back
within their souls by a terrible fear； the gendarmes were still heard
coming and going in the garrets。
The /spy/noun of strength； under which all shades of the police are
confounded； for the public has never chosen to specify in language the
varieties of those who compose this dispensary of social remedies so
essential to all governmentsthe spy has this curious and magnificent
quality： he never becomes angry； he possesses the Christian humility
of a priest； his eyes are stolid with an indifference which he holds
as a barrier against the world of fools who do not understand him； his
forehead is adamant under insult； he pursues his ends like a reptile
whose carapace is fractured only by a cannonball； but （like that
reptile） he is all the more furious when the blow does reach him；
because he believed his armor invulnerable。 The lash of the whip upon
his fingers was to Corentin； pain apart； the cannonball that cracked
the shell。 Coming from that magnificent and noble girl； this action；
emblematic of her disgust； humiliated him； not only in the eyes of the
people about him； but in his own。
Peyrade sprang to the hearth； caught Laurence's foot； raised it； and
compelled her； out of modesty； to throw herself on the sofa； where she
had lately lain asleep。 The scene； like other contrasts in human
things； was burlesque in the midst of terror。 Peyrade scorched his
hand as he dashed it into the fire to seize the box； but he got it；
threw it on the floor and sat down upon it。 These little actions were
done with great rapidity and without a word being uttered。 Corentin；
recovering from the pain of the blow； caught Mademoiselle de Cinq…
Cygne by both hands； and held her。
〃Do not compel me to use force against you；〃 he said； with withering
politeness。
Peyrade's action had extinguished the fire by the natural process of
suppressing the air。
〃Gendarmes！ here！〃 he cried； still occupying his ridiculous position。
〃Will you promise to behave yourself？〃 said Corentin； insolently；
addressing Laurence； and picking up his dagger； but not committing the
great fault of threatening h