needed great care。
The mayor； uneasy and inquisitive； met Peyrade and Corentin in the
village。 He declared that he could not allow such important officials
to breakfast in a miserable tavern； and he took them to his own house。
The abbey was only three quarters of a mile distant。 On the way；
Peyrade remarked that the corporal of Arcis had sent no news of Michu
or of Violette。
〃We are dealing with very able people；〃 said Corentin； 〃they are
stronger than we。 The priest no doubt has a finger in all this。〃
Just as the mayor's wife was ushering her guests into a vast dining…
room （without any fire） the lieutenant of gendarmes arrived with an
anxious air。
〃We met the horse of the corporal of Arcis in the forest without his
master；〃 he said to Peyrade。
〃Lieutenant；〃 cried Corentin； 〃go instantly to Michu's house and find
out what is going on there。 They must have murdered the corporal。〃
This news interfered with the mayor's breakfast。 Corentin and Peyrade
swallowed their food with the rapidity of hunters halting for a meal；
and drove back to the chateau in their wicker carriage； so as to be
ready to start at the first call for any point where their presence
might be necessary。 When the two men reappeared in the salon into
which they had brought such trouble； terror； grief； and anxiety； they
found Laurence； in a dressing…gown； Monsieur d'Hauteserre and his
wife； the abbe and his sister； sitting round the fire； to all
appearance tranquil。
〃If they had caught Michu；〃 Laurence told herself； 〃they would have
brought him with them。 I have the mortification of knowing that I was
not the mistress of myself； and that I threw some light upon the
matter for those wretches； but the harm can be undoneHow long are we
to be your prisoners？〃 she asked sarcastically； with an easy manner。
〃How can she know anything about Michu？ No one from the outside has
got near the chateau； she is laughing at us；〃 said the two agents to
each other by a look。
〃We shall not inconvenience you long；〃 replied Corentin。 〃In three
hours from now we shall offer our regrets for having troubled your
solitude。〃
No one replied。 This contemptuous silence redoubled Corentin's inward
rage。 Laurence and the abbe （the two minds of their little world） had
talked the man over and drawn their conclusions。 Gothard and Catherine
had set the breakfast…table near the fire and the abbe and his sister
were sharing the meal。 Neither masters nor servants paid the slightest
attention to the two spies； who walked up and down the garden； the
courtyard or the lawn； returning every now and then to the salon。
At half…past two the lieutenant reappeared。
〃I found the corporal；〃 he said to Corentin； 〃lying in the road which
leads from the pavilion of Cinq…Cygne to the farm at Bellache。 He has
no wound； only a bad contusion of the head； caused； apparently； by his
fall。 He told me he had been lifted suddenly off his horse and flung
so violently to the ground that he could not discover how the thing
was done。 His feet left the stirrups； which was lucky； for he might
have been killed by the horse dragging him。 We put him in charge of
Michu and Violette〃
〃Michu！ is Michu in his own house？〃 said Corentin； glancing at
Laurence。
The countess smiled ironically； like a woman obtaining her revenge。
〃He is bargaining with Violette about the sale of some land；〃 said the
lieutenant。 〃They seemed to me drunk； and it's no wonder； for they
have been drinking all night and discussing the matter； and they
haven't come to terms yet。〃
〃Did Violette tell you so？〃 cried Corentin。
〃Yes；〃 said the lieutenant。
〃Nothing is right if we don't attend to it ourselves！〃 cried Peyrade；
looking at Corentin； who doubted the lieutenant's news as much as the
other did。
〃At what hour did you get to Michu's house？〃 asked Corentin； noticing
that the countess had glanced at the clock。
〃About two；〃 replied the lieutenant。
Laurence covered Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre and the abbe and his
sister in one comprehensive glance； which made them fancy they were
wrapped in an azure mantle； triumph sparkled in her eyes； she blushed；
and the tears welled up beneath her lids。 Strong under all
misfortunes； the girl knew not how to weep except from joy。 At this
moment she was all glorious； especially to the priest； who was
sometimes distressed by the virility of her character； and who now
caught a glimpse of the infinite tenderness of her woman's nature。 But
such feelings lay in her soul like a treasure hidden at a great depth
beneath a block of granite。
Just then a gendarme entered the salon to ask if he might bring in
Michu's son； sent by his father to speak to the gentlemen from Paris。
Corentin gave an affirmative nod。 Francois Michu； a sly little chip of
the old block； was in the courtyard； where Gothard； now at liberty；
got a chance to speak to him for an instant under the eyes of a
gendarme。 The little fellow managed to slip something into Gothard's
hand without being detected； and the latter glided into the salon
after him till he reached his mistress； to whom he stealthily conveyed
both halves of the wedding…ring； a sure sign； she knew； that Michu had
met the four gentlemen and put them in safety。
〃My papa wants to know what he's to do with the corporal； who ain't
doing well；〃 said Francois。
〃What's the matter with him？〃 asked Peyrade。
〃It's his headhe pitched down hard on the ground；〃 replied the boy。
〃For a gindarme who knows how to ride it was bad luckI suppose the
horse stumbled。 He's got a holemy！ as big as your fistin the back
of his head。 Seems as if he must have hit some big stone； poor man！ He
may be a gindarme； but he suffers all the sameyou'd pity him。〃
The captain of the gendarmerie now arrived and dismounted in the
courtyard。 Corentin threw up the window； not to lose time。
〃What has been done？〃
〃We are back like the Dutchmen！ We found nothing but five dead horses；
their coats stiff with sweat； in the middle of the forest。 I have kept
them to find out where they came from and who owns them。 The forest is
surrounded； whoever is in it can't get out。〃
〃At what hour do you suppose those horsemen entered the forest？〃
〃About half…past twelve。〃
〃Don't let a hare leave that forest without your seeing it；〃 whispered
Corentin。 〃I'll station Peyrade at the village to help you； I am going
to see the corporal myselfGo to the mayor's house；〃 he added； still
whispering； to Peyrade。 〃I'll send some able man to relieve you。 We
shall have to make use of the country…people； examine all faces。〃 He
turned towards the family and said in a threatening tone； 〃Au revoir！〃
No one replied； and the two agents left the room。
〃What would Fouche say if he knew we had made a domiciliary visit
without getting any results？〃 remarked Peyrade as he helped Corentin
into the osier vehicle。
〃It isn't over yet；〃 replied the other； 〃those four young men are in
the forest。 Look there！〃 and he pointed to Laurence who was watching
them from a window。 〃I once revenged myself on a woman who was worth a
dozen of that one and had stirred my bile a good deal less。 If this
girl comes in the way of my hatchet I'll pay her for the lash of that
whip。〃
〃The other was a strumpet；〃 said Peyrade； 〃this one has rank。〃
〃What difference is that to me？ All's fish that swims in the sea；〃
replied Corentin； signing to the gendarme who drove him to whip up。
Ten minutes later the chateau de Cinq…Cygne was completely evacuated。
〃How did they get rid of the corporal？〃 said Laurence to Francois
Michu； whom she had ordered to sit down and eat some breakfast。
〃My father told me it was a matter of life and death and I mustn't let
anybody get into our house；〃 replied the boy。 〃I knew when I heard the
horses in the forest that I'd got to do with them hounds of gindarmes；
and I meant to keep 'em from getting in。 So I took some big ropes that
were in my garret and fastened one of 'em to a tree at the corner of
the road。 Then I drew the rope high enough to hit the breast of a man
on horseback； and tied it to the tree on the opposite side of the way
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