the crime and the negative results of the inquiries。 The forest；
searched throughout； the department of the Aube； ransacked from end to
end； gave not the slightest indication of the passage of the Comte de
Gondreville nor of his imprisonment。 Napoleon sent for the chief
justice； who； after obtaining certain information from the ministry of
police； explained to his Majesty the position of Malin in regard to
the Simeuse brothers and the Gondreville estate。 The Emperor； at that
time pre…occupied with serious matters； considered the affair
explained by these anterior facts。
〃Those young men are fools；〃 he said。 〃A lawyer like Malin will escape
any deed they may force him to sign under violence。 Watch those
nobles； and discover the means they take to set the Comte de
Gondreville at liberty。〃
He ordered the affair to be conducted with the utmost celerity；
regarding it as an attack on his own institutions； a fatal example of
resistance to the results of the Revolution； an effort to open the
great question of the sales of 〃national property；〃 and a hindrance to
that fusion of parties which was the constant object of his home
policy。 Besides all this； he thought himself tricked by these young
nobles； who had given him their promise to live peaceably。
〃Fouche's prediction has come true；〃 he cried； remembering the words
uttered two years earlier by his present minister of police； who said
them under the impressions conveyed to him by Corentin's report as to
the character and designs of Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne。
It is impossible for persons living under a constitutional government；
where no one really cares for that cold and thankless； blind； deaf
Thing called public interest； to imagine the zeal which a mere word of
the Emperor was able to inspire in his political or administrative
machine。 That powerful will seemed to impress itself as much upon
things as upon men。 His decision once uttered； the Emperor； overtaken
by the coalition of 1806； forgot the whole matter。 He thought only of
new battles to fight； and his mind was occupied in massing his
regiments to strike the great blow at the heart of the Prussian
monarchy。 His desire for prompt justice in the present case found
powerful assistance in the great uncertainty which affected the
position of all magistrates of the Empire。 Just at this time
Cambaceres； as arch…chancellor； and Regnier； chief justice； were
preparing to organize /tribunaux de premiere instance/ （lower civil
courts）； imperial courts； and a court of appeal or supreme court。 They
were agitating the question of a legal garb or costume； to which
Napoleon attached； and very justly； so much importance in all official
stations； and they were also inquiring into the character of the
persons composing the magistracy。 Naturally； therefore； the officials
of the department of the Aube considered they could have no better
recommendation than to give proofs of their zeal in the matter of the
abduction of the Comte de Gondreville。 Napoleon's suppositions became
certainties to these courtiers and also to the populace。
Peace still reigned on the continent； admiration for the Emperor was
unanimous in France； he cajoled all interests； persons； vanities； and
things； in short； everything； even memories。 This attack； therefore；
directed against his senator； seemed in the eyes of all an assault
upon the public welfare。 The luckless and innocent gentlemen were the
objects of general opprobrium。 A few nobles living quietly on their
estates deplored the affair among themselves but dared not open their
lips； in fact； how was it possible for them to oppose the current of
public opinion。 Throughout the department the deaths of the eleven
persons killed by the Simeuse brothers in 1792 from the windows of the
hotel Cinq…Cygne were brought up against them。 It was feared that
other returned and now emboldened /emigres/ might follow this example
of violence against those who had bought their estates from the
〃national domain；〃 as a method of protesting against what they might
call an unjust spoliation。
The unfortunate young nobles were therefore considered as robbers；
brigands； murderers； and their connection with Michu was particularly
fatal to them。 Michu； who was declared； either he or his father…in…
law； to have cut off all the heads that fell under the Terror in that
department； was made the subject of ridiculous tales。 The exasperation
of the public mind was all the more intense because nearly all the
functionaries of the department owed their offices to Malin。 No
generous voice uplifted itself against the verdict of the public。
Besides all this； the accused had no legal means with which to combat
prejudice； for the Code of Brumaire； year IV。； giving as it did both
the prosecution of a charge and the verdict upon it into the hands of
a jury； deprived the accused of the vast protection of an appeal
against legal suspicion。
The day after the arrest all the inhabitants of the chateau of Cinq…
Cygne； both masters and servants； were summoned to appear before the
prosecuting jury。 Cinq…Cygne was left in charge of a farmer； under the
supervision of the abbe and his sister who moved into it。 Mademoiselle
de Cinq…Cygne； with Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre； went to Troyes
and occupied a small house belonging to Durieu in one of the long and
wide faubourgs which lead from the little town。 Laurence's heart was
wrung when she at last comprehended the temper of the populace； the
malignity of the bourgeoisie； and the hostility of the administration；
from the many little events which happened to them as relatives of
prisoners accused of criminal wrong…doing and about to be judged in a
provincial town。 Instead of hearing encouraging or compassionate words
they heard only speeches which called for vengeance； proofs of hatred
surrounded them in place of the strict politeness or the reserve
required by mere decency； but above all they were conscious of an
isolation which every mind must feel； but more particularly those
which are made distrustful by misfortune。
Laurence； who had recovered her vigor of mind； relied upon the
innocence of the accused； and despised the community too much to be
frightened by the stern and silent disapproval they met with
everywhere。 She sustained the courage of Monsieur and Madame
d'Hauteserre； all the while thinking of the judicial struggle which
was now being hurried on。 She was； however； to receive a blow she
little expected； which； undoubtedly； diminished her courage。
In the midst of this great disaster； at the moment when this afflicted
family were made to feel themselves； as it were； in a desert； a man
suddenly became exalted in Laurence's eyes and showed the full beauty
of his character。 The day after the indictment was found by the jury；
and the prisoners were finally committed for trial； the Marquis de
Chargeboeuf courageously appeared； still in the same old caleche； to
support and protect his young cousin。 Foreseeing the haste with which
the law would be administered； this chief of a great family had
already gone to Paris and secured the services of the most able as
well as the most honest lawyer of the old school； named Bordin； who
was for ten years counsel of the nobility in Paris； and was ultimately
succeeded by the celebrated Derville。 This excellent lawyer chose for
his assistant the grandson of a former president of the parliament of
Normandy； whose studies had been made under his tuition。 This young
lawyer； who was destined to be appointed deputy…attorney…general in
Paris after the conclusion of the present trial； became eventually one
of the most celebrated of French magistrates。 Monsieur de Grandville；
for that was his name； accepted the defence of the four young men；
being glad of an opportunity to make his first appearance as an
advocate with distinction。
The old marquis； alarmed at the ravages which troubles had wrought in
Laurence's appearance； was charmingly kind and considerate。 He made no
allusion to his neglected advice； he presented Bordin as an oracle
whose counsel must be followed to the letter； and young de Grandville
as a defender in whom the utmost confidence might be placed。
Laurence held out her hand to the kind old man； and pressed his with
an eagerness which delighted him。
〃You were right；〃 she said。
〃Will you now take my advice？〃 he asked。
The young countess bowed her head in assent； as did Monsieur and
Madame d'Hauteserre。
〃Well； then； come to my house； it is in the middle of town； close to
the courthouse。 You and your lawyers will be better off there than
here； where you are crowded and too far from the field of battle。
Here； you would have to cross the town twice a day。〃
Laurence； accepted； and the old man took her with Madame d'Hauteserre
to his house； which became the home of the Cinq…Cygne household and
the lawyers of the defence during the whole time the trial lasted。
After dinner； when the doors were closed； Bordin made Laurence relate
every circumstance of the affair； entreating her to omit nothing； not
the most trifling detail。 Though many of the facts had already been
told to him and his young assistant by the marquis on their journey
from Paris to Troyes； Bordin listened； his feet on the fender； without
obtruding himself into the recital。 The young lawyer； however； could
not help being divided between his admiration for Mademoiselle de
Cinq…Cygne； and the attention he was bound to give to the facts of his
case。
〃Is that really all？〃 asked Bordin when Laurence had related the
events of the drama just as the present narrative has given them up to
the present time。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。
Profound silence reigned for several minutes in the salon of the
Chargeboeuf mansion where this scene took place；one of the most
important which occur in life。 All cases are judged by the counsellors
engaged in them； just as the death or life or a patient is foreseen by
a physician； before the final struggle which the one sustains against
nature； the other against law。 Laurence； Monsieur and Madame
d'Hauteserre； and the marquis sat with their eyes fixed on the swarthy
and deeply pitted face of the old lawyer； who was now to pronoun