按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃No； but we all have his description。〃
As this news was not encouraging； the marquis； after a few more
questions； saw to his horse； patted him； threw some more money to the
peasant； and disappeared in the direction pointed out。
The provost proceeded half a league farther along the road； but
coming to the conclusion that pursuit was useless； he sent one of his
men to headquarters； to warn all the points of exit from the
province； and himself returned with his troop to the place whence he
had started in the morning。 The marquis had relatives in the
neighbourhood； and it was quite possible that he might seek shelter
with some of them。 All the village ran to meet the horsemen； who
were obliged to confess that they had been duped by the handsome
prisoner。 Different views were expressed on the event； which gave
rise to much talking。 The provost entered the inn； banging his fist
on the furniture； and blaming everybody for the misfortune which had
happened to him。 The daughter of the house； at first a prey to the
most grievous anxiety； had great difficulty in concealing her joy。
The provost spread his papers over the table； as if to nurse his
ill…temper。
〃The biggest rascal in the world！〃 he cried； 〃I ought to have
suspected him。〃
〃What a handsome man he was！〃 said the hostess。
〃A consummate rascal！ Do you know who he is？ He is the Marquis de
Saint…Maixent！〃
〃The Marquis de Saint…Maixent！〃all cried with horror。
〃Yes； the very man；〃 replied the provost； 〃the Marquis de
Saint…Maixent； accused； and indeed convicted； of coining and magic。〃
〃Ah！〃
〃Convicted of incest。〃
〃O my God！〃
〃Convicted of having strangled his wife to marry another； whose
husband he had first stabbed。〃
〃Heaven help us！〃 All crossed themselves。
〃Yes； good people；〃 continued the furious provost； 〃this is the nice
boy who has just escaped the king's justice！〃
The host's daughter left the room； for she felt she was going to
faint。
〃But；〃 said the host； 〃is there no hope of catching him again？〃
〃Not the slightest； if he has taken the road to the Bourbonnais； for
I believe there are in that province noblemen belonging to his family
who will not allow him to be rearrested。〃
The fugitive was； indeed； no other than the Marquis de Saint…Maixent；
accused of all the enormous crimes detailed by the provost； who by
his audacious flight opened for himself an active part in the strange
story which it remains to relate。
It came to pass； a fortnight after these events； that a mounted
gentleman rang at the wicket gate of the chateau de Saint…Geran； at
the gates of Moulins。 It was late； and the servants were in no hurry
to open。 The stranger again pulled the bell in a masterful manner；
and at length perceived a man running from the bottom of the avenue。
The servant peered through the wicket； and making out in the twilight
a very ill…appointed traveller； with a crushed hat； dusty clothes；
and no sword； asked him what he wanted； receiving a blunt reply that
the stranger wished to see the Count de Saint…Geran without any
further loss of time。 The servant replied that this was impossible；
the other got into a passion。
〃Who are you？〃 asked the man in livery。
〃You are a very ceremonious fellow！〃 cried the horseman。 〃Go and tell
M。 de Saint…Geran that his relative； the Marquis de Saint…Maixent；
wishes to see him at once。〃
The servant made humble apologies； and opened the wicket gate。 He
then walked before the marquis； called other servants； who came to
help him to dismount； and ran to give his name in the count's
apartments。 The latter was about to sit down to supper when his
relative was announced； he immediately went to receive the marquis；
embraced him again and again； and gave him the most friendly and
gracious reception possible。 He wished then to take him into the
dining…room to present him to all the family； but the marquis called
his attention to the disorder of his dress； and begged for a few
minutes' conversation。 The count took him into his dressing…room；
and had him dressed from head to foot in his own clothes； whilst they
talked。 The marquis then narrated a made…up story to M。 de
Saint…Geran relative to the accusation brought against him。 This
greatly impressed his relative； and gave him a secure footing in the
chateau。 When he had finished dressing； he followed the count； who
presented him to the countess and the rest of the family。
It will now be in place to state who the inmates of the chateau were；
and to relate some previous occurrences to explain subsequent ones。
The Marshal de Saint…Geran； of the illustrious house of Guiche； and
governor of the Bourbonnais； had married； for his first wife； Anne de
Tournon； by whom he had one son； Claude de la Guiche； and one
daughter； who married the Marquis de Bouille。 His wife dying； he
married again with Suzanne des Epaules； who had also been previously
married； being the widow of the Count de Longaunay； by whom she had
Suzanne de Longaunay。
The marshal and his wife； Suzanne des Epauies； for the mutual benefit
of their children by first nuptials； determined to marry them； thus
sealing their own union with a double tie。 Claude de Guiche； the
marshal's son； married Suzanne de Longaunay。
This alliance was much to the distaste of the Marchioness de Bouille；
the marshal's daughter； who found herself separated from her
stepmother； and married to a man who； it was said； gave her great
cause for complaint； the greatest being his threescore years and ten。
The contract of marriage between Claude de la Guiche and Suzanne de
Longaunay was executed at Rouen on the 17th of February 1619； but the
tender age of the bridegroom； who was then but eighteen； was the
cause of his taking a tour in Italy； whence he returned after two
years。 The marriage was a very happy one but for one
circumstanceit produced no issue。 The countess could not endure a
barrenness which threatened the end of a great name； the extinction
of a noble race。 She made vows； pilgrimages； she consulted doctors
and quacks； but to no purpose。
The Marshal de Saint…Geran died on the Loth of December 1632； having
the mortification of having seen no descending issue from the
marriage of his son。 The latter； now Count de Saint…Geran； succeeded
his father in the government of the Bourbonnais； and was named
Chevalier of the King's Orders。
Meanwhile the Marchioness de Bouille quarrelled with her old husband
the marquis； separated from him after a scandalous divorce； and came
to live at the chateau of Saint…Geran； quite at ease as to her
brother's marriage； seeing that in default of heirs all his property
would revert to her。
Such was the state of affairs when the Marquis de Saint…Maixent
arrived at the chateau。 He was young； handsome； very cunning； and
very successful with women； he even made a conquest of the dowager
Countess de Saint…Geran； who lived there with her children。 He soon
plainly saw that he might easily enter into the most intimate
relations with the Marchioness de Bouille。
The Marquis de Saint…Maixent's own fortune was much impaired by his
extravagance and by the exactions of the law； or rather； in plain
words； he had lost it all。 The marchioness was heiress presumptive
to the count： he calculated that she would soon lose her own husband；
in any case； the life of a septuagenarian did not much trouble a man
like the marquis； he could then prevail upon the marchioness to marry
him； thus giving him the command of the finest fortune in the
province。
He set to work to pay his court to her； especially avoiding anything
that could excite the slightest suspicion。 It was； however；
difficult to get on good terms with the marchioness without showing
outsiders what was going on。 But the marchioness； already
prepossessed by the agreeable exterior of M。 de Saint…Maixent； soon
fell into his toils； and the unhappiness of her marriage； with the
annoyances incidental to a scandalous case in the courts； left her
powerless to resist his schemes。 Nevertheless； they had but few
opportunities of seeing one' another alone： the countess innocently
took a part in all their conversations； the count often came to take
the marquis out hunting； the days passed in family pursuits。 M。 de
Saint…Maixent had not so far had an opportunity of saying what a
discreet woman ought to pretend not to hear； this intrigue；
notwithstanding the marquis's impatience； dragged terribly。
The countess； as has been stated； had for twenty years never ceased
to hope that her prayers would procure for her the grace of bearing a
son to her husband。 Out of sheer weariness she had given herself up
to all kinds of charlatans； who at that period were well received by
people of rank。 On one occasion she brought from Italy a sort of
astrologer； who as nearly as po