the countess of saint geran-第6章

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the　instigation　of　M。　de　Saint…Maixent；　secured　matters　all　round　by

bringing　into　the　abominable　plot　the　Quinet　girls；　her　maids；　so

that　there　was　nothing　but　treason　and　conspiracy　against　this　worthy

family　among　their　upper　servants；　usually　styled　confidential。

Thus；　having　prepared　matters；　the　conspirators　awaited　the　event。



On　the　16th　of　August　16￠1　the　Countess　de　Saint…Geran　was　overtaken

by　the　pangs　of　labour　in　the　chapel　of　the　chateau；　where　she　was

hearing　mass。　　They　carried　her　to　her　room　before　mass　was　over；　her

women　ran　around　her；　and　the　countess　dowager　with　her　own　hands

arranged　on　her　head　a　cap　of　the　pattern　worn　by　ladies　about　to　be

confineda　cap　which　is　not　usually　removed　till　some　time　later。



The　pains　recurred　with　terrible　intensity。　　The　count　wept　at　his

wife's　cries。　　Many　persons　were　present。　　The　dowager's　two

daughters　by　her　second　marriage；　one　of　whom；　then　sixteen　years　of

age；　afterwards　married　the　Duke　de　Ventadour　and　was　a　party　to　the

lawsuit；　wished　to　be　present　at　this　accouchement；　which　was　to

perpetuate　by　a　new　scion　an　illustrious　race　near　extinction。　　There

were　also　Dame　Saligny；　sister　of　the　late　Marshal　Saint…Geran；　the

Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent；　and　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille。



Everything　seemed　to　favour　the　projects　of　these　last　two　persons；

who　took　an　interest　in　the　event　of　a　very　different　character　from

that　generally　felt。　　As　the　pains　produced　no　result；　and　the

accouchement　was　of　the　most　difficult　nature；　while　the　countess　was

near　the　last　extremity；　expresses　were　sent　to　all　the　neighbouring

parishes　to　offer　prayers　for　the　mother　and　the　child；　the　Holy

Sacrament　was　elevated　in　the　churches　at　Moulins。



The　midwife　attended　to　everything　herself。　　She　maintained　that　the

countess　would　be　more　comfortable　if　her　slightest　desires　were

instantly　complied　with。　　The　countess　herself　never　spoke　a　word；

only　interrupting　the　gloomy　silence　by　heart…rending　cries。　　A11　at

once；　Madame　de　Boulle；　who　affected　to　be　bustling　about；　pointed

out　that　the　presence　of　so　many　persons　was　what　hindered　the

countess's　accouchement；　and；　assuming　an　air　of　authority　justified

by　fictitious　tenderness；　said　that　everyone　must　retire；　leaving　the

patient　in　the　hands　of　the　persons　who　were　absolutely　necessary　to

her；　and　that；　to　remove　any　possible　objections；　the　countess

dowager　her　mother　must　set　the　example。　　The　opportunity　was　made

use　of　to　remove　the　count　from　this　harrowing　spectacle；　and

everyone　followed　the　countess　dowager。　　Even　the　countess's　own

maids　were　not　allowed　to　remain；　being　sent　on　errands　which　kept

them　out　of　the　way。　　This　further　reason　was　given；　that　the　eldest

being　scarcely　fifteen；　they　were　too　young　to　be　present　on　such　an

occasion。　　The　only　persons　remaining　by　the　bedside　were　the

Marchioness　de　Bouille；　the　midwife；　and　the　two　Quinet　girls；　the

countess　was　thus　in　the　hands　of　her　most　cruel　enemies。



It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　labours　continued；　the　elder

Quinet　girl　held　the　patient　by　the　hand　to　soothe　her。　　The　count

and　the　dowager　sent　incessantly　to　know　the　news。　　They　were　told

that　everything　was　going　on　well；　and　that　shortly　their　wishes

would　be　accomplished；　but　none　of　the　servants　were　allowed　to　enter

the　room。



Three　hours　later；　the　midwife　declared　that　the　countess　could　not

hold　out　any　longer　unless　she　got　some　rest。　　She　made　her　swallow　a

liquor　which　was　introduced　into　her　mouth　by　spoonfuls。　　The

countess　fell　into　so　deep　a　sleep　that　she　seemed　to　be　dead。　　The

younger　Quinet　girl　thought　for　a　moment　that　they　had　killed　her；

and　wept　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　till　Madame　de　Bouille　reassured

her。



During　this　frightful　night　a　shadowy　figure　prowled　in　the

corridors；　silently　patrolled　the　rooms；　and　came　now　and　then　to　the

door　of　the　bedroom；　where　he　conferred　in　a　low　tone　with　the

midwife　and　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille。　　This　was　the　Marquis　de

Saint…Maixent；　who　gave　his　orders；　encouraged　his　people；　watched

over　every　point　of　his　plot；　himself　a　prey　to　the　agonies　of

nervousness　which　accompany　the　preparations　for　a　great　crime。



The　dowager　countess；　owing　to　her　great　age；　had　been　compelled　to

take　some　rest。　　The　count　sat　up；　worn　out　with　fatigue；　in　a

downstairs　room　hard　by　that　in　which　they　were　compassing　the　ruin

of　all　most　dear　to　him　in　the　world。



The　countess；　in　her　profound　lethargy；　gave　birth；　without　being

aware　of　it；　to　a　boy；　who　thus　fell　on　his　entry　into　the　world　into

the　hands　of　his　enemies；　his　mother　powerless　to　defend　him　by　her

cries　and　tears。　　The　door　was　half　opened；　and　a　man　who　was　waiting

outside　brought　in；　this　was　the　major…domo　Baulieu。



The　midwife；　pretending　to　afford　the　first　necessary　cares　to　the

child；　had　taken　it　into　a　corner。　　Baulieu　watched　her　movements；

and　springing　upon　her；　pinioned　her　arms。　　The　wretched　woman　dug

her　nails　into　the　child's　head。　　He　snatched　it　from　her；　but　the

poor　infant　for　long　bore　the　marks　of　her　claws。



Possibly　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille　could　not　nerve　herself　to　the

commission　of　so　great　a　crime；　but　it　seems　more　probable　that　the

steward　prevented　the　destruction　of　the　child　under　the　orders　of

M。　de　Saint…Maixent。　　The　theory　is　that　the　marquis；　mistrustful　of

the　promise　made　him　by　Madame　de　Bouille　to　marry　him　after　the

death　of　her　husband；　desired　to　keep　the　child　to　oblige　her　to　keep

her　word；　under　threats　of　getting　him　acknowledged；　if　she　proved

faithless　to　him。　　No　other　adequate　reason　can　be　conjectured　to

determine　a　man　of　his　character　to　take　such　great　care　of　his

victim。



Baulieu　swaddled　the　child　immediately；　put　it　in　a　basket；　hid　it

under　his　cloak；　and　went　with　his　prey　to　find　the　marquis；　they

conferred　together　for　some　time；　after　which　the　house　steward

passed　by　a　postern　gate　into　the　moat；　thence　to　a　terrace　by　which

he　reached　a　bridge　leading　into　the　park。　　This　park　had　twelve

gates；　and　he　had　the　keys　of　all。　　He　mounted　a　blood　horse　which　he

had　left　waiting　behind　a　wall；　and　started　off　at　full　gallop。　　The

same　day　he　passed　through　the　village　of　Escherolles；　a　league

distant　from　Saint…Geran；　where　he　stopped　at　the　house　of　a　nurse；

wife　of　a　glove…maker　named　Claude。　　This　peasant　woman　gave　her

breast　to　the　child；　but　the　steward；　not　daring　to　stay　in　a　village

so　near　Saint…Geran；　crossed　the　river　Allier　at　the　port　de　la

Chaise；　and　calling　at　the　house　of　a　man　named　Boucaud；　the　good

wife　suckled　the　child　for　the　second　time；　he　then　continued　his

journey　in　the　direction　of　Auvergne。



The　heat　was　excessive；　his　horse　was　done　up；　the　child　seemed

uneasy。　　A　carrier's　cart　passed　him　going　to　Riom；　it　was　owned　by　a

certain　Paul　Boithion　of　the　town　of　Aigueperce；　a　common　carrier　on

the　road。　　Baulieu　went　alongside　to　put　the　child　in　the　cart；　which

he　entered　himself；　carrying　the　infant　on　his　knees。　　The　horse

followed；　fastened　by　the　bridle　to　the　back　of　the　cart。



In　the　conversation　which　he　held　with　this　man；　Baulieu　said　that　he

should　not　take　so　much　care　of　the　child　did　it　not　belong　to　the

most　noble　house　in　the　Bourbonnais。　　They　reached　the　village　of　Che

at　midday。　　The　mistress　of　the　house　where　he　put　up；　who　was

nursing　an　infant；　consented　to　give　some　of　her　milk　to　the　child。

The　poor　creature　was　covered　with　blood；　she　warmed　some　water；

stripped　off　its　swaddling　linen；　washed　it　from　head　to　foot；　and

swathed　it　up　again　more　neatly。



The　carrier　then　took　them　to　Riom。　　When　they　got　there；　Baulieu　got

rid　of　him　by　giving　a　false　meeting…place　for　their　departure；　left

in　the　direction　of　the　abbey　of　Lavoine；　and　reached　the　village　of

Descoutoux；　in　the　mountains；　between　Lavoine　and　Thiers。　　The

Marchioness　de　Bouille　had　a　chateau　there　where　she　occasionally

spent　some　time。



The　child　was　nursed　at　Descoutoux　by　Gabrielle　Moini；　who　was　paid　a

month　in　advance；　but　she　only　kept　it　a　week　or　so；　because　they

refused　to　tell　her　the　father　and　mother　and　to　refer　her　to　a　place

where　she　might　send　reports　of　her　charge。　　This　woman　having　made

these　reasons　public；　no　nurse　could　be　found　to　take　charge　of　the

child；　which　was　removed　from　the　village　of　Descoutoux。　　The　persons

who　removed　it　took　the　highroad　to　Burgundy；　crossing　a　densely

wooded　country；　and　here　they　lost　their　way。



The　above　particulars　were　subsequently　proved　by　the　nurses；　the

carrier；　and　others　who　made　legal　depositions。　　They　are　stated　at

length　here；　as　they　proved　very　important　in　the　great　lawsuit。　　The

compilers　of　the　case；　into　which　we　search　for　information；　have

however　omitted　to　tell　us　how　the　absence　of　the　major…domo　was

accounted　for　at　the　castle；　probably　the　far…sighted　marquis　had　got

an　excuse　ready。



The　countess's　state　of　drowsiness　continued　till　daybreak。　　She　woke

bathed　in　blood；　completely　exhausted；　but　yet　with　a　sensation　of

comfort　which　convinced　her　that　she　had　been　delivered　from　her

burden。　　Her　first　words　were　about　her　child；　she　wished　to　see　it；

kiss　it；　she　asked　where　it　was。　　The　midwife　coolly　told　her；　whilst

the　girls　who　were　by　were　filled　with　amazement　at　her　audacity；

that　she　had　not　been　confined　at　all。　　The　countess　maintained　the

contrary；　and　as　she　grew　very　excited；　the　midwife　strove　to　calm

her；　assuring　her　that　in　any　case　her　delivery　could　not　be　long

protracted；　and　that；　judging　from　all　the　indications　of　the　night；

she　would　give　birth　to　a　boy。　　This　promise　comforted　the　count　and

the　countess　dowager；　but　failed　to　satisfy　the　countess；　who

insisted　that　a　child　had　been　born。



The　same　day　a　scullery…maid　met　a　woman　going　to　the　water's　edge　in

the　castle　moat；　with　a　parcel　in　her　arms。　　She　recognised　the

midwife；　and　asked　what　she　was　carrying　and　where　she　was　going　so

early。　　The　latter　replied　that　she　was　very　inquisitive；　and　that　it

was　nothing　at　all；　but　the　girl；　laughingly　pretending　to　be　angry

at　this　answer；　pulled　open　one　of　the　ends　of　the　parcel　before　the

midwife　had　time　to　stop　her；　and　exposed　to　view　some　linen　soaked

in　blood。



〃Madame　has　been　confined；　then？〃　she　said　to　the　matron。



〃No；〃　replied　she　briskly；〃　she　has　not。〃



The　girl　was　unconvinced；　and　said；　〃How　do　you　mean　that　she　has

not；　when　madame　the　marchioness；　who　was　there；　says　she　has？　　The

matron　in　great　confusion　replied；　〃She　must　have　a　very　long　tongue；

if　she　said　so。〃



The　girl's　evidence　was　later　found　most　important。



The　countess's　uneasiness　made　her　worse　the　next　day。　　She　implored

with　sighs　and　tears　at　least　to　be　told　what　had　become　of　her

child；　steadily　maintaining　that　she　was　not　mistaken　when　she

ass