the countess of saint geran-第8章

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discreditable　adventures　had　leaked　out；　and　the　Saint…Geran　family

received　him　more　than　coldly。



Baulieu；　who　witnessed　every　day　the　tenderness　of　the　count　and

countess　for　the　boy　Henri；　had　been　a　hundred　times　on　the　point　of

giving　himself　up　and　confessing　everything。　He　was　torn　to　pieces

with　remorse。　　Remarks　escaped　him　which　he　thought　he　might　make

without　ulterior　consequences；　seeing　the　lapse　of　time；　but　they

were　noted　and　commented　on。　　Sometimes　he　would　say　that　he　held　in

his　hand　the　life　and　honour　of　Madame　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille；

sometimes　that　the　count　and　countess　had　more　reasons　than　they　knew

of　for　loving　Henri。　　One　day　he　put　a　case　of　conscience　to　a

confessor；　thus：　〃Whether　a　man　who　had　been　concerned　in　the

abduction　of　a　child　could　not　satisfy　his　conscience　by　restoring

him　to　his　father　and　mother　without　telling　them　who　he　was？〃　　What

answer　the　confessor　made　is　not　known；　but　apparently　it　was　not

what　the　major…domo　wanted。　　He　replied　to　a　magistrate　of　Moulins；

who　congratulated　him　on　having　a　nephew　whom　his　masters

overburdened　with　kind　treatment；　that　they　ought　to　love　him；　since

he　was　nearly　related　to　them。



These　remarks　were　noticed　by　others　than　those　principally

concerned。　　One　day　a　wine　merchant　came　to　propose　to　Baulieu　the

purchase　of　a　pipe　of　Spanish　wine；　of　which　he　gave　him　a　sample

bottle；　in　the　evening　he　was　taken　violently　ill。　　They　carried　him

to　bed；　where　he　writhed；　uttering　horrible　cries。　　One　sole　thought

possessed　him　when　his　sufferings　left　him　a　lucid　interval；　and　in

his　agony　he　repeated　over　and　over　again　that　he　wished　to　implore

pardon　from　the　count　and　countess　for　a　great　injury　which　he　had

done　them。　　The　people　round　about　him　told　him　that　was　a　trifle；

and　that　he　ought　not　to　let　it　embitter　his　last　moments；　but　he

begged　so　piteously　that　he　got　them　to　promise　that　they　should　be

sent　for。



The　count　thought　it　was　some　trifling　irregularity；　some

misappropriation　in　the　house　accounts；　and　fearing　to　hasten　the

death　of　the　sufferer　by　the　shame　of　the　confession　of　a　fault；　he

sent　word　that　he　heartily　forgave　him；　that　he　might　die　tranquil；

and　refused　to　see　him。　　Baulieu　expired；　taking　his　secret　with　him。

This　happened　in　1648。



The　child　was　then　seven　years　old。　　His　charming　manners　grew　with

his　age；　and　the　count　and　countess　felt　their　love　for　him　increase。

They　caused　him　to　be　taught　dancing　and　fencing；　put　him　into

breeches　and　hose；　and　a　page's　suit　of　their　livery；　in　which

capacity　he　served　them。　　The　marquis　turned　his　attack　to　this

quarter。　　He　was　doubtless　preparing　some　plot　as　criminal　as　the

preceding；　when　justice　overtook　him　for　some　other　great　crimes　of

which　he　had　been　guilty。　　He　was　arrested　one　day　in　the　street　when

conversing　with　one　of　the　Saint…Geran　footmen；　and　taken　to　the

Conciergerie　of　the　Palace　of　Justice。



Whether　owing　to　these　occurrences；　or　to　grounds　for　suspicion

before　mentioned；　certain　reports　spread　in　the　Bourbonnais　embodying

some　of　the　real　facts；　portions　of　them　reached　the　ears　of　the

count　and　countess；　but　they　had　only　the　effect　of　renewing　their

grief　without　furnishing　a　clue　to　the　truth。



Meanwhile；　the　count　went　to　take　the　waters　at　Vichy。　　The　countess

and　Madame　de　Bouille　followed　him；　and　there　they　chanced　to

encounter　Louise　Goillard；　the　midwife。　　This　woman　renewed　her

acquaintance　with　the　house；　and　in　particular　often　visited　the

Marchioness　de　Bouille。　　One　day　the　countess；　unexpectedly　entering

the　marchioness's　room；　found　them　both　conversing　in　an　undertone。

They　stopped　talking　immediately；　and　appeared　disconcerted。



The　countess　noticed　this　without　attaching　any　importance　to　it；　and

asked　the　subject　of　their　conversation。



〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　the　marchioness。



〃But　what　is　it？〃　insisted　the　countess；　seeing　that　she　blushed。



The　marchioness；　no　longer　able　to　evade　the　question；　and　feeling

her　difficulties　increase；　replied



〃Dame　Louise　is　praising　my　brother　for　bearing　no　ill…will　to　her。〃



〃Why？〃　said　the　countess；　turning　to　the　midwife；〃why　should　you

fear　any　ill…will　on　the　part　of　my　husband？〃



〃I　was　afraid；〃　said　Louise　Goillard　awkwardly；　〃that　he　might　have

taken　a　dislike　to　me　on　account　of　all　that　happened　when　you

expected　to　be　confined。〃



The　obscurity　of　these　words　and　embarrassment　of　the　two　women

produced　a　lively　effect　upon　the　countess；　but　she　controlled

herself　and　let　the　subject　drop。　　Her　agitation；　however；　did　not

escape　the　notice　of　the　marchioness；　who　the　next　day　had　horses　put

to　her　coach　and　retired　to　hey　estate　of　Lavoine。　　This　clumsy

proceeding　strengthened　suspicion。



The　first　determination　of　the　countess　was　to　arrest　Louise

Goillard；　but　she　saw　that　in　so　serious　a　matter　every　step　must　be

taken　with　precaution。　　She　consulted　the　count　and　the　countess

dowager。　　They　quietly　summoned　the　midwife；　to　question　her　without

any　preliminaries。　　She　prevaricated　and　contradicted　herself　over

and　over　again；　moreover；　her　state　of　terror　alone　sufficed　to

convict　her　of　a　crime。　　They　handed　her　over　to　the　law；　and　the

Count　de　Saint…Geran　filed　an　information　before　the　vice…seneschal

of　Moulins。



The　midwife　underwent　a　first　interrogatory。　　She　confessed　the　truth

of　the　accouchement；　but　she　added　that　the　countess　had　given　birth

to　a　still…born　daughter；　which　she　had　buried　under　a　stone　near　the

step　of　the　barn　in　the　back　yard。　　The　judge；　accompanied　by　a

physician　and　a　surgeon；　repaired　to　the　place；　where　he　found

neither　stone；　nor　foetus；　nor　any　indications　of　an　interment。　　They

searched　unsuccessfully　in　other　places。



When　the　dowager　countess　heard　this　statement；　she　demanded　that

this　horrible　woman　should　be　put　on　her　trial。　　The　civil

lieutenant；　in　the　absence　of　the　criminal　lieutenant；　commenced　the

proceedings。



In　a　second　interrogation；　Louise　Goillard　positively　declared　that

the　countess　had　never　been　confined；



In　a　third；　that　she　had　been　delivered　of　a　mole；



In　a　fourth；　that　she　had　been　confined　of　a　male　infant；　which

Baulieu　had　carried　away　in　a　basket；



And　in　a　fifth；　in　which　she　answered　from　the　dock；　she　maintained

that　her　evidence　of　the　countess's　accouchement　had　been　extorted

from　her　by　violence。　　She　made　no　charges　against　either　Madame　de

Bouille　or　the　Marquis　de　Saint　Maixent。　　On　the　other　hand；　no

sooner　was　she　under　lock　and　key　than　she　despatched　her　son

Guillemin　to　the　marchioness　to　inform　her　that　she　was　arrested。

The　marchioness　recognised　how　threatening　things　were；　and　was　in　a

state　of　consternation；　she　immediately　sent　the　sieur　de　la

Foresterie；　her　steward；　to　the　lieutenant…general；　her　counsel；

a　mortal　enemy　of　the　count；　that　he　might　advise　her　in　this

conjuncture；　and　suggest　a　means　for　helping　the　matron　without

appearing　openly　in　the　matter。　　The　lieutenant's　advice　was　to　quash

the　proceedings　and　obtain　an　injunction　against　the　continuance　of

the　preliminaries　to　the　action。　　The　marchioness　spent　a　large　sum

of　money；　and　obtained　this　injunction；　but　it　was　immediately

reversed；　and　the　bar　to　the　suit　removed。



La　Foresterie　was　then　ordered　to　pass　to　Riom；　where　the　sisters

Quinet　lived；　and　to　bribe　them　heavily　to　secrecy。　　The　elder　one；

on　leaving　the　marchioness's　service；　had　shaken　her　fist　in　her

face；　feeling　secure　with　the　secrets　in　her　knowledge；　and　told　her

that　she　would　repent　having　dismissed　her　and　her　sister；　and　that

she　would　make　a　clean　breast　of　the　whole　affair；　even　were　she　to

be　hung　first。　　These　girls　then　sent　word　that　they　wished　to　enter

her　service　again；　that　the　countess　had　promised　them　handsome　terms

if　they　would　speak；　and　that　they　had　even　been　questioned　in　her

name　by　a　Capuchin　superior；　but　that　they　said　nothing；　in　order　to

give　time　to　prepare　an　answer　for　them。　　The　marchioness　found

herself　obliged　to　take　back　the　girls；　she　kept　the　younger；　and

married　the　elder　to　Delisle；　her　house　steward。　　But　la　Foresterie；

finding　himself　in　this　network　of　intrigue；　grew　disgusted　at

serving　such　a　mistress；　and　left　her　house。　　The　marchioness　told

him　on　his　departure　that　if　he　were　so　indiscreet　as　to　repeat　a

word　of　what　he　had　learned　from　the　Quinet　girls；　she　would　punish

him　with　a　hundred　poniard　stabs　from　her　major…domo　Delisle。　　Having

thus　fortified　her　position；　she　thought　herself　secure　against　any

hostile　steps；　but　it　happened　that　a　certain　prudent　Berger；

gentleman　and　page　to　the　Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent；　who　enjoyed　his

master's　confidence　and　went　to　see　him　in　the　Conciergerie；　where　he

was　imprisoned；　threw　some　strange　light　on　this　affair。　　His　master

had　narrated　to　him　all　the　particulars　of　the　accouchement　of　the

countess　and　of　the　abduction　of　the　child。



〃I　am　astonished；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　page；　〃that　having　so　many

dangerous　affairs　on　hand；　you　did　not　relieve　your　conscience　of

this　one。〃



〃I　intend；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃to　restore　this　child　to　his

father：　I　have　been　ordered　to　do　so　by　a　Capuchin　to　whom　I

confessed　having　carried　off　from　the　midst　of　the　family；　without

their　knowing　it；　a　grandson　of　a　marshal　of　France　and　son　of　a

governor　of　a　province。〃



The　marquis　had　at　that　time　permission　to　go　out　from　prison

occasionally　on　his　parole。　　This　will　not　surprise　anyone　acquainted

with　the　ideas　which　prevailed　at　that　period　on　the　honour　of　a

nobleman；　even　the　greatest　criminal。　　The　marquis；　profiting　by　this

facility；　took　the　page　to　see　a　child　of　about　seven　years　of　age；

fair　and　with　a　beautiful　countenance。



〃Page；〃　said　he；　〃look　well　at　this　child；　so　that　you　may　know　him

again　when　I　shall　send　you　to　inquire　about　him。〃



He　then　informed　him　that　this　was　the　Count　de　Saint…Geran's　son

whom　he　had　carried　away。



Information　of　these　matters　coming　to　the　ears　of　justice；　decisive

proofs　were　hoped　for；　but　this　happened　just　when　other　criminal

informations　were　lodged　against　the　marquis；　which　left　him　helpless

to　prevent　the　exposure　of　his　crimes。　　Police　officers　were

despatched　in　all　haste　to　the　Conciergerie；　they　were　stopped　by　the

gaolers；　who　told　them　that　the　marquis；　feeling　ill；　was　engaged

with　a　priest　who　was　administering　the　sacraments；　to　him。　　As　they

insisted　on　seeing　him；　the　warders　approached　the　cell：　the　priest

came　out；　crying　that　persons　must　be　sought　to　whom　the　sick　man　had

a　secret　to　reveal；　that　he　was　in　a　desperate　state；　and　said　he　had

just　poisoned　himself；　all　entered　the　cell。



M。　de　Saint…Maixent　was　writhing　on　a　pallet；　in　a　pitiable

condition；　sometimes　shrieking　like　a　wild　beast；　sometimes

stammering　discon