the brotherhood of consolation-第16章

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〃The　younger　of　the　two　men　had　been　for　some　time　employed　in
collecting　the　scattered　fragments　of　Chouannerie；　and　was　holding
them　ready　to　act　at　an　opportune　moment。　There　came　a　terrible　crisis
in　the　Emperor's　career　when；　shut　up　in　the　island　of　Lobau；　he
seemed　about　to　give　way　under　the　combined　and　simultaneous　attack　of
England　and　Austria。　This　was　the　moment　for　the　Chouan　uprising；　but
just　as　it　was　about　to　take　place；　the　victory　of　Wagram　rendered　the
conspiracy　in　the　provinces　powerless。

〃This　expectation　of　exciting　civil　war　in　Brittany；　La　Vendee；　and
part　of　Normandy；　coincided　in　time　with　the　final　wreck　of　the
baron's　fortune；　and　this　wreck；　coming　at　this　time；　led　him　to
undertake　an　expedition　to　capture　funds　of　the　government　which　he
might　apply　to　the　liquidation　of　the　claims　upon　his　property。　But
his　wife　and　friend　refused　to　take　part　in　applying　to　private
interests　the　money　taken　by　armed　force　from　the　Receiver's　offices
and　the　couriers　and　post…carriages　of　the　government；money　taken；
as　they　thought；　justifiably　by　the　rules　of　war　to　pay　the　regiments
of　'refractories'　and　Chouans；　and　purchase　the　arms　and　ammunition
with　which　to　equip　them。　At　last；　after　an　angry　discussion　in　which
the　young　leader；　supported　by　the　wife；　positively　refused　to　hand
over　to　the　husband　a　portion　of　the　large　sum　of　money　which　the
young　leader　had　seized　for　the　benefit　of　the　royal　armies　from　the
treasury　of　the　West；　the　baron　suddenly　and　mysteriously　disappeared；
to　avoid　arrest　for　debt；　having　no　means　left　by　which　to　ward　it
off。　Poor　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　was　wholly　ignorant　of　these　facts；
but　even　they　are　nothing　to　the　plot　still　hidden　behind　these
preliminary　facts。

〃It　is　too　late　to…night；〃　said　Monsieur　Alain；　looking　at　his　little
clock；　〃to　go　on　with　my　narrative；　which　would　take　me；　in　any　case；
a　long　time　to　finish　in　my　own　words。　Old　Bordin；　my　friend；　whose
management　of　the　famous　Simeuse　case　had　won　him　much　credit　in　the
royalist　party；　and　who　pleaded　in　the　well…known　criminal　affair
called　that　of　the　Chauffeurs　de　Mortagne；　gave　me；　after　I　was
installed　in　this　house；　two　legal　papers　relating　to　the　terrible
history　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　her　daughter。　I　kept　them
because　Bordin　died　soon　after；　before　I　had　a　chance　to　return　them。
You　shall　read　them。　You　will　find　the　facts　much　more　succinctly
stated　than　I　could　state　them。　Those　facts　are　so　numerous　that　I
should　only　lose　myself　in　the　details　and　confuse　them；　whereas　in
those　papers　you　have　them　in　a　legal　summary。　To…morrow；　if　you　come
to　me；　I　will　finish　telling　you　all　that　relates　to　Madame　de　la
Chanterie；　for　you　will　then　know　the　general　facts　so　thoroughly　that
I　can　end　the　whole　story　in　a　few　words。〃



IX

THE　LEGAL　STATEMENT

Monsieur　Alain　placed　the　papers；　yellowed　by　time；　in　Godefroid's
hand；　the　latter；　bidding　the　old　man　good…night；　carried　them　off　to
his　room；　where　he　read；　before　he　slept；　the　following　document：

THE　INDICTMENT

Court　of　Criminal　and　Special　Justice　for　the　Department　of　the　Orne

　　The　attorney…general　to　the　Imperial　Court　of　Caen；　appointed　to
　　fulfil　his　functions　before　the　Special　Criminal　Court　established
　　by　imperial　decree　under　date　September；　1809；　and　sitting　at
　　Alencon；　states　to　the　Imperial　Court　the　following　facts　which
　　have　appeared　under　the　above　procedure。

　　The　plot　of　a　company　of　brigands；　evidently　long　planned　with
　　consummate　care；　and　connected　with　a　scheme　for　inciting　the
　　Western　departments　to　revolt；　has　shown　itself　in　certain
　　attempts　against　the　private　property　of　citizens；　but　more
　　especially　in　an　armed　attack　and　robbery　committed　on　the　mail…
　　coach　which　transported；　May　；　18；　the　money　in　the　treasury
　　at　Caen　to　the　Treasury　of　France。　This　attack；　which　recalls　the
　　deplorable　incidents　of　a　civil　war　now　happily　extinguished；
　　manifests　a　spirit　of　wickedness　which　the　political　passions　of
　　the　present　day　do　not　justify。

　　Let　us　pass　to　the　facts。　The　plot　is　complicated；　the　details　are
　　numerous。　The　investigation　has　lasted　one　year；　but　the　evidence；
　　which　has　followed　the　crime　step　by　step；　has　thrown　the　clearest
　　light　on　its　preparation；　execution；　and　results。

　　The　conception　of　the　plot　was　formed　by　one　Charles…Amedee…Louis…
　　Joseph　Rifoel；　calling　himself　Chevalier　du　Vissard；　born　at　the
　　Vissard；　district　of　Saint…Mexme；　near　Ernee；　and　a　former　leader
　　of　the　rebels。

　　This　criminal；　whom　H。M。　the　Emperor　and　King　pardoned　at　the　time
　　of　the　general　pacification；　and　who　has　profited　by　the
　　sovereign's　magnanimity　to　commit　other　crimes；　has　already　paid
　　on　the　scaffold　the　penalty　of　his　many　misdeeds；　but　it　is
　　necessary　to　recall　some　of　his　actions；　because　his　influence　was
　　great　on　the　guilty　persons　now　before　the　court；　and　he　is
　　closely　connected　with　the　facts　of　his　case。

　　This　dangerous　agitator；　concealed；　according　to　the　usual　custom
　　of　the　rebels；　under　the　name　of　Pierrot；　went　from　place　to　place
　　throughout　the　departments　of　the　West　gathering　together　the
　　elements　of　rebellion；　but　his　chief　resort　was　the　chateau　of
　　Saint…Savin；　the　residence　of　a　Madame　Lechantre　and　her　daughter；
　　a　Madame　Bryond；　situated　in　the　district　of　Saint…Savin；
　　arrondissement　of　Mortagne。　Several　of　the　most　horrible　events　of
　　the　rebellion　of　1799　are　connected　with　this　strategic　point。
　　Here　a　bearer　of　despatches　was　murdered；　his　carriage　pillaged　by
　　the　brigands　under　command　of　a　woman；　assisted　by　the　notorious
　　Marche…a…Terre。　Brigandage　appeared　to　be　endemic　in　that
　　locality。

　　An　intimacy；　which　we　shall　not　attempt　to　characterize；　existed
　　for　more　than　a　year　between　the　woman　Bryond　and　the　said　Rifoel。

　　It　was　in　this　district　that　an　interview　took　place；　in　April；
　　1808；　between　Rifoel　and　a　certain　Boislaurier；　a　leader　known　by
　　the　name　of　August　in　the　baneful　rebellions　of　the　West；　who
　　instigated　the　affair　now　before　the　court。

　　The　somewhat　obscure　point　of　the　relations　between　these　two
　　leaders　is　cleared　up　by　the　testimony　of　numerous　witnesses；　and
　　also　by　the　judgment　of　the　court　which　condemned　Rifoel。

　　From　that　time　Boislaurier　had　an　understanding　with　Rifoel；　and
　　they　acted　in　concert。

　　They　communicated　to　each　other；　at　first　secretly；　their　infamous
　　plans；　encouraged　by　the　absence　of　His　Imperial　and　Royal　Majesty
　　with　the　armies　in　Spain。　Their　scheme　was　to　obtain　possession　of
　　the　money　of　the　Treasury　as　the　fundamental　basis　of　future
　　operations。

　　Some　time　after　this；　one　named　Dubut；　of　Caen；　sent　an　emissary
　　to　the　chateau　of　Saint…Savin　named　Hileycommonly　called　〃The
　　Laborer；〃　long　known　as　a　highwayman；　a　robber　of　diligencesto
　　give　information　as　to　the　men　who　could　safely　be　relied　upon。

　　It　was　thus　by　means　of　Hiley　that　the　plotters　obtained；　from　the
　　beginning；　the　co…operation　of　one　Herbomez；　otherwise　called
　　General　Hardi；　a　former　rebel　of　the　same　stamp　as　Rifoel；　and
　　like　him　faithless　to　his　pledges　under　the　amnesty。

　　Herbomez　and　Hiley　recruited　from　the　surrounding　districts　seven
　　brigands　whose　names　are：

　　1。　Jean　Cibot；　called　Pille…Miche；　one　of　the　boldest　brigands　of
　　the　corps　formed　by　Montauran　in　the　year　VII。；　and　a　participator
　　in　the　attack　upon　the　courier　of　Mortagne　and　his　murder。

　　2。　Francois　Lisieux；　called　Grand…Fils；　refractory　of　the
　　department　of　the　Mayenne。

　　3。　Charles　Grenier；　called　Fleur…de…Genet；　deserter　from　the　69th
　　brigade。

　　4。　Gabriel　Bruce；　called　Gros…Jean；　one　of　the　most　ferocious
　　Chouans　of　Fontaine's　division。

　　5。　Jacques　Horeau；　called　Stuart；　ex…lieutenant　in　the　same
　　brigade；　one　of　the　confederates　of　Tinteniac；　well…known　for　his
　　participation　in　the　expedition　to　Quiberon。

　　6。　Marie…Anne　Cabot；　called　Lajeunesse；　former　huntsman　to　the
　　Sieur　Carol　of　Alencon。

　　7。　Louis　Minard；　refractory。

　　These　confederates　were　lodged　in　three　different　districts；　in
　　the　houses　of　the　following　named　persons：　Binet；　Melin；　and
　　Laraviniere；　innkeepers　or　publicans；　and　all　devoted　to　Rifoel。

　　The　necessary　arms　were　supplied　by　one　Jean…Francois　Leveille；
　　notary；　an　incorrigible　assistant　of　the　brigands；　and　their　go…
　　between　with　certain　hidden　leaders；　also　by　one　Felix　Courceuil；
　　commonly　called　Confesseur；　former　surgeon　of　the　rebel　armies　of
　　La　Vendee；　both　these　men　are　from　Alencon。

　　Eleven　muskets　were　hidden　in　a　house　belonging　to　the　Sieur
　　Bryond　in　the　faubourg　of　Alencon；　where　they　were　placed　without
　　his　knowledge。

　　When　the　Sieur　Bryond　left　his　wife　to　pursue　the　fatal　course　she
　　had　chosen；　these　muskets；　mysteriously　taken　from　the　said　house；
　　were　transported　by　the　woman　Bryond　in　her　own　carriage　to　the
　　chateau　of　Saint…Savin。

　　It　was　then　that　the　acts　of　brigandage　in　the　department　of　the
　　Orne　and　the　adjacent　departments　took　place；acts　that　amazed
　　both　the　authorities　and　the　inhabitants　of　those　regions；　which
　　had　long　been　entirely　pacificated；　acts；　moreover；　which　proved
　　that　these　odious　enemies　of　the　government　and　the　French　Empire
　　were　in　the　secret　of　the　coalition　of　1809　through　communication
　　with　the　royalist　party　in　foreign　countries。

　　The　notary　Leveille；　the　woman　Bryond；　Dubut　of　Caen；　Herbomez　of
　　Mayenne；　Boislaurier　of　Mans；　and　Rifoel；　were　therefore　the　heads
　　of　the　association；　which　was　composed　of　certain　guilty　persons
　　already　condemned　to　death　and　executed　with　Rifoel；　certain
　　others　who　are　the　accused　persons　at　present　under　trial；　and　a
　　number　more　who　have　escaped　just　punishment　by　flight　or　by　the
　　silence　of　their　accomplices。

　　It　was　Dubut　who；　living　near　Caen；　notified　the　notary　Leveille
　　when　the　government　money　contained　in　the　local　tax…office　would
　　be　despatched　to　the　Treasury。

　　We　must　remark　here　that　after　the　time　of　the　removal　of　the
　　muskets；　Leveille；　who　went　to　see　Bruce；　Grenier；　and　Cibot　in
　　the　house　of　Melin；　found　them　hiding　the　muskets　in　a　shed　on　the
　　premises；　and　himself　assisted　in　the　operation。

　　A　general　rendezvous　was　arranged　to　take　place　at　Mortagne；　in
　　the　hotel　de　l'Ecu　de　France。　All　the　accused　persons　were　present
　　under　various　disguises。　It　was　then　that　Leveille；　the　woman
　　Bryond；　Dubut；　Herbomez；　Boislaurier　and　Hiley　（the　ablest　of　the
　　secondary　accomplices；　as　Cibot　was　the　boldest）　obtained　the
　　co…operation　of　one　Vauthier；　called　Vieux…Chene；　a　former　servant
　　of　the　famous　Longuy；　and　now　hostler　of　the　hotel。　Vauthier
　　agreed　to　notify　the　woman　Bryond　of　the　arrival　and　departure　of
　　the　diligence　bearing　the　government　money；　which　always　stopped
　　for　a　time　at　the　hotel。

　　The　woman　Bryond　collected　the　scattered　brigands　at　the　chateau
　　de　Saint…Savin；　a　few　miles　from　Mortagne；　where　she　had　lived
　　with　her　mother　since　the　separation　from　her　husband。　The
　　brigands；　with　Hiley　at　their　head；　stayed　at　the　chateau　for
　　several