Within an Inch of His Life
Page 7
VII.
It was seven o'clock when the carriage containing the justice drove intothe courtyard at Boiscoran,--a vast court, planted with lime-trees, andsurrounded by farm buildings. The chateau was wide awake. Before herhouse-door, the farmer's wife was cleaning the huge caldron in which shehad prepared the morning soup; the maids were going and coming; and atthe stable a groom was rubbing down with great energy a thorough-bredhorse.
On the front-steps stood Master Anthony, M. de Boiscoran's own man,smoking his cigar in the bright sunlight, and overlooking the farmoperations. He was a man of nearly fifty, still very active, who hadbeen bequeathed to his new master by his uncle, together with hispossessions. He was a widower now; and his daughter was in themarchioness' service.
As he had been born in the family, and never left it afterwards, helooked upon himself as one of them, and saw no difference between hisown interests and those of his master. In fact, he was treated less likea servant than like a friend; and he fancied he knew every thing aboutM. de Boiscoran's affairs.
When he saw the magistrate and the commonwealth attorney come up to thedoor, he threw away his cigar, came down quickly, and, bowing deeply,said to them with his most engaging smile,--
"Ah, gentlemen! What a pleasant surprise! My master will be delighted."
With strangers, Anthony would not have allowed himself such familiarity,for he was very formal; but he had seen M. Daubigeon more than once atthe chateau; and he knew the plans that had been discussed betweenM. Galpin and his master. Hence he was not a little amazed at theembarrassed stiffness of the two gentlemen, and at the tone of voice inwhich the magistrate asked him,--
"Has M. de Boiscoran gotten up yet?"
"Not yet," he replied; "and I have orders not to wake him. He came homelate last night, and wanted to make up this morning."
Instinctively the magistrate and the attorney looked away, each fearingto meet the other's eyes.
"Ah! M. de Boiscoran came home late last night?" repeated M. Galpin.
"Towards midnight, rather after midnight than before."
"And when had he gone out?"
"He left here about eight."
"How was he dressed?"
"As usually. He had light gray trousers, a shooting-jacket of brownvelveteen, and a large straw hat."
"Did he take his gun?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you know where he went?"
But for the respect which he felt for his master's friends, Anthonywould not have answered these questions, which he thought were extremelyimpertinent. But this last question seemed to him to go beyond all fairlimits. He replied, therefore, in a tone of injured self-respect,--
"I am not in the habit of asking my master where he goes when he leavesthe house, nor where he has been when he comes back."
M. Daubigeon understood perfectly well the honorable feelingswhich actuated the faithful servant. He said to him with an air ofunmistakable kindness,--
"Do not imagine, my friend, that I ask you these questions from idlecuriosity. Tell me what you know; for your frankness may be more usefulto your master than you imagine."
Anthony looked with an air of perfect stupefaction, by turns at themagistrate and the commonwealth attorney, at Mechinet, and finally atRibot, who had taken the lines, and tied Caraby to a tree.
"I assure you, gentlemen, I do not know where M. de Boiscoran has spentthe evening."
"You have no suspicion?"
"No."
"Perhaps he went to Brechy to see a friend?"
"I do not know that he has any friends in Brechy."
"What did he do after he came home?"
The old servant showed evident signs of embarrassment.
"Let me think," he said. "My master went up to his bedroom, and remainedthere four or five minutes. Then he came down, ate a piece of a pie, anddrank a glass of wine. Then he lit a cigar, and told me to go to bed,adding that he would take a little walk, and undress without my help."
"And then you went to bed?"
"Of course."
"So that you do not know what your master may have done?"
"I beg your pardon. I heard him open the garden door."
"He did not appear to you different from usual?"
"No: he was as he always is,--quite cheerful: he was singing."
"Can you show me the gun he took with him?"
"No. My master probably took it to his room."
M. Daubigeon was about to make a remark, when the magistrate stopped himby a gesture, and eagerly asked,--
"How long is it since your master and Count Claudieuse have ceasedseeing each other?"
Anthony trembled, as if a dark presentiment had entered his mind. Hereplied,--
"A long time: at least I think so."
"You are aware that they are on bad terms?"
"Oh!"
"They have had great difficulties between them?"
"Something unpleasant has happened, I know; but it was not much. As theydo not visit each other, they cannot well hate each other. Besides,I have heard master say a hundred times, that he looked upon CountClaudieuse as one of the best and most honorable men; that he respectedhim highly, and"--
For a minute or so M. Galpin kept silent, thinking whether he hadforgotten any thing. Then he asked suddenly,--
"How far is it from here to Valpinson?"
"Three miles, sir," replied Anthony.
"If you were going there, what road would you take?"
"The high road which passes Brechy."
"You would not go across the marsh?"
"Certainly not."
"Why not?"
"Because the Seille is out of its banks, and the ditches are full ofwater."
"Is not the way much shorter through the forest?"
"Yes, the way is shorter; but it would take more time. The paths arevery indistinct, and overgrown with briers."
The commonwealth attorney could hardly conceal his disappointment.Anthony's answers seemed to become worse and worse.
"Now," said the magistrate again, "if fire should break out atValpinson, would you see it from here?"
"I think not, sir. There are hills and tall woods between."
"Can you hear the Brechy bells from here?"
"When the wind is north, yes, sir."
"And last night, how was it?"
"The wind was from the west, as it always is when we have a storm."
"So that you have heard nothing? You do not know what a terriblecalamity"--
"A calamity? I do not understand you, sir."
This conversation had taken place in the court-yard: and at this momentthere appeared two gendarmes on horseback, whom M. Galpin had sent forjust before he left Valpinson.
When old Anthony saw them, he exclaimed,--
"Great God! what is the meaning of this? I must wake master."
The magistrate stopped him, saying harshly,--
"Not a step! Don't say a word!"
And pointing out Ribot to the gendarmes, he said,--
"Keep that lad under your eyes, and let him have no communication withanybody."
Then, turning again to Anthony, he said,--
"Now show us to M. de Boiscoran's bedroom."