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diff --git a/2754.txt b/2754.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ec212c1..0000000 --- a/2754.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2331 +0,0 @@ - THE COUNTESS DE SAINT-GERAN - - -This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at -http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United -States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are -located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Countess of Saint-Geran -Author: Alexandre Dumas, Pere -Release Date: August 15, 2006 [EBook #2754] -Reposted: November 28, 2016 [corrections made] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COUNTESS OF SAINT-GERAN -*** - - - - -Produced by David Widger. - - - - - - *THE COUNTESS DE SAINT-GERAN* - - _By_ - - *Alexandre Dumas, Pere* - - _From the set of Eight Volumes of "Celebrated Crimes"_ - - - 1910 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - *THE COUNTESS DE SAINT-GERAN--1639* - - - - -*THE COUNTESS DE SAINT-GERAN--1639* - - -About the end of the year 1639, a troop of horsemen arrived, towards -midday, in a little village at the northern extremity of the province of -Auvergne, from the direction of Paris. The country folk assembled at the -noise, and found it to proceed from the provost of the mounted police -and his men. The heat was excessive, the horses were bathed in sweat, -the horsemen covered with dust, and the party seemed on its return from -an important expedition. A man left the escort, and asked an old woman -who was spinning at her door if there was not an inn in the place. The -woman and her children showed him a bush hanging over a door at the end -of the only street in the village, and the escort recommenced its march -at a walk. There was noticed, among the mounted men, a young man of -distinguished appearance and richly dressed, who appeared to be a -prisoner. This discovery redoubled the curiosity of the villagers, who -followed the cavalcade as far as the door of the wine-shop. The host -came out, cap in hand, and the provost enquired of him with a swaggering -air if his pothouse was large enough to accommodate his troop, men and -horses. The host replied that he had the best wine in the country to -give to the king's servants, and that it would be easy to collect in the -neighbourhood litter and forage enough for their horses. The provost -listened contemptuously to these fine promises, gave the necessary -orders as to what was to be done, and slid off his horse, uttering an -oath proceeding from heat and fatigue. The horsemen clustered round the -young man: one held his stirrup, and the provost deferentially gave way -to him to enter the inn first. No, more doubt could be entertained that -he was a prisoner of importance, and all kinds of conjectures were made. -The men maintained that he must be charged with a great crime, otherwise -a young nobleman of his rank would never have been arrested; the women -argued, on the contrary, that it was impossible for such a pretty youth -not to be innocent. - -Inside the inn all was bustle: the serving-lads ran from cellar to -garret; the host swore and despatched his servant-girls to the -neighbours, and the hostess scolded her daughter, flattening her nose -against the panes of a downstairs window to admire the handsome youth. - -There were two tables in the principal eating-room. The provost took -possession of one, leaving the other to the soldiers, who went in turn -to tether their horses under a shed in the back yard; then he pointed to -a stool for the prisoner, and seated himself opposite to him, rapping -the table with his thick cane. - -"Ouf!" he cried, with a fresh groan of weariness, "I heartily beg your -pardon, marquis, for the bad wine I am giving you!" - -The young man smiled gaily. - -"The wine is all very well, monsieur provost," said he, "but I cannot -conceal from you that however agreeable your company is to me, this halt -is very inconvenient; I am in a hurry to get through my ridiculous -situation, and I should have liked to arrive in time to stop this affair -at once." - -The girl of the house was standing before the table with a pewter pot -which she had just brought, and at these words she raised her eyes on -the prisoner, with a reassured look which seemed to say, "I was sure -that he was innocent." - -"But," continued the marquis, carrying the glass to his lips, "this wine -is not so bad as you say, monsieur provost." - -Then turning to the girl, who was eyeing his gloves and his ruff-- - -"To your health, pretty child." - -"Then," said the provost, amazed at this free and easy air, "perhaps I -shall have to beg you to excuse your sleeping quarters." - -"What!" exclaimed the marquis, "do we sleep here?" - -"My lord;" said the provost, "we have sixteen long leagues to make, our -horses are done up, and so far as I am concerned I declare that I am no -better than my horse." - -The marquis knocked on the table, and gave every indication of being -greatly annoyed. The provost meanwhile puffed and blowed, stretched out -his big boots, and mopped his forehead with his handkerchief. He was a -portly man, with a puffy face, whom fatigue rendered singularly -uncomfortable. - -"Marquis," said he, "although your company, which affords me the -opportunity of showing you some attention, is very precious to me, you -cannot doubt that I had much rather enjoy it on another footing. If it -be within your power, as you say, to release yourself from the hands of -justice, the sooner you do so the better I shall be pleased. But I beg -you to consider the state we are in. For my part, I am unfit to keep the -saddle another hour, and are you not yourself knocked up by this forced -march in the great heat?" - -"True, so I am," said the marquis, letting his arms fall by his side. - -"Well, then, let us rest here, sup here, if we can, and we will start -quite fit in the cool of the morning." - -"Agreed," replied the marquis; "but then let us pass the time in a -becoming manner. I have two pistoles left, let them be given to these -good fellows to drink. It is only fair that I should treat them, seeing -that I am the cause of giving them so much trouble." - -He threw two pieces of money on the table of the soldiers, who cried in -chorus, "Long live M. the marquis!" The provost rose, went to post -sentinels, and then repaired to the kitchen, where he ordered the best -supper that could be got. The men pulled out dice and began to drink and -play. The marquis hummed an air in the middle of the room, twirled his -moustache, turning on his heel and looking cautiously around; then he -gently drew a purse from his trousers pocket, and as the daughter of the -house was coming and going, he threw his arms round her neck as if to -kiss her, and whispered, slipping ten Louis into her hand-- - -"The key of the front door in my room, and a quart of liquor to the -sentinels, and you save my life." - -The girl went backwards nearly to the door, and returning with an -expressive look, made an affirmative sign with her hand. The provost -returned, and two hours later supper was served. He ate and drank like a -man more at home at table than in the saddle. The marquis plied him with -bumpers, and sleepiness, added to the fumes of a very heady wine, caused -him to repeat over and over again-- - -"Confound it all, marquis, I can't believe you are such a blackguard as -they say you are; you seem to me a jolly good sort." - -The marquis thought he was ready to fall under the table, and was -beginning to open negotiations with the daughter of the house, when, to -his great disappointment, bedtime having come, the provoking provost -called his sergeant, gave him instructions in an undertone, and -announced that he should have the honour of conducting M. the marquis to -bed, and that he should not go to bed himself before performing this -duty. In fact, he posted three of his men, with torches, escorted the -prisoner to his room, and left him with many profound bows. - -The marquis threw himself on his bed without pulling off his boots, -listening to a clock which struck nine. He heard the men come and go in -the stables and in the yard. - -An hour later, everybody being tired, all was perfectly still. The -prisoner then rose softly, and felt about on tiptoe on the chimneypiece, -on the furniture, and even in his clothes, for the key which he hoped to -find. He could not find it. He could not be mistaken, nevertheless, in -the tender interest of the young girl, and he could not believe that she -was deceiving him. The marquis's room had a window which opened upon the -street, and a door which gave access to a shabby gallery which did duty -for a balcony, whence a staircase ascended to the principal rooms of the -house. This gallery hung over the courtyard, being as high above it as -the window was from the street. The marquis had only to jump over one -side or the other: he hesitated for some time, and just as he was -deciding to leap into the street, at the risk of breaking his neck, two -taps were struck on the door. He jumped for joy, saying to himself as he -opened, "I am saved!" A kind of shadow glided into the room; the young -girl trembled from head to foot, and could not say a word. The marquis -reassured her with all sorts of caresses. - -"Ah, sir," said she, "I am dead if we are surprised." - -"Yes," said the marquis, "but your fortune is made if you get me out of -here." - -"God is my witness that I would with all my soul, but I have such a bad -piece of news----" - -She stopped, suffocated with varying emotions. The poor girl had come -barefooted, for fear of making a noise, and appeared to be shivering. - -"What is the matter?" impatiently asked the marquis. - -"Before going to bed," she continued, "M. the provost has required from -my father all the keys of the house, and has made him take a great oath -that there are no more. My father has given him all: besides, there is a -sentinel at every door; but they are very tired; I have heard them -muttering and grumbling, and I have given them more wine than you told -me." - -"They will sleep," said the marquis, nowise discouraged, "and they have -already shown great respect to my rank in not nailing me up in this -room." - -"There is a small kitchen garden," continued the girl, "on the side of -the fields, fenced in only by a loose hurdle, but----" - -"Where is my horse?" - -"No doubt in the shed with the rest." - -"I will jump into the yard." - -"You will be killed." - -"So much the better!" - -"Ah monsieur marquis, what have, you done?" said the young girl with -grief. - -"Some foolish things! nothing worth mentioning; but my head and my -honour are at stake. Let us lose no time; I have made up my mind." - -"Stay," replied the girl, grasping his arm; "at the left-hand corner of -the yard there is a large heap of straw, the gallery hangs just over -it--" - -"Bravo! I shall make less noise, and do myself less mischief." He made a -step towards the door; the girl, hardly knowing what she was doing, -tried to detain him; but he got loose from her and opened it. The moon -was shining brightly into the yard; he heard no sound. He proceeded to -the end of the wooden rail, and perceived the dungheap, which rose to a -good height: the girl made the sign of the cross. The marquis listened -once again, heard nothing, and mounted the rail. He was about to jump -down, when by wonderful luck he heard murmurings from a deep voice. This -proceeded from one of two horsemen, who were recommencing their -conversation and passing between them a pint of wine. The marquis crept -back to his door, holding his breath: the girl was awaiting him on the -threshold. - -"I told you it was not yet time," said she. - -"Have you never a knife," said the marquis, "to cut those rascals' -throats with?" - -"Wait, I entreat you, one hour, one hour only," murmured the young girl; -"in an hour they will all be asleep." - -The girl's voice was so sweet, the arms which she stretched towards him -were full of such gentle entreaty, that the marquis waited, and at the -end of an hour it was the young girl's turn to tell him to start. - -The marquis for the last time pressed with his mouth those lips but -lately so innocent, then he half opened the door, and heard nothing this -time but dogs barking far away in an otherwise silent country. He leaned -over the balustrade, and saw: very plainly a soldier lying prone on the -straw. - -"If they were to awake?" murmured the young girl in accents of anguish. - -"They will not take me alive, be assured," said the marquis. - -"Adieu, then," replied she, sobbing; "may Heaven preserve you!" - -He bestrode the balustrade, spread himself out upon it, and fell heavily -on the dungheap. The young girl saw him run to the shed, hastily detach -a horse, pass behind the stable wall, spur his horse in both flanks, -tear across the kitchen garden, drive his horse against the hurdle, -knock it down, clear it, and reach the highroad across the fields. - -The poor girl remained at the end of the gallery, fixing her eyes on the -sleeping sentry, and ready to disappear at the slightest movement. The -noise made by spurs on the pavement and by the horse at the end of the -courtyard had half awakened him. He rose, and suspecting some surprise, -ran to the shed. His horse was no longer there; the marquis, in his -haste to escape, had taken the first which came to hand, and this was -the soldier's. Then the soldier gave the alarm; his comrades woke up. -They ran to the prisoner's room, and found it empty. The provost came -from his bed in a dazed condition. The prisoner had escaped. - -Then the young girl, pretending to have been roused by the noise, -hindered the preparations by mislaying the saddlery, impeding the -horsemen instead of helping them; nevertheless, after a quarter of an -hour, all the party were galloping along the road. The provost swore -like a pagan. The best horses led the way, and the sentinel, who rode -the marquis's, and who had a greater interest in catching the prisoner, -far outstripped his companions; he was followed by the sergeant, equally -well mounted, and as the broken fence showed the line he had taken, -after some minutes they were in view of him, but at a great distance. -However, the marquis was losing ground; the horse he had taken was the -worst in the troop, and he had pressed it as hard as it could go. -Turning in the saddle, he saw the soldiers half a musket-shot off; he -urged his horse more and more, tearing his sides with his spurs; but -shortly the beast, completely winded, foundered; the marquis rolled with -it in the dust, but when rolling over he caught hold of the holsters, -which he found to contain pistols; he lay flat by the side of the horse, -as if he had fainted, with a pistol at full cock in his hand. The -sentinel, mounted on a valuable horse, and more than two hundred yards -ahead of his serafile, came up to him. In a moment the marquis, jumping -up before he had tune to resist him, shot him through the head; the -horseman fell, the marquis jumped up in his place without even setting -foot in the stirrup, started off at a gallop, and went away like the -wind, leaving fifty yards behind him the non-commissioned officer, -dumbfounded with what had just passed before his eyes. - -The main body of the escort galloped up, thinking that he was taken; and -the provost shouted till he was hoarse, "Do not kill him!" But they -found only the sergeant, trying to restore life to his man, whose skull -was shattered, and who lay dead on the spot. - -As for the marquis, he was out of sight; for, fearing a fresh pursuit, -he had plunged into the cross roads, along which he rode a good hour -longer at full gallop. When he felt pretty sure of having shaken the -police off his track, and that their bad horses could not overtake him, -he determined to slacken to recruit his horse; he was walking him along -a hollow lane, when he saw a peasant approaching; he asked him the road -to the Bourbonnais, and flung him a crown. The man took the crown and -pointed out the road, but he seemed hardly to know what he was saying, -and stared at the marquis in a strange manner. The marquis shouted to -him to get out of the way; but the peasant remained planted on the -roadside without stirring an inch. The marquis advanced with threatening -looks, and asked how he dared to stare at him like that. - -"The reason is," said the peasant, "that you have----", and he pointed -to his shoulder and his ruff. - -The marquis glanced at his dress, and saw that his coat was dabbled in -blood, which, added to the disorder of his clothes and the dust with -which he was covered, gave him a most suspicious aspect. - -"I know," said he. "I and my servant have been separated in a scuffle -with some drunken Germans; it's only a tipsy spree, and whether I have -got scratched, or whether in collaring one of these fellows I have drawn -some of his blood, it all arises from the row. I don't think I am hurt a -bit." So saying, he pretended to feel all over his body. - -"All the same," he continued, "I should not be sorry to have a wash; -besides, I am dying with thirst and heat, and my horse is in no better -case. Do you know where I can rest and refresh myself?" - -The peasant offered to guide him to his own house, only a few yards off. -His wife and children, who were working, respectfully stood aside, and -went to collect what was wanted--wine, water, fruit, and a large piece -of black bread. The marquis sponged his coat, drank a glass of wine, and -called the people of the house, whom he questioned in an indifferent -manner. He once more informed himself of the different roads leading -into the Bourbonnais province, where he was going to visit a relative; -of the villages, cross roads, distances; and finally he spoke of the -country, the harvest, and asked what news there was. - -The peasant replied, with regard to this, that it was surprising to hear -of disturbances on the highway at this moment, when it was patrolled by -detachments of mounted police, who had just made an important capture. - -"Who is that?--" asked the marquis. - -"Oh," said the peasant, "a nobleman who has done a lot of mischief in -the country." - -"What! a nobleman in the hands of justice?" - -"Just so; and he stands a good chance of losing his head." - -"Do they say what he has done?" - -"Shocking things; horrid things; everything he shouldn't do. All the -province is exasperated with him." - -"Do you know him?" - -"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 circumstance--it 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 possible poisoned her with a horrible nostrum, and was sent -back to his own country in a hurry, thanking his stars for having -escaped so cheaply. This procured Madame de Saint-Geran a severe -reprimand from her confessor; and, as time went on, she gradually -accustomed herself to the painful conclusion that she would die -childless, and cast herself into the arms of religion. The count, whose -tenderness for her never failed, yet clung to the hope of an heir, and -made his Will with this in view. The marchioness's hopes had become -certainties, and M. de Saint-Maixent, perfectly tranquil on this head, -thought only of forwarding his suit with Madame-de Bouille, when, at the -end of the month of November 1640, the Count de Saint-Geran was obliged -to repair to Paris in great haste on pressing duty. - -The countess, who could not bear to be separated from her husband, took -the family advice as to accompanying him. The marquis, delighted at an -opportunity which left him almost alone in the chateau with Madame de -Bouille, painted the journey to Paris in the most attractive colours, -and said all he could to decide her to go. The marchioness, for her -part, worked very quietly to the same end; it was more than was needed. -It was settled that the countess should go with M. de Saint-Geran. She -soon made her preparations, and a few days later they set off on the -journey together. - -The marquis had no fears about declaring his passion; the conquest of -Madame de Bouille gave him no trouble; he affected the most violent -love, and she responded in the same terms. All their time was spent in -excursions and walks from, which the servants were excluded; the lovers, -always together, passed whole days in some retired part of the park, or -shut up in their apartments. It was impossible for these circumstances -not to cause gossip among an army of servants, against whom they had to -keep incessantly on their guard; and this naturally happened. - -The marchioness soon found herself obliged to make confidantes of the -sisters Quinet, her maids; she had no difficulty in gaining their -support, for the girls were greatly attached to her. This was the first -step of shame for Madame de Bouille, and the first step of corruption -for herself and her paramour, who soon found themselves entangled in the -blackest of plots. Moreover, there was at the chateau de Saint-Geran a -tall, spare, yellow, stupid man, just intelligent enough to perform, if -not to conceive, a bad action, who was placed in authority over the -domestics; he was a common peasant whom the old marshal had deigned to -notice, and whom the count had by degrees promoted to the service of -major-domo on account of his long service in the house, and because he -had seen him there since he himself was a child; he would not take him -away as body servant, fearing that his notions of service would not do -for Paris, and left him to the superintendence of the household. The -marquis had a quiet talk with this man, took his measure, warped his -mind as he wished, gave him some money, and acquired him body and soul. -These different agents undertook to stop the chatter of the servants' -hall, and thenceforward the lovers could enjoy free intercourse. - -One evening, as the Marquis de Saint-Maixent was at supper in company -with the marchioness, a loud knocking was heard at the gate of the -chateau, to which they paid no great attention. This was followed by the -appearance of a courier who had come post haste from Paris; he entered -the courtyard with a letter from the Count de Saint-Geran for M. the -marquis; he was announced and introduced, followed by nearly all the -household. The marquis asked the meaning of all this, and dismissed all -the following with a wave of the hand; but the courier explained that M. -the count desired that the letter in his hands should be read before -everyone. The marquis opened it without replying, glanced over it, and -read it out loud without the slightest alteration: the count announced -to his good relations and to all his household that the countess had -indicated positive symptoms of pregnancy; that hardly had she arrived in -Paris when she suffered from fainting fits, nausea, retching, that she -bore with joy these premonitory indications, which were no longer a -matter of doubt to the physicians, nor to anyone; that for his part he -was overwhelmed with joy at this event, which was the crowning stroke to -all his wishes; that he desired the chateau to share his satisfaction by -indulging in all kinds of gaieties; and that so far as other matters -were concerned they could remain as they were till the return of himself -and the countess, which the letter would precede only a few days, as he -was going to transport her in a litter for greater safety. Then followed -the specification of certain sums of money to be distributed among the -servants. - -The servants uttered cries of joy; the marquis and marchioness exchanged -a look, but a very troublous one; they, however, restrained themselves -so far as to simulate a great satisfaction, and the marquis brought -himself to congratulate the servants on their attachment to their master -and mistress. After this they were left alone, looking very serious, -while crackers exploded and violins resounded under the windows. For -some time they preserved silence, the first thought which occurred to -both being that the count and countess had allowed themselves to be -deceived by trifling symptoms, that people had wished to flatter their -hopes, that it was impossible for a constitution to change so suddenly -after twenty years, and that it was a case of simulative pregnancy. This -opinion gaining strength in their minds made them somewhat calmer. - -The next day they took a walk side by side in a solitary path in the -park and discussed the chances of their situation. M. de Saint-Maixent -brought before the marchioness the enormous injury which this event -would bring them. He then said that even supposing the news to be true, -there were many rocks ahead to be weathered before the succession could -be pronounced secure. - -"The child may die," he said at last. - -And he uttered some sinister expressions on the slight damage caused by -the loss of a puny creature without mind, interest, or consequence; -nothing, he said, but a bit of ill-organised matter, which only came -into the world to ruin so considerable a person as the marchioness. - -"But what is the use of tormenting ourselves?" he went on impatiently; -"the countess is not pregnant, nor can she be." - -A gardener working near them overheard this part of the conversation, -but as they walked away from him he could not hear any more. - -A few days later, some outriders, sent before him by the count, entered -the chateau, saying that their master and mistress were close at hand. -In fact, they were promptly followed by brakes and travelling-carriages, -and at length the countess's litter was descried, which M. de -Saint-Geran, on horse back, had never lost sight of during the journey. -It was a triumphal reception: all the peasants had left their work, and -filled the air with shouts of welcome; the servants ran to meet their -mistress; the ancient retainers wept for joy at seeing the count so -happy and in the hope that his noble qualities might be perpetuated in -his heir. The marquis and Madame de Bouille did their best to tune up to -the pitch of this hilarity. - -The dowager countess, who had arrived at the chateau the same day, -unable to convince herself as to this news, had the pleasure of -satisfying her self respecting it. The count and countess were much -beloved in the Bourbonnais province; this event caused therein a general -satisfaction, particularly in the numerous houses attached to them by -consanguinity. Within a few days of their return, more than twenty -ladies of quality flocked to visit them in great haste, to show the -great interest they took in this pregnancy. All these ladies, on one -occasion or another, convinced themselves as to its genuineness, and -many of them, carrying the subject still further, in a joking manner -which pleased the countess, dubbed themselves prophetesses, and -predicted the birth of a boy. The usual symptoms incidental to the -situation left no room for doubt: the country physicians were all -agreed. The count kept one of these physicians in the chateau for two -months, and spoke to the Marquis of Saint-Maixent of his intention of -procuring a good mid-wife, on the same terms. Finally, the dowager -countess, who was to be sponsor, ordered at a great expense a -magnificent store of baby linen, which she desired to present at the -birth. - -The marchioness devoured her rage, and among the persons who went beside -themselves with joy not one remarked the disappointment which overspread -her soul. Every day she saw the marquis, who did all he could to -increase her regret, and incessantly stirred up her ill-humour by -repeating that the count and countess were triumphing over her -misfortune, and insinuating that they were importing a supposititious -child to disinherit her. As usual both in private and political affairs, -he began by corrupting the marchioness's religious views, to pervert her -into crime. The marquis was one of those libertines so rare at that -time, a period less unhappy than is generally believed, who made science -dependent upon, atheism. It is remarkable that great criminals of this -epoch, Sainte-Croix for instance, and Exili, the gloomy poisoner, were -the first unbelievers, and that they preceded the learned of the -following age both, in philosophy and in the exclusive study of physical -science, in which they included that of poisons. Passion, interest, -hatred fought the marquis's battles in the heart of Madame de Bouille; -she readily lent herself to everything that M. de Saint-Maixent wished. - -The Marquis de Saint-Maixent had a confidential servant, cunning, -insolent, resourceful, whom he had brought from his estates, a servant -well suited to such a master, whom he sent on errands frequently into -the neighbourhood of Saint-Geran. - -One evening, as the marquis was about to go to bed, this man, returning -from one of his expeditions, entered his room, where he remained for a -long time, telling him that he had at length found what he wanted, and -giving him a small piece of paper which contained several names of -places and persons. - -Next morning, at daybreak, the marquis caused two of his horses to be -saddled, pretended that he was summoned home on pressing business, -foresaw that he should be absent for three or four days, made his -excuses to the count, and set off at full gallop, followed by his -servant. - -They slept that night at an inn on the road to Auvergne, to put off the -scent any persons who might recognise them; then, following -cross-country roads, they arrived after two days at a large hamlet, -which they had seemed to have passed far to their left. - -In this hamlet was a woman who practised the avocation of midwife, and -was known as such in the neighbourhood, but who had, it was said, -mysterious and infamous secrets for those who paid her well. Further, -she drew a good income from the influence which her art gave her over -credulous people. It was all in her line to cure the king's evil, -compound philtres and love potions; she was useful in a variety of ways -to girls who could afford to pay her; she was a lovers' go-between, and -even practised sorcery for country folk. She played her cards so well, -that the only persons privy to her misdeeds were unfortunate creatures -who had as strong an interest as herself in keeping them profoundly -secret; and as her terms were very high, she lived comfortably enough in -a house her own property, and entirely alone, for greater security. In a -general way, she was considered skilful in her ostensible profession, -and was held in estimation by many persons of rank. This woman's name -was Louise Goillard. - -Alone one evening after curfew, she heard a loud knocking at the door of -her house. Accustomed to receive visits at all hours, she took her lamp -without hesitation, and opened the door. An armed man, apparently much -agitated, entered the room. Louise Goillard, in a great fright, fell -into a chair; this man was the Marquis de Saint-Maixent. - -"Calm yourself, good woman," said the stranger, panting and stammering; -"be calm, I beg; for it is I, not you, who have any cause for emotion. I -am not a brigand, and far from your having anything to fear, it is I, on -the contrary, who am come to beg for your assistance." - -He threw his cloak into a corner, unbuckled his waistbelt, and laid -aside his sword. Then falling into a chair, he said-- - -"First of all, let me rest a little." - -The marquis wore a travelling-dress; but although he had not stated his -name, Louise Goillard saw at a glance that he was a very different -person from what she had thought, and that, on the contrary, he was some -fine gentleman who had come on his love affairs. - -"I beg you to excuse," said she, "a fear which is insulting to you. You -came in so hurriedly that I had not time to see whom I was talking to. -My house is rather lonely; I am alone; ill-disposed people might easily -take advantage of these circumstances to plunder a poor woman who has -little enough to lose. The times are so bad! You seem tired. Will you -inhale some essence?" - -"Give me only a glass of water." - -Louise Goillard went into the adjoining room, and returned with an ewer. -The marquis affected to rinse his lips, and said-- - -"I come from a great distance on a most important matter. Be assured -that I shall be properly grateful for your services." - -He felt in his pocket, and pulled out a purse, which he rolled between -his fingers. - -"In the first place; you must swear to the greatest secrecy." - -"There is no need of that with us," said Louise Goillard; "that is the -first condition of our craft." - -"I must have more express guarantees, and your oath that you will reveal -to no one in the world what I am going to confide to you." - -"I give you my word, then, since you demand it; but I repeat that this -is superfluous; you do not know me." - -"Consider that this is a most serious matter, that I am as it were -placing my head in your hands, and that I would lose my life a thousand -times rather than see this mystery unravelled." - -"Consider also," bluntly replied the midwife, "that we ourselves are -primarily interested in all the secrets entrusted to us; that an -indiscretion would destroy all confidence in us, and that there are even -cases----You may speak." - -When the marquis had reassured her as to himself by this preface, he -continued: "I know that you are a very able woman." - -"I could indeed wish to be one, to serve you.". - -"That you have pushed the study of your art to its utmost limits." - -"I fear they have been flattering your humble servant." - -"And that your studies have enabled you to predict the future." - -"That is all nonsense." - -"It is true; I have been told so." - -"You have been imposed upon." - -"What is the use of denying it and refusing to do me a service?" - -Louise Goillard defended herself long: she could not understand a man of -this quality believing in fortune-telling, which she practised only with -low-class people and rich farmers; but the marquis appeared so earnest -that she knew not what to think. - -"Listen," said he, "it is no use dissembling with me, I know all. Be -easy; we are playing a game in which you are laying one against a -thousand; moreover, here is something on account to compensate you for -the trouble I am giving." - -He laid a pile of gold on the table. The matron weakly owned that she -had sometimes attempted astrological combinations which were not always -fortunate, and that she had been only induced to do so by the -fascination of the phenomena of science. The secret of her guilty -practices was drawn from her at the very outset of her defence. - -"That being so," replied the marquis, "you must be already aware of the -situation in which I find myself; you must know that, hurried away by a -blind and ardent passion, I have betrayed the confidence of an old lady -and violated the laws of hospitality by seducing her daughter in her own -house; that matters have come to a crisis, and that this noble damsel, -whom I Love to distraction, being pregnant, is on the point of losing -her life and honour by the discovery of her fault, which is mine." - -The matron replied that nothing could be ascertained about a person -except from private questions; and to further impose upon the marquis, -she fetched a kind of box marked with figures and strange emblems. -Opening this, and putting together certain figures which it contained, -she declared that what the marquis had told her was true, and that his -situation was a most melancholy one. She added, in order to frighten -him, that he was threatened by still more serious misfortunes than those -which had already overtaken him, but that it was easy to anticipate and -obviate these mischances by new consultations. - -"Madame," replied the marquis, "I fear only one thing in the world, the -dishonour of the woman I love. Is there no method of remedying the usual -embarrassment of a birth?" - -"I know of none," said the matron. - -"The young lady has succeeded in concealing her condition; it would be -easy for her confinement to take place privately." - -"She has already risked her life; and I cannot consent to be mixed up in -this affair, for fear of the consequences." - -"Could not, for instance," said the marquis, "a confinement be effected -without pain?" - -"I don't know about that, but this I do" know, that I shall take very -good care not to practise any method contrary to the laws of nature." - -"You are deceiving me: you are acquainted with this method, you have -already practised it upon a certain person whom I could name to you." - -"Who has dared to calumniate me thus? I operate only after the decision -of the Faculty. God forbid that I should be stoned by all the -physicians, and perhaps expelled from France!" - -"Will you then let me die of despair? If I were capable of making a bad -use of your secrets, I could have done so long ago, for I know them. In -Heaven's name, do not dissimulate any longer, and tell me how it is -possible to stifle the pangs of labour. Do you want more gold? Here it -is." And he threw more Louis on the table. - -"Stay," said the matron: "there is perhaps a method which I think I have -discovered, and which I have never employed, but I believe it -efficacious." - -"But if you have never employed it, it may be dangerous, and risk the -life of the lady whom I love." - -"When I say never, I mean that I have tried it once, and most -successfully. Be at your ease." - -"Ah!" cried the marquis, "you have earned my everlasting gratitude! -But," continued he, "if we could anticipate the confinement itself, and -remove from henceforth the symptoms of pregnancy?" - -"Oh, sir, that is a great crime you speak of!" - -"Alas!" continued the marquis, as if speaking to himself in a fit of -intense grief; "I had rather lose a dear child, the pledge of our love, -than bring into the world an unhappy creature which might possibly cause -its mother's death." - -"I pray you, sir, let no more be said on the subject; it is a horrible -crime even to think of such a thing." - -"But what is to be done? Is it better to destroy two persons and perhaps -kill a whole family with despair? Oh, madame, I entreat you, extricate -us from this extremity!" - -The marquis buried his face in his hands, and sobbed as though he were -weeping copiously. - -"Your despair grievously affects me," said the matron; "but consider -that for a woman of my calling it is a capital offence." - -"What are you talking about? Do not our mystery, our safety, and our -credit come in first? - -"They can never get at you till after the death and dishonour of all -that is dear to me in the world." - -"I might then, perhaps. But in this case you must insure me against -legal complications, fines, and procure me a safe exit from the -kingdom." - -"Ah! that is my affair. Take my whole fortune! Take my life!" - -And he threw the whole purse on the table. - -"In this case, and solely to extricate you from the extreme danger in -which I see you placed, I consent to give you a decoction, and certain -instructions, which will instantly relieve the lady from her burden. She -must use the greatest precaution, and study to carry out exactly what I -am about to tell you. My God! only such desperate occasions as this one -could induce me to---- Here----" - -She took a flask from the bottom of a cupboard, and continued-- - -"Here is a liquor which never fails." - -"Oh, madame, you save my honour, which is dearer to me than life! But -this is not enough: tell me what use I am to make of this liquor, and in -what doses I am to administer it." - -"The patient," replied the midwife, "must take one spoonful the first -day; the second day two; the third----" - -"You will obey me to the minutest particular?" - -"I swear it." - -"Let us start, then." - -She asked but for time to pack a little linen, put things in order, then -fastened her doors, and left the house with the marquis. A quarter of an -hour later they were galloping through the night, without her knowing -where the marquis was taking her. - -The marquis reappeared three days later at the chateau, finding the -count's family as he had left them--that is to say, intoxicated with -hope, and counting the weeks, days, and hours before the accouchement of -the countess. He excused his hurried departure on the ground of the -importance of the business which had summoned him away; and speaking of -his journey at table, he related a story current in the country whence -he came, of a surprising event which he had all but witnessed. It was -the case of a lady of quality who suddenly found herself in the most -dangerous pangs of labour. All the skill of the physicians who had been -summoned proved futile; the lady was at the point of death; at last, in -sheer despair, they summoned a midwife of great repute among the -peasantry, but whose practice did not include the gentry. From the first -treatment of this woman, who appeared modest and diffident to a degree, -the pains ceased as if by enchantment; the patient fell into an -indefinable calm languor, and after some hours was delivered of a -beautiful infant; but after this was attacked by a violent fever which -brought her to death's door. They then again had recourse to the -doctors, notwithstanding the opposition of the master of the house, who -had confidence in the matron. The doctors' treatment only made matters -worse. In this extremity they again called in the midwife, and at the -end of three weeks the lady was miraculously restored to life, thus, -added the marquis, establishing the reputation of the matron, who had -sprung into such vogue in the town where she lived and the neighbouring -country that nothing else was talked about. - -This story made a great impression on the company, on account of the -condition of the countess; the dowager added that it was very wrong to -ridicule these humble country experts, who often through observation and -experience discovered secrets which proud doctors were unable to unravel -with all their studies. Hereupon the count cried out that this midwife -must be sent for, as she was just the kind of woman they wanted. After -this other matters were talked about, the marquis changing the -conversation; he had gained his point in quietly introducing the thin -end of the wedge of his design. - -After dinner, the company walked on the terrace. The countess dowager -not being able to walk much on account of her advanced age, the countess -and Madame de Bouille took chairs beside her. The count walked up and -down with M. de Saint-Maixent. The marquis naturally asked how things -had been going on during his absence, and if Madame de Saint-Geran had -suffered any inconvenience, for her pregnancy had become the most -important affair in the household, and hardly anything else was talked -about. - -"By the way," said the count, "you were speaking just now of a very -skilful midwife; would it not be a good step to summon her?" - -"I think," replied the marquis, "that it would be an excellent -selection, for I do not suppose there is one in this neighbourhood to -compare to her." - -"I have a great mind to send for her at once, and to keep her about the -countess, whose constitution she will be all the better acquainted with -if she studies it beforehand. Do you know where I can send for her?" - -"Faith," said the marquis, "she lives in a village, but I don't know -which." - -"But at least you know her name?" - -"I can hardly remember it. Louise Boyard, I think, or Polliard, one or -the other." - -"How! have you not even retained the name?" - -"I heard the story, that's all. Who the deuce can keep a name in his -head which he hears in such a chance fashion?" - -"But did the condition of the countess never occur to you?" - -"It was so far away that I did not suppose you would send such a -distance. I thought you were already provided." - -"How can we set about to find her?" - -"If that is all, I have a servant who knows people in that part of the -country, and who knows how to go about things: if you like, he shall go -in quest of her." - -"If I like? This very moment." - -The same evening the servant started on his errand with the count's -instructions, not forgetting those of his master. He went at full speed. -It may readily be supposed that he had not far to seek the woman he was -to bring back with him; but he purposely kept away for three days, and -at the end of this time Louise Goillard was installed in the chateau. - -She was a woman of plain and severe exterior, who at once inspired -confidence in everyone. The plots of the marquis and Madame de Bouille -thus throve with most baneful success; but an accident happened which -threatened to nullify them, and, by causing a great disaster, to prevent -a crime. - -The countess, passing into her apartments, caught her foot in a carpet, -and fell heavily on the floor. At the cries of a footman all the -household was astir. The countess was carried to bed; the most intense -alarm prevailed; but no bad consequences followed this accident, which -produced only a further succession of visits from the neighbouring -gentry. This happened about the end of the seventh month. - -At length the moment of accouchement came. Everything had long before -been arranged for the delivery, and nothing remained to be done. The -marquis had employed all this time in strengthening Madame de Bouille -against her scruples. He often saw Louise Goillard in private, and gave -her his instructions; but he perceived that the corruption of Baulieu, -the house steward, was an essential factor. Baulieu was already half -gained over by the interviews of the year preceding; a large sum of -ready money and many promises did the rest. This wretch was not ashamed -to join a plot against a master to whom he owed everything. The -marchioness for her part, and always under 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 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 confined--a 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. All 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 assured them -that she had given birth to one. The midwife with great effrontery told -her that the new moon was unfavourable to childbirth, and that she must -wait for the wane, when it would be easier as matters were already -prepared. - -Invalids' fancies do not obtain much credence; still, the persistence of -the countess would have convinced everyone in the long run, had not the -dowager said that she remembered at the end of the ninth month of one of -her own pregnancies she had all the premonitory symptoms of lying in, -but they proved false, and in fact the accouchement took place three -months later. - -This piece of news inspired great confidence. The marquis and Madame de -Bouille did all in their power to confirm it, but the countess -obstinately refused to listen to it, and her passionate transports of -grief gave rise to the greatest anxiety. The midwife, who knew not how -to gain time, and was losing all hope in face of the countess's -persistence, was almost frightened out of her wits; she entered into -medical details, and finally said that some violent exercise must be -taken to induce labour. The countess, still unconvinced, refused to obey -this order; but the count, the dowager, and all the family entreated her -so earnestly that she gave way. - -They put her in a close carriage, and drove her a whole day over -ploughed fields, by the roughest and hardest roads. She was so shaken -that she lost the power of breathing; it required all the strength of -her constitution to support this barbarous treatment in the delicate -condition of a lady so recently confined. They put her to bed again -after this cruel drive, and seeing that nobody took her view, she threw -herself into the arms of Providence, and consoled herself by religion; -the midwife administered violent remedies to deprive her of milk; she -got over all these attempts to murder her, and slowly got better. - -Time, which heals the deepest affliction, gradually soothed that of the -countess; her grief nevertheless burst out periodically on the slightest -cause; but eventually it died out, till the following events rekindled -it. - -There had been in Paris a fencing-master who used to boast that he had a -brother in the service of a great house. This fencing-master had married -a certain Marie Pigoreau, daughter of an actor. He had recently died in -poor circumstances, leaving her a widow with two children. This woman -Pigoreau did not enjoy the best of characters, and no one knew how she -made a living, when all at once, after some short absences from home and -visit from a man who came in the evening, his face muffled in his cloak, -she launched out into a more expensive style of living; the neighbours -saw in her house costly clothes, fine swaddling-clothes, and at last it -became known that she was nursing a strange child. - -About the same time it also transpired that she had a deposit of two -thousand livres in the hands of a grocer in the quarter, named Raguenet; -some days later, as the child's baptism had doubtless been put off for -fear of betraying his origin, Pigoreau had him christened at St. Jean en -Greve. She did not invite any of the neighbours to the function, and -gave parents' names of her own choosing at the church. For godfather she -selected the parish sexton, named Paul Marmiou, who gave the child the -name of Bernard. La Pigoreau remained in a confessional during the -ceremony, and gave the man ten sou. The godmother was Jeanne Chevalier, -a poor woman of the parish. - -The entry in the register was as follows: - - "On the seventh day of March one thousand six hundred and - forty-two was baptized Bernard, son of . . . and . . . his - godfather being Paul Marmiou, day labourer and servant of this - parish, and his godmother Jeanne Chevalier, widow of Pierre - Thibou." - -A few days afterwards la Pigoreau put out the child to nurse in the -village of Torcy en Brie, with a woman who had been her godmother, whose -husband was called Paillard. She gave out that it was a child of quality -which had been entrusted to her, and that she should not hesitate, if -such a thing were necessary, to save its life by the loss of one of her -own children. The nurse did not keep it long, because she fell ill; la -Pigoreau went to fetch the child away, lamenting this accident, and -further saying that she regretted it all the more, as the nurse would -have earned enough to make her comfortable for the rest of her life. She -put the infant out again in the same village, with the widow of a -peasant named Marc Peguin. The monthly wage was regularly paid, and the -child brought up as one of rank. La Pigoreau further told the woman that -it was the son of a great nobleman, and would later make the fortunes of -those who served him. An elderly man, whom the people supposed to be the -child's father, but who Pigoreau assured them was her brother-in-law, -often came to see him. - -When the child was eighteen months old, la Pigoreau took him away and -weaned him. Of the two by her husband the elder was called Antoine, the -second would have been called Henri if he had lived; but he was born on -the 9th of August 1639, after the death of his father, who was killed in -June of the same year, and died shortly after his birth. La Pigoreau -thought fit to give the name and condition of this second son to the -stranger, and thus bury for ever the secret of his birth. With this end -in view, she left the quarter where she lived, and removed to conceal -herself in another parish where she was not known. The child was brought -up under the name and style of Henri, second son of la Pigoreau, till he -was two and a half years of age; but at this time, whether she was not -engaged to keep it any longer, or whether she had spent the two thousand -livres deposited with the grocer Raguenet, and could get no more from -the principals, she determined to get rid of it. - -Her gossips used to tell this woman that she cared but little for her -eldest son, because she was very confident of the second one making his -fortune, and that if she were obliged to give up one of them, she had -better keep the younger, who was a beautiful boy. To this she would -reply that the matter did not depend upon her; that the boy's godfather -was an uncle in good circumstances, who would not charge himself with -any other child. She often mentioned this uncle, her brother-in-law, she -said, who was major-domo in a great house. - -One morning, the hall porter at the hotel de Saint-Geran came to Baulieu -and told him that a woman carrying a child was asking for him at the -wicket gate; this Baulieu was, in fact, the brother of the fencing -master, and godfather to Pigoreau's second son. It is now supposed that -he was the unknown person who had placed the child of quality with her, -and who used to go and see him at his nurse's. La Pigoreau gave him a -long account of her situation. The major-domo took the child with some -emotion, and told la Pigoreau to wait his answer a short distance off, -in a place which he pointed out. - -Baulieu's wife made a great outcry at the first proposal of an increase -of family; but he succeeded in pacifying her by pointing out the -necessities of his sister-in-law, and how easy and inexpensive it was to -do this good work in such a house as the count's. He went to his master -and mistress to ask permission to bring up this child in their hotel; a -kind of feeling entered into the charge he was undertaking which in some -measure lessened the weight on his conscience. - -The count and countess at first opposed this project; telling him that -having already five children he ought not to burden himself with any -more, but he petitioned so earnestly that he obtained what he wanted. -The countess wished to see it, and as she was about to start for Moulins -she ordered it to be put in her women's coach; when it was shown her, -she cried out, "What a lovely child!" The boy was fair, with large blue -eyes and very regular features, She gave him a hundred caresses, which -the child returned very prettily. She at once took a great fancy to him, -and said to Baulieu, "I shall not put him in my women's coach; I shall -put him in my own." - -After they arrived at the chateau of Saint-Geran, her affection for -Henri, the name retained by the child, increased day by day. She often -contemplated him with sadness, then embraced him with tenderness, and -kept him long on her bosom. The count shared this affection for the -supposed nephew of Baulieu, who was adopted, so to speak, and brought up -like a child of quality. - -The Marquis de Saint-Maixent and Madame de Bouille had not married, -although the old Marquis de Bouille had long been dead. It appeared that -they had given up this scheme. The marchioness no doubt felt scruples -about it, and the marquis was deterred from marriage by his profligate -habits. It is moreover supposed that other engagements and heavy bribes -compensated the loss he derived from the marchioness's breach of faith. - -He was a man about town at that period, and was making love to the -demoiselle Jacqueline de la Garde; he had succeeded in gaining her -affections, and brought matters to such a point that she no longer -refused her favours except on the grounds of her pregnancy and the -danger of an indiscretion. The marquis then offered to introduce to her -a matron who could deliver women without the pangs of labour, and who -had a very successful practice. The same Jacqueline de la Garde further -gave evidence at the trial that M. de Saint-Maixent had often boasted, -as of a scientific intrigue, of having spirited away the son of a -governor of a province and grandson of a marshal of France; that he -spoke of the Marchioness de Bouille, said that he had made her rich, and -that it was to him she owed her great wealth; and further, that one day -having taken her to a pretty country seat which belonged to him, she -praised its beauty, saying "c'etait un beau lieu"; he replied by a pun -on a man's name, saying that he knew another Baulieu who had enabled him -to make a fortune of five hundred thousand crowns. He also said to -Jadelon, sieur de la Barbesange, when posting with him from Paris, that -the Countess de Saint-Geran had been delivered of a son who was in his -power. - -The marquis had not seen Madame de Bouille for a long time; a common -danger reunited them. They had both learned with terror the presence of -Henri at the hotel de Saint-Geran. They consulted about this; the -marquis undertook to cut the danger short. However, he dared put in -practice nothing overtly against the child, a matter still more -difficult just then, inasmuch as some particulars of his 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 - disconnected words. All that the officers could hear was-- - -"Monsieur le Comte . . . call . . . the Countess . . . de Saint-Geran . -. . let them come. . . ." The officers earnestly begged him to try to be -more explicit. - -The marquis had another fit; when he opened his eyes, he said-- - -"Send for the countess . . . let them forgive me . . . I wish to tell -them everything." The police officers asked him to speak; one even told -him that the count was there. The marquis feebly murmured-- - -"I am going to tell you----" Then he gave a loud cry and fell back dead. - -It thus seemed as if fate took pains to close every mouth from which the -truth might escape. Still, this avowal of a deathbed revelation to be -made to the Count de Saint-Geran and the deposition of the priest who -had administered the last sacraments formed a strong link in the chain -of evidence. - -The judge of first instruction, collecting all the information he had -got, made a report the weight of which was overwhelming. The carters, -the nurse, the domestic servants, all gave accounts consistent with each -other; the route and the various adventures of the child were plainly -detailed, from its birth till its arrival at the village of Descoutoux. - -Justice, thus tracing crime to its sources, had no option but to issue a -warrant for the arrest of the Marchioness de Bouilie; but it seems -probable that it was not served owing to the strenuous efforts of the -Count de Saint-Geran, who could not bring himself to ruin his sister, -seeing that her dishonour would have been reflected on him. The -marchioness hid her remorse in solitude, and appeared again no more. She -died shortly after, carrying the weight of her secret till she drew her -last breath. - -The judge of Moulins at length pronounced sentence on the midwife, whom -he declared arraigned and convicted of having suppressed the child born -to the countess; for which he condemned her to be tortured and then -hanged. The matron lodged an appeal against this sentence, and the case -was referred to the Conciergerie. - -No sooner had the count and countess seen the successive proofs of the -procedure, than tenderness and natural feelings accomplished the rest. -They no longer doubted that their page was their son; they stripped him -at once of his livery and gave him his rank and prerogatives, under the -title of the Count de la Palice. - -Meanwhile, a private person named Sequeville informed the countess that -he had made a very important discovery; that a child had been baptized -in 1642 at St. Jean-en-Greve, and that a woman named Marie Pigoreau had -taken a leading part in the affair. Thereupon inquiries were made, and -it was discovered that this child had been nursed in the village of -Torcy. The count obtained a warrant which enabled him to get evidence -before the judge of Torcy; nothing was left undone to elicit the whole -truth; he also obtained a warrant through which he obtained more -information, and published a monitory. The elder of the Quinet girls on -this told the Marquis de Canillac that the count was searching at a -distance for things very near him. The truth shone out with great lustre -through these new facts which gushed from all this fresh information. -The child, exhibited in the presence of a legal commissary to the nurses -and witnesses of Torcy, was identified, as much by the scars left by the -midwife's nails on his head, as by his fair hair and blue eyes. This -ineffaceable vestige of the woman's cruelty was the principal proof; the -witnesses testified that la Pigoreau, when she visited this child with a -man who appeared to be of condition, always asserted that he was the son -of a great nobleman who had been entrusted to her care, and that she -hoped he would make her fortune and that of those who had reared him. - -The child's godfather, Paul Marmiou, a common labourer; the grocer -Raguenet, who had charge of the two thousand livres; the servant of la -Pigoreau, who had heard her say that the count was obliged to take this -child; the witnesses who proved that la Pigoreau had told them that the -child was too well born to wear a page's livery, all furnished -convincing proofs; but others were forthcoming. - -It was at la Pigoreau's that the Marquis de Saint-Maixent, living then -at the hotel de Saint-Geran, went to see the child, kept in her house as -if it were hers; Prudent Berger, the marquis's page, perfectly well -remembered la Pigoreau, and also the child, whom he had seen at her -house and whose history the marquis had related to him. Finally, many -other witnesses heard in the course of the case, both before the three -chambers of nobles, clergy, and the tiers etat, and before the judges of -Torcy, Cusset, and other local magistrates, made the facts so clear and -conclusive in favour of the legitimacy of the young count, that it was -impossible to avoid impeaching the guilty parties. The count ordered the -summons in person of la Pigoreau, who had not been compromised in the -original preliminary proceedings. This drastic measure threw the -intriguing woman on her beam ends, but she strove hard to right herself. - -The widowed Duchess de Ventadour, daughter by her mother's second -marriage of the Countess dowager of Saint-Geran, and half-sister of the -count, and the Countess de Lude, daughter of the Marchioness de Bouille, -from whom the young count carried away the Saint-Geran inheritance, were -very warm in the matter, and spoke of disputing the judgment. La -Pigoreau went to see them, and joined in concert with them. - -Then commenced this famous lawsuit, which long occupied all France, and -is parallel in some respects, but not in the time occupied in the -hearing, to the case heard by Solomon, in which one child was claimed by -two mothers. - -The Marquis de Saint-Maixent and Madame de Bouille being dead, were -naturally no parties to the suit, which was fought against the -Saint-Geran family by la Pigoreau and Mesdames du Lude and de Ventadour. -These ladies no doubt acted in good faith, at first at any rate, in -refusing to believe the crime; for if they had originally known the -truth it is incredible that they could have fought the case so long aid -so obstinately. - -They first of all went to the aid of the midwife, who had fallen sick in -prison; they then consulted together, and resolved as follows: - -That the accused should appeal against criminal proceedings; - -That la Pigoreau should lodge a civil petition against the judgments -which ordered her arrest and the confronting of witnesses; - -That they should appeal against the abuse of obtaining and publishing -monitories, and lodge an interpleader against the sentence of the judge -of first instruction, who had condemned the matron to capital -punishment; - -And that finally, to carry the war into the enemy's camp, la Pigoreau -should impugn the maternity of the countess, claiming the child as her -own; and that the ladies should depose that the countess's accouchement -was an imposture invented to cause it to be supposed that she had given -birth to a child. - -For more safety and apparent absence of collusion Mesdames du Lude and -de Ventadour pretended to have no communication with la Pigoreau. - -About this time the midwife died in prison, from an illness which -vexation and remorse had aggravated. After her death, her son Guillemin -confessed that she had often told him that the countess had given birth -to a son whom Baulieu had carried off, and that the child entrusted to -Baulieu at the chateau Saint-Geran was the same as the one recovered; -the youth added that he had concealed this fact so long as it might -injure his mother, and he further stated that the ladies de Ventadour -and du Lude had helped her in prison with money and advice--another -strong piece of presumptive evidence. - -The petitions of the accused and the interpleadings of Mesdames du Lude -and de Ventadour were discussed in seven hearings, before three courts -convened. The suit proceeded with all the languor and chicanery of the -period. - -After long and specious arguments, the attorney general Bijnon gave his -decision in favour of the Count and Countess of Saint-Geran, concluding -thus:-- - -"The court rejects the civil appeal of la Pigoreau; and all the -opposition and appeals of the appellants and the defendants; condemns -them to fine and in costs; and seeing that the charges against la -Pigoreau were of a serious nature, and that a personal summons had been -decreed against her, orders her committal, recommending her to the -indulgence of the court." - -By a judgment given in a sitting at the Tournelle by M. de Mesmes, on -the 18th of August 1657, the appellant ladies' and the defendants' -opposition was rejected with fine and costs. La Pigoreau was forbidden -to leave the city and suburbs of Paris under penalty of summary -conviction. The judgment in the case followed the rejection of the -appeal. - -This reverse at first extinguished the litigation of Mesdames du Lude -and de Ventadour, but it soon revived more briskly than ever. These -ladies, who had taken la Pigoreau in their coach to all the hearings, -prompted her, in order to procrastinate, to file a fresh petition, in -which she demanded the confrontment of all the witnesses to the -pregnancy, and the confinement. On hearing this petition, the court gave -on the 28th of August 1658 a decree ordering the confrontment, but on -condition that for three days previously la Pigoreau should deliver -herself a prisoner in the Conciergerie. - -This judgment, the consequences of which greatly alarmed la Pigoreau, -produced such an effect upon her that, after having weighed the interest -she had in the suit, which she would lose by flight, against the danger -to her life if she ventured her person into the hands of justice, she -abandoned her false plea of maternity, and took refuge abroad. This last -circumstance was a heavy blow to Mesdames du Lude and de Ventadour; but -they were not at the end of their resources and their obstinacy. - -Contempt of court being decreed against la Pigoreau, and the case being -got up against the other defendants, the Count de Saint-Geran left for -the Bourbonnais, to put in execution the order to confront the -witnesses. Scarcely had he arrived in the province when he was obliged -to interrupt his work to receive the king and the queen mother, who were -returning from Lyons and passing through Moulins. He presented the Count -de la Palice to their Majesties as his son; they received him as such. -But during the visit of the king and queen the Count de Saint-Geran fell -ill, over fatigued, no doubt, by the trouble he had taken to give them a -suitable reception, over and above the worry of his own affairs. - -During his illness, which only lasted a week, he made in his will a new -acknowledgment of his son, naming his executors M. de Barriere, -intendant of the province, and the sieur Vialet, treasurer of France, -desiring them to bring the lawsuit to an end. His last words were for -his wife and child; his only regret that he had not been able to -terminate this affair. He died on the 31st of January 1659. - -The maternal tenderness of the countess did not need stimulating by the -injunctions of her husband, and she took up the suit with energy. The -ladies de Ventadour and du Lude obtained by default letters of -administration as heiresses without liability, which were granted out of -the Chatelet. At the same time they appealed against the judgment of the -lieutenant-general of the Bourbonnais, giving the tutelage of the young -count to the countess his mother, and his guardianship to sieur de -Bompre. The countess, on her side, interpleaded an appeal against the -granting of letters of administration without liability, and did all in -her power to bring back the case to the Tournelle. The other ladies -carried their appeal to the high court, pleading that they were not -parties to the lawsuit in the Tournelle. - -It would serve no purpose to follow the obscure labyrinth of legal -procedure of that period, and to recite all the marches and -countermarches which legal subtlety suggested to the litigants. At the -end of three years, on the 9th of April 1661, the countess obtained a -judgment by which the king in person: - - "Assuming to his own decision the civil suit pending at the - Tournelle, as well as the appeals pled by both parties, and the - last petition of Mesdames du Lude and de Ventadour, sends back - the whole case to the three assembled chambers of the States - General, to be by them decided on its merits either jointly or - separately, as they may deem fit." - -The countess thus returned to her first battlefield. Legal science -produced an immense quantity of manuscript, barristers and attorneys -greatly distinguishing themselves in their calling. After an -interminable hearing, and pleadings longer and more complicated than -ever, which however did not bamboozle the court, judgment was pronounced -in Conformity with the summing up of the attorney-general, thus-- - -"That passing over the petition of Mesdames Marie de la Guiche and -Eleonore de Bouille, on the grounds," etc. etc.; - -"Evidence taken," etc.; - -"Appeals, judgments annulled," etc.; - -"With regard to the petition of the late Claude de la Guiche and Suzanne -de Longaunay, dated 12th August 1658," - -"Ordered, - -"That the rule be made absolute; - -"Which being done, Bernard de la Guiche is pronounced, maintained, and -declared the lawfully born and legitimate son of Claude de la Guiche and -Suzanne de Longaunay; in possession and enjoyment of the name and arms -of the house of Guiche, and of all the goods left by Claude de la -Guiche, his father; and Marie de la Guiche and Eleonore de Bouille are -interdicted from interfering with him; - -"The petitions of Eleonore de Bouille and Marie de la Guiche, dated 4th -June 1664, 4th August 1665, 6th January, 10th February, 12th March, 15th -April, and 2nd June, 1666, are dismissed with costs; - -"Declared, - -"That the defaults against la Pigoreau are confirmed; and that she, -arraigned and convicted of the offences imputed to her, is condemned to -be hung and strangled at a gallows erected in the Place de Greve in this -city, if taken and apprehended; otherwise, in effigy at a gallows -erected in the Place de Greve aforesaid; that all her property subject -to confiscation is seized and confiscated from whomsoever may be in -possession of it; on which property and other not subject to -confiscation, is levied a fine of eight hundred Paris livres, to be paid -to the King, and applied to the maintenance of prisoners in the -Conciergerie of the Palace of justice, and to the costs." - -Possibly a more obstinate legal contest was never waged, on both sides, -but especially by those who lost it. The countess, who played the part -of the true mother in the Bible, had the case so much to heart that she -often told the judges, when pleading her cause, that if her son were not -recognised as such, she would marry him, and convey all her property to -him. - -The young Count de la Palice became Count de Saint-Geran through the -death of his father, married, in 1667, Claude Francoise Madeleine de -Farignies, only daughter of Francois de Monfreville and of Marguerite -Jourdain de Carbone de Canisi. He had only one daughter, born in 1688, -who became a nun. He died at the age of fifty-five years, and thus this -illustrious family became extinct. - - - - - ---- - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COUNTESS OF SAINT-GERAN *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2754 - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so -the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. -Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this -license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg(tm) -electronic works to protect the Project Gutenberg(tm) concept and -trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be -used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific -permission. 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