第50章

"For the last two years, the Sieur du Croisier has regularly allowed M.le Comte d'Esgrignon to draw upon him for very large sums," said Chesnel."We are going to produce drafts for more than a hundred thousand crowns, which he continually met; the amounts being remitted by me--bear that well in mind--either before or after the bills fell due.M.le Comte d'Esgrignon is in a position to produce a receipt for the sum paid by him, before this bill, this alleged forgery was drawn.

Can you fail to see in that case that this charge is a piece of spite and party feeling? And a charge brought against the heir of a great house by one of the most dangerous enemies of the Throne and Altar, what is it but an odious slander? There has been no more forgery in this affair than there has been in my office.Summon Mme.du Croisier, who knows nothing as yet of the charge of forgery; she will declare to you that I brought the money and paid it over to her, so that in her husband's absence she might remit the amount for which he has not asked her.Examine du Croisier on the point; he will tell you that he knows nothing of my payment to Mme.du Croisier.

"You may make such assertions as these, sir, in M.d'Esgrignon's salon, or in any other house where people know nothing of business, and they may be believed; but no examining magistrate, unless he is a driveling idiot, can imagine that a woman like Mme.du Croisier, so submissive as she is to her husband, has a hundred thousand crowns lying in her desk at this moment, without saying a word to him; nor yet that an old notary would not have advised M.du Croisier of the deposit on his return to town.""The old notary, sir, had gone to Paris to put a stop to the young man's extravagance.""I have not yet examined the Comte d'Esgrignon," Camusot began; "his answers will point out my duty.""Is he in close custody?"

"Yes."

"Sir," said Chesnel, seeing danger ahead, "the examination can be made in our interests or against them.But there are two courses open to you: you can establish the fact on Mme.du Croisier's deposition that the amount was deposited with her before the bill was drawn; or you can examine the unfortunate young man implicated in this affair, and he in his confusion may remember nothing and commit himself.You will decide which is the more credible--a slip of memory on the part of a woman in her ignorance of business, or a forgery committed by a d'Esgrignon.""All this is beside the point," began Camusot; "the question is, whether M.le Comte d'Esgrignon has or has not used the lower half of a letter addressed to him by du Croisier as a bill of exchange.""Eh! and so he might," a voice cried suddenly, as Mme.Camusot broke in, followed by the handsome stranger, "so he might when M.Chesnel had advanced the money to meet the bill----"She leant over her husband.

"You will have the first vacant appointment as assistant judge at Paris, you are serving the King himself in this affair; I have proof of it; you will not be forgotten," she said, lowering her voice in his ear."This young man that you see here is the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse; you must never have seen her, and do all that you can for the young Count boldly.""Gentlemen," said Camusot, "even if the preliminary examination is conducted to prove the young Count's innocence, can I answer for the view the court may take? M.Chesnel, and you also, my sweet, know what M.le President wants.""Tut, tut, tut!" said Mme.Camusot, "go yourself to M.Michu this morning, and tell him that the Count has been arrested; you will be two against two in that case, I will be bound.MICHU comes from Paris, and you know he is devoted to the noblesse.Good blood cannot lie."At that very moment Mlle.Cadot's voice was heard in the doorway.She had brought a note, and was waiting for an answer.Camusot went out, and came back again to read the note aloud:

"M.le Vice-President begs M.Camusot to sit in audience to-day and for the next few days, so that there may be a quorum during M.le President's absence.""Then there is an end of the preliminary examination!" cried Mme.

Camusot."Did I not tell you, dear, that they would play you some ugly trick? The President has gone off to slander you to the public prosecutor and the President of the Court-Royal.You will be changed before you can make the examination.Is that clear?""You will stay, monsieur," said the Duchess."The public prosecutor is coming, I hope, in time.""When the public prosecutor arrives," little Mme.Camusot said, with some heat, "he must find all over.--Yes, my dear, yes," she added, looking full at her amazed husband.--"Ah! old hypocrite of a President, you are setting your wits against us; you shall remember it! You have a mind to help us to a dish of your own making, you shall have two served up to you by your humble servant Cecile Amelie Thirion!--Poor old Blondet! It is lucky for him that the President has taken this journey to turn us out, for now that great oaf of a Joseph Blondet will marry Mlle.Blandureau.I will let Father Blondet have some seeds in return.--As for you, Camusot, go to M.Michu's, while Mme.la Duchesse and I will go to find old Blondet.You must expect to hear it said all over the town to-morrow that I took a walk with a lover this morning."Mme.Camusot took the Duchess' arm, and they went through the town by deserted streets to avoid any unpleasant adventure on the way to the old Vice-President's house.Chesnel meanwhile conferred with the young Count in prison; Camusot had arranged a stolen interview.Cook-maids, servants, and the other early risers of a country town, seeing Mme.

Camusot and the Duchess taking their way through the back streets, took the young gentleman for an adorer from Paris.That evening, as Cecile Amelie had said, the news of her behavior was circulated about the town, and more than one scandalous rumor was occasioned thereby.