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Chapter 75 `
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A Signed Statement. `
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Noirtier was prepared to receive them, dressed in black, and `
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installed in his arm-chair. When the three persons he `
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expected had entered, he looked at the door, which his valet `
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immediately closed. `
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"Listen," whispered Villefort to Valentine, who could not `
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conceal her joy; "if M. Noirtier wishes to communicate `
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anything which would delay your marriage, I forbid you to `
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understand him." Valentine blushed, but did not answer. `
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Villefort, approaching Noirtier -- "Here is M. Franz `
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d'Epinay," said he; "you requested to see him. We have all `
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wished for this interview, and I trust it will convince you `
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how ill-formed are your objections to Valentine's marriage." `
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Noirtier answered only by a look which made Villefort's `
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blood run cold. He motioned to Valentine to approach. In a `
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moment, thanks to her habit of conversing with her `
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grandfather, she understood that he asked for a key. Then `
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his eye was fixed on the drawer of a small chest between the `
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windows. She opened the drawer, and found a key; and, `
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understanding that was what he wanted, again watched his `
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eyes, which turned toward an old secretary which had been `
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neglected for many years and was supposed to contain nothing `
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but useless documents. "Shall I open the secretary?" asked `
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Valentine. `
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"Yes," said the old man. `
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"And the drawers?" `
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"Yes." `
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"Those at the side?" `
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"No." `
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"The middle one?" `
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"Yes." Valentine opened it and drew out a bundle of papers. `
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"Is that what you wish for?" asked she. `
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"No." `
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She took successively all the other papers out till the `
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drawer was empty. "But there are no more," said she. `
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Noirtier's eye was fixed on the dictionary. "Yes, I `
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understand, grandfather," said the young girl. `
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He pointed to each letter of the alphabet. At the letter S `
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the old man stopped her. She opened, and found the word `
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"secret." `
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"Ah, is there a secret spring?" said Valentine. `
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"Yes," said Noirtier. `
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"And who knows it?" Noirtier looked at the door where the `
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servant had gone out. "Barrois?" said she. `
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"Yes." `
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"Shall I call him?" `
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"Yes." `
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Valentine went to the door, and called Barrois. Villefort's `
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impatience during this scene made the perspiration roll from `
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his forehead, and Franz was stupefied. The old servant came. `
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"Barrois," said Valentine, "my grandfather has told me to `
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open that drawer in the secretary, but there is a secret `
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spring in it, which you know -- will you open it?" `
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Barrois looked at the old man. "Obey," said Noirtier's `
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intelligent eye. Barrois touched a spring, the false bottom `
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came out, and they saw a bundle of papers tied with a black `
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string. `
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"Is that what you wish for?" said Barrois. `
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"Yes." `
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"Shall I give these papers to M. de Villefort?" `
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"No." `
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"To Mademoiselle Valentine?" `
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"No." `
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"To M. Franz d'Epinay?" `
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"Yes." `
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Franz, astonished, advanced a step. "To me, sir?" said he. `
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"Yes." Franz took them from Barrois and casting a glance at `
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the cover, read: -- `
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"`To be given, after my death, to General Durand, who shall `
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bequeath the packet to his son, with an injunction to `
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preserve it as containing an important document.' `
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"Well, sir," asked Franz, "what do you wish me to do with `
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this paper?" `
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"To preserve it, sealed up as it is, doubtless," said the `
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procureur. `
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"No," replied Noirtier eagerly. `
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"Do you wish him to read it?" said Valentine. `
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"Yes," replied the old man. "You understand, baron, my `
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grandfather wishes you to read this paper," said Valentine. `
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"Then let us sit down," said Villefort impatiently, "for it `
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will take some time." `
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"Sit down," said the old man. Villefort took a chair, but `
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Valentine remained standing by her father's side, and Franz `
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before him, holding the mysterious paper in his hand. `
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"Read," said the old man. Franz untied it, and in the midst `
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of the most profound silence read: `
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"`Extract from the Report of a meeting of the Bonapartist `
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Club in the Rue Saint-Jacques, held February 5th, 1815.'" `
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Franz stopped. "February 5th, 1815!" said he; "it is the day `
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my father was murdered." Valentine and Villefort were dumb; `
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the eye of the old man alone seemed to say clearly, "Go on." `
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"But it was on leaving this club," said he, "my father `
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disappeared." Noirtier's eye continued to say, "Read." He `
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resumed: -- `
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"`The undersigned Louis Jacques Beaurepaire, `
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lieutenant-colonel of artillery, Etienne Duchampy, general `
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of brigade, and Claude Lecharpal, keeper of woods and `
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forests, Declare, that on the 4th of February, a letter `
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arrived from the Island of Elba, recommending to the `
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kindness and the confidence of the Bonapartist Club, General `
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Flavien de Quesnel, who having served the emperor from 1804 `
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to 1814 was supposed to be devoted to the interests of the `
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Napoleon dynasty, notwithstanding the title of baron which `
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Louis XVIII. had just granted to him with his estate of `
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Epinay. `
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"`A note was in consequence addressed to General de Quesnel, `
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begging him to be present at the meeting next day, the 5th. `
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The note indicated neither the street nor the number of the `
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house where the meeting was to be held; it bore no `
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signature, but it announced to the general that some one `
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would call for him if he would be ready at nine o'clock. The `
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meetings were always held from that time till midnight. At `
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nine o'clock the president of the club presented himself; `
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the general was ready, the president informed him that one `
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of the conditions of his introduction was that he should be `
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eternally ignorant of the place of meeting, and that he `
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would allow his eyes to be bandaged, swearing that he would `
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not endeavor to take off the bandage. General de Quesnel `
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accepted the condition, and promised on his honor not to `
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seek to discover the road they took. The general's carriage `
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was ready, but the president told him it was impossible for `
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him to use it, since it was useless to blindfold the master `
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if the coachman knew through what streets he went. "What `
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must be done then?" asked the general. -- "I have my `
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carriage here," said the president. `
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"`"Have you, then, so much confidence in your servant that `
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you can intrust him with a secret you will not allow me to `
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know?" `
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"`"Our coachman is a member of the club," said the `
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president; "we shall be driven by a State-Councillor." `
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"`"Then we run another risk," said the general, laughing, `
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"that of being upset." We insert this joke to prove that the `
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general was not in the least compelled to attend the `
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meeting, but that he came willingly. When they were seated `
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in the carriage the president reminded the general of his `
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promise to allow his eyes to be bandaged, to which he made `
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no opposition. On the road the president thought he saw the `
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general make an attempt to remove the handkerchief, and `
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reminded him of his oath. "Sure enough," said the general. `
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The carriage stopped at an alley leading out of the Rue `
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Saint-Jacques. The general alighted, leaning on the arm of `
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the president, of whose dignity he was not aware, `
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considering him simply as a member of the club; they went `
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through the alley, mounted a flight of stairs, and entered `
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the assembly-room. `
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"`"The deliberations had already begun. The members, `
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apprised of the sort of presentation which was to be made `
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that evening, were all in attendance. When in the middle of `
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the room the general was invited to remove his bandage, he `
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did so immediately, and was surprised to see so many `
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well-known faces in a society of whose existence he had till `
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