The Mystery of Orcival | Page 6

said the groom, "that there is no one there but the master and
mistress. The servants all went away last evening by the 8.40 train to
Paris, to the wedding of the old cook, Madame Denis. They ought to
return this morning by the first train. I was invited myself - "
"Great God!" interrupted M. Courtois, "then the count and countess
remained alone last night?"
"Entirely alone, Monsieur Mayor."
"It is horrible!"
M. Plantat seemed to grow impatient during this dialogue. "Come,"
said he, "we cannot stay forever at the gate. The gendarmes do not
come; let us send for the locksmith." Philippe was about to hasten off,
when, at the end of the road, singing and laughing were heard. Five
persons, three women and two men, soon appeared.
"Ah, there are the people of the chateau," cried the groom, whom this
morning visit seemed to annoy, "they ought to have a key."
The domestics, seeing the group about the gate, became silent and
hastened their steps. One of them began to run ahead of the others; it
was the count's valet de chambre.
"These gentlemen perhaps wish to speak to Monsieur the Count?"
asked he, having bowed to M. Plantat.
We have rung five times, as hard as we could," said the mayor.

"It is surprising," said the valet de chambre, "the count sleeps very
lightly. Perhaps he has gone out."
"Horror!" cried Philippe. "Both of them have been murdered!" These
words shocked the servants, whose gayety announced a reasonable
number of healths drunk to the happiness of the newly wedded pair. M.
Courtois seemed to be studying the attitude of old Bertaud.
"A murder!" muttered the valet de chambre. "It was for money then; it
must have been known - "
"What?" asked the mayor.
"Monsieur the Count received a very large sum yesterday morning."
"Large! yes," added a chambermaid. "He had a large package of
bank-bills. Madame even said to Monsieur that she should not shut her
eyes the whole night, with this immense sum in the house."
There was a silence; each one looked at the others with a frightened air.
M. Courtois reflected.
"At what hour did you leave the chateau last evening?" asked he of the
servants.
"At eight o'clock; we had dinner early."
"You went away all together?"
"Yes, sir."
"You did not leave each other?"
"Not a minute."
"And you returned all together?"
The servants exchanged a significant look.

"All," responded a chambermaid - "that is to say, no. One left us on
reaching the Lyons station at Paris; it was Guespin."
"Yes, sir; he went away, saying that he would rejoin us at Wepler's, in
the Batignolles, where the wedding took place." The mayor nudged the
justice with his elbow, as if to attract his attention, and continued to
question the chambermaid.
"And this Guespin, as you call him - did you see him again?"
"No, sir. I asked several times during the evening in vain, what had
become of him; his absence seemed to me suspicious." Evidently the
chambermaid tried to show superior perspicacity. A little more, and she
would have talked of presentiments.
"Has this Guespin been long in the house?"
"Since spring."
"What were his duties?"
"He was sent from Paris by the house of the 'Skilful Gardener,' to take
care of the rare flowers in Madame's conservatory."
"And did he know of this money?"
The domestics again exchanged significant glances.
"Yes," they answered in chorus, "we had talked a great deal about it
among ourselves."
The chambermaid added: "He even said to me, 'To think that Monsieur
the Count has enough money in his cabinet to make all our fortunes.'"
"What kind of a man is this?"
This question absolutely extinguished the talkativeness of the servants.
No one dared to speak, perceiving that the least word might serve as the
basis of a terrible accusation. But the groom of the house opposite, who

burned to mix himself up in the affair, had none of these scruples.
"Guespin," answered he, "is a good fellow. Lord, what jolly things he
knows! He knows everything you can imagine. It appears he has been
rich in times past, and if he wished - But dame! he loves to have his
work all finished, and go off on sprees. He's a crack billiard-player, I
can tell you."
Papa Plantat, while listening in an apparently absent-minded way to
these depositions, or rather these scandals, carefully examined the wall
and the gate. He now turned, and interrupting the groom:
"Enough of this," said he, to the great scandal of M. Courtois. "Before
pursuing this interrogatory, let us ascertain the crime, if crime there is;
for it is not proved. Let whoever has the key, open the gate."
The valet de chambre had the key; he opened