la Chanterie was a young girl of delicate complexion； brown in tone
with a brilliant color； graceful in shape； and very pretty。 Above a
forehead of great beauty was a mass of dark hair which harmonized with
the brown eyes and the general gaiety of her expression。 A certain
daintiness of feature was misleading as to her true character and her
almost virile decision。 She had small hands and small feet； in fact；
there was something fragile about her whole person which excluded the
idea of vigor and determination。 Having always lived beside her
mother； she had a most perfect innocence of thought and behavior and a
really remarkable piety。 This young girl； like her mother； was
fanatically attached to the Bourbons； she was therefore a bitter enemy
to the Revolution； and regarded the dominion of Napoleon as a curse
inflicted by Providence upon France in punishment of the crimes of
1793。
〃The conformity of opinion on this subject between Madame de la
Chanterie and her daughter； and the daughter's suitor； was one of the
determining reasons of the marriage。
〃The friend of the husband had commanded a body of Chouans at the time
that hostilities were renewed in 1799； and it seems that the baron's
object （Madame de la Chanterie's son…in…law was a baron） in fostering
the intimacy between his wife and his friend was to obtain； through
her influence； certain succor from that friend。
〃This requires a few words of explanation；〃 said Monsieur Alain；
interrupting his narrative； 〃about an association which in those days
made a great deal of noise。 I mean the 'Chauffeurs。'＇*＇ Every province
in the west of France was at that time more or less overrun with these
'brigands；' whose object was far less pillage than a resurrection of
the royalist warfare。 They profited； so it was said； by the great
number of 'refractories；'the name applied to those who evaded the
conscription； which was at that time； as you probably know； enforced
to actual abuse。
＇*＇ /Chauffeurs/。 This name applies to royalists who robbed the mail…
coaches conveying government funds； and levied tribute on those
who bought the confiscated property of /emigres/ at the West。 When
the Thermidorian reaction began； after the fall of Robespierre；
other companies of royalists； chiefly young nobles who had not
emigrated； were formed at the South and East under various names；
such as 〃The Avengers；〃 and 〃The Company of Jehu；〃 who stopped the
diligences containing government money； which they transmitted to
Brittany and La Vendee for the support of the royalist troops。
They regarded this as legitimate warfare； and were scrupulous not
to touch private property。 When captured； however； they were tried
and executed as highwaymen。TR。
〃Between Mortagne and Rennes； and even beyond； as far as the banks of
the Loire； nocturnal expeditions were organized； which attacked；
especially in Normandy； the holders of property bought from the
National domain。＇*＇ These armed bands sent terror throughout those
regions。 I am not misleading you when I ask you to observe that in
certain departments the action of the laws was for a long time
paralyzed。
＇*＇ The National domain was the name given to the confiscated property
of the /emigres/； which was sold from time to time at auction to
the highest bidder。TR。
〃These last echoes of the civil war made much less noise than you
would imagine； accustomed as we are now to the frightful publicity
given by the press to every trial； even the least important； whether
political or individual。 The system of the Imperial government was
that of all absolute governments。 The censor allowed nothing to be
published in the matter of politics except accomplished facts； and
those were travestied。 If you will take the trouble to look through
files of the 'Moniteur' and the other newspapers of that time； even
those of the West； you will not find a word about the four or five
criminal trials which cost the lives of sixty or eighty 'brigands。'
The term /brigands/； applied during the revolutionary period to the
Vendeans； Chouans； and all those who took up arms for the house of
Bourbon； was afterwards continued judicially under the Empire against
all royalists accused of plots。 To some ardent and loyal natures the
emperor and his government were the enemy； any form of warfare against
them was legitimate。 I am only explaining to you these opinions； not
justifying them。
〃Now；〃 he said； after one of those pauses which are necessary in such
long narratives； 〃if you realize how these royalists； ruined by the
civil war of 1793； were dominated by violent passions； and how some
exceptional natures （like that of Madame de la Chanterie's son…in…law
and his friend） were eaten up with desires of all kinds； you may be
able to understand how it was that the acts of brigandage which their
political views justified when employed against the government in the
service of the good cause； might in some cases be committed for
personal ends。
〃The younger of the two men had been for some time employed in
collecting the scattered fragments of Chouannerie； and was holding
them ready to act at an opportune moment。 There came a terrible crisis
in the Emperor's career when； shut up in the island of Lobau； he
seemed about to give way under the combined and simultaneous attack of
England and Austria。 This was the moment for the Chouan uprising； but
just as it was about to take place； the victory of Wagram rendered the
conspiracy in the provinces powerless。
〃This expectation of exciting civil war in Brittany； La Vendee； and
part of Normandy； coincided in time with the final wreck of the
baron's fortune； and this wreck； coming at this time； led him to
undertake an expedition to capture funds of the government which he
might apply to the liquidation of the claims upon his property。 But
his wife and friend refused to take part in applying to private
interests the money taken by armed force from the Receiver's offices
and the couriers and post…carriages of the government；money taken；
as they thought； justifiably by the rules of war to pay the regiments
of 'refractories' and Chouans； and purchase the arms and ammunition
with which to equip them。 At last； after an angry discussion in which
the young leader； supported by the wife； positively refused to hand
over to the husband a portion of the large sum of money which the
young leader had seized for the benefit of the royal armies from the
treasury of the West； the baron suddenly and mysteriously disappeared；
to avoid arrest for debt； having no means left by which to ward it
off。 Poor Madame de la Chanterie was wholly ignorant of these facts；
but even they are nothing to the plot still hidden behind these
preliminary facts。
〃It is too late to…night；〃 said Monsieur Alain； looking at his little
clock； 〃to go on with my narrative； which would take me； in any case；
a long time to finish in my own words。 Old Bordin； my friend； whose
management of the famous Simeuse case had won him much credit in the
royalist party； and who pleaded in the well…known criminal affair
called that of the Chauffeurs de Mortagne； gave me； after I was
installed in this house； two legal papers relating to the terrible
history of Madame de la Chanterie and her daughter。 I kept them
because Bordin died soon after； before I had a chance to return them。
You shall read them。 You will find the facts much more succinctly
stated than I could state them。 Those facts are so numerous that I
should only lose myself in the details and confuse them； whereas in
those papers you have them in a legal summary。 To…morrow； if you come
to me； I will finish telling you all that relates to Madame de la
Chanterie； for you will then know the general facts so thoroughly that
I can end the whole story in a few words。〃
IX
THE LEGAL STATEMENT
Monsieur Alain placed the papers； yellowed by time； in Godefroid's
hand； the latter； bidding the old man good…night； carried them off to
his room； where he read； before he slept； the following document：
THE INDICTMENT
Court of Criminal and Special Justice for the Department of the Orne
The attorney…general to the Imperial Court of Caen； appointed to
fulfil his functions before the Special Criminal Court established
by imperial decree under date September； 1809； and sitting at
Alencon； states to the Imperial Court the following facts which
have appeared under the above procedure。
The plot of a company of brigands； evidently long planned with
consummate care； and connected with a scheme for inciting the
Western departments to revolt； has shown itself in certain
attempts against the private property of citizens； but more
especially in an armed attack and robbery committed on the mail…
coach which transported； May ； 18； the money in the treasury
at Caen to the Treasury of France。 This attack； which recalls the
deplorable incidents of a civil war now happily extinguished；
manifests a spirit of wickedness which the political passions of
the present day do not justify。
Let us pass to the facts。 The plot is complicated； the details are
numerous。 The investigation has lasted one year； but the evidence；
which has followed the crime step by step； has thrown the clearest
light on its preparation； execution； and results。
The conception of the plot was formed by one Charles…Amedee…Louis…
Joseph Rifoel； calling himself Chevalier du Vissard； born at the
Vissard； district of Saint…Mexme； near Ernee； and a former leader
of the rebels。
This criminal； whom H。M。 the Emperor and King pardoned at the time
of the general pacification； and who has profited by the
sovereign's magnanimity to commit other crimes； has already paid
on the scaffold the penalty of his many misdeeds； but it is
necessary to recall some of his actions； because his influence was
great on the guilty persons now before the court； and he is
closely connected with the facts of his case。
This dangerous agitator； concealed； according to the usual custom
of the rebels； under the name of Pierrot； went from place to place
throughout the departments of the West