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Updated: July 3, 2025
He was as willing to marry Mlle. de Courtornieu as anyone else, since he was sure that the only woman whom he had ever truly loved the only woman whom he ever could love was never to be his.
He seldom left the house, and then only to satisfy his passion for hunting. At such times, instead of hiding and surrounding himself with every precaution, as he had done, before shooting a squirrel or a few partridges, in former times, he went boldly to the Sairmeuse or the Courtornieu forests, shot his game, and brought it home openly, almost defiantly.
Was it indeed he, Martial, the phlegmatic sceptic, the man who boasted of his indifference and his insensibility, who had thus forgotten all self-control? Alas, yes. And when Blanche de Courtornieu, now and henceforth the Marquise de Sairmeuse, accused Marie-Anne of being the cause of his frenzy, she had not been entirely wrong.
Your brother, who is in Paris, can undoubtedly tell you where the treasure was concealed." The younger Chupin uttered the fierce roar of a wild beast. "Holy Virgin! you are right!" he exclaimed. "Wait until I get money enough to take me to Paris, and we will see." Martial de Sairmeuse's unexpected visit to the Chateau de Courtornieu had alarmed Aunt Medea even more than Blanche.
What misfortune had attended them all from the sons of Chupin, the miserable traitor, up to her father, the Marquis de Courtornieu, whose mind had not been illumined by the least gleam of reason for ten long years before his death. "My turn will come!" she thought.
It was toward the Chateau de Courtornieu that he hastened. The reason of Mme. Blanche had sustained a frightful shock, when Chupin was obliged to lift her and carry her from Marie-Anne's chamber. But she lost consciousness entirely when she saw the old poacher stricken down by her side. On and after that night Aunt Medea took her revenge for all the slights she had received.
With a little address, you can throw all the odium upon the Marquis de Courtornieu, and keep for yourself only the prestige of valuable service rendered." The duke's face brightened. "Zounds, Marquis!" he exclaimed; "that is a good idea! In the future I shall be infinitely less afraid of Courtornieu." Martial remained thoughtful.
At a sign from the counsel for the prosecution, the Marquis de Courtornieu left his seat and came forward to the platform. "I must request you, Monsieur le Marquis," said the duke, "to have the goodness to read to the commission the deposition written and signed by your daughter." This scene must have been prepared in advance for the audience.
The other declared that the arrest and imprisonment of this young girl would be impolitic, that such a course would render the authorities odious, and the rebels more zealous. As each was firmly wedded to his own opinion, the discussion was heated, but they failed to convince each other. "These rebels must be put down with a strong hand!" urged M. de Courtornieu.
Our neighbors, to the number of sixteen, are now assembled in my cabinet, transformed for the time into a council chamber." Martial shuddered at the thought of all the ridiculous and tiresome conversation he would probably be obliged to hear; and his father's recommendation occurred to him. "Shall we not have the honor of paying our respects to Mademoiselle de Courtornieu?"
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