Chapter 11 XI. The Will of the Marquis de Beaugreval

This is called tears of joy, and the tears shed that relax her tense nerves and make her feel sweeter. The five men were at a loss, not knowing what to do or what to say. "Miss... what's the matter, miss?" Facing the weeping girl and seeing themselves around the girl, they all seemed to be stunned. This situation made Dorothea suddenly smile through tears, and driven by her nature, she danced on the spot, regardless of the situation. They'll say she's a princess, or a tightrope walker. This sudden performance made everyone present feel like a sea of ​​smoke, but she seemed even more elated.Fandangos, jigs, Auvergne dances, one after the other, dazzled their eyes, and imitation castanets, English songs and folk songs of Auvergne, especially her hearty laughter resounded through La The sky of Roche-Périac.

"You five, let's have fun together!" She pointed at them. "It's like five mummies. Laugh together! I invite you to laugh. My name is Dorothy, tightrope walker, Princess de Argonne." She said to the gentleman in the tailcoat again, "Notary Come on, sir, put more smiles on your face. I assure you, we have every reason to be happy." She hurried up to the old gentleman, shook his hand and said, as if to confirm his identity: "You are a notary, are you not? A notary who executes wills? But all this is not so complicated as you think." . . . I will explain to you . . . well, are you a notary?"

"Yes," murmured the old gentleman, "I am M. de la Rue, notary of Nantes." "Nantes? Very well, we have no objection. It's about a gold medal... Everyone gets a gold medal, kind of an invitation to a date, isn't it?" "Yes! . . . yes . . . " he said, looking more and more surprised. "A gold medal . . . a date . . . " "July 12, 1921?" "Yes... yes... 1921..." "Is it noon?" "It's noon." He wanted to look at his watch, but was stopped by Dorotai. "Don't look, Monsieur de la Rue, we've heard the bells for the midday prayer. You're on time...we're on time...everything is in order...everyone has a gold medal...they'll give You passed the purpose."

She pulled Mr. De La Rue to the wall clock, and she became more and more excited as she spoke to the young people present: "Okay... this is Mr. De La Rue, the notary... Do you understand? Don't you understand? I Can speak English, everyone heard it, Italian is also ok... and Javanese..." They all said no.All four could understand French. "Excellent," she said. "It will be easier to communicate with each other that way. That is, this is M. de la Rue, the notary, who is hosting the party. In France, a notary represents the dead. Since we are called together by the dead, everyone should What a great responsibility to understand M. de la Rue... You don't understand? What a strange thing! I find it all very clear, very interesting! Very surreal! This is the most interesting adventure I have ever had... and the most touching one .Think about it! We are all family... We are cousins ​​and brothers. So, shouldn't we be happy, like long-lost relatives, especially because... By the way, I don't Mistake... all four of you have been decorated!... the Cross of Merit of France!... So, have all four of you ever fought? In France?... You have defended my dear country?"

She shook hands with everyone, gave them grateful glances, the Americans and Italians returned the same, and suddenly, without thinking, she tiptoed and kissed them on both cheeks. "Hey, American cousin... Hey, Italian cousin, welcome to this country. And you two, you too, I hug you... Well! Everyone has no objections, we are comrades-in-arms and friends, yes no?" All of this happened in a joyful atmosphere, and the young people full of vigor were like family members scattered all over the world reunited after a long absence, and they were in a particularly happy mood.The formality of meeting for the first time no longer exists between them.It seemed as if they had known each other for many, many years (hundreds of years! exclaimed Dorothy, clapping her hands).The four young people gathered around her, attracted not only by her charm and enthusiasm, but also because of the story that brought them together at once. The story itself is already mysterious, and her explanation is even more fascinating. I was very surprised.All obstacles have been removed.There is no slow seepage of affection that slowly builds up trust and sympathy, instead everyone throws their heart and soul into their friendship right away.Everyone strives to be liked, and everyone feels the kindness of others.

Dorothy separated them and lined them up as if on parade. "Take your turn, friends. I beg your pardon, Monsieur de la Rue, for the roll call and the power of attorney. Now, number one, Mr. America, who are you? Your name, please?" The American replied, "Archibald Webster, I'm from Philadelphia." "Archibald Webster, from Philadelphia, did your father give you a gold medal?" "It was given to me by my mother, madam, and my father died young." "And where did your mother get the medal?" "My father's father." "Is this how it is pushed up from generation to generation?"

Archibald Webster answered in the affirmative, in perfect French, and, as if compelled by an inescapable duty to answer the girl's question: "Yes, indeed, madam. We have a The legend, I don’t know when it was passed down, said that our ancestral home is French, and the eldest son is required to pass on a gold medal from generation to generation, and the third person cannot know about the medal.” "But what, in your opinion, does this legend mean?" "I don't know. Mother told me that gold medals would get us a fortune. But she said it with a smile, and she sent me to France mainly out of curiosity."

"Please present your medal, Archibald Webster." The American took the gold medal from his vest pocket.It is exactly the same as the medal Dorotai has.Same words, same size, same dull colour.Dorothy showed Mr. de la Rue, returned it to the American, and continued the questioning. "Number Two... English, isn't he?" "George Ellington, from London." "Tell me what you know, George Ellington from London." The Englishman flicked his pipe, cleared it of the tobacco dust, and replied in fluent French: "That's all I know. I was an orphan from birth, and I got it from my guardian, my uncle, three days ago." A medal. He told me that, according to my father's last words, there was a fortune involved, which according to him wasn't very real, but I had to do it."

"George Ellington of London, you were right to do so. Please show your medal. Well, your formalities are in order. . . . Three, do you appear to be Russian?" The man in the soldier's cap understands French but doesn't speak it.Grinning, he handed over a stained piece of paper on which were written the following words: Kurobelev.French War.Thessaloniki.Fight with Wrangel. "Where are the medals?" Dorothy asked. "Very well, my friend. Passed. Number four, Mister Italy's medal?" "Marco Dario, from Genoa," he said, showing off his gold medal. "I fought with my father one day in Champagne, and I found this on his body. He never mentioned it to me."

"Then you're here, but..." "I didn't plan to come. Later, I went to the Champagne area to visit my father's grave. Unexpectedly, I got on the train to Vannes..." "Yes," she said, "like everyone else, you have followed the instructions of our common ancestor. Which ancestor? Why did he issue this instruction? M. de la Rue here will explain these matters to us. Come Well, Monsieur de la Rue, everything is in order. Everyone knows the password, and now we have the right to ask you to explain it to us." "Explain what?" asked the notary, dazed by so many astonishing events, from which he has not yet come to himself. "I'm not so sure either……"

"What! You don't know!" she exclaimed... "What are you doing with your bag? . , there must be documents in it, please read them to us." "Do you really believe it? . . . " "Of course I do! Five of us, these gentlemen and I, have come here to do the proper formalities and identify ourselves to you. Now it is your turn to complete your task. We are all ears." The girl's lively performance created a sincere atmosphere around her, and even the notary Mr. de La Rue was deeply affected.All in all, things are cleared up.The girl had already carved out a path through the seemingly intricate bushes, and he only needed to take a step forward and walk down this path with confidence. "That's right..." he said, "that's right... that's all... I'll tell you what I know... I'll tell you all... Excuse me... It's such a puzzling thing! ..." He gathered himself together and put on the air that a notary should have.The ground was uneven, and one place was particularly high, forming a natural step. The people present prepared an honor seat for him.He sits down. The others formed a circle.Following Dorotai's prompt, he opened the purse with a high air.This is a person who is used to attracting people's attention and making people listen to him carefully. He started the speech he had prepared before waiting for others to speak.According to estimates and logical inferences, no one will attend this scheduled appointment. However, he made preparations just in case. "My opening remarks will be short," he said, "I want to talk about the reason for this gathering as soon as possible. "Fourteen years ago, I bought a notary office in Nantes. On the day I opened it, my predecessor, after confessing several complicated cases, suddenly yelled: Hi! I almost forgot... Oh! Of course, it's not a big deal... But anyway... I say, dear colleague, this is the oldest document in the office. A very thin document, because it is only a letter That's all, as you can see, a sealed ordinary letter with a note I'll read to you right away: "There is no other explanation for these words than the one who sold the office to my predecessor. At most he told me that, from his investigations of the various files of the diocese of Périac, the notary Ba M. Piet (Hippolyte-Jean) lived at the beginning of the eighteenth century. When did his office close? Why was the material transferred to Nantes? Perhaps, we can assume that, for some reason, La Roche-Pe The owner of the castle of Riac left the local area and moved to Nantes with his family, furniture, horses, servants, and even the notary of the village. However, in nearly two hundred years, this letter entrusted to the notary Babier The letter, which Mr. and his heirs took care of, has been quietly lying in the drawers and file shelves. No one thought of uncovering the secret that the writer wished to keep! According to every possibility, the person who opened the sealing wax of this letter should it's me!" M. de la Rue stopped and looked at the audience before him.They craned their necks, as they say, and listened attentively to him.He was very satisfied with the effect, patted his leather bag and continued: "I often think about this day, and I really want to know the content of such a letter. It goes without saying? I personally searched all the documents in all villages and towns in this area. Archives, have even been here once, however, did not get any enlightenment. "The deadline is approaching. I will first consult the president of the civil court. Because, indeed, there is a problem. "If it's about a will, maybe I can only open it in his presence. That's my opinion. "But he doesn't think so. The President thinks that the matter before us is absurd (he even used the word hoax) and has nothing to do with the law, and I will just leave it to myself. "He said jokingly, the writer of the letter asked you to meet at the stump, at noon on July 12, 1921. Just go and wait, Monsieur de la Rue, open the letter according to the instructions on the envelope, and then Come back and report to me. I promise you I won't laugh at you if you come back empty-handed. "In this way, I was very skeptical in my mind, took the train to Vannes, then changed to a carriage, then rode a donkey somewhere, and came to this ruin. You can understand that I saw that it was not only myself who came to the appointment , you guys are waiting indefinitely beside the tree stump, no, under the wall clock, how surprised I am." The four young men smiled knowingly.Marco Dario, from Genoa, said: "Anyway, there really is such a thing." George Ellington, from London, added: "Perhaps there is some truth to the story of the treasure." "Monsieur de la Rue's letter will tell us the answer," said Dorothy. The big moment finally came.The circle around the notary narrowed a little.There was a little more solemnity on the young man's relaxed and happy face.When Mr. De La Rue showed them an old homemade square envelope made of thick parchment paper, their expressions became more dignified.The envelopes are faded and shiny, only time will give the paper a similar effect.There are five seals on it, which may have been red in the past, but now they have turned dark purple and are covered with cracks like wrinkles.On the upper left is the record of several handovers, with a lot of ink added by the successors of Barbier the notary. "The seal remains intact," M. de la Rue pointed out. "You can also recognize the motto written in Latin..." "In Robert Fortuna," said Dorothy. "Ah! You already know? . . . " asked the notary, greatly astonished. "Yes, yes, Monsieur de la Rue, it is exactly the same as what we saw on the gold medal. I just found it on the clock face of the wall clock, although it is difficult to read half hidden." "There is indeed a relationship," thought the notary, "which connects the parts of a thing and certifies that it is true..." "Open it! Open it, Monsieur de la Rue," said Dorothy impatiently. After tearing off three pieces of sealing wax, the envelope was opened. Inside was a large sheet of parchment that had been broken into four pieces. There was no connection between them, so they fell apart at once, and they had to be pieced together to be read. From top to bottom, from left to right, the parchment is filled with large characters with independent strokes, and it is certain to use permanent ink.The rows are very close together, and there is no gap between the letters, giving people the impression of ancient large-character printing. "I'll read it," said M. de la Rue in a low voice. "Thank God, please don't delay any longer!" Dorothy shouted. He took out the second pair of long-handled glasses, adjusted the distance with the original pair of glasses, and read word by word: "Two centuries!" sighed the notary, and immediately returned to the letter: M. de la Rue did not read on.Several young people looked at each other.Archibald Webster from Philadelphia said, "The gentleman is mad." "Perhaps the word resurrection is used in a symbolic sense," Mr. de La Rue explained. "You'll find out later. I read on: The kids..." He paused again, and in his own words: "Children... this is for some of you..." "Ah! Monsieur de la Rue," cried Dorothy, "I beg you, please don't read any more! It's so fascinating." "but……" "No, Monsieur de la Rue, any comment is superfluous. We just want to know as soon as possible; friends, don't we?" Four young men enthusiastically supported her opinion. So the notary continued to read the letter, often hesitating and repeating when he came across difficult points: M. de la Rue paused to catch his breath, and looked inquiringly at his audience.Marco Dario from Genoa smiled and nodded.The Russian listened intently, opening his mouth to reveal two rows of snow-white teeth.The two Anglo-Saxons seemed very amused. "Good joke!" Ellington in London said with a half-smile. "Yes, mischief," said Archibald Webster of Philadelphia, interpreter.Dorotai had deep eyes and didn't say anything. When everyone was quiet, M. de la Rue continued to read: Mr. Marquis de la Rue stopped, put his head close to the letter paper, and after a while, he said in a low voice: "The signature is not very clear... I don't know if the first letter is B or R...? The signature is flying around, and all the letters are entwined. Together." Dorothet read it slowly: "Jean-Pierre-Augustin de La Roche, Marquis de Beaugreval." "Yes, yes," echoed the notary immediately and loudly, "it is the name... Marquis de Beaugreval. How did you pronounce it?" "It's one of our family's last names." "What's your family name?..."