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be liable to the penalty of imprisonment。 See PENAL CODE； 21 and 28。'
Here is 21：'The term of imprisonment shall not be less than five years。'
28。 'The sentence of imprisonment shall be considered as involving a loss
of civil rights。' Now all that is very plain； is it not； Monsieur Bonnard？〃
〃Perfectly plain。〃
〃Now let us go on： 'ARTICLE 356'：'In case the abductor be under the
age of 21 years at the time of the offense； he shall only be punished
with'。。。But we certainly cannot invoke this artice in your favour。
'ARTICLE 357：'：'In case the abductor shall have married the girl by him
abducted； he can only be prosecuted at the insistence of such persons as；
according to the Civil Code； may have the right to demand that the
marriage shall be declared null； nor can he be condemned until after the
nullity of the marriage shall have been pronounced。' I do not know
whether it is a part of your plans to marry Mademoiselle Alexandre！ You
can see that the code is good… natured about it； it leaves you one door of
escape。 But noI ought not to joke with you； because really you have put
yourself in a very unfortunate position！ And how could a man like you
imagine that here in Paris； in the middle of the nineteenth century； a young
girl can be abducted with absolute impunity？ We are not living in the
Middle Ages now； and such things are no longer permitted by law。〃
〃You need not imagine；〃 I replied； 〃that abduction was lawful under
the ancient Code。 You will find in Baluze a decree issued by King
Cheldebert at Cologne； either in 593 or 594； on the subject： moreoever；
everybody knows that the famous 'Ordonance de Blois；' of May 1579；
formally enacted that any persons convicted of having suborned any son
or daughter under the age of twenty…five years； whether under promise of
marriage or otherwise； without the full knowledge； will； or consent of the
father； mother； and guardians； should be punished with death； and the
ordinance adds： 'Et pareillement seront punis extraordinairement tous ceux
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qui auront participe audit rapt； et qui auront prete conseil； confort； et aide
en aucune maniere que ce soit。' （And in like manner shall be
extraordinarily punished all persons whomsoever； who shall have
participated in the said abduction； and who shall have given thereunto
counsel； succor； or aid in any manner whatsoever。） Those are the exact； or
very nearly the exact； terms of the ordinance。 As for that article of the
Code…Napoleon which you have just told me of； and which excepts from
liability to prosecution the abductor who marries the young girl abducted
by him； it reminds me that according to the laws of Bretagne； forcible
abduction； followed by marriage； was not punished。 But this usage； which
involved various abuses； was suppressed in 1720at least I give you the
date within ten years。 My memory is not very good now； and the time is
long passed when I could repeat by heart without even stopping to take
breath； fifteen hundred verses of Girart de Rousillon。
〃As far as regards the Capitulary of Charlemagne； which fixes the
compensation for abduction； I have not mentioned it because I am sure
that you must remember it。 So； my dear Monsieur de Gabry； you see
abduction was considered as decidedly a punishable offense under the
three dynasties of Old France。 It is a very great mistake to suppose that the
Middle Ages represent a period of social chaos。 You must remember； on
the contrary…〃
Monsieur de Gabry here interrupted me：
〃So；〃 he exclaimed； 〃you know of the Ordonnacne de Blois； you know
Baluze； you know Childebert； you know the Capitulariesand you don't
know anything about the Code…Napoleon！〃
I replied that； as a matter of fact； I never had read the Code； and he
looked very much surprised。
〃And now do you understand；〃 he asked； 〃the extreme gravity of the
action you have committed？〃
I had not indeed been yet able to understand it fully。 But little by little；
with the aid of Monsieur Paul's very sensible explanations； I reached the
conviction at last that I should not be judged in regard to my motives；
which were innocent； but only according to my action； which was
punishable。 Thereupon I began to feel very despondent； and to utter divers
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lamentations。
〃What am I to do？〃 I cried out； 〃what am I to do？ Am I then
irretrievably ruined？and have I also ruined the poor child whom I wanted
to save？〃
Monsieur de Gabry silently filled his pipe； and lighted it so slowly that
his kind broad face remained for at least three or four minutes glowing red
behind the light； like a blacksmith's in the gleam of his forge…fire。 Then he
said；
〃You want to know what to do？ Why； don't do anything； my dear
Monsieur Bonnard！ For God's sake； and for your own sake； don't do
anything at all！ Your situation is bad enough as it is； don't try to meddle
with it now； unless you want to create new difficulties for yourself。 But
you must promise me to sustain me in any action that I may take。 I shall
go to see Monsieur Mouche the very first thing to…morrow morning； and if
he turns out to be what I think he isthat is to say； a consummate rascalI
shall very soon find means of making him harmless； even if the devil
himself should take sides with him。 For everything depends on him。 As it
is too late this evening to take Mademoiselle Jeanne back to her boarding…
school； my wife will keep the young lady here to…night。 This of course
plainly constitues the misdemeanour of complicity； but it saves the girl
from anything like an equivocal position。 As for you； my dear Monsieur；
you just go back to the Quai Malaquais as quickly as you can； and if they
come to look for Jeanne there； it will be very easy for you to prove she is
not in your house。〃
While we were thus talking； Madame de Gabry was preparing to make
her young lodger comfortable for the night。 When she bade me good…bye
at the door； she was carrying a pair of clean sheets； scented with lavender；
thrown over her arm。
〃That；〃 I said； 〃is a sweet honest smell。〃
〃Well； of course；〃 answered Madame de Gabry； 〃you must remember
we are peasants。〃
〃Ah！〃 I answered her； 〃heaven grant that I also may be able one of
these days ti becine a peasant！ Heaven grant that one of these days I may
be able； as you are at Lusance； to inhale the sweet fresh odour of the
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country； and live in some little house all hidden among trees； and if this
wish of mine be too ambitious on the part of an old man whose life is
nearly closed； then I will only wish that my winding… sheet may be as
sweetly scented with lavender as that linen you have on yo