H.J. Gaudreau - Betrayal in the Louvre (13 page)

Chapter 22

Jim sat in the small office off the kitchen.  He had a pile of paper on the desk and another on the floor.  His method was fairly straight forward.  He opened an envelop, read the bill, made out the check, subtracted it from his computerized checkbook, put the receipt in the proper file and put the opened envelop, sale inserts and other debris associated with paying bills next to his feet.  Eventually, when there were no more bills needing his attention, he scooped up the pile of paper from the floor and forced it into his trash can.  Two more handfuls of paper and the process was done for the month.  “Finished, lets go for a walk!” he nearly shouted to Eve.

Eve put on her jacket, called Molly and met Jim at the door.  They walked down the back steps and headed out to the barn.  Jim showed Eve where he thought an owl had taken up residence.  Then they walked behind the building and kicked a brush pile, hoping to get Molly started on a rabbit.  It wasn’t to be and they headed to the equipment shed.  There, they stopped and watched several birds on a feeder they had installed the previous spring. 

Jim stared past the pasture to their woods.  “You know, we could clear about five acres out there and add it as pasture in about two years.” 

“I don’t want to hire a bulldozer.  I hate the way it looks when they’re done,”  Eve said.

“We could cut the trees, fence it and put goats, then pigs on it,” Jim mused.

“Does that really work?” Eve asked. 

“Of course, it’s the way they did it for hundreds of years,” Jim replied.

Molly, nose to the ground, moved off in the direction of the barn.  Eve ducked inside, grabbed a bucket of birdseed and filled the feeder there.  Rejoining Jim they called Molly, who, contrary to her nature, came to them right away and they headed for the house.  There they mounted the steps and sat in the two porch chairs.  Molly went to her dish and nosily lapped up her water.  After a few moments Jim finally said, “I’ve got a plan.” 

Eve looked at him.  “About what?” 

“France.”

“Out with it, I’m getting older where I sit,” she teased.  He just shook his head and smiled. 

“Okay, here it is.  Jean is supposed to be in touch with us this week or next right?”

“Right”

“Well, I’m going to assume that she’s going to tell us the Patent and the tube are the real deal.  If she does, then I go down to the elevator and sell our crop in the field.  We’ll get less money, but we’ll have a nice check in the bank by early next week.  We use that money to go to France.  We’ll have to save a little extra over the winter for seed and fertilizer and what not, but we’ll be okay.  Let’s check this thing out.”  Jim looked pleased with himself.

Eve looked at him; she’d become a pretty savvy farmer’s wife and knew this was a hit at their budget.  “We can afford this?” 

He shrugged, “We’ll be okay.  It’s not like we depend entirely on the farm.” 

“I knew we’d be going to France!” she exclaimed.  They talked about France for a while, then about their college French classes as they watched the sunlight fade to night.  Finally, they headed into the house to plan their trip. 

CHAPTER 23

In the past, when Paul Marcil’s ego had been abused by the Council he had retreated into his work at the Louvre.  Here he was a man of influence and power, just as he should be with the Council.  And, while the influence of the AF had been of considerable assistance it was not the sole reason he was where he was.  He was not a stupid man.  In fact, his academic record was stellar.  Now, he approached his problem with the Americans and the Patents calmly, as any businessman would approach a large and expensive business proposition.  It had become clear the Americans knew of the Royal Regalia, and they might be within reach of recovering it.  He had elected to not have the Americans disposed of.  He felt they would lead him to the remaining objects.  But, it might be best if he had the Patent in his possession while the Americans searched for the remaining objects.  His problem was how to get it and the tube. 

Some problems have a solution so obvious that it is missed by most.  This was one of those problems.  After considerable thought Marcil decided upon the simplest solution he could conceive.  He would simply ask the Crenshaw’s for their treasure.  He studied his desk clock while he rehearsed his speech.  He always had trouble with the conversion of Paris time to United States time.  Where did these people live?  Was it the middle…what did they call it?  Central?  Was it Central Time or was it the first one…Washington Time, no…Eastern?  Was it six hours?  No, five…no, seven.   He grew frustrated and finally decided now was good.  He picked up the phone and called Jim and Eve Crenshaw.

Eve was grading papers at the kitchen table when the phone rang.  “Mrs. Crenshaw” said a French accented voice.  

“Yes?” Eve said.

“Madame, my name is Paul Marcil.  I am deputy director of the Art Acquisition Department at the Musée du Louvre in Paris”.

Eve suppressed her surprise; the Louvre in Paris was calling!  “Good afternoon Mr. Marcil.” 

“Madame Crenshaw if I may take a few moments of your time.  I hope I find you well today,” Marcil said.

“I’m fine,” Eve replied.  “May I ask what this about?”

Marcil winced.  “Why was it that Americans were so direct and impolite?” he thought. They had never mastered the art of a civilized conversation before they got right into business. “Madame, I am sorry to disturb your day, but it has come to my attention that you have a tremendously valuable and historical treasure of France in your possession.”

“I’m sorry who is this?” Eve asked, her mind racing at what she’d just been asked.

“Madame, I assure you, I am whom I say.  I am with the Musée du Louvre in Paris.”  He then proceeded to provide Eve with his office address, phone and fax numbers and other office specifics.  He was doing his best to stay calm and eventually she accepted that she was, in fact, speaking to someone at the famous museum.

“Well…yes. We may have a valuable antique,” Eve allowed.  “If you don’t mind, how did the Louvre find out?  We just found out ourselves a few days ago.”

“Madame, a Monsieur LeDuc was instrumental in the assessment of this treasure, was he not?  You see, he is affiliated with the Louvre in a very real sense.  He is the curator of a museum here in France.  All of our museums coordinate their efforts to ensure our French history is respected and preserved,”  Marcil explained.

“I see.  Well, yes, we have what Mr. LeDuc called a Patent and a tube of some sort that holds the Patent.” 

“I must ask you madam, how are you caring for this treasure now?  You see it is important.”  Marcil didn’t wait for an answer, “The Louvre considers this a treasure of France, and we intend to repatriate this important historical document.”

‘Intend?’  What did he mean by ‘intend’?  Eve was trying to decide if she had just been threatened.  “Oh boy, what if this guy filed a lawsuit?” she thought. “We could never afford the attorney’s fees.” 

She hesitated before answering, “Mr. Marcil, my husband and I are very aware of the value of these items.  We have taken the appropriate steps to make sure they are safe.”

Marcil could sense she was becoming very careful, maybe a little afraid.  He knew how to calm her fears.  “Madame, we at the Louvre would like to offer you a significant amount of money for these items.  But, we must insure they are indeed as Monsieur LeDuc believes.” 

Eve had been becoming nervous but the words “…a significant amount of money…” had her attention.  Marcil continued, “So, you see, we would like for you to bring these items to our laboratories in Paris.  We would of course provide you with the appropriate airplane ticket for both you and your husband and provide you with hotel accommodations.  Would that be acceptable to you Madame Crenshaw?”

She was stunned.  Take the Patent to Paris?  “Well, yes, I think so, I mean, we could do that,” Eve stammered. 

“It is important, you see.  We must verify these items as legitimate, no?  We at the Louvre would need to perform tests to ensure the legitimacy of the items, you see?”

“Oh, yes, of course, yes, I understand completely,” Eve said, not understanding completely at all.

“It is settled then,” he said. 

“Oh…well, okay, we can do that.” She was still in a bit of shock.

“Then madam, I will have my assistant telephone to you to arrange your flights.  I would hope to see you in Paris as soon as possible,” Marcil crooned. 

Eve hung up the phone.  “This can’t be happening,” she thought.  Then a big grin began to sneak on to her lips.  Finally, she was actually laughing.  “We’re going to Paris France,” she said to Molly.

Chapter 24

Two weeks later, on a cool Thursday evening, Jim and Eve began packing their bags for their trip.  They had arranged a full day layover in Montreal, telling Marcil’s assistant they were visiting a relative.  The next evening they were to leave Detroit and fly to Montreal via Chicago which seemed odd to them both.  Taking the diary and the history of the 32nd Jim wrapped them in a towel.  Eve then packed them in her carry-on.  Finished with the packing they went to the garage, called the dog, then they drove Molly to the neighbor’s for the next ten days.  The vet would charge too much to board her for that long.

They arrived in Montreal well after midnight, gathered their bags and found a taxi to the Hotel le Crystal.  The next morning they met Professor Somme for breakfast in the expansive hotel restaurant.  It was a warm reunion, and over eggs, bacon, toast and coffee Eve told her about the recent call from the Louvre.  They then showed her the diary and described their research into the 32nd Division.  Jean was fascinated by all the news and they spent several minutes discussing Paris, the Louvre, the First World War and Jim’s Great Grand Father. 

It was then Jean’s turn to relate her news.  She proudly proclaimed both the Patent and the tube as authentic and correct to their purported time.  She then explained each and every test she and her team had run, the historical verifications done on each portrait on the Patent and the chemical analysis. 

Coming to the end of her technical explanation she leaned across the table and in a low voice said, “There is something else.”  A large and revealing smile broke across her placid face.  “The paint used is extraordinary.”

“How so?” asked Jim, not exactly certain why Jean’s voice had lowered.

“You see, a specific skill of all great painters was the mixing of their paints.  After all, in the seventeen hundreds, one could not simply go to an art store and buy paint, could one?  No.  One had to make one’s own.”  Jean had become a professor again.

“All the great painters had their own formulas.  Each used different amounts of pigment, binder, thinner and extender in their formulas.  In fact, many different things could be used for each pigment or other element of the paint.”  She paused and sipped her coffee.

“You see?  No…?”  She seemed a little disappointed.  “It is important because each paint became a sort of fingerprint of the artist.  Over the past several decades art historians have identified the recipes of all the great masters and many of the lesser known important artists of their era.” 

“I get it,” Jim said. 

“You can tell who painted the Patent can’t you?” said Eve.

“You do not disappoint!” exclaimed Jean.  “Yes!  The paintings of portraits on the Patent and the decorations on the leather itself appear to be from the brush of one of the most celebrated painters of his day, Jacques-Louis David.”  

“Never heard of him,” said Jim.

“I suspect not,” Jean sighed.  “He is considered a great master certainly, but he is equally known for being an anti-royalist and a member of the Committee for Public Safety.”  Her excitement was real.

“Wait, what?  I’m not clear on this committee.  Bill mentioned that.  They beheaded people right?” Eve asked. 

Jean smiled.  “It is a period of European history not well known by many Europeans and even fewer Americans.  The
Comité de salut public
was notorious,” Jean said. 

“Initially King Louis XVI intended to establish a constitutional monarchy similar to the model established in England.  However, he was unsuccessful in managing the general assembly.  It transformed into a National Assembly, which eventually became the National Convention.  They struggled to create a republican government.”

Jim and Eve listened intently.  “Finally, unable to agree on the structure of the government the National Convention formed the ‘Comité de salut public’ to carry out the functions of government while they continued their work.  The Committee of Public Safety became the de facto executive government in France.  Remember this was during the time of the Revolutionary Wars.” 

Her voice dropped a bit, and she became more thoughtful as she talked.  “Now, this is interesting because the Committee was originally set up to defend the new republic.  That’s the ‘safety’ part.  They were to defend the new republic against all enemies.  Unfortunately, the saying “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” was never truer.  They quickly became a tyrannical bunch and lost all common sense.  The committee was responsible for thousands of executions.  Sometimes for infractions amounting to the absurd; women who complained the baker had no bread were considered anti-revolutionaries and beheaded.  High-profile executions at the guillotine were routine.  Anyone with even the most remote connection to wealth of any kind prior to the revolution was suspect.  Frenchmen were executed for their alleged support of the monarchy or opposition to the Revolution.  It is said nearly forty thousand went to the guillotine because of the Committee.”

“Finding Jacques-Louis David painted the Patent may cause a change in our total understanding of the French Revolution.  We will definitely dig deeper into his roll in the Revolution.  Was he in-fact a secret Royalist?  Did he convert to the revolutionaries out of conviction or to save his neck?” 

She sat back in her chair, pleased and excited.  Her triumph evident, Jim could tell there were scholarly papers dancing in her head already. 

Suddenly she leaned forward.  “Obviously it is beyond question that these items are truly genuine.” 

Jim and Eve were stunned.  The objects had been proven to be what they believed them to be and they were extremely important historical items. Jim and Eve were filled with a sense of gratitude they had not anticipated.  Eve hugged Jean tightly.  “Thank you,” was all she could manage.  Jim smiled, thanked Jean, then after a moment thanked her again; a moment later he stood up and hugged her.  At that point they were all laughing.