THE MASTERPIECES OF

                            GEORGE SAND




                    AMANDINE LUCILLE AURORE DUPIN,
                          BARONESS DUDEVANT




                              VOLUME X




                             LES BEAUX
                       MESSIEURS DE BOIS-DORÉ




[Illustration: _BOIS-DORÉ CONFERS WITH THE
RECTOR._

_The rector, who was unable as yet to leave his easy-chair,
he had suffered so intensely with cold, discomfort
and fright, attempted to tell him that a fall from his
horse had caused his injuries and had detained him
twenty-four hours at the house of one of his confrères._]




                    The Masterpieces of George Sand
                Amandine Lucille Aurore Dupin, Baroness
                     Dudevant, _NOW FOR THE FIRST
                      TIME COMPLETELY TRANSLATED
                           INTO ENGLISH LES
                     BEAUX MESSIEURS DE BOIS-DORÉ
                          BY G. BURNHAM IVES_




            _WITH TWELVE PHOTOGRAVURES AFTER PAINTINGS BY
                              H. ATALAYA._




                              _VOLUME II_




                    _PRINTED ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS BY
                           GEORGE BARRIE & SON
                              PHILADELPHIA_




CONTENTS
CHAPTER XL
CHAPTER XLI
CHAPTER XLII
CHAPTER XLIII
CHAPTER XLIV
CHAPTER XLV
CHAPTER XLVI
CHAPTER XLVII
CHAPTER XLVIII
CHAPTER XLIX
CHAPTER L
CHAPTER LI
CHAPTER LII
CHAPTER LIII
CHAPTER LIV
CHAPTER LV
CHAPTER LVI
CHAPTER LVII
CHAPTER LVIII
CHAPTER LIX
CHAPTER LX
CHAPTER LXI
CHAPTER LXII
CHAPTER LXIII
CHAPTER LXIV
CHAPTER LXV
CHAPTER LXVI
CHAPTER LXVII
CHAPTER LXVIII
CHAPTER LXIX
CHAPTER LXX
CHAPTER LXXI
CHAPTER LXXII
CHAPTER LXXIII
CHAPTER LXXIV




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LES BEAUX MESSIEURS DE BOIS-DORÉ

VOLUME II

BOIS-DORÉ CONFERS WITH THE RECTOR

THE MARQUIS AT LA CAILLE-BOTTÉE'S

MACABRE AND HIS BAND AT THE INN

MERCEDES WOUNDED BEFORE THE CHÂTEAU

GUILLAUME D'ARS PROPOSES MARRIAGE

MARIO FINDS PILAR'S TALISMAN




LES BEAUX MESSIEURS DE BOIS-DORÉ

(_Continued_)




XL


Since the Moorish woman had taught Adamas divers Eastern secrets for the
composition of cosmetic mixtures, the marquis's complexion, his beard
and his eyebrows had really improved. They were proof against wind, rain
and Mario's frantic caresses; moreover, their perfume was sweeter, and
they were more promptly prepared.

At first the old Celadon submitted to the beautifying process in
profound secrecy, at the time when the child left his room for his first
play. But, as Mario asked no embarrassing or impertinent questions, the
old man gradually relaxed his great precautions, and proceeded to his
daily rejuvenation with most ingenuous explanations.

The cosmetics were christened cooling perfumes, and the brilliant
coloring was called keeping the skin in condition.

Mario seemed not to know what malice was. But children see everything;
and he was not duped by Adamas, only he saw no cause for ridicule. His
dear father could do nothing ridiculous. He fancied that these artifices
were a part of the toilet of all persons of quality.

So it happened that, as he was more or less coquettish himself, he
conceived a strong inclination to have his own face made up _like a
gentleman's_. He made that request; and, as he was simply told in reply
that at his age such devices were not necessary, he did not look upon it
as a positive refusal. So that, one evening, happening to be alone for a
moment in his adoptive father's room, and seeing the phials scattered
over the table, it occurred to him to _perfume_ himself in white and
pink as he had seen Adamas perfume the marquis. That done, he thought
that he ought to enlarge and darken his eyebrows, and, finding that that
gave him a martial mien which delighted him hugely, he could not resist
the temptation to draw two pretty little black hooks above his lips and
a lovely royale underneath.

As he had no light except a single candle which had been accidentally
left on the table, he used the colors too freely, and could not draw the
outlines very sharply.

The supper-bell rang; he hurried to the table, well pleased with his
bad-boy aspect, and maintaining his seriousness admirably.

The marquis paid no heed at first; but, Lauriane having uttered a hearty
peal of laughter, he raised his eyes and saw that sweet little face so
strangely transformed that he could not refrain from laughing with her.

But in the depths of his heart the good marquis was vexed and grieved.
Mario certainly had had no idea of making sport of him; but the broad,
loud way in which he had daubed himself betrayed a little too frankly,
before Lauriane, the existence and use of that palette of beauty which
he believed that he had kept so carefully concealed in the drawers of
his dressing-table and on his face. He did not even dare ask the child
where he had obtained the materials for that coloring; he dreaded a too
ingenuous reply. So he contented himself with saying to him that he had
disfigured himself, and that he must go and wash his face.

Lauriane realized her old friend's embarrassment and uneasiness, and
restrained her merriment; but Mario's whim seemed to her all the more
amusing, and throughout the supper she suffered from that mad, girlish
longing to laugh which constraint transforms to nervous excitement.

The effect on Mario was magical, until at last the marquis mildly said
to them:

"Come, children, laugh your fill, since you have such a longing to
laugh!"

But he did not laugh himself, and at night he reproved Mario, who was
penitent, and promised never to do it again.

This antic afforded much amusement to Monsieur Clindor, who broke a
beautiful piece of porcelain in his uproarious mirth. Being rebuked by
the marquis, he lost his head and trod on Fleurial's paw. Adamas could
not resist Mario's droll aspect, and he, too, laughed! Bellinde was the
only one who kept a serious countenance, and the marquis was grateful to
her for it.

"That child is very mischievous," he said that night to Adamas, "and
everything that he does indicates a playful and most entertaining wit.
But we must not spoil him too much, Adamas!"

The next day there was more trouble: one of the phials of carmine on the
dressing-table was found to be broken, and the beautiful lace
table-cover was stained. It was laid at Fleurial's door at first, but
similar spots were discovered on Mario's white jacket. He was surprised,
and stoutly denied having approached the dressing-table.

"I believe you, my son," said the marquis, with a sigh. "If I deemed you
capable of lying, I should be too deeply grieved."

But on the next day the cosmetics were found to be mixed; the red with
the black and the black with the white.

"Zounds!" ejaculated the marquis, "this devil's work continues! Will it
be the same way with it as with the noses of my poor statues?"

He scrutinized Mario without speaking; there were black stains on the
ruffles at his wrists. It might have been ink; but the marquis had a
horror of spots, and begged him to go and change his linen.

"Adamas," he said to his confidant, "the child is mischievous, that is
all right; but if he is a liar and abuses my confidence in his word, it
will break my heart, my friend! I believed that he was made of a
superior substance, but God does not choose that I shall be too proud of
him. He allows the devil to make of him a child like other children."

Adamas took sides with Mario, who had just entered the boudoir adjoining
the bedroom.

At that moment they heard Bellinde engaged in a warm dispute with the
child. He was pulling her by the skirt, and she resisted by saying that
he took liberties above his age.

The marquis rose indignantly.

"Libertine!" he cried in despair; "already a libertine?"

Poor Mario ran forward, weeping bitterly.

"Father," he cried, throwing himself into his arms, "she is a wicked
girl. I was trying to bring her to you to show you what she has on her
hands. She touched my ruff, saying that it was stained, and it is she
who puts the stains on it; she wants to make you feel grieved and
prevent you from loving me. She takes advantage of the foolish things I
do to put other wicked things on my back. Father, she isn't a good
woman; she makes you think I am a liar, and, if you believe her----"

"No, no, my son, I do not believe her!" cried the marquis.--"Adamas!"

But Adamas was no longer there; he had run after Bellinde; he seized her
on the staircase, tried to drag her back by force, and received for his
pains a hearty cuff which made him relax his grasp.

At the sound of this scuffle, the marquis darted out into the hall.
Adamas had received a violent blow; he was dazed and was pressing his
cheek.

"That hussy must have used her claws!" he exclaimed, "my face is
all--Why, no, monsieur," he cried suddenly, overjoyed, "it isn't blood!
Look! it's the beautiful rouge from your phials! It's conclusive
evidence! Ah! upon my word! this business is clear enough at last. Now I
hope that you will have no further doubt of that red-headed girl's
malice!"

"Monsieur le comte," said the marquis to Mario with admirable gravity,
"I confess that I have doubted your word on two occasions. If I were not
your best friend, you would be entitled to demand satisfaction; but I
hope that you will deign to accept your father's apologies."

Mario leaped on his neck, and that same evening Bellinde, being paid and
discharged without a word of explanation, left the oasis of Briantes and
her fine shepherdess's name, to return to the realities of life under
her true name of Guillette Carcat, pending the time when she should
assume a more sonorous and mythological one, as we shall see in the
sequel.

While these tragical events gradually faded from the memory of our
characters, Monsieur Poulain did not fall asleep in his zeal.

It was on the 18th or 19th of December, when the abbé, cold as to the
nose and feet, but with his brain warmed by the hope of a triumph at
which he had long been aiming, arrived at Saint-Amand, a pretty town of
Berry, situated in a verdant valley, between two streams, and overlooked
by the gigantic and wonderful castle of Montrond, the residence of the
Prince de Condé.

The abbé dismounted at the Capuchin convent, whose vast enclosure,
shaped like a cross, lay under the protection of the princely abode. He
avoided seeing the prior, whose attentions and good offices he dreaded;
he preferred to do his work himself and to travel alone. He simply
accepted a frugal repast from one of the monks, his kinsman, shook off
the snow with which he was covered, and presented himself at one of the
wickets of the castle, where he exhibited a passport in proper form.

"Thanks to the works undertaken by Sully, and especially to the
improvements made by Monsieur le Prince," who had purchased that domain
from the fallen minister, "the castle of Montrond, which assumed more
importance at a later date, in the wars of the Fronde, had become a most
luxurious abode as well as an impregnable fortress. It was more than a
league in circumference; it comprised numerous buildings, an enormous
and magnificent château of three floors, a huge tower or donjon a
hundred and twenty feet high, the walls of which were crenellated, and
which was surmounted by a platform whereon was a statue of Mercury."[1]

"As for the fortifications, they were so abundant, arranged in the shape
of an amphitheatre and in tiers, that even one who had scrutinized and
studied them for a long time could hardly understand them."[2]

In that labyrinth of stone, that powerful vassal's lair, that
significant mystery, dwelt Henri de Bourbon, second of the name, Prince
de Condé, who, after three years of captivity for rebellion against the
crown, had become reconciled with the court and resumed his post as
governor of Berry.

In addition to that office he held those of lieutenant-general, bailiff
of the province, and captain of the great tower of Bourges: that is to
say he monopolized the political, civil and military power of the whole
centre of France, since he enjoyed the same privileges and held the same
offices in the province of the Bourbonnais.

Add to this power an enormous fortune, increased by the sums which,
_under the form of an indemnity_, each rebellion of the Condés cost the
crown, that is to say France; by the almost forced purchase of the
magnificent estates and châteaux which Sully possessed in Berry, and
which he had no choice but to surrender to Monsieur le Prince at a great
sacrifice, by reason of the pitilessness of the time and the
_misfortunes_ of the province; by the _secularisation_, that is to say
the suppression, to the prince's profit, of the richest abbeys of the
province, that of Déols among others; by the gifts which the rich
bourgeoisie of the cities were compelled by custom, flattery or
cowardice to make; by the heavy bowls of gold and silver filled with
Berry sheep in the form of gold and silver coins; by the _azure
chariots_, carved and decorated with silver satyrs, drawn by six
beautiful horses with harnesses of Russia leather trimmed with silver;
by taxes, exactions and vexations of every sort imposed upon the common
people: money under all names, under all forms, under all pretexts--that
was the sole motive, the sole aim, the sole grandeur, the sole joy, and
the sole talent of Henri, grandson of the great Condé of the
Reformation, and father of the great Condé of the Fronde.

Two great Condés, who were most ambitious and most blameworthy for
their conduct toward France, God knows! but capable, too, of rendering
noble service against the foreigner, when their selfish interests did
not lead them astray. Alas! therein we see the _frightful_ 17th century!
But they were endowed with courage, grandeur, aye, with heroism; while
he who plays a part in our narrative was simply covetous, cunning,
prudent, and, people said, something much worse.

His birth was tragic, his youth unhappy.

He first saw the light in prison, born of a widow who was accused of
having poisoned her husband.[3] Married himself when very young to the
lovely Charlotte de Montmorency, the constable's daughter, he had had
for a rival that too lusty and too venerable gallant, Henri IV. The
young princess was a flirt. The prince kidnapped his wife. The king was
accused of seeking to make war on Belgium for giving her shelter. The
charge was at once true and false; the king was madly in love, but
Condé, pretending a jealousy of which he was incapable, exploited the
king's passion to the advantage of his ambition, and forced the king to
take harsh measures against a rebel.

Unlucky in his family relations, in war and in politics, Monsieur le
Prince consoled himself for everything by love of wealth, and, when the
terrible ministry of Richelieu supervened, he was living very quietly,
rich and unhonored, in his good town of Bourges and in his fine château
of Saint-Amand-Montrond.

But, at the time when our rector Poulain, after six weeks of manœuvring
and intriguing, succeeded in finding his way into his presence, Monsieur
le Prince had not renounced all political ambition, and he was still to
play his rôle of vulture during the death agony of the Calvinist party
and that of the royal power, hoping to rise on the ruins of both.

The rector thought that he was perfectly well aware what sort of man he
had to deal with. He judged him by the reputation of a _good_ prince
which he had made for himself at Bourges; familiar, condescending,
talking to everybody without arrogance, playing with the school children
of the town and cheating them, very fond of gifts, gossipy, stingy,
whimsical and exceedingly pious.

The prince had all those qualities; but he had them in much greater
degree than anyone as yet supposed. History declares that he was too
fond of the society of children. He cheated from avarice and not simply
for amusement; he did not follow the example of Henri IV., who returned
the money. He was passionately fond of gifts; was a gossip from envy and
evil-mindedness; he was avaricious to frenzy, whimsical to superstition,
pious to atheism.

Lenet in his panegyric, says of him most ingenuously, or rather most
maliciously:

"He understood religion and knew how to make the most of it, knew every
fold of the human heart as thoroughly as any man I ever knew, and could
decide in an instant by what motive a man's action was guided in affairs
of every sort. He had the art of taking precautions against the artifice
of other men, without letting them be apparent. _He loved to gain an
advantage_. He undertook few affairs which he did not succeed in
carrying through, by temporizing when he could not gain his object in
any other way. He knew how to avoid any danger of losing that which was
due to him, and to grasp any opportunities which might benefit him in
any way. In short," says Lenet blandly in conclusion, "he seems to me to
have been a great man and a very extraordinary one."

So be it!

As for the prince's physical characteristics, they are thus described,
in a private letter, by a more illustrious pen than Lenet's:

"A face attractive at first sight; somewhat long, but with regular
features; nothing of the power or of the marked peculiarity of feature
of his son, the great Condé; smiling eyes; a face possessing no slight
charm, with its frame of long hair; moustaches turned up at the ends; a
long, heavy royale. Uncertainty in the shape of the forehead, which is
of medium height, largely developed in the upper portion; some
flabbiness in the cheeks. That smiling glance was one of those in which
one can detect, with some attention, the lack of dignity and of serious
faith, a petty, selfish disposition and much indifference. But that is
the second impression; the first is not disagreeable. The best of his
portraits bears the device: _Semper prudentia_."[4]

The statue of Mercury, the god of sharpers, standing on the summit of
the donjon, is even more eloquent.


[Footnote 1: Raynal, _History of Berry_.]

[Footnote 2: Memoirs of Monsieur Lenet.]

[Footnote 3: Charlotte de la Trémouille, wife of the first Henri de
Condé, was imprisoned eight years, then acquitted, but never exonerated.]

[Footnote 4: Henri Martin. Unpublished letter.]




XLI


Monsieur Poulain, while not a physiognomist in the highest sense, was a
shrewd observer none the less; but he was at first impressed only by the
agreeable side of the prince's countenance.

Monsieur de Condé received him alone in his closet, and invited him to
sit. He displayed the greatest consideration for any man who wore a
cassock.

"Monsieur l'abbé," he said, "I am ready to listen to you. Pardon me if
important duties have compelled me to keep you waiting a long while for
this appointment. You know that I have had to go to Paris to fetch
Monsieur le Duc d'Enghien; then I was obliged to find another nurse for
him, she whom his mother had selected having no more milk than a stone;
and then--But let us speak of yourself, who seem to me to be a man of
resolution. Resolution is a fine thing; but I am surprised to find you
so persistent in appealing to me concerning such a trivial affair. Your
clodhopper of--What do you call the place?"

"Briantes," replied the rector, respectfully.

The prince glanced furtively at him, and saw, beneath his humility, an
air of assurance which disturbed him.

It is a peculiarity of great minds to seek to fathom and make use of the
forces with which they come in contact. The prince was too suspicious
not to be timid. His first impulse was not so much to make use of people
as to refrain from doing so.

He affected indifference.

"Very good," he said; "your clodhopper of Briantes has killed in single
combat, or rather in a singular combat and in a suspicious way, a
certain--What is the dead man's name?"

"Sciarra d'Alvimar."

"Ah! yes, I know! I have inquired about him; he was a man of no
consequence, and one who fought unfairly himself. The fellows must have
been evenly matched. What does it matter to you, after all?"

"I love my duty," replied the rector, "and my duty bade me not to allow
a crime to go unpunished. Monsieur Sciarra was a good Catholic, Monsieur
de Bois-Doré is a Huguenot."

"Has he not abjured?"

"Where and when, monseigneur?"

"I neither know nor care. He is an old man, he is unmarried. He will
soon die a natural death. When the beast dies, the poison dies! I do not
see that there is much occasion to worry about him."

"Then your highness refuses to cause this affair to be investigated?"

"Investigate it yourself, monsieur l'abbé. I do not prevent you. Apply
to the proper authorities. This comes within the province of the
magistracy; I do not give my attention to the offences of the common
herd: I should never be done with them."

Monsieur Poulain rose, bowed low and walked to the door. He was
humiliated and deeply offended.

"Oh! stay, monsieur l'abbé," said the prince, who was desirous to
fathom him without seeming to do so; "if I am not interested in your
Monsieur d'Alvimar, I am deeply interested in you, who write an
exceedingly well-turned letter, furnish valuable information, and seem
to me to be a man of courage and spirit. Come, speak frankly to me.
Perhaps I may be able to assist you in some way. Tell me why you desired
to see me, instead of applying to your natural superiors, the higher
clergy?"

"Monseigneur," replied the rector, "such an affair was not within the
jurisdiction of the church."

"What affair?"

"The murder of Monsieur d'Alvimar; I have no other motive. Your highness
insults me by thinking that I have made use of that circumstance as a
pretext to gain access to you, in order that I may address some personal
petition to you; such is not the case. I am impelled solely by the
dissatisfaction which every sincere Catholic feels to see the
_pretenders_ begin anew their thieving and murdering in this province."

"You said nothing of theft," rejoined the prince. "Had this D'Alvimar
any property which was taken from him."

"I do not know, nor is that what I mean. I had the honor to write to
monsieur le prince that this Bois-Doré had enriched himself by
pillaging churches."

"True, I remember," said the prince. "Did you not give me to understand
that he had some sort of hidden treasure in his house?"

"I gave monseigneur most precise and accurate details. A part of the
treasure of the Abbey of Fontgombaud is still there."

"And it is your opinion that we should make him disgorge? That would be
difficult, unless by employing officers of the law; and the tardiness of
legal procedure would enable the old fox to put the _corpus delicti_ out
of sight. Do not you think so?"

"Perhaps Monsieur d'Aloigny de Rochefort, whom your highness has
appointed fiduciary abbé of Fontgombaud, might take measures----"

"No," said the prince, with some vehemence, "I forbid you--I beg you to
let him know nothing of this. I have already incurred sufficient blame
for the favors with which I have rewarded Monsieur de Rochefort's
valuable services; people would never cease saying that I enrich my
creatures with the spoils of the vanquished. Moreover, Rochefort is
accused of being too greedy, and, in truth, perhaps he is so to some
extent. I would not take my oath that he would confiscate these things
for the benefit of the religion."

"I have touched the tender spot," thought the rector; "the treasure
makes him prick up his ears. I must manage it so that monseigneur will
be my debtor."

The prince noticed the slightly disdainful inward satisfaction of his
visitor. The rector was not thirsty for money and jewels. He was thirsty
for influence and power. Condé realized it and kept a closer watch upon
himself.

"Moreover," he added, "it would be inadvisable to make a commotion over
a trifle. This treasure, hidden in an old chest in a country-house
garret, is not worth, I fancy, the trouble that would be necessary to
obtain possession of it."

"But it is a living spring which supplies the old marquis's
magnificence."

"He has been drawing upon it for a long time," rejoined the prince; "it
must be drained dry! I used to know your clodhopper slightly; he was a
burlesque marquis, of the King of Navarre's making. He was admitted to
_my dear uncle's_ intimate circle!"

Condé never spoke of Henri IV. except in an ironical tone overflowing
with aversion. Monsieur Poulain observed the bitterness of his tone and
smiled in a way to gratify the prince.

"The marquisate of Bois-Doré," he said, "is a jest which the old man
takes very seriously, and he persists in forcing upon everybody his
absurd passion for the late king."

"The late king had some good qualities," rejoined Condé, who considered
that the rector went too far, "and this old creature of whom we are
talking was not one of his worst creatures. He squandered all his
property in absurd finery; he cannot have anything left. He never goes
to Paris now, he never appears at Bourges, he lives in a hole. He has an
old chariot of the time of the League and a castle wherein I should be
ashamed to quarter my dogs. He has laid out gardens where all the
statues are of plaster; all this smells of mediocrity."

"These are details with which I did not supply monseigneur," said the
rector to himself. "He has been making inquiries, he has nibbled at the
bait.--It is true," he said aloud, "that our man is only a petty
provincial nobleman. He is known to have about twenty-five thousand
crowns of visible income, and people are justly surprised that he spends
sixty thousand without running into debt and without leaving his
estate."

"Can it be that the Abbey of Fontgombaud still holds out?" said the
prince with a smile. "But how do you know, monsieur l'abbé, that this
horn of plenty exists at the manor of Briantes?"

"I know it from a very devout young woman who has seen reliquaries and
chapel ornaments of great value there. A certain child's bed, all of
carved ivory, is a _chef-d'œuvre_, surmounted by a canopy----"

"Bah! bah!" said the prince, "some old woman's tale! We will look into
this matter if you insist, for the honor and welfare of the church,
monsieur l'abbé; but it is not a matter of great urgency. I must leave
you; but I would like first to know if I cannot serve you in any way.
Your archbishop is a very good friend of nine; it was I who procured his
translation. Do you desire a better living? I can speak to him of you."

"I desire none of the advantages of this world," the rector replied as
he took his leave. "I consider myself well placed wherever I can labor
for my salvation and pray for your highness's happiness."

"That is to say," thought the prince as soon as he was alone, "the
Bois-Doré's coffers are still full; otherwise this ambitious fellow
would have asked me first for his reward. He knows that I shall be
satisfied with the result, and he will ask me for more than I have
offered him. We shall see."

And the prince issued his orders.

On the evening of that same day, the dwellers at Briantes had just
wished one another good-night, and were about to separate, when
Aristandre, who was gatekeeper, sent word that a nobleman and his
retinue desired shelter and an opportunity to rest for a couple of
hours. It was raining and was very dark.

The marquis called for a light, and, wrapping himself in his cloak, went
out in person to order the portcullis raised.

"We are----" began an unfamiliar voice.

"Enter, enter, messieurs," replied the marquis, ever a slave to the laws
of chivalrous hospitality. "Come in out of the rain. You may tell your
names, if you please, when you have rested."

The horsemen rode in; there was two or three of them, and one, who
seemed to be in authority over the others, acted as if he would
dismount. Bois-Doré prevented him, as the pavement was very wet.

He walked ahead with Adamas, who carried the torch, and returned to the
courtyard, followed by his guest, without noticing an escort of twenty
armed men, who, having crossed the drawbridge one by one, entered the
courtyard after their master, while he was ascending the stairs with his
host.

This large escort surprised Aristandre, who, as his functions included
that of receiving the servants of visitors and opening the stables, came
forward to offer his services. But they refused to unsaddle, and
remained with their horses, some around a fire which was lighted in the
courtyard, others at the very threshold of the château.

When the marquis entered the salon with the stranger, he saw a man of
some thirty years of age, of medium stature and poorly dressed. His face
was almost entirely shaded by the flapping brim of his hat and the wet
plumes that fell about it on all sides. Little by little he made out the
face, but did not recognize it, or, at all events, could not remember
where he had seen it.

"You do not seem to remember me?" said the stranger. "To be sure, it is
a very long time since we met, and we have both changed greatly."

The marquis artlessly put his hand to his forehead, apologizing for his
failure of memory.

"I will not amuse myself by making you cudgel your brains," rejoined the
traveller. "My name is Lenet. I was little more than a boy when I saw
you in Paris at the Marquise de Rambouillet's, and it may very well be
that you paid no attention to such an unimportant personage as I then
was. Even now I am only a councillor, awaiting something better."

"You deserve to be all that you desire," replied Bois-Doré,
graciously.--"But, deuce take me," he said to himself, "if I remember
the name of Lenet, or if I know to whom I am talking, although his
manner recalls a thousand vague ideas."

"Order nothing for me," rejoined Monsieur Lenet, when he saw that the
marquis was issuing orders for his supper. "I go on to another château,
where I am expected. I have been delayed by the wretched roads, and I
beg to excuse my calling upon you at this hour. But I am entrusted with
a delicate commission for you, which I must execute."

Lauriane and Mario, who were in the boudoir, rose when they heard that
business was to be discussed, and passed through the salon to retire.

"Are those your children, Monsieur de Bois-Doré!" said the traveller,
returning the courtesy which they made him as they passed.

"Neither of them," replied the marquis, "and yet I am a father. This is
my nephew, who is my son by adoption."

"Now, this is my errand," continued the councillor, with a benignant air
and in a conciliatory tone, when the children had left the room, "I am
instructed by Monsieur le Prince, who is your lord and my own, and to
whom my family, from father to son, is closely attached, to inquire into
an unpleasant affair in which you are involved. I will go straight to
the fact. You have caused the disappearance of a certain Monsieur
Sciarra d'Alvimar, who was your guest as I am, with the difference that
he had no escort with him as I have, to protect my person and my
commission; for I must inform you that, under yonder window, are twenty
men, well armed, and in your village twenty others, ready to come to
their assistance, if you do not receive in a becoming manner the
messenger of the governor and grand bailiff of the province."

"This warning is unnecessary, Monsieur Lenet," replied Bois-Doré, with
much tranquillity and courtesy. "If you were alone in my house, you
would be the safer therein. It is enough that you are my guest, and by
so much the more are you protected by the commission of Monsieur le
Prince, to whose authority I am in nowise rebellious. Am I to accompany
you and account to him for my conduct? I am quite prepared, and entirely
undisturbed, as you see."

"That is not necessary, Monsieur de Bois-Doré. I have full power to
question you and deal with you according as I find you innocent or
guilty. Be good enough to tell me what has become of Monsieur
d'Alvimar?"

"I killed him in a fair duel," replied the marquis, confidently.

"But without witnesses?" rejoined the councillor with an ironical smile.

"There was one, monsieur, and the most honorable of men. If you wish to
hear the story----"

"Will it be long?" queried the councillor, who seemed distraught.

"No, monsieur; although it seems to me that I am entitled to explain my
conduct fully in a matter which concerns my life and my honor, I will
take as little of your time as possible."




XLII


Bois-Doré told the whole story succinctly, and exhibited his proofs.

Still the councillor seemed impatient and distraught. But his attention
seemed to be caught by one point. That point was the incident of La
Flèche's predictions at La Motte-Seuilly.

Bois-Doré, having to produce his brother's seal as the final proof of
his identity with D'Alvimar's victim, felt that he ought to mention that
circumstance; but, before he had time to explain definitely how little
real sorcery there was in Master La Flèche's prophecies, he was
interrupted by the councillor.

"Stay," said he, "I recall one charge against you which I had forgotten.
You are suspected of being addicted to magic, Monsieur de Bois-Doré.
And upon that charge I acquit you in advance, for I have no faith in the
soothsayer's art, and see nothing in it but a mental pastime. Will you
tell me if it happened that these gypsies predicted anything true?"

"Their predictions were fulfilled in every respect, Monsieur Lenet! They
declared that within three days I should be a _father_ and _avenged_.
They informed my brother's murderer that he would be punished within
three days, and these things came to pass as they said; but----"

"Tell me where these gypsies are?"

"I do not know. I have not seen them since. But it remains for me to
tell you----"

"No. This is enough," said Monsieur Lenet, still maintaining his honeyed
tone and smiling expression; "the cause has been heard. I believe you to
be innocent; but you were ill-advised to conceal the fact. Suspicions
will not easily be effaced; people will wonder as I do, why, instead of
making public the chastisement of your brother's assassin as an act
which did you honor, you concealed it as you would have done an
ambuscade. I shall not be able to make Monsieur le Prince understand."

At that point Bois-Doré was sorely tempted to interrupt the councillor
by an indignant exclamation; for it was evident to him that that man,
after claiming to have full powers in order to induce him to speak,
pretended to be unable to absolve him himself, in order to sell him his
influence.

"I agree," he said, "that in concealing D'Alvimar's death I followed bad
advice, which was entirely opposed to my own inclination. It was urged
upon me that Monsieur le Prince was a devout Catholic and that I was
accused of heresy----"

"And that is true enough, my dear monsieur. You are considered to be a
great heretic, and I do not deny that Monsieur le Prince is ill disposed
toward you."

"But you, monsieur, who seem to me to be less rigid in your ideas, and
who declare that you have confidence in my words--may I not rely upon
you to plead my cause and to bear witness in my behalf?"

"I will do my utmost, but I will not answer for the result, so far as
the prince is concerned."

"What must I do, pray, to dispose him favorably toward me?" said the
marquis, resolved to learn the terms of the bargain.

"I cannot say," replied the councillor. "He has been told that you have
in your household an Italian, a heretic of the worst sort, who, so it
seems, may well be a certain Lucilio Giovellino, condemned at Rome as a
believer in Giordano Bruno's detestable doctrines."

The marquis turned pale: he had maintained his tranquillity in face of
danger to himself; his friend's danger terrified him.

"Do you admit it?" said the councillor, carelessly. "For my own part, I
think that the poor devil was punished enough, and I wish him no other
harm than what has already been inflicted on him. You can tell me
everything. I will try to divert the prince's suspicions."

"Monsieur Lenet," rejoined Bois-Doré, obeying a sudden inspiration,
"the man to whom you refer is not a heretic, he is an astrologer of the
most marvellous learning. He has recourse to no magic arts, but reads
human destinies in the stars with such extraordinary skill that the
events of life seem to abide by decrees written on the skies. There is
nothing in his operations inconsistent with the duty of an honorable man
and a good Christian; and you know as well as I that Monsieur le Prince,
who is the most orthodox Catholic in the kingdom, constantly consults
astrologers, as the most illustrious persons in all times, even crowned
heads, have done."

"I do not know where you have learned what you say, monsieur," rejoined
the councillor, shrugging his shoulders; "I have long lived and still
live in the prince's confidence, and I have never known him to resort to
such practices."

"And yet, monsieur," replied the marquis with assurance, "I am certain
that he would in nowise censure my friend's practices, and I beg you to
say to him, that if he will deign to test his skill, he will be highly
gratified."

"The prince will laugh at your confidence; but I do not refuse to
mention the subject to him. Let us return to the most urgent question,
which is to extricate you from this difficulty. I do not conceal from
you that I have orders to make a search of your house."

"A search?" echoed the marquis in amazement; "a search for what purpose,
monsieur?"

"For the sole purpose of making sure that you have no cabalistic books
and instruments; for you are accused of practising magic, not so much
for the amusement of reckoning numbers and watching the stars, as for
suspicious objects and by virtue of a sort of worship of the spirit of
evil."

"Really, monsieur le conseiller, you have kept this for a _bonne
bouche_! Is this all of which I am accused? shall I not be required to
defend myself against anything worse?"

"Do not blame me," said the councillor rising. "I do not believe that
you are guilty of such heinous deeds; that is why I urge you to show me
every corner of your house, so that I may be able to state and to take
my oath that I found nothing here which was not honest and becoming.
Remember that I can force you to obey me; but, as I desire to treat you
courteously, I beg you to take a torch and light me yourself, without
calling any of your people; for, if you do, I shall be compelled to call
all of mine, and it is my present purpose to take only five or six, who
are at the door of this room."

A ray of light flashed through the marquis's mind; it was his treasure
that was wanted.

He made up his mind at once. Although he loved all those sumptuous toys
which he regarded as legitimate trophies and pleasant memories of his
exploits of long ago, there was no avarice in his fondness for them,
and, however much he might regret being unable to resort to them any
longer to the profit of his beloved Mario's magnificence, he did not
hesitate between that sacrifice and the welfare of Lucilio, concerning
which he was much more anxious than concerning his own.

"Let it be as you wish, monsieur!" he said, with a magnanimous smile.
"Where is it your pleasure that we begin?"

The councillor glanced about the salon.

"You have many beautiful and costly things here," he said carelessly;
"but I see nothing reprehensible, and I know that you would not conceal
your instruments of deviltry in rooms that are open to every comer. I
have heard of a closed chamber which you call your storeroom, and to
which you do not admit everybody. That is where I should like to go, and
I desire you to lead me thither without remonstrance or deception; for
not only have I a plan of your house, which is not large, but I have the
means to turn everything topsy-turvy, and I should be distressed to have
to proceed to that extremity."

"It will not be necessary," rejoined the marquis, taking a torch; "I am
ready to satisfy you.--Ah! by the way," he added, stopping at the door,
"I have not the keys of that room, and I cannot admit you without the
aid of my old servant. Is it your pleasure that I call him?"

"I will send for him," said the councillor opening the door. And he said
to his men, who were on the landing:

"One of you obey Monsieur de Bois-Doré.--Give your orders, marquis.
What is your servant's name?"

The marquis, seeing that he was entirely in his guest's power and was to
be kept in sight, resigned himself to the inevitable, and he was about
to name Adamas, without any display of useless anger, when that worthy's
face appeared behind those of the pikemen who were guarding the door.

"Adamas," he said, "bring me the keys of the storeroom.

"Yes, monsieur," was the reply "I have them about me, here they are;
but----"

"Come in," said the councillor to Adamas.

And, when he had obeyed, he added:

"Give me the keys, and remain in this room."

Adamas seemed overwhelmed. He felt in the pocket of his doublet, and
replied to the councillor, with a surprising lack of self-possession:

"_Yes, sire._"

At that word, the councillor, as if attacked by vertigo, laid aside his
suave manner, rushed across the room, and hurriedly closed the door
between himself and his men, which had been left open.

"To whom do you think you are speaking?" he cried, "and why do you
address me so?"

Adamas stood as if dazed, and his confusion was amusing to the last
degree.

The marquis had seen the king too often in his childhood, and the
portraits that had been made of him since, to believe for an instant
that the personage before him was the young Louis XIII. He thought that
his poor Adamas was going mad.

"Answer, I tell you!" continued the councillor impatiently. "Why do you
give me the name applied to majesty?"

"I do not know, monsieur," replied the crafty Adamas. "I do not know
what I am saying nor where I am. My head is in a whirl with some
surprising news which I have just learned, and which I ask your
permission to tell my master."

"Tell it! speak! say on!" cried the councillor in an extraordinarily
authoritative tone.

"Well, master," said Adamas, addressing the marquis, and apparently not
observing the councillor's agitation, "the king is dead!"

"The king is dead?" cried Monsieur Lenet, rushing toward the door, as if
to go out without taking leave of anyone.

But he paused, suddenly suspicious.

"From whom did you learn this news?" he said, scrutinizing Adamas with
gleaming eyes.

"I learned it from the decrees of destiny. I learned it from heaven
itself," said Adamas with an inspired air.

"What does this man mean?" demanded Monsieur Lenet. "Bid him explain
himself, Monsieur de Bois-Doré; I insist upon it, do you understand?
and if this news of his is false, woe to him and to you!"

"True or false, monsieur," replied the marquis, observant of his guest's
excitement, "the news surprises and disturbs me no less than yourself.
Explain yourself, Adamas; how do you know that the king is dead?"

"I know it by astrology, monsieur! He showed me the figures, and I know
them. I saw, I understood, I read as plainly as possible that the most
powerful individual in the realm had just died."

"The most powerful individual in the realm!" said the councillor
thoughtfully; "perhaps that is not the king!"

"You are right, monsieur," said Adamas ingenuously; "perhaps it is
monsieur le connétable. I do not know the signs well enough. I may have
made a mistake; but at all events it is either the king or Monsieur de
Luynes; I will answer for it with my life!"

"Where is this astrologer?" said the councillor hastily; "let him come
here, I wish to see him!"

"Yes, sire," replied Adamas, still bewildered and absorbed, hurrying
toward the door.

"Stay," said Lenet, detaining him. "I insist upon knowing why you call
me so. Tell me, or I will break your head!"

"Break nothing, monsieur!" replied Adamas; "I have lost my head; can you
not see that? That word comes to my lips, I know not how; as truly as
God is in heaven, this is the first time that I ever saw your face.
Shall I go to find the astrologer?"

"Yes, hasten! and woe to you all, if there is any trick or snare in all
this! I will put the torch to your hovel!"

Bois-Doré could do no more than protest his absolute ignorance of this
new episode. He did not in the least understand Adamas's conduct, indeed
he was somewhat disturbed by it.

He saw clearly enough that the faithful servant had overheard his
conversation with the councillor, and that, to save Lucilio, he was
making use of the idea that had occurred to him, of passing off the
Italian as an astrologer, knowing, as everybody knew, the respect which
the Prince de Condé entertained for the art of divination. But would
the serious-minded Lucilio give his assent to that stratagem? Would he
know how to play his part?

"However," thought Bois-Doré, "we must rely on Providence and on
Adamas's genius! It is simply a matter of getting rid of the enemy
without his taking possession of my friend's person and mine; after that
we will look to our safety in the future."




XLIII


After a few moments Lucilio appeared with Adamas. He was calm and
smiling as usual. He bowed slightly to the councillor, very low to the
marquis, and handed the latter a paper covered with hieroglyphics.

"Alas! my friend," said Bois-Doré, "I know nothing about it."

"Speak!" cried Lenet to the mute, who motioned that that was impossible.
"Then write!"

Lucilio sat down and wrote:

"I obey no orders here save those of the Marquis de Bois-Doré; I do not
know you. Leave this room; I will not write before you."

"_Mordieu_! yes you will!" cried the councillor, beside himself. "I
propose to know everything, and you shall answer me."

"Forgive him, monsieur," said Adamas; "like all great scholars, he is
very odd and capricious. If you wish him to reveal his secrets, speak to
him gently."

"Does he want money?" said the councillor; "he shall have it; let him
speak!"

Lucilio shook his head by way of refusal.

The councillor seemed to be on burning coals.

"Come," said he, after a moment of agitated silence, "I will find out
whether you are a learned man or a fool! Look at my hand and tell me
something."

Lucilio looked at the councillor's hand, rose, turned to Adamas and,
pointing to his scrawl, motioned to him to speak in his place.

"Yes! I see," said Adamas. "These symbols say that there is a man, a
prince, who wishes to place the crown of France on his head. But where
is the man who has that sign in his hand? I do not know him."

Lucilio pointed to the councillor's hand.

"Who am I, pray tell me?" said that personage, exceedingly surprised.

Lucilio wrote three words which the councillor alone read, and he with
evident emotion. His face changed and his tone became gentler.

"And the king is dead?" he said, trembling in every limb, with terror or
with joy. "You see that you must answer me, now!"

Lucilio wrote:

"The king is well; but Monsieur de Luynes died by the light of the
flames on the 15th of this month, at eleven o'clock at night."

The pretended Councillor Lenet had no sooner read these words than,
without the slightest sign of doubt, he pulled his hat over his eyes,
hurried into the hall, and without speaking except to order his men to
follow him, remounted and rode away at full speed with his whole escort,
addressing no word of thanks or apology, no promise or threat to his
hosts at Briantes.

Adamas, the marquis and Lucilio, who had escorted them in silence as far
as the outermost gate, in order to make sure that no suspicious
personage was left behind in the château or in the village, returned to
the salon, where they found Mario.

They were all so deeply moved that they sat for some moments without
speaking.

At last the marquis broke the silence.

"So it was Monsieur le Prince?" he said.

"Yes," said Lauriane. "I saw him at Bourges three months ago, and I
recognized him at once when I passed through this room and saluted him.
Did you never see him, my dear marquis?"

"Once or twice, when he was very young, at Paris, but never since.
However, when he mentioned the Prince de Condé, saying that he was in
his personal service, that name fastened itself to the face of the false
Councillor Lenet, and I became more and more convinced every moment that
I was dealing with the master in person. That is why I was so very
patient; and I thank God that I was! But how did it happen that you
thought----"

"Monsieur de Luynes did actually die, of scarlet fever, on the 15th of
this month, while the king's troops were pillaging and burning unlucky
Monheur, on the Garonne. Here is a letter from my father, telling me the
news, which one of his retainers, who arrived just after the prince and
his suite, succeeded in sending to me secretly by Clindor."

"This is great news, my children, and the whole policy of the government
will be turned topsy-turvy once more. But which of you had the idea----"

"I, monsieur," said Adamas, triumphantly; "as soon as Madame Lauriane
said: 'That stranger who is closeted with monsieur le marquis is the
prince and no other,' we all four hid in the little passage that you
know of."

"We were worried about you," said Mario, "on account of that big escort
of men who had a suspicious, threatening sort of look. Adamas suddenly
thought of what he afterwards did and said."

"Master Jovelin was none too anxious to lend a hand," added Adamas; "but
we had to save you, there was no time to reflect, and he played his part
cleverly enough, didn't he, monsieur? Now he has his fortune in his own
hands, and if he chooses to replace, or at least to equal in favor the
prince's famous astrologer, who has predicted that he would be King of
France at thirty-four----"

"I noticed," said the marquis to Jovelin, "that you could not make up
your mind to give him that promise. You simply told him that he had that
ambition. But what shall we do now, my friends? for, as you say, we are
basely betrayed, and we are exposed to many perils of which we have
never thought."

"We must do nothing, keep perfectly quiet," said Lauriane with decision.
"The prince is galloping south at this moment and will not think of us
again for some time."

"That is true," said the marquis; "he is off at full speed, in order to
reach the king's side first, and to grasp the power that Monsieur de
Luynes enjoyed, if not the favor. He will have to fight hard for it!
Retz, Schomberg and Puisieux will want their share of the cake, to say
nothing of the fact that madame the queen-mother and her little Bishop
of Luçon will give them some thread to wind! Bah! our petty affairs
have already gone out of our _good_ prince's head, and will never enter
it again perhaps. If only he did not issue any orders against us before
he came hither!"

"No, monsieur, there is no danger!" said Adamas. "He had his eye on your
treasure, the amount of which must have been grossly exaggerated to him,
since so great a prince does us the honor to call upon us for so small a
matter. Now we are warned; we can easily hide our little hoard and leave
trunks filled with débris for the satisfaction of the curious. The
secret exit from the château will be kept in good condition, and we
will be on our guard against people who ask for shelter from the rain.
But be assured that, if the prince does not come here again in person,
nobody else will think of doing it; for if he has given any orders at
all, they are that no one shall come and put his hand on the dish upon
which he has placed his powerful paw."

Adamas's reasoning was very sound. He concluded by calling down a
thousand maledictions on Bellinde, who alone could have discovered and
divulged Master Jovelin's real name, the death of D'Alvimar and the
existence of the treasure.

It was decided that they should consult with Guillaume d'Ars as to the
propriety of announcing D'Alvimar's death or continuing to keep it
secret; and to that end the marquis called upon him the following day,
in the afternoon.

Guillaume was absent and was not to return until evening.

The marquis sent a messenger to Briantes to bid them not be anxious if
he returned late, and went to pay a visit to Monsieur Robin de Coulogne,
who was then making a brief sojourn at his estate of Coudray, a pretty
château on the heights of Verneuil, about a league from the château of
Ars.

Robin, Vicomte de Coulogne, receiver-general of taxes in Berry and
farmer-general of the salt tax, was one of the natural enemies of the
ex-salt-smuggler Bois-Doré; and yet they had been the closest of
friends since the affair of Florimond Dupuy, lord of Vatan.

Those who know the history of Berry will remember that in 1611,
Florimond Dupuy, a fervent Huguenot and a great smuggler, had, to show
his detestation of the salt tax, kidnapped one of Monsieur Robin's
children. The marquis generously exerted himself to restore the child to
its father, at the risk of a rupture with Florimond, who was, according
to both friends and enemies, "a very uncomfortable bedfellow."

After this incident, the rebellion assumed such serious proportions,
that it was found necessary to send twelve hundred infantry, a company
of Swiss and twelve guns, to bring Monsieur Dupuy to terms in his
château.

Twenty-nine of his people were hanged on the spot, to convenient trees,
and his own head was cut off on Place de Grève. Young Robin was
afterward Abbé of Sorrèze. The elder Robin was a grateful and devoted
debtor of Monsieur de Bois-Doré, and we may well believe that the
marquis owed it to that friendship that he was never molested for his
former acts of complicity in the crime of salt-smuggling.

So Bois-Doré opened his heart to that faithful friend concerning a part
of the embarrassment with which he was threatened by the prince's visit,
and confessed that he was particularly disturbed concerning worthy
Lucilio, whose presence in his house the hypocritical zealots of the
province regarded with an evil eye.

"Your fears seem to me exaggerated," said the viscount. "Monsieur de
Groot, whom scholars call Grotius, and who was sentenced to life
imprisonment in his own country, succeeded in escaping, did he not,
concealed in a chest, thanks to the courage and adroitness of his wife,
and took refuge in Paris, where he is neither tormented nor even annoyed
by anyone? Why should not your Italian enjoy the same privileges in
France?"

"Because the government of France, which is not at all anxious to offend
the Gomarists of Holland and Maurice of Nassau, will be most eager to
please the pope by persecuting one of his victims. Twenty years
Campanella has been in prison, and although he is esteemed and pitied in
France, nothing is done to release him from the hands of his
executioners; God knows whether they would give him shelter at this
moment, openly!"

"Perhaps you are right," said Monsieur de Coulogne. "Very good; I
approve your idea of effecting your friend's escape, at the slightest
danger that may threaten your château; but I think that you should
select a place of refuge to which he can go at once in case of alarm.
Have you thought about it?"

"Yes, indeed," the marquis replied, "and I wish to consult you on that
point. You own an old manor-house near by, which seems to be quite
inhabitable, although I have never entered it. It is so near my house
that a man pressed for time can reach there in an hour. It is also near
a small farm-house of yours, and if you should give orders to the
farmers to that effect, they would be ready, if anything should happen,
to conceal and care for my poor fugitive. Will you do me this service?"

"Ask me for my life if you will, marquis; it is yours. So much the more
are my servants, my property, my houses at your service. But let me
reflect concerning the suitability of the place you have in mind: you
refer to my old manor of Brilbault, do you not?"

"Precisely."

"Very well, let us see: it stands quite alone in its grounds, and the
roads leading to it are detestable; so far so good. It is not upon the
road to any town or village; another point in its favor. The place
belongs to me, and the provost's people would never dare to cross the
threshold. Moreover, the house is supposed to be haunted by the most
uproarious and discontented spirits in the world, the result being that
no marauding peasant is tempted to enter, no passer-by to stop there.
This is better and better. Yes, I see that your choice, is a good one,
and I will go thither with you to-night, to give the farmer the
necessary orders."

Bois-Doré, having reflected in his turn, concluded that it would be
better for him to go alone, in order not to arouse suspicion.

"Your farmers are no strangers to me," he said. "They were formerly
associates of mine in--you know what!"

"Yes, yes, you villain," laughed the viscount; "they procured their salt
cheap through you! Very well, take that road when you return; the
streams are not full yet, and you can pass without danger. You can tell
Jean Faraudet, the farmer, as if I had taken advantage of your passing
to send him the message, to come to see me early to-morrow morning. You
can cast a glance at the house and examine the surroundings, so that you
will be able to direct your friend; indeed, it will be well for him to
go there secretly to-morrow night, in order to become familiar with the
roads and the entrances. In that way, if he should be obliged to take
refuge there, he could do so without losing his way or making any
mistake."

"Agreed," said the marquis, "and pray accept a thousand thanks for
setting my mind at rest."

The viscount kept the marquis to supper; after which he entered his
carriage just at nightfall, and took once more the road to Ars, which
was little better than that leading to Brilbault. His reason for taking
that direction was that he did not wish his chariot, which always
created a sensation, to be seen in the neighborhood of the ruined manor.

With even more forethought than Monsieur Robin had advised, he alighted
about a fourth of a league from the place which he proposed to inspect,
ordered his servants to go quietly to Ars, and, taking one of the
innumerable little paths in which Monsieur de Coulogne had probably
never set his foot, but which were as familiar to the old smuggler as
the paths in his rabbit warren, he disappeared in the damp underbrush,
after pulling his boots up above his knees.




XLIV


It was a mild night and not very dark, despite the heavy black clouds
which the wind drove across the sky, opening long furrows filled with
stars, which suddenly closed to open anew in another place.

It is said that our noble or bourgeois ancestors were unquestionably
more robust than we are to-day, while, on the contrary, our workmen and
peasant ancestors were less so.

Such is the belief of the old men of my province, and it seems to me to
be well-founded; well-to-do people were accustomed to an abundance of
fresh air and exercise of which modern life deprives us, or which it
makes unnecessary. The poorer classes were more poorly housed and not so
well fed as in our day, to say nothing of the immense number of
unfortunate wretches who were not housed or fed at all. The gentleman,
with his régime of fighting and hunting, retained his health and
strength to a very advanced age.

Bois-Doré, despite his sixty-nine years and the comparative effeminacy
of his habits, still had strong sight, lungs impervious to the cold, and
was sure-footed on the bare ground or on wet grass.

He slipped once or twice as he skirted the bushes, but he saved himself
by clinging to the branches, like a man who knows how to take care of
himself in a locality where the irregularities of the ground vary little
over a large extent of territory.

Thanks to the short cut he had taken, he reached the farm of Brilbault
in ten minutes.

Knowing the timid and superstitious character of the peasants, he
coughed and spoke before knocking; then, as he knocked, he gave his
name, and was received without alarm, at all events, if not without
surprise.

Although the condition of the farming class was still very wretched, it
was much less so, morally speaking, in Berry, which had long been a
province of freeholds, than in those provinces where serfdom still
existed. Moreover, in that region which is called the Black Valley,
material resources have always assured the farmer, whether proprietor or
tenant, a relative well-being which has saved him from great disasters
and great epidemics.

At this period the leprosy hospitals were already empty; the pest, still
so frequent in La Brenne and the neighborhood of Bourges, rarely
scourged Fromental. The dwelling-houses, which were filthy and
pestilential in the Marche and the Bourbonnais, were, at least in our
neighborhood, stoutly built and healthy, as is proved by a large number
of old country houses of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which
are still standing and easily recognizable by their vast tiled roofs,
their windows framed with stone cut in the shape of prisms, and their
attic windows surmounted by great sheaves of grain moulded in terra
cotta.[5]

The marquis felt no repugnance, therefore, to entering the farmer's
house, taking his seat by the fireplace, and chatting for a few moments
there.

As everybody loved him, the _good monsieur_ could safely entrust to Jean
Faraudet and his wife, if necessary, the care of a friend of his who was
being prosecuted, he said, for an offence against the game laws; and
when he informed them that their master, Monsieur Robin, wished to see
them the next morning, to give them orders to that effect, they seemed
overjoyed and eager to obey, answering him with the sacramental phrase
expressive of zeal and willingness in that country:--"_Il y a bien
moyen_!"

Madame Faraudet, however, who was called La Grand' Cateline, could not
refrain from pitying the man who should be condemned to pass even a
single night at the château of Brilbault.

She firmly believed that it was haunted, and her husband, after laughing
at her as a sop to the marquis's scepticism, eventually admitted that he
would rather die than put foot inside the building after sunset.

"My friend's presence," said the marquis, "will give you courage, I
trust, for I promise you that it will drive away the evil spirits; but,
since you are not afraid to enter the house by daylight, I beg you to
put some wood on the hearth and prepare a bed in the best room that
there is."

"We will carry everything there that is necessary, my dear monsieur,"
replied La Grand' Cateline; "but the poor Christian who goes there won't
sleep a wink. He will hear a terrible uproar and hurly-burly all night,
just as we do, may the good Lord preserve us! and as you will hear them
yourself if you choose to wait till after twelve o'clock."

"I cannot wait," said the marquis, "and besides, the spirits wouldn't
stir, knowing that I was there. I know what cowards they are, for I
never have succeeded in hearing the voices that shout at the top of the
donjon at Briantes, on Christmas night, nor the doors that open
themselves at La Motte-Seuilly, nor the white lady who pulls aside the
bed-curtains at the château of Ars."

"It's a curious thing, Monsieur Sylvain," said the farmer with a knowing
air, "that there should be apparitions in our old château. We all know
that there may be such things in other châteaux, because there aren't
any of them where some great wrong hasn't been done or suffered; and
that's the reason why the poor Christians who have been tortured or
heartbroken in those houses return to them afterward to complain, as
souls asking for prayers or justice. But in the château of Brilbault,
which was never occupied, there never has been any good or evil done so
far as I know."

"We must believe," said the woman, who plied her distaff busily as she
talked, "that the former lord died in a distant land, by violence and in
sin; for you know the legend of Brilbault, don't you? It isn't long. A
noble had built this château as far as the roof, when he started for
the Holy Land with his seven sons. The château was sold again and
again, but no one ever fancied it. People thought that it brought
families ill-luck; that is why it has never been used except to store
crops. They put on a roof which is good for nothing now; but there are
still two fine rooms and such a hall! So big that two people can hardly
recognize each other from one end to the other."

"Can you let me have the keys?" said the marquis; "I would like to see
the interior."

"Here are the keys; but my dear Monsieur Sylvain of the good Lord, don't
go there! It is just the time for the deviltry to begin."

"What deviltry, my good friends?" said the marquis laughingly; "what
sort of creatures are these wicked devils?"

"I have never seen them, monsieur, nor wanted to see them," said the
farmer; "but I hear them well enough, I hear them too well! Some groan
and others sing. There's laughter, then yelling and swearing and weeping
till daybreak, when they all fly away through the air; for it is
securely locked, and no human being can enter without leave or help from
me."

"May it not be that your farm-hands go there to amuse themselves, or
some thief to prevent you detecting his thievery?"

"No, monsieur, no! Our workmen and servants are so frightened that with
all your money you couldn't hire them to go within two gunshots of the
château after sunset; indeed, you see they no longer sleep in our
house, because they say it's too near that infernal building. They all
sleep in the barn yonder at the end of the yard."

"So much the better for the little secret we have together to-night,"
said the marquis; "but so much the better too, perhaps, for those who
play the part of ghosts for the sole purpose of robbing you!"

"What could they steal, pray, Monsieur Sylvain? There's nothing in the
château. When I saw that the devil used torches there, I was afraid of
a fire, and I took out my whole crop, except a few little fagots and a
dozen bundles of hay and straw, which I left in order not to make them
too angry, for they say that imps like to play about in the hay and the
branches; and, to tell the truth, I found it all tossed about and
trampled; it was as if fifty living men had walked over it."

The marquis knew Faraudet to be very truthful and incapable of inventing
anything whatsoever to avoid doing him a service.

He began to think therefore that, if lights were seen in the old manor,
if voices were heard there, and above all, if feet or bodies trampled
and disturbed the straw, there was more reality than deviltry in that
state of affairs, and that the château, which the farmer and his wife
confessed that they had not dared to enter for more than six weeks,
might very well be used already as a refuge by fugitives.

"Whether they be maleficent or congenial, I propose to see them," he
said to himself.

And, putting his naked sword under his arm, carrying the keys of the
château in one hand and a lantern in the other, he started across the
fields toward the silent, ruined structure.

Faraudet, when his wife began to lament the _good monsieur's_ rashness,
was ashamed to let him go alone and decided to accompany him.

But when the marquis had crossed the bridge, he found that the poor
peasant was trembling so violently, that he feared that he should be
more embarrassed than assisted by a man in such a plight and begged him
to go no farther.

Most of the châteaux in the Black Valley, even those of the primitive
Middle Ages, are situated in the depths of the valleys instead of on the
high land, as in La Marche and the Bourbonnais. There is a very
plausible explanation of this anomaly. In a region devoid of any
considerable elevations, the water-courses afford the best means of
defence.

At Brilbault therefore, as at Briantes, La Motte-Seuilly,
Saint-Chartier, La Motte-de-Presles, etc., the manor-house was built on
a winding stream of sufficient size to fill with running water the
double circular moat.

The bridge over the outer moat was very narrow and supported upon arches
of no definite type, midway between the full arch and the ogive.

The whole château was of a transitional style of architecture; the
façade was of a curious shape; the door and the staircase window above
it were set in the wall to a depth of several mètres, as if for
protection from attacks from without.

The top of the building should have been _mascherolé_ at that point;
but it was originally left unfinished and was finally surmounted by a
roof entirely out of keeping with the rest of the structure, which
indicated a scheme of some grandeur never carried to completion.

The marquis went straight to the château as the crow flies; the
encircling walls had crumbled to such an extent and sustained so many
breaches, the moats were so completely filled in innumerable places,
that it was not necessary to go to the gates.

He noiselessly opened the main door, which was small and low, under a
rampant arch surmounted by an ogive of carved flower-work.

There he partly opened his lantern to look at the floor at his feet, for
the farmer had warned him to be careful of the staircase.


[Footnote 5: These sheaves, which are rare and much prized by
archæologists, have retained a sort of traditional vogue in certain
localities; the potteries of Verneuil make very pretty ones after old
models. The small urn, with four or six handles on several different
levels, and surmounted by birds or flowers, is reproduced in their
system of decoration.]




XLV


It was a spiral staircase of great beauty, broad enough for six persons
and as light as the sticks of a fan. It was built of a friable white
stone; many steps had been entirely destroyed by the fall of some
portion of the building; but those which remained seemed freshly hewn
and bore no trace of wear. At each half turn of the spiral was a step,
supported by a grinning face, a fantastic beast, or the bust of an armed
man carved in relief on the wall.

The marquis was interested in these figures, which seemed to move in the
flickering light of his lantern.

He ascended the stairs slowly, listening whenever he stopped; and as he
heard no other sound than that of the wind in the crumbling roof, and as
the doors of the rooms that he passed were secured by padlocks, he
became more and more doubtful of the existence of any inhabitants
whatsoever. Thus he reached the upper floor, where were the two
apartments originally intended for the châtelain.

As it was the custom, in the Middle Ages, for the lord of the manor to
have his own quarters under the eaves, and, if necessary, to destroy the
staircase and sustain a siege in his own apartments, gaps were often
left in building stairways, so that the châtelain could reach his nest
only by means of a ladder which he drew up after him at night. In other
instances the steps of the last flight were purposely made so thin that
a few blows with a bar sufficed to shatter them.

The latter was the case at the château of Brilbault; and the gaps for
which the marquis had to be on the lookout were caused by accident, as
we have said. With his long legs he was able to straddle them without
serious danger.

These two rooms being those which the farmer had mentioned as suitable
for Lucilio's occupancy in case of need, Bois-Doré's first impulse was
to go in and see if they were provided with window-frames, or at least
with shutters at the windows; for all of the narrow, deep-set windows in
the stairway, with stone benches placed diagonally across the
embrasures, admitted violent gusts of wind, from which he had difficulty
in protecting his light.

But, as he was on the point of opening those seignioral apartments, of
which he had the keys, the marquis hesitated.

If the manor-house was in reality resorted to as a place of refuge by
any person, that person was probably in those rooms, and, being
surprised in his sleep, would seek to defend himself without awaiting an
explanation. His proposed exploration therefore should be conducted with
due prudence. The marquis did not believe in ghosts, and was the less
disposed to fear living things because he was not seeking them with any
evil purpose. If some poor devil were in hiding there, he was resolved,
whoever he might be, to leave him there in peace and not betray the
secret he had surprised.

But the refugee's first fright might assume the form of hostility. The
marquis could have made no appreciable noise in entering and ascending
the stairs, as nothing stirred. It was most advisable for him to make
sure of the truth unseen and unheard, if possible, or at all events
without making his appearance too abruptly.

With that end in view, he entered a room with no door, where the most
absolute darkness reigned, all the windows being covered with boards or
stuffed with straw. The floor was covered with a layer of dust and
pulverized cement, of such depth that one's footsteps were deadened by
it as by ashes.

Bois-Doré walked for a long while, hardly able to see where he was
going. He had closed his lantern, which was unprovided with glass or
horn, but had a half cylinder of iron with three holes in it, according
to the custom of the province. He did not venture to open it until he
had reached the end of that vast apartment and had satisfied himself
that he was in an absolutely silent and deserted spot.

Then he placed his light on the floor in front of him and stepped back
to an enormous fire-place which was near at hand.

Standing there, he was able to accustom his eyes little by little to so
faint a light in so vast a space, and to make out that he was in a hall
which extended the whole length of the château.

He examined the fire-place by which he was standing. Like everything
else it was of white stone, and the square bases, projecting from the
massive columns, seemed as fresh and new as if they had been hewn the
day before; the double fillets of the mantel were neither marred nor
chipped, and the same was true of the escutcheon, without coat-of-arms,
which crowned the mantel. Even the smoke-flue, and the fire-place
itself, which was not sheathed with iron, bore no traces of fire, smoke
or ashes. The unfinished building had never been used, that was evident.
No one had ever occupied, no one now occupied that bare, cheerless hall.

Having satisfied himself of that fact, the marquis made bold to go to
ascertain why a barrier of boards, waist-high, extended diagonally
across that immense room at a point halfway between the two ends. Upon
reaching that point, he found himself looking into space. The floor had
fallen or been cut away, as had that of the lower stories, in quite half
of the building, perhaps to facilitate the storing of the crops.

The eye plunged into the darkness of an expanse that seemed as large as
the interior of a cathedral.

Bois-Doré had been there for some moments, trying to form a just idea
of his surroundings, when, from the depths which his eyes questioned in
vain, a sort of groan rose to his ears.

He started, closed his lantern, and concealed it behind the boards, held
his breath and listened intently, for his hearing was a little dull and
might deceive him as to the nature of the sounds.

Was it a door or a shutter closed by the wind?

He had not waited three minutes when the same groan was repeated, even
more distinct, and at the same time it seemed to him that a faint ray of
light, very far below him, illumined those depths, which, viewed from
his position, were literally an abyss.

He knelt to avoid being seen, and looked between the boards which served
him as a balustrade.

The light rapidly increased and soon became bright enough to enable him
to see, or rather to divine, in a vague blending of light and shadow,
the outline of a room on the ground floor, as large as that in which he
was, but evidently much higher before the crumbling of the intermediate
floors, as he could judge by the spring of the arched ceiling which
rested upon bases embellished with fanciful human and animal figures,
much larger and protruding farther than those he had previously seen on
the stairway.

The only furniture consisted of several piles of dry forage, and boards
arranged as a barrier near one end, with the broken remains of a number
of mangers. The room had been used for a long time as a stable for
cattle. Among the boards could be seen pieces of yokes and ploughshares.
Then all these things were shrouded in shadow once more, and the light,
ascending, struck the great stretch of wall which formed the gable end
of the building, and which was directly opposite the marquis, some forty
feet in height.

This light, now pale, now reddish, came from an invisible flame placed
under the ceiling of the ground-floor apartment--that is to say, under
that part of it which had not fallen, corresponding to that from which
the marquis watched this gloomy, flickering tableau.

Suddenly there was a noise of doors closing, footsteps and voices under
that ceiling, and a confused mass of moving shadows, sometimes of
enormous size, sometimes stunted as it were, was thrown in the most
curious fashion on the high wall, as if a great number of persons were
passing back and forth in front of a great fire.

"This is a very strange game of hide-and-seek," thought the marquis,
"and it is impossible to deny that this château is filled with
wandering, chattering ghosts. Let us hear what they say."

He listened, but he could not succeed in distinguishing a single phrase,
a word, a syllable, amid a loud murmur of words, songs, groans and
laughter.

The appalling resonance of the arched ceiling, which hurled the sounds
like shadows against the opposite wall, blended all the voices in a
single one--all the words in a confused murmur.

The marquis was not deaf, but he had the sensitive hearing peculiar to
old men, who can hear very distinctly sounds that are moderately loud
and words clearly articulated, but whom an uproar, a hurly-burly of
voices disturbs and confuses to no purpose.

Thus he distinguished intonations, nothing more: sometimes that of a
hoarse, loud voice, which seemed to be telling a story; sometimes the
refrain of a ballad abruptly interrupted by threatening accents; and
then a loud voice which seemed to ridicule and imitate the others, and
which raised a tempest of uproarious and brutal laughter.

Sometimes there were long monologues, then dialogues between two or
three, and suddenly shouts of anger or merriment which resembled roars.
Indeed, it might be that those people were speaking a language which the
marquis did not know.

He persuaded himself that they were simply a band of vagrants or
mountebanks out of employment, living by marauding, and waiting under
cover of that ruin for the spring to come, or perhaps in hiding there
because of some crime.

That laughter, those strange costumes outlined on the wall like Chinese
ghosts, those long harangues, those animated dialogues were connected
perhaps with the study of some burlesque art.

"If I were nearer to them," he thought, "I might be amused; no man is
ever ill received in any company, however bad it may be, if he enters it
offering his purse with a good grace."

So he took up his lantern and was preparing to descend, when the
conversations, songs and laughter changed into cries of animals, so
lifelike, so perfectly imitated, that one would have said that it was a
whole barnyard in commotion. There were the ox, the ass, the horse, the
goat, the rooster, the duck and the lamb, all braying and crowing
together. Then they all ceased, as if to listen to the barking of a pack
of hounds, the blast of the horn--all the typical noises of a hunt.

Was it a game? Did it occur to the actors to look at themselves on the
wall? They did not seem to be imitating the actions of the beasts whose
cries they mimicked.

In the midst of the uproar a child cried out in a shrill voice, perhaps
to do as the others did, perhaps because he was frightened in his sleep;
and Bois-Doré saw the shadow of a tiny person pass, with gestures like
those of a monkey. Next there came a huge head crowned by a sort of
plumed helmet, with an absurd nose outlined against the bright wall;
then a long-haired head which seemed to wear a priest's cap, and which
conversed with a long shadow that stood for many minutes as motionless
as a statue.

Then all the noises suddenly ceased, and naught could be heard save a
low groaning, which resembled the groaning caused by physical pain, and
which Bois-Doré had constantly detected, recurring at intervals, like a
doleful chord on an organ, in the pauses of that wild charivari.

The tumult stilled, the shadow of a gigantic crucifix was thrown upon
the wall.

The light seemed to change its position, and the cross became very
small; at last it disappeared, and its place was taken by a single
figure very sharply outlined, while a sepulchral voice recited in a
monotonous tone a prayer which seemed to be the prayer for those who are
in the death agony.




XLVI


Bois-Doré, who had held his place, detained by the amusement he derived
from that phantasmagoric spectacle and those strange noises, was
beginning to feel so cold that his teeth fairly chattered when this
tedious ceremony began.

This time, although he had determined to go to see what was taking
place, he was withheld by the appalling resemblance presented by the
last apparition. It became more precise and more unmistakable as the
sepulchral voice proceeded with its sepulchral prayer, and the marquis,
as if fascinated, could not remove his eyes from it.

That head, so easily recognizable by the short hair, cut _à la
malcontent_, by the Spanish ruff in which it was framed as it were, by
its sharp and angular, yet refined outlines, and lastly by the peculiar
shape of the beard and moustache, was the head of D'Alvimar, thrown back
in the rigor of death.

At first Bois-Doré fought against the idea; then it took entire
possession of him, became a certainty, a source of intense agitation and
insurmountable terror.

He had never believed that he was in any danger from ghosts. He said and
he thought that, having never put any man to death from revenge or from
cruelty, he was quite sure that he should never be visited by any soul
in anger or distress; but he was no more disposed than the majority of
sensible men of his time to deny the return of spirits to earth, or the
reality of the apparitions which so many persons entirely worthy of
confidence described in detail.

"This D'Alvimar is surely dead," he thought; "I touched his cold limbs;
I saw his body, already stiff in death, taken from his horse's back. He
has been reposing underground for several weeks, and yet I see him here
before me, I who have always refused to see anything supernatural where
others saw terrible phantoms! Was this man, contrary to all appearances,
innocent of the crime of which I accused him and for which I punished
him? Is this a rebuke of my conscience? Is it a vision of my brain? Is
it the chilling atmosphere of this ruin stealing over me and confusing
my faculties? Whatever it may be," he thought, "I have had enough of
it."

And, feeling the dizziness which is the precursor of a swoon, he dragged
himself out to the stairway. There he recovered himself somewhat, and
descended the ruinous spiral staircase with a firm step. But, when he
reached the foot, instead of mustering courage to force his way into the
apartments on the ground floor, he had no desire to see or hear anything
further; and impelled by an unconquerable feeling of repugnance, he
rushed forth into the fields, confessing his fear to himself, and ready
to avow it artlessly to the first person who should question him
concerning it.

He found the farmer, more dead than alive, waiting for him on the
bridge.

It was an heroic act on the good man's part to remain there. He was
incapable of saying or listening to anything whatsoever, and not until
he and the marquis had returned to the farmhouse, did he venture to ask
any questions.

"Well, my poor dear Monsieur Sylvain," he said, "I trust you have had
your fill of watching their lights, and listening to their bellowing! I
thought surely I should never see you come back!"

"It is certain that something out of the common course is taking place
in that ruin," said the marquis, tossing off a glass of wine which the
farmer's wife handed him, and which was by no means unacceptable.

"I fell in with no evil spirits there---"

"Ah! but you're whiter than your ruffles, my dear monsieur!" said La
Grand' Cateline. "Warm yourself, pray, my lord, so that you won't be
sick."

"To tell the truth, I was very cold," replied the marquis, "and I
fancied that I saw things which perhaps I didn't see at all; but the
walk will quicken my blood, and I fear to alarm my family by remaining
longer. Good night to you, good people! Drink to my health."

He paid them handsomely for their eagerness to oblige, and returned to
his carriage, which was waiting for him at the place where he had left
it. Aristandre had begun to be anxious; but, when the marquis assured
him that nothing unpleasant had happened to him, the honest coachman was
convinced that Adamas was not boasting when he declared that monsieur
still indulged in gallant adventures.

"There must be some pretty shepherdess at that farm!" he said to Clindor
as they drove homeward.

He was confirmed in this sagacious idea when his master forbade him to
speak of his trip through the fields.

Instead of stopping at Ars, the marquis bade him drive on to Briantes.
He was surprised at and already a little ashamed of the momentary panic
that had caused him to leave Brilbault without fathoming the mystery.

"If I say anything about it, they will laugh at me," he thought; "they
will say under their breaths that I am becoming a dotard in my old age.
It will be much better not to mention it to anyone; and, as it makes
little difference, after all, whether Brilbault is in the hands of a
band of gypsies or of sorcerers, I will look about for some other
quieter place of refuge for Lucilio."

As he approached the château, his mind, becoming constantly calmer,
questioned itself concerning its sensations.

What impressed him most deeply was the fact that he had been surprised
by terror at a moment when nothing had happened which tended to terrify
him; when, on the contrary, he had felt strongly inclined to laugh at
the whimsical antics of those imps and the amusing oddity of their
shadows on the wall.

As a result of his reflections on this subject, he ordered Aristandre to
stop at the Chambon meadow and walked the short distance from the road
to the cottage of Marie the gardener, called La Caille-Bottée.

That cottage still exists; it is occupied by market-gardeners. It is a
tumble-down structure, flanked by a stair-turret built of stones without
mortar. The pretty orchard, surrounded by dense hedges and wild
bramble-bushes, was, so it is said, a gift from Monsieur de Bois-Doré
to La Caille-Bottée.

He found the lay brother there, sharing the convent repast with his
mistress, who shared with him the wine and the fruit from her garden.

Their partnership was not avowed, however; they observed some
precaution, in order not to be "ordered to marry," and thereby to lose
the veteran's privilege enjoyed by Jean le Clope at the Carmelite
convent.


[Illustration: _THE MARQUIS AT LA CAILLE-BOTTÉE'S_

"_Have no fear, my friends," said the marquis, interrupting
their tête-à-tête. "We have a secret together,
and I simply wish to say a word to you._"

"_Present, captain!" replied Jean le Clope, coming
out from under the table where he had taken refuge._]


"Have no fear, my friends," said the marquis, interrupting their
tête-à-tête. "We have a secret together, and I simply wish to say a
word to you."

"Present, captain!" replied Jean le Clope, coming out from under the
table where he had taken refuge; "I beg you to forgive me, but I didn't
know who was coming to the house, and people make so much talk about
me!"

"Very unjustly, I doubt not," said the marquis with a smile. "But look
you, my friend; I have not seen you since a certain occurrence. I sent
you a slight acknowledgment by Adamas, to whom you swore that you had
faithfully carried out my orders. Having an opportunity to-night to
speak to you a moment alone, I wish to learn from you some of the
details as to the manner in which you did the business."

"What's that, captain? there's no two ways of burying a dead man, and I
did a Christian's duty as Christianly as the prior of _my_ community
could have done it."

"I do not doubt it, comrade; but were you prudent?"

"Does my captain doubt me?" cried the veteran, with a sensitiveness
which was particularly noticeable in him after supper.

"I do not doubt your discretion, Jean, but I have a little doubt of your
skill in concealing this interment; for Monsieur d'Alvimar's death is
known to my enemies to-day, and yet I can no more doubt the
trustworthiness of my servants than I can doubt yours."

"Alas! monsieur le marquis, your servants were not the only ones in the
secret," observed La Caille-Bottée sagaciously; "Monsieur d'Ars's
servants may have told; and besides, weren't you looking that night for
a man who had escaped and whom you wanted to catch?"

"That is true; he is the only one whom I suspect. I have not come here
to reproach you, my friends, but to ask you where, when and how you
buried that body."

"Where?" said Jean le Clope, glancing at La Caille-Bottée. "In our
garden, and if you want to see the place----"

"I do not care about it. But was it quite dark, or had the day begun to
break?"

"It was about--two or three o'clock in the morning," said the lay
brother with some hesitation, glancing again at the pock-marked old
maid, who seemed to suggest his answers with her eyes.

"And nobody saw you?" said Bois-Doré, watching them both closely.

That question threw the lay brother into confusion, and the marquis
detected more significant glances between him and his companion. It was
becoming evident to him that they were afraid they had been seen, and
that, in their fear of being contradicted by a reliable witness, they
dared not go into details concerning the manner in which they had
carried out the marquis's wishes.

He rose and repeated the question in an imperative tone.

"Alas! my good lord," said La Caille-Bottée, falling on her knees,
"forgive this poor cripple in body and mind, who has probably drunk a
little too much to-night, and can't say just what he wants to say!"

"Yes, forgive me, captain," added the veteran, deeply affected
apparently by the plight of his own brain, and kneeling in his turn.

"You have deceived me, my friends!" said the marquis, determined to
force the truth from them; "you did not bury Monsieur d'Alvimar
yourselves! You were afraid, or had scruples, or did not like to do it;
you notified Monsieur Poulain."

"No, monsieur, no!" cried La Caille-Bottée earnestly; "we would never
have done such a thing, knowing that Monsieur Poulain is against you!
Since you know that we didn't obey you, you must know also that it
wasn't our fault, and that the devil in person had a hand in it."

"Tell me what happened," rejoined the marquis; "I propose to find out
whether you will tell me the truth."

The gardener, convinced that the marquis knew more than she knew
herself, told her story succinctly as follows:

"When you had gone, dear monsieur, the first thing we did was to carry
the dead body into our garden, where we covered it over with a great
mat; for I wasn't at all anxious to bring it into the house, and didn't
see the use of it. I confess that I was terribly afraid of it, and I
wouldn't have consented to receive such company for anybody but you, my
good monsieur.

"Jean called me a fool and laughed at me, while he was drinking the rest
of his wine, to protect himself from the cold night air, so he said, but
perhaps it was to turn his mind away from the dismal thoughts that
always come to a body at the sight of a corpse, no matter how hard your
heart may be.

"I must also confess that the first thing poor Jean here thought of was
to take what there was in the dead man's pockets and in the saddle-bags
on the horse that brought him here. You hadn't said anything about it,
so we thought it belonged to us, and we were sitting here counting the
money on the table, so that we could hand over every sou to you, if you
should claim it.

"There was a good-sized purse full of gold, and Jean, who was still
drinking, enjoyed staring at it and handling it. What can you expect,
monsieur? poor people like us are surprised when we have any of it to
handle. And we were making plans about how we would spend that fortune.
Jean wanted to buy a vineyard, but I said it would be much better to
have an orchard well stocked with bearing nut trees; and here we sat,
half laughing with joy to find ourselves so rich, half disputing over
the use we should make of our money, when the cuckoo-clock struck four
in the morning.

"'Now,' says I to poor Jean, 'I am not afraid any more, and as you
aren't very spry with your wooden leg, although you can use the spade a
little with your good foot, I'll help you to dig the grave. I never
wished ill to any living man; but as long as this gentleman is dead, I
don't want him to come to life again. There are people in the world who,
by going out of it, benefit those who are left.'

"I shall have to admit my guilt, my dear monsieur, for that's the only
prayer that that wicked Jean and I said for the dead man.

"Well, we took the spade, and both of us went back into the garden and
took up the mat where we had hidden the body. Who was surprised,
monsieur? There was nothing under it; somebody had stolen our corpse! We
looked everywhere, turned everything over: nothing, monsieur, nothing!
We thought we had gone mad and had dreamed everything that had happened
that night, and I ran back into the house to see if the money wasn't a
vision.

"Well, monsieur, if you were not here questioning us, we might believe
that the devil had been acting a farce for us; for the drawer in which I
had put the money and jewels was open, and it had all flown away from
the house while we were in the garden, just as the dead man had flown
away from the garden while we were in the house."

As she finished her story, La Caille-Bottée bewailed the loss of the
money, and the lay brother, who only awaited an opportunity to weep,
shed tears too manifestly sincere for the marquis to entertain any doubt
as to the strange and twofold theft committed on their premises, of a
full purse and a deceased dead man, as the gardener said in a doleful
tone.




XLVII


During this duet of lamentations, the marquis reflected.

"Tell me, my friends," he said, "did you see no footprints in your
garden, no indication that your house had been entered by violent
means?"

"We paid no attention to that matter for some time," replied La
Caille-Bottée, "we were too much upset; but when it was daylight, we
examined everything as well as we could. There was nothing unusual in
the house. They must have come in as soon as our backs were turned; we
left the door and the drawer open, and the money in plain sight; we were
much to blame for that, alas!"

"In that case," observed the marquis, "the deceased did not go away
unaided, and had not only friends to take away his remains, but others
to recover his money and jewels."

"I imagine, monsieur, that there were only two of them for the first
task, and one for the last, and that one not connected with the others;
for we discovered the prints of two pair of feet on our flower-beds,
going toward the fence on the Briantes side, and those feet seemed to
have had on boots or pattens; while on the gravel in our little yard,
there were the marks of bare feet, little child's feet, going toward the
town. But, as there was already water in the paths, we couldn't discover
anything outside of our own place."

Bois-Doré reasoned thus mentally:

"Sancho, having made his escape, must have followed and watched us. Then
he probably went to Monsieur Poulain, who sent someone or came himself
with Sancho, to obtain D'Alvimar's body and bury it. That accounts for
the denunciation. For reasons of which I know nothing, the rector dared
not exhibit the body to his parishioners and denounce me publicly.
Perhaps he wished to give Sancho time to make his escape. As for the
money, some little reprobate must have noticed the going in and out,
listened at the door, and seized the opportunity: that is of very little
consequence to me."

Then, having reflected further upon the whole matter and asked various
questions which resulted in throwing no new light, he said:

"My friends, when we brought that dead man here across his horse, we
left the saddle-bags with you, with no other purpose than to rid
ourselves of them and wash our hands of everything that had belonged to
our enemy. The next day, however, on reflecting that those saddle-bags
might contain papers of interest to us, we sent to you to obtain them,
and you told Adamas that they contained nothing except a change of
clothing and a little linen--no papers or documents of any kind."

"That is the truth, monsieur," replied the gardener, "and we can show
them to you now, just as they were given to us. The thief didn't see
them lying on the bed, where we tossed them, or else he didn't choose to
burden himself with them."

The marquis caused them to be brought, and verified the truth of her
statement.

However, on examining them and turning them over, he discovered a sort
of secret pocket, which had escaped the notice of his hosts, and of
which the stitching had to be ripped in order to open it. He found there
some papers which he carried away, after compensating the gardener and
the veteran for the loss they had sustained, and enjoining silence upon
them until further orders.

It was after eleven o'clock when the marquis returned home.

Mario was not asleep; he was playing jackstraws with Lauriane in the
salon, being unwilling to go to bed until his father returned safely.

Lucilio was reading by the fire, not allowing his attention to be
distracted by the laughter of the children, but pleasantly soothed in
his deep meditations by that fresh, charming music, to which his loving
heart and his musical ear were peculiarly sensitive.

Since he had played the soothsayer in monsieur le prince's presence, the
children called him the astrologer, and teased him to make him smile.
The good-natured savant smiled as much as they wished without ceasing
his mental labor, for his kindly disposition and gentle instincts
remained united to his body, so to speak, and spoke through his
beautiful Italian eyes, even when his mind was voyaging in celestial
spheres.

Adamas, who, despite his adoration for his little count, was bored to
the point of melancholy by the absence of his divine marquis, was
wandering about the halls and the courtyard like a soul in distress,
when he heard at last the echoing trot of Pimante and Squilindre and the
grinding of the stones in the road, which were crushed under the wheels
of the monumental chariot like grapes in the wine-press.

"Here comes monsieur!" he cried, throwing open the door of the salon as
noisily and joyously as if the marquis had been absent a year; and he
ran to the kitchen to bring with his own hands a bowl of steaming punch,
concocted of wine and aromatic herbs--a cunningly compounded and
pleasant beverage of which he jealously guarded the secret, and to which
he attributed his old master's excellent health and lusty appearance.

Honest Sylvain embraced his son and greeted his daughter affectionately,
pressed his _astrologer's_ hand, drank the cordial which his faithful
retainer offered him, and, having thus gratified his whole family,
thrust his long legs almost into the fire, placed a small round table by
his side, and requested Lucilio to read certain papers which he had
brought, while Mario translated them aloud as best he could.

The papers were written in Spanish, in the shape of notes collected for
a memorial, and were held together by a strap. They bore no address, nor
seal, nor signature. The notes were a series of alleged facts, official
or officious, concerning the state of feeling in France; concerning the
disposition, presumed or discovered by stealth, of divers individuals of
more or less consequence from a Spanish standpoint; and concerning
public opinion with respect to the policy of Spain; in a word, a species
of diplomatic production, very well done, although unfinished, and
partly in the shape of a rough draft.

It was very clear that D'Alvimar, whose voluntary seclusion and constant
writing during the few days of his sojourn at Briantes they had not been
able to understand, had been constantly reporting to some prince,
minister or patron, the results of a secret mission; that he was
exceedingly hostile to France, and overflowing with aversion and disdain
for the Frenchmen of all classes with whom he had come in contact.

His minute criticism was not devoid of wit, nor, consequently, of
interest. D'Alvimar had a keen intellect, and was a specious reasoner.
In default of connections as exalted and as intimate as he might have
desired in the interests of his fortune and of the importance of his
rôle, he was very skilful in making the most of trivial incidents, and
in interpreting a word he had surprised or caught on the wing: a chance
remark, a rumor, a reflection let fall by anybody, wherever he happened
to be--everything was turned to some use by him; and one could see in
that treacherous yet trivial labor the irresistible impulse and the
secret gratification of a heart overflowing with bitterness, envy and
distress.

Lucilio, who divined at the first word the marquis's deep interest in
this discovery, turned over the last leaves, and soon found this one,
which Mario translated fluently, almost without hesitation, turning his
beautiful eyes to the beautiful eyes of his teacher at the end of each
sentence, to make sure before continuing that he had made no mistake:

"As to the Pr---- de C----é, I shall find a way to see him personally;
I have received certain information from an intelligent and intriguing
priest, which may be of use.

"Remember the name of Poulain, rector of Briantes. He is from Bourges
and knows many things, notably concerning the said prince, who is very
greedy of money and exceedingly incapable in respect to politics; but he
will go where ambition drives him. He can be led on by great hopes, and
used as the Guises were, for he has nothing of Condé but the name, and
is afraid of everybody and everything.

"He is for that reason more difficult to catch than he appears.
Personally he amounts to nothing. His name is still a host in itself. In
the hope of becoming king, he is prepared to give many pledges to the
most holy I----, reserving the right to retract if his interest demands
it. It is said that he would not shrink from making way with the k----
and his brother, and that, if need were, one could strike high and hard
by means of that paltry mind and that nerveless arm.

"If in your opinion it is wise to encourage him in this ambition, advise
your most humble----"

"Good! good!" cried the marquis. "Here we have the wherewithal to make
trouble between our friend Poulain and monsieur le prince, and between
them both and the memory of dear Monsieur d'Alvimar. God knows that my
choice would be to let that dead man rest in peace; but if they threaten
to avenge him, we will let the kind friends who pity him know him as he
really was."

"That is all very well," said pretty Madame de Beuvre, "on condition
that you can prove that these notes were written by his hand."

"True," replied the marquis, "without that they will not help us. But
doubtless Guillaume will be able to provide us with a letter signed by
him."

"That is probable; and you must look to it at once, my dear marquis!"

"In that case," said the marquis, kissing her hand as he wished her
good-night--for she had risen to retire--"in that case I will return to
Guillaume's to-morrow; meanwhile let us be very careful of our proofs
and our weapons."

On waking the next morning, the marquis found Lucilio in his room, who
handed him a sheet upon which he had written something for him to read.

The poor fellow proposed that he should go away for a time, in order
that the storm which threatened them both might not burst upon his
generous friend more quickly because of his presence.

"No, no!" cried Bois-Doré, deeply touched; "surely you will not wound
me to the heart by leaving me! The danger is postponed, that is clear
enough to all of us; and Monsieur d'Alvimar's notes make me feel
perfectly secure so far as I am concerned. As for yourself, rest assured
that you have nothing to fear from the prince, having so accurately
announced the favorite's death. Moreover, whatever risk you may run by
remaining here, I think that it would be much greater elsewhere, and
only in this province can I protect you effectively or conceal you, as
circumstances require. Let us not worry about the unknown; and if you
are afraid of adding to the embarrassment of my position, think of
this--that without you, Mario's education is a hopeless failure. Think
of the service you render me by transforming a lovable child into a man
of brain and heart, and you will realize that neither my fortune nor my
life can pay my debt to you, for both together are not equivalent to the
learning and virtue which we owe to you."

Having, not without difficulty, extorted from his friend a promise not
to leave Briantes without his assent, the marquis was about to start for
Ars once more, when Guillaume arrived with Monsieur Robin de Coulogne,
the latter greatly surprised by what his farmer Faraudet had told him
that morning, the former surprised that he had not received a visit from
the marquis during the evening, as his servants had led him to expect.

Bois-Doré made his confession and described faithfully the vision he
had had at Brilbault, declaring, however, that, until the appearance of
D'Alvimar's profile on the wall, he would have sworn that he had not
dreamed of the uproar and the shadows, which might well have been
perfectly real.

He had the mortification of detecting an incredulous smile on the faces
of his two auditors; but when he had told them what had happened
previously at the gardener's cottage, and had shown them D'Alvimar's
notes, his friends became grave and attentive once more.

"Cousin," said Guillaume, "so far as these notes are concerned, it will
be easy for me to authenticate them and to furnish you with specimens of
Monsieur d'Alvimar's handwriting and his signature. Meanwhile, I assure
you that these pages are in his hand. Put them with your own papers and
wait, before announcing the traitor's death, until you are officially
called to account therefor."

Such was not Monsieur Robin's advice. He criticised the policy of
keeping the fact secret, the precautions taken to conceal the body, and
the prolongation of the mystery at a time when everybody in the
neighborhood was prepossessed in favor of the lovely Mario, touched by
the story of his adventures, and disposed to curse the cowardly
assassins of his father.

Bois-Doré would have followed this advice instantly, except for his
unwillingness to displease Guillaume, who persisted in his first
opinion.

"My dear neighbor," he said, "I would come over to your views and
retract the advice I have given the marquis, except for one thought
which has occurred to me, and which I beg you to weigh seriously; it is
this: that it is unnecessary for the marquis to accuse himself of
killing a man who may not be dead at all."

Messieurs Robin and Bois-Doré made a gesture of surprise, and Guillaume
continued:

"I have two strong reasons for thinking and saying this: the first is
that a man was carried away from La Caille-Bottée's garden, who,
although run through by a lusty sword-thrust, may not have breathed his
last; the second is that our marquis, whose courage is not of the sort
that anyone can doubt, recognized his enemy's face at Brilbault."

Monsieur Robin reflected in silence; Bois-Doré collected his memories
of the preceding night, and tried to disentangle them from the
bewilderment that had then taken possession of him; then he said:

"If Monsieur d'Alvimar is dead, he did not die on the field of battle at
La Rochaille, nor at the gardener's cottage, but at Brilbault, no later
than last evening. He died in I know not what strange and brutal
company, but attended by a priest who may have been Monsieur Poulain,
and by a servant who must have been old Sancho. There was nothing in the
confused shadows which I saw to contradict these suppositions, and the
one thing that I saw most clearly and distinctly was a crucifix as
sharply outlined as the cross on an escutcheon, and under the right
branch of that crucifix the emaciated, fleshless face of Monsieur
d'Alvimar. The features seemed somewhat agitated at first, while a voice
repeated the prayers for the dying; faint groans, which I had heard
throughout the revel, I continued to hear during the prayer. Then the
groans ceased, the face became like stone; you would have said that the
lines were petrified on the wall which showed me their reflection. The
head was no longer bent forward but thrown back, and then----"

"Then what?" said Guillaume.

"Then," said the marquis, ingenuously, "I became weak and idiotic, and I
fled to avoid seeing anything more."

"Well," said Monsieur Robin, "however it may be, and whatever may be
there, we will go to examine that hovel and ransack it from roof to
cellar, if need be, to see what it conceals, and what sort of people it
shelters."

Guillaume advised waiting until nightfall, and taking all manner of
precautions, in order to make sure of discovering the object of these
mysterious meetings.

Faraudet had given Monsieur Robin precise information as to the hour at
which the tumult began, and the moment that it became certain that those
strange noises were not a pure product of the imagination of terrified
peasants, it was impossible not to see, in their regularity and their
persistent recurrence, a deliberately adopted plan to spread terror
abroad and turn it to advantage in one direction or another.

Monsieur Robin observed moreover that, according to the farmer, this
performance had been going on at Brilbault only about two months, that
is to say since the time fixed by Guillaume and the marquis as the
period of D'Alvimar's death.

"All this," he said, "reminds me that, on the day that I arrived at
Coudray, last week, I met at several places on the road, at varying
intervals, groups of evil-appearing people, who did not look like
peasants or bourgeois or soldiers, and whom I was surprised not to
recognize. Ascertain from your servants whether they have not met
similar folk in your neighborhood of late."

Several servants were summoned. Bois-Doré's and Guillaume's agreed in
saying that, within a few weeks, they had seen many suspicious persons
prowling about in the woods and the unfrequented roads of La Varenne,
and that they had wondered how those strangers could earn a living in
such lonely regions.

Thereupon they remembered numerous thefts that had been committed in
farm-houses and barnyards roundabout; and lastly, La Flèche's face had
reappeared, with other outlandish faces, at fairs and markets in the
towns nearby. At all events they believed that they could swear that a
certain mountebank, an irrepressible chatterer, dressed in various
disguises, was the same fellow who had prowled about between Briantes
and La Motte-Seuilly for several days, at the time of Mario's recovery.

The result of all this information was that they concluded that they had
to deal with the most suspicious and artful genus of vagrants and
bandits, and they took measures to obtain possession of their secret
without giving the alarm.

They agreed to separate at once; for it was very possible that the
wretches might have noticed the marquis's visit to Brilbault, and that
they had spies on the watch behind the bushes on all the roads.

Guillaume was to return home, take a considerable number of his
servants, and pretend to start for Bourges.

Monsieur Robin was to remain at Coudray with his people until the
appointed hour.

Bois-Doré was to lie in ambush in the direction of Thevet, Jovelin
toward Lourouer.





XLVIII


At nightfall, the servants and vassals, led by these four gentlemen,
were to form a large circle around Brilbault and close in rapidly, as in
a _battue_ of wolves, each man reckoning the time required to reach the
ruin from his starting-point, so that they might all arrive at the time
fixed for investing it at close quarters.

That time was ten o'clock. Until then they were to move silently and
keep out of sight as far as possible; they were to allow anyone to pass
who was going toward Brilbault, but, after the stroke of ten, they were
to arrest anyone who should attempt to leave the ruin.

They were strictly forbidden to kill or wound anyone unless they were
seriously attacked, the main object being to take prisoners and obtain
information.

It was also agreed that each man should start alone from his first
position, and the positions were assigned in accordance with the minute
strategic knowledge of the country possessed by Guillaume and the
marquis.

Thus, Guillaume and his men were to separate at La Berthenoux, and
scatter along the Igneraie. Monsieur Robin was to go alone to his
farmer's, while his men were to take a score of different paths from
Coudray to Brilbault, taking care to cover the whole Saint-Chartier
line.

Monsieur de Bois-Doré, meanwhile, was to ride to Montlevic, and thence
start alone for the rendezvous, after scattering his escort in the same
manner, in order to avoid all suspicion on the part of anyone who might
be watching his movements.

When all these arrangements were made, they could count upon bringing
into the field about a hundred stout and cautious men, upon whom they
could rely. Bois-Doré alone supplied almost fifty, and still left half
a score of trusty fellows to guard the château and his lovely guest
Lauriane.

In order that the spies who were presumed to be watching him might not
suspect him of any design upon Brilbault, the marquis took Mario with
him to the château of Montlevic, to pay a visit to his youthful
neighbors.

The D'Orsannes were grandsons of Antoine d'Orsanne, who was
lieutenant-general of Berry and a Calvinist.

The marquis and Mario passed an hour there; after which Bois-Doré told
Aristandre to take the child back to Briantes, while he remounted his
horse to ride alone to Etalié, a hamlet on the road from La Châtre to
Thevet, at the top of a hill called Le Terrier.

When Mario, who was puzzled by all these precautions, asked leave to
accompany him, he replied that he was going to sup with Guillaume d'Ars,
and that he would return early.

The child sighed as he mounted his little horse, for he had a feeling
that something was about to happen, and, by dint of listening to the
conversation of gentlemen, the pretty peasant of the Pyrenees had soon
become a gentleman himself, in the romantic and chivalrous sense still
attributed to that title by the excellent marquis.

Everyone knows how marvellously the child modifies and transforms
himself to adjust himself to the environment to which he is
transplanted. Mario was already dreaming of noble feats of arms, running
giants through and rescuing captive damsels.

He tried to insist after his manner, obeying without a murmur, but
fastening his loving and persuasive eyes upon the old man, who adored
him.

"No, my dear count," replied Bois-Doré, who understood perfectly his
silent prayer; "I cannot leave alone in my château at night the sweet
girl who has been placed in my care. Remember that she is your sister
and your lady, and that, when I am compelled to be absent, your place is
beside her, to serve her, to divert her and, if need be, to defend her."

Mario was vanquished by this exaggerated flattery, and, spurring his
horse, rode away toward Briantes at a gallop.

Aristandre followed him, and was to return to the marquis as soon as he
had escorted the child back to the château.

The night, like the preceding one, was decidedly mild for the season.
The sky, sometimes overcast, sometimes swept clear by gusts of warm air,
was very dark when the young horseman and his attendant galloped into
the ravine and rode under the venerable trees of the village.

As they rapidly ascended one of the narrow undulating roads, lined with
hedges, which served the purposes of streets between the thirty or forty
_firesides_ of which the village consisted, Mario's horse, which was
leading, shied and snorted with terror.

"What is that?" said the child, sitting like a rock in his saddle. "A
drunken man asleep in the road? Pick him up, Aristandre, and take him to
his family."

"Monsieur le comte," replied the coachman, who had instantly dismounted,
"if he is drunk, you might say he is dead drunk, for he doesn't move any
more than a stone."

"Shall I help you?" said the child, dismounting.

He went nearer and tried to distinguish the features of the man, who
answered none of Aristandre's questions.

"He may belong hereabout," said the coachman with his accustomed
stolidity; "I don't know him; but what I do know is that he is dead or
the next thing to it."

"Dead!" cried the child; "right here, in the middle of the village! and
no one thinks of helping him!"

He ran to the nearest house and found it empty; the fire was burning
brightly, and the tea-kettle, abandoned to its fate, was sputtering in
the ashes; the settle was upset across the room.

Mario called in vain, no one answered.

He was about to run to another house, for they were separated from one
another by large enclosures thickly planted with trees, when the report
of firearms and strange rumbling noises, drowning the clatter of his
horse's hoofs on the stones, made him jump and abruptly draw rein.

"Do you hear, monsieur le comte?" cried Aristandre, who had carried the
body to the side of the road, and had remounted to join his young
master; "that comes from the château, and there's something strange
going on there, for sure!"

"Let us hurry!" said Mario, urging his steed to a gallop. "If it's a
fête, they are making a great noise over it!"

"Wait! wait!" cried the coachman, doubling his speed to stop Mario's
horse; "that is no fête! There wouldn't be a fête at the château
without you and monsieur le marquis. They are fighting! Do you hear how
they are yelling and cursing? And see, there's another dead man, or a
horribly wounded Christian, at the foot of the wall! Fly, monsieur;
hide, for the love of God! I will go to see what the matter is, and come
back and tell you."

"You are laughing at me!" cried Mario, tearing himself free; "hide, when
they are attacking my father's château? What about my Lauriane? let us
hasten to her defence!"

He galloped across the drawbridge, which was lowered, a most
extraordinary circumstance after nightfall.

By the light of a stack of straw which was blazing merrily in front of
the farm buildings, Mario obtained a confused view of a most
incomprehensible scene.

The marquis's retainers were engaged in a hand-to-hand conflict with a
numerous band of horned, hairy, shiny creatures, "in every respect more
like devils than men."--Musket or pistol shots rang out from time to
time, but it was not a battle according to rule; it was a mêlée,
following a sudden and unfortunate surprise. They saw frantic groups
writhe and struggle for an instant, then suddenly disappear, when the
flame of the burning straw was obscured by dense clouds of smoke.

The coachman held Mario in his arms, so that he could not rush into the
fray. He struggled in vain, and wept with rage.

At last he was forced to listen to reason.

"You see, monsieur," said honest Aristandre, "you prevent me from going
and taking a hand yonder! And yet my fist is worth four of an ordinary
man's. But the devil could not make me let go my hold of you, for I am
responsible for you; so I won't do it until you swear that you will keep
quiet."

"Go then," replied Mario, "I swear it."

"But if you stay here, some straggler may see you. Come, I'll hide you
in the garden."

And, without awaiting the child's consent, the coachman lifted him from
his horse and carried him into the garden, the gate of which was at the
left, not far from the entrance tower. He locked him in there, and ran
off to throw himself into the mêlée.

Dull and uninteresting as we know mere descriptions of locality to be,
we are compelled, in order to enable the reader to understand what
follows, to remind him of the general arrangement of the small estate of
Briantes. The recollection of many venerable country houses, built upon
the same plan, and still existing with slight changes, will assist him
to form an idea of the one with which we are here concerned.

I will suppose that we enter by the drawbridge which spans the outer
moat; let us pause a moment at that point.

The _sarrasine_ is raised. Let us examine this system of defence.

The _orgue_, or _sarrasine_, or, as it was then called, the
_sarracinesque_, was a sort of portcullis, less expensive and less heavy
than the iron portcullis. It consisted of a series of movable stakes,
independent of one another, and moving up and down, like the portcullis,
in the archway of the gate-tower. More time was required to set in
motion the mechanism of the _sarrasine_ than that of the ordinary
portcullis made in a single piece; but it had this advantage, that a
single person, stationed in the _salle de manœuvre_, or room from which
it was worked, could, if need were, raise one of the stakes and admit a
fugitive, without making too large an opening of which the besiegers
could avail themselves.

This room was a sort of corridor inside the gate-tower and above the
arch, with openings which enabled those on guard there to look down upon
whoever might attempt to go in or out. These openings also enabled them
to fire or hurl projectiles on the besiegers, when they had succeeded in
crossing the moat and destroying the _sarrasine_, and the battle was
renewed under the archway.

This room communicated with the _moucharabi_, a low, crenellated,
_mascherolé_ gallery, which crowned the arch of the portcullis on the
outer face of the tower. From that point bullets and stones could be
rained upon the enemy to prevent their destroying the _sarrasine_.

The gate-tower of Briantes, which contained these defensive appliances,
was a heavy oval mass, built on the edge of the moat. It was called the
tower of the _huis_, to distinguish it from the _huisset_, of which we
shall speak in a moment. The _huis_, or gate, opened into the immense
enclosure which contained the farm buildings, the dove-cote, the
heron-yard, the mall, etc., and which was invariably called the
_basse-cour_, because it was always on a lower level than the courtyard.

On our left is the high garden wall, pierced at regular intervals with
narrow loopholes, from which, in case of surprise, the enemy could be
harassed after making themselves masters of the _basse-cour_.

A paved road ran all the way along this wall to the second line of
defences, where the second moat, supplied with water by the little
stream, extended to the pond at the end of the courtyard.

Over this moat, bordered by its turfed counterscarp, was thrown the
stationary bridge, a bridge built of stone, and very old, as indicated
by the sharp angle which it made with the tower at its inner end.

This was customary in the Middle Ages. Some antiquaries explain the
custom by pointing out that the archers in the assaulting party, when
they raised their arms to fire, laid their sides open to the fire of the
besieged. Others tell us that this angle broke the force of an assault
very materially. It matters little.

The tower of the _huisset_ stood between this stationary bridge and the
courtyard. It contained a small iron portcullis and stout oaken gates
studded with nails with enormous heads.

This tower formed, with the moat, the only defence of the manor,
properly so-called.

When he gratified his own tastes by razing the donjon of his fathers and
replacing it by the pavilion called the _grand'maison_, the marquis had
said to himself, and justly, that, whether in the shape of a castle or a
villa, his country house would not hold out an hour against an attack
with cannon. But, against the paltry means of attack which bandits or
hostile neighbors could command, the broad, deep moat filled with a
swiftly-running stream, the little falconets placed on each side of the
_huisset_, and the loopholes cut diagonally in the wall on the
_basse-cour_ or farmyard side, were capable of holding out a
considerable time. As a matter of comfort and convenience rather than of
prudence, the manor was always well supplied with provisions and forage.

Let us add that walls and moats, always kept in perfect repair, enclosed
the whole domain--even the garden--and that, if Aristandre had taken
time for reflection, he would have carried Mario out of the farmyard,
into the village, and not into the garden, which was as likely to become
a prison for him as a place of safety.

But one never thinks of everything, and Aristandre never dreamed that
the enemy could not be repelled with a turn of the hand.

The honest fellow was not noted for vividness of imagination; it was
fortunate for him that he did not allow himself to be excited by the
fantastic and truly frightful figures which were presented to his
astonished eyes. Being as credulous as other men, he took counsel with
himself as he ran, but without slackening his headlong pace; and, when
he had struck down one or two of them, he made the philosophical
reflection that they were _canaille_, nothing more.

Mario, with his face pressed against the garden gate, throbbing with
ardor and excitement soon lost sight of him.

The burning mill had fallen in; the fighting continued during the
darkness; the child could follow only with his ears the confused sounds
of the changing scenes of the action.

He judged that the arrival of the sturdy and intrepid Aristandre revived
the courage of the defenders, but after a few moments of uncertainty,
which seemed to him like centuries, he thought that the assailants must
be gaining ground, for the shouts and scuffling receded to the second
bridge, and, after a moment of ghastly silence, he heard a pistol shot
and the splash of a body falling into the stream.

A few seconds later the portcullis of the _huisset_ fell with a great
crash, and a volley from the falconets forced the party that had rushed
upon the bridge to fall back with horrible imprecations.

One act of this incomprehensible drama was finished; the besieged had
been driven back and confined in the courtyard; the invaders were
masters of the _basse-cour_.

Mario was alone; Aristandre was probably dead, since he abandoned him in
the midst or at least within reach of enemies who might burst into the
garden at any moment by breaking down the gate, and take him prisoner.

And there was no means of escape for him except to scale that gate at
the risk of falling into the hands of those demons! There was no exit
from the garden except into the _basse-cour_; it had no direct
communication of any sort with the château.

Mario was afraid; and then, too, the thought of the death of Aristandre,
and, perhaps, of other faithful servants equally dear to him, brought
tears to his eyes. Even his poor little horse, whom he had left at the
entrance to the _basse-cour_, with the reins on his neck, came into his
mind and added to his distress.

Lauriane and Mercedes were safe, doubtless, and there were still many
defenders about them, for the deathly silence in the direction of the
village indicated that men and beasts had taken refuge within the
enclosure at the outset, in order to receive the enemy under shelter of
the walls. It was the custom of the period that, at the slightest alarm,
vassals should repair to the seignioral château at once, to seek and
offer aid. They always took their families and cattle with them.

"But if Lauriane and my good Moor have any idea that I am here," thought
poor Mario, "how worried they will be about me! Let us hope that they
don't suspect that I have returned! And dear old Adamas--I am sure he is
like a madman! If only they haven't taken him prisoner!"

His tears flowed silently; crouching in a clump of trimmed yews, he
dared not show himself at the gate, where he might be discovered by the
enemy, nor go farther away and lose sight of what he could still see of
the scene of confusion being enacted in the _basse-cour_.

He heard the howls of those besiegers who were wounded by the shot from
the falconets. They had been taken to the farmhouse, and there were
evidently wounded and dying men there belonging to the besieged force as
well, for Mario could distinguish voices that seemed to be exchanging
reproaches and threats. But it was all very vague; it was a considerable
distance from the garden to the farm-house; moreover, the little stream,
swollen by the winter rains, was making a deal of noise.

The besieged had opened the gates and sluices of the pond to increase
the depth of water in the moat and make it flow more swiftly.

A reddish gleam appeared above the door of the château; doubtless a
fire had been lighted in the courtyard, so that they could see one
another, reckon up their fighting strength and prepare their defence.
The besiegers' fire had ceased to cast more than a sort of ruddy
reflection, by which Mario could see many indistinct shadows moving
rapidly to and fro.

Suddenly he heard footsteps and voices approaching him, and thought that
they were coming to explore the garden.

He kept perfectly still and saw two fantastically arrayed individuals
pass the gate, on the outer side, and go toward the entrance tower.

He held his breath and succeeded in overhearing this fragment of
dialogue:

"The infernal curs will not arrive before him!"

"So much the better I our share will be all the bigger!"

"Idiots, to think that you alone can capture----"




XLIX


The voices died away, but Mario had recognized them. They were the
voices of La Flèche and old Sancho.

His courage suddenly returned, although there was nothing encouraging in
that discovery.

It had been impossible to keep Mario long in ignorance of the affair of
La Rochaille, and he fully realized that his father's murderer,
D'Alvimar's fidus Achates, was thenceforth the deadliest foe of the name
of Bois-Doré; but La Flèche's complicity in this bold stroke led the
child to hope that Sancho's auxiliaries were the band of gypsies who had
been his companions in misery.

He reflected, justly enough, that those vagrants had in all probability
joined forces with other more desperate rascals; but even so, an attack
of that sort seemed to him much less to be dreaded than a regular raid
organized by the provincial authorities, such as they had had reason to
fear; and for a moment he had an idea of trying to win over La Flèche,
if he could obtain an interview with him alone. But his distrust
returned when he remembered the brutal and threatening air with which
the gypsy had talked with him on that same spot months before.

Thereupon he began to reflect on the words he had just heard. He felt
that he needed all his faculties in order to understand them and take
advantage of them at need.

Doubtless the assailants expected reinforcements, whose arrival was
delayed too long to suit Sancho. "They will not arrive before him!"--The
_him_ could be no other than the marquis, whose return they
dreaded.--"So much the better, our share will be all the bigger!"
indicated that La Flèche was impelled by the hope of pillage. "Idiots,
to think that you alone can capture"--the château presumably--was a
confession of the inability of the assailants to maintain a siege of the
manor with any chance of success.

In short, Mario, who had seen the besmeared, masked, ghastly, grotesque
faces,--disguises assumed by the gypsies in all probability to terrify
the peasants of the village and the farm,--and who, despite his courage,
had been himself terrified by them, was immensely relieved when he found
that he had to do with villains of flesh and blood, rather than with
supernatural creatures and mysterious dangers.

Being unable to do anything for the moment except remain in hiding, he
waited until the voices and footsteps had died away, before leaving the
gate himself to seek shelter from the cold night air in one of the
little structures in the garden.

He thought, with good reason, that the labyrinth, with all the windings
of which he was so familiar, would enable him to elude any possible
pursuit for some time, and he entered it, bending his steps without
hesitation toward the little cottage which was metaphorically called the
_Palace of Astrée_.

He was no sooner inside than he fancied that he heard footsteps on the
gravel of the circular path.

He listened.

"It is either the wind blowing the dry leaves about," he thought, "or
some creature from the farm coming here for shelter. But, in that case,
the garden gate must be open! If it is, I am lost! O God! have pity on
me!"

The noise was so faint, however, that Mario made bold to look out
through the curtain of ivy which covered the walls of his retreat, and
he saw a tiny person who was looking all about, in apparent uncertainty,
as if seeking refuge in the same place.

Mario had not had time to close the door of the cottage behind him; the
small being entered, and said in a low voice:

"Are you here, Mario?"

"Why, is it you, Pilar?" said the child, with an involuntary thrill of
pleasure, as he recognized his former little companion, whom he had
believed to be dead.

But he added sadly:

"Are you looking for me, in order to betray me?"

"No, no, Mario!" she replied. "I want to run away from La Flèche. Save
me, my Mario, for I am too unhappy with that accursed man!"

"But how can I save you, when I do not even know how to save
myself?--Either go away from here, or else stay here without me, my poor
Pilar; for those bandits, when they come to look for you, will find me
too."

"No, no; La Flèche thinks that he left me over yonder with the dead
man!"

"What dead man?"

"They called him D'Alvimar. He died the other night, and they buried him
this morning."

"You are dreaming--or else I don't understand. No matter! You ran away?"

"Yes; I knew that they were coming here to take your château and your
treasure; I climbed out of a little bit of a window, like a cat, and I
followed them at a distance. I hoped they would kill La Flèche and
those wicked villains, who have never had any pity on me."

"What villains?"

"The trick-playing gypsies whom you know, and many others whom you don't
know, who have joined them. They made me suffer at Brilbault, I tell
you!"

"Where is Brilbault? Isn't it an old ruin near----"

"I don't know. I never went out. They roamed about all day and left me
with the wounded man, who was always dying, and his old servant, who
hated me because he said I was the one who brought monsieur bad luck and
prevented him from getting well. I would have liked to have him die
sooner; for I hated them, too, the vile Spaniards! and I made lots of
spells against them. At last the youngest one died, in the midst of
those wild men, who drank and sang and yelled all night, and prevented
me from sleeping. So I am sick. I am feverish all the time. Perhaps
that's lucky for me, because it keeps me from being hungry."

"My poor girl, here is all the money I have about me. If you succeed in
escaping, it will be of some use to you; but, although I don't in the
least understand what you tell me, it seems to me that you were crazy to
come here instead of going far away from La Flèche. It makes me afraid
that you are acting in concert with him to----"

"No, no, Mario! keep your money! and, if you think that I mean to betray
you, go and hide somewhere else; I won't follow you. I am not a wicked
girl to you, Mario. You are the only person in the whole world that I
love! I came here thinking that, while they were fighting, I might go
into the château and stay with you. But your peasants were too
frightened; some of them were killed, the others fled into your great
courtyard. Your servants defended themselves bravely; but they weren't
the strongest! I was hidden under some boards on the inside of the
garden wall. I could see everything through a little crack. I saw you
come into the courtyard on your horse: I saw a tall man lock you in
here. I didn't recognize you right off, because of your fine clothes;
but when you started to come to this little house and I saw you walk, I
knew your gait, and I followed you."

"And now what are we going to do? Play at hide and seek, as well as we
can, in this garden, where they will certainly come and search?"

"What do you suppose they will come into a garden for? They know very
well that there's no fruit to steal in winter. Besides the villains have
already found plenty to eat and drink in the big buildings yonder.
That's the farm, isn't it? I know well enough what they do when they get
into a house that isn't defended. I don't need to see them, I tell you!
They kill the cattle and prepare the spit; they knock in the heads of
wine casks; they burst open closets; they fill their pockets, their
wallets and their bellies. In an hour, they will all be mad, they will
fight among themselves and maim each other. Ah! if your stupid servant
hadn't locked us in here, it wouldn't be hard to escape! But of course
there must be a hole that we can crawl through somewhere in this garden
wall! I am a bit of a creature and you are not stout. Sometimes you can
reach the top of a wall by climbing a tree. Do you know how to climb and
jump, Mario?"

"Yes, indeed; but I know that there isn't any hole or any tree that will
help us. There's the pond at the end of the courtyard, but I don't know
how to swim as yet. It has been so cold ever since I have been here that
they couldn't teach me. There's a little boat that they could send us
from the château if they knew we were here. But how are we to make them
see us? it is too dark; and just listen! the water makes too much noise
running over the dam! Ah! my poor Aristandre must be taken or dead,
since----"

"No, my dear little count of the good Lord!" said a hoarse voice
outside, trying to speak low; "Aristandre is here, looking for you and
listening to you."

"Ah! my dear charioteer!" cried Mario, throwing his arms around the
great head which was thrust through the low round window of the little
cottage. "Is it really you! But how wet you are! _Mon Dieu_! is it
blood?"

"No, it's water, thank God!" replied Aristandre, "cold water! But I
didn't drink any of it, luckily for me! I was pushed, pushed, carried
onto the stone bridge in spite of myself, by our devils of peasants as
they fell back on the courtyard. I saw that I was going to be forced
into the courtyard with them, and then I couldn't come out again to find
you. So I fired my last pistol shot and jumped into the stream. Devilish
stream! I thought I never should get out of it, especially as they fired
on me from the château, taking me for an enemy. However, here I am! I
have been looking for you for a quarter of an hour; I had an idea that
you would be in the _affinoire_"--that was Aristandre's name for the
labyrinth--"but, although I've known it ten years, I don't know how to
find my way in it yet. Come! we must get away from here. Let us try! You
must do just as I say. But who in the devil have you there?"

"Someone whom you must save with me, an unfortunate little girl."

"From the village? Faith! never mind, we will save her if we can. You
first! I am going to see what is happening in the _basse-cour_; do you
stay here and talk low."

Aristandre returned in a few moments. He seemed troubled.

"It is no easy matter to go away," he said to the children. "Ah! those
villagers! how they must have bungled to let the farm be taken! And, now
that the hounds are drinking themselves stupid, if they should make a
sortie from the château, they could kill them like swine to the last
man! They think that they have demons to deal with, but I say that they
are human beings in disguise, pure _canaille_! Just hear them yell and
sing!"

"Well, let us make the most of their carousing," said Mario; "let us
cross yonder corner of the _basse-cour_, where there seems to be no one,
and run to the tower of the _huis_."

"Oh! the deuce! to be sure! But the beggars have locked themselves in!
They know well enough that monsieur le marquis may come during the
night, and he will have to lay siege to his own tower."

"Yes," cried Mario, "that is why I saw Sancho go in that direction with
La Flèche."

"Sancho? La Flèche? you recognized them? Ah! I have a mind to go by
myself and fall upon those illustrious captains!"

"No, no!" said Pilar, "they are stronger and wickeder than you think!"

"But, if they have simply locked the gate, we can open it," said Mario,
whose mind worked more quickly than the coachman's. "And if they have
left anybody on guard there, why between us, Aristandre, we can try to
kill them so that we can pass. Do you hesitate? We must do it, you see,
my friend. We must hurry and warn my father. If we don't, our people
here will allow the château to be taken, they are so terrified. When
the villains have finished gorging themselves, they will try to set it
on fire. Who knows what may happen? Come, come, coachman, my good
fellow," added the child, drawing his little rapier, "take a stake, a
club, a tree, no matter what, and let us go!"

"Stay, stay, my dear little master!" rejoined Aristandre, "there are
some tools here; let me look. Good! I have a shovel; no! a spade! I like
that better! Now, I am not afraid of any man! But, listen to me; do you
know where your papa is?"

"No! you must take me to him."

"If I come out all right, yes; if not, you will have to go all alone. Do
you know where Etalié is?"

"Yes, I have been there. I know the way."

"Do you know the _Geault-Rouge_ inn?"

"The _Coq-Rouge_? Yes, I have been there twice. It isn't hard to find,
it's the only house in the place. Well?"

"Your papa will be there until ten o'clock. If you arrive too late, go
to Brilbault; he will be there."

"Brilbault at the foot of Coudray hill?"

"Yes. He will be there with his people. It's a long way; you will never
be able to do it on foot!"

"I will go straight to Brilbault," said Pilar. "I know the way; I have
just come from there!"

"Yes," said the coachman; "go, little one; you can warn Monsieur Robin.
Do you know him? You don't belong about here, do you?"

"No matter, I will find him."

"Or Monsieur d'Ars; will you remember?"

"I know him, I saw him once."

"Off we go, then! Ah! Monsieur Mario, if I could only lay my hand on
your horse! you could go faster and not kill yourself running."

"I know how to run," said Mario; "don't think about the horse, it is out
of the question."

"One minute more," continued Aristandre, "and pay attention. The
drawbridge is raised; you know how to drop it, don't you? It doesn't
weigh much."

"That's very easy!"

"But the _sarrasine_ is down! But don't be alarmed; I will go up into
the room where we work it. If there's anybody there, so much the worse
for them; I'll strike and kill, and raise one of the stakes! Don't lose
time by waiting for me. Pass through, steal away, fly! If the stake
falls on the girl, so much the worse for her; you cannot help it, nor I.
God guard you! Keep on running, I will overtake you."

"But, if you are----"

Mario stopped short; his heart sank.

"If I am laid out, you mean? Well, it will be of no use for you to
grieve, it will not help matters. If you stop to pity me, you will lose
your head and your legs! You must think of nothing but running."

"No, my friend, your risk is too great; let us remain concealed here."

"And suppose, while we are hiding, they burn up Madame Lauriane, your
Mercedes, Adamas--and my poor carriage horses in the stable yonder!
Besides--Look you, I am going alone. When the road is clear you can
pass."

"Come on! come on!" said Mario. "Everything for Lauriane and Mercedes!"

He was about to rush out of the garden, when Pilar detained him.

"Remember that other villains are to come here--I know it. If you meet
them, hide carefully, for your gold buttons gleam in the darkness like
diamonds, and they will kill you just to get your clothes."

"I have an idea!" exclaimed Mario. "I will put on my gypsy rags, which
are right here."

The reader will remember the rustic, sentimental and philosophic trophy,
which had been suspended in the cottage with great pomp.

Mario hastily took it down, and in two minutes, having laid aside silk,
velvet and lace, he was dressed in his former costume; whereupon they
proceeded to the _huis_, walking noiselessly and without speaking.

They had only about fifty paces to walks along the wall outside the
garden. They walked that distance, without hindrance at least, if not
without danger, to the sound of loud laughter, shrieks, blasphemies and
hoarse singing from the farm-house.

The tower of the _huis_ was dark and silent. Aristandre placed the two
children close to the _sarrasine_, Mario in front, almost touching the
first stake at the left. Then he took his hand and placed it on the ring
of the chain which held the drawbridge in the air. There was nothing for
him to do but to take that ring from the hook set in the wall.

They did not venture to exchange another word. All about them, on the
staircase, over their heads, there might be, there undoubtedly were,
sentinels, sleeping or careless.

Mario could not press the coachman's hand in his own, for his were
clinging to the detached ring and the dragging chain. He put his lips to
that rough hand and hurriedly imprinted a silent kiss upon it; perhaps
it was an eternal farewell.

Aristandre, deeply moved, abruptly withdrew his great paw, none the
less, as if to say: "Nonsense! don't think of anything but yourself;"
and, crossing himself fervently in the darkness, he resolutely ascended
the short steep staircase to the _salle de manœuvre_.

"Who goes there?" cried a deep voice which Mario instantly recognized as
Sancho's.

And as the coachman continued to ascend and approached the left side of
the gallery, the voice added:

"Will you answer, blockhead? Are you drunk? Answer, or I fire on you!"

In an instant there was a report; but the stake was raised, Mario let go
the chain, darted across the bridge, and fled without looking back. It
seemed to him that the alarm was given on the _moucharabi_, and that a
bullet whistled by his ears; he did not hear the report, the blood was
making so much noise in his head.

When he was out of range, he paused and leaned against a tree, for his
strength failed him at the thought of what was taking place between
Aristandre and the enemy's sentinels.

He heard a great uproar in the tower, and something that sounded like
the blows of a pickaxe on stone. It was Aristandre's spade, which he
kept whirling about his head in the darkness; but he prudently kept
silent, in order to be taken for a drunken gypsy, and Mario, straining
his ears to hear his loud voice among the others, lost hope, and, with
hope, courage to fly without him.

The poor boy was thinking so little of himself that he did not even
start when he felt a hand on his arm.

It was Pilar, who had run faster than he, and was retracing her steps to
find him.

"Well, well, what are you doing here?" she said. "Come, while they are
killing him! When they have finished killing him, they will chase us!"

The little gypsy's ghastly sang-froid horrified Mario. Reared amid
scenes of violence and bloodshed, she hardly knew what fear meant, and
had not the faintest conception of pity.

But, by virtue of some swift sequence of ideas, Mario thought of
Lauriane, and all the resolution of which a child is capable returned to
his heart.

He ran on once more, and, motioning to Pilar to take the lower road,
turned into the road leading to the plateau of Le Chaumois. A few steps
farther on he stumbled over an object which lay across the road. It was
the second dead body which Aristandre had pointed out to him, but which
they had not had time to examine. Feeling the body under him, Mario was
bathed in cold perspiration; perhaps it was Adamas! He mustered courage
to touch it, and having satisfied himself that the clothes were those of
a peasant, he hurried forward.

The sight of the pale sky over the bare fields made him breathe more
freely; the darkness was stifling him. He took a bee-line across the
fields, but a new terror awaited him there. A pale, indistinct form
seemed to be flitting over the furrows. It came toward him. He tried to
elude it, but it followed him. It was an animal of some sort chasing
him. All the old women's tales about the white greyhound, and the imp
that cries: "_Robert is dead_!" flashed through his mind.

But of a sudden the beast neighed and came near enough to be recognized.
It was Mario's dear little horse, which had scented him from afar and
came to offer him his help.

"Ah! my dear Coquet!" cried the child seizing his mane, "you come in the
nick of time! and did you recognize me, poor fellow, in spite of these
clothes, which you never saw? You were terribly frightened during that
horrid battle, weren't you? You ran off at once, before they raised the
bridge, and you were eating dry thistles here instead of your oats! Let
us be off! we will both of us sup when we have time!"

As he chattered thus to his horse, Mario rearranged the stirrups, which
had suffered somewhat in the bushes. Then, having mounted, he rode away
like an arrow.

We will leave him for the moment and return to Briantes, where the
plight of the besieged garrison causes us some anxiety.




L


When Mario and Aristandre arrived at Briantes, not a quarter of an hour
had elapsed since the bandits had made their sudden appearance there.

Lauriane was about sitting down to supper when she heard confused
outcries and the report of firearms in the direction of the village--we
might say, according to the custom in the province, the _bourg_, since
the little settlement was fortified in very ancient times; but the old
Gallo-Roman stone wall was demolished to the level of the ground in many
places, and it was a long time since the people had ceased to incur the
expense of maintaining gates.

These noises, which the people in the château and those at the
farm-house as well, supposed at first to be caused by villagers turning
out to hunt some creature that had stolen into their enclosures,
speedily assumed a more alarming character.

Everyone seized upon the first weapon that came to hand, and the
farmers, brandishing their flails, hurried to the tower of the _huis_.
But they were instantly forced back and their efforts paralyzed by the
people from the village, who, rushing from all directions, came together
at the approaches to the bridge, and in their terror overturned and
trampled on the men who were running to their assistance.

And yet the attacking party consisted of only about fifty men, followed
by a number of women and children; but it will be remembered that the
marquis had ordered out and despatched to the attack on Brilbault all
the stout and intrepid men in his little fief, so that the population
surprised by the brigands consisted at that moment of women and
children, crippled old men, or weak, half-grown boys.

The sight of the horrible masks worn by the bandits produced the effect
they had anticipated. A general panic seized the peasants, and fear
afforded them only so much strength as was necessary to prevent the
loyal retainers from the château from going forth to meet the foe.

One of the dead bodies that Mario found on the road was that of a
deformed young man who fell and was trampled under foot by the
fugitives; the other, a poor old fellow who alone tried to face the
enemy and was struck down by Sancho with the butt of his gun.

They had barely time to cross the bridge, and could not raise it because
of the stragglers who whined and cried and implored shelter for
themselves and their cattle. The enemy took advantage of the confusion
to overtake them.

Thereupon the battle began under the archway of the _huis_, where the
defenders of the château, surrounded by crying children and animals
that were either inert and stupid or wounded and frantic, were instantly
forced to fall back.

They had no sooner retreated to the _basse-cour_ than the peasants
abandoned them and rushed madly to the stone bridge; so that the brave
fellows, numbering no more than half a score, were surrounded by the
brigands and forced to fall back to the _huisset_, heroically contesting
every inch of the ground.

One of the bravest, Charasson the farmer, was killed; two others were
wounded. They would all have fallen there, for the redoubtable Sancho
fought with the frenzy of desperation, had it not been for the dastardly
behavior of La Flèche and his consorts, "who were eager for pillage,
and in nowise eager for hard knocks."

Reduced to seven, the gallant defenders were obliged to retreat into the
courtyard; the which was no easy matter, because the courtyard was so
crowded. They were so hotly pressed by Sancho that a great number of the
beasts were left outside, or in their excitement plunged into the moat.

During this desperate struggle, which, however, had lasted barely ten
minutes, Lauriane and Mercedes at first stood, silent and trembling, on
the platform of the tower of the _huisset_.

When they saw their people give way, being simultaneously inspired by
the courage which fear imparts to the weak when they are not idiots,
they ran to the falconets, which were always ready to be discharged.
They hurriedly lighted the matches, and held themselves in readiness to
fire, encouraging each other, and trying to remember what they had seen
Mario and the other young men of the household taught to do by way of
practice. But it was not yet possible to fire on the enemy, they were so
inextricably mingled with the defenders of the château.

But what was Adamas doing at that supreme moment? Adamas was in the
bowels of the earth.

The reader will remember hearing of a secret passage, by means of which
Lucilio's escape was to be effected, in case of need. This passage
passed under the moat and led to a sunken road which had been filled
with gravel by the freshets of the last few years. Adamas had imagined
that to clear the opening would require only a few hours' labor on the
part of his ditchers. But the damage was more extensive than he
supposed, and in three days they had not succeeded in making the passage
practicable.

He went every evening to see what had been done during the day, and he
was buried there during the battle, making his daily inspection, taking
measurements, without the slightest suspicion of the tumult that reigned
out-of-doors.

When he emerged from his hole, the entrance to which was under the
staircase in the turret, he was like a drunken man for some moments and
believed that he was dreaming; but, being a man of expedients, he
speedily recovered his presence of mind.

He arrived just at the moment when the besieged fell back into the
courtyard and the enemy were on the point of forcing their way in as
well, everyone having lost his head.

Active and always well shod, like the true _homme de chambre_ that he
was, he gave but one bound to the tower of the _huisset_ and dropped the
portcullis in the face of the assailants, and, in fact, on the backs of
some of them, so that the base of that instrument of exclusion did not
reach the ground. He discovered it in time.

"Clindor!" he shouted to the bewildered page, who was preparing to close
the gates behind the portcullis, "stay, stay! What's the reason that the
portcullis doesn't fall? I still have a foot of it above the groove."

Clindor, who was not very brave, although he did his utmost to be,
looked and recoiled in horror.

"I should think so," he said, "there are three men under it!"

"_Numes célestes_! our men! Look, I say, you triple sucking calf!"

"No, no, theirs."

"So much the better, by Mercury! Come here, quickly, some of you! Get on
top of the portcullis! Bear down! bear down! Don't you see that those
dead bodies will enable the living to crawl under the iron teeth, and
that, when they are once under the archway, they will set fire to our
gates! Down, down, you fellows! Break the heads of anyone who tries to
pass, with hammers or feet or musket-butts. Mow them down with your
scythe, living and dead, good Andoche! And you, Châtaignier, have you
another charge? Have at that red-nose protruding there! So! bravo! by
the god Teutates, that is well! right in the mouth! That makes one less
of them!"

Mingling thus eloquent appeals with colloquial phrases whereby he
deigned to descend to the level of the common herd, Adamas had the
satisfaction of seeing the portcullis flatten the bodies beneath it, and
the assailants fall back to the end of the bridge.

"Now to the falconets!" he cried. "Move quicker than that, my Cupids!
Come, come, ten thousand devils! Aim! aim! Make me a fricassee of these
birds of darkness!"

The miniature artillery of the château disheartened the bandits, who
had nothing with which to reply to it; so they carried away their
wounded and decided, in default of anything better, to go and sack the
abandoned farmhouse and banquet there.

They tossed live calves and sheep into the embers of the burned mill,
whence there soon arose an acrid odor of burning wool. They pushed back
with pitchforks the unfortunate creatures which sought to escape from
that torture. They devoured them half raw, half charred. The casks in
the farm-house cellar were burst in. One and all became more or less
intoxicated, even the children and the wounded. They threw the body of
the ill-fated farmer into the fire, and they would have dealt out the
same treatment to the two servants who were prisoners in their hands,
except for the hope of ransom; and even so they spared them against the
wishes of Sancho, who was unwilling to give quarter to anyone.

The old Spaniard did not think of eating or drinking or stealing. It was
against his will that the Brilbault band had gone before the more useful
auxiliaries whose arrival he awaited with impatience in order to
consummate his vengeance. He was anxious, not lest he should lose his
own life, for he had made up his mind beforehand to sacrifice that, but
lest his undertaking should fail by reason of the haste and greed of the
wretched creatures whom he had enlisted in it.

Being unable to hold them back until the hour at which it was arranged
that his real allies should open the march and lead the expedition, he
had accompanied them in order that no other than himself should have the
privilege of torturing the _beaux messieurs de Bois-Doré_, if they
should have the ill-luck to fall into the hands of those marauders.

In the heat of the battle, he, the only fanatically brave man in the
party, had naturally taken his place at their head. But, when the battle
was won, he ceased to be of any consequence to them; and soon, as we
have seen, he took upon himself the duty of guarding the tower of the
_huis_, where a surprise was to be feared, and whence he watched
anxiously for the arrival of those who were to effect the capture and
sacking of the château, and, as a result, the destruction of all those
who had been concerned in D'Alvimar's death, either as cause or
instrument.

If the people in the château were more prudent than those in the
_basse-cour_, they were no more tranquil, and they hastily took all the
measures necessary to defend themselves against a fresh attack.

They saw and heard the carousing of the bandits, and if they had chosen
to sacrifice the farm-house, it would have been easy enough to dislodge
them with their long muskets.

But not only did they hope for the arrival of reinforcements during the
night, before the wretches should think of setting fire to the buildings
in the _basse-cour_, but they were afraid to fire, because of the
prisoners, the number of whom they did not know, and of the cattle,
which were too large to be taken whole into the stomachs of those
starved creatures.

They counted heads, and the absence of the unfortunate fellows who had
fallen or been taken was discovered.

Adamas ordered all the useless people of the village into the stables.
They gave the poor creatures plenty of fresh straw, bidding them keep
perfectly quiet and lament in whispers, which it was not easy to induce
them to do.

Lauriane and Mercedes busied themselves nursing the wounded and feeding
the children.

Meanwhile Adamas posted his force at all the places exposed to the fire
of the assailants, in such manner that they could neutralize it by their
fire; and to prevent anyone from sleeping on his post, he passed his
time going from one to another, distributing words of praise and
encouragement, exhibiting hope, fear, or absolute confidence in the
result of the siege, according to the temperament of each person he
addressed. The shrewd Adamas, who had never handled any other weapon
than the comb and the curling-iron, manifestly played the rôle of the
fly on the coach, a rôle which he was able to make very useful, and
which those who are familiar with Berrichon moderation and apathy know
to be very necessary.

When everything was arranged, Adamas, worn out with fatigue and
excitement, threw himself on a chair in the kitchen to take breath, were
it for no more than five minutes, and to collect his wits.

His heart was very heavy, and he dared not confide his distress to
anyone. He alone knew that Mario was not to accompany his father to
Brilbault, and that, if he were not already taken, he might arrive at
any moment and fall into the hands of the enemy.

Neither Lauriane nor Mercedes shared his suffering; to avoid worrying
them, the marquis had concealed his plans from them. So far as they
knew, he had simply taken his people out for a _battue_. They had felt
that something more serious was in the air, from his preoccupied manner
and the frequent conferences he had held with his friends and servants
throughout the day; but they were too well aware of his paternal
affection to fear that he would expose Mario to any danger, and they
both imagined that he would pass the night at the château of Ars or of
Coudray.

Adamas was beset by innumerable perplexities, debating within himself
whether he ought not to set everybody at work clearing the secret
passage, in order to go out that way to meet Mario and send word to the
marquis, at the same time enabling the women to escape. But he had
measured the ground so many times that he knew that many hours' work
would still be required, and during that time the château, being no
longer guarded, might well be invaded. Then what would become of them,
confined in that issueless underground passage, the entrance to which
would not be likely to escape the notice of the plunderers?

He was interrupted in his agitated reflections by Clindor, who
approached him on tiptoe.

"What are you doing here, you worthless page?" he demanded angrily.

And, forgetting that he was resting himself, he added:

"Is this a night to rest?"

"No, I know it isn't," replied the page; "but I am looking for----"

"For whom? Tell me quickly!"

"The coachman! haven't you seen him?"

"Aristandre? Have you seen him about here I ask, that you are looking
for him? Answer me!"

"I haven't seen him in the château; but, as sure as you are sitting
there, I saw him on the stone bridge, while they were fighting there."

"Death of my life! he isn't in the château, I will swear to that! But
Mario! he was to bring Mario home! Did you see Mario?"

"No; I thought of him and I looked all about; Mario wasn't there."

"God be praised! If Mario had come with him, you wouldn't have seen one
without the other. He wouldn't have gone a foot away from him. He
wouldn't have taken part in the battle. Doubtless monsieur kept the
child with him and sent the coachman back to tell us. But the poor
coachman! You say that he was fighting?"

"Like thirty devils!"

"I am sure of it! and then what?"

"Then, then--the portcullis fell and I ran to shut the gates."

"Hell fire! perhaps it fell on--Here, take this torch, and come!"

"No, no! I saw the men that were crushed. He wasn't one of them."

"You didn't see clearly, you were frightened!"

"I, frightened! Upon my word!"

"No matter, come, I tell you!"

And Adamas ran and opened the gates and looked in fear and trembling at
the bodies flattened under the iron teeth. They were so crushed and
mutilated, that the ghastly spectacle caused the torch to fall from the
page's hands.

Adamas rose with an oath; but, by the light of the smoking torch,
sputtering and dying in the blood, he saw Aristandre standing beside
him.

"Ah! my friend!" he cried, throwing his arms around his neck. "Mario!
where is Mario?"

"Saved!" said the coachman, "and I too, but not without difficulty! A
glass of gin or brandy, quick! my teeth are chattering and I don't want
to die, _sacrebleu_! I may still be good for something inside here!"

"What a state you are in, my poor friend!" said Adamas, dragging him
away to the kitchen, where Clindor gave him something to drink; "where
the devil have you come from?"

"_Parbleu_! from the pond," replied the coachman, who was covered with
mud; "how else could I have got in? For a quarter of an hour I have been
stamping about in the grass and the mud."

He tore his clothes into strips and planted himself in front of the
fire, saying:

"Look, Adamas, and see if I am not losing too much blood, and stop it
for me, old fellow, for I feel very weak!"

Adamas examined him; he had something like ten wounds and as many
bruises.

"_Numes célestes_!" cried Adamas; "I don't see a single sound spot on
your poor corpse!"

"Corpse yourself!" cried the coachman, tossing off another bumper. "Do
you take me for a ghost? To be sure I have come back from a long
distance; but I'm better now; my hide's as thick as my horses', thank
God! Don't let me bleed, that's all I ask. It's a bad thing for a man to
lose all the blood in his body."

Adamas washed him and dressed his wounds with marvellous skill.

Thanks to the thickness of his skin and the herculean strength of his
muscles, the wounded man had escaped serious injury.

"And the child?" said Adamas, as he dressed him in dry clothes which
Clindor had brought; "was the child in danger?"

Aristandre told everything that had happened down to the time that he
raised the stake of the _sarrasine_.

"The child got through," he said; "the beggars on the _moucharabi_ fired
at him but didn't hit him. I had that hound of a Sancho by the throat at
that moment. I might have strangled him, but I let him go and ran out on
the _moucharabi_, and I saw Mario running like the wind; then I fell on
the other two curs. I had only a spade, but I routed them in fine shape,
I tell you! Sancho came at me again with his broken rapier, and tried to
scratch me with the hilt, I think, for he struck at my head and face
when he couldn't reach my stomach. Ah! the old madman, how hard he
strikes! And then, you see, I was already wounded and had not my
strength! But it warmed me up a little all the same, because I had
already swam across the pond once to join dear little Mario in the
garden, and I was shivering. However, I couldn't make an end of the old
devil, and that is all I regret. When I heard others coming to his
assistance, I slipped down the staircase, and as his legs aren't so
active as his arm is heavy, I succeeded in returning to the garden
without his knowing where I had gone. And from there faith, I had no
other choice than to come back here by way of the pond, and here I am!"

"Coachman!" cried Adamas, who, unlike many men, felt a sincere
admiration for exploits of which he knew that he was incapable, "you are
as great as Monsieur d'Urfé's greatest heroes! and if monsieur takes my
advice, he will have you represented in tapestry in his salon, to
perpetuate the memory of your courage and your stout heart."

"If it's only a question of being great," replied the artless
Aristandre, "I can safely say that I have the size. But I am going to
see my horses; after that, we will think about making a little sortie to
clear the _basse-cour_ of these vermin. What do you say about it, old
fellow?"

The prudent Adamas was not heartily in favor of the plan.

While they are discussing projects of attack and defence, we will join
Mario, who has just arrived in sight of the great tree by which the hill
of Etalié is crowned to this day.

The child looked up at the stars which he had learned to know during his
life among the shepherds: it was about half-past nine.

At that period there was a single house in that solitude; it was an inn
and at the same time a sort of hunting rendezvous.

The hill, situated amid plains of vast extent and teeming with game, was
often honored by the sojourn of noblemen of the province, who assembled
to hunt the hare and to dine or sup at the sign of the _Geault-Rouge_.

This will explain the fact that an inn so small, situated so near a
large town that it could not hope to entertain wealthy travellers,
possessed in the person of Master Pignoux, landlord of the
_Geault-Rouge_, a cook of the rarest excellence.

When the gentlemen of the neighborhood indulged in the sport of fishing
in the ponds of Thevet, they always sent in haste for Master Pignoux,
who would come with his wife, set up his canteen on the water's edge,
and serve them, under some lovely arbor, those marvellous
_matelotes_[6]--they were then called _étuvées_--which had made his
reputation. He also went about to the towns and châteaux near by, for
wedding and other festivals, and, it was said, could have taught
Monsieur le Prince's master cooks a thing or two.

The _Geault-Rouge_ was a solidly built structure, of two high stories,
covered with tiles of a brilliant red which could be seen a league away.
Through the influence of the noblemen of the neighborhood, Master
Pignoux had obtained permission to put a vane on his roof, a privilege
of the nobility to which he declared that he was entitled, as he so
often had occasion to entertain the nobility. The incessant shrill
shrieking of that vane, which seemed to be the objective point of all
the winds of the plain, blended with the perpetual creaking of the great
iron sign representing the _Geault-Rouge_ in its glory, which swung
haughtily at the end of a staff projecting from a window on the second
floor.

Opposite the house, on the other side of the road, was a very large
thatch-covered stable, and long sheds for the accommodation of the
retinues by whom the noble sportsmen were commonly attended. The inn
itself was specially reserved for the nobles themselves.

Everyone knows that in those days inns were distinguished as
_hostelleries_, _gîtes_ and _repues_. The _gîtes_ gave special
attention to providing lodging for the night, the _repues_ to furnishing
dinner for travellers; the latter were wretched taverns where well-to-do
people stopped only in default of some better place, and where they were
sometimes fed upon crow, ass's meat, and _Sancerre eels_, that is to
say, snakes. The _gîtes_, on the contrary, were often very sumptuous.

Inns were also divided into those for people on foot and those for
people on horseback. One could take two meals there. On the sign of the
_Geault-Rouge_ were these words, in huge letters:


              HOSTELRY LICENSED BY THE KING

and below:

         DINNER FOR MOUNTED TRAVELLERS, 12 SOLS;
              LODGING FOR THE SAME, 20 SOLS


The inn-keeper's privilege was confirmed by letters-patent from the
king. Pedestrians could not be entertained at an inn for the
accommodation of mounted travellers, and _vice versa_.

"The French laws prevent the former from spending too much, the latter
from spending too little."[7]

Mario, seeing that the inn was brilliantly lighted, was not surprised to
hear his little horse neigh with pleasure when he was within two hundred
yards. He supposed that he recognized his surroundings.

But he was surprised when he suddenly turned to the left and seemed
unwilling to resume the straight road.

The child, who was on the alert, pricked up his ears. It seemed to him
that he could hear the sound of horses's feet in the direction of the
inn, which the night mist still prevented him from seeing distinctly. He
was overjoyed.

"My father must be here," he said to himself, "with all his people;
perhaps with Monsieur d'Ars and his suite. I will hurry on."

But Coquet required so much urging to go forward, that his young rider
thought that he ought to try to fathom the intelligent creature's idea.
He drew rein, and heard, much nearer at hand than the inn stable, the
familiar neigh of Rosidor, the marquis's faithful palfrey.

"So my father is over there, is he?" he said to himself. "I must be
careful not to pass him on the road."

And as he could distinguish nothing at his left except what seemed to be
dense underbrush, he dropped the reins on Coquet's neck, feeling certain
that he would find a way to join his stable companion.

Coquet entered the underbrush and halted in front of a dilapidated,
tumble-down hovel.

It was the original _Geault-Rouge_ inn, abandoned to its own destruction
twenty years before; Bois-Doré, Guillaume and Monsieur Robin having
cooperated to build the new one and present it to Master Pignoux as a
token of their esteem for his probity and his culinary skill.


[Footnote 6: A dish compounded of several sorts of fish, with an
elaborate sauce.]

[Footnote 7: Monteil, _History of Frenchmen of Various Ranks_.]




LI


Mario entered without difficulty, there being no door.

He put his hand upon Rosidor, whom he recognized by his accoutrements
and his fine coat, as well as by his caressing voice; and the finding of
his father's horse concealed in a ruin caused him to reflect.

He looked about, called his father cautiously, and, having satisfied
himself that he was alone, conceived it to be his duty to imitate the
example which seemed to be given him, by fastening Coquet beside
Rosidor, and proceeding on foot, and as noiselessly as possible, toward
the new inn.

He crept along the bushes and suddenly came upon a party of mounted men,
who seemed to be pitching their camp in that place, some busied about
their horses, which they were taking to the great stable opposite;
others, who had already attended to that duty, stood in the road,
exchanging in undertones and with a mysterious air words which Mario
could not understand.

He glided among them unobserved; but when he stood in the doorway of the
great kitchen of the inn, illuminated by the bright fire on the hearth
which shone through the door, he felt a rough hand seize him by the
collar, and a gruff voice said to him in French, but with a very
pronounced German accent:

"No admittance!"

At the same time he saw two tall dark-skinned men, armed to the teeth,
standing guard on each side of the door.

Thereupon Sancho's words recurred to his memory, and what Pilar had said
of the reinforcement expected by the bandits.

"I have tumbled into a wasp's-nest," he thought; "but I am disguised and
they will take me for a little beggar. I must find out if my father is
here."

So he put out his hand and began to beg, in the piteous tone that he had
heard the gypsies adopt and had sometimes adopted himself, laughing in
his sleeve, during his travels with that honorable company.

They released him at once, but ordered him to go away, and, when he
pretended not to understand, they threatened him by going through the
motions of taking aim at him.

He was about to go, being fully determined to return, when another
voice, coming from the inn, issued an order in German; whereupon,
instead of turning him out-of-doors, they seized him by the collar again
and pushed him into the kitchen.

There, before he had time to collect his thoughts, he found himself
confronted by a tall, thin, dark individual, in military costume, who
said to him with an Italian accent:

"Come here, boy, and if you have a letter, give it to me."

"I haven't any letter," replied Mario, looking the stranger in the face
with perfect self-possession.

"A verbal message then, eh? Speak!"

"Before I speak," said the boy, with great presence of mind, "I must
know to whom I am speaking."

"_Diable_!" said the stranger with a scornful smile, "we are a very wary
youth; that is well enough! This is the countersign: _Saccage_ and
_Macabre_. What name has been given you?"

"La Flèche," replied Mario, at random.

"What? what is that?" said the Italian frowning. "There's no rhyme
there."

"Wait!" cried Mario, inspired by that reply, "that isn't all. Isn't
there a _pillage_ in your countersign?"

"That rhymes better," said the other, smiling dismally; "but that isn't
all yet, you little monkey! Your memory is failing you!"

"Perhaps so," said the child; "there's another word, I know. Isn't it
Sancho?"

"There we are! Now then, stand in this corner and don't stir. I am
Lieutenant Saccage; Captain Macabre will be here in a quarter of an
hour. He's the one to whom you must give your message, which I care very
little about, for my part. I say, you fellows, hold your tongues!" he
shouted to the horsemen, who were going to and fro around the house,
talking a little louder than seemed to be necessary.

Profound silence ensued, and he who styled himself Lieutenant Saccage
said to Mario, who was meditating upon the means of gaining admittance
to another room, to find his father or someone who could give him some
news of him:

"My good friend, it is well that you should know the countersign, for
your protection. We send away or arrest everyone who tries to enter this
house; we fire on everyone who tries to go out. Do you understand that?"

"But I have no reason for trying to go out," replied Mario, cautiously;
"I am looking round to see if there's anything to eat; I am hungry."

"That makes no difference to me, my boy. We are hungry too, and we're
waiting for the captain to give us orders to eat."

Mario was not hungry. He was very anxious. In the room at the rear,
which was a sort of pantry and serving-room, he saw Mistress Pignoux and
her servant bustling about. It seemed to him that the former saw him and
recognized him, and that she even spoke to the servant, as if to warn
her not to mention the discovery.

But all this might well be a delusion, and Mario waited for a moment
when Saccage's back should be turned, to try to exchange a word or a
glance with the hostess. He knew that everybody in the house worshipped
his father and himself.

He adopted the plan of pretending to fall asleep, and Saccage soon went
out to give some order.

Thereupon the child rushed up to Madame Pignoux, saying:

"It is I! not a word! where is my father?"

"Upstairs!" replied Madame Pignoux hastily; although advanced in years,
she was still a robust woman, with a firm foot and a keen eye.

She pointed to the wooden staircase leading to the dining-room, called
the _salle d'honneur_ at the _Geault-Rouge_.

But, as the child was already climbing the stairs, she detained him.

"No!" she said, "they don't know that he is here! Don't stir, my young
master. They would kill him!"

"Who are these men?"

"A wicked lot! Do you know what _arêtes_ are?"

"No! Wait a moment! Perhaps you mean _reitres_?"

"Yes, that's the word. My servant Jacques, who has served in the army,
recognized them. They are brigands who burn and kill wherever they go."

"But they haven't done you any harm, have they?"

"No; they want food and drink; afterwards God only knows whether they
won't burn the house and us with it! That's the way they pay their
reckoning."

"Madame Pignoux, my father must escape from here! How can he do it?"

"Impossible at present! They are guarding all the doors, and your papa
is too old to jump out of a window. Indeed, what would be the use? The
house is surrounded, and they won't even let us go to the hen-coop and
the cellar without following at our heels."

"But you must at least hide my father! Ah! I am very sure now that it's
he they are after! Where is he?"

"In my man's room, who luckily isn't at home! He has gone to cook a
wedding banquet at La Châtre and won't return till to-morrow. They
called for him by name."

"Who? my father?"

"No, my man! I would like to know how it happens that they know him! I
told them he was sick, and I said it very loud so that your papa could
hear it upstairs. I hope that it will occur to him to get into bed."

"But didn't they suggest going upstairs?"

"Yes, indeed; they looked into the _salle d'honneur_, and they said----"

"But they are coming back; we must stop talking," said Mario.

And he hurried back to his corner in the kitchen and resumed his drowsy
attitude.

"Come, old witch, make haste!" cried Saccage, returning with two of his
followers; "lay the table and give us the best you have. Captain Macabre
is here. Do you fellows see that the men observe the order: _Silence and
patience_!" he said to his soldiers. "No one must think of eating before
the captain is at the table. The captain halts here to obtain a good
supper, and doesn't propose to have the pantry ransacked and nothing but
bones left for him and his officers. Remember the fellows who were
hanged at Linières for laying hands on the provisions! Go!--I spoke for
your ears, madame she-ape," he added, addressing the hostess as soon as
the soldiers had gone, "so that you might know that this is no time for
snivelling and heaving sighs. Look alive and put on the spit. To work, I
say! and if the joint is burned by your fault, look out for your old
carcass!"

"How do you expect me to hurry, when I have to do everything almost
alone?" said Madame Pignoux, unmoved by his insults. "There are only us
two old women here. Let them give me back my servant so that he can lay
the table. I can't be upstairs and down at the same time, can I?"

"Your servant is under suspicion, old woman. He acted as if he meant to
run away when he saw us, and then he tried to hide the oats. He has had
a good thrashing and is now working for us."

"Well, how about this urchin?" rejoined the hostess, talking away as she
spitted her chickens; "is he one of your band? couldn't he help me?"

"Help her, good-for-naught," said Saccage to Mario, "and do your work
neatly!"

Mario rose with affected indifference, and asked what he should do.

"What's that? go upstairs with the maid," cried Madame Pignoux, "and lay
the cloth in a hurry."

Mario went up, and said to the servant:

"My father? which room is he in? Tell me quickly!"

She led him up to the second floor and the child scratched gently at the
door, which was locked and bolted inside.

The marquis instantly recognized that little hand, which scratched so
every morning at his bedroom door.

"O God!" he cried, hurriedly opening the door, "you here? But what does
this costume mean? Whom did you come with? how? why?"

"I haven't any time to explain," replied Mario. "I am alone; I want you
to escape from here. Do as I have done, father; disguise yourself."

"Yes, to be sure," said the servant; "here are master's clothes; put
them on, monsieur le mar----"

"No marquises!" said Mario; "leave us, my good girl; and you, father,
shall be Master Pignoux."

"But why show myself?" observed the marquis, as he mechanically
unbuttoned his vest; "I shall not be able to act a part as you do, my
child."

"Yes, you will, yes, you will, my father! But, tell me, don't you know a
_reitre_ named Macabre? It seems to me I have heard you mention that
name."

"Macabre? Yes, to be sure, I know that name and the man too, if it's the
same one who----"

"Is it a long time since he saw you?"

"The devil! yes! something like twenty or thirty years--perhaps more!"

"Well, that is all right! Show yourself without fear; play the
inn-keeper, and we will find a way to escape."

"That will not be possible, my child," said the marquis, continuing to
undress. "We have crafty rascals to deal with. Just fancy that they came
up with no more noise than if it had been a troop of mules going at a
footpace under the charge of a single man. I had no suspicion; the
hostess was asleep in the chimney corner. I was in the living-room,
reading _Astrée_, while waiting until it was time to start."

"Let us hide _Astrée_! Cooks do not read books bound in silk," said
Mario, seizing the volume, which the marquis had instinctively placed
beside his hat when he took possession of the inn-keeper's chamber.

And, as the marquis removed each piece of his clothing, the child
concealed it also under the firewood in a small loft adjoining.

"But did they not recognize you as a gentleman, my poor child?"
continued the marquis, intensely excited as we may believe. "_Mon Dieu_!
have they done you no harm?"

"No, no; let us talk about you, father. Didn't you try to leave the
house before they had stationed their sentinels?"

"No, certainly not. I had no suspicion! They made so little noise that I
thought that some muleteer had stopped here; and not until they had
surrounded the house did they raise their voices slightly, and then I
saw through the window that I was caught in a trap by the worst sort of
cutthroats and villains within my knowledge. I kept perfectly still,
thinking that they would soon go away; but I heard some Italian words,
which I partly understood. They intend, I believe, to stay here until
daybreak. Thereupon I said to myself that my people, finding that I did
not arrive at Brilbault, where I am expected at ten o'clock, would be
anxious about me, and would come during the night to look for me here,
where they know that I was to stop. It would be better to wait for them.
There are only about a dozen of these _reitres_; I was able to count
them pretty accurately, and when our people arrive I shall have no
difficulty in cutting our way to them through these knaves with my
sword."

"Father," said Mario, who was looking out of the window, "there are at
least twenty-five of them! for here is another numerous party just
riding up. Our people are not thinking as yet of coming to look for you,
and at any moment these fellows may search the house from top to bottom
for plunder."

"Well, my child, here I am disguised from top to toe. Stay with me, as
if you were nursing the sick landlord. If they come up here, they will
not disturb us. They maltreat and hold to ransom only well-dressed and
well-mounted people. Ah! by the way, my horse will betray me. They must
have seen him."

"Your horse is hidden, and so is mine."

"Really? Then it must have been that worthy ostler who found a way to
put him out of sight. But what is the matter with the brigands that they
are shouting so? Do you hear them?"

"They are calling me. Stay here, father; don't lock yourself in: that
would arouse suspicion. Hark! they are going into the room below. I must
go! Listen to everything; the partitions are very thin. Try to
understand, and be all ready to come if I call you."




LII


Mario ran like a cat down the narrow staircase leading from the
inn-keeper's chamber to the _salle d'honneur_, and found himself in the
presence of Captain Macabre, who, at the same instant, entered the room
with heavy tread by the staircase leading from the kitchen.

Lieutenant Saccage was also there with two or three other men of no less
hang-dog aspect.

The appearance of the individual who bore the sinister name of Macabre
was less repellent at first glance than his lieutenant's. The latter was
treacherous and cold, with a fiendish laugh. Macabre's face indicated
nothing worse than brutalized roughness, which strove to appear
imposing.

There was no place for a smile upon that face stupefied by fatigue and
dissipation. The muscles seemed to have grown stiff--to have become
ossified; the light eyes had a fixed stare like eyes made of enamel. The
strongly marked features resembled Mr. Punch's, minus the animated, sly
expression. A great scar across the jaw had paralyzed one corner of the
mouth and separated in a curious way the gray and red beard, which
seemed to grow in different directions, and, as to part of it, against
the grain. A great hairy mole emphasized the hump on his protuberant
nose. His fingers bristled with gray hair to the roots of the nails.

He was short and thin, but broad-shouldered, and as compactly built as a
wild-boar, with tawny coat and head set close to the shoulders, like
that beast. He seemed quite old, but his appearance still indicated
herculean strength. His rasping voice, still maintained at the high
pitch of the military officer in the mouth of a fool, sounded like a
peal of thunder with the influenza, and made the glasses on the table
rattle.

He was dressed after the fashion of the _reitres_, in doublet and
tassets of buffalo hide, with a helmet and breastplate of burnished
iron. A wretched stripped black feather adorned that black and gleaming
helmet. He carried the stout, broad German sword, against which the
glistening lances of the French gendarmerie were easily shattered;
flint-lock pistols, to which our soldiers foolishly preferred the old
match-lock weapons; a short musket, and a bandoleer with little black
leather compartments containing charges of powder and ball, completed
this individual's campaign equipment.

His private escort, or, as was still said at this time, his _lance_,
consisted of two carbineers for scouting purposes, and two
_coutilliers_, who performed the twofold functions of pages and
farriers.

He had also seven soldiers, well-armed and mounted as light-horse, who
never left him, and who were the cream of his _cornette_, or troop of
picked men. We may translate, in this way, by equivalent terms to those
in use at this time, the titles and different grades of this tribe of
foreign adventurers, whose organization, equipment and staff each leader
modified, according to his whim or his power.

Mario had not erred in estimating at twenty-five men the band
accompanying the captain, added to that already at the inn under his
lieutenant's command.

"Here's a filthy tavern!" cried the captain in a disdainful tone,
scraping the heavy soles of his great muddy boots on the clean and
glistening rungs of a walnut chair. "What sort of a fire is that for
travellers by night? Are you short of wood in this barrack?"

"Alas! monsieur," said the servant, tossing an armful of wood on the
fire, which was already burning brightly, "we can do no better; this is
a flat country and wood is scarce."


[Illustration: _MACABRE AND HIS BAND AT
THE INN._

"_Look you, my toothless beauty; this is the way
we warm ourselves when wood is dear!_"

_And he tossed the chair on which he had just
wiped his feet into the fire._]


"There's a stupid girl, and uglier, if possible, than her mistress!"
rejoined the courteous Macabre. "Look you, my toothless beauty; this is
the way we warm ourselves when wood is dear!"

And he tossed the chair on which he had just wiped his feet into the
fire.

"And now, lieutenant," he continued coolly, turning to Saccage, "you say
there's a little ragamuffin here, sent by those----"

"Here you are at last!" replied Saccage, raising his foot to impel Mario
more rapidly toward the venerable captain.

Mario eluded the outrage by darting nimbly under the _reitre's_ foot,
and, standing in front of the other brute, said to him coolly:

"I am here, and this is my message; for I gave your lieutenant the
countersign. You cannot stay in this inn, because a large body of armed
men is coming here to-night. You cannot attack the château, which is
well guarded. You must go back where you came from, or you will get into
trouble; Sancho sends this message to you."

"Your Sancho is truly an old ass," retorted the captain.

And he added, accompanying each word with an oath which it is hardly
worth while to repeat in order to convey an idea of the charm of his
conversation:

"I haven't travelled a hundred leagues through a hostile country to go
back empty-handed. Go and tell the man who sent you that Captain Macabre
knows the country better than he does and cares devilish little about a
well-guarded château! Tell him that I have forty horsemen, for there
are fifteen more behind me, who are coming on in charge of _my wife_,
and that forty _reitres_ are as good as an army. Come, off with you, and
go to the devil, gypsy!"

"Don't send him away, captain," said Saccage, who seemed the more
judicious member of the council; "it's of no use for us to have anything
more to do with that Spanish lunatic and that gypsy scum. It is quite
unnecessary to send this sharp young messenger to say that you are going
on. They would follow us and would simply embarrass us and burn and rob
all around us. Do what your wife told you. Stay here till midnight, and
then you will arrive long before daybreak, for it's only two leagues
from here to Briantes. So don't let this little fellow go. I'll throw
him out of the window, if you choose; that will prevent his running."

"No! no unnecessary severity," bleated the captain in falsetto. "I have
become a humane and gentle man since I have had a tender-hearted spouse.
Is the house properly guarded?"

"A fly could not get in without my permission."

"Then let us sup in peace, as soon as my Proserpine arrives. Have you
given orders?"

"Yes; but in spite of Madame Proserpine's fine promises about the
comforts of this inn, we shall sup but poorly here, I am afraid. The
wonderful cook of whom she said so much is in bed, at the point of
death, and the woman is losing her wits. The servant is a traitor whom
we have to watch, and the maid is a frightened old fool who breaks
everything she touches and doesn't forward matters."

"That's because you speak harshly to them, my friend! You always have
insults and threats on your lips! Ten thousand devils! as my wife has
often told you, you lack tact. Where is this damned hostess? summon her,
and let me restore courage to her belly with a cuff or two!"

Walking heavily to the stairs, he called Madame Pignoux, heaping the
coarsest epithets upon her, apparently to set his lieutenant an example
of mildness and courtesy.

This whole conversation was carried on in French.

Macabre, who was of German descent, was born at Bourges and had passed
his early youth in Berry. Except for a somewhat extended vocabulary for
use in his military capacity, he spoke the language of his fathers with
difficulty and without pleasure. The Italian Saccage murdered French
with more facility than German. Thus they had difficulty in
understanding each other when they spoke the latter tongue, and moreover
they considered themselves so entirely masters of the situation that
they scorned to take any precautions before Mario and the people of the
house. Mario, who had taken a great risk when he tried to make the
_reitres_ retrace their steps, and who was likely to be contradicted at
any moment by some genuine messenger from Sancho or La Flèche, realized
that it would be too audacious for him to insist for the moment. He
feigned indifference and preoccupation as he laid the table, but did not
lose a word of what the two adventurers said to each other.

It was quite true that Sancho had promised to send a messenger to
Etalié, which he had designated as the last halting-place of the
_reitres_. But that messenger, who was a gypsy like the rest, and who
hoped that the château of Briantes might be taken and pillaged without
the aid of the Germans, had no idea of doing the errand, but went in
search of plunder in the deserted village, pending the time fixed for
the assault upon the manor by his companions.

The hostess, in obedience to Macabre's polite summons, came upstairs and
faced him bravely.

"What is the use of big words, Captain Macabre?" said she, putting her
arms akimbo. "We know each other of old, and I know very well that you
will pay your reckoning and that of your devils of _lansquenets_[8] with
oaths and destruction of property. I don't receive you for my own
pleasure, and I know very well that it is more likely to be for my ruin.
But I am a reasonable woman and no more foolish than another. So I face
ill fortune with a stout heart and serve you to the best of my ability,
in order to escape bad treatment and be rid of your faces the sooner. If
you are at all reasonable yourself, captain, you will say to yourself
that you had better not injure me to no purpose, but let me alone, and
remember that I know how to fry and roast as well as another."

"In God's name, who are you, old chatterbox?" said the captain, trying
to turn his stiff neck in its iron gorget, in order to look at Madame
Pignoux.

"My maiden name was Marie Mouton, and I was your cantinière during the
siege of Sancerre; and one day I fricasseed a stale crust for you and
you smacked your lips over it."

"That may be; I remember the crust, which was good, but not you, who are
ugly. But if you have served the good cause, I forgive your chatter."

"And what do you call the good cause now? For you and your like have
changed so many times!"

"Hold your tongue, my dear Bonbec. I don't talk religion with people of
your sort."

"Understand, too," interposed Saccage with a sneer, "that the good cause
is always the one we serve!"

"Is this the time for jabbering," continued Macabre, "when my Proserpine
approaches and I order you to make haste?"

"I cannot work any faster," replied La Pignoux; "why did you call me
upstairs?"

"Because I propose that your husband, who is supposed to be a decent
sort of cook, shall get up, dead or alive, and put his hand to the
dough."

"That is impossible; my man is all twisted up with pain, and hasn't
cooked for a long time."

"You lie, my dear; your man is a tool of old--Enough! I know about you;
my wife has told me----"

"Old who? what do you mean?"

"Methinks you question me, strumpet!" said the captain, with a burlesque
dignity which he assumed in perfect good faith.

"Why not?" retorted the hostess. "And your wife, as you call her,--who
is she, to have kept you so well informed?"

"Hold your tongue, and when my goddess arrives, serve her on your
knees," said Macabre with a fatuous smile in which his crooked mouth
extended to his left eye.

Then, recurring to his fixed idea, which was to feast bountifully and
regale his goddess handsomely, he insisted that the inn-keeper should be
made to get up.

"By hell!" exclaimed Saccage, drawing his sword, "there is no difficulty
about that; I have always heard that you must grease stiff joints to
make them work, and I will find a way to unearth this pretended dying
man whatever hole he may be hiding in! Come with me, scouts! and run
your swords everywhere, whether it's into flesh or marrow."

"That is unnecessary," said Mario, jumping in front of the unsheathed
sword; "I will go and bring him; I know where Master Pignoux is! I know
him, and when I tell him that he has the honor of receiving Captain
Macabre in person, he will come at once."

"That is a pretty boy!" said Macabre, looking after Mario as he left the
room. "I must give him to my wife to wait on her. She asks me every day
for a trim little page."

"You will make nothing of a gypsy," said Saccage. "This imp has an
impudent, sneering air."

"You are mistaken! I consider him very pretty myself!" rejoined the
captain, who did not enjoy being contradicted too much, and with whom
the lieutenant had been a little too outspoken for several days past,
for reasons which we shall soon learn, and which Macabre was beginning
to suspect.

The marquis, being anxious about Mario, was standing in a small
passageway near the _salle d'honneur_ and doing his utmost to hear
everything; but his ear grasped only snatches of the conversation, and
Mario, hurrying out in search of him, hastily told him what had taken
place, in as few words as possible.

He had not time, nor indeed had he the inclination, to tell what was
happening at Briantes; he felt that the marquis already had enough upon
his mind to extricate himself from his present plight, and that he ought
not to disturb him by giving him other motives for apprehension.

The _reitres_ being as ignorant as he of the attack precipitated by the
gypsies, there was no risk that the marquis would learn it from another
mouth than his when the proper moment should arrive.

But would that moment arrive? The present situation would have seemed
desperate to an experienced person, and the marquis, who knew only a
part of it, deemed it very serious. But Mario had the happy faith of
childhood: he saw only half of the danger.

"If we escape from here, as I hope," he thought, "my father and I will
have a hearty laugh at the figure we cut at this moment!"


[Footnote 8: The _reitres_ were still called _lansquenets_ in France,
although they no longer carried lances.]




LIII


In truth, the poor marquis, disguised as a cook, was very laughable.

He had done the work conscientiously. He had taken off his wig and
concealed his bare skull beneath an oilcloth cap shaped like a
cake-mould.

His face, thus bereft of its ebon curls, and smeared with soot, was not
recognizable; nor were his great white hands, which were stained to
correspond with his face.

He had succeeded in hiding his fine white shirt under a countryman's
smock, and was shod in shabby felt slippers; a coarse apron, thrown over
the whole, covered his broadcloth breeches, which were not very
magnificent, for he had attired himself very simply for the projected
nocturnal expedition to Brilbault, which circumstance proved to be very
fortunate in this emergency.

Being informed by Mario that Macabre seemed to be a stupid,
vain-glorious clown, he realized that it was his cue to inspire
confidence in him, and at the outset he saw that no flattery would be
too rank for him to swallow.

"Illustrious and gallant captain," he said, bowing to the ground, "I beg
you to excuse my poor fool of a wife, who did not know what a great
warrior and scholar we had under our roof. It is quite true that I am
ill with the gout, but your affable and martial air would bring the dead
to life, and I remember too well my service under your banner not to be
determined, though I must leave my life in my fires, to serve you to the
extent of such small talents as heaven has given me."

"Good! good!" said Saccage to the captain, "there is nothing like
threatening! They are all claiming to have served under you."

"That's all right," rejoined Macabre, "provided he serves me well now.
And after all, monsieur le lieutenant, it's not impossible that the old
fellow may have known me long ago, during the war in the province. I had
enough share in it for everybody to remember me. Scullion! you may tell
me of your campaigns at dessert, for I see from your manner and your
gait that the gout hasn't spoiled the carriage of a soldier. You have a
curious odor about you," he added, referring to the perfumes with which
the marquis, despite his disguise, was thoroughly impregnated; "it
smells like confectionery! No matter! I will bet that you have been a
lansquenet in your day, eh?"

"I was one for a whole year," replied Bois-Doré, who knew by heart the
whole of Master Pignoux's checkered existence and Macabre's villainous
youth. "Why, I saw you worry the Huguenots of Bourges during the
massacre in the prisons, in company with that terrible vine-dresser who
was called _Le Grand Vinaigrier_."

"Oho!" cried the Italian, glancing at his captain with a mocking air,
"didn't I tell you that you were a great Papist, my captain?"

"Everything in its season!" retorted Macabre, with philosophical
tranquillity; "my father, who was the captain of the great tower of
Bourges with the late Monsieur de Pisseloup, protected the poor heretics
in the province as well as he could. For my part, I fired crooked when I
couldn't do anything better. But I got back into the straight road, and
I am more sincere than you, Monsieur l'Italien, with your relics hidden
under your German breastplate."

The Italian made a sharp retort, and Macabre, angry with him for raising
his voice in presence of his pages and his men-at-arms, although they
understood very little French, bade him be silent, and asked the marquis
what he could give him to eat.

Bois-Doré, who had referred to the incident of the Catholic massacres
only to see in what waters young Macabre was sailing since he had grown
old, felt more at ease.

This leader of partizans could not be acting under the patronage of the
Prince de Condé. The marquis's knowledge was sufficiently extensive to
enable him to talk of culinary matters like a man who knows his ground,
and as, during his stay of two hours at the inn, he had discussed this
momentous question with Madame Pignoux, to pass the time away, he was
quite familiar with the contents of the pantry and the resources of the
cellar.

"We shall have the honor to offer you," he said, "a quarter of wild-boar
seasoned with spices, which will commend itself to you; a fine mess of
Issoudun crabs cooked in beer----"

"And well peppered, I hope," said the captain. "My wife loves
highly-seasoned dishes."

"We will put in a taste of Spanish pimento."

And, having enumerated all the dishes, the marquis added:

"But would not your illustrious lady like some sweet dishes after the
joint?"

"The devil! yes. I had nearly forgotten that she recommended a certain
_omelette au musc_."

"Perhaps your lordship means _aux pistaches_? That is a dish of my own
invention."

"The deuce you say! She told me that it was invented by the old man."

"The old man? Who dares, boast of having discovered before me the
_omelette au riz_ and _aux pistaches_?"

"Faith, old Bois-Doré, if I must mention that idiot of idiots in good
company!"

Bois-Doré bit his lips.

"Who, pray, does the marquis the honor to repeat his absurd boasts?" he
said. "Does madame your wife deign to know him?"

"It would seem so!" retorted Macabre, "and I know, also, my old rascal,
that you are that triple hound of a false marquis's humble servant, and
that he taught you how to cook; but I don't care a straw! You are
watched and your ears will answer to me for your ragouts."

The marquis saw that he had no other resource than to speak ill of
himself, and he did not spare himself, ridiculing his own rank and
character in most amusing terms; but he could not decide to couple with
his accursed and calumniated name the epithet _old_, which his
contemporary Macabre insolently used to decry him.

The captain persisted in a most offensive way.

"That old dyspeptic must be pretty well broken up," he said, "for when I
saw him last he was like a long lath, with no beard on his chin, and I
nearly broke him in two by mistake."

"Indeed?" said Bois-Doré, recalling the youthful adventure which he had
recently related to Adamas; "did you do him the honor of measuring
swords with him?"

"No, my good man, I didn't stoop to that. He was on horseback, carrying
munitions of war to our enemies. I took him by one leg and, stretching
him at my feet, I left him for dead and seized his convoy."

"Which consisted of powder and ball?" queried Bois-Doré, unable to
refrain from laughing inwardly at the absurd boasting of the man whom he
had overturned with a kick, and at the remembrance of that famous stock
of munitions of war, consisting of children's toys.

"It was a good capture!" replied the captain. "But we have talked
enough, old jabberer! Go downstairs and have an eye to everything."

Bois-Doré, relegated to his ovens, was compelled to leave Mario, whom
the captain detained.

As he left the room he cast a glance at his son: a glance of intense
apprehension, which the child returned with one of the utmost
confidence. He felt that Macabre was not ill-disposed toward him.

"Now, my boy," said the captain, "come here and tell me, if you can, who
you are!"

"Faith, I don't know anything about it; captain," replied Mario, who had
not had time as yet to forget the gypsy mode of speech; "I was stolen or
picked up on the road somewhere by the dark-skinned devils called
Egyptians."

"What can you do?"

"Three fine things," replied Mario, opportunely remembering La Flèche's
lofty maxims: "fast, watch, and run; with that we can go a long way and
get out of any scrape."

"He's a sharp boy," said Macabre, glancing at his lieutenant, who, to
display his ill-humor, had turned his back on him, sitting astride his
chair, his head and hands resting on the back, and his side to the fire.
Macabre considered his position disrespectful, and told him so in
cynical terms. Saccage rose without speaking and left the room.

Mario observed everything, and the discord between the two leaders
seemed to him a good omen. He determined to take advantage of it, if
possible, and if opportunity offered.

Macabre resumed the conversation with him.

"How does it happen," he said, "that I didn't see you at Brilbault last
night?"

Mario was not long embarrassed by that question.

"I wasn't there," he said; "I was collecting chickens in the
neighborhood, just to save them from the foxes and the pip."

"Do you know how to steal chickens? Well, that is a natural
accomplishment which may be very useful. But tell me if the Spaniard
finished his dying?"

"Monsieur d'Alvimar?" said Mario, beginning to understand Pilar's story,
and no longer to look upon it as a dream.

"Yes, yes," said Macabre, "that dog of a Papist who turned my stomach
with his prayers!"

"He died this morning."

"He did well, the lunatic! And what about Sancho? He's much more of a
man; bigoted as he is, he understands matters. Where is he now?"

"He is hiding."

"Why doesn't he join me here?"

"As I told you, you are in danger here, and he knows it."

"What danger? Will old Pignoux betray us?"

"No, the poor man doesn't know anything at all about it; what could he
do against you?"

"But from whom are we in danger?"

"A party of gentlemen who are looking for you at Brilbault at this
moment, and who will soon pass here, with a big escort, on their way to
sleep at Briantes."

"Did you see them?"

"Yes."

"How many of them are there?"

"Perhaps two hundred mounted men!" said Mario trying to frighten his
man.

"So the plan is discovered, is it?" said Macabre, evidently shaken.

"It seems so!"

The captain seemed to reflect, in so far as his stony or, more
accurately, his horny face could be said to denote any mental
preoccupation.

Mario's heart beat fast under his rags. For a moment he thought that his
stratagem would be successful and that Macabre would decide to retrace
his steps. But the captain began to talk German with his scouts, who
left the room at once, and Macabre resumed his graceful attitude, one
leg thrown over the andiron, the other across the chair the lieutenant
had left.

Mario ventured to question him.

"Well, captain," he said, "are you going to turn back?"

"To Linières? No, indeed, my little monkey! My horses are tired and my
men too. For my own part I slept so tittle at Brilbault last night that
I propose to make it up here. Woe to the man who disturbs me!"

These plans for slumber aroused hope anew in Mario's heart.

"If these people are very tired," he thought, "a moment will come when
we shall be able to escape."

He did not, as the marquis did, rely upon the arrival of his friends and
servants. Pilar, by advising them of the capture of the _basse-cour_ at
Briantes, would lead them to hurry thither instantly, expecting that the
marquis would take the same direction; for the little gypsy, whose
intellect was shrewd beyond her years, would not fail to tell them that
Mario had started off to warn his father.

As he was making these reflections, Lieutenant Saccage re-entered the
room, and, addressing Macabre, who was dozing before the fire, said in a
half-humble, half-insolent tone:

"Allow me to inform you, captain, that, thanks to your plan of dividing
us up into small parties, we lose much time; your wife and her party
have not arrived, and if you sit a long while at table, as you usually
do, our whole plan may fail. The proper course would be not to have a
feast, but to eat quietly, sleep a couple of hours, and go forward
before the passers-by have time to speed the news of our coming."

"Detain the passers-by!" rejoined Macabre, calmly. "Didn't we agree on
that? You will have no great task, for we didn't meet a cat from
Linières here, and this country's as empty as a church in '62. But
these are useless words. I hear my Proserpine's voice. She comes! Let us
go to meet her!"

As he spoke, Macabre rose with an effort and went down to the kitchen.

"The captain's growing old!" said Saccage, in Italian, to one of the
farriers who stood like statues in front of the door.

"No," was the reply, "he has taken a wife, and that is worse! He thinks
of nothing but carousing, and he doesn't know when it's time to march."

Mario, who was studying Latin with Lucilio, understood the substance of
this colloquy, and followed the lieutenant and the two troopers to the
kitchen.

As soon as he arrived there, paying no heed to the new arrivals who were
crowding through the door, he glided to Bois-Doré's side, who was
cooking for dear life with Madame Pignoux, saying to himself that the
sooner the enemy was at table, the sooner there might be some
opportunity to escape.

"Ah! here you are, my child," said the marquis in an undertone; "have
they maltreated you?"

"No, no," said Mario, "the captain and I are on the best of terms. Let
me help you, father. We can talk while they are not thinking about us."

"Very well, but we must not look at each other; watch me when I speak to
the hostess.--Madame Pignoux, give me the butter!" he called aloud; then
added in an undertone: "What is going on by the door, my good woman?"

"A lady dismounting from her horse. Don't turn round, she may happen to
know you."

"Mustard, boy!" said the marquis, tapping Mario on the shoulder.--"Don't
you turn either," he whispered in his ear.--"Madame Pignoux," leaning
toward the hostess, "try to see her face."

"I don't recognize her," said La Pignoux; "she has a mass of hair and
feathers. She's a powerful woman!"




LIV


Our three friends were standing at the end of the kitchen by the oven,
with their backs to the door and their faces turned toward a window,
through which they could see the figures of the sentinels walking to and
fro outside, carbine in hand.

There were two on each side of the house; an unnecessarily large supply,
for the house had only two doors, one opening on the road, the other of
the pantry, opening on a small garden enclosed by a hedge.

All the windows on the ground-floor and first floor were provided with
stout bars. It was hopeless to think of forcing their way out.

And yet the marquis sighed with impatience.

"Ah! my son, why are you here?" he said to Mario. "With this stout
kitchen knife I could soon get rid of the two sentinels walking back and
forth in front of the pantry door. But with you--I should not dare; I am
a coward."

"And if my man was here," rejoined Madame Pignoux, "old as he is, he and
Jacques would take care of the others. But I am very much afraid they
have killed my poor servant! Good God! there he is! Just see how those
devils have treated him! He's all covered with blood!"

Jacques le Bréchaud, so-called because he was gap-toothed,[9] was ugly,
crafty and bad-tempered, but brave and devoted.

"Don't pay any attention to me," he said, "but give me a dish-clout to
wipe my face."

"Why, they have split your head open, my poor fellow!" said the marquis,
passing him his lace handkerchief, which he found in his breeches,
pocket.

Mario seized the handkerchief, which might have betrayed their identity,
and tossed it into the hot fire, where it disappeared like a match.

Jacques wiped away the blood and bandaged his wound with a napkin.

"Don't be alarmed," he said to Madame Pignoux; "they let me come here to
wait on them. Give me the larding-knife, and the night shall not pass
without my ripping up one or two of them."

"You will get yourself killed," said the hostess. "That's of no
consequence," replied Jacques.

"But you will get us killed too!"

"Jacques," said the marquis, "look at this child, and don't say a word.
Help him to leave this house, if you can, but be prudent if you love
us."

Jacques glanced stealthily at Mario, and, without making any reply, went
several times to the pantry, as if to attend to his duties, but in
reality to examine the men who were pacing back and forth with the
regularity of machines.

"Those German curs!" he said to the marquis, "they don't eat nor drink
nor sleep until they have killed off everybody."

"And they know what discipline means too!" rejoined the marquis, with a
sigh. "Ah! it can't be denied that the _reitres_ are stout soldiers! If
our good Henri had had ten thousand of them, he would have been king ten
years earlier!"

"Cook, father, cook!" said Mario, "the lieutenant is looking at you!"

"He may look at me all he chooses, my son; I know how to handle a
saucepan as well as Master Pignoux himself."

"That's the truth," said the hostess; "anyone would swear that you had
studied cooking!"

"I studied it in the field, Madame Pignoux; I have made a fricassee for
my Henri with my sword at my side and my helmet on my head. Who would
have dreamed that I would ever do the same for a Macabre and his better
half? She is some prostitute, I fancy!"

At that moment Madame Proserpine's voice rose above the others, which
had drowned it thus far.

"Pah! how it smells of burned fat!" she exclaimed; "it is enough to make
one sick! Let's go up; let's go up at once! Come, lieutenant, give me
your hand, _sacrebleu_!"

Monsieur de Bois-Doré and his son glanced at each other then looked
down into their saucepans.

This amazon, who, after conversing confidentially with the captain and
lieutenant at the door of the inn, now strode slowly across the kitchen,
resplendent in her warlike costume, and tossing beneath the multicolored
plumes of her headgear her abundant bright red mane, this Madame
Proserpine, the more or less lawful spouse of Captain Macabre, was the
marquis's former housekeeper, Mario's personal enemy, Guillette Carcat
of La Châtre, Bellinde of Briantes.

"We are lost," thought the marquis; "she will surely recognize us!"

"We are saved," thought Mario; "she does not recognize us!"

And, to make his disguise more complete, he too enveloped himself in an
enormous apron which came to his chin, and passed his little
soot-begrimed hands over his red cheeks.

Bellinde passed on without turning. But it was impossible to think of
flight. _Madame_ desired to be served instantly.

The ex-housekeeper, formerly a prudish and demure damsel, had undergone
a sudden metamorphosis. On becoming the companion of an old
swash-buckler, she had adopted the military manners and the imperious
and shrewish tone which were the natural expression of her real nature,
long held in restraint and glossed over at Briantes. Her person had
developed with corresponding luxuriance. Being no longer obliged to
indulge secretly in stolen liquors and delicacies, she had abandoned
herself greedily to her gluttonous instincts. Being abundantly supplied
with money, provisions and spirits by the forethought of Macabre, who
always appropriated the lion's share of all booty, she drowned each day,
in the fumes of debauchery, the remorse and disgust born of her
subjection to a species of monster.

The pleasure of doing nothing but ride about the country and issue
orders was also some compensation to her. The vicissitudes and excesses
of her new life as an adventuress had speedily altered her features and
almost doubled her size. Her face, naturally high-colored, had already
taken on the blotched, purplish appearance of dissipation and
over-indulgence. Proud of her luxuriant red mane, she allowed it to fall
over her shoulders with absurd ostentation, and bedizened herself,
without a trace of discernment, with all sorts of objects which Master
Macabre had collected, more frequently by treachery than in honorable
warfare.

Madame therefore was in haste to eat and drink, after a long journey in
the saddle, and was overjoyed to think that she was to taste at last the
fine cooking of Master Pignoux, which she had so often heard extolled at
Briantes.

It mattered little to her that five-and-twenty stout troopers--they were
miserable rascals by the way, we must not forget that--were waiting at
the door with empty stomachs. The dissatisfaction which her conduct
caused them did not disturb her in the slightest degree; she had no
suspicion of it, her idiot of a husband having given her the rank of
lieutenant and the command of a portion of his band, with whom she
shared her booty when she was in good humor, and who were devoted to her
from interested motives.

The fifteen brigands whom she had brought, and who took possession of
the kitchen, while the others were relegated to the stables or ordered
to mount guard, displayed at first the greatest eagerness in the
preparation of her supper; they counted upon her leavings, and while
some laid the table, hustling and abusing the inn servants, others
spurred on Bois-Doré the _chef_, his supposed wife and Mario, the
improvised turnspit, to satisfy the lieutenantess's appetite as speedily
as possible.

For this reason they could not think of exchanging a word or looking
toward the door. There was nothing to be done but cook, and cook they
did with might and main.

This was one of the crises in the marquis's life, when he rose to the
occasion.

He made ragouts worthy of a better fate, seasoned and dressed the
dishes, greased the spider and turned the omelet with the graceful ease
of a science which at last imposed respect on those cutthroats, despite
their impatience.

As he was about to serve the soup, the marquis saw Jacques le Bréchaud
put out his hand as if to put in more salt. He instinctively declined
that uncalled-for assistance; but he was surprised to find that Jacques
persisted, and, on taking hold of his hand he saw that the salt had a
peculiar look.

"Let me do it," said Jacques, "they like their soup well-salted."

And his face wore a strange smile which impressed the marquis.

"No poison, Jacques!" he whispered; "that is cowardly, and cowardice
brings bad luck! God alone can save us! Let us not anger God!"

Jacques dropped the rat poison with which he had proposed to season the
soup for the charming guests of the _Geault-Rouge_. The marquis's
generous and sentimental outburst was inexplicable to him; but he
submitted to his ascendancy with a sort of superstitious awe.

Bois-Doré handed the soup and the whole first course to Madame
Proserpine's bearded pages; he breathed a little more freely; they
seemed disposed to give him somewhat more liberty.

Mario went to the door from time to time, indeed he might have made his
escape at that moment by pretending to go out to the shed to fetch wood;
but he was careful not to mention the fact to his father. He would have
insisted upon his taking advantage of it, and not for anything in the
world would the child have parted from him.

"If my father is to be killed," he thought, "I will die with him; but I
shall not abandon the hope of saving him until the last moment."

Madame Pignoux also began to hope. Madame Proserpine's men seemed more
insolent but somewhat less forbidding than those who had been in the
kitchen before.

They were almost all Frenchmen and young. They issued their orders as
cynically as the others; but there was a sort of boisterous gayety in
their manner which might mean that they were good fellows at bottom, or,
at least, that they might forget themselves for a moment.

But an order from the top of the stairs fell like a thunderbolt on the
captives: Madame Proserpine summoned Master Pignoux and his wife to her
presence.

"I will come, I am coming, as fast as I can!" cried the hostess,
hurrying upstairs.

And she appeared before the lieutenantess and respectfully requested to
know her wishes, taking care not to seem to recognize her, or else to
humble herself before her as a personage of vastly greater consequence
than the servant who used to take the marquis's little dogs out to walk.

"My orders were for your husband to appear also," observed La Bellinde,
flattered by Madame Pignoux's submission. "Go and call him, my good
woman."

"Excuse me," said La Pignoux, "my husband is in a terrible heat, and too
much smoked up to appear in a dirty cap and apron before a lady like
you."

"Do you think that you are more enticing, you old gallows-bird?" cried
the captain. "Bah! you can't fool me. I want to see the face of your
donkey of a husband, and no excuse will go down. Look you, rascals," he
said to La Proserpine's attendants, "how happens it that when your
lieutenant gives an order, you make her repeat it? Death of my life!
Must I go myself and fetch that double-dyed traitor?"

At that moment, Bois-Doré, who had been compelled by force to ascend
the staircase, was pushed into the room, and so roughly that he
well-nigh fell on his knees at La Proserpine's feet.

Poor Mario followed, trembling with fear for him and with wrath against
the villainous troopers. If his old father had fallen, the child would
have lost patience and have defended him at the risk of being cut in
pieces.

Luckily for them both, the marquis did not lose his head and determined
to risk everything, staking his fate on the success of his disguise.

As luck would have it, Proserpine paid no heed to his features. She knew
the genuine Pignoux very well; she did not deign to raise her eyes to
his face at once, engrossed as she was by the exceedingly familiar
homage paid to her by Lieutenant Saccage, who, being seated by her side,
made the most of every moment when Macabre was not watching them
closely.

Thus the marquis was able to take his stand behind Proserpine, in the
attitude of a humble retainer awaiting orders; and, with a clever
manœuvre he caused Mario to stand behind him.

"Ah! there you are at last, gallows-bird!" cried the captain, bringing
his fist down on the table. "Your fear betrays your treachery, and I see
through your vile schemes!"

Bois-Doré, believing that he was detected, was on the point of casting
his disguise to the winds and making such use of the carving-knife as to
be sure of dying without ignominy; but Mario was there and paralyzed his
courage. In his uncertainty as to the meaning of the words addressed to
him, he refrained from replying and thus allowing La Proserpine to hear
his voice.

He contented himself by staring at Macabre with a self-possessed air.
That was, although he did not know it, the wisest attitude he could
assume.

"Zounds! will you speak?" roared the captain, who had seemed somewhat
disturbed and was evidently reassured by his innocent air. "You play the
simpleton, you miserable rascal! but you must know that by failing to
come here yourself so that we could pull your ears to bring you to your
senses, you disregarded all the rules and all the proprieties of your
beastly trade."

Bois-Doré, being determined not to speak, made a gesture equivalent to
an interrogation point, with a shake of the head which seemed to say:
"What is all this about?"

"Have you lost your tongue, with which you chattered so fast a little
while ago?" continued Macabre; "or have you never learned, you triple
idiot, that a landlord ought always to be the first to taste the food
and drink he provides? Do you think that I am so sure of you that I am
willing to take the risk of poison? Come, be quick about it, you
infernal beast, swallow what you see on this plate and in this goblet,
or _mordieu_! I'll make you swallow my sword!"

As he spoke he pointed to a plate on which he had placed a portion of
all the dishes on the table and a goblet filled with wine from all the
jars.

The marquis was greatly relieved when he learned why he was wanted,
especially as La Proserpine did not glance at him when he stooped over
the table to take the plate and the glass.

The custom of requiring an inn-keeper to taste his dishes had fallen
into disuse since the close of the great civil wars, in the central
provinces at least; travellers had ceased to exercise that privilege, as
inn-keepers had ceased to require travellers to disarm before entering
their houses.

But Macabre acted as if he were in a conquered province, and it was
useless to argue with the stronger party. So the marquis performed his
task courageously, with a smile of disdain for the affront put upon his
honor. He swallowed the contents of the plate and glass in silence,
bestowing upon Jacques le Bréchaud an eloquent glance, which said:

"Generosity brings good luck, you see, Jacques!" And Jacques, who adored
the marquis, crossed himself and returned to the kitchen.


[Footnote 9: _Brèche-dents._]




LV


Everything went well.

Macabre and his subordinates, crushed by the haughty glance and haughty
silence of the majestic cook, were delighted to be able to do honor to
his toothsome dishes, and perhaps he would not have been required to
appear again; but an unfortunate moment of distraction on his part
spoiled everything.

La Proserpine dropped the feather fan which she carried in her belt,
with a dagger and two pistols; and with the fatal instinct of courtesy
which never failed him, even with respect to his housekeeper, the
marquis stooped to pick up the trinket, which he handed to her with
suppressed excitement, realizing his blunder too late.

There was an expression of surprise and uncertainty in La Proserpine's
eyes for a moment, a moment that seemed as long as a century; at last
the lady cried, putting her hand to her pistols:

"May I die in torment if this is Master Pignoux!"

"What? what does this mean?" cried Macabre in his turn. "Come here, old
turnspit, and show your dirty snout to the company. By the death of the
devil! if there's any trickery, and some scurvy spoil-sauce has usurped
the duties of chief cook, I'll make a skimmer of his hide!"

The marquis did not listen to the brigand's threats; he felt that the
crisis had come, and pushed Mario out of the room, saying:

"Go down stairs, my wife is calling you!"

Then he turned resolutely and faced La Proserpine, and looked her in the
eye with that lofty dignity which only the brave man can summon to his
aid against cowardly adversaries.

Despite her master's burlesque attire, Bellinde could not escape a
sensation of respect and remorse. She held in her hands the life of the
man whom she desired to humble and rob, but not to torture and murder.
She hesitated another moment, then said:

"Faith, Master Pignoux, I do recognize you now! but _mordi_! you are
much changed! Have you been very sick, pray?"

"Yes, madame," replied Bois-Doré, touched by her kindly impulse; "I
have had a fatiguing time in my house since I was compelled to part with
a person who served me well."

"I know whom you mean," rejoined Bellinde. "She was a treasure whom you
didn't appreciate and turned out-of-doors like a dog. Yes, yes, I know
how it happened. You were entirely in the wrong, and now you regret it!
But it's too late, you see! she will never serve you again!"

"She will do well never to serve anyone, if she can do without it; but I
flatter myself that, wherever she may be, she has not forgotten my
generosity to her. I dismissed her without a word of reproach and did
not treat her stingily; she may have told you so."

"Enough; we will speak of this later. Serve us with your best, and now
go back to your work, old man. Go!"

As he went out, he saw her whisper to one of her men.

"We are saved!" he said to Mario in the hall. "She did not betray me,
and she has given orders to let us go."

And the marquis, in his innocence, walked with Mario toward the kitchen
door; but he was much mistaken: La Proserpine had, on the contrary,
issued even stricter orders for the blockade.

So they had no choice but to continue to busy themselves with the
composition of the famous _omelette aux pistaches_.

About an hour passed without any perceptible change in this absurd yet
tragical situation.

There was a great uproar in the dining-room. Macabre was shouting and
swearing and singing. There were alternations of brutal merriment and
brutal rage.

This is what was taking place:

Lieutenant Saccage was as outspoken and concise as his name. It seemed
ridiculous to him to prepare for a sharp and decisive blow, which
demanded a swift and silent march, by a supper which he well knew would
degenerate into a carouse.

Macabre was a desperado addicted to all the excesses which were the real
motive of his expeditions. He had not, like his lieutenant, the
qualities of the shrewd speculator, and, if I were not afraid of
profaning words, I would say that, in his adventurous life, he wallowed
in a sort of drunkenness, which was the poetry, a sombre and brutish
sort of poetry, of that life. He was as much gypsy as thief, squandering
all he acquired, and rich only by fits and starts.

The other amassed wealth in cold blood and put it aside. He understood
business, spent nothing in dissipation, and was hoarding a fortune. In
our day he would have been a sharper in higher station; he would have
cheated in a black coat and lived in good society, instead of scouring
the high roads and stripping wayfarers.

Each century has its own peculiar methods of traffic, and during the
civil wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, brigandage was a
regular branch of industry, conducted on business principles.

Saccage hoped to get rid of Macabre. He would not have dared to attack
him in front; but he did as monsieur le prince did with the King of
France: he urged his master into danger, calculating that a volley of
musketry would carry him off and leave his place empty for him.

Guided by this idea, he strove to make himself agreeable to La
Proserpine, who had charge of the cash-box and the jewel-case; and the
lady, while handling her chance husband with care, did not discourage
the embryo husband whom the chances of war might make useful to her at
any moment.

This system of coquetry was beginning to be manifest to Macabre, and he
was torn between his natural inclination to allow himself to be led by
the nose, and his desire to discipline his goddess in vigorous fashion.

He was sorely tempted too, every moment in the day, to break the pitcher
over his rival's head, but he realized how essential the lieutenant's
activity and never-failing soundness of judgment were to him, who could
never resign himself to the necessity of remaining sober and living on
the alert.

So that, fatigued by this alternation of angry outbreaks and
reconciliations, which was repeated at every halting-place, the captain
adopted the plan of drowning his cares in the vintage of the hills of La
Châtre, and, after talking much nonsense, began to feel an
unconquerable longing to take a nap, with his nose amid the remains of
a pie on his plate.

Not until then could Saccage talk seriously with Proserpine.

"You see, my Bradamante," he said, "that this old sot is good for
nothing, and if you follow my advice we shall leave him here to sleep
off his wine and go on and pillage the château. To-morrow, when we
return, we will pick up our noble commander, who would simply serve to
embarrass our expedition now."

Proserpine was nourishing a newly conceived idea, a bold and
extraordinary idea, which she was careful not to impart to the
lieutenant. She pretended to accede to his wish to make all necessary
preparations for departure.

"Go and see that the whole party have something to eat," she said; "I
will watch this sleeping man, and if he wakes I will give him more drink
so that he will go to sleep again."

Saccage went down to the pantry, demanded that the whole stock of salt
pork and dried meats should be delivered to him, and then went to the
stable where his men and the captain's were quartered.

The provisions and the wine were distributed under his eyes with careful
parsimony; he assured himself that the sentries were at their stations.
Proserpine's men were at table in the kitchen, regaling themselves with
the abundant broken meats from the officers' supper.

Meanwhile the amazon summoned the chief cook, who found her warming her
stout, booted legs, in a masculine attitude. They were alone, for the
captain was snoring in his pie.

"Sit you down, marquis, and let us talk," she said with a laughable air
of condescension. "It is necessary that you should understand your
situation and mine, and I will tell you much in a few words, for time
presses."

The marquis seated himself without speaking.

"I must tell you," continued the lady-brigand, "that when you discharged
me so discourteously from your château, I entered the service of Madame
de Gartempe, who was going away to the Messin country in Lorraine, where
she has large estates."

"I know it," said the marquis, "you were employed by a lady of rank, and
you did not lower yourself. How does it happen----"

"That I left her so soon? I had taken it into my head to be pious when I
was with you, because one likes to do the opposite of what one's masters
do; and that is why, finding my great lady too exacting for my
conscience, I turned to the Reformers, which served to make her dismiss
me, much more harshly than you did, I admit!

"About that time there came to the Messin country a band of adventurers
of all nations, who had served under the gallant captain who is known
thereabout as the Bastard of Mansfeld; they had been beaten by the
Emperor's Catholic troops on the other side of the Rhine and were
seeking their fortune in Alsace and Lorraine.

"Everybody was terribly afraid of those people, I myself with the rest;
but chance brought me in contact with one of them, whom you see here,
who, having saved a tidy sum, had just dismissed his men and was
thinking about returning to Bourges to settle down and end his days in
peace. He remembered Berry so well that we soon became acquainted, and
he offered me his heart and his hand.

"I don't know why I hesitated to bind myself to him; but one thing that
is very certain, my dear marquis, is that your château will be taken
to-night and burned to-morrow morning."

"So that is really the object of your expedition?" said the marquis,
affecting perfect tranquillity. "Was it you who suggested that idea to
Captain Macabre? I cannot believe that you are such a wicked and
revengeful person as that."

"The idea did not come from me; but I unintentionally suggested it to
this rapacious beast, by imprudently mentioning your treasure. He no
sooner found out that you had such a thing than he overwhelmed me with
questions, and I, having no idea what he was coming at, gave him enough
details to satisfy him that it would be easy to seize it. The effect of
my imprudent words was increased by some letters which I was imprudent
enough to show him. One came from Monsieur Poulain, the other from
Sancho. Both of them gave news of Monsieur d'Alvimar; both believed me
to be still devoted to what they call good principles; and as it is a
good thing to have friends everywhere, I took care not to let them know
what company I was in. And so, my dear marquis, Macabre went off to
Alsace one day and hunted up several of his old _reitres_; he enlisted
some others who asked nothing better than to take the field again, and
took for his second in command Lieutenant Saccage, who is a clever and
intelligent man; and, when all that was done, he came to Linières, and
went from there last night, with some of his men, to Brilbault, having
arranged to meet the others to-night at this isolated inn."

Bois-Doré listened with close attention, but succeeded in concealing
the surprise and anxiety which all these disclosures caused him.

Recalling the ghosts at Brilbault, he mechanically looked at the wall of
the room in which he then was, and saw reproduced there the face with
the huge hooked nose and long moustaches, together with the plumed
helmet of Captain Macabre. It was the same profile that he had seen at
Brilbault, and doubtless Poulain the rector, whom he had thought that he
recognized, was also of the party. Moreover had he not heard from
Proserpine's lips that D'Alvimar had survived the duel at La Rochaille?

He abstained from any reflection and confined himself to questioning the
lady, who confirmed all his apprehensions.

D'Alvimar had been horrified beyond measure to find the Huguenot Macabre
by his deathbed. But Sancho had sworn to join the _reitres_, with as
many of the gypsies as would consent to accompany him, as soon as
D'Alvimar had breathed his last.

"Macabre returned to Thevet this morning," added Proserpine, "where
Saccage and I were waiting for him, with our people camped outside the
town, where we were careful not to frighten or injure anybody. In that
way, thanks to the caution and good discipline of our troopers, we have
been able to ride more than a hundred leagues through France without
once having to fight. We passed ourselves off as mercenaries sold to the
king, and exhibited false commissions. By that means, you see, those of
our men who may want to go and seek their fortune in the Huguenot camp
or elsewhere will be able to get to Poitou. Macabre expects to give them
a free rein, reserving the right to decamp with your booty if he sees
that they are getting into any too unsavory business. And so, my dear
marquis, we are in a fair way to ruin you, and, unluckily for you, you
have thrown yourself into the hands of people who are fully determined
to take your life."

"That is to say that my fate is in your hands," replied the marquis,
"and you tell me so to make sure that I understand how grateful I ought
to be to you. Rest assured, Bellinde, that my gratitude will not be
confined to words, and that, if you will abandon the plan of leading
these men to Briantes, it will be more profitable to you than to share
my property with this band of thieves!"

"So far as that goes, I have told you, marquis, that I am not the
leader; but I can assist you to get rid of the captain and make the
lieutenant listen to reason, for he loves money better than fighting."

"So you want a ransom for me and the château, do you? In the first
place, fix the amount for my person, which is, I confess, defenceless
and in your power. As for the château----"

"As for the château, you are thinking that, when you are once free, you
will defend it! So you won't be free until we have got through with it,
unless----"

"Unless I pay?"

"Unless you sign, monsieur le marquis! for your signature is sacred to
anyone who knows, as your faithful Bellinde does, what the honor of a
gentleman like you is worth."

"What do you want me to sign?" said the marquis, readily resigned to his
fate whenever money was in question.

Proserpine kept silence for an instant. Her face assumed an expression
of diabolical malice, mingled nevertheless with a strange perturbation,
as if she were somewhat inclined to blush for her temerity.

"Come, come," said the marquis, "speak, and let us have done with it at
once, before your companion wakes."

"My companion is not my husband, as you must know, monsieur le marquis,"
replied the amazon in a mincing tone. "He is very ugly and very
stupid--and, although you are no younger than he, you still have
attractions--to which I have not always been so insensible as I seemed."

"What nonsense are you talking, my poor Bellinde? Come, a truce to
jesting. Let us have done!"

"I am not jesting, marquis! I have always had an intense longing to be a
woman of quality, and, if I must conclude, this is my last and only
word: Be free! no ransom! Go, hurry home and defend your château, if I
cannot prevent them from attacking it; and whatever the result of the
affair may be, you will keep the promise you are going to put in
writing, to make me your lawful wife and sole legatee."

"My wife, you!" cried the marquis, recoiling in utter stupefaction; "can
you dream of such a thing? My legatee? when Mario----"

"Ah! there we are! the pretty boy is the stumbling-block. But never
fear, I will treat him well if he behaves to me as he ought, and at my
death your property can go back to him, provided that I am satisfied
with him."

"You are mad, Bellinde!" cried the marquis, rising, "unless this is all
a game----"

"It is not a game; and if you don't write at once what I demand," she
said, rising in her turn, "why, death of my life! I will wake the
captain and call my people upstairs!"

"Have me murdered, if you think best," replied Bois-Doré; "I will never
give my consent to your mad whim! But understand that I will not allow
my throat to be cut like a sheep, and that----"

The marquis, unsheathing his knife, had rushed toward the door to
receive the assassins, whom Bellinde, suffocated with anger, was trying
in vain to call, when Macabre suddenly staggered to his feet and threw
at his _wife's_ head a jug which would certainly have killed her if his
hand had been steadier.

"Miserable slut!" he cried, chasing her about the room. "Ah! so you
propose to marry your old marquis, do you? Perhaps you think I am deaf,
and you don't know that Captain Macabre sleeps with one eye and one ear
open! Stay here, marquis! I have nothing against you, for you refused
the offers of this damned Potiphar. Stay here, I say! Help me catch this
she-devil! I propose to wring her neck in proper form and make a
drum-head of her skin!"

Despite these alluring invitations, the marquis, leaving the lovers at
odds, had rushed into the hall, and Mario, terrified at the noise in the
dining-room, had started to go to him. But they could neither go up nor
down. On the one hand, Proserpine, pursued by Macabre, who was
belaboring her with the rung of a chair, tumbled upon them on the
stairs; on the other hand, the amazon's _reitres_ rushed to the spot to
adjust the conjugal dispute.

It was soon done.

La Proserpine, all dishevelled, rose and threw herself into the midst of
them, and they, with no respect for the captain, seized him roughly,
carried him back into the dining-room and locked him in there, laughing
at his outcries and his threats.

Proserpine, accustomed to these tempests, was not long in recovering
herself. She had no sooner swallowed a glass of gin, which one of her
pages handed her, than she looked about with the eye of a bird of prey
for her victim, who had taken refuge in a corner.

"The cook, the cook!" she cried. "Bring the cook before me."




LVI


They dragged forward the marquis and Mario, who clung desperately to
him.

Bellinde recognized the child at the first glance, and her face,
blanched by fear, flushed purple with savage joy.

"My friends," she cried, "we have the wild boar and the shote, and
there's a chance for a handsome ransom for us, for us alone, you
understand! no sharing with the Germans,"--she designated thus the
captain's _reitres_,--"nor with Monsieur Saccage and his Italians! The
Bois-Doré and the young one belong to us alone, and _vive la France,
tudieu_! Pen, paper and ink--and quickly! The marquis must sign his
ransom! I know all about his property, and I warrant you that he'll not
conceal any of it from me! A thousand gold crowns for each of these fine
fellows, do you hear, marquis? and for myself the promise that I asked
of you."

"I will give you my whole fortune, wicked woman, if my son's life is
spared. Give me the pen--give it to me!"

"No," replied Proserpine. "It is not your property alone that I want,
but your name, and you must sign the promise of marriage."

The marquis would not have believed that the termagant would dare to
announce her aspirations before witnesses. But the _reitres_, far from
being scandalized, applauded, as if it were a most excellent trick, and
the blood mounted to Bois-Doré's face in his intense abhorrence of the
abject and absurd rôle assigned to him.

"You ask too much of me, madame," he said, shrugging his shoulders;
"take my gold and my estates, but my honor----"

"Is that your last word, old idiot? Come hither, comrades! a rope, and
string up this brat!"

As she spoke, the degraded creature pointed to a great iron hook
suspended from the ceiling in the kitchen, which was used to support the
weights of the huge spit.

In a twinkling they seized Mario, who exclaimed:

"Refuse! refuse, father! I will endure anything!"

But the marquis could not endure for a second the thought of seeing his
child tortured.

"Give me the pen," he cried; "I consent! I will sign whatever you
choose!"

"Let us give him a jerk or two all the same," said one of the brigands,
beginning to attach the rope to Mario; "it will make the old fellow's
handwriting freer."

"Yes, do so," said Proserpine. "That wicked child well deserves it."

The marquis became frantic; but he soon calmed down when he looked at
his poor child, whose cheeks were white with terror despite his courage.
It was useless to resist. Mario was in their power.

Bois-Doré fell at Proserpine's feet.

"Do not torture my child!" he cried; "I yield, I submit, I will marry
you; what more do you want than my word?"

"I want your hand and seal," was the reply.

The marquis took the pen in his trembling hand, and wrote at the
dictation of that fury:

"I, Sylvain-Jean-Pierre-Louis Bouron du Noyer, Marquis de Bois-Doré, do
promise and swear to Demoiselle Guillette Carcat, _alias_ Bellinde,
_alias_ Proserpine----"

At that point a terrible uproar was heard outside, and Proserpine's men
rushed to the door.

The tumult was caused by the captain's Germans, who, being summoned by
him from the window, hastened to set him free. The guards at the door
were Italians of Saccage's command, and their orders were not to allow
any person to go in or out.

The three troops were constantly quarrelling among themselves, like
their leaders, who upheld their own men while striving to keep them
apart. But this time it was impossible; Saccage, who had also been
attracted by Macabre's outcries, and thought that Proserpine was in the
act of doing away with her tyrant, exerted himself to prevent the
Germans from going to his assistance. As for the lieutenantess's
Frenchmen, they had no love for either of the other factions; and they
all began to attack one another, without resorting to their weapons as
yet, but abusing one another savagely, and fighting with hands and feet.

This uproar was accompanied by the crashing of furniture in the room
above, where Macabre was fighting like a demon to set himself free, and
by the piercing shrieks of La Proserpine encouraging her partizans, for
she was beginning to fear for her own life if they should be worsted.

We may imagine that the marquis did not await the result of the combat
before thinking of flight. In one bound he was at his son's side, trying
to unbind him, but the knot was so artistically tied that, in his
excitement, he was unable to untie it.

"Cut it! cut it!" said Madame Pignoux.

But the old man's hand trembled convulsively. He was afraid of wounding
the child with the knife.

"Let me do it!" said Mario, pushing them both away.

And with perfect self-possession he skilfully untied the knot.

The marquis took him in his arms and followed the landlady and her
maid-servant, whom he saw running toward the pantry.

As he left the house he nearly fell at the threshold. A body lay across
the doorway; it was Jacques le Bréchaud's. He was dead; but beside him
lay the bodies of two _reitres_, one run through with a spit, the other
half beheaded with the larding-knife, Jacques had had his revenge, and
had cleared the path. His ugly but powerful face wore a terrifying
expression; it seemed to be contracted by a triumphant laugh, and the
teeth were parted as if they would bite.

The marquis saw at a glance that there was nothing to be done for the
poor fellow. He held Mario close to his breast and ran as fast as he
could.

"Put me down," said the child, "we can run better. Please put me down!"

But the marquis fancied that he could hear the clicking of the terrible
flint-lock pistols behind him, and he wished to make his body a rampart
for his son.

When he found that he was out of range, he decided to let him run too,
and they hurried toward the thicket where the half-ruined roof of the
former hostelry lay hidden.

As they ran they saw Madame Pignoux and her servant also making their
escape. Those two old women made their hearts ache. But to call them
would be to destroy them and themselves with them. They were running
across the fields, apparently heading for some hiding place known to
them as a place of safety.

The Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré leaped upon their horses. They were
very careful not to descend the Terrier by the road, but took one of the
narrow paths, bordered by tall blackthorns, which wind about between the
fields.

The battle of the _reitres_ might end abruptly at any moment. They were
well mounted and able to follow close upon their prey; but the light
gallop of Rosidor and Coquet made little noise on the wet earth, and as
the path they were following was constantly intersected by others, the
pursuers would have to separate to overtake them.

The first and most essential thing was to gain ground; so the
Bois-Dorés thought of nothing at first but throwing the enemy off the
scent by plunging at random into that labyrinth of muddy paths, which
became blinder and blinder as they approached the valley.

After about ten minutes of hard riding, the marquis drew rein and bade
Mario do likewise.

"Halt!" he said, "and open your sharp ears. Are we pursued?"

Mario listened, but the hard breathing of his breathless horse prevented
him from hearing well.

He dismounted, walked away a few steps and returned.

"I can hear nothing," he said.

"So much the worse!" said the marquis; "they have finished fighting and
they must be thinking of us. Mount again quickly, my boy, and let us
ride on. We must succeed in reaching Brilbault, where our friends and
servants are."

"No, father, no," said Mario, who was already in the saddle. "There is
no one left at Brilbault now. We must ride to Briantes by the
cross-road. Oh! please don't hesitate, father, and be sure that I am
right. I am perfectly certain of what I say."

Bois-Doré yielded without understanding. It was no time for discussion.

They rode in a straight line toward the hamlet of Lacs, through the
great grain-growing tract which, as it all belonged to the seignioral
estate of Montlevy, was not, at that time, cut up into many smaller
parcels enclosed by hedges.

Our fugitives rode half the distance without seeing any bands of mounted
men on the road, which they followed on a parallel line at a distance of
two or three gun-shots.

To the marquis's mind this was a bad sign. The quarrel among the
_reitres_ could not have been prolonged until then. As soon as the
Germans discovered that Macabre was not being assassinated, but was
simply locked into the room because of drunkenness, the whole trouble
would subside, and La Proserpine was not the woman to forget the
prisoners, for whom she hoped to obtain a substantial ransom, if nothing
more.

"If they don't come down upon us by the travelled road," thought the
marquis, "it must be because they have seen us crossing the flat, and
are waiting for us by the wood of Veille, in the sunken roads with which
Bellinde is probably familiar. Perhaps the knaves are nearer to us than
we think; for the mist is becoming dense, and I am beginning to be
doubtful whether those figures I see yonder are young oaks or mounted
men waiting for us."

He stopped Mario again to tell him of his apprehensions.

Mario looked at the trees and said:

"Let us go on! there are no mounted men there."

They rode forward. But as they skirted the copse which, at that time,
extended to the farm of Aubiers, they suddenly found themselves at close
quarters with a party of horsemen who were approaching at their right,
and who shouted "Halt!" in resounding tones.

They were French voices, but Bellinde's adventurers were Frenchmen.

The marquis hesitated an instant. It was no easy matter to recognize
those men, who were still in the shadow of the trees, while the
Bois-Dorés were far enough in the open to be fully exposed to them.

"Let us ride straight on!" said Mario. "If they are not enemies, we
shall soon find it out."

"_Vive Dieu_!" replied the marquis, "they must be the _reitres_, for
they are following us! Ride hard, my dear child."

And he thought:

"May God give my poor horses strength of leg!"

But the horses had travelled too far over the heavy ploughed land not to
have lost their first freshness, and the men behind them pressed them so
close that the marquis expected every moment to hear bullets whistling
about his ears. He lost ground by trying, in spite of Mario's
remonstrances, to keep behind him so that he might receive the first
discharge.

One horseman, better mounted than the rest, almost overtook him and
shouted:

"Will you stop, you knave, or must I kill you?"

"God be praised, it is Guillaume!" cried Mario; "I know his voice!"

They turned about and were not a little surprised when Guillaume charged
upon them and threatened to pull the marquis from his horse.

"How now, cousin!" said Bois-Doré; "don't you recognize me?"

"Ah! who in the devil would recognize you in that rig?" replied
Guillaume. "What is that white thing you have on your head, cousin, and
what sort of a petticoat are you wearing floating about your hips? I was
most anxious for news of you; then, when we approached, I thought that I
recognized your horse and Mario's. But I concluded that you were robbers
who had stolen the horses, perhaps after murdering you! Can that be
Mario? Upon my word, you are both arrayed in strange fashion!"

"True," said the marquis, remembering his kitchen apron and his oilcloth
cap, which he had not thought, nor indeed had leisure to remove; "I am
not equipped as a warrior, and you will oblige me, cousin, by supplying
me with a hat and arms, for I have nothing but a kitchen knife at my
side, and we may have a fight on our hands at any moment."

"Here, here," said Guillaume, handing him his own hat, and the weapons
of his most trusty servant; "put them on quickly and let us not delay;
for it seems that your château is in danger."

Bois-Doré thought that Guillaume was ill-informed.

"No," he said, "the _reitres_ were still at Etalié half an hour ago."

"The _reitres_ at Etalié?" exclaimed Guillaume. "In that case we have
nothing to lose by hurrying, unless we want to be caught between two
fires!"

There was no time for explanations; they galloped at full speed toward
Briantes.

On the way Guillaume's troop was increased by Bois-Doré's servants,
who, after a vain search at Brilbault, had received the little gypsy's
warning, and were returning to the château at all risks, not placing
much faith in her message, but believing it to be some ruse on the part
of her comrades to throw them off the scent.

They had decided to return only because Pilar had told them that their
master was warned and was himself returning; having failed to meet him
at the general rendezvous at Brilbault, they had concluded that the
warning, whether true or false, had been conveyed to him, and that it
would be useless to go to Etalié in search of him.




LVII


Monsieur Robin had not believed a word of Pilar's story. He had started
none the less with his escort, but had made no great haste, and it was
to be feared that he had fallen in with the _reitres_, for when the
others came in sight of Briantes he had not overtaken them.

They were anxious too concerning Master Jovelin, who had started first
for Brilbault with five or six of the Briantes men, and whom they were
surprised not to pick up on the road, for they had ridden very fast; so
fast that they had no time to communicate these reflections to one
another.

In many novels I have read of long conversations carried on between the
characters while their horses were cleaving the air and devouring space;
but I have never been able to understand how such a thing could be
possible in real life.

Although it was about one o'clock in the morning, it was as light as at
noon-day when they rode through the village. The farm-buildings were in
flames.

At that sight all doubt was at an end, and they rushed forward to attack
the tower of the _huis_, which was closed and defended by Sancho and a
few gypsies hastily collected by him when he first heard the gallop of
the new-comers.

"What are we doing here, cousin?" said Guillaume to the marquis. "Our
people are too much carried away by their ardor and do not wait for
orders from anyone. We shall lose our best men, and probably gain
nothing! Let us take measures to work in a useful way."

"Yes, to be sure," replied Bois-Doré, "try to keep them back. A moment
more or less will not prevent my barn from burning; I care more for the
lives of those good Christians than for all my crops. Call them back and
calm them! I must attend first of all to this child, who causes me much
anxiety."

As he spoke the marquis led Mario aside.

"My son," he said, "give me your word as a gentleman not to stir until I
call you."

"Why, father!" cried Mario in dismay, "you talk to me just as Aristandre
did a little while ago, and treat me like a baby in arms! Are these the
lessons in honor and gallantry you give me to-day, when you----"

"Silence, monsieur, and obey!" said the marquis, speaking to his beloved
son for the first time in an imperious tone. "You are not old enough yet
to fight, and I forbid it!"

Great tears came to the child's eyes. The marquis looked away to avoid
seeing them, and leaving Mario in charge of a small reserve force of his
faithful servants, he hastened to join Guillaume d'Ars, who had
succeeded in reducing his forces to order and submission.

"It is quite useless," said the marquis, "to try to force the _huis_;
two men can hold it for an hour unless we choose to sacrifice a score of
our own men. Ah! cousin, it is all very well to fortify the _entrances_
to the château, but it is extremely inconvenient when you want to get
in yourself. The moat is fifteen feet deep at this point, and the bank
is so steep, you see, that swimmers cannot land without being shot down
from the _moucharabi_. Do you know what we must do? Look! The barn has
fallen in. Well, it must have fallen into the moat and partly filled it.
That is where we must force our way in. I will go there with my people.
Do you stay here as if you were looking for boards and timbers to
replace the drawbridge, which is hoisted, to mislead the enemy, whom you
will prevent from escaping when we fall upon him. We, my friends," he
said to his servants, "will steal quietly along behind the wall; its
shadow will conceal us, notwithstanding the bright fire that is
consuming our crops."

The marquis's plan was very judicious, and what he foresaw had actually
taken place. The moat was partly filled up and the wall crushed by the
fall of the barn. But it was necessary to pass over blazing débris and
through billows of flame and smoke. The horses recoiled in fright.

"Dismount, my friends, dismount!" cried the marquis, riding forward at a
gallop into that hell.

Rosidor alone plunged fearlessly into it, leaped all the obstacles with
marvellous agility, and, heedless of the risk of scorching his beautiful
mane and the ribbons with which it was tressed, gallantly bore his
master into the centre of the enclosure.

The marquis's luxuriant hair was in no danger. It was still reposing
under the firewood at the _Geault-Rouge_.

His servants, already intensely wrought up by the desire to rejoin and
rescue or else to avenge, their families, were electrified by their
master's courage, and several of them followed him closely enough to
prevent his falling into the hands of the enemy. But just as the bulk of
the party were passing over the red-hot ruins, a shout of alarm uttered
by one of the peasants of whom the party consisted, caused all the rest
to halt and rush back in deadly terror.

The high gable end of the barn, which was still standing, began to crack
under the action of the intense heat, and swayed outward, threatening to
crush anyone who should attempt to pass. If they waited a second it
would fall; then they would pass, however difficult the undertaking.
That is what everyone thought, and they all waited. But seconds and
minutes succeeded one another and the wall did not fall. And those
seconds and minutes were centuries in the plight in which the marquis
was at that instant. With about half a score of his men, he was face to
face with the whole troop of gypsies, still numbering about thirty
combatants.

Four hours had passed since Mario had escaped under the _sarrasine_; and
in those four hours the bandits had not once thought of gorging
themselves again. The first intoxication of their victory and the first
gluttony of their appetite had soon given place to the persistent hope
of obtaining possession of the château. They had tried all methods to
make their way in by surprise. Several of them had fallen, thanks to the
vigilance of Adamas and Aristandre, seconded by the presence of mind,
sound advice and incessant activity of Lauriane and the Moor. Finding
all their efforts unavailing, they had set fire to the barn, hoping to
induce the besieged to make a sortie in order to save the buildings and
crops. Not without expending vast treasures of eloquence did the sage
Adamas succeed in restraining Aristandre, who would have thrown himself
head foremost into the trap. Indeed it was necessary for Lauriane to
exert her authority, and to point out to him that, if he should fall in
his undertaking, all the poor creatures shut up in the château,
beginning with herself, were irrevocably lost.

During the hour that the barn had been burning, Aristandre, in a frenzy
of exasperation, had exhausted all the oaths and imprecations in his
vocabulary. Condemned to inaction, he was fuming and fretting, and even
cursing Adamas and Lauriane, Mercedes and young Clindor, who also
preached patience--in a word all those who prevented him from
acting--when Adamas, who had climbed to the top of the tower-staircase,
shouted to him from the cupola:

"Monsieur is there! monsieur is there! I can't see him, but he is there.
I will swear to it! for they are fighting, and I am sure that I
recognized his voice above all the rest."

"Yes, yes!" cried Mercedes from one of the windows on the courtyard;
"Mario must be there, for little Fleurial is like a mad creature; he has
smelt him. Look! I cannot hold him!"

"Aristandre!" cried Lauriane, "go out! Let us all go out; it is time!"

Aristandre had already gone. Heedless whether anybody followed him or
not, he darted to the marquis's side and delivered him from La Flèche,
who, supple as a snake, had leaped to the saddle behind him, and was
suffocating him in his wiry, muscular arms, but could not succeed in
unhorsing him.

Aristandre seized the gypsy by one leg, at the risk of dragging the
marquis with him. He hurled him to the ground and trampled upon him,
taking care to crush his ribs; then, leaving him there, dead or
unconscious, he threw himself upon the others.

The servants of the château had gone out also, even Clindor, and even
poor little Fleurial, who slipped through the legs of the excited Moor,
ran between the legs of the marquis, who was too much engrossed to
notice him, and at last disappeared in the hurly-burly, to go in search
of Mario.

Lauriane, intensely excited, armed herself and attempted to go out.

"In heaven's name," said Adamas, placing himself in front of her, "do
not do that! If monsieur sees that his dear daughter is in danger, he
will lose his wits, and you will be responsible for his being killed.
And then you see, madame, there is nobody left here to help me close the
gate, which may be the salvation of our friends. Who knows what may
happen? Stay here to help me in case of need."

"But the Moor has gone!" cried Lauriane. "Look, Adamas, look! the dear
creature is looking for Mario! She is following the little dog! Great
heaven! great heaven! Mercedes, come back! you will be killed!"

Mercedes could not hear amid the din of the battle. Indeed, she did not
choose to hear: she was thinking of her child and nothing else. She was
literally passing through fire and steel; she would have passed through
granite.

The marquis and Aristandre, being gallantly supported, were soon masters
of the field, and began to force the gypsies back; a part toward the
ruins of the barn, a part toward the tower of the _huis_. Those who
passed the high wall of the barn, heedless of its impending fall, were
greeted with pikes and clubs by the vassals of Bois-Doré, who had begun
to cross that dreaded strip of territory.

They killed and captured several of them. The others turned back, and
the whole band, now numbering no more than a score, retreated along the
wall and entered the archway of the _huis_.

"Put out the fire!" cried Bois-Doré, seeing that it was spreading to
the other farm buildings, "and leave us to complete the rout of these
curs!"

He addressed the peasants and the women and children who had ventured
forth from the château; then hurried away with his servants to the
vaulted archway, where a strange battle was in progress between the
fleeing bandits and Sancho, the sole guardian of the exit.

Sancho was guided by a single implacable idea. He had seen the marquis
place Mario, with an escort, out of range behind a house in the village.
The child was well sheltered and well guarded. But it was impossible
that he would not, sooner or later, leave that shelter and come within
range of an arquebus.

Sancho was standing there on the watch, his gun-barrel resting on one of
the crenellations of the _moucharabi_, his body well hidden, his eye
fixed on the corner of the wall at which his prey would appear sooner or
later. The dark-browed Spaniard had the incalculable advantage that no
anxiety concerning his own life could turn him aside from his purpose.
He had no thought of the morrow in his mind, nor even of the passing
moment, pregnant with perils. He asked of heaven but a single moment to
gloat over and accomplish his revenge.

And so, when the routed gypsies came and threw themselves, howling with
fear, against the heavy stakes of the _sarrasine_, Sancho moved no more
than the stones of the arch. In vain did frantic, desperate voices shout
to him:

"The bridge! the portcullis! the bridge!"

He was deaf; of what consequence were his confederates in his eyes?

The gypsies were compelled to rush to the _chambre de manœuvre_, in
order to set themselves free. Their wives and children uttered piteous
cries.

It was a counterpart of the scene of terror and confusion that had taken
place on that same spot a few hours earlier, among the bewildered
vassals of the estate.

Bois-Doré, still mounted and surrounded by his men, had all that was
left of that horde of thieves and murderers in a cage. Their women, who
had become veritable furies in defence of their children, turned upon
him in the frenzy of desperation.

"Surrender! surrender all of you!" cried the marquis, seized with
compassion; "I will spare you for the sake of the children!"

But no one surrendered: the miserable wretches did not believe in the
generosity of the victor. They did not understand kindness--a rare
quality among the noblemen of that period, we must agree.

The marquis was compelled to restrain his men, in order, as he said
afterward, to prevent a _massacre of the innocents_, if, indeed, there
were any innocents among those little savages, already trained to all
the wickedness of which they were capable.

At last the _sarrasine_ was raised and the bridge lowered.

Guillaume, who was as generous as the marquis, would have spared the
weak; but, to the great surprise of Bois-Doré, the fugitives passed
unhindered. Guillaume and his force were not there.

"Ten thousand devils!" cried Aristandre, "those demons will escape.
Forward! forward! after them! Ah! monsieur, we ought to have chopped
them up into small pieces while we had them here!"

He hurried away in pursuit, leaving the marquis alone under the archway,
now open and unobstructed. He was very anxious concerning Mario, but
dared not ride across the bridge for fear of riding down his own men,
who were on foot and crowding across that narrow thoroughfare to
overtake the fugitives.

At last the bridge was clear. Victors and vanquished had passed out of
sight. The marquis was able to cross, and saw Mario coming toward him on
his right. The child thought that he might safely leave his place of
shelter now that the affray seemed to be at an end.

So far as the bandits were concerned, there was apparently no further
danger; the fugitives had no thought but to escape as best they could in
any direction; some concealed themselves here and there with much art,
while the pursuers passed on.

A single one of the defeated assailants had not stirred, and no one gave
a thought to him: that one was Sancho, who was still on his knees,
completely hidden, in a corner of the _moucharabi_. From that little
machicolated gallery he could have hurled stones down upon the men of
Briantes, for there was always a supply of them in the _chambre de
manœuvre_, of convenient size in respect to the openings. But Sancho
did not desire to betray his presence. He wished to live a few moments
longer; he was watching Mario approach, and taking aim at his leisure,
when he saw the marquis at the other end of the bridge, much nearer,
almost within reach.

Thereupon a violent conflict took place in his mind. Which victim should
he select? In those days there were no double-barreled guns. The
distance between the father and the child was too short to allow him to
reload.

In his struggle with Aristandre, Sancho had broken one of his pistols,
while the other was snatched from him by that powerful antagonist.

By a refinement of vindictive hatred, Sancho decided to kill Mario. To
see him die would surely be more agonizing to the marquis than to die
himself.

But that moment of hesitation had disturbed the equanimity of that
cold-blooded ferocity. He fired, and the bullet struck a foot below
Mario's breast, who was mounted on his little horse, and pierced the
body of the Moor, who had joined him and was walking by his side.

Mercedes fell without a sound.


[Illustration: _MERCEDES WOUNDED BEFORE THE
CHÂTEAU._

"_Help, help, my friends!" cried Bois-Doré, finding
that he was alone with his son, and exposed to the
assaults of invisible foes._]


"Help, help, my friends!" cried Bois-Doré, finding that he was alone
with his son, and exposed to the assaults of invisible foes.

His call was answered only by Lauriane and Adamas, who, when they saw
the bandits put to flight, had abandoned the tower of the huisset and
had come out to join the others.

While they with the help of the distracted Mario raised the poor Moorish
woman from the ground, the marquis looked up toward the _moucharabi_ and
saw the tall figure of Sancho, who, recognizing the Moor, the original
cause of his master's death, was somewhat consoled for having missed his
aim. With no thought of escaping, he was hurriedly reloading his weapon.

Bois-Doré recognized him at once, although that side of the tower was
only faintly lighted by the conflagration. But he had no loaded weapon,
so he jumped down from his horse and returned to the archway to go up to
the moucharabi, considering with good reason that D'Alvimar's avenger
was the most formidable of all the enemies with whom he had ever had to
deal.

Sancho saw him coming, divined his purpose, and without pausing to hurl
projectiles which might miss him, he darted to the stairs leading to the
_chambre de manœuvre_, determined to stab him, his knife being the only
one of his weapons which was not at that moment useless.

Bois-Doré was about to ascend the stairs, holding his sword over his
head, when he seemed to have a presentiment of the course so treacherous
an adversary was likely to pursue.

He lowered the point of his sword and with it felt each stair in the
darkness, divining that Sancho was crouching somewhere there, on the
alert to pounce upon him and hurl him backward. He clung with one hand
to the rail therefore, but did not protect his body sufficiently.

Sancho, warned by the ringing of the steel on the stairs, sprang to his
feet, leaped down several steps, and fell violently upon Bois-Doré,
whom he threw backward and seized by the throat; then, kneeling upon his
chest, he cried:

"I have you now, accursed Huguenot! expect no mercy, as you had none
for----"

Before concluding his sentence, he felt for the marquis's heart; then,
raising the knife in the other hand, added:

"_For my son's soul_!"

The marquis, stunned by his fall, defended himself but feebly, and it
was apparently all over with him, when Sancho felt upon his face two
tiny, faltering hands, which suddenly tore his flesh savagely, so that
he had to make a movement to rid himself of them.

Instantly a sudden thought led him to relax his hold of the marquis.

"The child first!" he cried.

But the words were forced back into his throat, and the thought
interrupted in his brain by a terrible explosion.

Mario had followed the marquis. He had heard him fall. He had felt in
the darkness Sancho's face. He had known from the feeling that it was
not Bois-Doré's. He had placed against that rough, hairy skull the
muzzle of a pistol snatched from Clindor as he passed, and had fired
point-blank.

He had avenged his fathers death and saved his uncle's life.




LVIII


The marquis did not know at once what rescuing angel had come to his
assistance.

He freed himself from the body of Sancho, whose bent knees were still
pressing upon him. He threw out his arms at random, thinking that he was
attacked by a new enemy, who had missed him.

His arms came in contact with Mario, who was struggling to lift him,
exclaiming in a heart-broken tone:

"Father, my poor father, are you dead?--No, you embrace me. Are you
wounded?"

"No, it is nothing! just a little suffocated, that is all," replied the
marquis. "But what has happened? Where is that infamous knave?"

"I think that I must have killed him," said Mario, "for he doesn't
move."

"Do not trust him, do not trust him!" cried Bois-Doré, rising with an
effort, and dragging his beloved child to the foot of the stairs. "So
long as the serpent breathes, he tries to bite!"

At that moment Clindor arrived with a torch, and they saw Sancho lying
inert and disfigured. He was still breathing, and one of his great
fierce eyes, glaring confusedly through the blood, seemed to say: "I die
twice over since you survive me!"

"What! my poor David, did you kill this Goliath!" cried the marquis, as
soon as he began to collect his thoughts.

"Ah! father, I killed him two minutes too late," replied Mario, who was
like one intoxicated, and whose grief returned with his memory; "I think
that my Mercedes is dead!"

"Poor girl! Let us hope not!" said the marquis with a sigh.

They recrossed the bridge to go to her, while Clindor, who was terribly
afraid that Sancho, contrary to all appearances, would rise again,
pierced the wretched creature's throat with a halberd.

The Moor had risen to her feet. She insisted that they should pay no
heed to her, although she could hardly stand. She was grievously
wounded; the bullet had passed through her right arm, which was about
Mario's waist when the shot was fired; but she was thinking only of
Mario, who was no longer at her side; and when she found him there again
she smiled and lost consciousness.

They carried her to the château, whither Mario and Lauriane accompanied
her, holding her hand and weeping bitterly, for they believed that she
was lost.

The marquis remained outside.

Guillaume's absence seemed to him of evil augury, and he rode forward,
fancying that he heard, on the higher ground, sounds of more serious
import than were likely to be caused simply by the capture or resistance
of a few fugitives.

As he advanced, the sounds became more alarming, and when he emerged
from the ravine he saw a number of men, vassals of Ars and Briantes,
retreating toward him in disorder.

"Halt, my friends!" he cried. "What is going on here, and how happens it
that brave fellows like you seem to be showing your heels?"

"Ah! is it you, monsieur le marquis!" replied one of the demoralized
men. "We must return to the château and fight behind the walls; for the
_reitres_ are coming. Monsieur d'Ars being warned of their approach by
Monsieur Mario, rode back to meet them, and he is engaged with them. But
what can we expect to do against those fellows? They say a _reitre_ is
stronger and crueller than the Christians, and they have cannon too;
they would have used them against us already if they had not been afraid
of hitting their own men, in the confusion into which Monsieur d'Ars has
thrown them."

"Monsieur d'Ars has borne himself gallantly and prudently, my children!"
said the marquis; "and if fear of the _reitres_ made you retreat, you
are not worthy to be in his service or mine. Go and hide behind the
walls; but I warn you that, if I am forced to fall back and shut myself
up in the château, I will turn you out as fellows who eat too much and
do not fight enough."

These reproaches brought several of them to their senses; the rest took
flight; almost all of these were in Guillaume's service. They were not
cowards by any means; but the _reitres_ had left such terrible memories
in the province, and legend had added thereto such appalling and
prodigious details, that one needed to be doubly brave to face them.

The marquis, attended by the stoutest-hearted of them, who already
blushed for their demoralization, soon joined Guillaume, who was leading
a gallant charge upon Captain Macabre.

The darkness, which, however, had become much less dense, enabled
Guillaume to lie in ambush, in order to fall suddenly upon them and
prevent them from going forward to cannonade the château; for they
actually had a small field-piece, of which Bois-Doré, when a prisoner
at Etalié, had not suspected the existence.

Everybody knows that a single paltry cannon would suffice to batter down
those little fortresses, which were skilfully disposed to repel the
assaults of besiegers in the Middle Ages, but utterly helpless in face
of modern siege guns. The most formidable castles of the feudal period,
in Berry, crumbled like card-houses under Richelieu and Louis XIV., when
the royal power undertook to put down the armed nobility; and it is
surprising to find how few soldiers and cannon-balls sufficed for such
great execution.

It was most essential therefore for the marquis to prevent them, at any
cost, from approaching the château, and he dashed forward to support
Guillaume, who bore himself most gallantly despite the desertion of the
greater part of his force.

But he soon had to fall back before the onset of the _reitres_, who had
the advantage of position as well as of numbers, and the battle seemed
lost when they heard the sounds of fighting at the enemy's rear, as if
they were caught between two fires.

Monsieur Robin de Coulogne had come up with his men at the critical
moment. His moderation was providential. If he had followed the
_reitres_ more closely, he would have overtaken them sooner, and
probably would not have found them an easy prey.

Thus hemmed in, the _reitres_ fought desperately, especially Macabre's
stout Germans, and La Proserpine's hot-headed Frenchmen. Saccage's
Italians gave way first, for they detested both Macabre and Proserpine,
and had not the slightest desire to die for them.

They tried to steal away and reach the château by a détour; but they
were met on the road by Aristandre, who, having gone in pursuit of the
gypsies, knew nothing of the attack of the _reitres_, and fell upon them
without any idea as to who or what they were.

As he had quite a numerous party, and as he laid the lieutenant low at
the outset, the others were speedily routed, and, fearing a fresh
display of generosity by Bois-Doré, the coachman lost no time in
despatching those who were taken, Lieutenant Saccage at their head.

The latter's belt proved to be a valuable capture; but Aristandre did
not choose to appropriate it, but reserved it for general distribution.

A moment later, as he was hurrying to join the marquis, he fell in with
one of the men who had accompanied Lucilio to Brilbault.

"Ho! Denison!" he shouted to him, "what have you done with our
bag-piper?"

"Ask me rather," replied Denison, "what those brigands of _reitres_ have
done with him. God knows! We started for Etalié with him to find
monsieur le marquis, but at the foot of the hill we were surrounded by
those devils, who pulled us from our horses and made us prisoners. At
first, they proposed to shoot Master Jovelin on the spot. They were
frantic because he did not reply to them, and they took his silence for
contempt. But there was a lady there who recognized him and said that
monsieur le marquis would pay a very big ransom for him. So they bound
him like the rest of us, and at this moment he and the other four of us
must either be free like me, or have been killed in the battle. As for
the lady, who was dressed like an officer, I don't know who she is; but
may the devil take me if you wouldn't say she was our Demoiselle
Bellinde!"

"Well, Denison, let us go and see," replied Aristandre, "and let us save
all our friends if it can be done!"

The honest coachman, as he ran, collected as many men as he could, and
attacked the flank of the _reitres_ skilfully and most opportunely.

Assailed thus on three sides, and reduced to half their original number,
for Bois-Doré, Guillaume and Monsieur Robin had killed as many as
Saccage had taken away by his defection, the compact little battalion of
_reitres_ devoted their energies to effecting their retreat in good
order. But so small a force was too easily surrounded; their cannon,
which was with the rear-guard, had already fallen into Monsieur Robin's
hands. They could not even disperse. They were forced to surrender at
discretion, with the exception of a few who were blinded with rage and
whom it was necessary to kill, but not until they had inflicted some
damage upon their unmounted adversaries.

Some time, was lost in disarming and binding the prisoners; for they
could hardly trust the promises of _reitres_; and day was breaking when
they all assembled, victors and vanquished, in the courtyard of the
château.

The fire among the farm buildings was extinguished. The damage was
great, doubtless; but the marquis paid little heed to it; he wiped away
the perspiration and the powder which obscured his sight, and looked
about with much emotion in search of the objects of his affection: first
of all, Mario, who was not thereto congratulate him, which fact made him
fear that the Moor was in a bad way; then Lauriane, who made haste to
encourage him concerning Mercedes's condition; then Adamas, who was
kissing his feet in a frenzy of joy; then Jovelin and Aristandre, who
had not yet appeared, and his worthy farmer, whose death they concealed
from him; and lastly all his loyal retainers and vassals, whose number
had diminished during that fatal night.

But, while he was asking for them all in turn, he interrupted himself to
inquire anew for Mario with sudden anxiety.

Two or three times during his desperate combat with the _reitres_, he
had fancied that he saw his child's face hovering about him in the
twilight.

"Ah! at last, Aristandre!" he exclaimed, as he spied the coachman on
horseback by his side; "have you seen my son? Answer me quickly!"

Aristandre stammered some incoherent words. His great face was drawn by
fatigue and confused by inexplicable embarrassment.

The marquis turned as pale as death.

Adamas, who was gazing at him ecstatically, soon perceived his
suffering.

"No, no, monsieur!" he said, as Mario jumped into his arms from
Squilindre's back, where he had been hiding behind the coachman's bulky
figure. "Here he is as fresh and sound as a rose from the Lignon!"

"What were you doing there behind the coachman, monsieur le comte?" said
the marquis after embracing his heir.

"Alas! my kind master, forgive me," said Aristandre, who also had
dismounted. "When I went to the stable to get Squilindre to carry me
against those devils of German horses, I just locked Coquet up so that
monsieur le comte could not ride him; for I had seen your demon--forgive
me! your darling son prowling around there, and I suspected that he
meant to run into danger. But, just as I was in the thick of the fight,
I felt something against my side! I didn't pay much attention to it at
first, it was so light! But lo and behold, I found I had four arms: two
long ones and two short ones. With the two long ones I managed my horse
and struck down the enemy; with the two short ones, I reloaded my
pistols, and handled my pike so quickly that I did the work of two men.
What would you have had me do? I was in a scrimmage where it wouldn't
have been a good thing for my little double to put him down on the
ground, so I kept on and came out of it whole, thank God! after
thrashing the enemy soundly, and riding down more than one villain who
wanted your life, which God preserve, monsieur le marquis! with this
brave old coach horse, who is an excellent war-horse at need, monsieur!
If I did wrong, punish me; but don't blame monsieur le comte; for, by
the name of--, he's a fine little--, who pounded those--Germans like
a--, and who will soon be a--, like you, master!"

"Enough, enough flattery, my good fellow," rejoined Bois-Doré, pressing
the coachman's hand. "If you must teach your young master to disobey, at
all events do not teach him to swear like a heathen."

"Did I disobey you, father?" said Mario; "you forbade me to attack the
gypsies, but you didn't say anything about the _reitres_."

The marquis took his child in his arms, and could not resist the
temptation to exhibit him proudly to his friends, telling them how he
had rescued his uncle from the hands of the terrible Sancho.

"Well, my young hero," he added, embracing him again, "it is useless for
me to try to keep you in leash; you are your own master. At eleven years
of age, you have avenged your father's death with your own hand, and won
your spurs of knighthood. Go and kneel at your lady's feet; for you have
earned the right to hope to win her heart some day."

Lauriane kissed Mario fraternally without hesitation, and Mario returned
her caress without blushing. The moment had not arrived when their holy
friendship was to be changed into a holy love.

They returned together to Mercedes, after relieving the marquis's mind
concerning Lucilio, who was an excellent surgeon and was already in
attendance upon her. Mario had not chosen to boast of having contributed
to the rescue of his friend, who had thereafter fought stoutly at his
side.

The Moor was so overjoyed by Mario's return and by the tutor's nursing,
that she felt no pain from her wound.

After it was dressed, Lucilio turned his attention to the wounded men,
even among the prisoners, whom they were making preparations to send,
under a strong escort, to the prison at La Châtre.

The _reitres_ were sitting in the _basse-cour_, around the dying embers
of the fire, in dire discomfiture; Captain Macabre, who was drunk during
the battle and was severely wounded, did nothing but beg for brandy to
enable him to forget his misery; Bellinde was so terribly frightened
while the battle was in progress, that she was fairly dazed; which fact
saved her from feeling the humiliation of being exposed to the contempt
and reproaches of the servants and vassals whom she had so long despised
and disciplined.

She was the object of some consideration on the part of the village
women because of her gorgeous costume, by which they were involuntarily
dazzled.

But when Adamas learned of the preposterous attempt she had made to
force the marquis to marry her, and her manifest purpose to torture
Mario, he was so vehement in commending her to general execration, that
the marquis had to hasten her departure for the prison. He even had the
generosity, in spite of Adamas's remonstrances, to allow her to retain
her jewels, her purse and a horse to carry her.

All the other horses belonging to the _reitres_, excellent beasts and
well equipped, as well as the weapons and the officers' money, were
distributed among the brave fellows who had taken them; nor would the
marquis keep any part of the booty for himself. He turned his attention
at once to the needs of his unfortunate vassals, who had been robbed and
maltreated by the gypsies.




LIX


They separated as soon as the prisoners had departed, in charge of
Monsieur Robin and a large escort of men of the neighborhood, who had
been attracted by the uproar of the battle, a little tardily perhaps,
but in time at all events to allow the combatants to procure the rest
which they sadly needed.

Jean le Clope, who arrived among the last and was already half tipsy,
was overjoyed and highly honored to join the escort. He had an old
grudge against Captain Macabre, and had lost his leg in an engagement
with _reitres_.

So he entered the town of La Châtre, with his nose in the air, assuming
the airs of Captain Fracasse, and telling everybody who chose to listen
that, _with his bright sword, he slew fourteen of them_.

He pointed out the most important prisoners, saying of each one:

"I captured that fellow."

When the _basse-cour_ was restored to order, there was still much
confusion in the courtyard of the château.

The ground-floor apartments were transformed into a hospital for men and
animals. The kitchen and dining-room were open to all who wished to warm
themselves, and the marquis refused to sit down until he had attended to
everybody's needs. Lucilio and Lauriane devoted themselves to the care
of the wounded.

There were many varied incidents in this animated scene.

Here, lay a man shrieking and groaning while a bullet was being
extracted; there, men were laughing and drinking together as they
recalled the exploits of the night; and farther on, were others weeping
for the dead.

Ugly, withered old hags made a terrible outcry about goats that could
not be found; others had lost their children, and rushed hither and
thither, wild-eyed, so choked with grief that they could not call them.

Mario, active and sympathetic, would go in search of them, while Adamas,
always provident, caused a large trench to be dug, in a neighboring
field, for the interment of those of the enemy who were killed. Their
own dead were treated with more honor, and they went in search of
Monsieur Poulain to recite prayers for them pending their burial.

They made much of the bravest. Almost everybody had been brave at the
last moment; and yet, throughout the day they constantly found poor
dazed creatures, still cowering behind wood-piles or in the dark corners
of sheds, where they would have allowed themselves to be burned or
suffocated without a word, they were so completely paralyzed by fear.

Amid all these scenes, tragic and grotesque, Bois-Doré and Guillaume
were untiring inf their activity. Although ghastly and heart-rending
sights met their eyes at every step, they were urged on by that somewhat
feverish enthusiasm which always follows the happy ending of a great
crisis.

What they had to deplore and regret was a mere trifle compared with what
might have happened.

The marquis had remounted his horse in order to perform his charitable
duties more quickly; his costume was incomprehensible to most of those
who saw him pass. He still wore his cook's apron, now a mere rag, it is
true, and stained with blood; so that many of his vassals thought that
he had tied a strip of a banner about his waist as a symbol of victory.
His long moustaches had been scorched in the fire, and Master Pignoux's
oilskin cap, crushed under the hat that Bois-Doré had hurriedly donned,
came down to his eyes; they thought that he was wounded in the head, and
he was constantly met with anxious inquiries whether he was in much
pain.

As the first spadefuls of earth were thrown on the dead bodies, one of
them remonstrated. It was La Flèche, who declared that he was not quite
dead.

The amateur grave-diggers were not much inclined to listen to him; but
Mario happened to pass not far off and overheard the discussion. He ran
to the spot and ordered them to disinter, the poor wretch. The order was
obeyed with reluctance, but, despite all his seignioral authority, he
could not induce anyone to take him to the hospital.

They all disappeared on various pretexts, and Mario was obliged to go in
search of Aristandre, who obeyed without a murmur, and returned with him
to the place where the dying gypsy lay on the moist, blood-stained
ground.

But it was too late. La Flèche was lost beyond recall. He was hardly
breathing; his haggard, staring eye indicated that his last moment was
at hand.

"It is too late, monsieur," said Aristandre to his young master. "What
would you have! It was I who crushed him, and I was not gentle about it;
but it wasn't I who stuffed his mouth with dirt and stones to stifle
him. I should never have thought of that."

"Dirt and stones?" repeated Mario, looking with horror and amazement at
the gypsy, who was actually suffocating. "He spoke just now! he must
have gnawed at the ground in his struggle against death!"

As he leaned over the wretched creature to try to relieve him, La
Flèche, whose face already wore the pallor of a corpse, moved his arms
as if to say: "It is useless; let me die in peace."

Then his arm fell with the forefinger extended, as if he were pointing
to his murderer, and so remained, stiffened by death, which had already
quenched the light of his eyes.

Mario's eyes instinctively turned in the direction indicated by that
horrible gesture, and saw no one. Doubtless the gypsy, as he breathed
his last, had seen a vision bearing some relation to his melancholy and
evil life.

But Aristandre's attention was attracted by the fresh prints of tiny
feet on the clayey soil. Those footprints were on all sides of the body,
and seemed to indicate a trampling or stamping around the head; then
they led away from the spot in the direction in which the gypsy's finger
still pointed.

"There are some terrible children, eh?" said the honest coachman,
calling Mario's attention to the marks. "I know that these gypsies are
viler than dogs, and perhaps it was poor Charasson's boy, who, seeing
that you were trying to save this beast, determined to finish him this
way in order to avenge his father! It's a devilish invention all the
same, and it is quite right to say that evil leads to evil."

"Yes, yes, my good friend," said the horrified Mario; "you understand
that a dying man is no longer an enemy. But look in the bushes over
there; isn't that little Pilar hiding?"

"I don't know who little Pilar is," Aristandre replied, "but I know that
that little hussy is the one whose life I saved last night. See, there
she goes again. She runs like a genuine cat. Do you recognize her now?"

"Yes," said Mario, "I know her too well, and it is clear that the evil
one is in her. Let her go, coachman, and may she go far away from here!"

"Come, monsieur, don't stay in this horrible place," rejoined
Aristandre. "I will put this villain's body underground, for the dogs
and the crows scent him already, and monsieur le marquis would not like
to have it lying around on his land."

Mario, being utterly exhausted, went to take a little rest.

When he had slept an hour in a chair, beside his dear Moor, who
pretended to sleep in order to set his mind at rest, he began anew to go
about the château and through the village, bearing assistance and
consolation, accompanied by the lovable and unselfish Lauriane.

The marquis, having hastily repaired his toilet, received the lieutenant
of the provost, and, with the assistance of Messieurs d'Ars and
Coulogne, set forth the facts to the magistrates whose duty it was to do
prompt and signal justice.




LX


The day was advancing.

The tranquillity of fatigue reigned in the village and the château.
Mario and Lauriane, on returning from their round, craved a breath of
fresh air, and went into the garden, the only part of the enclosure
which had not been profaned by acts of violence and devastation.

As he told his friend in detail his own adventures, which she had not
previously had time to comprehend, they arrived at the _Palace of
Astrée_, in the labyrinth, where he had passed such an agitated hour
during the preceding night.

The weather was mild. The two children sat down on the steps of the
little cottage.

Mario, although he was not ill, had a touch of fever in his blood. Such
a succession of violent emotions had matured him suddenly, as it were,
and Lauriane, on booking at him, was struck by the expression of
melancholy resolution which had so changed his sweet and transparent
glance.

"My Mario," she said, "I fear that you are ill. You have been afraid and
courageous, tired and untiring, happy and unhappy, all at once, during
this last horrible night; but it is all passed. Master Jovelin assures
us that Mercedes is safe, and she declares that she hardly, suffers at
all. You saved our dear papa Sylvain's life and avenged your poor
father's death. All this has transformed you into a noble, gallant
youth; but you must not keep those folds on your brow, but think rather
about thanking God for the assistance He gave you in this affair."

"I do think about it, my Lauriane," Mario replied, "but I am thinking
also of something my father said to me this morning, after which you
kissed me and said: 'Yes, yes.' I did not understand it, and you must
explain it to me. My father said that I had _earned the right to hope to
please you_. Does that mean that I have not pleased you hitherto?"

"No, indeed, Mario; you please me immensely, for I love you dearly."

"Good! But, when my father says sometimes laughingly that I shall be
your husband, do you think that that might happen?

"Really, I do not know, Mario, but I hardly think so. I am two or three
years older than you, and when you are a young man I shall be what might
be called an old maid."

"And yet, Lauriane, Adamas told me that you married your cousin Hélyon,
who was three or four years older than you. Did he ever blame you for
being too young for him?"

"Why, yes, sometimes, before our marriage, when we played at
quarrelling."

"Well, I think that he was wrong; I think that you are neither young nor
old, and I shall always think that you are just right, because I shall
always love you the way I love you now."

"You don't know anything about it, Mario; it is said that one's heart
changes with one's age."

"That is not true with me. I still think my Mercedes young and lovable,
and I have always loved her ever since I have been in the world. My
father is old, so people say, but I enjoy myself more with him than with
Clindor; and I don't see that age makes any difference between Master
Lucilio and us. Do you get tired of me because I am younger?"

"No, Mario; you are much more sensible and attractive than other boys of
your age, and you already know more than I do, in the studies we have
together."

"Tell me, Lauriane, do you think me nicer than your other husband?"

"I must not say that, Mario. He was my husband, and you are not."

"Did you love him because he was your husband?"

"I cannot say; I did not love him much when he was only my cousin; I
thought him too wild and too fond of making a disturbance. But when they
took us to the Reformed Church together and said to us: 'Now you are
married; you will not see each other again for seven or eight years, but
it is your duty to love each other;' I answered: 'Very well;' and I
prayed for my husband every day, asking God to do me the favor to make
me love him when I should see him again."

"And you never saw him again! Were you grieved when he died?"

"Yes, Mario. He was my cousin, and I wept for him."

"And so if I should die, who am neither your cousin nor your husband,
you wouldn't weep for me?"

"You must not talk about dying, Mario," said Lauriane; "they say that it
brings bad luck when one is young. I don't want you to die, and I say
again that I love you dearly."

"But you won't promise me when I shall be your husband?"

"Why, Mario, what good would it do you to have me for your wife? You do
not even know whether you will want to marry when you are old enough."

"Yes, I do, Lauriane! I want nobody else for a wife but you, because you
are good, and because you love everybody that I love. And as you say
that a woman must love her husband, I know that you will always love me
if we are married; but, if you marry someone else, you will never think
about loving me. Then I shall be very unhappy, and it makes me want to
cry just to think of it."

"And now you are really crying!" said Lauriane, wiping his eyes with her
handkerchief. "Come, come, Mario, I tell you that you are ill to-night,
and that you must have a good supper and a good night's sleep; for you
are worrying about troubles that are still to come, instead of rejoicing
over those that you conquered last night."

"What is past is past," said Mario; "what is to come--I don't know why
I think so much about it to-day; but I do, and I cannot help it."

"You have been too much wrought up!"

"Perhaps so; but I do not feel tired; and I do not know why I thought of
you all through the night, whenever my father and I were in great
danger.--'If we should both die,' I said to myself, 'who will save my
Lauriane?'--Really, I thought of you as much, perhaps more than of my
Mercedes and all the others. And I thought of you more when I met Pilar
than at any other time."

"Why did that bad girl make you think of your Lauriane?"

Mario reflected a moment, then replied:

"You see, when I was travelling with the gypsies, I used often to play
and talk with that child, who knows Spanish and a little Arabic, and who
made me feel sorry for her, because she always seemed sick and unhappy.
Mercedes and I were always as kind to her as we could be, and she was
fond of us. She called Mercedes _mother_ and me my _little husband_. And
when I said: 'No, I don't want to be,' she would cry and sulk, so that I
had to say to comfort her: 'Yes, yes, it is all right!' She did us a
service last night, I agree; she went very promptly to give warning to
Monsieur Robin and Monsieur Guillaume, as I told her to; but I had a
horror of her all the same, because I knew that she was cruel and had no
religion. And then that name of husband, which she had often given me
against my will, made me sick, and I remembered that you and I had
promised in sport to marry each other, and I saw the devil on one side
of me, with her features, and my guardian angel on the other side, with
yours."

As Mario concluded, a stone from the little cottage fell so near
Lauriane that she had a narrow escape from being wounded.

The two children hastily departed, thinking that the cottage was falling
to pieces; and they joined the marquis, who was awaiting them for
dinner.




LXI


Meanwhile, Monsieur Poulain had been sought in vain to administer the
sacrament to his dying parishioners; he could not be found.

His house had been pillaged by the gypsies before any others. His
servant had been roughly used and was in bed, praying to heaven for the
return of the rector, concerning whom she was unable to give any
information. He had disappeared two days before.

At last, during the evening, just as Monsieur Robin and Guillaume d'Ars
were about to retire with their men, leaving their wounded to the
hospitable care of the marquis, Jean Faraudet, the farmer of Brilbault,
appeared, and requested permission to make an important communication to
his master.

This is what he had to tell; and we will describe at the same time the
events of the previous evening at Brilbault, whither we have not as yet
had leisure to follow the numerous persons who had assembled there by
agreement, to surround and storm the old manor.

The arrangements had been so carefully made that no one failed to appear
at the rendezvous except Monsieur de Bois-Doré, whose absence was not
noticed at first, all the confederates being divided into small groups,
which held communication with each other in total darkness when they
approached the mysterious ruin.

The said ruin, being explored from roof to cellar, was found to be
silent and empty. But they found traces of recent occupancy in that
portion of the ground floor which the marquis had not dared to enter
alone: hot embers in the fireplaces; rags and broken food on the floor.

They had also discovered an underground passage, with an exit at a
considerable distance from the house, outside the enclosure. Such
passages existed in all feudal châteaux. They were almost all filled up
at the time of our narrative; but the gypsies had cleared this one and
masked the opening cleverly enough.

They had carried their investigations no farther, not only because they
deemed it useless, the enemy having already vanished, but because they
were beginning to be alarmed about Monsieur de Bois-Doré and to scour
the neighborhood for him. They were seriously alarmed when the little
gypsy arrived and told her story.

More time was wasted in serious perplexity. Monsieur Robin thought that
the marquis had fallen into some ambuscade, and he persisted in
searching for him; whereas Monsieur d'Ars, to whom the child's
statements seemed not improbable, decided to start for Briantes with his
following. An hour later, Monsieur Robin concluded to do likewise.

When they had all ridden away, the farmer of Brilbault, who had received
orders to continue the exploration of the château, had postponed the
task to the following day, yielding to fatigue, as he said, and probably
even more to a remnant of terror.

"When the day broke I was there"--it is Jean Faraudet who is
speaking,--"and after turning and pulling over all the old wood and
rubbish from one end of the place to the other, I spied a little hole
that I hadn't seen, and there I found a man bound faster than any sheaf
of grain; for his hands and feet were tied, and his mouth gagged with a
bunch of straw which was very cunningly twisted around his neck like a
rope. So the man seemed to be dead from head to foot. I picked him up
and carried him to my house, where a little brandy brought him to after
I had untied him and rubbed him."

"Who was the man?" inquired the marquis, thinking that it was D'Alvimar
"you did not know him, did you?"

"Yes, indeed, Monsieur Sylvain," replied the farmer; "I had seen him
many a time. It was Monsieur Poulain, the rector of your parish. It was
more than four hours before he could speak a word, because he had
strained himself so in trying to struggle in his bonds. At last he said
to us:

"'I will not tell the authorities anything. I am not to blame for
anything that may have happened; I swear by the holy oil and my
baptism!'

"He had the fever all day and talked at random. This evening he felt
better and wanted to go home, so I brought him behind me on my brood
mare, saving your presence."

"Let us go and question him," said Guillaume, rising.

"No," said the marquis, "we will let him sleep. He needs it as much as
we do ourselves. And what could he disclose that we do not know too well
now? And of what could we accuse him? He went there to administer the
sacrament to Monsieur d'Alvimar; that was his duty. When he learned what
they were plotting there against me, if he did not threaten to betray
it, he at least refused to take part in it. And that is why the gypsies
bound and gagged him."

Guillaume observed that Monsieur Poulain was a dangerous rector for the
parish of Briantes, and that he ought at the very least to be threatened
with a charge of complicity in the affair of the _reitres_, as a means
of keeping him quiet or driving him away.

The marquis absolutely refused to harass a man who seemed to him
sufficiently punished already by the brutal treatment he had endured and
the risk he had run of perishing in oblivion and silence in a prison.

"What!" said he, "by the grace of God, we got the better of forty
_reitres_, well equipped and provided with a cannon; of a band of active
and adroit thieves; of a terrible conflagration, and an execrable
ambush; and we can think of such a thing as wreaking vengeance on a poor
priest who can no longer injure us!"

The marquis forgot that he was not yet entirely out of danger.

Monsieur le Prince, who had set off in hot haste for the court, might
not be well received there, and might suddenly return and vent his
ill-humor on the nobles of his province.

It was most essential therefore that the marquis should at all events
not allow a dangerous advocate of D'Alvimar's cause to intervene between
the prince and himself. This consideration was suggested to the marquis
on the following day by Lucilio; whereupon Bois-Doré hastened to call
upon Monsieur Poulain as if to inquire for his health.

The rector, who was unable as yet to leave his easy-chair, he had
suffered so intensely with cold, discomfort and fright, attempted to
tell him that a fall from his horse had caused his injuries and had
detained him twenty-four hours at the house of one of his confrères.

But Bois-Doré went straight to the fact, and talked to him with a mild
and generous firmness; nor did he fail to show him D'Alvimar's notes and
call his attention to the manner in which his deceased friend referred
to himself and the prince.

Monsieur Poulain did not attempt to combat these revelations. His pride
was much humbled by the atrocious perplexities in which he had suddenly
become involved.

"Monsieur de Bois-Doré," he said with a sigh, wiping away the cold
perspiration which stood out upon his brow at the recollection of his
sufferings, "I have seen death at very close quarters. I did not think
that I feared it, but it appeared to me in such hideous and cruel guise
that I made a vow to retire to a convent if I ever came forth from that
icy tomb in which I was buried alive. I have come forth, and it is my
earnest purpose never again to take part for or against any person or
any interest in this world. Henceforth I shall devote my life, in
profound seclusion, to my salvation and to that alone; and if it be your
pleasure to allot me a cell in the Abbey of Varennes, of which you are
the fiduciary possessor, I should ask nothing more."

"So be it," replied Bois-Doré, "on condition that you inform me frankly
and fully what took place at Brilbault. I will not fatigue you with
useless questions; I know three-fourths of all that you know. I wish to
know but one thing: whether Monsieur d'Alvimar confessed to you the
assassination of my brother."

"You ask me to betray the secret of the confessional," replied Monsieur
Poulain, "and I should refuse, as it is my duty to do, were it not that
Monsieur d'Alvimar, who was sincerely penitent at the last, instructed
me to reveal everything after his death and Sancho's, which latter he
did not suppose to be so near at hand as it proved to be. I will tell
you, therefore, that Monsieur d'Alvimar, descended through his mother
from a noble family, and authorized, by the mystery surrounding his
birth, to bear the name of his mother's husband, was, in reality, the
issue of a guilty intrigue with Sancho, an ex-leader of brigands turned
farmer."

"Really!" exclaimed the marquis. "That explains Sancho's last words,
monsieur le recteur. He declared that he sacrificed me to the memory of
_his son_! But how did this fact enter into Monsieur d'Alvimar's
confession, unless he felt obliged to confess the sins of others as
well?"

"Monsieur d'Alvimar had to confess his connection with Sancho in order
to induce me not to deliver to the secular authorities the man whom he
with shame and sorrow called the author of his days. He called him also
the author of his crime and his misfortunes.

"It was that heartless and wicked man who had made him an accessory to
the death of your brother, to whom the idea first occurred, and who
stabbed him to the heart, while D'Alvimar consented to assist him and to
profit by the crime. It is only too true that the sole object of that
crime, the victim of which was unknown to its perpetrators, was to
obtain possession of a sum of money and a casket of jewels which your
brother had imprudently allowed them to see the night before, at an inn.
At that period Monsieur d'Alvimar was very young, and so poor that he
doubted whether he could pay the expenses of his journey to Paris, where
he hoped to find patrons. He was ambitious; that is a great sin, I know,
monsieur le marquis. It is the most dangerous bait that Satan holds
forth. Sancho inspired and nourished that infernal ambition in his son.
He had to overcome his repugnance, but he triumphed by pointing out to
him that this murder was a sure opportunity which would never be
repeated, and which would place him above the need of debasing himself
by imploring the compassion of others.

"When D'Alvimar made this confession, Sancho was present; he hung his
head and did not seek to excuse himself. On the contrary, when I
hesitated to give absolution for a sin which did not seem to me to have
been sufficiently expiated, Sancho vehemently accused himself, and I
must confess that there was something grand in the passionate desire of
that fierce soul for his son's salvation. I believed then that I was
dealing with two Christians, both guilty and both repentant; but Sancho
filled me with horror and dismay as soon as his son had breathed his
last.

"It was a ghastly scene, monsieur, which I shall never forget while I
live! The lower room in which we were, in that ruined château, had but
one fireplace; and, although it was an enormous apartment, we were much
cramped in the small space where we were sheltered from the cold air
that rushed down from above. Monsieur d'Alvimar had nothing but straw
for his bed, and only his cloak and Sancho's for covering. He was so
exhausted by two months of agony that he resembled a spectre. However,
Sancho had prepared him as best he could to receive the last
consolations of religion; and the spectacle presented by that gentleman
of distinguished bravery, resigned to his fate, amid a horde of gypsies,
heretics and villains, saddened the heart and the eyes.

"Those miscreants, displeased at having to look on at a Christian
ceremony, howled and swore and shouted derisively to avoid hearing the
prayers of the Holy Church, which are detestable to them. It seems that
it was always so during Monsieur d'Alvimar's last days in that place.
Every night Sancho tried to take advantage of their slumber to repeat to
his son the prayers that he desired; but, as soon as one of the gypsies
detected him, the whole band, men, women and children, joined in a
frightful uproar to drown his voice and not allow their own ears to be
offended by any of the blessed words of our service.

"It was therefore in the midst of this horrible tumult, in which
Sancho's authority--based upon the fact that he had some money hidden,
which he doled out to them little by little--sometimes succeeded in
restoring silence for a moment, that I administered the sacrament to
that unhappy young man.

"He died reconciled with God, I trust; for he expressed much regret for
his crime and begged me to inform Monsieur le Prince of the truth, if
he, being deceived as I myself had been concerning the causes and
circumstances of your duel, should molest you because of it."

"And have you resolved to do it, monsieur le recteur?" asked Bois-Doré,
scrutinizing Monsieur Poulain's altered face.

"Yes, monsieur," was the reply, "on condition that you return seriously
and sincerely to the path of duty."

"That is to say, that now you are bargaining with me for your testimony
to the truth, in the name of the supreme truth?"

"No, monsieur; for what happened after D'Alvimar's death deprived me of
the hope of converting you by the example of the repentance of your
enemies. Sancho leaned over his son's pallid face and remained so for an
instant, without speaking or shedding a tear; then he rose, swore aloud
the execrable oath to avenge him by any and every means, and placed his
hand in that of a vile and brutal Huguenot who was present."

"Captain Macabre?"

"Yes, monsieur, that was the ill-omened name they gave him.

"'I have sent for you,' said Sancho, 'to deliver the treasures of
Bois-Doré into your hands; I will join you, and I promise you the aid
of this band of volunteer scouts and skirmishers whom you see about you.
I promised you through Bellinde a chance for an excellent _coup de
main_, and the rector here, who hates Bois-Doré and who stands well
with Monsieur le Prince, will assure you impunity.'

"Then it was, monsieur, that I objected."

"Doubtless!" rejoined Bois-Doré with a smile. "You were well aware that
Monsieur le Prince desired my alleged treasure for himself alone, and
that he was not the man to allow it to pass through the hands of such
trustees."

Monsieur Poulain accepted the rebuke and hung his head with an
expression, sincere or feigned, of repentance and humiliation.

Being urged to continue his narrative, he told how Captain Macabre had
suggested blowing out his brains without ceremony to prevent his
speaking, and how the gypsies had thrown themselves upon him to secure
his clothes before they were ruined by blood.

"That discussion," continued Monsieur Poulain, "saved my life; for
Sancho had time to suggest another plan. It was he who bound me and then
imprisoned me as you have heard. But what a rescue! It seemed to me
worse than a sudden and violent death, when the infamous villain,
without assisting me or giving me a word of hope, left Brilbault with
his gypsies, to attack your château."

"And what was done with D'Alvimar's body, I pray to know?" asked the
marquis.

"I understand," replied the rector with a faint smile, wherein could be
detected a trace of the old aversion, "that you are interested in
finding it, in case proceedings should be instituted against you. But
consider that that would not be evidence that could be used against you.
If people chose to lie, they would be free to say that you buried your
victim there with the help of your friend, Monsieur Robin. And so,
monsieur le marquis, you must depend for your future security upon my
loyalty alone, and I hereby offer you its guaranty."

"On what conditions, monsieur le recteur?"

"Conditions? I make no more conditions, my brother! From this day I am a
recluse, withdrawn from the world. I have implored from your kindness
the Abbey of Varennes."

"Oho!" said Bois-Doré, "the abbey? A simple cell was all that you
wanted a moment ago."

"Will you allow so venerable an abbey to go to ruin, and entrust to
boors the management of a community which is expected to set a noble
example to the world?"

"Very good, I understand. We will see, monsieur le recteur, how you
conduct yourself with respect to me, and you shall be abundantly
gratified if I have reason to be. Meanwhile, I presume that you will not
tell me where my brother's murderer is buried?"

"Pardon me, monsieur," replied the rector, who was too clever to appear
to haggle, and who, moreover, was really striving to extricate himself
from the tempests and passions of the age, provided that the penalty was
not too severe; "I will tell you what I saw. Sancho seemed extremely
anxious to rescue the body from any profanation on the part of the
gypsies. He raised a flagstone in the centre of the floor of the room
where we were, and he certainly interred his son there. For my part I
saw nothing more; they dragged me to my horrible dungeon, where I
languished for eighteen mortal hours, alternating between
unconsciousness and despair."

The marquis and the rector parted on excellent terms, and the latter
made an effort to rise and officiate at the burial of his parishioners.
But after the ceremony he was so ill that he sent for Master Jovelin,
whose balsams and elixirs were much extolled as miraculous in their
operation.

At first he had a great dread of placing his life in the hands of one
whom he looked upon as a natural enemy. But the Italian's remedies
relieved him so effectually that he was conscious of a sort of
gratitude, especially when Lucilio obstinately refused all compensation.

The rector was compelled to offer his sincere thanks to the Beaux
Messieurs de Bois-Doré, who, during his illness, ministered to his
comfort personally and through others, with a solicitude equal to that
which they displayed for their dearest friends.




LXII


Lauriane fell asleep, on the evening of her _matrimonial_ interview with
Mario, slightly disturbed concerning the undue agitation of that lovable
child's heart, and his absorbing interest in the future. Inexperienced
as she was, she had a somewhat clearer idea of life, and she foresaw
that when Mario was old enough to distinguish between love and
friendship, he would still be too young, as compared with her, to
inspire her with any other sentiment than sisterly affection. She smiled
sadly at the thought of a possible combination of circumstances which
should require her to marry a child, after having been married when she
was herself a child, and she said to herself that in that case her
destiny would be a strange problem, perhaps a painful and fatal one.

She was depressed therefore, and summoned all her resolution to resist
the influences which threatened to coerce her; for the marquis took his
plan very seriously, and Monsieur de Beuvre in his letters evidently
concealed beneath a jesting tone an earnest desire for the realization
of that plan.

Lauriane did not resolutely demand love in her dreams of marriage and of
happiness; but she felt vaguely that it would be too hard to marry twice
without knowing love. It seemed to her therefore that a cloud, still
very light, but disquieting none the less, hovered over her present
tranquillity and her delightful relations with the Beaux Messieurs de
Bois-Doré.

She was reassured however on the following day.

Mario had slept soundly; the roses of childhood bloomed anew on his soft
cheeks; his lovely eyes had recovered their angelic limpidity, and a
smile of trustful happiness played about his lips. He had become a child
once more.

As soon as he found that his father had recovered from his fatigue, that
his Mercedes was comfortable, and everybody stirring, he ran to the
stable to greet his little horse, to the village to inquire for
everybody's health, then to the garden to spin his top, and to the
farmyard to clamber over the charred ruins.

Then he returned to wait affectionately upon his dear Moor, and he was
devoted in his attention to her so long as she was obliged to keep her
chamber. But as soon as all anxiety on her account was dispelled, he
became once more the happy and light-hearted Mario, by turns assiduous
in his studies and eager in his play, whom Lauriane could love and
caress chastely as before, without fear of the morrow.

This change was most fortunate for the exceptional temperament of that
sweet child. If he had been subjected much longer to the violent shocks
which had succeeded each other so rapidly during that critical night, he
must inevitably have been driven mad or completely broken down.

It should be said, however, that in those days rougher manners tended to
make men's natures more pliant, and consequently more capable of
resistance. The nervous excitement to which so many precocious natures
succumb to-day, was more violent, but less general and less lasting than
as we know it.

Sensibility, more frequently aroused by the emotions of external life,
grew dull more quickly, and the keen emotions gave place to that intense
desire to live, no matter how, which is man's salvation in times of
disturbance and unhappiness.

Thus the winter passed pleasantly and cheerfully at the château of
Briantes.

They worked at the frames of the new farm buildings, awaiting the time
when the weather would allow the masons to work. The moat was cleared
and the wall repaired provisionally with stones laid without mortar;
Adamas had finally succeeded in reëstablishing subterranean
communication with the open country, and the marquis had purchased his
future peace with the provincial courtiers and churchmen by restoring
divers precious objects to certain chapels in the province, in the shape
of voluntary gifts. He had begged Madame la Princesse de Condé to
accept a number of jewels for herself, and Adamas had artfully concealed
those which in his mind were destined to adorn Mario's future bride.

The greater part of the gold and silver coin which the marquis had in
reserve was expended in rebuilding, and in renewing his stock of grain
for his household and his poor vassals. He had also to replace the
cattle they had lost; for the Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré could not
endure poverty in their neighborhood.

Lastly, the famous _treasure_, the value of which had been so
exaggerated, and which had been the moving cause of such great
calamities and such odious persecution, ceased to cause scandal by
ceasing to be kept in hiding. The doors of the mysterious apartment were
opened and remained open, in the sight and knowledge of all the world.

They tried to make sure of Monsieur Poulain by offering him a part of
the booty; but he was shrewd enough to refuse; indeed, it was not
material wealth that he coveted, but power and influence. He desired, he
said, not _to possess_, but _to be_. That is why he insisted upon having
the Abbey of Varennes, a far from wealthy institution, situated in a
veritable hollow of verdure, on the small river Gourdon.

He desired no more land than was required to support himself and two or
three brethren of the order. What he coveted was the title of abbot, and
an apparent withdrawal from the world, which would relieve him from the
daily duties of the rectorship.

Within a month he was fully cured of his desire to renounce the world,
and it was his most cherished dream to make sure of his title and his
daily bread, so that he might have leisure to insinuate himself into the
confidence of those in high station and bear a part in diplomatic
affairs, as so many other men, less capable and less patient than he,
had done.

Bois-Doré understood his variety of ambition, and gratified it with a
good grace. He felt sure that monsieur le prince, who was a great
secularizer of abbeys to his own profit, would sooner or later force the
surrender of this one on ungenerous terms, and he could not hope for a
better opportunity to set the prince's autocratic disposition and
Monsieur Poulain's personal interests against each other.

So the rector was invested with the abbey in consideration of an
exceedingly modest tribute, and he departed to obtain his bishop's
permission to give up his living.

Thus Monsieur Poulain saw the first phase of his dream of the future
realized. What he had predicted to D'Alvimar was beginning to come to
pass. He made his way by artfully exploiting the question of dissent in
religious matters in his neighborhood. D'Alvimar, starving for money and
revenge, had fallen without profit and without honor; Monsieur Poulain,
on the watch for discontent and for means of acquiring influence, exempt
from other passions and quick to sacrifice his hatreds to his interests,
entered the road by what he called the right gate. It was, at all
events, the surest.

The non-appearance of little Pilar caused surprise. The marquis, being
informed of the important commission which she had faithfully executed,
would have been glad to reward her, and Lauriane said that she longed to
rescue the wretched creature from her evil life. But no one knew what
had become of her; they presumed that she had rejoined those of the
gypsies who had escaped from the _basse-cour_.

The captured _reitres_ had been transferred to Bourges. Their cases were
summarily dealt with. Captain Macabre was sentenced to be hanged as a
highwayman, rebel and traitor.

The marquis took pity on Bellinde, who was driven frantic by the
hardships of her life in prison; he refused to testify against her, that
is to say, he declared that she was not in her right mind. She was
banished from the city and province, and forbidden ever to reappear
there under pain of death.

The Moor was cured, and Lucilio, having witnessed her fortitude in
suffering, which she endured with a sort of exalted joy, began to become
very deeply attached to her. But he feared lest he should seem mad if he
told her so, and their mutual affection, carefully concealed on both
sides, spent itself on _the children_, Mario and Lauriane, with a sort
of rivalry.

Madame Pignoux was handsomely rewarded, as was her faithful
maid-servant. They had escaped harsh treatment by flight. The
_Geault-Rouge_ had escaped burning, thanks to the eagerness of the enemy
to pursue their expedition.

At long intervals they received news of Monsieur de Beuvre. Those
intervals were very painful to his daughter. It was the period when the
people of La Rochelle and the nobles who had joined them became corsairs
on the sea, and formed the audacious project of blockading the mouths of
the Loire and the Gironde, in order to levy tribute on all the commerce
of those streams. De Beuvre had hinted at a purpose to accompany Soubise
in this perilous undertaking.

In her moments of grief Lauriane did not lack loving consolation; but
none was so wonderfully ingenious and so untiring as Mario's. His loving
heart and his delicate tact found comforting words whose sweet
artlessness compelled Lauriane to smile through her tears; she could not
resist the temptation to call Mario when the others failed to divert her
mind from gloomy thoughts.

She would say to Mercedes:

"I do not know what spirit of light God has bestowed upon that child;
but a trivial word from him does me more good than all the kind words of
those who are more mature than he.--He is a mere child, however," she
would add mentally, "and I am not old enough to love him with a mother's
love. Ah! well, I know not how it happens that I cannot endure the
thought of ceasing to live with him."

Early in April--1622--they received better news.

De Beuvre had happily thought better of his purpose to accompany
Soubise, who had had very bad luck at the Isle of Rié, against the king
in person. De Beuvre had confined himself to privateering on the coast
of Gascogne--with profit and excellent health, he said.

But this same affair of the Isle of Rié was destined none the less to
result unhappily for Lauriane and her friends at Briantes.

The Prince de Condé had hoped that the king would follow his advice and
rush madly into danger. The king did not fail to do so; personal courage
was the only virtue he had inherited from his father. But Condé was
unfortunate: no bullet reached the king; his horse passed the shallows
at low tide without encountering quicksands, and his majesty fought
valiantly against the Huguenots with no resulting illness or even
fatigue.

Moreover, while wielding his sword with ardor, Louis XIII., being wisely
advised by his mother, who was wisely advised by Richelieu, opened his
ears to suggestions of conciliation and to negotiations tending to put
an end to the civil war.

Thus monsieur le prince, whose only desire was to mix up the cards, was
sorely annoyed and discontented, and he replied to the letters he
received from his government of Berry by honeyed letters overflowing
with gall.

Among other acts of retaliation against the Huguenots in his province,
although they had, as a general rule, been perfectly quiet, he ordered
Monsieur de Beuvre's property to be sequestered, unless he should return
to Berry within three days after the publication of the order.

It would have been very difficult for Monsieur de Beuvre, then at
Montpellier, to reach his château in three days. At that epoch it would
have required at least twice that length of time to advise him of the
measures taken against him.

The lieutenant-general and Mayor of Bourges, Monsieur Pierre Biet, whose
habit it was throughout his life to side with the strongest, and who had
been a zealous Leaguer in his youth, determined to display his zeal, and
decreed, on his own authority, that, Monsieur de Beuvre having failed to
appear and explain his absence within the time allowed for such
appearance, mademoiselle his daughter, Dame de Beuvre, de la
Motte-Seuilly, etc., should be removed from her château and taken to a
convent at Bourges, there to be instructed in the religion of the State.




LXIII


It was on a delightful evening in spring that Mario and Lauriane were
strolling about the enclosure at Briantes, laughing together in tones as
melodious as those of the nightingale, when they saw Mercedes running
toward them in consternation.

"Come, come, my beloved lady," she said, throwing her arms about her
young friend; "let us try to escape; they shall not take you until they
have killed me."

"And what of me?" cried Mario, picking up his little rapier, Which he
had thrown on the ground in order to play more freely. "But what is the
matter, Mercedes?"

Mercedes had no time to explain. She knew that the outer tower was
guarded by the provost's troops; she wished to try to return to the
château with Lauriane hidden under her cloak, so that she could escape
by the secret passage.

But it was an impossible undertaking, and Mario opposed it when he saw
that the inner tower also was guarded.

While they were deliberating, the marquis was in dire distress: he had
informed the provost's agents, who exhibited their commissions in proper
form, that Madame de Beuvre had gone out in the saddle with his son. But
when they demanded his word of honor and he pretended to be insulted by
their suspicions, in order to avoid taking a false oath, their
suspicions increased, and, while humbly asking his pardon, they
stationed guards in the towers in the king's name, and proceeded to make
a minute search of the house.

The provost's guard of La Châtre was not so numerous or so well
equipped that a large force could be sent to Briantes. Moreover,
officers and men alike obeyed their orders with reluctance and were very
much averse to offending worthy Monsieur de Bois-Doré. But they were
afraid of being denounced to monsieur le prince, who was much dreaded in
the city and throughout the province.

So they did their duty conscientiously, hoping that Monsieur de
Bois-Doré would threaten and resist; in which case, as _perhaps_ they
were not in sufficient force, they were all prepared and fully disposed
to withdraw,--a not infrequent result of the differences between the
provincial executive and recalcitrant provincial nobles.

The marquis realized the situation, and Aristandre gnawed his fists with
impatience, awaiting the signal to fall upon the backs of the officers
of the law. But Bois-Doré felt that it was a serious emergency, and
that it was not simply a matter of thrashing the watch in some trivial
dispute.

Monsieur de Beuvre was so deeply compromised that to take up his defence
would inevitably be considered an act of rebellion against the royal
authority; and under the circumstances, those gates were more
effectually guarded _in the king's name_, in the eyes of every patriotic
châtelain, than they would have been by a whole army.

Bois-Doré, despite his belligerent disposition, and despite the fact
that he was an incorrigible Protestant at heart, had always, since the
extinction of the Valois line, looked upon the king as the
personification of France; and at this time, when the last efforts of
the Reformed religion were on the point of betraying us to external
enemies, unintentionally, doubtless, but inevitably, Bois-Doré was
inspired by the genuine sentiment of nationality.

However he was resolved not to abandon his friend's daughter at any
cost. He knew how the children of Protestant families were persecuted in
the convents, and that Lauriane's courageous resistance would doubtless
aggravate the harshness of that persecution. This new disaster must be
averted by adroit management, and he appealed, by a furtive glance, to
the fertile genius of Adamas.

Adamas went to and fro, heaping courtesies on the archers and scratching
his head when no one was looking.

It occurred to him to flood the courtyard by opening the gates of the
pond on that side, or to set fire to the château by means of a small
quantity of firewood piled in the shed, at the risk of having to singe
his beard a little in extinguishing it, when he had succeeded in
frightening the enemy away; but in the midst of his perplexities
Lauriane appeared, calm and haughty, leaning on the arm of the pale and
pensive Mario.

The Moor followed them, weeping bitterly. Four of the provost's guards
escorted them with due respect.

This is what had happened.

Lauriane had insisted upon being told what the matter was. She had
realized at once that any resistance for the purpose of saving her would
lay her friends open to the charge of high treason. She was well aware
that her father had risked his head, and, when he went away, she had
foreseen that her own liberty would be threatened one day or another.
She had never mentioned the subject; but she was ready to submit to any
fate rather than deny her opinions.

In vain did Mario and Mercedes passionately implore her to say nothing
and to remain where she was: she raised her voice, declaring vehemently
that she proposed to give herself up; and when the guards who were
seeking her drew near the garden, she had already left it and was
walking straight toward them.

They hesitated to take her into custody, her self-possession causing
them to doubt if it were really she. But she named herself, saying:

"Do not put your hands upon me, messieurs; I give myself up voluntarily.
Kindly permit me to go and bid my host adieu; please accompany me."

The marquis was deeply distressed by her appearance; yet he could not
but admire the noble girl's great courage.

"Monsieur," he said to the lieutenant of the provost's guard, "you see
that I am resigned to the necessity of obeying your commands, since such
is madame's desire; but you surely will not be less honorable than she.
You will permit me to drive her to Bourges in my carriage, with my son
and his governess. I will take but two or three servants, and you can
escort us and watch us as closely as you deem best."

So reasonable a request was readily granted, and the family had an hour
in which to make their preparations for departure.

Lauriane gave her attention to that duty with wonderful self-possession.
Mario, dismayed and dazed, as it were, allowed Adamas to dress him
without a word. He was seated when his boots were put on, and seemed not
to have sufficient strength to raise his little legs. Lucilio went to
him and showed him these words, written in Italian:

"Be brave, follow the example of that brave heart."

"Yes," cried Mario, throwing his arms about his tutor's neck, "I am
doing all I possibly can, and I realize what _she_ is doing. But don't
you think that my father will find a way to set her free."

"If it can be done, do not doubt it, monsieur," said Adamas. "Thank God!
Adamas will not leave you, and will think about it every moment. If
monsieur le marquis is resigned, it is because there is still some
hope."

The marquis took Adamas and Mercedes in his great carriage. Clindor took
his seat on the box with Aristandre.

It was agreed that Lucilio, concerning whom the marquis did not feel
altogether at ease, should go to Bourges secretly.

"I have it, monsieur," said Adamas to the marquis, when they had passed
La Châtre.

"What, my good fellow? What have you?"

"My idea! When we reach Etalié, we will ask leave to rest a moment at
Madame Pignoux's. She has a goddaughter of Madame Lauriane's age. We
will have them change clothes, and we will take her with us in place of
madame."

"But is this god-daughter certain to be there at this time?"

"If she isn't there," said Mario, whose spirits were revived by Adamas's
project, "I will put on Lauriane's skirt and scarf and hood; then you
can say that I have remained at the inn, whereas she will remain in my
place, and she can easily escape from there to Guillaume's or Monsieur
Robin's, when we have gone a little way."

"Do everything for the best, my children," said the marquis, "but say
nothing to me about it; for it will be very embarrassing not to be able
to deny on my word of honor all knowledge of the substitution, and they
will certainly require me to do so when it is discovered. So try
something else and speak low. I am not listening to you."

"You forget," said Lauriane, "that I will not assent to any plan for my
escape. Do not try to invent one, Adamas; and do you yield to the
inevitable, Mario. I have sworn to accept my fate."

Lauriane did, in fact, refuse to alight at the _Geault-Rouge_, where the
projected substitution might have been effected with some chance of
success.

Mario hoped that, when they had gone a little farther, she would change
her mind and assent to some scheme; but to no purpose did they argue
that the affair might be arranged without compromising the marquis. She
was inflexible.

"No, no," she said, "no one will believe that the marquis did not close
his eyes voluntarily. Who knows, my poor Mario, that they would not keep
you as a hostage until they had recaptured me? And, as for Adamas, he
would surely go to prison. That is what I will not have, and I will not
consent to escape, willingly or unwillingly; for, if you persist, I will
shriek and make an outcry to make sure that I am taken again."

Lauriane's resolution could not be shaken. It was necessary to abandon
all hope of rescuing her from captivity, and they arrived at Bourges
more discouraged and downcast than when they had left Briantes.

The result of this submissive conduct was most favorable. The
lieutenant-general, Monsieur Biet, who had confidently expected that the
marquis would ruin himself by rebelling against Lauriane's arrest, was
greatly surprised when he appeared before him with her, and requested
for her an honorable reclusion, and such consideration as her dignified
conduct entitled her to expect.

Monsieur Biet had no choice but to adopt a mild tone, to express his
great regret at the rigorous measures adopted, which he attributed to
secret orders from the prince, and to consent that Lauriane should be
taken to the Convent of the Annunciation, founded by Jeanne de France,
aunt of her illustrious ancestress, Charlotte d'Albret. Lauriane had
several friends there, and she was allowed to keep Mercedes to wait upon
her.

This convent was one of those to which the fiery Jesuit propaganda had
not penetrated. The nuns, vowed to a life of meditation, did not
threaten Lauriane with a too severe proselytism.

The marquis had a conference with the superior, wherein he was able to
predispose her in the young recluse's favor, and he secured permission
to see her every day, with Mario, in the parlor, in presence of one of
the sisters.

Despite this hopeful prospect, Mario's heart was broken when the heavy
door of the convent closed between him and his dear companion. It seemed
to him that she would, never come forth again, nor was he free from
anxiety concerning Mercedes, who strove to smile when she left him, but
who was like a madwoman for a moment when she no longer saw him, and
realized that she was doomed, for the first time in her life, to sleep
under a different roof.

The result was that she hardly slept at all, nor did Lauriane. They
talked almost all night, and wept together, being no longer restrained
by the fear of distressing Mario by their grief.

"My dear Mercedes," said Lauriane, as she kissed the Moor, "I know what
a sacrifice you make for me by parting from your child for my
consolation."

"My daughter," replied the Moor, "I confess that in consoling you I
console Mario, since he loves you perhaps more than he loves me. Do not
say no; I have seen it; but I am not jealous of you, for I feel that you
will make his life happy."

It was impossible to shake the Moor's conviction that that improbable
marriage would take place, and Lauriane dared not contradict her,
especially at that moment.

Bois-Doré had some doubts concerning the orders said to have been given
by the prince with regard to Lauriane. The prince was naturally
treacherous, grasping and ungrateful; but he was not cruel, and his
aversion to women did not go so far as persecution. Moreover, the
marquis had fancied that he could detect some symptoms of confusion in
the lieutenant-general's manner when he questioned him concerning the
prince's alleged secret orders. He hoped to induce him, by gentle
persuasion, to revoke his decree.

He sent a messenger to Poitou to try to find Monsieur de Beuvre and urge
him to return at the earliest possible moment, and he took up his abode
at Bourges, in order to follow up his plan with respect to Monsieur
Biet, and also to keep his eye upon his dear ward.

The messenger was unable to find Monsieur de Beuvre; he had gone to sea
again, no one knew where. At the end of two months they had not heard
from him.

Lauriane wept for him as for the dead. She was not deceived by the tales
the marquis told her to persuade her that he had been seen and that he
was well. He pretended to be embarrassed by the presence of the sister,
who slept all the time, and to be afraid to show her the letters which
supported his statements.

Lauriane adopted the course of remaining calm, in order to tranquillize
Mario, whose eyes were constantly fixed upon her with an anxious
expression.




LXIV


The year 1622 passed in this way, and the marquis was unable, by prayers
or threats, to obtain the prisoner's release on parole.

Monsieur Biet, fearing that he had made a mistake, had obtained
authority to imprison Madame de Beuvre, after it was done.

The situation was made much worse by her father's prolonged absence and
silence. It became quite useless to deny the reasons therefor. No one
could retain any doubt as to what had happened; and Monsieur Biet
replied, with a bitter smile, to the marquis's urgent entreaties and
reproaches:

"But why does not the gentleman come and get his daughter? She will be
restored to him instantly, and so will the management of her property."

Lucilio had settled at Bourges, in the suburb of Saint-Ambroise, under a
false name. He saw no one but Mario, who came alone, simply dressed and
without ostentation, to take his lessons.

Mercedes, who was allowed to go in and out, served his meals, to which
the philosopher probably would not have given a thought, absorbed as he
was by his work.

At this juncture it became evident that Monsieur Poulain had changed
greatly for the better. He was still at Bourges, engaged in obtaining
permission to become an abbot, when Lucilio found himself face to face
with him one day in the little garden appurtenant to his humble
apartment.

On accosting each other, he and the future abbé discovered that they
lived under the same roof.

Lucilio expected to be denounced and harassed. Nothing of the sort
happened. Monsieur Poulain took pleasure in his society, and displayed
great interest in Mario when he came to take his lessons.

Monsieur Poulain was too shrewd a man not to have reflected profoundly
on his past experience, and he realized how little dependence could be
placed on the Prince de Condé, for the Archbishop of Bourges refused to
make him abbot until monsieur le prince should authorize him, and
monsieur le prince seemed in no haste to do so.

Thus our friends led a reasonably peaceful life during this species of
exile at Bourges. Indeed, they enjoyed more real security than they had
enjoyed at Briantes during their last weeks there.

But the marquis was sadly distressed to have broken up all his
luxurious, comfortable and active habits. He lived very simply and
quietly, in order not to attract attention to Lauriane in a city where
the spirit of the League was by no means extinct, and where the brief
but violent reign of the Reformers had left unpleasant memories.

Mario strove to be cheerful in order to divert him, but the poor child
was far from cheerful himself; and when he read _Astrée_ aloud to him
in the evening, he was always thinking of something else, or sighing
over those pictures of streams, gardens and bosky groves which
intensified the tedium and confinement of his present situation.

So Mario's cheeks were pale, and he became pensive. He worked
desperately to perfect his education, and it was a great pleasure to him
to keep Lauriane informed concerning his studies, imparting to her his
most recently acquired scraps of knowledge. It was an excellent way of
killing time in their daily interviews; for there is no more painful
restraint than that caused by the impossibility of talking freely before
witnesses with the persons one loves.

The Jesuits, who were already to be found everywhere with their fingers
in every pie, tried to persuade the marquis to entrust that charming
child's education to them. He so contrived his reply as to give them
some ground for hope, realizing that it would not be well to have an
open rupture with them.

They were not deceived by his craft, and took alarm at Mario's
mysterious visits to the faubourg. They followed him, and thereupon were
much distressed concerning Master Jovelin. But Monsieur Poulain arranged
everything, declaring that he knew Master Jovelin to be an orthodox
Catholic, and that he, Poulain, was present at the young gentleman's
lessons. The ex-rector feared them more than he loved them, but he was
adroit enough to fool them.

Meanwhile the war drew rapidly to a close. The news of the peace of
Montpellier arrived, and gave rise to magnificent projects for rejoicing
in honor of Monsieur le Prince, on the part of his good city of Bourges.
But the projects had to be abandoned; the prince arrived unexpectedly,
in very bad humor, feeling that his rôle was at an end.

The king had cheated him: in the first place, he had refused to die; in
the second place, he had negotiated the peace without his knowledge. And
then the queen-mother had regained some measure of influence. Richelieu
had obtained the cardinal's hat, and despite all monsieur le prince's
endeavors, was insensibly drawing near to the centre of power.

Condé simply passed through the province and the city. He no longer
believed in astrology; he was becoming pious from disappointment. He had
made a vow to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.

He started for Italy without giving the slightest attention to the
affairs of the province. Monsieur Biet, feeling that the Huguenots were
about to recover liberty of conscience, and that it would ill become him
to require Lauriane's release to be extorted from him, went himself to
the convent with the marquis, to set her free.

The nuns parted from her with regret, testifying freely to her
gentleness and courtesy.

Lauriane had suffered much during those five months of mental
constraint; she too had lost color and flesh; she had attended, without
a murmur, all the religious services, maintaining a dignified and
respectful demeanor, praying to God with all her soul before the
Catholic altars, and abstaining from any reflection that might have
wounded the saintlike maidens of the Annunciation. But when they urged
her to renounce her faith, she bowed, as if to say: _I understand_, and
met all the questions that were put to her with an obstinate silence. It
was no time for her to assert her liberty of conscience when it might be
that her father was prostrate under the headsman's axe. So she held her
peace and submitted to their importunities with the stoicism of a
sufferer who, with his hands bound, listens to the flies buzzing about
his head, unable to brush them away, but unwilling even to wink.

On all other occasions she treated the sisters with the greatest
respect, and won their hearts by the most delicate attentions. Luckily,
a truly Christian spirit reigned among them. They prayed for her
conversion, they prayed for her salvation, and they left her in peace.
It was a miracle; elsewhere Lauriane, might, in desperation, have been
accused of witchcraft and condemned to perish by earthly flames; that
was the last resource when the persecuted heretics had the courage to
refuse to be convicted of heresy by their own admissions.

At last, on November 30th, our friends, overflowing with joy and hope,
returned to the château of Briantes.

They had received good news from Monsieur de Beuvre. He had written many
times; but his messengers had been intercepted or had betrayed their
trust. He was to return very soon, and he did, in fact, return. He was
welcomed with much feasting and merrymaking; after which they talked of
separating.

It was proper that Lauriane should return to her own château, and the
bulky De Beuvre felt cramped in the small manor of Briantes. Lauriane
could not manifest before her father the slightest reluctance to resume
her life with him. Indeed she was conscious of no such reluctance, she
was so happy to have him at home again. And yet she felt a sudden and
involuntary chill of sadness when she entered the dismal château of La
Motte.

The Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré escorted her thither, and, at her
father's request, were to remain two or three days with her. Mercedes
and Jovelin were of the party. It was not therefore the sensation of
solitude taking possession of her already; indeed, might they not, were
they not certain to see one another almost every day?

This vague apprehension which disturbed Lauriane was a sort of
disenchantment, which she did not fully understand. She had always
insisted upon regarding her father as a hero; her anxieties at the
convent, due to the thought of the perils he had incurred for his faith,
had exalted to enthusiasm the conception she had formed of him. She had
been forced to abandon her ideal since he had been at home. In the first
place, although De Beuvre had complained that he grew stout in idleness,
and they had expected that he would return emaciated and exhausted, he
was ruddier and more portly than ever. His mind seemed to have grown
dense in proportion. His blunt gayety had become a little vulgar. He
posed as a sailor, smoked a pipe, swore beyond all reason, forgot to
wrap his scepticism in Montaigne's ingenious aphorisms, and at times
adopted an air of sly and mysterious satisfaction which was by no means
courteous to his friends.

The solution of this last riddle was let fall by him on the day
following his return to La Motte, during a conference which we are about
to describe.




LXV


They had hunted during the day, then supped, and were sitting about the
fire in the large salon, when Guillaume d'Ars, who had been very
assiduous in his attentions to Lauriane since the news of the peace,
asked leave, with some playful emotion, to make a speech.

They all ceased their games and conversation, and Guillaume, after
appealing to Lauriane for special encouragement, which she accorded him
without a suspicion of what it was all about, spoke as follows:

"Mesdames"--Mercedes was present,--"messieurs, friends, kinsmen and
neighbors, all honored, respected and beloved, I beg you to listen to a
story which is my own. In me you see a young man neither better nor
worse made than many another; ignorant enough, Master Jovelin will
agree; reasonably rich and well-born, but those are not virtues; brave,
but that is no subject for boasting; lastly--I pause that some one may
kindly eulogize me; for, as you see, I hardly understand praising
myself."

"Assuredly," exclaimed the marquis with his customary good-humor, "you
are more than you claim, cousin: the flower of the nobility of the
province, the mirror of chivalry, and, like Alcidon, 'so much esteemed
by those who know you, that there is naught to which your merit doth not
entitle you to aspire.'"

"A truce to your insipid nonsense from _Astrée_!" said Monsieur de
Beuvre. "What are you aiming at, Guillaume? and why do you come in quest
of praise from us, when no one here has any thought of complaining of
you?"

"Because, messire, having a momentous request to present to you, I
wished to have for advocates all those in whom you place most
confidence."

"We all bear witness to your loyalty, courage, courtesy and staunch
friendship," said Lauriane. "Now, speak; for there are two women here,
that is to say two curious mortals."

Lauriane had no sooner spoken thus than she blushed and regretted her
words, for the enthusiastic and slightly fatuous air of the excellent
Guillaume suddenly gave her a hint of what was coming.

In truth, it was an offer of marriage which Guillaume, more encouraged
by her than she had intended or supposed, laid before her father and
herself, invoking anew the support of all those who were present, and
blending hyperbole, wit and sentiment in a way which might be considered
agreeable and becoming in view of the spirit of the time.

The declaration was somewhat long and involved, as good breeding
demanded, although it was none the less outspoken and sincere, and most
cordial toward all present.

When his purpose had become manifest, very diverse sentiments were
depicted on the faces of his audience. Monsieur de Bois-Doré manifested
much embarrassment and extreme displeasure, held in check as much as
possible. Lauriane lowered her eyes with an expression of melancholy
rather than annoyance. Mercedes anxiously tried to read what was written
in Mario's great eyes. Mario had turned toward the wall; nobody could
see his face. Lucilio watched Lauriane closely.

Monsieur de Beuvre alone remained unmoved, with no other expression than
one of reflection; one would have said that he was making a mental
calculation that engrossed his whole attention.

No one spoke, and Guillaume was somewhat confused. But that silence
might be considered a sign of encouragement as well as of disapproval,
and he knelt at Lauriane's feet, as if to await her reply in an attitude
of absolute submission.


[Illustration: _GUILLAUME D'ARS PROPOSES
MARRIAGE._

"_Rise, Messire Guillaume," said the young woman,
rising herself in order to induce him to obey her more
quickly. "You surprise us with a thought which is
quite new to us, and to which we cannot reply as quickly
as it was suggested._"]


"Rise, Messire Guillaume," said the young woman, rising herself in order
to induce him to obey her more quickly. "You surprise us with a thought
which is quite new to us, and to which we cannot reply as quickly as it
was suggested."

"It did not come to me quickly," said Guillaume. "It has been in my mind
two or three years. But your youth and your mourning made me fear that I
might speak too soon."

"Permit me to doubt it," said Lauriane, who knew by public report that
Guillaume had always led a joyous life and had recently sighed at the
feet of several more or less marriageable ladies.

"My dear daughter," said Monsieur de Beuvre at last, "permit me to tell
you that Guillaume is not telling an untruth. For a long time past, as I
know, he has thought of you whenever he has thought of marriage. But, in
my opinion, he has decided a little too late to make his desire known to
you."

"A little late?" exclaimed Guillaume in dismay; "can it be that you have
disposed----"

"No, no!" laughed De Beuvre; "my daughter is neither betrothed nor
promised to anyone, unless it be to our _youthful_ neighbor, the Marquis
de Bois-Doré, or to this solemn personage, the other Monsieur de
Bois-Doré, who slumbers yonder while another seeks the hand of his
future bride!"

Mario, bewildered and wounded, did not turn. It seemed as if he were
asleep; the Moor alone saw that he was weeping; but the marquis rose and
retorted with more animation than he usually displayed:

"I will wager, my dear neighbor, that your raillery is intended as a
rebuke for our silence, so we will break it. You will forgive me,
Guillaume; for, as surely as heaven is above us, I esteem you the best
and most loyal man in the world, worthy in every respect to be our
Lauriane's happy husband. But, with no desire to injure you in her eyes,
I hereby declare that my suit preceded yours, and that I was encouraged
by her and her father when I urged my suit."

"You, cousin?" exclaimed Guillaume in amazement.

"Yes, I," replied Bois-Doré, "as uncle, guardian and father by adoption
of Mario de Bois-Doré here present."

"Here present? Nay," said Monsieur de Beuvre, still laughing, "for he is
sleeping the sleep of innocence."

"As a child should do!" added Guillaume gently.

"I am not asleep!" cried Mario, rushing into his father's arms, and
revealing his face all discolored with the sobs he had stifled in his
hands.

"Hoity-toity!" said Monsieur de Beuvre, "he says that with his eyes
half-closed with sleep!"

"Nay," rejoined the marquis, scrutinizing his child's face, "with his
eyes inflamed with tears!"

Lauriane started; Mario's grief reminded her of the scene in the
labyrinth, and brought before her mind once more the apprehensions she
had forgotten. The child's tears pained her deeply, and Mercedes's
glance disturbed her like a reproach.

Lucilio seemed to share her anxiety. Lauriane felt that she held in her
hands for a long while, perhaps forever, the happiness of that family
which had bestowed so much happiness on herself. She became altogether
depressed, and, seeing that the marquis too was weeping, she gave the
old man and the young man each an equally affectionate kiss, entreating
them to be reasonable and not to borrow trouble concerning a future
which she had not yet faced.

De Beuvre shrugged his shoulders.

"You are all very foolish," he said; "and as to you, Bois-Doré, I
consider you thrice mad to have fed this poor schoolboy's brain on your
absurd romances. You see the result of spoiling a child. He deems
himself a man, and wishes to marry, forsooth! at an age when all he
needs is the birch."

These harsh words put the finishing touch to Mario's despair; they made
the marquis seriously angry.

"You seem to be in the mood for making unnecessarily cruel remarks,
neighbor," he said. "The birch has no place in my method with a child
who has displayed the courage of a gallant man. I am well aware that he
should not marry for several years; but it seemed to me that I
remembered that our Lauriane herself did not wish to marry for seven
years from that day last year, when, in this very room, she gave me a
pledge."

"Oh! let us not speak of that ghastly pledge!" cried Lauriane.

"Nay, let us speak of it and give thanks to God," replied the marquis,
"since that dagger was the means of restoring to me my brother's child.
Thus it was through your blessed hands, dear Lauriane, that that
happiness entered my house; and, if I was mad to hope that you too would
enter it, forgive me. The happier one is, the more greedy one is of
happiness. As for you, friend De Beuvre, you surely will not deny your
encouragement of my idea. Your letters prove it; you said: 'If Lauriane
chooses to have patience and not go mad over the thought of marriage
until Mario is nineteen or twenty years of age, I assure you that I
shall be very glad.'"

"I do not deny it!" rejoined De Beuvre; "but I should be an idiot not to
look at the question of my daughter's marriage in both aspects: the
future and the present. Now, the future is less secure; who will assure
me that we shall all be in this world six years hence? And then, when I
wrote as you say, my dear neighbor, my position was not all that could
be desired; and I tell you plainly that now it is much better than you
imagine. So listen to me, Monsieur d'Ars, and you, marquis, and you
above all, my dear daughter. I rely upon secrecy being maintained as to
that which I am about to confide to none but persons of honor and
discretion. I have doubled my fortune in this last campaign. That was my
principal purpose, and I have accomplished it, while serving my cause at
the risk of my life. I fought bad men to the best of my ability, and
contributed, like others, to the honorable terms of peace which the king
grants us. And so, Monsieur d'Ars, if you do me honor by asking for my
daughter's hand, it is only by virtue of your name and your personal
merit; for I am probably as rich as you.--And do you, friend Sylvain,
when you manifest your friendship for me by the same request, understand
that your treasure has no power to dazzle me; for I have my own
treasure, _three ships upon the sea_, all full of _silver, gold and
precious wares_, as says the ballad.

"And so, my dear and noble lords, you will give me time for reflection
before replying to you; and my daughter, knowing now that it will not be
difficult to find another husband for her, will take counsel with
herself and form her own decision."

Thereupon there was nothing more to be done than to say good-night.

Guillaume, like a man of the world, treated Mario's pretensions lightly,
but without acrimony or malice; for the child was excited enough to
demand satisfaction, and Guillaume loved him too well to care to
irritate him to that point. He took his leave with the not unreasonable
hope of triumphing over a rival who did not come to his shoulder.

Mario slept poorly and had no appetite the next day. His father took him
home, fearing that he would fall ill, and beginning to conclude that it
is not well to play with the future of children in their presence. But
this tardy repentance did not cure him. His abnormal, romantic brain,
which had never ceased to be the brain of a child, could not understand
the sound conception of time. Just as he believed that he was still
young, so he imagined that Mario was ripe for the kind of love, cold and
loquacious, chaste and affected, with which _Astrée_ had permeated his
mind.

Mario knew nothing of the subtle distinctions of words. He simply felt
an intolerable heart-ache, the only deep-rooted and lasting torture.

He said: "I love Lauriane;" and if he had been asked with what kind of
love, he would have answered in good faith that there were not two
kinds. Pure as the angels, he had the true ideal of life, which is to
love for the sake of loving.

As soon as De Beuvre and his daughter were left alone, he strongly urged
her to decide in favor of Guillaume d'Ars.

"I did not wish to displease the marquis by declaring my preference," he
said; "but his dream is rank madness, and I fancy that you do not care
to wear the black cap six years longer, until this little brat has lost
all his milk teeth."

"I did not enter into this engagement myself," replied Lauriane; "but I
am afraid that you unconsciously entered into it for me with the
marquis."

"I would snap my fingers at it, if I had," rejoined De Beuvre; "but that
is not the case. So much the worse for the old fool and his cub if they
take thoughtless words seriously; one will console himself with a wooden
horse, the other with a new doublet; for they are equally childish."

"My dear father," said Lauriane, "it is no longer possible for me to
jest about the marquis. He has been more than a father to me, something
like a father, mother and brother all together, there has been so much
protecting care, motherly affection and pleasant raillery in his manner
toward me! And if Mario is only a child, he is not like other children.
He is a girl in gentleness and delicacy; and he is a man in courage, for
you know what he has done, and, furthermore, that he is very learned for
his years.. He could teach both of us!"

"Faith, my girl," cried De Beuvre, puffing himself out, "you dote too
much on the Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré, and it seems to me that I am
no longer of much account in your eyes. You seem to think a vast deal of
their grief and nothing at all of my consent, since you turn a deaf ear
to me when I speak of Guillaume d'Ars."

"Guillaume d'Ars is a good friend," replied Lauriane, "but he is too old
as a husband for me. He will soon be thirty years old, and he knows the
world too well; he would soon begin to consider me silly or uncivilized.
His suit would have flattered me perhaps before the peace; he would have
deserved some credit for offering us the support of his name when we
were persecuted. He deserves little to-day, when our rights are
acknowledged and our tranquillity assured. He will deserve still less if
he persists in his suit, now that he knows that we are richer than we
were."

De Beuvre tried in vain to induce her to change her mind. He was
exceedingly vexed with her; for, even if their ages had been the same,
he would have much preferred Guillaume to Mario. A son-in-law devoted to
physical exercise and to the heedless pursuit of pleasure suited him
much better than a cultivated mind and an exceptional character.

Lauriane remonstrated, although she used after every sentence the
formula: "Your will shall be mine."--But when she said it she relied
upon the promise her father had made, since, her widowhood, never to
force her inclination.

De Beuvre, who had become more covetous as soon as he became
richer--this transformation takes place suddenly in those of mature
years,--was sorely tempted to take her at her word and to say: "_It is
my will_."--But he was not an unkind man, and his daughter was almost the
only object of his affection.

He contented himself with harassing her and depressing her spirits by
talking incessantly of those material interests to which she had
believed him to be so indifferent when he made his last Huguenot
crusade.

She did not give way, but, in order not to wound him, she agreed to show
the greatest consideration in rejecting Guillaume's suit, and to receive
his visits until further notice.




LXVI


The _Beaux Messieurs_ did not return to La Motte for a week. Mario had a
slight attack of fever. Lauriane was anxious and wept. Her father
refused to take her to Briantes, saying that it was useless to keep
illusions alive. There was a slight quarrel between them.

"You will make them think me most ungrateful," she said. "After all the
care and attention I received from them, it is my duty to go to nurse
Mario. You should at least go there every day. They will say that you
have forgotten them, now that we no longer need them. Ah! why am I not a
boy? I would ride there every hour in the day; I would be that poor
child's friend and companion, and I could show my friendship for him
without putting a noose around my neck, or incurring blame!"

At last she induced her father to take her to Briantes. She found Mario
almost recovered from his grief and cured of his fever. He seemed to
have determined once more to be a child. The marquis was a little hurt
by Monsieur de Beuvre's conduct. But they could not remain at odds. The
parents gradually entered into conversation as if nothing had happened;
Lauriane began to laugh and romp with her innocent lover.

"My dear neighbor," said De Beuvre to Bois-Doré, "you must not be
offended with me. Your plan for these children was pure dreaming. See on
what excellent terms they are in those innocent games! That is a sign
that in the game of love they would be always at war. Remember that a
too young husband is not long content with a single wife, and that a
deserted wife is jealous and shrewish. Moreover there is another
obstacle between the children, which we have not considered: one is a
Catholic, the other a Protestant."

"That is not an obstacle," said the marquis. "They can be married at the
same church, reserving the right to return to the one they prefer."

"Oh! yes, that is all very well for you, you old unbeliever, who belong
to both churches, that is to say, to neither; but for us----"

"For you, neighbor? I don't know to what communion you belong; but I
believe implicitly in God, and you don't believe in Him at all."

"_Perhaps_! _Who can say_?" as Montaigne says; "but my daughter is a
believer, and you cannot induce her to give way."

"She would not have to give way. Here, she was always free to pray as
she chose. Mario and she used to say their evening prayer together, and
they never thought of disputing. Besides, Mario would be all ready to do
as I did."

"Yes, to say as you did in the days of the good king: 'Long live Sully
and long live the pope!'"

"Lauriane would be no more obstinate in her Calvinism, be sure of that!"

Bois-Doré was mistaken. The more frankly De Beuvre avowed his
scepticism, the more earnest was Lauriane in her disinterested
attachment to the Reformation. De Beuvre, who knew it well and who was
seeking an opportunity to create obstacles, raised the question during
dinner. Lauriane stated her views in mild language, but with remarkable
firmness.

The marquis had never discussed religion with her or before her. In
fact, he never discussed it with anyone, and found the half-Gallic,
half-pagan divinities of _Astrée_ quite reconcilable with his vague
notions concerning the Deity. He was distressed to see Lauriane take up
the cudgels in that way, and he could not resist the temptation to say
to her:

"Ah! you bad girl, you would not be so obstinate in your opinions if you
loved us a little more!"

Lauriane had not detected her father's purpose. The marquis's reproach
made it clear to her. It was the first reproach he had ever addressed to
her, and she was deeply grieved. But the fear of irritating her father
prevented her from answering as her heart prompted. She looked down at
her plate and held back a tear that trembled on her eyelid.

Mario, who seemed entirely engrossed in preparing little Fleurial's
dainty dinner, spied that tear, and said abruptly, in a grave, almost
manly tone, in striking contrast to the puerile occupation of his hands:

"We are making Lauriane sad, father; let us say no more about it. She
has a brain of her own, and she is right. For my part, if I were in her
place I would do as she does, and I would not abandon my party in
misfortune."

"Well said, my little man!" said De Beuvre, impressed by Mario's
intelligent air.

"And it suggests to me," said the marquis, "that we are above such
profitless discussions. My son already has the free spirit of noble
minds, and he would never be the one to dispute Lauriane's opinions."

"Dispute them, no indeed," said Mario; "but----"

"But what?" queried Lauriane eagerly; "you do not mean that you would
share them, Mario, even through affection for me?"

"Ah! if that were the case," exclaimed De Beuvre, once more struck by a
sudden thought, "if the child, with his name and his wealth, should
decide to espouse our cause heartily, I do not say that I would not
advise Lauriane to wear her black cap some time longer."

"Then it is all right!" said the marquis; "when the time comes----"

"No, no, father!" interposed Mario with extraordinary vehemence; "that
time will never come for me. I was baptized a Catholic by Abbé
Anjorrant; I was brought up in the idea that I ought never to change;
and, although he did not ask me to take any oath to it when he was
dying, it would seem to me as if I should disobey him by leaving the
church in which he put me. Lauriane has set me the example and I will
follow it; we will remain as we are, and it will be all right. That will
not prevent me from loving her, and if she doesn't love me, she will do
wrong and be a bad girl."

"What do you say to that, my child?" queried De Beuvre; "doesn't it
strike you that he is the sort of little husband who, when he saw you
burning, would say: 'I feel deeply grieved, but I can do nothing,
because it is the pope's will?'"

Lauriane and Mario disputed like the children they were; that is to say,
their cheeks grew red as fire. Lauriane sulked; Mario did not move an
inch, and finally exclaimed with much heat:

"You say, Lauriane, that you would degrade yourself if you should
change. Then you would despise me if I changed, would you not?"

Lauriane realized the justness of the retort, and said no more; but she
was piqued, like a woman with whom her lover makes conditions, and her
glance said to Mario: "I thought that you loved me more than you do."

When she was riding home with her father, he did not fail to say to her:

"Well, my child, do you not see now that Mario, that charming youth, is
a Papist of the old stock, like his own father, who served the Spaniard
against us? And some day, ashamed of his old uncle's inanity, he will
make war on us! Then what will you say, when you see your husband in one
camp and your father in the other, shooting bullets at each other, or
fighting hand to hand?"

"Really, father," said Lauriane, "you speak as if I had evinced a desire
to remain a widow; but I have never determined upon that. I cannot see,
however, why Monsieur d'Ars is not equally exposed to the evil fate
which you predict. Is not he a Catholic and a devoted partizan of the
royal power?"

"Monsieur d'Ars has no will of his own," replied De Beuvre, "and I will
answer for it that we shall be able to bend him to all our purposes, on
every occasion. More bigoted men than he have changed sides when the
prospects of the Reformation seemed bright."

"If Monsieur d'Ars has no will," rejoined Lauriane, "so much the worse
for him; he is no man; and yet he is a man in years!"

Lauriane was not mistaken. Guillaume was a weak character; but he was a
handsome fellow, a pleasant neighbor, brave as a lion, and very generous
to his friends. He was mild and easy-going with the peasantry, and
allowed himself to be robbed without paying the slightest heed; but he
followed the example of the nobles of his time: he allowed the peasantry
to wallow in ignorance and poverty. It seemed to him a very
fine thing that Lauriane's vassals were neat and well-fed, and very
amusing that Bois-Doré's were stout; but when he was told that, at
Saint-Denis-de-Touhet, the peasants died like flies during the
epidemics; that at Chassignoles and Magny they did not know the taste of
wine and meat--hardly that of bread; and that, in the Brenne country,
they ate grass, while in other even more unhappy provinces they ate one
another, he would say:

"What do you expect to do about it? Everybody cannot be happy!"

And he did not exert his mind beyond its powers to find a remedy. It had
never occurred to him to live on his estate, as Bois-Doré did, and to
share his well-being with all those who were dependent upon him. He
passed as much time as he could at Bourges and Paris, and aspired to a
rich marriage, in order that he might lead a more joyous life than ever,
with a woman whom he would probably make perfectly happy on condition
that she had no more brain and sensitiveness than he.

He was the type of his caste and his epoch, and no one thought of
blaming him.

On the other hand, Lauriane was considered a fanatical heretic and
Bois-Doré an old imbecile. Lauriane herself did not judge Guillaume so
severely as we do, but she felt that he lacked pith and substance, and
she experienced unconquerable ennui when, she was in his company. At
such times the days passed at Briantes would come back to her like a
delightful dream. Well might she have said: _Et in Arcadia ego_!

However, she had no idea of becoming Mario's wife. In her inmost
thoughts she remained his older sister, proud of him and striving to
emulate him; but she found no suitor to her liking, although many a one
came forward as soon as her father was seen to be purchasing additional
estates. By dint of making involuntary comparisons between her father,
who was so practical and selfish, who criticized her so often in regard
to her charities, and the excellent Monsieur Sylvain, who always lived
himself and caused everybody about him to live as in a fairy tale, she
conceived a dislike for cold reason, and became in secret the most
dreamy and romantic maiden on earth, according to Monsieur de Beuvre and
her other relations of both religions. In private, they laughed at her
and at what they called her ridiculous love for a baby in arms.

By dint of hearing it said that she was in love with Mario, Lauriane,
being persecuted to some extent in her own home, was driven, as it were
in spite of herself, to look upon that love as possible. So it was that
she admitted the idea of it when Mario was fifteen.

But she speedily rejected that idea again, for Mario at fifteen did not
seem as yet to distinguish between love and friendship. He was
respectful in his manner toward her, and at the same time familiar in
his speech after the fashion of a well-bred brother. He did not say a
word which could lead her to think that passion had revealed itself to
him. Sometimes, it is true, he flushed deeply when Lauriane suddenly
appeared in some place where he did not expect her, and he turned pale
when some new project of marriage for her was broached in his presence.
At least, Adamas so informed his master, and Mercedes confided the same
observations to Lucilio. But it may be that they were mistaken. The boy
was growing rapidly and reading a great deal; perhaps he had pains in
his head and limbs.

We will say but one word concerning this period, when Mario was fifteen
years of age and Lauriane nineteen. Their placid existence and tranquil
relations were so happily monotonous that we can find no traces thereof
in our documents concerning Briantes and La Motte-Seuilly.

We find there, however, mention of the marriage of Guillaume d'Ars to a
wealthy heiress of Dauphiné. The nuptials were celebrated in Berry, and
it does not appear that Lauriane's rejection of his suit had displeased
honest Guillaume, for she was of the party, as were the Bois-Dorés.

A year later, in 1626, the lives of our characters are more clearly
outlined. That was the epoch of the baptism of Monseigneur le Duc
d'Enghien--afterward the great Condé--which hastened the course of
events for them.

This baptism took place at Bourges on the 5th of May. The young prince
was then about five years of age. The splendid festivities in connection
with the ceremony attracted all the nobility and all the bourgeoisie of
the province.

The Marquis de Bois-Doré, who had at last secured the salutary
indifference, if not the dangerous favor of Condé and the Jesuit
faction, yielded to the wishes of Mario, who was curious to see a little
of the world, and to his own inclinations, which led him to exhibit his
heir under more favorable circumstances than in 1622, when he was in a
very painful and disquieting situation.




LXVII


When his mind was once made up, Bois-Doré, who could do nothing by
halves, employed Adamas's genius and industry for a whole month in
superintending the preparation of the splendid costumes and sumptuous
equipages which he proposed to exhibit before the court and the city.

The supply of horses and gorgeous accoutrements was replenished; they
made investigations concerning the new styles. They exerted themselves
to eclipse all rivals. The old nobleman, still erect on his legs and
straight of back, still becurled and anointed, still in good health and
young in fancy, chose to be dressed in the same fabrics cut in the same
style as his _grandson's_. So Mario was called at court, because the
prince, seeking to jest pleasantly with Bois-Doré, and forgetting the
degree of kinship between the Beaux Messieurs, asked him if it was from
economy that he dressed his grandson in the clippings of his own
clothes. Mario understood the great vassal's contempt, and felt more of
a royalist than ever.

Lauriane also had expressed a wish to see a very great fête for the
first time in her life. As her father had taken no part in the new
uprising of the Huguenots, and, moreover, as a new treaty of peace had
been signed within three months, they could appear at Bourges without
risk. It was agreed that they should all go together.

Magnificent banquets, banners with Latin distichs and anagrams in honor
of the little prince, regiments of children, in brave array and
exceedingly well drilled, for his escort, the singing of motets,
speeches by the magistrates, presentation of the keys of the city,
concerts, dances, a play given by the Jesuit college, angels descending
from triumphal arches and presenting rich gifts to the young duke--that
is to say, to monsieur his father, who would not have been content with
sweetmeats,--manœuvres by the militia, ceremonial functions and
merry-makings--all this lasted five days.

They saw many great personages there.

The comely and famous Montmorency--whom Richelieu afterward sent to the
scaffold--and the Dowager Princesse de Condé--called the
poisoner--represented the godfather and godmother, who were no others
than the King and Queen of France. Monseigneur le Duc received baptism
in the _chrémeau_--a little cap trimmed with precious stones--and a
long dress of cloth of silver. The Prince de Condé wore a gray coat all
stamped with gold and silver.

The Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré were invited by Monsieur Biet to take
their places on the platform reserved for the higher nobility, not
because they were among the best friends of the little court, but
because of their rich attire, which did honor to the spectacle.

Mario's beauty attracted even more notice than his costume.

Lauriane heard the ladies--notably the little prince's youthful and
lovely mother--call attention to the beautiful boy's charms. She felt
disturbed for the first time, as if she were jealous of the glances and
smiles of which he was the recipient.

Mario paid no heed to them. He looked at the princely child with
curiosity. He was ugly and of sickly aspect; but there was much
intelligence in his eyes and resolution in his gestures.

On the 6th of May, as our friends were preparing to depart, De Beuvre
led the marquis aside.

They had been sojourning at the house of a friend.

"Look you," said he, "we must have done with this, and come to some
decision."

"Have a little patience. The horses will soon be ready," replied
Bois-Doré, thinking that he was in haste to start for home.

"You do not understand me, neighbor; I say that we must make up our
minds to marry our children, since that is their idea and our own. I
must tell you that I am about to make another journey. I came here only
to make arrangements with certain people who assure me of excellent
opportunities in England, and if I must entrust my Lauriane to you once
more, it will be quite as well that she should be married to your heir.
It is an excellent chance for him; for my vessels are in a fair way to
multiply, so I am told, and the peace will simply double the
opportunities of Anglo-Protestant piracy. So that my daughter might have
aspired to better men than you, as to name and wealth, but not as to
heart; and as the trouble of taking care of her will interfere with my
taking proper care of my business, I desire, on resuming my freedom of
action, to place my Lauriane in good hands. So say yes and let us hasten
matters."

The marquis was staggered by this proposition, which. Monsieur de Beuvre
had seemed little inclined to receive favorably during the past four
years, if it had been made to him. But it did not require much
reflection to convince him of the impropriety of this plan, and of
Lauriane's father's selfish heedlessness. Bois-Doré was often heedless
himself, often injudicious; but he was a father in the truest sense, and
Mario in love and married at sixteen seemed to him to be in a more
perilous situation than Mario romantically and conjugally inclined at
eleven.

"You cannot mean it," he replied; "let our children be betrothed, if you
please; but as to marrying them, it is altogether too soon."

"That is what I meant," said De Beuvre. "Let them be betrothed, and do
you take my daughter with you once more. You can watch over the lovers,
and in two or three years I will return for the wedding."

Bois-Doré was romantic enough to yield; and yet he hesitated. He had
forgotten all about love, about its tempests at all events. But a glance
from Adamas, who pretended to be arranging the luggage, and who was
listening intently with both ears, reminded him of the flushes and
pallors he had noticed on Mario's face, which might be the manifestation
of suffering carefully concealed.

"No, no," he said. "I will not put my child beside the fire; I will not
expose him to the risk of burning up or disobeying the laws of honor.
Abide in your château, neighbor, and let us be prudent. You are rich
enough. Let us exchange oaths, without the knowledge of our children.
Why deprive either of them of sleep? Three years hence we will make them
happy without perplexity or self-reproach."

De Beuvre realized that ambition and greed had led him to make an absurd
suggestion. But he had become obstinate and choleric. He lost his
temper, refused to give his word, and decided to take his daughter to
Poitou, to her kinswoman the Duchesse de la Trémouille.

Mario nearly swooned when, as they were about entering the carriage, he
was informed that Lauriane would not return with them and was going away
for an indefinite period. His father had tried to lighten the blow; but
De Beuvre insisted upon dealing it, either to test the boy's sentiments,
or to have his revenge for the lesson in prudence he had received with a
bad grace from the least prudent of men. Lauriane, who knew nothing as
yet--her father having told her simply that they were to remain a few
days longer at Bourges,--rushed downstairs when she heard the marquis's
pained exclamation at the sight of Mario pale and swooning. But Mario
soon recovered, declared that he had had an attack of cramp, and jumped
into the great carriage with his eyes closed. He did not wish to see
Lauriane, whose tranquillity, down to that moment, wounded him to the
lowest depths of his heart. He supposed that she knew everything, and
had decided, without regret, to part from him forever.

The marquis longed to remain, to have an explanation with De Beuvre. He
had the courage to refrain, when he saw how brave Mario was: whatever
the result, the young man had reached an age when separation for a few
years had become necessary.

Mario, expansive as he was on all other subjects, opened his heart to no
one, and affected the most perfect serenity during the journey.

At Briantes the marquis questioned him adroitly, Mercedes imprudently.
He held his ground, saying that he loved Lauriane _much_, but that his
grief would affect neither his reason nor his work.

He kept his word. His health suffered a little; but he assented to all
the measures that he was urged to adopt in that regard, and he soon
recovered.

"I hope," the marquis would say sometimes to Adamas, "that he will not
be too sentimental, and will forget that wicked girl who does not love
him."

"For my part," said the sage Adamas, "I hope that she loves him more
than she seems to do; for if our Mario should lose the hope that keeps
him alive, we should have cause for anxiety!"

In 1627, that is to say the next year, the château of Briantes was
threatened anew with disaster. It was proposed to raze its stout walls,
its little bastions and its fortified towers.

Richelieu, being definitely established in supreme authority, had
decreed and ordered the destruction of the fortifications of cities and
citadels throughout the kingdom. This excellent measure, construed most
broadly, extended to "all fortifications constructed within thirty
years, about the houses and châteaux of private individuals, without
the express permission of the king."

Briantes was not in that category; its defences dated from feudal days
and were useless against cannon. The sheriffs and magistrates of La
Châtre, displeased at having to shave themselves, as Adamas the
ex-barber said, would have been glad to shave all the noble lords, their
neighbors. But Bois-Doré, feeling the necessity of protection against
bands of adventurers and highwaymen, maintained his rights and forced
them to be respected. He was too much beloved by his vassals to fear
that they would act like those of many other nobles, who voluntarily
posed as executors of the great cardinal's orders.

The measure was very popular and at the same time very sweeping. It was
hunting down the spirit of the League in its feudal lairs. But the
orders were carried out only in Protestant neighborhoods, and that bold
decree remained upon paper, like many of Richelieu's bold conceptions.

Berry escaped by showing its claws, as always. Monsieur le Prince did
not allow a stone to be removed from his fortress of Montrond; the
châteaux of the great and petty nobility remained standing, and the
great tower of Bourges did not fall until the reign of Louis XIV.

Bois-Doré had hardly recovered from this excitement when he was
assailed by another, more serious yet less alarming.

"Monsieur," said Adamas to him one evening, "I must needs regale you
with a story which Monsieur d'Urfé would have put in the form of a
romance, for it is most pleasant."

"Let us have your story, my friend!" said the marquis, pulling his lace
cap over his bald skull.

"It relates, monsieur to your virtuous druid and the fair Moor."

"Adamas, you are becoming a joker and a satirist, my good man. No
calumny, I beg you, concerning my excellent friend and the chaste
Mercedes!"

"Why, monsieur, where would be the harm if those two worthy persons
should be united by the bonds of matrimony? Do you know, monsieur, that
this morning, as I was arranging the learned man's library--he will
allow nobody but me to touch his books, and, in truth, it requires a man
with some little learning--I saw the Moor stealthily kiss a bouquet of
roses which she places on his table every morning while he is
breakfasting with you. Then she suddenly saw me, and, turning as pale as
the scarf she wears on her head, she fled as if she had committed some
great crime. I have suspected something, monsieur, for a long time, a
very long time. All this friendship, all these little attentions of
hers--I was sure that they would lead them both to love."

"To be sure," said the marquis. "But go on, Adamas!"

"Well, monsieur, the discovery made me laugh loud and long, not in
mockery, but with satisfaction, for one is always pleased to guess or
surprise a secret, and when you are pleased, you laugh. And so Master
Jovelin, returning to his room, asked me mildly, with his eyes, why I
was laughing so heartily, and I told him, innocently enough, to make him
laugh too--and also, I confess, to see how he would take it."

"And how did he take it?"

"His face shone like a sunbeam, exactly like a pretty girl's; and one
cannot but believe that happiness remakes a man; for his face, with its
great mouth and great black moustache, lighted up like a star, and he
seemed to me as beautiful as he is sometimes when he is playing his
sweet-toned bagpipe."

"Very good, Adamas, you are training yourself to be a fine speaker. And
then?"

"Then I went out, or rather I pretended to go out; and, on looking back
through the partly open door, I saw dear Lucilio take up the flowers,
kiss them passionately, and put them in his doublet, flowers, thorns and
all, as if he took pleasure in being pricked and feeling the soft petals
at the same time. And he paced the floor, pressing that love-token to
his breast with both hands."

"Better and better, Adamas! What next?"

"Then the Moor entered by another door and said to him:

"'Is it time to call Mario for his lesson?'"

"What was his reply?"

"He said no with his eyes and his head; so that I could see that he
wished to detain her. She started to go away, thinking that he was busy
with some of his monkey-tricks; for she acts with him, monsieur, like a
servant who has no hope of pleasing her master. But he knocked on the
table to recall her. She went back. They looked at each other; not long,
for she soon lowered her lovely black eyes and said to him in Arabic, at
least I judged so from her manner:

"What is your wish, master?"

He pointed to the goblet in which she had placed the roses; and she,
seeing that they were not there, said:

"'It must be that sly creature Adamas who took them away, for I never
forget them.'"

"She said that?"

"Yes, monsieur, in Arabic. I could guess at every word! Then she ran to
fetch more flowers, and he followed her to the door like a man fighting
against himself. He went back to his table, put his head in his hands,
and, my word for it, monsieur, he found the noblest sentiments
imaginable in his heart to reconcile his love with his virtue."

"But why should he fight so against it?" cried the marquis; "does he not
know that I should be overjoyed to have him marry that beautiful, good
woman? Go, bring him to me, Adamas; he retires late and will still be at
work. Mario is asleep, and this is the most propitious moment for
discussing so delicate a subject."




LXVIII


The good marquis had no difficulty in confessing Lucilio.

He frankly admitted that he had adored the Moor for a long while and
that for some time he had fancied that his love was returned. But he
summed up the situation with his concise pen.

In the first place he was afraid of attracting persecution which he had
thus far escaped in France only by a miracle. Then, when it had seemed
to him beyond question that Richelieu, despite all his warfare against
the Reformed religion, had adopted as an inflexible policy the
maintenance of the Edict of Nantes in favor of liberty of conscience in
every form, he had decided to await Mario's marriage to Lauriane or to
some other woman who had won his heart. Whatever his dear pupil's frame
of mind might be, whatever hope or regret, placid expectation or secret
excitement, he did not choose to set before him the selfish and perilous
spectacle of a marriage for love.

The marquis approved his friend's generous forethought; but he found an
expedient.

"My excellent friend," he said to him, "the Moor is close upon thirty,
and you have passed your fortieth year. You are still young enough to
attract each other, and your ages are well balanced; but, without
offence, you are no longer boy and girl, to leave blank pages in the
book of your felicity! Make the most of the happy years that still
remain. Marry. I will travel with Mario for a few months, and while we
are absent I will tell him that I alone conceived the idea of a marriage
of reason between Mercedes and you. I will invent some pretext to
explain why you could not wait until our return, and when he sees you
again, his mind will be accustomed to the new condition of affairs.
Marriage always has a sobering effect, and then I trust to you to
conceal the joys of the honeymoon behind the thick clouds of prudence
and self-restraint."

So it was that the marquis took Mario to Paris. He showed him the king
and his court, but at a distance; for society had changed greatly in the
fifteen years that worthy Sylvain had been living on his estates. The
friends of his youth were dead, or had withdrawn, as he had, from the
hurly-burly of the new society. The few great personages still on the
stage with whom he had formerly had some acquaintance, hardly remembered
him, and, except for his antiquated attire, would not have recognized
him.

Mario's attractive and modest manners were observed however: the _Beaux
Messieurs_ were warmly welcomed in some houses of distinction, but no
one suggested taking them any higher; and indeed neither of them desired
very earnestly to approach the pale sun of Louis XIII.

Mario was terribly disappointed when he saw the fainthearted son of
Henri IV. ride by, and the marquis had discovered in that face no
encouragement to pursue his design of obtaining the royal confirmation
of his title of marquis.

New edicts appeared every day against the usurpation of titles; edicts
little respected, for the nobles, old and new, continued to assume names
of domains of very doubtful authenticity. Their obscurity protected
them. Bois-Doré was forced to recognize that he had no better refuge
than that.

Furthermore, he could not avoid the discovery that in Paris nobody was a
_beau monsieur_ who was not of the court. To be sure, in their daily
drives and on Place Royale, more or less people turned to gaze at the
strange contrast between his painted face and Mario's deliciously fresh
complexion; and for some time the goodman, thinking that he was
recognized, smiled at the passers-by, and put his hand to his hat, ready
to welcome overtures which no one thought of making. That gave him an
air of dazed hesitancy and vulgar affability which aroused laughter. The
ladies who sat under the young trees in the Cours-la-Reine, or walked
back and forth fan in hand, said to one another:

"Who is that tall old fool, pray?"

And if those ladies were of the society in which Bois-Doré had
reappeared, or bourgeoises of the quarter where he lodged, sometimes
there would be one who would reply:

"He is a nobleman from the provinces, who prides himself on having been
a friend of the late king."

"Some Gascon, I suppose? They all saved France! Or some Béarnais? They
were all foster-brothers of our dear Henri!"

"No, an old ass from Berry or Champagne. There are Gascons everywhere."

So it was that honest Sylvain was quite effaced in that forgetful,
ostentatious crowd, strive as he would to appear to advantage there. He
said to himself with some vexation that it was better to be first in
one's village than last at court. It is certain however that, with a
little impudence and scheming, he could have pushed Mario ahead as so
many others were pushed; but he dreaded some affront on the score of his
problematical marquisate.

He resigned himself therefore to play the part of the provincial boor,
and would have suffered terribly from ennui, had not Mario, who was
always studious and intelligently artistic in his tastes, taken him to
see the monuments of art and science which were the principal
attractions of the capital of the kingdom in his eyes.

The pleasure and profit which the young man derived from them consoled
the old man in some measure for what he called in his secret thoughts an
abortive journey.

He did not tell Mario of all his disappointments. He still cherished the
hope of discovering his mother's family and acquiring thereby a fine
Spanish title, an inheritance of some sort. He had written many times to
Spain to make inquiries and to furnish information concerning Mario, in
case the said family should display any interest. He had never received
any but vague, perhaps evasive replies.

At Paris he determined to go in person to the Embassy. He was received
there by a sort of private secretary, who informed him, in substance,
that, in compliance with his frequent requests they had at last
elucidated a mysterious affair. The young woman who had eloped and
disappeared did in fact belong to the noble family of Merida, and Mario
was the issue of a secret marriage, the validity of which might be
contested.

The young woman had left no claim to any fortune, and her family were by
no means anxious to recognize a young man reared by an old heretic, only
partially purged of his heresy.

The marquis, deeply incensed, determined to stop there and to repay the
contempt of those haughty Spaniards with oblivion. It had cost his pride
dearly enough to besiege the doors of an embassy which he, as a former
Protestant and a good Frenchman, bitterly detested.

And yet he was sad, and confided his distress to his inseparable Adamas.

"Of a surety," he said to him, "the pleasantest and most honorable life
is that of the provincial nobility. But, while it is suited to those who
have fought and suffered, it may become burdensome and even shameful in
the case of a young heart like Mario's. Have I reared him with the
greatest care, have we made of him, thanks to his precocious talents, an
accomplished gentleman, fit for any station, only to bury him in a
country manor, on the pretext that he has no need to make his fortune,
and that he is tender-hearted and humane? Should he not have a little
taste of war and adventure, and by some brilliant deed win that
marquisate which the great cardinal's ideas of universal levelling may
take from him any day? I know that the child is very young, and that we
have lost no time as yet; but his inclinations seem to tend in the
direction of study, and I ransack my wits to determine how he will find
a way to distinguish himself in that direction."

"Monsieur," replied Adamas, "if you think that your son will be more of
a cripple than you in battle, you hardly know him."

"I do not know my son?"

"Well, no, monsieur, you do not know him: he is a mysterious creature
who loves you so dearly that he never dares to have an idea to perplex
you or a trouble for you to share. But I know what is in the bag: Mario
dreams of war as much as of love, and the time is near at hand when, if
you do not divine his ambition, you will have him either sick or
melancholy on your hands."

"God forbid!" cried the marquis. "I will question him on this subject
to-morrow!"

In such a matter, when a man says to-morrow, it means that he is
inclined to shirk, and the marquis did in fact shirk. Paternal weakness
fought a great battle with paternal pride, and won the day. Mario was
not yet strong enough to endure the fatigues of war; and, furthermore,
the war with England or Spain to which all indications pointed, seemed
to be postponed for a brief space by Richelieu's mighty efforts to
create a French navy. There was no need of haste; there was plenty of
time; the opportunity would come soon enough!

So they returned to Briantes late in the autumn and found Lucilio
married to Mercedes.

Mario, on being informed of this event in Paris, manifested more
satisfaction than surprise. He had felt for a long while, in the burning
air which his Moor involuntarily breathed upon him, as well as in
Lucilio's gentle melancholy and in the adroit and affectionate language
of his bagpipes, the waves of passion which sometimes set his own blood
on fire. His heart felt as if it were caught in a vise at the thought of
happy love; but he had extraordinary control over himself. As his father
lived only in his life, he had at an early age accustomed himself to
conceal his emotions from him; and, when Adamas reproved him for keeping
his thoughts too much to himself, he would reply:

"My father is old; he is wrapped up in me as a mother is in her child.
It is my duty not to shorten his days by causing him anxiety, and heaven
has entrusted to me the mission of making him live a long while."

Lauriane was living in Poitou, and they rarely heard from her. She wrote
in an affectionate and respectful tone to the marquis, but she hardly
mentioned Mario's name, as if she dreaded to remind him of herself.

By way of compensation she wrote in the most affectionate terms of the
Moor, Lucilio, and the faithful retainers of the family. It seemed that
her affection, held in check with those who had the first claim upon it,
instinctively took its revenge with the others. She announced several
times, with a sort of affectation, that there were divers projects of
marriage under consideration, and that she would soon inform them of her
decision, desiring, she said, to make a choice that would be agreeable
to the marquis, whom she looked upon as a second father.

The strange feature of these alleged marriage projects was that she
recurred to them year after year, as if they were constantly abandoned
and revived, without imparting anything of interest to her friends as to
her choice; as if her real purpose were to say to them: "I do not marry
because I am not so inclined; but do not for one moment think that I am
reserving myself for you."

Such was, in fact, her purpose in writing these letters, and her state
of mind may be thus described:

When he took her away from Berry, intending soon to part from her,
Monsieur de Beuvre had inflicted a cruel wound upon her heart by
inventing a fable to the effect that the marquis and his heir, when
consulted by him at Bourges, had met his advances very coldly. Mario had
shown himself a very fervent Catholic on that occasion; he had sworn
that he would never enter into a _mixed_ marriage.

Lauriane should have distrusted a father in whom the thirst for gold had
penetrated to the very entrails, and who, being in haste to go away, was
determined at any price to persuade her to marry promptly. She refused
to marry in anger and without due consideration; but she promised to
reflect upon it, and in her heart proudly abandoned the ungrateful
Mario. She had loved him at Bourges--really loved him for the first time
after years of placid friendship. And that first love of her life,
almost before it was admitted, hardly revealed to herself, she had had
to blush for in very shame, and to crush it without a sign of weakening!

She had some suspicions; but, while her father did not swear that he
exaggerated nothing, he could at least give her his word of honor that
he had proposed their betrothal to the marquis, and that he had evaded
the proposal on the pretext that Mario was still too young to have the
idea of love suggested to him. Lauriane was too pure to realize the
risks she might have run by returning to Briantes. She remembered that,
at the moment of parting from her, Mario, who was said to be ill, had
shrugged his shoulders and turned his head away, saying:

"You make too much ado about a little cramp. I have no pain now."

So she said again to her father what she had said to him with all
sincerity some time before, that she had never looked upon that marriage
as a possibility; and she encouraged him to go away, as he desired to
do, promising him that she would marry any suitable aspirant who did not
inspire aversion in her.

But such an aspirant did not appear. All those whom Madame de la
Trémouille presented to her failed to please her. She found in them the
positivism which had invaded her father like a passion, but she found it
in the form of cold and somewhat cynical selfishness. The halcyon days
of the Reformation were passing away, like the social structure of the
preceding century. The Reformed religion was heroic only under cruel
persecution, and Richelieu, crushing the remains of the party by the
inevitable logic of events, bore no resemblance to a persecutor. France
said to the Protestants by his mouth: "Confine yourselves to religious
liberty; let politics alone. Turn your faces with us against the enemies
without the realm!"--The Protestants proposed to become a republic; they
became a Vendée.

Save the French Puritans--that redoubtable, heroic, indomitable party,
which stood at bay and immolated itself at La Rochelle two years
later--all French Protestants were at this time inclined to adhere to
the principle of French unity; but many had determined not to give in
their adhesion until after a victory which should secure favorable and
lasting terms for their party.

Now, among those who reasoned well, but who were about to be led on to
reason ill and to choose between a foreign alliance and final
extermination, the nobility were generally speaking less pure in their
purposes than the bourgeoisie and the common people. They made
reservations in their own interest; those most highly placed insisted
upon being purchased, and translated their craving for religious liberty
into a craving for offices and money.

Lauriane was intensely indignant at these numerous defections which were
announced every day, or which awaited their turn in shameful
anticipation. She had formed a more chivalrous idea of the honor of the
party. She was forced now to recognize the fact that her father, whose
greed had so humiliated her, was simply doing a little more tardily what
most men of his age had done all their lives, and what most young men
were eager to do in their turn. Still, Monsieur de Beuvre was one of the
best; for he had no idea of betraying his flag. He simply made haste to
make his bargain before the flag was dragged in the dust.

It was possible that Lauriane might fall in with an exception to the
general rule. There were exceptions, for she herself was one. She did
not fall in with them, perhaps because she was so pensive and distraught
that she did not know how to look for them.

Youth and beauty are justifiably proud. They wait to be discovered and
reveal naught themselves, because they dread to have the appearance of
offering themselves.




LXIX


Although we have hitherto done our utmost to follow our characters step
by step through the ordinary life of the _stay-at-home nobility_, which
our authorities enabled us to study with some care, we are forced now to
pass over a brief interval of time, and to seek the Beaux Messieurs de
Bois-Doré far from their peaceful domain.

It was in 1629, the first day of March, I believe. Mont Genèvre,
covered with snow, presented a scene of extraordinary animation upon
both slopes, and even to the very opening of the ravine called the Pas
de Suse.

The French army was marching upon the Duc de Savoie, that is to say upon
Spain and Austria, his trusty allies.

The king and the cardinal climbed the mountain in spite of the intense
cold. The cannon were dragged up through the snow. It was one of those
scenes of grandeur which the French soldier has always acted so
magnificently amid the sublime grandeur of the Alps, under Napoléon as
under Richelieu, and under Richelieu as under Louis XII., without
diverting himself with attempts to dissolve the rocks, as Hannibal's
genius is said to have done, and without other artifice than intrepid
determination, ardor and cheerfulness.

In one of the paths trodden through the snow parallel with the road, two
horsemen happened to be ascending side by side the precipitous slope of
the mountain on the French side. One was a young man of some nineteen
years, of robust frame and with a grace of movement most pleasant to
behold under the becoming warlike costume of the age. So far as colors
were concerned, the young man was dressed in accordance with his own
fancy. His equipment and his weapons, as well as his isolation,
indicated a gentleman making the campaign as a volunteer.

Mario de Bois-Doré--the reader will assume that it is he whom I am
describing--was the comeliest cavalier in the whole army. The
development of his youthful strength had in no wise diminished the
wonderful charm of his noble and intelligent face. His expression was
like an angel's in purity; but the sprouting beard reminded one that
this youth with the divine glance was but a simple mortal; and that
young moustache faintly outlined the curve of a smile, somewhat
indifferent, perhaps, but with a cordial kindliness showing through its
melancholy.

Magnificent brown hair, of a soft shade and curling naturally, framed
the face to the neck, and fell in a heavy braid--the _cadenette_ was
more in vogue than ever--below the shoulder. The face wore a delicate
flush, but was pale rather than ruddy. The exquisite distinction of
manners and dress was the principal characteristic of that figure, which
did not attract the glance, but from which the glance found it difficult
to detach itself when it had rested upon it.

Such was the impression of the horseman whom chance had brought side by
side with Mario.

The last-mentioned horseman was about forty years of age; he was thin
and sallow, with regular features, very mobile lips, a piercing eye, and
an expression of cunning tempered by a disposition to serious
reflection. He was dressed in rather a problematical costume, all in
black, and in a short cassock, like a priest on a journey, but armed and
booted like a soldier.

His bony, active horse easily kept pace with his companion's ardent and
impetuous steed.

The two horsemen had saluted each other without speaking, and Mario had
slackened his pace to allow the other, as his senior, to ride first. The
traveller seemed to appreciate that scrupulous courtesy, and declined to
pass the younger man.

"In truth, monsieur," said Mario, "our horses seem to keep step, which
fact proves the good-will of both, for I have difficulty in keeping mine
to a pace which does not leave all the others behind, and I have had to
give my companions a long start, in order not to reach the top of the
pass before them."

"That which is a fault in your noble beast is a good quality in mine,"
replied the stranger. "As I almost always travel alone, I go my way
without giving anyone reason to blame me for fatiguing my horse. But may
I ask you, monsieur, where I have had the honor of seeing you? Your
amiable face is not altogether strange to me."

Mario looked closely at him and said:

"The last time that I had the honor of seeing you was at Bourges, four
years since, at the baptism of Monseigneur le Duc d'Enghien."

"Then you are really the young Comte de Bois-Doré?"

"Yes, Monsieur l'Abbé Poulain," replied Mario, putting his hand once
more to his plumed hat.

"I am overjoyed to find you as you are, monsieur le comte," rejoined the
rector of Briantes; "you have grown in stature, in attractiveness, and
in merit as well, I can see by your manners. But do not call me _abbé_;
for I am not one as yet, alas! and it is possible that I may never be."

"I know that Monsieur le Prince has always refused to assent to your
appointment; but I thought----"

"That I had found something better than the Abbey of Varennes? Yes and
no. While awaiting the opportunity to assume some title, I succeeded in
leaving Berry, and chance attached me to the fortunes of the cardinal,
in the service of Père Joseph, to whom I am devoted body and soul. I
can say to you, between ourselves, that I am one of his messengers; and
that is why I have a good horse."

"I congratulate you, monsieur. Père Joseph's service can call for no
work that a patriotic Frenchman may not do, and the cardinal's fortune
is the destiny of France."

"Do you really mean what you say, Monsieur Mario?" queried the priest
with an incredulous smile.

"Yes, monsieur, on my honor!" the young man replied, with an accent of
sincerity which overcame the diplomatic priest's suspicions. "I do not
wish Monsieur le Cardinal to know that he has two cordial admirers in my
father and myself; but do us the honor to believe that we are loyal
enough to desire to serve the cause of the great minister and of the
fair kingdom of France, with our hearts and bodies, as well as you, if
we can."

"I believe in you implicitly," replied Monsieur Poulain, "but I have
less faith in monsieur your father! For example, he did not send you to
the siege of La Rochelle last year. You were still very young, I know;
but younger men than you were there, and you must have chafed at having
to miss the glorious rendezvous of all the young nobility of France."

"Monsieur Poulain," rejoined Mario, with some severity, "I thought that
you were bound to my father by the ties of gratitude. All that he was
able to do for you he did, and if the Abbey of Varennes has been
secularized for the benefit of Monsieur le Prince, you can not blame my
father, who was largely defrauded in that affair."

"Oh! I do not doubt it!" exclaimed Monsieur Poulain; "give me the Prince
de Condé of all men to tangle up accounts! and I blame him and him
alone. As for your father, monsieur le comte, let me tell you that I
still love and esteem him infinitely. Far from having any thought of
injuring him, I would give my life to know that he had devoted himself
without mental reservation, to the Catholic cause."

"My father does not need to devote himself to the cause of his country,
monsieur! I mean to say that he warmly embraces the cardinal's cause
against all the enemies of France."

"Even against the Huguenots?"

"The Huguenots are no more, monsieur! Let us leave the dead in peace!"

Monsieur Poulain was impressed anew with the dignified expression of
that sweet face. He felt that he was not dealing with an ambitious and
frivolous youth, like others with whom he was familiar.

"You are right, monsieur," he said. "Peace to the ashes of the men of La
Rochelle, and may God hear you, to the end that they may not come to
life again at Montauban and elsewhere. Since your father has recovered
so fully from his religious indifference, let us hope that he will, if
need be, permit you to march against the rebels in the South."

"My father always has permitted me to follow my own inclination; but
understand, monsieur, that it will never lead me to march against
Protestants, unless I see that the monarchy is in great danger. Never
will I draw the sword against Frenchmen, from ambition or vainglory;
never can I forget that that cause, once glorious, now brought low,
placed Henri IV. on the throne. You were reared in the spirit of the
League, Monsieur Poulain, and now you are fighting against it with all
your strength. You have changed from the wrong to the right, from the
false to the true; I have lived and I shall die in the path upon which
my feet were placed: loyalty to my country, detestation of intrigues
with the foreigner. I am entitled to less credit than you, having never
had occasion to change my views; but I promise you that I will do my
best, and that while respecting freedom of conscience in others, I will
fall with all my strength upon the allies of Monsieur de Savoie."

"You forget that they are the allies of the Reformed religion to-day."

"Say of Monsieur de Rohan! Thereby Monsieur de Rohan is consummating the
ruin of his party; and that is why I said to you: Peace to the dead!"

"Well, well!" said Père Joseph's trusted agent, "I see that, like the
excellent marquis, you have a romantic mind, and that you will be
guided, according to his example, by sentiment. May I, without
indiscretion, inquire for the health of monsieur your father?"

"You will soon see him in person, monsieur. He will be glad to see you.
He is riding ahead, and we shall overtake him within a quarter of an
hour."

"What do you say? Monsieur de Bois-Doré, at seventy-five or eighty
years of age----"

"Takes the field against the enemies and assassins of Henri IV.! Does
that surprise you, Monsieur Poulain?"

"No, my child," replied the ex-Leaguer, now become, by the force of
events, a continuator and admirer of the policy of the Béarnais; "but
it seems to me that he is a little late in setting about it!"

"What would you have, monsieur? he did not choose to take the field all
alone; he waited for the King of France to set the example."

"Faith," said Monsieur Poulain with a smile, "you have an answer for
everything! I long to salute the marquis's noble old age! But it is
impossible to trot here. Pray tell me of a man to whom I owe my life:
Master Lucilio Giovellino, otherwise called Jovelin, the great
bag-piper."

"He is happy, thank heaven! He has married my dearest friend, and they
are doing us the favor to take charge of our house and our property
during our absence."

"Your dearest friend? Do you refer to Mercedes, the beautiful Moor? I
should have supposed that you preferred to her--with feelings of a
different nature, it is true--a younger and even lovelier friend."

"Do you mean Madame de Beuvre?" rejoined Mario, with a frankness in
striking contrast to Monsieur Poulain's insinuating curiosity. "I can
readily answer you as I would answer the whole world. She is, in very
truth, a person whom I loved fervently in my childhood, and whom I shall
respect all my life; but her affection for me is very placid, and you
may question me concerning her without reserve."

"Is she not married yet?"

"I have no idea, monsieur. As we have been travelling for several
months, we have little news of our friends at a distance."

Monsieur Poulain scrutinized Mario by stealth. He had the tranquillity
of a broken heart, but not the prostration of a hopeless soul.

"Do you not know," said the rector, "that Monsieur de Beuvre was with
the English fleet before La Rochelle?"

"I know that he was killed there, and that Lauriane has no one but
herself to depend upon."

"She was in Poitou when the Duc de Trémouille, after the desertion of
the English, went to the king's camp to abjure his heresy."

"She did not accompany him there!" said Mario, hastily. "She asked
permission to share the captivity of the heroic Duchesse de Rohan, who
refused to submit; and, having failed to obtain that favor, she was
preparing to return to Berry when we left our province."

"I knew all that," said Monsieur Poulain, who seemed, in truth, to be
well posted upon all subjects.

"If you did not know it," Mario replied, "I should not regret having
told you. Surely you would not furnish the Prince de Condé with a new
pretext for confiscating Madame de Beuvre's property?"

"No, indeed!" replied the rector laughing outright, with a sort of
cordiality. "You reason well, and a man may, without great risk, be as
frank as you are, when he knows his companions. But have entire
confidence in me, for I have broken entirely with the Jesuits, at my
risk and peril!"

Monsieur Poulain spoke the truth.

A few moments later he was in the Marquis de Bois-Doré's presence, and
the interview was very civil--almost friendly--on both sides.




LXX


The marquis did not need to convoke the ban and arrière-ban in order to
raise a small troop of volunteers. His best men, sure of being well
rewarded, had followed him enthusiastically.

The intrepid Aristandre took a keen personal delight in the idea of
thrashing messieurs the Spaniards, whom he detested in memory of Sancho;
the faithful Adamas rode a gentle palfrey in the rear-guard, and carried
in his saddle-bags his master's perfumes and curling-tongs, nothing
more!

Save for a touch of the tongs to what little hair was still left on his
neck, and a little scented water for his own enjoyment, the marquis was
as simple in his toilet as he had formerly been dazzling. No more wigs,
no more paint, almost no lace, embroidery and purl; simply an ample
doublet of woolen cloth, with open sleeves, short-clothes of the same
material extending below the knee, boots fitting tight to the leg, with
plain linen ruffles falling over the tops, a broad unembroidered
neckband, and over the whole an immense, thick fur-lined cloak--such was
the costume of the Beau Monsieur de Bois-Doré.

The metamorphosis can be explained in a few words.

Mario had fought a duel to discipline an impertinent knave who in his
presence had made sport of the marquis's plaster mask, black hair and
innumerable bows and buckles. Mario had dealt severely with his
adversary--it was his first affaire!--but Bois-Doré, being informed of
the episode after it was over, did not choose to expose his son to a
repetition of it. Suddenly, and without a word to any one, he abandoned
his dye and his wig one day on the pretext that Monsieur de Richelieu
was justified in proscribing luxury, and that everyone should set a good
example. Being thus resigned to appear old and ugly, he heroically
appeared before his family. But to his great surprise they all uttered
an exclamation of pleasure, and the Moor artlessly said to him:

"Ah! how handsome you are, master! I thought you much older than you
are!"

The fact is that the marquis was exceedingly well preserved under his
mask, and was extraordinarily handsome considering his great age. He did
not know--he was not likely to know--what infirmities were. He still
retained his teeth; his ample, bald forehead was furrowed by graceful
wrinkles, without a trace of malice or hatred; his moustache and royale,
white as snow, stood out against his yellowish-brown complexion, and his
great eye, keen and laughing, still shone mildly through his long,
bushy, bristling eyebrows.

He was still erect as a young poplar, and stiff in proportion; but he no
longer shrank from placing his foot in Aristandre's powerful hand to
mount his horse. Once in the saddle, he was as firm as a rock.

Thereafter he received so many sincere compliments upon his beautiful
old age, that he changed his whole system of coquetry: instead of
concealing his age, he exaggerated it, representing himself as eighty
years old although he was but seventy-seven, and taking the keenest
pleasure in astonishing his young comrades-in-arms by his tales of the
old wars, long buried in the archives of his memory.

On the 3d of March--that is to say on the second day after the meeting
of the Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré with Monsieur Poulain--the royal
vanguard, consisting of ten or twelve thousand picked men, camped at
Chaumont, the last village on the frontier. The volunteers, having no
materials for a camp, passed the night as best they could in the
village.

The marquis tranquilly retired in the first bed that came to hand, and
fell asleep like a man inured to the trade of war, who knew how to make
the best of the hours of repose, to sleep for one hour when he had but
one, and for twelve, to provide against emergencies, when he had nothing
better to do.

Mario, intensely excited and impatient to fight, sat up with several,
young men, volunteers like himself, with whom he had become acquainted
on the road.

It was in a wretched inn, the common room of which was so crowded that
one could hardly turn about, and so filled with tobacco smoke that men
could not recognize one another.

While the regular troops were as sedate and silent as the most rigid
community of monks, the bands of volunteers were merry and uproarious.
They drank and laughed and sang obscene songs, recited erotic or amusing
verses; they talked of politics and love-making; they quarreled and
embraced.

Mario sat by the fireplace dreaming, amid the uproar. Close beside him
stood Clindor, become as stout-hearted a youth as his master, but
somewhat awed to find himself surrounded by the nobility. He took no
part in the noisy conversation; but he was burning to muster courage to
do so, while Mario's reverie was cradled by the tumult, which neither
tempted nor annoyed him.

Suddenly Mario saw a creature of most extraordinary aspect enter the
room. It was a small, thin, dark girl, dressed in an incomprehensible
costume; five or six skirts of brilliant hues, each one shorter than the
next below; a waist glistening with tinsel and spangles, a quantity of
multi-colored plumes in her crimped and curled hair, innumerable
necklaces and gold and silver chains; she was covered with bracelets,
rings, and glass ornaments, to her very shoes.

That strange creature was of no age. She might have been a precocious
child or a worn-out woman. She was very small, ugly when she chose to
smile and talk like other people, beautiful when she flew into a temper,
which latter seemed to be with her a constant necessity or a normal
condition. She insulted the inn-servants because they did not serve her
quickly enough, swore at the troopers because they did not make room for
her, clawed those who tried to take liberties with her, and retorted
with indescribable blasphemy upon those who made sport of her absurd
costume and her savage humor.

Mario was wondering with what purpose so shrewish a creature had
introduced herself into such company, when a stout woman with a pimply
face, absurdly bedizened with wretched gewgaws, also entered the room,
laden with boxes like a mule, and called for silence. She had some
difficulty in obtaining it, but at last delivered in French a sort of
announcement, overflowing with hyperbolical laudation of her companion,
the incomparable Pilar, Moorish dancer and infallible soothsayer,
possessed of all the learning of the Arabs.

That name Pilar aroused Mario from his lethargy. He examined the two
gypsies, and, despite the change that had taken place in them,
recognized in one the pupil, victim and executioner of the miserable La
Flèche; in the other the ex-Bellinde of Briantes, the ex-Proserpine of
Captain Macabre, now styling herself Narcissa Bobolina, lute-player,
dealer in laces, and on occasion mender and plaiter of ruffles.

The company assented to an exhibition of the talents proclaimed.
Bellinde played the lute with more energy than correctness, and the
dancer, for whom they made room by climbing on the tables, gave a
display of epileptic agility, her extraordinary suppleness and energetic
grace winning frantic applause from an assemblage already much excited
by wine, tobacco and discussion.

Pilar's success with those inflamed imaginations simply intensified
Mario's disgust, and he was about to retire; but he had sufficient
curiosity to listen to the predictions which she was beginning to make
on general subjects, while waiting for someone to ask her to reveal the
secret of his future.

"Speak, speak, young sibyl!" was the cry on all sides. "Shall we be
lucky in war? Shall we force the Pas de Suse to-morrow?"

"Yes, if you are in a state of grace," she replied disdainfully; "but as
there is not a man among you who is not covered with mortal sins as with
blotches of leprosy, I am sorely afraid for your soft white skins!"

"Stay," said someone, "we have here a chaste and gentle stripling, an
angel from heaven, Mario de Bois-Doré! Let him begin the test and
question the soothsayer."

"Mario de Bois-Doré?" cried Pilar, her sparkling eyes becoming dull and
lifeless. "He is here, you say? where? where? Show him to me!"

"Come, Bois-Doré," they shouted on all sides, "do not hide your face,
but hold out your hands."

Mario came forth from his corner and showed himself to the two women,
one of whom darted forward to grasp his hand, while the other turned her
head away as if to avoid being recognized.

"I saw you, Bellinde," said Mario to the latter; "and as for you,
Pilar," he added, withdrawing his hand, which she seemed to wish to put
to her lips, "look at _my lines_, that is enough."

"Mario de Bois-Doré!" cried Pilar, suddenly losing control of herself,
"I know them well enough, the lines in your fatal hand! I studied them
carefully enough long ago. I never told your fortune; it is too cruel
and too unhappy."

"And I know your science," retorted Mario, shrugging his shoulders. "It
depends on your whim, your hatred, your folly."

"Very well, put it to the test!" cried Pilar, more and more incensed;
"and if you do not believe in my science, do not fear to listen to your
sentence. To-morrow, my pretty Mario, you will sleep on your back, on
the edge of a ditch; but to no purpose will your lovely eyes be open and
staring, you will never again see the light of the stars."

"Because there will be clouds in the sky," observed Mario, undisturbed.

"No, the weather will be fair; but you will be dead!" said the sibyl,
wiping the cold perspiration from her forehead with her hair. "Enough!
let no one else question me! I shall say things that are too harsh to
all of you here!"

"You will take back your words, you wicked she-devil!" cried the young
man who had procured for Mario the pleasure of this agreeable prophecy.
"Do not let her leave the room, friends! These infernal witches lead us
into death by the confusion they sow in our minds. They are the cause of
our losing, in the face of danger, the confidence that saves. Let us
compel her to swallow her words and to confess that she said them from
pure deviltry."

Pilar, supple as a snake, had already glided from the room. Some ran
after her. Bellinde fled by another door.

"Let them go," said Mario. "They are two venomous beasts whose story I
will tell you some other time. I am not at all disturbed by the
prediction; I have paid for my knowledge of what that noble science is
worth!"

They pressed Mario with questions.

"To-morrow," he said, "after the battle, after my threatened death!
Permit me now to go to see if my father is carefully guarded by his
people; for I know one of those women, perhaps both of them, to be quite
capable of seeking to injure him."

"And we," replied his young friends, "will make a circuit of the village
to be sure that there is no band of thieving, murdering gypsies in
hiding anywhere."

They made the circuit with great care. It seemed quite useless, the
regular camp having sentries posted and vigilant patrols who covered all
the neighborhood to a considerable distance. They learned from the
villagers that the two women had arrived alone on the preceding day and
lodged in a house which they pointed out. They declared that the women
were then in the house, and Mario did not consider it necessary to set a
watch upon them. It was enough in his judgment, to guard the house in
which his father was.

The night passed very quietly; too quietly for the liking of the
impatient young gentlemen, who hoped to be awakened by the signal for
battle. But they were disappointed. The Prince of Piedmont,
brother-in-law of Louis XIII., had come on behalf of the Duc de Savoie
to open negotiations, and the conferences effected a suspension of
hostilities to the great dissatisfaction of the French army.

The following day passed in feverish suspense, and the gypsy's
prediction, having come to naught, ceased to alarm Mario's friends.

The two vagabonds had packed up and passed through the vanguard on their
way to France, there to ply their wandering trade. There was no fear
that they would be allowed to retrace their steps. The cardinal had
issued the strictest orders that all women and children, and especially
women of disorderly lives, should be rigorously excluded from the
camp-followers. Lewd women, gypsies, dancing girls and sorceresses were
threatened with death if caught within the lines.

During the evening of the 4th of March, Mario was called upon to narrate
the adventures of big Bellinde and little Pilar. He did it in a clear
and simple way that drew upon him the attention of all who were present.
Hitherto his modesty had prevented him from attracting notice: his
interesting narrative, and the touching, natural, and at the same time
entertaining way in which he told it caused his delighted comrades to
forget the pleasures of the gaming-table and the advanced hour.

He might, had he chosen, have told the whole story of his life; but an
indescribable feeling of timidity made him omit any mention of
Lauriane's name.




LXXI


It was after midnight when they separated. Each group repaired at once
to the more or less execrable lodgings it had secured, and Mario was
standing with Clindor at the door of his own lodgings, when a vague
shadow, crouching on the threshold, rose and came toward him.

It was Pilar.

"Mario," she said, "do not be afraid of me. I have never injured you,
and I have no reason to wish your old father ill. I do not espouse
Bellinde's hatred of you."

"Does Bellinde still hate my father?" said Mario. "Has she forgotten
that he saved her from being hanged as Captain Macabre was?"

"Yes, Bellinde has forgotten it, or perhaps she never knew it; but it is
too late to tell her of it, and she doesn't hate anyone now."

"What do you mean?"

"That I have done to her what she wanted to do to you."

"What was that? Tell me!"

"No, Mario, it's of no use; you would not love me any more for it; and
you hate me now, I know."

"I hate no one," replied Mario; "I hate evil, and evil instincts horrify
me. You have retained yours, unfortunate girl! I knew it yesterday, when
you took a frantic delight in trying to disturb my mind. You will never
succeed, you may as well understand that and leave me in peace; it is
better for you that I forget you."

"Listen, Mario," exclaimed Pilar half aloud, in a choking voice. "This
is not the way to treat me. Really, it is not, if you love anyone on
earth! for I love you and I have always loved you. Yes, in the days when
we were equally poor, sleeping on the same heather and begging on the
same road, I was in love with you. I was born so; I cannot remember a
single day in my whole life when I was not consumed by the passion of
love or hatred. I never had any childhood! I was born of flame and I
shall die of flame, a genuine spark from the stake! What does it matter?
Even so, I am worth more to you than your Lauriane, who has always
despised you and who will never love anything but her old
heretics--luckily for her! Yes, luckily for her, I tell you! for I know
all about both of your lives. I have been twice in your province, and
one day I passed close to you without your recognizing me. You tossed me
a small coin. See, here it is at my neck, concealed under my necklaces
as my most precious treasure; I made a hole in it, and I wrote your name
on it with the point of a knife. It is my talisman. When I no longer
have it, I shall die!"

"Come, come," said Mario, "enough of this nonsense! What do you want
now? Why did you return here at the peril of your life, and why did you
wait for me at this door? Give me back that coin, and take these gold
pieces which you may need."

"Keep your gold, Mario; I do not need it; I wish to keep and I shall
keep your pledge, although you blush to know that your name is written
on my breast. I have come here to tell you my story, and you must listen
to it."

"Tell it quickly then; it is very cold and I am sleepy."

"I wish to tell it to you alone, and your page is listening. Come
outside the walls with me."

"No, my page is sleeping against the door. Speak here, and make haste,
or I leave you."

"Listen then, I shall soon have told it all. You know that my father was
hanged and my mother burned!"

"Yes, I remember that you often told me so. Well?"

"Well, La Flèche brought me up to torment me. It was he who broke my
bones to make me more flexible, and carried me about in a cage to make
me ill and frantic. He exhibited me like a wild beast that bites
everybody."

"But you took a horrible revenge upon him, did you not?"

"Yes, I suffocated him with sand and stones and dirt, when he was
calling: 'Help! I am thirsty! I am thirsty!'--One of his arms still
moved, and he tried to choke me with it. But, at the risk of my life, I
forced what life he had left down his throat. Didn't I owe him that?
Wasn't it my right? You would have saved him perhaps, and he would have
paid you like Bellinde, who, but for me, would have succeeded in
poisoning you all yesterday, you and your father and your servants, in
order, so she said, to fulfil the prediction I had made before
witnesses, and to protect my fame as a soothsayer."

"And then you----"

"I owed her that, too! Listen, listen to my story! After avenging myself
on La Flèche, I hid in the pavilion in your garden. I had seen that you
were angry with me, and I was waiting for your anger to pass. I thought
that you would look for me, that you would be anxious about me, and
would keep me in your château to love me. But toward evening, you came
there with your Lauriane, and you told her that you hated me and I heard
every word! Then I dropped a stone on her to kill her, and I hid myself.
But you thought the stone had fallen of itself and you left me there.

"I passed the night there, dying with cold and hunger. I was in a frenzy
of rage; that kept me up. I cursed you both; I cursed myself for having
offended you. I meant to let myself die; but I had not the courage, and
as I wanted nothing more of you, whom I believed that I hated, I went to
Brilbault to get Sancho's money, which La Flèche had made me steal two
or three months before, at La Caille-Bottée's house.

"In those days I didn't know the value of money, and I hated La Flèche
so bitterly that I gave it all back to Sancho, who had hidden it so
carefully that he was able to manage the gypsies with promises and a few
crowns from time to time. But I knew where he had buried his treasure,
and there was a good deal of it left; a good deal to me, at least, I
needed so little. I divided it into several parts and hid them in
different places.

"I had taken it into my head that I could live alone without being
dependent on anybody, and wander all over the world at will, child that
I was! But I soon got tired of it, and as I happened to fall in with
Bellinde, who was flying from the country, with her head shaved and in a
miserable plight, I told her that I had some little hidden treasures,
but was very careful not to tell her where they were! Oh! how she
flattered me, tormented me, made me tipsy and questioned me even in my
sleep, trying to find out! She never lost the hope of extorting my
secret from me; that is why she became my mother and my servant, always
fawning on me and betraying me. Ah! yes, she betrayed me shamefully! She
sold me, she abandoned me when I was still a child; and when, later, I
realized and felt my shame, I swore that I would be revenged upon her
when I no longer needed her. Now, the crows are feeding oh her flesh,
and it was a righteous deed, God knows!"

"You are a wretched, horrible girl!" said Mario. "Now have you
finished?"

"Now, I want you to love me, Mario, or I will avenge myself on your
Lauriane, whom you still love, I know that; for you didn't choose to
speak of her to your comrades in the inn just now. Oh! I was there too,
hidden in the garret, where I heard all the evil you said of me."

"Since you heard all, how can you be mad enough to ask me to love you?"

"I am not mad! One can pass from hatred to love, I know by my own
experience. You abhor and adore at the same time. Besides, you admitted
that I had fine eyes now, and slender arms, and a sort of diabolical
beauty. That is what you said at the inn just now. And many of those
gentlemen offered me the night before money to buy other silk skirts and
other ear-rings, because, beautiful or ugly, I had turned their heads.
But I want nothing from them and nothing from you! I still have money
hidden in Berry, and I can go there when I choose. Beware, Mario! Your
Lauriane will answer to me for you. Take me with you, or renounce her."

"As you confess your evil purposes so boldly, I arrest you," said Mario.

He tried to seize her, being determined to turn her over to the camp
authorities; but he seized nothing but her scarf: the girl herself,
fleeter and more unsubstantial than the clouds driven by the wind,
eluded him and vanished. He pursued her and might have caught her, for
he too knew how to run; but he had hardly turned the corner when the
bugles sounded boots and saddles; it was the signal of departure for the
long-expected battle.

Mario forgot the wild threats that had excited him and hastened to his
father, who was hurriedly dressing.

At daybreak the whole army was on the march.

"The Pas de Suse is a gorge about a quarter of a league in length, in
some places less than twenty paces wide, and obstructed here and there
by fallen rocks. The tergiversation of the Prince of Piedmont had had no
other purpose than to delay the advance of our army for a few days. The
enemy had used the interval to good advantage in strengthening their
position.

"The gorge was intersected by three strong barricades protected by
bastions and ditches. The cliffs commanding it on each side were alive
with soldiers, and protected by small redoubts.

"Lastly, the cannon of Fort Tallasse, built on a neighboring mountain,
swept the open space between Chaumont and the entrance to the gorge. It
was one of those positions where it seems possible for a handful of men
to check the advance of an army.

"Nothing, however, could check the _furie française_."[10]

So many accomplished historians have described this glorious action,
that we shrink from attempting the task after them; it is not our
business to write history according to official facts, but to seek it in
episodes that have been overlooked. That is why we shall follow the
Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré through the carnage, and not allow
ourselves to be dazzled by the majesty of the picture as a whole. An
additional reason for adopting this course is that they had little
leisure to contemplate it themselves.

It was a magnificent scene: a combat of heroes on a sublime stage!

The first cannon-shot awoke echoes of intense excitement in Mario's
heart. How he passed the first barricade, whether upon a winged horse or
"upon the fiery breath of the god Mars himself;" how he forgot his sworn
promise to his father not to leave his side, he never knew. All the
passion of his soul, all the fever in his blood, ordinarily restrained
by modesty and filial love, produced a sort of volcanic eruption within
him.

He even forgot for a moment that his father was following him into the
very midst of the fray, and, in order not to lose sight of him, was
exposing himself to no less risk.

Aristandre was there, it is true, stationed like a marble wall about his
master; but Mario, when the fighting was most desperate, turned more
than once to look for the old man's gray plume, which towered above all
the rest, and each time, as he saw it waving still, he thanked God and
trusted to his lucky star.

The whole affair was carried through so impetuously that it did not cost
France the lives of fifty men. It was one of those miraculous days when
every man has faith, and when nothing is impossible.

The position carried, Mario was galloping along the Suse road in pursuit
of the fugitives, among whom was the Duc de Savoie in person, when he
saw a masked horseman riding toward him at full speed on his right.

"Halt, halt!" he shouted; "the king's service before everything! Take my
despatches! I know you; I trust you!"

As he spoke, the horseman slipped from his horse in a swoon, while the
horse himself, utterly exhausted, fell on his knees.

Mario was the only one of the young men who had the self-restraint to
renounce the opportunity to display his prowess farther; he leaped from
his horse and picked up the sealed package which the courier had
dropped.

But as he was about turning back toward the royal camp, a party of armed
men, who seemed not to have taken part in the action, and who were
evidently pursuing the messenger without regard to where they were
going, suddenly appeared at Mario's right and rode toward him, shouting
in Italian that his life would be spared if he surrendered the package
without giving the alarm.

Mario shouted for help with all his strength. No one heard him. His
father was still far behind, his companions already far ahead. He fired
his carbine to attract attention, and, to avoid wasting his shot, aimed
it at his assailants, one of whom rolled in the dust. Mario did not wait
for the others. He had remounted, and rode away like an arrow, amid a
hailstorm of bullets, some of which lodged in his hat, others in the
bank by the road.

He heard a tumult behind him, yells, shots. He paid no heed and did not
turn.

He had not seen the messenger's face or recognized his voice. He
regretted having to abandon to the enemy a man who might be useful. But
if was of the utmost importance to save the despatches, and it was only
by a miracle that he saved them.

His retrograde course surprised those whom he met; At a short distance
from the royal headquarters, he met his father, who was alarmed to see
him pass thus without stopping, and supposed that he was wounded and
that his horse was running away.

But Mario shouted: "Nothing! nothing!" and vanished in a cloud of dust.

At first he was turned away from the king's tent; he at once determined
upon his course of action and hastened to the cardinal's.

The cardinal had already been exposed to so many attempts at
assassination that it was no easy matter to obtain access to him. But
the despatches which Mario waved above his head, and the excellent young
man's winning countenance suddenly inspired the great minister with
entire confidence. He summoned him to his presence and took the package,
which Mario, in his haste, did not think to present to him with one knee
on the ground.


[Footnote 10: Henri Martin, _History of France_.]




LXXII


The cardinal read the despatch.

It contained some good news: perhaps a report of the small number of
troops that Gonzalez of Cordova had before Casal; perhaps of a
conspiracy of the queens against the power which saved France.

Whatever it may have been, the cardinal folded the despatch with a
shrewd smile and looked up at Mario, saying:

"Propitious fate has ordained everything so well to-day, that it has
chosen an archangel for messenger. Who are you, monsieur, and how does
it happen that you are the bearer of such a despatch?"

"I am a volunteer," Mario replied. "I took this despatch from the hand
of a dying man, which was held out to me in the midst of our pursuit of
the enemy. He said to me: 'The king's service before everything.'--I
could not obtain access to the king, so I thought I would seek access to
your eminence."

"So you thought that it was all the same, in the sense that the king can
have no secrets from the minister?"

"I thought that he should have none," replied Mario, calmly.

"What is your name?"

"Mario de Bois-Doré."

"Your age?"

"Nineteen years."

"Were you at La Rochelle?"

"No, monseigneur."

"Why not?"

"I do not care to fight against those of the Reformed religion."

"Are you one of them?"

"No, monseigneur."

"But you approve of them?"

"I pity them."

"If you have any favor to ask of me, do it quickly, for time is
precious."

"Give us days like this often, that is all that I ask," replied Mario;
and, in his eagerness not to waste the cardinal's time, he took his
leave without observing that His Eminence was inclined to speak further
with him.

But other duties demanded the great minister's attention. He turned to
something else and forgot Mario.

On the following day, as they were pitching their camp at Suse, Mario
thought that he saw Monsieur Poulain pass dressed as a countryman. He
called him, but received no reply.

Monsieur Poulain was in hiding, according to his custom. Being regularly
employed upon secret missions, the ex-rector showed his face as little
as possible in certain localities, and never appeared openly in the
presence of the eminent personages who employed him.

While the king--that is to say the cardinal--was receiving the Duc de
Savoie's submission at Suse, which ceremony necessarily lasted several
days, the marquis was reposing after his excitement.

Although Richelieu's campaigns in nowise resembled the partizan warfare
of his youthful days, Bois-Doré had borne himself as tranquilly as if
he had never left the battle-field; but it had been a rude shock to him
to see Mario subjected to that test. In the first place, he had been
afraid that Mario would not come up to his hopes; for, since the
terrible night of the attack upon Briantes and Sancho's death, Mario had
often exhibited much repugnance for bloodshed. Sometimes, indeed, when
he saw how little interest he took in the siege of La Rochelle, which
excited all the youthful minds in their neighborhood, the marquis,
although well satisfied with his principles, had been somewhat afraid of
his prudence. But when he saw him rushing upon the Spaniards and
climbing over the redoubts in the Pas de Suse, he thought him far too
rash, and asked pardon of God for bringing him there. At last, however,
he had recovered confidence, and, upon learning of the episode of the
despatch, he wept for joy and chattered with pleasure in the bosom of
the faithful Adamas.

Adamas attracted attention in the town by his arrogant airs and his
utter contempt for everybody except Monsieur le Marquis and Monsieur le
Comte de Bois-Doré. Aristandre was well pleased to have killed many
Piedmontese, but he would have liked to kill more Spaniards. Clindor had
not behaved badly. He was terribly frightened at the beginning, but he
said that he was all ready to go through it again.

But Mario, amid the gratification of all his dear ones, was oppressed by
profound disquietude. Although he despised vain predictions, and had
passed through his baptism of fire without thinking of them, he trembled
at the recollection of a foolish threat, and Pilar appeared again and
again in his dreams, as the spirit of evil, in the guise of an invisible
and intangible enemy. He learned, to his cost, that the weakest
adversaries may, by a perseverance of hatred, become the most
formidable. He had Lauriane constantly before his eyes; it seemed to him
that she was threatened by some terrible danger. He took his fears for
presentiments.

One morning he returned to Chaumont, as if for exercise. He inquired for
the little gypsy to no purpose. He rode over to Mont Genèvre, and
learned that a woman's body had been found there on the morning of the
3d of March. At first they had thought that she was frozen to death; but
when they buried her they noticed that her lips and her neckerchief bore
the marks of burning, as if she had been forced to swallow some
corrosive poison. The mountaineers who gave Mario this information
proposed to show him the body. They had buried it in the snow
temporarily, the ground being frozen so hard that a grave could not
easily be dug.

Mario at once identified the body as Bellinde's. So Pilar had told the
truth. She had disposed of her companion; she might by the same means
dispose of her rival.

Mario returned to Suse at full speed and told his father the whole
story.

"Let me go to Briantes," he said. "Await me here to continue the
campaign, if it is to be continued. If a definitive treaty is signed,
you will know it in a few days, and will join me at home, without haste
and without tiring yourself. I can go more quickly alone, quickly enough
to arrive before that detestable creature, who has neither the means nor
the power to travel by post."

The marquis consented. Mario instantly made his arrangements to start
the next day with Clindor.

During the evening Monsieur Poulain visited them, with the utmost
precaution. He was in most excellent spirits, and, at the same time,
most mysterious.

"Monsieur le marquis," he said to Bois-Doré, when he was alone with him
and Mario, "I owed you much before, and I shall owe my fortune to your
amiable son! The valuable despatch of which I was the bearer, and which
he succeeded in saving, assures me a less dangerous and more honorable
place in the confidence of Père Joseph, that is to say, of the
cardinal. I have come to pay my debt, and to inform you that your sole
ambition is gratified. The king confirms your claim to the marquisate of
Bois-Doré, on the sole condition that you shall construct somewhere on
your domains a house to which you shall give that name, and which shall,
by royal letters patent, be made transmissible to your heirs and their
descendants. His eminence hopes that you will continue to serve in his
army, if the war continues, and he will avail himself of his first
leisure moment to summon you to his presence, in order to congratulate
you upon the courage and devotion of the _old man_ and the _child_; I
ask your pardon, those were his words. Monsieur le cardinal noticed you
both in the charge, and he afterward inquired your names. He was also
particularly gratified with you, monsieur le comte, because you asked
him simply for more fighting as your reward. I had the honor to appear
before him in my humble person, and to tell him the story of my perils
and your own, not forgetting that, at eleven years of age, you killed
with your own hand your father's murderer; and lastly I reminded him
that he was indebted for the receipt of news that was no less
advantageous than agreeable to him to this same child, who is as shrewd
and intelligent as he is brave. So you have a good start, Monsieur
Mario. Humble as I am, I will help you forward with all my strength if
opportunity offers."

Despite the marquis's very earnest desire to present Mario to the
cardinal, Mario refused to await the uncertain fulfilment of the promise
of an audience.

Having warmly thanked Abbé Poulain--he told them under his breath, with
a smile, that they might call him so thenceforth,--Mario, happy in the
joy of his father and Adamas because of the famous marquisate, threw
himself on his bed, slept a few hours, embraced his old friends once
more, and started for France at daybreak.

Mario attempted to travel too fast. Although he had an admirable horse,
he thought that he would do better to travel by post at full speed, and
his own strength failed him. He had received a slight wound in the
affair of the Pas de Suse, and had carefully concealed it; the wound
became inflamed, he was attacked by fever, and when he reached Grenoble
fell helpless on his bed. Clindor, in dismay, discovered that he was
delirious.

The poor page ran to fetch a doctor. He was not skilful; he irritated
the wound still more by his remedies. Mario was very ill. His impatience
and disappointment at being thus delayed aggravated his condition.
Clindor decided to send a messenger to the marquis; but he lost his head
and sent him to Nice instead of to Suse.

One evening when he was weeping in desperation on the landing outside
the room in which Mario lay helpless, he thought that he heard him
talking to himself and hastily entered the room.

Mario was not alone; a slender, pale-faced creature, dressed in red, was
leaning over him as if to question him.

Clindor was afraid. He thought that the devil had come to torment his
poor young master's last moments, and he was trying to remember some
formulas of exorcism, when by the dim light of the night lamp he
recognized Pilar.

His fear increased. He had overheard her conversation with Mario at
Chaumont. He knew therefore that she loved him to frenzy. He believed
that she was entirely under the influence of Satan, and fear produced
its accustomed effect upon him, that is to say it made him brave; he
threw himself upon her, sword in hand, and nearly wounded Mario, whom
Pilar exposed as she avoided the blow.

He was not able to strike a second time; Pilar disarmed him, he knew not
how, jumping upon him so quickly and unexpectedly that he was forced to
fall back.

"Be quiet, stupid idiot that you are!" she said; "I did not come here to
injure Mario, but to save him: don't you know that I love him, and that
his life is mine? Do what I bid you do, and in two days he will be on
his feet."

Clindor, not knowing which way to turn, and realizing that the charlatan
whom he had summoned made the patient worse with each new prescription,
yielded to Pilar's ascendancy. Despite the fear she caused him, she
acted upon his will by virtue of a fascination which he did not admit,
but which he could not shake off. At times he trembled to entrust
Mario's life to her, but he obeyed, saying to himself that he was
bewitched by her.

In Mario's case the fever was simply a result of nervous irritation: a
day of repose would have cured his wound. But the physician had applied
a healing ointment which produced the effect of poison throughout his
whole system.

Pilar washed and purified the wound. She possessed those _secrets_ of
the Moors to which the Christians of Spain had recourse as a last
resort. She administered powerful antidotes. The purity of the patient's
blood and the wonderful equilibrium of his constitution seconded the
effect of the remedies. He partly recovered consciousness that same
night; and on the following morning he was no longer delirious. In the
evening, although terribly weak, he felt that he was saved.

In his transports of joy, Clindor unconsciously made a declaration of
love to the clever gypsy. She paid no heed whatever. She concealed
herself behind the head of the bed so that Mario might not see her. She
was well aware that her appearance would agitate him.

Two days later, Mario felt so fully restored that he ordered Clindor to
look about for a post-chaise which he could purchase, so that they might
continue their journey. Clindor, seeing that it was too soon, pretended
that he could not find one, whereupon Mario bade him bring horses for
them to ride.

Clindor was driven to despair by his persistence; Pilar interposed.
Mario nearly fell ill again with anger when he saw her and learned that
he owed his life to her. But he soon became calm and said to her in a
mild tone:

"Whence do you come? where have you been since you made those threats?"

"Ah! you are afraid for _her_!" rejoined Pilar with a bitter smile. "Set
your mind at rest; I have had no time to go thither. I will not go, if
you will cease to hate me."

"I will, Pilar, if you abandon all thought of vengeance; but, if you
persist in it, I shall hate you as much as I hate the life I owe to
you."

"Let us not speak of that for the moment; you can safely remain quiet
and not return to your province, since my presence with you is a
guaranty that everything is well."

Therein Pilar touched the crucial point of the situation. Mario
restrained his impatience and consented to remain at Grenoble until he
should be fully cured. He had to consent also to allow Pilar to wait
upon him. He could not dream of turning over to the strong arm of the
law the woman who had just saved his life and whom it was his duty to
try to convert from her evil ways by gentleness. He dared not irritate
her by displaying his contempt, and despite the unconquerable repugnance
she inspired in him, he was reduced to the necessity of being perturbed
in mind when she was long absent and of rejoicing when she returned.

This state of affairs became intolerable after two or three days. Pilar,
incapable of any sort of moral reasoning, was determined to be loved;
she described her passion with a species of wild eloquence, saying and
believing that it was chaste, because it was not governed by the senses,
and sublime, because it had all the fervor of an unbridled imagination
and a wilful temper. She heaped curses upon Lauriane and bitter
reproaches upon Mario, exhibiting her mad passion shamelessly before
poor Clindor, who took fire beside that volcano.

Mario soon wearied of the absurd rôle he was compelled to play. In vain
did he try to transform that nature, incapable as it was of loving the
right for the right's sake, or even of conceiving that Mario or anyone
else on earth could so love it.

"If you did not love that Lauriane so madly," she said to him with
appalling frankness, "you would entrust me with your vengeance; for she
always has despised you and always will."




LXXIII


Mario was able to leave his bed at last, and one evening he went out
alone, starving for fresh air and liberty, to test his strength, being
fully determined to continue his journey even though he must procure
Pilar's imprisonment until further notice, or though he must allow her
to accompany him in order to hold her in subjection.

Meditating upon the most advantageous plan to adopt, he walked slowly
toward the Convent of the Visitation, aimlessly, as if attracted by its
elevated site. Suddenly he found himself face to face with a person who
stopped in front of him. He too stopped. It was as if they were both
irresistibly forced to look at each other.

To judge from her appearance and her manner, the stranger was a woman of
noble rank, richly dressed, short and slender, pale, but young and
beautiful, so far as he could see through the black mask which women of
refinement wore when walking.

She wore a widow's cap and was dressed in black throughout. Her flaxen
hair was arranged in two graceful masses over her hair. She was entirely
alone. No companion, no servant before or behind her.

The graceful and modest charm of her carriage had impressed Mario at a
distance. As she approached, her light hair and black attire had made
his heart beat fast. At a little distance he put away the illusion; face
to face, he was agitated and uncertain.

The same perplexity seemed to assail the masked lady. At last she passed
on, returning Mario's salute.

Mario walked a little way, not without turning several times; he walked
a little farther and stopped again.

"At the risk of being discourteous and receiving a sharp rebuke, I
propose to find out who that woman is!" he said to himself.

He retraced his steps, walking rapidly, and found himself again face to
face with the masked lady, who also had turned back. They both
hesitated, and were very near passing a second time without speaking. At
last the lady determined to break the ice.

"I ask your pardon," she said with some emotion, "but unless I am
deceived by a striking resemblance, you are Mario de Bois-Doré?"

"And you are Lauriane de Beuvre?" cried Mario, intensely excited.

"How does it happen that you recognized me, Mario?" said Lauriane,
removing her mask. "See how I have changed!"

"Yes," said Mario, beside himself with joy, "you were not half so lovely
before!"

"Oh! do not feel compelled to be gallant to that point," said Lauriane.
"My father's death, the sufferings of my party, and the downfall of all
my hopes have aged me more than the years have done. But tell me of
yourself and yours, Mario!"

"Yes, Lauriane; but take my arm and let us go to your home; for I must
speak to you, and unless you are under proper protection here, I will
not leave you."

Lauriane was surprised at Mario's excited air; she accepted his arm and
said to him:

"I could not, if I would, take you to my present home. It is the convent
which you see yonder on the plateau. But you can escort me to the gate
and on the way we will tell each other all about ourselves."

Being urged to tell her story first, she told Mario that after the fall
of La Rochelle, having failed to obtain permission to share Madame de
Rohan's imprisonment, she had attempted to return to Berry. But she had
learned in time that the Prince de Condé had given orders to arrest her
again in case she should make her appearance there.

An old aunt, her only remaining relation and faithful friend, was
superior of the Convent of the Visitation at Grenoble: she was a former
Protestant, who had been consigned to that institution when very young,
and had allowed herself to be converted there. But she had retained a
very great sympathy for the Protestants, and she urged Lauriane most
affectionately to come to her for shelter and protection until the end
of the war in the South. Lauriane had found some repose and much
affection there. She had been no more persecuted there than by the nuns
at Bourges. From consideration for her aunt, they had even pretended not
to know that she was a heretic, and she was allowed to go out alone and
masked, to carry alms and consolation to the divers unfortunate
Protestants living in the suburbs.

"Lauriane," said Mario, "you must not go out any more; you must not show
yourself in public again until I tell you. It is due to the
interposition of Providence that you have not been met and recognized by
an invisible and dangerous foe. Here we are at the gate of the convent;
swear by your father's memory that you will not pass through this gate
again until you have seen me."

"Shall I see you again then, Mario?"

"Yes, to-morrow. Can you receive me in the parlor?"

"Yes, at ten o'clock."

"Do you swear that you will not go out?"

"I swear it."

This time Mario was overjoyed to see the gate of the cloister close
between Lauriane and himself. He considered that she was safe there if
Pilar did not discover her. He carefully explored the immediate
neighborhood of the convent, to satisfy himself that he had not been
followed and watched by her. He knew that she was capable of sacrificing
the whole community in order to reach her rival.

He returned to his apartments and did not find her there. Clindor had
not seen her since his master went out.

All Mario's anxiety revived. He was going down to the street when he
heard an uproar which made him quicken his pace. He saw Pilar being
taken to prison by a party of archers. She uttered piercing shrieks, at
once heart-rending and savage; and when she saw Mario, she held out her
hands to him imploringly with a despairing expression which shook his
resolution for a moment.

"Ah! cruel!" she cried, "it is you who cause me to be cast into a
dungeon as the reward of my love and my care! Infamous wretch! you wish
to be rid of me. Curse you!"

Mario, without replying, questioned the leader of the squad in whose
custody she was.

"Can you tell me," he said, "whether you propose simply to imprison her
for the night as a vagrant, or whether you have arrested her on
suspicion of some crime or misdemeanor?"

He was informed that she was accused of a misdemeanor. The physician who
had treated Mario with such ill success, irritated to find that he had
been cured by an adventuress, accused her of breathing upon her
patients, in terms which were equivalent in those days to a charge of
unlawfully practising medicine, which charge was likely to have far more
serious consequences then than in our day, since the question of
witchcraft could always be raised, a crime which the most learned
magistrates took seriously and punished with death.

"Whatever may happen to her," said Mario to himself, "it is most
important that this dangerous girl should lose track of Lauriane, whom
perhaps she has already discovered."

On the following morning he hurried to the convent.

"Now," he said to his friend, "we may breathe freely, but we cannot go
to sleep over the volcano."

And he told the whole of his strange adventure with the gypsy.

Lauriane listened attentively.

"Now," she said, "I understand everything. Let me tell you, Mario, why I
was so deeply moved when I saw you yesterday, and why I had the
assurance to speak to you without being certain that I recognized you.
Also, why I hesitated the first time, thinking that I was deceived by my
imagination. A week ago, I received an anonymous letter full of insults
and threats, in which I was told that you had been killed in the battle
of the Pas de Suse. I was overwhelmed by that news. I wept for you,
Mario, as one weeps for a brother, and I wrote a letter to your father
and sent it instantly to the mail carrier. Little by little, however,
reflection led me to doubt the truth of the suspicious intelligence I
had received, and when I met you I was on my way to the town, to
ascertain, if possible, the names of the nobles who were killed in that
battle. I had resolved, if yours was among them, to go to your father
and try to sustain him and care for him in that terrible trial. I surely
owed him that, did I not, Mario, for all his kindness to me in years
gone by?"

Mario gazed at Lauriane; he could not tire of contemplating her altered
features, her eyes inflamed by grief and tears, the traces of which
seemed very fresh.

"Ah! my Lauriane," he cried, kissing her hands, "so you have retained a
little affection for me?"

"Affection and esteem," she replied; "I knew that you had refused to
fight against the Protestants."

"Ah! I will never do that! and yet I never told my principal reason! I
can tell it to you now: I would not run the risk of firing upon your
father and your friends. Lauriane, I always loved you dearly; why were
your letters to my father always so cold with respect to me?"

"I, too, can speak with perfect frankness now, my dear Mario. My father,
when we went to Bourges the last time, four years ago, had the strange
idea of affiancing us to each other. Your father rejected, as he was
bound to do, the suggestion of so ill-assorted a union; and I, a little
humiliated by my poor father's thoughtlessness, informed you several
times of marriage projects, to which I gave but slight consideration in
the melancholy situation in which I then was. At the same time I was
cold to you in words, my dear Mario, and perhaps somewhat humiliated by
the thought of the presumption which you would naturally attribute to
me. Let us smile to-day at all that past misery, and do me the justice
to believe that I do not entertain the slightest thought of marriage. I
am twenty-three years old; my time has gone by. My party is crushed, and
my fortune will be confiscated whenever it suits the Prince de Condé's
caprice. My poor father is dead, stripped by the hazard of war of the
property he had amassed in his maritime expeditions. So I am neither
rich nor beautiful nor young. I have but one cause of rejoicing: it is
that I can live hereafter not far from you, without being suspected of
aspiring to anything except your friendship."

Mario listened, trembling and bewildered.

"Lauriane," he said impetuously, "you show your disdain of my name, my
youth and my heart when you speak of the tranquil bond of friendship
which it would be easy for you to resume. But it is for me to say: It is
too late. I have always loved you reverently, and I do not think that my
love is any less reverent because I have loved you more passionately
since I lost you and since I have found you again. I, too, Lauriane,
have suffered keenly! But I have never despaired altogether. When I had
carefully concealed my grief, in order not to allow myself to languish
and die, God sent me, in His merciful compassion, gusts of hope in Him
and of faith in you.

"'She knows, she must know that it would kill me,' I would say to
myself; 'she will love me, she will not love another, because of her
kindness of heart if for no other reason! I am only a child, but I can
soon and very quickly make myself worthy of her, by working hard, by
keeping my heart pure, by having courage, by making them happy who will
love me, and by fighting gallantly when there comes a righteous war':
for this one is righteous, is it not, Lauriane, and your heart cannot be
so changed that you love the Spaniards to-day?"

"No, surely not!" she replied. "And it was because Monsieur de Rohan
insisted upon this mad, disgraceful and desperate alliance that I
awaited the result of events here, and took no deeper interest in them."

"You see, Lauriane, that nothing separates us now. If I am not the good
and learned man that I would like to be, I believe at all events that I
know as much and can fight as stoutly as most of the young men of
twenty-five to thirty years, with whom I came in contact in the army. As
for my affection, Lauriane, I can answer for its lasting so long as my
life shall last. I am entitled to no credit for it, for I was born
loyal, and from childhood it has been impossible for me to consider any
other woman than you lovely and lovable; I placed my heart in your
keeping the first day that I saw you. I have never become accustomed to
living apart from you, and I have never passed a single day at Briantes
without sitting down to dream of you, instead of playing and amusing
myself, whenever I left my studies for an instant. What I thought, what
I said to you eight years ago, in the famous labyrinth, I still think
and I say to you again to-day.

"I cannot live happily without you, Lauriane! In order to be happy, I
must see you always. I know that I have no right to say to you: 'Make me
happy!'--You owe me nothing! but perhaps you will be happier with me
than you were with your poor father, or than you are now, alone,
persecuted, and obliged to conceal yourself. I do not need that you
should be rich; but if you are bent upon being rich, I will enforce your
rights as soon as peace is assured; I will defend you against your
enemies. Married to me, you will have absolute freedom of conscience;
and under my protection you can pray as you choose. We will not fight
for our altars, as the King and Queen of England are doing at this
moment. If you must have a title, why I am bemarquised for good and all.
Whether you are still beautiful or not, I do not know, I never shall
know. I see that you have changed. You are paler now and thinner than
when you were sixteen years old; but in my eyes you are much lovelier
so, and if you had never been lovely, it seems to me that I should have
loved you no less dearly.

"If therefore a woman's happiness consists in being beautiful in the
eyes of the man she loves, love me, Lauriane, and you will have that
happiness. Listen, Lauriane, and let me speak to you as in the old days.
I have been submissive and brave down to this day; do not deprive me of
my strength; if you wish to wait still longer and know me as a friend
and a brother, I will wait until you trust me. If you wish me to go back
to the army--and, in truth, such is my desire--come to the camp as my
father's ward and adopted daughter. I will see you only when you choose,
not at all if you insist, until you accept me for your husband. But do
not leave us again; for, with or without your love, we are and desire
always to be your family, your friends, your defenders, your slaves,
whatever you wish us to be, provided that you permit us to love you and
serve you."

Lauriane pressed Mario's loyal hands in hers.

"You are an angel," she said, "and it requires courage on my part to
refuse you. But I love you too well to chain your brilliant destiny to
mine, melancholy, as it is, and alas! complete; I love your father too
well to be willing to cause him this sorrow."

"My father? you doubt my father?" cried Mario, beside himself. "Ah!
Lauriane, do you not understand that your father deceived you! Say that
you do not love me, that you have never loved me!"

At that moment there was a violent ringing at the gate of the convent,
and a moment later the Marquis de Bois-Doré rushed into the parlor and
embraced Mario and Lauriane in turn.

He had not received Clindor's message, but Lauriane's letter; and as the
treaty was signed and he was returning to Berry, he had come to the
convent to take her home with him. He was greatly surprised to find
Mario there, thinking that he had already returned to Briantes.

The situation was explained to him; then Mario, still intensely
agitated, said to him:

"You arrive in good time, father. Lauriane here thinks that you do not
love her!"

A second explanation ensued. The marquis perceived Mario's agitation and
grief, and he smiled.

Lauriane suddenly understood that smile.

"Dear marquis," she cried, blushing and trembling from head to foot,
"give me back the letter I wrote you when I thought that your son was
dead! Give it back to me, I insist; do not show it."

"No, no," replied the marquis, handing the letter to Mario with a sly
expression; "he shall never see it, unless he snatches it from my
hands--which he is quite capable of doing, as you see!"




LXXIV


The letter was short and disconsolate; Mario had soon devoured it with
his eyes, while Lauriane hid her face on the old man's shoulder.

Lauriane, in the first outburst of bitter grief, had written the marquis
that she had always loved Mario since their separation and should wear
mourning for him all her life.

"For now," she said, "I feel for the first time that I am really
widowed!"

"You are not, you never will be, my Lauriane," said the marquis,
removing her little black cap for a moment. "I have never desired any
other daughter than you, and we will go home and prepare for the wedding
at Briantes."

I leave you to imagine the rejoicing at the old manor at the
simultaneous return of the Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré, Lauriane,
Adamas, Aristandre, and even Clindor, who, the better to destroy the
spell cast upon him by the gypsy, hastened to pay court to all the
village maidens.

The marriage of Monsieur Sylvain's beloved children could not be
celebrated publicly until Lauriane had made submission to the king and
obtained her pardon, for she had proclaimed herself a rebel in a moment
of desperation; and, despite Monsieur Poulain's influence, the king
remained inflexible so long as the _War in the South_ lasted.

It was short and bloody. It was the last gasp of the party as a
political faction.

"Upon the ruins of that demolished party, Richelieu caused the son of
Henri IV. to swear to maintain the religious liberty proclaimed by his
father."[11]

Thereafter they could safely present to Louis XIII. the Marquis de
Bois-Doré's petition in behalf of his daughter-in-law. To that end
Mario went in person to Nîmes, where the king had made a triumphal
entry with Richelieu. Monsieur de Rohan had gone to Venice.

Mario obtained a decree restoring his wife's estates in despite of
monsieur le prince, who was sniffing eagerly at them, and likewise
restoring her liberty without condition or reservation. The cardinal
received him and rebuked him mildly for having taken no part in that
war. Mario requested another opportunity to fight in Italy, and the
cardinal, as he dismissed him, said in an undertone, with a most affable
smile:

"I promise you the opportunity, but say nothing about it unless you wish
me to fail!"

Mario found the Abbé Poulain at Nîmes, thoroughly exhausted and
delighted to have a few weeks of repose. He had assisted Mario so
cordially, that the young man invited him to come to Briantes, and they
set out together, the priest congratulating himself upon the prospect of
celebrating the marriage of the young people.

They started on an intensely hot day. It was early in July. The country
which they rode through had been laid waste by the war and not a tree,
not a cottage was standing.

By the king's command the troops had ravaged the territory around all
the rebellious cities, in order to starve the inhabitants.

"We are passing through a conflagration," said Monsieur Poulain to
Mario; "the sun treats us as we treated this poor soil, and I verily
believe that our clothes will take fire."

"Really, monsieur l'abbé," said Clindor, who loved to mingle in the
conversation, "there's a very unpleasant smell of something burning!"

"I believe that some house is still burning behind yonder hill," said
Mario; "do you not see smoke?"

"There is very little of it," said the abbé; "some little hovel, I
presume. I confess, monsieur le comte, that I am weary of so much
misery. I used to hate the Huguenots; now that they are down, I am like
you, I pity them. I witnessed the Privas affair. Well, I have had enough
of it, and I defy the greatest gluttons of vengeance to say that they
are not surfeited with it."

"I should say as much!" said Mario with a sigh; "but listen to those
shrieks, monsieur l'abbé; there is somebody in great distress. Let us
go to see."

Behind the hill where the smoke was ascending, they heard shrieks, or
rather one long, piercing, heart-rending shriek. The appalling duration
of that distant cry, which seemed to be uttered by a child, made a
profound impression on the abbé. Clindor could not believe that it was
a human voice.

"No, no," he said, "either that is a shepherd's pipe, or somebody is
killing a kid."

"It is a human being expiring in torture," said Monsieur Poulain; "I
know that frightful music only too well!"

"Let us hasten then!" cried Mario; "we may be in time to save an
unfortunate fellow creature. Come, come, monsieur l'abbé! The peace is
signed; no one has the right to torture Huguenots!"

"It is too late," said the priest, "the sounds have ceased."

The shrieks had suddenly ceased and the smoke had disappeared. Perhaps
they were mistaken. However, they urged their horses and soon reached
the top of the hill.

Thereupon they espied, in the valley beyond, and much farther away than
they had supposed, a group of peasants bustling about a half-extinct
fire. Before they came within ear-shot, the men had dispersed. A single
old woman remained near the smoking ashes, which she was turning over
with a fork as if in search of something. Mario arrived first at the
spot, where his nostrils were assailed by an acrid, intolerable odor.

"What are you looking for there, mother?" he said; "what have you been
burning?"

"Oh! nothing, my fine gentleman! nothing but a witch who gave us the
fever with her look whenever she passed. Our men made an end of her, and
I am looking to see if she didn't leave her secret in the ashes."

"What? her secret?" said Mario, disgusted by the sang-froid of that
harridan.

"You see," replied the old woman, "she had something around her neck
that glistened, and she lost it struggling when they put her in the
fire. Then she shrieked: 'I have lost it, I am lost myself!'--It must
have been an amulet to protect her from a violent death, and I would
like to find it."


[Illustration: _MARIO FINDS PILAR'S TALISMAN._

"_Look" said Mario, picking up a coin with a hole
in it, which he saw shining at his feet, "is this it?_"

"_Yes, yes, that's it, my fine gentleman! Give it
to me for the trouble I had keeping the fire burning._"]


"Look," said Mario, picking up a coin with a hole in it, which he saw
shining at his feet, "is this it?"

"Yes, yes, that's it, my fine gentleman! Give it to me for the trouble I
had keeping the fire burning."

Mario threw the coin far away, impelled by a feeling of unconquerable
horror. He had read upon it a name carved with a knife. It was Pilar's
talisman. Naught else remained of her save that testimony of her fatal
love, a few charred bones, and the disgusting odor of burned flesh with
which the atmosphere was heavy.

Overwhelmed with horror and pity, Mario rode rapidly away, refusing to
give Clindor, who questioned him closely, the key to the riddle; and,
during a considerable part of the journey, he was unable to shake off
the painful impression produced by that shocking incident.

But when they drew near the manor, we can readily believe that he had
forgotten everything, and thought only of the joy of seeing once more
his dear betrothed, his beloved father, his loving Mercedes, his
paternal tutor Lucilio, the sage Adamas, and the heroic charioteer,--all
those loving hearts who, while spoiling him to the best of their
ability, had succeeded as by a miracle in making him the best and most
charming of mortals.

The wedding festival was magnificent. The marquis opened the ball with
Lauriane, who, being happy and at peace once more, seemed not a day
older than the handsome Mario.


[Footnote 11: Henri Martin.]