"Where?" asked Canolles.
"I have no idea; but meet again we certainly shall."
Canolles sadly shook his head.
"I dare not count upon it, madame," said he; "there is war between us, and that is too great an obstacle when, at the same time, there is no love."
"Pray, do you count this day as nothing?" asked the viscountess, in a soul-thrilling tone.
"It is the only day that I am sure that I have lived since I came into the world."
"Then you see that you are ungrateful."
"Grant me a second day like this one—"
"I cannot; I must leave Chantilly to-night."
"I don't ask it for to-morrow, nor for the day after to-morrow; I simply ask you for some day in the future. Select whatever time you choose, whatever place you choose, but give me a certainty to live upon; I should suffer too much if I had naught but a hope."
"Where shall you go upon leaving me?"
"To Paris, to report upon the success of my mission."
"And then?"
"To the Bastille, perhaps."
"But assuming that you do not go there?"
"I shall return to Libourne, where my regiment should be."
"And I to Bordeaux, where I expect to find Madame la Princesse. Do you know any out-of-the-way village on the road from Bordeaux to Libourne?"
"I know one, the memory of which is almost as dear to me as that of Chantilly."
"Jaulnay?" queried the viscountess, with a smile.
"Jaulnay," echoed Canolles.
"Very well; I shall need four days to go to Jaulnay; it is now Tuesday. I will stop there all day on Sunday."
"Oh! thanks, thanks!" cried Canolles, pressing against his lips a hand which Madame de Cambes had not the courage to withdraw.
"Now," said she, after a moment's pause, "we must play out our little comedy to the end."
"Ah, yes, madame; the comedy which is to cover me with ridicule in the eyes of all Prance. But I have nothing to say; it was I who would have it so, it was I who—I cannot say selected the part that I play therein—but arranged the catastrophe which brings it to a close."
Madame de Cambes lowered her eyes.
"Now tell me what I have still to do," said Canolles, coolly; "I await your orders, and am ready for anything."
Claire was so deeply moved that Canolles could see the velvet folds of her dress rise and fall with the uneven, hurried beating of her heart.
"You are making a very great sacrifice for me, I know; but pray believe me when I say that my gratitude will live forever. Yes, you are about to incur disgrace at court for my sake, and to be severely censured. Monsieur, care nothing for that, I beg you, if it affords you any pleasure to know that you have made me happy."
"I will try, madame."
"Believe me, baron," continued Madame de Cambes, "the bitter grief which I read upon your face causes me no less bitter remorse. It may be that others would recompense you more fully than I; but, monsieur, a recompense accorded so readily would not worthily pay for your self-sacrifice."
As she spoke, Claire hung her head with a sigh.
"Is that all you have to say to me?"
"Stay," said the viscountess, taking from her breast a portrait which she handed to Canolles; "take this portrait, and at every pang that this unhappy affair causes you, look at it, and say to yourself that you suffer for her whose image is before you, and that every such pang is paid for in regret."
"Is that all?"
"In esteem."
"Is that all?"
"In sympathy."
"Ah! madame, one word more!" cried Canolles. "Why should it cost you so dear to make me altogether happy?"
Claire stepped quickly toward him, put out her hand, and opened her mouth to add:—
"In love."
But simultaneously with her mouth, the door was thrown open and the pseudo-captain of the guards appeared upon the threshold, accompanied by Pompée.
"I will finish at Jaulnay," said the viscountess.
"Your sentence, or your thought?"
"Both; one always expresses the other."
"Madame," said the captain of the guards, "your Highness's carriage is waiting."
"Feign astonishment," said Claire, in an undertone.
"Where does your Highness propose to go?" he asked, with a smile of pity for his own plight.
"I am going away."
"But does your Highness forget that I am instructed by her Majesty not to leave you for an instant?"
"Monsieur, your mission is at an end."
"What does this mean?"
"That I am not her Highness, Madame la Princesse de Condé, but Madame la Vicomtesse de Cambes, her first maid of honor. Madame la Princesse left Chantilly last evening, and I go to join her."
Canolles did not stir. It was plainly most distasteful to him to continue to play this comedy before an audience of lackeys.
Madame de Cambes, to encourage him, bestowed one of her sweetest glances upon him; that glance restored his courage in some measure.
"So the king has been deceived," he said. "And where is Monsieur le Duc d'Enghien?"
"I have given orders that Pierrot return to his flower-beds," said a grave voice at the door.
It was the voice of the princess dowager, who was standing near the door, supported by two of her tire-women.
"Return to Paris, to Mantes, to the court, in a word, wherever it may be; your mission here is at an end. You will say to the king that the persecuted have resorted to stratagem, which renders fruitless the use of force. You are at liberty, however, to remain at Chantilly, to stand guard over me, who have not left, and shall not leave the château, because such is not my design. With this, Monsieur le Baron, I take my leave of you."
Canolles, red with shame, could hardly summonstrength to bend his head, as he glanced at the viscountess, and murmured reproachfully:—
"O, madame! madame!"
She understood the glance and heard the words.
"I crave your Highness's permission," she said, "to play the part of Madame la Princesse one moment more. I desire to thank Monsieur le Baron de Canolles, in the name of his illustrious hosts who have left this château, for the respect he has shown, and the great delicacy he has exhibited in the performance of so difficult a mission. I venture to believe, madame, that your Highness has the same opinion, and to hope, therefore, that you will add your acknowledgments to mine."
The dowager was touched by these earnest words, and it may be that her profound sagacity suggested to her some part of this new secret grafted upon the old; so it was that her voice was not entirely free from emotion as she uttered the following words:—
"For all that you have done against us, monsieur, oblivion; for all that you have done for my family, gratitude."
Canolles knelt upon one knee at the feet of the princess, who gave him that hand to kiss whereon Henri IV. had imprinted so many kisses.
It was the last act of the play, it was an irrevocable dismissal. There was nothing left for Canolles to do but to take his leave. And so he withdrew to his apartment, and lost no time in writing to Mazarin the most despairing report imaginable; he preferred not to be present to suffer the consequences of the first outburst of anger. That done he passed out through the servants of the château, with some apprehension that he might be insulted by them, to the court-yard, where his horse awaited him.
As he was about to put his foot in the stirrup, these words were uttered by an imperious voice:—
"Do honor to the envoy of his Majesty, the king, our master!"
Thereupon every head was bent before Canolles, who, with a low bow toward the window at which the princess was standing, drove his spurs into his horse, and disappeared, with head erect.
Castorin, awakened from the seductive dream which he owed to Pompée, the false intendant, followed his master with lowered crest.
It is full time to return to one of the most important personages of this narrative, whom we shall find riding an excellent horse along the road from Paris to Bordeaux, with five companions, whose eyes sparkled at every sound that came from a bag filled with gold crowns, hanging at Ferguzon's saddle-bow. The melody rejoiced and refreshed the little troop, as the music of the drum and fife imparts renewed life to the soldier on the march.
"Never mind, never mind," one of the men was saying; "ten thousand livres is a pretty little sum."
"You might say," rejoined Ferguzon, "that it is a magnificent sum, if it owed nothing to anybody; but it owes a company to Madame la Princesse.Nimium satis est, as the ancients used to say; which may be translated thus: 'Nothing less than too much is enough. Now, my dear Barrabas, we haven't that desirableenoughwhich is equivalent totoo much."
"How much it costs to appear to be an honest man!" said Cauvignac; "all that we took from the royal tax-gatherer has gone into equipments, doublets, and trimming. We cut as fine a figure as any nobleman, and we carry luxury so far as to have purses; to be sure, there's nothing in them. Oh, appearances!"
"Speak for us, captain, and not for yourself," said Barrabas. "You have the purse and ten thousand livres to boot."
"My good fellow," said Cauvignac, "did you not hear, or did you misunderstand what Ferguzon just said touching our obligation to Madame la Princesse? I am not of those who promise one thing and do another. Monsieur Lenet paid over ten thousand livres to me to raise a company, and if I don't raise it may the devil fly away with me! On the day when it is raised he will owe me forty thousand more. When that time comes, if he doesn't pay the forty thousand livres we will see."
"With ten thousand livres!" cried four satirical voices in chorus; for Ferguzon, whose confidence in his leader's resources was unbounded, seemed to be the only one of the troop convinced that Cauvignac would attain the promised result; "with ten thousand livres you will raise a company?"
"Yes," said Cauvignac, "when some one thinks fit to add something to it."
"Who is there, pray, to add anything to it?" asked a voice.
"Not I," said Ferguzon.
"Who, then?" Barrabas asked.
"Pardieu!the first comer. Stay, I see a man yonder on the road. You will see—"
"I understand," said Ferguzon.
"Is that all?" queried Cauvignac.
"And admire."
"Yes," said one of the horsemen, drawing nigh Cauvignac, "yes, I understand that you can always be depended on to keep your promises, captain; but we may lose by being too honest. To-day we are necessary; but if the company is raised to-morrow, officers in the confidence of the princes will be assigned to it, and we, who have had all the trouble of raising it, shall be dismissed."
"You are an idiot, in five letters, my dear Carrotel, and this isn't the first time I have told you so," said Cauvignac. "The pitiful logic you have just perpetrated deprives you of the rank I proposed to give you in the company; for it is evident that we shall be the six officers of this nucleus of an army. I should have appointed you sub-lieutenant at the outset, Carrotel; now you will be only a sergeant. Thanks to the nonsense you just heard, Barrabas, you, who have held your tongue, will hold that position until, Ferguzon having been hanged, you are promoted to the lieutenancy by right of seniority. But let us not lose sight of my first recruit, whom I see yonder."
"Have you any idea who the man is, captain?" Ferguzon asked.
"Not the slightest."
"He should be a tradesman; he wears a black cloak."
"Are you sure?"
"Look when the wind raises it; do you see?"
"If he wears a black cloak, he's a wealthy citizen; so much the better. We are recruiting for the service of the princes, and it is important that the company should be made up of good men. If it were for that wretch of a Mazarin, anything would be good enough; but for the princes, deuce take me!—Ferguzon, I have an idea that my company will do me honor, as Falstaff says."
The whole troop spurred forward to overtake the citizen, who was riding peaceably along in the middle of the road.
When the worthy man, who was mounted upon a sleek mule, observed the magnificently arrayed horsemen galloping up behind him, he rode off to the side of the road with due respect, and saluted Cauvignac.
"He is well-mannered," said that worthy; "that's a great point. "He doesn't know the military salute, but we will teach him that."
He returned the salute, then rode up beside the traveller.
"Monsieur," he began, "be good enough to tell us if you love the king."
"Parbleu!yes," was the reply.
"Admirable!" said Cauvignac, rolling his eyes in delight. "And the queen?"
"The queen! I have the greatest veneration for her."
"Excellent! and Monsieur de Mazarin?"
"Monsieur de Mazarin is a great man, monsieur, and I admire him."
"Perfect! In that case, we have had the good fortune to fall in with a faithful servitor of his Majesty?"
"I pride myself upon it, monsieur."
"And are prepared to prove your zeal for him?"
"On every occasion."
"How luckily this comes about! such meetings as this never happen except on the high-road."
"What do you mean?" queried the tradesman, beginning to eye Cauvignac with some uneasiness.
"I mean, monsieur, that you must come with us."
The tradesman almost leaped out of his saddle in surprise and terror.
"Go with you! Whither, monsieur, in God's name?"
"I am not altogether sure, myself; wherever we go."
"Monsieur, I travel only with people whom I know."
"That is quite right, and shows you to be a prudent man; so I will proceed to tell you who we are."
The tradesman made a gesture, as if to say that he hadalready guessed. Cauvignac continued, without seeming to notice the gesture:—
"I am Roland de Cauvignac, captain of a company, which is not present, it is true, but is worthily represented by Louis-Gabriel Ferguzon, my lieutenant, by Georges-Guillaume Barrabas, my sub-lieutenant, by Zéphérin Carrotel, my sergeant, and by these two gentlemen, one of whom is my quartermaster and the other my sergeant-major. You know us now, monsieur," continued Cauvignac, with his most benign smile, "and I venture to hope that you feel no antipathy for us."
"But, monsieur, I have already served his Majesty in the urban guard, and I pay my taxes, tithes, and so forth, regularly."
"Very good, monsieur," rejoined Cauvignac; "and I do not propose to enlist you in his Majesty's service, but in that of Messieurs les Princes, whose unworthy representative you see before you."
"In the service of the princes, the king's enemies!" cried the honest fellow, more and more amazed; "then why did you ask me if I loved his Majesty?"
"Because, monsieur, if you did not love the king, if you had accused the queen or blasphemed against Monsieur de Mazarin, I should not have dreamed of disturbing you; in that case you would have been sacred to me as a brother."
"But, monsieur, I am not a slave; I am not a serf."
"No, monsieur, you are a soldier; that is to say, you have it in your power to become a captain like myself, or a marshal of France like Monsieur de Turenne."
"Monsieur, I have had a large amount of experience of courts in my life."
"Ah! so much the worse, monsieur, so much the worse! it's a wretched habit to get into, this going tolaw. I never did any of it myself; it may have been because I studied for the bar."
"But by having so many lawsuits I have learned the laws of the kingdom."
"There are great numbers of them. You know, monsieur, that from thePandectsof Justinian down to the decree of Parliament, which provided, apropos of the death of Maréchal d'Ancre, that no foreigner should ever be first minister of France, there have been eighteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-two laws, to say nothing of ordinances; but there are privileged brains which have an astounding memory; Pico della Mirandole spoke twelve languages at eighteen. What good has your knowledge of these laws ever done you, monsieur?"
"The good of knowing that people are not to be kidnapped on the high-road without warrant."
"I have such warrant, monsieur, and here it is."
"From Madame la Princesse?"
"From her Highness in person."
And Cauvignac respectfully raised his hat.
"Then there are two kings in France?" cried the tradesman.
"Even so, monsieur; that is why I do myself the honor of asking you to accord your preference to mine, and why I deem it my duty to enlist you in my service."
"Monsieur, I will appeal to the Parliament."
"There's a third king, and you will probably have occasion to serve it as well. Our politics are built upon broad lines! Forward, monsieur!"
"But it's impossible, monsieur; I have an appointment upon important business."
"Where?"
"At Orléans."
"With whom?"
"My attorney."
"What is the business?"
"It concerns certain financial transactions."
"The service of the State should be every man's first business, monsieur."
"Can't the State do without me?"
"We relied upon you, and we should miss you, in good sooth! However, if, as you say, money matters occasion your visit to Orléans—"
"Yes, monsieur, money matters."
"How much money is concerned?"
"Four thousand livres."
"Which you are going to receive?"
"No, which I am going to pay."
"To your attorney?"
"Even so, monsieur."
"On account of a lawsuit?"
"On account of a lawsuit lost."
"'Pon my word, this deserves consideration. Four thousand livres!"
"Four thousand livres."
"That is just the sum you would pay out in case Messieurs les Princes would consent that your place should be filled by a mercenary."
"Nonsense! I could procure a substitute for a hundred crowns."
"A substitute of your commanding appearance, a substitute who rides muleback with his toes turned out like you, a substitute who knows eighteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-two laws! Go to, monsieur! for an ordinary man a hundred crowns would certainly be enough; but if we are to be content with ordinary men,it's not worth while to enter into competition with the king. We need men of your merit, of your rank, of your stature. What the devil! don't cry yourself down; it seems to me that you are worth fully four thousand livres!"
"I see what you are coming at," cried the tradesman; "this is downright robbery with force and arms."
"Monsieur, you insult us," said Cauvignac, "and we would flay you alive by way of reparation for the insult, if we were less anxious to maintain the reputation of the adherents of the princes. No, monsieur; give me your four thousand livres, but do not look upon it as extortion, I beg; it is a necessity."
"Who will pay my attorney?"
"We will."
"You?"
"We."
"But will you bring me a receipt?"
"In due form."
"Signed by him?"
"Signed by him."
"That puts a different face on the matter."
"As you see. So you accept?"
"I must, as I can't do otherwise."
"Give us your attorney's address, then, and such other information as we can't do without."
"I told you that it was a judgment resulting from the loss of a lawsuit."
"Against whom?"
"Against a certain Biscarros, claimant, as heir of his wife, who was a native of Orléans."
"Attention!" said Ferguzon.
Cauvignac winked at him as if to say "Never fear, I am on the watch."
"Biscarros," he repeated; "isn't he an inn-keeper in the outskirts of Libourne?"
"Just so,—between Libourne and Saint-Martin-de-Cubzac."
"At the sign of the Golden Calf?"
"The same. Do you know him?"
"A little."
"The villain! to get judgment against me for a sum—"
"Which you didn't owe him?"
"Oh! yes. I owed it—but I hoped never to pay it."
"I understand; it's very hard."
"For that reason, I give you my word that I would much rather see the money in your hands than in his."
"If that is so, I think you will be content."
"But my receipt?"
"Come with us, and you shall have it in due form."
"How will you go to work to get it?"
"That's my affair."
They pursued their journey toward Orléans, where they arrived two hours later. The tradesman conducted his captors to the inn nearest his attorney's office. It was a frightful den, with the appropriate name of the Dove of the Ark.
"Now," said he, "what are we to do? I would be very glad not to part from my four thousand livres except as against a receipt."
"Don't let that disturb you. Do you know your attorney's handwriting?"
"Perfectly."
"When we bring you his receipt, you will make no objection to handing the money over to us?"
"None! But my attorney will never give his receipt without the money; I know him too well."
"I will advance the sum," said Cauvignac. As he spoke he took from his wallet four thousand livres, half in louis, and the rest in half-pistoles, and arranged them in piles before the wondering eyes of the tradesman.
"Now," said he, "tell us your attorney's name."
"Master Rabodin."
"Very good; take a pen and write."
The tradesman obeyed.
"MASTER RABODIN,—I send you the four thousand livres, damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it. Be kind enough to hand the bearer your receipt—"
"MASTER RABODIN,—I send you the four thousand livres, damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it. Be kind enough to hand the bearer your receipt—"
"What next?" queried the tradesman.
"Date and sign it."
The tradesman did as he was bid.
"Now," said Cauvignac to Ferguzon, "take this letter and money, disguise yourself as a miller, and call upon the attorney."
"What shall I do there?"
"Give him the money and take his receipt."
"Is that all?"
"That's all."
"I don't understand."
"So much the better! the errand will be done all the better for that."
Ferguzon's confidence in his captain was unbounded, so he walked toward the door without another word.
"Order up some wine, and of the best," said Cauvignac; "monsieur must be thirsty."
Ferguzon bowed and went out. Within the half-hour he returned, and found Cauvignac at table with thetradesman, both doing honor to that famous Orléans wine which rejoiced the Gascon palate of Henri IV.
"Well?" said Cauvignac, inquiringly.
"Here is the receipt."
"Is that what you desire?"
And Cauvignac passed the piece of stamped paper to the tradesman.
"Precisely."
"Is the receipt in proper form?"
"It is."
"Then you have no objection to giving me your money in exchange for it?"
"None at all."
"Give it me, then."
The tradesman counted out the four thousand livres. Cauvignac placed them in his bag, where they replaced the four thousand recently taken therefrom.
"And now my release is paid for, is it?"
"Mon Dieu, yes, unless you absolutely insist upon serving."
"No, not personally; but—"
"But what? Let us hear," said Cauvignac. "I have a presentiment that we sha'n't part until we have done some more business together."
"It is very possible," said the tradesman, whose serenity was completely restored the instant the receipt was in his hands. "I have a nephew—"
"Aha!"
"A stubborn, troublesome fellow."
"Of whom you would gladly be rid?"
"No, not just that; but who would make an excellent soldier, I am sure."
"Send him to me, and I'll make a hero of him."
"You will take charge of him?"
"With pleasure."
"I have also a godson, a deserving lad, who is anxious to take orders, and for whom I am obliged to pay heavily for board."
"So that you would prefer that he should take the musket, eh? Send me the godson and the nephew; it will cost you only five hundred livres for the two."
"Five hundred livres! I don't understand."
"Why, of course, they have to pay on entering the company."
"Then why did you make me pay for the privilege of not entering it?"
"There were special reasons for that. Your nephew and your godson will pay two hundred and fifty livres each, and you will never hear of them again."
"The devil! that's an alluring prospect, do you know? They will be well cared for?"
"I give you my word that when they have once tasted service under my orders, they wouldn't change places with the Emperor of China. Ask these good fellows how I keep them. Tell him, Barrabas; tell him, Carrotel."
"In truth," said Barrabas, "we live like lords."
"And how are they clothed? Look for yourself."
Carrotel executed a pirouette in order to exhibit his resplendent costume from every point of view.
"Certainly there is nothing to be said in the matter of equipment," said the tradesman.
"So you will send me your two youths?"
"I am very anxious to do so. Do you make a long stay here?"
"No, we shall leave to-morrow morning; but we will go slowly so that they may overtake us. Give us the five hundred livres and the bargain's made."
"I have only two hundred and fifty."
"Give them the other two hundred and fifty; indeed that will furnish you with an excuse for sending them to me; if you had no pretext for sending them they might suspect something."
"But they may say that one of them alone can do the errand."
"You must tell them that the roads are not safe, and give them each twenty-five livres; that will be by way of advance on their pay."
The tradesman stared at him in wondering admiration.
"Upon my word," said he, "it takes a soldier to find a way out of every difficulty!"
Having counted out the two hundred and fifty livres to Cauvignac, he withdrew, overjoyed to have found an opportunity to be rid, for five hundred livres, of a nephew and godson who cost him more than two hundred pistoles a year.
"Now, Master Barrabas," said Cauvignac, "have you in your valise a coat something less elegant than the one you are wearing,—one in which you might pass for an employee of the custom-house?"
"I have the tax-collector's coat, you know, that we—"
"Very good! and you have his commission, too, no doubt?"
"Lieutenant Ferguzon bade me not lose it, and I have taken great care of it."
"Lieutenant Ferguzon is the most farseeing man of my acquaintance. Array yourself as a tax-collector and take the commission with you."
Barrabas went out, and returned ten minutes later, completely transformed.
He found Cauvignac dressed wholly in black, and looking enough like a court officer to deceive anybody.
They went together to the attorney's quarters. Master Rabodin lived in a third-floor apartment, consisting of a reception-room, an office, and a closet. There were other rooms, no doubt, but as they were not open to clients we will say nothing about them.
Cauvignac passed through the reception-room, left Barrabas in the study, cast a sympathetic glance in passing at the two clerks who were pretending to write busily while playing atmarelle, and entered thesanctum sanctorum.
Master Rabodin was sitting in front of a desk so laden with papers that the respectable attorney seemed to be literally buried up in writs and records and judgments. He was a tall, gaunt, sallow man, clad in a black coat which fitted as closely to his body as an eel's skin. When he heard Cauvignac's footsteps, he straightened up his long, bent backbone, and raised his head, which then appeared above the breastwork by which he was surrounded.
For an instant Cauvignac thought that he had discovered the basilisk, an animal regarded as fabulous by modern scientists, so brightly did the attorney's little eyes shine with the ominous glitter of avarice and cupidity.
"Monsieur," said Cauvignac, "I ask your pardon for calling upon you without previous appointment; but," he added with his most charming smile, "it is a privilege of my office."
"A privilege of your office!" exclaimed Master Rabodin. "What is your office, pray?"
"I am an exempt in his Majesty's service, monsieur."
"An exempt in his Majesty's service?"
"I have that honor."
"I do not understand, monsieur."
"You will understand in a moment. You know Monsieur Biscarros, do you not?"
"Certainly I know him; he is my client."
"What do you think of him?"
"What do I think of him?"
"Yes."
"Why, I think—I think—I think that he's a very worthy man."
"Well, monsieur, you are mistaken."
"What's that?—mistaken?"
"Your worthy man is a rebel."
"A rebel?"
"Yes, monsieur, a rebel, who takes advantage of the isolated situation of his inn to make it a hotbed of conspiracy."
"God bless my soul!"
"Who has bound himself to poison the king, the queen, and Monsieur de Mazarin, if they happen to put up at his inn."
"You don't mean it!"
"And whom I have arrested and taken to the prison at Libourne, on a charge oflèse-majesté."
"Monsieur, you horrify me," said Master Rabodin, falling back in his chair.
"That is not all, monsieur," continued the false exempt; "you, also, are involved in the affair."
"I, monsieur!" cried the attorney, turning from orange-yellow to apple-green; "I involved in it! how, in God's name?"
"You have in your possession a sum of money which the villain Biscarros destined for the payment of an army of rebels."
"It is true, monsieur, that I have received for him—"
"Four thousand livres! he was subjected to the torture of thebrodequins, and at the eighth wedge he admitted that you had that sum."
"I have it, monsieur, but I have had it only an instant."
"So much the worse, monsieur, so much the worse!"
"Why so much the worse?"
"Because I shall be obliged to make sure of your person."
"Of my person?"
"Certainly; the complaint names you as accomplice."
The attorney turned from apple-green to bottle-green.
"Ah! if you hadn't received that sum," continued Cauvignac, "it would be a different matter; but you admit having received it, and that is against you, you see."
"Monsieur, suppose I agree to give it up; suppose I hand it to you instantly; suppose I make oath that I have no connection with this villain Biscarros?"
"You would lie under grave suspicion none the less. However, I think I may say that immediate surrender of the money—"
"Monsieur, I will give it to you this very moment!" cried Master Rabodin. "It is still there, in the bag in which it was handed to me. I have verified the amount, and that's all."
"Is it exact?"
"Count it yourself, monsieur, count it yourself."
"Nay, monsieur, by your leave, nay; for I am not empowered to touch his Majesty's money; but I have with me the tax-collector of Libourne, who was assigned to accompany me in order to take charge of the different sums which Biscarros scattered broadcast to be collected again at need."
"It is a fact that he was very urgent that I should send the four thousand livres to him the moment that I received them."
"You see! Doubtless he is already informed that Madame la Princesse has left Chantilly, and is on her way to Bordeaux, and is getting together all his resources in order to make himself prominent among her adherents."
"The wretch!"
"And you suspected nothing?"
"Nothing, monsieur, nothing."
"Had nobody warned you?"
"Nobody."
"What's that you say?" said Cauvignac, pointing to the tradesman's letter which lay open on Master Rabodin's desk, with a number of other papers. "How dare you say that when you yourself furnish me with proof to the contrary?"
"Proof?"
"Damnation! read."
Rabodin read, in a trembling voice:—
"I Master Rabodin,—I send you the four thousand livres damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it.'"
"I Master Rabodin,—I send you the four thousand livres damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it.'"
"An improper use!" Cauvignac repeated. "You see that your client's unsavory reputation has reached as far as this."
"Monsieur, I am overwhelmed," said the attorney.
"I cannot conceal from you, monsieur," said Cauvignac, "that my orders are strict."
"Monsieur, I swear that I am innocent."
"Pardieu!Biscarros said the same until he was put to the question; but at the fifth wedge he changed his tone."
"I tell you, monsieur, that I am ready to hand you the money. Here it is; take it, for it burns my hands."
"Let us do things regularly," said Cauvignac. "I have already told you that it's no part of my business to handle the king's money."
He walked to the door leading to the office.
"Come in, Monsieur le Receveur," said he; "each to his own duty."
Barrabas came forward.
"Monsieur admits everything," said Cauvignac.
"What's that?—I admit everything?" cried the attorney.
"Yes, you admit that you were in correspondence with Biscarros."
"Monsieur, I have never received more than two letters from him, and I have written him only one."
"Monsieur admits that he was in possession of funds belonging to the accused."
"Here they are, monsieur. I have never received any money for him except these four thousand livres, and I am ready to hand them to you."
"Monsieur le Receveur," said Cauvignac, "as your commission authorizes you to do, take this money and give a receipt in his Majesty's name."
Barrabas handed his commission to the attorney, who pushed it away with his hand, not choosing to insult him by reading it.
"Now," said Cauvignac, while Barrabas, for fear of an error, was counting the money, "now you must come with me."
"I must go with you?"
"Certainly; didn't I tell you that you are under suspicion?"
"But, monsieur, I swear to you that his Majesty has no more faithful servitor than myself."
"It's not enough to swear to it, you must furnish proofs."
"Very well, monsieur, I will furnish proofs."
"Let's see them."
"My whole past life."
"That's not enough; we require a guaranty for the future."
"Point out to me what I can do, and I will do it."
"There is one infallible way of proving your devotion."
"What is that?"
"There is one of my friends, a captain, in Orléans at this moment, raising a company for the king."
"Well?"
"It would be well done of you to enlist in his company."
"I, monsieur!—an attorney?"
"The king is sorely in need of attorneys, monsieur, for his affairs are terribly involved."
"I would do it willingly, monsieur; but what about my office?"
"You can leave it to be run by your clerks."
"Impossible! How could they arrange to procure my signature?"
"Pardon, messieurs, if I venture to say a word," said Barrabas.
"Most assuredly!" said the attorney; "say on, monsieur, say on."
"It seems to me that if monsieur, who would make but a sorry soldier—"
"Yes, monsieur, you are right; sorry, indeed," interposed the attorney.
"If monsieur would offer your friend, or the king, in his stead—"
"What, monsieur? what can I offer the king?"
"His two clerks."
"Why, certainly!" cried the attorney; "certainly, and with great pleasure. Let your friend take them both. I give them to him; they are two delightful fellows."
"One of them seemed a mere child."
"Fifteen, monsieur; he's fifteen; and a first-class performer on the drum.—Fricotin, step this way," he shouted.
Cauvignac made a gesture with his hand, indicating that he desired Monsieur Fricotin to be left where he was.
"What of the other?" he asked.
"Eighteen, monsieur; five feet six inches tall, aspiring to become a porter at Saint-Sauveur, and, consequently, already familiar with the mode of handling a halberd.—This way, Chalumeau."
"But he squints horribly, unless I am much mistaken," said Cauvignac, making a second gesture similar to the first.
"So much the better, monsieur; so much the better! You can make him do sentry duty; and as he squints out, he can see both to right and left, while an ordinary man can only see straight ahead."
"That's an advantage, I agree; but you understand that the king is in sore straits financially; pleading with cannon-balls is much more costly than pleading with words. The king cannot burden himself with the equipment of these two youngsters; it's quite all he can do to undertake to train and pay them."
"Monsieur," said Rabodin, "if that is all that is necessary to prove my devotion to the king—why, I will make the sacrifice."
Cauvignac and Barrabas looked at each other.
"What do you think, Monsieur le Receveur?" said Cauvignac.
"I think that monsieur seems to be acting in good faith," Barrabas replied.
"And that we must be considerate with him, eh? Give monsieur a receipt for five hundred livres."
"Five hundred livres!"
"A receipt for that sum to pay for the equipment of two young soldiers, whom Master Rabodin in his zeal offers his Majesty."
"May I expect to be left at peace in consideration of this sacrifice, monsieur?"
"I think so."
"Shall I not be molested?"
"I hope not."
"And suppose that I am prosecuted, without regard to justice?"
"You are at liberty to make use of my testimony. But will your two clerks consent?"
"They will be overjoyed."
"You are sure of it?"
"Yes. But it would be best not to tell them—"
"Of the honor in store for them, eh?"
"It would be more prudent."
"What are we to do, then?"
"Oh! it's a simple matter enough. I will send them to your friend. What is his name?"
"Captain Cauvignac."
"I will send them to your friend Captain Cauvignac, upon some pretext or other; it had better be somewhere outside of Orléans, to avoid a possible scandal."
"Yes, and so that the Orléanais may not be seized with the desire to scourge you with rods, as Camillus did the schoolmaster in ancient times."
"I will send them to him, then, outside the city."
"On the high-road from Orléans to Tours, for example."
"At the first public-house."
"Yes; they will find Captain Cauvignac at table. He will offer them a glass of wine and they will accept.He will propose the king's health, which they will drink with enthusiasm, and there they are soldiers! Now you may call them."
The attorney called the young men. Fricotin was a little fellow, hardly four feet tall, thick-set, quick and active; Chalumeau was a great booby of five feet six, thin as an asparagus-stalk, and red as a carrot.
"Messieurs," said Cauvignac, "Master Rabodin here proposes to show his confidence in you by sending you upon an errand of importance. To-morrow morning you will go to the first inn outside the city on the Tours road, to fetch a package of papers relating to the suit of Captain Cauvignac against Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld. Master Rabodin will give you twenty-five livres each for the service."
Fricotin, who was a credulous youth, leaped three feet into the air. But Chalumeau, who was by nature suspicious, looked at Cauvignac and the attorney at the same moment, with an expression of doubt which made him squint three times as badly as usual.
"Stay, stay!" exclaimed Master Rabodin; "one moment. I didn't agree to pay the fifty livres."
"Which sum," continued the false exempt, "Master Rabodin will recoup in his fees in the suit between Captain Cauvignac and Monsieur le Duc de La Rochefoucauld."
Master Rabodin hung his head; he was fairly caught. He must go through the door that was pointed out to him, or else through the door of a prison.
"Very good," said he. "I consent; but I hope you will give me a receipt for all this."
"Look at this," said Barrabas, "and see if I haven't anticipated your desire;" and he handed him a paper on which these words were written:—
"Received from Master Rabodin, his Majesty's faithful subject,the sum of five hundred livres, as a voluntary offering, toassist him in his war against the princes."
"If you insist," said Barrabas, "I will put the two clerks in the receipt."
"No, no," said the attorney, hastily; "it's quite right as it is."
"By the way," said Cauvignac, "tell Fricotin to bring his drum, and Chalumeau his halberd; it will be so much less to buy."
"But on what pretext shall I tell them to do that?"
"Pardieu!as a means of amusing themselves on the road."
With that the pretended exempt and pretended collector took their departure, leaving Master Rabodin bewildered at the thought of the danger he had escaped, and only too happy to have come so well out of it.
The next morning everything passed off as Cauvignac had planned. The nephew and godson were the first to arrive, both mounted on the same horse; then came Fricotin and Chalumeau, one with his drum, the other with his halberd. There was some little opposition to be overcome when it was explained to them that they had the honor of being enrolled in the service of the princes; but all opposition vanished before the threats of Cauvignac, the promises of Ferguzon, and the logic of Barrabas.
The horse of the nephew and godson was assigned to the duty of carrying the baggage, and as Cauvignac's commission authorized him to raise a company of infantry, the two raw recruits could say nothing.
They set out at once. Cauvignac's march resembled a triumph. The ingenious freebooter had found a way to bring into the war the most persistent advocates of peace. Some he induced to embrace the cause of the king, others the cause of the princes. Some believed they were enlisting in the service of the Parliament, others in that of the King of England, who was talking of a descent upon Scotland to attempt the conquest of his dominions. There was naturally, at first, some little lack of uniformity in the colors, some discord in the sentiments of the troops, whom Lieutenant Ferguzon, despite his persuasive powers, found it difficult to reduce to the level of passive obedience. However,by resorting constantly to secrecy and mystery, which were necessary, so Cauvignac said, to the success of the operation, they were induced to go forward, soldiers and officers alike, without knowing where they were going, or what they were to do.
Four days after leaving Chantilly Cauvignac had collected twenty-five men; a very pretty little nucleus of an army. Many rivers which make a great noise when they flow into the sea, have a less imposing origin.
Cauvignac was in search of a convenient centre of operations. He reached a little village between Châtellerault and Poitiers, which seemed to suit his purposes. It was the village of Jaulnay. Cauvignac recognized it as the place where he had delivered an order to Canolles on a certain evening, and he established his headquarters there at the inn, where he remembered that he had supped very comfortably on the evening in question. As to that, he had no choice, for, as we have said before, it was the only inn in the place.
Thus established, on the principal highway from Paris to Bordeaux, Cauvignac had behind him the troops of Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld, who was besieging Saumur, and before him those of the king, who were concentrated in Guyenne. Holding out a hand to either, and abstaining from hoisting any colors whatsoever until the proper time, he set about collecting a hundred men, with whom at his back he might make the most of his opportunities. Recruiting went merrily forward, and in a very short time his task was well-nigh half done.
One day, having passed the whole morning in hunting men, he was standing, as usual, on the watch, at the door of the inn, talking with his lieutenant and sub-lieutenant, when he spied a young lady on horseback atthe end of the village street, followed by a squire, also on horseback, and two mules laden with trunks.
The ease with which the fair Amazon handled her steed, and the stiff, haughty bearing of the squire, awakened a slumbering memory in Cauvignac's mind. He laid his hand upon Ferguzon's arm,—his lieutenant was indisposed that day, and his manner was somewhat dejected,—and said, pointing to the traveller:—
"There's the fiftieth soldier of the Cauvignac regiment, or I'm damned!"
"Who? that young lady?"
"Precisely."
"Nonsense! we already have a nephew who was to be an advocate, a godson who was to be a priest, two attorney's clerks, two druggists, a doctor, three bakers, two country bumpkins; that's enough of that kind of soldiers, God knows! without adding a woman to them; for some day or other we shall have to fight."
"Very true; but our cash only amounts to twenty-five thousand livres" (it appears that the cash as well as the troop had taken pattern by the snowball), "and if we could reach a good round figure, thirty thousand livres, say, it seems to me that it wouldn't be a bad scheme."
"Ah! if you look at it from that point of view, I am with you, and haven't a word to say."
"Hush! you will see."
Cauvignac approached the young woman, who, having drawn rein in front of one of the windows of the inn, was questioning the hostess, who assured her that she could be accommodated with a room.
"Your servant, young gentleman," he said, with a cunning expression, putting his hand to his hat in a free and easy way.
"Young gentleman, did you say?" said the lady, with a smile.
"Yes, viscount."
The lady blushed.
"I am at a loss to know what you mean, monsieur," she said.
"Oh! yes, you do, and the half-inch of blush on your cheeks proves it."
"You certainly are mistaken, monsieur."
"Nay, nay! on the contrary, I am perfectly sure of what I say."
"A truce to your jesting, monsieur."
"I am not jesting, monsieur, and if you wish for proofs, you shall have them. I had the honor to meet you, it will soon be three weeks ago, dressed according to your sex, on the banks of the Dordogne, on which occasion you were attended by your faithful squire, Monsieur Pompée. Is Monsieur Pompée still in your service?—Why, yes, there he is now, dear Monsieur Pompée! Will you tell me that I don't know him either?"
The squire and the young woman looked at each other in speechless amazement.
"Oh! yes, that astonishes you, my gallant viscount," Cauvignac continued; "but dare to say that it was not you whom I met on the road to Saint-Martin de Cubzac, a fourth of a league from the hostelry of Master Biscarros."
"I do not deny the meeting, monsieur."
"What did I say?"
"But that was the time when I was disguised."
"Nay, nay, you are disguised now. I quite understand that, as the description of the Vicomte de Cambes has been given out all through Guyenne, you deemed itmore prudent, in order to avoid suspicion, to adopt, for the moment, this costume, which, to do you justice, my fair sir, is extremely becoming to you."
"Monsieur," said the viscountess, with an anxiety which she tried in vain to conceal, "except that your conversation contains a word or two of sense now and then, I should think you mad."
"I will not pay you the same compliment, for it seems to me a most judicious thing to disguise one's self when one is conspiring."
The young woman gazed at Cauvignac with increasing uneasiness.
"Indeed, monsieur," she said, "it seems to me that I have seen you somewhere; but I cannot remember where."
"The first time, as I have told you, was on the banks of the Dordogne."
"And the second?"
"The second was at Chantilly."
"On the day of the hunt?"
"Even so."
"In that case, monsieur, I have nothing to fear, for you are one of us."
"Why so?"
"Because you were at Chantilly."
"Permit me to observe that that is no reason."
"It seems to me to be."
"There were too many there to be sure that they were all friends."
"Beware, monsieur, or you will force me to form a strange opinion of you."
"Oh! form whatever opinion you choose; I am not sensitive."
"But, when all is said, what do you desire?"
"To do the honors of the inn, if you have no objection."
"I am deeply grateful to you, monsieur, but I do not require your services. I am expecting a friend."
"Very good; dismount, and while you are waiting, we will talk."
"What am I to do, madame?" interposed Pompée.
"Dismount, engage a room, and order supper," said Cauvignac.
"Monsieur," rejoined the viscountess, "if I mistake not, it is for me to give orders to my servant."
"That depends upon circumstances, viscount. I command at Jaulnay, and have fifty men at my beck and call. Pompée; do as I bid you."
Pompée lowered his crest and entered the inn.
"Do you presume to arrest me, monsieur?" demanded the young woman.
"Perhaps."
"What do you mean by perhaps?"
"It will depend upon the conversation we are about to have. Pray take the trouble to dismount, viscount; so! that's right. Now accept my arm; the inn people will take your horse to the stable."
"I obey, monsieur; for, as you say, you are the stronger. I have no means of resisting, but I tell you now that the person I am expecting will soon be here, and that he is an officer of the king."
"Very well, viscount; you will do me the honor to present me to him, and I shall be charmed to make his acquaintance."
The viscountess realized that resistance was useless at present, and she led the way into the inn, making a sign to her strange interlocutor that he was at liberty to follow her if he chose.
Cauvignac escorted her to the door of the room bespoken by Pompée, and was about to follow her in, when Ferguzon ran quickly up the stairs and whispered to him:—
"Captain, a carriage with three horses, a young man, masked, inside, and two servants at the doors."
"Good!" said Cauvignac; "it is probably the gentleman expected."
"Ah! do we expect a gentleman?"
"Yes, and I will go down to meet him. Do you remain in this corridor; don't lose sight of the door; let everybody in, but see that nobody goes out."
"Very well, captain."
A travelling-carriage had stopped at the door of the inn, escorted by four men of Cauvignac's company, who joined it a quarter of a league outside the town, and had not since parted company with it.
A young gentleman, dressed in blue velvet, and wrapped in a great furred cloak, was lying rather than sitting inside the carriage. From the time that the four men surrounded his vehicle he had plied them with questions; but, finding that he could obtain no answer, despite his persistence, he seemed to have resigned himself to wait, and simply raised his head from time to time to see if somebody had not come up from whom he could demand an explanation of the strange conduct of these people in his regard.
It was impossible, however, to make a just estimate of the impression produced upon the young traveller by this episode, as one of the black satin masks, calledloups, which were very much in vogue at that time, hid half of his face. Those portions which could be seen, however,—that is to say, the upper part of his forehead, and his mouth and chin,—denoted youth, beauty,and intelligence. His teeth were small and white, and a pair of bright eyes shone through the holes in the mask.
Two tall footmen, pale and trembling, although each held a blunderbuss across his knee, sat as if glued to their saddles at either door of the carriage. The whole scene would have made an excellent picture of brigands stopping travellers on the highway, except for the bright daylight, the inn, the smiling features of Cauvignac, and the imperturbability of the pretended thieves.
At sight of Cauvignac, who, as we have said, when notified by Ferguzon, made his appearance at the door, the young man uttered a little shriek of surprise, and hastily put his hand to his face, as if to make sure that his mask was in place; finding that it was, he recovered his tranquillity.
Swift as the movement was, it did not escape Cauvignac. He gazed at the traveller with the eye of a man skilful in tracing resemblances even upon the most disguised features, and the next moment started, in spite of himself, apparently as much surprised as the young gentleman in blue. He recovered himself, however, and said, removing his hat with a grace that was peculiar to him:—
"Welcome, fair lady."
The traveller's eyes shone with surprise through the holes in his mask.
"Where are you going in this guise, pray?" continued Cauvignac.
"Where am I going?" replied the traveller, taking no notice of Cauvignac's salutation,—"where am I going? You ought to know better than I, as it seems that I am not at liberty to continue my journey. I am going where you take me."
"Permit me to remark," continued Cauvignac, with a greater show of politeness than ever, "that that does not answer my question, fair lady! Your arrest is only momentary. When we have talked together a few moments upon certain matters in which we are mutually interested, with our hearts and our faces laid bare, you may resume your journey unmolested."
"Pardon me," rejoined the traveller, "but before going any farther, let us rectify an error. You pretend to take me for a woman, although you can see from my dress that I am a man."
"You know the Latin proverb:Ne nimium crede colori,—the wise man doesn't judge by appearances. Now I make some pretensions to wisdom, and the consequence is that, under this deceitful costume, I have recognized—"
"What?" demanded the traveller, impatiently.
"Why, I have already told you,—a woman!"
"Well, if I am a woman, why do you stop me?"
"Peste!Because, in times like these, women are more dangerous than men; indeed, the war in which we are engaged might, properly speaking, be called the war of women. The queen and Madame de Condé are the two belligerent powers. They have taken for lieutenant-generals Mademoiselle de Chevreuse, Madame de Montbazon, Madame de Longueville—and yourself. Mademoiselle de Chevreuse is Monsieur le Coadjuteur's general, Madame de Montbazon is Monsieur de Beaufort's, Madame de Longueville Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld's, and you—you have every appearance of being Monsieur le Duc d'Épernon's."
"You are mad, monsieur," said the young traveller, shrugging his shoulders.
"I should not be inclined to believe you, fair lady,were it not for the fact that a handsome youth paid me the same compliment a moment since."
"Perhaps he was a woman whom you persisted in calling a man."
"Even so. I recognized my fine gentleman from having seen him on a certain evening early in May, prowling around Master Biscarros' inn, and I was not to be taken in by his petticoats and his wigs and his little soft voice, any more than I am taken in by your gray felt, and your fancy boots; and I said to him: 'My young friend, take what name you choose, wear what costume you choose, assume what voice you choose, you will be the Vicomte de Cambes none the less. '"