CHAPTER XI.
HOW THE HERO GAVE HIS WORD AND KEPT IT
I stood still and reflected.
"You lack a weapon," said M. de Berquin, humorously. "I shall presentlygive you mine, point first."
As I was still facing Barbemouche, I imagined the point of the Vicomte'ssword entering my back, and I will confess that I shivered.
"And I mine," growled Barbemouche. "Though you are a lackey and I agentleman, yet, by the grandmother of Beelzebub, I am glad to see you!"
"Indeed!" said I, whose only hope was to gain time for thought. "This isa heartier welcome than a stranger might expect."
De Berquin laughed. Barbemouche said, "You are no stranger."
"Then you know me?" said I. "Who am I?"
"You are the answer to a prayer," said Barbemouche, with an ugly grin."You thought you fooled us finely last night, and that when you had madea hole in my body you had done with me. But I got a look at you after themistake was discovered, and I vowed the virgin a dozen candles in returnfor another meeting with you. And now she has sent you to me."
And he looked at me with such jubilant vindictiveness that I turned andfaced De Berquin, saying:
"Monsieur the Vicomte, I have made up my mind that your visage is morepleasant to look on than that of your friend."
By this time, the other three rascals on the ground had been awakened bythe tall fellow, and the four had taken up their weapons and placedthemselves at the four sides of the open space, so that I could not makea bolt in any direction. All the circumstances that made my life at thattime doubly precious rushed into my mind. On it depended the safety ofMlle. de Varion, the rescue of her father, the expeditious return of mybrave company to our Henri's side, and certain valuable interests of ourHenri's cause. I will confess that it was for its use to mademoiselle,rather than for its use to our Henri, that I most valued, at that moment,the life which there was every chance of my speedily losing. In DeBerquin, and in Barbemouche as well, vengeance cried for my immediatedeath. Moreover, my death would remove the chief obstacle to De Berquin'shaving his will concerning Mlle. de Varion. For an instant, I thought hemight let me live that I might tell him her whereabouts, but I perceivedthat my presence was indication to him that she was near at hand. Hecould now rely on himself to find her. The opportunity of removing mefrom his way was not to be risked by delay. It was true that I mightobtain respite by announcing myself as the Sieur de la Tournoire, for hewould wish to present me alive to the governor, if he could do so. Thegovernor and the Duke of Guise would desire to season their revenge on mewith torture, and to attempt the forcing from me of secrets of our party.But to make myself known as La Tournoire was but to defer my death. Thelife that I might thus prolong could not be of any further service tomademoiselle or to Henri of Navarre. Still, I might so gain time. I mightescape; my men might rescue me. So, as a last resource, I would save mylife by disclosing myself; but I would defer this disclosure until thelast possible instant. De Berquin and Barbemouche were evidently in foramusing themselves awhile at my expense. They would prolong matters fortheir own pleasure and my own further humiliation. Meanwhile, anunexpected means of eluding them might arise.
As for their presence there, I have always accounted for it on thissupposition: That, after their defeat on the previous night, they hadreunited in the woods, hidden themselves where they might observe ourdeparture from the inn in the morning, followed us at a distance intothe mountain forest, lost our track, and finally, knowing neither ofGodeau's inn nor of their nearness to the road, dismounted, and soughtafoot an open space in which to pass the night. Their horses wereprobably not far away.
"Ha!" laughed De Berquin, in answer to my words and movement. "So youdon't share Barbemouche's own opinion of his beauty?"
An unctuous guffaw from the fat rascal, and a grim chuckle from gauntFrancois, indicated that Barbemouche's ugliness was a favorite subject ofmirth with his comrades.
"The opinion of a dead lackey does not amount to much," gutturallyobserved Barbemouche. Doubtless I should have felt the point of hisrapier between my shoulders but that he waited on the will of De Berquin.
His tone showed that he really had the high regard for his looks that DeBerquin's words had implied. It afterward became evident to me that theugliness of this burly rascal was equalled only by his vanity.
"Nor is a dead lackey half as useful as a living one can be," I said,looking De Berquin straight in the eyes.
"_Par dieu_! I admit that you have been very useful against me, and thatis why I am going to kill you," replied De Berquin.
"Would it not be more worthy of a man of intellect, like the Vicomte deBerquin, if I have been useful against him, to make me pay for it bybeing useful for him?" I said, quietly, without having yet the least ideaof what service I should propose doing him in return for my life.
"Most interesting of lackeys, how might you be useful to me?" inquired DeBerquin, continuing his mood of sinister jocularity.
How, indeed? I asked myself. Aloud I answered slowly, in order to havethe more time to think:
"In your present enterprise, monsieur."
"The devil! What do you know of my present enterprise?" he asked,quickly.
I saw that I had at least awakened his interest in the idea that I mightbe worth using alive.
"I will tell you," I answered, "if you will first ask this unpleasantperson behind me to step aside."
"Unpleasant person!" repeated Barbemouche, astonished at my audacity."You dog, do you speak in such terms of a gentleman?"
So he was under the delusion also that he possessed gentility.
"Stop, Gilles!" commanded De Berquin. "Go yonder, while I listen to thisamusing knave. Let him talk awhile before he dies."
Barbemouche sullenly went over to the side of Francois, and stood thereglowering at me. It was a relief to know that his sword-point was nolonger at my back.
"Now, rascal!" said De Berquin to me. "My present enterprise, and how youcan be useful to me in it?"
"In the first place, monsieur," I began, having no knowledge how I was tofinish, "you and your gallant company are doubtless tired, hungry, andthirsty--"
An assenting grunt from the tall fellow, and a look of keen interest onthe faces of all, showed that I had not spoken amiss.
"You are quite lost in these woods," I went on. "You do not know how nearyou may be to any road or to any habitation, where you might have roof,food, and drink. Heaven, in giving me the pleasure of meeting you, hasalso done you the kindness of sending one who can guide you to theseblessings. That is the first service I can do you."
"Very well, you shall do it. I can kill you as well afterwards."
"But I will not do it unless I have your promise, on your honor asgentlemen, to give me both my life and my liberty immediately."
"My very modest lackey, you greatly undervalue both your life and yourliberty, if you think you can buy them from me at so small a cost. No;you offer too little. The pleasure of killing you far exceeds that ofhaving your guidance. Now that we have happily met you, we know thatthere must be shelter, food, and drink somewhere near at hand. We canfind them for ourselves in as short a time, perhaps, as it would requireyou to take us there. We shall doubtless have the happiness of meetingthere your very gallant master and the lady whom he protects with yourarm and sword. Having robbed him of his means of guarding his lovelycharge, I shall in fairness relieve him of the charge."
I perceived here the opportunity of learning whether it was under thegovernor's orders, received through Montignac, that De Berquin pursuedmademoiselle while he came in quest of the Sieur de la Tournoire, orwhether it was on his own account.
"Your infatuation for this lady must be very great," I said, in a tonetoo low for his four followers to distinguish my words, "to lead you toforce your presence on her."
"_My_ infatuation!" he repeated, and then he laughed. "My very knowinglackey, if you were better informed of my affairs, you would know that aninfatuation for Mlle. de Varion i
s a luxury that I cannot at presentafford. A man who has lost his estates, his money, his king's favor, andwho has fled from his creditors in Paris to prey on the provinces, thinksnot of love, but of how to refill his pockets."
"Then it is not for love that you pursue Mlle. de Varion?" I said. Inow believed, as I had first thought, that the governor had changed hismind after ordering mademoiselle to leave the province, had decided tohold her in durance, and had commissioned De Berquin to detain her, aswell as to hunt down me. But I put the question in order to get furthertime for thought.
"For love, yes; but not for mine!" was the answer.
This startled me. "For that of M. de la Chatre?" I asked, quickly.
"You seem to be curious on this point," said De Berquin, derisively.
"If I am to die," I replied, "you can lose nothing by gratifying mycuriosity. If I am to live, I may be the better able to serve you if yougratify it."
"I am not one to refuse the request of a man about to die," he said, witha self-amused look. "It is not La Chatre, the superb, whose _amour_ Ihave come into this cursed wilderness to serve."
"Then who--?" But I stopped at the beginning of the question, as a newthought came to me. "The secretary!" I said.
"Montignac, the modest and meditative," replied De Berquin.
I might have thought it. What man of his age, however given to deepstudy and secret ambition, could have been insensible to her beauty, hergrace, her gentleness? Such a youth as Montignac would pass a thousandwomen indifferently, and at last perceive in Mlle. de Varion at firstglance the perfections that distinguished her from others of her sex.Doubtless, to him, as to me, she embodied an ideal, a dream, of which hehad scarcely dared hope to find the realization. Seeing her at the inn,he had been warmed by her charms at once. He had resolved to availhimself of his power and of her helplessness. Her father in prison,herself an exile without one powerful friend, she would be at his mercy.Forbidden by his duties to leave the governor's side, he could charge DeBerquin, in giving the latter the governor's orders concerning myself,with the additional task of securing the person of mademoiselle, that hemight woo her at his leisure and in his own way. The governor, readyenough to frighten into an unwarranted exile a woman whose entreaties hefeared, would yet not be so ungallant as to give her to his secretaryfor the asking. But Montignac might safely hold her prisoner, thegovernor would think that she had left the province, there would be noneto rescue her. Such were the acts, designs, and thoughts that Iattributed to the reticent, far-seeing, resolute secretary. All passedthrough my mind in a moment.
And now I feared for mademoiselle as I had not feared before. I neverfeared a man, or two men at a time, who came with sword in hand; but howis one to meet or even to perceive the blows aimed by men of thought andpower? Such as Montignac, inscrutable, patient, ingenious, strong enoughto conceal their own passions, which themselves are more intense and farmore lasting than the passions of a mere man of fighting, are not easilyturned aside from the quest of any object on which they have put theirdesires. One against whom they have set themselves is never safe fromthem while they live. Years do not make them either give up or forget.Montignac, by reason of his influence over the governor, had vastresources to employ. He could turn the machinery of government to his ownends, and the trustful governor not suspect. In that slim youth,smooth-faced, pale, repressed, grave, not always taking the trouble toerase from his features the signs of his scorn for ordinary minds, ascorn mingled with a sense of his own power and with a kind of derisivemirth,--in this quiet student I beheld an antagonist more formidable thanany against whom I had ever been pitted. In thinking of him, I came atonce to regard De Berquin, who still stood facing me with ready sword,and on his face the intention of killing me plainly written, as a veryinconsiderable opponent, even when backed by his four ruffians withtheir varied collection of weapons.
If I was to save Mlle. de Varion from the designs of the far-reachingsecretary, it was time that I eluded the danger immediatelyconfronting me.
For a few moments after De Berquin uttered the speech last recorded, Istood silent, my eyes meeting his.
"Come," he said, presently, impatiently giving several turns of his wristso that his sword-point described arcs in the air before my eyes. "Wewander from the subject. What service can you do me? Don't think you cankeep me talking until your party happens to come up. I intend to kill youwhen I shall have counted twenty, unless before that time you make itappear worth my while to let you live. One, two, three--"
His look showed that he had ceased to be amused at my situation. Alive, Ihad begun to bore him. It was time to make sure of his vengeance. His menstood on all sides to prevent my flight. At my least movement, he wouldthrust his rapier deep into my body. He went on counting. What could Ioffer him to make him stay his hand? Was there anything in the world thathe might desire which it would appear to be in my power to give him?
"Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen," he counted, taking exact note of thedistance between us.
As in a flash the idea came to me.
"Monsieur," I said, loudly, so as to be plainly heard above his ownvoice, "let me go and I will deliver to you the Sieur de la Tournoire!"
He had reached nineteen in his count. He stopped there and stared at me.
"The Sieur de la Tournoire," he repeated, as if the idea of his takingthe Sieur de la Tournoire were a new one.
"You speak, monsieur," said I, quietly, "as if you had not come to thesehills for the purpose of catching him."
He looked at me with a kind of surprise, but said nothing in reply to myremark. "It is natural," thought I, "for him not to disclose his purpose,even when there is no use for him to conceal it."
"I take La Tournoire?" he said, presently, half to himself. He stoodthinking for a time, during which I supposed that he was considering thepropriety of his personally making the capture, in view of the plan thatI had overheard Montignac suggest to the governor, namely, that the spyshould merely lure La Tournoire into an ambush where the governor'ssoldiers should make the seizure. The spy had doubtless received ordersstrictly in accordance with this plan, La Tournoire being considered toogreat game to be bagged by anything less than a company of soldiers.
"Why not?" said I. "Whoever does so will receive a good price inaddition to the gratitude of M. de la Chatre and that of the Duke ofGuise. Indeed, the feat might even win you back the King's favor, whichyou say you have lost."
"But suppose Montignac has other plans for the capture of this highlyvalued rebel?" said he.
"If he had," said I, thinking of the arrangement as to the ambush, "theywere made in the belief that La Tournoire was not to be taken by one manwith a few hired knaves. The captor of La Tournoire can afford to earnMontignac's displeasure by deviating from his orders. Should you takethis Huguenot, you would be in a position to snap your fingers atMontignac."
"But if it is in your power to give up La Tournoire, why do you not takehim and get the reward? Why have you not done so already?"
"For the very fact which puts it in my power to do so. I am of his party.I am his trusted counsellor, lackey that I pretend to be."
"I have, from the first, thought you a most exceptional lackey. But ifyou are of his party, and in his secrets, you must be a vile traitor togive him up. That being the case, you would not hesitate to lie to me.Indeed, even if it were not the case, you would not hesitate to lie tome, to save yourself or to gain time."
"As to my being a vile traitor, a man will descend to much in order tosave his life. As to my readiness to lie to you, it seems to me that,in the present situation, you are the one man to whom I cannot nowafford to lie. With your sword at my throat, it is much easier for meto be a vile traitor to La Tournoire than to lie to you. Besides, Ihave my own reasons for disliking him, notwithstanding that my causeand his are the same."
"And how do you propose to give him up to me?"
"By merely bringing him face to face with you."
"_Par dieu_! A charming proposition! How
do I know that you will not, inpretending to betray him to me, really betray me to him? Suppose you dobring him face to face with me, and his men are all around?"
"Only one of his men shall be present," I said, thinking of Blaise. "Hewill not come without this one man. As for the others of his band, notone shall be within a league."
"Himself and one man," said De Berquin, musingly. "That is to say, twovery able fighters."
"There are five of you."
"But this Tournoire is doubtless worth three men in a fight, and his manwill probably be worth two more. I don't think your offer sufficientlyattractive. I think I would do better to kill you. Certainly, there aremany reasons why you should die. If you should escape me now, as you areone of La Tournoire's people, you would immediately go to him and tellhim of my presence here. I do not choose that he shall know as much aboutme as you do."
"Can you suggest any amendment to my offer, so that it might be moreattractive?"
"If you could bring La Tournoire unarmed--"
"I will do that," I said.
De Berquin looked at me steadily for some time. At last he shook hishead and said:
"It is a fair bargain, as it now stands, but I see no way of yourcarrying out your part without putting me in danger of your betrayingme. To find La Tournoire, you would have to leave us. Once out of oursight, you would be free to ignore the contract, laugh at me for beingso easily gulled, and set La Tournoire and his men on me, which wouldentirely spoil my plans. Every minute I see more and more the necessityof killing you."
"But I shall find La Tournoire without going out of your sight," I said.
De Berquin again became thoughtful. Then he laughed.
"You mean that you would lead us up to his very den, where we should beat the mercy of his men," he said.
"I have already said that, with one exception, none of his men shall bewithin a league of where you are to meet him."
"I do not see how you are going to bring him so far from his men, if youdo not go for him."
"Leave that to me. I shall take you to a place where he will presenthimself unarmed. Excepting the man who will be with him, not one of hiscompany shall be within a league."
"Where is the place?" asked De Berquin, still smiling ironically.
"Not far from here. It is a place where you can get also wine and food."
"And how am I to know that this place is not a trap into which you wishto lead me?"
"You shall walk behind me with drawn sword and dagger. At the slightestsuspicious movement or speech that I make, you can easily kill me."
"That is true. Yet I might lose my own life the next moment. Who knowsbut that you are merely seeking to sell your life as dearly as possible,or but that you are aiming to gain time in the hope of some unexpectedoccurrence?"
"Monsieur," said I, "we both know that men cannot read the heart. Youcannot be sure whether or not I am lying. You indeed take the risk that Iwish to lead you where you will have to pay for my life with your own,and that I am trying to gain time; but, at the same time, there is thechance that I intend to keep my word, that I intend to present the Sieurde la Tournoire unarmed, and a league away from all his men but one. Isnot that chance worth the risk? Have you not gambled, monsieur?"
From the shrug of De Berquin's shoulders, I knew that he had gambled, andalso that my argument had moved him. But another doubt darkened his face.
"And if you do bring an unarmed person before me, how shall I know thatit is La Tournoire?" said he.
"He shall tell you so himself."
"Excellent proof!"
"What man but La Tournoire would risk his life by declaring himself to bethat proscribed gentleman?"
"One of his followers might do so, if he thought that he might so throwan enemy off La Tournoire's track."
"Then the possibility of my deceiving you on that point is but anadditional risk you run, in return for the chance of your bagging thereal game. Besides, I give you my word of honor that I will truly performall that I promise."
"The word of a lackey!" said De Berquin, derisively.
"Have you not yourself described me as an exceptional lackey?"
"Well, I love to take chances. And as you have given me your word, theword of an exceptional lackey, I give you my word, the word of agentleman, that if you set La Tournoire unarmed before me, with but oneof his men at hand, I will give you your life and freedom. But stay! Atwhat time am I to have the pleasure of meeting him?"
"When we hear the stroke of eight from the tower of the church inClochonne. The wind this evening is from that direction. It isagreed, then?"
"Agreed!" said De Berquin. "Jacques, give me your dagger. Now, MasterLackey, lead the way. Follow, you rascals, and be ready to knock down anyperson to whom I shall direct your attention."
And I turned and led the way to the road, followed closely by De Berquin,who held his sword in one hand and the dagger in the other. I heard theothers fall in line, and tramp their way through the brush behind him.Barbemouche must have been exceedingly surprised at his leader'sproceedings, for the conversation between De Berquin and myself had beenconducted in a tone too low for their ears.
When we reached the road, De Berquin ordered a halt. He then commandedBarbemouche to walk at my left side, and Francois to walk at my right, DeBerquin retained his place behind me, and the other two rascals followedhim. In this order we proceeded towards the inn.
My object in leading my enemies to the inn was to set them drinking. Aslong as the possibility of taking La Tournoire was before De Berquin,there was little likelihood that he would seek to molest Mlle. de Varion.In the first place, he could not take her from the vicinity while hehimself remained there awaiting the coming of La Tournoire. Secondly, hewould not court any violence during the time of waiting, lest he mightthereby risk his chance of taking La Tournoire. But it was necessary thatI should prevent his encountering Blaise or Hugo, for either one, onseeing me conducted by him as I was, might make some demonstration thatwould cause De Berquin to kill me immediately. I must contrive to keep myenemies from entering the inn, and yet to have them plied with drink.Therefore, I said, as we marched:
"Monsieur, we are approaching a kind of inn where there are to beobtained the food and drink that I promised. But in the house are somewho are devoted to the Sieur de la Tournoire. They are not any of hissoldiers, nor such as are to be feared in a fight. But if they saw youand your men, with me as a prisoner, they would certainly convey word toLa Tournoire or his band, and so it would be impossible for me to fulfilmy agreement. It is true that you would then kill me, but you would loseLa Tournoire, and have his followers soon on your heels. So it is bestthat we stop at some distance from the inn. You and I can steal up to aspot where I can quietly summon the hostess. She will do anything I ask.She will, at my order, secretly bring food and wine to the place ofwaiting, and will not betray our presence to those in the inn."
"It seems a good idea," said De Berquin; "but if you attempt to make afool of me--"
"You will, of course, instantly make a corpse of me, for you will be atmy side, and will hear every word that I speak to the hostess."
"Very well," he replied.
Having at last reached a little clearing by the roadside quite near theinn, but hidden from it by trees, I gave the word to stop. De Berquinordered his men to remain here, sheathed his sword, clutched me by thearm, and walked forward with me, his dagger held ready to be plunged intomy heart at the slightest cause.
I led him to the back of the inn, and we stood near the door of thekitchen, listening.
The gypsy was still playing, and every now and then there came anexclamation of approval from Biaise. I peered through a corner of thewindow. The clutch of De Berquin on my arm tightened as I did so. I sawthe gypsy man playing, Biaise and Hugo sitting with wine mugs beforethem, aid Godeau by the fire asleep, the gypsy girl with her head on thetable, she also asleep, and Marianne removing platters from the table.Jeannotte had doubtless gone up the ladder to her mistre
ss.
Presently Marianne came out with some bones of a fowl, to throwthem away.
"Marianne," I called, softly. "Not a word! Come here and listen."
With some astonishment she obeyed. De Berquin now held his drawn daggerunder his cloak, and his clutch on my arm, though tight, might yet appearto her that of a friend.
"Marianne," said I, "it is very important that no one within--no one,remember--shall know that this gentleman is with me. I have a seriousmatter to talk over with him at the clearing yonder, where four of hispeople now wait. No one is to know of their presence any more than ofhis. Bring plenty of wine to us there with what food you can get withoutexciting the curiosity of those inside. Do you understand? But not aword, even to me now."
She nodded her head, and went back into the kitchen. I knew that I couldrely on her. "Come, monsieur," I whispered to De Berquin, and we wentsilently back to the clearing.
The four rascals were seated on the ground, conversing in low tones. DeBerquin and I sat down in the midst of the group. The fellows went ontalking, regardless of the presence of their leader, who gave no heed totheir babble, except occasionally by a gesture to caution Barbemouche tolessen his volume of voice.
"I never knew an enterprise to run smoothly which had anything to do withwomen," Barbemouche was saying. "Where men only are concerned, one knowsexactly what to do, and makes no mistakes."
"You have a prejudice against the sex," put in the foppish fellow.
"_Par dieu_! I ought not to have!" answered Barbemouche. "I owe themtoo much for the many favors I've had from them. But they aremystifying creatures. To mistake a maid for her mistress is nothingremarkable. For that matter, I've known women of the lower orders whohad more airs than great ladies. I remember once, after having justmade an easy conquest of a countess, and become ennuied with her, Iturned my attention to the daughter of a pastry-cook in Paris. She dugdeep holes in my face for merely trying to kiss her. She had velvetlips, that girl, but what claws!"
The gaunt rascal, whom they called Francois, heaved a pensive sigh, as ifthis reminiscence awakened touching memories in him.
"And yet, to show the perversity of the sex," continued Barbemouche,"that same day I saw another man kiss her, and she gave him back twokisses for his one."
"Perhaps he was a handsome man," said the fat fellow, sagely.
"Yes," replied Barbemouche, ingenuously, "but no handsomer than I."
"At that time you were probably handsomer even than you are now," drylyobserved the gaunt man.
"You are right," said Barbemouche, "for I was young, and I did not havethis scar," and he thrust back the rim of his hat and laid his hand onhis forehead.
"In what fight with the watch did you get that?" inquired Francois.
"I got it as the Duke of Guise got his, fighting the enemies of thechurch, though not in the same battle. I received mine that St.Bartholomew's night when we made the streets of Paris flow with hereticblood. A cursed Huguenot gave it me, but I gave him another to matchmine, and left him for the crowd to trample over."
I gave a start, recalling the incident of which I had so recently heardthe account, and which seemed the counterpart of this.
At this moment, Marianne appeared at the bend of the road. She carrieda huge wooden platter, on which were a bowl of mulled wine, some mugs,and some cheese, bread, and scraps of cold meat. I afterward learnedthat she had begun to prepare this wine some time before, thinkingthat I and Blaise and the boys would want it after my return from mysearch for Pierre. Knowing Blaise's capacity, she had made ready sogreat a quantity.
Saying not a word, she set down the platter on the ground before me.
"That is well," I said. "Now go back to the inn and step often to thedoor, so that I can easily summon you again without attracting theattention of the others. And get more wine ready."
The woman nodded, and went back to the inn.
The four ruffians made an immediate onslaught on the platter. De Berquinand Francois ignored the food, that they might the sooner dip their mugsinto the bowl of wine. The other three speedily disposed of all theeatables, and then joined in the drinking. De Berquin, in order to grasphis mug, had let my arm go, but he retained his dagger in his other hand,and each of his followers used but one hand in eating or drinking,holding a weapon in the other.
"Look you, rascals!" said De Berquin to his men, presently. "Be carefulto keep your wits about you!"
"Rascals!" repeated the tall fellow, his pride awakened by his second mugof wine. "By the bones of my ancestors, it goes against me to be so oftencalled rascal!"
Barbemouche saw an opportunity to retaliate for the fun that had beenmade of his pretensions to beauty. "They whom the term fits," he growled,"ought not to complain, if I endure it, who am a gentleman!"
Instantly the bearded giant was on his feet, with his huge sword poisedin the air.
"Rascal yourself twice over, and no gentleman!" he cried, quivering withnoble wrath.
"What, you lank scarecrow!" said Barbemouche, rising in his turn, andrushing to meet the other.
Their fat comrade now rose and thrust his sword between the two, for thepurpose of striking up their weapons. The fop ran behind a tree, to besafe from the fracas.
At the instant when Francois was about to bring his great sword down onBarbemouche, and the latter was about to puncture him somewhere near theribs, there came the sound of the Angelus, borne on the breeze fromClochonne. The two antagonists stood as if transformed into statues,their weapons in their respective positions of offence. Each in his waymoved his lips in his accustomed prayer until the sound of the distantbell ceased.
"Now, then, for your dirty blood!" roared Barbemouche, instantly resuminganimation.
But his fat comrade knocked aside Barbemouche's sword, and at the sametime pushed Francois out of striking distance.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," cried the fat rascal, reproachfully, "would youspoil this affair and rob me of my share of the pay? God knows we are allgentlemen, and rascals, too!"
"Very well," said Barbemouche, relieved by his brief explosion of wrath,"this matter can wait."
"I can wait as well as another man," said Francois, with dignity,whereupon both men resumed their seats on the turf and their attentionsto the wine. The prudent Jacques returned to the circle, and De Berquin,who during the squabble had employed himself entirely in holding me fromany attempt at escape, looked relieved.
The effect of the wine on him was to make him merry, so that he sooninvited me to join in the drinking, and I made a pretense of doing so.When the bowl was empty, he went with me again to summon Marianne, whichwe easily did, as she was standing at the door awaiting my reappearance.She brought us another pot of wine, and left us as she had before done.De Berquin became more and more gaily disposed. He put no limit to thequantity imbibed by his men; yet he kept his eyes on me, and his daggerdangerously near my breast.
When we heard the clock in Clochonne strike seven, he said to his men:
"Straighten up, you dogs! In another hour we shall have work to do."Turning to me, he added, with a grin, "Either to chain that wild beast,La Tournoire, or to send the most entertaining of valets to find outwhether all that they say of purgatory and hell is true."
But he soon became so lax under the influence of the wine that he did notheed when the fat man and the ragged dandy dropped off to sleep andmingled their snores with the murmurs of the forest insects. He began tonarrate his adventures, amatory, military, bibulous, and other.Presently, for a jest, he drank the health of Henri of Navarre in returnfor my drinking that of the Pope.
By this time Barbemouche and gaunt Francois had added their breathings tothe somnolent choir.
"You are a mighty drinker, monsieur," I said to De Berquin, admiringly,at the same time refilling my own mug.
"Ask of the cabaret keepers of Paris whether the Vicomte de Berquin canhold his share of the good red vine-juice!" he replied, jubilantly,dipping his mug again into the pot.
I took a gu
lp from my mug and pretended to choke. In one of myconvulsive movements, I threw the contents of my mug into the eyes of DeBerquin. I followed it an instant later with the mug itself, and he fellback on the grass, half-stunned. In the moment when his grasp of my armwas relaxed, I slipped away from him, narrowly missing the wild daggerstroke that he made at me. A second later and I was on my feet. My firstact was to possess the weapons of Barbemouche and Francois, these twobeing nearest me. I then ran towards the inn, calling at the top of myvoice, "Blaise! To arms!"
Behind me I heard De Berquin, who had risen, kicking the prostrate bodiesof his men and crying:
"Up, you drunken dogs! We have been fooled! After him!"
Then I heard him running after me on the road, swearing terribly.
From the place where he had left his men, I could hear them confusedlyswearing and questioning one another, all having been rudely awakenedfrom sleep, two of them being unable to find their weapons, and noneknowing rightly what had occurred or exactly where their leader had gone.
Blaise came running out of the inn, with sword drawn. When he hadjoined me, I stopped and turned to face De Berquin. He was before meere I had time to explain to Blaise. In his rage, he made a violentthrust at me, which Blaise turned aside. De Berquin then leaped back,to put himself on guard.
At that instant, the first stroke of eight came from the distant towerof Clochonne.
"Filthy cur, you have lied to me!" cried De Berquin.
"Nay, monsieur," I answered, throwing from me the weapons of Barbemoucheand Francois, "I keep my word. I promised you La Tournoire unarmed.Behold him!"
And I stepped out from beside Blaise and stood with open arms.
"La Tournoire!" repeated De Berquin, taking a backward step and staringat me with open mouth.
"La Tournoire!" came in a faint, horror-stricken voice from behind me.
I turned and beheld mademoiselle, who had come out from the inn onhearing my call for Blaise. With her were Hugo and Jeannotte. Behind werethe inn-keepers and the gypsies. On mademoiselle's face, which waslighted by a torch that Hugo carried, was a death-like pallor, and such alook of horror, grief, and self-reproach, as I have never seen on anyother human countenance.
"Mademoiselle!" I cried, hastening to her side. "What is the matter?"
"'Tis but--surprise,--M. de la Tournoire!" she answered, weakly, raisingher hand feebly as if to keep me from approaching her, while her eyes,which were fixed on mine as by a terrible fascination, seemed to bestarting from her head. An instant later, she fell in a swoon, and I wasjust in time to save her from striking the ground and to pillow her headon my arm.
As for De Berquin, he had made a rush at me, but Blaise had repulsed himwith such fury that, seeing no hope of being joined by his men, he soonturned and fled.
I bore the senseless body of mademoiselle into the inn, vainly askingmyself why she had shown so profound a distress at my disclosure.