*CHAPTER X*
*Bluff*
A Stroll--A Fair Cook--Love and Duty--An Arrival--General vanSanten--Raiders--A Dozen all Told--Rallying the Peasants--DesperateCounsels--The Masqueraders--Strategy--A Ruse de Guerre--StageEffects--Final Touches--In Sight--At the Door--Ransom--A Turn of theScrew--Phantom Forces--Dilemma--Discretion--Courtesies
"Ah, my dear Monsieur Rochestair, pardon me for leaving you so long. Ihave been to prepare your room."
"Thank you indeed, Madame!"
"You were looking at the portrait? It is my dear husband. Is it not afine head? Can you imagine, after seeing it, that I could put thatodious captain in his place? Not that I should think every man badunless he resembled my husband. No, that would be unjust. But come andsee my garden, Monsieur Rochestair. It is beautiful outside now thatthe sun is going down."
"I shall be delighted. I have noticed how the scent of the flowerscomes to us here through the windows."
"Yes, I love flowers. Mynheer Grootz knows that."
Madame conducted Harry through the grounds. They were laid out withmore freedom than was usual in Holland, and reminded him at many a turnof well-tended parks at home. The house was surrounded by its garden;beyond this was an expanse of lawn and thin park bounded by a wall.Beyond this again, Madame de Vaudrey explained, lay the orchardbelonging to the far larger estate now owned by Monsieur de Polignac.At a considerable distance from the house on the eastern side Harryremarked a large open stretch of ground, roughly circular in shape,covered with grass that grew wild and was left uncropt, Across themiddle of it ran a ditch, now apparently dry, passing under the gardenwall and the road, and evidently connected with the canal. Near to thespot where the ditch disappeared beneath the wall stood a largedilapidated building, like the storehouse usually attached to a Dutchmill.
"You wonder at our neglect of this part of the grounds," said the ladywith a smile. "But that is our skating pond. In winter we open thesluices at the canal end of the ditch; it fills, the water overflows,and thus we flood the field. Then comes the frost, and we have, I think,the finest skating pond in Holland, and quite safe. We used to holdtournaments, people came from miles around; but alas! since thisterrible war has recommenced we have almost forgotten those pleasantsports of winter. I do hope it will soon come to an end. I never couldunderstand what men are fighting about. My dear husband used to speakof the balance of power; the French king wishes to rule everybody, hetold me; certainly King Louis is a bad man; he has behaved disgracefullyto us poor Huguenots; and I dare say you English are quite right inhelping the Dutch to punish him. But war is so terrible. My dearhusband was trying to invent something that would enable one army tomake another army senseless without killing them; I know nothing aboutit, but the idea was excellent; and if the truth were known I dare sayit was that odious Captain Aglionby who spoilt that too."
Thus the good lady kept chattering to Harry as she conducted him overher little estate. The evening was drawing rapidly in; a light mist wasrising, and Madame shivered a little as she turned back towards thehouse. A moment afterwards her daughter met her.
"Mother," she said, "you should not be out in the damp air. You know itis bad for you."
"Yes, my dear," replied Madame de Vaudrey, submitting to be enwrapped ina large woollen shawl which her daughter's fair hands wound about herhead and shoulders. "I have been showing Monsieur Rochestair our littleproperty--alas! soon to be ours no more. I told Monsieur why, Adele."
The girl's cheeks flushed, but she said nothing.
"I did not tell you, Madame," said Harry, "that I happen to knowsomething of Captain Aglionby."
"Indeed! nothing but what is perfectly odious, I am sure."
"I have reason to believe that he was concerned in an attempt to ship meto our plantations in Barbados. My man tells me----"
"Monsieur," interrupted the girl, "my mother is subject to chills. Youare staying with us to-night; will you hasten to the house with mymother and tell us the story at supper?"
"With pleasure, Mademoiselle."
Harry felt a little in awe of this very decisive young lady, with herscornful lip and clear uncompromising tones. She hurried in advance tothe house, and was waiting in the panelled dining-room when the othersappeared. The table looked very inviting with its spotless napery,shining plate, and vases of flowers, and Harry found the meal much tohis taste after the plain fare of Dutch hostelries. Besides such stapleviands as Westphalian ham and bag-puddings--one variety of these, filledwith raisins and spices, was excellent--there were dainty Frenchdishes--confections of fruit and cream which surprised even Madame laComtesse.
"Ah, you rogue!" she exclaimed; "I see now where you hid yourself thisafternoon."
"Mademoiselle likes cooking?" Harry ventured to say.
"By no means, Monsieur, I dislike it exceedingly."
"Oh!"
"I knew we had nothing ready, Mamma," added the girl, "and you would nothave liked Monsieur to think little of your hospitality."
During the meal Harry gave the ladies an account of himself, speaking ofhis early hopes and ambitions, his disappointments, the vain waiting fora message from Marlborough, the strange animus of the squire, thekidnapping, the interposition of Mynheer Grootz. His hearers weredeeply interested; even Mademoiselle, though she said little, and seemedto curl her pretty lip when her mother's curiosity or indignation showeditself in little vivacious exclamations,--Mademoiselle kept her eyesfixed on Harry as he spoke, though whenever he happened to glancetowards her she was looking away and appeared unconcerned.
"Ah, there now!" cried the comtesse, when Harry mentioned, without atrace of bitterness, Marlborough's failure to keep his promise; "that ismy lord duke's character. He is mean, he is selfish, he loves no one buthimself."
"And the duchess," put in Harry.
"But that is his duty. It is his duty to love his wife. I did not sayhe was a monster."
"Did you love papa from duty?" asked Adele simply.
"I never said that, Adele. Of course it is a woman's duty to love herhusband, but your dear father was so good, so kind, so fond of me thatno one could help loving him."
"Mynheer Grootz is good and kind, but you don't love him."
Madame de Vaudrey flushed.
"You say such odd things, Adele. I can't think how it is. I never saidsuch things when I was a girl. Mynheer Grootz is good, and kind; youare right; and if it were my duty----"
"Oh, Mamma," cried Adele, "do forget the word duty! I am sure none of useither loves or hates from duty.--Would Monsieur like some strawberriesand cream?"
Harry went to bed that night very well pleased with himself, hishostess, and her daughter. He liked the little, simple, talkativecountess; he was piqued by Adele's reserve, coolness, indifference--hehardly knew what to call it; the something which seemed to indicate thatHarry Rochester was a creature far too insignificant for the notice ofMademoiselle Adele de Vaudrey. "And she is clever, too," he thought."Faith, how she sent Aglionby to the right-about! Polignac is ascoundrel; what will they do if he turns them out? And how did he comeacross Aglionby? She will not marry him, at any rate; that's onecomfort."
It is very unromantic, but the truth must be told. Thoughts of Adele didnot keep Harry one instant from sleep. His bed was a darkmysterious-looking box, with brown damask curtains drawn closely roundit. Withdrawing the curtains, he saw a magnificent quilt of crimsonsatin, snowy sheets, a lace-trimmed pillow. He scrambled up, barkinghis legs against the high boards composing the sides, and the moment helaid his head on the pillow forgot Aglionby, Marlborough, Adele, andduty.
When Madame de Vaudrey bade good-night to her daughter she said:
"Eh bien, fillette; je l'aime, le bel Anglais. Il est brave,intelligent, modeste, parfaitement aimable, n'est-ce pas?"
"Oh, petite maman, que voulez-vous? Est-ce que je _dois_ l'aimer, moiaussi?"
And kissing her mother on both cheek
s Adele ran off laughing.
Harry was awakened in the morning by the loud singing of the birds. Hehad left his window wide open, and the scent of flowers and perfume fromthe fir wood at the extremity of the estate gave him fragrant greeting.He sprang out of bed, and stood at the window inhaling the lusciousodours, listening to the song of the birds and the incessant hoarsecroak of the frogs, gazing at the grass glistening with dew. "I shouldlike a week's holiday here," he thought. "Ay me! it is breakfast, andthen for Breda!"
But he had only just left his room when he heard below a violentclanging of the bell, followed by a strange voice speaking in the hall,and a hasty running to and fro. Hurrying downstairs, he met Adele deVaudrey at the foot of the staircase.
"Come with me, Monsieur," she said the moment she saw him. "Mamma isnot down yet."
She preceded him through the hall door, at which he now saw a lightcalash drawn up, and behind it ten horses, nine of them sat by Dutchdragoons, the tenth being the steed of the soldier who stood at thedoor, and whose voice it was that Harry had heard. From the horses,clouds of vapour rose into the fresh morning air; the pace had evidentlybeen forced. In the calash were two men: the elder, in the uniform of aDutch officer of high rank, reclined on the cushions, half-supported bya young aide-de-camp seated at his side. He was deathly pale; his eyeswere closed.
As Mademoiselle de Vaudrey, followed by Harry, came to the door of thecarriage, the aide-de-camp without changing his position addressed herin Dutch.
"It is as you see, mejjuffrouw. It is General van Santen; he isdesperately wounded. We hoped to reach Breda, but the general swooned afew minutes ago and I dare not drive farther."
"Bring him in at once," said Adele. "The soldiers can lift him. Nevermind about explanations now. One of the soldiers must ride on to thevillage for the meester; it is only half a league. Monsieur," sheadded, addressing Harry in her quick, decisive tones, "assist; I willwarn Mamma."
She ran back into the house. The inanimate general was carefullycarried into the hall. He was a fine soldierly man, with a strongrugged face of English rather than Dutch cast. Harry remembered thatMynheer Grootz had mentioned General van Santen as a friend of his, andone of the ablest and most trusted of the lieutenants of William ofOrange. Madame de Vaudrey had by this time come from above, and stoodin pale expectation. The general was laid upon a sofa in thereception-room, and Adele had already provided a basin of water and abottle of smelling-salts with which she endeavoured to revive thewounded officer.
"What is it?" cried Madame de Vaudrey, who had left these ministrationsto the hands of her capable daughter.
The aide-de-camp explained that General van Santen had left the Duke ofMarlborough's camp late at night on his way to the Hague. In the faintdawn he had suddenly come upon a French raiding-party which hadapparently made a dash from Lierre. It was known that Tserclaes hadadvanced from the main French army in order to protect Antwerp. Thegeneral had dashed through with his men, but not rapidly enough toescape a bullet which had lodged in his groin. With great difficulty hehad kept the saddle as far as the next village; but there, exhausted bythe effort and by loss of blood, he had been placed in a hastilyprepared carriage and driven on in the hope of arriving at Breda in timeto warn the garrison. His wound had proved even more serious than wassupposed; he had lost consciousness, and his aide-de-camp had deemed itnecessary to halt at the first house and ask for assistance.
"In what direction are the raiders coming?" asked Harry.
"In this direction, Mynheer," replied the aide-de-camp.
"And how far away were they when this happened?"
"About ten miles."
"So they may be here within an hour?"
"If they ride on at once, but they will probably stop to plunder."
"Can they be checked?"
"Alas, Mynheer! there is no force near at hand."
"Surely they will raise the country?"
"But they are mounted, and the country people cannot cope with them.Even if the news is carried to Helmund there are none but burghersthere, and they are useless against cavalry, except behind their ownwalls."
"And how many do the raiders number?"
"More than a hundred, as I judge, Mynheer."
Madame de Vaudrey stood in agitated silence while this rapid colloquywas in progress. Adele was still bathing the wounded man's temples; noone present had sufficient knowledge to attempt more than the roughestof means to bind the wound. In a few minutes the general opened hiseyes.
"Where am I?" he asked, feebly.
"In the house of Madame de Vaudrey," said that lady.
"How far from where I was shot?"
"Only a few miles," replied the aide-de-camp.
"Then someone must ride to Breda for help, and take my despatches. Theymust be at the Hague to-night."
"I will write a note to the commandant," said the aide-de-camp, "andsend one of the troopers."
"No, no, lieutenant, you must ride yourself. I can't trust thedespatches to a trooper."
"But I do not care to leave you, general."
"It is my wish. The enemy can only capture me, but they may dounheard-of mischief around. Delay no longer: ride fast."
The exertion of talking was too much for him, and he swooned again.Loth as he was to go, the aide-de-camp could not ignore the general'sexpress instructions. Before leaving he took Harry aside and asked himto consider himself in command of the troopers.
"You're not strong enough to beat off the enemy," he said, "but it willbe well for the men to have someone to look to in emergency. Don't letthe general fall into the enemy's hands if you can help it."
Harry hesitated. His first duty was undoubtedly to secure the safety ofthe convoy, for the sake both of the Breda garrison and Mynheer Grootz.On the other hand, he scouted the idea of deserting the ladies in theirpredicament. Further, the raiding-party were upon the road behind him;they had clearly swept round Eyndhoven, avoiding Helmund, and in allprobability were on the heels of the general. Even if he got his convoysafely away from the village it could only move at a walking pace. Inan hour or two it must be overtaken, and he would thus do no good eitherfor himself or the ladies by instant flight. He therefore made up hismind to remain at Lindendaal, and assured the aide-de-camp that he woulddo his best. But when the lieutenant had ridden off, and Harryreflected on the position of the ladies, he thought it worth while tosuggest that they should start at once for Breda in order to be out ofharm's way. Adele answered at once for her mother.
"Impossible, Monsieur! We cannot leave the general; we will not leavethe house. Consult your own duty."
Her tone was not to be gainsaid. Harry went into the hall, wonderingwhat he could do for the best. He met Sherebiah at the door.
"Eh, sir, 'tis a pretty pickle o' fish."
"What are we to do, Sherry?"
"As a man o' peace, I say cut and run."
"Can't we defend the house?"
"Wi' ten Dutch dragoons and a gardener and a maid or two? And twohundred French, so 'tis said!"
"But men will come in from the villages round."
"Ay, on foot, and with pitchforks and flails. Not much good againstswords and carbines."
At that moment a man galloped up from a village some eight miles downthe road, with news that the French were already sacking and burning.They had first demanded a ransom, and the sum required not beingforthcoming within the short time allowed, they had begun their ruthlesswork. A few moments afterwards one of Harry's teamsters rode up on acart-horse. He had heard the news from the aide-de-camp as he passedthrough the village where the convoy had put up for the night, and comeback to ask for orders. Harry caught at the chance of delay. TheFrench, it appeared, first demanded a ransom; could they be put off andtime be gained for relief to arrive? The question suggested a plan thatmight be tried in default of a better.
"Ride back, Piet," said Harry, "and bring up the wagons as fast as youcan, and as many of the villagers as you
can muster--with arms, if theyhave them."
His idea was to barricade the road; every minute's delay was a minutegained, and as the news spread he believed that the Hollanders hadcourage and spirit enough to strike a blow in defence of their homes.In point of fact, Piet had hardly departed to fulfil his errand whenDutchmen came up in ones and twos and threes, some on great lumberingfarm-horses, others on foot, all hastening towards Breda in the hope ofescaping the devouring French behind them. A few had firelocks, somehad bills, others staggered along under the burden of householdvaluables they hoped to save from ruin. Harry set Sherebiah tointercept them all as they came up and to bring them within the grounds,and as their number swelled he reverted to his original idea ofdefending the house.
It was a counsel of desperation. The house had several entrances, eachone of which must be manned; it was too large to be held by so small agarrison. The outhouses would afford cover to an attacking force.Including the ten dragoons, there were only at present fourteenwell-armed men among the ever-growing crowd; he could not improvisearms, and little effective work was to be expected from an untrainedrabble, however courageous, pitted against regular troops. Further, todefend the house from within would inevitably lead to its being firedand blown up, and Madame de Vaudrey would profit not a jot. If thehouse was to be saved it must be by preventing the enemy from reachingit. What chance was there of effectually barring the road against theraiders? He went out to investigate.
As he reached the park gate he was met by two men who had just come onfoot from the village. One was a yeoman, the other a soldier belongingto some infantry regiment--a man probably on furlough. Harry was struckby the similarity of their costumes. Their hats were almost alike;their doublets and knee-breeches of similar dark materials; but for thered collar and the bands around the sleeves, there was very little at adistance to distinguish the soldier from the civilian. A sudden notionflashed through Harry's mind. It was a chance in a thousand; the riskswere great; the odds were all against success; but on the other sidethere was the imminent danger of destruction to the house, ruin to theowners, the capture of the Dutch general, and the subsequent burning ofthe village.
"We'll try it," he said to himself. "Sherry, send every man up to thehouse, and let me know the instant our wagons appear."
"Ay, I will, sir.--'Tis a pretty ticklish time o' day for a man o'peace," he muttered under his breath.
Harry ran back to the house. The doctor from the village overtook himon horseback, and they entered together. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey showedsome surprise when she saw Harry, but she made no comment.
"Mademoiselle," said Harry, "the general is in good hands now. May Iask your assistance?"
She gave him a keen glance, rose at once from her knees, and followedhim from the room.
"Mademoiselle," continued Harry eagerly, "have you any red ribbon, silk,stuff, anything, in the house?"
"Perhaps. Why do you ask?"
"Will you find all that you can, and with your maids sew red bands roundthe collars and cuffs of the men?"
"To make them look like soldiers--is that what you mean?"
"Yes," replied Harry, delighted that she seized his meaning so quickly.
"I will do so at once. Send the men to the hall."
Harry next called up old Jean, and bade him fetch the gardener. Whenthe man appeared, Harry asked him to gather as many sticks as he could,by preference wood with the bark on, about five feet in length, andstack them at the back door. A few minutes afterwards a message reachedhim from Sherebiah that the wagons had arrived. He ran upstairs and,regardless of ceremony, called out: "Mademoiselle de Vaudrey!"
Adele came out of a room, holding a strip of red ribbon.
"Mademoiselle," said Harry, "I must go to the gate. Will you make everyunarmed man look as much like a soldier as possible, and see that eachis provided with one of the sticks that the gardener is now collecting?"
"Yes. Is there anything else?"
"Is it possible to run up a flag on the belfry-tower?"
"If you say it is to be done, it shall be done."
"I do not want the flag hoisted at present; but if you will prepare todo so----'
"Very well," interrupted the girl.
Harry thanked her with a look, and ran downstairs three steps at a time.He called to one of the dragoons to accompany him, and hastened again tothe gate, meeting on the way several men whom, in obedience to hisinstructions, Sherebiah had sent up from the road.
"Sherry," he said, "ask this fellow if a cavalry troop on the march ispreceded by an advance guard. He won't understand my Dutch."
"I can tell 'ee that," said Sherebiah instantly. "They do so. A patrolgoos ahead, mebbe a quarter of a mile."
"Oh! Now, mark my plan. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey is making some of theDutchmen look like soldiers; we've no muskets for them, but at adistance I hope sticks may serve as well. I am going to post thesemake-believe soldiers around the wall of the estate among the trees; itwill look as if the orchard and woods are manned. They will remainconcealed until a flag appears on the tower; then their suddenappearance will, I trust, make an impression."
"Ay, sir, 'tis famous. But if the patrol gets much past the house,'twill be labour lost, for they will be near enough to see 'tis all myeye."
"Yes, that must be avoided. What can be done?"
"I tell 'ee, sir. Leave three o' the wagons on the road, half a mile orso towards the village, where the road bends; I reckon Piet and Hans andme can keep any French patrol a-diddle-daddlen until the flag runs up.Then--do 'ee see, sir?--dragoons slip out of copse and trounce theFrenchmen, Piet and me and Hans draws the wagons across the road: andthere be a barricade."
"A capital notion! I will leave that to you, then.--Ah! here is a manfrom the other direction. He may have news of the enemy."
A countryman, with his wife and family, had just driven up in a cart.From him Harry learnt that the French were sacking isolated farms on theroad, and might be expected within the hour. Harry at once went back tothe house, ran up the stairs, and again called for mademoiselle.
"May I go up to the roof and see if I can descry the enemy?" he asked.
"I will take you."
She led the way to the turret stair, and in a few moments Harry stoodupon the roof, whence on fine days a clear prospect for many miles couldhave been obtained. The morning was somewhat overcast, and the hazelimited his view. But in one quarter he seemed to see a blackness thatcould only arise from the smoke of burning houses. Between him and thecloud appeared the gables of a house larger than Madame de Vaudrey'schateau.
"That belongs to Monsieur de Polignac," said Adele in reply to hisquestion.
"The French will come to that first; that will gain a little time forus."
At that moment his eye caught the large barn-like building at theextremity of the Vaudrey estate, just beyond the ditch running into thecanal. In a flash a new idea set his pulse leaping. Hitherto his onlyaim had been to delay or daunt the enemy until help could arrive fromBreda or some nearer point. But the recollection of what he had seenwhen going round the estate on the previous evening suggested a daringscheme which made him tingle with excitement. Adele looked at him insilent curiosity as he stood for a few moments pondering the situation.Then he turned suddenly to her.
"Mademoiselle, who opens the sluices of the ditch when you make yourskating-pond?"
"Jacques the gardener."
"Thank you! I will go to him."
He turned at once to descend. As he came to the head of the staircasehe noticed a mass of coloured stuff lying at the foot of the belfry.
"Ah, the flag!" he said. "Thank you, Mademoiselle!"
A glance upward assured him that the running-line was in order; thenwithout another word he went down. Finding the gardener, he hurriedwith him to the park entrance. His wagons were drawn up outside. Heordered three of his teamsters to drive their carts into the thicketbeyond the outbuilding down the road.
"Th
e enemy will have a rearguard," he said. "As soon as that has wellpassed, bring your wagons into the road and block it between the walland the canal. I will send a dozen men and two of the dragoons toremain in hiding with you. Now, Jacques, go to the ditch and open thesluices. How long will it take to flood the field to a depth of sevenor eight inches?"
"Not more than half an hour, Monsieur."
"Very well. Stay; have you a boat anywhere on the estate?"
"A punt, Monsieur. I go to market in it on the canal."
"Where is it?"
"In the old barn yonder, Monsieur."
"Bring it out and float it in the ditch half-way across the field. Moorit so that it doesn't drift."
The man hurried away.
"'Tis all ready, sir," said Sherebiah, coming up. "The road is blockedtowards the bend, and the men be hidden in the wood. Med I ask, sir, ifshouten would be any use?"
Harry smiled.
"We found it useful once, eh, Sherry? Certainly; when you see the flaggo up, the more noise you make the better, especially if you can make adin with garden tools, or anything of steel."
"Trust me, sir; I ha'n't served wi' a travellen show for nothen. I'llshow 'em the way, ay sure."
"Mind, not a movement till you see the flag. Now, to your places."
He returned once more to the house. Adele met him at the door.
"I have done all you said. Is there anything more that I can do?"
"Thank you, Mademoiselle! nothing, I think. I wish to see Madame deVaudrey now."
They went together into the reception-room. The general had recoveredconsciousness, and lay prone on the couch. The doctor was at the windowtalking to Madame de Vaudrey, who was clearly in a state of intenseagitation.
"Oh, Monsieur Rochestair," she said as Harry entered, "have they senthelp to us yet?"
"No, Madame, I fear there has scarcely been time."
"What shall we do? what shall we do? I fear we shall all be ruined."
"Pray calm yourself, Madame," said Harry quietly. "Doctor, is itpossible to remove the general to another room?"
"I do not advise it. He is comfortable; I hope he will sleep."
"Meester, let us take him to the dining-room," said Adele in Dutch.
"It would be a pity, and----"
"Do you wish it, Monsieur?" she interrupted, turning to Harry.
"Yes, Mademoiselle."
"Then he shall be removed. Meester, be so good as to have the generalremoved at once. The men can lift sofa and all."
Adele herself called four men in from the front of the house, and thegeneral was quickly carried across the hall into the dining-room. Harrywas left with the two ladies.
"Madame," he said, "will you remain here with Mademoiselle? Be seated;take up your needle-work; try to look as though there were nothing tofear."
"How can I? how can I? when every moment I fear to see my house inflames."
"Mamma," said Adele, "it is necessary. Monsieur is planning to save us;we must help him. Come, I will fetch your spinning-wheel. Monsieur, wewill do our best, I give my promise."
"Thank you, Mademoiselle! When the French arrive, an officer willenter; I will bring him in here; show no concern; leave the rest to me."
He went out, sent into the woods all the men who were still about thehouse save two of the dragoons, whom he placed in a cloak-room off thehall. Then he ran up again to the roof.
Looking eagerly down the road, he caught sight of four horsemenapproaching at a trot. They were about a mile away. Beyond them theroad was concealed from view by a clump of trees. He saw at a glancethat Jacques had fulfilled his instructions to the letter. Where halfan hour before had been a bare field there was now what appeared to be abroad lake, with a solitary punt floating at about the middle of itssurface. Scanning the boundaries of the estate he failed to descry asingle human figure. He drew a long breath; all his preparations werecomplete; what would be the outcome?
The four riders were drawing nearer, and behind them he now saw thehelmets and lances of the main body. They were as yet too far away forhim to estimate their number. Taking care to keep out of sight himself,he watched the patrol of four, and saw two of them dismount at the oldbarn and enter.
"They have left Monsieur de Polignac for the present," he said tohimself. "I wonder why."
After a few minutes the two horsemen emerged from the building,remounted, and rode on with their companions. Then Harry slipped downthe stairs, instructed old Jean, who was trembling in the hall, toconduct to the reception-room any soldier who came to the door, and thenwalked quietly in and rejoined the ladies.
"They are coming?" said Adele.
"Yes. They will be here in a minute."
Madame de Vaudrey gave a gasp and let her hands fall to her sides.Adele jumped up, slipped a skein of wool over her mother's hands, sat ona stool opposite her, and began to wind the wool into a ball. A fewseconds later the clatter of hoofs and the clank of sabres came fromwithout. Then a heavy tread was heard in the hall, and a loud voicecalled for the master of the house. There was a moment's pause; Jeanopened the door, stood on one side, and in a quavering voice announced:
"Madame, Monsieur demande----"
His voice broke, he could say no more. The ladies looked up, Madame deVaudrey with pale cheeks and twitching lips, Adele with unmovedcountenance and stony stare. After one glance she placidly resumed herwinding; Harry, with his hands in his pockets, strolled over from thewindow.
"Well, my man, what do you want?" he said.
The sergeant involuntarily saluted. He looked by no means comfortable.His eyes went from one to another of the silent group.
"Monsieur--Mesdames----" he began; then, recovering his self-possessionand putting on a swaggering air, he continued: "To resist is vain. Thecommandant will decide. I have warned you, Mesdames--Monsieur."
"It is very good of you," said Harry blandly. "Your boots are markingthe carpet; perhaps you will wait outside."
The man's cheeks purpled; without another word he abruptly turned andwent out. At the front door he stationed two of his companions, androde back to meet the advancing troop, the sounds of whose approach werenow echoed from the surrounding woods. From the window Harry saw thesergeant make his report to the officer at their head. The commandantsmiled and rode on. Two minutes later his spurs rang on the stone steps,and Jean showed him into the room.
"Madame, voila encore un visiteur."
In obedience to a hint from Adele, Madame de Vaudrey rose and made acurtsy. Harry smiled as he saw Adele's low mocking obeisance. Theofficer doffed his cocked hat, laid it with both hands upon his heart,and bowed.
"Madame--Mademoiselle--Monsieur," he said.
He was a tall, stout, florid man of some forty years, with large noseand bloated cheeks. His costume was very rich, plentifully bedeckedwith gold lace and decorations, spick and span in all its appointments."More like a courtier than a soldier," was Harry's first impression. Hisfew words of salutation had been uttered in a strong German accent.
"Madame, Monsieur," he said, "I have the honour to be a colonel ofdragoons in the service of his highness the Elector of Cologne, who, asyou are doubtless aware, is in alliance with His Majesty of France. Iregret exceedingly to have to discommode you; it is a painful duty; butwhat would you?--war is war. My duty, Madame, Monsieur, is to levycontributions on the enemy's country. Alas! that I am obliged to treatyou, Madame, Monsieur, Mademoiselle, as enemies, but duty is duty. Notfor all the world would I render it more disagreeable than necessary tosuch charming ladies, and to your excellent son, Madame; but I mustrequest you to hand over to me five thousand florins--that, I am sure,you will regard as a most modest estimate of the value of yourdelightful house. I regret that I can allow only five minutes for thecompletion of this little transaction; in five minutes, Madame,Monsieur, with five thousand florins I pass on with my men. It pains meto say it, but if the money, or its equivalent--in plate or jewels,Madame, what you ple
ase--is not forthcoming within five minutes, I mustwith the very greatest regret take what I can find and burn the place.The notice is short, it is true; but Madame will understand; we soldiershave no time to spare, and my orders are positive; every house that isnot ransomed is to be burned. Ah!" he ejaculated as he caught sightthrough the window of smoke in the distance, "I fear my men have alreadyset fire to your barn. It is an excess of zeal, but, as the proverbsays, the appetite grows with eating; we have had to light many suchbonfires of late!"
This speech had been delivered with the greatest deference. At itsconclusion the colonel lugged out a big timepiece, and held it open inhis left hand.
"From now five minutes, Madame, Monsieur."
Madame de Vaudrey had listened with terror in her eyes. She wasbeginning to speak, but Adele called suddenly "Mamma!" in a warningtone, and the lady sank back in her chair, looking at Harry as headvanced a step or two towards the officer. Harry's throat feltsomewhat dry; his heart was thumping unpleasantly; but he was to allappearance perfectly self-possessed as he said:
"Mademoiselle, will you see what can be done?" adding in an undertonethe two words, "the flag!"
Adele nodded.
"Pardon, Monsieur." She curtsied to the officer as she went past himinto the hall.
"Before discussing the amount of our contribution, Monsieur le Colonel,"said Harry, "may I enquire by what right you make this demand?"
The officer looked him up and down.
"Certainly, you may enquire, Monsieur. I answer: by the right of ahundred sabres, and the practice of war. In my turn, may I beg of you tolet this explanation suffice. Time presses. But for the presence ofMadame"--he bowed to Madame de Vaudrey--"I should have regarded yourquestion as a mere impertinence, and treated it--and you--accordingly."
Madame de Vaudrey looked anxiously from one to the other, and heaved asigh of relief as Adele returned and resumed her seat by her mother'sside.
"I marvel, Monsieur," said Harry, after a quick exchange of glances withthe younger lady, "that a soldier of your rank and experience,acquainted with the practice of war, should, in your unfortunateposition, permit himself such language."
"Comment! My unfortunate position!" The big man swelled, his redcheeks empurpled. Turning to the ladies he said: "Is the young manmad?"
"You shall judge, Monsieur," said Harry quietly. "Do me the favour toplace yourself at the window."
He had just caught sight of one of the colonel's dragoons galloping upthe drive towards the house.
"That is one of your hundred sabres, I presume. He is hastening toinform you that he has met Dutch troops belonging to General van Santenhalf a mile up the road. In the other direction--this way, Monsieur--youcan just see our men barring your retreat. You observed, no doubt, acanal on your left as you rode along; it is twenty feet deep; and if youwill condescend to come to the back windows"--the captain followed himas in a daze--"you will see a large Dutch force occupying yonder woods,which, save the lake on our right, are your only line of retreat."
The colonel's astonishment was no greater than Madame de Vaudrey's. Sherose from her chair and moved towards the window, but was checked byAdele's restraining hand. The girl's eyes were shining, a spot of redburned on either cheek. The colonel stared and stared at Harry, whostood with a slight smile upon his lips, at the ladies, at the figureswhich appeared among the trees beyond the wall--heads and shoulders,with cocked hats and red collars, and at every shoulder a musket.
"Comment! comment!" he spluttered; then without another word he hurriedfrom the room, followed by Harry, just in time to meet the dragoon atthe outer door. The man saluted.
"Mon Colonel," he said in a fluster, "there is a barricade at the bendin the road half a mile beyond us held by Dutch troops. My comradeGustave was knocked off his horse by----"
"Donnerwetter!" cried the colonel, relapsing into his native language.He sprang heavily into his saddle on the charger held in waiting by oneof his troopers.
"I suppose, Monsieur le Colonel," said Harry carelessly at his elbow,"you are counting the cost of resistance?"
The officer was looking anxiously and indecisively about him, clearly ata loss what course to take, but as clearly eager to make a fight of it.
"I must warn you, Monsieur," added Harry, "that the least resistancewill rob you of all chance of quarter. The whole countryside is rousedto fury by the news of your exploits. My general has with him not onlyhis own men but a large force of peasants from the villages. If itcomes to a fight, he may not have the power, even if he had theinclination, to protect you from their vengeance. They are barbarous intheir methods, these peasants; but then, as you know, Monsieur, theyhave been provoked."
At this moment there was a sharp report. A cornet of the French horse,seeing the barricade of carts suddenly run across the road by the barn,had sent a party of his men back to investigate. One of the troopers asthey approached was shot from behind the barricade and fell from hishorse. The echo of the shot had hardly died away when there came tworeports from the barricade up the road, accompanied by a faint shout.The colonel gathered up the reins; a dragoon came galloping up the drivecrying:
"Mon Colonel, we are surrounded!"
"Mon Colonel, we are surrounded!"]
"You see, Monsieur," continued Harry, "you are in a ring fence. It isfor you to make your choice, and at once, between surrenderand--annihilation."
Harry had not misjudged his man. Utterly bewildered, the colonel gazed,like a caged animal, helplessly around him. At the end of the drive hismen could be seen rigid and expectant. Behind him, beyond the wall, hesaw the figures as he supposed of Dutch troops armed, and with all theadvantage of position. The sun, breaking through the clouds, glintedupon steel which, at the distance, he could not be expected to recognizeas bill-hooks, pruning-knives, and whatever other implements thepremises had afforded. At a little distance down the road he saw,through gaps between the trees that lined the wall, his patrol gallopingback to the main body. Trying to collect himself, he at length set offat a slow trot towards the gate. Harry at once signed to the two Dutchsoldiers hidden in the cloak-room to come out, and ordered them to standat attention one on either side of the door. The leader of the Frenchpatrol pulled his horse up on its haunches at the road end of the drive.
"The road is blocked, mon Colonel," he said, "with a barricade of cartsand beams held by a strong force of the enemy. We cannot estimate theirnumbers; they keep under cover; but one of the men is killed by theirfire, and by their shouts there must be at least a hundred."
Without a word the colonel rode across to the brink of the canal. Thelowness of the water and the height of the bank showed at a glance thatany attempt to swim his horses across would be disastrous; they couldnever scramble up the opposite side. The men might cross and crawl up,but a moment's reflection showed what the fate of a small body of menwould be, retreating on foot through a hostile country. The colonellooked down the road; the blazing barn inspired uncomfortable thoughts.He had seen many such conflagrations of late, and knew well that thepeasants would take a full toll of revenge if he fell into their power.Wheeling round, he for the first time caught sight of the two Dutchsoldiers standing behind Harry on the steps of the house. This seemedto bring home to him the hopelessness of his position; muttering a cursehe walked his horse slowly up the avenue. Harry came forward to meetthe scowling officer.
"It is the fortune of war, Monsieur. I see you have chosen the wisercourse. You surrender to superior numbers. I am authorized by mygeneral to accept your surrender. You will receive honourabletreatment; he knows how to appreciate a gallant warrior; but thepeasants----"
The colonel tried to smile.
"I am concerned--I say it frankly--for the safety of my men. With yourtroops,"--he shrugged--"we might take our chance; but your peasants,your burghers--parbleu! we know them; they are savages, they are tigers.To whom, Monsieur, have I the honour of yielding my sword?"
"Immediately, Monsieur,
to me; my name is Harry Rochester, an Englishmanat present in the--in the Dutch service; ultimately to General vanSanten, to whom I shall have the honour to introduce you in a fewminutes. Now, Monsieur le Colonel, you will direct your men to ride upthe avenue, dismount, stack their arms in front of the house, and fastentheir horses to the garden palings behind. Sergeant," he added, turningto one of the sentinel dragoons, "ride at once to the general andacquaint him that Monsieur le Colonel----"
"Baron von Schummelpincken."
"That the Baron von Schummelpincken has surrendered. Send a dozen men totake charge of the horses. In twenty minutes we shall be in camp."