CHAPTER XVIII.
THE MOUSTACHES OF BRIGNAN DE BRIGNAN
My father, the leader of the guardsmen, and several of his men walked,while I rode, to the nearby edge of encircling woods, the defeatedrobbers bearing the young tree-trunk. Here my father and the guardsmenmounted, their horses having been tied to the trees. A pair of pannierscontaining wine, bread, and cold meat, was placed across my father'shorse, a very strong animal, and, torches being lighted, we proceededthrough the forest. The guide led, being attached to a halter, of whichthe commander of the guardsmen held the loose end. After the commander,my father and I came, and behind us the burdened prisoners, who wereflanked and followed by the other guardsmen.
On the way, I told my father who it was that lay in the tower, and gavehim a brief account of my whole adventure at Lavardin and in the forest.He applauded my conduct, though counselling me in future to look wellbefore I leaped; and he approved of my offer to the Countess of thehospitality of La Tournoire.
"But what still makes me wonder," said I, "is that you should have foundme here, so far from Paris, whither you knew I was bound, and fromVendome, whither Nicolas must have told you I was going."
"But in truth my being here is very simple," said he. "As soon asNicolas came back to La Tournoire with your message the day after youset out, I started for Paris to solicit your pardon for the affair at LaFleche. Six days later I presented myself to the Duke de Sully, whoimmediately took me for an audience of the King. There was a deal oftalk about the scandalous disregard of the edict against duels, thegreat quantity of good blood wasted almost every day, the too frequentgranting of pardons, and all that. But in the end Henri would not refuseme, and I have your pardon now in my pocket. But you must not be rashanother time: I promised for you, and assured the King you were nofire-eater and had received great provocation."
"Trust me to be prudent," said I.
"Good! As you had not yet arrived in Paris," continued my father, "Isupposed you had been delayed at Vendome, whither, as you say, Nicolastold me you were going. So I thought I would start for home by way ofVendome, as you might still be there and perhaps in some scrape orother, or I might meet you on the road between there and Paris. I stayedovernight in Paris, as the Duke had invited me to wait upon him the nextday. I went and was very well received. As I was about to take my leave,I mentioned that I was going to travel by Vendome. 'Ah,' said the Duke,'then, if you wish, you may take a hand in a little affair which will belike an echo of the old busy days.' I opened my eyes at this, and theDuke told me that evidence had just been brought by one of his spies,which warranted the arrest of a powerful malcontent in the neighbourhoodof Vendome, who had long been under suspicion,--in short, the Count deLavardin. A party of royal guards was about to be sent off at once totake him in his chateau at Montoire, four leagues beyond Vendome, and Imight go with them as a volunteer, or in any case I might have theircompany on my journey. I was quite ready for any affair that had a tasteof the old service in it, especially as these treasonable great lordssometimes make a stout resistance in their chateaux. And so I had thehonour of being introduced to these gentlemen and becoming for the timetheir comrade. That same afternoon I set out with them for Montoire, andwe arrived there last Sunday."
"Ah! you must have passed through Vendome while we were in seclusionthere."
"No doubt. That Count's business had to be attended to before he gotwind of our arrival, and so there was no time for inquiring about you atVendome. We came upon the Count and a party of attendants in the road,not a quarter of a league from his chateau. As we heard at the chateauafterwards, he had been searching the roads far and wide for his wife,who had fled from his cruelties. He had the daring to resist arrest, andthere was some fighting, in which he was killed. It appears that thefight and his fall were seen by watchers from the tower of his chateau,and before we could arrive at that place his accomplice, this CaptainFerragant, who was in the chateau at the time, made his escape. As soonas we got to the chateau, we heard of this, and, as the Captain also waswanted, there was nothing to do but give chase. A few of the guardsmenwere left to hold the chateau in the King's name, and the rest of us,with no more than a sup and a bite, made off after this Captain. He hadso many followers with him, that he was not difficult to trace, and fortwo days we kept his track, until we lost it at the edge of this forest.From what we learned at Chateaudun, we guessed that his refuge wassomewhere in the forest. That was yesterday afternoon: we at once brokeup into small parties to search the forest, planning to reunite at achosen place to-day at noon."
"It was one of those parties that saved the Countess from the robbers,"said I gratefully.
"Ay, and there your story crosses mine. As for the ruffians who attackedthe Countess, they escaped without affording a clue to the Captain'swhereabouts,--for doubtless they were of his band, though this was notcertain. When our parties met to-day, one of them brought a forester whooffered to show the way to the Captain's hiding-place if he were allowedto leave before coming in sight of it. We made full preparations, andyou know the rest. At first we thought our forester had fooled us, andthat the place we had come to was what it appeared, a solitary farmsteadin a clearing of the forest. But in such a case, it is always best tomake sure, and faith, that is what we did. So you see I chanced to findyou all the sooner for not having had time to look for you. But indeedit was a timely meeting."
In about an hour after the time of starting, we came to a clear space,in the midst of which was the tower we sought. We could see it by thestarlight before we drew near with our torches. We all dismounted, andwith a fast-beating heart, I found the door. It was still locked.Listening at the key-hole, I could hear no sound. I called out, "Louis!"thinking she would understand I had company to whom her sex need not beknown. I wished to warn her of our assault upon the door, so that shemight stay clear of danger thereby. But no answer came, though I calledseveral times. I was now in great fear lest she had died. My father, whoread my feelings in my face, suggested that she might have fallen intovery deep unconsciousness, and that the best thing to do was to break inthe door forthwith, as carefully as possible, trusting she might not bewhere there was chance of anything striking. As the place where I hadleft her lying was not opposite the door, and there was no reason tosuppose she had chosen another, I gave up the attempt to warn her, andwithout further loss of time we made ready to attack the door. All themen in the party, both guardsmen and prisoners, laid hold of thetree-trunk, by means of halters and ropes fastened around it, my fatherand I placing ourselves at the head. The commander of the guardsmen, whowas immediately behind me, called out the orders by which we moved inunison. Starting from a short distance, we ran straight for the tower,and swung the tree forward against the door at the moment of stopping. Amost violent shock was produced, but the lock and hinges still held. Werepeated this operation twice. Upon our third charge, the door flewinward. Leaving the trunk to the others, I hastened into the dark, closebasement, and groped my way to where I had left the Countess.
"Madame!--Louis!" I called softly, feeling about in the darkness.
A weak voice answered,--a voice like that of one just wakened fromprofound sleep:
"Henri, is it you?--Mon dieu, I am so glad!--I feared some evil hadbefallen you."
"Ah, Louis, you are living,--thank God!"
"Living, yes: I have been asleep. Once I awoke, and wondered why you badnot returned. I prayed for you, and then I must have slept again. Butwhat was it awakened me?--was there not a loud noise before I heard yourvoice?--Who are those men at the door with torches?"
I introduced my father, who, regarding her in the torchlight, andshowing as tender a solicitude as a woman's, soon came to the conclusionthat her state was no worse than one of extreme weakness for want offood and fresh air. He carried her out, laid her tenderly on a cloak,and administered such food and wine as were good for her. She submittedwith the docility and trust of a child.
Leaving her for awhile, my father and I consulted with the leade
r of theguardsmen, and it was decided that the Countess, my father, and I shouldpass the night at the tower, the weather being warm and clear. Theguardsmen would return with their prisoners to the scene of their recentbattle, where much was to be put to rights. On the morrow they wouldrejoin us, and we should all proceed to Bonneval, where my father'sdeposition could be added to the report which the leader of thearresting party would have to deliver in Paris in lieu of the Count andCaptain themselves.
I could not let the leader go, even for the night, without expressingthe gratitude under which I must ever feel to him, for, though he wasstill ignorant of the identity of the Countess, there was no concealingfrom him that the supposed youth was a person very near my heart.
"Pouf!" said he, in his manly way; "'tis all chance. I have done nothingfor you, but if I had done much I should have been repaid already in theacquaintance of Monsieur de la Tournoire."
"A truce to flattery," said my father. "It is I who am the gainer by theacquaintance of Monsieur Brignan de Brignan."
"Eh! Brignan de Brignan!" I echoed.
"That is this gentleman's name," said my father, wondering at mysurprise. "Have we been so busy that I have not properly made you knownto him before?"
I gazed at the gentleman's moustaches: they were indeed rather longerthan the ordinary. He, too, looked his astonishment at the effect of hisname upon me.
"Pardon me, Monsieur," said I. "I have been staring like a rustic. I oweyou an explanation of my ill manners. I will give it frankly: it mayprovide you with laughter. What I am now, I know not, but three weeksago I was a fool." I then told him how I had been taunted by a younglady, whose name I did not mention, and with what particular object Ihad so recently started for Paris. This was news to my father also, wholaughed without restraint. Brignan de Brignan, though certainly amused,kept his mirth within bounds, and replied:
"Faith. I know not any young lady in your part of France who has a rightto glory in my personal appearance, even if I were an Apollo,--who, bythe way, is not represented with moustaches. But I believe I know whothis girl may be,--I have met such a one in Paris, and avoided her as apert little minx. As for your folly, as you call it, it was no morefoolish than many a thing I have done."
He had the breeding not to add, "At your age," and I loved him for that.He and his men now set out upon their return to the farmstead, and myfather and I, after devising a more comfortable couch for the Countessjust within the open doorway of the tower, slept and watched by turnsoutside.
In the morning the Countess, partaking of more food, was in betterstrength and spirits, and had the curiosity to ask how my father came tobe there. In telling her, I broke the news of the Count's death. For amoment she was startled, and then pity showed itself in her eyes andwords,--pity for the man who had been swayed by such passions anddelusions, and who had died in his sin with none else to shed a tear forhim. The Captain's death, of which I next informed her, did not move heras much.
The turn of affairs caused a change of plan. She now resolved (as I hadforeseen) to return to Lavardin and do such honour to her husband'smemory as she might. Though his estates would probably, in all thecircumstances, be adjudged forfeit to the Crown, some provision woulddoubtless be made for his widow. In any case, she might be sure of everycourtesy from the officer in command of the guardsmen now occupying thechateau for the King, and there were certain jewels, apparel, and otherpossessions of her own which could not be withheld from her.
In the afternoon, when Brignan de Brignan and his comrades reappeared,the Countess was able to ride: and that evening we were all in Bonneval.Monsieur de Brignan had taken possession of several things found in aniron-bound chest where Captain Ferragant had kept his treasures. Amongothers were two papers stolen from me by the robbers,--the incriminatingfragment of a letter to the Count, and the note from the Countess whichI had found upon Monsieur de Merri. The former I destroyed, at the firein the inn kitchen: the latter I kept, and keep to this day. Besidesthese, there were my purse; a quantity of gold, out of which I repaidmyself the amount I had been robbed of; and the two keys, which Isubsequently restored to the Chateau de Lavardin, whence they had come.
We stayed the night at Bonneval. The next day the guardsmen started forParis, and our party of three for Montoire. As I took my leave ofBrignan de Brignan before the inn gate, I noticed that his moustacheshad undergone a diminution: indeed they now extended no further than hislips. I supposed he had decided not to be distinguished by such marksagain. He expressed a hope of renewing acquaintance with me in Paris,and rode off. The Countess, my father, and I turned our faces towardMontoire, the Countess being now once more on Hugues's horse, which Ihad left for a time at Bonneval. We had not gone very far, when a mangalloped after us, handed me a packet, and rode back as hastily as hehad come. I had scarce time to recognize him as a valet attached to theparty of guardsmen.
I opened the packet, and found a piece of paper, to which two wisps ofhair were fastened by a thread, and on which was written in a large,dashing hand:
"_Behold my moustaches. Brignan de Brignan._"
And so, after all, I might keep my promise to Mlle. Celeste!