CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
CHECK!--QUERY, MATE?
Feeling that the crisis had come, no sooner did Denis hear the firststrokes of the second chiming of the clock, which came so opportunelyupon the King's discovery, than the lad dashed off along the passageleading towards the staircase that he would have to descend to gain theinner court and the stabling.
But he had not proceeded many yards before he stopped short, startled bythe thought that if he continued by this corridor he would come rightupon some gentleman of the household, whose nightly duty it was to be onguard at the angle of the gallery which led towards the King'sapartments.
"Oh," he muttered beneath his breath, "I had forgotten. Carrbroke toldme he would be there to-night."
There was nothing for it but to retrace his steps, pass right roundtwo-thirds of one of the lesser courts, and get back to the corridoragain beyond the range of apartments sacred to the King.
Then reaching the end of the gallery, he began to hurry once more tomake up for lost time, when feeling that, much as he desired to act,such hurried procedure would attract the attention of the first officerwho was on guard, the lad checked his headlong steps, thrust his handsinto his trunk hose, and began to walk carelessly along, catching up andhumming the air which came softly from where the musicians were stillplaying.
It was well he did, for as he turned the next corner he came upon acouple of the King's guards upon the landing at the head of a staircase.
His face was familiar to the men as one of the King's guests, and itbeing right away from the royal apartments, they gave way for him topass, and making a tremendous effort over himself, he descended veryslowly and carelessly, the hardest part of all being to stop once ortwice as if listening to the music, and then go on humming the air.
He breathed more freely as he passed out into the courtyard and crossedit, fully expecting to encounter a guard at the archway which gave uponthe next court.
As he expected, there were a couple of armed men here ready to challengehim; but before they could speak he stopped short to ask whether hewould find men in attendance at the stables, adding carelessly in veryfair English:
"I want to see how our horses are getting on."
It was so likely a mission that the principal of the two guardsvolunteered the information at once that some of the grooms would besure to be there at that time for a final look round before closing forthe night.
"You know your way, sir?" added the man respectfully.
"Oh yes, thank you," said Denis carelessly; "I know my way." And hewalked on, panting heavily now, in spite of his slow pace. "This is thehardest work of all," he muttered, "for I want to run--I want to run.But oh, how I do hate it all! They must be stealing the jewel now, forI can call it nothing else but a theft. How glad I am that they havesent me away, and I am not obliged to degrade myself with such a task.But yet I am helping, and seem as bad as they--but no, not _as_ bad.Leoni says it is right, and--yes, it was stolen from us, and it is butto restore it to France--to France."
"Now for it," he muttered, as he neared the entrance to the greatstables, where to his delight he could see by the light within that thedoor was open and a shadow passing the lit-up entry showed him that atall events part of his task would be easy. "Now no more thinking. I ambut doing my duty, and it is time to act."
Increasing his pace now, he stepped boldly into a broad shelter fromwhich a long, dimly seen vista of horse-stalls opened out to right andleft, and he was confronted at once by two of a group of men, three ofwhom bore lanterns, and who were coming towards him as if about to leavethe place.
"Here," he cried authoritatively, as he recognised one of the grooms asbeing he who had their steeds in charge, "I want our horses saddled atonce."
"To-night, sir?" said the man, glancing at the lad's courtly costume insearch of his boots and spurs, and seeking in vain, his eyes being onlymet by glistening silk and rosetted shoon.
"Yes," replied Denis haughtily; "to-night"; and then half laughingly,"It is fresh and cool and pleasant, is it not?"
"Yes, sir," said the man, "but--"
"The rooms are hot and stifling to-night, and the Comte my master wishesto ride forth. You will be well rewarded for the extra trouble and--ah,here," he continued, thrusting his hand into Leoni's pouch, "I forgot;you will of course sit up till we return. Here is something to pay forwine."
He held out a couple of gold pieces, which, as they were taken, actedlike magic, and a busy little scene of emulation ensued, every man beingeager to assist in bridling and saddling the beautiful chargers that hadbeen standing haltered in their stalls.
It was hard work for Denis, whose pulses were throbbing with impatience;but he carried out his part well, patting and stroking first one andthen another of the noble beasts, and talking to them the while.
"It seems rather hard," he said, speaking in the same haughty tone tothe man he had before addressed; "but a good canter round the park willdo them good, and their work is very easy nowadays."
The groom agreed to everything he said, for the glint of the gold placedin his hand was still before his eyes; and in a very short space oftime, long as it seemed to the impatient lad, the last strap and bucklewere fastened, and with a man giving final touches to glistening coatand mane, the horses were about to be led forth.
"We are to take them round to the great entrance, sir?" said the chiefgroom.
"Oh no," replied Denis carelessly. "Just lead them into the entry; theComte and his gentlemen are going to join me here. It is just for aquiet night ride, and--ah," he added, with a faint gasp of relief, "herethey come!" For heavy footsteps approaching hastily could be heardoutside--footsteps of only one, but which the lad in his wild excitementeasily magnified into those of all his friends, as he walked far moreswiftly than he intended to meet the three fugitives, ready to mount andin full career leave the hospitable place behind.
The words were on his lips to greet them and say, "All is ready; you canmount in here." But they were frozen on his lips, for the light fromwithin fell full upon a big burly form, that of an enemy who, like aflash, the lad felt, could only have come upon a mission of evil; and hestood as if turned to stone, as a familiar voice exclaimed:
"Hallo, my French friend! I saw you cross the Court and come in here,and so I watched. What's your business, pray, at this time of thenight? Have you come to steal his Majesty's steeds?"