CHAPTER XI
THE GOVERNOR IS SURPRISED
But the Lady Elise had not gone. Passing from the cloister through thegreat arched doorway leading to the high-roofed refectory, she hadstopped at the sight of a number of people gathered near the entrance.At first she had merely glanced at them; then started, as, in thesomewhat dim light prevailing there, her eyes became fixed upon one oftheir number.
Obviously a prisoner, he stood in the center of the group, with headdown-bent, a hard, indifferent expression on his countenance. Amazed,the girl was about to step forward to address him--or thecommandant--when Beppo appeared from the cloister, walked toward theofficer, and, in a low ill-humored tone, said something she could nothear. Whatever it was, the commandant caused him to repeat it; made agesture to the soldiers, who drew back, and spoke himself to theprisoner.
The latter did not reply nor raise his eyes, and the commandant laid aheavy hand on his shoulder, whereupon the prisoner moved forwardmechanically, through the doorway.
"You are sure his Excellency said 'alone'?" asked the commandant.
"As sure as I have ears," answered Beppo. "But her ladyship--see! Sheis walking after him."
Beppo shrugged his shoulders. "_She_ always does what she pleases; noorders apply to her."
In the shadow of the cloister roof, at a corner where the double row ofpillars met, the girl paused; looked out through the columns, her handat her breast. The Governor was unconcernedly writing; not even whenthe prisoner stepped forward did he turn from his occupation; at hisleisure dotted an "i" and crossed a "t"; sprinkled sand lightly overthe paper; waited a moment; then tapped the fine particles from theletter. For his part, the prisoner displayed equal patience, standingin an attitude of stolid endurance.
"Your name is Sanchez?" At length the Governor seemed to notice theother's presence.
"Yes."
"And you formerly served the Seigneur Desaurac? Followed him toAmerica?"
"As your Excellency knows." The servant's tone was veiled defiance.
A trace of pink sprang to the Governor's brow, though the eyes helifted were impassive. "You will answer 'yes' or 'no'!" He reachedfor a stick of wax, held it up to the tiny flame of a lamp; watched thered drops fall. "When you returned, it was to live in the forestwith--a nameless brat?"
"My master's son!"
"By a peasant woman, his--"
"Wife!"
The Governor smiled; applying a seal, pressed it hard. "The courtsfound differently," he observed in a mild, even voice, as speaking tohimself and extolling the cause of justice.
"The courts! Because the priest who married them had been driven fromBrittany! Because he could not be found then! Because--" The man'sindignation had got the better of his taciturnity, but he did notfinish the sentence.
"Either," said the Governor quietly, "you are one of thosesimple-minded people who, misguided by loyalty, cherish illusions, oryou are a scheming rogue. No matter which, unfortunately," in crisptones, "it is necessary to take time to deal with you."
"At your Excellency's service!" And the man folded his arms but, againturning to his table, the Governor apparently found some detail ofemployment there of paramount importance; once more kept the prisonerwaiting.
The silence lengthened; in the dim light of the walk noiselessly thegirl drew nearer; unseen, reached the old abbot's great granite chairwith its sheltering back to the court and close to the Governor'stable. Into the capacious depths of this chilly throne, where once thehigh and holy dignitary of the church had been accustomed to reclinewhile brethren laved his feet from the tiny stone lavatorium before it,she half sank, her cheek against one of its cold sides; in an attitudeof expectation breathlessly waited. Why was it so still? Why did nother father speak? She could hear his pen scratch, scratch!
They were again speaking; more eagerly she bent forward; listened tothe hard, metallic voice of the Governor.
"You left the castle at once when the decree of the court, ordering itvacated, was posted in the forest?"
"My master told me to, pretending he was going, but--"
"Remained to resist; to kill." The Governor's tones, without beingraised, were sharper. "And when, after the crime against theseinstruments of justice, he escaped to the high seas, why did you not gowith him?"
"He wouldn't have it."
"Thinking you would be more useful here? A spy?"
"He said he would be held an outlaw; a price put on him, and--hedismissed me from his service."
"Dismissed you? An excellent jest! But," with sudden incisiveness,"what about the priest, eh? What about the priest?"
The man straightened. "What priest?" he said in a dogged tone.
"You are accused of harboring and abetting an unfrocked fellow who haslong been wanted by the government, a scamp of revolutionarytendencies; you are accused of having taken him to sea," the prisonerstarted, "to some rendezvous--a distant isle--to meet some one; to waitfor a ship; to be smuggled away--?"
The man did not reply; with head sunk slightly, seemed lost in thought.
"Speak--answer!"
"Who accuses me?"
From the stone chair the girl sprang; looked out. Her face white,excited, peering beneath the delicate spandrils and stone roses, seemedto come as an answer.
"Have I not told you--" began the Governor sternly, when--
"Bah!" burst from the prisoner violently. "Why should I deny what yourExcellency so well knows? I told my master not to trust her; that shewould play him false; and that once out of his hands--"
"Her? Whom do you mean?" The Governor's eyes followed the man's;stopped. "Elise!"
"I think," her eyes very bright, the girl walked quickly toward them,"I think this man means me."
"Elise!" the Governor repeated.
"Forgive me, _mon pere_; I didn't intend to listen, but I couldn't helpit--because--"
"How long," said the Governor, "have you been there?"
"Ever since--he came in. I suppose," proudly turning to the man, "itis useless to say that I did not play this double role of which youaccuse me, and that I did keep, in every particular, the promise Imade--"
"Oh, yes; you could say it, my Lady!" with sneering emphasis.
"But you reserve to yourself the right not to believe me? That is whatyou mean?" The man's stubborn, vindictive look answered. "Then I willdeny nothing to you; nothing! You may think what you will."
His face half-covered by his hand, the Governor gazed at them; thegirl, straight, slender, inflexibly poised; the prisoner eying her withdark, unvarying glance.
"_Dieu!_" he muttered. "What is this?" and concern gave way to a newfeeling. _Her_ concern for something--somebody--held him. A promise!"You can step back a few moments, my man!" to Sanchez. "A littlefarther--to the parapet! I'll let you know when you're wanted." Andthe prisoner obeyed, moving slowly away to the wall, where he stood outof ear-shot, his back to them. "You spoke of a promise?" the Governorturned to his daughter. "To whom?"
A suggestion of color swept her face, though she answered at oncewithout hesitation: "To the Black Seigneur."
The slight form of the Governor stirred as to the shock of a battery.
"There is no harm in telling now," hurriedly she went on. "He saved mefrom the 'grand' tide--for I was on Saladin's back when he bolted andran. I had not dismounted, though I allowed you to infer so, and hehad carried me almost to the island of Casque when we heard and saw thewater coming in. The nearest place was the island--not the point ofthe mainland, as I felt obliged to lead you to think, and we startedfor it; we might have reached the cove, had not Saladin stumbled andthrown me. The last I remembered the water came rushing around, andwhen I awoke, I was in a watch-tower, with him--the Black Seigneur!"
The Governor looked at her; did not speak.
"I--I at first did not know who he was--not until this man came--andthe priest! And when he, the Black Seigneur, saw I had learned thetruth, he asked me to promise--n
ot for himself--but because of thisman!--to say nothing of having met him there, or the others! And I didpromise, and--he sent me back--and that is all--"
"All!" Did the Governor speak the word? He sat as if he had hardlycomprehended; a deeper flush dyed her cheek.
"You--you can not blame me--after what he did. He saved me--saved mylife. You are glad of that, mon pere, are you not? And it must havebeen hard doing it, for his clothes were torn, and his hands werebleeding--he can't be all bad, _mon pere_! He knew who I was, yettrusted me--trusted!"
The Governor looked at her; touched a bell; the full-toned notevibrated far and near.
"What are you going to do?" Something in his face held her.
Again the tones startled the stillness. "Remember, it is I who amresponsible for--"
"Your Excellency?" Across the court appeared Beppo, moving quicklytoward them. "Your Excellency?"
"One moment!" The servant stepped back; the Governor looked first atthe girl; then toward the entrance of the cloister.
"You want me to go?" Her voice was low: strained; in it, too, was ahard, rebellious accent. "But I can't--can't--until--"
"What?"
"You promise to set him free! This man who brought me back! Don't yousee you must, _mon pere_? Must!" she repeated.
His thin lips drew back disagreeably; he seemed about to speak; thenreached among the papers and, turned them over absently. "Very well!"he said at length without glancing up.
"You promise," her voice expressed relief and a little surprise, "toset him free?"
"Have I not said so?" His eyelids veiled a peculiar look. "Yes, heshall be liberated--very shortly."
"Thank you, _mon pere_." A moment she bent over him; the proud, sweetlips brushed his forehead. "I will go, then, at once." And shestarted toward the door. Near the threshold she paused; looked back tosmile gratefully at the Governor, then quickly went out.