CHAPTER XX.
THIN PARTITIONS.
Gudel had been carried to his room, the innkeeper moaning over and overagain, "How could this have happened?"
La Roulante established herself by the sick bed. She was livid withfear. The attempt had been a failure, and Bobichel had guessed it!
The persistent questions of Schwann made her very uneasy. Caillette saidthe same thing. She hardly knew what had happened; she only knew thather father had been injured.
Bobichel came in.
"The chain has been examined," he said, looking in La Roulante's face.
"What of that!" she cried. "Why do you meddle in what does not concernyou? Do you mean to say that any one meddled with the chain?"
"That is precisely what I mean!" answered Bobichel, forgetting allcaution.
La Roulante rushed at him. Caillette threw herself between them, andSchwann dragged her back.
La Roulante caught Caillette by the arm and swung her off, then the girlpicked herself up and ran to Gudel's bed. "Help! father!" she cried,"help!"
The girl's voice seemed to produce a magical effect. He half rose in hisbed, and looked about.
Every one was amazed and delighted.
"I knew he would get well!" cried Schwann, as he rushed to Gudel, andtook his hands.
Bobichel immediately poured out some brandy and gave it to Gudel, whoseeyes almost at once regained a natural appearance. He saw Caillettefirst, and kissed her tenderly.
"Where is Fanfar?" he said. "Was he hurt?"
"He has gone to Vagney for a doctor for you, dear father."
Iron Jaws laughed aloud.
"I want none of your poisoners here, let me tell you." He caught sightof Bobichel, as he spoke. The clown was crying like a baby. "What is thematter with you, Bob?" he asked.
"Nothing, master, nothing at all; I am so happy."
"You have been fighting, sir?" said Gudel.
La Roulante bustled forward.
"No, he was impertinent to me," she said, "and I gave him such a shakingas he deserved, that was all. But have not you a word for your wife?"
Gudel turned his head away. Bobichel took advantage of this movement toshake his fist in the face of the giantess.
"Now let me see if I can stand," said Gudel. "One! two! three!"
He was on his feet.
"I must look at that chain," he said, "when Fanfar comes. And where ishe? It seems to me that he is gone a long time."
"He will be here soon," answered the innkeeper, "unless the inundationhas increased."
"Is he on foot?" asked Gudel.
"No, the lady lent him her horse," said Bobichel, but he stopped shortwhen he saw Caillette turn pale.
Gudel could not see his daughter.
"The young lady is kind-hearted, in spite of all her affectations," hesaid. "And now, good people, I must ask you to leave me. While I amwaiting for Fanfar, I must see these men that I am to take to-morrow toRemisemont."
"You do not really mean to go to-morrow?"
"I can't say yet. Caillette, my dear, you must go to bed and get somerest at once."
Gudel was not in the least hurt; he had received a great shock, that wasall.
When La Roulante left the room, she was met at the door by Robeccal.
"You see," he said, in a fierce whisper, "that if I had done as Iwished, and used a knife, the whole thing would have been settled bythis time."
The two accomplices stood talking in the large room which the men of thecompany shared.
"Who the devil could have supposed," the one said to the other, "thatFanfar would have been able to save Gudel. Such a tremendous weight!"
While they were talking, Robeccal and La Roulante heard heavy steps onthe stairs, and then a knock at Gudel's door.
Robeccal started. He suddenly remembered the brief colloquy which he hadhad with the unknown--who was in fact, Cyprien. Might it not be if hedid what this man desired that in it he would also find his revenge?
"If you hate Gudel," this man had said, "I will give you an opportunityof paying off old scores."
Robeccal opened the door and looked out.
Yes, these were the men. Turning to the giantess,
"Listen!" he said, "it is by no means certain that all is lost."
"I don't understand."
"No, but tell me quick. Does he seem to have any secrets?"
"He is always reading the newspapers. He goes himself for his lettersalways, and brings back a quantity."
"Have you never read any of them?"
"I can't read."
"Wait a little. I think we have him now."
The two persons whom we saw in the dining-room now stood at the foot ofGudel's bed.
"You have had a narrow escape," said one.
"Yes, thanks to Fanfar. His brains, his arms and his muscles saved me."
"It was of him that we came to speak," replied the man who was dressedlike a horse jockey.
"If it is time to act," said Gudel, "you may rely on him."
"Are you sure? We do not doubt you nor him, but for such work asours--of which the aim is to return to France that liberty which hasbeen stifled by the iron hand of Bonaparte and by the Bourbons--we needmen who are ready to sacrifice their lives--to walk straight on, even ifthe scaffold stands at the termination of their road. Is Fanfar such aman?"
"I am not much of a speaker," answered Gudel. "My father was a soldierof the Republic. I myself was condemned to death in 1815. My father gavehis life for France, and I lived through accident. It was about thattime that little Fanfar fell into my hands, and I have always taught himto feel the greatest respect for the Revolution. You know, too, that hisfather was murdered by the allies, his mother was burned by theCossacks, and his sister, poor little soul, died of starvation. Do youwonder that Fanfar hates the Bourbons? And you ask if you may trusthim!"
There was a brief silence, and then the man who looked like an oldsoldier spoke.
"Gudel," he said, "we believe you. For ten years, over and over again,you have proved to us your devotion and your honesty."
Iron Jaws blushed with pleasure.
"Fanfar will be here presently. You will find him ready to do yourbidding, and to risk his life in the performance of his duty."
"You know the situation," resumed one of the men; "our enemies arealready quarreling among themselves, our friends are redoubling theirefforts. General Foy has stigmatized the purchasers of votes andrendered their names infamous. Roger Collard has distinctly asked aterrible question--'where will you be in seven years?' The excitementis general, and we must send a man of activity to Paris--a man who isyoung and active, who is willing to make any sacrifice. Can Fanfar bethis man?"
Gudel contented himself with a simple affirmative.
"Then," said the old soldier, drawing out a pocketbook, "here are papersso important that were they to fall into the hands of our adversaries,our heads would be in danger and our plans ruined. These papers Fanfarmust carry to Paris; he will give them to the committee, who in theirturn will give him orders, which he is to execute without hesitation orcuriosity. Can you answer for Fanfar?"
"Upon my honor, I can."
The two men continued to talk in a low voice with Gudel, and then theywent out. Absorbed in thought, they did not notice a man who startedback when they appeared. Robeccal had heard every syllable.
Cyprien now arrived at the inn. White, trembling and breathless, hecould scarcely reply to the questions addressed to him. He believed theMarquis to be dead, and was finally able to tell his story.
Schwann began to be very anxious. Where was Fanfar? Suddenly a horse washeard coming at full speed. Schwann and Caillette rushed to the door.They uttered a simultaneous cry of surprise. It was the Marquis.
"And Fanfar? Where is he?"
"He is coming. But I have not a moment to lose. Take me to Gudel'schamber."
The tone was too peremptory for Schwann to hesitate; being reassured,too, in regard to Fanfar, he was ready to obey with
out stopping to askthe meaning of this extreme haste. Cyprien started forward, but theMarquis gave him a look that commanded silence, and as he passed, saidin a low voice:
"Patience!"
The door closed. Then Cyprien felt a hand on his shoulder and recognizedthe man whose assistance he had endeavored to buy.
"Come out with me," said this man.
"You have learned something?"
"Come out with me, I tell you. Do you think I am fool enough to talkunder these walls?"
As they stepped out on the square they saw Fanfar, but Fanfar did notnotice these two shadows. He entered the inn and Caillette threw herselfinto his arms, sobbing with joy.
"I am glad to see you," muttered Schwann, half ashamed of his ownemotion.
In the silence that followed, the voice of La Roulante was heard singingwhile drowning her sorrows in a bottle of brandy.