CHAPTER XXVI
"Above all, make haste!" Maurice had said to the messenger charged withbearing a letter to the baroness.
Nevertheless, the man did not reach Escorval until nightfall.
Beset by a thousand fears, he had taken the unfrequented roads and hadmade long circuits to avoid all the people he saw approaching in thedistance.
Mme. d'Escorval tore the letter rather than took it from his hands. Sheopened it, read it aloud to Marie-Anne, and merely said:
"Let us go--at once."
But this was easier said than done.
They kept but three horses at Escorval. One was nearly dead fromits terrible journey of the previous night; the other two were inMontaignac.
What were the ladies to do? To trust to the kindness of their neighborswas the only resource open to them.
But these neighbors having heard of the baron's arrest, firmly refusedto lend their horses. They believed they would gravely compromisethemselves by rendering any service to the wife of a man upon whom theburden of the most terrible of accusations was resting.
Mme. d'Escorval and Marie-Anne were talking of pursuing their journeyon foot, when Corporal Bavois, enraged at such cowardice, swore by thesacred name of thunder that this should not be.
"One moment!" said he. "I will arrange the matter."
He went away, but reappeared about a quarter of an hour afterward,leading an old plough-horse by the mane. This clumsy and heavy steed heharnessed into the cabriolet as best he could.
But even this did not satisfy the old trooper's complaisance.
His duties at the chateau were over, as M. d'Escorval had been arrested,and nothing remained for Corporal Bavois but to rejoin his regiment.
He declared that he would not allow these ladies to travel at night, andunattended, on the road where they might be exposed to many disagreeableencounters, and that he, in company with two grenadiers, would escortthem to their journey's end.
"And it will go hard with soldier or civilian who ventures to molestthem, will it not, comrades?" he exclaimed.
As usual, the two men assented with an oath.
So, as they pursued their journey, Mme. d'Escorval and Marie-Anne sawthe three men preceding or following the carriage, or oftener walkingbeside it.
Not until they reached the gates of Montaignac did the old soldierforsake his _protegees_, and then, not without bidding them a respectfulfarewell, in the name of his companions as well as himself; not withouttelling them, if they had need of him, to call upon Bavois, corporal ofgrenadiers, company first, stationed at the citadel.
The clocks were striking ten when Mme. d'Escorval and Marie-Annealighted at the Hotel de France.
They found Maurice in despair, and even the abbe disheartened. SinceMaurice had written to them, events had progressed with fearfulrapidity.
They knew now the orders which had been forwarded by signals from thecitadel. These orders had been printed and affixed to the walls. Thesignals had said:
"Montaignac must be regarded as in a state of siege. The militaryauthorities have been granted discretionary power. A military commissionwill exercise jurisdiction instead of, and in place of, the courts. Letpeaceable citizens take courage; let the evil-disposed tremble! As forthe rabble, the sword of the law is about to strike!"
Only six lines in all--but each word was a menace.
That which filled the abbe's heart with dismay was the substitution of amilitary commission for a court-martial.
This upset all his plans, made all his precautions useless, anddestroyed his hopes of saving his friend.
A court-martial was, of course, hasty and often unjust in its decisions;but still, it observed some of the forms of procedure practised injudicial tribunals. It still preserved something of the solemnity oflegal justice, which desires to be enlightened before it condemns.
A military commission would infallibly neglect all legal forms; andsummarily condemn and punish the accused parties, as in time of war aspy is tried and punished.
"What!" exclaimed Maurice, "they dare to condemn without investigating,without listening to testimony, without allowing the accused time toprepare any defence?"
The abbe was silent. This exceeded his most sinister apprehensions. Now,he believed anything possible.
Maurice spoke of an investigation. It had commenced that day, and it wasstill going on by the light of the jailer's lantern.
That is to say, the Duc de Sairmeuse and the Marquis de Courtornieu werepassing the prisoners in review.
They numbered three hundred, and the duke and his companion haddecided to summon before the commission thirty of the most dangerousconspirators.
How were they to select them? By what method could they discover theextent of each prisoner's guilt? It would have been difficult for themto explain.
They went from one to another, asking any question that entered theirminds, and after the terrified man replied, according as they thoughthis countenance good or bad, they said to the jailer who accompaniedthem: "Keep this one until another time," or, "This one for to-morrow."
By daylight, they had thirty names upon their list: and the names of theBaron d'Escorval and Chanlouineau led all the rest.
Although the unhappy party at the Hotel de France could not suspect thisfact, they suffered an agony of fear and dread through the long nightwhich seemed to them eternal.
As soon as day broke, they heard the beating of the _reveille_ at thecitadel; the hour when they might commence their efforts anew had come.
The abbe announced that he was going alone to the duke's house, and thathe would find a way to force an entrance.
He had bathed his red and swollen eyes in fresh water, and was preparedto start on his expedition, when someone rapped cautiously at the doorof the chamber.
Maurice cried: "Come in," and M. Laugeron instantly entered the room.
His face announced some dreadful misfortune; and the worthy man wasreally terrified. He had just learned that the military commission hadbeen organized.
In contempt of all human laws and the commonest rules of justice, thepresidency of this tribunal of vengeance and of hatred had been bestowedupon the Duc de Sairmeuse.
And he had accepted it--he who was at the same time to play the part ofparticipant, witness, and judge.
The other members of the commission were military men.
"And when does the commission enter upon its functions?" inquired theabbe.
"To-day," replied the host, hesitatingly; "this morning--in anhour--perhaps sooner!"
The abbe understood what M. Laugeron meant, but dared not say: "Thecommission is assembling, make haste."
"Come!" he said to Maurice, "I wish to be present when your father isexamined."
Ah! what would not the baroness have given to follow the priest and herson? But she could not; she understood this, and submitted.
They set out, and as they stepped into the street they saw a soldier alittle way from them, who made a friendly gesture.
They recognized Corporal Bavois, and paused.
But he, passing them with an air of the utmost indifference, andapparently without observing them, hastily dropped these words:
"I have seen Chanlouineau. Be of good cheer; he promises to saveMonsieur d'Escorval!"