CHAPTER XII.
HOWLING WITH THE WOLVES.
While Hubert was thus perforce following his sister to safety, Desmaraisdid not notice his brother-in-law's disappearance; for the lawyer, atthe moment, was leaving the parlor to meet the commissioner. Contrary tohis expectations, he did not find the officer in the ante-room, and wascompelled to go as far as the stair-landing, where he encountered himand accompanied him back to the parlor.
The commissioner was a man of cold and rigid physiognomy; in his suitewere some gendarmes of the Republic, and several police agents. Bowingto the commissioner, the advocate said:
"Citizen, if I had a son a traitor to the nation, I would myself givehim up to the public powers. I would follow the example of Brutus theRoman." Then stopping short and casting about him looks of stupefaction,he added: "But where has my brother-in-law gone to?"
"That is for me to ask you, Citizen Representative of the people,"rejoined the commissioner. "This disappearance is strange!"
"I commence to see! My wife has let out her brother by her bed-chamber;the rear staircase descends to the court, and from the court the rascalwill gain the garden!"
The advocate flung himself against the bedroom door, and beating upon itwith both fists, cried breathlessly, "God be praised, the traitor willnot escape us!"
"Go tell our people to redouble their watchfulness," the commissionerordered two of his men, who went out quickly. Just then the sleepingroom door fell beneath the blows of the lawyer. The chamber was empty.
Suddenly one of the two agents burst in out of breath, crying, "Treason!Our man has escaped! Just now two women, one of whom was enveloped in along furred pelisse, wearing a hat with a heavy veil, appeared at thecarriage gate, where two gendarmes were posted. One of the women said:'I am Madam Desmarais; I am going out with my daughter.'"
"A lie! for my daughter is here and could not have left her room!"
"Pursue the fugitives," said the commissioner to some of the men aroundhim; then, turning back toward Desmarais, he continued, in a tone ofsuspicion: "Citizen Representative, this escape seems to me cleverlyplanned; but there is still something else to your charge," indicatingthe deal chest. "In the name of the law, I summon you to tell me thecontents of that case."
Remembering that Hubert had told his sister he had used the pretext of abirthday present to her to remove some precious articles fromdomiciliary visitation, the attorney was staggered by the question. Butdriven by the logic of his hypocrisy further and further along the pathin which he thought lay his safety, the miserable man recovered himselfwith an effort, and said firmly to the commissioner: "Citizen, beforereplying to your question about the chest, I ask the arrest of my wife,as an accomplice in the escape of a conspirator."
"I have no warrant for the arrest of Citizeness Desmarais. I shall referthe matter to the attorney for the Commune."
"As to the chest, the object of your interrogation, I answer that itbelongs not to me. It was sent here by my brother-in-law several daysago. It should contain, according to what has been told us, a birthdaypresent for my wife; but I hasten to add that I have every ground forbelieving that Citizen Hubert, taking advantage of my confidence, hassought to conceal from investigation certain compromising papers, bysending them to me in that box. I learned of this circumstance only bycertain words let fall by my brother-in-law just now, when I threatenedto cause his arrest. I have nothing else to add."
"Lift the cover off the box," ordered the commissioner.
Several gendarmes thrust their bayonets between the cover of the chestand the lock, which yielded to their pressure. The case flew open.Advocate Desmarais threw an unquiet look into its interior, which wasfilled to the brim with daggers, pistols, and boxes of cartridges. Amongthese were several packages of proclamations issued by the royalistinsurrectionary committee.
Despite his profound dissimulation and the extraordinary command heexercised over himself, Desmarais could not conceal the fright intowhich he was thrown by the exposure of the contents of the chest. Butcurbing his anxiety by a powerful effort, he feigned indifference, andtossed back into the box a copy of the proclamation, which he hadhastily read.
The commissioner seated himself by a table, drew out an inkhorn, andbegan to write.
All at once Madam Desmarais appeared at the door of the parlor, pale,fainting, hardly able to keep her feet. Nevertheless in her face couldbe read the joy she felt over her brother's escape, and as she enteredshe said, raising her eyes to heaven:
"Blessed be Thou, my God! He is saved!"
At the sight of his wife Desmarais leaped with rage, ran to her, seizedher roughly by the arm and cried in a voice that betrayed the extent ofhis terror:
"Citizeness Desmarais, you are guilty of a crime against the nation. Icall for your imprisonment."
Madam Desmarais looked at her husband in amazement, unable, at first, tograsp the import of his words. Just at this moment Charlotte, informedby Gertrude of what was taking place, entered the room. She was in timeto hear the last words of the advocate; she ran to Madam Desmarais,clasped her in her arms, and exclaimed:
"Great heaven! Imprison mother! Is it you, father, who thus threatenher!"
"Leave the room," retorted the lawyer, accompanying the words with animperious gesture. "Leave the room, my girl. Your presence is notneeded."
"I, leave the room, when you threaten mother? Never! Where she remains,I remain."
"My child, be reassured," replied Madam Desmarais in an undertone,giving her daughter a look of intelligence which included thecommissioner. "Your father is not speaking seriously. Everything willcome out to our satisfaction."
These words, which might have been heard by the commissioner, stillfurther exasperated the lawyer, who, under the double goad of hishypocrisy and trepidation, cried: "Citizeness Desmarais, in makingyourself the confederate in the escape of a criminal, you have exposedyourself to carrying your head to the scaffold!"
At these words Charlotte uttered a piercing cry, and fell upon the neckof her mother, whom she still held in a tight embrace. But the latter,firmly persuaded that her husband was playing a role to conjure away thedangers which surrounded him, again said to her daughter, in order tocalm her anguish:
"But, poor child, know that your father is forced to talk this way inthe presence of a commissioner of police."
Overwhelmed by so many emotions, Madam Desmarais forgot this time tolower her voice sufficiently as she spoke to her daughter. Her wordsfell with distinctness on the ears of her husband, standing near thecommissioner of the Section, who was still occupied in writing hisreport. False and cowardly men, when in the grip of fear, are capable ofany act of brutality to protect their own lives. So it now was withDesmarais; for, leaden pale with fright, he said to himself:
"I am lost! The commissioner heard my wife's words." Then, addressingthe magistrate: "Citizen, I have called upon you for the arrest ofCitizeness Desmarais, my wife."
"And I have already told you, citizen," rejoined the commissioner, "thatI have no warrant for her arrest."
"My dear girl," whispered Madam Desmarais to her daughter, "your fatherinsists on my arrest, knowing that he will not obtain it; be at ease."
"Since, then, you refuse to arrest my wife, citizen commissioner, I callupon you to leave here two of your men to keep watch on CitizenessDesmarais until her case is settled."
"I consent to leave two agents at your disposal for the surveillance ofCitizeness Desmarais, since you insist upon it," agreed the magistrate.Then, rising and passing the pen to the advocate, he continued: "Pleasesign the record of this seizure of arms, ammunition, and proclamationswhich has just taken place in your dwelling."
"I wish to read the record carefully before I sign it, citizencommissioner; we may not agree on the wording of the document."
"I shall wait while you read it," the magistrate replied. And while theattorney made himself acquainted with the contents of the record, thecommissioner approached Madam Desmarais, and said with a go
od-naturedand meaning smile: "You are not frightened, citizeness, at the rigor ofyour husband?"
"Sir," replied Madam Desmarais hesitantly, not knowing whether todistrust the officer or not, "my husband's conduct does in truth seem tome a little strange."
"Eh! by heaven! that's very simple. Alas, in these unhappy times, honestmen are often obliged to wear certain masks."
"It was thanks to your generous intervention that my brother owes hissafety."
"Have a care, madam, that my men do not hear you; they are not all_sure_. But I have a last word of advice to give you: Try to warnmonsieur, your brother, to leave Paris as soon as possible, and by theSt. Victor barrier."
"Ah, monsieur, what goodness!"
"I know that Monsieur Desmarais affects of necessity opinions farremoved from his heart. Have no fear, then, madam; I caught his meaningwhen he asked for your arrest. So I am going to give you two jailers,the best men in the world. Adieu, madam, keep the secret for me, andcount on my devotion;" and the magistrate added, half aloud: "One musthowl with the wolves."
As the commissioner moved away, Madam Desmarais said to her daughterjoyfully, "What an excellent man! Thanks to him my brother will perhapsbe able to leave Paris to-night without danger. What gratitude we allowe him!"
"By the St. Victor barrier, mother; doubtless, that barrier is lessclosely watched than the others. But how can we convey to uncle thisprecious information? There is the difficulty."
"He gave me the number of a place, the home of one of his friends, whereI might address a letter. I shall go write it at once, and Gertrudeshall carry it."
These various undertone conversations, and especially the conversationof his wife with the commissioner, put Desmarais on the griddle. But,obliged to pay all his attention to the police record, he could do nomore than throw, from time to time, a hurried glance upon the speakers.He finally concluded the reading of the report, and having no fault tofind with its contents, he signed it, saying once more, as he handed itback to the commissioner:
"I would remind you, citizen, that I request the arrest of CitizenessDesmarais, and in the meanwhile, I insist that two of your agents remainhere at my disposition."
"I have just issued orders to that effect. I leave you two men who willknow how to perform their duty in every respect. Adieu, citizen; I shallnot forget your request, nor the _good example_ you present to thepatriots in asking the arrest of Citizeness Desmarais. This very dayCitizen Marat shall be enlightened by me on your patriotism."
With these words, which bore a double significance, the commissionerbowed low to Madam Desmarais and her daughter, marched out with his men,who carried with them the chest of arms, and said to two of the agentswho accompanied him:
"You are to remain outside the parlor at the orders of CitizenDesmarais;" and added in a lower tone: "Keep watch around the house;follow the young woman who will go out."