CHAPTER XXXI
THE PEARS OF ORRAIN
As the curtains fell behind the King all the soft lights left LaValentinois' eyes, and they shone like blue-black steel. She glancedat us, an odd triumph in her look. So intensely an actress was shethat it almost seemed, and perhaps it was so, that she was looking atus for some sign, some token of admiration at the skill with which shehad played her game, but both De Lorgnac and myself remained impassiveas stone.
"Here," she said at last, "here is my part of the bargain." And,handing me the paper, she continued: "I presume it is correct?"Eagerly I ran my eyes over it, De Lorgnac bending over my shoulder andreading with me. It was correct in every particular, signed by theKing, and sealed by Bertrandi. As I folded the pardon up, with aninward prayer of thanks to God, La Valentinois asked again:
"It is correct, is it not?"
"Perfectly, madame."
"Now for your, or rather the Queen's share, of this business. Give memy letters!"
I looked her straight in the face. "Pardon me, madame, Mademoiselle deParadis is not yet free----"
"What do you mean? You quibble with words, monsieur." Her lips weretrembling, and her hands clenched; but, bowing coldly, I said:
"No, madame, I do not quibble with words. Your letters are in Paris,and will be given to you only when Mademoiselle de Paradis is placed,unharmed and free, in her Majesty's hands. That is the bargain, as youcall it, and it will be kept to the letter." With this I placed theprecious document in my breast pocket, and, making a sign to DeLorgnac, turned to go; but with a cry La Valentinois sprang to her feet.
"You lie!" she said shrilly; "you lie! Give me my letters, or----"And words failed her for once as she stood there, with such fear andbaffled hate in her look as I have never seen in human eyes.
"No, madame," I said, "I do not lie, and threats are useless. If thispardon is recalled," and I touched my breast pocket, "the consequencesrest with you--and you know what they will be."
"There is no need for alarm," put in De Lorgnac. "I pledge my word todeliver you the letters as soon as the conditions are complete."
She glanced from the one to the other of us, and set her white teeth.
"To be beaten!" she gasped rather than spoke. "To be beaten!--and bythat Italian woman!"
"Look you, madame!" I said sternly, for doubts were crowding thick andfast upon me. "If you have played false--if there is any treachery ortrickery here--it is ruin to you, and no power in France can save you."
She gave me a single, livid glance, and then her courage broke, andburying her face in her hands she stood shaking like an aspen.
De Lorgnac and I looked at each other, the same thought with us, andthen on a sudden the wretched woman made a step forward and clutched meby the arm, her face like death, her breath coming thick and fast.
"It is not my fault," she gasped, "but he--the Vidame. Messieurs, ifMademoiselle de Paradis is to be saved, if I am to be saved, you mustbe in Paris ere the sun sets."
"You mean?" I said hoarsely.
"I mean that mademoiselle will die if the Vidame reaches Paris, and Ishall be lost!" And with this she flung herself back in her chair, andbegan rocking herself backwards and forwards like a thing distraught,muttering to herself: "I shall be lost! I shall be lost!"
Her devilish cunning had overreached itself, and she sat there apitiable object, with the ruin she had herself caused around her. Igave her one look, and turned to De Lorgnac.
"There is just time. We may just do it. Come!"
And leaving the miserable woman with her sin we hurried from the room.
I will not stop to tell, indeed I never knew, how we pushed through thecrowds in the waiting-rooms and gained the outer courts; but tenminutes later De Lorgnac and I, with Pierrebon at our heels, weregalloping on the Paris road, hoping almost against hope, for Simon hadnearly two hours' start of us, and our horses had been ridden far andfast. Nevertheless, the stout heart of Lizette never flinched, andCartouche, De Lorgnac's great grey, raced bravely by her side. We rodein silence, exchanging no speech, though now and again we uttered aword of encouragement to our horses. Crossing the bridge of MelunPierrebon's nag failed him, and we lost him for the time. At thelittle village of Cesson we drew rein to breathe our horses, and herewe had news of Simon. He had passed about an hour ago, riding easilyin the direction of Lieusaint, and keeping to the high road. At lastwe were off once more, and leaving the plain of La Brie entered thehilly country that sloped downwards to the valley of the Yeres, and onpulling up for a moment on the crest of a hill that lay to thenorthwest of Lieusaint we got a glimpse of Simon. It was De Lorgnacwho saw him first.
"There!" he said, pointing before him into the valley. And craningforward I looked too, and saw far in the distance a white speck--a merespeck--moving rapidly on the cross road to Montgeron, and then we losthim behind a line of trees.
"He is cutting off the angle!" I exclaimed. "Quick!" And I putLizette down the slope; but De Lorgnac called out after me: "He is lostif he does that--he will meet the marsh of Brunoy, and must comeback--keep to the road!"
And, ding, dong, we galloped on the white track, white with dustourselves, our gallant horses kept up by their own matchless courage,and by that alone.
"He must turn back from the marsh, and we get him at Villaneuve,"shouted De Lorgnac to me as we hammered along, pointing as he spoke tothe wooded height that rose to our front above the willow-fringedYeres. But he little knew Simon of Orrain. I made no reply; andleaning forward in the saddle stroked the foam-wet neck that reachedout before me, and felt Lizette answer to my touch, as though she knewthat life and death lay in her speed.
As we raced on I watched the plain to our left, where Simon hadvanished, with hot eyes that reached everywhere--eyes that missednothing. But he was not to be seen, and hope began to spring up withinme that we had beaten him. I shook up the reins, and urged Lizette onfaster; but the brave heart was doing her best.
It was impossible that this could last, and as we galloped intoMontgeron I felt Lizette falter under me, and an oath broke from DeLorgnac, for Cartouche had lost a shoe.
"We must get fresh horses here at any cost," I said as we pulled up atthe door of a small auberge, the only inn the village possessed; butthe wealth of Croesus would have been useless here, for other horseswere not procurable. And so, whilst Cartouche was being shod, weoff-saddled, giving the horses a drink of milk, and getting them rubbeddown hastily. Whilst this was going on we stood, moody and dejected,surrounded by a group of yokels, the keeper of the auberge fussing nearus. After a time, more to ease my impatience than aught else, Iinquired if anyone had seen a man, mounted on a white horse, pass thisway, and offered five crowns for the information. The landlord shookhis head ruefully, for five crowns were five crowns; but arough-looking fellow, apparently a fowler, stepped out of the grouparound us and claimed the reward.
"Ay," he said; "I have seen and spoken with him. He was dressed inhunting green, and crossed the marsh a half-hour ago."
"But there is no way!"
"So he thought too; and it cost him five crowns to find it, for Ishowed it to him. He is beyond Villaneuve now; but his horse is worn,and, monsieur," he went on with a grin, "I will take those five crownsfrom you. St. Siege! But this is the red day of my life!"
I paid him in silence, and Cartouche being reshod by this we pressedforward once more; but hope had almost gone from me, and De Lorgnac'sset face was more expressive than any words. It was well on in theafternoon when we saw the houses of Charenton, and but a league and ahalf before us lay Paris, silhouetted in purple and grey against thesky. We were trotting round the elbow of the wood that fringed thebanks of the Maren when we came suddenly on our man. He was seated onthe wall of the bridge, holding the reins of his horse in his hands;and he saw us too, for we were scarce a hundred paces off. He was awaylike a flash, looking but once behind him as he drove his spurs home,and raced for Paris.
De Lorgnac gave a
great cry, and neck and neck we followed him. Ifever man knew his peril, Simon did. Against one he would have foughtlike a wolf; but against two the odds were hopeless, and with the rageof a wolf in his heart he fled, taking to the country away from theroad in the hope of shaking us off.
As for me, I felt the hot blood throbbing in my temples, and all seemeddark around me, except there where that bowed figure on the white horseraced in front, carrying death in his hands, death for her who was tome more than life. Lizette seemed to know it too, and stretchedbeneath me like a greyhound; but I heard the sobbing breath that toldme of a beaten horse. Foot by foot De Lorgnac drew from me, the greatgrey going like a stag; but still Simon held the front, and we gainednot a yard on him. Already we could see the Porte St. Michel lyingopen before us; and now Simon looked back once more, and pointed at thegate, laughing in triumph as he did so. It was then that my gallantLizette made a supreme effort. It seemed as if in two strides she hadcaught up the grey and passed him; only to falter as she did so; thenthere was a long stagger, and down she came.
By God's providence I was able to regain my feet almost as I fell. DeLorgnac had pulled up beside me; but pointing to Simon, who had nowpassed the gate, I called out: "Follow him; do not lose sight of him!"
With a nod he galloped on, and casting one look to the side of the roadwhere all that remained of my brave Lizette lay, I hurried after thetwo.
The gates were not two hundred paces from me; and, sword in hand, as Iran towards them someone came trotting up to me. I thought he wasriding at me, and had all but slashed his mount across the face, whenhe pulled up, and I saw it was Le Brusquet on his mule.
"Hold!" he cried; "it is I. He cannot escape. De Lorgnac is on hisheels, and I have set the mob after him with a hue and cry." With thishe jumped from his mule and hastened on by my side, the mule trottingafter us.
I made no answer, said nothing, until we reached the gates, where anexcited crowd had collected, and then I asked: "Which way?"
"Do you not hear them shouting?" And Le Brusquet pointed to a crowdrunning up the Rue de la Harpe. "Come!" And side by side we ran on.Panting as he ran by me, Le Brusquet gasped out: "Mademoiselle isconfined in De Mouchy's house. It is there the Vidame must go forsafety with this mob at his heels. Hark! Hear them!"
And shrill and high we heard the cries, "Assassin! Assassin! _Tue_!_Tue_!"
Le Brusquet chuckled. "It was a happy thought to set the mob on him,and a happier thought still to pass my day at the gate." Still I madeno answer, but ran on with my teeth set. The mob swung round by theMathurins, and, forcing my way round the corner of the road, I saw theywere led by a madman, shouting, yelling, and muttering fearfulimprecations.
Using all my strength I headed the mob at last, only to find the madmanby my side. He glared at me for an instant, and then screamed out:
"You too! You too, friend! Then we shall both see him die." Andbursting into a horrid laugh he clawed at me with his hands. I thrusthim back, and it was only in doing so that the light of a suddenrecognition came to me. The miserable, frenzied being was none otherthan De Ganache. God help him!
With another look of pity and horror I ran on; but fast as I went hekept by me, and side by side we two led the crowd that howled after usin pitiless rage.
We could see nothing of either Simon or De Lorgnac; but we did not wantfor guides. A hundred fingers pointed out their course at every streetcorner, and at last a white horse, riderless, and the reins trailingloosely, came galloping out of a by-street; and a roar went up:
"He is down! he is down! In the Passage of Pity!"
With a yell the madman flashed past me, and hot foot on his heels wecrowded into the narrow street; but, save for a big grey horsestanding, with hanging head and heaving flanks, near the dark archwayat the head of the passage, it was empty. A howl of disappointmentrose behind me, and the mob halted and swayed irresolutely; but I feltthat the end was come, and ran on. Followed by Le Brusquet I passedthe archway, and there in the dark, vaulted passage, with his back tothe door of De Mouchy's house, stood Simon of Orrain, at bay at last!De Lorgnac had been too quick for him, and had forced him to fight atthe very entrance of his lair. Covered with the dust of his recklessride, his gay hunting dress torn and soiled, bareheaded, and with theblood streaming from a wound in his face, where De Lorgnac had touchedhim, Simon stood, despair and hate in his look. Yet he fought fiercelyfor his life; but he had met his equal with the sword, and, doing hisworst, could but hold on the defence and no more. He saw us as wecame. He saw too the hundred faces of the mob--the mob he had oncehimself led to a deed of shame--glaring, shouting, and yelling at himthrough the open archway, though not one dared to pass the entrance.Escape was hopeless, and his pale face grew paler still, as with anoath he wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, andscreamed out to De Lorgnac:
"Stand aside, man! I have no quarrel with you! Stand back, or----"But the thrust he made was parried with a wrist as sure as his own, andit was only his own rare skill of fence that saved him from the riposte.
After all, he was blood of my blood, and it was not my hand that shouldslay him. The thought came to me sudden and insistent, as I put myblade beside that of De Lorgnac, and covering him with my point, sawthe grey despair in his eyes.
"Simon," I called out, "put down your sword. I promise your life!"
He spat at me in his fury, the fury of a beast, and I was a lost man ifDe Lorgnac had not stayed his hand.
"God!" he burst out, "if there were only you!"
At my look--a glance that almost cost me my life--De Lorgnac steppedback, lowering his point, and our swords crossed. Again parrying athrust, I once more offered Simon his life, only to meet with the samerefusal. There was no help for it! A life stood on the issue, towhich his was nothing to me, and setting my teeth I made at him. Thefury of my attack almost lost me the game, and I heard Le Brusquet'slow warning:
"Have a care. Remember!"
Suddenly Simon, who had gained a slight advantage, called out: "Iaccept. I have lost." And he half raised his blade. I gave back,lowering my point as I did so, and at that moment the door opened, andwith a laugh Simon sprang back, and vanished from our sight.
So quick, so instant was his retreat, that for a second I hardlyrealised it. But someone else had. All unnoticed by us De Ganache hadbeen crouching in the shadow of the vaulted passage watching thestruggle and gibbering to himself--the only one of the mob who haddared to venture so far. Perhaps he had been waiting for his chanceagainst the man who had destroyed his life, and had chosen the verymoment of Simon's flight for his revenge. Who knows? But as Simonslipped back he sprang forward, something shining in his hand, andflung himself desperately against the door ere it could be closed. Themoment's delay he caused was our chance, and rushing forward we tooadded our weight to that of the maniac.
In an instant the door gave way, and we dashed in, the madman first,striking to the right and left of him with a poniard. It is difficult,almost impossible, to describe what followed. All that I know is thatI stumbled over someone who had fallen, and as I rose to my feet Icaught a glimpse of De Mouchy flying up the stair, Le Brusquet at hisheels, and realised at the same instant that Simon was on me, death inhis eyes.
Nothing could have saved me then, but that a stronger hand than that ofman was stretched forth to claim its own vengeance. As Simon's arm waslifted the figure over which I had fallen raised itself to its kneesand, clasping the Vidame round the waist, buried a knife in his side.
With a fearful cry Simon shortened his sword and stabbed back in histurn; but De Ganache, for it was he, uttered no sound, and with a lasteffort, rising to his feet, struck Simon once more, this time to theheart. And they both fell sideways, the madman's hand still clenchingthe haft of the poniard in his death-grip.
It was over in a hand-turn, and the two who had died so terriblytogether had taken their quarrel with them to the last judgment seat.Simon's face I could not see;
but as I bent over the two I saw in theglazing eyes of De Ganache the light of an unutterable hate--a hatethat, mayhap, was carried beyond the grave.
"Orrain! Orrain!"
Twice the cry rang out--Le Brusquet's voice--and pushing my way pastthe mob that had already swarmed in and begun to sack and pillage I ranup the stair. At the head stood Le Brusquet, and huddled in a cornernear a door was De Mouchy, with a white, fear-stricken face andchattering teeth, and De Lorgnac's sword at his heart.
Numbers had followed me, and at the sight of De Mouchy a roar wentforth that was taken up by those below.
"Give us the judge! Give us De Mouchy!"
Let it be remembered, that amongst those who cried for him to be thrownto them were many who had suffered, or seen their dearest suffer,hideous torture at his hands. Revenge, and such revenge as this, wasnever dreamed of, never hoped for by them, and now that chance hadplaced it within their reach they were almost mad for it. Shouting,struggling, and raging they crowded the stair. A moment more, and DeMouchy was lost; but it was then that Le Brusquet stayed them with ajest, a grim jest that tickled their fancy, and arrested theiroutstretched hands for a yet sweeter vengeance.
"A moment, my children!" he called out, barring the way at the head ofthe stair; "one moment! We have a little business with monsieur here,and after that you can make this house another Chambre Ardente if youwill."
They laughed and cheered him in their fickle mood, and as De Mouchyheard too some choking words escaped from his blue lips, and he made aforward movement, but at the sight of me he shrank back again, terrorand despair on his face, and, grovelling on the floor, wept for hislife.
This fiend, who had never shown mercy, now that his own time was come,pleaded abjectly, pleaded with tears and miserable cries for the lifehe had forfeited ten times over, and each frenzied appeal he made wasanswered with mocking laughter by those who, crowded on the stair, werewaiting with patience, deadly patience, for the time when he would betheir very own.
I raised him to his feet, and in a few quick words asked him formademoiselle. He could not speak, but pointed to the door at his side.It was closed, not locked, and, pushing it open, I dragged him throughafter me. A cry of anger rose from those on the stair, who fearedtheir prey would escape, and, despite Le Brusquet's appeals, they wereno longer to be restrained. With a rush they bore back both LeBrusquet and De Lorgnac, but keeping themselves between me and theforemost of those who followed us, with alternate threats and appeals,my brave friends enabled me to make headway. Down we went, along anarrow passage, at one end of which was a door.
"There!" gasped De Mouchy. "Quick!"
Twice I put my shoulder to it, but in vain; and De Mouchy shrieked withterror, for the mob was scarce ten feet from us, filling the passage.But still De Lorgnac and Le Brusquet held them back at the sword'spoint, and the way was so narrow that not more than three could standabreast therein.
"Stand back!" I heard Le Brusquet cry; "we are freeing a prisoner!"
"Give us De Mouchy!" they howled, and then the foremost three made adash forward. There was a smothered cry, and the leader, anevil-looking villain, lurched forward on to his face. Back they fellat this, for they were unarmed, and we got a moment's respite.
Again and again I put myself at the door, and at last it crashed open.As I rushed in I saw a kneeling figure before me. One glance, and Icalled out:
"Diane! It is I--Orrain!"
As she rose to her feet with a cry I put my arms around her to supporther, and then the brave heart gave way, and she began to sob on myshoulder. So for a space we stood, and even the savage mob stayedtheir course, and halted, peering at us across the two bright swordsthat still held the passage.
It was now that De Mouchy made a last bid for life. In the momentaryrespite he had from pursuit, as the mob halted, he slunk to thefarthest end of the room, and stood there, looking at us, with his backto the wainscoting, his hands resting against it, and moving nervously,as though he searched for something. Already those at the far end ofthe passage were getting impatient, and angry cries began once more toarise. As I put my arm round Diane to help her away we heard a click.A door concealed in the wainscoting flew open, disclosing a darkpassage, into which De Mouchy dived, and vanished in a flash. But hisenemies were not to be denied; and this time no effort of De Lorgnac orLe Brusquet could stay them. In his flight, whether overcome by fear,or whether it were otherwise impossible, I cannot say, but De Mouchyneglected to lock the secret door behind him. The mob, blood mad, andnow utterly out of hand, filled the room, and rushed after him. For aspace we ourselves were hemmed in, so that it was impossible to move,and it was whilst we stood thus that there came a frightful shriek ofagony from the dark passage, and then the distant sound of struggling,and again a shriek. God, and they who were there, alone knew whathappened; but as the mob swept through the room and into the darkopening that was before them the way became clear, and we passed intothe street.
Cartouche was still there, standing where De Lorgnac had left him. Ata word from De Lorgnac I lifted mademoiselle into the saddle--thoughwearied the great grey was well able to bear so light a burden--andholding her there we made our way with all the speed we could out ofthe Passage of Pity, Le Brusquet holding the horse.
When we reached the river face Le Brusquet turned back and pointed tothe sky. There were dark clouds of smoke rolling over the Mathurins.
"_Eh bien_," he said, "there is the expiation of Dom Antoine de Mouchy!"
A half-hour later we were in the Louvre, and I had surrendered mycharge to the Queen.
* * * * * *
About a month after the events I have just described I received theQueen's commands to attend her at St. Germain-en-Laye, and that veryevening rode through the gates of the Vieux Chateau.
From the time that I had placed mademoiselle in safety in Catherine'shands, with the aid of the two best friends man ever had, I had notseen her. She had been ill, but was now recovered, and when I receivedthe Queen's message, I hoped that, perhaps, Fortune would give me achance to say farewell to Diane ere I departed for Italy to joinMontluc.
The Spanish war had broken out, and De Lorgnac was in the field atMarienbourg. Le Brusquet had gone, none knew whither--perchance to seethe pears of Besme--and as for me, I felt it was time to be up andstirring. Things had changed with me, for I was now the Vidamed'Orrain, and I might hope and dream again. Moved by these thoughts Irode into the palace gates, followed by Pierrebon, and Monsieur deTolendal, who was in waiting, at once took me to the Queen.
I found Catherine surrounded by her ladies, but though my eyes searchedhere, there, and everywhere I could not see the face I longed to see.The Queen engaged me for a few moments in desultory talk, and then at asign from her we were left alone together.
"Monsieur le Vidame," she said, "is it true that you leave for Italy ina few days?"
I bowed in silence.
"And you are resolved?"
"Madame!"
"In that case, perhaps, it is needless for me to say what I intended;but, as a matter of fact, I have a government I would willinglysurrender, and thought of offering it to you."
"Madame!" I began; but she cut in upon my words.
"Take a moment to consider, monsieur! Go into the next room, throughthat curtain there, and think over it for five minutes. Then come backand tell me. Go!"
For a second I stared at her, and then did as I was bidden. As Istepped in a figure rose from a seat near the window, and I heardDiane's voice:
"Orrain, you have come to see me at last!"
And then what followed concerns not anyone. I know not how long wewere there, talking, planning, and dreaming; but suddenly the curtainslifted, and Catherine stood before us.
"Monsieur d'Orrain," she said, "I await my answer."
And then she burst out laughing.
There is but a word more to add, and my story ends. We were marriedthe following week, for that was the Qu
een's wish, and then my wife andI said farewell to Paris and the Court for ever. As we rode oneevening on our way to Orrain, round the elbow of the pine-clad hill ofSt. Hugo, and the towers of the Chateau came in sight, I told my wifeof my dream, and then we were aware of a figure galloping up theleaf-strewn road towards us. It was Le Brusquet on his mule.
"_Eh bien_!" he said as he kissed my wife's hand. "And I am the firstto welcome you home, after all! Orrain, _mon ami_, I have seen yourpears. They are finer than mine--I swear it!"
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