Orrain: A Romance

  CHAPTER VII

  DIANE

  Man of the world and of many experiences as I was; old courtier, whohad seen the fairest of my land in the galleries of the Tournelles, orthe salons of the Louvre, I confess that I had never seen so graceful afigure, or heard so sweet a voice as that which thanked me now. As forher, when I stepped up, my sword still in my hand, some thought thatshe had only escaped the beak of the vulture to feel the talons of thehawk made her shrink back into silence.

  I felt this, and, bowing, said gravely: "There is no danger now,mademoiselle. I doubt if our friends will return; but I fear it is farto any refuge to-night."

  My words had effect. She was brave enough, and she answered:

  "We are not far from the Mable, monsieur!"

  "From the Mable! Then Marcay is behind?"

  "About six miles."

  "Ah! I thought we had overridden ourselves. And Richelieu is at hand?"

  "'Tis but a bare league."

  "Then in two hours at most we will be there. You will, of course, ridemy horse, and Pierrebon and I will share the other."

  "Thank you!" she said simply. And then with an effort, as she pointedbefore her: "Monsieur, there is a man lying there who gave up his lifefor me. I cannot leave him thus."

  And Pierrebon answered: "There are two, lady. I have covered them withtheir cloaks, for they are both dead."

  "A moment," I said, and I too went and looked at the twain.

  There was no mistake. For these two the trees and the sky, the goodand the bad of the world had ceased to be; and as I pulled their cloaksover their faces I muttered to myself, with a remembrance of the courseof "The Philosophy":

  "_Maximum vitae bonum mors_."

  Then I came back to the lady's side. "Mademoiselle, for these twolying there, the honest man and the knave, what can be done at presenthas been done. Come, I pray you! It grows late."

  "Oh, but I cannot!" And she too went forward to where the long darkthings lay stretched out on the sward, and shrinking, she looked, andthen on a sudden she sank on her knees, and prayed, and because,whatever had happened, I had never lost my faith in God, without whomwe are nothing, I knelt too, and Pierrebon with me, and in our own waywe each sought comfort. After a while mademoiselle rose again, andwith a voice half choked with tears, said:

  "Monsieur, I am ready."

  We placed her on my brown horse, which Pierrebon led, I riding his, andso we took our way in silence--a silence now and again broken by a sobfrom the girl. I said nothing, deeming it wiser to let her be with herthoughts; but as we came to the skirts of the wood I spoke:

  "Mademoiselle, I promise you that I will see to the Christian burial ofyour friend."

  And then she wept unrestrainedly. To tell the truth, I knew not whatto do, and Pierrebon kept his head well to the front, looking neitherto the right nor to the left. In sheer desperation I asked her not toweep, whereat she wept the more; and then I touched her shoulder withmy hand, as one would caress a child; but she shook me off, turning aface that seemed scared with terror to me, and I could only stammer outan apology, and remain silent. At last the violence of her griefabated, and I ventured to ask who the dead man was.

  "He," she answered sadly, "was a trusted servant, and he was taking mehome. His name was Olivet."

  "Will not mademoiselle do me the honour to give me her name as well? Iam called Bertrand Broussel."

  She looked up as I spoke, and a nervous laugh escaped her.

  "I am glad I know your name, monsieur; it is one I shall always thinkupon with gratitude. As for me, I--I am called Diane. I am the nieceof Cujus the furrier, a citizen of Tours, who is as a father to me. Iwas going to rejoin him from Saumur when all this happened."

  "Have you any friends near, where I can leave you?"

  "Oh yes! Near Richelieu I have friends; and, once in the house of theBailiff of Muisson, I would be safe."

  "I will see you there, with your permission."

  "Thank you! And I want to tell you how this happened. I was goingback home from Saumur, under the charge of Olivet, and we halted atMarcay to rest. About a half-hour after leaving Marcay we were setupon and taken prisoners by the men from whom you have saved me.

  "Where they were taking us I cannot tell. As evening came I heard yourvoice singing, and, screaming for help, I slipped from my saddle, withthe intention of running towards you. Olivet made a brave effort tohelp me--but----" And it was only with an effort that she preventedanother breakdown.

  "Have you any idea who these men are?"

  She remained silent, as if collecting her thoughts. And I went on:

  "I ask because I recognised one--the leader."

  "Ah, monsieur, I feared to mention his name. He is a great noble, andhe--he--but I cannot tell you." And she stopped, with a little shiver.

  "You need not, madame. He is Simon, Vidame d'Orrain."

  "Yes," she said, and our talk stopped. My cheeks were burning at thethought of Simon's deed of shame, and I put this down to the long scoreI had against him. And so on we rode, until we passed the skirts ofthe forest, though still keeping to its edge, and came to a stretch ofmoorland, beyond which was a series of small hills. We could now hearwater running like a mill-race, and from the hills there glinted thelights of a large village.

  "That is Richelieu, monsieur," exclaimed mademoiselle, "and the waterthat we hear is the Mable."

  "See there, monsieur!" Pierrebon suddenly cut in, as he arrestedmademoiselle's horse, and pointed to his right, where on the edge ofthe forest we saw lights at the windows of a low-lying, irregularbuilding half concealed amidst trees. "See there!" continuedPierrebon; "that is a house where at least we shall be able to sup andget a guide."

  "A guide," I exclaimed, "with Richelieu before us!"

  "Listen to the Mable," urged Pierrebon; "is there a bridge? If not wemust ford it; and they say the river is deep and dangerous; but perhapsmademoiselle knows the ford?"

  "Indeed I do not."

  Considering all things, I came to the conclusion that Pierrebon wasright, and that it would be wiser to seek the house. As we approachedit, mademoiselle said:

  "It may be the hunting-lodge of Le Jaquemart, belonging to the Sieur deRichelieu."

  "Well, we will know soon," I said, and urged Pierrebon to quicken hispace. There was but a bare quarter mile of moorland, covered withyellow broom and purple thistle, to be passed, and then we came up tothe house. As we did so we perceived that it was surrounded by a highstone wall, and mademoiselle exclaimed positively:

  "It is Le Jaquemart; but it is strange it is occupied, for the Sieur deRichelieu is in Italy."

  "_Bien_," I thought to myself, "the furrier's niece knows all about theSieurs de Richelieu!" And then aloud: "Perhaps he has returned withMontluc, mademoiselle; or it may be that friends of his hunt theforest."

  "M. de Parthenay is near Loudon."

  I made no answer, for at this moment we reined up before the gate, andglanced at the massive, studded portal, and the old wall, with its softcrowning of ivy on the top, and grey-green, moss-covered sides, wherethe yellow wall-pepper and white serpyllum pushed between the crevicesof the stonework. And as we looked we heard from within a peal of loudlaughter, a woman's voice mingling with the deeper tones of that of aman. As the laughter ceased Pierrebon exclaimed:

  "They are gay within, monsieur!" And then, on a sign from me, heknocked long and loudly.

  "Enough, enough! You would waken the dead."

  "One more, monsieur!" And Pierrebon, who already smelt his supper,brought the brass lion's head of the knocker with such force againstthe studded door that it might have been heard a quarter mile away.

  From within came a shrill whistle, and a voice called out, with aforeign accent: "The gate, Piero! Who is it? Someone knocks."

  "And will knock again soon if you do not make haste," grumbledPierrebon; whilst I pricked up my ears, and glanced at mademoiselle,and saw her drooping in her saddle. Now we
heard a heavy, lurchingstep on the other side of the gate, a sliding panel covering a JudasHole was drawn back, a man's face appeared dimly, and a voice asked inhalting French:

  "Who are you? What do you want?"

  "Supper and a guide," began Pierrebon; but dismounting I put him aside,and said:

  "We are three travellers, one of whom is a lady. We have lost our way,and seek but a guide to the ford."

  As I spoke the man on the other side of the gate raised a dark lanternhe had hitherto held low in his hand, and flashed it through theopening, whilst he peered at us.

  "Only three?" he asked.

  "And one a lady," I answered; whilst Pierrebon let his tongue wag: "Oh,the mole! To want a lantern in this moonlight!" And following hiswords came the voice from the house, asking again in Italian:

  "What is the matter, Piero?"

  To which Piero answered: "I come, signor," and with a brief "Wait!" tous, swung round on his heel and went back, Pierrebon, as he looked atthe retreating figure through the grille, saying, "By St. Hugo!monsieur, we might be a party of the Guidon's Free Riders, or CaptainLoup and his gang!" But, paying no heed to his words, I turned tomademoiselle.

  "I like not this place. We had better take our chance of finding theford. Come!"

  At this Pierrebon, with the freedom of an old servant, began toprotest, and mademoiselle aided him.

  "Oh, monsieur, could we not rest here for a little?"

  "We may rest here for ever if we do," I said a little sharply. "Come!"

  My words had, perhaps, too much of command in their tone, for sheanswered back coldly: "I intend to rest here, monsieur; you may go onif you like."

  At this I said nothing more, and let her have her way, but gavePierrebon a warning grip of the arm to be careful. Pierrebon nodded incomprehension. He was no fool, though many thought him so, and thoughif his betters drew steel he as a rule let matters lie with them, yethe could be dangerous--a thing which people found out sometimes when itwas a trifle late.

  We had to wait a space, then we heard the woman's voice laughing oncemore within. Something in its hard, clear tones jarred upon me, and Iglanced at mademoiselle, but she kept her face aside. But now we heardreturning footsteps, the grating of a bolt drawn back, the turning of akey, and then the gate opened; whilst Piero, a huge figure, stoodbefore us, swinging his lantern, and beside him another man, armed withan arquebus, the fuse burning like a glow-worm.

  "Enter," said Piero; "the signor will receive you."

  "_Facilis est descensus Averni_," I murmured to myself, and led theway, and the gate was shut behind us. Before us lay a short drivebordered with tall poplars, and on either hand a tangle of a gardenthat had run to a wilderness. As we rode up a woman's figure appearedat an open window, but stepped back at once, and I asked Piero, in hisown Italian:

  "Has Monsieur de Richelieu returned?"

  The giant answered gruffly: "I know not, signor. He who is within isthe Captain Torquato Trotto."

  "Torquato Trotto! I know not the name."

  And Piero made no answer, for we had now come to the door of the house.Here I helped mademoiselle to alight, whilst Pierrebon took charge ofthe horses, and mademoiselle and I entered the house. At the same timea man came running down the stairs to meet us. As his eyes fell on usa slight exclamation of surprise broke from him; but he checked it onthe instant, and advanced, saying in French:

  "You are very welcome, madame and monsieur, I do assure you--verywelcome."

  And he bowed before us, courteously enough; but I caught the veiledmockery in his voice, and as I took the speaker in I thought he wasbravo to his finger-tips.

  "Monsieur," I said, "I thank you. We but crave permission to rest awhile, and seek a guide to the ford of the Mable, for we have to be atRichelieu to-night."

  "We will do what we can for you, monsieur. Be pleased to ascend. Iwill be with you in a moment. I have but a word to say to my man here.Excuse me!"