CHAPTER V
AN INTERRUPTION
"They seem not to appreciate your _fete champetre_, my Lady!" At theverge of the group of peasant dancers, the Lady Elise and the Marquisde Beauvillers, who had left the other guests to the enjoyment of freshculinary surprises, paused to survey a scene, intended, yet failing, tobe festal. For whether these people were too sodden to availthemselves of the opportunity for merrymaking, or liked not the notionof tripping together at Beppo's command, their movements, which shouldhave been free and untrammeled as the vigorous swing of the music, werecharacterized only by painful monotony and lagging. In the half-gloomthey came together like shadows; separated aimlessly and cast misshapensilhouettes--caricatures of frolicking peasants--on the broad surfaceof the sands beyond. These bobbing, black spots my lady disapprovinglyregarded.
"They seem not in the mood, truly!" tapping her foot on the beach.
"Here--and elsewhere!" he laughed.
But the Governor's daughter made an impatient movement; memories of thedance, as she had often seen it, when she was a child at the Mount,recurred to her. "They seem to have forgotten!" Her eyes flashed. "Ishould like to show them."
"You? My Lady!"
She did not answer; pressing her red lips, she glanced sharply around."Stupid people! Half of them are only looking on! When they candance, they won't, and--" She gave a slight start, for near her,almost at her elbow, stood the young seaman she had observed only ashort time before, when the minuet was in progress. His dark eyes werebent on her and she surprised on his face an expression half derisory,half quizzical. Her look changed to one of displeasure.
"You are not dancing?" severely.
"No, my Lady." Too late, perhaps, he regretted his temerity--that toounveiled and open regard.
"Why not?" more imperiously.
"I--" he began and stopped.
"You _can_ dance?"
"A little, perhaps--"
"As well as they?" looking at the people.
"Wooden fantoccini!" said the man, a flicker of bold amusementreturning to his face.
"Fantoccini?" spoke the girl impatiently. "What know _you_ of them?"
"We Breton seamen sail far, on occasion."
"Far enough to gain in assurance!" cried my lady, with golden headhigh, surveying him disdainfully through half-closed, sweeping lashes."But you shall prove your right."
"Right?" asked the fellow, his eyes fixed intently upon her.
"The right of one who does not dance--to criticize those who do!" shesaid pointedly, and made, on the sudden, an imperious gesture.
He gave a start of surprise; audacious though he was, he looked as ifhe would draw back. "What? With you, my Lady?"
A gleam of satisfaction, a little cold and scornful, shone from thegirl's eyes at this evidence of his discomfiture. "Unless," she addedmaliciously, "you fear you--can not?"
"Fear?" His look shot around; a moment he seemed to hesitate; then amore reckless expression swept suddenly over his dark features and hesprang to her side.
"At your Ladyship's command!"
My lady's white chin lifted. The presumptuous fellow knew the dance ofthe Mount--danced it well, no doubt!--else why such ease and assurance?Her lids veiled a look of disappointment; she was half-minded curtly todismiss him, when a few words of low remonstrance and the sight of mylord's face decided her. She drew aside her skirts swiftly; flashedback at the nobleman a smile, capricious and wilful.
The presumptuous fellow knew the dance of the Mount]
"They," indicating the peasants, "must have an example, my Lord!" sheexclaimed, and stood, with eyes sparkling, waiting the instant to catchup the rhythm.
But the Marquis, not finding the reason sufficient to warrant suchcondescension, gazed with mute protest and disapproval on the twofigures, so ill-assorted: my lady, in robe of satin, fastened withtassels of silver--the sleeves, wide and short, trimmed at the elbowwith fine lace of Brussels and drawn up at the shoulder with glisteningknots of diamonds; the other, clad in the rough raiment of a seaman!The nice, critical sense of the Marquis suffered from this spectacle ofthe incongruous; his eyes, seeking in vain those of the Governor'sdaughter, turned and rested querulously on the heavy-browed peasants,most of whom, drawing nearer, viewed the scene with stolidindifference. In the gaze of only a few did that first stupidexpression suffer any change; then it varied to one of vague wonder,half-apathetic inquiry!
"Is he mad?" whispered a clod of this class to a neighbor.
"Not so loud!" breathed the other in a low tone.
"But he," regarding with dull awe the young fisherman, "doesn't care!Look! What foolhardiness! He's going to dance with her!"
"Witchcraft! That's what I call it!"
"Hush!"
My lady extended the tips of her fingers. "Attack well!" runs the oldGallic injunction to dancers; the partner she had chosen apparentlyunderstood its significance. A lithe muscular hand closed on the smallone; whirled my lady swiftly; half back again. It took away her breatha little, so forcible and unceremonious that beginning! Then, obeyingthe mad rhythm of the movement, she yielded to the infectious measure.An arm quickly encircled her waist; swept the slender formhere,--there. Never had she had partner so vigorous, yet graceful.One who understood so well this song of the soil; its wild symbolism;the ancient music of the hardy Scandinavians who first brought thedance to these shores.
More stirring, the melodies resounded--faster--faster. In a rapidturn, the golden hair just brushed the dark, glowing face. He bentlower; as if she had been but a peasant maid, the bold eyes looked nowdown into hers; nay, more--in their depths she might fancy almost awarmer sparkle--of mute admiration! And her face, on a sudden,changed; grew cold.
"_Certes_, your Ladyship sets them an example!" murmured the audaciousfellow. "Though, _pardi!_--one not easy to imitate!"
She threw back her head, proudly, imperiously; the brown eyes gleamed,and certain sharp words of reproof were about to spring from her lips,when abruptly, above the sound of the music, a trumpet call, afar, rangout. My lady--not sorry perhaps of the pretext--at once stopped.
"I thank your Ladyship," said the man and bowed low.
But the Governor's daughter seemed, or affected, not to hear, regardingthe other dancers, who likewise had come to a standstill--the twomusicians looking up from instruments now silent. A moment yet theyoung fisherman lingered; seemed about once more to voice hisacknowledgments, but, catching the dull eye of a peasant, stepped backinstead.
"_Sapristi_! They might, at least, have waited until the end of thedance!" he muttered, and, with a final look over his shoulder and a lowlaugh, disappeared in the crowd.
"Where are the enemy?" It was the Marquis who spoke--in accents hestrove to make light and thereby conceal, perhaps, possible annoyance.Coming forward, he looked around toward the point whence the sound hadproceeded. "If I mistake not," a note of inquiry in his tone, "itmeans--a call to arms!"
My lady bit her lips; her eyes still gleamed with the bright cold lightof a topaz. "Why--a call to arms?" she asked somewhat petulantly,raising her hand to her hair, a little disarranged in the dance.
"Perhaps, as a part of the military discipline?" murmured the Marquisdubiously. "See!" With sudden interest, he indicated a part of theMount that had been black against the star-spangled sky, now showingsickly points of light. "It does mean something! They are comingdown!"
And even as the Marquis spoke, a clatter of hoofs on the stone pavementleading from the Mount to the sand ushered a horseman into view. Hewas followed by another and yet another, until in somewhat desultoryfashion, owing to the tortuous difficulties of the narrow way that hadseparated them above, an array of mounted men was gathered at the baseof the rock. But only for a moment; a few words from one of theirnumber, evidently in command, and they dispersed; some to ride aroundthe Mount to the left, others to the right.
"Perhaps Elise will enlighten us?" Of one accord her guests nowcrowded around the
girl.
"Does the Governor intend to take us prisoners?"
"You imply it is necessary to do that--to keep you?" answered my lady.
"Then why--"
Her expression, as perplexed as theirs, answered.
"Beppo!" She waved her hand.
The Governor's servitor, who was passing, with an anxious, inquiringlook upon his face, glanced around.
"Beppo!" she repeated, and beckoned again.
The man approached. "Your Ladyship wishes to speak with me?" he askedin a voice he endeavored to make unconcerned.
"I do." In her manner the old antipathy she had felt toward him as achild again became manifest. "What do the soldiers want? Why havethey come down?"
His eyes shifted. "I--my Lady--" he stammered.
The little foot struck the strand. "Why don't you answer? You heardmy question?"
"I am sorry, my Lady--" Again he hesitated: "_Le Seigneur Noir_ hasbeen seen on the beach!"
"_Le Seigneur Noir?_" she repeated.
"Yes, my Lady. He was caught sight of among the peasants, at the timethe barrels were opened, in accordance with your Ladyship's command. Iassure your Ladyship," with growing eagerness, "there can be nomistake, as--"
"Who," interrupted my lady sharply, "_is_ this Black Seigneur?"
Beppo's manner changed. "A man," he said solemnly, "his Excellency,the Governor, has long been most anxious to capture."
The girl's eyes flashed with impatience, and then she began to laugh."Saw you ever, my Lords and Ladies, his equal for equivocation? Youput to him the question direct, and he answers--"
The loud report of a carbine from the other side of the Mount, followedby a desultory volley, interrupted her. The laughter died on her lips;the color left her cheek.
"What--" The startled look in her eyes completed the sentence.
Beppo rubbed his hands softly. "His Excellency takes no chances!" hemurmured.