CHAPTER XIV. THE DECISION.
Morok, who wore his left arm in a sling, having slowly ascended thestaircase, saluted the burgomaster respectfully. At sight of therepulsive countenance of the lion-tamer, Rose and Blanche, affrighted,drew back a step nearer to the soldier. The brow of the latter grewdark, for he felt his blood boil against Morok, the cause of allhis difficulties--though he was yet ignorant that Goliath, at theinstigation of the Prophet, had stolen his portfolio and papers.
"What did you want, Morok?" said the burgomaster, with an air halffriendly and half displeased. "I told the landlord that I did not wishto be interrupted."
"I have come to render you a service, Mr. Burgomaster."
"A service?"
"Yes, a great service; or I should not have ventured to disturb you. Myconscience reproaches me."
"Your conscience."
"Yes, Mr. Burgomaster, it reproaches me for not having told you all thatI had to tell about this man; a false pity led me astray."
"Yell, but what have you to tell?"
Morok approached the judge, and spoke to him for sometime in a lowvoice.
At first apparently much astonished, the burgomaster became by degreesdeeply attentive and anxious; every now and then be allowed someexclamation of surprise or doubt to escape him, whilst he glancedcovertly at the group formed by Dagobert and the two young girls. Bythe expression of his countenance, which grew every moment more unquiet,severe, and searching, it was easy to perceive that the interestwhich the magistrate had felt for the orphans and for the soldier, wasgradually changed, by the secret communications of the Prophet, into asentiment of distrust and hostility.
Dagobert saw this sudden revolution, and his fears, which had beenappeased for an instant, returned with redoubled force; Rose andBlanche, confused, and not understanding the object of this mute scene,looked at the soldier with increased perplexity.
"The devil!" said the burgomaster, rising abruptly; "all of this neveroccurred to me. What could I have been thinking of?--But you see, Morok,when one is roused up in the middle of the night, one has not alwayspresence of mind. You said well: it is a great service you came torender me."
"I assert nothing positively, but--"
"No matter; 'tis a thousand to one that you are right."
"It is only a suspicion founded upon divers circumstances; but even asuspicion--"
"May give you scent of the truth. And here was I, going like a gull intothe snare!--Once more, what could I have been thinking of?"
"It is so difficult to be on guard against certain appearances."
"You need not tell me so, my dear Morok, you need not tell me so."
During this mysterious conversation, Dagobert was on thorns; he sawvaguely that a violent storm was about to burst. He thought only of howhe should still keep his anger within bounds.
Morok again approached the judge, and glancing at the orphans,recommenced speaking in a low voice. "Oh" cried the burgomaster, with,indignation, "you go too far now."
"I affirm nothing," said Morok, hastily; "it is a mere suppositionfounded on--" and he again brought his lips close to the ear of thejudge.
"After all, why not?" resumed the magistrate, lifting up his hands;"such people are capable of anything. He says that he brings them fromthe heart of Siberia: why may not all this prove to be a tissue ofimpudent falsehoods?--But I am not to be made a dupe twice," criedthe burgomaster, in an angry tone, for, like all persons of a weakand shifting character, he was without pity for those whom he thoughtcapable of having beguiled his compassion.
"Do not be in a hurry to decide--don't give to my words more weightthan they deserve," resumed Morok with a hypocritical affectation ofhumility. "I am unhappily placed in so false a position with regard tothis man,"--pointing to Dagober--"that I might be thought to have actedfrom private resentment for the injury he has done me; perhaps I may soact without knowing it, while I fancy that I am only influenced by loveof justice, horror of falsehood, and respect for our holy religion.Well--who lives long enough will know--and may heaven forgive me if Iam deceived!--In any case, the law will pronounce upon it; and if theyshould prove innocent, they will be released in a month or two."
"And, for that reason, I need not hesitate. It is a mere measure ofprecaution; they will not die of it. Besides, the more I think of it,the more it seems probable. Yes this man is doubtless a French spyor agitator, especially when I compare these suspicions with the latedemonstration of the students at Frankfort."
"And, upon that theory, nothing is better fitted to excite and stirup those hot-headed youths than--" He glanced significantly at the twosisters; then, after a pause, he added with a sigh, "Satan does not careby what means he works out his ends!"
"Certainly, it would be odious, but well-devised."
"And then, Mr Burgomaster, look at him attentively: you will see thatthis man has a dangerous face. You will see--"
In continuing thus to speak in a low tone, Morok had evidently pointedto Dagobert. The latter, notwithstanding his self-command, felt that therestraint he had imposed upon himself, since his arrival at this unluckyinn, and above all wince the commencement of the conversation betweenMorok and the burgomaster, was becoming no longer bearable; besides, hesaw clearly that all his efforts to conciliate the favor of the judgewere rendered completely null by the fatal influence of the brute-tamer;so, losing patience, he advanced towards him with his arms folded on hisbreast, and said to him in a subdued voice: "Was it of me that you werewhispering to Mr. Burgomaster?"
"Yes," said Morok, looking fixedly at him.
"Why did you not speak out loud?" Having said this, the almostconvulsive movement of his thick moustache, as he stood looping Morokfull in the face, gave evidence of a severe internal conflict. Seeingthat his adversary preserved a contemptuous silence, he repeated ina sterner voice: "I ask you, why you did not speak out loud to Mr.Burgomaster, when you were talking of me?"
"Because there are some things so shameful, that one would blush toutter them aloud," answered Morok insolently.
Till then Dagobert had kept his arms folded; he now extended themviolently, clenching his fists. This sudden movement was so expressivethat the two sisters uttered a cry of terror, and drew closer to him.
"Hark ye, Mr. Burgomaster!" said the soldier, grinding his teeth withrage: "bid that man go down, or I will not answer for myself!"
"What!" said the burgomaster, haughtily; "do you dare to give orders tome?"
"I tell you to make that man go down," resumed Dagobert, quite besidehimself, "or there will be mischief!"
"Dagobert!--good heaven!--be calm," cried the children, grasping hishands.
"It becomes you, certainly--miserable vagabond that you are--not to sayworse," returned the burgomaster, in a rage: "it becomes you to giveorders to me!--Oh! you think to impose upon me, by telling me you havelost your papers!--It will not serve your turn, for which you carryabout with you these two girls, who, in spite of their innocent looks,are perhaps after all--"
"Wretch!" cried Dagobert, with so terrible a voice and gesture that theofficial did not dare to finish. Taking the children by the arm beforethey could speak a word, the soldier pushed them back into the chamber;then, locking the door, and putting the key into his pocket, he returnedprecipitately towards the burgomaster, who, frightened at the menacingair and attitude of the veteran, retreated a couple of steps, and heldby one hand to the rail of the staircase.
"Listen to me!" said the soldier, seizing the judge by the arm. "Justnow, that scoundrel insulted me--I bore with it--for it only concernedmyself. I have heard patiently all your idle talk, because you seemedfor a moment to interest yourself in those poor children. But since youhave neither soul, nor pity, nor justice--I tell you that, burgomasterthough you are--I will spurn you as I would spurn that dog," pointingagain to the Prophet, "if you have the misfortune to mention thosetwo young girls, in any other way than you would speak of your ownchild!--Now, do you mark me?"
"What!--you dare to sa
y," cried the burgomaster, stammering with rage,"that if I happen to mention two adventuresses--"
"Hats off!--when you speak of the daughters of the Duke of Ligny," criedthe soldier, snatching the cap of the burgomaster and flinging it onthe ground. On this act of aggression, Morok could not restrain his joy.Exasperated and losing all hope, Dagobert had at length yielded to theviolence of his anger, after struggling so painfully against it for somehours.
When the burgomaster saw his cap at his feet, he looked at the brutetamer with an air of stupefaction, as if he hesitated to believe sogreat an enormity. Dagobert, regretting, his violence, and feeling thatno means of conciliation note remained, threw a rapid glance aroundhim, and, retreating several paces, gained the topmost steps of thestaircase. The burgomaster stood near the bench, in a corner of thelanding-place, whilst Morok, with his arm in the sling, to give the moreserious appearance to his wound, was close beside him. "So!" cried themagistrate, deceived by the backward movement of Dagobert, "you think toescape, after daring to lift hand against me!--Old villain!"
"Forgive me, Mr. Burgomaster! It was a burst of rashness that I was notable to control. I am sorry for it," said Dagobert in a repentant voice,and hanging his head humbly.
"No pity for thee, rascal! You would begin again to smooth me over withyour coaxing ways, but I have penetrated your secret designs. You arenot what you appear to be, and there is perhaps an affair of state atthe bottom of all this," added the magistrate, in a very diplomatictone. "All means are alike to those who wish to set Europe in flames."
"I am only a poor devil, Mr. Burgomaster; you, that have a good heart,will show me some mercy."
"What! when you have pulled off my cap?"
"And you," added the soldier, turning towards Morok, "you, thathave been the cause of all this--have same pity upon me--do not bearmalice!--You, a holy man, speak a word in my favor to Mr. Burgomaster."
"I have spoken to him what I was bound to speak," answered the Prophetironically.
"Oho! you can look foolish enough now, you old vagabond! Did you thinkto impose on me with lamentations?" resumed the burgomaster, advancingtowards Dagobert. "Thanks be, I am no longer your dupe!--You shall seethat we have good dungeons at Leipsic for French agitators and femalevagrants, for your damsels are no better than you are. Come," added he,puffing out his cheeks with an important air, "go down before me--and asfor you, Morok--"
The burgomaster was unable to finish. For some minutes Dagobert had onlysought to gain time, and had cast many a side-glance at a half-opendoor on the landing-place, just opposite to the chamber occupied by theorphans: finding the moment favorable, he now rushed quick as lightningon the burgomaster, seized him by the throat, and dashed him with suchviolence against the door in question, that the magistrate, stupefiedby this sudden attack, and unable to speak a word or utter a cry, rolledover to the further end of the room, which was completely dark. Then,turning towards Morok, who, with his arm encumbered by the sling, madea rush for the staircase, the soldier caught him by his long, streaminghair, pulled him back, clasped him with hands of iron, clapped his handover his mouth to stifle his outcries, and notwithstanding his desperateresistance, dragged him into the chamber, on the floor of which theburgomaster lay bruised and stunned.
Having double-locked the door, and put the key in his pocket, Dagobertdescended the stairs at two bounds, and found himself in a passage, thatopened on the court-yard. The gate of the inn was shut, and there was nopossibility of escape on that side. The rain fell in torrents. He couldsee through the window of a parlor, in which a fire was burning, thehost and his people waiting for the decision of the burgomaster. To boltthe door of the passage, and thus intercept all communication with theyard, was for the soldier the affair of an instant, and he hastenedupstairs again to rejoin the orphans.
Morok, recovering from his surprise, was calling for help with all hismight; but, even if the distance had permitted him to be heard, thenoise of the wind and rain would have drowned his outcries. Dagoberthad about an hour before him, for it would require some time to elapsebefore the length of his interview with the magistrate would exciteastonishment; and, suspicion or fear once awakened, it would benecessary to break open two doors--that which separated the passage fromthe court-yard, and that of the room in which the burgomaster and theProphet were confined.
"My children, it is now time to prove that you have a soldier's bloodin your veins," said Dagobert, as he entered abruptly the chamber of theyoung girls, who were terrified at the racket they had heard for someminutes.
"Good heaven, Dagobert! what has happened?" cried Blanche.
"What do you wish us to do?" added Rose.
Without answering, the soldier ran to the bed, tore off the sheets, tiedthem strongly together, made a knot at one end, passed it over the topof the left half of the casement, and so shut it in. Thus made fast bythe size of the knot, which could not slip through, the sheets, floatingon the outside, touched the ground. The second half of the window wasleft open, to afford a passage to the fugitives.
The veteran next took his knapsack, the children's portmanteau, and thereindeer pelisse, and threw them all out of the window, making a sign toSpoil-sport to follow, to watch over them. The dog did not hesitate, butdisappeared at a single bound. Rose and Blanche looked at Dagobert inamazement, without uttering a word.
"Now, children," said he to them, "the doors of the inn are shut, and itis by this way," pointing to the window, "that we must pass--if wewould not be arrested, put in prison--you in one place, and I in theother--and have our journey altogether knocked on the head."
"Arrested! put in prison!" cried Rose.
"Separated from you!" exclaimed Blanche.
"Yes, my poor children!--They have killed Jovial--we must make ourescape on foot, and try to reach Leipsic--when you are tired, I willcarry you, and, though I have to beg my way, we will go through with it.But a quarter of an hour later, and all will be lost. Come, children,have trust in me--show that the daughters of General Simon are nocowards--and there is yet hope."
By a sympathetic movement, the sisters joined hands, as though theywould meet the danger united. Their sweet faces, pale from the effect ofso many painful emotions, were now expressive of simple resolve, foundedon the blind faith they reposed in the devotion of the soldier.
"Be satisfied, Dagobert! we'll not be frightened," said Rose, in a firmvoice.
"We will do what must be done," added Blanche, in a no less resolutetone.
"I was sure of it," cried Dagobert; "good blood is ever thicker thanwater. Come! you are light as feathers, the sheet is strong, it ishardly eight feet to the ground, and the pup is waiting for you."
"It is for me to go first--I am the eldest for to-day," cried Rose, whenshe had tenderly embraced Blanche; and she ran to the window, in order,if there were any danger, to expose herself to it before her sister.
Dagobert easily guessed the cause of this eagerness. "Dear children!"said he, "I understand you. But fear nothing for one another--there isno danger. I have myself fastened the sheet. Quick, my little Rose!"
As light as a bird, the young girl mounted the ledge of the window,and assisted by Dagobert, took hold of the sheet, and slid gently downaccording to the recommendation of the soldier, who, leaning out hiswhole body, encouraged her with his voice.
"Don't be afraid, sister!" said she, as soon as she touched the ground,"it is very easy to come down this way. And Spoil-sport is here, lickingmy hands." Blanche did not long keep her waiting; as courageous as hersister, she descended with the same success.
"Dear little creatures! what have they done to be sounfortunate?--Thousand thunders! there must be a curse upon the family,"cried Dagobert, as, with heavy heart, he saw the pale, sweet face ofthe young girl disappear amid the gloom of the dark night, which violentsqualls of wind and torrents of rain rendered still more dismal.
"Dagobert, we are waiting for you; come quickly!" said the orphans ina low voice, from beneath the window. Thanks to his tall st
ature, thesoldier rather leaped than glided to the ground.
Dagobert and the two young girls had not fled from the inn of the WhiteFalcon more than a quarter of an hour, when a long crash resoundedthrough the house. The door had yielded to the efforts of theburgomaster and Morok, who had made use of a heavy table as a batteringram. Guided by the light, they ran to the chamber of the orphans, nowdeserted. Morok saw the sheets floating from the casement, and cried:"Mr. Burgomaster, they have escaped by the window--they are on foot--inthis dark and stormy night, they cannot be far."
"No doubt, we shall catch them, the miserable tramps! Oh, I will berevenged! Quick, Morok; your honor is concerned as well as mine."
"My honor?--Much more is concerned than that, Mr. Burgomaster," answeredthe Prophet, in a tone of great irritation. Then, rapidly descending thestairs, he opened the door of the court-yard, and shouted in a voice ofthunder:
"Goliath! unchain the dogs!--and, landlord! bring us lanterns,torches--arm your people--open the doors!--We must pursue the fugitives;they cannot escape us; we must have them--alive or dead!"