The King's Esquires; Or, The Jewel of France

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

  DARK WORK.

  More than one of the Court ladies thought the gallant Comte strange inhis manner, as they waited, fully expecting that he would come up andoffer his hand to lead them through the next dance; but it soon becameevident that nothing was farther from his intentions, and after lookingon for a short time he slowly left the great apartment, and began tomake his way towards his own rooms. "I don't like it; I don't like it,"he muttered. "It is vile and degrading. I feel as if only to think ofit were lowering myself to the level of some cutpurse. I would I hadnever come. No," he added sharply; "the time has passed too gaily forme to say that; and the good, bluff, hot-tempered, cheery Henri! I likethe brave Englishman, and my faith, I have made him like me, traitor asI am.--No, it is not I. It is the spirit of that cunning, subtle Leoni,with his horrible fixed eye. I cannot tell why, but he masters me--Kingas I am. He turns me round his finger and forces me to obey evenagainst my better feelings; for I think I have some. Can it be that heis more than man, that he possesses some strange power over one's brain,as he does over the body when one is ill? Well, I'll be master now. Iwill not do this thing. By my sword, is this cunning Italian to forcehis master to become a thief? No! He shall learn to-night that I'llhave none of it. Conceal who I am! Play the part of a masqueradingspy! No! to-morrow I'll tell my brother Harry the whole truth."

  He started violently as he came to this conclusion, for a dark figuresuddenly glided from behind one of the statues in the long passage hewas following. "You, Leoni?" he said, in a hoarse whisper. "M. leComte! Yes, it is I. You have been long."

  "Long?" said Francis haughtily. "How--" He stopped short, for Leoniplaced his lips close to his ear. "France is anxious, Sire, and thetime has come."

  "The time!" said the King sharply. "Not for that?"

  "Yes, M. le Comte, for that. I have been waiting for the fateful momentto arrive for the great opportunity, and it has come."

  "But," cried Francis, "I have been thinking--my position here--my goodfriend the King. Leoni, all this must end; I cannot, I will not do thisthing."

  "Sire!" whispered Leoni.

  "No, no, man. It is the Comte de la Seine you speak to, and who tellsyou he will let you lead him no more through these devious ways. Whoare you that you should dare to force me onward into such a crime?"

  "Your servant, sir, but at the same time he to whom it is given to leadyou aright towards making your country the greatest in the world."

  "Through crime?" said the King hotly.

  "The acts of kings, sir, are outside crime. You are the anointed, andcan do no wrong."

  "Of my own will, no; but this:--"

  "Sir, the spirit of your country calls upon you to act. The fatefuljewel we came to seek is ready to pass into your possession, and thetime has come--"

  "Leoni, I will not hear you. I swear I will not sully mine honour withsuch an act. This deed shall never be done by me."

  "Deed--deed, sir--act! You speak as if it were a crime," whisperedLeoni.

  "It is a crime," cried the King angrily. "Dare not to speak to me ofthis deed again. Now, enough. The King expects me back, and to-morrowI will place myself outside temptation, and leave this place. Whateverhappens, my visit here is at an end."

  "Your visit ends to-night, sir," said Leoni, in a low, harsh whisper;and as he spoke he leaned forward, passed his hands quickly before theKing's face, and then caught him by the wrist.

  "Leoni!" said Francis quickly. "What means this?"

  "I have told you, sir. It is too late to attempt to shrink back nowthat the fateful moment has arrived. Quick, sir, and in an hour's timewe shall be on our way to the coast. Silence, sir," he whisperedsharply, as Francis essayed to speak, looking half dazed the while inhis companion's eye, as Leoni leaned towards him with his hot breathpassing over the monarch's face. "This way, sir--quick!"

  "Where? Where?" faltered the King. "What does this mean, Leoni?" hewhispered. "Have you been tricking me with one of your accursed drugs?"

  "Silence, sir! I am calling you back to your duty," whispered thedoctor, as he guided Francis quickly along the passage, still holdinghim tightly by the wrist, "for once more I pray you to prove yourselfour country's greatest son."

  Francis made no reply, no sign, but, yielding helplessly, allowedhimself to be led to the door of his ante-chamber, where the door openedwithout being touched, and, once inside, closed behind them, Saint Simonhaving been waiting, while Denis, who looked pale and excited by thelight of the two candles that illumined the room, rose up from where hehad been kneeling, securing the straps of a valise.

  No one spoke a word, for Leoni raised his hand as if commanding silence,as he still held the wrist of Francis, who gazed vacantly from one tothe other as if he were in a dream.

  "Is the Comte ill?" said Denis anxiously.

  "A little over-excited," said Leoni quickly. "A cup of water, boy."And as he spoke, without leaving his grasp of the King's wrist, Leonithrust the hand at liberty into his breast and drew forth a littlegolden _flacon_, which glistened in the light.

  "Set down the cup," said Leoni quickly, as Denis returned from thebedchamber with the water. "Now, boy, unscrew the top of this, and holdit in your hand."

  Leoni held out the little glistening flask, retaining it tightly, whileDenis twisted off the tiny, cup-like top.

  "Not that way, boy; turn it up so that I can fill it to the brim. Now,"he whispered, "empty it into the water, and screw on the top once more."

  This was quickly done, and the _flacon_ replaced.

  "Now," continued Leoni, "hand the cup to the Comte. The ballroom wasoverheated, and the wine he has drunk to-night has affected him.--Drink,sir; you will be better then."

  The King started slightly, looked wildly in the eyes that seemed tomaster him, and with a slight shiver took the handed cup, drained it,and uttered a low, deep sigh.

  "Ah," said Leoni, smiling in a peculiar way. "Now, gentlemen, the timehas come for action. You, Saint Simon, be silent, and alert. Theremust be no bloodshed unless it is to save the Comte. You will come withus, and I shall depend upon your sword for our protection if there isperil in the way. You, Denis, boy," he continued, turning to the youngesquire, who stood looking on now with his lips apart and a strangefeeling of misery and despair oppressing him, "you have your duty toperform."

  "Not to--" began Denis; but he was checked by the angry gesture thedoctor made.

  "Silence, sir! Your master's work. Follow us outside, and remain thereon guard. The Comte's valise is ready. Never mind our own. Here,quick! Where is the cloak?"

  Denis darted to a _garde-robe_ and drew out the monarch's cloak.

  "That's right. Throw it down there. You will now allow no one to passin here, but stand on guard till we return. If we are not back here bythe time the castle clock has chimed twice you will take the cloak andvalise, go down the long corridor, if possible unseen, and make for thestables, where you will have the horses saddled at once."

  "But--"

  "But!" snapped out Leoni. "They must be saddled. Quick! Slip off mypouch and gird it on. There is gold enough within, and if that will notmove the people there you have your sword."

  Denis uttered a sigh of relief as he hastily unclasped the doctor'sbelt, for this was work he felt that he could do.

  The next minute he was following his companions across the ante-chamber,ready to close the door behind them and place himself on guard in agloomy angle of the corridor, from whence as he watched them he sawtheir figures seem to glide along the lighted portion, the Comteyielding entirely to his leader's every motion, till they passed quicklyout of the sentry's ken.