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

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

  LEONI'S WEAPON.

  But as Hurst made a step forward to summon the guard the King caught himby the wrist.

  "By my faith," he ejaculated, "there is black treachery here! Am I inmy own palace or in a tavern? These fellows come and go as if the placewere their own. A mystery too. But by the crown I swear I'll solveit!" And for a few moments he stood fuming. "Here, Hurst," he saidhoarsely, "your brains have been sharper than mine, and I'm beginning tothink you are right about that portrait. Ambassador--poet--brilliantconversationalist--one who has won himself into favour with us all.Hah!" he went on. "He can be no Comte de la Seine! Can you ever trusta Frenchman? But come on!" And he led the way back into the longgallery. "I've got ears like a cat to-night," he said; "butunfortunately not the eyes of one. Surely those were footsteps downyonder?"

  "Yes, Sire," said Hurst. "Beneath that window--a white doublet!"

  "Yes," cried the King. "Come on!"

  "But the guard, Sire? Shall I gammon them?"

  "No, no," cried the King impatiently. "This is exciting. We will beour own guard, and find out the truth ourselves."

  The King and the chamberlain had not gone many yards along the gallerywhen they they came to a halt, for a figure barred the way.

  "Who goes there?" came from out of the gloom.

  "Pst!" said the King. "Young Carrbroke.--England!" he cried.

  The figure came nearer, into the light of a window--a slim figure in awhite doublet; and the radiance of the moon flashed on a bared andshining sword.

  "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, and he dropped on one knee.

  "Rise," said Henry. "You are on duty here?"

  "Yes, Sire."

  "Has anyone passed?"

  "No, Sire."

  "You are certain?"

  "Quite certain, Sire."

  "Good. Come, Hurst!" And the two proceeded on their way, turning thecorner of the long gallery, passing from gloom to silvery light, andagain into the dusk, as they walked beneath the windows, while at theangle the lustrous splendour was shed through red glass, fallingbrilliantly on the King's plumed hat, his sword and royal star, as thepair disappeared.

  Carrbroke turned and looked after the retreating figures.

  "I wish," he murmured, "that his Majesty had ordered me to follow him."And he stood gazing in the direction the King and chamberlain had taken,till growing weary, he stepped aside into the shadow, where he couldhalf seat himself, half lean against the end of a great settee. "How Ido hate this guard work of a night! Yes, and there's the music stillgoing on. I just heard one strain. All bright and gay yonder, and hereall dark and dull. But it's an honour, I suppose, to be on the watchover the ways to his Majesty's private apartments, and have him come andfind me here. It means promotion some day, such private service asthis. I wonder where French Denis is? Dancing with the prettiest girlhe can find, I'll be bound. Oh dear, how dreary it is! And I feel asif I could lie down and go to sleep."

  Then with a start he was fully on the alert, ready to step out into suchlight as was shed through the window near.

  "His Majesty coming back," he muttered, for quick steps were heardapproaching, and a few moments later he stepped quickly out to bar theway as he did a short time before, and with a feeling upon him that hewould show his master how well he was on the alert.

  He challenged, fully believing that it was Henry and the chamberlain,and started violently on finding out his mistake, for it was Francis,who cried angrily:

  "Who are you?"

  "Carrbroke, M. le Comte. This is the way to his Majesty's privateapartments. You cannot pass here."

  In an instant Leoni had glided alongside, to lay his hand softly on theyouth's arm.

  "My dear young friend," he said, "you do not recognise who it isspeaking. It is the King's friend, the Comte de la Seine. The ballroomwas hot, and these corridors calm, cool, and refreshing. The Comte isonly going round this way to reach his apartment. We can reach it downthis passage, can we not?"

  "No, sir," said Carrbroke quietly. "I am sorry to have to turn youback, but you must seek some other way. I am on guard here, and it ishis Majesty's commands that no one shall pass this private corridor bynight--and no wonder," thought the lad, as he recalled his discovery ofthe private doorway not far from where they stood.

  Francis uttered an impatient growl.

  "Tell him," he said angrily in French, to Leoni--"tell him I object tobeing treated like a prisoner"--words which Leoni translated, in thebelief that they were not understood.

  "The Comte de la Seine says, Monsieur Carrbroke, that surely his Majestywould make an exception in favour of his friend."

  "I regret it much," was the reply, "but unless the King gives me suchorders in contradiction of those which I have received, I cannot let youpass. Once more, gentlemen, it is impossible, and you must return. Didyou hear me, M. Saint Simon? Ah, sir, you--" He said no more, for SaintSimon had passed onward, as if to go on in spite of all that had beensaid, but only to turn quickly and seize his arms from behind, while atthe same moment his speech was cut short by Leoni's hand--the subtleFranco-Italian having literally glided at him to clap a stronglysmelling hand, moist with some pungent fluid, across his mouth.

  The action seemed to the lad as instantaneous as its effect. He made abold brave struggle, uttering a groaning half-stifled sound, and hevainly strove to free himself from the pinioning hands of Saint Simon;while, as if through a misty dream, he saw with starting eyes the dimfigure of his master's guest straight before him, and pointing astiletto at his throat.

  The next minute Saint Simon, in obedience to the whispered orders ofLeoni, had raised the helpless lad in his arms.

  "Is there to be no end to this black night's work?" muttered Francisangrily. "I don't know how it is. I don't think I took too much of mybrother Henry's wine, for I wanted to dance; but my head is all confusedand strange."

  "It was the heat of the room, perhaps, sir," said Leoni.

  "Perhaps so. The place was hot and stifling," said Francis. "There aremoments when my brain seems to whirl, and things go round. Did I go tosleep?"

  "Yes, sir; you were certainly insensible to all that passed for a time."

  "Of course I was," said the King angrily, "if I was asleep; but whydon't you say so? Here, I don't know what's the matter with me. I musthave dreamed that you took me by the wrist and led me along one of thesedark galleries, to stop and lean against some great piece of furniturewhile something was going on. Then all was dark and strange again, andI seemed to be going for ever along dark passages, till I felt the freshair coming in through an open window looking out upon the terrace.Well, come, Saint Simon; that was not dreaming."

  "No, sir," said the young courtier drily.

  "You were suffering from excitement, sir," said Leoni quietly. "A touchof vertigo. You have been doing too much of late. But you feel betternow?"

  "Oh yes, better now--and worse, for I am not certain but what this roughdealing with that boy is not part of another dream."

  "That is no dream, sir," said Leoni meaningly; "but be silent and let meguide. We are on our way to make our escape."

  "Escape!" whispered back the King excitedly. "Then--then--oh, it'scoming back quite clearly. You have tried and failed?"

  "Hist! Silence, Comte!" whispered Leoni, in a commanding tone, as heturned upon the speaker, but without taking his hand from Carrbroke'slips. "Our task is nearly at an end, sir, and I will answer to youlater on.--Now, Saint Simon, lay the boy quickly on that couch."

  "Have you killed him?" whispered Francis.

  "No, sir; only plunged him into a deep sleep.--That's right, SaintSimon." And then in a mocking tone, "I am afraid that the faithfulsentinel will be in trouble when they find him here asleep. I didn'tthink to find him here. Now, quick, before we are interrupted again."And he moved a few steps down the gallery, passing his hand along thehangings which veiled the panelled wall. "Somewhere here,
" he muttered;"somewhere here. I seem to know the place so well."

  "Leoni," growled the King, "this night will end in our disgrace, and ifit does--"

  "Hist, sir! there is a way out here," whispered Leoni. "You hinder andconfuse me, and at a time like this, when everything points to success,you--ah, here it is!" For his hand had at last come in contact with theboss, which he turned quickly, pressed hard, making the concealed doorswing back, and then stooped in the gloom to raise the arras. "Now,sir; through here--quick!"

  "What!" said Francis sharply. "Go through there into what may be atrap?"

  Leoni made no reply, but turned to Saint Simon.

  "Through with you," he whispered, with a contemptuous ring in his voice."I would lead, but I must come last to close the way, for they must notknow the route we have taken in our flight."

  The young officer passed through without a word, and, half ashamed ofhis hesitation, Francis followed, to have his hand seized in thedarkness by Saint Simon, who led him for a few yards along the darkpassage, where they stopped listening, to hear Leoni close the door witha faint, half-smothered click.

  Leoni joined them the next moment, "Let me pass now and go first," hewhispered. "The passage is very narrow, and dark as dark. Thanks,Saint Simon," he continued, as he squeezed by him; and then, as if tohimself, but loud enough for Francis to hear, "and then if there is anytrap or pitfall in the way I shall be the sufferer, and they will hearme and escape. Ah," he continued to himself, "the way seems easy, andwhat did the lad say?--that it led after several turns to some stairswhich descended to the ground floor, and finally to a door which openedupon a bosky portion of the terrace, and from there led on throughvarious alleys to the river, a flight of steps, and a boat. Ah, a goodway to escape; but we must have our horses, and trust to them. Well,once within the grounds--I have not been here all these days fornothing--and it will go hard if I do not find my way to the stabling,where Denis should be waiting with the ready saddled steeds, if he hasdone his duty as I bade."

  As he thought this over to himself, breaking it up, as it were, intosentences between which were whispered words of encouragement to thosewho followed, bidding them come on, telling them that all was clear, andto beware of "this angle," and the like, he passed on and on withoutstretched hands in front, his fingers gliding on either side oversmooth stone walls, till at last he was suddenly checked by a blank.

  "Ah!" he muttered, as he felt about cautiously. "This should be the topof the steps." And so it proved; for, proceeding carefully from theangle along to his left, his advanced foot, as he glided it over thefloor, rested on an edge.

  "The topmost stair," he muttered.

  Making certain that it was, Leoni uttered fresh warnings, and then beganto descend, followed slowly by his companions. At the bottom theyproceeded for a while upon the level, when he was brought up short byhis fingers encountering on one side the great iron pintle of a hinge,while the other touched the edge of a stone rebate, into which a heavydoor was sunk.

  "Hah!" he uttered, with a sigh of relief. "Here is the way out of thiskingly fox-burrow." And his hand glided down the edge of the door tillit came in contact with a huge lock, about which for a few moments hisfingers played, while a chill ran through him, filling him with despair,for the truth had come upon him like a flash: there was no key in thelock; the door was fast; and just in this hour of triumph they were asmuch prisoners as if they were in a cell.

  "Well, Leoni," whispered Francis, "why are you stopping? This placemakes me feel as if I could not breathe."

  "I am not stopping, sir," said the doctor bitterly; "I have beenstopped."