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

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

  THE KING'S HORSES AND MEN.

  The landlord of the little inn welcomed his visitors eagerly, for he hadnever before had guests of such degree, and when not observed he gazedopen-eyed at their rich habiliments, for there had been no time to dontheir travelling garments. Everything had been made to give way to theopportune moment for securing the jewel and making their escape.

  All the host studied was about how many gold pieces he would be able tocharge this noble gentleman who had had so unfortunate an accidentthrough his horse stumbling upon the ill-kept road, while he and hiswife did everything they could in their attentions, in the hope thattheir visitors might prolong their stay.

  Leoni bit his nails to the quick as he paced up and down, watching theroad from the King's humble chamber, expecting every minute to see amounted guard coming to arrest them, and in spite of his longing to beupon the road he dared not suggest such a thing to the King in hisintervals of consciousness, when he questioned about his state and wherethey were, for his hurt was too serious for any risk to be run.

  So Leoni tended his wounded sovereign night and day, while, quite asimpatiently as he, Denis and Saint Simon tried to while away the time bygiving extra attention to the horses, and feeding them up ready for asevere test of their powers when they once more continued their flight.

  They too watched the road each way without attempting to leave the inn,lest troubles should arise and they not be there.

  It was late in the afternoon of the fourth day, and the impatience andanxiety of the King's followers had grown unbearable; but they had thisconsolation, that the wound was doing well, and that though weak Franciswas conscious and ready to talk as much as Leoni would permit aboutFontainebleau and the journey home.

  But he always avoided making any mention of the jewel, or of hisdissatisfaction at having attempted so wild an escapade.

  It was, then, late in the afternoon of this fourth day, when afterFrancis had had a light meal he sank into a profound and restful sleep,thanks to Leoni's dressing of the wound; and as soon as his attendanthad satisfied himself that the sleep was deep, he went down to theshabby little room occupied by Denis and Saint Simon, who sat dolefullycomparing their quarters with those they had so lately left.

  "He is better, then?" cried Denis, springing up as Leoni entered; andthen he looked wonderingly at Leoni, who stood perfectly still, rapt ofmanner and silent, gazing fixedly at him with that expressionless stonyeye, while with the other he seemed to be looking Saint Simon throughand through.

  "Yes," said the doctor at last, as if dragging himself back from wherehis thoughts had wandered away; "better--much."

  "He is ready to start, then?" said Denis eagerly.

  "No, nor near it. We are quite lost sight of here in this lonely place.I think we can do so with safety, so we will stay another night. Idare not risk another breakdown on the road."

  "Oh," ejaculated Denis, "you surely do not advise that we should keephis--the Comte in this squalid place another night?"

  "Not from choice, boy, but from necessity. Another such a night as hehas just had, and he may be fit to start. To leave to-day wouldaggravate his wound."

  "Oh," cried Denis impatiently, "while at any moment Henry's people mayhave obtained a clue and surround this place!"

  "We are playing for high stakes, boy," said Leoni gravely, "and we musttake all risks."

  The King did not awaken until late in the evening, seeming so muchrested and clear that Denis's heart leaped with excitement, for he beganto speak calmly, declaring that he was ready to start.

  "No, sir," said Leoni. "Believe me, not yet. Let us see what to-morrowbrings." And he reached out his hand to take his master by the wrist;but with an impatient "Pish!" Francis snatched his hand away and sprangto his feet.

  "Absurd!" he cried. "I am quite fit to start, for the pain has left mywound. It would do me more harm to stop fretting here. Order the--"

  He said no more, but made a snatch at the wall and would have reeled andfallen had not Saint Simon acted as the sturdy buttress he was, andlowered him easily into a chair.

  "That giddiness again," cried the King, with a sigh. "The doctor isright. Early to-morrow morning, then, gentlemen," he said, with apeculiar smile. "Leoni is king now, and reigns in our stead. I likenot his palace, but we shall be safe here."

  The evening passed on. Leoni was with the King in his chamber, andDenis and Saint Simon were seated gloomily together in their humbleroom, and the latter was from time to time sipping and making wry facesover a stoup of the bitterest, sourest, harshest cider that was everdrawn from tub, when there was the loud clattering of horses upon theroad coming at a sharp trot; and as the young men sprang to their feet aloud command was heard, which was followed by the stamping and shufflingof hoofs as a troop of horsemen drew rein shortly in front of the littleinn.

  "Caught!" said Saint Simon abruptly, and his hand sought the hilt of hissword, while Denis followed his example, just as the door was thrownopen and Leoni rushed in.

  "The King's guards," he cried, "and resistance will be in vain.Gentlemen, I am ready to give my life, as you are yours; but even if wedie for our master's sake, what then? We should only leave him aprisoner in Henry's hands, to bear the brunt of his trouble all alone."

  "You mean that we must surrender?" cried Denis angrily.

  "Yes," said Leoni, looking at him fixedly, and with a smile upon hislips, "and I give you good counsel. It must be so. Hah!" he whisperedharshly, as he caught the boy by the breast. "Hark!"

  He loosed his hold, stepped lightly as a cat to the window, and peeredthrough a tiny opening in the partly fastened window-shutter, to makeout dimly a little crowd of horses and men in the cloudy night.

  But his ears made up for the want of penetration of his eyes, for justthen a sharp order rang out and the horses, which had been taking theirturns to lower their muzzles to the water in the long trough in front ofthe inn, raised them, dripping, and a couple of minutes later the troopwas in motion again, with the hoofs of the chargers rattling andgradually dying out upon the road.

  Denis was in the act of drawing a long deep breath of relief, hardlybelieving that they had escaped, when their host appeared at the door.

  "The King's men, gentlemen," he said, "from Windsor; but it was only togive their horses water," he added sadly. "They would not come in todrink, and I expect," he continued dolefully, "when I go to look I shallfind the trough empty, and an hour's work before me to fill it from thewell. But they are the King's men, gentlemen; any other travellerswould have paid, as you do, gentlemen, generously and well."

  "Let me pay, then, for this," cried Denis, light-hearted as he was atthe thoughts of their escape, and he slipped a broad piece of silverinto the man's hand, sending him on his way rejoicing.

  That night Denis dropped into a deep but at the same time a thoroughlyuneasy sleep, in which at times it seemed to him that he was beingpursued, at others that he was the pursuer, while people were constantlygetting into his way, shouting out lustily, "You cannot pass!" He wasin terrible anxiety too about his master, who was just ahead, urging onhis horse, not apparently along an ordinary respectable country road,but through what seemed to be absolutely interminable galleries of apalace. He wanted to tell him to turn either to the right or to theleft, and by that means escape from what appeared to be a labyrinth; butunluckily he could not get his horse abreast of that of his master, andthe wind was blowing so hard that his voice would not carry. He wasjust about to shout "France! France!" when he woke up, with theperspiration standing on his brow and the conviction full upon him as hereached for his cloak and sword that real danger did threaten his lord,when Leoni seized his arm.

  "Come, boy," he said, and he led him into the room where Francis andSaint Simon were talking.

  And then sounds below caught the boy's ear, the trampling of horses andthe _burr, burr_, of deep-toned voices, one of which said angrily:

  "We had traces
of the fugitives up to this place. Did they come here?"

  "No," was the landlord's prompt reply.

  "Well, we must remain here for the night."

  "But, sir, I have no room in my poor inn for such a company as yours."

  "What you have will serve," was the response, and the speaker enteredthe inn, striding past the host.

  Francis heard these last words.

  "We must come to a great resolution, gentlemen," he said calmly. "Wemust separate. Singly you may get through. You will leave me here as Iam ill. I will follow as best I can. Go."

  "Never, Sire," said Leoni, and his one word had two echoes in the littleroom.

  "But--" began Francis, and he stopped, for there was a noise on thestairs, and the landlord was heard exclaiming:

  "I assure you, sir, that the room is not fit--"

  "Well, there is a light in it anyway."

  "It is empty, sir."

  "I see a light under the door."

  "But my guests cannot be disturbed."

  "You said that the room was empty just now. Peste! Your word seemsdoubtful. I will see for myself."

  The landlord was silent.

  "Stand out of the way, old man, and let me pass, if you value yourhead."

  The door was pushed roughly open, and the Captain of the Guard strodein.

  "Found!" he cried. "I shall save my credit at Court.--Gentlemen," hewent on, with the utmost courtesy and bowing low, "his Majesty the King,disappointed with your abrupt leave-taking, has commanded me to escortyou back to his palace."

  "It is impossible," cried Leoni sternly. "The Count was seriouslywounded as we left the gates. You see for yourself. He is faint andweak."

  "I am very sorry, sir," replied the captain sternly, "but I have hisMajesty's orders."

  "But not to brutally slay the King's guest. I am a _chirurgien_, andyou may take my word."

  The captain took a candle in his hand and held it over the rough palletwhere Francis lay, and satisfied himself that Leoni's words were true.

  "Is the injury bad?" he said quietly.

  "Bad, but not dangerous if he is left undisturbed."

  "And if I consent to defer our departure till the morning, what then?"

  "I cannot say for certain, sir," replied Leoni, "but I think it may bepossible, with care."

  "Very well," said the captain; "but I give you warning, gentlemen, thatany attempt at an escape--"

  "Bah!" ejaculated Leoni contemptuously. "Are we likely to leave ourmaster?"

  "Perhaps not," said the captain, with a bluff laugh, "but you might tryto take him."

  "In a litter?" said Leoni mockingly.

  "There, we must not bandy words, sir," said the captain. "It is my dutyto tell you that an attempt at escape may be at the cost of some of yourlives. We will stay here the night. But now, gentlemen, I have oneunpleasant duty to perform."

  "Our swords!" cried Denis hotly.

  "No, sir," said the captain, with a smile. "His Majesty would notdesire that I should call upon you to suffer that indignity. Myinstructions were that in your hasty departure the other night one ofyou took by mistake something--papers, documents, I don't know exactlywhat--but something to which his Majesty attaches great importance."

  "I hardly understand you," said Leoni coolly.

  "Perhaps one of your friends does, sir," continued the captain. "Ofcourse it was taken by mistake."

  "This means, I presume, that you consider yourself bound to search us?"

  The captain bowed.

  "Pray do so, then, but incommode my patient as little as you can. Youhave an easy task, sir, for our valises were left behind."

  As Leoni said, it was an easy task, for all offered themselves freely tothe officer's inspection, and soon after the latter signified that hewas satisfied, and was about to leave the room. But as he reached thedoor he stopped short and turned to Leoni.

  "One moment, sir," he said. "Can you and will you answer for the Comtehere, who seems to be insensible to what is going on?"

  "He is," said Leoni, "from the effects of his wound."

  "Then will you speak for him? And you, gentlemen, will you all give meyour word that you are not bearing off any paper or despatch belongingto his Majesty?"

  "Certainly," replied Leoni, "and my friends will too. We have neitherpaper nor despatch belonging to your King."

  The captain bowed, and left the room, to set a couple of his men assentries at the chamber door; and as the occupants of the humble roomstood listening to the King's heavy breathing, for he had fallen into adeep sleep, they heard the tramp of footsteps outside, sounds which madeLeoni glide on tiptoe to the window and cautiously look out.

  "Prisoners indeed," he said softly, with a bitter smile, as he returned;and as in the dim light of the two candles burning on the table Denismet the doctor's eyes with a stern reproachful look, he shudderedslightly, for they looked to him more strange and fixed than ever,having so strange an effect upon him that he could not put his reproachinto words.

  "Well," said Leoni lightly, "calmness is the best remedy for a trouble.Gentlemen, I will watch by our master's side; you are young, and hadbetter go back to your chambers and try to sleep. Of course it would bemadness to attempt to escape."