CHAPTER III.
Alphonse D'Erlach was one of those remarkable persons who seem, inperiods of great excitement, to be entirely superior to its influence.He appeared to be entirely without emotions. Though a mere youth,not yet firm in physical manhood, he was, in morals, endowed with astrength, a hardihood and maturity, which do not often fall to the lotof middle age. In times of difficulty, he possessed a coolness whichenabled him to contemplate deliberately the approach of danger, andhe was utterly beyond surprises. His conference with old Bon Pre,when they met again that night was remarkably illustrative of thesecharacteristics.
"What shall we do?" demanded the old man.
"Your part is easily done," was the reply--"you are simply to donothing--to forbear doing. I understand your purpose in volunteering todo the poisoning. I will see Laudonniere in an hour. You will preparethe coffee--nay, let Fourneaux, or that fool of a magician himself,introduce the poison. Laudonniere will sleep, you understand."
"But, Le Genre--the gunpowder!"
"I will see to that."
"What will you do?"
"Nay, time must find the answer. I am not resolved; but, at all events,for the present, Laudonniere must know nothing. He must remain inignorance."
"Why?"
"For the best reason in the world. Did he guess what we know, he wouldbe for arming himself and all around him--creating a confusion underthe name of law--attempting arrests, and so proceeding as to giveopportunities to the conspirators to do that boldly, which they arenow content to do basely. I think we shall thwart them with their ownweapons. Let us separate now. I will see Laudonniere but a few momentsbefore I sleep."
"_Can_ you sleep to-night? I cannot! I shall hardly be able to sleeptill the affair is over. I do not think, honestly speaking, that I haveslept a good hour for the last week. I am certainly not conscious ofhaving done so."
"Nature provides for all such cases. For my part I never want sleep--Ialways have it. I can sleep in a storm and enjoy it just as well. Theuproar of winds and seas never troubles me. If it does, it is only tolull me into sleep again. I am a philosopher without knowing it, and byaccident. But come--we must part."
The chamber of D'Erlach was in the same building with that ofLaudonniere. They slept in adjoining apartments. D'Erlach purposelymade some noise in approaching his, and Laudonniere cried out,
"Who is there?--Alphonse?"
"The same, sir."
"Come in--where have you been at this hour; is it not very late?"
"Almost time for waking--an hour probably from dawn, though I know notexactly. But, suffer me to extinguish this light. We can talk as well inthe dark."
"What have you to say?" demanded Laudonniere, half rising at thispreliminary.
"I have been getting some new lessons in chess from old Marchand."
"Ah! what new lesson?" asked Laudonniere, whose passion for the game hadprompted D'Erlach with the suggestion he made use of.
"Marchand, sir, is a most wonderful player. I have seen a great manypersons skilled at the game, not to speak of yourself, and I am surethere is no one who can stand him. He absolutely laughs at myopposition. I wish you could play with him, sir."
"I should like it, Alphonse," replied the other, "but you know myposition. This man, Marchand, is a turbulent person; scarcely respectfulto me, and, if there be, as you think, a conspiracy on foot against me,he is at the head of it, be sure."
"Not so;" said the other, quietly, but decisively; "not so. Hisbluntness is that of an honest man. His turbulence is that ofself-esteem. He is above a base action, and, secure in his owncharacter, he defies the scrutiny of superiority. I think you mistakehim; at all events it is necessary that you should know him in chess. Iam anxious to see you and him in conflict; and, if you will permit me,he shall bring his own men--for he will play with no other--he has hisnotions on the point--here, to-morrow night, when you will discover thathe is not only a great player but a good fellow."
"You are a singular person, Alphonse;" said Laudonniere, smiling. "Whatshould put chess into your head at such a time, particularly when yousay there is such danger?"
"The man who can play chess when danger threatens is the very man todiscover it; and the conspirator is never more likely to become resolvedin his purpose than when he finds his destined victim in a state ofanxiety. I should rather my enemy see me at chess--provided I can seehim--than that he should find me putting my arms in readiness. They maybe conveniently under the table, while the chess-board is upon it; andwhile I am moving my pawn with one hand, I can prepare my pistol withthe other. But, sir, with your further permission, I will bring Challusand Le Moyne to see the match. They are both passionately fond of thegame, and Le Moyne plays well, though nothing to compare either withyourself or Marchand."
"By the way, Alphonse, how is Le Moyne getting on with his pictures? Itcertainly was a strange idea of the Admiral, that of sending out, withsuch an expedition, painters of pictures and such persons. I can see theuse of a mineralogist and botanist, but--these painters!"
"Le Moyne has made some very lovely pictures of the country. Hislandscapes are to the life, and he has that rare knowledge of thepainter, which enables him to choose his point of view happily, andtells him how much to take in, and how much to leave out. The Admiralwill be able to form a better idea of the country from the pictures ofLe Moyne, than he will from the pebbles of Delille or the dried flowersand leaves of Serrier. Le Moyne shows him the rivers and the trees, thevalleys and the hills; and, if his pictures get safely to France, thepeople there will envy us the paradise here which we are so little ableto enjoy."
Laudonniere heard the youth with half-shut eyes, and the dialoguelanguished on the part of the former; but D'Erlach seemed resoluteto keep him wakeful, and suggested continually new provocatives toconversation, until his superior, absolutely worn out with exhaustion,bade him go to sleep himself or suffer him to do so. Alphonse smiled,and left the room perfectly satisfied, as he beheld the faint streakingsof daylight gliding through the interstices between the logs of whichthe building was composed. In less than an hour, hearing a sound as ofone entering, he hastily went out of his chamber, for he had neitherundressed himself nor slept, and met Bon Pre, with the salver of coffee,about to go into the chamber of Laudonniere.
"Well, is it spiced? Has La Roquette furnished the drug?"
"His own hands put it in."
"Very well; let us in together. Laudonniere is not likely to awakensoon, and I will remain with him 'till he does. If the coffee cools, andhe offers not to drink, well. I will say nothing. It is best that heshould know nothing 'till all's over."
"But the rest!" said Bon Pre, in a whisper.
"We must manage that, also, quite as well as this."
"If you should want help?"
"We must find it. But the thing must go forward to the end. Remember_that_! This scoundrel must be suffered to burn his fingers."
"Can you contrive it--_you, alone_?"
"I think so; but, Bon Pre, you are here, and Challus, and Le Moyne, andBeauvais and Marchand, and, perhaps, one or two more--true men upon whomwe can rely--and these, mark me, must be in readiness. Of this you shalllearn hereafter."
They entered the chamber of Laudonniere. He still slept. Bon Pre placedthe vessel of coffee beside him and disappeared. D'Erlach seated himselfat a little distance from the couch. When Laudonniere wakened theliquor was cold. He laid it down again.
"What! you here, Alphonse; but you have been to bed?"
"I do not sleep as soundly as you. I left my chamber as old Bon Prebrought your coffee, and entered with him. You do not drink?"
"The coffee is cold."
"It spoils your breakfast, too, I imagine. You do not eat heartily atbreakfast."
"No; dinner is my meal. But, Alphonse--did I dream, or did we not havesome conversation about Marchand and chess-playing last night?"
"We did! This morning rather."
"Is he the great player you describe him?"
"He is.
I can think of none better."
"Well--saucy as he is, I must meet him."
"You permitted me to arrange for it, to-night. I had your consent tobring some amateurs."
"Yes, I _do_ recollect something of it--Le Moyne and--"
"Challus."
"Very well--let them come; but they must be patient. If Marchand is sucha player, I must be cool and cautious. I must beat him."
"You will, but you will work for it. Marchand will keep you busy. Andnow, sir, there is another matter which I beg leave to bring to yourremembrance. You remember the cypress canoe that lies upon the riverbanks, three miles or more above. It was claimed by the old chiefSatouriova. We shall want it here for various, and, perhaps, importantuses, when the ship sails. She will take most of your boats with her.Let me recommend that you send a detachment for this boat to-day. Itshould be an armed detachment, for the old chief is most certainly ourenemy, and may be in the neighborhood. I would send Lieutenant Le Genre,as he lacks employment. I would give him his choice of six or eightcompanions, as, if he does not choose his own men, he might be apt totyrannize over those who are friendly to you. Perhaps it would be betterto give your orders early, that he should start at noon, as, at mid-day,the tide will serve for bringing the boat up without toil."
"Why, Alphonse, you are very nice in your details. But, you are right,and the arrangement is a good one."
"The sooner Le Genre receives his orders the more time forpreparations;" said the youth indifferently.
"He shall have them as soon as I go below."
By this time Laudonniere was dressed and they descended the courttogether.
"Has he drunk," asked Le Genre anxiously, with Forneaux and La Roquetteon each side, as they beheld Bon Pre descending from the chamber ofLaudonniere with the vessel in his hand. The old man raised the silverlid of the coffee-pot, and showed the contents.
"Diable!" was the half-suppressed exclamation of La Roquette.
"Enough, comrade!" said Le Genre, in a whisper--"it remains for me."
They separated, and entered, from different points, the area whereLaudonniere stood.
"Lieutenant;" said the latter, as Le Genre appeared in sight--"Take sixmen at noon and go up to the bluff of the old chief Satouriova and bringaway the cypress canoe of which we took possession some time since.Launch her and bring her up. The tide will serve at that hour. Let yourmen be armed to the teeth, and keep on your guard, for you may meet theold savage on your way."
Le Genre touched his hat and retired.
"It is well," said he to Fourneaux, whom he had chosen as one of hiscompanions, "that the commission did not send me off at once. I mustmake my preparation quickly and before I go."
Unseen and unsuspected, Alphonse D'Erlach was conscious all the whilethat the enemy was busy. But Laudonniere saw nothing to suspect, eitherin his countenance, or in the proceedings of the conspirator. At noon,Le Genre commenced his march, the only toils of which were over, whenonce the canoe was in their possession. The vessel was amply large tocarry twenty soldiers as well as six, and the tide alone would bringthem to the fortress in an hour or two.
The labors of Alphonse began as soon as Le Genre had disappearedwith his party. The six men whom he had taken with him, were hisconfederates. The object of the youth was to operate in security, freefrom their _surveillance_. Still, his proceedings were conducted withgreat caution. Laudonniere neither suspected his industry nor itsobject. Arms and ammunition were accumulated in his chamber. Beauvais,and one or two brave and trusty friends, were placed there without theprivity of any one, and the chess-party, including Marchand, Le Moyneand Challus, were properly apprized of the arrangements for the gamebetween the former and Laudonniere. They were all amateurs, and therewas good wine to be had on such occasions. They did not refuse. Alphonsetook pains to noise about the expected meeting, and its object, andshowed his own interest by betting freely upon his captain. He soonfound those who were willing to risk their gold upon Marchand; andthe lively Frenchmen of La Caroline, were very soon all agog for theapproaching contest. But the labors of the youth did not cease here. Heexplored the cellar of the building in which he and Laudonniere slept,and there, as he expected, the arrangements had been already made forsending the Chief and himself by the shortest possible road to heaven.A keg of powder had been wedged in beneath the beams, with a train,following which, on hands and knees, Alphonse was conducted under theold bath-house, till he found himself beneath that of Le Genre. He didnot disturb the train. He simply withdrew the keg of powder, carefullyputting back, in the manner he found them, the old boxes and piles ofwood, with which the incendiary had wedged it between the beams. Thisdone, he rolled the keg before him over the path, by which it hadevidently come, beneath the bath-house, and to that of Le Genre. Herehe left it, still connected with the train of powder, but rather lessdistant from the match than Le Genre had ever contemplated. Perhaps, hesprinkled the train anew with fresh powder--it is certain that he wentaway secure and satisfied, long before Le Genre returned from hisexpedition, with the canoe of Satouriova.