CHAPTER XIV.
"GOD GRANT I DO NOT FIND YOU FALSE!"
In the courtyard was mademoiselle, very pale and agitated, standing byBlaise and grasping his arm as if for support. She still had on the gownof pale green that she had worn earlier in the evening. Her head wasuncovered, her hair in some disorder, and this, with the pallor of herface and the fright in her wide-open eyes, gave her some wildness ofappearance. It was De Berquin's piercing death-cry that had blanched hercheek and made her clutch Blaise's arm.
"You have killed him!" she said, in a voice little above a whisper.
"You ought not to be here, mademoiselle," I replied.
"From my chamber window I saw you talking with M. de Berquin. What hesaid I know not, but you drew your sword and went away with him. Iwaited for a long time in anxiety until I heard the sound of swords. Icame down, and would have gone to beg you to stop, but when I heardthat awful shriek I could not go any further. Oh, monsieur, you havekilled him!"
"He brought it on himself, mademoiselle," was all that I could say.
And here Blaise did what I thought a strange and presumptuous thing.He approached mademoiselle, and, looking her keenly in the eyes,said, gravely:
"He said that you came from the governor of the province to betray M. dela Tournoire!"
"Blaise!" I cried, in great astonishment and anger. "How dare you evenutter the calumny he spoke? Go you and look to the disposal of his body."And I motioned him away with a wrathful gesture.
He looked frowningly at mademoiselle and then at me, and went off, with ashrug of his shoulders, to the place where De Berquin lay.
I turned to mademoiselle; she stood like a statue, her eyes fixed on theempty air before her. Yet she seemed to know when my look fell on her,for at that instant a slight tremor passed through her.
"Tremble not for M. de Berquin, mademoiselle," said I, thinking of thatdivine gentleness in a woman which makes her pity even those who havepersecuted her. "Indeed, he must have wished to die. He well knew that acertain way to death was to tempt my sword with a black lie of the truestlady in France."
"You killed him," she murmured, in a low, pitying voice, "because hesaid--I came from the governor--to betray you!"
"Why else, mademoiselle? What is the matter? Why do you look so?"
For all life and consciousness seemed to be about to leave hercountenance.
"_Mon dieu_!" she said, weakly, "I cannot tell--I--"
I hastened to put my arms about her, that she might not fall.
"You pity him," I said, "but there could be nothing of good in one whocould so slander you. Indeed, mademoiselle, you are ill. Let me lead youin. Believe me, mademoiselle, he well deserved his death."
Thus endeavoring to calm and restore her mind, I led her slowly into thechateau and up the steps to the door of her chamber. She followed as onewithout will and with little strength. Hugo and Jeannotte, who had beensitting on the landing outside her door, had risen as we came up thestairs. When I took my arms from about mademoiselle, she leaned on themaid's shoulder, and so passed into her chamber, giving me neither looknor word. Leaving Hugo to keep his vigil outside her door, I went down tothe great hall of the chateau.
Several of the men lay on the floor, most of them asleep. I asked one ofthem where Blaise had bestowed the three rascals who had become ourprisoners, and he rose and led the way to a dark chamber at the rear ofthe hall. He took a torch that was stuck in the wall and followed me intothis chamber. It was my desire to learn from these men whether or notBarbemouche, or one of them, had borne to M. de la Chatre an account ofmy hiding-place; for there had been time for one to have done so andreturned. It might be that the original plan suggested to the governor byMontignac had been altered and that some other step had been adopted formy capture. The very visit of De Berquin, the very story he had told me,might have been connected with this other step. One of his purposes, intrying to make me think myself betrayed, may have been to induce me toleave a place so inaccessible to attack. If a new plan had been put inoperation, these men might know something of it. I would question themand then consult with Blaise, comparing the answers they should give mewith those they had given Blaise.
They lay snoring, their hands fastened behind their backs, their anklesso tied that they could not stretch out their legs. The man with me saidthat Blaise, after belaboring them and interrogating them to his heart'scontent, had relented, and brought some cold meat and wine for them. Isuppose that the gentle spirit of his mother had obtained theascendency. They had devoured the food with the avidity of starvingdogs, and had lain down, full of gratitude, to sleep. Blaise had thenbound them up as a precaution against a too unceremonious departure. Iwoke them one after another, with gentle kicks, and they stared up atme, blinking in the torchlight. Submissively and readily, thoughdrowsily, they answered my questions. They swore that neitherBarbemouche nor any one of them, nor De Berquin himself, had borne anymessage to the governor; that the five had remained together from thefirst, living under the rock and keeping watch from the tree-top, as DeBerquin had narrated, until the previous afternoon, when the three haddeserted, only to fall into the hands of our sentinel. In every detailtheir account agreed with that of their late master. When I accused themof telling a prearranged lie, and threatened them with the torture, thefoppish fellow said:
"What more can a man tell than the truth? But if you're not satisfiedwith it, monsieur, and let me know what you wish me to say, I'll say itwith all my heart, and swear to it on whatever you name."
From the faces of the others, I knew that they, too, were willing to tellanything, true or false, to avoid torture, and so I could not but believetheir story. Therefore, said I to myself, Montignac's plan not adheredto. De Berquin sent no one to the governor with information concerningmy hiding-place. La Chatre had come to Clochonne without having awaitedsuch information. De Berquin had been too slow. Perhaps, indeed, the planhad been altered so as to omit the sending of this preliminary word tothe governor. A fixed time might have been set for the coming of thegovernor to Clochonne. De Berquin had probably retained his men that hemight have one to use as messenger to the governor, in notifying LaChatre where to place his ambuscade, and that he might have others towaylay mademoiselle. His lie was doubtless a bold device to putmademoiselle into his power, and to get entrance to my company. It was alast resource, it was just as likely to bring death as to bring success,but he had taken a gambler's chances. They had gone against him, and hehad uncomplainingly accepted his defeat.
So the governor's presence at Clochonne was not to be taken as reason forgreat alarm, inasmuch as there seemed now no probability that he knew myhiding-place. We were still safe at Maury. We should have only tomaintain greater vigilance. Failing to hear from his agent, who now laydead in the garden at Maury, and could never work us harm, the governorwould eventually take new measures for my capture, or, if I kept quietand my men left no traces, he would presently suppose that I had gonefrom his province. As for mademoiselle, neither La Chatre nor Montignacknew where she was. We might, therefore, have more of those delightful,peaceful days at Maury. Moreover, what better time to surprise thecommandant of the Chateau of Fleurier than while La Chatre was atClochonne? My heart beat gaily at thought of how bright was the prospect.I passed out by a back way to the garden, where Blaise had been lookingto the body of De Berquin.
My late antagonist lay in peace and order, Blaise having replaced hisdoublet on him and put his sword by his side.
"A handsome gentleman," said Blaise, quietly, looking down at the body.
"But a fool as well as a liar," said I. "How could he think that such astory was to be swallowed? To have thrown him into confusion, I shouldhave told him that I had overheard the plan for my capture, that I knewof an attempt to be made to get me from my men, that mademoiselle hasnever made any such attempt either by tryst or summons or on any pretextwhatever."
"Neither has De Berquin," answered Blaise, sullenly, "and yet you thinkhe was the spy whom the governor s
ent."
"He had no opportunity," I replied, rather sharply, annoyed at Blaise'smanner. "He did not dare come here until he had formed a desperate planon which to hazard everything."
"As for mademoiselle's having had the opportunity and yet not havingdone so," Blaise went on, with a kind of doggedness, "the spy was not toplan the ambush until the governor should arrive at Clochonne."
"By God!" I cried. "Do you dare hint that you credit this villain's liefor a moment?" In my exasperation I half drew my sword.
"I credit nothing and discredit nothing," he said, in a low but stubborntone, "but I place no one above doubt, except God and you. I have had mythoughts, monsieur, and have them still. It is enough, as yet, to keepall eyes open and turned in many directions."
"You cur! You dare to suspect--" Without finishing the sentence, I struckhim across the face with the back of my hand.
He drew a deep breath, but made no movement.
"I shall not trouble myself to suspect," he went on, with no change oftone, "until we know that M. de la Chatre is at Clochonne,--"
"We know that already," I broke in, hotly. "Marianne brought the newsthis afternoon."
"Until we know that mademoiselle knows it," he went on.
"We know that, too," I said. "She heard Marianne tell me."
"Until her other servant happens to be missing, and some occasion arisesthrough her for your going somewhere without your men. For example, ifshe should go for a walk in the forest with her maid, and presently themaid should return with word that mademoiselle lay mortally hurtsomewhere--"
"I would go to her at once!" I cried, involuntarily.
"So mademoiselle would suppose. You would not wait for your men to armand accompany you. You would hasten to the place, without precaution,never thinking that mademoiselle's servant might have carried word to LaChatre, a day before, to have men waiting for you. Kill me if you like,monsieur! I cannot avoid my thoughts. They are at your service as my handand sword are. I may be all wrong, but one cannot fathom women. You usedto speak of a lady of Catherine de Medici's--"
Ah, considered I, it is the thought of Mlle. d'Arency's deed that hasawakened these foolish suspicions in Blaise's mind! I had given him someaccount of how that lady had, by a love tryst, drawn poor De Noyard tohis death. He was incapable of discriminating between women. He could notsee that Mlle. de Varion was of a kind of woman as unlike the courtintriguer as if the two belonged to different species of beings. Oughtone to expect delicacy of perception from a common soldier? Hissuspiciousness arose partly from his devotion to me. So, much as Iadored mademoiselle and held her sacred and above the slightest breath ofaccusation, I regretted the blow I had given him, and which he hadreceived so meekly.
"I see, Blaise, what is in your head," I said, "but there are matters ofwhich you cannot judge. No more of this talk, therefore. And I require ofyou the greatest respect and devotion to mademoiselle."
"Very well, monsieur," he said, "Let me say but this: You remember myforebodings the last time we rode through the province. Because we cameback alive, you thought there was nothing in them. Perhaps there wasnothing. Only I have been thinking that out of that last journey may yetcome our destruction. My premonition may have been right, after all."
I smiled and walked back to the courtyard and sat down on the bench, nolonger angry at either De Berquin or Blaise, and calm in the thought thatthere seemed no immediate danger. If I could but communicate my sense ofsecurity to mademoiselle! If I might see a smile on her face, if the lookof yielding would but come back there and remain! Surely her scrupleswould pass when I should bring her father to her. What imaginary barriercould stand before the combined forces of love and gratitude? The rescueof her father must not be longer deferred. I must form my planimmediately. Yet I continued to waste time thinking of the future, ofthe day when she should acknowledge herself mine. I took off my hat andremoved from it the glove that she had given me. It was like a part ofher; it was fashioned by use to the very form of her hand. I pressed itto my lips and then looked up at the window of her chamber.
"Ah, Mlle. Julie," I said, "I know that you love me. You will bemine; something in the moonlight, in the murmurs of the trees, in thesong of the nightingale, tells me so. How beautiful is the world! Iam too happy!"
I heard rapid footsteps from outside the gate, and presently one of mymen ran into the courtyard from the forest. It was Frojac, who had beenall day in Clochonne in search of information. Seeing me, he stopped andstood still, out of breath from his run.
At the same moment Blaise came from the garden and stood beside thebench, curious to hear Frojac's news.
"Ah, Frojac!" said I. "From Clochonne? I know your news already. M. de laChatre is there."
And I motioned to him to speak quietly, lest his news, which mightbe alarming, should reach the ears of mademoiselle through herchamber window.
"I had a talk with one of his men," said Frojac, "an old comrade of mine,who did not guess that I was of your troop. I told him that I had givenup righting and settled down as a poacher. He says that it is well knownto the governor's soldiers that the governor has come south to catch you.He declares that the governor knows the exact location of yourhiding-place."
"Soldiers' gabble," said I.
"But my old comrade is no fool," went on Frojac. "I pretended to laugh athim for thinking that any one could find out the burrow of La Tournoire,and as we were drinking he got angry and swore that he spoke truly. Hesaid that the governor had got word of your hiding-place from a boy. Ifyou knew my comrade, monsieur, you would know that what he says is to beheeded. He is one who talks little, but keeps his ears and eyes open."
"Word from a boy?" I repeated, rather to myself. "Could De Berquin havefound some peasant boy and despatched him to the governor?"
"My comrade says that the boy was sent by a woman," said Frojac.
"A woman!" I cried. "If it be true, then, malediction on her! Somecovetous, spying wife of a farmer has found us out, perchance!"
"Perchance, monsieur! But, all the same, I and Maugert, who was on guardyonder by the path, took the liberty just now of stopping the boy ofmademoiselle, your guest, as he was riding off. In advance of him rode awoman. I had just come up the path and had stopped for a word withMaugert. Suddenly the woman dashed by and was gone in an instant. Neitherof us had time to make up our minds whether to stop her or not, for shecame from this place, not towards it. By the time when we had decidedthat we ought to have detained her, she was out of hearing. But then camea second horse, and that we stopped. The rider was the boy Hugo."
"An unknown woman departing from our very camp!" I said, rising. "Thegypsy girl!" But at that instant the gypsy girl, Giralda, came in throughthe gateway with an armful of herbs that she had been gathering justoutside the walls. She often plucked herbs after dark, as there are somewhose potency is believed to be the greater for their being uprooted atnight. "Ah, no, no, no!" I cried, repenting my unjust suspicion. "A womanhidden at Maury! She shall be followed and caught and treated like anycur of a papegot spy, man or woman!" I was wild with rage to think thatour hiding-place might really have been discovered, my guards eluded, thepresence of mademoiselle perhaps reported to Montignac, her safety andours put in immediate peril, by some one who had contrived to findconcealment under our very eyes! "And the boy Hugo riding off by night!"I added. "Had this woman corrupted him, I wonder? Was it through himthat she obtained entrance and concealment? Where is he?"
I could at that moment have believed the most incredible things, eventhat a woman had hidden herself in one of the ruined outbuildings; forwhat could have been more incredible than Frojac's account of an unknownwoman riding from the chateau at the utmost speed?
"Maugert is bringing him to you," said Frojac. "I ran ahead to appriseyou of what had occurred."
"These are astounding things," I said, turning to Blaise. "Who can tellnow how much the governor knows or what he may intend? We may be attackedat any time. And half our men away! Perhaps the governor k
nows that, too.If not, this woman may tell him. We shall have to flee at once across themountains. Mademoiselle is now well enough to endure the journey. I musttell her to make ready for flight."
I looked up at mademoiselle's window, and took a step towards it; but atthat moment Maugert came into the courtyard, leading Hugo, whom he heldby the arm with a grip of iron. The horse had been left outside.
"My boy, what is this?" I cried, not hiding my anger. "You would rideaway secretly, and without permission of your mistress?"
"It was my duty, when I followed to protect her," the boy said. "Mlle.de Varion was mad, I think, to go alone at this hour."
"Mademoiselle?" I echoed, in great mystification. "Alone? Whither?"
"To Clochonne, to M. de la Chatre," was the reply.
It took away from me for a moment the very power of speech. I stared atthe boy in dumb amazement.
"Clochonne! La Chatre! Mademoiselle!" I murmured, questioningly, myfaculty of comprehension being for the instant dazed. "How do youknow, boy?"
"She said so when she left this courtyard to take horse," the boyreplied. "When I asked her whither she was bound, she said to Clochonneto see M. de la Chatre, and she spoke of some mission, but I could nothear the words exactly, for she was in great excitement. She then madeoff, declaring she would go alone, but it was my duty, nevertheless, tofollow and guard her."
"Mademoiselle gone to Clochonne, to La Chatre," I repeated, as onein a dream.
At that instant there came again from somewhere in the chateau the voiceof the gypsy in the song.
"False flame of woman's love!"
"The devil!" muttered Blaise. "Was De Berquin right?" And he ran intothe chateau.
"The woman who told our hiding-place!" said Frojac.
Could it be? Was she another Mademoiselle d'Arency? Had she thought that,after De Berquin's accusation, any attempt on her part to draw me from mymen would convict her in my eyes; that indeed I might come at any momentto believe in the treachery of which he had warned me? Had this thoughtdriven her to Clochonne, where she might be safe from my avenging wrath,where also she might advise the governor to attack me at once? She hadspoken to the boy of a mission. There had, then, been a mission, and ithad to do with herself and the governor! As this horrible idea filled mymind, I felt a kind of sinking, and as if the very earth trembled beneathme. But then I thought of mademoiselle's sweet face, and I hurled thedark thought from me, amazed that I could have held it for an instant.
"It is not true!" I cried, loudly. "By God, it is not true! I'll notbelieve it! She has not gone! She is in her chamber yonder!" And I wentand stood beneath her window. "Mademoiselle! Come to the window! Tell usthat the boy lies or is deluded! Mademoiselle, I say!"
But no face appeared at the window--that window up to which I had lookeda few moments before while I sat on the bench, thinking that my love wasbehind it.
And now Blaise came running out of the chateau. He stopped on the steps.
"She is not there," he said. "I found only the maid, wailing out prayersto a Catholic saint!"
So she was really gone--gone! She must have left while I wasinterrogating De Berquin's three henchmen in their cell or while I hadstood with Blaise in the garden, reproving him for his suspicions of her.
"And because he assailed her loyalty I killed that man!" I said aloud,forgetful, for the time, of the presence of Blaise and Frojac, Maugert,Hugo, and the gypsy girl. All these stood in silence, not knowing what todo or say, awaiting some order or sign from me.
"She is a woman, monsieur!" said Blaise, gently, as if he thought toplease me by offering some excuse for her conduct, or for my having beenso deceived in her.
And then again I saw her pure, pale face, her full, moist eyes, herslender, girlish figure. Let the evidence be what it might, it wasimpossible for me to see her in my mind and conceive her to betreacherous. There must be some other thing accounting for all thesestrange circumstances. She could not be a spy, a hired traitress! Aglad thought came to me. She might have thought that her presence addedto my danger, that I would refuse to leave Maury while she continuedweak, that I might thus through her be caught, that her departurewould leave me no reason for further delay. It was a wild thought, butit was within possibility, so I took it in and clung to it. At such atime how does a man welcome the least surmise that agrees with hiswishes or checks his fears!
"She is a woman, monsieur!" Blaise had said, even while this thoughtburst upon me.
"So much the worse for any man that dare accuse her!" I cried. "She isthe victim of some devilish seeming! My armor, Maugert! Frojac, to horse!You and I ride at once! Blaise, marshal the men, and follow when you can,by the forest path!"
"Ah!" cried Blaise, overjoyed. "To Guienne, to join Henri of Navarre?"
"No!" I answered. "To Clochonne, to join mademoiselle!"
Maugert obediently and hastily brought me my breast-piece, and began toadjust it to my body. I already had my sword. Frojac had started for thestables, but at my answer to Blaise he stopped and looked at me inastonishment.
It was thus with me: Mademoiselle had gone. The presence that had madeMaury a paradise to me was no longer there. The place was nowintolerable. I could not exist away from mademoiselle. Where she wasnot, life to me was torture. Guilty or innocent, she gave the world allthe charm it had for me. Traitress or true, she drew me to her. If shewere innocent, she imperilled herself. In any event, if she went toClochonne she put herself in the power of Montignac. The thought ofthat was maddening to me. I must find her, whatever the risk. Perhaps Icould catch her before she reached Clochonne. If I ran into danger, Ishould presently have Blaise and the men to help me out; but I couldnot wait for them to arm. Every minute of delay was galling. Into whatmight she fall? Whatever she be, good or bad, angel or fiend, I mustsee her--see her!
Blaise stood looking at me with open mouth.
"She will prove her honesty, my life upon it!" I said.
"You are mad!" cried Blaise. "She will reach the chateau of Clochonnelong before you do!"
"Then I shall enter the chateau!" I answered, helping Maugert buckleon my armor.
"And meet the governor and garrison!" said Blaise.
"They will rejoice to see me!"
"'Tis rushing into the lion's den, monsieur!" put in Frojac.
"Let the lion look to himself," said I, standing forth at last, all armedand ready.
Frojac ran to get the horses.
"They would not let you see her!" cried Blaise, stubbornly standing inmy way. "You would go straight to death for nothing! My captain, youshall not!"
And, as I started towards the stables to mount, he lay hands on me tohold me back, and Maugert, too, caught me by one of the arms.
"Out of my way, rebels!" I cried, vehemently, struggling to free myselffrom them. "I shall see her to-night though I have to beat down everysword in France and force the very gates of hell!"
I threw them both from me so violently that neither dared touch me again.As I stepped forward I saw on the ground at my feet the glove thatmademoiselle had given me, and which I had been caressing while sittingalone in the courtyard. I must have dropped it on hearing Frojac's news.I now stopped and picked it up. 'Twas all that was left with me ofmademoiselle. She had worn it, it had the form of her hand. I held it inmy fingers and looked at it. Again came the song of the gypsy:
"False flame of woman's love!"
I pressed the glove again and again to my lips, tears gushed frommy eyes, and I murmured: "Ah, mademoiselle, God grant I do not findyou false!"
Five minutes later, Frojac and I were speeding our horses over the forestpath towards Clochonne.