The Chevalier d'Auriac

  CHAPTER VI

  'GREEN AS A JADE CUP'

  We passed the lacework of trees that bordered the skirts of theforest, Nicholas and I. On our left we could hear the drumming of ahorse's hoofs growing fainter and more faint, as Jacques rode throughthe night to Rouvres. Marie's wailing came to us from behind, andNicholas, who was walking doggedly along by the neck of my horse,stopped short suddenly and looked back. Turning in my saddle I lookedback too, and there she was, in shadowy outline, at the ruined gatesof the inn, and again her sobbing cry came to us.

  '_Morbleu!_' I muttered to myself as I saw Nicholas' face twitch inthe moonlight; 'I must end this at once,' and then sharply to mycompanion, 'What stays you? Pick your heart up, man! One would thinkyou go into the bottomless pit, you walk with so tender a foot!'

  'I don't know what is in the bottomless pit, monsieur, and, like otherfools, would probably go there on the run; but I do know the mercy ofM. de Gomeron, and--I am not wont to be so, but my heart is as heavyas lead.'

  'Very well; then let us go back. It is like to be a fool's errand withsuch a guide.'

  My words, and the tone they were uttered in, touched him on the raw,and he swung round.

  'I will go, monsieur; this way--to the right.'

  We turned sharply behind the silently waving arms of a hedge ofhornbeam, and it was a relief to find that this cut away all furtherchance of seeing the pitiful figure at the gates of the inn. Nicholasdrew the folds of his frayed cloak over his head, as if to shut outall sound, and hurried onwards--a tall figure, lank and dark, thatflitted before me within the shadow of the hedgerow. My horse's kneeswere hidden by the undergrowth on either side of the winding track,that twined and twisted like a snake under the tangle of grass andweed. This waste over which we passed, grey-green in the moonlight,and swaying in the wind, rolled like a heaving, sighing sea to whereit was brought up abruptly by the dark mass of the forest, standing upsolidly against the sky as though it were a high coast line. As weforced our way onwards, the swish of the grass was as the churning ofwater at the bows of a boat, and one could well imagine that the long,shaking plashes of white, mottling the moving surface before us, wascaused by the breaking of uneasy water into foam. Of a truth thesewhite plashes were but marguerites.

  From the warm, dark depths at our feet myriads of grasshoppersshrilled to each other to be of good cheer, and ever and again weheard the sudden plunge and bustle of a startled hare, as it scutteredaway in a mad fear at nothing.

  'You count your toises long here, Nicholas,' I remarked, for somethingto say, as we spattered in and out of a shallow pool; and the gnats,asleep on its surface, rose in a brown cloud, and hummed their angerabout our ears.

  'They are as we reckon them, monsieur. But a few steps further and wewill get my horse; and after that there is no difficulty, for I knoweach track and byepath of these woods.'

  'And I wager that many a fat buck has dropped here to your arquebus onmoonlight nights such as this.'

  'One does not learn the forest for nothing, M. le Chevalier; but thebucks fell lawfully enough. My grandfather came here as huntsman toMadame Diane; my father succeeded him, and I had followed my father;but for the war----'

  'And a smart soldier you made. I remember that when I cut you downfrom a nasty position I had not time then to hear how you came in suchplight. How was it? Tell me the truth.'

  'I have almost forgotten how to do so. I will try, however, and makeit short. When M. le Marquis bore you off after the duel and theescape of the prisoners, the Captain de Gomeron turned on me, and,damning me from head to toe, swore he would flay me to ribbons.Feeling sure he would do so, and careless of the consequences, Ianswered back--with the result you know. Marked as I was, it wasuseless to seek employment anywhere, and then I became what I am, andwill end on the wheel.'

  'I don't think so,' I said; but he interrupted,

  'At any rate not before I have paid my debt, and the bill presses.'

  I had purposely worked up to this.

  'See here, sergeant,' I said, 'no nonsense. Brush off that bee youhave on your head. You are here to-day to attend to my business, notyour own. You say you are sick of your present life. Well, I havemeans to give you another chance, and I will do so; but I repeat again"no nonsense." You understand?'

  He stood silently for a moment, looking this way and that. We werewithin a yard or so of the forest, and its shadow covered him, all buthis face, which was turned to me, drawn and white. He was strugglingagainst old habits of absolute obedience, and they won.

  'I understand, M. le Chevalier.'

  'Very well, then, go on, and remember what I have said.'

  He turned and stepped forwards; 'This way, and mind the branchesoverhead,' and we entered the forest, my horse leaping a shallow ditchthat separated it from the grass land. We took a soft turf-coveredpath, overhung by branches, and went on for about fifty paces beforecoming to a halt, which we did in a small irregular patch of treesthat lay in the full flood of the moonlight. In the darkness beyond Iheard the gentle murmur of a small spring, and then the distinctmovement of a heavy body and the clink of iron. My hand reached to myholster in a flash, but Nicholas saw the gesture, and said, 'It is thehorse. A moment, monsieur,' and lifting up the curtain of leavesbeside him, from which, as he did so, the dew fell in a soft shower,he dived into the thicket, to reappear again leading the long blacklength of his horse. It struck me at once that the beast was ofuncommon size, and this, and the white star on its forehead, broughtto my mind the recollection of de Rone's great English charger,Couronne.

  '_Harnibleu!_' I burst out; 'you seem to be in the lowest water, andhere you have a horse worth a hundred pistoles at the least!'

  'Did you see her by daylight, monsieur, you would know that twice ahundred pistoles would not purchase her. Do you not know her, M. leChevalier? This is Couronne, M. de Rone's charger!'

  'Couronne! I thought so. And how the devil do you come by her?'

  'Her reins were in the wind when I caught her; a fair prize of war,and M. de Rone will never need her more. Since I got her she has savedme twice, and if I can help it we shall never part.'

  He stroked the mare's sleek neck, wet and glistening with the dew,and, quickly mounting, swung her round to the bit and laid her besideme. It was not the time for talk, and we drew out of the clearing insingle file, and, after forcing our way through the wet and shiningleaves around us, found a bridle path. Along this my guide went at atrot. On either side of us the silent tree trunks stretched to aninfinite distance in gloomy colonnades. Overhead, the boughs swayedand shook sadly; below, the dry leaves hissed and crackled. Once, whenwe had slackened pace for a moment, the sullen groaning of an old andvery savage boar came to us, and we heard him grinding his tusks inhis lair of juniper. At another time we surprised a number of deer inan open glade, and, startled by our sudden appearance, they dashed offwith a wild rush into the forest, and then all was still. Beyond theglade the roadway widened, so that two might keep abreast, and downthis we went at a gallop, to find ourselves once more in the endlessaisles of the forest, passing through a ghostly light that barelyenabled the horses to pick their way in and out amongst the hugemoss-grown trees standing in measureless numbers around us, and whereeach pace took them fetlock-deep into the carpet of wet and witheredleaves. Amidst the creaking of the boughs overhead, and the churn ofthe leaves at our feet, we rode on, nose to tail, Nicholas leading theway with unerring certainty. What his thoughts were, I knew not; butas I looked at the square outlines of the figure before me I could notbut feel pity for this man, reduced to such a condition. True, thelife of a common soldier was not such as to make a man squeamish aboutmany things, but the ex-sergeant had always struck me as being a manof a different stamp to the generality of his fellows, and it was athousand pities to see him forced to be a rogue; de Gomeron had trulymuch to answer for. But if I could I would mend this matter.

  I had done too little good in the world to neglect the op
portunitythat seemed to present itself to me, so as we went on I weaved alittle plan to give the man another start in life. I had already arough idea when I parted with those gold pieces to Marie, but pulledall the threads together as we rode along, fully resolving to give myplan effect as soon as the business I had in hand was done. And ofthis business I could not hope much. We were going straight into thelion's mouth, as it were, for, whether de Gomeron held the King'scommission or not, he had twenty lances at his back at Anet; and whoon earth would question him if a crop-eared thief and his companionwere slain. Besides, even if we were not discovered, I could see noway of laying hold of the tail of the conspiracy by flounderingthrough a measureless forest at night, and finally skulking round thecastle like a homeless cat. I half began to repent me of the wholeaffair, and to wish that I had tossed the venture up and down a triflemore in my mind before I embarked upon it. At the worst, however,perhaps it meant nothing more than a night in the forest, and, thenext day, a tired horse and man. On the other hand, there was, orrather is, such a thing as luck in the world, and did I make adiscovery of any consequence my hand would be much stronger.Perchance, indeed, I might be assured of success, and then--otherthings might happen. Whilst I was thus ruminating, Nicholas suddenlypulled up, and held out a warning hand.

  'What is it?' I asked in a low tone.

  '_Hist!_' he said, and then in a rapid whisper, 'another fifty yardsand we come to the open. Anet lies before us, and the rest of the waymust be done on foot.'

  'And the horses?'

  'Fasten them here. You have a picketing rope?'

  'Yes--round the neck of the horse.'

  'Good; I had not noticed it before, and was half afraid you had none,monsieur.'

  The horses were soon securely fastened, and, when this was done,Nicholas spoke low and earnestly: 'Should we be discovered, monsieur,there is no use making a standing fight. The odds are too many. Whenwe come to the open I will show you a withered oak. This is exactlyopposite where the horses are--in this direction. If we are pursued,make for the forest, and lie down. The chances are they will pass usby. Then to the horses and follow me. If I go down--ride northwardsfor your life.'

  'How the devil am I to find my way through the trees?'

  Nicholas shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'That was my affair.'

  We had gone too far to go back, however, and placing my pistols in mybelt, and loosening my sword in its sheath, I followed Nicholas withcautious footsteps. As he said, in about fifty yards we came to theopen, and halted close to a huge oak, bald of all leaves, with itsgnarled trunk riven and scarred by lightning. Before us a levelstretch of turf sloped gently down towards what was once an ornamentallake, but now overgrown with the rankest weeds. In the centre of thelake was a small island, on which was set a summerhouse, fashionedlike a Moorish kiosque, and beyond this arose, huge and square, theenormous facade of the chateau. It was in darkness except for an orielwindow above a long terrace on the east wing, which was bright withlight, and in the courtyard below there was evidently a fire. Men weresinging around it, and a lilting chorus came to our ears.

  Nicholas pointed to the window, then looked at the priming of hiswheel lock pistol and whispered hoarsely, 'We must keep in the shadow,monsieur. Stay--this is the tree; you cannot mistake it, and now comeon. Be careful not to trip or stumble, and, above all, do not cough.'

  No worse warning than the latter could have been given to me, and Iall but choked myself in my efforts to restrain an almostuncontrollable desire either to sneeze or cough. Luckily, I managed tohold myself in. Inch by inch we crept onwards, keeping well in theshadow, and edging our way round the frills of the forest. I couldhear Nicholas breathing hard, and from time to time he stopped torest; but I was a glad man to find I was not winded, and thattherefore I must be truly as strong again as ever I was. At last, bydint of creeping, crawling, and wriggling along, we worked our way towithin twenty paces of the terrace, above which the stained glass ofthe oriel window glowed with light. Here we came to a stop andwatched. Sometimes we saw a shadow moving backwards and forwards inthe light of the window, then the shadow was joined by another, andboth stopped, as if the two men to whom they belonged were in earnestconverse. The merriment from the courtyard was unceasing, and whatevermay have been the dark plots weaving upstairs, below there was nothingbut the can and the catch.

  'We must get to the window,' I whispered with an inquiring look.

  'By the terrace,' said Nicholas in answer, and as he spoke there cameto us the faint but distinct sound of a horn, apparently from the verydepths of the forest, and the notes roused a brace of hounds in thecourtyard, who bayed into the night. Nicholas gripped my arm, and Iturned to him in surprise. His face was pale, he was shaking all overlike an aspen, and his black eyes were dilated with fear.

  'Did you hear that, monsieur?' he said thickly.

  '_Diable!_ What? I hear three different things--dogs, men, and someoneblowing a horn.'

  'Then you did hear it--the horn?'

  'Yes. What of it? No doubt a post on its way to Anet.'

  'No post ever rang that blast, monsieur. That is the Wild Huntsman,and the blast means death.'

  As he spoke it came again, wild and shrill with an eerie flourish, thelike of which I had never heard before. The dogs seemed to go mad withthe sound, there was a hubbub in the courtyard, and someone in thechamber above the terrace threw open the sash and peered out into thenight. I thought at first it was de Gomeron; but the voice was nothis, for, after looking for a moment, he gave a quick order to the menbelow and stepped in again. As for Nicholas, he seemed beside himself,and I had to hold him by main force by my side, or he would havebroken and fled.

  '_Diable!_' I said, 'sit still, fool--see, there are a couple ofhorsemen gone in search of your Wild Huntsman, who has been so nearlyspoiling our soup. They will occupy him at any rate--sit still.'

  The men rode by us slowly, one of them carrying a torch, and, turningto the right, trotted off into the forest, cursing the orders they hadreceived to go forth after the horn-winder. As they passed, I began tobreathe more freely, for had they gone to the left it was an evenchance that they would have discovered our horses, owing to one of thebeasts neighing, a danger always to be guarded against in anambuscade. In a minute or so Nicholas, too, began to get morecomposed, and seeing this I determined to prick him into anger, forthen he would fear nothing.

  'Pull up, man,' I said; 'your ears lie beyond that pane of glass. Doyou not want them back?'

  He put his hand up to the side of his head with a muttered curse, towhich de Gomeron's name was linked, and I saw that he was better.

  'Now,' I whispered, 'for the window.'

  'We must get to the terrace,' he answered. 'From there it might bedone.' And with a hurried look behind him, at which I began to laughin a low tone of mockery, he crawled forward rapidly. I followed withequal speed and caution, and in a half minute we had gained the shadowof the terrace, and, working along its ivy-covered wall, got to themain building. Here we cast about for some means to get up. It was notpossible to do this by holding on to the ivy, as if it came away therewould be a fall and all our fat would be in the fire. The ascent hadto be made noiselessly, and, as I looked at the high wall before us, Ibegan to think it was impossible. Running my eye on the lichen-greyface of the main building, however, I noticed something that lookedlike a series of huge monograms, with a crescent above each, cut inhigh relief on the stones, beginning about ten feet from the ground.

  'We might get up that way,' I whispered.

  Nicholas nodded, with a pale face. In his excitement he had forgottenthe Wild Huntsman, much to my satisfaction.

  'Bend then, and I will ascend from your back.'

  He leaned forwards against the wall, and climbing on to his shoulders,I found that I might possibly raise myself by the monograms, which Idiscovered to be the letters H. D. interlaced in one another, theinitials of the second Henry and Diane de Poitiers; and the crescentwas, as is well-known, Madame Diane's crest. T
aking a long breath, Ilifted myself slowly--there was but an inch or so to hold on to--andat last found a crevice in which I could just put the point of myboot. This was enough for me to change my hold to the next highermonogram, and finally I came to a level with the parapet of theterrace. Here there was a difficulty. Every time I stretched my handout to grasp the parapet I found that I could not reach over, and thatmy fingers slipped off from the slime and moss on the stones. Threetimes I made the attempt, and swung back three times, until I began tofeel that the effort was beyond me. There was, however, one chance,and quietly thrusting my boot forward, I began to feel amidst the ivyfor a possible foothold, and, to my delight, found it rest at once ona small projecting ledge that ran round the terrace. The remainder ofmy task was easy, and the next moment I found myself lying flat on myface beneath the oriel window.

  Here I paused to recover myself, peering down at Nicholas, who wasmaking an attempt to raise himself by his hands to reach the monogramsand climb to me. 'Steady,' I whispered, 'and catch this.' Rapidlyunwinding a silken sash I wore round my waist, in the fashion I hadlearned when serving in Spain, I dropped one end towards him, andafter an effort or two he managed to seize it. Then I looped a fold ofthe silk round a buttress of the parapet, and, holding on to the otherend, told Nicholas to climb, and as the sash tightened suddenly, Icast up a prayer that it might not break. It was, however, of Easternmake, and one may have hung a bombard to it with safety. I heardNicholas breathing hard, and once or twice the ivy rustled more thanit ought to have, but at last his head appeared over the parapet andhe too was beside me. A moment after we saw the flash of a torch inthe forest and heard the voices of the men who had gone forthreturning, and then three instead of two horsemen appeared, ridingtowards the main entrance.

  'There, Nicholas, is your Wild Huntsman. Are you satisfied now?'

  And he hung his head like a great dog that has been detected insomething wrong.

  'Now for the window,' I said. 'I will rise slowly and find out what Ican. You keep your pistol ready and your eyes open. Do not rise, andremember my orders.'

  'There is a broken pane to the left; it is half-hidden by the curtain.You can hear and see from there.'

  As he said this I rose softly to my feet, and finding the broken panewithout any difficulty, peered in.

  The room was bright with the light of candles, and at a table coveredwith papers were seated two men, whilst a third was standing andpointing with his fingers at a scroll. In the man with his back to meI had no difficulty in recognising de Gomeron. The one looking towardsme was assuredly Biron, for his was a face that once seen could neverbe forgotten. As for the man who was standing beside him, I knew himnot, though subsequently--but I anticipate.

  Biron was evidently in a high state of excitement. He was biting atthe end of his dark moustache, and the fingers of his hand wereplaying nervously with the star on his breast, whilst his shifty,treacherous eyes were turning now on de Gomeron, now on the figurestanding at his elbow. He seemed to be hesitating, and I heard deGomeron say:

  'This is my price--not money, not land, not a title, but only a fewwords. You have each one, my lord, your share of the spoils, set downin writing. I do not want so much even. All I ask is your word ofhonour to favour my suit with the King. For me the word of Biron isenough, and I know his Majesty can refuse you nothing.'

  'My God!' exclaimed Biron, and writhed in his chair.

  'The Marshal might give me the promise I seek, Lafin,' and de Gomeronturned to the man who was standing at Biron's elbow. 'The word willgive me a wife--not much of a reward.'

  'And the lands of Bidache and Pelouse, eh?'

  I almost fell forwards in my eagerness to hear, and only checkedmyself in time.

  'Exactly,' sneered de Gomeron. 'Do you think I have risked my life forthe good of my health? See here, Chevalier,' and he bent forward andwhispered a word or so that made the other pale, and then de Gomeronleaned back in his chair and smiled. Biron did not apparently see orhear. His forehead was resting on his clasped hand, and he seemed tobe revolving the hazard of some great step. As for me, I thought Icaught the words, 'your instant help,' followed by 'lances' and'power,' and guessed--I was not wrong--that the captain had forcedLafin's hand.

  'My dear de Gomeron,' he said, 'the Marshal is willing enough, but youknow the common talk, that the King has other views for Madame, andthat M. d'Ayen----' But Biron interposed:

  'M. de Gomeron, you ask too much. Madame de la Bidache is of the firstnobility. Tremouille was my friend. It is too much.'

  'And I give Monseigneur a crown.'

  '_Peste!_ My lord, after all M. de Gomeron has deserved his price, anda good sword and a better head must not be thrown away. Remember,monseigneur, an open hand makes faithful hearts,' said Lafin.

  'But the King would never consent,' began Biron.

  'Give me your word to help me, monseigneur. I will do the rest formyself.'

  'Give it, my lord.'

  Biron hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly threw up his hands.'Very well, let it be as you wish. I promise, M. de Gomeron.'

  'Enough, my lord; I thank you. The Chevalier Lafin has laid before youin detail all our resources. Let me now show you this.' He unrolled aparchment that was before him, and handed it to the Marshal. 'Here,'he added, 'are the signatures of all. It only needs that of Biron; nowsign.'

  I could hear the beating of my heart in the silence that followed, andthen Biron said hoarsely, 'No! no! I will never put my name to paper.'

  '_Morbleu!_ Marshal,' burst out Lafin, 'This is no time for nibblingat a cherry. Tremouille and Epernon have signed. Put your seal to thescroll, and the day it reaches M. de Savoye, thirty thousand troopsare across the frontier, and you will change the cabbage gardens ofBiron for the coronet of Burgundy and La Breese.'

  'And see your head on a crown piece, Marshal,' added de Gomeron.

  'But we have not heard, Lafin--' began the Marshal.

  'We will hear to-night, monseigneur--that horn meant news, and Zametnever fails. Curse the low-bred Italian! _Pardieu!_ he is here,' andas he spoke, I heard what seemed to be three distinct knocks at acarved door, and, Lafin opening it, a man booted and spurred enteredthe room. He was splashed with mud as one who had ridden fast and far.

  'Zamet!' exclaimed the Marshal and de Gomeron, both rising, and theface of the former was pale as death.

  'Good evening, gentlemen! _Maledetto!_ But I have had a devil of aride, and some fool kept winding a will-o'-the-wisp kind of horn thatled me a fine dance. It was lucky I met your men.'

  'Then that blast we heard was not yours?'

  '_Corpo di Bacco!_ No, Chevalier.'

  I was a glad man to think that Nicholas, who was crouching at my feet,did not hear this, or there might have been a catastrophe, but thatindeed was not long delayed.

  'Well, friends, you all seem to have pale faces--would you not like tohear the news? I have ridden post to tell you.'

  There was no answer, and the Italian continued: 'I suppose I must giveit, make your minds easy. It is all over--she died last night. We arefree at any rate from the enmity of Gabrielle--she knew too much.'

  'Did it hurt her?' asked Biron nervously.

  'I don't know,' answered Zamet brutally, 'I have never tasted theBorgia citron myself.'

  '_Mon Dieu!_' exclaimed the Marshal, springing to his feet, 'this istoo terrible,' and he began to pace up and down, whilst the otherthree remained in whispered converse, their eyes now and again turningto Biron, who walked the room like a caged beast. Nicholas had risenslowly to his feet despite my orders, and was looking over myshoulders with a white face and blazing eyes. I dared not tell him togo back; but, with a warning look at him, strained my ears to catchwhat was being said, but could hear nothing, until at length Zametraised his voice: 'Have done with it, Marshal, and sign. After all,Madame de Beaufort was no more than a----,' and he used a foul word.'The King is prostrate now; but in a week Gabrielle will be forgotten,and then anything might happen. He is beginning to
recover. He alreadywrites verses on the lost one,' he went on with a grin, '_charmante_Gabrielle--_diavolo!_ but you should have seen her as she laydead--she was green as a jade cup.'

  'Be still, dog,' and Biron turned fiercely on him. The Italian steppedback, his hand on his dagger; but in a moment he recovered himself.His black eyebrows lifted, and his upper lip drew back over his teethin a sneer.

  'I did not know Monseigneur would be so affected; but time presses andwe need the name of Biron to that scroll. Hand the Marshal the pen,Lafin.'

  'It is here,' and de Gomeron, dipping a pen in a silver ink-stand,held it out in his hand.

  Biron made a half step forward to take it, when a thing happened. Ifelt myself suddenly thrust aside, and there was a blinding flash, aloud report, and a shout from Nicholas, 'Missed, by God!'

  There was absolutely no time to do anything but make for the horses.Nicholas had fired at de Gomeron in his mad thirst for revenge, andhad practically given our lives away. In the uproar and din thatfollowed we slid down the sash like apes, and dashed towards thehorses. Some one shouted 'Traitor--traitor,' and let fly at us twiceas we ran across the open space. From the courtyard we could hear thehurry and bustle of men suddenly aroused, and as we reached the oak weheard the bay of the bloodhounds, and the thunder of hoofs in pursuit.