Rose D'Albret; or, Troublous Times.

  CHAPTER XIII.

  The moments which the maid Blanchette passed with De Montigni, andafterwards with Chazeul, were full of anxiety to Rose d'Albret. Shelay in darkness, wakeful and expectant, listening for every sound togive her some indication of the girl's return to the ante-chamber,from which she had heard her distinctly go forth, without knowing thecause. Imagination was busy with every painful possibility. She fearedthat their whole scheme of flight might be discovered; she thoughtthat the maid might have conceived a suspicion from some littlepreparations which she had made during the evening; she asked herselfwhat would be her fate if the execution of their design wereprevented. Would they, could they, compel her to unite herself toChazeul? and she now shrunk from the very idea with tenfold horror.She would not do it, she thought; she would sooner die. She would seekthe protection of the cloister--anything, she would do anything,rather than give her hand to one whom she equally disliked anddespised. Suddenly, in the midst of these feelings, a sensation ofwonder at their vehemence came over her; and she asked herself how itwas that her ideas upon the subject had been so suddenly andcompletely changed.

  She had till lately looked upon her marriage with Chazeul as a thingarranged, and to which she would submit, not without some repugnance,perhaps, but without that degree of horror and dislike which she nowexperienced. At first she had been coldly indifferent; and afterwardsshe had wished to put off the day of the sacrifice as long aspossible; but she now felt that a life of penury and daily labour,would be comparative happiness to wedding Nicholas de Chazeul.

  How had a single day made this strange difference? she inquired, andthen she thought of De Montigni; and, though no eye could see her, thecolour rose in her cheek, to feel how different were all hersensations towards him, how willingly to him she would yield heart andhand! But the secret of the change was discovered,--she loved, andloved truly, and a new light had shone into her heart.

  Quickly, however, her thoughts wandered back again to the present; andonce more she listened for Blanchette's return. Where could she havegone? she asked herself; what could be her motive, if something werenot discovered? Her own heart was too pure to attribute to the girlthat conduct which, perhaps, if she had known all, would have beenfirst suspected; but as she raised herself on her arm, to give ear tosome distant noise, she heard the outer door of the ante-room openagain, and the step of the maid moving about in the neighbouringchamber. With a beating heart, and in breathless silence, Rose markedevery sound, till at length a thin line of light, which crossed thefloor from the key-hole, was suddenly extinguished; and she heard thegirl take her place in bed. A few minutes after, the clock of thech?teau struck twelve, but Rose still lay quiet for some minutes inorder that the spy upon her actions might be asleep before she moved.

  Blanchette, however, was one of the "dull weeds" that easily fastenthemselves on "Lethe's shore." Herself was all she thought of, all shecared for; and, having provided to the best of her ability for thesuccess and prosperity of that well-loved person, she was soon in thearms of slumber, undisturbed by any of the reproaches of conscience,or the lighter tones of imagination. The heavy breathing of profoundand dreamless sleep was heard erelong; and, rising from her bed, Rosed'Albret dressed herself as well as she could in the darkness, anddrew down the tapestry over the door between her room and that of themaid, to prevent Blanchette from hearing any sound within.

  She feared that she should not be ready in time; and she hastened allher preparations eagerly, as much to withdraw her own thoughts fromfears and apprehensions, as to guard against being too late; but, asso often happens, all was complete long before the hour; and fornearly twenty minutes, she sat at a little distance from the window,trembling with agitation and alarm.

  She had now full time to give way to all the busy thoughts thatnaturally sprang from her situation. She felt she loved--she trustedshe was beloved in return; but still to fly with De Montigni from allother protection--to put herself entirely in his power--to castherself thus into his arms; it was rash, she thought; it was foolish.Would he continue to love her? Might not his quickly-roused passiondie away as soon? Might he not be the first to think her rashconfidence in him, bold, almost immodest?

  "No, no!" she answered, "he would not do so; he was too kind--toogenerous. He always had been. Why should she think him changed in mindand heart, in thought and feeling, since the bright days of hisboyhood, when she had loved him so well? Did he not tell her that hehad always loved her?--did he not promise to love her always?--andwhen had he ever broken his word? No, no! It was but agitation andweak terror made her doubt."

  Even if there were a risk, she thought again, even if the dream ofhappiness with Louis de Montigni, which had come with so sweet arelief to her heart, were not to be fully realized, yet, when the onlyalternative was to wed a man she now hated and contemned, could shehesitate to give herself to one she loved? and again she answered,"No! If death were the only other course, she would seek it, ratherthan give her hand to Nicholas de Chazeul."

  Her mind then turned to the dangers of the way; to the chance of beingstopped ere they could quit the castle; to the likelihood of beingdiscovered and frustrated; to the shame and confusion that mustfollow. She pictured herself brought before Monsieur de Liancourt; shecalled up the scornful looks of Chazeul and the sneering taunts of hismother; and for a moment her heart sank as fancy painted the scenewith the vividness of reality. But then her spirit rose; "I would notbear it," she said to herself. "I would own my love to one, and myhatred to the other. I would call for a sight of the contract that myfather signed. I would refuse to wed this man--aye, even if theydragged me to the altar. I would demand the protection of the good oldcommander, and put myself under the guardianship of the law."

  Poor girl, she little knew how powerless was the law in France at thatmoment. "It is strange," she continued, turning to another line ofthought, "I have not heard the clock strike one; and yet it is longsince twelve. Can anything have gone wrong? It must have struckwithout my hearing it.--How dark it is without! Not a star in the sky,and the moon down! Those must be drops of rain I hear."

  A moment after the heavy bell of the clock sounded upon her ear; andshe found how long tedious expectation can make one short hour. Rosesmiled at her own impatience, and said in her heart, "I must not letLouis know how eagerly I have watched for him; and yet, why not? If hebe generous, as I think, to be so loved will but increase his own; andif he be not, no arts will keep a wayward heart. Hark, there is asound!" and the next instant, something like the steel point of asword's scabbard, struck lightly against the window.

  Rose opened it without noise, and asked in a low and trembling voice,"Who is there?"

  "'Tis I! 'tis I, my beloved," answered De Montigni, who was standingon a ladder, which had been placed against the window. "All is readyif you are. But, before you come, secure your maid in her own room. Wehave turned the key without. She is not to be trusted; and it werewell to prevent her from giving the alarm to-morrow, till the lastmoment."

  "There is but a bolt," said Rose d'Albret, "and I fear I shall wakeher with the noise, for it is a very heavy one."

  "Stay, dearest," replied her lover; "I will do it," and he spranglightly into the room.

  "Oh, Louis," whispered Rose, as he held her for a moment to his heart,"do not waste time."

  "I will not," he answered. "Where is this bolt," and following Rose,who led him on with a trembling hand, he drew back the tapestry andfelt for the bolt upon the door. Slowly and gently he pushed itforward; but this was not accomplished without some noise, and theheart of Rose d'Albret beat as if it would have burst through herside. She could not even listen for the throbbing; but De Montignibent down his ear; and after a moment he whispered, "it is all safe,she sleeps, my beloved. Now, Rose, now," and taking her hand in his,he led her back towards the window.

  He felt by the trembling of her hand, that she was greatly agitated;and although, when he had first entered the room, he had given way, aswe have seen, for a single i
nstant, to the warm emotions of his heart,he would not now add by one rash caress to that which Rose alreadyunderwent. When they reached the window, however, he drew the otherside of the casement farther back, to get out first and assist her indescending. But the lady detained him a moment by the hand, asking ina low voice, "And will you love me ever, Louis?"

  "As from my earliest youth, so to my last hour, dear Rose," replied DeMontigni in the same low tone.

  "And will you never judge me rash, imprudent, bold, De Montigni?"again inquired the lady; "will you never reproach me, even in your ownsecret heart, for listening to your persuasions? will you never thinkit was immodest or unfeminine to quit the shelter of my guardian'shouse, and give myself to you with this implicit confidence?"

  "Never, dear Rose!" replied De Montigni; "banish such idleapprehensions. I shall ever feel the deepest gratitude. I shall everfeel respect for that decision which saves me the pain, the peril, andthe grief of bringing to account my nearest relations for a mostshameful attempt to violate the contract with your father, and todefraud me of my own--for you are my own, Rose. You are plighted to mefrom your infancy, and indeed, dear one, I have a right to demand, asthe only one entitled to your hand, that you should take the onlymeans by which it can be secured to me; and for your thus yieldingwillingly and readily, my thanks, and love, and gratitude, are yoursfor ever."

  "Well, then, there is my hand, De Montigni," said Mademoiselled'Albret, "and I am yours. I do not doubt you, Louis,--I do not doubtyou; but in these things woman may well be timid; for her all is atstake; and God knows those we play against are often cheats."

  "Such am not I, dear Rose," replied her lover. "Come, my Rose, come!"and stepping out of the window, he held his hands towards her, toguide her in the descent.

  Rose d'Albret closed her eyes, murmured a short prayer to God forprotection and assistance in the course before her; and, after pausingone moment more, in lingering hesitation, she put her foot upon theladder, and descended gently, with De Montigni steadying her steps.The height was not great, and the next minute her feet were upon theground between the old ch?teau and the walls that defended it. Therewas no one below, for De Montigni had determined to come alone, inorder to avoid all bustle and confusion.

  "Now, dear girl, now," he said, "the first step to freedom is taken.Estoc is waiting for us on the walls; my horses are prepared without;and in five minutes we shall be in liberty."

  "But how shall we pass the gates?" asked Rose; "they are alwaysstrictly guarded."

  "We have placed men that can be depended upon," replied De Montigni,"and the sally port at the south, is in the hands of Estoc. This way,dearest, this way, to the bridge."

  Their escape, however, was not destined to be effected so easily asthey supposed; for when they reached the spot where the flying bridgewhich we have so often mentioned hung between the ch?teau and theouter walls, De Montigni, on looking up, perceived through the dim airof night that it was raised. There was a flight of stone steps, builtagainst the body of the ch?teau, from the sort of paved court in whichthey were, to the door, that communicated with the bridge; and upthese De Montigni sprang in a moment leaving Rose d'Albret below. Hefound, however, that the chain which suspended the bridge in the air,was pad-locked; and, descending again with a noiseless step, he askedhis fair companion in a whisper "Who sleeps in the room on the right?"

  "I do not know," replied Rose, "some of Monsieur de Chazeul'sservants, I believe."

  "There are people talking within," replied De Montigni; "the bridge isup, the chains padlocked; and, even if they were not, the noise ofletting it down would call attention. We must go round, dear Rose, tothe staircase in the wall."

  Rose d'Albret trembled very much; for her agitation was already sogreat, that any impediment made her heart sink with apprehension; butleaning on De Montigni's arm, she hurried along with him, and soonreached the staircase of which he had spoken, which in another minuteled them to the top of the wall.

  "Sit here for a moment, dearest," said De Montigni, "while I findEstoc, and do not raise your head above the parapet. He and I may passfor the guards; but the veil and ruff do not well imitate the steelcap and cuirass."

  Rose silently did as he bade her, and gazed out, while he was gone,through the neighbouring embrasure. The country through which she wasto pass lay before her; but it was all dark and indistinct, like thewide land of the future in the journey of life. There was no star tobetoken hope in the sky above; thick clouds, like frowning fate,covered the whole heaven; and though the few heavy drops of rain whichhad fallen had ceased for the time, there were low sobbing gusts ofwind, which seemed to say, that they would soon commence again.

  Sad and apprehensive, Rose d'Albret gazed over the scene, and withcurious eye strove to trace out the road along which she was totravel, as one does so soften and so vainly in the mortal night whichsurrounds us here below. Fortunately, however, she had not much timefor gloomy meditations. In less than two minutes De Montigni was byher side again, accompanied by Estoc, who bent down and kissed herhand, saying "Come, Mademoiselle, come, don't be frightened about thebridge being up, that is done against those on the outside of thewall, not those on the in. We will soon reach the sally port; but wemust cross the court first."

  "But who are those that Monsieur de Montigni heard talking in the roomto the right of the bridge door?" asked Rose d'Albret in a whisper.

  "On my body and life I do not know," replied Estoc; "some of Chazeul'speople, about no good, I'll warrant; but they'd better not come nearus, or I'll split their skulls and his too, if he meddles. This way,Mademoiselle."

  "Hush!" cried Rose drawing back, "there is a man coming along thewall.--Oh Heaven! who can it be?"

  "Nobody but Paul the sentinel," replied Estoc. "I placed him here onguard, lady, and he knows his business.--Come!" and leading her on, hepassed close by the warder, who for his part, when they approachedturned his back to them, and gazed out over the country.

  To witness such a thorough understanding between her companions andthe guards, restored some degree of confidence and hope to Rosed'Albret; and, hurrying forward, they descended the stairs by whichshe had mounted, chose the second archway in the body of the building,and crossed the vacant court, where all was still and silent, except alarge eagle which was chained to a perch in the midst, and which,disturbed in its reveries by their passing near, flapped its largewings, and uttered a shrill cry. Taking through another archway on theopposite side of the court, they threaded one or two of the passagesof the building, and soon reached a paved passage, or _coulisse_,similar to that which ran between the ch?teau and the wall on thenorthern side. As they walked along, Rose remarked that De Montignidrew round to the side of Estoc, and whispered something in his ear.

  "I do not know," replied the old soldier; "I placed him there not tenminutes ago. Perhaps he is standing under the arch."

  "I do not think it," said De Montigni; "there is no depth to hide him;and I can see no one."

  "My eyes are not so good as they were," answered Estoc; "but he mayhave opened the door for aught we know, to have all ready."

  "What is the matter?" asked Mademoiselle d'Albret, clinging to DeMontigni's arm; "what has gone amiss?"

  "Nothing, dearest, nothing," replied De Montigni. "'Tis only that wedo not see the guard who was placed with the keys of the sally port.He may, perhaps, have opened the door and gone in; or he may havewalked on to the end."

  When they reached the low-browed door in the wall, however, which wasto give them exit from the Ch?teau of Marzay, they found no one there,and the heavy iron-covered gate tightly locked. Swearing an oath ortwo in an under tone, Estoc looked up and down the passage to see ifhe could perceive the careless warder; but nothing was to bediscovered; and no sound or footfall gave notice that he was near.

  "Stay," said the old soldier; "stay a moment here, I will go and seefor him. I cannot understand this at all. Yet there can be no danger,lady, so do not be afraid; for if anything were discovered, we shouldfind
people enough here."

  "But if any one should come, while you are gone?" asked Rose d'Albret,in a faltering tone.

  "Why, then, you must hide yourselves amongst those passages opposite,"replied the old soldier. "You know them well, both of you, for many ahunt have I had after you amongst them, when you were children."

  Notwithstanding all her apprehensions, Rose d'Albret could but smile,as the old man's words brought up before her mind the picture of thehappy hours of childhood; and she laid her hand fondly on DeMontigni's arm, feeling that she did love him truly, and had loved himlonger than she once thought she had.

  "Let us go at once, Louis," she said, "into what we used to call thelabyrinth; they would not find us easily there, and we can watch tillhe comes back."

  "Ay, ay," said Estoc; "go there, pretty lady. I will not be a minute,for the man cannot be far off."

  Thus saying he left them; and crossing the passage, they entered anarch, a little way farther down, which communicated with some of theinferior parts of the building but little used by the household, andwas traversed by narrow stone corridors, with innumerable staircasesto rooms above. Placing themselves under the shelter of the vault theywaited, listening to the old soldier's receding step; but themomentary light which had come up in Rose d'Albret's mind, at hisallusion to former days, passed rapidly away as she stood there withher lover, uncertain of what the next hour might bring forth.

  The moment after, they heard the neigh of a horse beyond the walls,and De Montigni, turning to her, whispered, "There is but a littlespace between us and safety, Rose."

  "Alas! it may be enough," replied Rose d'Albret, "to bar us from allour hopes."

  "Nay, nay," answered her lover; "take not such a gloomy view of it,dear one; there are always small obstacles to every scheme; but thesewill soon be removed, and all will go well."

  "God grant it," said Rose d'Albret; but even as she spoke, she drewback farther within the arch, saying, "Hush! there are figures uponthe wall."

  "Stand, give the word," cried a sentinel above.

  "I forget it," replied the voice of Chazeul; "but you know me, myman?--You know Monsieur de Chazeul?"

  "I know no one without the word," replied the soldier. "Stand off, oryou are a dead man!"

  "Dare you be so insolent?" exclaimed Chazeul. "Who commands the guardto-night?"

  "I do my duty, Sir," replied the soldier; "so stand back, I say! It isMonsieur de l'Estoc's guard."

  "I thought so," replied Chazeul; "like master like man. Go, and callhim. Sir."

  "Not I," answered the soldier; "I do not quit my post for any one. Youcan call him yourself, if you want him."

  "I will," replied Chazeul sternly; "and have you punished for yourinsolence;" and, turning back along the wall, he proceeded to searchfor Estoc.