CHAPTER XXVI.
[_The Lady Claire Standish has her say._]
It was as much as I could do to restrain myself when I saw my gallantknight, the Colonel, rush at that despicable creature, LordBlackadder, and shake him. I wanted to put my head out of the windowand cry, "Well done!" But I saw the folly of it, much as I wasdelighted, and checked any demonstration of joy. I had no time tospare for anything outside our settled plan, so I jumped out on to theplatform at once, and closely followed by Philpotts joined Henriette,and cried:
"Quick, quick, dear, the train goes on in less than ten minutes. Giveme the child, we must exchange again."
"What do you mean?" she gasped, and looked at me dazed and bewildered."Why should I part with my boy, my own boy! I cannot, indeed I cannot.Why? Why?"
"Because Blackadder is over there, and in another minute or two thechild will be taken forcibly from you. Luckily I can still save it."
"Oh, but please, Claire, please explain. I do not understand, not inthe least. What am I to do? I haven't heard, I do not know."
"Go on to Fuentellato with the dummy. It is the easiest thing in theworld. They will follow you, Colonel Annesley will see to that, whileI carry our darling to some secure hiding-place and keep out of sightuntil we can meet. There, do not, for heaven's sake, delay. Give methe child."
"I can't, I can't. I will not part with it. My own, my precious babe.Never. Nothing will induce me."
"Upon my word, Henriette, you are too aggravating and impossible. Tothink that now at the eleventh hour you should fail me and break down.Are you going to spoil everything! Let me take little Ralph;" and Iput out my arms for the child, which Victorine held.
But the mother stood between us, seized the baby convulsively, andwith a gesture of repulsion cried:
"Go away, go away, you shall not have him. I don't care what happens,I will keep him against all the world."
I pleaded and stormed in turn, I tried everything but force, allwithout avail. My foolish sister seemed to have taken leave of hersenses; she thought nothing of the nearly certain collapse of ourschemes, her one overmastering idea was, like any tigress, to resistall attempts to deprive her of her cub.
Meanwhile the time ran on. Already the officials were crying "_Envoiture_," and I knew my train was timed to leave at five minutes past8 A.M. If I lingered I should lose it, no great matter perhaps, seeingthat the exchange, my principal object, had not been made; but if Iremained with Henriette, she with her baby and I with mine, the wholeof the artifice might at any moment be laid bare.
I had to decide then and there, and all I could think of at the timewas to keep the enemy in the dark as to the doubled part of the baby.At first I thought of sending Philpotts on alone with her charge andremaining with Henriette. She was so helpless, so weak and vacillatingthat I had small hope of her getting through to Fuentellato byherself. That was clearly the wisest course, and I should have takenit, but I was sorely vexed and put out by her obstinate refusal toplay her part; and I told her so.
"Once more and for the last time, Henriette, will you do what I want?"I asked her peremptorily.
She only hugged her baby the closer and whispered a soft lullaby.
"Then I shall go on with the other. It may be best. They may still bedrawn after me, and leave you to your own devices. The only thing foryou to do is to take the first train the other way,--it will be herein ten minutes,--keep low and you may get through into Italyunobserved."
"Are you really deserting me?" she cried piteously. "When shall I seeyou again?"
"I shall go round the long journey to Marseilles, by the South ofFrance, and will join you at Fuentellato. There is no reason why youshould not get there. Colonel Annesley will detain the others here,you may be sure of that. Good-bye, now," and without another wordPhilpotts and I ran round, regained the up platform, resumed our seatsby the narrowest margin and proceeded on our way to Amberieu.
The reaction from this agitating scene was little less than despairand collapse. So soon as I could bring myself to think calmly and atleisure, I realized that I had done a very foolish thing. Was itpossible for Henriette to get off by herself? Hardly, she had not thenerve, I had almost said the wit, to escape alone from the toils andsnares that encompassed her. I blamed myself, I became a prey to thebitterest self-reproach for having abandoned her, for allowing myselfto give way to temper, and treat her so cruelly. As the train rattledon, one thought took possession of me. I must get out and go backinstantly, at least at the very first opportunity. I must retrace mysteps and return again to Culoz, where I hoped to be in time tosupport and strengthen her, please God save her from the consequencesof my unkind and ill-considered action.
Accordingly, at the very next station, Virieu, I alighted. It wasstill no more than 8.21. In less than an hour I was in the returntrain and once more at Culoz, where, sending Philpotts to hide withher charge in the inmost recesses of the ladies' waiting-room, Ivainly explored the station for any signs of Henriette, but to mydelight she was nowhere in sight. I was fairly entitled to supposethat she had gone on.
The place was still in a turmoil, the consequences no doubt of theaffray expressly begun by Colonel Annesley to befriend me. I narrowlyescaped being seen by some of my enemies, but they were evidently toomuch preoccupied by their indignation at the outrage put upon thatgreat personage, Lord Blackadder. I passed within an inch or two of mygallant Colonel and was sorely tempted to speak to him, but wasdeterred by the possible mischief it might entail.
I was relieved when they all took seats in the eastward bound train,going only as far as Aix-les-Bains, where, as I heard it stated by theCuloz officials, the case was to be submitted to the Commissary ofPolice. I felt sure that my gallant Colonel would hold his own, I feltno very great concern for him. Although not fully satisfied as toHenriette, I was so far satisfied by coming upon all the parties,Ralph, Blackadder, and the rest, at Culoz, that she had disappearedfrom the scene without interference.
I had now to decide upon my own movements. I debated with myselfwhether I should not follow my sister to Fuentellato, to which I madesure she had gone, and I had every reason to hope that I couldeventually join her there. But it seemed to be throwing away that samechance of mystification which I had always kept in view, which mighthave served me so well but for her weakness, and I still clung to myhope of drawing them after me on the wrong scent.
At one time I thought of venturing boldly into their midst andappearing openly at Aix; but this would probably end in abruptlypricking the bubble, and nothing more was to be done. I thought ofsending Philpotts to hunt up the Colonel and convey a letter to himdetailing my situation, and was much taken with this idea, which Ipresently rejected because I did not clearly see what good could comeof it. I was tortured with doubts, unable to decide for the best, andat last, from sheer inability to choose, resolved to adhere to myoriginal plan of travelling south.
I would at least go to Marseilles, which I could reach that verynight, and once there would be guided by circumstances, seeking onlyto control them to the extent of reporting my whereabouts to Henrietteat Fuentellato, and to the Colonel via London as arranged.
This as it proved was the very wisest course I could have adopted, aswill presently appear.
I was doomed to a long wait at Culoz. There was no train due westwardtill 12.40, and I had to put in nearly three solid hours, which Ispent in wandering into the village, where I found an unpretending_auberge_ and a rather uneatable breakfast.
Everywhere I was met with wearisome delays. A slow train to Amberieu,a still slower cross journey to Lyons, which I did not reach tillnearly 4 P.M., and learnt that another hour or more mustelapse before the departure of the next Marseilles express.
The journey seemed interminable, but just as I was losing allpatience, I received a fillip that awoke me to alertness, and set allmy nerves tingling.
The man Tiler, the second detective, the man whom I had alreadybefooled more than once, was there now on the platform, waiting likem
yself to embark upon the 5.19 train south to Marseilles.
He had come after me; that was perfectly clear. He, and he alone, andI rejoiced greatly that I had to do entirely with him. I had tried mystrength with him more than once already, and felt myself his equalin guile. Although he owed me a grudge and would certainly be upon hisguard, I thought myself strong enough to face and outwit him.