CHAPTER XX
A DASH FOR THE WALLS
DUBOIS looked after Pierre with some misgivings as he saw him accost de Proballe.
“I suppose he is to be trusted,” he muttered.
“Hasn’t he given proof of it?” replied Gerard.
“I would trust him with my life,” said Gabrielle.
“And I would trust few men of Morvaix with anything,” returned Dubois. “I am minded to go and hear for myself. While that din rages outside I could get up unheard and would soon have the way clear.”
But there was no need for suspicion of Pierre. He went up to de Proballe and addressed him openly.
“By your leave, my lord, I was seeking you. The Governor sent me to find you for the work in the turret cell.”
“Where is he?” asked de Proballe.
“I left him with the prisoner, my lord, and he ordered me, if I should find you, to ask you to hasten to him at once by way of the upper gallery. Jean of the Mask has gone thither and I am in search now of the surgeon.”
“Then the prisoner will be racked?” asked de Proballe, in a tone of satisfaction.
“Rack for the one, my lord, and the weights for the priest,” answered Pierre, so glibly and readily that de Proballe never thought he was lying. “The Governor is full of impatience, my lord,” he added; and de Proballe hurried away, making an excuse to his companion.
“What is the trouble, captain?” asked Pierre.
“A quarrel with some of the new soldiers which will end in work for you, I fancy, Pierre.”
“It seems serious, captain; and I’ve work enough with my last birds not to need more. They are to be questioned to-night.”
“Who are they, Pierre?” asked the officer eagerly.
“If you will walk with me I’ll tell you. I am seeking the surgeon.”
He led the officer away with this pretext, and the doorway being thus cleared, Gerard and the others ran down into the courtyard.
“Which way now?” asked Dubois.
“I can find the road,” said Gerard. “But where is Pierre? We cannot leave him after what he has done.”
“If we wait for him we shall have the place swarming with men,” answered Dubois.
And this seemed true enough indeed. Attracted by the news of the fighting, soldiers were beginning to pour out of the doorways into the courtyard, laughing and oathing as they ran in the direction of the now receding sounds of conflict; and Gerard saw to his disquiet that the stream was setting in the direction of that part of the walls through which he hoped to make his escape.
“Pascal has had to retreat,” he said. “But we must go. Pierre or no Pierre,” and giving a last glance for the absent gaoler he set off at a brisk pace across the courtyard.
No one seemed to heed them and they were turning a corner of the building when Pierre came running after them.
“This way, my lord; not a moment must be lost,” he said, breathing hard. “I had to get rid of the captain yonder and to find you swords. There may be some fighting to be done.”
They raced along for a short distance at full speed, Pierre guiding them through deserted ways until at a turn of the walls they came in full view of the fighting, when Pierre stopped abruptly.
“We are too late,” he said hurriedly. “It would be madness to attempt it. See, they are already close to the breach.”
He was right, as Gerard recognized at a glance.
“What can we do?” he asked. “Is there another spot by which we can get out?”
“I know of none, my lord.”
“How say you, Dubois? Dare we risk it?”
“With mademoiselle it is hopeless,” he replied.
“Then leave me, Gerard. You can get through alone, and I can find my way safely either to the Duchess or out through the main gateway. No one will stop me.”
“You wrong me in that thought, mademoiselle,” said Dubois hastily and earnestly. “God forbid that I should think of leaving you.”
“We would not dream of it,” declared Gerard. “We must wait where we are until matters have quieted down, and then go.”
“There is an old guard-house close by, my lord, where we can wait unseen,” said Pierre. “Unused now, save as a storehouse for the workmen.”
“I see the plan of the fight,” said Dubois. “It is Pascal, right enough. See, he is drawing off his men in good order. He knows his work when put to it, gabble-tongue though he be.”
“We may be spied out and suspected, my lord,” said Pierre. “Any minute may find the escape known now,” and he told how he had got rid of de Proballe. “If the Governor be found in your cell, hell will soon be loose in the Castle.”
“Come, Dubois, to cover,” said Gerard.
“Good, good,” cried Dubois, the soldier in him rejoicing; “they are through the walls to a man,” and reluctantly he obeyed Gerard’s injunction and followed him to the shelter.
“You can watch matters from here, monsieur,” said Pierre, as they entered the place. “The window up there commands a view of that part of the battlements.”
In a moment Dubois had clambered up, and the others waited anxiously to hear his report.
“All seems well,” he said, after a minute’s observation. “Pascal must have made off. The Castle men are not following. They are clustered round the place like bees, but hesitate to follow for some reason. Pascal must have had more men posted there. That’s it. Some of the men are straggling back. Yes—yes. Good! What’s that?” he broke off suddenly as guns were fired from the Castle, followed by a trumpet sounding the assembly.
“The escape is known,” said Pierre. “Now, Heaven help us all.”
“The men are rushing back in a body,” reported Dubois.
“We must take the risk and go,” said Gerard.
“Let me go first and see the way is clear,” replied Dubois, jumping down and darting into the night.
“Cautiously,” whispered Gerard.
As they left the old guard-house they saw the soldiers running back to the Castle in hot haste to obey the call and learn the news; and in a minute the place where they had swarmed in such numbers was deserted except for sentries.
“We must take our chance,” said Dubois, staying for the others. “Come on with me, Pierre;” and the two ran forward, followed at a few paces distance by Gerard and Gabrielle.
The Castle itself was now the scene of great commotion. Lights were flashing everywhere, men hurrying in all directions, trumpets sounding, and guns booming at intervals. Everything showed that events of deep import had occurred and preparations on a great scale were in progress.
Dubois, with Pierre at his heels, crept up the steps and with the utmost coolness made his observations and laid his plan. Four men were standing together close to the breach talking eagerly.
“There are but four men,” he whispered to Gerard; “and we have the advantage of a surprise. We had best attack before any more come up.”
Gerard nodded his assent, and dashing up the three sprang forward and attacked the soldiers. Two of them went down before Gerard and Dubois, and the others broke and ran for the Castle with shouts to raise an alarm as they sped.
But the way was won, and before the men could reach their comrades to tell their news the four were safely out and speeding away through the moonlight toward the city.
The distance was short, fortunately; but short as it was, Dubois, knowing that pursuit would soon be hot on their heels, cast many an anxious look behind him at the Castle.
“Would to Heaven we could have met with Pascal,” he muttered.
“He has gone to Malincourt,” said Gerard.
“Should we not follow him? The pursuit will spread out like a fan and every inch of the ground will be scoured.”
“We could not reach Malincourt, I fear,” was Gerard’s verdict, and then Gabrielle was ready with a suggestion.
“I can find shelter and help in a hundred houses while we make our plans. In the city I am sure of my people.”
“Our plans should not take long to form,” answered Gerard. “To leave the city by the gates is impossible, of course, and we need but a guide who will lead us to some spot by which we can get out. Once outside we can trust to ourselves to find the road to Cambrai.”
“To Cambrai?” asked Gabrielle. “Why to Cambrai?”
“Because at Cambrai lies a Bourbon force strong enough to break the Governor’s power.”
“Would we were safely housed in Malincourt to await him,” said Dubois.
“Better were we safely out of Morvaix altogether,” replied Gerard.
Under Gabrielle’s guidance they hurried through the streets, in which the citizens were beginning to assemble, attracted by the Castle guns. Groups of townsfolk stood at the corners and in the roadways discussing the meaning of the unusual disturbance in more or less eager tones and with many a sign of fear lest it boded ill to the city and themselves.
Now and again a soldier or two, who had been loitering late in their revels in the city, would dash past them scurrying Castlewards. Everywhere excitement and uneasiness prevailed.
Many curious glances were cast after the four as they hurried on their way, and once or twice, when Pierre chanced to be recognized, a question would be flung after him as to the meaning of the trouble at the Castle. But no one sought to stay them, and a good distance had been safely put between them and the Castle when Gabrielle stopped before a long, low-gabled house in a dark by-street.
“I can get the guide we need here,” she said. She knocked at the door and entered, to return in a couple of minutes.
“There is bad news, I fear,” she said. “You remember the man who was slain in the market place, Babillon the smith. This is the house of his brother; he is entirely to be trusted. He knows every inch of the city walls and is often passing in and out by secret ways when the gates are shut. He says that something has occurred which has put the guard on the alert, and that to-night it is scarcely possible to pass.”
“Let me question him,” said Gerard, and they went in together.
“Greeting, good friar,” said Babillon, a strong, lithe, hard-faced, keen-eyed man, saluting Gerard respectfully.
“I am no monk, my good fellow,” said Gerard, “but a soldier, and together with mademoiselle here need your help to get from the city. What is this you say has occurred?”
“A command was sent by my lord the Governor, to-day, monsieur, that the gates were to be closed and no one permitted to leave without a license from himself. Soon after that I was at the south gate and having been stopped was hanging round in curiosity, when a courier rode up and was stopped likewise. A monk, whom I recognized, was with him, and seeing both were much disconcerted, I followed them and offered my services.”
“Can you describe either?” asked Gerard quickly.
“The monk was tall, erect, spare of figure, with a blue eye sharp to read your thoughts, quick of tongue, and customed to command, as I found afterwards. A noble, monsieur, and yet of winning condescension and with a laugh where many another would have a curse.”
“It might be Pascal,” said Gerard to Gabrielle. “What next, Babillon? You say you recognized him?”
“I had seen him before, my lord. It was he who stood between you and the soldiers when my brother was killed, mademoiselle. He told me that if I could get him two men in secret from the city he would reward me well; and when I showed him it could be done, he carried me with him and left me in charge of some monks—at least they were dressed as monks, monsieur, though my ears being trained to catch sounds readily, I heard more muttered oaths among them than one looks to hear from men of holy life. I served him, monsieur, and he paid me well; but ’twas this work which has caused the city to be shut like a bear’s cage with the door barred.”
“You got them away then?”
“Two separately while the light lasted and two together after nightfall, but the last piece was hazardous. They were seen, and I escaped capture by no more than a hair’s breadth. And since then at every doubtful point where such a thing could be attempted soldiers have been posted.”
“This is both good and ill news you give, friend. You have done that which will earn you a higher reward than at present I can name. But now, can you increase my gratitude, and get us past these guards? Think. It is Pascal, of course,” he said to Gabrielle, while Babillon stood thinking. “He has trebled the messengers to Cambrai. Now, Babillon, how say you?”
“There is the river,” he answered, shaking his head doubtfully. “Men might do it, but——” he glanced toward Gabrielle and shook his head again.
“Tell me,” said Gerard quickly.
“It runs for some three hundred yards by the walls between the north and east gates: the walls are high there and no one would look for an attempt at such a spot; and so the guards are but sparsely set. I have done it, but I have swum the stream. I can scale the walls and could plant a rope ladder for you all—but there is the stream,” and once more he shook his head as he glanced toward Gabrielle.
“You can go that way, Gerard,” she said instantly. “I can lie hid if need be——”
“We shall not part,” he answered. “Could we not get a boat or even some planks?” he asked Babillon.
“It would be full of hazard, monsieur. With such a watch set as there is to-night we should almost surely be seen before we had crossed. They would fire upon us and, even if we escaped their shots, they would send round a party from the eastern gate to cut us off. But if you wish it, I am willing.”
“When the disease calls for it, only a coward shrinks from the knife,” said Gerard. “We must make the attempt and leave the issue to Heaven.”
“You had best wait here, monsieur, while I make such preparations as I can. I may be away some time,” said Babillon, and he hastily outlined his plan.
Dubois and Pierre were brought into the house and Babillon left. Gerard explained the nature of the desperate position to Dubois, and the three men discussed it anxiously with many secret misgivings, while Gabrielle went to Babillon’s wife, Gerard urging her to seek rest.
“I doubt we should do better to seek refuge at Malincourt,” was Dubois’ judgment. “This is a scheme for men, and not for a dainty girl like Mademoiselle de Malincourt.”
“We can but try it,” was Gerard’s reply.
Babillon was absent so long that all began to grow uneasy; but when he came he explained that he had had much to do, and he brought less cheerless news.
“I have been to the spot, monsieur, and found, as I hoped, that it is scarcely watched at all. I have got help, too. A man on whom I can rely as on myself, a fisherman, has his boat on the other bank of the river some distance from the spot, and he will help us. He scaled the wall while I was by and swam the river without being seen, and he will have his boat moored ready for us right under the place where we shall leave. I hope now that we shall win the way out.”
“Are there many soldiers abroad?” asked Dubois.
“Yes, monsieur, search parties, I learnt, hunting for some of your prisoners, friend Pierre, who have escaped from the Castle. But they will not trouble us,” answered Babillon. “I can lead you by ways they will never suspect. Have no fear on that score.”
Gabrielle was roused, and after some words of caution from their guide they set out, Babillon leading them through narrow devious streets and alleys where they met no one.
“We are close to the spot now,” he said at length. “Remain here in the shadow and I will go forward to see that all is well.”
He was absent some few minutes.
“All seems quiet, monsieur,” he reported to Gerard, and they started again. “The wall is yonder,” he said, pointing to it. “I shall climb it and fix the rope in position, and I need not urge you to make all haste in following and to keep silent.”
They watched him dart across the intervening space at top speed, stand for a moment in the deep shadow of the wall, and then begin the ascent. Gabrielle’s heart began to beat fast with excitement and hope, and even the men’s pulses quickened as his black shadow crept nearer and nearer to the parapet at the top.
“What is he doing?” whispered Gabrielle; for Babillon stopped suddenly and flattened himself against the black wall.
“It is nothing,” answered Gerard. “See, his head shows above the top now. He is as cautious as he is daring, and does but seek to make sure all is well. Wait, he sees some one. Ah, and he has been seen, too!” he exclaimed, catching his breath. The call of one man to another came to their ears, and the figures of two soldiers running toward Babillon were silhouetted against the sky line.
At the same moment a jingle of arms was heard close at hand.
“One of the search parties,” said Dubois in a deep undertone.
At that moment they saw Babillon spring on to the parapet, rush at one of the soldiers, and deal him a blow which felled him to the ground. Then seizing his musket he turned upon the man’s comrade. But the latter, instead of staying to meet the attack, fired his musket to rouse the alarm, and in an instant Babillon had fastened the rope to the parapet and came sliding to the ground.
But the search party now came up at the run, attracted by the gunshot, and just as two of them dashed off to intercept Babillon the leader caught sight of Gerard and Dubois, who had stepped forward incautiously into the moonlight in their anxiety at their guide’s peril.
“Who goes there?” he challenged, and in a moment the guns of the rest of the soldiers were levelled point blank at them.