CHAPTER XXI
AT MALINCOURT AGAIN
“WE can’t let him be taken, Dubois, after what he has done,” said Gerard under his breath.
“By Heaven, I should think not. They are only five to four, and we have them divided.”
“Feign a surrender,” answered Gerard, and they walked calmly up to the soldiers, Pierre following.
“What is it, sergeant?” said Dubois, in a quiet tone of authority.
“Ho, it’s you again and Master Pierre, is it? You don’t fool me twice with your tale of captain. You are our prisoners now.” It was the sergeant, Vauban, whom Dubois had knocked down in the escape from the Castle, and his tone betokened intense satisfaction.
“You mutinous dog! do you dare to speak to me like that?” was Dubois’ reply in a voice of thunder.
“Mutiny or no mutiny, you will come with us and explain to the Governor. If you’re not one of the escaped prisoners, I’m no man.”
“There can be no objection to that, monsieur,” said Gerard quietly to Dubois.
“And who are you?” demanded the sergeant roughly. “With so many of your cursed brood in the city, there’s no room for honest men.”
“Rough words are no proof of honesty, my friend,” answered Gerard so quietly that the man had no inkling of his intention.
“A little change of language will do your holy ears good, if you are a monk,” was the answer.
“Where do you wish to take us?”
“Why, to the Governor.”
“Come, then,” said Gerard in a tone of almost submissive readiness.
“Have they caught the rascal yet, Louis?” asked the sergeant, and the man addressed turned his head to look.
“Now,” cried Gerard, and on the instant hurled himself on the sergeant, who was taken entirely by surprise. Gerard wrenched his musket from him and clubbing it, knocked him senseless to the ground. Dubois, divining Gerard’s intention, had edged close to the second man and dealt with him in much the same fashion, while Pierre engaged the third.
The struggle lasted scarcely more than a few seconds, and as soon as it was over, Gerard and Dubois ran to the assistance of Babillon, whom the soldiers had captured.
Seeing help coming, they released him and levelled their muskets at the onrushing men. But Babillon with ready wit jostled one against the other so that the shots were fired in the air.
The rest was easy. The two men broke and fled, but were soon caught and treated like the rest of the party, in order to prevent the danger of pursuit.
“Now for the wall,” said Gerard.
“It is impossible, monsieur. The boat must have been seen, and the further bank of the river is alive with soldiers,” said Babillon, “and they have seized the boat. It was that made me return.”
“We must get away, then. Those shots will soon bring a whole company to the spot. Did the men know you, Babillon?”
“No, monsieur.”
“Good! then lead us back to your house. You have served us magnificently, my good friend; and that last trick of yours may have saved our lives.”
They ran to Gabrielle and explained the failure of the venture, and started to return to Babillon’s.
It was a galling disappointment, but neither Gerard nor Dubois was likely to waste time in fruitless repining; and by the time they reached Babillon’s house, both had thought their way to the same decision. They must make for Malincourt.
Gabrielle wished it also.
“The two points are—what has happened there, and can we hope to reach there safely?” said Gerard, as he and Dubois sat discussing it, Gabrielle having again gone to seek rest.
“I would that I had been in the cell with the Governor,” growled Dubois. “It would have gone hard with me if I had not found a way to end his power to do us more evil.”
“We are soldiers, Dubois,” said Gerard.
“We shan’t be soldiers long if the Tiger can get his way with us.”
“My cousin will be up in forty-eight hours.”
“Forty-eight minutes may suffice for what he may do if he but gets his hand on us.”
“He will not dare to use violence to me,” said Gerard. “His head would pay for it.”
“But it wouldn’t put either yours or mine back on our shoulders, my lord, if he’d struck them off first. And as for daring—what won’t a madman dare? And a madman he is. My advice is to keep out of his clutches so long as we can.”
“And what we have to consider is the best way of doing it. Tell me, Babillon, what chance have we of reaching Malincourt undiscovered, and what is the distance?”
“Twenty minutes would take us there, could we go direct, monsieur; but the road is a very open one, and I——” he finished the sentence with a doubting shake of the head.
“Is there no other road?”
“Yes, monsieur, but it trebles the distance; and miladi is already overwrought.”
“And the devil of it is that we don’t know what we should find when we get there,” said Dubois. “Mademoiselle can’t tramp the city all night. I have a thought. Let me go and find out what is passing there, and smell out the chances of safety. Could the rest lie safe here, think you?” he asked Babillon.
“For the night, I should think, yes,” was the reply. “But I can best go. I could get into the house and carry any message.”
“You can guide me,” said Dubois, “and get me a workman’s blouse. It is best so,” he added to Gerard. “If Pascal is there holding the house, I can gauge the chances of our getting in and arrange for him to send out to meet us. What say you?”
“I could do it all and better alone, messieurs,” urged Babillon. “One can get through where two may well be stopped. And if they were to arrest me, I am known to be frequently at Malincourt. I have a daughter there in miladi’s service; and if I were seen every one would deem it but natural for me to be anxious for her at such a time.”
“There is wit in what he says, Dubois.”
“True,” he assented, and then murmured, “but there is little to please my wit in sitting inactive here.”
“Shall I cry you patience, good friend? Go, Babillon, and make all speed,” decided Gerard. “It will not be long now before the dawn breaks, and we must be inside the house while it is yet dark, if we are to get there at all.”
“If all goes well, an hour will see me back.”
“He is a shrewd, nimble-witted fellow,” said Gerard when the man had left.
“And you will be shrewd, my lord, if you fill the time by snatching a soldier’s nap. I’ll keep watch.”
“By your leave, my lord, let me watch,” put in Pierre. “Watching is my business,” and with that the other two lay down on the floor and were soon asleep.
Babillon was as good as his word, and in less than an hour and a half he was back and brought good news.
He had seen Pascal and learned that the house had already been searched by the Castle troops, and a small body of soldiers left to guard it. These Pascal was prepared to overpower at any moment. Babillon had found the road thither fairly clear also and had ascertained the best route to take.
“In half an hour at most we can reach the woods of Malincourt, my lord, and the captain will be there with a strong force to meet us.”
“Then we’ll be off at once,” said Gerard; and once more Gabrielle was roused and they set forth.
Misfortune appeared to have dealt her last blow at them for that night, in foiling the attempt to escape; and under Babillon’s guidance they reached the woods of Malincourt without mishap.
“You will come to the maison, Babillon,” said Gabrielle. “You may be in danger in the city, and you have rendered us a service I shall never forget.”
“By your leave, miladi, I will return. Suspicion will not fall my way; but should there be danger I can then seek your protection. Trouble is already in the making in the city, and when the men of Morvaix learn how your ladyship has been treated, I know nothing of their tempers if there be not deep resentment and wrath.”
“A timely thought,” interposed Dubois, overhearing this. “A diversion in the town would help us much at Malincourt.”
“But it might lead to violence and perhaps to bloodshed,” said Gabrielle. “I would not have that on my account.”
“By your leave, I would rather return,” repeated Babillon.
“How shall we thank you?” asked Gerard.
“Miladi’s safety is enough reward for any Morvaix man, my lord,” he answered sturdily, and with that he turned and went.
“Such a fellow changes one’s judgment of the men here,” declared Dubois.
“Ah, monsieur, we have many such men, true as steel to their friends and honest as the daylight,” replied Gabrielle warmly, as they hurried on to the house.
There was much to be explained on both sides, and when Gerard had told Pascal briefly how things had gone with them, he questioned him as to his doings.
“It’s a wonder we were not trapped at the Castle. But no one seems to have looked for an escape, and we had very little difficulty in gaining admission to the courtyard. We were taken for a party of the new troops. Had you come, we should have got away without suspicion, for I had the sentries safe. But when I saw the rope ladder pulled up back to the cell, I knew something must have miscarried, and despatched one of the men to those whom I had in waiting outside the walls, telling them to creep as close as they dared.”
“I see it,” exclaimed Dubois.
“Yes, it saved us from capture. We were waiting in the shadow of the wall, with a growing impatience I cannot describe, when the fresh guard turned out and came on us. The officer at first mistook us for his own men and was more angry than suspicious; but he soon saw something was amiss and was for arresting the whole of us there and then. There was nothing for it but to rush through him. They fired a volley for assistance and attacked us; and soon a swarm of men came rushing out of the Castle. But we managed to draw off to the breach in the wall, and when they saw we were in force they stopped where they were—to my fellows’ disappointment. And that’s all.”
“But what did you do next?”
“Then there came a deuce of a commotion in the Castle, caused, as I judged, by the fact that you had escaped some other way and the fact had been discovered. So I drew off and made my way here. I was sorely puzzled, on my word. I heard you had not come to Malincourt, and I posted the men in the woods. I judged that Malincourt would be the first place to be searched for you, and thought that if we could let the Governor feel satisfied no one was here, it might make it all the safer as a hiding place when you did come; whereas, had I resisted the search, I should only have brought his troops swarming here and so have made it impossible for you to get in at all, besides subjecting the house to be knocked about for no good.”
“It was cleverly thought, Pascal,” said Gerard, with a smile.
“It was more a lucky guess than aught else, but the guess was right. His men came and satisfied themselves you were not here and left a guard behind strong enough to overawe the household, but weak enough for me to deal with in a few moments. I was growing desperate at the approach of daylight and still no news of you, when that good fellow, Babillon, who had helped me before as it turns out, arrived with your message. Then I had up a force strong enough to put the Governor’s guard in the cellars and came to meet you.”
“Can we hold the house?” asked Dubois quickly.
“The walls are strong and we have close upon a hundred men, but——” and he shrugged his shoulders.
“But what?” was Gerard’s eager answer.
“I would give half the men and choose a weaker house for more arms and powder.”
The other two were silent for a while at this ominous reply.
“Do you mean we can’t stand our ground even for the hours until my cousin can arrive?”
“We are men and can try. But it depends on the Governor—if he learns that you are here, and when he learns it, and what he does when he knows.”
“He thinks we are in hiding in the city. We had a brush with a search party near the walls, and they will soon carry the news to the Castle.”
“Let us pray that he remains in that belief; for if he swoops down on this place with a strong force it will be an ugly business. We could not hope to resist for many hours.”
“Let us go round and see, Dubois,” said Gerard.
Dubois and Pascal went out and Gerard stayed a moment with Gabrielle, who had listened with intense interest to the discussion.
“So even Malincourt is not to be a refuge, Gerard,” she said.
“We are far from beaten yet. Have courage.”
“I have courage; but how bitterly I regret that moment of cowardice when I could not face that descent with you.”
“It would have made no difference. The watch was already set on the city walls and we should have come straight here with Pascal—when matters would have been at an even worse pass. We have gained hours that may prove invaluable.”
“You are brave to be so hopeful.”
“GOD BLESS YOU, GABRIELLE, FOR THIS FAITH OF YOURS”
“If it comes to regrets, Gabrielle, it is I who am to blame. Had I taken Dubois’ bold counsels and tried to seize the Castle when the Governor was in my power, I believe it would have been best. But at that rate, I may as well go farther back to the mad thing I did in coming to Morvaix in the way I chose.”
“True—all might have been very different,” she said, and glanced up and down again, and then smiled as she added, “And would you have me regret that too?”
“I did not mean that,” he said quickly, taking her hand.
“I care not what happens,” she answered softly.
“Nor the trouble and danger I have brought to you?”
“There is something other than danger or trouble, Gerard; it is of that I think. At this danger we shall smile together when it is over; and I know you will find a way to safety.”
“Which means that I had better hurry after Dubois and Pascal,” and he smiled again.
“Nay, it means rather my unbounded trust in you. So confident am I, that I am going to be quite prosaic and seek rest. And I shall sleep, secure in my faith in you.”
“God bless you, Gabrielle, for this faith of yours,” he said, drawing her to him and kissing her.
“And God bless you, my Gerard, for all you are to me.”
It was a long and anxious conference that followed. The men that formed their guard were picked and seasoned soldiers who had fought under Gerard in more than one tough campaign; his to a man, heart and soul, ready to do anything at his bidding, willing to lay down their lives in his cause, and burning with resentment at the treatment he had suffered.
They were glad to have laid aside now the monkish garb and to scent the prospect of a fight; and he found them grouped together laughing and jesting in the intervals of abusing the Governor.
Had all else been as reliable as his men, he would have had no doubt of the course to take, and none as to the result. But Pascal’s fears were only too well grounded. Without ammunition the house was little better than at the mercy of the Governor should he send a strong force to attack it. And they had neither enough muskets to arm the men, nor enough powder for the scanty guns.
“At the last gasp we shall have to take the chance of a fight, of course,” he said when he had completed his inspection; “and the fighting must be done from the north wing of the house. But we must first exhaust every other means.”
“In that wing we could keep them at bay for a month if it were only hand to hand work; but the Governor has cannon,” said Dubois.
“We must hope that the news of our presence does not reach him until too late. See to it that nothing about the place raises suspicions, and if any messengers come from him let them enter the house and be detained.”
“Would God he would come himself,” exclaimed Pascal.
“Ah, it’s easy to ‘would God’ a good many things,” growled Dubois. “You had better rest, my lord, at any rate until the day is warmed. I’ll have you called at the slightest sign of need. You may want all your strength for the morrow’s work. We’ll set the watch and let the men sleep too, Pascal. They’ll fight the better for it, if it has to come to fighting in the end.”
The two left him then, and as they stood in the great hall Pascal said—
“You mind my words in the market place, Dubois, that a woman had to be reckoned with now. He has the fever badly. I know the symptoms.”
“You ought to, you’ve had it yourself often enough,” returned Dubois.
“And shall again, I hope. ’Tis a sweet malady, you old sour-heart; but it doesn’t help a man to act; and it won’t help us now. Do you follow me?”
“Have I no eyes? I put a plan to him to-day—to hold this Governor a prisoner when we had him safe, and seize the Castle itself. A week ago he would have thought of it for himself, but to-day he would scarcely hear it mentioned. He only hesitated out of fear for her. Love’s best for a soldier when it crosses him.”
“She’s a sweet and lovely creature; were his case mine I should feel the same.”
“I don’t gainsay it, but I’ve been married,” Dubois answered drily, with a short grim laugh.
“And that has made you the cynic you are, eh? I’m wiser than you, Dubois. I stop short of the plunge into the abyss of disillusion; it’s the easier side to laugh on. But now we must do something.”
“There’ll be plenty doing before the day ends.”
“And I propose to find out what is to happen. I’m going to the Castle to spy out things.”
“You’ll take your life in your hands.”
“So long as it stops in mine, what matters? I can go as one of the new soldiers and take my chance. Better that than taking cold here waiting for something to happen.”
“It’s a dare-devil step, but it’s a good one,” and after discussing it earnestly they agreed upon it and agreed also not to mention it to Gerard, and Pascal was soon on his way.