Historical Romances: Under the Red Robe, Count Hannibal, A Gentleman of France

by Stanley John Weyman

  CHAPTER IV.

  MADEMOISELLE DE LA VIRE.

  My first desperate impulse on discovering the magnitude of my loss wasto ride after the knaves and demand the token at the sword's point.The certainty, however, of finding them united, and the difficulty ofsaying which of the five possessed what I wanted, led me to rejectthis plan as I grew cooler; and since I did not dream, even in thisdilemma, of abandoning the expedition, the only alternative seemed tobe to act as if I still had the broken coin, and essay what a frankexplanation might effect when the time came.

  After some wretched, very wretched, moments of debate, I resolved toadopt this course; and, for the present, thinking I might gain someknowledge of the surroundings while the light lasted, I pushedcautiously forward through the trees and came in less than fiveminutes within sight of a corner of the chateau, which I found to be amodern building of the time of Henry II., raised, like the houses ofthat time, for pleasure rather than defence, and decorated with manyhandsome casements and tourelles. Despite this, it wore, as I saw it,a grey and desolate air, due in part to the loneliness of thesituation and the lateness of the hour; and in part, I think, to thesmallness of the household maintained, for no one was visible on theterrace or at the windows. The rain dripped from the trees, which ontwo sides pressed so closely on the house as almost to darken therooms, and everything I saw encouraged me to hope that mademoiselle'swishes would second my entreaties, and incline her to lend a ready earto my story.

  The appearance of the house, indeed, was a strong inducement to me toproceed, for it was impossible to believe that a young lady, akinswoman of the gay and vivacious Turenne, and already introduced tothe pleasures of the Court, would elect of her own free will to spendthe winter in so dreary a solitude.

  Taking advantage of the last moments of daylight, I rode cautiouslyround the house, and, keeping in the shadow of the trees, had nodifficulty in discovering at the north-east corner the balcony ofwhich I had been told. It was semicircular in shape, with a stonebalustrade, and hung some fifteen feet above a terraced walk which ranbelow it, and was separated from the chase by a low sunk fence.

  I was surprised to observe that, notwithstanding the rain and thecoldness of the evening, the window which gave upon this balcony wasopen. Nor was this all. Luck was in store for me at last. I had notgazed at the window more than a minute, calculating its height andother particulars, when, to my great joy, a female figure, closelyhooded, stepped out and stood looking up at the sky. I was too far offto be able to discern by that uncertain light whether this wasMademoiselle de la Vire or her woman; but the attitude was so clearlyone of dejection and despondency, that I felt sure it was either oneor the other. Determined not to let the opportunity slip, I dismountedhastily and, leaving the Cid loose, advanced on foot until I stoodwithin half-a-dozen paces of the window.

  At that point the watcher became aware of me. She started back, butdid not withdraw. Still peering down at me, she called softly to someone inside the chamber, and immediately a second figure, taller andstouter, appeared. I had already doffed my cap, and I now, in a lowvoice, begged to know if I had the honour of speaking to Mademoisellede la Vire. In the growing darkness it was impossible to distinguishfaces.

  'Hush!' the stouter figure muttered in a tone of warning. 'Speaklower. Who are you, and what do you here?'

  'I am here,' I answered respectfully, 'commissioned by a friend of thelady I have named, to convey her to a place of safety.'

  'Mondieu!' was the sharp answer. 'Now? It is impossible.'

  'No,' I murmured, 'not now, but to-night. The moon rises at half-pasttwo. My horses need rest and food. At three I will be below thiswindow with the means of escape, if mademoiselle choose to use them.'

  I felt that they were staring at me through the dusk, as though theywould read my breast. 'Your name, sir?' the shorter figure murmured atlast, after a pause which was full of suspense and excitement.

  'I do not think my name of much import at present, Mademoiselle,' Ianswered, reluctant to proclaim myself a stranger. 'When----'

  'Your name, your name, sir!' she repeated imperiously, and I heard herlittle heel rap upon the stone floor of the balcony.

  'Gaston de Marsac,' I answered unwillingly.

  They both started, and cried out together. 'Impossible!' the lastspeaker exclaimed, amazement and anger in her tone. 'This is a jest,sir. This----'

  What more she would have said I was left to guess, for at that momenther attendant--I had no doubt now which was mademoiselle and whichFanchette--suddenly laid her hand on her mistress's mouth and pointedto the room behind them. A second's suspense, and with a warninggesture the two turned and disappeared through the window.

  I lost no time in regaining the shelter of the trees; and concluding,though I was far from satisfied with the interview, that I could donothing more now, but might rather, by loitering in the neighbourhood,awaken suspicion, I remounted and made for the highway and thevillage, where I found my men in noisy occupation of the inn, a poorplace, with unglazed windows, and a fire in the middle of the earthenfloor. My first care was to stable the Cid in a shed at the back,where I provided for its wants as far as I could with the aid of ahalf-naked boy, who seemed to be in hiding there.

  This done, I returned to the front of the house, having pretty wellmade up my mind how I would set about the task before me. As I passedone of the windows, which was partially closed by a rude curtain madeof old sacks, I stopped to look in. Fresnoy and his four rascals wereseated on blocks of wood round the hearth, talking loudly andfiercely, and ruffling it as if the fire and the room were their own.A pedlar, seated on his goods in one corner, was eyeing them withevident fear and suspicion; in another corner two children had takenrefuge under a donkey, which some fowls had chosen as a roosting-pole.The innkeeper, a sturdy fellow, with a great club in his fist, satmoodily at the foot of a ladder which led to the loft above, while aslatternly woman, who was going to and fro getting supper, seemed inequal terror of her guests and her good man.

  Confirmed by what I saw, and assured that the villains were ripe forany mischief, and, if not checked, would speedily be beyond mycontrol, I noisily flung the door open and entered. Fresnoy looked upwith a sneer as I did so, and one of the men laughed. The othersbecame silent; but no one moved or greeted me. Without a moment'shesitation I stepped to the nearest fellow and, with a sturdy kick,sent his log from under him. 'Rise, you rascal, when I enter!' Icried, giving vent to the anger I had long felt. 'And you, too!' andwith a second kick I sent his neighbour's stool flying also, andadministered a couple of cuts with my riding-cane across the man'sshoulders. 'Have you no manners, sirrah? Across with you, and leavethis side to your betters.'

  The two rose, snarling and feeling for their weapons, and for a momentstood facing me, looking now at me and now askance at Fresnoy. But ashe gave no sign, and their comrades only laughed, the men's couragefailed them at the pinch, and with a very poor grace they sneaked overto the other side of the fire and sat there scowling.

  I seated myself beside their leader. 'This gentleman and I will eathere,' I cried to the man at the foot of the ladder. 'Bid your wifelay for us, and of the best you have; and do you give those knavestheir provender where the smell of their greasy jackets will not comebetween us and our victuals.'

  The man came forward, glad enough, as I saw, to discover any one inauthority, and very civilly began to draw wine and place a board forus, while his wife filled our platters from the black pot which hungover the fire. Fresnoy's face meanwhile wore the amused smile of onewho comprehended my motives, but felt sufficiently sure of hisposition and influence with his followers to be indifferent to myproceedings. I presently showed him, however, that I had not yet donewith him. Our table was laid in obedience to my orders at such adistance from the men that they could not overhear our talk, andby-and-by I leant over to him.

  'M. Fresnoy,' I said, 'you are in danger of forgetting one thing, Ifancy, which it behoves yo
u to remember.'

  'What?' he muttered, scarcely deigning to look up at me.

  'That you have to do with Gaston de Marsac,' I answered quietly. 'I ammaking, as I told you this morning, a last attempt to recruit myfortunes, and I will let no man--no man, do you understand, M.Fresnoy?--thwart me and go harmless.'

  'Who wishes to thwart you?' he asked impudently.

  'You,' I answered unmoved, helping myself, as I spoke, from the rollof black bread which lay beside me. 'You robbed me this afternoon; Ipassed it over. You encouraged those men to be insolent; I passed itover. But let me tell you this. If you fail me to-night, on the honourof a gentleman, M. Fresnoy, I will run you through as I would spit alark.'

  'Will you? But two can play at that game,' he cried, rising nimblyfrom his stool. 'Still better six! Don't you think, M. de Marsac, youhad better have waited?'

  'I think you had better hear one word more,' I answered coolly,keeping my seat, 'before you appeal to your fellows there.'

  'Well,' he said, still standing, 'what is it?'

  'Nay,' I replied, after once more pointing to his stool in vain, 'ifyou prefer to take my orders standing, well and good.'

  'Your orders?' he shrieked, growing suddenly excited.

  'Yes, my orders!' I retorted, rising as suddenly to my feet andhitching forward my sword. 'My orders, sir,' I repeated fiercely, 'or,if you dispute my right to command as well as to pay this party, letus decide the question here and now--you and I, foot to foot, M.Fresnoy.'

  The quarrel flashed up so suddenly, though I had been preparing it allalong, that no one moved. The woman, indeed, fell back to herchildren, but the rest looked on open-mouthed. Had they stirred, orhad a moment's hurly-burly heated his blood, I doubt not Fresnoy wouldhave taken up my challenge, for he did not lack hardihood. But as itwas, face to face with me in the silence, his courage failed him. Hepaused, glowering at me uncertainly, and did not speak.

  'Well,' I said, 'don't you think that if I pay I ought to give orders,sir?'

  'Who wishes to oppose your orders?' he muttered, drinking off abumper, and sitting down with an air of impudent bravado, assumed tohide his discomfiture.

  'If you don't, no one else does,' I answered. 'So that is settled.Landlord, some more wine.'

  He was very sulky with me for a while, fingering his glass in silenceand scowling at the table. He had enough gentility to feel thehumiliation to which he had exposed himself, and a sufficiency of witto understand that that moment's hesitation had cost him theallegiance of his fellow-ruffians. I hastened, therefore, to set himat his ease by explaining my plans for the night, and presentlysucceeded beyond my hopes; for when he heard who the lady was whom Iproposed to carry off, and that she was lying that evening at theChateau de Chize, his surprise swept away the last trace ofresentment. He stared at me as at a maniac.

  'Mon Dieu!' he exclaimed. 'Do you know what you are doing, Sieur?'

  'I think so,' I answered.

  'Do you know to whom the chateau belongs?'

  'To the Vicomte de Turenne.'

  'And that Mademoiselle de la Vire is his relation?'

  'Yes,' I said.

  'Mon Dieu!' he exclaimed again. And he looked at me open-mouthed.

  'What is the matter?' I asked, though I had an uneasy consciousnessthat I knew--that I knew very well.

  'Man, he will crush you as I crush this hat!' he answered in greatexcitement. 'As easily. Who do you think will protect you from him ina private quarrel of this kind? Navarre? France? our good man? Not oneof them. You had better steal the king's crown jewels--he is weak; orGuise's last plot--he is generous at times; or Navarre's lastsweetheart--he is as easy as an old shoe. You had better have to dowith all these together, I tell you, than touch Turenne's ewe-lambs,unless your aim be to be broken on the wheel! Mon Dieu, yes!'

  'I am much obliged to you for your advice,' I said stiffly, 'but thedie is cast. My mind is made up. On the other hand, if you are afraid,M. Fresnoy----'

  'I am afraid; very much afraid,' he answered frankly.

  'Still your name need not be brought into the matter,' I replied, 'Iwill take the responsibility. I will let them know my name here at theinn, where, doubtless, inquiries will be made.'

  'To be sure, that is something,' he answered thoughtfully. 'Well, itis an ugly business, but I am in for it. You want me to go with you alittle after two, do you? and the others to be in the saddle at three?Is that it?'

  I assented, pleased to find him so far acquiescent; and in this way,talking the details over more than once, we settled our course,arranging to fly by way of Poitiers and Tours. Of course I did nottell him why I selected Blois as our refuge, nor what was my purposethere; though he pressed me more than once on the point, and grewthoughtful and somewhat gloomy when I continually evaded it. A littleafter eight we retired to the loft to sleep; our men remaining belowround the fire and snoring so merrily as almost to shake the crazy oldbuilding. The host was charged to sit up and call us as soon as themoon rose, but, as it turned out, I might as well have taken thisoffice on myself, for between excitement and distrust I slept little,and was wide awake when I heard his step on the ladder and knew it wastime to rise.

  I was up in a moment, and Fresnoy was little behind me; so that,losing no time in talk, we were mounted and on the road, each with aspare horse at his knee, before the moon was well above the trees.Once in the Chase we found it necessary to proceed on foot, but, thedistance being short, we presently emerged without misadventure andstood opposite to the chateau, the upper part of which shone cold andwhite in the moon's rays.

  There was something so solemn in the aspect of the place, the nightbeing fine and the sky without a cloud, that I stood for a minute awedand impressed, the sense of the responsibility I was here to acceptstrong upon me. In that short space of time all the dangers before me,as well the common risks of the road as the vengeance of Turenne andthe turbulence of my own men, presented themselves to my mind, andmade a last appeal to me to turn back from an enterprise so foolhardy.The blood in a man's veins runs low and slow at that hour, and minewas chilled by lack of sleep and the wintry air. It needed theremembrance of my solitary condition, of my past spent in straits andfailure, of the grey hairs which swept my cheek, of the sword which Ihad long used honourably, if with little profit to myself; it neededthe thought of all these things to restore me to courage and myself.

  I judged at a later period that my companion was affected in somewhatthe same way; for, as I stooped to press home the pegs which I hadbrought to tether the horses, he laid his hand on my arm. Glancing upto see what he wanted, I was struck by the wild look in his face(which the moonlight invested with a peculiar mottled pallor), andparticularly in his eyes, which glittered like a madman's. He tried tospeak, but seemed to find a difficulty in doing so; and I had toquestion him roughly before he found his tongue. When he did speak, itwas only to implore me in an odd, excited manner to give up theexpedition and return.

  'What, now?' I said, surprised. 'Now we are here, Fresnoy?'

  'Ay, give it up!' he cried, shaking me almost fiercely by the arm.'Give it up, man! It will end badly, I tell you! In God's name, giveit up, and go home before worse comes of it.'

  'Whatever comes of it,' I answered coldly, shaking his grasp from myarm, and wondering much at this sudden fit of cowardice, 'I go on.You, M. Fresnoy, may do as you please!'

  He started and drew back from me; but he did not reply, nor did hespeak again. When I presently went off to fetch a ladder, of theposition of which I had made a note during the afternoon, heaccompanied me, and followed me back in the same dull silence to thewalk below the balcony. I had looked more than once and eagerly atmademoiselle's window without any light or movement in that quarterrewarding my vigilance; but, undeterred by this, which might meaneither that my plot was known, or that Mademoiselle de la Viredistrusted me, I set the ladder softly against the balcony, which wasin deep shadow, and paused only to give Fresnoy his last instructions.These were simply to stand on guard at the fo
ot of the ladder anddefend it in case of surprise; so that, whatever happened inside thechateau, my retreat by the window might not be cut off.

  Then I went cautiously up the ladder, and, with my sheathed sword inmy left hand, stepped over the balustrade. Taking one pace forward,with fingers outstretched, I felt the leaded panes of the window andtapped softly.

  As softly the casement gave way, and I followed it. A hand which Icould see but not feel was laid on mine. All was darkness in the room,and before me, but the hand guided me two paces forward, then by asudden pressure bade me stand. I heard the sound of a curtain beingdrawn behind me, and the next moment the cover of a rushlight wasremoved, and a feeble but sufficient light filled the chamber.

  I comprehended that the drawing of that curtain over the window hadcut off my retreat as effectually as if a door had been closed behindme. But distrust and suspicion gave way the next moment to the naturalembarrassment of the man who finds himself in a false position andknows he can escape from it only by an awkward explanation.

  The room in which I found myself was long, narrow, and low in theceiling; and being hung with some dark stuff which swallowed up thelight, terminated funereally at the farther end in the still deepergloom of an alcove. Two or three huge chests, one bearing the remnantsof a meal, stood against the walls. The middle of the floor wascovered with a strip of coarse matting, on which a small table, achair and foot-rest, and a couple of stools had place, with somesmaller articles which lay scattered round a pair of half-filledsaddle-bags. The slighter and smaller of the two figures I had seenstood beside the table, wearing a mask and riding cloak; and by hersilent manner of gazing at me, as well as by a cold, disdainfulbearing, which neither her mask nor cloak could hide, did more tochill and discomfit me than even my own knowledge that I had lost thepass-key which should have admitted me to her confidence.

  The stouter figure of the afternoon turned out to be a red-cheeked,sturdy woman of thirty, with bright black eyes and a manner which lostnothing of its fierce impatience when she came a little later toaddress me. All my ideas of Fanchette were upset by the appearance ofthis woman, who, rustic in her speech and ways, seemed more like aduenna than the waiting-maid of a court beauty, and better fitted toguard a wayward damsel than to aid her in such an escapade as we hadin hand.

  She stood slightly behind her mistress, her coarse red hand resting onthe back of the chair from which mademoiselle had apparently risen onmy entrance. For a few seconds, which seemed minutes to me, we stoodgazing at one another in silence, mademoiselle acknowledging my bow bya slight movement of the head. Then, seeing that they waited for me tospeak, I did so.

  'Mademoiselle de la Vire?' I murmured doubtfully.

  She bent her head again; that was all.

  I strove to speak with confidence. 'You will pardon me, mademoiselle,'I said, 'if I seem to be abrupt, but time is everything. The horsesare standing within a hundred yards of the house, and all thepreparations for your night are made. If we leave now, we can do sowithout opposition. The delay even of an hour may lead to discovery.'

  For answer she laughed behind her mask--laughed coldly and ironically.'You go too fast, sir,' she said, her low clear voice matching thelaugh and rousing a feeling almost of anger in my heart. 'I do notknow you; or, rather, I know nothing of you which should entitle youto interfere in my affairs. You are too quick to presume, sir. You sayyou come from a friend. From whom?'

  'From one whom I am proud to call by that title,' I answered with whatpatience I might.

  'His name!'

  I answered firmly that I could not give it. And I eyed her steadily asI did so.

  This for the moment seemed to baffle and confuse her, but after apause she continued: 'Where do you propose to take me, sir?'

  'To Blois; to the lodging of a friend of my friend.'

  'You speak bravely,' she replied with a faint sneer. 'You have madesome great friends lately it seems! But you bring me some letter, nodoubt; at least some sign, some token, some warranty, that you are theperson you pretend to be, M. de Marsac?'

  'The truth is, mademoiselle,' I stammered, 'I must explain. I shouldtell you----'

  'Nay, sir,' she cried impetuously, 'there is no need of telling. Ifyou have what I say, show it me! It is you who lose time. Let us haveno more words!'

  I had used very few words, and, God knows, was not in the mind to usemany; but, being in the wrong, I had no answer to make except thetruth, and that humbly. 'I had such a token as you mention,mademoiselle,' I said, 'no farther back than this afternoon, in theshape of half a gold coin, entrusted to me by my friend. But, to myshame I say it, it was stolen from me a few hours back.'

  'Stolen from you!' she exclaimed.

  'Yes, mademoiselle; and for that reason I cannot show it,' I answered.

  'You cannot show it? And you dare to come to me without it!' shecried, speaking with a vehemence which fairly startled me, prepared asI was for reproaches. 'You come to me! You!' she continued. And withthat, scarcely stopping to take breath, she loaded me with abuse;calling me impertinent, a meddler, and a hundred other things, which Inow blush to recall, and displaying in all a passion which even in herattendant would have surprised me, but in one so slight and seeminglydelicate, overwhelmed and confounded me. In fault as I was, I couldnot understand the peculiar bitterness she displayed, or thecontemptuous force of her language, and I stared at her in silentwonder until, of her own accord, she supplied the key to her feelings.In a fresh outburst of rage she snatched off her mask, and to myastonishment I saw before me the young maid of honour whom I hadencountered in the King of Navarre's ante-chamber, and whom I had beenso unfortunate as to expose to the raillery of Mathurine.

  'Who has paid you, sir,' she continued, clenching her small handsand speaking with tears of anger in her eyes, 'to make me thelaughing-stock of the Court? It was bad enough when I thought you theproper agent of those to whom I have a right to look for aid! It wasbad enough when I thought myself forced, through their inconsideratechoice, to decide between an odious imprisonment and the ridicule towhich your intervention must expose me! But that you should havedared, of your own notion, to follow me, you, the butt of theCourt----'

  'Mademoiselle!' I cried.

  'A needy, out-at-elbows adventurer!' she persisted, triumphing in hercruelty. 'It exceeds all bearing! It is not to be suffered! It----'

  'Nay, mademoiselle; you shall hear me!' I cried, with a sternnesswhich at last stopped her. 'Granted I am poor, I am still a gentleman;yes, mademoiselle,' I continued, firmly, 'a gentleman, and the last ofa family which has spoken with yours on equal terms. And I claim to beheard. I swear that when I came here to-night I believed you to be aperfect stranger! I was unaware that I had ever seen you, unaware thatI had ever met you before.'

  'Then why did you come?' she said viciously.

  'I was engaged to come by those whom you have mentioned, and there,and there only am I in fault. They entrusted to me a token which Ihave lost. For that I crave your pardon.'

  'You have need to,' she answered bitterly, yet with a changedcountenance, or I was mistaken, 'if your story be true, sir.'

  'Ay, that you have!' the woman beside her echoed. 'Hoity toity,indeed! Here is a fuss about nothing. You call yourself a gentleman,and wear such a doublet as----'

  'Peace, Fanchette!' mademoiselle said imperiously. And then for amoment she stood silent, eyeing me intently, her lips trembling withexcitement and two red spots burning in her cheeks. It was clear fromher dress and other things that she had made up her mind to fly hadthe token been forthcoming; and seeing this, and knowing how unwillinga young girl is to forego her own way, I still had some hopes that shemight not persevere in her distrust and refusal. And so it turned out.

  Her manner had changed to one of quiet scorn when she next spoke. 'Youdefend yourself skilfully, sir,' she said, drumming with her fingerson the table and eyeing me steadfastly. 'But can you give me anyreason for the person you name making choice of such a messenger?'

  'Yes,' I
answered, boldly. 'That he may not be suspected of connivingat your escape.'

  'Oh!' she cried, with a spark of her former passion. 'Then it is to beput about that Mademoiselle de la Vire had fled from Chize with M. deMarsac, is it? I thought that!'

  'Through the assistance of M. de Marsac,' I retorted, correcting hercoldly. 'It is for you, mademoiselle,' I continued, 'to weigh thatdisadvantage against the unpleasantness of remaining here. It onlyremains for me to ask you to decide quickly. Time presses, and I havestayed here too long already.'

  The words had barely passed my lips when they received unwelcomeconfirmation in the shape of a distant sound--the noisy closing of adoor, which, clanging through the house at such an hour--I judged itto be after three o'clock--could scarcely mean anything but mischief.This noise was followed immediately, even while we stood listeningwith raised fingers, by other sounds--a muffled cry, and the tramp ofheavy footsteps in a distant passage. Mademoiselle looked at me, and Iat her woman. 'The door!' I muttered. 'Is it locked?'

  'And bolted!' Fanchette answered; 'and a great chest set against it.Let them ramp; they will do no harm for a bit.'

  'Then you have still time, mademoiselle,' I whispered, retreating astep and laying my hand on the curtain before the window. Perhaps Iaffected greater coolness than I felt. 'It is not too late. If youchoose to remain, well and good. I cannot help it. If, on the otherhand, you decide to trust yourself to me, I swear, on the honour of agentleman, to be worthy of the trust--to serve you truly and protectyou to the last! I can say no more.'

  She trembled, looking from me to the door, on which some one had justbegun to knock loudly. That seemed to decide her. Her lips apart, hereyes full of excitement, she turned hastily to Fanchette.

  'Ay, go if you like,' the woman answered doggedly, reading the meaningof her look. 'There cannot be a greater villain than the one we knowof. But once started, heaven help us, for if he overtakes us we'll paydearly for it!'

  The girl did not speak herself, but it was enough. The noise at thedoor increased each second, and began to be mingled with angry appealsto Fanchette to open, and with threats in case she delayed. I cut thematter short by snatching up one of the saddle-bags--the other we leftbehind--and flung back the curtain which covered the window. At thesame time the woman dashed out the light--a timely precaution--andthrowing open the casement I stepped on to the balcony, the othersfollowing me closely.

  The moon had risen high, and flooding with light the small open spaceabout the house enabled me to see clearly all round the foot of theladder. To my surprise Fresnoy was not at his post, nor was he to beseen anywhere; but as, at the moment I observed this, an outcry awayto my left, at the rear of the chateau, came to my ears, and announcedthat the danger was no longer confined to the interior of the house, Iconcluded that he had gone that way to intercept the attack. Withoutmore, therefore, I began to descend as quickly as I could, my swordunder one arm and the bag under the other.

  I was half-way down, and mademoiselle was already stepping on to theladder to follow, when I heard footsteps below, and saw him run up,his sword in his hand.

  'Quick, Fresnoy!' I cried. 'To the horses and unfasten them! Quick!'

  I slid down the rest of the way, thinking he had gone to do mybidding. But my feet were scarcely on the ground when a tremendousblow in the side sent me staggering three paces from the ladder. Theattack was so sudden, so unexpected, that but for the sight ofFresnoy's scowling face, wild with rage, at my shoulder, and the soundof his fierce breathing as he strove to release his sword, which hadpassed through my saddle-bag, I might never have known who struck theblow, or how narrow had been my escape.

  Fortunately the knowledge did come to me in time, and before he freedhis blade; and it nerved my hand. To draw my blade at such closequarters was impossible, but, dropping the bag which had saved mylife, I dashed my hilt twice in his face with such violence that hefell backwards and lay on the turf, a dark stain growing and spreadingon his upturned face.

  It was scarcely done before the women reached the foot of the ladderand stood beside me. 'Quick!' I cried to them, 'or they will be uponus.' Seizing mademoiselle's hand, just as half-a-dozen men camerunning round the corner of the house, I jumped with her down thehaha, and, urging her to her utmost speed, dashed across the openground which lay between us and the belt of trees. Once in the shelterof the latter, where our movements were hidden from view, I had stillto free the horses and mount mademoiselle and her woman, and this inhaste. But my companions' admirable coolness and presence of mind, andthe objection which our pursuers, who did not know our numbers, feltto leaving the open ground, enabled us to do all with comparativeease. I sprang on the Cid (it has always been my habit to teach myhorse to stand for me, nor do I know any accomplishment moreserviceable at a pinch), and giving Fresnoy's grey a cut over theflanks which despatched it ahead, led the way down the ride by which Ihad gained the chateau in the afternoon. I knew it to be level andclear of trees, and the fact that we chose it might throw our pursuersoff the track for a time, by leading them to think we had taken thesouth road instead of that through the village.