The Son of Monte-Cristo

by Jules Lermina

  CHAPTER XXI.

  THE GRATITUDE OF A MARQUIS.

  After the departure of the two strangers, who, it will be understood,now renounced their trip for Remisemont, Gudel remained very pensive. Hesaid to himself that after all he had no right to imperil the future ofFanfar and to have made that promise for him. He began to feel veryuneasy at the long absence of the young man. There was a knock at thedoor.

  "Come in," called Iron Jaws.

  His surprise was great when he beheld a stranger walk in.

  "I am," said this stranger, "the Marquis de Fongereues, and I wish totalk with you."

  "I am entirely at your service," answered Iron Jaws, bringing forward achair.

  "You are probably astonished, Monsieur Gudel," said the Marquis, "at mycoming here at this time. I know of your accident, and I trust you willexcuse my indiscretion when you hear my reasons."

  Iron Jaws bowed.

  "I was, a half hour since, in great danger, and one of your people savedmy life. You will hear about that later on, I can not now delay to tellyou."

  "But who was this person?"

  "His name was Fanfar."

  "I might have known it!" shouted Gudel, "he is always doing such things.But where is he? Is he hurt?"

  "Not in the least. He assisted me upon his horse, and the animal wasuncontrollable; he, however, brought me here in safety, but my preserverwas obliged to walk back."

  "He does not mind that, let me tell you. He will be here in tenminutes."

  "And the more reason why I should make haste in what I have to say. Myname tells you the position I hold at court--"

  "I know very little of such matters."

  "Then I will tell you that my name is well known, and that my credit isgreat. I am ready to serve your--son--"

  "My son! Alas, sir, I wish Fanfar were my son, but, unfortunately, he isno relation of mine."

  "But this young man has parents? I can serve them, undoubtedly."

  "Fanfar has no parents."

  The Marquis bit his lips. With difficulty he curbed his impatience; itshowed in his voice and his eyes. Gudel suspected nothing.

  "A poor orphan, then?" asked the Marquis, in the most honeyed tones,"entrusted to your care by a dying father?"

  "No, sir, I found Fanfar."

  "Pray tell me how and where? I am greatly interested in this young man."

  "It is a simple story, sir. My father and I were mountebanks, and thereare worse trades, let me assure you. I have served my time under theRepublic, and was easy in my mind when there came the trouble of 1812. Iwith the rest was called out again. I had left my wife and my littlegirl at home in a village which the allies would have gobbled up at amouthful, so I asked for a short leave and started off. I tumbled myfamily and their goods into my chariot, where were already packed thethings I used in my profession. I must not omit to mention that Bobichelhad kept up the business for me. We travelled along not very rapidly,for there was already fighting going on in France, and we were obligedto turn off the highway many times. One morning, passing through afield, I heard the sound of a bugle. It was the French bugle call. Itsounded a little queer, but I said to myself, 'Hullo! there are comradesnear.' I ran round a hillock, and saw something that I shall neverforget in my life."

  "Go on!" cried the Marquis.

  Gudel opened his eyes in amazement, but he could not well see the faceof his companion, and was flattered by the evident curiosity of theMarquis.

  "I saw soldiers, several of them, lying dead, butchered by the Cossacks.I looked around to see who had sounded the bugle. You won't believe mewhen I tell you that it was a boy, certainly not over ten, who haddiscovered this bugle and blown it. I ran to him, but I don't know thathe even saw me, for he fell back fainting at that very moment."

  "And you picked him up?"

  "Of course I did! And this was Fanfar."

  "Did you make any search for his parents?"

  "How could I! The Cossacks were at my heels, and there was fire andblood everywhere."

  "But later on?"

  "The child was sick for a long time, entirely out of his head, and whenhe began to recover we feared that his brain was hopelessly affected. Itwas not until eighteen months had elapsed that he was able to tell me hecame from Leigoutte, among the Vosges mountains."

  "Ah!" The Marquis drew his breath with pain. "Go on! go on!" he mutteredin a hoarse voice.

  "He said his father's name was Simon, his mother's name Francoise, and alittle sister was called Francinette, but he gave me no family name. Idid my best and found that the father had been killed in an engagementamong the mountains, the mother was burned in a fire set by theCossacks, the sister had disappeared; my little Fanfar was all alone. Ikept him, and did what I could for him. I taught him my profession. Thisis the whole story. On one side good, brave people, on the other cowardsand assassins."

  The Marquis was livid. There was now no doubt. It was Simon's son whohad been thus thrown in his path. He asked one more question.

  "But could you not learn the father's name?"

  "No, the village was burned, almost all the inhabitants had perished,the Cossacks had done their work well. One of the peasants did tell methat he always thought this Master Simon--he taught a school--was agreat lord in disguise, but there are always just such foolish stories,and you know in those days great lords were not often killed indefending France."

  Fanfar entered somewhat abruptly.

  "This is the lad, sir," said Gudel, drawing him to his side. "He isgood, he is honest, he is strong!"

  "I wish to thank you, young man," said the Marquis, turning to Fanfar,"for saving my life."

  Fanfar answered courteously.

  "You were in peril. I only did my duty."

  "Do not forget that if I can ever serve you, you are to apply to mewithout hesitation," said the Marquis, and bowing he left the room.

  Fanfar and Gudel were now alone.

  Cyprien waited for his master, who seized him by the arm and dragged himinto the room where they had talked together in the morning.

  "Cyprien," he whispered, fiercely, "hell has come to our aid; this youngman who saved my life, this Fanfar--"

  "Well?"

  "Is the son of Simon Fougere--the son of my brother!"

  My readers will please remember that only Francoise knew the secret ofthe birth of little Jacques, who was supposed to be the son of Simon.And of Francoise, the fire had destroyed every trace.

  "At last!" exclaimed Cyprien.

  "Hush! I have reflected. This young man must die, but his identity mustbe perfectly clear. We require Gudel's testimony, and then, when allthis is plain, we can control Labarre."

  Cyprien assented to the wisdom of the plan, but he wished a littledelay. He saw evidences of great impatience on the part of the Marquis.

  "I am not so simple, sir, as you think. This Gudel is one of the leadersof the conspiracy of which I have told you, and Fanfar is the man onwhom these bandits rely to arouse the populace in Paris."

  Then in a low voice he told the Marquis how Iron Jaws had then in hispossession papers which would prove the whole plot, and give the namesof the conspirators.

  "Let him fall into the hands of the law," concluded Cyprien, "and theend is certain. We can contrive to give to the plot enormousproportions, and he will be condemned."

  The Marquis shrugged his shoulders.

  "No, that won't do. We can't rely on these judges. One never knows whatwhims they may take into their heads."

  "But what do you propose?"

  Fongereues hesitated.

  "Who is this man," he asked, "who has revealed to you the conversationof Gudel and his accomplices?"

  "He is a scoundrel named Robeccal, who belongs to their troupe."

  The Marquis tore a leaf from his note book, and wrote a few words inhaste.

  "Take this man with you, and go to Remisemont," he said. "Go to theComte de Vernac, who is a rabid monarchist. He has vast influence, andthis very night the police will be
here, these two men will be madeprisoners, and I have no doubt they will resist. Then I will attend tothe rest; a criminal who resists may be silenced."

  Cyprien smiled meaningly.

  "Now go, at once, there is no time to be lost. Fanfar must be killed;Gudel must be taken alive. Gudel will tell his story in the court-room.The Comte de Vernac can never say that the information on which he actedcame from me, and without any trouble we shall get rid of the heir ofSimon Fougere. Before these same judges, moreover, Labarre shall deliverthe will, and tell the secret. Let no one see you and this Robeccal goaway together."

  "Rely on me."

  Before many minutes, Robeccal and Cyprien started off together.