The Son of Monte-Cristo

by Jules Lermina

  CHAPTER LIX.

  UPON THE TRACK.

  Goutran left Carmen's room, his brain all in a whirl. It was late, butthe young man knew not too late to go to the Vicomte's. Throwing himselfinto a carriage, he drove to the hotel in the Champs Elysees. He wasamazed to find it in total darkness, and when he asked for the Vicomte,was surprised at the embarrassed manner of the Swiss, as well as to hearthat Esperance was out, without leaving word when he would return.

  "And Madame Caraman and Coucon?"

  "They are out too, sir."

  While Goutran was thus impatiently questioning the man, a carriagestopped, from which descended Fanfar, Sanselme, Coucon and MadameCaraman.

  "Ah! Monsieur Goutran!" exclaimed Fanfar, "I have just been to yourrooms, and am thankful to meet you here. I am anxious to consult withyou."

  "You know, then, what is going on?" cried Goutran.

  "I think I do; but let us go up-stairs; before we begin the fray, it iswell to understand the battlefield, and to become familiar with it."

  As he said this, Fanfar entered the vestibule, but the Swiss hurriedafter him.

  "But, sir," he said, in some confusion, "in the absence of the Count andhis son, I really cannot--"

  "Shut yourself up in your room, and pay no heed to what is going onhere," Fanfar replied, sternly, showing, as he spoke, a ring that hewore on his finger.

  It belonged to Monte-Cristo, and had been entrusted to Fanfar by theCount when he went away. This ring was well known to every one of theCount's people. The man bowed low.

  "I beg your pardon, sir. Shall I call the footman?"

  "No; and on your life do not admit a living creature. You understandme?"

  "Yes, sir."

  They ascended the stairs and entered the large rooms one after theother. When the Vicomte's cabinet was entered, it was found all indisorder.

  "The Vicomte, you see, has taken his pistols," said Coucon.

  "What time did the Vicomte go?" asked Fanfar.

  "I know not," answered Coucon, "and Madame was weeping so bitterly thatshe was of little use."

  Fanfar was annoyed that he could elicit so little, knowing well that ifMonte-Cristo were there his eagle eye would have discovered something.

  "Send me the porter," he said.

  And when the man appeared, he asked at what hour the Vicomte went outlast. The man, in some confusion, replied that he did not see him goout.

  "You were absent from your post, then?"

  "No, sir, I was not. I was not away for one moment yesterday."

  "And you saw every one who came in and went out?"

  "Yes, sir. The Vicomte did go out, but he came in again."

  "Came in!" cried Madame and Coucon, together.

  "Yes; it was about an hour after that, when you came and told me he haddisappeared. I thought that he might have gone out, and I not heededit."

  "And may not this have been so?" asked Fanfar. "If the Vicomte is not inthe hotel, he must have gone out, you know."

  "I beg to observe, sir, that the Vicomte might have gone out by thesmall door which communicates directly with his apartment; but everynight when I shut up the house I bolt that door, and it is still bolted;so that my young master did not go that way. It is possible, of course,that he could have passed my door without my seeing him. I can't alwaysanswer for myself; but I have proof that he did not do this."

  "What is your proof?"

  "Every night I fasten the great door with a chain and padlock and takethe key. If any one wishes to go out in the night he must call me. Assoon as the Vicomte came in I put up this chain. I assure you, sir, thatI am speaking the truth. At first I was troubled and afraid I had beencareless, but since I have collected my ideas, I am sure that I havenothing to reproach myself with."

  "Do you mean to say, then," cried Coucon, "that the Vicomte walkedthrough the wall?"

  "It is very strange," said Fanfar, thoughtfully. "And now, my friends,"he added, turning to Coucon and Madame, "you may leave me here withMonsieur Goutran."

  "And with me?" added Bobichel.

  "You can stay, if you will. I may need you."

  "But, Monsieur Fanfar," said poor Madame, "I think we, too, are good forsomething. You ought not to send us away."

  The poor woman was greatly distressed.

  "Oh! I have something for you to do. Examine the garden carefully, andif you see the smallest thing that is unusual, come to me instantly."

  "There won't be a corner in which I shall not put my nose, be sure ofthat!" cried Coucon.

  "Oh! if the Count were only here!" sighed Madame.

  Fanfar was alone with Bobichel and Goutran.

  "Have you anything to suggest?" he said, suddenly turning to Goutran."Do you know of any secret egress from this hotel?"

  "None whatever," answered the artist.

  "And yet you will observe that the girl was not carried away by eitherof the doors that are known, and she is gone!"

  "I did not think of that! There is unquestionably some issue known onlyto the Count."

  "Alas! the Count's enemies know it, also," answered Fanfar.

  "Let us go to the room that the girl was in--"

  "I was about to make that proposal. Now is the time, Bobichel," saidFanfar, turning to the former clown, "to see if we cannot regain alittle of our cleverness."

  "I am ready, even to go through the eye of a needle, if it benecessary!" answered Bobichel.

  Goutran took a candle and led the way. When they reached Jane's roomFanfar took up a position in the centre of it, examined the ceiling, thefloor and the walls. Then Bobichel explored every inch of the floor,which was covered with a thick carpet. But nothing could be found.

  "This is most extraordinary," murmured Fanfar, "and yet I am convincedthat I am on the track."

  Suddenly Bobichel uttered an exclamation. "Here is something, master!"

  Fanfar and Goutran hastened to him. In one of the silk folds of thehanging on the wall there was a bit of white lace, evidently torn fromsomething.

  "I recognize that," said Goutran. "I ordered the peignoirs she required,for we did not wish to admit any one into our secrets; and that lacetrimmed one of the peignoirs."

  "And now we have it!" shouted Bobichel, inserting the blade of his knifein one of the plaits of the silk.

  Fanfar said hastily, "It is an iron door, and there must be a spring.Let us try, each of us, and feel over the whole wall, if it isnecessary."

  They went to work, and presently Bobichel was lucky enough to press alittle knob. A panel slowly opened, and a puff of warm air came full inthe eager faces of the anxious men. With the light of their candles theysaw a well-finished passage and two or three stairs; it was too dark tosee more.

  "This is the way that Jane was abducted, and this is the way thatEsperance went. Let us see where it goes." And Fanfar started first.

  Hardly had they reached the stairs than they heard the iron door closebehind them. In spite of all their courage, they shuddered. Had the doorshut of itself, or had it been closed by some invisible enemy? Theyturned back hastily, but there was not the smallest sign to be seen ofdoor or spring.

  "What had we best do?" asked Goutran, uneasily.

  Fanfar reflected a moment. "As we cannot go back, let us hasten forwardwith all possible speed. We will find the way out."

  "Or we will make one!" cried Bobichel.

  The three friends started once more, Bobichel in front, holding a heavybronze candelabra.