"Come, I was mad; decidedly, I was mad. Has your father ever been a soldier, my children?"
Angela and James looked at each other with astonishment.
The young boy answered: "No, sir, he has always been a farmer."
At this moment the door which communicated with the abbey opened and one of the lay brothers appeared at the top of the stairway.
This brother was the type of an ign.o.ble monk, gross and sensual. He made a sign to the children, who tremblingly approached.
"Come here, little one," said he to the girl.
The poor child, after casting a doubtful look at her brother, whom she could not make up her mind to leave, timidly mounted the steps.
The monk took her insolently by the chin with his coa.r.s.e hand, turned up her face which she held down, and said to her: "Pretty one, you will warn your father that if he does not pay eight days from now his rent in kind and the hundred crowns which he owes, there is a farmer who is more solvent than he who wants the farm and who will obtain it. As your father is a good fellow, they will give him eight days--but for that, they would have turned him out to-day."
"My G.o.d! my G.o.d!" said the children, weeping and clasping their hands, "there is no money at home. Our poor father is sick. Alas! what shall we do?"
"You will do what you can," said the monk, "that is the order of the prior;" and he made a sign to the young girl to go.
The two children threw themselves into each other"s arms, sobbing, and saying: "Our father will die of this--he will die!"
Croustillac, half-hidden by a post of the shed, had been at once touched and angered by this scene. At the moment the monk was about to close the door, the Gascon said to him: "Reverend Father, a word--is this the Abbey of St. Quentin?"
"Yes, and what of it?" said the monk rudely.
"You will willingly give me a lodging till to-morrow, will you not?"
"Hum--always beggars," said the monk. "Very well; go and ring at the porter"s gate. They will give you a bundle of straw and give you bread and soup." Then he added: "These vagabonds are the plague of religious houses."
The adventurer became crimson, drew up his tall form, thrust, with a blow of his fist, his fur cap over his eyes, struck the earth with his stick, and cried in a threatening tone: "Zounds! Reverend Father, know your company a little better, at least."
"Who is this old wallet-bearer?" said the irritated monk.
"Because I carry a wallet it does not follow that I ask alms of you, Reverend Father," said Croustillac.
"What dost thou want, then?"
"I ask a supper and a shelter because your rich convent can well afford to give bread and shelter to poor travelers. Charity commands this from your abbot. And beside, in sheltering Christians, you do not give, you restore. Your abbey grows very fat from its t.i.thes."
"Wilt thou be quiet, thou old heretic, thou insolent old fellow!"
"You call me an insolent old fellow. Very well; learn, Don Surly, that I have still a crown in my wallet, and that I can do without your straw and your soup, Don Ribald."
"What dost thou mean by Don Ribald, rascal that thou art?" said the lay brother, advancing to the top of the steps. "Take care lest I give thy old rags a good shaking."
"Since we thee-and-thou each other, Don Drinker, take care in thy turn, Don Greedy, that I do not make thee taste of my stick, Don Big Paunch, infirm as I am, Don Brutal."
The vigorous monk for a moment made as though he was about to descend to chastise the Gascon, but he shrugged his shoulders and said to Croustillac: "If thou hast ever the impudence to present thyself at the porter"s lodge, thou wilt be thrashed to some purpose. That is the kind of hospitality thou wilt receive henceforth from the Abbey of St.
Quentin." Then addressing himself to the children: "And you be sure to tell your father that in eight days he pays or quits the farm, for, I repeat to you, that there is a farmer more solvent than he who wants it."
The monk shut the door brusquely.
"I cannot tell it to the children," said the adventurer, speaking to himself; "that would be a bad example for youth; but I had something like a feeling of remorse for having aided in the burning of a convent in the Moravian War--well, it pleases me to imagine that the roasted ones resembled this fat, big-bellied animal, and it makes me feel quite cheerful. The scoundrel! to treat those poor children so harshly! It is strange how I interest myself in them--if I had at least some reason for it, I should let myself hope. After all, why not clear up my doubts?
What do I risk by it? I have plenty of money. Ah, then, my children,"
said he to the young peasants, "your father is sick and poor? He will not be vexed to gain a little windfall; although I carry a wallet, I have a purse. Well, instead of going to dine and sleep at the inn (may the lightning strike me if I ever set foot in this abbey, the Lord confound it!) I will go and dine and sleep at your place. I will not be any trouble to you. I have been a soldier, I am not hard to suit; a stool in the chimney corner, a morsel of lard, a gla.s.s of cider, and for the night a bundle of fresh straw, the gentle warmth of the stable--that is all I need; and that means a piece of twenty-four sous which will come into your house. What do you say to that?"
"My father is not an innkeeper, sir," answered the young boy.
"Bah! bah! my boy, if the good man has sense; if the good mother is a housekeeper, as she ought to be, they will not regret my coming; this piece of good luck will make your pot boil for a whole day. Come, conduct me to your farm, my children; your father would scold you for not bringing him an old soldier."
In spite of his apparent roughness and his uncouth figure, the chevalier inspired James and Angela with confidence; the children took each other by the hand and walked before the invalid soldier, who followed them absorbed in a profound reverie.
At the end of an hour"s walk, they arrived at the entrance of a long avenue of apple trees, which led to the farm.
CHAPTER x.x.xVII.
REUNION.
James and Angela entered the farm in order to learn if their father would consent to give the old soldier hospitality. While waiting the return of the children, the adventurer closely scanned the outbuildings of the farm.
Everything appeared to be carried on with care and neatness; at the side of the working buildings was the farmer"s house; two immense walnut trees shaded the door and its thatched roof of velvety green moss; a light smoke escaped from the brick chimney; the sound of the ocean was heard in the distance, as the farm lay almost on the cliffs of the coast.
The rain began to fall; the wind moaned; a shepherd boy was bringing home from the fields two beautiful brown cows which turned toward their warm stable, causing their little bells to give forth a melancholy sound. The adventurer was touched by this peaceful scene. He envied the lot of the people of this farm, even though he knew their momentary embarra.s.sment. He saw approaching him a woman pale and small in figure, and of middle-age. She was dressed like the peasants of Picardy, but with extreme neatness. Her son accompanied her; her daughter remained in the doorway.
"We are very much grieved, sir."
Hardly had the woman said these words, when Croustillac became as pale as a ghost, extended his arms toward her without saying a word, let his cane escape, lost his equilibrium and fell suddenly his full length on a heap of dry leaves which was, happily, behind him.
The adventurer had fainted.
The d.u.c.h.ess of Monmouth (for it was she) not at once recognizing the chevalier, attributed his weakness to fatigue or need, and hastened, with the a.s.sistance of her two children, to resuscitate the stranger.
James, a strong boy for his age, supported the old man to the trunk of one of the walnut trees, while his mother and sister hurried off to seek a cordial. In opening the chevalier"s coat in order to facilitate his respiration, James saw, attached by a leathern braid, the rich medallion which the adventurer carried on his breast.
"Mother! see this beautiful reliquary," said the young lad.
The d.u.c.h.ess approached and was in turn stupefied at recognizing the medallion she had once given Croustillac. Then, regarding the chevalier with closer attention, she cried:
"It is he! it is the generous man who saved us!"
The chevalier began to revive. When he opened his eyes they were filled with tears.
It would be impossible to paint the happiness, the transports of the good Croustillac.