"Father, take care!" cried Fleur-de-Marie, throwing her arms around Rudolph"s neck.
"Is it you, then, who are the lord?" said the Skeleton, thrusting his hideous head into the carriage.
At this insolence, Rudolph would have given way to the natural violence of his charcter, had it not been for the presence of his daughter; but he restrained himself, and answered cooly, "What do you want? Why do you stop my carriage?"
"Because it pleases us," said Skeleton, placing his bony hands on the door.
"Every one in his turn; yesterday you trampled on the poor man; today the poor man will trample on you, if you stir."
"Father, we are lost!" murmured Fleur-de-Marie in a low voice.
"Compose yourself--I comprehend," said the prince; "it is the last day of the carnival. These people are drunk. I will soon get rid of them."
"We must make him get out, and his mott also," cried Nicholas. "Why should they trample on poor folks?"
"You appear to be drunk, and doubtless have a desire to drink more," said Rudolph, taking a purse from his pocket. "Here, this is for you; do not detain my carriage any longer." And he threw out his purse. Tortillard caught it.
"Exactly; you are going a journey; your pockets must be well lined, so hand out some more money or I will kill you. I have nothing to risk. I ask you for your money or your life in broad daylight. It is a rare old game!" said Skeleton, completely intoxicated with wine and rage; and he roughly opened the door. The patience of Rudolph was exhausted; uneasy for Fleur-de-Marie, whose alarm increased at each moment, and thinking that a decided stand would overawe this wretch, whom he thought intoxicated, he sprung from his carriage to seize Skeleton by the throat. At first the latter drew back quickly, taking from his pocket a long knife; then he threw himself upon Rudolph. Fleur-de-Marie, seeing the poniard of the villain raised against her father, uttered a piercing scream, sprung out of the carriage, and clasped her arms around him. Without the aid of the Slasher, they would have perished. He, at the commencement of the affray, having recognized the livery of the prince, had succeeded, after superhuman efforts, in approaching the Skeleton. At the moment that he threatened the prince with his knife, the Slasher with one hand grasped the arm of the villain, and with the other seized him by the throat, and gave him the trip backward.
Although taken by surprise, Skeleton turned, recognized the Slasher, and cried, "Blue Cap of La Force! this time I kill you;" and throwing himself furiously on the Slasher, he plunged the knife into his breast.
The Slasher staggered, but did not fall; the crowd supported him.
"The guard! here is the guard!" cried several voices.
At these words, at sight of the a.s.sa.s.sination of the Slasher, the dense crowd, fearing to be compromised in the murder, dispersed as by enchantment, and fled in all directions. When the guard arrived, guided by the courier, who had succeeded in making his escape when the mob had abandoned him to surround the carriage, there only remained on the mournful scene Rudolph, his daughter, and the Slasher covered with blood. The two footmen had seated him on the ground, with his back against a tree. All this had pa.s.sed a thousand times more rapidly than it is possible to write it, at some steps from the wine shop whence had issued Skeleton and his band. The prince, pale and agitated, supported the fainting Fleur-de-Marie in his arms, while the postilions readjusted the traces, which had been injured.
"Quick!" said the prince to his people, who were occupied in a.s.sisting the Slasher. "Carry this unfortunate man into this tavern. And you," added he, addressing his courier, "get on the box, and drive with all speed to the hotel for Dr. David. He was not to leave before eleven o"clock: you will find him there."
Some minutes afterward, the carriage was rapidly driven off, and the two domestics carried the Slasher into the saloon where the orgies had taken place, and where still remained some of the women who had figured in it.
"My poor child," said Rudolph to his daughter, "I will lead you to a chamber in this house, and you will await me there; for I cannot abandon solely to the care of my people this courageous man, who has once more saved my life."
"Oh! father, I entreat you, do not leave me!" cried Fleur-de-Marie with alarm, clinging to the arm of Rudolph. "Do not leave me alone. I would die with fear. I will go where you go--"
"But this is a frightful sight!"
"But, thanks to this man, you live for me, father; at least, permit me to unite with you in thanking and consoling him."
The perplexity of the prince was great; his daughter seemed so much alarmed at remaining alone, that he was obliged to allow her to accompany him to the room where the Slasher had been carried. The master of the tavern, a.s.sisted by several of the women who had remained (among whom was the Ogress of the White Rabbit), had in haste laid the wounded man upon a mattress, and then stanched his wound with napkins. The Slasher had just opened his eyes, when Rudolph entered. At the sight of the prince, his countenance of deathlike paleness, brightened up a little; he smiled painfully, and said to him, in a feeble voice:
"Ah! M. Rudolph! how fortunate it was that I was at hand."
"Brave and devoted--as always," said the prince to him in a mournful voice; "you save me again!"
"I was going to the Barriere de Charenton--to see you depart--happily--I was stopped here by the crowd--besides, this was to happen to me--I said so to Martial--I had a presentiment."
"A presentiment?"
"Yes, M. Rudolph--the dream of the sergeant--last night I had it---"
"Forget these ideas. Hope; your wound will not be mortal."
"Oh! yes--Bones has struck home. Never mind, I was right--to say to Martial--that an earthworm like me could sometimes be--useful--to a great lord like you---"
"But it is life--life!--that I owe you again."
"We are quits, M. Rudolph. You told me that I had a heart and honor. These words--Oh! I suffocate, without you--command--do me the honor--of--your hand!--I feel that I am going---"
"No, it is impossible!" cried the prince, bending over the Slasher, and pressing in his hands the icy fingers of the dying man. "No; you will live--you will live!"
"M. Rudolph--do you see that there is something-up there!--I killed--with a _slash_ myself!" said the Slasher, in a voice more and more feeble and indistinct.
At this moment his eyes were fixed on Fleur-de-Marie, whom he had not yet perceived. Astonishment was painted on his dying face, he started, and said, "Oh! La Goualeuse."
"Yes, she is my daughter. She blesses you for having preserved her father."
"She--your daughter! here--that reminds me of our acquaintance--M.
Rudolph--and the--blows with the fists--at the end--but--this--blow with the knife--will be also--the blow--of the end. I have _slashed_--I am _slashed_--it is fair play!"
Then he uttered a deep sigh, his head falling backward--he was dead!
The noise of horses resounded without; the carriage of Rudolph had met that of Murphy and David, who, in their eagerness to rejoin the prince, had hastened their departure. David and the squire entered.
"David," said Rudolph, wiping away his tears, and pointing to the Slasher, "is there no hope?"
"None, your highness," said the doctor, after a minute"s examination.
During this minute, a mute but frightful scene pa.s.sed between Fleur-de-Marie and the Ogress, which Rudolph had not noticed. When the Slasher p.r.o.nounced in a low tone the name of La Goualeuse, the Ogress raising her head, had quickly seen Fleur-de-Marie. Already the horrible woman had recognized Rudolph in the person whom they called his highness.
He called La Goualeuse his daughter. Such a transformation stupefied the Ogress, who kept her staring eyes obstinately fixed on her former victim.
Fleur-de-Marie, pale and alarmed, seemed fascinated by this look. The death of the Slasher, the unexpected appearance of the Ogress, who had just awakened more grievously than ever the remembrance of her former degradation, seemed to her of mournful presage. From this moment, Fleur-de-Marie was struck with one of those presentiments which often have, on characters like hers, an irresistible influence.
A short time after these sad events, Rudolph and his daughter had left Paris forever.
EPILOGUE.
_GEROLSTEIN._
CHAPTER I.