"There!" gasped De Mouchy. "Quick!"
Twice I put my shoulder to it, but in vain; and De Mouchy shrieked with terror, for the mob was scarce ten feet from us, filling the pa.s.sage.
But still De Lorgnac and Le Brusquet held them back at the sword"s point, and the way was so narrow that not more than three could stand abreast therein.
"Stand back!" I heard Le Brusquet cry; "we are freeing a prisoner!"
"Give us De Mouchy!" they howled, and then the foremost three made a dash forward. There was a smothered cry, and the leader, an evil-looking villain, lurched forward on to his face. Back they fell at this, for they were unarmed, and we got a moment"s respite.
Again and again I put myself at the door, and at last it crashed open.
As I rushed in I saw a kneeling figure before me. One glance, and I called out:
"Diane! It is I--Orrain!"
As she rose to her feet with a cry I put my arms around her to support her, and then the brave heart gave way, and she began to sob on my shoulder. So for a s.p.a.ce we stood, and even the savage mob stayed their course, and halted, peering at us across the two bright swords that still held the pa.s.sage.
It was now that De Mouchy made a last bid for life. In the momentary respite he had from pursuit, as the mob halted, he slunk to the farthest end of the room, and stood there, looking at us, with his back to the wainscoting, his hands resting against it, and moving nervously, as though he searched for something. Already those at the far end of the pa.s.sage were getting impatient, and angry cries began once more to arise. As I put my arm round Diane to help her away we heard a click.
A door concealed in the wainscoting flew open, disclosing a dark pa.s.sage, into which De Mouchy dived, and vanished in a flash. But his enemies were not to be denied; and this time no effort of De Lorgnac or Le Brusquet could stay them. In his flight, whether overcome by fear, or whether it were otherwise impossible, I cannot say, but De Mouchy neglected to lock the secret door behind him. The mob, blood mad, and now utterly out of hand, filled the room, and rushed after him. For a s.p.a.ce we ourselves were hemmed in, so that it was impossible to move, and it was whilst we stood thus that there came a frightful shriek of agony from the dark pa.s.sage, and then the distant sound of struggling, and again a shriek. G.o.d, and they who were there, alone knew what happened; but as the mob swept through the room and into the dark opening that was before them the way became clear, and we pa.s.sed into the street.
Cartouche was still there, standing where De Lorgnac had left him. At a word from De Lorgnac I lifted mademoiselle into the saddle--though wearied the great grey was well able to bear so light a burden--and holding her there we made our way with all the speed we could out of the Pa.s.sage of Pity, Le Brusquet holding the horse.
When we reached the river face Le Brusquet turned back and pointed to the sky. There were dark clouds of smoke rolling over the Mathurins.
"_Eh bien_," he said, "there is the expiation of Dom Antoine de Mouchy!"
A half-hour later we were in the Louvre, and I had surrendered my charge to the Queen.
About a month after the events I have just described I received the Queen"s commands to attend her at St. Germain-en-Laye, and that very evening rode through the gates of the Vieux Chateau.
From the time that I had placed mademoiselle in safety in Catherine"s hands, with the aid of the two best friends man ever had, I had not seen her. She had been ill, but was now recovered, and when I received the Queen"s message, I hoped that, perhaps, Fortune would give me a chance to say farewell to Diane ere I departed for Italy to join Montluc.
The Spanish war had broken out, and De Lorgnac was in the field at Marienbourg. Le Brusquet had gone, none knew whither--perchance to see the pears of Besme--and as for me, I felt it was time to be up and stirring. Things had changed with me, for I was now the Vidame d"Orrain, and I might hope and dream again. Moved by these thoughts I rode into the palace gates, followed by Pierrebon, and Monsieur de Tolendal, who was in waiting, at once took me to the Queen.
I found Catherine surrounded by her ladies, but though my eyes searched here, there, and everywhere I could not see the face I longed to see.
The Queen engaged me for a few moments in desultory talk, and then at a sign from her we were left alone together.
"Monsieur le Vidame," she said, "is it true that you leave for Italy in a few days?"
I bowed in silence.
"And you are resolved?"
"Madame!"
"In that case, perhaps, it is needless for me to say what I intended; but, as a matter of fact, I have a government I would willingly surrender, and thought of offering it to you."
"Madame!" I began; but she cut in upon my words.
"Take a moment to consider, monsieur! Go into the next room, through that curtain there, and think over it for five minutes. Then come back and tell me. Go!"
For a second I stared at her, and then did as I was bidden. As I stepped in a figure rose from a seat near the window, and I heard Diane"s voice:
"Orrain, you have come to see me at last!"
And then what followed concerns not anyone. I know not how long we were there, talking, planning, and dreaming; but suddenly the curtains lifted, and Catherine stood before us.
"Monsieur d"Orrain," she said, "I await my answer."
And then she burst out laughing.
There is but a word more to add, and my story ends. We were married the following week, for that was the Queen"s wish, and then my wife and I said farewell to Paris and the Court for ever. As we rode one evening on our way to Orrain, round the elbow of the pine-clad hill of St. Hugo, and the towers of the Chateau came in sight, I told my wife of my dream, and then we were aware of a figure galloping up the leaf-strewn road towards us. It was Le Brusquet on his mule.
"_Eh bien_!" he said as he kissed my wife"s hand. "And I am the first to welcome you home, after all! Orrain, _mon ami_, I have seen your pears. They are finer than mine--I swear it!"