"Wait! Let someone take a horse, and go and tell my son to come here without a moment"s delay. Take one of the swiftest horses. The messenger ought to go to Sairmeuse and return in two hours."
Chupin endeavored to attract the duke"s attention by pulling the skirt of his coat. M. de Sairmeuse turned:
"What is it?"
The old poacher put his finger on his lip, recommending silence, but as soon as the valet had left the room, he said:
"It is useless to send for the marquis."
"And why, you fool?"
"Because, Monsieur, because--excuse me--I----"
"Zounds! will you speak, or will you not?"
Chupin regretted that he had gone so far.
"Because the marquis----"
"Well?"
"He is engaged in it."
The duke overturned the table with a terrible blow of his clinched fist.
"You lie, wretch!" he thundered, with the most horrible oaths.
He was so formidable in his anger that the old poacher sprang to the door and turned the k.n.o.b, ready to take flight.
"May I lose my head if I do not speak the truth," he insisted. "Ah!
Lacheneur"s daughter is a regular sorceress. All the gallants of the neighborhood are in the ranks; Chanlouineau, young d"Escorval, your son----"
M. de Sairmeuse was pouring forth a torrent of curses upon Marie-Anne when his valet re-entered the room.
He suddenly checked himself, put on his uniform, and ordering Chupin to follow him, hastened from the house.
He was still hoping that Chupin had exaggerated the danger; but when he reached the Place d"Arms, which commanded an extended view of the surrounding country, his illusions were put to flight.
Signal-lights gleamed upon every side. Montaignac seemed surrounded by a circle of flame.
"These are the signals," murmured Chupin. "The rebels will be here before two o"clock in the morning."
The duke made no response, but hastened to consult M. de Courtornieu.
He was striding toward his friend"s house when, on hastily turning a corner, he saw two men talking in a doorway, and on seeing the glittering of the duke"s epaulets, both of them took flight.
The duke instinctively started in pursuit, overtook one man, and seizing him by the collar, he asked, sternly:
"Who are you? What is your name?"
The man was silent, and his captor shook him so roughly that two pistols, which had been hidden under his long coat, fell to the ground.
"Ah, brigand!" exclaimed M. de Sairmeuse, "so you are one of the conspirators against the King!"
Then, without another word, he dragged the man to the citadel, gave him in charge of the astonished soldiers, and again started for M. de Courtornieu"s house.
He expected the marquis would be terrified; not in the least; he seemed delighted.
"At last there comes an opportunity for us to display our devotion and our zeal--and without danger! We have good walls, strong gates, and three thousand soldiers at our command. These peasants are fools! But be grateful for their folly, my dear duke, and run and order out the Montaignac cha.s.seurs----"
But suddenly a cloud overspread his face; he knit his brows, and added:
"The devil! I am expecting Blanche this evening. She was to leave Courtornieu after dinner. Heaven grant that she may meet with no misfortune on the way!"
CHAPTER XXI
The Duc de Sairmeuse and the Marquis de Courtornieu had more time before them than they supposed.
The rebels were advancing, but not so rapidly as Chupin had said.
Two circ.u.mstances, which it was impossible to foresee, disarranged Lacheneur"s plans.
Standing beside his burning house, Lacheneur counted the signal fires that blazed out in answer to his own.
Their number corresponded to his expectations; he uttered a cry of joy.
"All our friends keep their word!" he exclaimed. "They are ready; they are even now on their way to the rendezvous. Let us start at once, for we must be there first!"
They brought him his horse, and his foot was already in the stirrup, when two men sprang from the neighboring grove and darted toward him.
One of them seized the horse by the bridle.
"Abbe Midon!" exclaimed Lacheneur, in profound astonishment; "Monsieur d"Escorval!"
And foreseeing, perhaps, what was to come, he added, in a tone of concentrated fury:
"What do you two men want with me?"
"We wish to prevent the accomplishment of an act of madness!" exclaimed M. d"Escorval. "Hatred has crazed you, Lacheneur!"
"You know nothing of my projects!"
"Do you think that I do not suspect them? You hope to capture Montaignac-----"
"What does that matter to you?" interrupted Lacheneur, violently.
But M. d"Escorval would not be silenced.