The new-comer uttered a terrible oath, and, in an almost threatening tone, he said:
"We will see about that! If you have gone mad, I, thank G.o.d! still possess my reason! I will not permit----"
"Pardon!" interrupted the other, coldly, "you will permit it. This is merely the result of your own--credulity. When Chanlouineau asked you to allow him to receive a visit from Mademoiselle Lacheneur, that was the time you should have said: "I will not permit it." Do you know what the fellow desired? Simply to give Mademoiselle Lacheneur a letter of mine, so compromising in its natures that if it ever reaches the hands of a certain person of my acquaintance, my father and I will be obliged to reside in London in future. Then farewell to the projects for an alliance between our two families!"
The new-comer heaved a mighty sigh, accompanied by a half-angry, half-sorrowful exclamation; but the other, without giving him any opportunity to reply, resumed:
"You, yourself, Marquis, would doubtless be compromised. Were you not a chamberlain during the reign of Bonaparte? Ah, Marquis! how could a man of your experience, a man so subtle, and penetrating, and acute, allow himself to be duped by a low, ignorant peasant?"
Now M. d"Escorval understood. He was not dreaming; it was the Marquis de Courtornieu and Martial de Sairmeuse who were talking on the other side of the wall.
This poor M. de Courtornieu had been so entirely crushed by Martial"s revelation that he no longer made any effort to oppose him.
"And this terrible letter?" he groaned.
"Marie-Anne Lacheneur gave it to Abbe Midon, who came to me and said: "Either the baron will escape, or this letter will be taken to the Duc de Richelieu." I voted for the baron"s escape, I a.s.sure you. The abbe procured all that was necessary; he met me at a rendezvous which I appointed in a quiet spot; he coiled all his rope about my body, and here I am."
"Then you think if the baron escapes they will give you back your letter?"
"Most a.s.suredly."
"Deluded man! As soon as the baron is safe, they will demand the life of another prisoner, with the same menaces."
"By no means."
"You will see."
"I shall see nothing of the kind, for a very simple reason. I have the letter now in my pocket. The abbe gave it to me in exchange for my word of honor."
M. de Courtornieu"s exclamation proved that he considered the abbe an egregious fool.
"What!" he exclaimed. "You hold the proof, and--But this is madness!
Burn this accursed letter by the flames of this lantern, and let the baron go where his slumbers will be undisturbed."
Martial"s silence betrayed something like stupor.
"What! you would do this--you?" he demanded, at last.
"Certainly--and without the slightest hesitation."
"Ah, well! I cannot say that I congratulate you."
The sneer was so apparent that M. de Courtornieu was sorely tempted to make an angry response. But he was not a man to yield to his first impulse--this former chamberlain under the Emperor, now become a _grand prevot_ under the Restoration.
He reflected. Should he, on account of a sharp word, quarrel with Martial--with the only suitor who had pleased his daughter? A rupture--then he would be left without any prospect of a son-in-law!
When would Heaven send him such another? And how furious Mlle. Blanche would be!
He concluded to swallow the bitter pill; and it was with a paternal indulgence of manner that he said:
"You are young, my dear Martial."
The baron was still kneeling by the part.i.tion, his ear glued to the crevices, holding his breath in an agony of suspense.
"You are only twenty, my dear Martial," pursued the Marquis de Courtornieu; "you possess the ardent enthusiasm and generosity of youth.
Complete your undertaking; I shall interpose no obstacle; but remember that all may be discovered--and then----"
"Have no fears, sir," interrupted the young marquis; "I have taken every precaution. Did you see a single soldier in the corridor, just now? No.
That is because my father has, at my solicitation, a.s.sembled all the officers and guards under pretext of ordering exceptional precautions.
He is talking to them now. This gave me an opportunity to come here un.o.bserved. No one will see me when I go out. Who, then, will dare suspect me of having any hand in the baron"s escape?"
"If the baron escapes, justice will demand to know who aided him."
Martial laughed.
"If justice seeks to know, she will find a culprit of my providing.
Go now; I have told you all. I had but one person to fear: that was yourself. A trusty messenger requested you to join me here. You came; you know all, you have agreed to remain neutral. I am tranquil. The baron will be safe in Piedmont when the sun rises."
He picked up his lantern, and added, gayly:
"But let us go--my father cannot harangue those soldiers forever."
"But," insisted M. de Courtornieu, "you have not told me----"
"I will tell you all, but not here. Come, come!"
They went out, locking the door behind them; and then the baron rose from his knees.
All sorts of contradictory ideas, doubts, and conjectures filled his mind.
What could this letter have contained? Why had not Chanlouineau used it to procure his own salvation? Who would have believed that Martial would be so faithful to a promise wrested from him by threats?
But this was a time for action, not for reflection. The bars were heavy, and there were two rows of them.
M. d"Escorval set to work.
He had supposed that the task would be difficult. It was a thousand times more so than he had expected; he discovered this almost immediately.
It was the first time that he had ever worked with a file, and he did not know how to use it. His progress was despairingly slow.
Nor was that all. Though he worked as cautiously as possible, each movement of the instrument across the iron produced a harsh, grating sound that froze his blood with terror. What if someone should overhear this noise? And it seemed to him impossible for it to escape notice, since he could plainly distinguish the measured tread of the guards, who had resumed their watch in the corridor.
So slight was the result of his labors, that at the end of twenty minutes he experienced a feeling of profound discouragement.
At this rate, it would be impossible for him to sever the first bar before daybreak, What, then, was the use of spending his time in fruitless labor? Why mar the dignity of death by the disgrace of an unsuccessful effort to escape?
He was hesitating when footsteps approached his cell. He hastened to seat himself at the table.
The door opened and a soldier entered, to whom an officer who did not cross the threshold remarked: