Dubois gave him ten louis as a reward, gave him some further orders, and set out at once to go to the Rue des Bourdonnais.
Let us say a word regarding the interior of the hotel. It was partly hotel, partly public house; the dwelling rooms were on the first-floor, and the tavern rooms on the ground-floor.
The princ.i.p.al of these, the common room, had four oak tables, and a quant.i.ty of red and white curtains; some benches along the walls, some gla.s.ses on a sideboard, some handsomely framed pictures, all blackened and rendered nauseous by smoke, completed the tout ensemble of this room, in which sat a fat man, with a red face, thirty-five or forty years old, and a little pale girl of twelve or fourteen.
This was the landlord and his only daughter and heiress.
A servant was cooking a ragout in the kitchen.
As the clock struck one, a French guard entered, and stopping at the threshold, murmured, "Rue des Bourdonnais, Muids d"Amour, in the common room, to sit at the table on the left, and wait."
Then, in accordance with this, the worthy defender of his country, whistling a tune and twirling his mustache, seated himself at the place indicated.
Scarcely had he had time to seat himself and strike his fist on the table, which, in the language of all taverns, means "Some wine," than a second guard, dressed exactly like the first, appeared at the door, murmured some words, and, after a little hesitation, seated himself by the other.
The two soldiers looked at each other, and both exclaimed:
"Ah!" which in all languages means surprise.
"It is you, Grippart," said one.
"It is you, L"Eulevant," said the other.
"What are you doing in this tavern?"
"And you?"
"I do not know."
"Nor I."
"You come here, then?"
[Ill.u.s.tration: CAPTAIN LA JONQUIERE.--Page 463.]
"Under orders."
"That is my case."
"And you are waiting?"
"For a man who is coming."
"With a watchword?"
"And on this watchword?"
"I am to obey as though it were Tapin himself."
"Just so; and, in the mean time, I have a pistole for drink."
"I have a pistole also, but I was not told to drink."
"And it being doubtful?"
"In doubt, as the sage says, I do not abstain."
"In that case, let us drink."
And he raised his hand to call the landlord, but it was not necessary, for he was standing near, expecting orders.
"Some wine," cried the two guards.
"Orleans," added one; "I like that."
The landlord brought an inclosed bottle.
The two drinkers filled their gla.s.ses, emptied them, and then placed them on the table, each with a different grimace, but both intended to express the same opinion.
When the host was gone, one said to the other:
"You know more of this than you have told me?"
"I know it concerns a certain captain," answered the other.
"Yes; just so. But I suppose we shall have aid to arrest him?"
"Doubtless; two to one is not enough."
"You forget the man with the watchword."
"Ah! I think I hear something."
"Yes; some one coming downstairs."
"Chut!"
"Silence!"
And the soldiers, much more occupied by their commission than if they had really been soldiers, kept an eye turned toward the staircase while they drunk.
They were not deceived; the step on the staircase approached, and they saw, first, some legs, then a body, then a head descending. The legs were covered with fine silk stockings and white cashmere breeches, the body with a tight blue coat, and the head with a three-cornered hat, jauntily placed over one ear; his epaulets left no doubt that he held the rank of captain.
This man, who was, in fact, Captain la Jonquiere, was about five feet five, rather fat, and had a sagacious air; one would almost have supposed that he suspected spies in the two soldiers, for he turned his back to them at once, and entered into conversation with his host in a somewhat a.s.sumed tone and manner.
"In truth," said he, "I should have dined here, and this delicious perfume of stewed kidneys would have tempted me, but some bons vivants are expecting me at the "Galoubet de Paphos." Perhaps a young man may come here this morning, but I could not wait any longer. Should he ask for a hundred pistoles, say that I shall be back in an hour, if he will wait."
"Very well, captain," said the host.