"Therefore I have placed one at Doulens, and the other at Dijon."
"From whence they bite by post."
"Let us put all that aside, Dubois."
"Ah, monseigneur! you have, I see, sworn the loss of the blood of Louis XIV.; you are a true executioner."
This audacious joke proved how sure Dubois felt of his ascendency over the prince.
The regent signed the order naming the tribunal, and Dubois went out to prepare for Gaston"s arrest.
Gaston, on his return to the Muids d"Amour, found the same carriage and the same guide awaiting him that had before conducted him to the Rue du Bac. Gaston, who did not wish Helene to alight, asked if he could continue his route in the hired carriage in which he had just arrived; the man replied that he saw no objection, and mounted on the box by the driver, to whom he told the address.
During the drive, Gaston, instead of displaying the courage which Helene had expected, was sad, and yet gave no explanation of his sadness. As they entered the Rue du Bac, Helene, in despair at finding so little force of character in him on whom she leaned for protection, said: "Gaston, you frighten me."
"Helene, you shall see before long if I am acting for your good or not."
The carriage stopped.
"Helene, there is one in this house who will stand in the place of a father to you. Let me go first, and I announce you."
"Ah!" cried Helene, trembling, she knew not why; "and you are going to leave me here alone?"
"You have nothing to fear, Helene; besides, in a few minutes I will return and fetch you."
The young girl held out her hand, which Gaston pressed to his lips; the door opened; the carriage drove into the courtyard, where Gaston felt that Helene ran no danger; the man who had come to the hotel to fetch him opened the carriage door; Gaston again pressed Helene"s hand, alighted, ascended the steps, and entered the corridor, when his guide left him as before.
Gaston, knowing that Helene waited his return, at once tapped at the door of the room.
"Enter," said the voice of the false Spaniard.
Gaston knew the voice, entered, and with a calm face approached the Duc d"Olivares.
"You are punctual, monsieur," said the latter; "we named noon, and it is now striking."
"I am pressed for time, monseigneur; my undertaking weighs on me; I fear to feel remorse. That astonishes and alarms you, does it not, monseigneur? But rea.s.sure yourself; the remorse of a man such as I am troubles no one but himself."
"In truth, monsieur," cried the regent, with a feeling of joy he could not quite conceal, "I think you are drawing back."
"Not so, monseigneur; since fate chose me to strike the prince, I have gone steadily forward, and shall do so till my mission is accomplished."
"Monsieur, I thought I detected some hesitation in your words; and words are of weight in certain mouths, and under certain circ.u.mstances."
"Monsieur, in Bretagne we speak as we feel, but we also do as we promise."
"Then you are resolved?"
"More than ever."
"Because, you see," replied the regent, "there is still time--the evil is not yet done."
"The evil, you call it, monseigneur," said Gaston; "what shall I call it then?"
"It is thus that I meant it," replied the regent; "the evil is for you, since you feel remorse."
"It is not generous, monseigneur, to dwell on a confidence which I should not have made to any person of less merit than yourself."
"And it is because I appreciate your worth, monsieur, that I tell you there is yet time to draw back; that I ask if you have reflected--if you repent having mixed yourself with all these--" the duke hesitated--"these audacious enterprises. Fear nothing from me--I will protect you, even if you desert us; I have seen you but once, but I think I judge of you as you deserve--men of worth are so rare that the regrets will be for us."
"Such kindness overwhelms me, monseigneur," said Gaston, who, in spite of his courage, felt some indecision. "My prince, I do not hesitate; but my reflections are those of a duelist, who goes to the ground determined to kill his enemy, yet deploring the necessity which forces him to rob a man of life. But here the interest is so great, so superior to the weaknesses of our nature, that I will be true to my friendship if not my sympathies, and will conduct myself so that you shall esteem in me even the momentary weakness which for a second held back my arm."
"Well," said the regent, "how shall you proceed?"
"I shall wait till I meet him face to face, and then I shall not use an arquebuse, as Paltrot did, nor a pistol, as Vitry did. I shall say, "Monseigneur, you are the curse of France--I sacrifice you to her salvation;" and I shall stab him with my poniard."
"As Ravaillac did," said the duke, with a serenity which made Gaston shudder; "it is well."
Gaston did not reply.
"This plan appears to me the most secure, and I approve of it; but I must ask you one other question: suppose you should be taken and interrogated?"
"Your excellency knows what men do in such cases--they die, but do not answer; and since you have quoted Ravaillac, I think, if my memory serves me, that was what he did--and yet Ravaillac was not a gentleman."
Gaston"s pride did not displease the regent, who had a young heart and a chivalric mind; besides, accustomed to worn-out and time-serving courtiers, Gaston"s vigorous and simple nature was a novelty to him; and we know how the regent loved a novelty.
"I may then reckon," said he, "that you are immovable?"
Gaston looked surprised that the duke should repeat this question.
"Yes," said the regent; "I see you are decided."
"Absolutely, and wait your last instructions."
"How? _my_ instructions?"
"Certainly; I have placed myself body and soul at your disposal."
The duke rose.
"Well," said he, "you must go out by that door, and cross the garden which surrounds the house. In a carriage which awaits you at the bottom you will find my secretary, who will give you a pa.s.s for an audience with the regent; besides that, you will have the warranty of my word."
"That is all I have to ask on that point, monseigneur."
"Have you anything else to say?"
"Yes; before I take leave of you, whom I may never see again in this world, I have a boon to ask."
"Speak, monsieur, I listen."