THE GRATITUDE OF A MARQUIS.
After the departure of the two strangers, who, it will be understood,
now renounced their trip for Remisemont, Gudel remained very pensive. He
said to himself that after all he had no right to imperil the future of
Fanfar and to have made that promise for him. He began to feel very
uneasy at the long absence of the young man. There was a knock at the
door.
"Come in," called Iron Jaws.
His surprise was great when he beheld a stranger walk in.
"I am," said this stranger, "the Marquis de Fongereues, and I wish to
talk with you."
"I am entirely at your service," answered Iron Jaws, bringing forward a
chair.
"You are probably astonished, Monsieur Gudel," said the Marquis, "at my
coming here at this time. I know of your accident, and I trust you will
excuse my indiscretion when you hear my reasons."
Iron Jaws bowed.
"I was, a half hour since, in great danger, and one of your people saved
my life. You will hear about that later on, I can not now delay to tell
you."
"But who was this person?"
"His name was Fanfar."
"I might have known it!" shouted Gudel, "he is always doing such things.
But where is he? Is he hurt?"
"Not in the least. He assisted me upon his horse, and the animal was
uncontrollable; he, however, brought me here in safety, but my preserver
was obliged to walk back."
"He does not mind that, let me tell you. He will be here in ten
minutes."
"And the more reason why I should make haste in what I have to say. My
name tells you the position I hold at court--"
"I know very little of such matters."
"Then I will tell you that my name is well known, and that my credit is
great. I am ready to serve your--son--"
"My son! Alas, sir, I wish Fanfar were my son, but, unfortunately, he is
no relation of mine."
"But this young man has parents? I can serve them, undoubtedly."
"Fanfar has no parents."
The Marquis bit his lips. With difficulty he curbed his impatience; it
showed in his voice and his eyes. Gudel suspected nothing.
"A poor orphan, then?" asked the Marquis, in the most honeyed tones,
"entrusted to your care by a dying father?"
"No, sir, I found Fanfar."
"Pray tell me how and where? I am greatly interested in this young man."
"It is a simple story, sir. My father and I were mountebanks, and there
are worse trades, let me assure you. I have served my time under the
Republic, and was easy in my mind when there came the trouble of 1812. I
with the rest was called out again. I had left my wife and my little
girl at home in a village which the allies would have gobbled up at a
mouthful, so I asked for a short leave and started off. I tumbled my
family and their goods into my chariot, where were already packed the
things I used in my profession. I must not omit to mention that Bobichel
had kept up the business for me. We travelled along not very rapidly,
for there was already fighting going on in France, and we were obliged
to turn off the highway many times. One morning, passing through a
field, I heard the sound of a bugle. It was the French bugle call. It
sounded a little queer, but I said to myself, 'Hullo! there are comrades
near.' I ran round a hillock, and saw something that I shall never
forget in my life."
"Go on!" cried the Marquis.
Gudel opened his eyes in amazement, but he could not well see the face
of his companion, and was flattered by the evident curiosity of the
Marquis.
"I saw soldiers, several of them, lying dead, butchered by the Cossacks.
I looked around to see who had sounded the bugle. You won't believe me
when I tell you that it was a boy, certainly not over ten, who had
discovered this bugle and blown it. I ran to him, but I don't know that
he even saw me, for he fell back fainting at that very moment."
"And you picked him up?"
"Of course I did! And this was Fanfar."
"Did you make any search for his parents?"
"How could I! The Cossacks were at my heels, and there was fire and
blood everywhere."
"But later on?"
"The child was sick for a long time, entirely out of his head, and when
he began to recover we feared that his brain was hopelessly affected. It
was not until eighteen months had elapsed that he was able to tell me he
came from Leigoutte, among the Vosges mountains."
"Ah!" The Marquis drew his breath with pain. "Go on! go on!" he muttered
in a hoarse voice.
"He said his father's name was Simon, his mother's name Francoise, and a
little sister was called Francinette, but he gave me no family name. I
did my best and found that the father had been killed in an engagement
among the mountains, the mother was burned in a fire set by the
Cossacks, the sister had disappeared; my little Fanfar was all alone. I
kept him, and did what I could for him. I taught him my profession. This
is the whole story. On one side good, brave people, on the other cowards
and assassins."
The Marquis was livid. There was now no doubt. It was Simon's son who
had been thus thrown in his path. He asked one more question.
"But could you not learn the father's name?"
"No, the village was burned, almost all the inhabitants had perished,
the Cossacks had done their work well. One of the peasants did tell me
that he always thought this Master Simon--he taught a school--was a
great lord in disguise, but there are always just such foolish stories,
and you know in those days great lords were not often killed in
defending France."
Fanfar entered somewhat abruptly.
"This is the lad, sir," said Gudel, drawing him to his side. "He is
good, he is honest, he is strong!"
"I wish to thank you, young man," said the Marquis, turning to Fanfar,
"for saving my life."
Fanfar answered courteously.
"You were in peril. I only did my duty."
"Do not forget that if I can ever serve you, you are to apply to me
without hesitation," said the Marquis, and bowing he left the room.
Fanfar and Gudel were now alone.
Cyprien waited for his master, who seized him by the arm and dragged him
into the room where they had talked together in the morning.
"Cyprien," he whispered, fiercely, "hell has come to our aid; this young
man who saved my life, this Fanfar--"
"Well?"
"Is the son of Simon Fougere--the son of my brother!"
My readers will please remember that only Francoise knew the secret of
the birth of little Jacques, who was supposed to be the son of Simon.
And of Francoise, the fire had destroyed every trace.
"At last!" exclaimed Cyprien.
"Hush! I have reflected. This young man must die, but his identity must
be perfectly clear. We require Gudel's testimony, and then, when all
this is plain, we can control Labarre."
Cyprien assented to the wisdom of the plan, but he wished a little
delay. He saw evidences of great impatience on the part of the Marquis.
"I am not so simple, sir, as you think. This Gudel is one of the leaders
of the conspiracy of which I have told you, and Fanfar is the man on
whom these bandits rely to arouse the populace in Paris."
Then in a low voice he told the Marquis how Iron Jaws had then in his
possession papers which would prove the whole plot, and give the names
of the conspirators.
"Let him fall into the hands of the law," concluded Cyprien, "and the
end is certain. We can contrive to give to the plot enormous
proportions, and he will be condemned."
The Marquis shrugged his shoulders.
"No, that won't do. We can't rely on these judges. One never knows what
whims they may take into their heads."
"But what do you propose?"
Fongereues hesitated.
"Who is this man," he asked, "who has revealed to you the conversation
of Gudel and his accomplices?"
"He is a scoundrel named Robeccal, who belongs to their troupe."
The Marquis tore a leaf from his note book, and wrote a few words in
haste.
"Take this man with you, and go to Remisemont," he said. "Go to the
Comte de Vernac, who is a rabid monarchist. He has vast influence, and
this very night the police will be here, these two men will be made
prisoners, and I have no doubt they will resist. Then I will attend to
the rest; a criminal who resists may be silenced."
Cyprien smiled meaningly.
"Now go, at once, there is no time to be lost. Fanfar must be killed;
Gudel must be taken alive. Gudel will tell his story in the court-room.
The Comte de Vernac can never say that the information on which he acted
came from me, and without any trouble we shall get rid of the heir of
Simon Fougere. Before these same judges, moreover, Labarre shall deliver
the will, and tell the secret. Let no one see you and this Robeccal go
away together."
"Rely on me."
Before many minutes, Robeccal and Cyprien started off together.