"I'll come to you! I will come!"
True to the intention thus proclaimed, Blanche Vernon glided back into
the room; and, hastily laying hold of hat and cloak, was making for the
stair.
"You mad, missa!" cried the mulatto, throwing herself into the doorway
with the design of intercepting her. "What will you fadda say? Dat's
danger outside 'mong dem noisy sojas. For lub ob de good Jesus, Missy
Blanche, doan tink ob goin' down to de 'treet?"
"There's no danger. I don't care if there is. Stand out of the way,
Sabby, or I'll be too late. Stand aside, I tell you!"
"Oh, Mass Freeman!" appealed Sabina to the footman, who had come out of
his ante-chamber on hearing the excited dialogue, "you see what you
young misress agoin' to do?"
"What be it, Miss Blanche?"
"Nothing, Freeman; nothing for Sabby to make so much of. I'm only going
to find papa. Don't either of you hinder me!"
The command was spoken in that tone which the servants of England's
aristocracy are habituated to respect; and Blanche Vernon, though still
only a child, was accustomed to their obedience.
Before Freeman could make reply, she had passed out of the room, and
commenced descending the _escalier_.
Sabina rushed after, no longer with the design of intercepting but to
accompany her. Sabby needed no bonnet. Her white toque was her
constant coiffure, outdoors as in. Freeman, laying hold of his hat,
followed them down the stair. On reaching the street, the young girl
did not pause for an instant; but turned along the footway in the
direction in which the prisoner had been conducted. Soldiers were still
passing in troops, and citizens hurrying excitedly by, some going one
way, some another. Dragoons were galloping along the wide causeway, and
through the Tuileries Gardens; while the court inside the iron railing
was alive with uniformed men.
Loud shouting was heard near at hand, with the rolling of drums and the
sharp calling of trumpets.
Further off, in the direction of the Boulevards, there was a constant
rattling, which she knew to be the fire of musketry, mingled with the
louder booming of cannon!
She had no knowledge of what it could all mean. There were always
soldiers in the streets of Paris and around the Tuileries. The marching
of troops with beating drums, screaming bugles, and firing of guns, were
things of every day occurrence; for almost every day there were reviews
and military exercises.
This only differed from the rest in the more excited appearance of the
soldiery, their ruder behaviour toward the pedestrians who chanced in
their way, and the terrified appearance of the latter, as they rushed
quickly out of it. Several were seen hastening, as if for concealment
or refuge. The young girl noticed this, but paid no regard to it. She
only hurried on, Sabina by her side, Freeman close following.
Her eyes were directed along the sidewalk, as if searching for some one
who should appear at a distance before her. She was scanning the motley
crowd to make out the Zouave dresses.
An exclamation at length told that she had discovered them. A group in
Oriental garb could be distinguished about a hundred yards ahead of her.
In their midst was a man in civilian costume, plainly their prisoner.
It was he who had tempted her forth on that perilous promenade.
Whilst her eyes were still on them, they turned suddenly from the
street, conducting their captive through a gateway that was guarded by
sentinels and surrounded by a crowd of soldiers--Zouaves like
themselves.
"Monsieur!" said she, on arriving in front of the entrance, and
addressing herself to one of the soldiers, "why has that gentleman been
taken prisoner?"
As she spoke in his own tongue the soldier had no difficulty in
understanding her.
"Ho--ho!" he said, making her a mock salute, and bending down till his
hairy face almost touched her soft rose-coloured cheek, "My pretty white
dove with the _chevelure d'or_, what gentleman are you inquiring about?"
"He who has just been taken in there."
She pointed to the gateway now closed.
"_Parbleu_! my little love! that's no description. A score have been
taken in there within the last half-hour--all gentlemen, I have no
doubt. At least there were no ladies among them."
"I mean the one who went in last. There have been none since."
"The last--the last--let me see! Oh, I suppose he's been shut up for
the same reason as the others."
"What is it, monsieur?"
"_Par dieu_! I can't tell, my pretty sunbeam! Why are you so
interested in him? You are not his sister, are you? No; I see you're
not," continued the soldier, glancing at Sabina and Freeman, becoming
also more respectful at the sight of the liveried attendant. "You must
be une Anglaise?"
"Yes, I am," was the reply.
"If you'll stay here a moment," said the Zouave, "I'll step inside and
inquire for you."
"Pray, do, monsieur!"
Drawing a little to one side, with Sabina and Freeman to protect her
from being jostled, Blanche waited for the man's return.
True to his promise he came back; but without bringing the required
information.
He could only tell them that "the young man had been made prisoner for
some political offence--for having interfered with the soldiers when
upon their duty."
"Perhaps," added he, in a whisper, "monsieur has been incautious. He
may have called out, `_Vive la Republique_!' when the parole for to-day
is `_Vive l'Empereur_!' He appears to be an Anglais. Is he a relative
of yours, mam'selle?"
"Oh, no!" answered the young girl, turning hastily away, and without
even saying "merci" to the man who had taken such trouble to serve her.
"Come, Sabina, let us go back to the house. And you, Freeman, run to
the English Embassy! If you don't find papa there, go in search of him.
All over Paris if need be. Tell him he is wanted--that I want him.
Bring him along with you. Dear Freeman! promise me you will not lose a
moment's time. It's the same gentleman who saved my life at Liverpool!
You remember it. If harm should come to him in this horrid city--go
quick, sir! Take this! You may need a coach. Tell papa--tell Lord
C--. You know what to say. Quick! quick!"
The handful of five-franc pieces poured into his palm would of itself
have been sufficient to stimulate the footman; and, without protest, he
started off in the direction of the English Embassy.
His young mistress, with her attendant, returned to the _maison
meublee_--there to await the coming of her father.