THE MOUSTACHES OF BRIGNAN DE BRIGNAN
My father, the leader of the guardsmen, and several of his men walked,
while I rode, to the nearby edge of encircling woods, the defeated
robbers bearing the young tree-trunk. Here my father and the guardsmen
mounted, their horses having been tied to the trees. A pair of panniers
containing wine, bread, and cold meat, was placed across my father's
horse, a very strong animal, and, torches being lighted, we proceeded
through the forest. The guide led, being attached to a halter, of which
the commander of the guardsmen held the loose end. After the commander,
my father and I came, and behind us the burdened prisoners, who were
flanked and followed by the other guardsmen.
On the way, I told my father who it was that lay in the tower, and gave
him a brief account of my whole adventure at Lavardin and in the forest.
He applauded my conduct, though counselling me in future to look well
before I leaped; and he approved of my offer to the Countess of the
hospitality of La Tournoire.
"But what still makes me wonder," said I, "is that you should have found
me here, so far from Paris, whither you knew I was bound, and from
Vendome, whither Nicolas must have told you I was going."
"But in truth my being here is very simple," said he. "As soon as
Nicolas came back to La Tournoire with your message the day after you
set out, I started for Paris to solicit your pardon for the affair at La
Flèche. Six days later I presented myself to the Duke de Sully, who
immediately took me for an audience of the King. There was a deal of
talk about the scandalous disregard of the edict against duels, the
great quantity of good blood wasted almost every day, the too frequent
granting of pardons, and all that. But in the end Henri would not refuse
me, and I have your pardon now in my pocket. But you must not be rash
another time: I promised for you, and assured the King you were no
fire-eater and had received great provocation."
"Trust me to be prudent," said I.
"Good! As you had not yet arrived in Paris," continued my father, "I
supposed you had been delayed at Vendome, whither, as you say, Nicolas
told me you were going. So I thought I would start for home by way of
Vendome, as you might still be there and perhaps in some scrape or
other, or I might meet you on the road between there and Paris. I stayed
overnight in Paris, as the Duke had invited me to wait upon him the next
day. I went and was very well received. As I was about to take my leave,
I mentioned that I was going to travel by Vendome. 'Ah,' said the Duke,
'then, if you wish, you may take a hand in a little affair which will be
like an echo of the old busy days.' I opened my eyes at this, and the
Duke told me that evidence had just been brought by one of his spies,
which warranted the arrest of a powerful malcontent in the neighbourhood
of Vendome, who had long been under suspicion,--in short, the Count de
Lavardin. A party of royal guards was about to be sent off at once to
take him in his chateau at Montoire, four leagues beyond Vendome, and I
might go with them as a volunteer, or in any case I might have their
company on my journey. I was quite ready for any affair that had a taste
of the old service in it, especially as these treasonable great lords
sometimes make a stout resistance in their chateaux. And so I had the
honour of being introduced to these gentlemen and becoming for the time
their comrade. That same afternoon I set out with them for Montoire, and
we arrived there last Sunday."
"Ah! you must have passed through Vendome while we were in seclusion
there."
"No doubt. That Count's business had to be attended to before he got
wind of our arrival, and so there was no time for inquiring about you at
Vendome. We came upon the Count and a party of attendants in the road,
not a quarter of a league from his chateau. As we heard at the chateau
afterwards, he had been searching the roads far and wide for his wife,
who had fled from his cruelties. He had the daring to resist arrest, and
there was some fighting, in which he was killed. It appears that the
fight and his fall were seen by watchers from the tower of his chateau,
and before we could arrive at that place his accomplice, this Captain
Ferragant, who was in the chateau at the time, made his escape. As soon
as we got to the chateau, we heard of this, and, as the Captain also was
wanted, there was nothing to do but give chase. A few of the guardsmen
were left to hold the chateau in the King's name, and the rest of us,
with no more than a sup and a bite, made off after this Captain. He had
so many followers with him, that he was not difficult to trace, and for
two days we kept his track, until we lost it at the edge of this forest.
From what we learned at Chateaudun, we guessed that his refuge was
somewhere in the forest. That was yesterday afternoon: we at once broke
up into small parties to search the forest, planning to reunite at a
chosen place to-day at noon."
"It was one of those parties that saved the Countess from the robbers,"
said I gratefully.
"Ay, and there your story crosses mine. As for the ruffians who attacked
the Countess, they escaped without affording a clue to the Captain's
whereabouts,--for doubtless they were of his band, though this was not
certain. When our parties met to-day, one of them brought a forester who
offered to show the way to the Captain's hiding-place if he were allowed
to leave before coming in sight of it. We made full preparations, and
you know the rest. At first we thought our forester had fooled us, and
that the place we had come to was what it appeared, a solitary farmstead
in a clearing of the forest. But in such a case, it is always best to
make sure, and faith, that is what we did. So you see I chanced to find
you all the sooner for not having had time to look for you. But indeed
it was a timely meeting."
In about an hour after the time of starting, we came to a clear space,
in the midst of which was the tower we sought. We could see it by the
starlight before we drew near with our torches. We all dismounted, and
with a fast-beating heart, I found the door. It was still locked.
Listening at the key-hole, I could hear no sound. I called out, "Louis!"
thinking she would understand I had company to whom her sex need not be
known. I wished to warn her of our assault upon the door, so that she
might stay clear of danger thereby. But no answer came, though I called
several times. I was now in great fear lest she had died. My father, who
read my feelings in my face, suggested that she might have fallen into
very deep unconsciousness, and that the best thing to do was to break in
the door forthwith, as carefully as possible, trusting she might not be
where there was chance of anything striking. As the place where I had
left her lying was not opposite the door, and there was no reason to
suppose she had chosen another, I gave up the attempt to warn her, and
without further loss of time we made ready to attack the door. All the
men in the party, both guardsmen and prisoners, laid hold of the
tree-trunk, by means of halters and ropes fastened around it, my father
and I placing ourselves at the head. The commander of the guardsmen, who
was immediately behind me, called out the orders by which we moved in
unison. Starting from a short distance, we ran straight for the tower,
and swung the tree forward against the door at the moment of stopping. A
most violent shock was produced, but the lock and hinges still held. We
repeated this operation twice. Upon our third charge, the door flew
inward. Leaving the trunk to the others, I hastened into the dark, close
basement, and groped my way to where I had left the Countess.
"Madame!--Louis!" I called softly, feeling about in the darkness.
A weak voice answered,--a voice like that of one just wakened from
profound sleep:
"Henri, is it you?--Mon dieu, I am so glad!--I feared some evil had
befallen you."
"Ah, Louis, you are living,--thank God!"
"Living, yes: I have been asleep. Once I awoke, and wondered why you bad
not returned. I prayed for you, and then I must have slept again. But
what was it awakened me?--was there not a loud noise before I heard your
voice?--Who are those men at the door with torches?"
I introduced my father, who, regarding her in the torchlight, and
showing as tender a solicitude as a woman's, soon came to the conclusion
that her state was no worse than one of extreme weakness for want of
food and fresh air. He carried her out, laid her tenderly on a cloak,
and administered such food and wine as were good for her. She submitted
with the docility and trust of a child.
Leaving her for awhile, my father and I consulted with the leader of the
guardsmen, and it was decided that the Countess, my father, and I should
pass the night at the tower, the weather being warm and clear. The
guardsmen would return with their prisoners to the scene of their recent
battle, where much was to be put to rights. On the morrow they would
rejoin us, and we should all proceed to Bonneval, where my father's
deposition could be added to the report which the leader of the
arresting party would have to deliver in Paris in lieu of the Count and
Captain themselves.
I could not let the leader go, even for the night, without expressing
the gratitude under which I must ever feel to him, for, though he was
still ignorant of the identity of the Countess, there was no concealing
from him that the supposed youth was a person very near my heart.
"Pouf!" said he, in his manly way; "'tis all chance. I have done nothing
for you, but if I had done much I should have been repaid already in the
acquaintance of Monsieur de la Tournoire."
"A truce to flattery," said my father. "It is I who am the gainer by the
acquaintance of Monsieur Brignan de Brignan."
"Eh! Brignan de Brignan!" I echoed.
"That is this gentleman's name," said my father, wondering at my
surprise. "Have we been so busy that I have not properly made you known
to him before?"
I gazed at the gentleman's moustaches: they were indeed rather longer
than the ordinary. He, too, looked his astonishment at the effect of his
name upon me.
"Pardon me, Monsieur," said I. "I have been staring like a rustic. I owe
you an explanation of my ill manners. I will give it frankly: it may
provide you with laughter. What I am now, I know not, but three weeks
ago I was a fool." I then told him how I had been taunted by a young
lady, whose name I did not mention, and with what particular object I
had so recently started for Paris. This was news to my father also, who
laughed without restraint. Brignan de Brignan, though certainly amused,
kept his mirth within bounds, and replied:
"Faith. I know not any young lady in your part of France who has a right
to glory in my personal appearance, even if I were an Apollo,--who, by
the way, is not represented with moustaches. But I believe I know who
this girl may be,--I have met such a one in Paris, and avoided her as a
pert little minx. As for your folly, as you call it, it was no more
foolish than many a thing I have done."
He had the breeding not to add, "At your age," and I loved him for that.
He and his men now set out upon their return to the farmstead, and my
father and I, after devising a more comfortable couch for the Countess
just within the open doorway of the tower, slept and watched by turns
outside.
In the morning the Countess, partaking of more food, was in better
strength and spirits, and had the curiosity to ask how my father came to
be there. In telling her, I broke the news of the Count's death. For a
moment she was startled, and then pity showed itself in her eyes and
words,--pity for the man who had been swayed by such passions and
delusions, and who had died in his sin with none else to shed a tear for
him. The Captain's death, of which I next informed her, did not move her
as much.
The turn of affairs caused a change of plan. She now resolved (as I had
foreseen) to return to Lavardin and do such honour to her husband's
memory as she might. Though his estates would probably, in all the
circumstances, be adjudged forfeit to the Crown, some provision would
doubtless be made for his widow. In any case, she might be sure of every
courtesy from the officer in command of the guardsmen now occupying the
chateau for the King, and there were certain jewels, apparel, and other
possessions of her own which could not be withheld from her.
In the afternoon, when Brignan de Brignan and his comrades reappeared,
the Countess was able to ride: and that evening we were all in Bonneval.
Monsieur de Brignan had taken possession of several things found in an
iron-bound chest where Captain Ferragant had kept his treasures. Among
others were two papers stolen from me by the robbers,--the incriminating
fragment of a letter to the Count, and the note from the Countess which
I had found upon Monsieur de Merri. The former I destroyed, at the fire
in the inn kitchen: the latter I kept, and keep to this day. Besides
these, there were my purse; a quantity of gold, out of which I repaid
myself the amount I had been robbed of; and the two keys, which I
subsequently restored to the Chateau de Lavardin, whence they had come.
We stayed the night at Bonneval. The next day the guardsmen started for
Paris, and our party of three for Montoire. As I took my leave of
Brignan de Brignan before the inn gate, I noticed that his moustaches
had undergone a diminution: indeed they now extended no further than his
lips. I supposed he had decided not to be distinguished by such marks
again. He expressed a hope of renewing acquaintance with me in Paris,
and rode off. The Countess, my father, and I turned our faces toward
Montoire, the Countess being now once more on Hugues's horse, which I
had left for a time at Bonneval. We had not gone very far, when a man
galloped after us, handed me a packet, and rode back as hastily as he
had come. I had scarce time to recognize him as a valet attached to the
party of guardsmen.
I opened the packet, and found a piece of paper, to which two wisps of
hair were fastened by a thread, and on which was written in a large,
dashing hand:
"_Behold my moustaches. Brignan de Brignan._"
And so, after all, I might keep my promise to Mlle. Celeste!