Nothing could be kinder than the reception of the fugitives by
Madame Flambard. She had heard so much of Patsey, she said, from
her husband, to whom she had been married six months before, that
she had quite shared his anxiety about the fate of Jean Martin, who
had more than once been mentioned as being one of the leaders of
the Vendeans. She soon went off with Patsey to put the child to bed
and, while they were away, Monsieur Flambard took Leigh into his
smoking room.
"Before," he said, "I ask you anything about your adventures, I
must explain to you the state of things here. Until November last
Bordeaux, and indeed the whole of the Gironde, was moderate. All
our deputies--who have now, as perhaps you know, either fallen on
the scaffold or been hunted down like wild beasts--belonged to that
party. They were earnest reformers, and were prominent among the
leaders of the Revolution. They went with the stream, up to a
certain point. They voted for most of the sanguinary decrees,
although in time they strove to mitigate the horrors inflicted by
the extreme party; but after a long conflict the latter, supported
by the mob of Paris, obtained the ascendency, and the Girondists
underwent the same fate that had befallen so many others. For
myself, I cannot pity them. They were all men of standing and of
intelligence but, without perceiving the terrible results that must
follow, they unchained the mob and became its victims.
"Up to that time there had been but few executions here, and the
power remained in the hands of the moderate party. Two months
since, however, there was a local insurrection. The party of the
terror suddenly rose, seized the members of the council, and threw
them into prison. Other prominent citizens were seized, and the
guillotine began its bloody work in earnest. Since that time every
citizen of position or standing lives in momentary danger of
arrest. Not a day passes, but a dozen or so are seized and dragged
off. I grant that, at present, there is nothing like the wholesale
butchery that goes on at Nantes under that fiend Carrier; it is
only those who have wealth and property that are seized. Not only
in this town, but in the whole department, the agents of those who
assumed power are busy. It is the Gironde, and therefore hateful to
the party of Robespierre; and the proprietors of the land, who have
hitherto been left unmolested, are being brought in daily.
"The trial is of course a mere farce. The prisoners are murdered,
not because they are moderates, but because they are rich; and
their wealth is divided among the members of the council, and the
mob who support them. So far I have been unmolested. I have never
taken any part in politics, business being sufficient to occupy all
my time. Another thing is that I employ a considerable number of
men, in addition to the crews of some ten vessels which belong to
me. I believe that I am popular generally on the wharves, and it is
the knowledge that my arrest might promote a tumult, and might
reverse the present order of things, that has led to my being left
alone so far.
"Fortunately my servant, who let you in, has been in the family for
the past five-and-thirty years, and is devoted to me. Had it been
otherwise the position would have been a dangerous one. A report to
the council that a young man in the attire of a sailor, accompanied
by a lady and child, had arrived, and been at once received, would
suffice to set them in motion. I should be accused of having a
suspect, probably one of the emigres hidden here, and it would be
difficult for me to explain your reception. You must, in the first
place, attire yourself in clothes such as are worn by the mate of a
privateer. I suppose you have papers, or you would not have been
permitted to land."
Leigh took out the passes and handed them to him. Monsieur Flambard
glanced through them.
"You must have managed well to have got hold of these passes, and
they certainly put the matter on safer ground. However, I should
find some difficulty in explaining how I came to show hospitality
to two persons who, by a strangely roundabout course, had made
their way from Arthenay. It is a little unfortunate that your
sister kept her own name. Had it been otherwise, I might have said
that her husband was captain of one of my ships. But he is
unfortunately not unknown here. After Martin's flight from Nantes,
a claim was made by the committee of public safety at Nantes for
the Henriette. Fortunately your brother-in-law had dated his bill
of sale to me a fortnight before he left. The trial took place here
and, as in those days law and justice still prevailed in the civic
courts, the decision was given in my favour.
"It was urged on the other side that the transaction was invalid,
as Martin must have parted with his vessel knowing well that he was
a traitor to the Republic, and that his property would be
confiscated. However, we got the best of them. There was no proof
whatever that Martin was conscious that he was suspected of being
disaffected, and we claimed that he had only sold it as, having
married, he had decided to give up the sea and to settle upon his
estates in La Vendee. Of course, at that time La Vendee had not
risen, and it was not a crime worthy of death to own an estate
there. Still, the case attracted attention, and the fact that my
guest was a Madame Martin might recall the circumstances, and at
once awake a suspicion that she was the wife of one of those who
had led the insurgents of La Vendee; in which case her life and
yours would be certainly forfeited, and my receiving you would be
regarded as amply sufficient evidence of my connection with the
insurgents.
"Now, for our sakes, as well as yours, I think that it would be
strongly advisable that you should take up your abode elsewhere.
Believe me that it is no want of hospitality, but a measure of
precaution, both for your sake and ours. Tomorrow morning I should
have to send in a statement that two guests have arrived here, and
it is therefore most desirable that you should move without delay.
Fortunately the wives of two or three of my captains live here; one
of these especially, an excellent woman, has a house much larger
than she needs, and takes in lodgers, generally captains whose
families do not reside here, when their ships are in port.
Therefore the fact that a sailor, with a sister and her child, have
taken rooms there will excite no suspicion, whatever. She will, as
a matter of course, send in your name to the police of the town,
together with your passes. They will be marked and returned
without, probably, being glanced at."
"I think that that will be an excellent arrangement, sir," Leigh
said, "and I quite see that our stay here might be awkward for you,
as well as us."
"I will at once go with you; that is, as soon as you have told your
sister the reason why it will be better for you to establish
yourselves elsewhere than here. I may tell you that I, myself, have
been quietly making preparations for flight; but it is not all my
captains whom I can trust. The Henriette, which I expect here
shortly, has been delayed; but on her arrival I propose that we
shall all cross the Channel together. I hear the ladies' voices in
the next room. It were best that we got this painful business over,
at once."
Madame Flambard was greatly distressed, when Leigh gave his sister
an account of the conversation they had had, and the resolution at
which they had arrived; but Patsey at once saw that it was most
desirable that the change should be made, and assured her hostess
that she fully recognized that their safety would be imperilled by
staying at their house.
"It would be a cruel kindness, on your part, to insist upon our
stopping here, Madame Flambard. We know that it is from no lack of
hospitality that we are leaving, but that you are making a real
sacrifice, in order to procure our safety.
"Shall I put on my things at once, monsieur?"
"By no means. I will go with your brother, first, to see if Madame
Chopin has other lodgers. If so, I will go to the wife of one of my
clerks, who also lets a portion of a house; or, if you would not
mind poor accommodation, to another of the captains' wives as, in
your brother's character of a sailor, it would be more natural for
you to go to such a lodging, which may very well have been
recommended to you by the skipper of the lugger in which you came
here. When we have arranged things, we will return. It is but a
quarter of an hour's walk, for the house stands near the river,
above the bridge."
He at once set out with Leigh. On arriving at the house, they found
that there were at present no lodgers there.
"This young sailor has brought a letter of recommendation to me,
Madame Chopin. He has a married sister and her child with him, and
I am sure that you will make them very comfortable, and can supply
them with what they may require. They have just arrived by sea,
from Havre; the length of their stay is uncertain. This young man
is looking for a berth as mate, and shall have the first vacancy on
one of my vessels. His sister may stop with you for some time, as
she is hoping that her husband will return here, though he is so
long overdue that I fear his ship has been either lost or captured
by the English."
"I will do my best to make them both comfortable, Monsieur
Flambard, and thank you for recommending them to me."
Leigh saw the rooms, which consisted of two bedrooms, and a third
room which was similarly furnished; but Madame Chopin said that she
would take down the bed and put some other furniture into it, so
that they could use it as a sitting room.
"We should prefer that, madame; for my sister at times is greatly
depressed, and we should prefer being alone."
"I can quite understand that," the woman said. "Well, you will not
be troubled with society here, as I have only these three rooms to
let so that, unless my husband comes home before you go, we shall
be quite alone."
"I shall return with my sister in an hour's time," Leigh said;
"that will not be too late for you?"
"No, monsieur, it is little past eight o'clock yet, and it will
take me fully two hours to get everything straight and tidy."
"Very well, then, we will say ten o'clock," Monsieur Flambard said.
"I will keep Monsieur Porson, as he has news to give me concerning
the friend who recommended him to me."
On their return to the merchant's, they sat chatting for an hour
over the adventures through which Leigh and his sister had passed,
and the manner in which they were separated from Jean Martin.
"I think you have every reason to hope, madame," Monsieur Flambard
said cheerfully. "Jean is not the sort of fellow to let himself be
caught in a hole; and I expect that, when he found that he could
not rejoin you, he at once struck north, either for Dunkirk or
Calais, and has probably managed to be taken over in a fishing boat
or a smuggler and, if he failed in doing so, he would probably make
off in a boat single handed. I think that you have every reason to
hope that you will find him at Poole, when you arrive there; but
even should he not be there, there will be no reason for despair.
He may have had difficulty in getting away. He may have been
impressed for the naval service. At any rate, I have great faith
that he will turn up, sooner or later. Certainly, when he has once
managed to get a seafaring outfit, he will be safe from any fear of
detection as one of the terrible Vendean insurgents."
At a quarter to ten little Louis was taken out of bed, wrapped up
in a cloak, and carried by Leigh. Monsieur Flambard insisted on
again accompanying them. The streets were now almost deserted, and
they soon arrived at Madame Chopin's.
"I quite forgot to ask if you would want anything, before going to
bed; but I can make you a cup of good coffee, if you would like
it."
"Thank you, but we have eaten but an hour ago."
Saying goodnight to Monsieur Flambard, they went up to their rooms,
their hostess leading with a candle. She had made the most of her
time, since Leigh left the house. White curtains had been put up at
the windows, and everything looked beautifully clean; and Patsey
uttered an exclamation of pleasure when she entered the room.
"This does indeed look fresh and homelike," she said. "Thank you
for taking so much trouble, madame."
The next morning Leigh procured a jacket and waistcoat, with brass
buttons; and a cap with a gold band. He then sauntered along the
wharves and went aboard the Trois Freres, and told the skipper that
no news had been received of his sister's husband. It had been
agreed that it was best that they should not go to Monsieur
Flambard's house, but that the merchant should call at the lodging,
after dark. When Leigh returned to the midday meal, he found that
the papers had come back from the mairie, duly stamped and
countersigned, and that as no one had been to the house to make
inquiries, it was evident that no suspicion had been excited.
During the next four or five days Leigh went but little into the
town, contenting himself with keeping near the wharves, watching
the vessels loading or discharging cargo, and spending much of his
time on board the Trois Freres. On the afternoon of the fifth day
he saw a lugger approaching and as it came near, he made out, to
his great delight, that it was the Henriette. As soon as she
dropped anchor in the stream, her boat rowed to the wharves. Lefaux
was sitting in the stern and, as soon as he landed, went off in the
direction of Monsieur Flambard's office.
Leigh did not go near him. He thought that it would be better that
the honest sailor should learn that he and his sister were there
from the merchant, before he spoke to him; as any imprudent remark
on the sailor's part might be caught up by one of the spies of the
committee, and lead to trouble. As he expected, Monsieur Flambard
came round with Lefaux, that evening.
"I am heartily glad to see you again, madame," he said, as Patsey
shook him by the hand; "and you too, Monsieur Stansfield. I began
to think that I never should do so, and I only wish that Monsieur
Jean was here, too. Still, I feel confident that he has got safely
away; trust a sailor for getting out of a scrape. You must have
gone through a lot, madame, but you don't look any the worse for
it."
"Except anxiety for my husband, I have gone through nothing to
speak of. I had a horse to ride, and generally a shelter to sleep
under, and for myself I had little to complain of; but it was
terrible to see the sufferings of the peasant women and children,
and of the many men broken down by sickness. And there was, too,
the anxiety as to the safety of my husband and brother, in each
battle that took place. But of hardship to myself there was very
little."
"Well, madame, I hope that I shall soon have the pleasure of
sailing into Poole again, with you and Monsieur Leigh on board; and
also with my good master, Monsieur Flambard, and his wife."
"When will you be off again?" Patsey asked eagerly.
"That is what I have come to talk with you about, Madame Martin,"
Monsieur Flambard said. "I have pretty good information as to what
passes, at the meetings of the wretches who call themselves the
committee of public safety, and I hear that there will very shortly
be a seizure of a number of prominent citizens, and my name has
been mentioned. They are only hanging back until they can decide
upon what shall be the pretext, since none of those named have
taken any part in politics here. All those who have done so have
been already seized. However, the blow may come at any moment.
"The Henriette has already begun to discharge her cargo.
Fortunately, there is not much of it. The moment that she has
finished she will drop down below the rest of the shipping, and be
ready to start at any moment. If we find that the matter is not
absolutely pressing, we will go quietly on board as soon as she is
ready, and sail at once; as there will then be no fear of her being
stopped.
"If, however, I find that the order for our arrest is on the point
of being issued, I will send her down and let her lie beyond Fort
Medoc and Blaye. If it were discovered that I was missing, a few
hours after she had started, it would be suspected at once that I
had gone in the Henriette. Mounted messengers would carry the news
down to both forts, and the boat would be forced to heave to, as
she passed between them.
"Therefore I shall have a light carriage, with two fast horses,
kept in readiness a quarter of a mile outside the town; and a relay
of horses fifteen miles on, which is about halfway, and join the
ship below the forts. If, as may possibly happen, I am suddenly
arrested in the streets, I shall have my servant near me. He will
have his orders, which will be to hurry back home to tell his
mistress to put on the disguise of a peasant woman, that has
already been prepared for her, and to go with her at once to the
carriage; and another man, whom I can also thoroughly trust, is to
come here and say to you, 'It is a bad day.'
"Then you and your sister and the child will at once start to join
my wife. She has most reluctantly consented to carry out this plan
for, as I tell her, it will add to my sufferings a hundredfold,
were she also to be arrested."
By dint of great exertions the Henriette was unloaded by the
following evening and, half an hour after her last bale was ashore,
she dropped down the river with the tide. She was to anchor off a
small village, two miles beyond Fort Medoc; and if inquiry was made
as to why she stopped there, Lefaux was to say that he was to take
in some wine that Monsieur Flambard had bought from a large grower
in that district, and that the lugger was then going to Charente to
fill up with brandy for Havre.
Leigh had, the day before, gone with the merchant into the
extensive cellars which adjoined the house.
"There is not a man here," Monsieur Flambard said, "who would not
do all in his power for me. Some of them have been with the firm
nearly all their lives. I treat them well, and I am happy to say
that not one of them has taken any part in our last troubles.
Indeed, I am told that is one of the matters that, if I am
arrested, will be brought against me. It will be said that it was a
proof of my enmity to the Convention that none of my people took
the side of the patriots.
"However, it tells both ways. I have over forty men here. They
have, of course, friends among the porters and others working on
the wharves; and a disturbance might take place, were I arrested.
However, the scoundrels have now got such absolute power that, no
doubt, they feel that they could disregard any local rising and,
indeed, with the plunder of my store before them, they could reckon
on the devotion of the greater part of the mob of the town."
On the morning after the Henriette had sailed, the merchant took
Leigh down to a little wayside inn, half a mile below the town,
where he had placed his carriage and horses; and gave instructions
to his coachman that he was to place himself under Leigh's orders.
"At whatever hour of the day or night he comes, you will start at
once with him, and the lady and child who accompany him. You will
know in that case that I am not coming, but have been arrested."
"But, master--"
"It must be as I say, Pierre. Once I am arrested--and it is almost
certain my wife would be arrested with me--nothing can be done to
help, and it would be a great satisfaction to me to know that my
friends have escaped. There will be in that case no need of extreme
haste, for no one knows that they are in any way connected with me,
and there will be no inquiries for them."
Leigh told Patsey that afternoon that, in the event of the
Flambards being arrested, he might possibly, instead of coming
himself, send a messenger to her; and that she must then start at
once, and await his coming in front of the church, at the end of
the street in which the merchant's house stood.
"You had better have a letter written to our landlady, inclosing
the sum due to her and a week's rent in advance; and say that we
are hastily called away to Blaye, but may return in a few days, and
begging her to keep the rooms vacant for a week, for which you
leave the money. You had better write the letter at once, so that
if you get my message you can leave instantly. There is nothing
like being prepared for everything. Of course the arrest of the
Flambards would not really affect us in any way, or add to our
danger; but if the coachman were to hear of it before we got there,
he might disregard his master's orders, and return at once with the
carriage."
Leigh had in his mind the very short notice that Desailles had had
of his danger, and how narrowly he escaped being arrested, although
he had a friend who kept him acquainted with what was going on. He
thought that it was still more likely that the arrest of the
Flambards would take place suddenly. It would probably be decided
upon by two or three of the men, who were the leaders of the party
of terror; and no word would get about as to their intentions until
the arrest had been absolutely made, in which case the captives
would be lodged in prison before the matter would be known, and all
fear of an emeute be thereby prevented. He had therefore decided
upon what was the best course to pursue, and posted himself in the
street, where he could observe anyone who entered or left
Flambard's house.
It was already getting dusk when he saw two commissaries of the
committee, with six armed men, stop before the door and knock. It
was opened. Two of the men remained outside, and the rest entered.
He ran to the stores. The head cellarman had gone round the place
with him and his master, and Leigh at once went to him.
"Lefranc," he said, "your master and mistress have just been
arrested. Two commissaries and six armed men have gone into the
house. There is time to save them yet. They have a carriage in
waiting, a short distance away; and if we can overpower these men
and tie them up, so that they cannot give the alarm until morning,
Monsieur Flambard and his wife will get safely away. They have a
vessel waiting for them in readiness, down the river."
"I am your man, sir, and every one here."
"Half a dozen will be enough. Pick out that number of strong
fellows, whom you can rely upon. Let them all take off their
aprons, and tear up this black silk handkerchief and, as we leave
the cellar, let each man put a piece over his face, to act as a
mask. There is a private door leading to the house, is there not?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Well, draw the men off quietly, so that the others shall not
notice them; and tell them to go to that door, and to put on their
masks there. Let each man take some weapon, but not a mallet, or
anything used in the trade. Let them bring some stout rope with
them."
The man nodded and hurried away, and Leigh went to the end of the
stores abutting on the house, and stopped at the door he found
there. In a minute the men began to arrive. They had, as he
directed, thrown aside their leather aprons and put on blouses; so
that they differed in no way, in appearance, from ordinary working
men. One or two were armed with hammers, others with long knives.
Each carried a piece of black handkerchief in his hand, long enough
to go from the forehead down to the mouth. Leigh tied these on with
strings, cutting holes with his knife through which they could see.
When the six men and the foreman had assembled, they entered the
house. The old servant was standing in the hall, wringing his hands
in distress.
"Where are they?" Leigh asked.
"In the master's study, sir. They are searching the drawers."
"Come on quietly," Leigh said to the men. "We must take them by
surprise."
The door of the study was standing open, and lights burned within.
Leigh had already instructed his followers to go at once for the
armed men, and to knock them down before they had time to use their
muskets. Going noiselessly up, they entered the door with a sudden
rush.
The two commissaries were engaged in emptying the contents of the
table drawers into a basket. The armed ruffians had leant their
muskets against the wall, and had seated themselves in comfortable
chairs. Flambard stood with his arm round his wife, looking
disdainfully at the proceedings of the commissaries.
In a moment the scene changed. Before the men could even rise from
their seats they were knocked down, bits of sacking thrust into
their mouths, and their arms tied. Leigh had levelled one of the
commissaries by a blow in the face, and the foreman had struck down
the other with a hammer. These were also securely tied.
The Flambards stood, a picture of astonishment. The whole thing had
passed so instantaneously that they could scarcely realize what had
happened. When they did so, Madame Flambard, who had hitherto
preserved her calmness, burst into tears; while her husband
embraced Leigh with passionate gratitude.
"Now, monsieur," the latter said, "you had better collect at once
any money and jewels you wish to take with you, while we are making
sure of these ruffians.
"Now, my men," he went on, "take these fellows into different
rooms; but first let me see that the ropes are securely tied;
although, as sailors, you are not likely to make any mistake that
way. Still, it is as well to be on the safe side."
He himself then examined the fastenings, and added a few more
cords.
"Now, when you have got them into separate rooms, tie their feet to
a heavy piece of furniture. Make a slipknot at the end of another
rope, put the noose round the neck, and fasten the other end to
another piece of furniture, that there may be no chance of their
getting loose, till their friends come to their assistance."
He saw all this securely done. Then he said:
"There is one more thing to see to. In time those fellows at the
door will be getting impatient, and will begin to suspect that all
is not right. We must get them inside, and then tie them up with
the others. Stand back behind the door as they enter and, as I
close it, throw yourselves upon them. One of you grip each of them
by the throat, and another seize his musket and wrench it from him.
The rest will be easy."
The men placed themselves as directed, and Leigh then opened the
door and said:
"You are to come in. They will take some little time over the
papers, and there is plenty of good wine for you to amuse
yourselves with."
With an exclamation of satisfaction, the two men entered.
"It is very dark in here," one said, as Leigh closed the door. "Why
didn't you get a light?"
The words were scarcely spoken when there was a rush, a sudden
exclamation, the sound of a short struggle, and then silence.
"Keep hold of them tightly, while I fetch a candle," Leigh said
and, running upstairs, soon came down with the light.
The two guards were standing helpless in the hands of their
captors, and gripped so tightly that they were unable to utter the
least sound.
"Now, put the gags into their mouths and truss them up, as you did
the others."
Leaving the men to carry out his orders, he ran upstairs again.
"Everything is arranged now," he said. "The whole of the fellows
are bound, and the road is free for you. I should go out by the
back way, for there is sure to be a little crowd in front of the
house, attracted by the sight of the guard standing outside. I do
not think that there is any extraordinary hurry, but in an hour or
so, if either of the men who have ordered your arrest is waiting at
the prison, he may get impatient, and send down to see what detains
the party here.
"I am going, in the first place, to have the servants bound, so
that they may not be suspected of having aided in this business. As
soon as that is done, I shall hasten to my lodging and bring my
sister and the child to the inn where you have your carriage. Of
course, you will have the horses put in as soon as you get there. I
shall not be very long behind you, as I shall take the first fiacre
and drive down to that end of the town, and then discharge him. As
I am not in any way associated with you, even if inquiries are
made, our movements will throw no light upon yours."
The conversation took place in the bedroom where Madame Flambard
was, with her husband, packing up a few necessaries.
"As we go downstairs," he went on, "I shall make some remark about
our going straight on board. That will put them on the wrong scent,
and they will waste a lot of time searching all the craft in the
river. I do it principally because I want them to believe that you
have been rescued by a party of sailors. You heard me say that, as
sailors, they would be accustomed to tie the knots tightly; and of
course my uniform will help to lead them astray. The men with me
were really some of your cellarmen, under Lefranc."
"We shall be ready in three minutes. Fortunately we have not much
beyond my wife's jewels that we want to save. Like your wife's
brother, I have already made provision in England for this."
"I will be off as soon as I see the servants tied up."
He ran downstairs again. The two men and the maids willingly
suffered themselves to be tied up, when Leigh explained to them the
reasons for which it was done.
"Mind," he said, "if questioned, you say you believe that the men
who rushed in and fastened you up were sailors."
Before the work was done Monsieur Flambard came down and, standing
at the door which communicated with the cellars, shook hands with
his rescuers as they went out; and thanked them most heartily, in
the name of himself as well as his wife, for the service that they
had rendered. The men, before they passed through the door, took
off their masks. It had already been arranged that they should at
once scatter, and return quietly to the places where they had been
at work, and in so large a place it was not likely that their
absence had been noticed, as it would be supposed that they had
gone to another part of the cellar, and it was not above twenty
minutes since they had left it.
As soon as they had gone out, the door was locked on the inside.
Leigh and the Flambards went out at the back entrance into another
street, and there separated, Leigh hurrying back to his lodgings.
Madame Chopin opened the door.
"Madame," he said, "I have good news for my sister. I hope that we
shall be able to obtain news of her husband at Blaye; for he may,
if my information is correct, have sailed up the Dordogne, and we
may catch him as he comes down again. If my information is not
correct, we shall return here. I will therefore, if you will allow
me, pay you our reckoning at once, and also the rent of the rooms
for another week; so that if we return, we may find them
unoccupied."
"But you are not going to start this evening, surely, monsieur?"
"Yes; I have arranged for a passage on a boat that is on the point
of starting, and have not a moment to lose."
He ran upstairs to Patsey.
"They have gone on to the carriage," he said. "Put on Louis's
things and your own. I will tell you all about it, as we go."
He then went down again and settled up with his landlady, who was
profuse in her exclamations of regret at their departure. In a
couple of minutes Patsey came down. She had the letter that she had
written in her hand. Leigh took it from her.
"I have already settled up with our kind hostess," he said. "Say
goodbye, dear, at once, or the boat may be starting without us."
A minute later they were out of the house. Leigh carried Louis, and
led the way to a spot near, where two or three fiacres were always
standing. He took the first, and told the driver to put them down
in a street at the lower end of the town, the name of which he had
noticed when he went with Monsieur Flambard to the inn where the
carriage was standing.
When he got to the end of the street he told the driver to stop,
saying that he was not sure of the number. Paying the man his fare,
they walked slowly down the street until the fiacre had driven off;
and then, returning, took the road leading into the country.
Ten minutes' walking brought them close to the little inn. They met
the carriage coming along slowly, three hundred yards before they
arrived there. It stopped at once.
"You are here sooner than I expected, madame," Monsieur Flambard
said, as he alighted and helped Patsey.
As she took her place by the side of Madame Flambard, the latter
threw her arms round her neck.
"Thank God this awful time is over!" she said. "It is to your
brother we owe it that we are not, both, now in that terrible
prison.
"Leigh is good at breaking prison," Patsey said. "He rescued me
from the gaol at Nantes."
By this time her husband and Leigh had taken their places. Louis,
still soundly asleep, was transferred to his mother's lap; and the
carriage, turning, went back at the full speed of the horses.