NALLA OBTAINS ASSISTANCE.
Poor unhappy Nadine could stand it no longer! The persistent
incredulity of the magistrate cut her to the heart. It was bad enough
to have lost her darling sister, and all her money, but in addition
to that to be treated like a criminal instead of finding sympathy and
assistance, truly it was more than flesh and blood could bear. She sank
fainting to the floor in front of the judge's desk.
Up to this point Cæsar, awed by the stern manner of the judge, and,
trusting to the superior intelligence and experience of his older
sister, had been a silent although deeply moved spectator of the scene.
But when Nadine collapsed, he sprang forward, and spoke out in clear
brave tones.
"Mr. Magistrate, it is no use your torturing my sister like that. You
cannot by so doing compel her to lie. She never deceived anybody in
her life. What she has told you, sir, is perfectly true, every word of
it. The money that you accuse her of stealing was given her by Madame
Pradère, the lady of the Mayor of the town of Morainville."
"Madame Pradère!" exclaimed the magistrate, jumping up from his chair.
"Did you say Madame Pradère?"
"Yes, sir," responded Cæsar. "Madame Pradère who lives in a fine
mansion at Morainville."
"Pradère! Pradère!" repeated the magistrate. "I know him, he was
lieutenant in the regiment when I retired. We were very good friends,
Pradère and I, and we soon shall find out if you are speaking the
truth. I shall write immediately to Morainville and institute inquiries
into your affair."
"Then we are saved!" cried Cæsar, throwing out his arms in a gesture of
relief and joy.
This exclamation was uttered in a tone of such manifest sincerity that
the magistrate, who was not really as hard-hearted as he seemed, and
who had been severe towards the Tambys because it is the custom in
French courts to assume that every person brought them is a criminal,
and to compel them to clear themselves, instead of considering them
innocent until they were proven guilty, was profoundly impressed. He
began to fear that he had been guilty of injustice and undue harshness.
"After all," he reflected somewhat uneasily, "the story told by these
children is very touching, and why may it not be true? I know that as
a rule these mountebanks are not by any means good characters, but
perhaps these orphans are an exception. I must deal more gently with
them." So, with a much less severe expression, and softer tone, he said
to them, Nadine by this time having recovered her self-possession:
"My children, to-morrow we shall clear up your affairs. I shall write to
Morainville requesting an immediate answer, and, if you have told the
truth, you shall be free. But I am obliged to recommit you to prison
until to-morrow. I shall see, however, that you are well cared for."
"Oh, sir, it doesn't matter so much about us," spoke up Nadine. "We can
manage to do without food for a day. We have already done so before,
but our animals----"
"Ah! yes, to be sure," responded the magistrate. "You have a horse,
which has been put in a stable. You need not worry about him. He will
get all he needs."
"But Nalla--what about him?" persisted Nadine, seeming much concerned.
"Nalla!" exclaimed the magistrate rather testily, for he was anxious to
be through with the children for the present. "Who is it that you call
Nalla?"
"Nalla," interposed the brigadier, "is a very big and dangerous beast,
an elephant, which has insisted upon following us, and which at this
moment is out there before your door."
The magistrate went to the window and drew aside the curtains. There
was Nalla, silent and motionless, surrounded by a curious crowd that
took care not to come too near him.
"Oh! ho!" he exclaimed. "What a huge creature? Is he indeed dangerous?"
"He?" replied Nadine, smiling at the idea. "He dangerous? Not a bit of
it! He is as kind as possible, and I will guarantee that he does nobody
any harm. But as he will not consent to part from us, won't you please
permit him to remain at the prison gate until we come out again?"
"Very well, then, if you assure me that he will not do any mischief, I
will consent to what you ask," said the magistrate graciously, "and to
ease your minds, I may tell you that I will at once give orders that
a thorough search of the neighborhood be made for any signs of your
sister."
Nadine, her heart somewhat lightened by the promise, thanked the old
man, and then the three children were escorted by the gendarmes to the
prison.
Here they were confined in a large cell, a bare, comfortless chamber
that was all the more objectionable to them because of their being
accustomed to such a free open-air life. The only source of cheer that
they had was the promise of the sous-préfet to write to M. Pradère
about them. But, presently, even this began to cause them uneasiness.
"What if Madame Pradère should be away from home?" said Nadine with a
sigh of apprehension.
"Oh, don't you remember that the kind old gendarme said that she hardly
ever went away?" responded Cæsar, cheeringly.
"My dear brother," returned Nadine, "you are doing your best to keep
up my spirits, but you see I am not of so hopeful a nature as you are.
It's not my fault, Cæsar, indeed it isn't, but I am troubled with dark
presentiments. I am weighed down with anxiety that I cannot overcome.
It is no doubt due to what has happened during the last two days, for I
am greatly upset by it."
Abel joined with Cæsar in well-meant efforts at consolation, and, as
during the night before, the children had had no sleep at all, they
now began to doze off, and presently all three of them were sound
asleep.
But poor Nadine's rest was disturbed by unpleasant dreams, and about
midnight she awoke with a shriek of terror.
Cæsar at once woke up and sought to find her hand in the darkness that
enshrouded them.
"What is the matter, dear sister?" he asked anxiously. "Are you in
pain? Answer me, Nadine, I beg of you."
But Nadine made no reply, and when Cæsar took her hand he found that it
was cold as ice. The sorely-tried girl had in fact fallen into a deep
swoon.
Cæsar was terrified. Nadine was silent and motionless. Could she be
dead? and there they were, shut up in the prison, without any way of
getting assistance!
He set up a frantic shouting. He hammered on the massive door with all
his might only to get back the dreary echoes of his blows. There was
nobody near at that time to hear him. Everybody in Beaulieu was sound
asleep.
There was one creature, however, that was awake, and whose keen ears
caught the cries Cæsar uttered in his frantic concern. Nalla, keeping
patient faithful watch beside the prison-gate, heard his young master,
and realizing that he was in trouble at once started trumpeting with
all his might.
The appalling sound soon wakened the whole neighborhood, and the
startled folk appeared at the windows and doors of their houses, but
not one of them ventured to approach the huge animal from which it was
proceeding.
On seeing that no one responded to his call Nalla tried to break down
the gate of the prison in order to reach his young owners, and set
them at liberty. But the gate was too strong. It successfully resisted
his assault upon it. Then the wise old creature showed his remarkable
intelligence.
He turned from the gate to the railing and with one stroke of his
mighty trunk laid low the light iron bars. The way being thus cleared
he went out alone into the deserted streets of the town.
Where now was he going with rapid step, and uplifted trunk as though
ready to act in his own defense? Certainly he did not need any one to
show him the way. He evidently knew just what he was about.
On he went, not in the least bothered by the darkness of the night,
until he reached the house to which he had accompanied the children
that morning--that is to say, the residence of the magistrate.
Then he came to a halt, and, without any concern for the peaceful
slumbers of the honest townsfolk of that quarter, he proceeded to renew
his vigorous trumpeting!
The magistrate woke up, and hurried to the window to see what was the
matter.
"The elephant which was left shut up in the prison yard!" he exclaimed.
"How on earth did he get here? He'll arouse the whole town. Go away,
you brute, and be quiet!"
And he closed the window intending to return to bed.
But Nalla had no thought of letting him alone. He repeated his sonorous
appeal.
Of course under the circumstances sleep was out of the question for the
magistrate. Moreover, the whole neighborhood was stirring, although it
was not more than two o'clock of the morning.
Although very angry at first, on second thoughts the old gentleman, so
rudely disturbed, began to say to himself:
"After all there may be something amiss, or why has that big brute come
here? It can only be to seek me out, and obtain my assistance? I must
investigate at once."
So with a certain amount of grumbling he dressed himself, and went
down, opening the front door very carefully.
As soon as Nalla saw him he ceased trumpeting, waved his trunk in
joyful greeting, and, wheeling around, set off for the prison, the
magistrate following meekly in his rear, and marveling at the sagacity
displayed by this remarkable creature.
On their arrival they found the gendarmes gathered before the door,
having been summoned by the startled neighbors. "Open the door
immediately," commanded the magistrate.
The brigadier, who carried a lantern, unlocked the door, and led the
way into the prison, while the other gendarmes remained outside,
preserving a respectful distance from Nalla, who stood as close as
possible to the door, listening intently for every sound.