THE PATROL.
As he lost himself in these reflections, and leaning over the parapet
of the bridge, enjoyed a melancholy pleasure in gazing on the dark
still water, he heard the measured tread of a little troop, like that
of a patrol. Maurice turned round; it was a company of the National
Guard, arrived by the other extremity, and in the obscurity he fancied
he recognized Lorin. It was he, indeed. The instant he saw his friend
Maurice he ran toward him with open arms.
"Found at last," cried Lorin. "Faith, it is not without some trouble
that we have rejoined you.
"'But since I find a friend so fond,
My fate assumes an aspect new.'
This time you will not complain, I hope, for I have given you Racine
instead of Lorin."
"But what do you do here as patrol?" inquired Maurice, anxiously.
"I am the chief of the expedition, old fellow; the business is to
establish our blemished reputation upon its original footing." Then
turning toward his company, "Carry arms! Present arms! Shoulder arms!"
"There, my lads, it is not yet sufficiently dark, so you can talk over
your little affairs while we follow your example." Then turning to
Maurice, "I have heard great news at the section to-day," continued
Lorin.
"What!"
"First, that you and I are beginning to be suspected."
"I know it. What next?"
"Secondly, that the whole conspiracy of the carnations was conducted by
the Chevalier de Maison-Rouge."
"I know that also."
"But this you do not know,--that the conspiracy of the carnations and
that of the subterranean passage are one and the same."
"Again, I know it."
"Then let us pass on to the third piece of news. This I am certain you
cannot know. We go this night to capture the Chevalier de Maison-Rouge."
"To take the Chevalier de Maison-Rouge?"
"Yes."
"Have you then turned gendarme?"
"No; but I am a patriot. A patriot belongs to his country. Now my
country is horribly ravaged by this Chevalier, who forms plot upon
plot. Well, my country commands me, being a patriot, to free her from
this Chevalier de Maison-Rouge, who distresses her horribly, and I obey
my country."
"It is all the same," said Maurice; "but it is singular that you should
be charged with this commission."
"I am not charged; I charge myself, or rather, I should say, I
solicited the commission. It required a brilliant stroke to reinstate
us in our former position; while our re-establishment will not only
prove security for our lives, but still more the right of putting, at
the very first opportunity offered, six inches of steel into the belly
of that hideous Simon."
"But how are they sure it was the Chevalier who was the instigator of
this subterranean plot?"
"They are not yet certain, but they presume so."
"You proceed, then, upon inference?"
"No; we proceed by certainty."
"How do you make out all this?"
"Listen."
"I am listening."
"I had scarcely heard the cry 'Grand conspiracy discovered by the
Citizen Simon,'--that beast Simon (the wretch is everywhere),--than
I wished to judge of the truth for myself. Then, they spoke of a
subterranean passage."
"Does it really exist?"
"It does; I have seen it;
"'Seen it with both my eyes; that I call seeing,--'
There, why do you not hiss?"
"Because that is Molière; and besides, these events, I must confess,
appear to me rather too serious for pleasantry."
"What can we jest about, if we do not jest about serious things?"
"You say, then, that you have seen it?"
"I repeat that I have seen the subterranean passage. It extends from
the cellar of the Widow Plumeau to a house in the Rue de la Corderie,
No. 12 or 14, I cannot remember which."
"Really? Have you passed through it, Lorin?"
"I have, the whole length; and, faith, it is a trench prettily cut, I
assure you; and moreover it was divided by three iron gratings, which
they have been obliged to remove one after the other, but which, in
case these conspirators had succeeded, would have given them time, by
sacrificing two or three of their number, to have placed Madame Widow
Capet in a place of safety. Happily it is not so, and that hideous
Simon discovered all!"
"But it appears to me," said Maurice, "those who ought to have been
first arrested were the inhabitants of the house in the Rue de la
Corderie."
"This would have been, had they not found the house perfectly
uninhabited."
"But at least this house must belong to some one?"
"Yes, to a new proprietor; but no one knows who. They know the house
changed masters two weeks since, and that is all. The neighbors have
often heard a noise; but the house being very old, they had imagined it
was undergoing thorough repair. As to the late proprietor, he has left
Paris. In the mean time I arrived."
"'Upon my word!' said I to Santerre, drawing him aside, 'you are in an
awkward situation.'
"'Indeed we are,' replied he.
"'This house has been sold, has it not?'
"'Yes, it was, about a fortnight ago.'
"'Was it sold in the presence of a notary?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then we must search all the notaries in Paris, to discover which of
them sold this house, and then make him produce the agreement, at the
bottom of which will be found the name of the purchaser.'
"'Well and good!' said Santerre, 'that is capital advice, and coming
too from a man they accuse of not being a good patriot. Lorin! Lorin! I
will re-establish you, or may the foul fiend seize me!'
"To be brief," continued Lorin, "this was no sooner said than done. The
notary was sought for, the act was found, and upon the agreement the
name and domicile of the culprit were written. Then Santerre took me
aside, and I have engaged to arrest him."
"Was this man the Chevalier de Maison-Rouge?"
"No, only his accomplice,--that is to say, in all probability he was
so."
"Then how is it you say you are going to arrest the Chevalier de
Maison-Rouge?"
"We are going to arrest them all together."
"Do you, then, know this Chevalier de Maison-Rouge?"
"Perfectly."
"Have you seen the description of him?"
"By thunder! Santerre gave it to me. Five feet two or three inches,
fair hair, blue eyes, straight nose, etc.; besides, I have seen him."
"When?"
"This very day."
"You have seen him?"
"And so have you."
Maurice started.
"The short, fair young man who rescued us this morning,--he who
commanded the troop of Muscadins, and struck so hard."
"Was that the Chevalier?" demanded Maurice.
"Himself. They followed and lost him in the environs of the domicile of
our proprietor of the Rue de la Corderie, so that we surmise they live
together."
"It seems probable."
"It is certain."
"But it seems to me, Lorin," added Maurice, "that if this evening you
arrest him who rescued you this very morning, you are much wanting in
gratitude."
"Go along, then," said Lorin; "why, you don't suppose he saved us for
our own sakes, do you?"
"For what else, then?"
"Not at all; they were in ambush to carry off the poor girl, Héloïse
Tison, as she passed to the scaffold. Our cut-throats embarrassed them,
so they fell upon the cut-throats; that was the whole of it. We have
been saved by a _contre-coup_. Now, as the intention is everything, and
there was no intention, I have nothing to accuse myself with on the
score of ingratitude. Besides, do you see, Maurice, the capital point
is necessity; and the necessity is that we should reinstate ourselves
by some brilliant achievement. And then I have promised for you."
"To whom?"
"To Santerre; he knows that you command this expedition."
"How can that be?"
"'Are you sure of arresting these criminals?' said he to me.
"'Yes,' I replied; 'if Maurice is with me.'
"'But are you sure of Maurice? For some time he has been looked upon as
rather lukewarm.'
"'Those who say so are totally deceived. Maurice is no more lukewarm in
the cause than I am myself.'
"'And you will answer for his fidelity?'
"'As for my own.' I then went to your house, but could not find you
at home. I took this road first because it lay in my way, and then I
remembered it was the one you usually frequented; so at last we have
met. Forward! March!
"'Where Victory leads us still onward we go,
Ever joyfully singing we'll face every foe.'"
"My dear Lorin, I am in despair. I do not feel the slightest taste for
this expedition. Say that you were not able to find me."
"Impossible! all our men have seen you."
"Well, then, say you met me, and I was not willing to join you."
"Again impossible."
"But why so?"
"Because this time you will not only be considered lukewarm, but a
_suspect_; and you well know the fate of _these suspects_. They are
conducted to the Place de la Révolution, and are there invited to
salute the statue of Liberty; only instead of saluting with the hat
they substitute the head."
"Well, Lorin, I hardly care how soon this fate may befall me; but
without doubt it seems strange to you to hear me say so."
Lorin opened his eyes wide, and looked at Maurice.
"Well," said Maurice, "I am weary of life."
Lorin burst into a roar of laughter.
"Ah! ah!" said he, "we have had a quarrel with our beloved, and that
fills us with melancholy ideas. Come, my handsome Amadis! let us return
to the man, and from that we shall pass to the citizen. As for me I
am never a better patriot than when I am embroiled with Arthémise.
Apropos, her Divinity the Goddess Reason charged me with a thousand
gracious messages for you."
"Pray thank her for me. Adieu, Lorin."
"Adieu! how adieu?"
"Yes, I am going."
"Where are you going?"
"I am going home."
"Maurice, you will ruin yourself."
"I laugh at the idea."
"Maurice, reflect; my friend, reflect!"
"I have done so."
"I have not repeated all--"
"What?"
"That Santerre said to me."
"What did he say?"
"When I asked for you to be chief of this expedition, he said to me,
'Take care!'"
"'Of whom?'
"'Of Maurice.'"
"Of me?"
"Yes, Maurice; and he also added, 'he often goes into that quarter?'"
"Into what quarter?"
"Into that of Maison-Rouge."
"How?" cried Maurice, "is it here he hides himself?"
"They fancy so, since it is here his supposed accomplice resides, the
purchaser of the house in the Rue de la Corderie."
"Faubourg Victor?" demanded Maurice.
"Yes; Faubourg Victor."
"And in what street?"--
"In the old Rue Saint Jacques."
"O God!" murmured Maurice, as if struck by a thunderbolt. And he
pressed his hand before his eyes. But after a moment's interval, during
which he had collected all his courage,--
"What trade?" said he.
"A master-tanner."
"His name?"
"Dixmer."
"You are right, Lorin," said Maurice, by a violent effort controlling
his emotion; "I will go with you."
"And you do well; are you armed?"
"I always carry my sword."
"Take also this pair of pistols."
"And you?"
"I have my gun. Carry arms! Shoulder arms! Forward! March!"
The patrol commenced its march, accompanied by Maurice, who walked
near Lorin. They were preceded by a man dressed in gray, who directed
their movements. This was an agent of police.
From time to time a shadow might be seen emerging from the angles of
the streets or the doors of the houses, who exchanged some words with
the man in gray. This was the inspector. On arriving at the little
street, the man in gray did not hesitate for an instant. He was well
instructed, and entered the street at once. Before the door of the
garden where Maurice had been so nearly garroted, he stopped.
"It is here," said he.
"What is here?" demanded Lorin.
"It is here we shall find the two principals."
Maurice supported himself against the wall; he felt as if he were
sinking to the ground.
"Now," said the man in gray, "there are three entrances,--the principal
entrance, this one, and another which leads into a pavilion. I shall
enter with six or eight men through the principal entrance, in the mean
time keep guard here with four or five men, and place three sure men at
the entrance of the pavilion."
"I will get over the wall," said Maurice, "and watch in the garden."
"The very thing," said Lorin, "as from the interior you can open the
door to us."
"Willingly," said Maurice, "but do not clear the passage, or come,
till I call you. All that passes in the interior I shall see from the
garden."
"You are acquainted with the house, then?" demanded Lorin.
"Some time back I wished to buy it."
Lorin proceeded to conceal his men in the corners of the hedges and
angles of the doors, while the agent of police retired with six or
eight National Guards to force his way by the principal entrance. In
an instant the noise of their receding steps ceased in the distance,
without having awakened the least suspicion. Maurice's men were at
their post, and did their best to keep concealed. One would have
declared that everything was perfectly quiet, and that nothing
extraordinary was passing in the old Rue Saint Jacques. Maurice then
began to climb the wall.
"Listen," said Lorin.
"To what?"
"The countersign."
"Right."
"'Carnation and Vault.' Stop all those who cannot give these three
words. Permit all to pass who can. This is the password."
"Thanks," said Maurice, dropping from the top of the wall into the
garden.