whispered. "The passage is very narrow, and dark as dark. Thanks,
Saint Simon," he continued, as he squeezed by him; and then, as if to
himself, but loud enough for Francis to hear, "and then if there is any
trap or pitfall in the way I shall be the sufferer, and they will hear
me and escape. Ah," he continued to himself, "the way seems easy, and
what did the lad say?--that it led after several turns to some stairs
which descended to the ground floor, and finally to a door which opened
upon a bosky portion of the terrace, and from there led on through
various alleys to the river, a flight of steps, and a boat. Ah, a good
way to escape; but we must have our horses, and trust to them. Well,
once within the grounds--I have not been here all these days for
nothing--and it will go hard if I do not find my way to the stabling,
where Denis should be waiting with the ready saddled steeds, if he has
done his duty as I bade."
As he thought this over to himself, breaking it up, as it were, into
sentences between which were whispered words of encouragement to those
who followed, bidding them come on, telling them that all was clear, and
to beware of "this angle," and the like, he passed on and on with
outstretched hands in front, his fingers gliding on either side over
smooth stone walls, till at last he was suddenly checked by a blank.
"Ah!" he muttered, as he felt about cautiously. "This should be the top
of the steps." And so it proved; for, proceeding carefully from the
angle along to his left, his advanced foot, as he glided it over the
floor, rested on an edge.
"The topmost stair," he muttered.
Making certain that it was, Leoni uttered fresh warnings, and then began
to descend, followed slowly by his companions. At the bottom they
proceeded for a while upon the level, when he was brought up short by
his fingers encountering on one side the great iron pintle of a hinge,
while the other touched the edge of a stone rebate, into which a heavy
door was sunk.
"Hah!" he uttered, with a sigh of relief. "Here is the way out of this
kingly fox-burrow." And his hand glided down the edge of the door till
it came in contact with a huge lock, about which for a few moments his
fingers played, while a chill ran through him, filling him with despair,
for the truth had come upon him like a flash: there was no key in the
lock; the door was fast; and just in this hour of triumph they were as
much prisoners as if they were in a cell.
"Well, Leoni," whispered Francis, "why are you stopping? This place
makes me feel as if I could not breathe."
"I am not stopping, sir," said the doctor bitterly; "I have been
stopped."
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
CHECK!--QUERY, MATE?
Feeling that the crisis had come, no sooner did Denis hear the first
strokes of the second chiming of the clock, which came so opportunely
upon the King's discovery, than the lad dashed off along the passage
leading towards the staircase that he would have to descend to gain the
inner court and the stabling.
But he had not proceeded many yards before he stopped short, startled by
the thought that if he continued by this corridor he would come right
upon some gentleman of the household, whose nightly duty it was to be on
guard at the angle of the gallery which led towards the King's
apartments.
"Oh," he muttered beneath his breath, "I had forgotten. Carrbroke told
me he would be there to-night."
There was nothing for it but to retrace his steps, pass right round
two-thirds of one of the lesser courts, and get back to the corridor
again beyond the range of apartments sacred to the King.
Then reaching the end of the gallery, he began to hurry once more to
make up for lost time, when feeling that, much as he desired to act,
such hurried procedure would attract the attention of the first officer
who was on guard, the lad checked his headlong steps, thrust his hands
into his trunk hose, and began to walk carelessly along, catching up and
humming the air which came softly from where the musicians were still
playing.
It was well he did, for as he turned the next corner he came upon a
couple of the King's guards upon the landing at the head of a staircase.
His face was familiar to the men as one of the King's guests, and it
being right away from the royal apartments, they gave way for him to
pass, and making a tremendous effort over himself, he descended very
slowly and carelessly, the hardest part of all being to stop once or
twice as if listening to the music, and then go on humming the air.
He breathed more freely as he passed out into the courtyard and crossed
it, fully expecting to encounter a guard at the archway which gave upon
the next court.
As he expected, there were a couple of armed men here ready to challenge
him; but before they could speak he stopped short to ask whether he
would find men in attendance at the stables, adding carelessly in very
fair English:
"I want to see how our horses are getting on."
It was so likely a mission that the principal of the two guards
volunteered the information at once that some of the grooms would be
sure to be there at that time for a final look round before closing for
the night.
"You know your way, sir?" added the man respectfully.
"Oh yes, thank you," said Denis carelessly; "I know my way." And he
walked on, panting heavily now, in spite of his slow pace. "This is the
hardest work of all," he muttered, "for I want to run--I want to run.
But oh, how I do hate it all! They must be stealing the jewel now, for
I can call it nothing else but a theft. How glad I am that they have
sent me away, and I am not obliged to degrade myself with such a task.
But yet I am helping, and seem as bad as they--but no, not _as_ bad.
Leoni says it is right, and--yes, it was stolen from us, and it is but
to restore it to France--to France."
"Now for it," he muttered, as he neared the entrance to the great
stables, where to his delight he could see by the light within that the
door was open and a shadow passing the lit-up entry showed him that at
all events part of his task would be easy. "Now no more thinking. I am
but doing my duty, and it is time to act."
Increasing his pace now, he stepped boldly into a broad shelter from
which a long, dimly seen vista of horse-stalls opened out to right and
left, and he was confronted at once by two of a group of men, three of
whom bore lanterns, and who were coming towards him as if about to leave
the place.
"Here," he cried authoritatively, as he recognised one of the grooms as
being he who had their steeds in charge, "I want our horses saddled at
once."
"To-night, sir?" said the man, glancing at the lad's courtly costume in
search of his boots and spurs, and seeking in vain, his eyes being only
met by glistening silk and rosetted shoon.
"Yes," replied Denis haughtily; "to-night"; and then half laughingly,
"It is fresh and cool and pleasant, is it not?"
"Yes, sir," said the man, "but--"
"The rooms are hot and stifling to-night, and the Comte my master wishes
to ride forth. You will be well rewarded for the extra trouble and--ah,
here," he continued, thrusting his hand into Leoni's pouch, "I forgot;
you will of course sit up till we return. Here is something to pay for
wine."
He held out a couple of gold pieces, which, as they were taken, acted
like magic, and a busy little scene of emulation ensued, every man being
eager to assist in bridling and saddling the beautiful chargers that had
been standing haltered in their stalls.
It was hard work for Denis, whose pulses were throbbing with impatience;
but he carried out his part well, patting and stroking first one and
then another of the noble beasts, and talking to them the while.
"It seems rather hard," he said, speaking in the same haughty tone to
the man he had before addressed; "but a good canter round the park will
do them good, and their work is very easy nowadays."
The groom agreed to everything he said, for the glint of the gold placed
in his hand was still before his eyes; and in a very short space of
time, long as it seemed to the impatient lad, the last strap and buckle
were fastened, and with a man giving final touches to glistening coat
and mane, the horses were about to be led forth.
"We are to take them round to the great entrance, sir?" said the chief
groom.
"Oh no," replied Denis carelessly. "Just lead them into the entry; the
Comte and his gentlemen are going to join me here. It is just for a
quiet night ride, and--ah," he added, with a faint gasp of relief, "here
they come!" For heavy footsteps approaching hastily could be heard
outside--footsteps of only one, but which the lad in his wild excitement
easily magnified into those of all his friends, as he walked far more
swiftly than he intended to meet the three fugitives, ready to mount and
in full career leave the hospitable place behind.
The words were on his lips to greet them and say, "All is ready; you can
mount in here." But they were frozen on his lips, for the light from
within fell full upon a big burly form, that of an enemy who, like a
flash, the lad felt, could only have come upon a mission of evil; and he
stood as if turned to stone, as a familiar voice exclaimed:
"Hallo, my French friend! I saw you cross the Court and come in here,
and so I watched. What's your business, pray, at this time of the
night? Have you come to steal his Majesty's steeds?"
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.
LEONI'S PUPIL.
"How dare you!" cried Denis.
"Oh, I'll soon show you how I dare, my lad," cried Sir Robert Garstang.
"Here, you fellow, who gave you orders to get those horses ready?"
"This gentleman, sir," said the groom.
"What, this Comte de la Seine's page, or whatever he is? And what right
has he to instruct you to get horses out at this time of night?"
"I don't know, Sir Robert. We were told to get them ready," said the
man humbly.
"Ah, but this must be inquired into. There's something wrong here, I
feel sure."
"Take no notice of this man," cried Denis, forgetting in his excitement
that he must speak in English, however bad, if he wished the grooms to
understand, and addressing them excitedly in French.
"Bah!" cried Sir Robert, in his most bullying tones. "Take no notice of
the fellow's jabber. I order you not to let these horses go without the
permission of the chamberlain or the King's Master of the Horse."
"But they are the gentlemen's own horses, Sir Robert," said the man
quietly, "and not the King's."
"I don't care," cried the officer. "The rules are, as I know well, that
no horses shall leave here without special orders after dark."
Denis grasped every word that was said, and stood literally trembling
with excitement, anticipating as he did that at any moment his friends
might arrive, when there would be a discovery of the attempted flight,
and all would be over.
In his desperation, just as his heart seemed sinking to the lowest ebb,
Leoni's words recurred to him. He had used the gold, while now, as the
doctor had told him, he had his sword; and at this thought he drew in
his breath through his teeth with a sharp low hiss.
"You hear!" cried Sir Robert sharply. "These horses are not to leave
the stable till I return with some one in authority who shall decide
what is to be done. You understand me? On your lives, obey!"
He swung round to stride out of the building, and then started with
surprise, for the young esquire's rapier flashed out sharply in the dull
light of the lanterns, as he drew and cried sternly:
"On your life, sir, stand back, and cease to interfere! I have the
highest of commands for what I do."
"What!" cried Sir Robert. "Why, I have been waiting for this, to pay
you back the smart you gave me--insolent French puppy that you are!
Give up your sword, sir. Do you know that it is a crime to draw in the
precincts of the castle? This you have done, and it is my duty as one
of his Majesty's officers to arrest you on the spot. Give up your
sword, sir, at once. You are my prisoner."
"Take my sword," cried Denis sharply, "and make me your prisoner,
insolent boor, if you dare or can."
"On your head be it then," cried Sir Robert, loosening his cloak,
twisting it quickly round his left arm, and drawing his sword, while the
chief groom, startled by the danger in which the young esquire stood,
whispered quickly to a couple of his underlings to hurry for the guard.
"Stop!" cried Sir Robert fiercely. "Let no man stir if he value his
skin. I know what you would do, and that I'll do myself when I have
corrected this springald here.--Now, boy," he roared, "your sword!"
"Now, Master Leoni," whispered the boy between his teeth, as he rapidly
placed himself on guard and made a feint at the burly captain's chest.
"Take it, insolent bully!" he said sharply; and the officer in his
astonishment at the suddenness of the attack, fell back a pace; but
recovering himself on the instant, he crossed swords with his young
adversary. Then, to the excitement and delight of the grooms, who
raised their lanterns to the full extent of their arms that the
combatants might see, the triangular-bladed weapons began to give forth
that peculiar harsh gritting sound of two steel edges rasping together.
The encounter was but short, for, relying upon the superior strength of
his arm, and determined to punish his slight young adversary in revenge
for the past, the captain pressed hard upon him, lunging rapidly with
all the vigour he could command, his intention being to drive his
antagonist backward against one or other of the walls and pin him there.
But he had reckoned without his host, for though Denis was no
long-practised swordsman, Leoni's lessons had not been without their
effect, and as thrust after thrust was lightly turned aside, the young
esquire firmly stood his ground, merely stepping sideways and letting
his adversary's baffled blade glide by his slight form, while refraining
from thrusting again and again when the burly captain had laid himself
so open that he was quite at the lad's mercy.
"Oh," growled the captain at the end of a couple of minutes' encounter,
and he drew back to rest. "That is your play, is it? You refuse to be
disarmed when I have mercifully shown myself disposed to let you off
without a scratch."
"Your tongue is sharper than your sword, sir," said the boy scornfully;
"and it is worse. It is poisoned, for every word you have spoken is a
lie."
"What!" cried the captain, enraged by the low murmur uttered by the
grooms as if endorsing the young esquire's words. "More insolent than
ever! Give up your sword, or, by Heaven, I'll send you back to the
castle upon a litter."
"Send me, then," said the lad contemptuously, "or be prepared to go
yourself."
"Bah! No more words. Come on," cried the captain; and he prepared to
attack once more.
"My turn now," whispered the boy to himself, "and it is time;" for in
his excitement he fancied that he could hear steps approaching. But
there was not a sound save the gritting of the rapiers and the captain's
hoarse panting breath as he uttered a loud expiration at every thrust.
For in his turn, in spite of his determination to make this second
encounter an attack, and force his young adversary to remain entirely on
his guard, the retort had begun, and before a minute had elapsed he
uttered a sharp ejaculation as he felt the sharp pain caused by the
lad's keen point ripping open his muscular right arm. Stung now with
rage, hatred, and the determination to have revenge, he literally rushed
at the lad, to force him down, with the natural result that he threw
himself open to the point of his more skilful enemy, who chose his
moment, and made one quick thrust which darted like lightning through
the captain's bull-like neck, making him utter a low, deep growl as his
sword flew from his hand, and he staggered backwards into the arms of a
couple of the grooms, who lowered him to the ground.
"Hah!" ejaculated Denis, whose heart was beating fast, and stepping
forward he stooped over his fallen adversary, raised a portion of his
cloak and drew his blade through it twice over. "Stop!" he cried
quickly. "What are you going to do?" His loud question was addressed
to the chief groom. "No," cried the boy sternly; "lift him in yonder,"
and he pointed with his blade towards the saddle-room. "Lay him there;
tear strips off his cloak, and bind up his arm and neck. The greatest
help you can give him now is to stop the bleeding."
There was a tone of command in the boy's uttered words which had the
natural effect, and the men busied themselves at once with their task,
taking with them their lanterns and doing at once as they had been told,
while they were so intent upon their task that they did not notice that
Denis had followed them, to draw to the door and slip the two bolts with
which it was furnished into their sockets.
Then sheathing his sword, he turned quickly to the stable, where the
four chargers stood untethered, and caught his own by the bridle, to
begin leading it to the door.
He trusted to the nature of the horses for the result, old stable
companions as they were, and it was as he expected, for the intelligent
animals followed their leader quietly enough, to stand together in the
entry waiting, like their master, for what might come.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
A DASH FOR LIBERTY.
"Oh!" groaned Denis to himself, as he stood in the darkness watching the
shape of the saddle-room door, marked-out as it was in lines of light
from the lanterns within, listening to the low muttering of voices, and
shuddering once as his wounded adversary uttered a low deep groan, which
was followed directly after by an angry ejaculation as if he were
enraged by the clumsy surgery of the men.
"Is all this going to be in vain?" muttered the boy. "It is as if the
whole business is accursed and is bound to fail."
He stood listening, and the talking went on, to be interrupted by
another fierce ejaculation from the captain, who gave some order; but
what it was Denis could not grasp, and he literally groaned again.
"They do not come! They do not come!" he said. "It is all useless.
They must have failed."
He had hardly spoken the words when he fancied he heard steps; but all
was still, and then he started violently and clapped his hand to his
sword, for some one tried to open the saddle-room door, then shook it,
and the words of whoever it was came plainly to the lad's cars:
"I can't, Sir Robert. He has shut us in."
"What!" came hoarsely; and at the same moment Denis's heart leaped, for
there was no mistake this time. Footsteps were rapidly approaching,
whether friends' or foes' it was impossible to tell, and taking a step
outside the door with his bridle over his arm, his horse followed him,
setting in motion the other three, which, well-trained as they were,
ranged up alongside upon the cobble stones before the double doors.
There was no doubt now, for three figures, plainly seen by the light
which shone out of the saddle-room window, came breathlessly up, and the
first to speak cried in familiar tones:
"My horse! Is it ready? Quick!"
"Yes, Sire," whispered Denis, and Francis uttered a quick low "Hah!" as
he gathered up the reins and prepared to mount, his two companions
following his example, just as the lit-up window was dashed out by some
heavy blow, the glass coming tinkling down upon the stones outside, and
a hoarse voice that Denis knew only too well roared out:
"Guard, here! Guard! Help! In the King's name! Guard!"
As the last words came hoarsely forth on to the night air, _clang,
clang, clang_, burst out the tocsin of the alarm bell, silencing the
music in the ballroom and sending an electric thrill through every
listener within the precincts of the castle; but ere the great bell had
sent forth a score of vibrating notes which came quivering through the
darkness and echoing from every wall, the clattering of hoofs began in
obedience to the whispered commands of his Majesty of France:
"Draw, draw, and all together to the gates. Then lead, Leoni, and ride
hard--straight away, man, for the south."
The horses had not made a dozen strides before their sharp hoof
clatterings upon the paved court gave place to the dull _thud, thud_,
returned from gravel, while before a hundred yards had been passed over,
a couple of lanterns began to dance here and there right before them,
their dull yellow rays being reflected from the broad blades of halberds
borne by men who were evidently forming up in obedience to a shouted
order, before making for the castle.
The horsemen needed no command. They knew what they had to do--to
charge right through the night watch assembling from the guard-room; and
this they did.
There were shouts, commands to stop in the King's name, the impact of
horse and man, and the clatter and jangle of steel against steel, as the
fugitives rode their opponents down, kept together, and dashed on for
another hundred yards or so, and then were brought up short by that
which had not entered into their calculations, for they simultaneously
drew rein as Saint Simon, fully excited now, roared in a voice of
thunder; "The gates are shut!"
The King uttered a low gasp, and it was Leoni who said sharply:
"Only the great gates. The doorway--is it right or left?"
"Here," cried Denis; "this way, Sire!" And he made a snatch at the rein
of the monarch's horse and drew back his own for him to pass, closely
followed by Leoni, who was just in time to rise in his stirrups and make
a thrust at a tall halberdier who had suddenly stepped forward to seize
the rein of Francis's horse.
The man uttered no cry, only dropped his halberd and staggered back as
Leoni passed on into the darkness, his horse running side by side with
that of the King.
Meanwhile--it was almost momentary--Saint Simon, who was the next to
pass through the narrow pier-bound way, cried out excitedly to his young
friend:
"Come on, boy! It will be a ride for life."
Denis knew it, as he sat there motionless as a statue upon his horse,
with his sword pointed towards the advancing enemy, a full score of them
dimly seen in the gloom, who, recovering from the terrible shock they
had received, came running with their clumsy partisans levelled for
their charge, to take revenge upon and capture the daring unknown party
which had made this desperate attack.
There were men among them who were suffering from blows and from
trampling hoofs, and other injuries they had received; but as they ran
they recovered their well-trained formation, and with their leader
dashed two and two through the narrow postern gate and along the
darkened road for full a couple of hundred yards, before the stern
command rang out for them to halt.
As the trampling of their feet ceased to beat upon the road they stood
in the silence listening to the tramp of hoofs, which grew fainter and
fainter, till the last sound died away and the silence was broken by a
deep groan uttered by one of the men, who now dropped out and sank upon
his knees.
"Who's that?" cried the leader sharply.
"Staines Dick," was the reply.
"Humph!" grunted the sergeant who had led the pursuit. "That's two of
us gone down. I saw the sentry had it as we passed out. Is there
anyone among you as would like to be sergeant instead of me?"
"No," said another voice. "Why?"
"Because I am Sergeant of the Guard, my lads, and I shall have to go
back and meet the King."
There was a peculiar sound from the little body of men, caused by their
simultaneously sharply drawing in their breath, and then silence once
again, as they listened to make sure that the beating of hoofs had
passed beyond their ken. Then once more the sergeant spoke out.
"Halberds here," he said sharply, "and make a litter for this poor chap.
That's right; lift him gently. Have you got it badly, lad?"
"No, sergeant; only my left arm broke. It was the hoof of a horse as he
galloped over me and struck me aside."
"Hah!" said the sergeant, as he marched beside the improvised litter and
went on talking to his injured man. "It's bad, my lad, bad; but it
don't mean funeral march, and between ourselves, Staines Dick. I wish I
was you."
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
BLUFF HAL RAGES.
"I don't understand this, Hurst. I don't understand it a bit. One
moment I feel that he is no Comte, at another that there may be
something in what you say. But just now I can think of nothing but de
la Seine not being in his room. Bah! He cannot have taken to flight,
thinking that I have discovered who he is; but we must find out that."
At this moment the King was passing along the centre of the gallery
devoted to the priceless treasures of his collection, to which Carrbroke
had so proudly directed the young French visitor's attention, when his
foot came suddenly in contact with something which he sent flying along
the polished oaken boards, the object making a musical metallic sound.
"What's that?" cried the King sharply; and the chamberlain started
forward into the gloom close beneath one of the windows, to pick up
after a moment's search what proved on being held up to the light to be
a beautiful little golden cup covered with such _repousse_ work as would
most likely have been placed there by some Italian artist of the
Benvenuto Cellini type.
A faint cry of wonder escaped the chamberlain's lips.
"A golden cup!" exclaimed the King, as he leaned over to gaze at the
little object. "How comes that there? Why, Hurst, that little _tazza_
should be in the big cabinet yonder, where the French jewel lies.
Quick! Here."