THE SENTENCE.
It was half-past six, and quite dark; the chevalier's first act on being
left in his room was to run to the chimney.
"Chevalier," said he.
Dumesnil replied.
"I have paid my visit."
"Well?"
"I have found an acquaintance, if not a friend."
"A new prisoner."
"Of the same date as myself."
"His name?"
"Captain la Jonquiere."
"What?"
"Do you know him?"
"Yes!"
"Then do me a favor: what is he?"
"Oh, an enemy of the regent's."
"Are you sure?"
"Quite; he was in our conspiracy, and only withdrew because we preferred
abduction to assassination."
"Then he was--?"
"For assassination."
"That is it," murmured Gaston; "he is a man to be trusted."
"If it be the same I mean, he lives in the Rue Bourdonnais, at the Muids
d'Amour."
"The same."
"Then he is a safe man."
"That is well," said Gaston, "for he holds the lives of four brave
gentlemen in his hands."
"Of whom you are one."
"No, I put myself aside, for it seems all is over with me."
"How all is over?"
"Yes, I am condemned."
"To what?"
"To death."
There was a moment's silence.
"Impossible!" cried the Chevalier Dumesnil, at length.
"Why impossible?"
"Because, if I be not mistaken, your affair is attached to ours."
"It follows on it."
"Well?"
"Well."
"Our affairs prospering, yours cannot go wrong."
"And who says you are prospering?"
"Listen, for with you I will have no secrets."
"I am listening."
"Mademoiselle de Launay wrote me this yesterday. She was walking with
Maison-Rouge, who, as you know, loves her, and at whom we both laugh,
but who is useful to us. On pretext of illness, she asked, as you did,
for a doctor; he told her that the prison doctor was at her orders. I
must tell you that we have known this doctor intimately; his name is
Herment.
"However, she did not hope to get much out of him, for he is a timid
man; but when he entered the garden, where she was walking, and gave her
a consultation in the open air, he said to her, 'Hope!' In the mouth of
any one else this would have been nothing--in his it was a vast deal;
since _we_ are told to hope, _you_ have nothing to fear, as our affairs
are intimately connected."
"However," said Gaston, "La Jonquiere seemed sure of what he said."
At this moment Pompadour knocked.
Gaston went to the hole, which, with the aid of his knife, he soon made
practicable.
"Ask the Chevalier Dumesnil if he does not know anything more from
Mademoiselle de Launay."
"About what?"
"One of us; I overheard some words between the governor and the major at
my door--they were, 'condemned to death.'" Gaston shuddered.
"Be easy, marquis; I believe they spoke of me."
"Diable! that would not make me easy at all; firstly, because we have
quickly become friends, and I should be grieved if anything were to
happen to you; and, secondly, because what happened to you might well
happen to us, our affairs being so similar."
"And you believe that Mademoiselle de Launay could remove your doubts."
"Yes, her windows look on the arsenal."
"Well."
"She would have seen if there were anything new going on there to-day."
"Ah! she is striking now!"
At that moment Mademoiselle de Launay struck two blows, which meant
attention.
Gaston replied by one, which meant that he was listening.
Then he went to the window.
A minute after the string appeared with a letter.
Gaston took the letter, and went to the hole to Pompadour.
"Well?" said the marquis.
"A letter," replied Gaston.
"What does she say?"
"I cannot see, but I will send it to Dumesnil, who will read it."
"Make haste."
"Pardon," said Gaston, "I am as anxious as you;" and he ran to the
chimney.
"The string," he cried.
"You have a letter."
"Yes; have you a light?"
"Yes."
"Lower the string."
Gaston tied on the letter, which was drawn up.
"It is for you and not for me," said Dumesnil.
"Never mind, read it, and tell me what it is; I have no light, and it
would lose time to send me one."
[Illustration: MADEMOISELLE DE LAUNAY.--Page 538.]
"You permit me?"
"Certainly."
A moment's silence.
"Well," said Gaston.
"Diable!"
"Bad news, is it not?"
"Judge for yourself."
And Dumesnil read:
"MY DEAR NEIGHBOR--Some judge extraordinary has arrived
at the arsenal this evening. I recognized D'Argenson's
livery. We shall know more soon, when I see the doctor.
A thousand remembrances to Dumesnil."
"That is what La Jonquiere told me; it is I that am condemned."
"Bah, chevalier," said Dumesnil; "you are too easily alarmed."
"Not at all. I know well what to think, and then--hark!"
"What!"
"Silence; some one is coming." And Gaston went away from the chimney.
The door opened, and the major and lieutenant, with four soldiers, came
for Gaston, who followed them.
"I am lost," murmured he. "Poor Helene."
And he raised his head with the intrepidity of a brave man, who, knowing
death was near, went boldly to meet it.
"Monsieur," said D'Argenson, "your crime has been examined by the
tribunal of which I am the president. In the preceding sittings you were
permitted to defend yourself; if you were not granted advocates, it was
not with the intention of inquiring your defense, but, on the contrary,
because it was useless to give you the extreme indulgence of a tribunal
charged to be severe."
"I do not understand you."
"Then I will be more explicit. Discussion would have made one thing
evident, even in the eyes of your defenders--that you are a conspirator
and an assassin. How could you suppose that with these points
established indulgence would be shown you. But here you are before us,
every facility will be given for your justification. If you ask a delay,
you shall have it. If you wish researches, they shall be made. If you
speak, you have the reply, and it will not be refused you."
"I understand, and thank the tribunal for this kindness," replied
Gaston. "The excuse it gives me for the absence of a defender seems
sufficient. I have not to defend myself."
"Then you do not wish for witnesses, delays, or documents?"
"I wish my sentence--that is all."
"Do not be obstinate, chevalier; make some confessions."
"I have none to make, for in all my interrogatories you have not made
one precise accusation."
"And you wish--?"
"Certainly--I should like to know of what I am accused."
"I will tell you. You came to Paris, appointed by the republican
committee of Nantes, to assassinate the regent. You were referred to one
La Jonquiere, your accomplice, now condemned with you."
Gaston felt that he turned pale at these true accusations. "This might
be true, monsieur," said he, "but you could not know it. A man who
wishes to commit such a deed does not confess it till it be
accomplished."
"No; but his accomplices confess for him."
"That is to say, that La Jonquiere denounces me."
"I do not refer to La Jonquiere, but the others."
"The others!" cried Gaston; "are there, then, others arrested beside La
Jonquiere and myself?"
"Yes. Messieurs de Pontcalec, de Talhouet, du Couedic, and de
Montlouis."
"I do not understand," said Gaston, with a vague feeling of terror--not
for himself, but for his friends.
"What! do you not understand that Messieurs de Pontcalec, de Talhouet,
du Couedic, and de Montlouis are now being tried at Nantes?"
"Arrested!" cried Gaston, "impossible!"
"Yes," said D'Argenson, "you thought that the province would revolt
rather than allow its defenders--as you rebels call yourselves--to be
arrested. Well, the province has said nothing. The province has gone on
singing, laughing, and dancing, and is already asking where they will be
beheaded, in order to hire windows."
"I do not believe you, monsieur," said Gaston, coldly.
"Give me that portfolio," said D'Argenson to a man standing behind him.
"Here, monsieur," continued he, "are the writs of arrest. Do you doubt
their authenticity?"
"That does not say that they have accused me."
"They told all we wanted to know, and your culpability is the result."
"In that case, if they have told all you want to know, you have no need
of my confession."
"Is that your final answer?"
"Yes."
"Officer, read the sentence."
The officer read--
"As the result of the investigation commenced on the 19th of February,
that M. Gaston de Chanlay came from Nantes to Paris with the intention
of committing the crime of murder on the person of his Royal Highness
Monseigneur the Regent of France, which was to have been followed by a
revolt against the authority of the king, the extraordinary commission
instituted to inquire into this crime has adjudged the Chevalier Gaston
de Chanlay worthy of the punishment for high treason, the person of the
regent being as inviolable as that of the king. In consequence--We
ordain that the Chevalier Gaston de Chanlay be degraded from all his
titles and dignities; that he and his posterity be declared ignoble in
perpetuity; that his goods be confiscated, his woods cut down to the
height of six feet from the ground, and he himself beheaded on the
Greve, or wheresoever it shall please the provost to appoint, saving his
majesty's pardon."
Gaston was pale, but still as marble.
"And when am I to be executed?" asked he.
"As soon as it may please his majesty."
Gaston felt a cloud pass before his eyes, and his ideas became confused;
but this soon vanished, and the serenity of his bearing returned, the
blood rushed back to his cheeks, and a contemptuous smile settled on his
lips.
"It is well, monsieur," said he; "at whatever moment his majesty's order
may arrive, it will find me prepared; but I wish to know whether I may
not see some persons who are very dear to me before I die, and I wish to
ask a favor of the king."
D'Argenson's eyes glistened with malignant joy. "Monsieur," said he, "I
told you that you would be treated with indulgence. You might therefore
have spoken sooner, and perhaps his highness's kindness might not have
waited for a prayer."
"You mistake me, monsieur," said Gaston, with dignity; "neither his
majesty's honor nor mine will suffer from the favor which I shall ask."
"What would you ask?" said D'Argenson; "speak, and I will tell you at
once if there be a chance of your request being granted."
"I ask, first, that my titles and dignities--which are not very
great--should not be canceled, as I have no posterity. I am alone in the
world; my name only survives me; but as that name is only noble, and not
illustrious, it would not survive long."
"This is quite a royal favor, monsieur. His majesty alone can and will
reply. Is that all you wish to ask?"
"No; I have another request to make, but I do not know to whom I should
apply."
"First to me, monsieur, in my character of lieutenant of police. I shall
see if I can grant it, or if I must refer it to his majesty."
"Well, then, monsieur, I desire to see Mademoiselle Helene de Chaverny,
ward of his excellency the Duc d'Olivares, and also the duke himself."
D'Argenson, at this request, made a singular gesture, which Gaston
interpreted as one of hesitation.
"Monsieur," said Gaston, "I would see them in any place, and for as
short a time as may be thought advisable."
"You shall see them," said D'Argenson.
"Ah! monsieur," said Gaston, stepping forward as though to take his
hand, "you lay me under the greatest obligation."
"On one condition, however, monsieur."
"What is it? there is no condition compatible with my honor that I will
not accept in exchange for so great a favor."
"You must tell no one of your condemnation, and this on your word as a
gentleman."
"I accede to that all the more willingly," said Gaston, "as one of the
persons named would certainly die if she knew of it."
"Then all is well; have you anything further to say?"
"Nothing, monsieur, except to beg that you will record my denials."
"They are already firmly attached--officer, hand the papers to Monsieur
de Chanlay, that he may read and sign them."
Gaston sat down by a table, and, while D'Argenson and the judges chatted
around him, he carefully perused the papers and the report of his own
answers to the interrogatory--then, finding all correct, he signed.
"Monsieur," said he, "here are the documents. Shall I have the pleasure
of seeing you again?"
"I do not think so," said D'Argenson, with that brutality which was the
terror of those who were subjected to him.
"Then to our meeting in another world, monsieur."
The major led Gaston to his own room.