"Received, of M. Jean-Louis Robier, the sum of fifty francs, on
account, for thirty sacks of flour, which I engage to deliver to him
May 28.
F. TERRIEN.
May 14, 1832."
"Well," said the sub-prefect, "I don't see any information there."
"Turn over the paper."
"Ah, ha!" exclaimed the functionary.
The paper which he held was one half of a page of letter paper torn
through the middle. On the other side from that on which the receipt
was written were these words:--
arquis
ceived this instant the news
her whom we are expecting.
Beaufays, evening of 26th
send officers of your division
presented to Madame.
your people in hand.
respectfully,
oux.
"The devil!" cried the sub-prefect; "that is nothing more nor less
than a call to arms. It is easy enough to make out the rest."
"Nothing easier," said the general. Then he added, in a low voice,
"Too easy, perhaps."
"Ah, _ça!_ didn't you tell me these people were sly and cautious? I
call this, on the contrary, a bit of innocent carelessness which is
amazing."
"Wait," said Dermoncourt; "that's not all."
"Ah, ha!"
"After parting with my seller of oats I met a beggar, half an idiot. I
talked to him about the good God and the saints and the Virgin, about
the buckwheat and the apple year (you observe that the apple-trees are
in bloom), and I ended by asking him if he could not act as guide for
us to Loroux, where, as you know, I am to make an inspection. 'I
can't,' said my idiot, with a mischievous look. 'Why not?' I asked in
the stupidest way I could. 'Because I am ordered to guide a lady and
two gentlemen from Puy-Laurens to La Flocelière.'"
"The devil! here's a complication."
"On the contrary, enlightenment."
"Explain."
"Confidences which are given when not extorted, in a region where it
is so difficult to get them, seem to me such clumsy traps that an old
fox like myself ought to be ashamed to be caught by them. The Duchesse
de Berry, if she is really in La Vendée, cannot be at Souday and
Beaufays and Puy-Laurens at the same time. What do you think, my dear
sub-prefect?"
"Confound it all!" replied the public functionary, scratching his
head, "I think she may have been, or still may be, in all those
places, one after another; but if I were you, instead of chasing her
round from place to place, where she may or may not have been, I
should go straight to La Flocelière, where your idiot is to take her
to-day."
"Then you would make a very poor bloodhound, my dear fellow. The only
reliable information we have so far received is that given by the
scamp who had the biscuit, and whom you examined here--"
"But the others?"
"I'll bet my general's epaulets against those of a sub-lieutenant that
the others were put in my way by some shrewd fellows who saw and
suspected our talk with the man about his biscuit. Let us begin the
hunt, my dear sub-prefect, and confine our attention to Souday, if we
don't want to make an utter failure of it."
"Bravo!" cried the sub-prefect. "I feared I had committed a blunder;
but what you say reassures me."
"What have you done?"
"Well, I have got the name of this mayor. He is called Courtin, and is
mayor of the village of la Logerie."
"I know that. It is close by the spot where we came near capturing
Charette thirty-seven years ago."
"Well, this man has pointed out to me an individual who could serve us
as guide, and whom it would be well to arrest so that he may not go
back to the château and give the alarm."
"Who is the man?"
"The marquis's steward. Here is a description of him."