The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (4 page)

danger she could encounter, to one who owes you a debt

of everlasting gratitude."

" I do not require so much, madame ; be less grateful, and pending the second, tell me your name."

" Impossible ! "

"You might have told it, nevertheless, to the first

sectionary, if you had been taken to the post."

" No, never ! " said the unknown.

" But, in that case, you would have gone to prison."

"I had considered all that."

"And prison at this moment "

" Leads to the scaffold ; I know it all."

" And you would have preferred the scaffold ? "

"To treason to discover my name was treason ; it is

treason to betray others."

" I said truly you compelled me to act a singular part for a Republican."

" You act the part of a truly generous man. You en-

counter a poor woman subjected to insult ; you do not

condemn her because she might be ' one of the people/

but that she may be exempted from fresh annoyances, to

save her from shipwreck, you reconduct her to the miser-

able quarter she inhabits."

" As far as appearances go, you argue correctly, and I might have credited you, had I never either seen or heard

you speak ; but your beauty and mode of expression

stamp you as a woman of distinction, and it is just this

distinction, in opposition with your costume and this

miserable quarter, which proves to me that your absence

from home at this unseasonable hour conceals some mys-

tery. You are silent we will speak no more. Are we

far from your house, madame ? "

At this moment they entered La Rue des Fosses St.

Victor by la Rue do Seine.

" You see that small, dark building, "said the unknown to Maurice, extending her hand, and pointing towards a

house situated beyond the walls of the Jardin des Plantes.

" When we arrive there you must quit me."

22 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" Very well, nuulame ; issue your orders ; I am here

only to obey."

" You are angry.

" I ! angry ? Not the least in the world ; besides, what does it matter to you ? "

" It matters much, since I have yet a favor to ask of

you."

" What is that .

" A kind and frank adieu the farewell of a friend."

" The farewell of a friend ! Oh, madame, you do me

too great an honor. A singular friend, not to know the

name of his friend, who even conceals from him where

she resides, no doubt from the fear of being too much

troubled with his company."

The young woman hung down her head, but did not

reply to this saracasm.

"As to the rest, madame," continued Maurice, "if I have discovered a secret, I did so involuntarily ; and without any effort on my part to do so."

" I have now reached my destination, monsieur," said the unknown.

It was facing the old Rue St. Jacques, lined with tall,

dark-looking houses, intersected by obscure, narrow

alleys, leading to streets occupied by manufactories

and tanyards, as within two steps ran the little river

Briere.

" Here ! " said Maurice, '' is it here that yon live ?"

"Yes."

" Impossible."

"It is so, nevertheless. And now, adieu ! my brave

chevalier, my generous protector, adieu ! "

" Adieu, madame," said Maurice, with slight irony of torn- ; " but first again assure me you run no risk of any danger.''

" None whatever."

" In that case, I will leave you."

Maurice bowed coldly and retired a few paces. The

unknown remained for an instant stationary in the same

place.

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 23

" I do not like to take my leave of you thus," said she.

" Come, monsieur, your hand."

Maurice approached, and held out his hand, and then

felt the young woman had slipped a ring on his finger.

" Oh ! citoyenne, what have you done ? Do you not

perceive that you have lost one of your rings ? "

"Monsieur, you wrong me much."

" The crime of ingratitude is wanting in me ; is it not so, madame ? "

" Come, I beseech you, monsieur mon ami, do not

leave thus. What do you wish to know ? What do you

ask ? "

" Payment is it not so ? " said the young man, bitterly.

"No," said the unknown, with a bewitching expres-

sion, " but forgive me the secrecy I am obliged to preserve toward you.."

Maurice, seeing in the obscurity those beautiful eyes

almost humid with tears, feeling the pressure of that soft

hand reposing between his own, hearing the accents of

that persuasive voice, which had almost descended to the

depths of prayer, felt his anger all at once yield to ad-

miration.

" What do I ask ? " said he. " To see you again."

"If only for once one hour, a minute, a second."

"I tell you it is impossible."

" Do you seriously tell me," said Maurice, " that I shall never see you again ? "

' Never," said the unknown, in a desponding tone.

'Madame," said Maurice, "you certainly jest with

me." Then, raising his noble head, he shook his hanging curls like a man wishing to escape from some power

which, in spite of himself, still bound him. The un-

known regarded him with an indefinable expression. It

was evident she had not altogether escaped the sentiment

she had inspired.

" Listen," said she, after a moment's silence, interrupted only by a sigh, which Maurice had in vain en-

24 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE,

deavored to suppress. " Swear to me, upon your honor,

to shut your eyes the moment I desire you to do so, and

to keep them closed while you can count sixty seconds.

Mind, upon your honor."

" If I swear, what will happen to me ? "

" It will happen that I will prove my gratitude to you in a manner that I faithfully promise you I will never

again to any other person. Do this for me more than for

yourself. As to the rest, it will be difficult. "

" But, at least, am I not to know

" Xo ; trust to me. You see "

" In truth, madame, I know not whether you are angel

or demon."

" Will you swear it ?"

" Yes ; I swear to do as you desire me."

" Whatever occurs, you will not open your eyes what-

ever happens. You understand ? even if you should feel

yourself struck with a poniard."

" You bewilder me. My word of honor required with

BO much urgency."

" Swear, then, monsieur. It appears to me that you

run no great risk in so doing."

" Well, I swear," said Maurice, " whatever may happen," closing his eyes.

lie hesitated.

" Let me see you only once more only once more,"

said he. "I entreat you."

The young woman let fall the hood with a smile not

quite free from coquetry, when, by the light of the moon,

which at this moment shed its luster between two clouds,

he again beheld, for the second time, the raven hair hang-

ing in masses of shining curls, the beautifully arched and

penciled eyebrows, o'ershadowing the almond-shaped eyes,

so soft and languishing, an exquisitely formed nose, and

lips fresh and brilliant as coral.

"Oh, you are beautiful, exquisitely beautiful!" said Maurice.

" Shut your eye?/' said the unknown.

Maurice obeyed.

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 25

The young woman took both his hands within her own,

and placed him in the desired position.

Suddenly he felt a warm perfume pervade his face, and

lips slightly touch his mouth, leaving between his lips the disputed ring.

All passed rapid as thought. Maurice experienced a

sensation almost amounting to pain. His feelings were

inexplicable, even to himself.

He made a brusque movement, and extended his arms

before him.

" Your oath," said a voice, already in the distance.

Maurice clasped his hands over his eyes to strenuously

resist the strong inclination he felt to perjure himself.

He counted no more ; he thought no more ; but remained

tottering, his nerves totally unstrung.

In about an instant he heard a noise like that of a door

closing a few paces distant from him ; then again every-

thing was silent. Then he removed his hand, and opened

his eyes, looking round about him like a man just awak-

ened from a deep sleep, and might, perhaps, have fancied

all that had occurred a passing dream, had he not hold

between his lips the identical ring, proving this unheard-

of adventure an incontestable reality.

CHAPTER IV.

MAXXERS OF THK TIMES.

N Maurice came to himself, he looked around, but

saw only the gloomy, dirty streets extending to his right

and left. He essayed to find out exr.ctly where he was,

that he might recognize it again ; but his mind was dis-

turbed. The night was dark, find the moon which for a

moment had appeared to light u>- the lovely face of the

fair unknown, had again retired behind the clouds. The

young man, after a moment of cruel incertitude, retraced

his steps toward his own house, situated in the Rue de

Roule.

Arriving at La Rue St. Avoie, Maurice was much sur-

B DUMAS VOL. XI.

26 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

prised at the number of patrols who circulated in that

quarter of the temple.

" What is the matter now, sergeant ?" inquired he of the chief of patrol, busily occupied in thoroughly searching La Rue des Fontaines.

" What is it ?" said the sergeant. "It is this, mon officier. It was intended this night to carry off the

woman Capet, and the whole nest beside."

" How was that ?"

" A band, forming a patrol, had, I do not know how,

procured the password, and introduced themselves into

the temple, in the costume of chasseurs of the National

Guard. Fortunately, he who represented the corporal,

when speaking to the officer on guard, addressed him as

' Monsieur.' He sold himself the aristocrat !"

" The devil ! " said Maurice. "And have they not arrested the conspirators ? "

" No. When th^ patrol reached the street, they were

all dispersed."

" And is there any hope of capturing any of these

fellows ?"

"There is only one among the number of sufficient

importance to arrest that is the chief, a very slight man,

who had Men introduced among the men on guard by one

of the municipals of the service. We had made the

villain run, but he had found a door behind, and fled

through les Madelonnettes."

Under any other circumstances, Maurice would have

remained for the rest of the night with the patriots, who

guarded the safety of the public, but since one short hour, love of country was no longer his sole engrossing thought.

He continued his way, and the tidings he had just learned

were soon obliterated from his memory by the recent events

in which he had taken so active a part. Besides, since

these pretended attempts had become very frequent, the

patriots themselves were aware, under certain circum-

stances, they made use of them in a political measure ;

therefore, this news caused our young Republican no great

disquietude.

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 27

On returning home, Maurice found his " official " (at this epoch they had no longer servants), Maurice, say we,

found his official waiting, but who, while waiting, had

fallen asleep, and while sleeping, snored uneasily. He

awoke him, and with all due regard for his fellow-man,

made him pull off his boots, then dismissed him, that he

might not interrupt his cogitations, and jumping into

bed, it being very late, and he also having youth on his

side, slept soundly, notwithstanding the preoccupation

of his thoughts.

The next day he discovered a letter on his table de nitit.

This letter was written in a clear, elegant hand, but

unknown to him. He looked at the seal. The seal was

engraved with the single word in English, " Nothing." He opened it. It merely contained these words, " Thank you.

Everlasting gratitude in exchange for everlasting forget-

fulness." Maurice summoned his domestic (the true pa-

triot never rang, the sound denoted servility ; indeed,

many officials only entered the service of their masters on tins express condition).

The official of Maurice had received, nearly thirty years

before, at the baptismal font, the name of Jean, but in '92

he was, by private authority, rebaptized (Jean savoring of

aristocracy and Deism), and now called himself '* Scevola."

" Scevola," demanded Maurice, "do you know where this letter came from ? "

" Xo, citizen."

" Who brought it to you ? "

" The concierge."

" And who brought it to him ? "

" A commissionaire, no doubt, since it had no postmark/'

" Go down, and request the concierge to walk up."

The concierge complied, because it was Maurice who

made the request, and he was much beloved by all the

officials with whom he was concerned in anyway ; but at

the same time the concierge declared that had it been any

other tenant, he should have asked him to walk down.

The concierge was called Aristide.

Maurice interrogated him. It was a stranger who had