Taking the Bastile (11 page)

‘Who, then, was it sent for me?’ said he.

‘It was I,’ replied a flute-like voice behind him.

Billot turned round, and perceived the gentleman in black and the two sergeants.

‘Hey-dey I’ cried he, retreating three paces from them, ‘and what do you want with me?’

‘Oh I good Heavens I almost nothing, my dear Monsieur Billot,’ said the man with the flute-like voice; ‘only to make a perquisition in your farm, that is all.’

‘A perquisition?’ exclaimed the astonished Billot.

‘A perquisition.’ repeated the exempt.

Billot cast a glance at his fowling-piece, which was hanging over the chimney.

‘Since we have a National Assembly,’ said he, ‘I thought that citizens were no longer exposed to such vexations. What do yon want with me? I am a peace-Able and loyal man.’

The agents of every police in the world have one habit which is common to them all that of replying to the questions of their victims only while they are searching their pockets. While they are arresting them, or tying their hands behind, some appear to be moved by pity.

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The one who was exercising his functions in the house of Farmer Billot, was ol the true Tapin and Desgre’s school, made up of sweets, having always a tear for those whom they are persecuting, but who nevertheless do not use their hands to wipe their eyes. The one in question, although heaving a deep sigh, made a sign with his hand to the two sergeants, who approached Billot. The worthy fanner sprang forward, and stretched out his hand to seize hii gun, but it was diverted from the weapon. His hand was seized and imprisoned between two little hands, rendered strong by terror and powerful by supplication. It was Catherine, who had run downstairs on hearing the noise, and had arrived in time to save her father from committing the crime of rebelling against the constituted authorities.

The first moment of anger having passed by, Billot no longer offered any resistance. The exempt ordered that he should be confined in a room on the ground floor, and Catherine in a room on the first story. As to Madame Billot, she was considered so inoffensive that no attention was paid to her, and she was allowed to remain in the kitchen. After this, finding himself master of the place, the exempt began to search the secretary, wardrobes, and chests of drawers. Billot, on finding himself alone, wished to make his escape. But, like most of the rooms on the ground floor of the farmhouse, the windows of the one he was imprisoned in were secured by iron bars. The gentleman in black had with a glance observed these bars, while Billot, who had had them placed there, had forgotten them. Then, peeping through the keyhole, he perceived the exempt and his two acolytes, who were ransacking everything throughout the house.

‘ Hallo 1 cried he; ‘ what la the meaning of all this ? What are you doing there?’

‘You can very plainly sea that, my dear Monsieur Billot,’ said the exempt. ‘We are seeking for something which we have not yet found.’

‘But perhaps you are banditti, villains, regular thieves. Who knows?

‘Oh, sir 1’ replied the exempt, through the door, ‘you do us wrong|. We are honest people, as you are; only that we are in the pay of his majesty, and, consequently, compelled to obey liis orders. 1

‘His majesty’s orders I’ exclaimed Billot. ‘The king,

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Louis XVI., has ordered you to search my secretary, to turn everything topsy-turvy in my closets and my wardrobes ? ‘

‘Yes.’

‘His majesty,’ rejoined Billot, ‘who last year, when there was such a frightful famine that we were thinking of eating our horses his majesty, who two years ago, when the hail-storm of the I3th July destroyed our whole harvest, and did not then deign to feel any anxiety about us what has he now to do with my farm, which he never saw, or with me, whom he does not know?’

‘You will pardon me, sir,’ said the exempt, opening the door a little, but with great precaution, and exhibiting his order, signed by the lieutenant of police, and which, according to the usual mode, was headed with these words. ‘In the king’s name’ ‘his majesty has heard you spoken of, although he may not be personally acquainted with you; therefore, do not refuse the honour which he does you, and receive in a fitting manner those who present themselves to you in his name.’

And the exempt, with a polite bow, and a friendly wink of the eye, closed the door again; after which the examination was resumed. Billot said not a word more, but crossed his arms and paced up and down the room, like a lion in a cage. He felt that he was caught, and in the power of this man. The investigation was silently continued. These men appeared to have dropped from the clouds. No one had seen them but the labourer who had been sent to fetch Billot. The dogs even in the yards had not barked on their approach. Assuredly the chief of this expedition must have been considered a skilful man, even by his own fraternity. Billot heard the meanings of his daughter, shut up in the room above his own, and he remembered her prophetic words; for there could not be a doubt that the persecution the farmer had been subjected to had for its cause the doctor’s book. At length the clock struck nine; and Billot through his grated window could count his labourers, as they returned to the farmhouse to get their breakfast. On seeing this, he reflected that, in case of any conflict, might, if not right, was on his side. This conviction made the blood boil in his veins. He had no longer the fortitude to restrain his feelings; and, seizing the door with both hands, he shook it so violently, that with two or three efforts of the same

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nature, he would have burst ofi the lock. The police-agents immediately opened the door, and they saw the tanner standing close by it, with threatening looks. All was confusion in the house.

‘What is it you are seeking for in my house?’ cried Billot. ‘Tell me, or zounds I I will make you tell me.”

The return of the labourers had not escaped the experienced eye of such a man as the exempt. He had counted the farm-servants, and had admitted to himself that in case of any combat, he would not be able to retain possession of the field of battle. He therefore approached Billot with a demeanour more honeyed even than before, and bowing almost to the ground, said : ‘I will tell you what it is, dear Monsieur Billot, although it is against our custom. What we are seeking for in your house is a subversive book, an incendiary pamphlet, placed under ban bv our royal censors.’

‘ A book 1 and in the house of a farmer who cannot read ? ‘

‘What is there astonishing in that, if you are a friend to the author, and he has sent it to you ? ‘

‘I am not the friend of Dr Gilbert; I am merely bis humble servant. The friend of the doctor, indeed’ that would be too great an honour for a poor fanner like me.’

This inconsiderate outbreak, in which Billot betrayed himself by acknowledging that he not only knew the author, which was natural enough, he being his landlord, but that’ he knew the book, ensured the agent’s victory. The latter drew himself up, assumed his most amiable air, and touching Billot’s arm, said, with a smile which appeared to distend transversely over one half of his face :

‘You have betrayed yourself.’

‘And how so?’

‘By being the first to mention Monsieur Gilbert, whom we had the discretion not to name.’

‘That is true,’ said Billot.

‘You acknowledge it, then?’

‘I will do more than that.’

‘My dear Monsieur Billot, you overwhelm us with kindness : what is it you will do ? ‘

‘If it is that book you are hunting after, and I teU you where that book is,’ rejoined the farmer, with an

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uneasiness which he could not altogether control, ‘you will leave off turning everything topsy-turvy here, will you not?’

The exempt made a sign to his two assistants.

‘Most assuredly,’ replied the exempt, ‘since it is that book which is the object of our perquisition. Only continued he, with his smiling grimace, ‘you may perhaps acknowledge one copy of it when you may have ten in your possession.’

‘I have only one, and that I swear to yon.’

‘But it is this we are obliged to ascertain by a most careful search, dear Monsieur Billot,’ rejoined the exempt. ‘Have patience, therefore; In five minutes it will be concluded. We are only poor sergeants obeying the orders of the authorities, and you would not surely prevent men of honour there are men of honour in every station of life, dear Monsieur Billot you would not throw any impediment in the way of men of honour, when they are doing their duty.’

The gentleman in black had adopted the right mode : this was the proper course for persuading Billot.

‘Wen, do it then,’ replied the farmer, ‘but do it quickly.’

And he turned his back to them. The exempt then very gently closed the door, and more gently still turned the key in the lock, at which Billot shrugged his shoulders in disaain, being certain of pulling open the door whenever he might please. On his side the gentleman in black made a sign to the sergeants, who resumed their investigation, and they set to work much more actively thdn before. Books, papers, linen, were all opened, examined, unfolded. Suddenly, at the bottom of a wardrobe which had been completely emptied, they perceived a small oaken casket bound with iron. The exempt darted upon it as a vulture on his prey. At the mere sight, the scent, the handling of this object, he undoubtedly at once recognised that which he was in search of, for he quickly concealed the casket beneath his threadbare coat and made a sign to the two sergeants that his mission was effected. Billot was again becoming impatient ; be stopped before the locked door.

‘Why, I tell you again that you wiH not find it unless I tell you where it i, he cried; ‘it is not worth while to tumble and destroy all my things for nothing. I am not a conspirator. In the devil’fl name, listen to me. Do you

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not hear what I am saying? Answer me, or I will set off for Paris, and will complain to the king, to the National Assembly, to everybody.’

In those days the king was always mentioned before the people.

‘Yes, my dear Monsieur Billot, we hear you, and we are quite ready to do justice to your excellent reasoning. Come, now, tell us where is this book? And as we are now convinced that you have only that single copy, we will take it, and then we will withdraw, and all will be over.’

‘Well,’ replied Billot, ‘the book is in the possession of an honest lad to whom I have given it with the charge of carrying it to a friend.’

‘And what is the name of this honest lad?’ asked the gentleman in black, in an insinuating tone.

‘Ange Pitou he is a poor orphan whom I have taken into my house from chanty, and who does not even know the subject of this book.

“Thanks, dear Monsieur Billot,’ said the exempt.

They threw the linen back again into the wardrobe, and locked it up again, but the casket was not there.

‘And where is the amiable youth to be found?’

‘I think I saw him as I returned, somewhere near the bed of scarlet-runners, close to the tunnel. Go, take thn book from him; but take care not to do him any injury

‘Injury I Oh I my dear Monsieur Billot, how littlO you know us. We would not harm even a fly ‘

When he got near the scarlet-runners he perceived Pitou, whose tall stature made him appear more formidable than he was in reality. Thinking that the two sergeants would stand in need of his assistance to master the young giant, the exempt had taken off his cloak, had rolled the casket in it, and had hid the whole in a secret corner, but where he could easily regain possession of it. But Catherine, who had been listening with her ear glued, as it were, to the door, had vaguely heard the words Book, Doctor, and Pitou. Therefore, finding the storm sh.e had predicted had burst upon them, she had formed the idea of attenu-ating its effects. It was then that she prompted Pitou to say that he was the owner of the book. We have related what then passed regarding it : how Pitou, bound oid handcuffed by the exempt and his acolytes, had been restored to liberty by Catherine, who had taken advantage

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of the moment when the two sergeants went into the house to fetch a table to write upon, and the gentleman in black to take his cloak and casket.

We have stated how Pitou made his escape by jumping over a hedge, but that which we did not state is, that, like a man of talent, the exempt had taken advantage of this flight. And, in fact, the two-fold mission entrusted to the exempt having been accomplished, the flight of Pitou afforded an excellent opportunity to the exempt and his two men to make their escape also. The gentleman in bl.ick, although he knew he h d not the slightest chance of catch ng the fugitive, excited the two sergeants by his vociferations and his example to such a degree, that on seeing them racing tliroug i the fields, one w^uld have im gined that they were the most inveterate enemies of Pitou, whose long legs they were most cordially blessing in their hearts. But Pitou had scarcely gained the covert of the wood, or had even passed the skirts of it, when the confederates halted behind a bush. During their race they had been joined by two other sergeants, who had kept themselves concealed in the neighbourhood of the farm, and who had been instructed not to show themselves unless summoned by their chief.

‘Upon my word,’ said the exempt, ‘it is very well that our gallant young fellow had not the casket instead of the book, for we should have been obliged to hire post-horses to catch him. By Jupiter 1 those legs of his are not men’s legs, but those of a stag.’

‘Yes,’ replied one of the sergeants, ‘but he has not got it, has he. Monsieur Wolfsfoot; for ‘tis you who have ft.’

‘Undoubtedly, my friend, and here it is,’ replied the exempt, whose name we have now given for the first time, or we should rather say the nickname which had been given to him on account of the stealth! ness of his walk.

‘Then we are entitled to the reward which was promised us.’ observed one of the sergeants.

‘Here it is,’ said the exempt, taking from his pocket four golden louis, which he divided among his four sergeants, without any distinction as to those who had been actively engaged in the perquisition or those who had merely remained concealea.