The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (35 page)

to capture the Chevalier de Maison Eouge."

" To take the Chevalier de Maison Rouge ?"

"Yes."

" Have you, then, turned gendarme ?"

"Xo; but I am a patriot. A patriot owes something

to his country. Xow, my country is horribly ravaged by

this chevalier, who forms plot upon plot. Well, my

country commands me, being a patriot, to free her from

this Chevalier de Maison Rouge, who distresses her

horribly, and I obey my country."

" It is all the same," said Maurice, "but it is singular that you should be cluirged with this commission."

" I am not charged ; I charge myself, or, rather, I

should say, I solicited the commission. It required a

brilliant stroke to reinstate us in our former position,

while our reestablishment will not only prove security for

our lives, but still more the right of putting, at the very first opportunity offered, six ounces of lead into the belly of that hideous Simon,"

"Rut how are they sure it Avas the chevalier who was

the instigator of this subterranean plot ?"

' They aro not yet certain, but they presume so."

"You proceed, then, upon inference ?"

"Xo, we proceed by certainty."

" How have you arranged all this ?"

"Listen."

" I am listening."

" I had scarcely heard the cry, 'Grand conspiracy dis-

covered by the Citizen Simon,' that beast Simon (the

miserable is everywhere) than I wished to judge of the

truth for myself. Then they named the subterranean

passage."

232 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" Does it really exist ? "

" It doe's ; I have seen it seen it with both my eyes.

That I call seeing."

" There, why do you not whistle ? "

" Because that is Moliere ; and besides, these events, I must confess, appear to me rather too serious for pleasantry/'

"What could we jest about, if we did not jest about

serious things ? "

" You say, then, that you have seen it ? "

" I repeat that I have seen the subterranean passage.

It extends from the cellar of the widow Plumeau, to a

house in the Rue de la Corderie, No. 12 or 14, I cannot

remember which."

"Have you passed through it, Louis ?"

' I have, the whole length, and, mafoi! it is a trench

prettily cut, I can assure you ; and, moreover, it was di-

vided by three iron gratings, which they have been obliged

to drive out one after the other, but which, in case these

conspirators had succeeded, would have given them time,

by sacrificing two or three of them, to have placed Ma-

dame Widow Capet in a place of safety. Happily, it is

not so, and this hideous Simon has discovered all."

"But it appears tome," said Maurice, "those who ought to have been first arrested were the inhabitants of

the houses in the Rue de la Corderie."

" This would have been done, had they not found the

house perfectly uninhabited."

" But, at least, this house must belong to some one ?"

" Yes, to a new proprietor, but no one knows who ;

they know the house changed masters three weeks since,

and that is all. The neighbors have often heard a noise,

but the house, being very old, they had imagined it was

undergoing thorough repair. As to the late proprietor,

he lias left Paris. In the meantime I arrived.

' ' Pour Dicu/' said I to Santerre, drawing him aside,

'you are in an awkward situation.'

" 'Indeed we are,' replied lie.

" ' This house has been sold, has it not ?'

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 233

*" Yes ; it was about three weeks ago.'

" ' Was it sold in the presence of a notary ? '

" 'Yes/

" ' Then we must find out all the notaries in Paris,

discover which of them sold this house, and then make

him produce the agreement, and underneath will be

found the name of the purchaser. 5

" ( Well and good ! ' said Santerre, ( that is capital advice, and coming, too, from a man they accused of not

being a good patriot. Louis ! Louis ! I will reestablish

you, or may the foul fiend seize me ! '

"To be brief," continued Louis, "this was what was said and done. The notary was sought for, the act was

found, and upon the agreement the name of the culprit

was signed. Then Santerre took me aside, and I have

engaged to arrest him."

" Was this man the Chevalier de Maison Rouge ? "

" No ; only his accomplice ; that is to say, in all probablity, he was so."

"Then, how is it you say you are going to arrest the

Chevalier de Maison Rouge ?"

" We are going to arrest them altogether."

" Do you, then, know this Chevalier de Maison

Rouge ? "

" Perfectly."

" Have you seen the description of him ? ''

"Parbleu! Santerre gave it to me. Five feet two or

three inches, fair hair, blue eyes, straight nose, etc. ;

besides, I have seen him."

"When ?"

" This very day."

"You have seen him ?"

" And so have yon, also."

Maurice started.

" The short, fair young man who rescued us this

morning he who commanded the troop of Muscadins,

who fought so valiantly and struck so hard."

" Was that the chevalier ? " demanded Maurice.

234 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROtTGE.

" Him self. They followed and lost him in the en-

virons of the domicile of our proprietor of the Eue de la

Corderie, so that we surmise they live together."

" It seems probable."

" It is certain."

"But it seems to me, Louis," added Maurice, "that if this evening you arrest those who rescued you this very

morning, you are much wanting in gratitude."

" Go along, then," said Louis. " Why, you don't suppose he saved us for our own sakes, do you ? "

" For what else, then ? "

" Not at all ; they were in ambush to carry off the

poor girl, Heloise Tison, as she passed to the scaffold.

Our cut-throats embarrassed them, so they fell upon the

cut-throats ; that was the whole of it. We have been

saved by a contre-coup. Xow, as the intention is every-

thing, and there was no intention, I have nothing to ac-

cuse myself with on the score of ingratitude. Besides,

do you see, Maurice, the capital point is necessity, and

the necessity is that we should reinstate ourselves by a

brilliant achievement. And then I have promised him

for you."

""To whom ? "

" To Santerre ; he knows that you command this ex-

pedition."

" How can that be ? "

" ' Are you sure of arresting these criminals ? ' said he to me.

" ' Yes,' I replied ; ' if Maurice is with me.'

" ' But are you sure of Maurice ? Some time since he

was looked upon as rather lukewarm.'

' ' Those who say that are totally deceived. Maurice

is no mure lukewarm in the cause than I am myself.'

" 'And you will answer fur his fidelity ?'

" 'As for my own.'

" I then went to your house, but, could not find you at home. I took this road first, because it lay in my way,

and then I remembered it was the one you usually fre-

quented ; so at last we have met."

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 235

" My dear Louis, I am in despair. I do not feel the

slightest taste for this expedition. Say that you were

not able to find me."

" Impossible ! All our men have seen you."

" Well, then, say you met me, and I was not willing to join you."

"Again impossible."

" But why so ? "

" Because this time you will not only be considered

lukewarm, but un suspect, and you well know the fate of

these suspects ; they are conducted to La Place de la

Revolution, and there invited to salute the statue of

liberty, only, instead of doing so with the hat, they sub-

stitute the head."

"Well, Louis, I hardly care how soon ; but without

doubt it seems strange to you to hear me say so."

Louis opened his eyes wide, and looked at Maurice.

" Well," said Maurice, " I am weary of life."

Louis burst into a roar of laughter.

" Ah, ah ! " said Louis, " we have a quarrel with our beloved, and that fills us with melancholy ideas. Allans,

bel Amadis ! let us return to the man, and from that we

shall pass to the citizen. As for me, I am never a better

patriot than when I am embroiled with Arthemise. Apro-

pos, her divinity, the Goddess Eeason, charged me with

a thousand gracious messages for you."

" Pray thank her for me. Adieu, Louis."

"Adieu! How adieu ?"

" Yes, I am going."

" Whore arc you going ? "

"I am going home."

" Maurice, you will ruin yourself."

"I laugh at the idea,"

"Maurice, reflect ; my friend, reflect."

"I have done so."

" I have not repeated all "

' What?"

"That Santerre said to me."

"What did he say ?"

236 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" When I asked for you to be chief of this expedition, he said to me :

"'Take care.'"

"Of whom ?"

" Of Maurice."

" Of me ? "

" Yes, Maurice ; and he also added :

" ' He often goes into that quarter.' **

" Into what quarter ? "

" Into that of Maison Rouge."

" How ? " cried Maurice, " it is not here he hides himself."

" They fancy so, since it is here his supposed accom-

plice resides, the purchaser of the house in the Rue de la

Corderie."

" Faubourg Victor ? " demanded Maurice.

" Yes, Faubourg Victor."

" And in what street ? "

"In the Old Rue St. Jacques."

"Ah ! mon Dieu!" murmured Maurice, as if struck 1by a thunderbolt.

And he pressed his hand before his eyes. But after a

moment's interval, during which he had collected all his

courage :

" What trade ?" said he.

" A master tanner."

" His name ?"

"Dixmer."

"You are right, Louis/' said Maurice, by a violent

effort controlling his emotion ; " I will go with you."

" And you do Avell ; are you armed ?"

"1 always carry my sword."

" Then also take a pair of pistols."

"And you ?"

" I have my gun. Carry arms ! lower arms ! en avantf

inarch ! "

The patrol commenced its march, accompanied by Mau-

rice, who walked near Louis. They were preceded by a

man dressed in gray, who directed their movements. Thia

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 237

was an agent of police. From time to time a shadow

might be seen emerging from the angles of the streets or

the doors of the houses, exchanging some words with the

man in gray. This was the inspector. On arriving at the

little street, the man in gray did not hesitate for an in-

stant. He was well instructed, and entered the street at

once. Before the door of the garden where Maurice had

been so nearly garroted, he stopped.

"It is here," said he.

" What is here ? " demanded Louis.

<% 'It is here we shall find the two principals."

Maurice supported himself against the wall ; he felt as

if he were sinking to the ground.

"Now," said the man in gray, "there are three entrances : the principal entrance, this one, and another

which leads into a pavilion. I shall enter with six or eight men through the principal entrance, in the meantime

keep guard here with four or five men, and place three

sure men at the entrance to the pavilion."

" I will get over the wall," said Maurice, " and watch in the garden."

"The very thing," said Louis, "as from the interior you can open the door to us."

"Willingly," said Maurice; "but do not ungarrison the passage, or come till I call you. All that passes in

the interior I shall see from the garden."

" You arc acquainted with the house then ? " demanded Louis.

" Some time buck I wished to buy it."

Louis proceeded to conceal his men in the corners of

the hedges and angles of the doors, while the agent of

police retired with six or eight National (iuards to force

his way by the principal entrance. In an instant the

no'' se of their receding steps was deadened in the distance, without having awakened the least suspicion. Maurice's

men were at their post. They declared everything had

remained perfectly quiet, and that nothing extraordinary

was passing in the Old Ituo St. Jacques. Maurice then

began to climb the wall.

238 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" Listen," said Louis.

" To what ? "

"The word."

" Right."

" Carnation and Vault. Stop all those who cannot re-

peat these two words. Permit all to pass who can. This

is the password."

" Thanks," said Maurice, dropping from the top of the wall into the garden.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE PASSWORD.

THE first blow was terrible. It indeed required all

Maurice's self-command to enable him to conceal from

Louis how powerfully he was affected by these startling

events, but once in the garden, once alone, in the silence

of night, his mind became more calm, and his ideas, in-

stead of running disordered through his brain, became

once more under the control of reason.

What ! this house that Maurice had so of ten visited with

the purest pleasure, this house which had formed for him