The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (43 page)

had somewhat disarranged.

Up to this moment the nocturnal visitors had kept

silence, or, if they had spoken, their words had not

reached the ears of the conspirator ; but, when about ten

paces from his lurking-place, Henriot spoke, and his

voice was distinctly heard by the Citizen Theodore.

"We are now," said he, " in the Salle des Pas-Perdus.

It is for you now to guide us, Citizen Architect, and to

endeavor to convince us that your revelation is no idle

story ; for, you see, the Revolution has done justice to

all this folly, and we believe no more in these subterranean passages than in ghosts. What do you say, Citizen Richard ?" added Henriot, turning toward the man in the fur bonnet and rateen vest.

" I have never said there was any subterranean passage under the conciergerie," said he. " There is Gracchus, who has been turnkey for ten years, and, consequently,

is acquainted with the whole of the conciergerie; and he

ignores the existence of the vault of which the Citizen

Giraud has spoken. However, as the Citizen Giraud is

the city architect, he ought to know better than any of

us. It is his business."

Theodore shivered from head to foot on hearing these

words.

"Fortunately," murmured he, "the saloon is large, and before they find what they search for, two days at

least must expire."

But the architect opened his groat roll of papers, put

on his spectacles, and knelt down to examine more fully

the plan by tin; troubling light of the lantern which Grac-

chus held in liis hand.

" I fear," said Ilenriot, ironically, "that the Citizen Giraud has been dreaming."

" You will see. Citizen General, if I am a dreamer.

Wait a little wait,"

" You see, we are waiting," said Henriot.

" Good ! " said the architect ; and be began to calculate. " Twelve and four make sixteen," said he, " and THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 287

eight are twenty-four ; which, divided by six, makes four,

and then half remains ; that is it. I maintain my opin-

ion ; and, if I am deceived, call me an ignoramus, that's

all."

The architect pronounced these words with an assur-

ance which terrified the Citizen Theodore.

Henriot regarded the plan with a species of respect,

seeing he admired more than he comprehended it.

" Now, follow what I say."

" Where ? " said Henriot.

" Upon the chart which I have drawn. Pardieu I here

we are. Three feet from the wall is a movable stone I

have marked A ; do you see ? "

" Certainly, I see A," said Henriot. " Do you think I do not know how to read ? "

"Under this stone/' continued the architect, "is a staircase ; do you see ? It is marked B."

" B ! " said Henriot ; " I see B, but I do not see the staircase ; " and the general smiled at his own facetious-ness.

" When once the stone is raised, the foot once upon the last step, count fifty paces, look up, and you will find yourself exactly at the register where the subterraneous pas-

sage terminates, passing under the cell of the queen."

" Capet's widow, you mean, Citizen Giraud," said Henriot, knitting his brows.

" Yes, Capet's widow."

" Why did you say the queen ?"

" The old custom."

" You say, then, it may be found under the register ? "

demanded Richard.

" Xot only in the register, but also I will tell you in what part you will discover it ; under the stone."

" That is curious," said Gracchus, " for I have noticed that every time I dropped a log in that place the stone resounded. In short, if we find your statement correct,

Citizen Architect, I shall pronounce geometry a fine

thing."

" Then declare it, Citizen Henriot, for I am now going 288 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

to conduct yon to the place indicated by the letter A."

The Citizen Theodore made his nails pierce his flesh.

" When I have seen it," said Henriot, " when I have seen it ; I rather resemble St. Thomas/'

" Ah ! you said St. Thomas. "

"Yes, as you said ' the queen/ from mere habit J but

they cannot accuse me of conspiring with him."

" Nor I with the queen."

After this retort the architect delicately placed hisrnle,

reckoned the distance, then stopped, having apparently

finished his calculation, and struck upon a particular

stone. This was the identical stone struck by the Citizen

Theodore in his fit of frantic rage.

"It is here, Citizen General," said the architect.

" You fancy so, Citizen Giraud."

Our concealed patriot so far forgot himself as to strike

his thigh with his clinched hand, with difficulty suppress-

ing a deep groan.

" am positive," said Giraud; "and your examination, combined with my report, will prove to the Conven-

tion I have not been deceived. Yes, Citizen General,"

continued the architect, with emphasis, " this stone opens upon a subterranean passage, terminating at the register,

and passing below the cell of the Widow Capet. Let 113

raise the stone, descend with me, and I will conviiice you

that two men, even one man, could effect a rescue in a

single night, without any one suspecting it."

A murmur of terror and admiration, elicited by the

architect's words, ran through the group, and faintly

reached the Citizen Theodore, who seemed turned to

stone.

" Look at the danger we run," continued Giraud.

"AVcll, now, with a grating which I shall place in the middle of this underground passage, before it reaches the

cell of the Widow Capet, I shall save the country."

"Ah. Citizen Henriot," said Giraud, " that is an idea bordering on the sublime."

" Perdition seize you, addle-pated fool!" grumbled the patriot, with redoubled fury.

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 289

" Now, raise the stone," said the architect to the Citizen Gracchus, who, in addition to a lantern, carried a crowbar.

He commenced his work, and in a second the stone was

raised. The passage appeared open, with the staircase

lost in its profundity, while the moist air escaped like a

pestilent vapor.

"Another abortive attempt," murmured the Citizen

Theodore. "Alas! Heaven does not will that she

should escape, and her cause must be accursed I"

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE CITIZEN GEACCHUS.

FOE an instant the three men remained petrified at the

entrance to the vault, while the turnkey plunged his lantern into the opening without being able to penetrate its depth.

The architect triumphantly exulted over his companions

from the summit of his genius.

" Well ? " said he, at length.

" Ma foil yes," replied Henriot, "here, incontestably is the passage. It only remains to know where it leads to."

" Yes," repeated Richard ; "it remains to know that."

" Well, then, descend yourself, Citizen Richard, and

then you will see if I have told you the truth."

" I have something better to do than go in there,"

said the concierge. " We will return with you and the

general to the concicrgerie. There you can raise the

hearthstone, and we shall see.**

" Very well," said Henriot ; " we will return."

"But we must be careful," said the architect; "this stone remaining unclosed may offer an idea to some one."

" Who the devil do you imagine ever comes here at this hour ? " said Henriot.

" Besides," said Richard, " the hall is deserted, smd to leave Gracchus here is sufficient. Remain here, Citizen

Gracchus, and we will return to you from the other side

of the subterranean passage."

M DUMAS VOL. XI.

290 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" Let it be so, then," said Gracchus.

"Are you armed ?" demanded Henriot.

" I have my sword and this crowbar, Citizen General.' 4

" Keep strict watch ; in ten minutes we will be with

you."

And, having closed the iron gate, the three took

their departure by the Gallery des Merciers, to find this

particular entrance to the conciergerie.

The turnkey watched their receding footsteps, and

followed them with his eyes as far as he could see and

listen as long as he had anything to hear ; then all relapsed into silence, and, supposing himself in perfect solitude,

he placed his lantern on the ground, then sat down, his

legs overhanging the depths of the vault, and began to

dream. The turnkeys did dream sometimes, but did not

often trouble themselves to find out what was the subject

of their dreams. All at once, in the midst of this pro-

found reverie, he felt a hand pressed upon his shoulder.

He turned round, and attempted, on seeing a stranger, to

give the alarm, but at the same instant a pistol gleamed

before his eyes. The accents were arrested in his throat,

his arms fell listlessly by his side, and his eyes assumed

the most suppliant expression.

" Xot a word/' said the intruder, "or vou are a dead man ! "

"What do you want, monsieur ?" said the turnkey.

Even in ' 03, there were moments when they had not

sufficiently tutored themselves, and omitted to say

"Citizen."

"I wish," said the Citizen Theodore, "to be allowed to enter down there."

" What for ? "

" Never mind.'"

The turnkey regarded the person who proffered this

request with the most profound astonishment ; but in the

meantime his interlocutor fancied he detected a ray of

intelligence on the man's countenance. lie lowered his

pistol.

" Do you refuse to make your fortune ? "

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 291

" I don't know. Hitherto no one has ever made me a

proposition on the subject."

"Well, then, I will begin."

' You offer to make my fortune?"

" Yes."

"What do you mean by a fortune ?"

" Fifty thousand golden livres, for instance."

"Money is scarce, and fifty thousand livres now are

worth a million."

" Well, I offer you that sum."

" To go down there ?"

" Yes ; but on condition that you come with me, and

afford me your assistance in my undertaking."

" But what are you going to do ? In five minutes this

passage will be filled with soldiers, who will arrest you."

The Citizen Theodore was forcibly struck by this argu-

ment.

" Cannot you prevent the soldiers from descending

there?"

" I have no means of doing so ; I know none, I search

in vain."

Indeed, it was evident the turnkey taxed all the powers

of his mental energies to discover some means of realizing

the sum of fifty thousand livres.

" But," demanded the Citizen Theodore, "could we not enter to-morrow ? "

" Yes ; but to-morrow a grate of iron will be placed across the passage, occupying the whole width, and for the greater security it is arranged that this partition should be entirely solid, and without even a door."

" Then we must think of something else," said Theodore.

" Yes ; we must find some other way," said the turnkey.

It may be seen from the manner in whicli Gracchus

had been experimentalized with, that an alliance was

already formed between himself and the Citizen Theodore.

" Look at me," said Theodore. " What do you do at the (.'onciergerie ? "

"' I am a turnkey."

" What do you do ? "

292 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" I open the doors and shut them."

" Do you sleep there ? "

"Yes, monsieur."

" Do you take your meals there ?"

" Not always. I have my hours of recreation."

" And then ? "

" I avail myself of them."

" What to do ? "

te To pay my respects to the mistress of the Cabaret dn

Puits-de-Noe, who has promised to marry me when I am

possessed of twelve hundred francs."

" Where is the Cabaret du Puits-de-Xoe ?"

" Near the Rue de la Vieille Draperie."

"Very well."

" Hush, monsieur ! "

The patriot listened.

" Ah, ah ! " said he.

"Do you hear ?"

"Yes. Voices and footsteps."

"They are returning."

" You see, we should not have had time."

This momentarily became more evident.

"That is true ; you are a brave youth, citizen, and are, through me, predestined "

"To what ?"

" To be rich one day."

" God grant it ? "

" You, then, still believe in God ? "

" Sometimes one thing, sometimes another. To-day,

for example."

"Well ?"

" I willingly believe."

" Believe, then," said the Citizen Theodore, putting ten louis into the man's hand.

"The devil ! " said he, regarding the gold by the light of the lantern.

" Is it serious ?"

"It could not be more so."

" What must I do ? "

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 293

" Meet me to-morrow at the Puits-de-Noe. I will then

tell yon what I require of yon. What is your name ?"

" Gracchus."

" Well, Citizen Gracchus, get yourself dismissed from

here to-morrow by the Concierge Richard."

" Dismissed ! Give up my place ? "

" Do you reckon on remaining a turnkey, with fifty

thousand livres ? "

" No ; but being a turnkey and poor, I am certain of

not being guillotined."

" Certain ? "

" Or nearly so ; while being free and rich "

" You will hide your money, and make love to a trico-