第79章 THE KING'S FACE.(1)

It seemed so necessary to bring home the crime to Bruhl should the priest really perish in the trap laid for me,that I came near to falling into one of those mistakes to which men of action are prone.For my first impulse was to follow the priest to the Parvis,closely enough,if possible,to detect the assassins in the act,and with sufficient force,if I could muster it,to arrest them.The credit of dissuading me from this course lies with Simon,who pointed out its dangers in so convincing a manner that I was brought with little difficulty to relinquish it.

Instead,acting on his advice,I sent him to M.d'Agen's lodging,to beg that young gentleman to call upon me before evening.

After searching the lodging and other places in vain,Simon found M.d'Agen in the tennis-court at the Castle,and,inventing a crafty excuse,brought him to my lodging a full hour before the time.

My visitor was naturally surprised to find that I had nothing particular to say to him.I dared not tell him what occupied my thoughts,and for the rest invention failed me.But his gaiety and those pretty affectations on which he spent an infinity of pains,for the purpose,apparently,of hiding the sterling worth of a character deficient neither in courage nor backbone,were united to much good nature.Believing at last that I had sent for him in a fit of the vapours,he devoted himself to amusing me and abusing Bruhl--a very favourite pastime with him.And in this way he made out a call of two hours.

I had not long to wait for proof of Simon's wisdom in taking this precaution.We thought it prudent to keep within doors after our guest's departure,and so passed the night in ignorance whether anything had happened or not.But about seven next morning one of the Marquis's servants,despatched by M.d'Agen,burst in upon us with the news--which was no news from the moment his hurried footstep sounded on the stairs that Father Antoine had been set upon and killed the previous evening!

I heard this confirmation of my hopes with grave thankfulness;Simon with so much emotion that when the messenger was gone he sat down on a stool and began to sob and tremble as if he had lost his mother,instead of a mortal foe.I took advantage of the occasion to read him a sermon on the end of crooked courses;nor could I myself recall without a shudder the man's last words to me;or the lawless and evil designs in which he had rejoiced,while standing on the very brink of the pit which was to swallow up both him and them in everlasting darkness.

Naturally,the uppermost feeling in my mind was relief.I was free once more.In all probability the priest had kept his knowledge to himself,and without him his agents would be powerless.Simon,it is true,heard that the town was much excited by the event;and that many attributed it to the Huguenots.But we did not suffer ourselves to be depressed by this,nor had I any foreboding until the sound of a second hurried footstep mounting the stairs reached our ears.

I knew the step in a moment for M.d'Agen's,and something ominous in its ring brought me to my feet before he opened the door.Significant as was his first hasty look round the room,he recovered at sight of me all his habitual SANG-FROID.He saluted me,and spoke coolly,though rapidly.But he panted,and Inoticed in a moment that he had lost his lisp.

'I am happy in finding you,'he said,closing the door carefully behind him,'for I am the bearer of ill news,and there is not a moment to be lost.The king has signed an order for your instant consignment to prison,M.de Marsac,and,once there,it is difficult to say what may not happen.'

'My consignment?'I exclaimed.I may be pardoned if the news for a moment found me unprepared.

'Yes,'he replied quickly.'The king has signed it at the instance of Marshal Retz.'

'But for what?'I cried in amazement.

'The murder of Father Antoine.You will pardon me,'he continued urgently,'but this is no time for words.The Provost-Marshal is even now on his way to arrest you.Your only hope is to evade him,and gain an audience of the king.I have persuaded my uncle to go with you,and he is waiting at his lodgings.There is not a moment to be lost,however,if you would reach the king's presence before you are arrested.'

'But I am innocent!'I cried.

'I know it,'M.d'Agen answered,'and can prove it.But if you cannot get speech of the king innocence will avail you nothing.

You have powerful enemies.Come without more ado,M.de Marsac,I pray,'he added.

His manner,even more than his words,impressed me with a sense of urgency;and postponing for a time my own judgment,Ihurriedly thanked him for his friendly offices.Snatching up my sword,which lay on a chair,I buckled it on;for Simon's fingers trembled so violently he could give me no help.This done Inodded to M.d'Agen to go first,and followed him from the room,Simon attending us of his own motion.It would be then about eleven o'clock in the forenoon.

My companion ran down the stairs without ceremony,and so quickly it was all I could do to keep up with him.At the outer door he signed me to stand,and darting himself into the street,he looked anxiously in the direction of the Rue St.Denys.

Fortunately the coast was still clear,and he beckoned to me to follow him.I did so and starting to walk in the opposite direction as fast as we could,in less than a minute we had put a corner between us and the house.

Our hopes of escaping unseen,however,were promptly dashed.The house,I have said,stood in a quiet by-street,which was bounded on the farther side by a garden-wall buttressed at intervals.We had scarcely gone a dozen paces from my door when a man slipped from the shelter of one of these buttresses,and after a single glance at us,set off to run towards the Rue St.Denys.

M.d'Agen looked back and nodded.'There goes the news,'he said.'They will try to cut us off,but I think we have the start of them.'