The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (18 page)

a new name had even been added to the national vocabu-

lary it was that of Septembrisenrs Danton had bravely

accepted. Clovis had for a moment inclined his head

under the baptism of blood to raise it only still more

lofty and menacing. Another opportunity to renew La

Terreur presented itself ; it was the proces of the king.

Violence and moderation entered, not altogether to

wrestle against persons, but principles. The hope of

relative strength was founded on the royal prisoner.

Moderation was overcome, and the head of Louis XVI.

fell upon the scaffold. On the 10th of August, the 24th

of January had rendered to the coalition all its energy.

It was still the same man they opposed, but not the same

fortune. Dumouriez, arrested in his progress by the

disorder of all the administrations which prevented the

succor of men or money reaching him, declared against

the Jacobins, whom he accused of causing this disorganiza-

tion, adopted the party of the Girondins, and ruined

them in declaring himself their friend. Then La Vendee

rose, threatening the districts, misfortune producing

treason, and treason misfortune. The Jacobins accused

the Moderes, and wished to strike the blow on the 10th

of March that is to say, during the evening when our

story commences. But too much precipitation on the part

of their adversaries saved them, and perhaps also the rain, which had caused Petion (that profound anatomist of the

Parisian mind) to remark :

" It rains ; there will be nothing to-night."

But since the 10th of March everything threatened

ruin to the Girondins. Marat was accused and acquitted.

Robespierre and Danton were reconciled as a lion and tiger

would reconcile themselves before fighting the bull they

both intended to devour ; Henriot, the Septembriseur,

nominated commandant-general to the National Guard ;

everything presaged that awful day, which would carry

away by storm the last dike the Revolution opposed to

La Terreur. Such were the great events in which, under

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. H7

any other circumstances, Maurice would have taken an

active part, for which his powerful nature and exalted

patriotism so fully qualified him. But happily or un-

happily for Maurice, neither the exhortations of Louis,

nor the terrible preoccupations abroad, had been able to

divert his mind from the one idea that possessed it ; and

when the 31st of May arrived, the fierce assailants of the

Bastile and the Tuileries was laid upon his bed, devoured

by that fever which destroys the strongest, and yet only

requires a word to dissipate, a look to heal.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE THIRTY-FIRST OF MAY.

DURING the morning of the 31st of May, when the

tocsin and beat of drum had been sounding since the

break of day, the battalion of the Faubourg St. Victor

entered the temple. When all the usual formalities had

been gone through, and the posts distributed, the munici-

pals on service arrived, bringing with them four pieces of

cannon, in addition to those already forming the battery

at the gate of the temple. At the same time, Santerre

arrived, with his epaulets of yellow wool and a coat on

which his patriotism was displayed by large spots of

grease. He reviewed the battalion, which was in a proper

state, but on counting the municipals, found only three.

"Why are there only three municipals ? ; ' inquired he ;

"and who is the bad citizen who fails us ?"

" The absent citizen, general, is not, however, v.n

tiede," replied our old acquaintance, Agricola ; "for it is the secretary of the Section Lepelletier, the chief of the

brave Thermopyles, the Citizen Maurice Lindey."

"Well, well," said Santerre, " I know as well as yourself the patriotism of the Citizen Maurice Lindey ; but

that will not deter me, if he is not here in five minutes,

from inscribing his name in the list of the absent."

And Santerre passed on to other details. A few paces

118 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

from the general, at the moment he pronounced these

words, a captain of chasseurs and a soldier had stationed

themselves, one leaning against his gun, the other seated

on a cannon.

" Did you hear ? " said the captain to the soldier, in a low tone. " Maurice has not yet arrived."

" Yes ; but rest assured he will arrive ; he will not

remain quiet at least."

' Incase he should not come," said the captain, "I will place you sentinel on the staircase ; and as she ascends to the tower, you will be able probably to speak a

word to her."

At this moment a man, evidently a municipal, from his

tricolored scarf, entered ; but this man being a stranger

to the captain and the chasseur, they both regarded him

attentively.

" Citizen General," said the newcomer, addressing Santerre, " I request you to accept mo in place of Citizen Maurice Lindey, who is ill. Here is the medical certifi-cate ; my turn of guard arrives in eight days. I now

exchange with him ; in eight days he will do duty for

me, as to-day I will for him."

" Provided Capet and the Capets live eight days

longer," said one of the municipals.

Santerre replied by a slight smile to this pleasantry,

and turning toward Maurice's proxy :

" Very good," said lie ; "sign the register, in lieu of Maurice Lindey, and consign to the column of observations the reason for this exchange."

The captain and chasseur exchanged looks of delight

mingled with astonishment.

" In eight days," said they.

"Captain Dixmer," said Santerre, "take your position in the garden with your company."

"Come, Morand," said the captain to the chasseur, his companioii. The drum sounded, and the company, led

by the muster tanner, filed oft in the direction prescribed.

They placed their anus altogether, and the company

divided itself into groups, which dispersed themselves

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 119

according to their inclination, far and wide. Their place

of promenade was the same garden where, 'in the time of

Louis XVI., the royal family came sometimes to take the

air. This garden was naked, barren, and desolate, com-

pletely despoiled of trees, flowers, or verdure of any kind.

At about five and twenty paces, or perhaps rather nearer,

that portion of the wall built on the Rue Porte Foin, rose

a species of cottage, which the foresight of the municipal-

ity had established for the convenience of the National

Guard stationed at the temple, who, during the days of

riot, when they were not permitted to go out, found it an

accommodation to take their meals in this little cottage.

The direction of this little ale-house had been a matter

of contention, till at length concession was made in favor

of an excellent patriot, wife of a Fabourien, killed on the 10th of August, and who bore the name of Plumeau.

This little cabin, built of planks and mud, rose in the

middle of a border, of which the bounds may still be

recognized by a hedge of dwarf box-trees. It was com-

posed of a simple chamber, twelve feet square, under

which extended a cave, entered by steps rudely cut in the

earth itself. Here the widow Plumeau stowed away her

wine and provisions. This department was ultimately

managed by herself and daughter, a girl of twelve or

fifteen years of age. Hardly established at their bivouac,

the National Guards separated, as we have said, some to

saunter in the garden, while others chatted with the

hostess. Some amused themselves by criticising the de-

signs traced upon the walls, which were all of a patriotic

tendency, such as the king pendant, with this expression :

" Monsieur Veto taking an air-bath ; '' or the king guillotined, with this : " Monsieur Veto spitting in the sack ; "

while some offered hints to Mme. Plumeau concerning her

gastronomical designs, that might more or less excite

their appetites. Among the latter were the captain and

the chasseur whom we have previously remarked.

"Ah, Captain Dixmer," said the cantiniere, '"' I have some famous vin de Saumer."

" But, Citoyenne Plumeau, in my opinioa, at least, the 120 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

vin de Saumer is nothing without the cheese of Brie," replied the captain, who, before he stated this opinion, had

carefully looked round, and detected the absence of his

favorite commodity.

" Ah, captain, it is true ; but the last morsel has been consumed."

"Well," said the captain, "if there is no cheese of Brie, no vin de Saumer for me ; and remark, Citoyenne

Plumeau, the consumption is worth the trouble ; listen to

what I intend to propose to the company."

"But, captain, I ask you to wait only five minutes,

and I will run and procure some at the house of the

citoyenne concierge, who competes with me, and who

always has it. I shall pay very dear, and you, I am sure,

are too good a patriot to injure me."

"Yes, yes," replied Dixmer, "and in the meantime we will go into the vault, and select our own wines."

" Make yourself at home, captain, praj r do."

And the widow Plumeau began to run with all her

might toward the lodge of the concierge, while the

captain and chasseur, provided with a light, raised the

trap-door, and then descended into the cave.

" Good," said Morand, after an instant's examination,

" the cave advances in the direction of the Rue Porte

Foin. It is nine or ten feet in depth, and there is no

brick-work."

" What is the nature of the soil ?" inquired Dixmer.

"Sand-stone ; it is all made earth ; these gardens have been thrown into confusion, and then restored many

times. There is no rock in any part."

"Be quick!" cried Dixmer; "I hear the sabots of our vivandiere ; take two bottles of wine, and let us go

up."

They both appeared at the entrance of the trap-door as

Mme. Plumeau entered, carrying the cheese so strenuously

insisted on by Dixmer, while several chasseurs followed

her, attracted by the presence of the said cheese. Dix-

mer did the honors ; lie offered twenty bottles of wine to

his company, while the Citizen Morand recounted the

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 121

devotion of Curtius. the disinterestedness of Fabricins,

and the patriotism of Brutus and Cassius, histories

almost as much appreciated as the cheese of Brie and the

vin d'Anjou offered by Dixmer, which is not saying a

little. Eleven o'clock struck. At half-past the sentinels

were relieved.

" Does not the Austrian take her walk in half an

hour ? " asked Dixmer of Tison, who passed the cabin.

" Half an hour after noon, exactly," and he began to sing.

He was received with a shout of laughter from the

National Guard. Dixmer immediately summoned those

men in his company whose duty it was to mount guard

at half-past eleven o'clock for an hour and a half, and

recommended them to hasten their breakfast, and made

them take the arms to Morand, to place them, as it was

agreed, on the highest story of the tower, in the same

turret behind which Maurice was hidden the day he in-

tercepted the signs intended for the queen from the

window of the Rue Porte Foin. If any one had noticed

Morand at the moment he received this message, simple

as it was, lie would have seen him blush beneath the

masses of his long black hair. Suddenly a dull noise

shook the court of the temple, and sounds were heard

like the roaring of a hurricane in the distance.

"What is that ?" said Dixmer to Tison.

" Oh ! " replied the jailer, " it is nothing ; some little uproar they are making as these rascally Brissontins go

to the guillotine."

The noise increased, the roar of artillery was heard,

and a crowd of people rushed past, near the temple,

shouting :

"Long live the Sections!" "Long live Ilenriot!"

"Down with the Brissontins!" "Down with the Rolandists ! " " Down with Madame Veto ! "

" Ah ! " said Tison, clapping his hands, " I will go and open the door for Madame Veto, that, without any disturbance, she may enjoy the love the people evince for

her."

F DUMAS VOL. XL

122 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

He approached the wicket of the donjon.

' Halloo, Tison !" cried a loud voice.

"Yes, general," replied he, stopping short.

"Not to go out to- day," said Santerre ; " the prisoners are not to quit their chambers to-day."

This order was peremptory.

" Good !" said Tison ; "so much the less trouble."

Dixmer and Morand exchanged looks of disappoint-

ment ; then, waiting till the hour for duty had struck

(though now uselessly), they both left to walk between

the cabin and the wall built on the Sue Porte Foin.

Morand began walking fast a distance of easy and geo-

metrical steps, that is to say, of three feet.

" What distance ? " inquired Dixmer.

"Sixty to sixty-one feet," replied Morand.

" How many days will be required ? "

Morand considered, then traced upon the ground some

geometrical signs, which he effaced directly.