The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (53 page)

Sanson bowed, and retired, when the queen once more

354 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

found herself in solitude. While the condemned threw her-

self upon her knees before a low chair which served her

as a prie-dieu, a scene no less terrible was passing in the parsonage of the small church of St. Laudry, in the city.

The cure was dressing, the old housekeeper had prepared

the humble morning meal, when a loud summons at the

gate was heard. Even in our day, an unexpected visit is

in general the precursor of some event, either a baptism,

a marriage, in extremis, or a confession ; but at this epoch the visit of a stranger would announce some matter of far

graver import. Indeed, at this period the priest was no

longer the mandatory of God, but rendered his account to

man. However, the Abbe Giraud was of the number of

those who had least cause for fear, as he had taken an oath to the constitution in him conscience and probity had

spoken louder than amour propre or religious spirit. Xo

doubt the Abbe Giraud admitted the possibility of a pro-

ficiency in the government, and much regretted the abuses

committed under the name of the Divine will, and had,

while retaining his God, accepted the fraternity of the

Republican regime.

"'Go and see, Dame Jacinthe," said he, "who disturbs us at this curly hour, and if the business is of no very

pressing nature, say that this morning I have been sent

for to the conciergerie, and must go there directly."

Dame Jacinthe, otherwise called Madeline, had accepted

this flowery appellation in lieu of her own, as the Cure

Giraud had taken the title of citizen instead of that of

abbe. At the suggestion of her master, Jacinthe hastened

down the steps to the little garden leading to the entrance gate. She drew bark the bolts, when a thin, pale young

man, much agitated, but with a frank and sweet expres-

sion, presented himself before her.

" Monsieur 1'Abbe Giraud ? " said he.

Jacinthe, not slow to remark the disordered dress, the

jieglected beard, and the nervous tremor of the newcomer,

augured unfavorably of him.

"Citizen/' said she, "there is here neither monsieur nor abbe."

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 355

"Pardon me, madame," replied the young man, "I meant to say the Cure of St. Laudry."

Jacinthe, notwithstanding her patriotism, was struck

by the word "madame," with which they only have addressed an empress. She, however, replied :

" You cannot see him now ; he is repeating his breviary."

" In that case I will wait," replied the young man.

:( But," said Jacinthe, in whom this obstinate per-

sistence revived the first unfavorable impression, "you will wait in vain, for he is summoned to the coiiciergerie, and must go there immediately."

The young man turned frightfully pale, or, rather,

from pale, to livid.

" It is, then, true," murmured he ; then, raising his voice. " This, madame, is the subject which brings me

to the Abbe Giraud."

And in spite of the old woman, he had, while speaking,

effected an entrance ; then coolly but firmly drawing the

bolts, and notwithstanding the expostulations and even

menaces of Dame Jacinthe, he not only entered the house,

but also the chamber of the cure, who, on perceiving him,

uttered an exclamation of surprise.

"Forgive me, Monsieur le Cure," immediately said the young man, " i wish to speak to you on a very serious

subject ; permit us to be alone."

The aged priest had experienced deep sorrow, and knew

what it was to endure, lie discerned deep and devouring

passion in the confusion of the young man, and intense

emotion in his fevered tones.

" Leave us, Dame Jacinthe," said he.

The visitor impatiently followed with his eyes the re-

ceding steps of the housekeeper, who, from being accus-

tomed to the confidence of her master, hesitated to com-

ply, then, when at lengtn the door was closed :

" Monsieur le Cure," said the unknown, " you will first wish to know who I am. I will tell you. I am a proscribed man, doomed to death, who only at this moment

lives from the power of audacity ; I am the Chevalier de

Maison Rouge."

356 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

The abbe started in horror from his armchair.

" Fear nothing/' said the chevalier ; " no one has seen me enter here, and those who even might see me would

never know me. I have altered much these last two

months."

" But what do you wish, citizen ? " asked the curS.

" You are going this morning to the conciergerie, is

not so ?"

" ~es the concierge has sent for me."

" Do you know why ? "

" To an invalid, or some dying person, perhaps even to one condemned."

" You are right ; it is to one condemned."

The old priest regarded the chevalier with astonishment.

" But do you know who this person is ? " demanded Maison Rouge.

"No ; I do not know."

" This person is the queen."

The abbe uttered an exclamation of grief.

" The queen ? Oh, my God ! "

" Yes, monsieur, the queen. I made inquiry as to tho

priest who would attend her, and I learned it was you.

I, therefore, came directly to seek an interview."

" But what do you require of me?" asked the cure, alarmed at the wild accents of the chevalier.

" I wish I wish nothing, monsieur. I implore. I en-

treat, I supplicate you."

"For what, then?"

" To allow me to enter with you into the presence of

her majesty."

" You are mad ! " said the cure ; " you would not only ruin me, but would sacrifice yourself."

" Fear nothing."

" The poor woman is condemned, and that is the end

of her."

" I know it, and it is not to make any attempt to save her that I wish to see her, it is But listen to me, my

father ; you are not listening."

" I do not listen to you, since what you ask is impos-

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 357

sible ; I do not listen to you, since you act like a man bereft of his senses/' said the aged man. " I do not listen to you, because you terrify me."

" My father, reassure yourself," said the young man, endeavoring to calm himself ; "believe me, my father, I am in my senses. The queen, I know, is lost ; but if I

uld only for an instant prostrate myself at her feet, it

Aild save my life. If I do not see her, I will kill my-

pjlf, and as you will have caused my despair, you will at

die same moment destroy both body and soul."

' My son ! my son ! " replied the priest, "you ask me to sacrifice my life for you. Old as I am, my existence is

still necessary to the unfortunate ; old as I am, to precipitate my own death is to commit an act of suicide."

"Do not refuse me, my father/' replied the chevalier ;

<( you must have a curate, an acholothist ; take me, let me go with you."

The priest tried to maintain his firmness, which was

gradually giving way.

" N"o, no," said he ; ef this would be a defalcation from duty ; I have sworn to the constitution, and I am bound

heart, soul, and conscience. The unhappy woman con-

demned to death is a guilty queen ; I would accept death

if by so doing I could benefit a fellow-creature, but I will not depart from the path of duty."

" But," cried the chevalier. " when I have told you, and again repeat, even swear to you, I do not want to

save the queen ; here by the Evangelist, by the crucifix, I swear I do not go to the conciergerie to prevent her death ! "

"'What is your motive, then ?" said the old man,

affected by his undisguised accents of despair.

"Hearken," said the chevalier, whose soul seemed to speak from hid lips ; " she was my benefactress, she is attached to me, to see me for the last time will afford her

happiness, and will, I am certain, prove a consolation to

her."

' And this is all that you desire ?" demanded the cure, yielding to these irresistible accents.

"'Absolutely all."

358 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" And you have woven no plot to attempt to rescue the

condemned ?"

" None. I am a Christian, my father, and if there

rests in my heart a shadow of deceit, if, as I hope to live, I deal falsely in this, may God visit me with eternal damnation ! "

"No, no," said the cure; "I can promise nothing/*

as the innumerable dangers attendant on an act so impru-

dent returned to his mind.

" Now listen to me, my father/' said the chevalier, in a voice hoarse with emotion ; " I have spoken like a submissive child, I have not uttered one bitter word or un-

charitable sentiment, no menace has escaped my lips ; yet

now my head whirls, fever burns in my veins, now despair

rushes into my heart ; now I am armed ; behold ! here is

my dagger."

And the young man drew from his bosom a polished

blade which threw a livid reflection on his trembling hand.

The cure drew back quickly.

" Fear nothing/' said the chevalier, with a mournful

smile ; " others knowing you to be so strict an observer of your word, would have terrified you into an oath. But

no ; I have supplicated, and I still continue to supplicate, with hands clasped, my forehead in the dust, that I may

see her for a single moment. Look ! here is your

guarantee."

And lie drew from his pocket a billet, which he pre-

sented to Giraud, who opened it, and read as follows :

" I, Rene, Chevalier do Muison Rouge, declare by God

and my honor, that I have by threats of death compelled

the worthy cur6 of St. Landry to carry me to the concier-

gei'ie, nowithstanding his refusal and great repugnance to

do so. In proof of which I have signed :

"M.u.sox ROCGE."

"It is well/' said the pric?t ; "but swear to me once again thut vou will be guilty of no imprudence : it is not

sufficient that my life is saved, J ani answerable also for yours."

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 359

"Think not of that," said the chevalier. "Then yon consent ? "

" I must, since you so absolutely insist. You can wait outside, and when she comes to the wicket, you will see

her."

The chevalier seized the hand of the old priest, and

kissed it with all the ardor and respect he would the

crucifix.

" Oh ! " murmured the chevalier, " she shall die at least like a queen, and the hand of the executioner shall

never touch her."

CHAPTER XLVIII.

THE CART.

IMMEDIATELY after having obtained this permission

from the cure of St. Laudry, Maison Rouge withdrew into

a cabinet, the door of which, being half opened, he had

recognized us the priest's dressing-room. There his long

beard and mustachios speedily disappeared under the

stroke of the razor ; and then only he was fully aware of

his frightful pallor and altered appearance. It was ter-

rible to behold. Hereentered perfectly calm, and seemed

to have forgotten that notwithstanding the absence of

his beard and mustachios, he might probably be known at

the conciergerie. He followed the abbe, whom, during

his momentary absence, two officials were seeking, and

with the cool audacity which casts aside suspicion, en-

tcred the iron gate at this time opening into the court of

the palace. He was, like the Abbe Giraud, dressed in black, sacerdotal habits at that period being abolished. In the

register they found about fifty persons assembled ; some

employed about the prison, some deputies, some commis-

saries, all waiting in the expectation of seeing the queen

pass ; there might be some mandatories, and many idlers.

His heart bounded so violently 01 finding himself opposite

the wicket, that he heard not even the parley that ensued

between the abbe, the gendarmes, and the concierge.

360 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

Only a man with a pair of scissors in his hand and a piece

of stuff newly cut, pushed against Maison Rouge upon the

threshold. He turned round and recognized the execu-

tioner.

"What do you want, citizen ?" demanded Sanson.

The chevalier endeavored to repress the shudder which,

in spite of himself, ran through his veins.

" You see, Citizen Sanson," replied the chevalier,

"that I accompany the cure of St. Laudry."

"Oh, very well/' said the executioner, drawing him-

self on one side, and issuing orders to his assistant.

During this time Maison Rouge had passed into the in-

terior of the register, and from there into the compart-

ment inhabited by the two gendarmes. These men were

overcome by contending emotions. Proud and haughty

as she had been to others, how sweet and condescending

she had ever been to them ! They seemed more like her

servants than her guards. Tn his present position the

chevalier could not obtain a view of the queen the screen

was closed ! It had opened to give entrance to the cure 1 , but directly closed behind him. "When the chevalier entered, the conversation had already commenced.

"Monsieur," said the queen, in a clear and firm voice,

"since you have sworn yourself to the Republic, to those who have condemned me to'death, I have no confidence in

you. We do not worship the same God."

"Madame," said Giraiul, struck by this profession of faith so unworthy of her, " a Christian about to die should dismiss all hatred from her heart, and ought not to repul.se her God, under whatever form He may be presented