Part 3 (1/2)
CHAPTER IV.
THE suggestion quite accorded with my inclination to compare the chambers of the brothers, and I did not hesitate to adopt it. I followed my host, who, opening the door, paused in front of me to show me the way.
This time I found myself in a regular a.r.s.enal. All the furniture was of the fifteenth or sixteenth century--the carved and canopied bedstead, supported by great posts, was draped with green damask _a fleur d'or;_ the window curtains were of the same material. The walls were covered with Spanish leather, and in the open s.p.a.ces were sustained trophies of Gothic and modern arms.
There was no mistaking the tastes of the occupant of this room: they were as warlike as those of his brother were peaceable.
”Look here,” he said, pa.s.sing into an inner room, ”here you are in three centuries at once--see! I will dress while you amuse yourself, for I must make haste or supper will be announced.”
”Which are the historic arms of which you spoke amongst all these swords, arquebuses, and poignards?” I asked.
”There are three. Let us take them in order. If you look by the head of my bed you will find a poignard with a very large hilt--the pommel forms a seal.”
”Yes, I have it.”
”That is the dagger of Sampietro.”
”The famous Sampietro, the a.s.sa.s.sin of Vanina?”
”The a.s.sa.s.sin! No, the avenger.”
”It is the same thing, I fancy.”
”To the rest of the world, perhaps--not in Corsica.”
”And is the dagger authentic?”
”Look for yourself. It carries the arms of Sampietro--only the fleur-de-lis of France is missing. You know that Sampietro was not authorized to wear the lily until after the siege of Perpignan.”
”No, I was not aware of that fact. And how did you become possessed of this poignard?”
”Oh! it has been in our family for three hundred years. It was given to a Napoleon de Franchi by Sampietro himself.”
”Do you remember on what occasion?”
”Yes. Sampietro and my ancestor fell into an ambuscade of Genoese, and defended themselves like lions. Sampietro's helmet was knocked off, and a Genoese on horseback was about to kill Sampietro with his mace when my ancestor plunged his dagger into a joint in his enemy's armour. The rider feeling himself wounded spurred his horse, carrying away in his flight the dagger so firmly embedded in his armour that he was unable to withdraw it, and as my ancestor very much regretted the loss of his favourite weapon Sampietro gave him his own. Napoleon took great care of it, for it is of Spanish workmans.h.i.+p, as you see, and will penetrate two five-franc pieces one on top of another.”
”May I make the attempt?”
”Certainly.”
Placing the coins upon the floor, I struck a sharp blow with the dagger. Lucien had not deceived me.
When I withdrew the poignard I found both pieces pierced through and through, fixed upon the point of the dagger.
”This is indeed the dagger of Sampietro,” I said. ”But what astonishes me is that being possessed of such a weapon he should have employed the cord to kill his wife.”
”He did not possess it at that time,” replied Lucien; ”he had given it to my ancestor.”