Part 8 (2/2)
From the inner room came the sound of voices, a man's and a woman's, and now, as if in response to Heron's call, the shrill tones of a child
There was so about of furniture, then the door was opened, and a gruff voice invited the belated visitors to enter
The atmosphere in this further room was so thick that at first de Batz was only conscious of the evil smells that pervaded it; s coke, of a sh it all the pungent odour of raw spirits
Heron had stepped briskly in, closely followed by de Batz The man Dupont with a mutter of satisfaction put down his lanthorn and curled himself up in a corner of the antechamber His interest in the spectacle so favoured by citizen Heron had apparently been exhausted by constant repetition
De Batz looked round hih to e one; it was ale of its size, so craht furniture of every conceivable shape and type There was a e sofa covered in black horsehair in another A large table stood in the centre of the room, and there were at least four capacious armchairs round it There ardrobes and cabinets, a dilass, there were innu-cases, cane-bottomed chairs and what-nots every-where The place looked like a depot for second-hand furniture
In the midst of all the litter de Batz at last beca at him and at Heron He saw a man before him, somewhat fleshy of build, with s, and ending in a heavy curl above each ear; the eyes ide open and pale in colour, the lips unusually thick and with a ish-looking woman, whose unwieldy bulk, however, and pallid skin revealed the sedentary life and the ravages of ill-health
Both appeared to regard Heron with a certain amount of awe, and de Batz with a vast measure of curiosity
Suddenly the woman stood aside, and in the far corner of the room there was displayed to the Gascon Royalist's cold, calculating gaze the pathetic figure of the uncrowned King of France
”How is it Capet is not yet in bed?” queried Heron as soon as he caught sight of the child
”He wouldn't say his prayers this evening,” replied Sih, ”and wouldn't drink his medicine Bah!” he added with a snarl, ”this is a place for dogs and not for human folk”
”If you are not satisfied, nation when you like There are plenty ill be glad of the place”
The ex-cobbler gave another surly growl and expectorated on the floor in the direction where stood the child
”Little vermin,” he said, ”he is more trouble than man or woman can bear”
The boy in the ar insults put upon hiure, er to him, than in the three others whom he knew De Batz noted that the child looked well nourished, and that he arh woollen shi+rt and cloth breeches, with coarse grey stockings and thick shoes; but he also saw that the clothes were indescribably filthy, as were the child's hands and face The golden curls, a and queenly ers, now hung bedraggled, greasy, and lank round the little face, fronity and of si since been erased
There was no look of the h, ar tutor's rough blows; rather did the pale young face wear the air of sullen indifference, and an abject desire to please, which would have appeared heart-breaking to any spectator less self-seeking and egotistic than was this Gascon conspirator
Madame Simon had called hi, and the child went readily enough, without any sign of fear She took the corner of her coarse dirty apron in her hand, and wiped the boy's mouth and face with it
”I can't keep hi of the shoulders and a look at de Batz ”There now,” she added, speaking once ood boy, and say your lesson to please lass from the table, which was filled with a clear liquid that de Batz at first took to be water, and held it to the boy's lips
He turned his head away and began to whimper
”Is the medicine very nasty?” queried de Batz
”Mon Dieu! but no, citizen,” exclai eau de vie, the best that can be procured Capet likes it really--don't you, Capet? It hts Why, you had a glassful yesterday and enjoyed it Take it now,” she added in a quick whisper, seeing that Siether; ”you know it lass now and then”
The child wavered for a rimace of distaste But at last he seemed to make up his mind that it isest to yield over so slass from Madame Simon
And thus did de Batz see the descendant of St Louis quaffing a glass of raw spirit at the bidding of a rough cobbler's wife, whom he called by the fond and foolish nah he was, de Batz turned away in loathing