Part 56 (1/2)
He cursed violently and at the top of his voice
”What are those d--d aristos doing out there?” he shouted
”Just getting into the coach, citizen,” replied the sergeant prouerite were immediately ordered back into the coach
Heron reer; he had a toothpick in his hand which he was using very freely
”Howto wait in this cursed hole?” he called out to the sergeant
”Only a few er, citizen Citizen Chauvelin will be back soon with the guard”
A quarter of an hour later the clatter of cavalry horses on the rough, uneven paveeand looked out Chauvelin had just returned with the new escort
He was on horseback; his horse's bridle, since he was but an indifferent horseman, was held by one of the troopers
Outside the inn he dismounted; evidently he had taken full command of the expedition, and scarcely referred to Heron, who spentat thehalf-asleep and partially drunk in the inside of the carriage
The changing of the guard was now accomplished quietly and in perfect order The new escort consisted of twenty eant and a corporal, and of two drivers, one for each coach The cortege noas filed up inorder; ahead a suerite and Armand closely surrounded by mounted men, and at a short distance the second coach with citizen Heron and the prisoner equally well guarded
Chauvelin superintended all the arrangeeant, also with the driver of his own coach He went to theof the other carriage, probably in order to consult with citizen Heron, or to take final directions fro hi well forward into the interior, whilst apparently he was taking notes on a small tablet which he had in his hand
A sated in the narrow street; ainst the verandah of the inn and gazed with inexpressive, stolid eyes on the soldiers, the coaches, the citizen ore the tricolour scarf They had seen this sort of thing before now--aristos being conveyed to Paris under arrest, prisoners on their way to or froeIt was not the first woman's face they had seen under like circumstances, and there was no special interest about this aristo They were sainst the balustrade Marguerite wondered if none of them had wife, sister, orin these poor wretches had been atrophied bywas in order and the small party ready to start
”Does any one here know the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, close by the park of the Chateau d'Ourde?” asked Chauvelin, vaguely addressing the knot of gaffers that stood closest to him
The men shook their heads Some had dimly heard of the Chateau d'Ourde; it was sone, but no one knew about a chapel; people did not trouble about chapels nowadays With the indifference so peculiar to local peasantry, thesecountry than the twelve or fifteen league circle that ithin a walk of their sleepy little town
One of the scouts on ahead turned in his saddle and spoke to citizen Chauvelin:
”I think I know the way pretty well; citizen Chauvelin,” he said; ”at any rate, I know it as far as the forest of Boulogne”
Chauvelin referred to his tablets
”That's good,” he said; ”then when you reach the mile-stone that stands on this road at the confine of the forest, bear sharply to your right and skirt the wood until you see the ha
Le--Le--yes--Le Crocq--that's it in the valley below”
”I know Le Crocq, I think,” said the trooper
”Very well, then; at that point it seeles into the interior of the forest; you follow that until a stone chapel with a colonnaded porch stands before you on your left, and the walls and gates of a park on your right That is so, is it not, Sir Percy?” he added, oncetowards the interior of the coach
Apparently the answer satisfied hiave the quick word of command, ”En avant!” then turned back towards his own coach and finally entered it
”Do you know the Chateau d'Ourde, citizen St Just?” he asked abruptly as soon as the carriage began to move