Part 30 (1/2)

'Here is more of it, Monseigneur,' cried she pa.s.sionately. 'Her Majesty's ears have been outraged by these base calumnies, and I am summoned to her presence in all haste.'

'I foresaw it, Madame,' said the Bishop, as he arose to withdraw. 'I wish you a most pleasant journey, Madame la Marquise, and all that can render the conclusion of it agreeable.

CHAPTER V. A SUDDEN REVERSE

'What is it?--what has happened?' cried Gerald, as he awoke suddenly from a deep sleep, the first he had enjoyed after some nights of pain.

'Oh, it is you, Count Dillon,' and he tried to smile an apology for his abruptness.

'Lie down again, my lad, and listen to me, patiently too, if you can, for I have tidings that might try your patience.'

'I see you _have_ bad news for me,' said Gerald calmly; 'out with it at once.'

The other made no reply, but turned toward him a look of compa.s.sionate tenderness.

'Come, Count, uncertainty is the worst of penalties--what are your tidings?'

'Tell me, first of all, Gerald, is it true that you supped on Friday last at Paris with a party, at the house of a certain Monsieur du Saillant, and there met Desmoulins, Rivarol, and several others of that party?'

'Yes, quite true.'

'And they drank patriotic toasts--which means that they pledged b.u.mpers in insult to the court?'

'They made an attempt to do so, which I resisted. I said that I would not sit there and hear one word to disparage my sovereign or his cause, on which one of them cried out, ”And who are you who dares to prescribe to us how we are to speak, or what to toast?” ”He is _my_ friend,” said Du Saillant, ”and that is enough.” ”Nay,” broke in the others, ”it is not enough. We have placed our necks in a halter, if this youth should turn out a spy of the court, or a Garde du Corps.” ”And I am a Garde du Corps,” said I. ”_Parbleu!_” said one, ”I know him well now; he is the fellow they call the Ecossais--the Queen's minion.” With that I struck him across the face--the others fell upon me, and pressed me toward the window, I believe, to throw me out; at all events there was a severe struggle, from which I escaped, roughly handled and bruised, into an adjoining room. Here they followed and arranged that meeting of which you have heard.'

'You ran him through?'

'Yes, a bad wound, I fear; but it was no time to measure consequences; besides, three others claimed to fight me.'

'And did they?'

'No, the affair stands over; for Carca.s.sone--that's his name--they thought was dying, and all their care was turned to him. Meanwhile I was bleeding tremendously, for he had cut a blood-vessel in my arm.'

'Well, and then----'

'Then I can't well tell you what happened. I found myself in the street, with my cravat bound round my arm, and one man, they called Boulet, beside me. He said all he could to cheer me, bade me be of good heart, and that if I liked to make my fortune he would show me the way. ”Come with me,” said he, ”to the 'Trois etoiles,' declare yourself for us: you are well known in Paris--every one has heard how the Queen likes you.”

I tried to strike him, but I only tore off the bandage by my effort, and fell all bathed in blood on the pavement.'

'And it was in that state you were found underneath the Queen's window?'

'I know no more,' said Gerald drearily, as he lay back, and crossed his eyes with his hand. 'I have a hundred confused memories of what followed, but can trust none of them. I can recall something of a caleche driven furiously along, while I lay half-fainting within; something of wine or brandy poured down my throat; something of being carried in men's arms, but through all these are drifting other thoughts, vague, incoherent, almost impossible.'

'Is it true that the Queen, with one of her ladies, found you still lying in the garden when day broke?'

'It may have been the Queen--I did not know her,' said he despondently.

'Now, then, for your tidings.'

'You remember, of course, the events which have occurred since your illness, that you have been examined by a military commission, in presence of two persons deputed by the ”States-General?”