Part 21 (1/2)
”You look like a low, dishonorable, soulless tyrant,” she said to Hamilton, ”and if you get my flag, how shall I know that you will keep your promise and let Papa Roussillon go free?”
”I am sorry to say that you will have to trust me, unless you'll take Captain Farnsworth for security. The Captain is a gentleman, I a.s.sure you. Will you stand good for my veracity and sincerity, Captain Farnsworth?”
The young man smiled and bowed.
Alice felt the irony; and her perfectly frank nature preferred to trust rather than distrust the sincerity of others. She looked at Farnsworth, who smiled encouragingly.
”The flag is under Father Beret's floor,” she said.
”Under the church floor?”
”No, under the floor of his house.”
”Where is his house?”
She gave full directions how to reach it.
”Untie the prisoner,” Hamilton ordered, and it was quickly done.
”Monsieur Roussillon, I congratulate you upon your narrow escape. Go to the priest's house, Monsieur, and bring me that flag. It would be well, I a.s.sure you, not to be very long about it. Captain Farnsworth, you will send a guard with Monsieur Roussillon, a guard of honor, fitting his official dignity, a Corporal and two men. The honorable Mayor of this important city should not go alone upon so important an errand. He must have his attendants.”
”Permit me to go myself and get it,” said Alice, ”I can do it quickly.
May I, please, Monsieur?”
Hamilton looked sharply at her.
”Why, certainly, Mademoiselle, certainly. Captain Farnsworth, you will escort the young lady.”
”It is not necessary, Monsieur.”
”Oh, yes, it is necessary, my dear young lady, very necessary; so let's not have further words. I'll try to entertain his honor, the Mayor, while you go and get the flag. I feel sure, Mademoiselle, that you'll return with it in a few minutes. But you must not go alone.”
Alice set forth immediately, and Farnsworth, try as hard as he would, could never reach her side, so swift was her gait.
When they arrived at Father Beret's cabin, she turned and said with imperious severity:
”Don't you come in; you stay out here: I'll get it in a minute.”
Farnsworth obeyed her command.
The door was wide open, but Father Beret was not inside; he had gone to see a sick child in the outskirts of the village. Alice looked about and hesitated. She knew the very puncheon that covered the flag; but she shrank from lifting it. There seemed nothing else to do, however; so, after some trouble with herself, she knelt upon the floor and turned the heavy slab over with a great thump. The flag did not appear.
She peeped under the other puncheons. It was not there. The only thing visible was a little ball of paper fragments not larger than an egg.
Farnsworth heard her utter a low cry of surprise or dismay, and was on the point of going in when Father Beret, coming around the corner of the cabin, confronted him. The meeting was so sudden and unexpected that both men recoiled slightly, and then, with a mutual stare, saluted.
”I came with a young lady to get the flag,” said Farnsworth. ”She is inside. I hope there is no serious intrusion. She says the flag is hidden under your floor.”
Father Beret said nothing, but frowning as if much annoyed, stepped through the doorway to Alice's side, and stooping where she knelt, laid a hand on her shoulder as she glanced up and recognized him.
”What are you doing, my child?”