Part 38 (2/2)

”And now, General Santerre,” said Denot, marching close up to him, ”are you prepared to make good your promise to me? Are you prepared to give me an escort for myself and this lady, and to allow us to commence our journey from hence to Saumur?”

Denot's personal appearance had not been at all improved by the blow which Arthur had given him across his face. Both his cheeks were much swollen immediately beneath the eyes, and one of them was severely cut.

He felt that his looks were against him, and he endeavoured to make up for the injury his countenance had sustained by the sternness of his voice, and the determined rigour of his eye. ”I presume, General Santerre,” added he, ”that your plighted word is sufficient warrant to me for your good faith.”

”There is the lady,” said Santerre, pointing to Agatha. ”I did not undertake to protect you from the wrath of any rivals you might have in her affections. It seems to me that at present she prefers that young dare-devil slip of aristocracy to your patriotic ardour. If she won't go to Saumur with you, I can't make her.”

”By all the powers of heaven and h.e.l.l, she shall go with me!” said Denot, advancing towards her.

”Beware the switch--beware the switch again, thou false knave!” said the little Chevalier, jumping up, and standing immediately before Agatha, with his cherry stick in his hand. Denot had no other arms about him but his dagger, and that he drew, as he advanced towards the boy.

”No daggers--I will have no daggers,” shouted Santerre. ”Sergeant, take the dagger from him, unless he puts it up.”

”Beware the switch, thou traitor! beware the switch, thou knave!”

continued the Chevalier, shaking the stick at Denot, upon whose arm the strong hand of the sergeant, who had returned to the room, was now laid heavily.

”I will choke the brat as I would an adder,” said Denot, attempting to shake off the sergeant's hand. ”There, take the dagger,” and he dropped it on the ground, and rus.h.i.+ng at the boy, got inside the swing of his stick, and made a grasp at his throat. Arthur, however, was too quick for him, and pus.h.i.+ng away his hand, fastened his own arms round his adversary. They were now close locked in each other's embrace, and kicking, plunging, and striving, each did his best to throw the other to the ground.

”Oh! Sir, kind Sir, for mercy's sake separate them!” said Agatha, appealing to Santerre; ”he is but a boy, a child, and that wretched man is mad. He'll murder the boy before your eyes, if you do not separate them.”

”He won't find it so easy though,” said the Chevalier, panting, and out of breath; but still holding his own, and, indeed, more than his own; for he had fixed his left hand in Denot's hair, and was pulling his head backwards with such force, that he nearly broke his neck.

”I think the young one has the best of it,” said Santerre; ”but come, citizen Denot, your loves and your quarrels are troublesome to us; we have other work to attend to. Get up, man, get up, I tell you.”

Denot, by his superior weight and strength, had succeeded in getting the Chevalier to the ground, but Arthur still kept his hold in his hair, and though Adolphe was on the top of his foe, he did not find it very easy to get up.

”Get up, I say,” said Santerre. ”You'll gain nothing by wrestling with that fellow; he's more than a match for you. Well, Captain, what's the matter?”

The room in which the party had pa.s.sed the night looked out into the garden at the back of the house. The front room communicated with this by folding-doors, which during the night had been closed. These doors were now violently thrown open, and one of the officers, followed by about a dozen men, rushed into the room.

”The road is crowded with men,” said the officer; ”thousands of these brigands are on us. The chateau will be surrounded in five minutes.”

”H---- and the d----,” said Santerre between his teeth. ”This comes of playing the fool here,” and he hurried out of the room in company with the officer.

”Hurrah!” said the Chevalier, jumping to his feet. ”I knew they'd be here soon--I knew they'd be here soon,” and running to Agatha's side he caught hold of her hand, and covered it with kisses.

Denot also arose. He had also heard the officer say that the peasants were coming on them, and he felt that if he were taken, he could expect no mercy from those who had so lately been his friends. He did not, however, attempt to fly, but he stood still on the spot where he got up, and after wiping his hot brow with his handkerchief, he said slowly and mournfully--”Agatha Larochejaquelin, you now see to what your conduct has reduced me; and with my last breath I tell you that I owe my disgrace, my misery, and my death--ay, and the loss of my eternal soul, to you, and to you only. Ay, shudder and shake, thou lovely monster of cruelty. Shake and grieve with remorse and fear. You may well do so. My living form shall trouble you no more, but dead and dying I will be with you till the last trump sounds on the fearful day of judgment.”

Agatha did not answer him. She felt a.s.sured that he was mad, and she only pitied him. She had now too reason to hope that she and her father, and their whole household, would be relieved from their horrible position, and she no longer felt anything like anger against the unfortunate wretch whom uncontrolled pa.s.sions had absolutely maddened.

Arthur, in his anxiety to see what was going forward, was about to leave the room, but Agatha laid her hand upon his arm to detain him, merely looking towards Denot as she did so.

”And do you think,” said Denot, ”that puny boy could really stop my way, if I chose to put out my right hand against him. Boy, I despise and disregard you! would before I die that it might be allowed me to measure arms with any man, who would dare to say that he would advocate your cause!”

”Beware the switch, traitor--beware the switch!” repeated the Chevalier.

”Be quiet, Arthur, do not anger him,” whispered Agatha. ”It is not generous, you know, to insult a fallen foe.”

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