Part 7 (1/2)

”A messenger from Dijon!” Both St. Georges and Boussac started at this and looked at each other in the uncertain light. A messenger from Dijon! Who could it be? Who was there who knew of St. Georges's whereabouts? Yet, as the man spoke, they guessed that the fellow whom Boussac had noticed, who had tracked them all day, mostly masked, must have been that messenger.

”He came at last,” the narrator continued, ”an hour or so before monsieur and his companion. And he told us that there were two, so that we had to do more than we had undertaken. Yet, we thought not much of that. We were five to two, for he, the messenger, averred he would take no part in the fight unless absolutely necessary. He was not well, he said; he had ridden all day--fighting was not his business; he was a messenger, not a soldier. So our employer cursed him for a poltroon, but told him he might stand out of the attack. We were five without him--that was enough.”

”Go on,” said St. Georges once more, seeing that again the man paused as though his narrative had concluded. ”Go on. There is more to be told.”

”But little, monsieur. Only this. As you wheeled into this graveyard he gave us one final order. 'They will resist,' he said, 'therefore spare not. Dead or alive they must be taken. Child and man. Dead or alive. You understand!'”

”And it was for that reason that all endeavoured to plunge their swords into this innocent child! My G.o.d!” And St. Georges paused a moment ere he went on; then he said to Boussac: ”What shall we do to him? He merits death.”

”_Ma foi!_ he does,” replied the mousquetaire, while he grimly added, ”For my part, I am willing to execute it on him now.”

At this sinister remark, uttered with the callousness which a brave soldier would naturally feel for the existence of such a creature, the other flung himself on his feet before them and began to howl so for mercy that St. Georges, more for fear that he would call the attention of some who might be about the village than aught else, bade him cease the noise he was making or he would indeed take effectual steps to stop it. Then, when this remark had produced the desired effect, namely, a cessation of the man's shouts, though he whimpered and whined like a beaten hound, the other continued:

”In spite of your villainy, of your a.s.saults on one so harmless as the child I carry, you are too vile for us to stain our weapons with your blood. Yet, what to do with you?”

”Throw him in there,” said Boussac with _sang froid_. ”That will keep him quiet for some time at least,” and he pointed to an open grave which yawned very near where they stood, and into whose black mouth he had been peering for some time. He added also: ”It will be his only chance of ever occupying one. Such as he end by hanging on roadside gibbets or rotting on the wheel they have been broken upon--the peaceful grave is not for them.”

St. Georges turned his eyes to the spot indicated, exclaiming that it would do very well. It was no newly made grave, he saw, prepared for one who had recently departed, but, instead, an old one that had been opened, perhaps to receive some fresh body; for by the side of it there lay a slab that had, it was plain to see, been pushed aside from where it had previously rested, as though to permit of it being so opened.

”Ay,” echoed Boussac, sardonically, ”it will do very well. Add when he is in--as we will soon have him--the stone shall be pushed back to keep him safe. Then he may holla loud enough and long: no one will hear him.”

His hollas began again at once, however, for at the terrifying prospect of being thus incarcerated in so awful a manner he flung himself once more on his knees, and bellowed out:

”Nay! Nay! In pity, I beseech you. You know not what you do--what terrors you condemn me to. A plague, a horrible one, a sweating sickness, pa.s.sed over this province a year back--it took many, among others him who laid here. He was of Chantillon--a seigneur--and is now removed by his friends. Mercy! Mercy! Mercy! Condemn me not to this.

Think, I beseech you. The grave is infected, impregnated with contagion. Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!”

The fellow had thrust at his child's life--St. Georges remembered it even as he spoke!--yet, being a brave soldier himself, he could not condemn the ruffian to such horrors as these. Revenge he would have taken earlier, in the heat of the fight; would have killed the man with his own hand, even as he would have killed that other, the leader, had the chance arisen; but--this was beneath him. Therefore, he said:

”Bind him, Boussac, to this old yew. Bind him with his horse's reins and gag him. Then he must take his chance--the night grows late. We must away.”

It was done almost as soon as ordered, the mousquetaire detaching the coa.r.s.e reins of the man's horse--which was itself wounded and seemed incapable of action--and las.h.i.+ng him to the tree, while he took one of his stirrup leathers and bade him open his mouth to be gagged.

”To-morrow,” he remarked to the unhappy wretch, ”at matins you may be released. Meanwhile, heart up! you are not alone. You have your comrades for company.” And he glanced down at the others lying still in death.

”Stay,” said St. Georges, ”ere you put the gag in his mouth let me ask him one question.--Who,” turning to the s.h.i.+vering creature before him, ”who was your leader? Answer me that, and even now you shall go free.

Answer!”

For a moment the man hesitated--doubtless he was wondering if he could not invent some name which might pa.s.s for a real one, and so give him his freedom--then, perhaps because his inventive powers were not great, or--which was more probable--his captor might have some means of knowing that he was lying, he answered:

”I do not know. I never saw him before.”

”You do not know, or will not tell--which?”

”I do not know.”

”Whence came he to your village? From what quarter?”

”The north road. The great road from Paris. He had not come many leagues; his horse was fresh.”