Part 44 (1/2)

”Ah!” said Jacques, ”and what has he done?”

”Why, first, two years ago, he himself brought, me, on horseback behind him, his niece that thou'st seen out there.”

”His niece!” cried Jacques, rising; ”and thou treat'st her like a slave!

Demonio!”

”Drink,” said Houmain, quietly stirring the brazier with his poniard; ”he himself desired it should be so. Sit down.”

Jacques did so.

”I don't think,” continued the smuggler, ”that he'd even be sorry to know that she was--dost understand?--to hear she was under the snow rather than above it; but he would not put her there himself, because he's a good relative, as he himself said.”

”And as I know,” said Jacques; ”but go on.”

”Thou mayst suppose that a man like him, who lives at court, does not like to have a mad niece in his house. The thing is self-evident; if I'd continued to play my part of the man of the robe, I should have done the same in a similar case. But here, as you perceive, we don't care much for appearances; and I've taken her for a servant. She has shown more good sense than I expected, although she has rarely ever spoken more than a single word, and at first came the delicate over us. Now she rubs down a mule like a groom. She has had a slight fever for the last few days; but 'twill pa.s.s off one way or the other. But, I say, don't tell Laubardemont that she still lives; he'd think 'twas for the sake of economy I've kept her for a servant.”

”How! is he here?” cried Jacques.

”Drink!” replied the phlegmatic Houmain, who himself set the example most a.s.siduously, and began to half shut his eyes with a languis.h.i.+ng air. ”'Tis the second transaction I've had with this Laubardemont--or demon, or whatever the name is; but 'tis a good devil of a demon, at all events. I love him as I do my eyes; and I will drink his health out of this bottle of Jurangon here. 'Tis the wine of a jolly fellow, the late King Henry. How happy we are here!--Spain on the right hand, France on the left; the wine-skin on one side, the bottle on the other! The bottle! I've left all for the bottle!”

As he spoke, he knocked off the neck of a bottle of white wine. After taking a long draught, he continued, while the stranger closely watched him:

”Yes, he's here; and his feet must be rather cold, for he's been waiting about the mountains ever since sunset, with his guards and our comrades.

Thou knowest our bandoleros, the true contrabandistas?”

”Ah! and what do they hunt?” said Jacques.

”Ah, that's the joke!” answered the drunkard. ”'Tis to arrest two rascals, who want to bring here sixty thousand Spanish soldiers in paper in their pocket. You don't, perhaps, quite understand me, 'croquant'.

Well, 'tis as I tell thee--in their own pockets.”

”Ay, ay! I understand,” said Jacques, loosening his poniard in his sash, and looking at the door.

”Very well, devil's-skin, let's sing the Tirana. Take the bottle, throw away the cigar, and sing.”

With these words the drunken host began to sing in Spanish, interrupting his song with b.u.mpers, which he threw down his throat, leaning back for the greater ease, while Jacques, still seated, looked at him gloomily by the light of the brazier, and meditated what he should do.

A flash of lightning entered the small window, and filled the room with a sulphurous odor. A fearful clap immediately followed; the cabin shook; and a beam fell outside.

”Hallo, the house!” cried the drunken man; ”the Devil's among us; and our friends are not come!”

”Sing!” said Jacques, drawing the pack upon which he was close to that of Houmain.

The latter drank to encourage himself, and then continued to sing.

As he ended, he felt his seat totter, and fell backward; Jacques, thus freed from him, sprang toward the door, when it opened, and his head struck against the cold, pale face of the mad-woman. He recoiled.

”The judge!” she said, as she entered; and she fell prostrate on the cold ground.