Part 58 (1/2)
”You are incorrigible, Lampin; your infernal sottishness came near betraying us a hundred times.”
”Bah! bah; what had we to fear, after all? There's n.o.body in the house but three old blockheads, a fool, a mad woman and a child! That's a very terrible lot, isn't it? If you had taken my advice, once we were in the house, we would have acted without disguise. For my part, I would look after the old Crsus and his servant.”
”It is much better to act without risk, and to be able to effect our retreat without disorder. You may be sure that, before bringing you here, I made inquiries about the people in the house. The owner is very rich, he helps everybody.”
”Well, he must help us too, the old Crsus!”
”He must have much money here; I know that he received remittances from his farmers a week ago. All that money must be in his room; we can easily get in there, take possession of the treasure, and escape through the mad woman's room; for the gate is very strong, and very securely fastened, and we should have much difficulty in forcing it.”
”Very good! But I saw bars at the ground floor window looking on the woods. Is that the way that you propose to take us out, my most honored father?”
”You idiot! Do you suppose that I haven't thought of everything? Our comrades have orders to file the bars, and I told them that they could work without fear, as the woman who occupies the room would watch them without saying a word.”
”Bravo! That is a most excellent idea; isn't it, Edouard? Speak up, you infernal dreamer!”
”Yes, yes, the plan is well devised.”
”It is very lucky that it pleases you! If only that old steward who looked askance at us doesn't disturb our arrangements.”
”Woe to him, if he should dare!--We will let our comrades in; then we shall be in force; and those who make trouble for us will soon be reduced to silence!”
”That's the talk! strong measures.”
”Luckily I was moderate at table; if I had imitated you, Lampin, we should have betrayed ourselves.”
”What the devil! you played the old man so well that I nearly choked with laughter. But if I did drink, it only increased my courage; there is gold to be got here, and that gives me nerve, my colleagues. Let's see, how do we distribute our functions?”
”We will let our friends in, in a few moments; we must give these old men time to get to sleep. We will leave Edouard on guard with the mad woman, to see that she doesn't lock the door of her room in a fit of delirium; for that would cut off our retreat. Our comrades will stand guard, one over the gardener, the other over the cook; and you, Lampin, will go with me in search of the money.”
”That's well arranged; this good fellow cannot complain of having a too dangerous post; to stay with a woman and a child, both asleep! What prowess!”
”Very true, but they mustn't wake; if they should make the slightest sound--remember, Edouard, that our safety, our lives, are at stake.”
”All right, I understand.”
”And so do I,” said Dupre to himself, noiselessly withdrawing his head; ”I know enough;--the villains! I was not mistaken! We have given hospitality to brigands! O my G.o.d! inspire me, so that I may save my master and that poor woman!”
The old servant crept along the roof and reentered the loft. Despite all he could do to revive his spirits and his courage, his legs trembled, he could hardly hold himself erect, and his imagination, thrown into confusion by all that he had heard, saw nothing but scenes of blood and death. Dupre was sixty-five years old; at that age, a man is a long time coming to a decision; and in dangerous crises, the time that he loses in making up his mind as to what he shall do makes the danger more imminent.
Dupre felt his way through the loft. Should he wake his master or Lucas?
But the gardener did not wake easily, he would have to make much noise at his door, and in the silence of the night, the slightest sound would be heard by the robbers and would arouse their suspicions. Catherine was locked into her kitchen, and would be of no a.s.sistance to them. But it was the young woman's apartment through which the comrades of the brigands were to enter the house; it was most essential to close that entrance, after removing Constance and her daughter from the room.
This plan seemed the wisest to the old servant. He decided to go downstairs, but he trembled and shuddered as he placed his foot on the staircase. If the villains should come out of their room and meet him, he would be lost! He listened before venturing upon each step; at the slightest sound he stopped. He was about to pa.s.s the door of the second floor; but he heard voices and footsteps. The door was thrown open, and Dupre hurried back to the loft.
The pretended peddlers had heard a noise above their heads; the old man's heavy step had made the boards creak and had disturbed the silence of the night. Dufresne left the room first; he held a torch in one hand and a dagger in the other. Lampin followed, and they entered the loft just as the old servant was crawling under a bundle of straw.
”We are betrayed!” said Dufresne; ”someone has been listening to us.”
He instantly plunged his dagger into the old man's bosom, as he clasped his hands to implore mercy. Dupre expired without uttering a sound; his blood inundated the floor, and Lampin covered the ill-fated servant's body with straw.
”Let us go down,” said Dufresne; ”and as suspicion has been aroused, let us make haste to act!”