Part 8 (1/2)

Meanwhile nothing was said to Claude. He was not included in the compliments of Captain Ducrot, nor was any notice taken of him in any way. He could not help feeling slighted and irritated at the whole proceeding. To himself and to Zac this whole party owed their lives, and they were all leaving him now with no more regard for him than if he were, a perfect stranger. But the fact was, the whole party took it for granted that he and Zac would be invited on board, and that they would see them both again, and supposed that they were coming in the same boat. Mimi and Pere Michel both thought that Claude, at least, was going with them; for he had told them both that he was going to leave the schooner and send Zac home.

But Claude's feelings were somewhat embittered by this whole incident, and were destined to be still more so before it was all over.

The lieutenant remained on board. The boat rowed back to the Aigle, carrying the pa.s.sengers above named, after which the lieutenant motioned to the other boat. This one moved alongside, and a half-dozen armed seamen stepped on board.

”Monsieur,” said the lieutenant, advancing to Claude, ”I hope you will pardon me for being the instrument in a very unpleasant duty. I am pained to inform you that you are my prisoner, on the command of his excellency the commandant of Louisbourg, whose instructions I am ordered to fulfil. I deeply regret this painful necessity, and most sincerely hope that it may prove only a temporary inconvenience.”

At this Claude was so astounded that for some time he could only stare at the officer, without being able to utter a syllable. At length he said,--

”What, monsieur! A prisoner? You must be mistaken! And who--The commandant of Louisbourg--is not that the Count de Cazeneau?”

”It is.”

”But, monsieur, it must be a mistake. I have never injured him or any one. I have done nothing but good to him. My friend here, the captain of this schooner, and I, saved his life; and we have treated him with the utmost kindness since he was on board here. Finally, we sailed towards you, and put ourselves in your power, solely that these s.h.i.+pwrecked pa.s.sengers, of whom the Count de Cazeneau was one, might reach their friends sooner. How, then, can he possibly mean to arrest me?”

”Monsieur, I a.s.sure you that it grieves mo most deeply,” said the officer--”most exquisitely. I know all this--all, and so does Captain Ducrot; but there is no mistake, and it must be.”

”But what authority has he here, and why should your captain do his orders?”

”Monsieur, I am only a subordinate, and I know nothing but my orders.

At the same time, you must know that the commandant of Louisbourg has general control, by land and sea, and is my captain's superior.”

Claude made no reply. He saw that this man was but, as he said, a subordinate, and was only obeying his orders. But the officer had something still on his mind. His words and his looks all showed that the present business was exceedingly distasteful to him, and that he was only doing it under pressure.

”Monsieur,” said he, after a pause, ”I have another painful duty to perform. I am ordered to take possession of this schooner, as a prize of war, and take the captain and crew as prisoners of war.”

At this Claude stared at the officer once more, utterly stupefied.

”Mon Dieu!” he cried, at length. ”Are you a Frenchman? Is your captain a French gentleman? Do you know, monsieur, what you are doing? We have saved some s.h.i.+pwrecked Frenchmen; we have carried them to a place of safety; and for this we are arrested! This honest man, the captain, might expect a reward for his generosity; and what does he get? Why, he is seized as a prisoner of war, and his schooner is made a prize! Is there any chivalry left in France? Are these the acts of Frenchmen? Great Heavens! Has it come to this?”

”Monsieur,” said the officer, ”be calm, I implore you. All this gives me the most exquisite distress. But I must obey orders.”

”You are right,” said Claude. ”You are a subordinate. I am wasting words to talk with you. Take me to your captain, or to the Count de Cazeneau. Let me learn what it is that induces him to act towards us with such unparalleled baseness.”

”Monsieur, I shall be happy to do all that I can. I will take you to the Aigle,--under guard,--and you will be a prisoner there. I hope that his excellency will accord you the favor of an interview.”

All this time Zac had been a silent spectator of the scene. He had not understood the words that were spoken, but he had gathered the general meaning of this scene from the gestures and expression of the two speakers. The presence, also, of the armed guard was enough to show him that the blow which he dreaded had fallen. And now, since the worst had happened, all his uneasiness departed, and he resumed all the vigor of his mind. He at once decided upon the best course to follow, and that course was to be emphatically one of quiet, and calmness, and cool watchfulness. Claude had become excited at this event; Zac had become cool.

”Wal,” said he, advancing towards Claude, ”it's just as I said. I allus said that these here frog-eatin' Frenchmen wan't to be trusted; and here, you see, I was right. I see about how it is. The poor, unfort'nate Parson's done for, an' I'm in for it, too, I s'pose.”

Claude turned, and gave Zac a look of indescribable distress.

”There's some infernal villain at work, Zac,” said he, ”out of the common course, altogether. I'm arrested myself.”

”You? Ah!” said Zac, who did not appear to be at all surprised. ”You don't say so! Wal, you've got the advantage of me, since you can speak their darned lingo. So they've gone an' 'rested you, too--have they?”

”It's that infernal Cazeneau,” said Claude; ”and I haven't got the faintest idea why.”

”Cazeneau, is it? O, well,” said Zac, ”they're all alike. It's my opinion that it's the captain of the frigate, an' he's doin' it in Cazeneau's name. Ye see he's ben a cruisin' about, an' hankers after a prize; an' I'm the only one he's picked up. You're 'rested--course--as one of the belongin's of the Parson. You an' I an' the hull crew: that's it! We're all prisoners of war!”