Part 34 (1/2)
”Where are we?”
”In a cell of the old monastery which once stood hard by the Rue Charonne, which has served as a cellar at some time, but now for a long while has been forgotten. Citizen Latour would have been here with mademoiselle to meet you, but the mob in the neighborhood will keep them away to-night. You must wait here, monsieur, it may be for some days.”
”Mademoiselle is safe?”
”Quite safe in the care of Deputy Latour. I had the honor of helping him to bring her out of the Abbaye prison.”
”And what are Citizen Latour's plans for getting her out of Paris?”
”He is making them, but they change from day to day as the circ.u.mstances change. At the first opportunity he will come to you.”
”I must wait with what patience I can,” said Barrington.
”And remain as quiet as you can,” said Sabatier. ”The crowd will be hunting for you for some time, and a noise might attract them.”
”I shall not court death; I have a good deal to live for,” said Barrington.
”Then, monsieur, I will leave you. Citizen Latour will be distressed until he knows you are safe.”
Richard Barrington's patience was destined to be sufficiently tried. It was a poor, miserable caricature of daylight which found its way through the barred grating, and for three days Sabatier visited him every morning with the same news that the crowds parading the Rue Charonne made it impossible for Latour to come.
”Is it necessary to lock me in?” Barrington asked.
”It is not to prevent your going out, monsieur, but to insure that your enemies do not come in.”
”I feel like a prisoner.”
”Better that than falling into the hands of the mob.”
On the fourth day Sabatier brought a message from Latour. Barrington's servant Seth had been to him inquiring about his master. Naturally, perhaps, he was not inclined to believe Latour's word that he was safe, and unless he had some definite proof might ruin everything by making inquiries in other directions.
”Will you write a letter to your servant, monsieur, telling him to wait until he has further instructions from you?”
”Might he not come to me here?”
”For the present that would be too dangerous,” Sabatier answered. ”I come and go, monsieur, because I was bred in this quarter of the city.
The mob claims me as a part of it, and truly I am, except in this business. I began by simply obeying Citizen Latour, for my own benefit, I make no secret of it; now I am also interested in Monsieur Barrington.”
The letter to Seth was written and given to Sabatier to deliver. Two more weary days of waiting pa.s.sed, and then late one afternoon Raymond Latour came.
Barrington welcomed him, both hands held out to him.
”It was bravely done,” he exclaimed. ”You must have run great risk in getting her from the Abbaye prison.”
”Yes, great risk. I have come to talk to you about it.”
Latour ignored the outstretched hands. He stood in front of Barrington with folded arms. There was something amiss.
”What has happened?” Barrington asked.
”The usual thing when an honest man trusts a liar; the honest man has been deceived.”