Part 6 (1/2)
”You swear to desist now and forever from your infamous attack upon this palace? You swear never more to make use of vituperative epithets toward the family of the deceased Count de Soissons?”
”We swear, we swear! Open the gates! Let us out! Let us out!” was now the universal cry.
”Not so fast. Before you have my permission to retire, I must have unequivocal, outspoken evidence of your repentance and conversion.
You have presumed to asperse the good name of the Countess de Soissons. Take back your injurious words, and cheer her now, right l.u.s.tily. Cry out three times, 'Long live the n.o.ble Countess de Soissons!' and, if your acclamations are to my mind, I will open the gates.”
The reply to these conditions was a greeting so enthusiastic and so unanimous, that you would have sworn the mob had a.s.sembled before the hotel to tender to its inmates a popular ovation.
”Miserable canaille!” muttered their chief; ”they are base enough to hurl their stones at ME, if that beardless manikin up there should require it of them, as a peace-offering to his immaculate mother!”
”I told your excellency that you could not trust them,” replied the companion on whose arm he was leaning. ”It is a dangerous thing to be identified with any action of theirs.”
”You were right, Francois. Give me your arm, and let us try to reach the gates, so as to be the first to escape from this accursed man- trap.”
”You have cheered the countess but once,” cried Eugene to the mult.i.tude. ”Do you wish me to renew our strife?”
”Long live the n.o.ble Countess de Soissons!” was the prompt reply.
And, without waiting for a third suggestion, they shouted again and again, ”Long live the Countess de Soissons!”
Olympia's flas.h.i.+ng eyes rested proudly on her son. ”I thank you, Eugene: you have avenged me effectually. All Paris will be filled with lampoons on the ridiculous repulse of the valiant Barbesieur and his followers.”
Eugene made no reply. His eyes were fixed upon the personage whom they supposed to be the son of Louvois, and the prince knew perfectly well wherefore he seemed in such nervous haste to reach the gates.
”He hopes to escape without recognition,” muttered Eugene, ”but I must have a word with him before we part.”
”Open the gates!” clamored the populace anew; then suddenly there was a cry of alarm which was echoed from man to man, from group to group, until it shaped itself into these words: ”The guards! The guards!”
CHAPTER V.
BARBESIEUR LOUVOIS.
Thundering down the street came a troop of hors.e.m.e.n who halted directly in front of the palace-gates.
”Louvois' spies have been reporting the failure of his son's warlike expedition,” remarked Olympia, ”and the guards whom WE had vainly called to our help, have come in hot haste to protect our a.s.sailants.”
By this time the officer in command was at the gates making vain efforts to open them.
”What does this signify?” asked he. ”And what is this mult.i.tude about in the court of the Hotel de Soissons?”
”Look at the palace-windows and the palace-doors, and you will read your answer there,” replied Eugene. ”I closed the gates against a furious and misguided mob; but we have come to terms, and I am about to liberate them. I crave your indulgence for these poor fellows: they have been deceived, and knew not what they did, and I hope that you will make good the forgiveness I have extended to their fault, by allowing them to go hence without molestation.”
”If so,” replied the officer, ”I shall be happy to confirm you highness's clemency by carrying out your order for their release.”
”Is it possible,” asked the countess of her son, ”that you are in earnest? You intend to suffer those wretches to go away unharmed!
Because I asked your forbearance for one man, shall this vile horde be s.n.a.t.c.hed from the hands of justice!”
”Do you suppose that justice has any intention of overtaking them?”