from the memoirs of a minister of france-第28章

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　a　dash　for　the　road；　and　through　the　gorge　to　Gueret。〃

〃Good；〃　Parabere　assented；　with　the　utmost　coolness。　　〃Why　not？　Let　us　do　it。〃

We　went　in；　and　in　a　moment　the　orders　were　given；　and；　the　men　being　charged　to　be　silent　and　to　make　as　little　noise　as　possible　over　the　work；　we　had　every　hope　of　accomplishing　it　undetected。　　To　go　out　into　the　road　and　raise　and　replace　the　shattered　gate　would　have　been　too　bold　a　step。　　We　contented　ourselves；　therefore；　with　removing　four　great　baulks　of　timber　from　the　one　gate　to　the　other；　and　placing　them　across　the　gap　in　such　a　manner　that；　being　supported　by　large　stones；　they　formed　a　pretty　high　barrier。　　To　these；　at　Boisrueil's　suggestion；　were　added　three　doors　which　we　forced　from　their　hinges　in　the　house；　and　behind　the　whole；　to　cover　our　retreat　the　better；　we　tethered　six　sumpter　horses　in　two　lines。

It　remained　only　to　unbar　the　rear　gate　and　see　that　it　opened　easily。　　This　being　done；　as　we　had　done　all　the　rest；　stealthily　and　in　darkness；　and　by　men　who　dared　not　speak　above　a　whisper；　I　gave　the　word　to　hang　the　male　prisoner　and　gag　and　bind　the　woman。　　Colet　undertook　these　duties；　and　with　a　grim　humour　of　his　own　hung　the　rascally　host　on　the　threshold　where　the　brigands　must　run　against　him　when　they　entered。　　Then　I　directed　every　man　to　saddle　and　bridle　his　nag　and　stand　by　it；　and　so　we　waited　with　what　patience　we　might　for　the　DENOUEMENT。

It　seemed　very　long　in　coming；　yet　when　it　did；　what　with　the　restless　movements　of　the　horses　and　the　melancholy　murmur　of　the　stream；　it　well…nigh　took　us　by　surprise。　　It　was　Boisrueil　who　touched　my　sleeve　and　made　me　aware　of　a　low　trampling　on　the　road　outside；　a　sound　that　had　scarcely　become　clearly　audible　before　it　ceased。　　I　judged　that　the　moment　was　come；　and　passed　the　word　in　a　whisper　to　open　the　gates。　　Unfortunately；　they　creaked；　and　I　feared　for　a　moment　that　I　had　been　premature；　but　before　they　were　more　than　ajar　a　harsh　whistle　startled　the　silence；　a　flare　blazed　up　on　the　road；　and　a　voice　cried　to　charge。

On　the　instant　the　ground　shook　under　the　assailants'　rush；　but　the　barricade；　which　doubtless　took　the　rogues　by　surprise；　brought　them　to　a　sudden　stop；　and　gave　us　time　to　file　out。　　The　heavy　rain　which　was　failing　served　to　cover　our　movements　almost　as　well　as　the　baggage　horses　which　we　had　posted　for　the　purpose；　while　we　ran　the　less　risk；　inasmuch　as　the　flare　they　had　kindled　lit　up　the　upper　part　of　the　house　but　left　the　courtyard　in　perfect　darkness。

Naturally；　once　outside；　we　did　not　linger　to　see　what　happened；　but；　filing　in　a　line　and　like　ghosts　up　the　bank　of　the　stream；　were　glad　to　hit　on　the　road　a　hundred　and　fifty　paces　away；　where　it　entered　the　gorge。　　Here；　where　it　was　as　dark　as　pitch；　we　whipped　our　horses　into　a　canter　and　made　a　good　pace　for　half　a　league；　then；　drawing　rein；　let　our　horses　trot　until　the　league　was　out。　　By　that　time　we　were　through　the　gorge；　and　I　gave　the　word　to　pull　up；　that　we　might　listen　and　learn　whether　we　were　pursued。　　Before　the　order　had　quite　brought　us　to　a　standstill；　however；　two　figures　on　a　sudden　rose　out　of　the　darkness　before　us　and　barred　the　way。　　I　was　riding　in　the　front　rank；　abreast　of　Parabere　and　La　Font；　and　I　had　just　time　to　lay　my　hand　on　a　pistol　when　one　of　the　figures　spoke。

〃Well；　M。　le　Capitaine；　what　luck？〃　　he　cried；　advancing；　and　drawing　rein　to　turn　with　us。

I　saw　his　mistake；　and；　raising　my　hand　to　check　those　behind；　muttered　in　my　beard　that　all　had　gone　well。

〃You　got　the　man？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　peering　at　him　through　the　darkness。

〃Good！〃　　he　answered。　　〃Then　now　for　Bareilles；　supper；　and　a　full　purse；　and　afterwards；　for　me；　the　quietest　corner　of　France！　　The　King　will　make　a　fine　outcry；　and　I　do　not　trust　one　gov〃

In　a　flash　Parabere　had　him　by　the　throat；　and　dragged　him　in　a　grip　of　iron　on　to　the　withers　of　his　horse。　　Still　he　managed　to　utter　a　cry；　and　the　other　rascal；　taking　the　alarm；　whipped　his　horse　round；　and　in　a　second　got　a　start　of　twenty　paces。　　Colet；　a　light　man　and　well　mounted；　was　after　him　in　a　trice；　and　we　heard　them　go　ding…dong；　ding…dong；　through　the　darkness　for　a　mile　or　more　as　it　seemed　to　us。　　Then　a　sharp　scream　came　faintly　down　the　wind。

〃Good！〃　　Parabere　said　cheerfully。　　〃Let　us　be　jogging。〃　　He　had　tied　his　prisoner　neck　and　knees　over　the　saddle　before　him。

〃You　heard　what　he　said？〃　　I　muttered；　as　we　moved　on。

〃Perfectly；〃　he　answered　in　the　same　tone。

〃And　you　think？〃

〃I　think；　Grand　Master；〃　he　replied　drily；　〃that　the　sooner　you　are　out　of　La　Marche　and　Bareilles'　government　the　longer　you　are　likely　to　live。〃

I　was　quite　of　that　opinion　myself；　having　drawn　the　same　inferences　from　the　words　the　prisoner　had　uttered。　　But　for　the　moment　I　had　no　alternative　save　to　go　on；　and　put　a　bold　face　on　the　matter；　and　accordingly　I　led　the　way　forward　at　as　fast　a　pace　as　the　darkness　and　the　jaded　state　of　our　horses　permitted。　Colet　presently　joined　us；　and　half　an　hour　later　a　bunch　of　lights　which　appeared　on　the　side　of　a　hill　in　front　proclaimed　that　we　were　nearing　Gueret。　　From　this　point　half　a　league　across　a　rushy　bottom　and　through　a　ford　brought　us　to　the　gate；　which　opened　before　we　summoned　it。　　I　had　taken　care　to　call　to　the　van　one　of　my　men　who　knew　the　town；　and　he　guided　us　quickly；　no　one　challenging　us；　through　a　number　of　foul；　narrow　streets　and　under　dark　archways；　among　which　a　stranger　must　have　gone　astray。　　We　reached　at　last　a　good…sized　square；　on　one　side　of　whichthough　the　rest　of　the　town　lay　buried　in　darknessa　large　building；　which　I　judged　to　be　Bareilles'　residence；　exposed　a　dozen　lighted　windows　to　the　street。　　Two　or　three　figures　lounged　half…seen　on　the　wide　stone　steps　which　led　up　to　the　entrance；　and　the　rattle　of　dice；　with　a　murmur　of　voices；　came　from　the　windows。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation　I　dismounted　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　and；　bidding　La　Font　and　Boisrueil　attend　me；　with　three　of　the　servants；　I　directed　Colet　to　withdraw　with　the　rest　and　the　horses　to　the　farther　end　of　the　square。

Dreading　nothing　so　much　as　that　I　might　lose　the　advantage　of　surprise；　I　put　aside　two　of　the　men　on　the　steps　who　would　have　questioned　me；　and　strode　boldly　across　the　stone　landing　at　the　head　of　the　flight。　　Here　I　found　two　doors　facing　me；　and　foresaw　the　possibility　of　error；　but　I　was　relieved　from　the　burden　of　choosing　by　the　sudden　appearance　at　one　of　them　of　Bareilles　himself。　　The　place　was　lit　only　by　an　oil　lamp；　and；　for　a　reason　best　known　to　himself；　he　did　not　look　directly　at　me；　but　stood　with　his　head　half…turned　as　he　said；

〃Well；　Martin；　is　it　done？〃

I　heard　the　dicers　hold　their　hands　to　catch　the　answer；　and　in　the　silence　a　bottle　in　some　unsteady　hand　clinked　against　a　glass。　　Through　the　half…open　door　behind　him　it　was　possible　to　see　a　long　table；　laid　and　glittering　with　steel　and　plate；　and　all　seemed　to　wait。

Parabere　broke　the　spell。　　〃We　are　late！〃　　he　said　in　a　ringing　voice；　which　startled　the　governor　as　if　it　had　been　the　voice　of　doom。　　〃But　we　could　not　have　found　you　better　prepared；　it　seems。　　Do　you　always　sup　as　late　as　this？〃

For　a　moment　the　villain　could　not　speak；　but　leaned　against　the　doorpost；　with　his　cheeks　gone　white　and　his　jaw　fallen；　the　most　pitiable　spectacle　to　be　conceived。　　I　affected　to　see　nothing；　however；　but　went　by　him　easily；　and　into　the　room；　drawing　off　my　gauntlets　as　entered。　　The　dicers；　from　their　seats　beside　a　table　on　the　hearth；　gazed　at　me；　turned　to　stone。　　I　took　up　a　glass；　filled　it；　and　drank　it　off。　　〃Now　I　am　better！〃　　I　said。　〃But　this　is　not　the　warmest　of　welcomes；　M。　de　Bareilles。〃

He　muttered　something；　looking　fearfully　from　one　to　another　of　us；　and；　his　hand　shaking；　filled　a　glass　and　pledged　me。　　The　wine　gave　him　courage　and　impudence：　　he　began　to　speak；　and　though　his　hurried　sentences　and　excited　manner　must　have　betrayed　him　to　the　least　suspicious；　we　pretended　to　see　nothing；　but　rather　to　congratulate　ourselves　on　his　late　hours　and　timely　preparations。　　And　certainly　nothing　could　have　seemed　more　cheerful　in　comparison　with　the　squali