CHAPTER X.
THE FIGHT ON THE STAIRS.
The certainty, which this sound gave me, that I was in the righthouse, and that it held also the villain to whom I owed all mymisfortunes--for who but Fresnoy could have furnished the broken coinwhich had deceived mademoiselle?--had a singularly inspiriting effectupon me. I felt every muscle in my body grow on the instant hard assteel, my eyes more keen, my ears sharper--all my senses more apt andvigorous. I stole off like a cat from the balustrade, over which I hadbeen looking, and without a second's delay began the search formademoiselle's room; reflecting that though the garrison now amountedto four, I had no need to despair. If I could release the prisonerswithout noise--which would be easy were the key in the lock--we mighthope to pass through the hall by a _tour de force_ of one kind oranother. And a church-clock at this moment striking Five, andreminding me that we had only half an hour in which to do all andreach the horses, I was the more inclined to risk something.
The light which I had seen from below hung in a flat-bottomed lanternjust beyond the head of the stairs, and outside the entrance to one oftwo passages which appeared to lead to the back part of the house.Suspecting that M. de Bruhl's business had lain with mademoiselle, Iguessed that the light had been placed for his convenience. With thisclue and the position of the window to guide me, I fixed on a door onthe right of this passage, and scarcely four paces from the head ofthe stairs. Before I made any sign, however, I knelt down andascertained that there was a light in the room, and also that the keywas not in the lock.
So far satisfied, I scratched on the door with my fingernails, atfirst softly, then with greater force, and presently I heard someonein the room rise. I felt sure that the person, whoever it was, hadtaken the alarm and was listening, and putting my lips to the keyholeI whispered mademoiselle's name.
A footstep crossed the room sharply, and I heard muttering just withinthe door. I thought I detected two voices. But I was impatient, and,getting no answer, whispered in the same manner as before,'Mademoiselle de la Vire, are you there?'
Still no answer. The muttering, too, had stopped, and all wasstill--in the room, and in the silent house. I tried again. 'It is I,Gaston de Marsac,' I said. 'Do you hear? I am come to release you.' Ispoke as loudly as I dared, but most of the sound seemed to come backon me and wander in suspicious murmurings down the staircase.
This time, however, an exclamation of surprise rewarded me, and avoice, which I recognised at once as mademoiselle's, answered softly:
'What is it? Who is there?'
'Gaston de Marsac,' I answered. 'Do you need my help?'
The very brevity of her reply; the joyful sob which accompanied it,and which I detected even through the door: the wild cry ofthankfulness--almost an oath--of her companion--all these assured meat once that I was welcome--welcome as I had never been before--and,so assuring me, braced me to the height of any occasion which mightbefall.
'Can you open the door?' I muttered. All the time I was on my knees,my attention divided between the inside of the room and the straysounds which now and then came up to me from the hall below. 'Have youthe key?'
'No; we are locked in,' mademoiselle answered.
I expected this. 'If the door is bolted inside,' I whispered,'unfasten it, if you please.'
They answered that it was not, so bidding them stand back a littlefrom it, I rose and set my shoulder against it. I hoped to be able toburst it in with only one crash, which by itself, a single sound,might not alarm the men downstairs. But my weight made no impressionupon the lock, and the opposite wall being too far distant to allow meto get any purchase for my feet, I presently desisted. The closenessof the door to the jambs warned me that an attempt to prise it openwould be equally futile; and for a moment I stood gazing in perplexityat the solid planks, which bid fair to baffle me to the end.
The position was, indeed, one of great difficulty, nor can I now thinkof any way out of it better or other than that which I adopted.Against the wall near the head of the stairs I had noticed, as I cameup, a stout wooden stool. I stole out and fetched this, and setting itagainst the opposite wall, endeavoured in this way to get sufficientpurchase for my feet. The lock still held; but, as I threw my wholeweight on the door, the panel against which I leaned gave way andbroke inwards with a loud, crashing sound, which echoed through theempty house, and might almost have been heard in the street outside.
It reached the ears, at any rate, of the men sitting below, and Iheard them troop noisily out and stand in the hall, now talkingloudly, and now listening. A minute of breathless suspensefollowed--it seemed a long minute; and then, to my relief, theytramped back again, and I was free to return to my task. Anotherthrust, directed a little lower, would, I hoped, do the business; butto make this the more certain I knelt down and secured the stoolfirmly against the wall. As I rose after settling it, somethingelse, without sound or warning, rose also, taking me completely bysurprise--a man's head above the top stair, which, as it happened,faced me. His eyes met mine, and I knew I was discovered.
He turned and bundled downstairs again with a scared face, going soquickly that I could not have caught him if I would, or had had thewit to try. Of silence there was no longer need. In a few seconds thealarm would be raised. I had small time for thought. Laying myselfbodily against the door, I heaved and pressed with all my strength;but whether I was careless in my haste, or the cause was other, thelock did not give. Instead the stool slipped, and I fell with a crashon the floor at the very moment the alarm reached the men below.
I remember that the crash of my unlucky fall seemed to release all theprisoned noises of the house. A faint scream within the room was but aprelude, lost the next moment in the roar of dismay, the clatter ofweapons, and volley of oaths and cries and curses which, rolling upfrom below, echoed hollowly about me, as the startled knaves rushed totheir weapons, and charged across the flags and up the staircase. Ihad space for one desperate effort. Picking myself up, I seized thestool by two of its legs and dashed it twice against the door, drivingin the panel I had before splintered. But that was all. The lock held,and I had no time for a third blow. The men were already halfway upthe stairs. In a breath almost they would be upon me. I flung down theuseless stool and snatched up my sword, which lay unsheathed besideme. So far the matter had gone against us, but it was time for achange of weapons now, and the end was not yet. I sprang to the headof the stairs and stood there, my arm by my side and my point restingon the floor, in such an attitude of preparedness as I could compassat the moment.
For I had not been in the house all this time, as may well besupposed, without deciding what I would do in case of surprise, andexactly where I could best stand on the defensive. The flat bottom ofthe lamp which hung outside the passage threw a deep shadow on thespot immediately below it, while the light fell brightly on the stepsbeyond. Standing in the shadow I could reach the edge of the stairswith my point, and swing the blade freely, without fear of thebalustrade; and here I posted myself with a certain grim satisfactionas Fresnoy, with his three comrades behind him, came bounding up thelast flight.
They were four to one, but I laughed to see how, not abruptly, butshamefacedly and by degrees, they came to a stand halfway up theflight, and looked at me, measuring the steps and the advantage whichthe light shining in their eyes gave me. Fresnoy's ugly face wasrendered uglier by a great strip of plaister which marked the placewhere the hilt of my sword had struck him in our last encounter atChize; and this and the hatred he bore to me gave a peculiarmalevolence to his look. The deaf man, Matthew, whose savage stolidityhad more than once excited my anger on our journey, came next to him.the two strangers whom I had seen in the hall bringing up the rear. Ofthe four, these last seemed the most anxious to come to blows, and hadFresnoy not barred the way with his hand we should have crossed swordswithout parley.
'Halt, will you!' he cried, with an oath, thrusting one of them back.And then to me he said, 'So, so, my friend!
It is you, is it?'
I looked at him in silence, with a scorn which knew no bounds, and didnot so much as honour him by raising my sword, though I watched himheedfully.
'What are you doing here?' he continued, with an attempt at bluster.
Still I would not answer him, or move, but stood looking down at him.After a moment of this, he grew restive, his temper being churlish andimpatient at the best. Besides, I think he retained just so much of agentleman's feelings as enabled him to understand my contempt andsmart under it. He moved a step upward, his brow dark with passion.
'You beggarly son of a scarecrow!' he broke out on a sudden, adding astring of foul imprecations, 'will you speak, or are you going to waitto be spitted where you stand? If we once begin, my bantam, we shallnot stop until we have done your business! If you have anything tosay, say it, and----' But I omit the rest of his speech, which wasfoul beyond the ordinary.
Still I did not move or speak, but looked at him unwavering, though itpained me to think the women heard. He made a last attempt. 'Come, oldfriend,' he said, swallowing his anger again, or pretending to do so,and speaking with a vile _bonhomie_ which I knew to be treacherous,'if we come to blows we shall give you no quarter. But one chance youshall have, for the sake of old days when we followed Conde. Go! Takethe chance, and go. We will let you pass, and that broken door shallbe the worst of it. That is more,' he added with a curse, 'than Iwould do for any other man in your place, M. de Marsac.'
A sudden movement and a low exclamation in the room behind me showedthat his words were heard there; and these sounds being followedimmediately by a noise as of riving wood, mingled with the quickbreathing of someone hard at work, I judged that the women werestriving with the door--enlarging the opening it might be. I dared notlook round, however, to see what progress they made, nor did I answerFresnoy, save by the same silent contempt, but stood watching the menbefore me with the eye of a fencer about to engage. And I know nothingmore keen, more vigilant, more steadfast than that.
It was well I did, for without signal or warning the group wavered amoment, as though retreating, and the next instant precipitated itselfupon me. Fortunately, only two could engage me at once, and Fresnoy, Inoticed, was not of the two who dashed forward up the steps. One ofthe strangers forced himself to the front, and, taking the lead,pressed me briskly, Matthew seconding him in appearance, while reallywatching for an opportunity of running in and stabbing me at closequarters, a man[oe]uvre I was not slow to detect.
That first bout lasted half a minute only. A fierce exultant joy ranthrough me as the steel rang and grated, and I found that I had notmistaken the strength of wrist or position. The men were mine. Theyhampered one another on the stairs, and fought in fetters, beingunable to advance or retreat, to lunge with freedom, or give backwithout fear. I apprehended greater danger from Matthew than from myactual opponent, and presently, watching my opportunity, disarmed thelatter by a strong parade, and sweeping Matthew's sword aside by thesame movement, slashed him across the forehead; then, drawing back astep, gave my first opponent the point. He fell in a heap on thefloor, as good as dead, and Matthew, dropping his sword, staggeredbackwards and downwards into Fresnoy's arms.
'Bonne Foi! France et Bonne Foi!' It seemed to me that I had notspoken, that I had plied steel in grimmest silence; and yet the crystill rang and echoed in the roof as I lowered my point, and stoodlooking grimly down at them. Fresnoy's face was disfigured with rageand chagrin. They were now but two to one, for Matthew, though hiswound was slight, was disabled by the blood which ran down into hiseyes and blinded him. 'France et Bonne Foi!'
'Bonne Foi and good sword!' cried a voice behind me. And lookingswiftly round, I saw mademoiselle's face thrust through the hole inthe door. Her eyes sparkled with a fierce light, her lips were redbeyond the ordinary, and her hair, loosened and thrown into disorderby her exertions, fell in thick masses about her white cheeks, andgave her the aspect of a war-witch, such as they tell of in my countryof Brittany. 'Good sword!' she cried again, and clapped her hands.
'But better board, mademoiselle!' I answered gaily. Like most of themen of my province, I am commonly melancholic, but I have the habit ofgrowing witty at such times as these. 'Now, M. Fresnoy,' I continued,'I am waiting your convenience. Must I put on my cloak to keep myselfwarm?'
He answered by a curse, and stood looking at me irresolutely. 'If youwill come down,' he said.
'Send your man away and I will come,' I answered briskly. 'There isspace on the landing, and a moderate light. But I must be quick.Mademoiselle and I are due elsewhere, and we are late already.'
Still he hesitated. Still he looked at the man lying at his feet--whohad stretched himself out and passed, quietly enough, a minutebefore--and stood dubious, the most pitiable picture of cowardice andmalice--he being ordinarily a stout man--I ever saw. I called himpoltroon and white-feather, and was considering whether I had notbetter go down to him, seeing that our time must be up, and Simonwould be quitting his post, when a cry behind me caused me to turn,and I saw that mademoiselle was no longer looking through the openingin the door.
Alarmed on her behalf, as I reflected that there might be otherdoors to the room, and the men have other accomplices in the house, Isprang to the door to see, but had barely time to send a single glanceround the interior--which showed me only that the room was stilloccupied--before Fresnoy, taking advantage of my movement and of myback being turned, dashed up the stairs, with his comrade at hisheels, and succeeded in penning me into the narrow passage where Istood.
I had scarcely time, indeed, to turn and put myself on guard before hethrust at me. Nor was that all. The superiority in position no longerlay with me. I found myself fighting between walls close to theopening in the door, through which the light fell athwart my eyes,baffling and perplexing me. Fresnoy was not slow to see the aid thisgave him, and pressed me hard and desperately; so that we played for afull minute at close quarters, thrusting and parrying, neither of ushaving room to use the edge, or time to utter word or prayer.
At this game we were so evenly matched that for a time the end washard to tell. Presently, however, there came a change. My opponent'shabit of wild living suited ill with a prolonged bout, and as hisstrength and breath failed and he began to give ground I discerned Ihad only to wear him out to have him at my mercy. He felt thishimself, and even by that light I saw the sweat spring in great dropsto his forehead, saw the terror grow in his eyes. Already I wascounting him a dead man and the victory mine, when something flashedbehind his blade, and his comrade's poniard, whizzing past hisshoulder, struck me fairly on the chin, staggering me and hurling meback dizzy and half-stunned, uncertain what had happened to me.
Sped an inch lower it would have done its work and finished mine. Evenas it was, my hand going up as I reeled back gave Fresnoy an opening,of which he was not slow to avail himself. He sprang forward, lungingat me furiously, and would have run me through there and then, andended the matter, had not his foot, as he advanced, caught in thestool, which still lay against the wall. He stumbled, his point missedmy hip by a hair's breadth, and he himself fell all his length on thefloor, his rapier breaking off short at the hilt.
His one remaining backer stayed to cast a look at him, and that wasall. The man fled, and I chased him as far as the head of the stairs;where I left him, assured by the speed and agility he displayed inclearing flight after flight that I had nothing to fear from him.Fresnoy lay, apparently stunned, and completely at my mercy. I stoodan instant looking down at him, in two minds whether I should not runhim through. But the memory of old days, when he had played his partin more honourable fashion and shown a coarse good-fellowship in thefield, held my hand; and flinging a curse at him, I turned in anxioushaste to the door, the centre of all this bloodshed and commotion. Thelight still shone through the breach in the panel, but for someminutes--since Fresnoy's rush up the stairs, indeed--I had heard nosound from this quarter. Now, looking in with apprehensions which grewwith the continuing silence, I learn
ed the reason. The room was empty!
Such a disappointment in the moment of triumph was hard to bear. I sawmyself, after all done and won, on the point of being again outwitted,distanced, it might be fooled. In frantic haste and excitement Isnatched up the stool beside me, and, dashing it twice against thelock, forced it at last to yield. The door swung open, and I rushedinto the room, which, abandoned by those who had so lately occupiedit, presented nothing to detain me. I cast a single glance round, sawthat it was squalid, low-roofed, unfurnished, a mere prison; thenswiftly crossing the floor, I made for a door at the farther end,which my eye had marked from the first. A candle stood flaring andguttering on a stool, and as I passed I took it up.
Somewhat to my surprise the door yielded to my touch. In tremblinghaste--for what might not befall the women while I fumbled with doorsor wandered in passages?--I flung it wide, and passing through it,found myself at the head of a narrow, mean staircase, leading,doubtless, to the servants' offices. At this, and seeing no hindrancebefore me, I took heart of grace, reflecting that mademoiselle mighthave escaped from the house this way. Though it would now be too lateto quit the city, I might still overtake her, and all end well.Accordingly I hurried down the stairs, shading my candle as I wentfrom a cold draught of air which met me, and grew stronger as Idescended; until reaching the bottom at last, I came abruptly upon anopen door, and an old, wrinkled, shrivelled woman.
The hag screamed at sight of me, and crouched down on the floor; anddoubtless, with my drawn sword, and the blood dripping from my chinand staining all the front of my doublet, I looked tierce and uncannyenough. But I felt it was no time for sensibility--I was panting to beaway--and I demanded of her sternly where they were. She seemed tohave lost her voice--through fear, perhaps--and for answer only staredat me stupidly; but on my handling my weapon with some readiness sheso far recovered her senses as to utter two loud screams, one afterthe other, and point to the door beside her. I doubted her; and yet Ithought in her terror she must be telling the truth, the more as I sawno other door. In any case I must risk it, so, setting the candle downon the step beside her, I passed out.
For a moment the darkness was so intense that I felt my way with mysword before me, in absolute ignorance where I was or on what my footmight next rest. I was at the mercy of anyone who chanced to be lyingin wait for me; and I shivered as the cold damp wind struck my cheekand stirred my hair. But by-and-by, when I had taken two or threesteps, my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, and I made out the nakedboughs of trees between myself and the sky, and guessed that I was ina garden. My left hand, touching a shrub, confirmed me in this belief,and in another moment I distinguished something like the outline of apath stretching away before me. Following it rapidly--as rapidly as Idared--I came to a corner, as it seemed to me, turned it blindly, andstopped short, peering into a curtain of solid blackness which barredmy path, and overhead mingled confusedly with the dark shapes oftrees. But this, too, after a brief hesitation, I made out to be awall. Advancing to it with outstretched hands, I felt the woodwork ofa door, and, groping about, lit presently on a loop of cord. I pulledat this, the door yielded, and I went out.
I found myself in a narrow, dark lane, and looking up and downdiscovered, what I might have guessed before, that it was the Ruelled'Arcy. But mademoiselle? Fanchette? Simon? Where were they? No onewas to be seen. Tormented by doubts, I lifted up my voice and calledon them in turn; first on mademoiselle, then on Simon Fleix. In vain;I got no answer. High up above me I saw, as I stood back a little,lights moving in the house I had left; and the suspicion that, afterall, the enemy had foiled me grew upon me. Somehow they had decoyedmademoiselle to another part of the house, and then the old woman hadmisled me!
I turned fiercely to the door, which I had left ajar, resolved tore-enter by the way I had come, and have an explanation whether or no.To my surprise--for I had not moved six paces from the door nor heardthe slightest sound--I found it not only closed but bolted--boltedboth at top and bottom, as I discovered on trying it.
I fell on that to kicking it furiously, desperately; partly in atempest of rage and chagrin, partly in the hope that I might frightenthe old woman, if it was she who had closed it, into opening it again.In vain, of course; and presently I saw this and desisted, and, stillin a whirl of haste and excitement, set off running towards the placewhere I had left Simon Fleix and the horses. It was fully six o'clockas I judged; but some faint hope that I might find him there withmademoiselle and her woman still lingered in my mind. I reached theend of the lane, I ran to the very foot of the ramparts, I lookedright and left. In vain. The place was dark, silent, deserted.
I called 'Simon! Simon! Simon Fleix!' but my only answer was thesoughing of the wind in the eaves, and the slow tones of theconvent-bell striking Six.
Historical Romances: Under the Red Robe, Count Hannibal, A Gentleman of France Page 62