CHAPTER LVI.
THE INVISIBLE BUCKLERS.
The day after that on which Catharine had written this letter thegovernor entered Coconnas's cell with an imposing retinue consisting oftwo halberdiers and four men in black gowns.
Coconnas was asked to descend to a room in which the Attorney Laguesleand two judges waited to question him according to Catharine'sinstructions.
During the week he had spent in prison Coconnas had reflected a greatdeal. Besides that, he and La Mole were together for a few minutes eachday, through the kindness of their jailer, who, without saying anythingto them, had arranged this surprise, which in all probability they didnot owe to his philosophy alone,--besides, we say, La Mole and he hadagreed on the course they were to pursue, which was to persist inabsolute denial; and they were persuaded that with a little skill theaffair would take a more favorable turn; the charges were no greateragainst them than against the others. Henry and Marguerite had made noattempt at flight; they could not therefore be compromised in an affairin which the chief ring-leaders were free. Coconnas did not know thatHenry was in the prison, and the complaisance of the jailer told himthat above his head hovered a certain protection which he called the_invisible bucklers_.
Up to then the examination had been confined to the intentions of theKing of Navarre, his plans of flight, and the part the two friends hadplayed in them. To all these questions Coconnas had constantly repliedin a way more than vague and much more than adroit; he was ready stillto reply in the same way, and had prepared in advance all his littlerepartees, when he suddenly found the object of the examination wasaltered. It turned upon one or more visits to Rene, one or more waxenfigures made at the instigation of La Mole.
Prepared as he was, Coconnas believed that the accusation lost much ofits intensity, since it was no longer a question of having betrayed aking but of having made a figure of a queen; and this figure not morethan ten inches high at the most. He, therefore, replied brightly thatneither he nor his friend had played with a doll for some time, andnoticed with pleasure that several times his answers made the judgessmile.
It had not yet been said in verse: "I have laughed, therefore am Idisarmed," but it had been said a great deal in prose. And Coconnasthought that he had partly disarmed his judges because they had smiled.
His examination over, he went back to his cell, singing so merrily thatLa Mole, for whom he was making all the noise, drew from it the happiestauguries.
La Mole was brought down, and like Coconnas saw with astonishment thatthe accusation had abandoned its first ground and had entered a newfield. He was questioned as to his visits to Rene. He replied that hehad gone to the Florentine only once. Then, if he had not ordered awaxen figure. He replied that Rene had showed him such a figure readymade. He was then asked if this figure did not represent a man. Hereplied that it represented a woman. Then, if the object of the charmwas not to cause the death of the man. He replied that the purpose ofthe charm was to cause himself to be beloved by the woman.
These questions were put in a hundred different forms, but La Molealways replied in the same way. The judges looked at one another with acertain indecision, not knowing what to say or do before suchsimplicity, when a note brought to the Attorney-General solved thedifficulty.
"_If the accused denies resort to the torture._
"_C._"
The attorney put the note into his pocket, smiled at La Mole, andpolitely dismissed him.
La Mole returned to his cell almost as reassured, if not as joyous, asCoconnas.
"I think everything is going well," said he.
An hour later he heard footsteps and saw a note slipped under his door,without seeing the hand that did it. He took it up, thinking that in allprobability it came from the jailer?
Seeing it, a hope almost as acute as a disappointment sprang into hisheart; he hoped it was from Marguerite, from whom he had had no newssince he had been a prisoner.
He took it up with trembling hand, and almost died of joy as he lookedat the handwriting.
"_Courage!_" said the note. "_I am watching over you._"
"Ah! if she is watching," cried La Mole, covering with kisses the paperwhich had touched a hand so dear, "if she is watching, I am saved."
In order for La Mole to comprehend the note and rely with Coconnas onwhat the Piedmontese called his _invisible bucklers_ it is necessary forus to conduct the reader to that small house, to that chamber in whichthe reminders of so many scenes of intoxicating happiness, so manyhalf-evaporated perfumes, so many tender recollections, since becomeagonizing, were breaking the heart of a woman half reclining on velvetcushions.
"To be a queen, to be strong, young, rich, beautiful, and suffer what Isuffer!" cried this woman; "oh! it is impossible!"
Then in her agitation she rose, paced up and down, stopped suddenly,pressed her burning forehead against the ice-cold marble, rose pale, herface covered with tears, wrung her hands, and crying aloud fell backagain hopeless into a chair.
Suddenly the tapestry which separated the apartment of the Rue ClochePercee from that in the Rue Tizon was raised, and the Duchesse de Neversentered.
"Ah!" exclaimed Marguerite, "is it you? With what impatience I havewaited for you! Well! What news?"
"Bad news, my poor friend. Catharine herself is hurrying on the trial,and at present is at Vincennes."
"And Rene?"
"Is arrested."
"Before you were able to speak to him?"
"Yes."
"And our prisoners?"
"I have news of them."
"From the jailer?"
"Yes."
"Well?"
"Well! They see each other every day. The day before yesterday they weresearched. La Mole broke your picture to atoms rather than give it up."
"Dear La Mole!"
"Annibal laughed in the face of the inquisitors."
"Worthy Annibal! What then?"
"This morning they were questioned as to the flight of the king, hisprojects of rebellion in Navarre, and they said nothing."
"Oh! I knew they would keep silence; but silence will kill them as muchas if they spoke."
"Yes, but we must save them."
"Have you thought over our plan?"
"Since yesterday I have thought of nothing else."
"Well?"
"I have just come to terms with Beaulieu. Ah! my dear queen, what a hardand greedy man! It will cost a man's life, and three hundred thousandcrowns."
"You say he is hard and greedy--and yet he asks only the life of a manand three hundred thousand crowns. Why, that is nothing!"
"Nothing! Three hundred thousand crowns! Why, all your jewels and allmine would not be enough."
"Oh! that is nothing. The King of Navarre will pay something, the Ducd'Alencon will pay part, and my brother Charles will pay part, or ifnot"--
"See! what nonsense you talk. I have the money."
"You?"
"Yes, I."
"How did you get it?"
"Ah! that is telling!"
"Is it a secret?"
"For every one except you."
"Oh, my God!" said Marguerite, smiling through her tears, "did you stealit?"
"You shall judge."
"Well, let me."
"Do you remember that horrible Nantouillet?"
"The rich man, the usurer?"
"If you please."
"Well?"
"Well! One day seeing a certain blonde lady, with greenish eyes, passby, wearing three rubies, one over her forehead, the other two over hertemples, an arrangement which was very becoming to her, this rich man,this usurer, cried out:
"'For three kisses in the place of those three rubies I will give youthree diamonds worth one hundred thousand crowns apiece!'"
"Well, Henriette?"
"Well, my dear, the diamonds appeared and are sold."
"Oh, Henriette! Henriette!" cried Marguerite.
"Well!" exclaimed the duchess in
a bold tone at once innocent andsublime, which sums up the age and the woman, "well, I love Annibal!"
"That is true," said Marguerite, smiling and blushing at the same time,"you love him a very great deal, too much, perhaps."
And yet she pressed her friend's hand.
"So," continued Henriette, "thanks to our three diamonds, the threehundred thousand crowns and the man are ready."
"The man? What man?"
"The man to be killed; you forget a man must be killed."
"Have you found the necessary man?"
"Yes."
"At the same price?" asked Marguerite, smiling.
"At the same price I could have found a thousand," replied Henriette,"no, no, for five hundred crowns."
"For five hundred crowns you have found a man who has consented to bekilled?"
"What can you expect? It is necessary for us to live."
"My dear friend, I do not understand you. Come, explain. Enigmas requiretoo much time to guess at such a moment as this."
"Well, listen; the jailer to whom the keeping of La Mole and Coconnas isentrusted is an old soldier who knows what a wound is. He would like tohelp save our friends, but he does not want to lose his place. A blow ofa dagger skilfully aimed will end the affair. We will give him a rewardand the kingdom, indemnification. In this way the brave man will receivemoney from both parties and will renew the fable of the pelican."
"But," said Marguerite, "a thrust of a dagger"--
"Do not worry; Annibal will give it."
"Well," said Marguerite, "he has given as many as three blows of hissword to La Mole, and La Mole is not dead; there is therefore everyreason to hope."
"Wicked woman! You deserve to have me stop."
"Oh! no, no; on the contrary, tell me the rest, I beg you. How are we tosave them; come!"
"Well, this is the plan. The chapel is the only place in the castlewhere women can enter who are not prisoners. We are to be hidden behindthe altar. Under the altar cloth they will find two daggers. The door ofthe vestry-room will be opened beforehand. Coconnas will strike thejailer, who will fall and pretend to be dead; we appear; each of usthrows a cloak over the shoulders of her friend; we run with themthrough the small doors of the vestry-room, and as we have the passwordwe can leave without hindrance."
"And once out?"
"Two horses will be waiting at the door; the men will spring on them,leave France, and reach Lorraine, whence now and then they will returnincognito."
"Oh! you restore me to life," said Marguerite. "So we shall save them?"
"I am almost sure of it."
"Soon?"
"In three or four days. Beaulieu is to let us know."
"But if you were recognized in the vicinity of Vincennes that mightupset our plan."
"How could any one recognize me? I go there as a nun, with a hood,thanks to which not even the tip of my nose is visible."
"We cannot take too many precautions."
"I know that well enough, by Heaven! as poor Annibal would say."
"Did you hear anything about the King of Navarre?"
"I was careful to ask."
"Well?"
"Well, he has never been so happy, apparently; he laughs, sings, eats,drinks, and sleeps well, and asks only one thing, and that is to be wellguarded."
"He is right. And my mother?"
"I told you she is hurrying on the trial as fast as she can."
"Yes, but does she suspect anything about us?"
"How could she? Every one who has a secret is anxious to keep it. Ah! Iknow that she told the judges in Paris to be in readiness."
"Let us act quickly, Henriette. If our poor prisoners change theirabode, everything will have to be done over again."
"Do not worry. I am as anxious as you to see them free."
"Oh, yes, I know that, and thank you, thank you a hundred times for allyou have done."
"Adieu, Marguerite. I am going into the country again."
"Are you sure of Beaulieu?"
"I think so."
"Of the jailer?"
"He has promised."
"Of the horses?"
"They will be the best in the stables of the Duc de Nevers."
"I adore you, Henriette."
And Marguerite threw her arms about her friend's neck, after which thetwo women separated, promising to see each other again the next day, andevery day, at the same place and hour.
These were the two charming and devoted creatures whom Coconnas, with somuch reason, called his _invisible bucklers_.
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