The Road to Paris: A Story of Adventure

by Robert Neilson Stephens

  CHAPTER XIX.

  THE FAVOR OF A PRINCE.

  Dick now seemed to stride towards felicity with seven-league boots. Hisfamous long shot, decidedly the most remarkable given at thatafternoon's exhibition of shooting, speedily became famous. His place ofabode being learned through Lord George, he was invited to court toreceive the thanks of the Landgravine in person, with a present of ajewelled watch and a diamond ring. Returning from the palace to hishotel opposite the glover's, he found awaiting him an equerry with asuperb black horse, a gift from the Landgrave. He had no sooner seenthis animal stabled, and gone to his room, than he was visited by CountMesmer, accompanied by a lackey bearing a gold-hilted dress sword,another token of his highness's gratitude. Mesmer then sounded him as tohis future, in such a manner as to raise suspicion of Lord George'shaving dropped a hint in a proper quarter. The next day Dick received anappointment to a post in the Academy of Arts, which favor was to beconsidered a high one, for the Landgrave was a great patron of the artsand took pride in his museum.

  Lord George now departed from Cassel, but Dick did not sufferloneliness. His intimacy with the St. Valiers increased. He saw Gerardevery day, and Catherine whenever she came to visit her brother. He madefriends among officers and civilians, and he had the constant society ofRembrandts, Van Dycks, Raphaels, Titians, and other creations of Dutchand Italian masters. His duties brought him into frequent presence ofthe Landgrave, who often visited the picture gallery.

  His highness soon showed a pronounced liking for Dick, conversing withhim whenever occasion offered, and regarding his freedom of speech andopinion with the amused indulgence that one has for a clever child.People of the court began to see in Dick a possible favorite, andflattered him in his presence, though hating him in their hearts as asuccessful interloper. It annoyed Dick to know that he was liked by aprince whom every American should hold in enmity; and this annoyancebecame disgust when his highness, from discussing the pictures of women,would often fall to discoursing upon women themselves. But Dickconcealed his feelings, listening in silence to the sovereign's coarseor jocose remarks upon the sex for which that sovereign's weakness wasnotorious.

  Now that his future seemed assured, Dick set about carrying mattersforward with Catherine. The first sight of her face, so noble and yetso girlish, so reserved and yet so sincere, so open and yet--from itsdark eyes and hair--so mysterious, had reawakened in him a passionateadoration beside which the bygone manifestations of his heart towardsAmabel, Collette, and "Amaryllis" were but feeble flutterings. To himall other women became insipid when Catherine reappeared on the scene.Her outward gravity betokened a nature of vast range and unfathomabledepth, a book that could not be read through in a day, a book with newbeauties and dazzling surprises on every page. He felt that she was theonly thing in the universe worth having, and he pressed his suitaccordingly. Gerard proved very amiable by finding numerous reasons forsudden absence when Catherine called. She had little coquetry, thoughmuch natural reserve; yet, having been secretly disposed in his favorfrom the first (heaven knows by what undetectable something in his faceor manner), she dropped her reserve at last before his oft-repeated "Ilove you," and, dropping her glance at the same moment, yielded her handto his. It is only in plays and novels that confessions of love arematters of impassioned declamation or witty dialogue.

  Dick told the St. Valiers of his parentage and life, omitting only theepisodes of Amabel, Collette, and "Amaryllis." An understanding wasreached that Catherine should become his wife at some future time yetto be determined. As Dick was really in love, and so would have turnedMohammedan to possess her, he readily agreed to adopt her religion, asfar as a Voltairean could adopt any,--that is to say, in outerappearance only. It was urged by both Catherine and Gerard that theengagement should be kept secret, and Dick, being in mood to grant anyconditions without question, readily consented. This interview, like allothers between Dick and Catherine since the night of the masquerade,occurred in the back parlor of the glover's house. As usual, Catherineinsisted upon returning alone to the palace, which she always entered bya private door.

  "Why," said Dick, "may not a lady-in-waiting be seen with her affiancedhusband and her brother, in the streets? Here are two people soon to bemarried to each other, yet I'll wager nobody in Cassel, except Gerard,knows they are even acquainted with each other."

  "We must have patience," she said, with a smile in which there seemed tobe something of sadness. Then, having gravely given him her hand tokiss, she hastened from the room.

  Dick and Gerard celebrated the day with a bottle of wine, after whichGerard went on duty and Dick to the Academy of Arts, which was a fewsteps south of the palace. While there he was sent for by theLandgrave, who greeted him with a patronizing and approving smile, andthe words:

  "I wish you to call immediately on the treasurer and on the chiefequerry, who have orders regarding your conveyance to Dusseldorf. I havea commission for you to execute at the picture gallery there."

  Instead of the look of gratitude and pleasure that the Landgrave hadexpected to see on Dick's face, there was one of blank dejection. Toleave Cassel, though for only a week, was not in Dick's plan ofhappiness at this time. But the Landgrave's order had to be obeyed, andDick mustered up a gratified expression before it was too late.

  The next morning he started on his journey, leaving with Gerard a notefor Catherine. The commission was indeed one to be envied; as it was outof all proportion to Dick's infinitesimal knowledge of art, it was thegreater evidence of the Landgrave's favor. So Dick cheered himself up;made the acquaintance of the famous collection of that other elderlyconnoisseur in art and women, Charles Theodore of Bavaria; attended tohis business, surrounded himself with the vision of Catherine, andsuffused his heart and mind with anticipations of his next meeting withher.

  It was growing dark on a November evening, when Dick reentered Cassel.It was past the hour when he might have met Catherine at the glover'shouse, but he was so hungry for the sight of her, that he decided toattend the usual evening assembly at the palace, on the bare possibilityof her being present. He knew that his favor with the Landgrave wouldsecure him admission on his merely sending in his name. He thereforedrove at once to his inn, dressed and put on the sword given him by theLandgrave, which custom permitted him to wear at court, and hastened tothe palace. It was a little after seven o'clock, and the reception-roomswere full.

  To Dick's surprise, one of the first persons he saw was Gerard de St.Valier, in the uniform of a body-guard.

  "Why," cried Dick, rushing up to him, and pressing his hand, "you'vebeen transferred, I see! 'Tis the same as a promotion. We are both ingood luck."

  "Yes," said Gerard, in a constrained manner. He then cast a swift lookaround, bowed formally, and hastened to another room, making a pretextof being on duty.

  Dick gazed after him in amazement. What meant this coldness, thisevidence of being ill at ease? Such a reception from Gerard cut Dick tothe heart, made a tear start in his eye, and gave him an undefinedforeboding.

  While he stood thus, there was near him a movement to either side, and ageneral bowing. He became aware of the Landgrave's approach, just intime to step back from his highness's way. But the Landgrave turned andgreeted him with a kindly smile.

  "Back from Dusseldorf so soon?" said Frederick II., in his rich anddeep, but heavy and guttural, voice.

  "The feet move swiftly when they return to where the heart is," saidDick.

  The Landgrave, taking this as an expression of attachment to thesovereign presence, smiled paternally; then said:

  "I shall send to hear your report to-morrow. The King of Bavaria hasfine pictures. He used to be as famous for the fine women he kept,also."

  "So I have heard, your highness," replied Dick, with a side glancetowards the Landgravine at the farther end of the room, to see ifCatherine might be among her highness's ladies.

  The Landgrave, again misinterpreting, followed Dick's glance. "Ah," saidhe, in a low tone, audible to none of those who
stood back from him andDick at respectful distance, "you are thinking that the court of Casselalso is not without its fair ones. And you are right, my clear-eyedEnglishman. Like the rest of your race, you will doubtless some daywrite your recollections of the court of Cassel. Like the rest, you willgive a page to the mistresses of the sovereign. Well, tell me if youthink any of the ladies that even Louis XIV. delighted to honor, was fitto buckle the shoes of her whom you see standing beneath the picture ofDiana yonder."

  "Whom do you mean, your highness?"

  The Landgrave was too absorbed in his subject to heed the note of wildalarm in Dick's swift question.

  "The lady with the black hair and eyes," said the Landgrave, gloatingacross the distance.

  Dick turned cold. "Why," said he, in what faint voice he could command,"I thought your highness's favorite was Mademoiselle F----!"

  "King David himself changed his mistress now and then," said theLandgrave.

  Mad with grief and humiliation, Dick sprang forward to Catherine de St.Valier--for she it was whom the Landgrave had pointed out--and said:

  "Mademoiselle, is it true,--what I am told?"

  She gave a start at first seeing him, then stood for a moment in a kindof sudden dismay. This gave way to an expression of surprise, as if hewho addressed her were a stranger; and then she turned to hasten fromhim.

  "Ah!" he cried bitterly, in a voice that drew the attention of the wholeassembly; for, as consternation had stopped his heart, rage now set itbeating fiercely. "It is true, then! Faithless!"

  She turned and faced him, with a countenance as pale as death. At thatinstant Gerard confronted Dick from out of the throng, with cheeks ascolorless as Catherine's, and cried out:

  "Monsieur, it is of my sister that you speak!"

  "You know where to find me, Monsieur de St. Valier!"

  At Dick's first words to Catherine, the Landgrave, with a suddenejaculation and frown, had turned and walked precipitately from theroom. The Landgravine, seeing Gerard's movement, had instantly hastenedout by another door, that her eyes might not be outraged by a scene. Itwas the duty of all the guests to follow, and so, as if by magic, whilethe two young men stood gazing at each other, with Catherine looking onas if turned to marble, the three found themselves alone in the assemblyrooms. Gerard was the first to perceive this fact. His face suddenlylost its look of wrathful challenge, and took on one of deep sorrow andconcern. "_Mon Dieu!_" he moaned. "We are lost! Oh, Dick, why did youcome here? Why didn't you understand?"

  "What do you mean? Understand what?" asked Dick, with a sudden fear ofhaving made a terrible false step.

  "That it was for your own sake and ours we pretended not to know you,"replied Gerard, despairingly. "The Landgrave attributed my sister'srepulses to the fact that she loved another. We have tried to concealwho that other was, lest the Landgrave should destroy you; we thoughtbest to keep even our acquaintance with you unknown at court, solynx-eyed is that evil old lieutenant of police, Rothenstein. But nowall is out, and your chance of making your fortune is ruined! Even yourlife is in peril if you stay in Cassel another hour!"

  "Let me understand!" cried Dick. "Repulses, you said?" He turned toCatherine. "Then it is only in the Landgrave's evil hopes, not in fact,that you are his--that you--"

  "How can you ask?" said Catherine, with a world of patient reproach inher voice and eyes.

  Dick knelt at her feet. "Forgive me!" he said, in a broken voice thatcould utter no more.

  She held out her hand. He pressed it to his lips.

  "And what are we to do now?" he asked, rising.

  "You must leave Cassel," said Gerard.

  "We must all leave Cassel," said Dick.

  "It is impossible for us to do so, at present," replied Gerard, indespair. "We have no other resource,--no way of living."

  "But the bequest you came from America to receive?"

  "We were disappointed of that. Our right has been disputed, and thematter is in the courts."

  "Your relations in Quebec, and the estate concerning which you were inPhiladelphia?"

  "We quarrelled with our uncle in Quebec, and we would die before wewould go back to his charity. Our share of the Philadelphia estate was atrifle, and was spent long ago."

  "But you must leave Cassel! I shall find a way to provide for us all!"

  "You forget," put in Catherine, "that my brother dare not leave withouta discharge from the military service. He would be taken as a deserter,and shot. Trust me, Wetheral! I can hold the Landgrave aloof. Hiscaprice will soon pass. You alone are in danger. It is best for us tostay till all can be properly arranged for our future somewhere else."

  "Then if you stay, I stay!" said Dick, quietly. "I will act as ifnothing had occurred, and await the consequences. After all, theLandgrave alone could have understood my meaning, when my miserabletongue so unjustly assailed you. The others would think my words merelythe ravings of an unrequited lover. Yes, I will stay and see what comesof it!"

  "Perhaps you are right," said Gerard.

  "Thank God, then, we do not have to say farewell!" said Catherine,resting her eyes tenderly on Dick. "I must hasten to the Landgravine.Good night! Trust me,--and be on your guard!"

  "I trust you," said Dick, kissing her hand again. "But let the Landgravetake care!"

  Dick then took leave of Gerard, whose presence in the palace was amatter of duty and not of privilege, and hastened to his inn.

  The next day, he went at the usual hour to his room at the Academy ofArts. In the course of the forenoon he received orders to submit inwriting his account of his mission to the Dusseldorf gallery. He wasglad that he did not have to report to the Landgrave in person, for hehad no desire either to meet that sovereign again or to enter thepalace. In the afternoon Catherine came to the glover's house, this timeattended by old Antoine, who had accompanied the St. Valiers fromQuebec. The attendance of a man-servant was part of a lady-in-waiting'spay, and Catherine had been able to secure Antoine's appointment to herservice in the palace. Hitherto, other duties had been allowed toprevent his following her to her brother's. Catherine brought the newsthat Dick's supposition had proven correct,--the belief in the palacewas that his outburst had been merely a disappointed lover's.

  In the evening, while Dick was alone in his room, there came a discreetknock at his door. Opening, he let in a man cloaked and muffled, whoimmediately closed the door in a mysterious and secretive manner. Thevisitor then turned back his cloak and disclosed the face of CountMesmer, the callous, self-assertive chamberlain. He was unattended.

  "Good evening, Count," said Dick, bracing himself for any evil thisvisit might portend.

  The Count took a chair at one side of a small table on which stood alighted candle. Dick sat at the opposite side.

  "My friend," began the Count, in a half patronizing, half overbearingmanner, "that was an unwise explosion at the palace last evening."

  "What do you mean?" demanded Dick, ruffling up.

  "Oh, be calm! I don't blame you, except for bad judgment. You see, I amone of the few who knew what it all meant. I am a man who keeps his eyesopen. I have not been blind to what has been going on between you andthe beautiful lady-in-waiting. Neither have I been blind to theintentions of the Landgrave. By knowing that two and two make four, Iunderstood last night's little scene perfectly."

  "Then perhaps you have come to explain it to me!"

  "Ach, my young friend, you come too quickly to conclusions! Wait andlisten, and be not sarcastic! Why do I say last night's explosion wasinjudicious? Because it could only make matters worse, whereas therewas, unknown to you, a secret way of mending them. Why do I speak of theLandgrave's intentions? Because he is as certain to carry them out as itis that this candle burns, if the power shall remain to him. Did any oneever hear of anything ever standing in a prince's way when he wanted aparticular woman?"

  "It is time then for an exception to the rule."

  "And if there shall be an exception in this case, what will cause it?"

&nb
sp; "The lady herself," said Dick, half inclined to strike the Count's faceacross the table.

  "The lady herself! Granted that she be a paragon of virtue, do yousuppose that the will of an obscure lady-in-waiting will endure long asan obstacle to the desires of a Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, whose powerover his subjects is absolute? What becomes of a woman who resists suchpower? How long does her life remain tolerable? What happens to thosewho support her resistance? Do princes have any pity for those whooppose their will, and will Frederick II. have any conscience where hisdesire to possess a woman is concerned?"

  Dick shuddered. He knew what princely consciences were like, and thatthe sovereigns of Germany, of whatever title, had over their own peopleunlimited authority.

  "But," he said, in a slightly husky voice, "you spoke as if there mightbe an exception in this case."

  "And I asked you what would cause it. You could not tell me. Shall Itell you? Can I trust you?"

  "Certainly."

  "Do you give me your word of honor that what I am about to say to youshall be kept a secret as inviolable as you would have the honor of yourbeloved one?"

  "Yes,--my word of honor, as a gentleman."

  "Then the cause will be this. You know the Landgrave is a Catholic. Youknow his subjects are Protestants. You can imagine whether they have intheir hearts forgiven him for forsaking the religion of his fathers. Youknow that the hereditary prince has no love--no words, even--for hisfather, the Landgrave. You know also the Landgrave's reputation in thematter of morality, and that he is nearly sixty. Now, suppose a certainnumber of the court officers, and of those guards who are on duty aboutthe palace and the city, should one fine day lock his highness in achamber, place soldiers at the door, and declare the hereditary princeto be Landgrave in his stead."

  "Dethrone the Landgrave!"

  "It would be merely bringing the Landgrave's son to the throne a fewyears sooner than he would reach it in the order of nature. Do you fancyhe would protest long, when despatches arrived at Hanau, inviting him toCassel? Remember his feelings towards his father, and that he is alreadythirty-five years old. Do you think the people would object to a youngand virtuous sovereign, who is not an apostate? Do you think the armywould hold out in behalf of a Landgrave that hires it out, regiment byregiment, to another nation? What though the hereditary prince doeslikewise with his troops? Would the soldiers not relish a revenge uponthe father, nevertheless? And, if the Landgrave's army should reallystand in the way of all this, has not the hereditary prince the troopsof Hanau, as well as the Hanoverian regiments there? Perhaps you thinkother powers would step in to prevent this forced abdication? Then bearin mind that the hereditary prince is the son of the daughter of anEnglish king, and that that princess of England was ill-treated by theLandgrave. It is true, the present Landgravine is a collateraldescendant of the house of Prussia, but, when we consider on what termsshe lives with her husband, do we not find all the more reason why theKing of Prussia should take no hand in the Landgrave's behalf? In fine,my young friend, when the Landgrave is shorn of his power, we shallhave nothing to fear from him on the score of our sweethearts!"

  And Mesmer leaned back in his chair, with a self-laudatory smile, likean orator who has made his point.

  "But," asked Dick, eagerly, leaning forward on the table, to be nearerthe Count, "when is all this to be brought about?"

  "First tell me, are you willing to do what you can to help bring itabout?"

  "Willing? I am eager! Tell me what I am to do!"

  "You are to broach the matter to your friends whom you can trust, as Ihave broached it to mine. There is the lady's brother, St. Valier, ofthe body-guards. As he is often on duty in the palace, he will be of thegreatest value to us. He can sound his comrades, and win them over. Thenthere is Von Romberg, with whom I have often seen you. He can gain usmen from his battalion. If things are managed rightly, and the blow isstruck at the opportune moment, so that his highness can be held tillword gets to Hanau and back, a few details of the body-guards, and threeor four companies of the foot-guards, can carry the business through. Iwill answer for a sufficient number of palace officers."

  "But why do you come to me, a foreigner, a man without family orinfluence?"

  "For many reasons. Because you have much at stake, and will contributezeal, which is a most important factor in a conspiracy. Because you havean ingratiating manner, and can get the ears and confidence of men.Because your post is one on which no eyes are turned, and you can goabout unobserved, talking to whom you please, without excitingcuriosity."

  "I see," said Dick. "Depend upon me, Count. As for what favors thisLandgrave has done me--"

  "My dear friend, you earned far greater favors when you saved herhighness's life! And this I tell you,--if you do not strike theLandgrave, he will strike you! Who knows whether he has not alreadytaken the initiative against you? Many a first blow is really given inself-defence. That is your case, I assure you. And now let us talk ofdetails."

  For the next hour this strangely ill-matched pair were deep in the plansof conspiracy. Then Mesmer hastened back to the palace, so as to be seenat the card party, from which he feared he might already have beenmissed.

  * * * * *

  Three weeks afterwards,--that is to say, near the end of November,--theLandgrave and his court went hunting in the great forest a few milessoutheast of Cassel, between that city and Spangenberg.

  Now and then, during the chase, some gentleman or other would drop out,unnoticed, turning his horse into the thick woods. Thus, one by one, anumber of gentlemen finally arrived at a ruined Gothic tower, in themidst of a thick copse near the road that ran south from Cassel toMelsungen,--that Melsungen which was thirteen miles south of Cassel.

  At intervals, too, horsemen coming from the direction of Cassel, eachone stopping and looking carelessly around to see if he were observed,would turn leftward from the road, penetrate the copse, and so arrive atthe tower, which was a mere shell of weather-beaten stone, seamed withirregular crevices, and mantled here and there with wild foliage.

  Each newcomer, from either direction, tied his horse to a tree, andentered the tower, by its high Gothic doorway. The second man whoarrived was challenged by the first, who stood in shadow within thedoorway, with the words, "Who comes?" He replied, "Hesse-Hanau," and,thus eliciting the word "Welcome" from the first, went into the shadow.He found that the first man was the chamberlain, Count Mesmer.

  "By Heaven," said the second man, gaily, observing the other in a ray oflight that entered through a lofty crack in the tower, "you areconspiring in character! A scarlet cloak certainly fits the role." Thespeaker was a young Frenchman, the Viscount de Rougepont, who jested atall times and places.

  "You make a light matter of high treason, Viscount," replied Mesmer, ina somewhat husky voice.

  Before the Frenchman could answer, another man was heard advancing overthe fallen brown leaves outside the tower. The manner of his admissionwas the same as that of the Frenchman's. Within a short time, more thana score of men had thus assembled. Two remained on guard immediatelyinside the doorway. The others, soon accustomed to the half darkness oftheir meeting-place, proceeded with their business. The secretary, whowas none other than Richard Wetheral, called a roll. There was aresponse to every name but that of Von Romberg.

  "He has been detained by the sudden illness of a dear friend, but hopesto join us later in the afternoon. He has authorized me to representhim," said a young gentleman,--Gerard de St. Valier.

  "You did not succeed in winning the Baron von Sungen," said Mesmer,addressing Wetheral, in a slightly petulant way.

  "He repulsed my very first overtures," said Dick, in explanation, "andbade me, for my own sake, go no farther into the subject with him. I sawthat nothing could move his loyalty. It was prudent to stop where Idid."

  "What a pity!" said Mesmer, with some vexation.

  "I thought there was no love between you and Von Sungen," put in DeRougepont.

  "Wha
t of that?" said Mesmer, quickly. "He could have brought over theentire horse-guards to us. That is why I say, what a pity he is not withus!"

  "He is playing hard for the Landgrave's favor," said the Frenchman. "Heis dying of love for the Baroness von Luderwaldt, and wants to marryher. So does old Rothenstein, the sweet and chaste minister of police.The Landgrave has the disposal of her hand, and is still undecidedwhether to make Von Sungen happy or cause old Rothenstein to snivel withecstasy. Hence Von Sungen's unexampled devotion to his sovereign."

  "Gentlemen, we can make better use of the little time we have than bytalking court gossip," said Gerard de St. Valier. "As the one who hasbeen chosen by lot to be your presiding officer, I remind you that ourmeeting is for the purpose of making the final assignments for theaction we are to take next Wednesday--"

  "Pardon me a moment, monsieur," interrupted one of the conspirators."You will remember there are three gentlemen here who have not signedthe compact. They ought to have opportunity to do so, before our plansare unfolded any farther."

  "That is unfortunate," put in the secretary, Wetheral. "It ought to havebeen thought of when we accepted Count Mesmer's suggestion to leave ourcompact concealed in my room. The roll I called a few minutes ago wasfrom memory. The three new members may call at my hotel this evening tosign."

  "That appears to be the most practicable plan," said Gerard. "The newmembers, nevertheless, ought to take the oath before we proceed anyfarther. Let them advance and repeat it after the secretary."

  The conspirators were grouped semicircularly at one side of the tower'spaved interior. Gerard and Dick stood out a little from the rest, theirsides towards the doorway, so as to face the others. Three youngofficers stepped out from the crowd and stood before Dick, who began todictate an oath, which they repeated in portions after him. Everygentleman present had brought with him a sword, those not in officer'suniform having small ones, which could be concealed beneath theircloaks. The three new comrades held their right hands upon the hilts oftheir swords in taking the oath. The ceremony required, at itsconclusion, that the whole assembly should raise swords and utter afinal pledge in chorus. The two guards at the door, their attentiondrawn despite themselves to the impressive scene within, grasped theirswords as the others did, and moved imperceptibly in from the doorwayas the conclusion was neared.

  The three recruits echoed Dick's low-spoken phrases in subdued tones. Heraised the point of his sword aloft in token that they should dolikewise. Up went every sword in the company, flashing back what beamsof light strayed through the openings overhead. Eyes, too, flashed withfeeling, as all lips united in the closing words:

  "And to this end we pledge life and honor!"

  The light from the doorway was suddenly cut off, and a voice cried:

  "Surrender!"

  The conspirators turned towards the doorway in amazement. Three soldiersstood upon the threshold. Behind them was the officer who had calledout. In a moment, a score of bayonets appeared beyond him, from oneside, and troops were seen massing in among the trees. It was plain thata large force had stolen up with the greatest possible silence. Theconspirators were, in fact, confronted by some dismounted horse-guardsand a company from the battalion of foot then quartered at Melsungen. Hewho had demanded their surrender was an officer of the horse-guards.

  No one thought of making any pretence of injured innocence. Some lookedaround to see if there was any hole by which to crawl from the tower.Others stood still, and waited for the arresting party to come in andtake them. Mesmer ran farther back into the shadow. Dick saw thismovement, and misinterpreted it.

  "He sees a way out of the tower," said Dick to his comrades, and ranafter Mesmer. The Count stumbled in the darkness, and Dick fell overhim. The soldiers at the door, surprised at this movement within, nowentered at a run. The conspirators on whom violent hands were first laidresisted on impulse. Thus was brought about a brief scrimmage, whoseconfusion was increased by the twilight of the place. Two or three mentumbled over Dick. As soon as he could do so, he rose to his feet,clutching mechanically the cloak he thought to be his. Being for amoment out of the hurly-burly, he as mechanically threw this cloakaround him. He then ran to the doorway, which the entrance of thehorse-guards had left unobstructed, although soldiers were drawn upoutside at a short distance from it. As Dick stepped out to the openair, with some wild notion of making a rush, he saw muskets levelled athim.

  "Not this one!" cried the commander, sharply, raising his cane with aswift movement to prevent any one's firing. To Dick's further amazement,the troops, a moment later, made an opening in their lines, for him topass through. He did so with alacrity, traversed the rest of the copse,and ran towards the road from Cassel to Melsungen. He found hishorse--the one given to him by the Landgrave--in the wooded gully wherehe had tied it. Mounting, he was soon in the road.

  He now heard a shout at the edge of the copse and saw the same officerwho had enabled him to pass. This officer was now violently motioninghim to come back, and shouting orders to the same effect.

  But Dick waved an "_au revoir_," and started his horse towardsMelsungen. A few seconds later several musket-shots rang out from thecopse, and he heard the sing of bullets about his head. Looking back, hesaw that a number of foot-soldiers were with the officer, who wasvehemently ordering a pursuit.

  "If I were doing that shooting, the man here in my place would be fullof lead by this time," said Dick to himself, as he set his horsegalloping towards Melsungen. "There seems to have been some mistakeabout my departure from the tower. Well, it isn't for me to rectify theerrors of the Landgrave's officers!"

  And, glancing down at himself, he noticed for the first time that hewore a cloak of bright scarlet, instead of his own, which was of darkblue.