by William Sage
CHAPTER VII
GAILLARD GOES ON A JOURNEY
The first object that Robert Tournay saw as he rode into the inn yard atLa Thierry was a horse reeking with sweat. The next moment he wasgreeted by the smiling face of Gaillard, who came out of the inn. "Haveyou brought the passport?" cried Tournay eagerly, as he grasped hisfriend by the hand.
For reply Gaillard took a paper from his pocket, unfolded it, anddisclosed the seal of the Committee of Public Safety. "Am I in time?" heasked. "I have ridden post haste to get here with it. Can I serve youfurther?"
"Come into the inn, and I'll tell you," replied Tournay. "I am almostexhausted and must have something to eat."
Ordering some supper and a bottle of wine, which were brought at once,Tournay helped Gaillard and himself bountifully. They ate and drank fora few minutes in silence, Gaillard waiting for him to speak.
Gaillard was rather short in stature, with a pair of broad, athleticshoulders. His face was freckled, and animated by a pair of particularlyactive blue eyes. A large mouth, instead of adding to his plainness, wasrather attractive than otherwise, for on all occasions it would wideninto the most encouraging, good-natured smile, showing two rows ofregular, white teeth, firmly set in a strong jaw.
After he had partaken of a little food and drink, Tournay recounted toGaillard the substance of what had taken place at the chateau, leavingout most of his final interview with Edme de Rochefort, but dwelling onher flat refusal to accept his escort to the frontier.
The actor listened to him intently and in silence; his face, usuallyhumorous, expressive of deep and earnest thought.
"Now what do you advise?" asked Tournay, as he pushed back his plate andemptied the last of the wine into Gaillard's glass.
"What plan have you?" questioned Gaillard.
"I mean to take her away from here at all hazards," answered Tournay.
"Quite right," nodded Gaillard.
"But I can't very well pick her up and carry her off bodily," continuedTournay. "And if I did she would be quite capable of surrenderingherself into the hands of the first committee in the first town wherethey stop us to examine our passport."
"Then we must induce her to go of her own free will."
"Which she will not do," replied Tournay gloomily.
"It seems to me," said Gaillard, speaking slowly, while he held hisglass of wine to the light and inspected it minutely, "that if some oneshould approach Mademoiselle de Rochefort, purporting to come from someof her friends who have already gone abroad, and should say he was sentsecretly to conduct her to them, she would be willing to go with him."
"Unless she suspected him to be an impostor, she might possibly go,"replied Tournay.
"He will have to convince her that he is not an impostor, and after anight spent in the chateau alone she is more likely to believe in him,"was Gaillard's reply. "How about Gardin," he asked suddenly. "Do youanticipate any further trouble from that quarter?"
"I hardly think so," replied Tournay. "I shall go back to the chateau atonce and remain in the vicinity all night unknown to Mademoiselle deRochefort. See if you cannot procure a carriage here suitable for a longjourney. Then come up the chateau road. I shall be in waiting for you atthe entrance to the park. We will confer together as to a plan of actionto be carried out at daylight."
"Good," replied Gaillard; "I will set about my part of the work atonce."
The two men rose from the table; Gaillard went to the inn stables andTournay mounted his horse and rode toward the chateau.
He had not made half the distance between the village and the chateauwhen he heard a footstep crunch on the gravel of the road, and reinedin his horse just as the figure of a man crept by him.
"Who is there?" cried Tournay, clicking the hammer of his pistol.
"A good citizen," was the reply in a timid voice.
"Father, is it you?" exclaimed Tournay, springing from his horse andapproaching the figure. "Is all well at the chateau?"
"It is my son, Robert," cried the old man. "I did not recognize yourvoice until after I had spoken; but I am no good citizen of your presentdisorderly Republic."
"Is all well at the chateau?" repeated Robert Tournay.
"Well? How can we all be well when the doors are broken in and thefurniture strewn about the place in pieces? Can I call all well when"--
"Mademoiselle Edme?" interrupted Robert, with impatience, "how abouther?"
"She has gone," said Matthieu Tournay.
"Gone!" cried Robert, clutching his father by the shoulder. "Gone--howand where?"
"You need not be alarmed for her safety," said the old man; "she is withAgatha,--a brave, clever girl, capable of anything. They set out thisvery night to seek a refuge with some relatives of Agatha who will keepthem in safety."
"And you permitted them to go?" demanded the younger Tournay, almostshaking his father in his excitement.
"Permitted them? Yes, and encouraged them. I would myself have gone withthem if I had not feared that my feebleness would impede rather thanassist their flight. As it is, you need have no apprehension; whenAgatha undertakes a thing she carries it through, and mademoiselle alsois resolute and strong-willed. They will be safe enough, I warrant."
"Where did they go?" asked Robert.
"I've promised not to tell," said the old man doggedly.
"Father," exclaimed young Tournay, "do you not see how important it isthat I should know where they have gone? If you have any affection formademoiselle you will tell me. Cannot you trust your own son?"
"Will you promise not to prevent their going?" replied the old man.
Tournay thought for a moment. "Yes."
"To La Haye, in the province of Touraine, near the boundary of LaVendee."
"Will they reach there in safety?" inquired Tournay, half to himself.
"You need have no alarm on that score. They have disguised themselves aspeasants; no one will be able to recognize them. Look!" he addedsuddenly, pointing in the direction of the chateau.
A tongue of flame shot into the night air, then another and anotherfollowed in quick succession.
"Is the chateau on fire?" cried Robert in consternation.
As if in answer the flames burst fiercely forth, and the noble old pilestood revealed to them by the light of the fire that consumed it.
The surrounding landscape became brilliant as day, and the great oaks ofthe park waved their bare branches frantically in the direction of theedifice they had sheltered so many years; seeming to sigh pityingly asone turret after another fell crashing to the ground.
Young Tournay looked around to see if any of the attacking party werestill lurking in the vicinity; but with the exception of himself and hisfather, no human eye was witness of the burning.
"Gardin's men must have ignited that during their drunken invasion ofthe wine-cellar," he exclaimed excitedly. Then in the next breath headded, "Thank God! Mademoiselle has been spared this sight."
Old Tournay stood looking at the conflagration in silence; then turningaway with a sigh, he said simply, "There goes the only home I have everknown; where my father lived before me and where you were born, Robert.I must now find a new place to pass what few days of life remain to me."
Tournay laid his hand on his father's arm. "Will you come with me toParis?" he asked.
"No, no," replied his father. "I am not in sympathy with Paris, Robert,nor with your ways. I don't understand them, boy. It may be all rightfor you. I know you are a good son, you have always been that, but Ishall find a shelter in La Thierry. None will molest an old man likeme."
Leading his horse by the bridle, Tournay walked back to the village withhis father. On the way they were met by Gaillard, who had seen theflames and had guessed their meaning.
Robert Tournay explained the situation to him as they all went back tothe inn. Greatly in need of rest, Robert threw himself down to waituntil the morrow.
They were up with the dawn, when Gaillard had a new suggestion to offer.
&nbs
p; "You must return at once to Paris, my friend, for you must arrive therebefore Gardin. You will need all the influence of your own militaryposition and the aid of your most powerful friends to enable you to meetthe charges that man will bring against you for frustrating the arrest.I will try to find mademoiselle at La Haye, and will meet you at ourlodgings as soon as possible."
Robert grasped his companion's hand warmly.
"I shall never forget your friendship, Gaillard."
"You may remember it as long as you like if you will not refer to it. Ican never repay you for your many acts of friendship toward me."
"But your profession," interrupted Tournay, "how can you leave thetheatre all this time? How will your place be filled?"
"Oh, it will be filled very well. I arranged all that before leaving;whether I shall find it vacant or not when I return is another matter.But it does not trouble me; let it not trouble you, my friend." And witha cheerful wave of the hand, Gaillard departed.