The Forty Five Guardsmen written by Alexandre Dumas

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"How so?"

"Yes, the lady, like the celebrated Bradamante, about whom I have so
often sung to your highness, disguises herself in the dress of a man."

"Oh! monseigneur," cried the ensign, "M. du Bouchage seems to me to have
a great respect for this lady, and probably would be very angry at any
indiscretion.'"

"Doubtless, monsieur; we will be mute as sepulchers--as mute as poor St.
Aignan; only, if we see the lady, we will try not to make grimaces at
her. Where is this lady, Aurilly?"--"Upstairs."

"Upstairs! what, in this house?"

"Yes, monseigneur; but hush! here is M. du Bouchage."

"Hush!" said the prince, laughing.

CHAPTER LXXIV.

ONE OF THE SOUVENIRS OF THE DUC D'ANJOU.

Henri, as he entered, could hear the hateful laugh of the prince, but he
had not lived enough with him to know the danger that always lurked in
his laugh. Besides, he could not suspect the subject of conversation,
and no one dared to tell him in the duke's presence. Besides, the duke,
who had already settled his plan, kept Henri near him until all the
other officers were gone. He then changed the distribution of the posts.
Henri had established his quarters in that house, and had intended to
send the ensign to a post near the river, but the duke now took Henri's
place, and sent him where the ensign was to have been. Henri was not
astonished, for the river was an important point. Before going, however,
he wished to speak to the ensign, and recommend to his care the two
people under his protection, and whom he was forced for the time to
abandon. But at the first word that Henri began to speak to him the duke
interposed. "Secrets?" said he, with his peculiar smile.

The ensign had understood, when too late, the fault he had been guilty
of.

"No, monseigneur," replied he, "M. le Comte was only asking me how much
powder we had left fit to use."

The answer had two aims; the first to turn away the duke's suspicions,
if he had any; and the second to let Du Bouchage know that he could
count on a friend in him.

"Ah!" said the duke, forced to seem to believe what he was told. And as
he turned to the door the ensign whispered to Henri, "The prince knows
you are escorting some one."

Henri started, but it was too late. The duke remarked the start, and, as
if to assure himself that his orders were executed, proposed to Henri to
accompany him to his post, which he was forced to accede to.

Henri wished to warn Remy to be on his guard, but it was impossible; all
he could do was to say to the ensign:

"Watch well over the powder; watch it as I would myself, will you not?"

"Yes, M. le Comte," replied the young man.

On the way the duke said to Du Bouchage, "Where is this powder that you
speak of?"

"In the house we have just left, your highness."

"Oh! be easy, then, Du Bouchage; I know too well the importance of such
an article, in our situation, to neglect it. I will watch over it
myself."

They said no more until they arrived, when the duke, after giving Henri
many charges not to quit his post, returned. He found Aurilly wrapped in
an officer's cloak, sleeping on one of the seats in the dining-room. The
duke woke him. "Come," said he.

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes! the unknown lady--the relation of M. du Bouchage."

"Good; I see that the faro of Brussels and the beer of Louvain have not
clouded your intellects."

"Oh! no, monseigneur, I am more ingenious than ever."

"Then call up all your imagination, and guess."

"Well! I guess that your highness is envious."

"Ah! parbleu, I always am; but what is it about just now?"

"You wish to know who is the brave creature who has followed the MM. de
Joyeuse through fire and water?"

"You have just hit it, 'per mille pericula Martis!' as Margot would say.
Apropos, have you written to her, Aurilly?"

"To whom, monseigneur?"

"To my sister Margot."

"Had I to write to her?"

"Certainly."

"About what?"

"To tell her that we are beaten--ruined, and that she must look out for
herself; for that Spain, disembarrassed of me in the north, will fall on
her in the south."

"Ah! true."

"You have not written?"

"No, monseigneur."

"You slept?"

"Yes, I confess it; but even if I had thought of it, with what could I
have written? I have here neither pen, paper, nor ink."

"Well, seek. 'Quare et invenies,' as it is written."

"How in the devil's name am I to find it in the hut of a peasant, who
probably did not know how to write?"

"Seek, stupid! if you do not find that, you will find--"

"What?"

"Something else."

"Oh! fool that I was," cried Aurilly. "Your highness is right: I am
stupid; but I am very sleepy, you see."

"Well, keep awake for a little while, and, since you have not written, I
will write; only go and seek what is necessary. Go, Aurilly, and do not
come back till you have found it; I will remain here."

"I go, monseigneur."

"And if, in your researches, you discover that the house is
picturesque--you know how I admire Flemish interiors, Aurilly."

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Well! call me."

"Immediately, monseigneur; be easy."

Aurilly rose, and, with a step light as a bird, went up the staircase.
In five minutes he returned to his master.

"Well?" asked he.

"Well, monseigneur, if I may believe appearances, the house is
devilishly picturesque."

"How so?"

"Peste! monseigneur; because one cannot get in to look."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it is guarded by a dragon."

"What foolish joke is this?"

"Oh! monseigneur, it is unluckily not a foolish joke, but a sad truth.
The treasure is on the first floor, in a room in which I can see light
through the door."

"Well?"

"Well! before this door lies a man, wrapped in a gray cloak."

"Oh, oh! M. du Bouchage puts a gendarme at the door of his mistress."

"It is not a gendarme, monseigneur, but some attendant of the lady's or
of the count's."--"What kind of a man?"

"Monseigneur, it was impossible to see his face; but I could perfectly
see a large Flemish knife in his belt, and his hand, on it."

"It is amusing; go and waken the fellow."

"Oh, no, monseigneur."

"Why not?"

"Why, without counting the knife, I do not wish to amuse myself with
making a mortal enemy of MM. de Joyeuse, who stand so well at court. If
you had been king of this country, it might have passed; but now you
must be gracious, above all with those who saved you, and Joyeuse did
save you. They will say so, whether you do or not."--"You are right,
Aurilly, and yet--and yet--"

"I understand. Your highness has not seen a woman's face for fifteen
mortal days. I do not speak of the kind of animals who live here; they
are males and females, but do not deserve to be called men and women."

"I must see this lady, Aurilly."

"Well, monseigneur, you may see her; but not through the door."

"So be it; then I will see her through the window."

"Ah! that is a good idea, and I will go and look for a ladder for you."

Aurilly glided into the courtyard, and under a shed found what he
wanted. He maneuvered it among horses and men so skillfully as to wake
no one, and placed it in the street against the outer wall. It was
necessary to be a prince, and sovereignly disdainful of vulgar scruples,
to dare, in the presence of the sentinel, who walked up and down before
the door, to accomplish an action so audaciously insulting to Du
Bouchage. Aurilly felt this, and pointed out the sentinel, who, now
observing, called out, "Qui vive!"

Francois shrugged his shoulders and walked up to him.

"My friend," said he, "this place is the most elevated spot in the
village, is it not?"

"Yes, monseigneur," said the man, recognizing him, "and were it not for
those lime trees, we could see over a great part of the country."

"I thought so; and therefore I have brought a ladder," said the duke.
"Go up, Aurilly, or rather, let me go up; I will see for myself."

"Where shall I place it?" said the hypocritical follower.

"Oh, anywhere; against that wall, for instance."

The sentinel walked off, and the duke mounted the ladder, Aurilly
standing at the foot.

The room in which Henri had placed Diana was matted, and had a large
oaken bed with serge curtains, a table, and a few chairs.

Diana, whose heart seemed relieved from an enormous weight since she had
heard the false news of the duke's death, had, almost for the first time
since her father's death, eaten something more substantial than bread,
and drunk a little wine. After this she grew sleepy, and Remy had left
her, and was sleeping outside her door, not from any suspicion, but
because such had been his habit ever since they had left Paris.

Diana herself slept with her elbow on the table and her head leaning on
her hand. A little lamp burned on the table, and all looked peaceful
here, where such tempestuous emotions had raged and would soon again. In
the glass sparkled the Rhine wine, scarcely touched by Diana. She, with
her eyes closed, her eyelids veined with azure, her mouth slightly
opened, her hair thrown back, looked like a sublime vision to the eyes
that were violating the sanctity of her retreat. The duke, on perceiving
her, could hardly repress his admiration, and leaned over to examine
every detail of her ideal beauty. But all at once he frowned, and came
down two or three steps with a kind of nervous precipitation, and
leaning back against the wall, crossed his arms and appeared to reflect.
Aurilly watched him as he stood there, with a dreamy air, like a man
trying to recall some old souvenir. After a few minutes he remounted and
looked in again, but Aurilly called out, "Quick! quick! monseigneur,
come down; I hear steps."

The duke came down, but slowly.

"It was time," said Aurilly.

"Whence comes the sound?"

"From there," said Aurilly, pointing to a dark street. "But the sound
has ceased; it must have been some spy watching us."

"Remove the ladder."

Aurilly obeyed; however, no one appeared, and they heard no more noise.

"Well, monseigneur, is she beautiful?" said Aurilly.

"Very beautiful," said the prince, abstractedly.

"What makes you sad then? Did she see you?"

"No, she was asleep."

"Then what is the matter?"

"Aurilly, it is strange, but I have seen that woman somewhere."

"You recognized her, then?"

"No, I could not think of her name; but her face gave me a fearful
shock. I cannot tell how it is; but I believe I did wrong to look."

"However, just on account of the impression she has made on you, we must
find out who she is."

"Certainly we must."

"Seek well in your memory, monseigneur; is it at court you have seen
her?"

"No, I think not."

"In France, Navarre, Flanders?"

"No."

"A Spaniard perhaps."

"I do not think so."

"An English lady, one of Queen Elizabeth's?"

"No, I seem to know her more intimately, and that she appeared to me in
some terrible scene."

"Then you would have recognized her at once; you have not seen many such
scenes."

"Do you think so?" said the duke, with a gloomy smile. "Now," continued
he, "that I am sufficiently master of myself to analyze my sensations, I
feel that this woman is beautiful, but with the beauty of death;
beautiful as a shade, as a figure in a dream; and I have had two or
three frightful dreams in my life, which left me cold at the heart.
Well, now I am sure that it was in one of those dreams that I saw that
woman."

"Your highness is not generally so susceptible, and but that I believe
that we are watched from that street, I would mount in my turn and
look."

"Ma foi! you are right, Aurilly; what does it matter whether we are
watched or not? Go up and look."

Aurilly made a move forward to obey, when a hasty step was heard, and
Henri's voice, crying, "Monseigneur!"

"You here!" said the duke, while Aurilly bounded back to his side; "you
here, comte?--on what pretext have you quitted your post?"

"Monseigneur," replied Henri, firmly, "your highness can punish me, if
you think proper: meanwhile, my duty was to come here, and I came."

The duke glanced toward the window. "Your duty, comte? Explain that to
me," said he.

"Monseigneur, horsemen have been seen on the Spanish side of the river,
and we do not know if they are friends or enemies."

"Numerous?" asked the duke anxiously.

"Very numerous, monseigneur."

"Well, comte, no false bravery: you will do well to return. Awake the
gendarmes and let us decamp; it will be the most prudent plan."

"Doubtless, monseigneur; but it will be urgent, I think, to warn my
brother."

"Two men will do."

"Then I will go with a gendarme."

"No, no, Du Bouchage; you must come with us. Peste! it is not at such a
moment that I can separate from a defender like you."

"When does your highness set out?" said Henri, bowing.

"At once, comte."

"Hola! some one," cried Henri.

The young ensign came out immediately from the dark street. Henri gave
his orders, and soon the place was filled with gendarmes preparing for
departure. Among them the duke talked with his officers.

"Gentlemen," said he, "the Prince of Orange is pursuing me, it seems;
but it is not proper that a son of France should be taken prisoner. Let
us, therefore, yield to numbers, and fall back upon Brussels. I shall be
sure of life and liberty while I remain among you."

Then, turning to Aurilly, "You remain," said he. "This woman cannot
follow us. Joyeuse will not dare to bring her with him in my presence.
Besides, we are not going to a ball, and the race we shall run would
fatigue a lady."

"Where are you going, monseigneur?"

"To France. I think my business is over here."

"But to what part of France. Does monseigneur think it prudent to return
to court?"

"No; I shall stop at one of my castles, Chateau-Thierry, for example."

"Has your highness decided on that?"

"Yes; Chateau-Thierry suits me in all respects; it is a good distance
from Paris, about twenty-eight leagues, and I can watch from thence MM.
de Guise, who are half the year at Soissons. So bring the beautiful
unknown to Chateau-Thierry."

"But, monsieur, perhaps she will not be brought."

"Nonsense; since Du Bouchage accompanies me, and she follows him, it
will be quite natural."

"But she may wish to go somewhere else, if she sees that I wish to bring
her to you."

"But I repeat that it is not to me that you are to bring her, but to the
comte. Really, one would think it was the first time you had aided me in
such circumstances. Have you money?"

"I have the two rouleaux of gold that you gave me when you left the
camp."

"Well, by any and every method, bring me the lady to Chateau-Thierry;
perhaps when I see her nearer I shall recognize her."

"And the man also?"

"Yes; if he is not troublesome."

"But if he is?"

"Do with him what you would do with a stone which is in your way--throw
it away."

"Good, monseigneur."

While the two conspirators formed their plans, Henri went up and woke
Remy. He knocked at the door in a peculiar fashion, and it was almost
immediately opened by Diana. Behind Remy she perceived Henri.

"Good-evening, monsieur," said she, with a smile which had long been
foreign to her face.

"Oh! pardon me, madame," said Henri, "for intruding on you; but I come
to make my adieux."

"Your adieux, comte; you are going?"

"To France, madame."

"And you leave us?"

"I am forced to do so; my duty is to obey the prince."

"The prince; is there a prince here?" asked Remy.

"Yes, M. le Duc d'Anjou, who was believed dead, and who has been
miraculously saved, has joined us."

Diana uttered a terrible cry, and Remy turned as pale as though he had
been suddenly struck with death.

"The Duc d'Anjou living!" cried Diana. "The Duc d'Anjou here?"

"Had he not been here, madame, and ordered me to follow him, I should
have accompanied you to the convent into which you tell me you are about
to retire."

"Yes, yes," said Remy; "the convent;" and he put his finger on his lip.

"I would have accompanied you the more willingly, madame." said Henri;
"because I fear that you may be annoyed by the prince's people."--"How
so?"

"Yes; I believe that he knows there is a lady here, and he thinks that
she is a friend of mine."

"And what makes you think so?"

"Our young ensign saw him place a ladder against this window and look
in."

"Oh!" cried Diana; "mon Dieu! mon Dieu!"

"Reassure yourself, madame! he heard him say that he did not know you.
Besides, the duke is going to set off at once--in a quarter of an hour
you will be alone and free. Permit me to salute you with respect, and to
tell you once more, that till my last sigh, my heart will beat for you
and with you. Adieu, madame, adieu." And the comte, bowing, took two
steps back.

"No, no!" cried Diana, wildly, "no, God cannot have done this! He cannot
have brought this man to life again; no, monsieur, you must be wrong, he
is dead."

At this moment, as if in reply, the duke's voice was heard calling from
below:

"Comte, we are waiting for you."

"You hear him, madame," said Henri. "For the last time, adieu."

And pressing Remy's hand, he flew down the staircase. Diana approached
the window trembling, and with a convulsive shudder, like the bird
fascinated by the serpent of the Antilles. She saw the duke on
horseback, and the light of the torches held by the gendarmes fell on
his face.

"Oh! he lives! the demon lives!" murmured she; "and we must live also.
He is setting out for France; so be it, Remy, we also must go to
France."

CHAPTER LXXV.

HOW AURILLY EXECUTED THE COMMISSION OF THE DUC D'ANJOU.

To the confusion occasioned by the departure of the troops a profound
silence succeeded. When Remy believed the house to be empty, he went
down to prepare for his departure and that of Diana; but on opening the
door of the room below, he was much surprised to see a man sitting by
the fire, evidently watching him, although he pretended to look
careless. Remy approached, according to his custom, with a slow, halting
step, and uncovering his head, bald like that of an old man. He could
not, however, see the features of the man by the fire.

"Pardon, monsieur," said he, "I thought myself alone here."

"I also thought so," replied the man, "but I see with pleasure that I
shall have companions."

"Oh! very sad companions, monsieur; for except an invalid young man whom
I am taking back to France--"

"Ah!" said Aurilly, "I know whom you mean."

"Really."

"Yes; you mean the young lady."

"What young lady?"

"Oh! do not be angry, my good friend; I am the steward of the house of
Joyeuse, and I rejoined my young master by his brother's order, and at
his departure the comte recommended to my good offices a young lady and
an old servant, who were returning to France."

As he thus spoke, he approached Remy with a smiling and affectionate
look. But Remy stepped back, and a look of horror was painted for an
instant on his face.

"You do not reply; one would say you were afraid of me," said Aurilly,
with his most smiling face.

"Monsieur," replied Remy, "pardon a poor old man, whom his misfortunes
and his wounds have rendered timid and suspicious."

"All the more reason, my friend, for accepting the help and support of
an honest companion; besides, as I told you just now, I speak on the
part of a master who must inspire you with confidence."

"Assuredly, monsieur," replied Remy, who, however, still moved back.

"You quit me," said Aurilly.

"I must consult my mistress; I can decide nothing, you understand."

"Oh! that is natural; but permit me to present myself. I will explain my
directions in all their details."

"No, no, thank you: madame is perhaps asleep, and her sleep is sacred to
me."

"As you wish. Besides, I have told you what my master told me to say."

"To me?"

"To you and the young lady."

"Your master, M. le Comte du Bouchage, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, monsieur."

When he had shut the door, all the appearances of age vanished, except
the bald head, and Remy mounted the staircase with an agility more like
a young man of twenty-five, than the old man he had appeared to be a few
minutes before.

"Madame! madame!" cried he, in an agitated voice.

"Well, what is it, Remy; is not the duke gone?"

"Yes, madame, but there is a worse demon here; a demon on whom, during
six years, I have daily called down Heaven's vengeance, as you have on
his master."

"Aurilly?"

"Yes, Aurilly; the wretch is below, forgotten by his infernal
accomplice."

"Forgotten, do you say, Remy? Oh! you are wrong; you, who know the
duke, know that he never leaves to chance any evil deed, if he can do it
himself. No, no, Remy; Aurilly is not forgotten, but left here for some
bad design, believe me!"

"Oh! about him, madame, I can believe anything."

"Does he know me?"

"I do not think so."

"And did he recognize you?"

"Oh! madame," said Remy, with a sad smile, "no one recognizes me."

"Perhaps he guesses who I am?"

"No, for he asked to see you."

"I am sure he must have suspicions."

"In that case nothing is more easy, and I thank God for pointing out our
path so plainly. The village is deserted, the wretch is alone. I saw a
poniard in his belt, but I have a knife in mine."

"One moment, Remy; I do not ask the life of that wretch of you, but
before you kill him, let us find out what he wants of us; perhaps we may
make his evil intentions useful. How did he represent himself to you,
Remy?"

"As the steward of M. du Bouchage, madame."

"You see he lies; therefore, he has some reason for lying. Let us find
out his intentions, and conceal our own."

"I will act as you wish, madame."

"What does he ask now?"

"To accompany us."

"In what character?"

"As the count's steward."

"Tell him I accept."

"Oh! madame."

"Add that I am thinking of going to England, where I have relations, but
have not quite decided; lie like him, Remy; to conquer we must fight
with equal arms."

"But he will see you?"

"I will wear my mask. Besides, I suspect he knows me."

"Then, if he knows you, there must be a snare."

"Let us pretend to fall into it."

"But--"

"What do you fear, we can but die? Are you not ready to die for the
accomplishment of our vow?"

"Yes, but not to die without vengeance."

"Remy," cried Diana, her eyes sparkling with wild excitement, "be easy,
we will be revenged; you on the servant, and I on the master."

"Well, madame, then, so be it."

And Remy went down, but still hesitating.

The brave young man had, at the sight of Aurilly, felt, in spite of
himself, that nervous shudder that one feels at the sight of a reptile;
he wished to kill him because he feared him. But as he went down, his
resolution returned, and he determined, in spite of Diana's opinion, to
interrogate Aurilly--to confound him, and if he discovered that he had
any evil intentions, to kill him on the spot.

Aurilly waited for him impatiently. Remy advanced armed with an
unshakable resolution, but his words were quiet and calm.

"Monsieur," said he, "my mistress cannot accept your proposal."

"And why not?"

"Because you are not the steward of M. du Bouchage."

Aurilly grew pale. "Who told you so?" said he.

"No one; but M. du Bouchage, when he left, recommended to my care the
person whom I accompany, and never spoke of you."

"He only saw me after he left you."

"Falsehoods, monsieur; falsehoods."

Aurilly drew himself up--Remy looked like an old man.

"You speak in a singular tone, my good man," said he, frowning; "take
care, you are old, and I am young; you are feeble, and I am strong."

Remy smiled, but did not reply.

"If I wished ill to you or your mistress," continued Aurilly. "I have
but to raise my hand."

"Oh!" said Remy, "perhaps I was wrong, and you wish to do her good."

"Certainly I do."

"Explain to me then what you desire."

"My friend, I will make your fortune at once, if you will serve me."

"And if not?"

"In that case, as you speak frankly, I will reply as frankly, that I
will kill you; I have full power to do so."

"Kill me!" said Remy. "But if I am to serve you, I must know your
projects."

"Well, you have guessed rightly, my good man; I do not belong to the
Comte du Bouchage."

"Ah! and to whom do you belong?"

"To a more powerful lord."

"Take care; you are lying again."

"Why so?"

"There are not many people above the house of Joyeuse."

"Not that of France?"

"Oh! oh!"

"And see how they pay." said Aurilly, sliding into Remy's hand one of
the rouleaux of gold.

Remy shuddered and took a step back, but controlling himself, said:

"You serve the king?"

"No, but his brother, the Duc d'Anjou."

"Oh! very well! I am the duke's most humble servant."

"That is excellent."

"But what does monseigneur want?"

"Monseigneur," said Aurilly, trying again to slip the gold into Remy's
hand, "is in love with your mistress."

"He knows her, then?"

"He has seen her."

"Seen her! when?"

"This evening."

"Impossible; she has not left her room."

"No, but the prince, by his conduct, has shown that he is really in
love."

"Why, what did he do?"

"Took a ladder and climbed to the balcony."--"Ah! he did that?"

"Yes, and it seems she is very beautiful."

"Then you have not seen her?"

"No; but from what he said I much wish to do so, if only to judge of the
exaggeration of his love. Thus, then, it is agreed; you will aid me?"
and he again offered him the gold.

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