The Crossing [249]
Mr. Ritchie were to bring him to your Excellency, and he were to give you his word that he would leave the province at the first opportunity? He now wishes to see his mother before she dies, and it was as much as we could do this morning to persuade him from going to her openly in the face of arrest.''
But the Baron was old in a service which did not do things hastily.
``He is well enough where he is for to-day,'' said his Excellency, resuming his official manner. ``To-night after dark I will send down an officer and have him brought before me. He will not then be seen in custody by any one, and provided I am satisfied with him he may go to the Rue Bourbon.''
The little Baron rose and bowed to the Vicomtesse to signify that the audience was ended, and he added, as he kissed her hand, ``Madame la Vicomtesse, it is a pleasure to be able to serve such a woman as you.''
CHAPTER X
THE SCOURGE
As we went through the court I felt as though I had been tied to a string, suspended in the air, and spun. This was undoubtedly due to the heat. And after the astonishing conversation from which we had come, my admiration for the lady beside me was magnified to a veritable awe. We reached the archway. Madame la Vicomtesse held me lightly by the edge of my coat, and I stood looking down at her.
``Wait a minute, Mr. Ritchie,'' she said, glancing at the few figures hurrying across the Place d'Armes; ``those are only Americans, and they are too busy to see us standing here. What do you propose to do now?''
``We must get word to Nick as we promised, that he may know what to expect,'' I replied. ``Suppose we go to Monsieur de St. Gre's house and write him a letter?''
``No,'' said the Vicomtesse, with decision, ``I am going to Mrs. Temple's. I shall write the letter from there and send it by Andre, and you will go direct to Madame Gravois's.''
Her glance rested anxiously upon my face, and there came an expression in her eyes which disturbed me strangely. I had not known it since the days when Polly Ann used to mother me. But I did not mean to give up.
``I am not tired, Madame la Vicomtesse,'' I answered, ``and I will go with you to Mrs. Temple's.''
``Give me your hand,'' she said, and smiled. ``Andre and my maid are used to my vagaries, and your own countrymen will not mind. Give me your hand, Mr. Ritchie.''
I gave it willingly enough, with a thrill as she took it between her own. The same anxious look was in her eyes, and not the least embarrassment.
``There, it is hot and dry, as I feared,'' she said, ``and you seem flushed.'' She dropped my hand, and there was a touch of irritation in her voice as she continued: ``You seemed fairly sensible when I first met you last night, Mr. Ritchie. Are you losing your sanity? Do you not realize that you cannot take liberties with this climate? Do as I say, and go to Madame Gravois's at once.''
``It is my pleasure to obey you, Madame la Vicomtesse,'' I answered, ``but I mean to go with you as far as Mrs. Temple's, to see how she fares. She may be--worse.''
``That is no reason why you should kill yourself,'' said Madame, coldly. ``Will you not do as I say?''
``I think that I should go to Mrs. Temple's,'' I answered.
She did not reply to that, letting down her veil impatiently, with a deftness that characterized all her movements. Without so much as asking me to come after her, she reached the banquette, and I walked by her side through the streets, silent and troubled by her displeasure. My pride forbade me to do as she wished. It was the hottest part of a burning day, and the dome of the sky was like a brazen bell above us. We passed the calabozo with its iron gates and tiny grilled windows pierced in the massive walls, behind which Gignoux languished, and I could not repress a smile as I thought of him. Even the Spaniards sometimes happened upon justice. In the Rue Bourbon the little shops were empty, the doorstep where my merry fiddler had played vacant, and the very air seemed to simmer above the honeycombed tiles.
But the Baron was old in a service which did not do things hastily.
``He is well enough where he is for to-day,'' said his Excellency, resuming his official manner. ``To-night after dark I will send down an officer and have him brought before me. He will not then be seen in custody by any one, and provided I am satisfied with him he may go to the Rue Bourbon.''
The little Baron rose and bowed to the Vicomtesse to signify that the audience was ended, and he added, as he kissed her hand, ``Madame la Vicomtesse, it is a pleasure to be able to serve such a woman as you.''
CHAPTER X
THE SCOURGE
As we went through the court I felt as though I had been tied to a string, suspended in the air, and spun. This was undoubtedly due to the heat. And after the astonishing conversation from which we had come, my admiration for the lady beside me was magnified to a veritable awe. We reached the archway. Madame la Vicomtesse held me lightly by the edge of my coat, and I stood looking down at her.
``Wait a minute, Mr. Ritchie,'' she said, glancing at the few figures hurrying across the Place d'Armes; ``those are only Americans, and they are too busy to see us standing here. What do you propose to do now?''
``We must get word to Nick as we promised, that he may know what to expect,'' I replied. ``Suppose we go to Monsieur de St. Gre's house and write him a letter?''
``No,'' said the Vicomtesse, with decision, ``I am going to Mrs. Temple's. I shall write the letter from there and send it by Andre, and you will go direct to Madame Gravois's.''
Her glance rested anxiously upon my face, and there came an expression in her eyes which disturbed me strangely. I had not known it since the days when Polly Ann used to mother me. But I did not mean to give up.
``I am not tired, Madame la Vicomtesse,'' I answered, ``and I will go with you to Mrs. Temple's.''
``Give me your hand,'' she said, and smiled. ``Andre and my maid are used to my vagaries, and your own countrymen will not mind. Give me your hand, Mr. Ritchie.''
I gave it willingly enough, with a thrill as she took it between her own. The same anxious look was in her eyes, and not the least embarrassment.
``There, it is hot and dry, as I feared,'' she said, ``and you seem flushed.'' She dropped my hand, and there was a touch of irritation in her voice as she continued: ``You seemed fairly sensible when I first met you last night, Mr. Ritchie. Are you losing your sanity? Do you not realize that you cannot take liberties with this climate? Do as I say, and go to Madame Gravois's at once.''
``It is my pleasure to obey you, Madame la Vicomtesse,'' I answered, ``but I mean to go with you as far as Mrs. Temple's, to see how she fares. She may be--worse.''
``That is no reason why you should kill yourself,'' said Madame, coldly. ``Will you not do as I say?''
``I think that I should go to Mrs. Temple's,'' I answered.
She did not reply to that, letting down her veil impatiently, with a deftness that characterized all her movements. Without so much as asking me to come after her, she reached the banquette, and I walked by her side through the streets, silent and troubled by her displeasure. My pride forbade me to do as she wished. It was the hottest part of a burning day, and the dome of the sky was like a brazen bell above us. We passed the calabozo with its iron gates and tiny grilled windows pierced in the massive walls, behind which Gignoux languished, and I could not repress a smile as I thought of him. Even the Spaniards sometimes happened upon justice. In the Rue Bourbon the little shops were empty, the doorstep where my merry fiddler had played vacant, and the very air seemed to simmer above the honeycombed tiles.