scaramouche-第15部分

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her　horse；　and　pulled　it　across　the　road　to　bar　his　way。

It　was　almost　completely　night　by　now；　but　from　behind　the　wrack　of
clouds　overhead　a　crescent　moon　sailed　out　to　alleviate　the　darkness。

〃Come；　now；〃　she　enjoined　him。　〃Be　reasonable。　　Do　as　I　bid　you。
See；　there　is　a　carriage　coming　up　behind　you。　　Do　not　let　us　be
found　here　together　thus。〃

He　made　up　his　mind　quickly。　　He　was　not　the　man　to　be　actuated　by
false　heroics　about　dying；　and　he　had　no　fancy　whatever　for　the
gallows　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres'　providing。　　The　immediate　task　that
he　had　set　himself　might　be　accomplished。　　He　had　made　heard　…　and
ringingly　…　the　voice　that　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　imagined　he　had
silenced。　　But　he　was　very　far　from　having　done　with　life。

〃Aline；　on　one　condition　only。〃

〃And　that？〃

〃That　you　swear　to　me　you　will　never　seek　the　aid　of　M。　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr　on　my　behalf。〃

〃Since　you　insist；　and　as　time　presses；　I　consent。　　And　now　ride　on
with　me　as　far　as　the　lane。　　There　is　that　carriage　coming　up。〃

The　lane　to　which　she　referred　was　one　that　branched　off　the　road
some　three　hundred　yards　nearer　the　village　and　led　straight　up　the
hill　to　the　chateau　itself。　　In　silence　they　rode　together　towards
it；　and　together　they　turned　into　that　thickly　hedged　and　narrow
bypath。　　At　a　depth　of　fifty　yards　she　halted　him。

〃Now！〃　she　bade　him。

Obediently　he　swung　down　from　his　horse；　and　surrendered　the　reins
to　her。

〃Aline；〃　he　said；　〃I　haven't　words　in　which　to　thank　you。〃

〃It　isn't　necessary；〃　said　she。

〃But　I　shall　hope　to　repay　you　some　day。〃

〃Nor　is　that　necessary。　　Could　I　do　less　than　I　am　doing？　　I　do　not
want　to　hear　of　you　hanged；　Andre；　nor　does　my　uncle；　though　he　is
very　angry　with　you。

〃I　suppose　he　is。

〃And　you　can　hardly　be　surprised。　　You　were　his　delegate；　his
representative。　　He　depended　upon　you；　and　you　have　turned　your　coat。
He　is　rightly　indignant；　calls　you　a　traitor；　and　swears　that　he
will　never　speak　to　you　again。　　But　he　doesn't　want　you　hanged；
Andre。〃

〃Then　we　are　agreed　on　that　at　least；　for　I　don't　want　it　myself。〃

〃I'll　make　your　peace　with　him。　And　now　…　good…bye；　Andre。　　Send　me
a　word　when　you　are　safe。〃

She　held　out　a　hand　that　looked　ghostly　in　the　faint　light。　　He　took
it　and　bore　it　to　his　lips。

〃God　bless　you；　Aline。〃

She　was　gone；　and　he　stood　listening　to　the　receding　clopper…clop　of
hooves　until　it　grew　faint　in　the　distance。　　Then　slowly；　with
shoulders　hunched　and　head　sunk　on　his　breast；　he　retraced　his　steps
to　the　main　road；　cogitating　whither　he　should　go。　　Quite　suddenly
he　checked；　remembering　with　dismay　that　he　was　almost　entirely
without　money。　　In　Brittany　itself　he　knew　of　no　dependable
hiding…place；　and　as　long　as　he　was　in　Brittany　his　peril　must
remain　imminent。　　Yet　to　leave　the　province；　and　to　leave　it　as
quickly　as　prudence　dictated；　horses　would　be　necessary。　　And　how
was　he　to　procure　horses；　having　no　money　beyond　a　single　louis
d'or　and　a　few　pieces　of　silver？

There　was　also　the　fact　that　he　was　very　weary。　　He　had　had　little
sleep　since　Tuesday　night；　and　not　very　much　then；　and　much　of　the
time　had　been　spent　in　the　saddle；　a　wearing　thing　to　one　so　little
accustomed　to　long　rides。　　Worn　as　he　was；　it　was　unthinkable　that
he　should　go　far　to…night。　　He　might　get　as　far　as　Chavagne；　perhaps。
But　there　he　must　sup　and　sleep；　and　what；　then；　of　to…morrow？

Had　he　but　thought　of　it　before；　perhaps　Aline　might　have　been　able
to　assist　him　with　the　loan　of　a　few　louis。　　His　first　impulse　now
was　to　follow　her　to　the　chateau。　　But　prudence　dismissed　the
notion。　　Before　he　could　reach　her；　he　must　be　seen　by　servants；
and　word　of　his　presence　would　go　forth。

There　was　no　choice　for　him；　he　must　tramp　as　far　as　Chavagne；　find
a　bed　there；　and　leave　to…morrow　until　it　dawned。　　On　the　resolve
he　set　his　face　in　the　direction　whence　he　had　come。　　But　again　he
paused。　　Chavagne　lay　on　the　road　to　Rennes。　　To　go　that　way　was　to
plunge　further　into　danger。　　He　would　strike　south　again。　　At　the
foot　of　some　meadows　on　this　side　of　the　village　there　was　a　ferry
that　would　put　him　across　the　river。　　Thus　he　would　avoid　the
village；　and　by　placing　the　river　between　himself　and　the　immediate
danger；　he　would　obtain　an　added　sense　of　security。

A　lane；　turning　out　of　the　highroad；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　this　side
of　Gavrillac；　led　down　to　that　ferry。　　By　this　lane　some　twenty
minutes　later　came　Andre…Louis　with　dragging　feet。　　He　avoided　the
little　cottage　of　the　ferryman；　whose　window　was　alight；　and　in　the
dark　crept　down　to　the　boat；　intending　if　possible　to　put　himself
across。　　He　felt　for　the　chain　by　which　the　boat　was　moored；　and
ran　his　fingers　along　this　to　the　point　where　it　was　fastened。
Here　to　his　dismay　he　found　a　padlock。

He　stood　up　in　the　gloom　and　laughed　silently。　　Of　course　he　might
have　known　it。　　The　ferry　was　the　property　of　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；
and　not　likely　to　be　left　unfastened　so　that　poor　devils　might　cheat
him　of　seigneurial　dues。

There　being　no　possible　alternative；　he　walked　back　to　the　cottage；
and　rapped　on　the　door。　　When　it　opened；　he　stood　well　back；　and
aside；　out　of　the　shaft　of　light　that　issued　thence。

〃Ferry！〃　he　rapped　out；　laconically。

The　ferryman；　a　burly　scoundrel　well　known　to　him；　turned　aside　to
pick　up　a　lantern；　and　came　forth　as　he　was　bidden。　　As　he　stepped
from　the　little　porch；　he　levelled　the　lantern　so　that　its　light
fell　on　the　face　of　this　traveller。

〃My　God！〃　he　ejaculated。

〃You　realize；　I　see；　that　I　am　pressed；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　his　eyes
on　the　fellow's　startled　countenance。

〃And　well　you　may　be　with　the　gallows　waiting　for　you　at　Rennes；〃
growled　the　ferryman。　　〃Since　you've　been　so　foolish　as　to　come
back　to　Gavrillac；　you　had　better　go　again　as　quickly　as　you　can。
I　will　say　nothing　of　having　seen　you。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Fresnel。　　Your　advice　accords　with　my　intention。　　That
is　why　I　need　the　boat。〃

〃Ah；　that；　no；〃　said　Fresnel；　with　determination。　　〃I'll　hold　my
peace；　but　it's　as　much　as　my　skin　is　worth　to　help　you。

〃You　need　not　have　seen　my　face。　　Forget　that　you　have　seen　it。〃

〃I'll　do　that；　monsieur。　　But　that　is　all　I　will　do。　　I　cannot　put
you　across　the　river。〃

〃Then　give　me　the　key　of　the　boat；　and　I　will　put　myself　across。〃

〃That　is　the　same　thing。　　I　cannot。　　I'll　hold　my　tongue；　but　I
will　not　…　I　dare　not　…　help　you。〃

Andre…Louis　looked　a　moment　into　that　sullen；　resolute　face；　and
understood。　　This　man；　living　under　the　shadow　of　La　Tour　d'Azyr；
dared　exercise　no　will　that　might　he　in　conflict　with　the　will　of
his　dread　lord。

〃Fresnel；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃if；　as　you　say；　the　gallows　claim　me；
the　thing　that　has　brought　me　to　this　extremity　arises　out　of　the
shooting　of　Mabey。　　Had　not　Mabey　been　murdered　there　would　have
been　no　need　for　me　to　have　raised　my　voice　as　I　have　done。　　Mabey
was　your　friend；　I　think。　　Will　you　for　his　sake　lend　me　the　little
help　I　need　to　save　my　neck？〃

The　man　kept　his　glance　averted；　and　the　cloud　of　sullenness
deepened　on　his　face。

〃I　would　if　I　dared；　but　I　dare　not。〃　　Then；　quite　suddenly　he　became
angry。　　It　was　as　if　in　anger　he　sought　support。　　〃Don't　you
understand　that　I　dare　not？　　Would　you　have　a　poor　man　risk　his　life
for　you？　　What　have　you　or　yours　ever　done　for　me　that　you　should　ask
that？　　You　do　not　cross　to…night　in　my　ferry。　　Understand　that；
monsieur；　and　go　at　once　…　go　before　I　remember　that　it　may　be
dangerous　even　to　have　talked　to　you　and　not　give　information。　　Go！〃

He　turned　on　his　heel　to　reenter　his　cottage；　and　a　wave　of
hopelessness　swept　over　Andre…Louis。

But　in　a　second　it　was　gone。　　The　man　must　be　compelled；　and　he　had
the　means。　　He　bethought　him　of　a　pistol　pressed　upon　him　by　Le
Chapelier　at　the　moment　of　his　leaving　Rennes；　a　gift　which　at　the
time　he　had　almost　disdained。　　True；　it　was　not　loaded；　and　he　had
no　ammunition。　　But　how　was　Fresnel　to　know　that？

He　acted　quickly。　　As　with　his　right　hand　he　pulled　it　from　his
pocket；　with　his　left　he　caught　the　ferryman　by　the　shoulder；　and
swung　him　round。

〃What　do　you　want　now？〃　Fresnel　demanded　angrily。　　〃Haven't　I　told
you　that　I。。。　〃

He　broke　off　short。　　The　muzzle　of　the　pistol　was　within　a　foot　of
his　eyes。

〃I　want　the　key　of　the　boat。　　That　is　all；　Fresnel。　　And　you　can
either　give　it　me　at　once；　or　I'll　take　it　after　I　have　burnt　your
brains。　　I　should　regret　to　kill　you；　but　I　shall　not　hesitate。　　It
is　your　life　against　mine；　Fresnel；　and　you'll　not　find　it　strange
that　if　one　of　us　must　die　I　prefer　that　it　shall　be　you。〃

Fresnel　dipped　a　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　fetched　thence　a　key。
He　held　it　out　to　Andre…Louis　in　fingers　that　shook　…　more　in　anger
than　in　fear。

〃I　yield　to　violence；〃　he　said；　showing　his　teeth　like　a　snarling
dog。　　〃But　don't　imagine　that　it　will　greatly　profit　you。〃

Andre…Louis　took　the　key。　　His　pistol　remained　levelled。

〃You　threaten　me；　I　think；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　not　difficult　to　read
your　threat。　　The　moment　I　am　gone；　you　will　run　to　inform　against
me。　　You　will　set　the　marechaussee　on　my　heels　to　overtake　me。〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　the　other。　　He　perceived　his　peril。　　He　read　his
doom　in　the　cold；　sinister　note　on　which　Andre…Louis　addressed　him；
and　grew　afraid。　　〃I　swear　to　you；　monsieur；　that　I　have　no　such
intention。〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　make　quite　sure　of　you。〃

〃0　my　God！　　Have　mercy；　monsieur！〃　　The　knave　was　in　a　palsy　of
terror。　　〃I　mean　you　no　harm　…　I　swear　to　Heaven　I　mean　you　no　harm。
I　will　not　say　a　word。　　I　will　not。。。　〃

〃I　would　rather　depend　upon　your　silence　than　your　assurances。
Still；　you　shall　have　your　chance。　　I　am　a　fool；　perhaps；　but　I　have
a　reluctance　to　shed　blood。　　Go　into　the　house；　Fresnel。　　Go；　man。
I　follow　you。〃

In　the　shabby　main　room　of　that　dwelling；　Andre…Louis　halted　him
again。　　〃Get　me　a　length　of　rope；〃　he　commanded；　and　was　readily
obeyed。

Five　minutes　later　Fresnel　was　securely　bound　to　a　chair；　and
effectively　silenced　by　a　very　uncomfortable　gag　improvised　out　of
a　block　of　wood　and　a　muffler。

On　the　threshold　the　departing　Andre…Louis　turned。

〃Good…night；