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The King's Esquires: The Jewel of France, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 32. Check!--Query, Mate? |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. CHECK!--QUERY, MATE? Feeling that the crisis had come, no sooner did Denis hear the first strokes of the second chiming of the clock, which came so opportunely upon the King's discovery, than the lad dashed off along the passage leading towards the staircase that he would have to descend to gain the inner court and the stabling. But he had not proceeded many yards before he stopped short, startled by the thought that if he continued by this corridor he would come right upon some gentleman of the household, whose nightly duty it was to be on guard at the angle of the gallery which led towards the King's apartments. "Oh," he muttered beneath his breath, "I had forgotten. Carrbroke told me he would be there to-night." There was nothing for it but to retrace his steps, pass right round two-thirds of one of the lesser courts, and get back to the corridor again beyond the range of apartments sacred to the King. Then reaching the end of the gallery, he began to hurry once more to make up for lost time, when feeling that, much as he desired to act, such hurried procedure would attract the attention of the first officer who was on guard, the lad checked his headlong steps, thrust his hands into his trunk hose, and began to walk carelessly along, catching up and humming the air which came softly from where the musicians were still playing. It was well he did, for as he turned the next corner he came upon a couple of the King's guards upon the landing at the head of a staircase. His face was familiar to the men as one of the King's guests, and it being right away from the royal apartments, they gave way for him to pass, and making a tremendous effort over himself, he descended very slowly and carelessly, the hardest part of all being to stop once or twice as if listening to the music, and then go on humming the air. He breathed more freely as he passed out into the courtyard and crossed it, fully expecting to encounter a guard at the archway which gave upon the next court. As he expected, there were a couple of armed men here ready to challenge him; but before they could speak he stopped short to ask whether he would find men in attendance at the stables, adding carelessly in very fair English: "I want to see how our horses are getting on." It was so likely a mission that the principal of the two guards volunteered the information at once that some of the grooms would be sure to be there at that time for a final look round before closing for the night. "You know your way, sir?" added the man respectfully. "Oh yes, thank you," said Denis carelessly; "I know my way." And he walked on, panting heavily now, in spite of his slow pace. "This is the hardest work of all," he muttered, "for I want to run--I want to run. But oh, how I do hate it all! They must be stealing the jewel now, for I can call it nothing else but a theft. How glad I am that they have sent me away, and I am not obliged to degrade myself with such a task. But yet I am helping, and seem as bad as they--but no, not _as_ bad. Leoni says it is right, and--yes, it was stolen from us, and it is but to restore it to France--to France." "Now for it," he muttered, as he neared the entrance to the great stables, where to his delight he could see by the light within that the door was open and a shadow passing the lit-up entry showed him that at all events part of his task would be easy. "Now no more thinking. I am but doing my duty, and it is time to act." Increasing his pace now, he stepped boldly into a broad shelter from which a long, dimly seen vista of horse-stalls opened out to right and left, and he was confronted at once by two of a group of men, three of whom bore lanterns, and who were coming towards him as if about to leave the place. "Here," he cried authoritatively, as he recognised one of the grooms as being he who had their steeds in charge, "I want our horses saddled at once." "To-night, sir?" said the man, glancing at the lad's courtly costume in search of his boots and spurs, and seeking in vain, his eyes being only met by glistening silk and rosetted shoon. "Yes," replied Denis haughtily; "to-night"; and then half laughingly, "It is fresh and cool and pleasant, is it not?" "Yes, sir," said the man, "but--" "The rooms are hot and stifling to-night, and the Comte my master wishes to ride forth. You will be well rewarded for the extra trouble and--ah, here," he continued, thrusting his hand into Leoni's pouch, "I forgot; you will of course sit up till we return. Here is something to pay for wine." He held out a couple of gold pieces, which, as they were taken, acted like magic, and a busy little scene of emulation ensued, every man being eager to assist in bridling and saddling the beautiful chargers that had been standing haltered in their stalls. It was hard work for Denis, whose pulses were throbbing with impatience; but he carried out his part well, patting and stroking first one and then another of the noble beasts, and talking to them the while. "It seems rather hard," he said, speaking in the same haughty tone to the man he had before addressed; "but a good canter round the park will do them good, and their work is very easy nowadays." The groom agreed to everything he said, for the glint of the gold placed in his hand was still before his eyes; and in a very short space of time, long as it seemed to the impatient lad, the last strap and buckle were fastened, and with a man giving final touches to glistening coat and mane, the horses were about to be led forth. "We are to take them round to the great entrance, sir?" said the chief groom. "Oh no," replied Denis carelessly. "Just lead them into the entry; the Comte and his gentlemen are going to join me here. It is just for a quiet night ride, and--ah," he added, with a faint gasp of relief, "here they come!" For heavy footsteps approaching hastily could be heard outside--footsteps of only one, but which the lad in his wild excitement easily magnified into those of all his friends, as he walked far more swiftly than he intended to meet the three fugitives, ready to mount and in full career leave the hospitable place behind. The words were on his lips to greet them and say, "All is ready; you can mount in here." But they were frozen on his lips, for the light from within fell full upon a big burly form, that of an enemy who, like a flash, the lad felt, could only have come upon a mission of evil; and he stood as if turned to stone, as a familiar voice exclaimed: "Hallo, my French friend! I saw you cross the Court and come in here, and so I watched. What's your business, pray, at this time of the night? Have you come to steal his Majesty's steeds?" _ |
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