If ever there had been a doubt of the scoundrel's treacherous1 purpose there was none now and, the beasts being at last fed, and he gone, it was with a humbled2 heart I slipped from my hiding-place. My God! What a secret to hold! Truly those who net in King's waters sometimes land strange fish. For a moment my purpose staggered. Jan Meert was the King's tool. Let me but hold my peace for two days, and the hand and brain which set that tool working would pass to judgment3 by as red a road as had dead Babette. I owed the King no loyalty4, no gratitude5, no love. Love! Who in all France or out of it owed Louis love? Mademoiselle? No, hate rather; for in some way which I did not understand, Louis stood to her for ruin and the wreck6 of all she held most dear.
Again my purpose staggered. Once already I have said I was not in love with Mademoiselle, but she had stirred my sympathy, and except Martin, and perhaps, no, not perhaps, certainly—Brigitta and the dead Babette, no one had touched me so nearly as that since my mother died.
But that mood passed. I have always believed that the finger of God is closer to the lives of men than some think. You are blind and do not see it, hardened and do not feel it, self-guided and so misunderstand its directings, but whose fault is it that we fail to read the signs, or are unconscious of the pressure of spirit on spirit? By silence I could secure my private vengeance8, but at what a cost?
If Louis died, died murdered in such a fashion, war would surely follow. A picture of The Four Nations let loose on France: of Burgundy and Spain, Rome and The Empire, dividing her mangled9 body, not in type, but in truth, with all the crowded horrors of siege and sack rose before me; cities laid waste, a helpless peasantry ravaged10, innocence12 flung to feed the passions of human wolves; these were mine to permit or prevent; who knew but that God Almighty13 had brought me to Plessis for this very thing?
"Who are you, to question whys and wherefores in the King's business?" Monsieur de Commines had said, and I had allowed the justice of the demand. Here was the hand of the King of Kings Himself, and who was I to question His whys and wherefores? or to His command. Do this for me! answer, I will not! No! Monsieur de Commines must hear and must act.
He listened without comment, almost without emotion, till I had ended. Then—
"You know our Flanders proverb? Flood, and a high wind, do not go a journey for nothing! No! nor does an Angevin swear Flemish in Plessis at his neck's risk for nothing either!"
"Then I was only a catspaw? When you bade me seek, you knew what I would find?"
"I guessed, but the affair was too small for me to touch. Besides, you have now your claim upon the King, though I think we shall finish the affair ourselves before informing His Majesty14. Trifles at all times vex15 great natures; think how a grit16 of sand in the eye galls17 you."
"Trifles? A grit of sand?" I repeated, nettled18 that he should make so little of my discovery. "Do you call a plot to kill the King a trifle? Do you call The Four Nations trifles? No man who saw these slavering brutes19 pounding themselves frantic20 against the half-filed bars could call them trifles!"
"That is just it; you have seen, but I have not, and so, perhaps, I make too little of it. To-morrow Monsieur Jehan feeds them as usual? Good! I shall be there. I think I see my way to do substantial justice, and yet not give Monsieur Jehan the undeserved dignity of a state trial. There again it would be making too much of trifles; or"—he added, shaking a finger in the air—"some one may be behind Monsieur Jehan whom it would not be convenient to unmask."
Though my belief is that next day Jehan Flemalle anticipated his usual time, it seemed to me he lagged in the coming. Even to me, a patient, almost a phlegmatic21 man, as you must have discovered, the waiting in the half-gloom set my nerves all a-creep. I say half-gloom, because by an alteration22 in the position of the boards Monsieur de Commines blocked up the space which gave access to our hiding-place.
"It would never do," he whispered, "for Monsieur de Rochfort to catch the Prince de Talmont slinking to cover like a thief behind arras. His laughter would kill as surely as—as—the jaws23 of The Four Nations."
But even with this safeguard against observation he seemed ill at ease, muttering to himself and shifting restlessly from place to place, so that to us both it was a relief when a louder howl rose from the cage facing us. The wolves scented24 blood and cried for it.
But their hunger had to wait Jehan Flemalle's pleasure, and as the procedure of the previous day was repeated, here a loaf and there a bone with the cage of The Four Nations passed ostentatiously by, I touched Monseigneur on the shoulder. It was the vindication25 of the truth of my story, which it seemed to me, he had more than half-doubted. But he shook me off with an inconsiderate petulance26.
"Dame27!" he muttered impatiently, "have I not eyes of my own?"
My faith! but he had, and used them well. With his face pressed against the boards he stared through a crack like a truant28 child at a peepshow, his teeth clenched29 and bared, his eyes narrowed, his breath coming in little short gasps30. A faint grin was on his face, a spasm31 of excited emotion rather than of merriment. I have since seen the same look on gamesters' faces when a fortune hung on the fall of the dice32 and to lose was ruin. But at that time it was new to me, and I stood back a little, watching him curiously33.
Here a loaf, there a bone, and back to the cage of The Four Nations came Jehan Flemalle. Nothing remained except the wolves' meat, and straddling his legs a yard or two from the den7, he jeered34 their hunger.
"Hey! Burgundy! Hey! Spain!" he cried, snapping his fat fingers on either side his head while the starving brutes raced howling up and down the cage, pressing their lean flanks against the bars. "Yap and yowl, my sons, yap and yowl! Dine to-day like fed lords, and to-morrow go a-hunting for yourselves, my little ones! An open door, and France in your jaws. France, do you hear?" and he clicked his tongue "France! France! May you find him sweet!"
("You hear for yourself," said I, touching35 Monseigneur a second time, "are you satisfied, now?" "Peace, fool," answered Monseigneur, "how can I hear if you chatter36 like a daw?")
"All France by the throat to tear and nuzzle; God! I would I were a wolf and one of you, if only for an hour! But yapping and yowling are not enough, my children, you must jump for your dinner, jump at the throat of the man who gibes37 your hunger, and pin him with your fangs38. Up he'll come, dragging his lame39 foot in the dust, dragging it thus, thus, thus, up he'll come, smirking40 and jeering41, ay, jeering, and the Devil waiting for him behind the jowl of The Four Nations. Ah ha! he'll say, fret42 and fume43, curs! You'd tear France, would you? Bah! France is not afraid! and he'll snap his fingers as I do. And you, my sons, what will you do? So! So! that is your answer is it? You'll jump for his throat, will you? Good, Burgundy, Good! down on your belly44, boy; flatter, flatter, and get the grip of your claws home for the spring; now, one, two, three——Christus!"
In the half-gloom Monseigneur's hand caught mine, and drew me forward imperiously. Above 7the grumbling45 mumble46 of the feeding brutes had risen the howling of the wolves, sinking at last to a sharp, yap, yap, yap, broken by a dog-like, complaining whine47. Then, as Jehan Flemalle marked time at the last there was an instant's silence, and a rasping crash followed by a deep-chested, hoarse48 baying like that of hounds on a trail.
"My God!" I cried, "they are loose!"
"I hope so," answered Monseigneur huskily; "they ought to be, for I filed the bars myself last night."
"But there will be murder done?"
"Justice, not murder. Am I a man to do things by halves? Be quiet, and let me look, for this is very curious, much more curious than if Tristan had hanged him. Hanging is common, but I never saw a man die in this way before."
No, nor can many have seen the like, for which God be thanked; it was an awful end. Jan Flemael lay on his back, his limp arms flung out in a cross. Burgundy had rolled aside with the force of the leap, and was picking himself up, cowed by the fall and silent. Behind him Spain had crept, had caught Jan Flemael by the throat, had given one whimpering worrying wrench49, had—but that is enough, it was an awful end. Rome and The Empire sniffed50 and growled52 uneasily inside the cage, but made no effort to escape.
In three minutes all was over and Monseigneur shook himself with a sigh. His face had gone grey and haggard, and in ten breaths he had aged11 as many years, so drawn53 was his mouth, so webbed the corners of his eyes.
"A great sight," he said, shaking himself again, "and one with a moral for more than us in Plessis. Death on the threshold, knocking, knocking, knocking, and a man within call who has no ears to hear."
"With these brutes loose," answered I, as the worrying growl51 rose afresh, "there will be knocking at many doors, and an answer to be given whether we like or not."
But Monseigneur had already recovered his sang froid.
"I say again, am I a fool to do thing by halves? See!" and he pushed aside the boards blocking the entrance.
Little by little a line of men were pushing forward strong nets hung from poles and braced54 beneath; little by little The Four Nations would be again trapped. Truly, as he said, Monsieur de Commines did nothing by halves.
"My men," he added laconically55.
"But this was to be kept from the King's ears, and now—"
"I tell you they are my men," he answered testily56, "and what if they do talk? Bars are already prepared to fit the sockets57. The old bars will be destroyed, and if men do whisper, Filed! there are so many lies believed in Plessis that a little truth may well be discredited58. If necessary we shall say he tampered59 with the door and a lamentable60 accident resulted! Faugh! look at the carrion61! Jump for your dinners! said he; Saints! how they have jumped, and how they have dined! He told more truth than he knew!'"
Beyond that I never heard that Jehan Flemalle had any epitaph.
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1
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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3
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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6
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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7
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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8
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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9
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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10
ravaged
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| 毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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11
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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12
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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13
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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15
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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16
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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17
galls
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| v.使…擦痛( gall的第三人称单数 )；擦伤；烦扰；侮辱 | |
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18
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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19
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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20
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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21
phlegmatic
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| adj.冷静的，冷淡的，冷漠的，无活力的 | |
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22
alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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23
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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24
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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25
vindication
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| n.洗冤，证实 | |
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26
petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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28
truant
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| n.懒惰鬼，旷课者；adj.偷懒的，旷课的，游荡的；v.偷懒，旷课 | |
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29
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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31
spasm
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| n.痉挛，抽搐；一阵发作 | |
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32
dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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33
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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34
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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36
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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37
gibes
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| vi.嘲笑，嘲弄（gibe的第三人称单数形式） | |
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38
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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39
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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40
smirking
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| v.傻笑( smirk的现在分词 ) | |
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41
jeering
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| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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42
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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43
fume
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| n.(usu pl.)(浓烈或难闻的)烟，气，汽 | |
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44
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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45
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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46
mumble
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| n./v.喃喃而语，咕哝 | |
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47
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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48
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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49
wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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50
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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51
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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52
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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53
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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54
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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55
laconically
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| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
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56
testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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57
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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58
discredited
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| 不足信的，不名誉的 | |
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59
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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60
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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61
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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