"As we may be possibly ordered to Spain," Kennedy said, "I should like to know a little about what we are going to fight about; for, although I know a good deal about the war in Flanders, no news about that in Spain ever reached Kilkargan."
"Well, you know, of course," O'Neil said, "that Philip the Fifth is a grandson of Louis; and is naturally supported by France against the Archduke Charles of Austria, who is competitor for the throne, and who is, of course, supported by England. Six thousand English and Dutch troops were sent to aid the Archduke Charles in his attempt to invade Spain and dethrone Philip. The King of Portugal, who is a member of the allied1 confederacy, promised to have everything ready to cooperate with them. They found, however, on their arrival, that no preparations had been made, and they were accordingly distributed, for a time, among the garrisons3 on the frontier.
"Philip, on his part, had not been so inactive, and two armies--the one commanded by the Duke of Berwick, and the other by General Villadarias--invaded Portugal. Berwick surprised and captured two Dutch battalions4, and then captured Portalagre, and compelled the garrison2, including an English regiment5 of infantry6, to surrender.
"The allies, to make a diversion, sent General Das Minas into Spain, with fifteen thousand men, who captured one or two towns and defeated a body of French and Spanish troops. The hot weather now set in, and put a stop to hostilities7, and the troops on both sides went into quarters. The general--I forget his name--who commanded the English and Dutch contingent8, was so disgusted with the proceedings9 of the Portuguese10 that he resigned his command, and the Earl of Galway was appointed in his place. The next year he crossed the frontier, captured several towns, without much fighting, and invested Badajos. Here, however, a stern resistance was met with. Galway's hand was carried off by a shot, and the French general (Tesse) coming up in force to the relief of the town, and the Portuguese not arriving at all, the allies were obliged to fall back upon Portugal. But Philip was threatened from a fresh quarter.
"In June, the Earl of Peterborough sailed from Portsmouth with five thousand men, and at Lisbon took on board the Archduke Charles. At Gibraltar some more troops were embarked11, and Peterborough set sail for the coast of Valencia. Peterborough himself, one of the most daring of men, and possessed12 of extraordinary military talent, was in favour of a march upon Madrid; but, fortunately for us, he was overruled, and commenced the siege of Barcelona--a strong town garrisoned13 by five thousand good troops, while he himself had but a thousand more under his command. Nevertheless, by a sudden and daring attack he captured the strong castle of Montjuich, which commanded the town, which was in consequence obliged to surrender four days later, and the whole of Catalonia was then captured. Saint Matteo, ninety miles from Barcelona, which had declared for Charles and was besieged14 by a large force, was relieved; and so brilliant were the exploits accomplished15 by Peterborough, with most inadequate16 means, that the Spaniards came to the conclusion that he was possessed by an evil spirit.
"Large reinforcements were sent from France, and King Philip advanced upon Barcelona, and invested it by land, while a French fleet bombarded it by sea. Peterborough hurried, with a small force from Valencia, to aid the besieged, the matter being all the more important since Charles himself was in the city. Before his arrival, however, an English fleet appeared, and our fleet retired17.
"Philip at once raised the siege, and retired to Madrid. His position was indeed serious. Lord Galway was advancing from the frontier, and Peterborough had gathered a force to cooperate with him. Upon the approach of Galway, Philip and the Duke of Berwick retreated to the frontier. There they received great reinforcements, and advanced against Madrid, which was evacuated18 by Galway, who marched away to form a junction19 with Lord Peterborough.
"Owing to the dilatory20 habits and hesitation21 of the Austrian prince, the junction was not effected for some time, and then, in spite of the entreaties22 of the two English generals, he could not be persuaded to make a movement towards Madrid. Peterborough, whose temper was extremely fiery24, at last lost all patience, abused Charles openly, and then, mounting his horse, rode down to the coast, embarked upon an English ship of war, and sailed away to assist the Duke of Savoy. After his departure, the ill feeling between the English force, the Portuguese, and the leaders of the Spanish adherents25 of Charles increased, and they spent their time in quarrelling among themselves. They were without money, magazines, and almost without provisions. Berwick was near them with a superior force, and they took the only step open, of retreating towards Valencia, which they reached, after suffering great hardships, before Berwick could overtake them.
"French troops were poured into Spain, while no reinforcements were sent from England. Galway and the Portuguese advanced to meet the Duke of Berwick, who was marching with a large army to occupy Catalonia.
"The two forces met, on the plain of Almanza, on the 24th of April. We and the Spaniards were superior in number to the English, Dutch, and Portuguese. The battle was maintained for six hours. The Portuguese infantry did little, but the English and Dutch repulsed26 charge after charge, even after the Portuguese and Spanish allies on both wings were defeated. But, in the end, victory remained with us. Galway and Das Minas, the Portuguese general, were both wounded, and five thousand of their men killed, and yet the Dutch and English infantry held together.
"But on the following day, being absolutely without supplies, some effected their escape and succeeded in reaching Portugal, while the main body surrendered. Valencia, Saragossa, and other towns opened their gates to us, and, for a time, the cause of the Archduke Charles seemed lost.
"Our success was, however, balanced by the loss, in the same year, of the whole of the Spanish possessions in Italy. As yet, in spite of the disasters that had befallen him, the cause of Charles was not altogether lost, for he received fresh promises of support from England, whose interest it was to continue the war in Spain, and thus compel France to keep a considerable body of troops there, instead of employing them against Marlborough in Flanders.
"Galway and Das Minas were taken back to Portugal, in an English fleet, after their disaster, and General Stanhope, who, they say, is an officer of great military experience and talent, has been sent out to take the command; and as a portion of Catalonia is still held for Charles, there may yet be a good deal of hard fighting, before the matter can be considered finally settled."
"Thank you, O'Neil. I feel that I know something about it, now. Are there any of our regiments27 there?"
"Yes, three of them. There is also an Irish regiment in the Spanish service, under Colonel Crofton;" and with this, the talk ended for the night.
After three months' work Desmond was dismissed from drill, and had obtained such a proficiency28 with the rapier that he felt that he could now relax his work, and see something of the city, which he had been hitherto too busy to explore. He had seen the principal streets, in the company of his comrades, had admired the mansions29 of the nobles, the richness of the goods exposed to view in the windows, and the gaiety and magnificence of the dresses of the upper class. His friends had warned him that, if he intended to go farther, he should never do so alone, but should take with him his soldier servant, a trooper named Mike Callaghan.
Mike was some twenty-eight years old, strong and bony; his hair was red, and the natural colour of his face was obscured by a host of freckles30; his eyes were blue, and his nose had an upward turn; his expression was merry and good humoured, but there was a twinkle about his eyes that seemed to show that he was by no means wanting in shrewdness.
"Even in the daytime," O'Neil said, "it is not safe for a man, if well dressed and likely to carry money in his pocket, to go into some quarters of the town. Paris has always been a turbulent city, and, while it is the abode31 of the richest and noblest of Frenchmen, it is also the resort of the rascaldom of all France. Some streets are such that even the city guard would not venture to search for an ill doer, unless in considerable force and prepared for battle. There are, of course, many streets, both on this and the other side of the river, where life and property are as safe as in the Rue32 Royal; which, by the way, is not saying much, for it was only three days ago that a man was assassinated33 there in broad daylight. He was a captain in the Picardy regiment, and it was supposed that his murderer was a man who had been dismissed from the regiment with ignominy. But, whoever it was, he has got clear away, for your Parisian citizen takes good care not to interfere34 in such matters, and no one thought of laying hands on the villain35, although it is said he walked quietly off.
"It is in the streets that I am speaking of that adventures may most easily be met with. Here there are too many hotels of the nobles, with their numerous retainers, for it to be safe to commit crime, and the city guard are generally on the alert, for, were harm to come to one of the gentlemen attached to the great houses, the matter would be represented to the king, and the city authorities would come in for a sharp reproof36 for their failure to keep order in the city; whereas, anything that happens among the bourgeois37 would pass wholly without notice. However, if you keep out of the wine shops, you are not likely to become involved in trouble. Nine-tenths of the quarrels and tumults38 originate there. There is a dispute, perhaps, between a soldier and a citizen, or between soldiers of different regiments, and in a minute or two twenty swords are drawn39, and the disturbance40 grows, sometimes, until it is necessary to call out troops from the nearest barracks to suppress it. However, I know that you are not likely to get into trouble that way, for you are a very model of moderation, to the corps41."
"I have seen enough of the consequences of drink in Ireland," Desmond said, "to cure me of any desire for liquor, even had I a love for it. Faction42 fights, involving the people of the whole barony, arising from some drunken brawl44, are common enough; while among the better class duels45 are common and, for the most part, are the result of some foolish quarrel between two men heated by wine. Besides, even putting that aside, I should have given up the habit. When I joined the regiment, I was anxious to become a good swordsman, but if one's head is overheated at night, one's hand would be unsteady and one's nerves shaken in the morning.
"Possibly," he added, with a smile, "it is this, quite as much as the hotness of their temper, that prevents the best teachers from caring to undertake the tuition of the officers of the Brigade."
"Possibly," Phelim laughed, "though I never thought of it before. There is no doubt that the French, who, whatever their faults be, are far less given to exceeding a fair allowance of wine than are our countrymen, would come to their morning lessons in the saloon in a better condition to profit by the advice of the master than many of our men."
"I don't think," Patrick O'Neil said, "that we Irishmen drink from any particular love of liquor, but from good fellowship and joviality46. One can hardly imagine a party of French nobles inflaming47 themselves with wine, and singing, as our fellows do. Frenchmen are gay in what I may call a feeble way--there is no go in it. There is no spirit in their songs, there is no real heartiness48 in their joviality, and the idea of one man playing a practical joke upon another, the latter taking it in good part, could never enter their heads, for they are ready to take offence at the merest trifle.
"As you know, there are certain cabarets told off for the use of the soldiers of the Brigade. They are allowed to use no others, and no French troops are allowed to enter these wine shops. Similarly, there are certain establishments which are almost exclusively patronized by officers of the Brigade. There is, of course, no absolute rule here, and we can enter any cabaret we choose; but it is understood that it is at our own risk, and that, if we get into trouble there, we are sure to be handled over the coals pretty sharply, as it is considered that we must deliberately49 have gone there with the intention of picking a quarrel. The cabarets used by the men are all close to the barracks, so that, in case of a fracas50, a guard is sent down to bring all concerned in it back to the barracks. Fortunately, there is no need for the places we frequent being so close to the barracks, for it is understood that anyone who takes too much liquor, outside his own quarters, brings discredit51 on the regiment; and it is after we adjourn52 to the rooms of one or other of us that liquor begins to flow freely, and we make a night of it."
"Don't you ever have quarrels among yourselves?"
"Angry words pass, sometimes, but all present interfere at once. The honour of the regiment is the first point with us all. If men want to quarrel, there are plenty of French officers who would be quite ready to oblige them, but a quarrel among ourselves would be regarded as discreditable to the corps. Consequently, a dispute is always stopped before it reaches a dangerous point, and if it goes further than usual, the parties are sent for by the colonel in the morning, both get heavily wigged53, and the colonel insists upon the matter being dropped, altogether. As the blood has had time to cool, both are always ready to obey his orders, especially as they know that he would report them at once to the general, if the matter were carried further."
"Well, I shall certainly not be likely to get into a quarrel over wine," Desmond said, "nor indeed, in any other way, unless I am absolutely forced into it. As to adventures such as you speak of, I am still less likely to be concerned in them. I hope that, when we are ordered on service, I shall have a full share of adventures such as may become a soldier."
O'Neil smiled. "Time will show," he said. "Adventures come without being sought, and you may find yourself in the thick of one, before you have an idea of what you are doing. But mind, if you do get into any adventure and need assistance, you are bound to let us help you. That is the compact we made, two months ago. We agreed to stand by each other, to be good comrades, to share our last sous, and naturally to give mutual54 aid under all and every circumstance."
Desmond nodded.
"At any rate, O'Neil, adventures cannot be so common as you represent, since neither of you, so far, has called upon me for aid or assistance."
"Have you heard the last piece of court scandal, Kennedy?" O'Sullivan asked, as the three friends sat down to breakfast together, a few days later.
"No; what is it?"
"Well, it is said that a certain damsel--her name is, at present, a secret--has disappeared."
"There is nothing very strange about that," O'Neil laughed. "Damsels do occasionally disappear. Sometimes they have taken their fate into their own hands, and gone off with someone they like better than the man their father has chosen for them; sometimes, again, they are popped into a convent for contumacy. Well, go on, O'Sullivan, that cannot be all."
"Well, it is all that seems to be certain. You know that I went with the colonel, last night, to a ball at the Hotel de Rohan, and nothing else was talked about. Several there returned from Versailles in the afternoon, and came back full of it. All sorts of versions are current. That she is a rich heiress goes without saying. If she had not been, her disappearance55 would have excited no attention whatever. So we may take it that she is an heiress of noble family. Some say that her father had chosen, as her husband, a man she disliked exceedingly, and that she has probably taken refuge in a convent. Some think that she has been carried off bodily, by someone smitten56 both by her charms and her fortune. It is certain that the king has interested himself much in the matter, and expresses the greatest indignation. Though, as it would not seem that she is a royal ward23, it is not clear why he should concern himself over it. Some whisper that the king's anger is but feigned57, and that the girl has been carried off by one of his favourites."
"Why should such a thing as that be supposed?" Desmond asked, indignantly.
"Well, there is something in support of the idea. If anyone else were to steal away, with or without her consent, a young lady of the court with influential58 friends, he would be likely to pass the first two years of his married life in one of the royal prisons; and therefore none but a desperate man, or one so secure of the king's favour as to feel certain that no evil consequences would befall him, would venture upon such a step. You must remember that there are not a few nobles of the court who have ruined themselves, to keep up the lavish59 expenditure60 incumbent61 upon those who bask62 in the royal favour at Versailles. It would be possible that His Majesty63 may have endeavoured to obtain the hand of this young lady for one of his favourites, and that her father may be a noble of sufficient consequence to hold his own, and to express to His Majesty his regret that he was unable to adopt his recommendation, as he had other views for the disposal of her hand.
"The real singularity of the matter is, that no one can tell with certainty who the missing lady is. Early in the day half a dozen were named, but as I believe all of these put in an appearance at the reception in the afternoon, it is evident that, so far as they were concerned, there were no foundations for the rumour64. It may be taken for certain, however, that her friends are powerful people, to have been able to impose silence upon those acquainted with the facts."
"Well, it is impossible to take very much interest in the story," Desmond said carelessly, "when we are in ignorance of the very name of the lady, and of the important point, whether she has voluntarily gone away either with a lover or to a convent, or whether she has been carried off against her will. If the latter, you were talking of adventures, O'Neil, and this would be just the sort of adventure that I should like; for us three to discover the maiden65, and rescue her from her abductor."
The others both laughed loudly.
"And this is the young officer who, the other day, declared that he wished for no adventures save those that came in the course of a campaign, and now he is declaring that he would like to become a very knight66 errant, and go about rescuing damsels in distress67!"
"I have no idea of carrying it into execution," Desmond said. "It was merely an expression of a wish. Of course, if the lady in question went willingly and to avoid persecution68, I would rather help than hinder her; but if she has been carried off by some ruined courtier, nothing would please me better than to rescue her from him."
Several days had passed, and at last it was confidently believed that the missing lady was the daughter of Baron43 Pointdexter, a magnate of Languedoc, who had but recently come up to court, on an intimation from the king that it was a long time since he had been seen there, and that His Majesty hoped that he would be accompanied by his daughter, of whose beauty reports had reached him. It was certain that neither she nor her father had attended any of the receptions or fetes at Versailles, since the rumour first spread, although the baron had had a private interview with the king a few hours afterwards, and had left his chamber69 with a frowning brow, that showed that the interview had not been a pleasant one. He had not again appeared at court, whether in consequence of the royal command, or not, no one knew.
The baron was one of the richest proprietors70 in the south of France. He was a specimen71 of the best type of the French nobles, preferring to spend his time among his own wide estates to coming up to the capital, where his visits had at all times been rare.
During the daytime, Desmond went out but little. When the hours of drill and exercise were over, he spent some time in visiting the quarters of the men of his company, making their personal acquaintance, and chatting freely with them. They were glad to hear from him about their native country; and, as some of them came from his own neighbourhood, they took a lively interest in the news--the first that had reached them for years--of families with whom they were acquainted. He spent two or three hours in the afternoons in the salle d'armes of the regiment, or at the schools of one or other of the maitres d'armes most in vogue72, and then paid visits, with one or other of the officers of the regiment, to great houses of which they had the entree73.
Of an evening he went out, accompanied by Mike Callaghan, and wandered about the less fashionable part of the town, which pleased him better than the more crowded and busy quarters.
One evening, he had gone farther than usual, had passed through the gates, and had followed the road by the banks of the river. As an officer in uniform, he was able to re-enter the town after the gates were closed, the rules being by no means strict, as, during the reign74 of Louis the 14th, France, though engaged in frequent wars abroad, was free from domestic troubles.
Presently, he passed a lonely house of some size, standing75 back from the road and surrounded by a high wall. As he did so, he heard a scream in a female voice, followed by angry exclamations77 from two male voices, while loudly rose a woman's cries for help.
"There is bad work of some sort going on in there," he said to Mike. "We had better see what it is all about. Do you go round the wall by the right, and I will go round by the left, and see if there is any way by which we can climb over."
They met at the back of the house. The wall was unbroken, save by the gates in front.
"The wall is too high for us to climb, Mike," Desmond said. "Even if I stood on your head, I could not reach the top. Let us go round to the front again."
They returned, and closely scrutinized78 the gate. It was not so high as the wall itself, but was fully79 twelve feet.
"I have got a pistol with me, your honour," Mike said. "I have seen doors blown in, by firing a gun through the keyhole."
"That would do, if we were sure that there were no bars, Mike; but the chances are that it is barred, as well as locked. Besides, I am sure that we should not be justified80 in blowing in the door of a private house. It may be that they were the cries of a mad woman. I would rather get over as quietly as possible."
"Well, sir, I will stand against it, and if you will get on to my shoulders and put your foot on my head, you will reach the top. Then, if you lower one end of your sash to me, I can pull myself up beside you."
"Yes, I think we can manage it that way, Mike. I am convinced that there is something wrong going on here, and I don't mind taking the risk of getting into a scrape by interfering81. Now do you stoop a bit, so that I can get on to your shoulder; then you can raise yourself to your full height. Take off your hat, first. I shall certainly have to put my foot on your head."
"All right, your honour. Don't you be afraid of hurting me. My skull82 is thick enough to stand the weight of two of you."
In a minute, Desmond had his fingers on the top of the gates, drew himself up, and, moving to the corner, where he could get his back against the end of the wall, lowered his sash to Mike.
"You are sure I shall not pull you down?"
"I am not sure, but we will try, anyhow."
This was said in a whisper, for there might, for anything he knew, be two or three men in the garden. Mike took off his boots, so as to avoid making a noise. Desmond was sitting astride of the gate, and had his end of the sash over the top of it, and under his leg, thereby83 greatly reducing the strain that would be thrown on it, and then leaning with all his weight on it, where it crossed the gate. Mike was an active as well as a strong man, and speedily was by his side.
"Now we will drop down," Desmond said, and, setting the example, lowered himself till he hung by his hands, and then dropped. Mike was soon beside him.
"What shall we do next?"
"We will go and knock boldly at the door; but before we do that, we will unbar the gate and shoot the bolt of the lock. We have no idea how many men there may be in the house. Maybe we shall have to beat a retreat."
The lock was shot without difficulty, but the bolts were still fast, and were not drawn without noise. They pushed back the last of these, and then opened the gates, which creaked noisily as they did so.
"They can hardly help hearing that," Desmond muttered; and indeed, as he spoke84, the door of the house opened suddenly, and five men came out, two of them holding torches. A man, who seemed to be the leader of the party, uttered an exclamation76 of fury as the light fell upon the figures of the two men at the open gate.
"Stop!" Desmond cried, in a loud voice. "I am an officer of O'Brien's regiment of foot. I heard a scream, and a woman's cry for help, and, fearing that foul86 play was going on, I made my entry here."
The man, who had drawn his sword, paused.
"You have done wrong, sir. The cries you heard were those of a mad woman. You had better withdraw at once. I shall report you, tomorrow, for having forcibly made an entrance into private premises87."
"That you are perfectly88 at liberty to do," Desmond replied quietly; "but certainly I shall not withdraw, until I see this lady, and ascertain89 from herself whether your story is a true one."
"Then your blood be on your own head!" the man said.
"At them, men! you know your orders--to kill anyone who attempted to interfere with us, no matter what his rank."
The five men rushed together upon the intruders.
"Hold the gate, Mike," Desmond said, "and they cannot get behind us."
They stepped back a pace or two, and drew their swords. The position was a favourable90 one, for the two halves of the gate opened inwards, and so protected them from any but an attack in front. The leader rushed at Desmond, but the latter guarded the sweeping91 blow he dealt at him, and at the first pass ran him through the body; but the other four men, enraged92 rather than daunted93 by the fall of their leader, now rushed forward together, and one of them, drawing a pistol, fired at Desmond when within three paces.
The latter threw his head on one side, as he saw the pistol levelled. The action saved his life, for it was well aimed, and the bullet would have struck him full between the eyes. As it was, he felt a sharp sudden pain, as it grazed his cheek deeply. He sprang forward, and before the man could drop the pistol and change his sword from the left hand to the right, Desmond's weapon pierced his throat. At the same moment, Mike cut down one of his assailants with his sabre, receiving, however, a severe cut on the left shoulder from the other.
Paralysed at the loss of three of their number, the remaining two of the assailants paused, for a moment. It was fatal to one of them, for Mike snatched his pistol from his pocket, and shot the man who had wounded him, dead. The other threw down his sword, and fell upon his knees, crying for mercy.
"Shall I kill him, your honour?"
"No. Fasten his hands behind him, with his own belt; and bind94 his ankles tightly together, with that of one of his comrades."
"Now we will see what this is all about," Desmond said. "I don't suppose that there are any more of them in the house. Still, we may as well keep our swords in readiness."
Picking up one of the torches that had fallen from their assailants' hands, and holding it above his head with his left hand, while his right held his sword ready for action, Desmond entered the house. The sitting rooms on both sides of the hall were empty, but, upon entering the kitchen, he found an old woman crouching96 in a corner, in the extremity97 of fear.
"Stand up. I am not going to hurt you," Desmond said. "Lead us, at once, to the chamber of the lady we heard call out."
The old woman rose slowly, took down a key hanging from a peg98, and, leading the way upstairs, opened a door.
"Keep a watch upon the crone," Desmond said, as he entered.
As he did so, his eye fell upon a girl of some seventeen years old. She was standing at the window, with her hands clasped. She turned round as he entered, and, as her eye fell upon his uniform, she gave a cry of delight.
"Ah, monsieur, you have rescued me! I heard the fight in the garden, and knew that the good God had sent someone to my aid. But you are wounded, sir. Your face is streaming with blood."
"'Tis but the graze of a pistol ball," he said, "and needs but a bowl of water, and a strip of plaster, to put it right. I had well-nigh forgotten it.
"I am glad, indeed, to have been able to render you this service, mademoiselle. It was most providential that I happened to come along the road, and heard your screams and cries for aid; and I determined99 to see if any foul business was being carried on here. What made you call out?"
"I had let myself down from the window, by knotting the bedclothes together. I was blindfolded100, when they carried me in here, and did not know that the walls were so high all round, but had hoped to find some gate by which I might escape. There were only the great gates, and these were locked; and I was trying to draw the bolts when two of the men suddenly rushed out. I suppose the old woman came up here, and found the room empty. It was then that I screamed for help, but they dragged me in, in spite of my struggles, and one said I might scream as much as I liked, for there was not a house within hearing, and no one would be passing anywhere near.
"When he said that, I quite gave up hope. I had believed that I was in some lonely house, in the suburbs of the city, and I little thought that my cries could not be heard.
"But where are the men who guarded me?"
"Four of them are dead, mademoiselle, and the other securely bound. Now, if you will tell me who you are, and where your friends live, I and my soldier servant will escort you to them."
"My name is Anne de Pointdexter."
Desmond was scarcely surprised, for the care which had been taken in choosing so lonely a spot for her concealment101, and the fact that an officer and four men should be placed there to guard her, showed that she must have been regarded as a prisoner of importance.
"Then I am glad, indeed, to have been the means of rescuing you. All Paris has been talking of your disappearance, for the past ten days. The question is, what would you wish done? It is too far to take you to Versailles tonight, and too late to obtain means of conveyance102."
"There is a carriage in the stables behind the house, and there are some horses. I cannot say how many, but at night I have heard them stamping. I suppose the carriage was left here so that they could remove me to some other place, in case suspicion should fall upon this house. How many are there of you, monsieur?"
"Only myself, and the trooper you see at the door."
"And did you two fight with five men, and kill four of them!" she exclaimed, in surprise. "How brave of you, monsieur, and how good to run such risk, for a person of whom you knew nothing!"
"I knew that it was a woman in distress," Desmond said, "and that was quite enough to induce two Irishmen to step in, and answer to her cry for aid. However, mademoiselle, if the carriage and horses are there, this will get us out of our difficulty. The only question is, will you start at once, or wait until daylight? We may be stopped by the patrols, as we approach Versailles, but I have no doubt that my uniform will suffice to pass us into the town, where probably your father is still lodging103."
"I would much rather go at once," the girl said. "There are others who come, sometimes at all hours of the night."
"Very well, then, we will see about getting the carriage ready, at once. If you will come downstairs, we will lock this old woman up in your room."
This was done at once, and the girl, who was so shaken by her captivity104 that she feared to remain for a moment by herself, accompanied her rescuers to the back of the house. Here, as she had said, they found a carriage and four horses, two of which stood ready saddled, while the others were evidently carriage horses. These were speedily harnessed, and put into the carriage.
"Now, Mike, you had better drive. I will mount one of these saddle horses and ride alongside. I think, mademoiselle, as the drive will be a long one, it would be as well that we should put the old woman in the carriage with you. She will be a companion, though one that you would not take from choice. Still, your father may wish to question her, and, indeed, it would be better in many respects that you should have a female with you."
"Thank you, Monsieur Kennedy,"--for she had already learned his name--she said gratefully, "it would certainly be much better."
The old woman was therefore brought down, and made to enter the carriage, and seat herself facing Mademoiselle Pointdexter. Mike took his seat on the box, and Desmond mounted one of the saddle horses, and led the other. They had already removed the bodies that lay in front of the gates.
They had to make a considerable detour105 round Paris, before they came down upon the Versailles road. The roads were bad and the carriage was heavy, and daylight was already breaking when they entered the town. They had twice been stopped by patrols, but Desmond's uniform had sufficed to pass them.
Baron Pointdexter had taken up his abode in a large house, standing in a walled garden in the lower part of the town. When they reached it, Desmond dismounted and rung the bell. After he had done this several times, a step was heard in the garden, and a voice asked roughly, "Who is it that rings at this hour of the morning?"
Mademoiselle Pointdexter, who had alighted as soon as the carriage stopped, called out, "It is I, Eustace."
There was an exclamation of surprise and joy, bolts were at once drawn, and the gate thrown open, and an old servitor threw himself on his knees as the girl entered, and, taking the hand she held out to him, put it to his lips.
"Ah, mademoiselle," he said, while the tears streamed down his cheeks, "what a joyful106 morning it is! We have all suffered, and monsieur le baron most of all. He has spoken but a few words, since you left, but walks up and down the garden as one distraught, muttering to himself, and sometimes even drawing his sword and thrusting it at an invisible enemy. He is up, mademoiselle. He has never gone to his bed since you were missing."
As he spoke, the door of the house opened, and the baron hurried out, with the question, "What is it, Eustace?"
Then, as his eye fell on his daughter, he gave a hoarse107 cry, and for a moment swayed, as if he would have fallen. His daughter ran up to him, and threw her arms round his neck.
"Do you return to me safe and well?" he asked, as, after a long embrace, he stepped back and gazed into her face.
"Quite safe and well, father."
"The Lord be praised!" the baron exclaimed, and, dropping into a garden seat by his side, he burst into a passion of sobbing108.
As soon as he had appeared, Desmond had handed over the old woman to Eustace.
"She is a prisoner--keep a watch over her," he said. "She can tell much. We will take the carriage round to a stable, and must then return at once to Paris, where I must be on duty at seven. Please inform the baron that I shall do myself the honour of calling, tomorrow, to enquire109 whether Mademoiselle Pointdexter has suffered from the effects of the fatigue110 and excitement. Express my regret that I am obliged to leave at once, but I am sure he will have so much to hear, from his daughter, that it is best they should be alone together, for a time."
He at once remounted his horse, Mike climbed up on to his seat, and they drove off, and, knocking up the people at some large stables, left the carriage and horses there, telling the proprietors to send to the Baron Pointdexter to know his wishes regarding it. Then Mike mounted the spare horse, and they started at full speed for Paris, and arrived at the barracks in time for Desmond to take his place at the early parade.
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1
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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2
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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5
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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7
hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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8
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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9
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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10
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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11
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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12
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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13
garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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14
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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16
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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17
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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18
evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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19
junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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20
dilatory
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| adj.迟缓的，不慌不忙的 | |
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21
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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22
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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23
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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24
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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25
adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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26
repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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27
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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28
proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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29
mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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30
freckles
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| n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 ) | |
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31
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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32
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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33
assassinated
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| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
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34
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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35
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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36
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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37
bourgeois
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| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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38
tumults
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| 吵闹( tumult的名词复数 )； 喧哗； 激动的吵闹声； 心烦意乱 | |
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39
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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40
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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41
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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42
faction
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| n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争 | |
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43
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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44
brawl
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| n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂 | |
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45
duels
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| n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 )；竞争，斗争 | |
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46
joviality
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| n.快活 | |
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47
inflaming
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| v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的现在分词 ) | |
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48
heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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49
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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50
fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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51
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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52
adjourn
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| v.（使）休会，（使）休庭 | |
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53
wigged
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| adj.戴假发的 | |
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54
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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55
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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56
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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57
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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58
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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59
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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60
expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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61
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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62
bask
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| vt.取暖，晒太阳，沐浴于 | |
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63
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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64
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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65
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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66
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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67
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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68
persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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69
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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70
proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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71
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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72
Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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73
entree
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| n.入场权，进入权 | |
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74
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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75
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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76
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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77
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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78
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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80
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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81
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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82
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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83
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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84
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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85
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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86
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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87
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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88
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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89
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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90
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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91
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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92
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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93
daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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95
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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96
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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97
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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98
peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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99
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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100
blindfolded
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| v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗 | |
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101
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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102
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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103
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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104
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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105
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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106
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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107
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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108
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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109
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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110
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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