"They may not be after us," D'Arblay said, "but at any rate, they shall not catch us napping."
Girths were hastily tightened3, armour4 buckled5 on, and all took their places in their saddles. It was too late to retreat, for the wood was a small one, and the country around open. As the horsemen approached the wood they slackened speed; and presently halted, facing it.
"Some spy has tracked us here," D'Arblay said; "but it is one thing to track the game, another to capture it. Let us see what these gentlemen of Toulouse are going to do. I have no doubt that they know our number accurately6 enough, and if they divide, as I hope they will, we shall be able to give them a lesson."
This was evidently the intention of the Catholics. After a short pause an officer trotted7 off with half the troop, making a circuit to come down behind the wood and cut off all retreat. As they moved off, the Huguenots could count that there were twenty-five men in each section.
"The odds9 are only great enough to be agreeable," D'Arblay laughed. "It is not as it was outside Paris, where they were ten to one against us. Counting our servants we muster10 twenty-two, while that party in front are only four stronger; for that gentleman with the long robe is probably an official of their parliament, or a city councillor, and need not be counted. We will wait a couple of minutes longer, until the other party is fairly out of sight; and then we will begin the dance."
A minute or two later he gave the word, and the little troop moved through the trees until nearly at the edge of the wood.
"Now, gentlemen, forward," D'Arblay said, "and God aid the right!"
As in a compact body, headed by the three gentlemen, they burst suddenly from the wood, there was a shout of dismay; and then loud orders from the officer of the troop, halted a hundred and fifty yards away. The men were sitting carelessly on their horses. They had confidently anticipated taking the Huguenots alive, and thought of nothing less than that the latter should take the offensive.
Scarcely had they got their horses into motion before the Huguenots were upon them. The conflict lasted but a minute. Half the Catholics were cut down; the rest, turning their horses, rode off at full speed. The Huguenots would have followed them, but D'Arblay shouted to them to halt.
"You have only done half your work yet," he said. "We have the other party to deal with."
Only one of his Huguenots had fallen, shot through the head by a pistol discharged by the officer; who had himself been, a moment later, run through by D'Arblay, at whom the shot had been aimed. Gathering11 his men together, the Huguenot leader rode back and, when halfway12 through the wood, they encountered the other party; whose officer had at once ridden to join the party he had left, when he heard the pistol shot that told him they were engaged with the Huguenots. Although not expecting an attack from an enemy they deemed overmatched by their comrades, the troop, encouraged by their officer, met the Huguenots stoutly13.
The fight was, for a short time, obstinate14. Broken up by the trees, it resolved itself into a series of single combats. The Huguenot men-at-arms, however, were all tried soldiers; while their opponents were, rather, accustomed to the slaughter15 of defenceless men and women than to a combat with men-at-arms. Coolness and discipline soon asserted themselves.
Francois and Philip both held their ground, abreast16 of their leader; and Philip, by cutting down the lieutenant17, brought the combat to a close. His followers18, on seeing their officer fall, at once lost heart; and those who could do so turned their horses, and rode off. They were hotly pursued, and six were overtaken and cut down. Eight had fallen in the conflict in the wood.
"That has been a pretty sharp lesson," D'Arblay said as, leaving the pursuit to his followers, he reined19 in his horse at the edge of the wood. "You both did right gallantly20, young sirs. It is no slight advantage, in a melee21 of that kind, to be strong in officers. The fellows fought stoutly, for a short time.
"Had it not been for your despatching their officer, Monsieur Fletcher, we should not have finished with them so quickly. It was a right down blow, and heartily22 given, and fell just at the joint23 of the gorget."
"I am sorry that I killed him," Philip replied. "He seemed a brave gentleman, and was not very many years older than I am, myself."
"He drew it upon himself," D'Arblay said. "If he had not come out to take us, he would be alive now.
"Well, as soon as our fellows return we will move round to Merlincourt, on the other side of the town. There are several of our friends there, and it is the last place we have to visit. After this skirmish, we shall find the neighbourhood too hot for us. It is sure to make a great noise and, at the first gleam of the sun on helm or breast plate, some Catholic or other will hurry off to Toulouse with the news. In future we had best take some of the men-at-arms with us, when we pay our visits, or we may be caught like rats in a trap."
Making a circuit of twenty miles, they approached Merlincourt that evening and, establishing themselves as usual in a wood, remained quiet there next day. After nightfall D'Arblay rode off, taking with him Francois and five of his own men, and leaving Philip in command of the rest. The gold and jewels they had gathered had been divided into three portions, and the bags placed in the holsters of the saddles of the three lackeys25; as these were less likely to be taken than their masters and, if one were captured, a portion only of the contributions would be lost. D'Arblay had arranged that he would not return that night, but would sleep at the chateau26 of the gentleman he was going to visit.
"I will get him to send around to our other friends, in the morning. The men will return when they see that all is clear. Send them back to meet us at the chateau, tomorrow night."
The five men returned an hour after they set out, and reported that all was quiet at Merlincourt; and that the Sieur D'Arblay had sent a message, to Philip, to move a few miles farther away before morning, and to return to the wood soon after nightfall.
Philip gave the men six hours to rest themselves and their horses. They then mounted and rode eight miles farther from Toulouse, halting before daybreak in a thick copse standing27 on high ground, commanding a view of a wide tract28 of country. Two of the troopers were sent off to buy provisions in a village, half a mile away. Two were placed on watch. Some of the others lay down for another sleep, while Pierre redressed30 the wounds that five of the men had received in the fight.
At twelve o'clock one of the lookouts31 reported that he could see, away out on the plain, a body of horsemen. Philip at once went to examine them for himself.
"There must be some two hundred of them, I should say, by the size of the clump," he remarked to the soldier.
"About that, I should say, sir."
"I expect they are hunting for us," Philip said. "They must have heard from some villager that we were seen to ride round this way, the day before yesterday, or they would hardly be hunting in this neighbourhood for us. It is well we moved in the night.
"I wish the Sieur D'Arblay and the Count de Laville were with us. No doubt they were hidden away, as soon as the troop was seen, but one is never secure against treachery."
Philip was restless and uncomfortable all day, and walked about the wood, impatiently longing32 for night to come. As soon as it was dark they mounted, and rode back to the wood near Merlincourt. The five men were at once sent off to the chateau where they had left their leaders.
"That is a pistol shot!" Pierre exclaimed, some twenty minutes after they left.
"I did not hear it. Are you sure, Pierre?"
"Quite sure, sir. At least, I will not swear that it was a pistol--it might have been an arquebus--but I will swear it was a shot."
"To your saddle, men," Philip said. "A pistol shot has been heard, and it may be that your comrades have fallen into an ambush33. Advance to the edge of the wood, and be ready to dash out to support them, should they come."
But a quarter of an hour passed, and there was no sound to break the stillness of the evening.
"Shall I go into the village and find out what has taken place, Monsieur Fletcher? I will leave my iron cap and breast and back pieces here. I shall not want to fight but to run, and a hare could not run in these iron pots."
"Do, Pierre. We shall be ready to support you, if you are chased."
"If I am chased by half a dozen men, I may run here, sir; if by a strong force, I shall strike across the country. Trust me to double and throw them off the scent34. If I am not back here in an hour, it will be that I am taken, or have had to trust to my heels; and you will find me, in the last case, tomorrow morning at the wood where we halted today. If I do not come soon after daybreak, you will know that I am either captured or killed. Do not delay for me longer, but act as seems best to you."
Pierre took off his armour and sped away in the darkness, going at a trot8 that would speedily take him to the village.
"Dismount and stand by your horses," Philip ordered. "We may want all their strength."
Half an hour later Pierre returned, panting.
"I have bad news, sir. I have prowled about the village, which is full of soldiers, and listened to their talk through open windows. The Sieur D'Arblay, Monsieur Francois, and the owner of the chateau and his wife were seized, and carried off to Toulouse this morning, soon after daybreak. By what I heard, one of the servants of the chateau was a spy, set by the council of Toulouse to watch the doings of its owner; and as soon as Monsieur D'Arblay arrived there last night, he stole out and sent a messenger to Toulouse. At daybreak the chateau was surrounded, and they were seized before they had time to offer resistance. The troop of horse we saw have all day been searching for us, and went back before nightfall to Merlincourt; thinking that we should be sure to be going there, sometime or other, to inquire after our captain. The five men you sent were taken completely by surprise, and all were killed, though not without a tough fight. A strong party are lying in ambush with arquebuses, making sure that the rest of the troop will follow the five they surprised."
"You were not noticed, Pierre, or pursued?"
"No, sir. There were so many men about in the village that one more stranger attracted no attention."
"Then we can remain here safely for half an hour," Philip said.
The conversation had taken place a few paces from the troop. Philip now joined his men.
"The Sieur D'Arblay and Count Francois have been taken prisoners. Your comrades fell into an ambush, and have, I fear, all lost their lives. Dismount for half an hour, men, while I think over what is best to be done. Keep close to your horses, so as to be in readiness to mount instantly, if necessary. One of you take my horse.
"Do you come with me, Pierre.
"This is a terrible business, lad," he went on, as they walked away from the others. "We know what will be the fate of my cousin and Monsieur D'Arblay. They will be burnt or hung, as heretics. The first thing is, how are we to get them out; and also, if possible, the gentleman and his wife who were taken with them?"
"We have but ten of the men-at-arms left, sir; and four of them are so wounded that they would not count for much, in a fight. There are the two other lackeys and myself, so we are but fourteen, in all. If we had arrived in time we might have done something but, now they are firmly lodged35 in the prison at Toulouse, I see not that we can accomplish anything."
Philip fell into silence for some minutes, then he said:
"Many of the councillors and members of parliament live, I think, in villas36 outside the walls. If we seize a dozen of them, appear before the city, and threaten to hang or shoot the whole of them, if the four captives are not released, we might succeed in getting our friends into our hands, Pierre."
"That is so, sir. There really seems a hope for us, in that way."
"Then we will lose no time. We will ride at once for Toulouse. When we get near the suburbs we will seize some countryman, and force him to point out to us the houses of the principal councillors and the members of their parliament. These we will pounce37 upon and carry off, and at daybreak will appear with them before the walls. We will make one of them signify, to their friends, that if any armed party sallies out through the gates, or approaches us from behind, it will be the signal for the instant death of all of our captives.
"Now let us be off, at once."
The party mounted without delay, and rode towards Toulouse. This rich and powerful city was surrounded by handsome villas and chateaux, the abode38 of wealthy citizens and persons of distinction. At the first house at which they stopped, Philip, with Pierre and two of the men-at-arms, dismounted and entered. It was the abode of a small farmer, who cultivated vegetables for the use of the townsfolk. He had retired39 to bed with his family, but upon being summoned came downstairs trembling, fearing that his late visitors were bandits.
"No harm will be done to you, if you obey our orders," Philip said; "but if not, we shall make short work of you. I suppose you know the houses of most of the principal persons who live outside the walls?"
"Assuredly I do, my lord. There is the President of the Parliament, and three or four of the principal councillors, and the Judge of the High Court, and many others, all living within a short mile of this spot."
"Well, I require you to guide us to their houses. There will be no occasion for you to show yourself, nor will anyone know that you have had aught to do with the matter. If you attempt to escape, or to give the alarm, you will without scruple40 be shot. If, on the other hand, we are satisfied with your work, you will have a couple of crowns for your trouble."
The man, seeing that he had no choice, put a good face on it.
"I am ready to do as your lordship commands," he said. "I have no reason for goodwill41 towards any of these personages, who rule us harshly, and regard us as if we were dirt under their feet. Shall we go first to the nearest of them?"
"No, we will first call on the President of the Parliament, and then the Judge of the High Court, then the councillors in the order of their rank. We will visit ten in all, and see that you choose the most important.
"Pierre, you will take charge of this man, and ride in front of us. Keep your pistol in your hand, and shoot him through the head, if he shows signs of trying to escape. You will remain with him when we enter the houses.
"Have you any rope, my man?"
"Yes, my lord, I have several long ropes, with which I bind42 the vegetables on my cart when I go to market."
"That will do. Bring them at once."
Pierre accompanied the man when he went to his shed. On his return with the ropes, Philip told the men-at-arms to cut them into lengths of eight feet, and to make a running noose43 at one end of each. When this was done, they again mounted and moved on.
"When we enter the houses," he said to the two other lackeys, "you will remain without with Pierre, and will take charge of the first four prisoners we bring out. Put the nooses44 round their necks, and draw them tight enough to let the men feel that they are there. Fasten the other ends to your saddles, and warn them, if they put up their hands to throw off the nooses, you will spur your horses into a gallop. That threat will keep them quiet enough."
In a quarter of an hour they arrived at the gate of a large and handsome villa29. Philip ordered his men to dismount, and fasten up their horses.
"You will remain here, in charge of the horses," he said to the lackeys; and then, with the men-at-arms, he went up to the house.
Two of them were posted at the back entrance, two at the front, with orders to let no one issue out. Then with his dagger45 he opened the shutters46 of one of the windows and, followed by the other six men, entered. The door was soon found and, opening it, they found themselves in a hall where a hanging light was burning.
Several servants were asleep on the floor. These started up, with exclamations47 of alarm, at seeing seven men with drawn49 swords.
"Silence!" Philip said sternly, "or this will be your last moment.
"Roger and Jules, do you take each one of these lackeys by the collar. That is right. Now, put your pistols to their heads.
"Eustace, light one of these torches on the wall at the lamp, and bring it along with you.
"Henri, do you also come with us.
"The rest of you stay here, and guard these lackeys. Make them sit down. If any of them move, run him through without hesitation51."
At this moment an angry voice was heard shouting above.
"What is all this disturbance52 about! If I hear another sound, I will discharge you all in the morning."
Philip gave a loud and derisive53 laugh, which had the effect he had anticipated for, directly afterwards, a man in a loose dressing54 gown ran into the hall.
If you move a step, you are a dead man.
"It means this," Philip said, levelling a pistol at him, "that if you move a step, you are a dead man."
"Perfectly59, sir. You are president of the infamous60 parliament of Toulouse. I am a Huguenot officer, and you are my prisoner. You need not look so indignant; better men than you have been dragged from their homes, to prison and death, by your orders. Now it is your turn to be a prisoner.
"I might, if I chose, set fire to this chateau, and cut the throats of all in it; but we do not murder in the name of God. We leave that to you.
"Take this man away with you, Eustace. I give him into your charge. If he struggles, or offers the least resistance, stab him to the heart."
"You will at least give me time to dress, sir?" the president said.
"Not a moment," Philip replied. "The night is warm, and you will do very well, as you are.
"As for you," he went on, turning to the servants, "you will remain quiet until morning; and if any of you dare to leave the house, you will be slain61 without mercy. You can assure your mistress that she will not be long without the society of your master; for in all probability he will be returned, safe and sound, before midday tomorrow. One of you may fetch your master's cloak, since he seems to fear the night air."
The doors were opened and they issued out, Philip bidding the servants close and bar them behind them. When they reached the horses, the prisoner was handed over to D'Arblay's lackey24, who placed the noose round his neck, and gave him warning as Philip had instructed him. Then they set off, Pierre with the guide again leading the way.
Before morning they had ten prisoners in their hands. In one or two cases the servants had attempted opposition62, but they were speedily overpowered, and the captures were all effected without loss of life. The party then moved away about a mile, and the prisoners were allowed to sit down. Several of them were elderly men, and Philip picked these out, by the light of two torches they had brought from the last house, and ordered the ropes to be removed from their necks.
"I should regret, gentlemen," he said, "the indignity63 that I have been forced to place upon you, had you been other than you are. It is well, however, that you should have felt, though in a very slight degree, something of the treatment that you have all been instrumental in inflicting64 upon blameless men and women, whose only fault was that they chose to worship God in their own way. You may thank your good fortune at having fallen into the hands of one who has had no dear friends murdered in the prisons of Toulouse. There are scores of men who would have strung you up without mercy, thinking it a righteous retribution for the pitiless cruelties of which the parliament of Toulouse has been guilty.
"Happily for you, though I regard you with loathing65 as pitiless persecutors, I have no personal wrongs to avenge66. Your conscience will tell you that, fallen as you have into the hands of Huguenots, you could only expect death; but it is not for the purpose of punishment that you have been captured. You are taken as hostages. My friends, the Count de Laville and the Sieur D'Arblay, were yesterday carried prisoners into Toulouse; and with them Monsieur de Merouville, whose only fault was that he had afforded them a night's shelter. His innocent wife was also dragged away with him.
"You, sir," he said to one of the prisoners, "appear to me to be the oldest of the party. At daybreak you will be released; and will bear, to your colleagues in the city, the news that these nine persons are prisoners in my hands. You will state that, if any body of men approaches this place from any quarter, these nine persons will at once be hung up to the branches above us. You will say that I hold them as hostages for the four prisoners, and that I demand that these shall be sent out here, with their horses and the arms of my two friends, and under the escort of two unarmed troopers.
"These gentlemen here will, before you start, sign a document ordering the said prisoners at once to be released; and will also sign a solemn undertaking67, which will be handed over to Monsieur de Merouville, pledging themselves that, should he and his wife choose to return to their chateau, no harm shall ever happen to them; and no accusation68, of any sort, in the future be brought against them.
"I may add that, should at any time this guarantee be broken, I shall consider it my duty, the moment I hear of the event, to return to this neighbourhood; and assuredly I will hang the signatories of the guarantee over their own door posts, and will burn their villas to the ground. I know the value of oaths sworn to Huguenots; but in this case, I think they will be kept, for I swear to you--and I am in the habit of keeping my oaths--that if you break your undertaking, I will not break mine."
As soon as it was daylight, Pierre produced from his saddlebag an ink horn, paper, and pens; and the ten prisoners signed their name to an order for the release of the four captives. They then wrote another document, to be handed by their representative to the governor, begging him to see that the order was executed, informing him of the position they were in, and that their lives would certainly be forfeited69, unless the prisoners were released without delay. They also earnestly begged him to send out orders, to the armed forces who were searching for the Huguenots, bidding them make no movement, whatever, until after midday.
The councillor was then mounted on a horse and escorted, by two of the men-at-arms, to within a quarter of a mile of the nearest gate of the city. The men were to return with his horse. The councillor was informed that ten o'clock was the limit given for the return of the prisoners; and that, unless they had by that hour arrived, it would be supposed that the order for their release would not be respected, and in that case the nine hostages would be hung forthwith; and that, in the course of a night or two, another batch70 would be carried off.
Philip had little fear, however, that there would be any hesitation, upon the part of those in the town, in acting71 upon the order signed by so many important persons; for the death of the president, and several of the leading members of the parliament, would create such an outcry against the governor, by their friends and relatives, that he would not venture to refuse the release of four prisoners, of minor72 importance, in order to save their lives.
After the messenger had departed, Philip had the guarantee for the safety of Monsieur de Merouville and his wife drawn up and signed, in duplicate.
"One of these documents," he said, "I shall give to Monsieur de Merouville. The other I shall keep myself, so that, if this solemn guarantee is broken, I shall have this as a justification73 for the execution of the perjured74 men who signed it."
The time passed slowly. Some of the prisoners walked anxiously and impatiently to and fro, looking continually towards the town. Others sat in gloomy silence, too humiliated75 at their present position even to talk to one another.
The soldiers, on the contrary, were in high spirits. They rejoiced at the prospect76 of the return of their two leaders, and they felt proud of having taken part in such an exploit as the capture of the chief men of the dreaded77 parliament of Toulouse. Four of them kept a vigilant79 guard over the prisoners. The rest ate their breakfast with great gusto, and laughed and joked at the angry faces of some of their prisoners.
It was just nine o'clock when a small group of horsemen were seen in the distance.
"I think there are six of them, sir," Eustace said.
"That is the right number, Eustace. The lady is doubtless riding behind her husband. Two men are the escort, and the other is, no doubt, the councillor we released, who is now acting as guide to this spot.
"Bring my horse, Pierre," and, mounting, Philip rode off to meet the party.
He was soon able to make out the figures of Francois and D'Arblay and, putting his horse to a gallop, was speedily alongside of them.
"What miracle is this?" Monsieur D'Arblay asked, after the first greeting was over. "At present we are all in a maze80. We were in separate dungeons81, and the prospect looked as hopeless as it could well do; when the doors opened and an officer, followed by two soldiers bearing our armour and arms, entered and told us to attire82 ourselves. What was meant we could not imagine. We supposed we were going to be led before some tribunal; but why they should arm us, before taking us there, was more than we could imagine.
"We met in the courtyard of the prison, and were stupefied at seeing our horses saddled and bridled83 there, and Monsieur De Merouville and his wife already mounted. Two unarmed troopers were also there, and this gentleman, who said sourly:
"'Mount, sirs, I am going to lead you to your friends.'
"We looked at each other, to see if we were dreaming, but you may imagine we were not long in leaping into our saddles.
"This gentleman has not been communicative. In fact, by his manner, I should say he is deeply disgusted at the singular mission with which he was charged; and on the ride here Francois, Monsieur de Merouville, and myself have exhausted84 ourselves in conjectures85 as to how this miracle has come about."
"Wait two or three minutes longer," Philip said, with a smile. "When you get to yonder trees, you will receive an explanation."
Francois and Monsieur D'Arblay gazed in surprise at the figures of nine men, all in scanty86 raiments, wrapped up in cloaks, and evidently guarded by the men-at-arms, who set up a joyous88 shout as they rode in. Monsieur de Merouville uttered an exclamation48 of astonishment, as he recognized the dreaded personages collected together in such a plight89.
"Monsieur de Merouville," Philip said, "I believe you know these gentlemen by sight.
"Monsieur D'Arblay and Francois, you are not so fortunate as to be acquainted with them; and I have pleasure in introducing to you the President of the Parliament of Toulouse, the Judge of the High Court, and other councillors, all gentlemen of consideration. It has been my misfortune to have had to treat these gentlemen with scant87 courtesy, but the circumstances left me no choice.
"Monsieur de Merouville, here is a document, signed by these nine gentlemen, giving a solemn undertaking that you and Madame shall be, in future, permitted to reside in your chateau without the slightest let or hindrance90; and that you shall suffer no molestation91, whatever, either on account of this affair, or on the question of religion. I have a duplicate of this document; and have, on my part, given an undertaking that, if its terms are broken I will, at whatever inconvenience to myself, return to this neighbourhood, hang these ten gentlemen if I can catch them, and at any rate burn their chateaux to the ground. Therefore I think, as you have their undertaking and mine, you can without fear return home; but this, of course, I leave to yourself to decide.
"Gentlemen, you are now free to return to your homes; and I trust this lesson--that we, on our part, can strike, if necessary--will have some effect in moderating your zeal92 for persecution93."
Without a word, the president and his companions walked away in a body. The troopers began to jeer94 and laugh, but Philip held up his hand for silence.
"There need be no extra scorn," he said. "These gentlemen have been sufficiently95 humiliated."
"And you really fetched all these good gentlemen from their beds," D'Arblay said, bursting into a fit of laughter. "Why, it was worth being taken prisoner, were it only for the sake of seeing them. They looked like a number of old owls96, suddenly disturbed by daylight--some of them round eyed with astonishment, some of them hissing97 menacingly. By my faith, Philip, it will go hard with you, if you ever fall into the hands of those worthies98.
"But a truce99 to jokes. We owe you our lives, Philip; of that there is not a shadow of doubt. Though I have no more fear than another of death in battle, I own that I have a dread78 of being tortured and burned. It was a bold stroke, thus to carry off the men who have been the leaders of the persecution against us."
"There was nothing in the feat100, if it can be called a feat," Philip said. "Of course, directly we heard that you had been seized and carried into Toulouse, I cast about for the best means to save you. To attempt it by force would have been simple madness; and any other plan would have required time, powerful friends, and a knowledge of the city, and even then we should probably have failed to get you out of prison. This being so, it was evident that the best plan was to seize some of the citizens of importance, who might serve as hostages. There was no difficulty in finding out, from a small cultivator, who were the principal men living outside the walls; and their capture was as easy a business. Scarcely a blow was struck, and no lives lost, in capturing the whole of them."
"But some of the men are missing," D'Arblay said.
"Yes; five of your men, I am sorry to say. On getting back to the wood after dark I sent them, as you ordered, to fetch you from Monsieur de Merouville's; but of course you had been captured before that, and they fell into an ambush that was laid for them, and were all killed."
"That is a bad business, Philip.
"Well, Monsieur de Merouville, will you go with us, or will you trust in this safeguard?"
"In the first place, you have not given me a moment's opportunity of thanking this gentleman; not only for having saved the lives of my wife and myself, but for the forethought and consideration with which he has, in the midst of his anxiety for you and Monsieur de Laville, shown for us who were entire strangers to him.
"Be assured, Monsieur Fletcher, that we are deeply grateful. I hope that some time in the future, should peace ever again be restored to France, we may be able to meet you again, and express more warmly the obligations we feel towards you."
"De Merouville, you must settle at once whether to go with us, or stay on the faith of this safeguard. We have no such protection and, if we linger here, we shall be having half a dozen troops of horse after us. You may be sure they will be sent off, as soon as the president and his friends reach the city; and if we were caught again, we should be in an even worse plight than before. Do you talk it over with Madame and, while you are doing so, Francois and I will drink a flask102 of wine, and eat anything we can find here; for they forgot to give us breakfast before they sent us off, and it is likely we shall not have another opportunity, for some hours."
"What do you think, Monsieur Fletcher?" Monsieur de Merouville said, after speaking for a few minutes with his wife; "will they respect this pledge? If not we must go, but we are both past the age when we can take up life anew. My property would, of course, be confiscated103, and we should be penniless among strangers."
"I think they will respect the pledge," Philip replied. "I assured them, so solemnly, that any breach104 of their promises would be followed by prompt vengeance105 upon themselves and their homes, that I feel sure they will not run the risk. Two or three among them might possibly do so, but the others would restrain them. I believe that you can safely return; and that, for a long time, at any rate, you will be unmolested.
"Still, if I might advise, I should say sell your property, as soon as you can find a purchaser at any reasonable price; and then remove, either to La Rochelle or cross the sea to England. You may be sure that there will be a deep and bitter hatred106 against you, by those whose humiliation107 you have witnessed."
"Thank you. I will follow your advice, Monsieur Fletcher; and I hope that I may, ere long, have the pleasure of seeing you, and of worthily108 expressing our deep sense of the debt of gratitude we owe you."
Five minutes later the troop mounted and rode away, while Monsieur de Merouville, with his wife behind him, started for home.
"I hope, Francois," D'Arblay said, as they galloped109 off from the wood, "that the next time I ride on an expedition your kinsman110 may again be with me, for he has wit and resources that render him a valuable companion, indeed."
"I had great hopes, even when I was in prison, and things looked almost as bad as they could be," Francois said, "that Philip would do something to help us. I had much faith in his long headedness; and so has the countess, my mother. She said to me, when we started:
"'You are older than Philip, Francois; but you will act wisely if, in cases of difficulty, you defer111 your opinions to his. His training has given him self reliance and judgment112, and he has been more in the habit of thinking for himself than you have,' and certainly he has fully113 justified114 her opinion.
"Where do you propose to ride next, D'Arblay?"
"For La Rochelle. I shall not feel safe until I am within the walls. Presidents of Parliament, judges of High Court, and dignified115 functionaries116 are not to be dragged from their beds with impunity117. Happily it will take them an hour and a half to walk back to the town; or longer, perhaps, for they will doubtless go first to their own homes. They will never show themselves, in such sorry plight, in the streets of the city where they are accustomed to lord it; so we may count on at least two hours before they can take any steps. After that, they will move heaven and earth to capture us. They will send out troops of horse after us, and messengers to every city in the province, calling upon the governors to take every means to seize us.
"We have collected a good sum of money, and carried out the greater portion of our mission. We shall only risk its loss, as well as the loss of our own lives, by going forward. The horses are fresh, and we will put as many miles between us and Toulouse as they can carry us, before nightfall."
The return journey was accomplished118 without misadventure. They made no more halts than were required to rest their horses and, travelling principally at night, they reached La Rochelle without having encountered any body of the enemy.
While they had been absent, the army of Conde and the Admiral had marched into Lorraine and, eluding119 the forces that barred his march, effected a junction120 with the German men-at-arms who had been brought to their aid by the Duke Casimir, the second son of the Elector Palatine. However, the Germans refused to march a step farther, unless they received the pay that had been agreed upon before they started.
Conde's treasury121 was empty, and he had no means, whatever, of satisfying their demand. In vain Duke Casimir, himself, tried to persuade his soldiers to defer their claims, and to trust their French co-religionists to satisfy their demands, later on. They were unanimous in their refusal to march a step, until they obtained their money.
The Admiral then addressed himself to his officers and soldiers. He pointed122 out to them that, at the present moment, everything depended upon their obtaining the assistance of the Germans--who were, indeed, only demanding their rights, according to the agreement that had been made with them--and he implored123 them to come to the assistance of the prince and himself at this crisis. So great was his influence among his soldiers that his appeal was promptly124 and generally acceded125 to, and officers and men alike stripped themselves of their chains, jewels, money, and valuables of all kinds, and so made up the sum required to satisfy the Germans.
As soon as this important affair had been settled, the united army turned its face again westward126; with the intention of giving battle, anew, under the walls of Paris. It was, however, terribly deficient127 in artillery128, powder, and stores of all kinds and, the military chest being empty and the soldiers without pay, it was necessary, on the march, to exact contributions from the small Catholic towns and villages through which the army marched and, in spite of the orders of the Admiral, a certain amount of pillage129 was carried on by the soldiers.
Having recruited the strength of his troops, by a short stay at Orleans, the Admiral moved towards Paris. Since the commencement of the war, negotiations130 had been going on fitfully. When the court thought that the Huguenots were formidable, they pushed on the negotiations in earnest. Whenever, upon the contrary, they believed that the royal forces would be able to crush those of the Admiral, the negotiations at once came to a standstill.
During the Admiral's long march to the east, they would grant no terms whatever that could possibly be accepted; but as soon as the junction was effected with Duke Casimir and his Germans, and the Huguenot army again turned its face to Paris, the court became eager to conclude peace. When the Prince of Conde's army arrived before Chartres the negotiators met, and the king professed131 a readiness to grant so many concessions132, that it seemed as if the objects of the Huguenots could be attained133 without further fighting, and the Cardinal134 of Chatillon and some Huguenot nobles went forward to have a personal conference with the royal commissioners135, at Lonjumeau.
After much discussion, the points most insisted upon by the Huguenots were conceded, and the articles of a treaty drawn up, copies of which were sent to Paris and Chartres. The Admiral and Conde both perceived that, in the absence of any guarantees for the observance of the conditions to which the other side bound themselves, the treaty would be of little avail; as it could be broken, as soon as the army now menacing Paris was scattered136. The feeling among the great portion of the nobles and their followers was, however, strongly in favour of the conditions being accepted.
The nobles were becoming beggared by the continuance of the war, the expenses of which had, for the most part, to be paid from their private means. Their followers, indeed, received no pay; but they had to be fed, and their estates were lying untilled for want of hands. Their men were eager to return to their farms and families, and so strong and general was the desire for peace that the Admiral and Conde bowed to it.
They agreed to the terms and, pending137 their ratification138, raised the siege of Chartres. Already their force was dwindling139 rapidly. Large numbers marched away to their homes, without even asking for leave; and their leaders soon ceased to be in a position to make any demands for guarantees, and the peace of Lonjumeau was therefore signed.
Its provisions gave very little more to the Huguenots than that of the preceding arrangement of the same kind, and the campaign left the parties in much the same position as they had occupied before the Huguenots took up arms.
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1
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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2
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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3
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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4
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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5
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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6
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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7
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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8
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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9
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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10
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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11
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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12
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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13
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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14
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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15
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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16
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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17
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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18
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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19
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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20
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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21
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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22
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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24
lackey
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| n.侍从；跟班 | |
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25
lackeys
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| n.听差( lackey的名词复数 )；男仆（通常穿制服）；卑躬屈膝的人；被待为奴仆的人 | |
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26
chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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27
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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28
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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29
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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30
redressed
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| v.改正( redress的过去式和过去分词 )；重加权衡；恢复平衡 | |
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31
lookouts
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| n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台 | |
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32
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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33
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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34
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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35
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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36
villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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37
pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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38
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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39
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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40
scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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41
goodwill
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| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
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42
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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43
noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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44
nooses
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| n.绞索，套索( noose的名词复数 ) | |
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45
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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46
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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47
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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48
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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49
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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50
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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51
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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52
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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53
derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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54
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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55
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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56
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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57
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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58
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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59
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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60
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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61
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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62
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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63
indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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64
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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65
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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66
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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67
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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68
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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69
forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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71
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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72
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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73
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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74
perjured
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| adj.伪证的，犯伪证罪的v.发假誓，作伪证( perjure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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76
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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77
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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78
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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79
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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80
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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81
dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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82
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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83
bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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84
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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85
conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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86
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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87
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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88
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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89
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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90
hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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91
molestation
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| n.骚扰，干扰，调戏；折磨 | |
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92
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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93
persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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94
jeer
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| vi.嘲弄，揶揄；vt.奚落；n.嘲笑，讥评 | |
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95
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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96
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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97
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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98
worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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99
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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100
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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101
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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102
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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103
confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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105
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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106
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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107
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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108
worthily
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| 重要地，可敬地，正当地 | |
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109
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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110
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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111
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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112
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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113
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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114
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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functionaries
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| n.公职人员，官员( functionary的名词复数 ) | |
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impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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118
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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119
eluding
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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120
junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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122
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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123
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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125
acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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126
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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128
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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129
pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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130
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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131
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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132
concessions
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| n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权 | |
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133
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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134
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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135
commissioners
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| n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官 | |
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136
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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137
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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138
ratification
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| n.批准，认可 | |
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139
dwindling
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| adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 ) | |
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