The next moment he was challenged:
"Qui va la?"
"A friend!" he replied, panting and exhausted. "Where is citizen
Heron?"
"Here!" came the reply in a voice hoarse with passionate excitement.
"Come up, damn you. Be quick!"
"A lanthorn, citizen," suggested one of the drivers.
"No--no--not now. Here! Where the devil are we?"
"We are close to the chapel on our left, citizen," said the sergeant.
The runner, whose eyes were no doubt accustomed to the gloom, had
drawn nearer to the carriage.
"The gates of the chateau," he said, still somewhat breathlessly,
"are just opposite here on the right, citizen. I have just come
through them."
"Speak up, man!" and Heron's voice now sounded as if choked with
passion. "Citizen Chauvelin sent you?"
"Yes. He bade me tell you that he has gained access to the
chateau, and that Capet is not there."
A series of citizen Heron's choicest oaths interrupted the man's
speech. Then he was curtly ordered to proceed, and he resumed his
report.
"Citizen Chauvelin rang at the door of the chateau; after a while
he was admitted by an old servant, who appeared to be in charge,
but the place seemed otherwise absolutely deserted--only--"
"Only what? Go on; what is it?"
"As we rode through the park it seemed to us as if we were being
watched, and followed.
Pages:
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514