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The Conspirators
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"'The galleys,' replied Leblanc.
"'My dear Monsieur Lapierre,' continued Dubois, in a mild tone, 'you hear. If you like to spend a few years rowing on one of his majesty's vessels, touch one of these seals and the affair is done. If, on the contrary, a hundred louis are agreeable to you, keep them faithfully, and in three days the money shall be given you.'
"'I prefer the hundred louis,' said the scoundrel.
"'Well, then, sign this paper. We constitute you guardian of the prince's cabinet.'
"'I am at your orders, monseigneur,' replied Lapierre; and he signed.
"'Now,' said Dubois, 'you understand all the responsibility you have undertaken?'
"'Yes, monseigneur.'
"'And submit to it.'
"'I do.'
"'Now, Leblanc,' said Dubois, 'we have nothing further to do here, and,' added he, showing the paper which he had snatched from the fire, 'I have all I wanted.'
"And at these words he left, followed by Leblanc.
"Lapierre, as soon as he had seen them off, ran to the cabinet, and exclaimed, 'Quick, baron, we must profit by our being alone for you to leave.'
"'Did you know I was here then, fellow?'
"'Pardieu! I should not have accepted the office of guardian if I had not. I saw you go in, and I thought you would not like to stay there for three days.'
"'And you were right; a hundred louis for your good idea.'
"'Mon Dieu! what are you doing?' cried Lapierre.
"'I am trying to get out.'
"'Oh, not by the door! You would not send a poor fellow to the galleys; besides, they have taken the key with them.'
"'And where am I to get out, then?'
"'Raise your head.'
"'It is raised.'
"'Look in the air.'
"'I am looking.'
"'To your right. Do you not see anything?'
"'Yes, a little window.'
"'Well, get on a chair, on anything you find; it opens into the alcove, let yourself slip now, you will fall on the bed – that is it. You have not hurt yourself, monsieur?'
"'No, I hope the prince will have as comfortable a bed where they are taking him.'
"'And I hope monsieur will not forget the service I have rendered him.'
"'Oh, the hundred louis? Well, as I do not want to part with money at this moment, take this ring, it is worth three hundred pistoles – you gain six hundred francs on the bargain.'
"'Monsieur is the most generous gentleman I know.'
"'Now, tell me how I must go.'
"'By this little staircase; you will find yourself in the pantry; you must then go through the kitchen into the garden, and go out by the little door.'
"'Thanks for the itinerary.'
"I followed the instructions of Monsieur Lapierre exactly, and here I am."
"And the prince; where is he?" asked the chevalier.
"How do I know? In prison probably."
"Diable! diable! diable!" said Brigaud.
"Well, what do you say to my Odyssey, abbe?"
"I say that it would be very droll if it was not for that cursed paper which Dubois picked out of the cinders."
"Yes," said Valef, "that spoils it."
"And you have not any idea what it could be?"
"Not the least; but never mind, it is not lost, we shall know some day."
At this moment they heard some one coming up the staircase. The door opened, and Boniface appeared.
"Pardon, Monsieur Raoul," said he, "but it is not you I seek, it is Father Brigaud."
"Never mind, my dear Boniface, you are welcome. Baron, allow me to present you to my predecessor in my room. The son of our worthy landlady, and godson of the Abbe Brigaud."
"Oh, you have friends barons, Monsieur Raoul! what an honor for our house!"
"Well," said the abbe, "you were looking for me you said. What do you want?"
"I want nothing. It was my mother who sent for you."
"What does she want? Do you know?"
"She wants to know why the parliament is to assemble to-morrow."
"'My dear Monsieur Lapierre,' continued Dubois, in a mild tone, 'you hear. If you like to spend a few years rowing on one of his majesty's vessels, touch one of these seals and the affair is done. If, on the contrary, a hundred louis are agreeable to you, keep them faithfully, and in three days the money shall be given you.'
"'I prefer the hundred louis,' said the scoundrel.
"'Well, then, sign this paper. We constitute you guardian of the prince's cabinet.'
"'I am at your orders, monseigneur,' replied Lapierre; and he signed.
"'Now,' said Dubois, 'you understand all the responsibility you have undertaken?'
"'Yes, monseigneur.'
"'And submit to it.'
"'I do.'
"'Now, Leblanc,' said Dubois, 'we have nothing further to do here, and,' added he, showing the paper which he had snatched from the fire, 'I have all I wanted.'
"And at these words he left, followed by Leblanc.
"Lapierre, as soon as he had seen them off, ran to the cabinet, and exclaimed, 'Quick, baron, we must profit by our being alone for you to leave.'
"'Did you know I was here then, fellow?'
"'Pardieu! I should not have accepted the office of guardian if I had not. I saw you go in, and I thought you would not like to stay there for three days.'
"'And you were right; a hundred louis for your good idea.'
"'Mon Dieu! what are you doing?' cried Lapierre.
"'I am trying to get out.'
"'Oh, not by the door! You would not send a poor fellow to the galleys; besides, they have taken the key with them.'
"'And where am I to get out, then?'
"'Raise your head.'
"'It is raised.'
"'Look in the air.'
"'I am looking.'
"'To your right. Do you not see anything?'
"'Yes, a little window.'
"'Well, get on a chair, on anything you find; it opens into the alcove, let yourself slip now, you will fall on the bed – that is it. You have not hurt yourself, monsieur?'
"'No, I hope the prince will have as comfortable a bed where they are taking him.'
"'And I hope monsieur will not forget the service I have rendered him.'
"'Oh, the hundred louis? Well, as I do not want to part with money at this moment, take this ring, it is worth three hundred pistoles – you gain six hundred francs on the bargain.'
"'Monsieur is the most generous gentleman I know.'
"'Now, tell me how I must go.'
"'By this little staircase; you will find yourself in the pantry; you must then go through the kitchen into the garden, and go out by the little door.'
"'Thanks for the itinerary.'
"I followed the instructions of Monsieur Lapierre exactly, and here I am."
"And the prince; where is he?" asked the chevalier.
"How do I know? In prison probably."
"Diable! diable! diable!" said Brigaud.
"Well, what do you say to my Odyssey, abbe?"
"I say that it would be very droll if it was not for that cursed paper which Dubois picked out of the cinders."
"Yes," said Valef, "that spoils it."
"And you have not any idea what it could be?"
"Not the least; but never mind, it is not lost, we shall know some day."
At this moment they heard some one coming up the staircase. The door opened, and Boniface appeared.
"Pardon, Monsieur Raoul," said he, "but it is not you I seek, it is Father Brigaud."
"Never mind, my dear Boniface, you are welcome. Baron, allow me to present you to my predecessor in my room. The son of our worthy landlady, and godson of the Abbe Brigaud."
"Oh, you have friends barons, Monsieur Raoul! what an honor for our house!"
"Well," said the abbe, "you were looking for me you said. What do you want?"
"I want nothing. It was my mother who sent for you."
"What does she want? Do you know?"
"She wants to know why the parliament is to assemble to-morrow."
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Книгу прочитать не могу, везде ЛитРес свой нос сунул, как и где скачать полную версию бесплатно!?!?