The Bath Keepers Volume I Part 48

When he had finished speaking, Leodgard ran across the Pont-aux-Choux and disappeared in the darkness.

"Leodgard! Leodgard!" called Beausseilly; "we will wait for you here; we will not move until you return.--I don't know if he heard me."

"What the devil ever put that idea into his head?"

"There is no sense in what he has undertaken to do," said Montrevert; "judging from the address and agility that this Giovanni shows in his attacks, it is inconceivable that he should allow himself to be taken by surprise."

"I agree with you; but Leodgard is intensely excited! He has gambled away all that he possessed--even more. Life has little attraction for him at this moment! Faith! if he meets Giovanni, I fancy that the villain will not come off so cheaply."

"Pardieu!" said Senange, half rising; "you remind me that the handsome cloak which the count is wearing is my property now, as I won it from him a moment ago at dice. I ought not to have let him go off with it!"

"Ah! Senange, you are a very pitiless creditor!"

"Look you, if he meets Giovanni, the latter will be the victor, in my opinion; and as he will not find an obolus on Leodgard, he will take his cloak. Would it not be better that I should have it than that brigand?"

"Listen, messieurs! don't you hear a noise?"

"No, nothing."

"Oh! how the time drags! I wish Leodgard would come back."

Ten minutes pa.s.sed, and with each minute the young men became more anxious; they no longer laughed, they even ceased to talk, for they listened with all their ears.

"Here comes the day," muttered Montrevert, "and Leodgard does not return! I begin to tremble lest he has been the victim of his own boldness."

"Messieurs," said La Valteline, "if he does not return in five minutes, we must go in search of him."

"Yes, yes!"

"Wait--I hear footsteps."

"Bah! it's a peasant going to market; look--you can make her out now on the bridge."

"True; the time for thieves to be abroad has pa.s.sed."

"Poor Leodgard!"

"Messieurs, see that man walking so fast across the bridge. Ah! this time it is he! it is our friend!"

"Victory! it must be that he has carried the day!"

All the young men ran to meet Leodgard, for it was really he who was approaching. As they drew near him they were struck by his pallor and by the sinister gleam of his eyes, which avoided theirs.

"Well, comte, did you win the fight?"

"Or did you fail to find the brigand?"

"Oh! messieurs, they fought; for, see, Leodgard has blood on his clothes!"

"Ah! Giovanni has ceased to live!"

"You are mistaken," murmured Leodgard, in an altered voice; "it is true that I fought with the brigand; I wounded him, for his blood spurted on me. But it seems that his wound was of trifling consequence, for it did not prevent him from running away, and it was impossible for me to overtake him! He disappeared behind the hedges, and I saw him no more."

"Ah! so much the worse!"

"What a pity!"

"The poor count has nothing to show for his exploit.--Luckily, you are not wounded, are you?"

"No, not at all."

"That is the princ.i.p.al thing, for we were beginning to be very anxious about you!"

"Messieurs, messieurs, it is broad daylight; let us hasten home, or we too shall be taken for robbers."

"Yes, yes, let us go!"

"Are not you coming with us, Leodgard?"

"No, messieurs; I am in no hurry to return to Paris. This adventure, this fight, has tired me; the country air will do me good."

"Au revoir, then!"

"Au revoir!"

The young men walked rapidly away toward the city, while Leodgard slowly crossed the Pont-aux-Choux, glancing furtively behind him from time to time.

XXVII

THE FOSSeS JAUNES

Valentine de Mongarcin was reclining carelessly on a sofa in her music room. That was her usual place of refuge when she was not with her aunt; but for several days past the study of the zither and mandolin had been abandoned.

The n.o.ble heiress had learned from her maid that the little clerk's tales were founded on truth; Miretta had told her what she had learned from Giovanni. From that moment Valentine's lovely features had shown signs of gloomy preoccupation. If a smile sometimes played about her lips, it seemed inspired rather by the hope of vengeance than by one of those agreeable thoughts which usually cause young girls to smile.

Valentine rang a bell, and Miretta soon stood before her.

"Did you do my errand, Miretta? Did you go to the office of my aunt's solicitor?"

"Yes, mademoiselle; I went there this morning. I easily found Maitre Bourdinard's office; it is on Rue du Bac. I crossed Pont-Rouge, which, they say, was built not long ago to take the place of the ferry [_bac_]

that used to be established there, opposite that street, which took its name therefrom.--Oh! I am beginning to know Paris very well now!"

"Well, did you find that little clerk who came here the other day, and to whom I owe such--such valuable discoveries?"

"Monsieur Bahuchet? No, mademoiselle, he was not at the office; but there were several other clerks, who stared at me so insolently that I was very much embarra.s.sed. When I asked for Monsieur Bahuchet, all the scribblers began to laugh; and they made some very coa.r.s.e jests among themselves, which brought the blood to my cheeks.