The Mystery of the Lost Dauphin Part 11

Rene, motioning his visitor to a seat, replied with reserve:

"A thousand thanks. I am almost entirely restored. Monsieur, permit me to observe that your t.i.tle is unknown to me."

"Not all of us may proudly trace descent from Crusader knights, like the Marquis de Breze. My father's brother, a resident of Munich, received his t.i.tle from the King of Bavaria, to whom he rendered a service,"

obsequiously replied the Count de Keller.

"What is this fool trying to say?" Rene asked himself, mentally, while the other continued:

"What detestable lodgings have fallen to your lot, Marquis." And his keen eyes swept the chamber. "Why, they have given you no desk! not even a bureau or closet; only that miserable bed and this sofa--Confound their impertinence! Were you not ill--though you do not appear so--was it an attack, Marquis?"

"I scarcely know," replied Rene indifferently. "Some rogues sought to relieve me of my pocket-book and I played the fool in attempting to resist them. One of them scratched my shoulder; the police interfered and prevented further injury."

"London is a dangerous place, indeed!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Count. "One is at the mercy of pickpockets. I have been here before and should have known better than to be ensnared into putting up at the Hotel Douglas. But I rejoice that my presence here has enabled me to pay my compliments to your lords.h.i.+p. Do you contemplate changing your lodgings? If so, permit me to recommend The Crown, to which I am about to remove. That hotel is patronized by the aristocracy and we shall there be in our element."

"I have no plans," replied Rene indifferently. "I am here in the interest of my mother, the d.u.c.h.ess de Rousillon. It is possible I shall soon return to France. I thank you for the information. I crave your pardon for my seeming lack of courtesy in failing to return your visit, but I am pressed for time." And he bowed his visitor out of the door and again threw himself upon his couch.

Volpetti--for it was he--returned to Brosseur whom he found inspecting the fireplace, in which a bright c.o.ke fire was burning. The valet drew a paper from his pocket on which was a diagram in pencil, saying:

"This is the plan of the house. Here is No. 23, which is our bird's cage. Your apartments are 13 and 15, so that four rooms intervene between yours and his. I have engaged 21 for myself. I had hard work getting it, for these people have a mighty reverence for the aristocracy and were loathe to place me so near the Marquis. I therefore protested that my master the Count would be furious at my being placed at a great distance from him."

"Has your chamber a fireplace?' asked Volpetti.

"Do you think I should otherwise have taken it?" demanded Brosseur.

"Well, I am just from the Marquis's chamber and there is no object there beneath which he could conceal even a key. The box must be in either his traveling bags or underneath his mattress. If once you enter the room, 'twill be a moment's work to find it. If the bags are unlocked, take out the box; if locked, carry them off. And beware of blundering. I don't want the English police to mix up into what is none of their business.

You must play the role of an ordinary thief who has stolen from even his master. If you are caught, I will rescue you, but beware how you implicate me. And now I leave under pretence of going to the Hotel Crown, while you remain behind apparently to arrange the baggage, but in reality to get the box. Use prudence and cunning. You will then come to me. We have already arranged our place of meeting."

Volpetti threw on an elegant grey traveling cloak which reached almost to his feet, drew on gloves and carefully placed a hat upon his handsome head. Rene, meanwhile, relieved of his unwelcome visitor, continued reading the ma.n.u.script, as reproduced in the following chapter.

Chapter VI

TORTURE

Marie's death brought me such sorrow that another great misfortune was necessary to rouse me from my apathy and desolation. During Napoleon's invasion of Italy our villa was sacked and fired. Montmorin and I managed to escape, carrying with us a small quant.i.ty of money and certain doc.u.ments which we deposited in a place of security. We reached Rome and pa.s.sed on to Civita Vecchia, from which we embarked on a merchant brig for England. We boarded the vessel during threatening weather. Hardly had we put to sea when the waves and wind rose high, sweeping the deck and breaking one of the masts. Then we were driven pitilessly toward the French coast and seemed about to break upon the reefs. Montmorin and I were dismayed at the prospect of landing in France. The captain perceived our terror and observed that we must have an ugly secret. We disembarked at Dieppe and were examined by the Marine and Quarantine Commissions, to which the captain communicated his suspicions regarding us. We were, nevertheless, dismissed, and hastened to conceal ourselves in an obscure inn, with the intention of seizing the first opportunity of leaving for Spain or England. But the police followed us. I was alone when the officers entered. I hastily pressed some money into a servant-maid's hand, bidding her stand at the street corner and warn Montmorin of the danger on his return. I was conducted to what was known as the Delegation and subjected to a series of questions. Being inexperienced, I compromised myself. I was placed, during the night, on a coasting barge. We landed at a little port whose name I never learned, and entered a carriage there in waiting. We started on a journey which lasted four days, at the end of which I was placed in a Paris prison, where I remained six days. On the seventh a young man of affable manners, whom I later learned went by the name of Volpetti, entered my cell. He spoke German. I was almost too weak to reply.

"Friend," he said, "I know your history. You are playing a role which providence has not a.s.signed you. Your friends have inoculated you with the virus of royal ambition. I come to offer you salvation from this induced mania. Swear to me by the memory of your mother that you will not seek to escape from the monastery to which I shall conduct you. In return, you will be promised that not a hand shall be raised against you. Buried beneath a religious name in Belgium or Italy, your life will pa.s.s serenely."

Therese, the blood that courses through your body and mine, the blood of the Hapsburgs and Bourbons, rose imperious against the indignity of the proposition.

"I fling your offer in your teeth, Monsieur!" I cried.

Volpetti looked disappointed. He disliked violent measures. In choicest German and softest voice he sought to persuade me. My head turned to the wall, I made no further answer. Then, slowly approaching the door, he gave an order, whereupon two muscular brutes entered. Supposing they were my murderers, I delivered my soul to G.o.d and spoke three names--my mother's, Marie's and--O Therese, yours!

The ruffians dragged me from my wretched bed, bound me with cords which cut into my flesh and tied me in a rough chair. I thought they were preparing to torture me and in terror I shrieked:

"Unbind me! I consent."

Volpetti approached, saying:

"Do you wish to be released?"

My pride flared up and I disdained to answer.

Then they gagged me and pa.s.sed over my face an instrument which seemed to riddle the flesh with sharp needles. I tried to cry out and break the cords, whereupon one of the fellows thrust his iron fingers, like pincers, into my side. The violent pressure caused a swoon. When I recovered consciousness, a great heat overpowered me, for my torturers were moistening my face with a liquid which stung fiercely. I swooned again from the intense pain.

On awakening, I carried my hand to my eyes but failed to find them. I touched, instead, two lumps of swollen, throbbing flesh. I lay on a filthy bed, freed from the cords. Some one gave me a plate of broth which I managed to swallow. I asked my jailor if it was dawn.

"The noon sun s.h.i.+nes brightly," he answered.

"I am blind!" I wailed. At that moment the concept of Expiation broke upon my mind,--the heinous sins which my suffering was effacing.

"Bring me some warm water," I entreated. The man brought it and, after applying it to my face, I fell asleep.

Chapter VII

THE BLACK HOLE

I lived in darkness for two weeks. Then the inflammation began to subside and a ray of light penetrated my eyes and heart and I wept in grat.i.tude for the joy of looking upon the filthy walls of my dungeon. I started in horror upon beholding in one of the window panes the image of my distorted and swollen face. I realized that an attempt had been made to efface all vestige of lineage from my countenance. But with the pa.s.sing of time much of the disfigurement disappeared.

One morning soldiers entered my cell and carried me into a close carriage, which, after several hours of travel, stopped before that grim fortress whose very name freezes the blood,--Vincennes.

It had been decreed by my captors that I should here end my days. But what of the creole, my protectress? She was living her days of brilliancy. The Empire--such an Empire!--was being hatched amid the folds of the Consulate. The creole was absorbed by one great fear,--the fear of failing to furnish an heir to that adumbrating Empire. Therese, let us smile together at the endurance of thrones. Why, a crown scarcely seems worth the commission of a crime. It cannot even bring sleep to eyes that stare widely during whole nights.

Europe resounded with the blare of trumpets and clarions, the reverberations of cannon and the clas.h.i.+ng of swords, while skilful needle-women embroidered a purple mantle for the creole's graceful shoulders.

On descending the carriage opposite the embattled tower, I was conducted beneath an armored postern, through three gates, along a circuitous route which lay between damp gray walls, down two stairways, reaching at length an iron door through which I was pushed into a windowless dungeon, known as The Black Hole and destined as a vestibule to my grave.

I dared not move, fearing to fall into a pit. The only sound I heard was the loud beating of my heart. At last my jailer,--a man having but one eye,--entered the cell. A lantern hung about his neck beneath a sullen countenance. With his rough hand he thrust at me a plate of repulsive food. The light of his lantern illumined the floor. Speedily glancing around, I ascertained that it was free of pitfalls. My enclosure was a damp, moldy, black tomb. In one corner was some straw and a tattered blanket; in another a bench and jug.

The next day my keeper brought me a loaf of hard bread and a jug of water. I ate part of the bread and went to sleep. On awaking, I failed to find the remainder. I shuddered. Who was with me? Who had stolen my bread? I was wrought up to a state of frenzy which the entrance of my jailer subdued. I asked him who had taken my bread. He did not answer.

Leaving more bread and water, he departed. I ate half my bread and went to sleep. I awoke hungry and sought the remainder. It was gone. The next day I put some bread underneath the straw and lay upon it pretending sleep. A light pattering of feet and shrill attenuated noises seemed to indicate a troop of tiny creatures in the darkness. A hairy coat swept my cheek and O the sickening horror of it!--the sharp teeth of a rat pierced my fingers. With staring sightless eyes, I understood. Rats raced over my body pushed beneath me in search for food, swept their cold tails over my sore face and grunted contentedly while eating the crumbs. I was often roused from the sleep of exhaustion by their shrill disputes or their nibbling my ears and fingers.

Chapter VIII

THE EXECUTION

It has been said that our family were the martyrs of the Revolution. Our parents suffered but they had previously known happiness. But I? What earthly fruit of good had pa.s.sed my lips? What wrong had I, an innocent boy, committed? As I daily sat in darkness awaiting my bread and water, what a world was revealed to me, Therese! Retributive justice demanding an eye for an eye stood in my dungeon. I was called upon to balance the accounts of my delinquent ancestry.