The Galley Slave's Ring Part 18

Nevertheless, Pradeline, believing herself un.o.bserved, persevered in her efforts to obtain a look at the interior of the place. For some time Gildas watched with increasing curiosity the suspicious manoeuvres of the young girl. Appearances deceived him; he took himself to be the object of Pradeline's obstinate glances. The prudish youngster lowered his eyes and blushed till his ears tingled. His alarmed modesty ordered him to go into the shop in order to prove to the brazen girl how little he cared for her blandishments. Nevertheless certain promptings of self-esteem held him nailed to the threshold, and more than ever he muttered to himself:

"A puzzling town this is, where, not far from the artillery where fuses are held lighted, young girls come to devour shop-boys with their eyes!"

He noticed that Pradeline crossed the street once more and stepped into a neighboring cafe.

"The unfortunate girl! She surely means to drown her disappointment in several gla.s.ses of wine. If she does she will be capable of coming out again and pursuing me straight into the shop. Good G.o.d! What would Madam Lebrenn and mademoiselle think of that!"

A new incident cut short, for a while, the chaste apprehensions of Gildas. A four-wheeled truck, drawn by a strong horse, and containing three large, flat chests about two meters high and inscribed _Gla.s.s_, drew up before the shop. The vehicle was in charge of two men in blouses. One of these, named Dupont, was the same who had been to the shop early that morning in order to recommend to Monsieur Lebrenn not to inspect his supply of grain. The other wore a thick grey beard. They alighted from their seat, and Dupont, the driver, stepping into the shop, greeted Madam Lebrenn and said:

"Has Monsieur Lebrenn not yet returned, madam?"

"No, monsieur."

"We have brought him three cases of looking gla.s.ses."

"Very well, monsieur," answered Madam Lebrenn. And calling Gildas, she added:

"Help these gentlemen to bring in the looking gla.s.ses."

The shop-a.s.sistant obeyed, saying to himself:

"A puzzling house! Three chests with looking gla.s.ses--and so heavy!

Master, his wife and daughter must be very fond of looking at themselves!"

Dupont and his grey-bearded companion had helped Gildas to place the chests in the room behind the shop, as directed by Madam Lebrenn, when she said to them:

"What is the news, messieurs? Is the agitation in Paris subsiding?"

"On the contrary, madam, 'tis getting hotter--and still hotter,"

answered Dupont with barely concealed satisfaction. "They have commenced to throw up barricades in the St. Antoine quarter. To-night the preparations--to-morrow, battle."

Hardly had Dupont uttered these words, when a formidable clamor was heard from the distance, the words "_Long live the Reform!_" being distinctly audible.

Gildas ran to the door.

"Let's hurry," said Dupont to his companion. "Our truck may be taken for the center of a barricade; it would be premature--we have still several errands to attend to;" and bowing to Madam Lebrenn, he added, "Our regards to your husband, madam."

The two men leaped upon the seat of their truck, gave their horse the whip, and drove away in the direction opposite to that whence the clamor proceeded.

Gildas had closely followed with his eyes and with renewed uneasiness the new concourse of people near the St. Denis Gate. Suddenly he saw Pradeline emerge from the cafe which she had entered a few minutes before, and direct her steps towards the shop, holding a letter in her hand.

"What a persistent minx! She has been writing to me!" thought Gildas.

"The wretched woman is bringing me the letter herself! A declaration! I am going to be disgraced in the eyes of my employers!"

The bewildered Gildas stepped in quickly, closed the door, turned the key, and cuddled up quiet as a mouse close to the desk.

"Well," said Madam Lebrenn, "why do you lock the door, Gildas?"

"Madam, it is more prudent. I saw coming up from down below a band of men--whose frightful faces--"

"Go to, Gildas, you are losing your head! Open the door."

"But madam--"

"Do as I tell you. Listen, there is someone trying to come in. Open the door."

"It is that devil of a girl with her letter," thought Gildas to himself, more dead than alive. "Oh, why did I leave my quiet little village of Auray!"

And he opened the door with his heart thumping against his ribs.

Instead, however, of seeing before him the young girl with her letter, he stood face to face with Monsieur Lebrenn and his son.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON THE EVE OF BATTLE.

Madam Lebrenn was agreeably surprised at seeing her son, whom she did not expect, thinking he was at the College. Velleda tenderly embraced her brother, while the merchant himself pressed the hand of his wife.

The resolute carriage of Sacrovir Lebrenn suggested the thought that he was worthy of bearing the glorious name of the hero of ancient Gaul, one of the greatest patriots of the land recorded in history.

Marik Lebrenn's son was a strapping lad of slightly over nineteen years.

He had an open, kind and bold countenance. A sprouting beard shaded his lip and chin. His full cheeks were rosy, and looked bright with animation. He very much resembled his father.

Madam Lebrenn embraced her son, saying:

"I did not expect the pleasure, son, of seeing you here to-day."

"I went to the College for him," explained the merchant. "You will presently know the reason, my dear Henory."

"Without being exactly uneasy about you," said Madam Lebrenn to her husband, "Velleda and I were beginning to wonder what kept you away so long. It seems that the commotion in Paris is on the increase. Do you know they sounded the call to arms?"

"Oh! Mother," cried Sacrovir with eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm, "Paris has the fever--it follows that all hearts must be beating more strongly. Without knowing one another, people look for and understand at a glance. On all the streets the words you hear are ardent, patriotic appeals to arms. In short, it smells of gunpowder. Oh, mother! mother!"

added the young man with exaltation, "what a beautiful sight is the awakening of a people!"

"Keep cool, enthusiast that you are!" said Madam Lebrenn.

And with her handkerchief she wiped the perspiration that stood in drops on her son's forehead. In the meantime Monsieur Lebrenn embraced his daughter.

"Gildas," the merchant called out to his clerk, "some chests must have been brought in during my absence."

"Yes, monsieur, linen bales and looking gla.s.ses. They have been deposited in the rear room."

"Very well--they can remain there. Be careful no fire comes near the bales."

"They must be inflammable stuff like bolting-cloth, muslin or gauze,"

Gildas thought to himself, "and yet they are heavy as lead--another puzzling thing!"