第229章

"The house in which the daughters of Marshal Simon are confined is a convent, M.Dagobert."

"A convent!" cried the soldier: "I might have suspected it." Then he added: "Well, what then? I will fetch them from a convent as soon as from any other place.Once is not always."

"But, M.Dagobert, they are confined against their will and against yours.They will not give them up."

"They will not give them up? Zounds! we will see about that." And he made a step towards the street.

"Father," said Agricola, holding him back, "one moment's patience; let us hear all."

"I will hear nothing.What! the children are there--two steps from me--I know it--and I shall not have them, either by fair means or foul? Oh!

that would indeed be curious.Let me go."

"Listen to me, I beseech you, M.Dagobert," said Mother Bunch, taking his hand: "there is another way to deliver these poor children.And that without violence--for violence, as Mdlle.de Cardoville told me, would ruin all."

"If there is any other way--quick--let me know it!"

"Here is a ring of Mdlle.de Cardoville's."

"And who is this Mdlle.de Cardoville?"

"Father," said Agricola, "it is the generous young lady, who offered to be my bail, and to whom I have very important matters to communicate."

"Good, good," replied Dagobert; "we will talk of that presently.Well, my dear girl--this ring?"

"You must take it directly, M.Dagobert, to the Count de Montbron, No.

7, Place Vendome.He appears to be a person of influence, and is a friend of Mdlle.de Cardoville's.This ring will prove that you come on her behalf, and you will tell him, that she is confined as a lunatic in the asylum next door to this convent, in which the daughters of Marshal Simon are detained against their will."

"Well, well--what next?"

"Then the Count de Montbron will take the proper steps with persons in authority, to restore both Mdlle.de Cardoville and the daughters of Marshal Simon to liberty--and perhaps, to-morrow, or the day after--"

"To-morrow or the day after!" cried Dagobert; "perhaps?--It is to-day, on the instant, that I must have them.The day after to-morrow would be of much use! Thanks, my good girl, but keep your ring: I will manage my own business.Wait for me here, my boy."

"What are you going to do, father?" cried Agricola, still holding back the soldier."It is a convent, remember."

"You are only a raw recruit; I have my theory of convents at my fingers'

end.In Spain, I have put it in practice a hundred times.Here is what will happen.I knock; a portress opens the door to me; she asks me what I want, but I make no answer; she tries to stop me, but I pass on; once in the convent, I walk over it from top to bottom, calling my children with all my might."

"But, M.Dagobert, the nuns?" said Mother Bunch, still trying to detain the soldier.

"The nuns run after me, screaming like so many magpies.I know them.At Seville I fetched out an Andalusian girl, whom they were trying to keep by force.Well, I walk about the convent calling for Rose and Blanche.

They hear me, and answer.If they are shut in, I take the first piece of furniture that comes to hand, and break open the door."

"But, M.Dagobert--the nuns--the nuns?"

"The nuns, with all their squalling, will not prevent my breaking open the door, seizing my children in my arms, and carrying them off.Should the outer door be shut, there will be a second smash--that's all.So,"

added Dagobert, disengaging himself from the grasp, "wait for me here.

In ten minutes I shall be back again.Go and get a hackney-coach ready, my boy."

More calm than Dagobert, and, above all, better informed as to the provisions of the Penal Code, Agricola was alarmed at the consequences that might attend the veteran's strange mode of proceeding.So, throwing himself before him, he exclaimed: "One word more, I entreat you."

"Zounds! make haste!"

"If you attempt to enter the convent by force, you will ruin all."

"How so?"

"First of all, M.Dagobert," said Mother Bunch, "there are men in the convent.As I came out just now, I saw the porter loading his gun, and heard the gardener talking of his sharp scythe, and the rounds he was to make at night."

"Much I care for a porter's gun and a gardener's scythe!"

"Well, father; but listen to me a moment, I conjure you.Suppose you knock, and the door is opened--the porter will ask you what you want.'

"I tell him that I wish to speak to the superior, and so walk into the convent."

"But, M.Dagobert," said Mother Bunch, "when once you have crossed the court-yard, you reach a second door, with a wicket.A nun comes to it, to see who rings, and does not open the door till she knows the object of the visit."

"I will tell her that I wish to see the lady superior."

"Then, father, as you are not known in the convent, they will go and inform the superior."

"Well, what then?"

"She will come down."

"What next?"

"She will ask you what you want, M.Dagobert."

"What I want?--the devil! my children!"

"One minute's patience, father.You cannot doubt, from the precautions they have taken, that they wish to detain these young ladies against their will, and against yours."

"Doubt! I am sure of it.To come to that point, they began by turning the head of my poor wife."

"Then, father, the superior will reply to you that she does not know what you mean, and that the young ladies are not in the convent."

"And I will reply to her, that they are in the convent witness--Mother Bunch and Spoil-sport."

"The superior will answer, that she does not know you; that she has no explanations to give you; and will close the wicket."

"Then I break it open--since one must come to that in the end--so leave me alone, I tell you! 'sblood! leave me alone!"

"And, on this noise and violence, the porter will run and fetch the guard, and they will begin by arresting you."

"And what will become of your poor children, then, M.Dagobert?" said Mother Bunch.