第521章

Then the soldier bolted the door which led to the private staircase, and going to that which communicated with the apartments of the two sisters, he double-locked it.Having done this, he hastened to the alcove in which stood the bed and taking down a pair of loaded pistols, he carefully removed the percussion caps, and, unable to repress a deep sigh, restored the weapons to the place in which he had found them.

Then, as if on second thoughts, he took down an Indian dagger with a very sharp blade, and drawing it from its silver-gilt sheath, proceeded to break the point of this murderous instrument, by twisting it beneath one of the iron castors of the bed.

Dagobert then proceeded to unfasten the two doors, and, returning slowly to the marble chimney-piece, he leaned against it with a gloomy and pensive air.Crouching before the fire, Spoil-sport followed with an attentive eye the least movement of his master.The good dog displayed a rare and intelligent sagacity.The soldier, having drawn out his handkerchief, let fall, without perceiving it, a paper containing a roll of tobacco.Spoil-sport, who had all the qualities of a retriever of the Rutland race, took the paper between his teeth, and, rising upon his hind-legs, presented it respectfully to Dagobert.But the latter received it mechanically, and appeared indifferent to the dexterity of his dog.The grenadier's countenance revealed as much sorrow as anxiety.

After remaining for some minutes near the fire, with fixed and meditative look, he began to walk about the room in great agitation, one of his hands thrust into the bosom of his long blue frock-coat, which was buttoned up to the chin, and the other into one of his hind-pockets.

From time to time he stopped abruptly, and seemed to make reply to his own thoughts, or uttered an exclamation of doubt and uneasiness; then, turning towards the trophy of arms, he shook his head mournfully, and murmured, "No matter--this fear may be idle; but he has acted so extraordinarily these two days, that it is at all events more prudent--"

He continued his walk, and said, after a new and prolonged silence: "Yes he must tell me.It makes me too uneasy.And then the poor children--it is enough to break one's heart."

And Dagobert hastily drew his moustache between his thumb and forefinger, a nervous movement, which with him was an evident symptom of extreme agitation.Some minutes after, the soldier resumed, still answering his inward thoughts: "What can it be? It is hardly possible to be the letters, they are too infamous; he despises them.And yet But no, no--

he is above that!"

And Dagobert again began to walk with hasty steps.Suddenly, Spoil-sport pricked up his ears, turned his head in the direction of the staircase door, and growled hoarsely.A few seconds after, some one knocked at the door.

"Who is there?" said Dagobert.There was no answer, but the person knocked again.Losing patience, the soldier went hastily to open it, and saw the servant's stupid face.

"Why don't you answer, when I ask who knocks!" said the soldier, angrily.

"M.Dagobert, you sent me away just now, and I was afraid of making you cross, if I said I had come again."

"What do you want? Speak then--come in, stupid!" cried the exasperated.

Dagobert, as he pulled him into the room.

"M.Dagobert, don't be angry--I'll tell you all about it--it is a young man."

"Well?"

"He wants to speak to you directly, Mr.Dagobert."

"His name?"

"His name, M.Dagobert?" replied Loony, rolling about and laughing with an idiotic air.

"Yes, his name.Speak, idiot!"

"Oh, M.Dagobert! it's all in joke that you ask me his name!"

"You are determined, fool that you are, to drive me out of my senses!"

cried the soldier, seizing Loony by the collar."The name of this young man!"

"Don't be angry, M.Dagobert.I didn't tell you the name because you know it."

"Beast!" said Dagobert, shaking his fist at him.

"Yes, you do know it, M.Dagobert, for the young man is your own son.He is downstairs, and wants to speak to you directly--yes, directly."

The stupidity was so well assumed, that Dagobert was the dupe of it.

Moved to compassion rather than anger by such imbecility, he looked fixedly at the servant, shrugged his shoulders, and said, as he advanced towards the staircase, "Follow me!"

Loony obeyed; but, before closing the door, he drew a letter secretly from his pocket, and dropped it behind him without turning his head, saying all the while to Dagobert, for the purpose of occupying his attention: "Your son is in the court, M.Dagobert.He would not come up --that's why he is still downstairs!"

Thus talking, he closed the door, believing he had left the letter on the floor of Marshal Simon's room.But he had reckoned without Spoil-sport.

Whether he thought it more prudent to bring up the rear, or, from respectful deference for a biped, the worthy dog had been the last to leave the room, and, being a famous carrier, as soon as he saw the letter dropped by Loony, he took it delicately between his teeth, and followed close on the heels of the servant, without the latter perceiving this new proof of the intelligence and sagacity of Spoil-sport.