The Chevalier De Maison Rouge (36 page)

a paradise on earth, was in reality only a den of sanguinary intrigues ; the kind and flattering receptions bestowed on

his ardent friendship resulted, then, from sheer hypocrisy, the love of Genevieve from fear. The plan of the garden

is well known, our readers having more than once followed

our young folks there. Maurice glided from bush to

bush till ho was shaded from the moon's rays by the little

outhouse where he had been imprisoned previous to his

first introduction to the house. This outhouse was op.

posite the pavilion inhabited by Genevieve. But this

evening, instead of a stationary light gleaming from her

chamber, it moved frequently from one window to another.

Maurice saw Genevieve through the curtain, evidently

raised by accident, hastily packing some things in a port-

manteau, and with astonishment beheld some weapons in

h.er hands. He raised himself upon a post to enable him

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 239

to penetrate further into the room. A large fire was

blazing on the hearth, where Genevieve was destroying

papers. In a moment the door opened, and a young man

entered the room. At first Maurice imagined this man

was Dixmer. The young woman ran toward him, seized

his hands, and held them for an instant, while they stood

facing each other, evidently the subjects of some deep

emotion. What this emotion meant he could not divine,

as their words did not reach his hiding-place. But all at

once Maurice measured his height with his eye.

" This is not Dixmer," murmured he.

Indeed, the man who had entered was small and delicate,

while Dixmer was tall and masculine. Jealousy is an ac-

tive stimulant, and in a second he had analyzed the height

of this man in contrast to her husband.

"This is not Dixmer !" murmured he, compelled, as it were, to repeat it, to convince himself in reality of the perfidy of Genevieve.

He approached still nearer to the window, but the

nearer he came the less he saw. His brain was on fire.

Xear him stood a ladder ; the window was seven or eight

feet high. lie seized it, and planting it firmly against

the wall, ascended and placed his eye at an aperture in

the curtain.

Genevieve's unknown visitor was a fair young man,

about twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age, with blue

eyes and an elegant demeanor ; he retained both the young

woman's hands within his own, and was speaking sooth-

ingly, endeavoring fruitlessly to assuage the grief of

Genevieve, which was plainly evinced by the tears which

suffused her charming countenance. A slight noise acci-

dentally made by Maurice caused the young man to turn

his face toward the window. Maurice suppressed a cry

of astonishment, he recognized his mysterious deliverer of

the Place du Chdtelet. At this moment Genevieve with-

drew her hands from those of the unknown, and went to-

ward the fireplace to ascertain that the papers were

utterly consumed.

Maurice could no longer command his indignation.

240 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE,

All those fierce passions which torture the heart of man-

love, vengeance, and jealousy lacerated him with their

fangs of fira. He knew his time, pressed with violence

against the badly closed window, and vaulted into the

chamber. At the same moment two pistols were pointed

at his breast.

Geuevieve, who had turned round at the noise, remained

dumb on perceiving Maurice.

" Monsieur," said the young Republican, coldly, to him who, for the second time held his life at his disposal,

"monsieur, you are the Chevalier de Maison Rouge."

" And what if I am ? " replied the chevalier.

" It is this : you are a brave man, and consequently, a cool man ; and I am about to say a few words to you."

" Speak," said the chevalier, without lowering his pistols.

" You can kill me if you choose, but yon cannot do so

before I have uttered a cry, or, rather, I will not die without giving an alarm. Should I do so, the thousand men

who surround this house will have reduced it to ashes ere

the lapse of ton minutes ; so lower your pistols and listen to what I have to say to madame."

"To Genevieve !" said the chevalier.

" To me ! " murmured the young *,voman.

"Yes, to you."

Genevieve, pale as a statue, seized his arm, but lie re-

pulsed her coolly.

"You know what you have affirmed, madame," said

Maurice, with profound contempt. "I now see that you

have told the truth. You, indeed, do not love Monsieur

Moraml."

" Maurice, listen to 7110 !" said Genevieve.

"I have nothing to hear, madame ; you have severed

with a single stroke every cord that united my heart with

your own. You told me you did not love Morand, but

you did not tell me you loved another."

" Monsieur, "said the chevalier, "you spoke of Morand ; of what Morand do you speak ?"

" Of Morand, the chemist."

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 241

" Morand, the chemist, stands before you. Morand,

the chemist, is the Chevalier de Maison Rouge."

And extending his hand toward the table, he in an

instant replaced his black wig, which for so long a period

had concealed him from the young Republican.

"Ah, yes," said he, with redoubled disdain ; "yes, I understand it is not Morand that you love, since Morand

does not exist, but his subterfuge ; but, to speak more

plainly, this is not the less contemptible."

The chevalier made a threatening movement.

" Monsieur," said Maurice, ' ' will you permit me to speak for a moment to madame ? Join in the conversation, if you like ; she will not be long, and then I will

answer you."

Gene vie ve made a sign to Maison Rouge to entreat his

patience.

"Thus, Genevieve, thus," continued Maurice, "you have made me a laughing-stock for my friends and a curse

to myself. You have rendered me, blind fool that I was,

an instrument in all your plots, and an easy tool in your

hands. Listen to me. It was an infamous deed, but you

will be punished, madame, and monsieur, who was going

to kill me before your eyes. Before five minutes have

elapsed he will be there, tying at your feet ; and if bis

life be spared, it will only be to lose his head upon the

scaffold."

" He die !" cried Genevieve, "he lose his head upon the scaffold ! But you do not know, then, Maurice, that

he is my protector, and that of my family ; that I will

give my life for his, that if he dies I will die, and that if you arc my love he is my religion."

" Ah ! " said Maurice, " perhaps you still mean to pretend that you love me. Really, women are sadly weak

and contemptible." Then turning to the young Royalist,

"Now, monsieur," said lie, "you must either kill me or die yourself."

""Why so ?"

" Because, if you do not kill me, I shall arrest you."

Maurice extended his hand to seize him by the collar.

K I.K-MAS VOL. XI

242 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" I shall not dispute my life with you," said the Chevalier de Maison Rouge. And he flung his pistols on a chair.

"And why do you not dispute your life ?"

" Because my life is not equivalent in value to the remorse I should experience in feeling that I had killed a

brave man, and more than all since Genevieve loves

you."

" Ah ! " cried the young woman, clasping her hands,

"you are always kind, brave, loyal, and generous, Ar-

mand."

Maurice regarded them both, almost stupefied with

astonishment.

" Allow me," said the chevalier, " to return to my chamber. I give you my word of honor it is not to escape ; I

wish to conceal a portrait."

Maurice turned his eyes quickly toward that of Gene-

vieve ; it hung as usual in its place. Perhaps the cheva-

lier divined Maurice's thoughts ; perhaps he wished to try

his generosity to the utmost.

" I know," said he, "you are a Republican, but I know also that you possess a pure and loyal heart. I will trust

you to the end."

And lie drew a miniature from his breast, and displayed

it to Maurice. He beheld before him the portrait of the

queen. Maurice bowed his head, and rested his forehead

on his hand.

" I await your orders, monsieur," said Maison Rouge ;

"if you still desire my arrest, will you knock at this door when it is time to give myself up to you ? I value my

life only while it is sustained by the hope of serving the

queen."

The chevalier quitted the room without a gesture from

Maurice offering to detain him.

As lie loft the chamber, Genevieve cast herself at the

young man's feet.

" Pardon, Maurice," sobbed she, "pardon for all the evil I have done ; forgive my deception, forgive me, if only

on account of my tears and suffering, for believe me, I have wept much and suffered much. My husband left me this

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 243

morning ; I do not know where he is gone, and perhaps

I may see him no more. And now I have only one friend

left, a more than friend, a brother, and you will destroy

him. Pardon, Maurice, pardon ! "

Maurice raised the young woman.

" What do you wish ? " said he. " There is fatality in all this. Every one stakes his life in these days ; the

Chevalier de Maison Eouge has played like all the rest,

but lie has lost the game, and he must, therefore, pay."

i( That means that he must die, if I understand yon

rightly?"

"Yes."

" He must die, and it is you who tell me this ? "

"It is not I, Genevieve, it is fatality."

" Fatality has not uttered the last word, since you can gave him."

" At the expense of my word, and, consequently, of my

honor. I comprehend, Genevieve."

" Shut your eyes, Maurice ; it is all that I ask ; and as far as a woman may evince her gratitude, I will promise

you mine."

"I should close my eyes to little purpose, madame, I

assure you ; there is a password given, and without this

password no one could go out. Besides, the house, as I

have told you, is already surrounded."

" And you know it ?"

" Doubtless, I know it."

" Maurice ! "

" Well ? "

" Moti ami, my dear Maurice, tell me this password ; I must know it."

"Genevieve," cried Maurice, "do you mean to say to me, ' Maurice, for the love I bear you, sacrifice your word and your honor, betray your cause, abjure your opinions ?

What do you offer, Geuevieve, in exchange for all this,

you, who tempt me thus ?"

"Oh, Maurice, save him, save him first, and then ask

of me my life."

" Genevieve," replied Maurice, in a desponding tone, 244 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.

" listen to me. I have one foot on the road to infamy ; before I make a final descent, I wish, at least, to find a

sufficient cause for so doing. Gene vie 1 ve, swear to me you do not love the Chevalier de Maison Kouge."

" I love him as a sister and a friend, not otherwise, I swear."

" Genevieve, do you love me ?"

" If I do what you ask me, will you henceforth abandon relatives, friends, country, and fly with the traitor ? "

" Maurice ! Maurice ! "

" She hesitates ! she hesitates ! " And he turned from her with all the violence of disdain. Genevieve, who

was leaning upon him, feeling suddenly her support give

way, fell upon her knees.

"Maurice," said she, rising and wringing her hands, "I will swear to do all that you require of me. Order, and

I will obey."

" You will be mine, Genevieve ?"

"I will."

"Swear it, by Christ !"

Genevieve extended her arms.

" Mon Dieu I " cried she, " Thou didst pardon one poor sinful creature ; I trust in Thy mercy Thou wilt also

pardon me."

And the large tears rained down her cheeks, falling upon

her long curls banging disheveled on her bosom.

"Not thus !" said Maurice; "swear not thus, or I cannot accept that oath."

" Mon Dieu ! " replied she, " I swear to devote my life to Maurice, to die with him, and, if requisite, for him, if

he will save my friend, my brother, my protector, the

Chevalier de Maison Rouge."

" He shall be saved," said Maurice.

And he went toward his chamber.

"Monsieur," said he, "resume your costume, of the tanner Morand ; I return your purole ; you are free. And

you, madame," said he, turning to Genevieve these are

THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 245

the two passwords ' Carnation and Vault.' " And as if he entertained a horror of visiting the chamber where he had

just pronounced the words which constituted him a

traitor, he opened the window, and sprang from the

room into the garden below.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE SEARCH.

MAUKICE had returned to his post in the garden,

opposite the window of Genevieve, only it was now quite

dark, she having left her apartment to enter that of the

chevalier.

It was time Maurice returned, for scarcely had he

reached the angle of the outhouse when the garden door

opened, and the man in gray appeared, followed by Louis

and five or six grenadiers.

" Well ? " asked Louis.