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Frojac had started for the stables, but at my answer to Blaise he stopped and looked at me in astonishment. It was thus with me: Mademoiselle had gone. The presence that had made Maury a paradise to me was no longer there. The place was now intolerable. I could not exist away from mademoiselle. Where she was not, life to me was torture.
"But my old comrade is no fool," went on Frojac. "I pretended to laugh at him for thinking that any one could find out the burrow of La Tournoire, and as we were drinking he got angry and swore that he spoke truly. He said that the governor had got word of your hiding-place from a boy. If you knew my comrade, monsieur, you would know that what he says is to be heeded.
Looking back, I saw the lighted window of the governor's chamber, that window whence I had looked out at Frojac and whence La Chatre had mistakenly taken my men for his own. Doubtless he still sat in his chamber, dazed and incapable of action, for after leaving him alone there I neither saw nor heard him. Nor did we see any more troops or any servants about the chateau.
Had she fled in order to avoid the shame or the danger of being present at my capture? These and many other questions rushed through my mind. "What shall we do?" asked Frojac, after a time. "Go on," said I. "But if we meet them, and they are La Chatre's men, I fear that our chances of catching up with the lady will be small." "But, after all, we do not know who they are.
Close behind me came Frojac. I heard the footfalls and the breathing of his horse. Would we come up to her before she reached Clochonne? This depended on the length of start she had.
I looked around. The courtyard was empty. Were these four, then, the only soldiers that had been left to guard the chateau? No, for these four had been surprised to find the gate open. Some one else must have opened the gate for mademoiselle. Moreover, the swordsman had spoken of a Lavigue. "Take the arquebus and the match, Frojac," said I, "and come. There is nothing to be done here at present."
We had spoken in careful tones, La Chatre not daring to raise his voice. Thus the closing of the door, intended by the governor to make Montignac safer from a sudden rush on my part, now served my own purpose. It is true that, since Frojac had appeared, and the governor could not make his signal, I might have summoned Montignac by a single stroke, and despatched him in the doorway.
There is a place where this road passes near the verge of a precipice, which, like that at Maury, falls sheer to the road along the River Creuse from Clochonne to Narjec. But, unlike that at Maury, this declivity is bare of trees. We were galloping steadily on and were approaching this place in the road. Frojac was now riding at my side, as there was room for two horsemen to go abreast.
I thus turned my back towards La Chatre. Frojac saw me and waved in response, as he dashed down the moonlit way towards the road to Fleurier. I heard a stealthy noise behind me, and, turning, saw what made me fiercely repent my momentary forgetfulness and my reliance on the governor's lameness.
I then threw the bowl into the bed, taking careful aim so that it might make no sound. At that moment I saw La Chatre look towards the chamber in which were Montignac and mademoiselle, and there came on his face the sign of a half-formed project. "See also, Frojac," said I, "that he does not open his mouth to shout." "He shall be as silent as if born dumb, monsieur."
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