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But at that moment the chamber door was opened, and the old Abbe Quillet appeared. "My children! my dear children!" exclaimed the old man, weeping bitterly. "Alas! why was I only permitted to enter to-day? Dear Henri, your mother, your brother, your sister, are concealed here." "Be quiet, Monsieur l'Abbe!" said Grandchamp; "do come to the terrace, Monseigneur."
"What, then, would he have done?" "He would very quietly have let this cure be burned by the other cures, and would have said to me, 'Grandchamp, see that my horses have oats, and let no one steal them'; or, 'Grandchamp, take care that the rain does not rust my sword or wet the priming of my pistols'; for Monsieur le Marechal thought of everything, and never interfered in what did not concern him.
"Two hours!" cried Henri, terrified. "Ah, miserable old man that I am!" said Grandchamp; "I have slept while my master was in danger. It is the first time." "You were not with us, then, in the confessional?" continued Cinq-Mars, anxiously, while Marie tremblingly pressed against his arm. "What!" said the Abbe, "did you not see the rascal to whom they gave my key?" "No! whom?" cried all at once.
"Give him two hours' rest, a double feed of oats, and make him do thirty." "On those conditions he can do them." "Start in two hours. Be at Grandchamp by daybreak. Give the order in my name to evacuate the village. I'll take care of General Hatry and his column. Is that all you have to say?" "No, I heard other news." "What is it?" "That Vannes has a new bishop."
"I thought I saw brown robes turning in the air," said Grandchamp; "they are the Cardinal's friends." A horrible cry was heard from the tower, accompanied by an impious oath. The heavy trap groaned for the fourth time.
Jean! hasten and close the great gate after Monsieur's domestics, and recommend them not to make too much noise, although for that matter we have no habitation near us." Grandchamp obeyed the intrepid little Abbe, who then embraced Cinq-Mars four consecutive times, raising himself on the points of his boots, so as to attain the middle of his pupil's breast.
No, Monsieur, I am too deeply impressed with the respect I owe to Madame la Marquise, to give her an opportunity of saying to me: 'Grandchamp, my son has been killed with a shot or with a sword; why were you not before him? Or, 'He has received a stab from the stiletto of an Italian, because he went at night beneath the window of a great princess; why did you not seize the assassin? This would be very disagreeable to me, Monsieur, for I never have been reproached with anything of the kind.
"Ah, the duchy of Mantua! would I were back there again, Grandchamp!" "Pshaw! don't speak so loud," said the old domestic, abruptly. "The walls of Paris have Cardinalist ears, and more especially the walls of the churches. Has your mistress entered? My master awaits her at the door." "Yes, yes; she has gone in." "Be silent," said Grandchamp. "The sound of the clock is cracked. That's a bad sign."
But the old priest still detained and embraced his pupil. "We hope," said he; "we hope for mercy." "I shall refuse it," said Cinq-Mars. "We hope for nothing but the mercy of God," added De Thou. "Silence!" said Grandchamp, "the judges are returning." And the door opened again to admit the dismal procession, from which Joseph and Laubardemont were missing.
But no one answered. "Do not call out, in the name of Heaven!" said Marie, "or I am lost; he has doubtless heard some one in the church." But D'Effiat, agitated, and without answering her, rushed forth, and sought his late tutor through the church, but in vain. Drawing his sword, he proceeded to the entrance which Grandchamp had to guard; he called him and listened.
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