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I did not wait for a third glance, and, mixing with the crowd, was lost to view. At the gate of the tennis court I met Le Brusquet, and, passing through a wicket, we entered the precincts of the Louvre. Where the eastern wing of the Louvre rose high above the Rue St. Thomas lay the apartments of Le Brusquet, at the end of a labyrinth of passages and galleries.
Pierrebon at this moment returning, I hailed him. He had been unsuccessful in his attempt to obtain horses such as we needed, but hoped to do so the next day; and shortly after Le Brusquet departed, taking Pierrebon with him, and my valise. "Fast bind, safe find," he said as he pointed at Pierrebon; and then, calling to his ape, went off.
With a rush they bore back both Le Brusquet and De Lorgnac, but keeping themselves between me and the foremost of those who followed us, with alternate threats and appeals, my brave friends enabled me to make headway. Down we went, along a narrow passage, at one end of which was a door. "There!" gasped De Mouchy. "Quick!"
I will arrange that either Le Brusquet or De Lorgnac will meet you here and take you to the gate behind the riding-school. I shall be in waiting there with horses, and we will be free of the gates before even they know we are gone. We have more than four hours yet before it grows dark. Think of it! Four hours to prepare! We will beat them."
Something soft and furry sprang into my lap. It was Pompon, Le Brusquet's ape, and he looked into my face with soft, melancholy eyes. "Poor little beast!" and I stroked him. "You at least build no pyramids of cards." "Tudieu!" said a voice, "that is true, but for pulling them down he has no equal." And Le Brusquet appeared at the window, which opened out upon the balcony. I rose and came in.
That night it was my duty to take the guard outside the Queen's apartments. Circumstances had made it impossible for me to have speech with De Lorgnac, and Le Brusquet was nowhere to be seen, so that I was unable to inform them of what I knew.
Twice I put my shoulder to it, but in vain; and De Mouchy shrieked with terror, for the mob was scarce ten feet from us, filling the passage. But still De Lorgnac and Le Brusquet held them back at the sword's point, and the way was so narrow that not more than three could stand abreast therein. "Stand back!" I heard Le Brusquet cry; "we are freeing a prisoner!"
The harlot of France is by his side " And he stopped, almost breaking down. "Lorgnac, I am going there." "It is useless. Le Brusquet is there. Come with me!" But I turned on him fiercely. "I am going," I repeated, and, perhaps, he read what was in my heart, for he put his arm through mine. "Come, then. I will come with you."
As for yourself, you have had yours." What answer he would have made I know not, but at this moment a sharp voice cut in upon us. "Eh bien, Monsieur de Ganache! but it seems to me that Madame de Valentinois signals to you from the window yonder." There was a little rustling in the bushes, and Le Brusquet stepped out, his ape perched upon his shoulder.
I made no answer, said nothing, until we reached the gates, where an excited crowd had collected, and then I asked: "Which way?" "Do you not hear them shouting?" And Le Brusquet pointed to a crowd running up the Rue de la Harpe. "Come!" And side by side we ran on. Panting as he ran by me, Le Brusquet gasped out: "Mademoiselle is confined in De Mouchy's house.
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