In a few minutes, Dagobert had cut the sheet into four strips, which he twisted in the fashion of cords, fastening them here and there with bits of tape, so as to preserve the twist, and tying them strongly together, so as to make a rope of about twenty feet long. This, however, did not suffice him, for he said to himself: 'Now I must have a hook.'
Again he looked around him, and Mother Bunch, more and more frightened, for she now no longer doubted Dagobert's designs, said to him timidly: 'M. Dagobert, Agricola has not yet come in. It may be some good news that makes him so late.'
'Yes,' said the soldier, bitterly, as he continued to cast round his eyes in search of something he wanted; 'good news like mine! But I must have a strong iron hook.'
Still looking about, he found one of the coarse, gray sacks, that Frances was accustomed to make. He took it, opened it, and said to the work girl: 'Put me the iron bar and the cord into this bag, my girl. It will be easier to carry.'
'Heavens!' cried she, obeying his directions; 'you will not go without seeing Agricola, M. Dagobert? He may perhaps have some good news to tell you.'
'Be satisfied! I shall wait for my boy. I need not start before ten o'clock—so I have time.'
'Alas, M. Dagobert! have you last all hope?'
'On the contrary. I have good hope—but in myself.'
So saying, Dagobert twisted the upper end of the sack, for the purpose of closing it, and placed it on the drawers, by the side of his pistols.
'At all events, you will wait for Agricola, M. Dagobert?'
'Yes, if he arrives before ten o'clock.'
'Alas; you have then quite made up your mind?'
'Quite. And yet, if I were weak enough to believe in bad omens—'
'Sometimes, M. Dagobert, omens do not deceive one,' said the girl, hoping to induce the soldier to abandon his dangerous resolution.
'Yes,' resumed Dagobert; 'old women say so—and, although I am not an old woman, what I saw just now weighed heavily on my heart. After all, I may have taken a feeling of anger for a presentiment.'
'What have you seen?'
'I will tell it you, my good girl; it may help to pass the time, which appears long enough.' Then, interrupting himself, he exclaimed: 'Was it the half hour that just struck?'
'Yes, M. Dagobert; it is half-past eight.'
'Still an hour and a half,' said Dagobert, in a hollow voice. 'This,' he added, 'is what I saw. As I came along the street, my notice was attracted by a large red placard, at the head of which was a black panther devouring a white horse. That sight gave me a turn, for you must know, my good girl, that a black panther destroyed a poor old white horse that I had, Spoil-sport's companion, whose name was Jovial.'
At the sound of this name, once so familiar, Spoil-sport, who was crouching at the workwoman's feet, raised his head hastily, and looked at Dagobert.
'You see that beasts have memory—he recollects,' said the soldier, sighing himself at the remembrance. Then, addressing his dog he added: 'Dost remember Jovial?'
On hearing this name a second time pronounced by his master, in a voice of emotion, Spoil-sport gave a low whine, as if to indicate that he had not forgotten his old travelling companion.
'It was, indeed, a melancholy incident, M. Dagobert,' said Mother Bunch, 'to find upon this placard a panther devouring a horse.'
'That is nothing to what's to come; you shall hear the rest. I drew near the bill, and read in it, that one Morok, just arrived from Germany, is about to exhibit in a theatre different wild beasts that he tamed, among others a splendid lion, a tiger, and a black Java panther named Death.'
'What an awful name!' said the hearer.
'You will think it more awful, my child, when I tell you, that this is the very panther which strangled my horse at Leipsic, four months ago.'
'Good Heaven! you are right, M. Dagobert,' said the girl, 'it is awful.'
'Wait a little,' said Dagobert, whose countenance was growing more and more gloomy, 'that is not all. It was by means of this very Morok, the owner of the panther, that I and my poor children were imprisoned in Leipsic.'
'And this wicked man is in Paris, and wishes you evil?' said Mother Bunch. 'Oh! you are right, M. Dagobert; you must take care of yourself; it is a bad omen.'
'For him, if I catch him,' said Dagobert, in a hollow tone. 'We have old accounts to settle.'
'M. Dagobert,' cried Mother Bunch, listening; 'some one is running up the stairs. It is Agricola's footsteps. I am sure he has good news.'
'That will just do,' said the soldier, hastily, without answering. 'Agricola is a smith. He will be able to find me the iron hook.'
A few moments after, Agricola entered the room; but, alas! the sempstress perceived at the first glance, in the dejected countenance of the workman, the ruin of her cherished hopes.
'Well!' said Dagobert to his son, in a tone which clearly announced the little faith he attached to the steps taken by Agricola; 'well, what news?'
'Father, it is enough to drive one mad—to make one dash one's brains out against the wall!' cried the smith in a rage.
Dagobert turned towards Mother Bunch, and said: 'You see, my poor child—I was sure of it.'
'Well, father,' cried Agricola; 'have you seen the Court de Montbron?'
'The Count de Montbron set out for Lorraine three days ago. That is my good news,' continued the soldier, with bitter irony; 'let us have yours—I long to know all. I need to know, if, on appealing to the laws, which, as you told me, protect and defend honest people, it ever happens that the rogues get the best of it. I want to know this, and then I want an iron hook—so I count upon you for both.'
'What do you mean, father?'
'First, tell me what you have done. We have time. It is not much more than half-past eight. On leaving me, where did you go first?'
'To the commissary, who had already received your depositions.'
'What did he say to you?'
'After having very kindly listened to all I had to state, he answered, that these young girls were placed in a respectable house, a convent—so that there did not appear any urgent necessity for their immediate removal—and besides, he could not take upon himself to violate the sanctity of a religious dwelling upon your simple testimony; to-morrow, he will make his report to the proper authorities, and steps will be taken accordingly.'
'Yes, yes—plenty of put offs,' said the soldier.
''But, sir,' answered I to him,' resumed Agricola, ''it is now, this very night, that you ought to act, for if these young girls should not be present to-morrow morning in the Rue Saint Francois, their interests may suffer incalculable damage. 'I am very sorry for it,' replied he, 'but I cannot, upon your simple declaration, or that of your father, who—like yourself—is no relation or connection of these young persons, act in direct opposition to forms, which could not be set aside, even on the demand of a family. The law has its delays and its formalities, to which we are obliged to submit.''
'Certainly!' said Dagobert. 'We must submit to them, at the risk of becoming cowardly, ungrateful traitors!'
'Didst speak also of Mdlle. de Cardoville to him?' asked the work-girl.
'Yes—but he: answered me on this subject in much the same manner: 'It was very serious; there was no proof in support of my deposition. A third party had told me that Mdlle. de Cardoville affirms she was not mad; but all mad people pretend to be sane. He could not, therefore, upon my sole testimony, take upon himself to enter the house of a respectable physician. But he would report upon it, and the law would have its course—''
'When I wished to act just now for myself,' said Dagobert, 'did I not forsee all this? And yet I was weak enough to listen to you.'
'But, father, what you wished to attempt was impossible, and you agreed that it would expose you to far too dangerous consequences.'
