The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (good romance books to read .txt) 📕

“That is their lookout,” retorted Rouget with a harsh laugh. “If they give up Lenègre of their own free will the law will deal leniently with them, and even perhaps with him. But if we have to search the house for him, then it means the guillotine for the lot of them.”

He had spoken these callous words without even looking on the two unfortunate women; nor did he ask them any further questions just then, but continued speaking to the sergeant:

“And what about the Englishman? The sectional Committee sent down some spies this morning to be on the lookout for him on or about this house. Have you got him?”

“Not yet, citizen. But⁠—”

“Ah ça, citizen sergeant,” broke in the other brusquely, “meseems that your zeal has been even more at fault than I had supposed. Have you done anything at all, then, in the matter of Lenègre or the Englishman?”

“I have told you, citizen,” retorted the sergeant sullenly, “that I believe Lenègre to be still in this house. At any rate, he had not gone out of it an hour ago⁠—that’s all I know. And I wanted to search the whole of this house, as I am sure we should have found him in one of the other apartments. These people are all friends together, and will always help each other to evade justice. But the Englishman was no concern of mine. The spies of the Committee were ordered to watch for him, and when they reported to me I was to proceed with the arrest. I was not set to do any of the spying work. I am a soldier, and obey my orders when I get them.”

“Very well, then, you’d better obey them now, citizen sergeant,” was Rouget’s dry comment on the other man’s surly explanation, “for you seem to have properly blundered from first to last, and will be hard put to it to redeem your character. The Republic, remember, has no use for fools.”

The sergeant, after this covert threat, thought it best, apparently, to keep his tongue, whilst Rouget continued, in the same aggressive, peremptory tone:

“Get on with your domiciliary visits at once. Take your own men with you, and leave me the others. Begin on this floor, and leave your sentry at the front door outside. Now let me see your zeal atoning for your past slackness. Right turn! Quick march!”

Then it was that petite maman spoke out. She had thought and thought, and now she knew what she ought to do; she knew that that cruel, inhuman wretch would presently begin his tramp up and down corridors and stairs, demanding admittance at every door, entering every apartment. She knew that the man who had saved her Pierre’s life was in hiding somewhere in the house⁠—that he would be found and dragged to the guillotine, for she knew that the whole governing body of this abominable Revolution was determined not to allow that hated Englishman to escape again.

She was old and feeble, small and thin⁠—that’s why everyone called her petite maman⁠—but once she knew what she ought to do, then her spirit overpowered the weakness of her wizened body.

Now she knew, and even while that arrogant member of an execrated murdering Committee was giving final instructions to the sergeant, petite maman said, in a calm, piping voice:

“No need, citizen sergeant, to go and disturb all my friends and neighbours. I’ll tell you where my husband is.”

In a moment Rouget had swung round on his heel, a hideous gleam of satisfaction spread over his grimy face, and he said, with an ugly sneer:

“So! you have thought better of it, have you? Well, out with it! You’d better be quick about it if you want to do yourselves any good.”

“I have my daughter to think of,” said petite maman in a feeble, querulous way, “and I won’t have all my neighbours in this house made unhappy because of me. They have all been kind neighbours. Will you promise not to molest them and to clear the house of soldiers if I tell you where Lenègre is?”

“The Republic makes no promises,” replied Rouget gruffly. “Her citizens must do their duty without hope of a reward. If they fail in it, they are punished. But privately I will tell you, woman, that if you save us the troublesome and probably unprofitable task of searching this rabbit-warren through and through, it shall go very leniently with you and with your daughter, and perhaps⁠—I won’t promise, remember⁠—perhaps with your husband also.”

“Very good, citizen,” said petite maman calmly. “I am ready.”

“Ready for what?” he demanded.

“To take you to where my husband is in hiding.”

“Oho! He is not in the house, then?”

“No.”

“Where is he, then?”

“In the Rue Ste. Anne. I will take you there.”

Rouget cast a quick, suspicious glance on the old woman, and exchanged one of understanding with the sergeant.

“Very well,” he said after a slight pause. “But your daughter must come along too. Sergeant,” he added, “I’ll take three of your men with me; I have half a dozen, but it’s better to be on the safe side. Post your fellows round the outer door, and on my way to the Rue Ste. Anne I will leave word at the gendarmerie that a small reinforcement be sent on to you at once. These can be here in five minutes; until then you are quite safe.”

Then he added under his breath, so that the women should not hear: “The Englishman may still be in the house. In which case, hearing us depart, he may think us all gone and try to give us the slip. You’ll know what to do?” he queried significantly.

“Of course, citizen,” replied the sergeant.

“Now, then, citizeness⁠—hurry up.”

Once more there was tramping of heavy feet on stone stairs and corridors. A squad of soldiers of the Republican Guard, with two women in their midst, and followed by a member of the Committee of