Orphans of the Storm, Page 3

  Louise was thrust into the dungeon and the trap closed. Black breadand a cup of water was to be her prison fare. Still moaning"Henriette! Henriette!" she groped along the slimy walls and tried thefooting of the mingled mud and straw.

  Horrors! What were the creeping things she sensed, though sightless?Two raced under her petticoat, one nibbled at her shoe. She jumpedhigh in air and screamed outright.

  Rats! They were upon her again, almost swarming. She fled to a corner,leaped on a pile of rags, literally fought them off with both hands!Her screams echoed through the upper den, to the anguish of Pierre andthe mocking laughter of La Frochard and Jacques....

  Pitiably broken, Louise was pulled out of the vile sink a few hourslater, pledging wildly to obey the least of the hag's commands.

  La Frochard knew that her conquest was complete.

  Henceforth the girl would be but as a clay figure in her hands--adecoy to lure the golden charity of the rich and sympathetic.

  As for Jacques, that ruffian was now eyeing the blind lass closely,and muttering:

  "Not bad-looking--I'll see to it no other man gets her!"

  He slapped his knife villainously.

  CHAPTER VII

  TANGLED SKEINS

  Henriette Girard had not only been saved from dishonor by Chevalier deVaudrey, but she had won a devoted friend. Through his connections,the Chevalier knew much that was passing in the half-world. Themystery of the happenings at the coach house was cleared by him.

  "Your cousin M. Martin," he said, "was found drugged in a wineshop towhich presumably the man La Fleur had enticed him. It was easy thenfor La Fleur to pose as Martin and kidnap you.

  "I grieve to say it, abductions of the poor and friendless are commonwith the roues of fashion. Their families are of such influence thatthe police rarely interfere.

  "But there will be an end of this--if I mistake not," said theChevalier, "the people mean to put an end to these seignorial'privileges'!"

  THE MARQUIS DE PRAILLE IS ENRAPTURED BY THE LITTLE VISIONFROM THE STAGE COACH (HENRIETTE PLAYED BY LILLIAN GISH.)]

  It was in one of his frequent talks at the simple lodgings to which hehad conducted her the night of Bel-Air. Swiftly they had retraced thesteps of the stricken Louise even to the pier edge over the darklingSeine. Horrified and trembling, Henriette feared the worst.

  "It is not likely she was drowned," said the Chevalier gravely."Someone must have been about, to save her. Do not be discouraged,Mademoiselle, if our search for Louise takes several days. We arewithout a clew--groping, like her, in the dark. But we shall find her,never fear!"

  The confident words gave tiny comfort to the elder girl as he bade hisadieux in the parlor of the respectable lodging house he had found forher--the same caravansary (had they but known it) that housed the thenobscure Maximilien Robespierre.

  She strove to thank him for his kindness when he interrupted her:"Don't thank _me_, Mademoiselle, I owe _you_ a debt of gratitude, foryou have restored to me ideals sweet as childhood!"

  Unconsciously the young people standing there, drew closer to oneanother until their lips met. Each was almost too astonished forwords. Fine breeding came to de Vaudrey's aid. He apologized--andpromised not to let it happen again!

  Sincerity spoke in the young man's earnest eyes and his respectfulkiss of her small hand at parting.

  Was indeed this youthful cynic transformed by the flower-likeinfluence of the girl?

  He went away all eagerness to pursue the lost sister's quest,promising that no stone--police or other--should be left unturned inthe search.

  * * * * *

  And here--where the orphans' eventful epoch becomes entwined with thelives of the great and with the darkening storm and impending passionof the Revolution--it is well to acquaint our readers further with thede Vaudreys.

  Count de Linieres of Touraine had been married--many years before thedate of this story--to Mlle. de Vaudrey, the heiress of a greatfortune. A skeleton ('twas rumored) rattled in the Vaudrey closet.Certainly there was heritage of hates as well as gold.

  A tenant Jean Setain, who came to the Paris mansion to pay his rent,made a scene. He told of the cruelties long ago inflicted on hisfather by the Countess' father--for some trifling trespass onseigniorage, _boiling lead in the unfortunate's veins_--and the angryCount, after a stern rebuke, had him ejected. Jacques-Forget-Not (suchwas his queer nickname) departed, vowing vengeance.

  Having ample wealth, the Count desired preferment. The post ofMinister of Police was a steppingstone. He accepted it whilst visionsof a grand alliance for his nephew, Chevalier de Vaudrey, pointed todukedom or even princely rank as the family's goal. It thus vexedLinieres exceedingly that the Chevalier should have been mixed up in aduel about an unknown girl. He believed it a clever stroke to hirePicard, the Chevalier's own valet, to spy upon him.

  "How is your master's conduct?" asked the Count.

  "Scandalous, perfectly scandalous!" replied Picard in a tone of deepdejection. "Once indeed he had a few gentleman associates and went togay parties, but now he is quite moral, and just as studious as alawyer's clerk. Really I must leave the Chevalier," continued Picard,"his principles are such as I cannot accept!"

  "Then I will re-engage you--on one condition. That is, that you remaina while with my nephew and tell me everything he does. I have heard,on the contrary, that--"

  Picard almost danced a pas seul. "Oh, that is the way the wind lies!The sly dog!--And I thought of leaving him. She must be a saucy andjaunty little minx, whoever she is! Oh, yes, I will find outeverything that you require."

  With eye to keyhole the valet reporter saw the frequent innocentparleys of Maurice and Henriette, which he construed as an intrigue.He was quite ecstatic with happiness now. The police Prefect, findinghis suspicions privately confirmed, bluntly refused police aid to theChevalier's hunt for Louise. He spoke pointedly and (as he hoped) witheffect:

  "Monsieur, you must give up your association with these common people.I have other plans for you that will shortly mature."

  The angry Count could not be crossed. De Vaudrey's sole hope lay inhis Aunt.

  * * * * *

  Ceaselessly Henriette spent her days in trying to trace Louise. Herquest became the neighborhood gossip. Strangers interested themselvesand offered clues to herself and the Chevalier--clues that provedquite futile.

  To her doorstep a great pock-marked man, bushy-browed and of knob-likevisage, was walking one day with her finicky dandified neighbor M.Robespierre. As he passed, the titan turned and inquired kindly:

  "Are you the little girl who lost her sister?"

  He spoke with a gentle sympathy that touched her and even his cursingreference to the abductions: "Damned aristocrats! The people are goingto stop that sort of thing!" did not phase her, for she looked up intohis face and trustfully replied:

  "You are such a big man I should think you could do almost anything!"

  Robespierre was pawing at the pock-marked one's coat, and finallysucceeded in yanking him around. The broad back of the giant beingturned to her, our little sparrow of a Henriette noiselesslydeparted--to the evident disappointment of the big man who looked yetagain and found her place empty!

  The big man had run across Chevalier de Vaudrey also, and the two hadstruck up a friendship. Moved by the pitiful sight of a starvelingcrowd gazing into a bakery, Maurice had rushed in and bought an armfulof loaves which he distributed, adding gold louis for the wretchedmothers of families. The pock-marked one had been a spectator. Hestopped the Chevalier, shook his hand warmly, and remarked: "If moreof the aristocrats were like _you_, things would be different!"

  * * * * *

  From these scenes of low life, let the reader pass for a few momentsto the Salon de la Paix at Versailles, where King Louis XVI receivedpetitioners.

  We in America who have no awe of royalty perceive that the lucklessKing was simply a
square peg in a round hole. He loved locksmithy,hunting, and home; would have been a successful inventor, pioneer, orbourgeois parent. In the chair of State, on this day of petitions, hishead and hand busied themselves with a wonderful new doorlock he haddevised.

  "Sire," said the suppliant de Linieres, "in the matter of the grandalliance betwixt my nephew Chevalier de Vaudrey and your wardPrincesse de Acquitaine--"

  The monarch nodded absentmindedly.

  "Oh, yes, yes! Of course. As you say--" With a courtly wave of thehand, the monarch indicated the waiting heiress on his right. Shecurtsied low in acceptance of the royal command.

  "Let the young man marry her, and accept a place in my royalentourage--But now that this little matter is settled," continued theKing with a return to his former animation, "I invite you to examinemy latest invention, an unpickable lock, which I have here!"

  The grave comedy of eulogy on the royal locksmithing was played by thedelighted suppliant according to all the rules.

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE HONOR OF THE FAMILY

  Daily the young Chevalier developed a warmer interest in the sweet andpure young girl at the faubourg lodgings. Always his visits brought alittle delicious heart-flutter to Henriette, though not unmixed withmourning o'er lost sister. And as a result of these idyllic meetings,ambitious plans appeared to him abhorrent.

  About this time the Countess de Linieres, calling one day at herhusband's ministerial offices, learned of his purposes.

  "I was about to come to you," said the Count, "but you haveanticipated me. I desire to speak with you on the subject of yournephew, the Chevalier de Vaudrey, and to ask you to prepare him forthe marriage which the King--"

  "Wishes to impose on him," interrupted the Countess bitterly.

  "Impose on him?" repeated de Linieres. "It is a magnificent alliance,which will complete the measure of the distinguished honors with whichHis Majesty deigns to favor us."

  "Have you spoken to the Chevalier yet?"

  "No, but I am expecting him every moment, and I wished to talk withhim in your presence."

  As if this conversation had some influence over him, de Vaudreyentered at this moment.

  "Ah, Chevalier!" exclaimed the Count. "I am glad to see you. TheCountess and myself have an important communication to make to you."

  De Vaudrey looked at his uncle in surprise. The latter was positivelybeaming. Big with the prospective grandeur of his house, he hesitatedmomentarily over the manner of delivering it.

  "My dear Maurice," said the Count finally, "the King did me the honorto receive me yesterday, and he spoke of you."

  "Of me?" asked de Vaudrey in surprise.

  "He takes a great interest in you," continued de Linieres, nowspeaking quickly. "He wishes you to accept a position at court, anddesires at the same time that you should marry."

  "Marry?" asked de Vaudrey, as though he could not believe his unclereally meant what he said.

  The Countess waited as anxiously for de Vaudrey's answer as did herhusband, though for a different reason. She loved the young man beforeher, and his happiness and well-being were very dear to her.

  "My dear nephew," she said kindly, "I see that this news surprisesyou. Yet there is no fear that the King's choice will do violence toyour feelings. The lady whom His Majesty has chosen, has youth, beautyand fortune."

  "In proof of which I have only to tell you that his choice isPrincesse--" the Count attempted to say, but was interrupted by theChevalier.

  "Do not name her," he said excitedly.

  "Why not?" asked his uncle in astonishment.

  "Because I refuse to marry!"

  The effect of these momentous words was quite diverse upon the uncleand the aunt of the young man.

  For the moment the haughty nobleman could not understand why hisnephew-by-marriage should reject the flattering proposal, such an easyand agreeable road to place and fortune. Soon rising anger got thebetter of his surprise, and minding Picard's reports on theChevalier's conduct, his thought was:

  "Ah, that's the secret--he prefers his libertine courses to assuredfortune!"

  But the Aunt, with a woman's ready wit, understood there could be butone reason to such a decided refusal, and knew that he must be alreadyin love.

  Countess de Linieres loved the Chevalier as if he were her own son.Quickly she shot the youth a warning look to prevent if possible averbal passage of arms. But it was already too late.

  "You dare to disobey the King--" thundered Count de Linieres, inrighteous wrath, backed (as the others well knew) by the tripleauthority of household, police and royal cachet.

  "My sword is my King's," flashed the handsome youth resolutely, "butmy will must remain my own!

  "I will go to His Majesty," he continued passionately. "I will thankhim for his goodness, place my services at his disposal. My devotion,my life are his, but my affections are my own, and I wish toremain--free!"

  "Free!" exclaimed the Count scornfully. "Free to lead a life ofdissipation which you may not always be able to hide from the world."

  These words, which implied so much, stung the noble-hearted de Vaudreymore than any words of anger or reproach could have done.

  "There is nothing in my life to hide," he said proudly but impatiently,"nothing for which I have reason to blush."

  "Are you sure of that, Chevalier?" asked the Count, in a tone thatplainly said the speaker knew differently. Conscious of his ownuprightness, this doubt cast upon his word was more than the Chevaliercould bear, and he advanced toward his uncle with a menacing air.

  "Monsieur!" he began, boldly, "I cannot--"

  "Maurice! my husband!" exclaimed the Countess, as she stepped betweenthe two men to prevent those words being spoken which would have ledto an encounter. "Defer the conversation for the present. Permit me tospeak to Maurice."

  "Very well," said de Linieres sternly. Then turning to the Chevalierhe said, in a voice which he had never before used to his nephew: "Wewill return to this another time. You will remember that as head ofthe family its honor is confided to my care, and I will not suffer anyone to sully it with a stain."

  De Vaudrey had nearly lost all control of his temper. In a moment theoutbreak which the Countess was so anxious to avoid would have brokenforth, had not the Count without giving his nephew time to speak saidquickly:

  "I leave you with the Countess. I hope that your respect and affectionfor her will cause you to lend more weight to her counsels than youare disposed to give to mine."

  As if fearing that he might have tried the young man's temper too far,or that he did not wish to prolong a useless scene, the Count left theroom. De Vaudrey was alone with his Aunt.

  The Countess went up to the noble-looking young man, and taking hishand in hers, asked in a sweet, winning voice:

  "Who is this woman you love? What obstacle prevents the avowal of yourpassion? If it is only a matter of fortune, take mine; it is all atyour disposal, and I will give it to you cheerfully."

  "Ah, where shall I find a heart like yours?" exclaimed the Chevalierin a voice trembling with emotion. "You have divined my secret. Iadore a young girl as charming as she is pure. Yet never have I daredto whisper my passion!"

  "Her name--her family?" asked the Countess eagerly.

  "She was born of the people," said de Vaudrey proudly, yet tenderly."She is an orphan and lives by the labor of her hands."

  The Countess, who had never for a moment imagined such an answer toher question, was surprised, and she showed plainly that grief wasmingled with her surprise.

  "And you would make such a woman your wife?" she asked reproachfully.

  "Do not judge her until you have seen her," entreated the Chevalier."Consent to see her, and then advise me."

  The young man took the Countess's hands in his, and looked imploringlyinto her face.

  But his Aunt turned away from him with a gesture of sorrow.

  "In such a marriage," she said sadly, "there can be no happiness foryou, and for her, only misery. Ala
s! I know too well the result ofthose unequal unions. You must renounce her. You owe obedience to yourfamily and your King." She burst into a flood of tears.

  Diffidently the young man sought to comfort the Countess whose emotionseemed to have its spring in some hidden sorrow. He promised at lastfor her sake to consider again the horribly odious proposal of a Statemarriage, and drying her tears as well as he could, went his way, avictim of torn desires and intensest anguish....

  CHAPTER IX

  FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE

  The giant stranger who had talked to Henriette and made friends withde Vaudrey was Jacques Danton. He and his colleague, MaximilienRobespierre, were destined to be the outstanding figures of the FrenchRevolution. It is worth while to stop here for a little and considerthese two men in their historical aspects and for the profoundinfluence which they exerted on the lives of our characters.

  As the storm clouds blacken the sky and the sullen sea (not yet lashedto fury) is ridged in deep, advancing breakers, the mariner's eyediscerns these stormy petrels flying about or momentarily perched onthe masts of the Ship of State.

  Mark them well--Danton and Robespierre: today, merely "esurientadvocates," petty men of law come up from the provinces to win theirfortunes in Paris; tomorrow, leaders of faction; some months or yearslater, the rulers of France!

  PIERRE BECOMES THE DEVOTED WORSHIPPER OF LOUISE WHOM HEHAS SAVED FROM THE RIVER]

  Danton--"the huge, brawny figure, through whose black brows and rudeflattened face there looks a waste energy as of Hercules not yetfuribund."