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Charleroi； and to go round by Liege。 Thus only can she hope to
escape Tardivet's men that are patrolling the road from France。
As for you； Suzanne； you had best go North as far as Oudenarde； so
as to circumvent the Captain's brigands on that side。 Then make
straight for Roubaix； and await me at the 'Hotel des Cloches。' 〃
〃But； Monsieur； I shudder at the very thought of re…entering France。〃
〃As Mademoiselle de Bellecour； a proscribed aristocrat； that is
every reason for your fears。 But I have given。 the matter thought
and I can promise you that as the Citoyenne La Boulaye； wife of the
Citizen…deputy Caron La Boulaye； you will be as safe as I should be
myself； if you are questioned； and； in response； you will find
nothing but eagerness to serve you on every hand。〃
She spoke now of the difficulties her mother would make； but he
dismissed the matter by reminding her that her mother could not
detain her by force。 Again she alluded to her dowry； but that also
he dismissed； bidding her leave it behind。 Her family would need
the money； to be realised by the jewels。 As for herself； he assured
her that as his wife she would not want； and showed her how idle
was her dread of living in France。
〃And now； Mademoiselle；〃 he said； more briskly； 〃let us see to this
ostler。〃
He opened the door of the outhouse； and uncovering his lantern he
raised it above his head。 Its yellow light revealed to them a
sleeper on the straw in a corner。 La Boulaye entered and stirred
the man with his foot。
The fellow sat up blinking stupidly and dragging odd wisps of straw
from his grey hair。
〃What's amiss？〃he grunted。
As briefly as might be La Boulaye informed him that he was to receive
a matter of five hundred francs if he would journey into Prussia with
the ci…devant Marquise de Bellecour。
Five hundred francs？ It was a vast sum； the tenth of which had never
been his at any one time of his wretched life。 For five hundred
francs he would have journeyed into Hades； and La Boulaye found him
willing enough to go to Prussia； and had no need to resort to the
more forcible measures he had come prepared to employ。
Accompanied by the ostler； they now passed to the stables； and when
La Boulaye had unlocked the door and cut the bonds that pinioned
the Marquis's coachman； they got the horses； and together they
harnessed them as quietly as might be。
Then working with infinite precaution； and as little sound as
possible； they brought them out into the yard and set them in the
shafts of the carriage。 The rest was easy work； and a quarter of
an hour later the heavy vehicle rumbled through the porte…cochere
and started on its way to Soignies。
La Boulaye dropped the keys into a bucket and went within。 In the
common…room nothing had changed； and the men lay about precisely
as he had left them。 Reassured； he went above and took a peep at
the Captain； whom he found snoring lustily。
Satisfied that all was well； Caron passed quietly to his own chamber；
and with an elation of soul such as had never been his since boyhood；
he fell asleep amid visions of Suzanne and the new life he was to
enter upon in her sweet company。
CHAPTER XII
THE AWAKENING
La Boulaye awakened betimes next morning。 It may be that the matter
on his mind and the business that was toward aroused him； certainly
it was none of the sounds that are common to an inn at early morn；
for the place was as silent as a tomb。
Some seconds he remained on his back； staring at the whitewashed
ceiling and listening to the patter of the rain against his window。
Then； as his mind gathered up the threads of recollection； he leapt
from his bed and made haste to assume a garment or two。
He stood a moment at his casement； looking out into the empty
courtyard。 From a leaden sky the rain was descending in sheets； and
the gargoyle at the end of the eaves overhead was discharging a
steady column of water into the yard。 Caron shivered with the cold
of that gloomy February morning； and turned away from the window。
A few moments later he was in Tardivet's bedchamber； vigorously
shaking the sleeping Captain。
〃Up； Charlot！ Awake！〃 he roared in the man's ear。
〃What o'clock？〃 he asked with a yawn。 Then a sudden groan escaped
him； and he put his hand to his head。 〃Thousand devils！〃 he swore；
〃what a headache！〃
But La Boulaye was not there on any mission of sympathy； nor did
he waste words in conveying his news。
〃The coach is gone；〃he announced emphatically。
〃Coach？ What coach？〃 asked the Captain； knitting his brows。
〃What coach？〃 echoed La Boulaye testily。 〃How many coaches were
there？ Why； the Bellecour coach； the coach with the treasure。〃
At that Charlot grew very wide…awake。 He forgot his headache and
his interest in the time of day。
〃Gone？〃 he bellowed。 〃How gone？ Pardieu； it is not possible！〃
〃Look for yourself；〃was La Boulaye's answer as he waved his hand in
the direction of the window。 〃I don't know what manner of watch
your men can have kept that such a thing should have come about。
Probably； knowing you ill a…bed； they abused the occasion by getting
drunk； and probably they are still sleeping it off。 The place is
silent enough。〃
But Tardivet scarcely heard him。 From his window he was staring
into the yard below； too thunderstruck by its emptiness to even have
recourse to profanity。 Stable door and porte…cochere alike stood
open。 He turned suddenly and made for his coat。 Seizing it； he
thrust his hand in one pocket after another。 At last：
〃Treachery！〃 he cried； and letting the garment fall to the ground；
he turned upon La Boulaye a face so transfigured by anger that it
looked little like the usually good…humoured countenance of Captain
Tardivet 〃My keys have been stolen。 By St。 Guillotine； I'll have
the thief hanged。〃
〃Did anybody know that the keys were in your pocket？〃 asked the
ingenuous Caron。
〃I told you last night。〃
〃Yes； yes； I remember that。 But did anybody else know？〃
〃The ostler knew。 He saw me lock the doors。〃
〃Why； then； let us find the ostler；〃 urged Caron。 〃Put on some
clothes and we will go below。〃
Mechanically Charlot obeyed him； and as he did so he gave his
feelings vent at last。 From between set teeth came now a flow of
oaths and imprecations as steady as the flow of water from the
gargoyle overhead。
At last they hastened down the stairs together； and in the
common…room they found the sleeping company much as La Boulaye had
left it the night before。 In an access of rage at what he saw；
and at the ample evidences of the debauch that had reduced them to
this condition； Charlot began by kicking the chair from under Mother
Capoulade。 The noise of her fall and the scream with which she
awoke served to arouse one or two others； who lifted their heads
to gaze stupidly about them。
But Charlot was busy stirring the other slumberers。 He had found
a whip； and with this he was now laying vigorously about him。
〃Up； you swine！〃 he blazed at them。 〃Afoot； you drunken scum！〃
His whip cracked； and his imprecations rang high and lurid。 And La
Boulaye assisted him in his labours with kicks and cuffs