The Duke's Motto: A Melodrama Read online

  XX

  A CONFIDENTIAL AGENT

  Gonzague was left alone, indeed, only in a sense, for on a sudden thegreat hall with its famous pictures had become the theatre of fierceemotions and menacing presences. Just at the moment when Gonzaguebelieved his schemes to be at their best and his fortunes to be nearingtheir top, he was suddenly threatened with the renewal of the old terrorthat had been kept at bay through all the years that had passed since thenight of Caylus. Through all these years Lagardere had been kept fromParis, at the cost, indeed, as he believed, of many lives, but that was aprice Louis de Gonzague was always prepared to pay when the protection ofhis own life was in question. Now it would seem as if Lagardere hadbroken his exile, had forced his way through the thicket of swords, andwas again in Paris. Nor was this the worst. Just when Gonzague, after allhis failures to trace the missing child of his victim, just when he hadso ingeniously found a substitute for that missing child, it would reallyseem as if the child herself, now a woman, had come to Paris to defy himand to destroy his plans. He sat huddled with black thoughts for a timewhich seemed to him an age, but was in reality not more than a fewmoments; then, extending his hand, he struck a bell and a servantentered.

  "Tell Peyrolles I want him," the prince commanded, and was again alonewith his dreads and his dangers until Peyrolles appeared. Gonzague turnedto his factotum. "I have reason to suspect that Lagardere is in Paris. Ifit be true, he will come too late. The princess will have accepted thegypsy as her child, the mother's voice will have spoken. If Lagardere isin Paris, he and the girl must be found, and once found--"

  The ivory-like face of Peyrolles was quickened with a cunning look. "Ihave a man who will find him if any one can."

  Gonzague turned upon him sharply. "Who is it?"

  "Monseigneur," said Peyrolles, "I have at my disposal, and at thedisposal of your highness, a very remarkable man, the hunchback AEsop. Hewas in the moat of Caylus that night. He, with those two you sawyesterday, are the only ones left, except--"

  Peyrolles paused for a moment, and his pale face worked uncomfortably.Gonzague interpreted his thought. "Except you and me, you were going tosay."

  Peyrolles nodded gloomily. "As AEsop," he said, "has been in Spain allthese years hunting Lagardere--"

  "Yes," Gonzague interrupted, "and never finding him."

  Peyrolles bowed. "True, your highness, but at least up to now he has keptLagardere on the Spanish side of the frontier, kept Lagardere in peril ofhis life. AEsop hates Lagardere, always has hated him. When the last ofour men met with"--he paused for a moment as if to find a fitting phrase,and then continued--"the usual misfortune, I thought it useless to leaveAEsop in Spain, and sent for him. He came to me to-day. May I present himto your highness?"

  Gonzague nodded thoughtfully. Any ally was welcome in such a crisis."Yes," he said.

  Peyrolles went to the door that communicated with the prince's privateapartments, and, opening it, beckoned into the corridor. Then he drewback into the room, and a moment later was followed by a hunchbacked manin black, who wore a large sword. The man bowed profoundly to the Princede Gonzague.

  Peyrolles introduced him. "This is the man, monseigneur."

  Gonzague looked fixedly at the man. He could see little of his face, forthe head was thrust forward from the stooping, misshapen shoulders, andhis long, dark hair hung about his cheeks and shaded his countenance. Theface seemed pale and intelligent. It was naturally quite unfamiliar toGonzague, who knew nothing of AEsop except as one of the men who hadplayed a sinister part in the murder at Caylus.

  Gonzague addressed him. "You know much, they tell me?"

  The man bowed again, and spoke, slowly: "I know that Lagardere is inParis, and with the child of Nevers."

  "Do you know where he is?" Gonzague questioned.

  The man answered, with laconic confidence: "I will find out."

  "How?" asked Gonzague.

  The hunchback laughed dryly. "That is my secret. Paris cannot hold anymystery from me."

  Gonzague questioned again: "Is it to your interest that Lagardere shoulddie?"

  "Indeed, yes," the hunchback answered. "Has he not sworn to kill everyman who attacked Nevers that night? Has he not kept his word well? I amthe last that is left--I and Monsieur Peyrolles, for, of course, I exceptyour Excellence. I promise you I will find him, but I shall need help."

  "Help?" Gonzague echoed.

  The hunchback nodded. "He is a dangerous fellow, this Lagardere, as sixof us have found to our cost. Are there not two of our number newly inyour highness's service?"

  "Cocardasse and Passepoil," Peyrolles explained.

  The hunchback rubbed his hands. "The very men. Will your highness placethem under my orders?"

  "By all means," Gonzague answered, and, turning to Peyrolles, he said:"They are in the antechamber; bring them in."

  Peyrolles turned to obey, when the hunchback delayed him with a gesture."Your pardon, highness," he said; "but I think there is another service Ican render you to-day."

  "Another service?" Gonzague repeated, looking at the hunchback with somesurprise.

  The hunchback explained: "Your highness, as I understand, has summonedfor this afternoon a small family council, ostensibly for the purpose ofconsidering the position of affairs between madame the princess andyourself."

  The hunchback paused. Gonzague nodded, but said nothing, and thehunchback resumed: "Your real purpose, however, as I understand, is topresent to that council the young lady, the daughter of Nevers, whom Ihave been fortunate enough to discover in Spain. You wish this discoveryto come as a surprise to madame the princess."

  Still Gonzague nodded, still Gonzague kept silence.

  "I believe that you have requested madame the princess to attend thisfamily council, and that up to the present you have not succeeded inobtaining her assent."

  "That is so," said Gonzague.

  "I was about to suggest," the hunchback went on, "if your highness willpermit me, that you should employ me as your ambassador to madame theprincess. I believe I could persuade her to be present at the familygathering."

  Gonzague looked at the man in astonishment. "What persuasions could youemploy," he asked, "which would be likely to succeed where mine havefailed?"

  Again AEsop made an apologetic gesture as he pleaded his former excuse."That is my secret," he repeated; "but, prince, if you employ me you mustlet me attain my ends by my own means, so long as you find that thoseends give you satisfaction and are of service to your purposes. Though Iam by no means"--here he laughed a little, bitter laugh--"an attractiveperson, I believe I have a keen wit, and I think I have a clever tongue,thanks to which I have often succeeded in difficult enterprises whereothers have failed ignominiously--at least, it will be no harm to try."

  "Certainly," Gonzague agreed, "it will be no harm to try. If the princesspersists, I could, of course, in the end compel her by a direct orderfrom the king himself, who is good enough to honor us with his presenceto-day."

  "But," the hunchback interrupted, "it would be far more agreeable to youif the princess could be induced to come of her own accord?"

  "Certainly," Gonzague agreed.

  "Then," said the hunchback, "have I permission to approach madame theprincess and endeavor to persuade her to act in conformity to yourwishes?"

  "You have," said Gonzague, decisively. Something in the hunchback'smanner attracted him. The suggestion of mysterious influences appealed tohis Italian spirit, and the confidence of the hunchback inspired himwith confidence. He pointed to the curtained alcove.

  "Madame the princess," he said, gravely, "comes every day at this hour tospend some moments in contemplation and in prayer beside the picture ofher former husband. That alcove shrines his sword. By virtue of a mutualunderstanding, this room is always left empty daily at this same time,that madame the princess may fulfil her pious duty untroubled by thesight of any who might be displeasing to her."

  Here Gonzague sighed profoundly and summoned to his face the exp
ressionof a much-wronged, grievously misappreciated man. After an interval,which the hunchback silently respected, Gonzague resumed:

  "If she were to find you here the princess might be, would be, pained;but if, indeed, you think you have any arguments that would serve toinfluence her mind, you could explain your presence as owing to ignorancedue to the newness of your service here."

  AEsop nodded sagaciously. "I understand," he said. "Leave it to me. Andnow if your highness will place those two fellows at my disposal, I willgive them their instructions."

  The prince rose and turned to Peyrolles. "Send the men to Master AEsop,"he commanded.

  Peyrolles went to the door of the antechamber, and returned in an instantwith Cocardasse and Passepoil, now both gorgeously dressed in anextravagantly modish manner, which became them, if possible, less thantheir previous rags and tatters. Both men saluted Gonzague profoundly,and both started at seeing the hunchback standing apart from them withaverted face.

  Gonzague pointed to the hunchback. "Obey Master AEsop, gentlemen, as youwould obey me." The two bravos bowed respectfully. Gonzague turned to thehunchback and spoke in a lower tone: "Find this Lagardere for me, and wewill soon break his invincible sword."

  "How?" the hunchback questioned, with a faint note of irony in hisvoice.

  Gonzague continued: "By the hands of the hang-man, Master AEsop. Do yourbest. Those who serve me well serve themselves."

  The hunchback answered, slowly: "Whenever you want me, I am here."

  Gonzague, in spite of himself, started at the hunchback's last words, butthe demeanor of AEsop was so simple and his bearing so respectful thatGonzague was convinced that their use was purely accident. He looked athis watch. "I must prepare for the ceremony," he said. "Come with me,Peyrolles," and the prince and his henchman quitted the apartment.

  The hunchback muttered to himself: "The sword of Lagardere has yet a dutyto perform before it be broken." Then he turned to Cocardasse andPassepoil where they stood apart: "Well, friends, do you remember me?"

  Cocardasse answered him, thoughtfully: "'Tis a long time since we met,AEsop."

  Passepoil, as usual, commented on his comrade's remark: "It might havebeen longer with advantage."

  Indifferent to the bravos' obvious distaste for his society, thehunchback continued: "I have news for you. Lagardere and I metyesterday."

  Cocardasse whistled. "The devil you did!"

  The hunchback coolly continued: "We fought, and I killed him."

  Cocardasse's air of distaste was suddenly transmuted into a raging,blazing air of hatred. He swore a great oath and sprang forward. "Then,by the powers, I will kill you!"

  "So will I!" cried Passepoil, no less furious than his friend, andadvanced with him. But when the pair were close upon the hunchback hesuddenly drew himself up, flung back the hair from his face, and facedthem, crying, "I am here!"

  Cocardasse and Passepoil paused, gasping. Both had one name on theirlips, and the name was the name of Lagardere. In another moment Lagarderewas stooping again, the long hair was falling about his face, and the twomen could scarcely believe that AEsop was not standing before them. "Hush!To you both, as to all the world, I am AEsop, Gonzague's attendant devil.Now I have work for you. Go to-night at eleven to No. 7, Rue de Chantre."As he spoke he drew a letter from his coat and gave it to Cocardasse."Give this letter to the young lady who lives there. I have warned her ofyour coming. I have told her what she is to do. She will accompany youunquestioningly. I have to trust to you in this, friends, for I have myown part to play, and, by my faith, it is the hardest part I have everplayed in my life." He laughed as he spoke; then he drew from his breastanother packet and handed it to Passepoil. "Here," he said, "are threeinvitations for the king's ball to-night--one for the girl you willescort, one for each of you. When you go to the house you will wait tillthe girl is ready, and then you will escort her to the king's ball in thePalais Royal at midnight, and bring her into the presence of the king bythe royal tent near the round pond of Diana."

  "I will do that same," said Cocardasse, cheerfully.

  "Never let her out of your sight at the ball," Lagardere insisted.

  "Devil a minute," Passepoil affirmed.

  "Let no one speak to her," Lagardere continued.

  "Devil a word," said Cocardasse.

  As the hunchback seemed to have no further instructions for them, thepair made to depart, but Lagardere restrained them, saying: "Ah, wait amoment. We are all the toys of fate. If any unlucky chance should arise,come to me in the presence of the king and fling down your glove."

  "I understand," said Cocardasse.

  Lagardere dismissed them. "Then, farewell, old friends, till to-night."