Читать книгу Cardillac - Robert Barr - Страница 10
ОглавлениеTHE MOST POTENT DOCUMENT IN FRANCE
"It seems to me," said the duke slowly, when the recital was finished, "that the guard Tresor, doubtless through his own ignorance of the police laws of Paris, and the general laws of France, placed you in great danger, sergeant."
"Danger?" cried the sergeant, valorously. "Why, my lord, I have been accustomed to meet danger all my life. I have been set on in my time by a mob of ruffians carrying bludgeons."
"And I doubt not you acquitted yourself most courageously," interjected the duke, "but this is danger of a more subtle kind. Suppose, for instance, that you had been ignorant of the law, and had insisted on arresting me, you ran the danger of being imprisoned for the rest of your life, or, indeed, you might have been taken out into the prison yard and shot."
"Ah, but I knew better than to molest a man of your lordship's privileges."
"Still, Tresor should have given you a warrant of some kind; something which you could fall back upon if you had made a mistake."
"Oh, he did that, of course."
"But you didn't show it to me, sergeant, when you called out that I was arrested in the King's name."
"No, because I recognised your lordship the moment you turned your face upon me."
"You have only Tresor's word for it, then, that this warrant is sufficient to protect you. Did you read it?"
"I glanced at it, my lord. It seemed to give me a good deal of power."
"Yes, but by whom was it signed? By himself, or by the chief of police?"
"Well, my lord, that I can't tell you. It's signed with a scrawl. I could not make out the man's name."
"Sergeant, you surprise me. Don't you know that the value of any document is concentrated in its signature? Would you regard with equal favour an order for a thousand pistoles signed by me, and a similar order signed by one of your men outside?"
The sergeant laughed boisterously.
"I'm not such a fool as that, your lordship."
"But the documents would be the same, all except the signature?"
"Certainly, your lordship; I see what you mean, and you yourself shall be the judge. It is likely old Tresor has taken me in."
With that he extracted a parchment from his pouch, and passed it over to the duke, who scrutinised it with impassive face, then flung it on the table beside the letter to Luynes.
"My poor fellow, I am sorry for you. The signature, as you say, is quite illegible. It was cruelly improper for Tresor to give you such an instrument as this. No wonder he did not wish you to communicate with the chief of police. Probably Tresor meant no wrong, being, as I have said, ignorant of the law. Still, he should not put an innocent man in jeopardy, as this so-called warrant does. Leave it with me, sergeant, and I will ask Luynes, next time I meet him, whose scrawl this is on the record."
"With all the good will in the world, my lord. As I have arrested nobody, it would, of course, be useless even if signed by the chief of police."
"Quite so. Now, sergeant, we all wish to get to bed. Here is the letter to Luynes. You will give it to him to-morrow between the mid-day meal and the beginning of his afternoon reception. You must insist on seeing Luynes himself, and say to Tresor, if he questions you, that you were commanded to do so. Tell him, if he insists, that the letter is a private one to Luynes from the Duke de Montreuil. Show him my seal and my superscription here under the word 'Private.' Tresor will not dare break the seal, nor can he refuse you admission to Charles d'Albert de Luynes. If questioned about this warrant, say that you have lost it. Stick to that. Do not tell anyone you have given it to me. Do you understand, sergeant?"
"Perfectly, my lord."
The duke yawned again as the sergeant took his departure, pacing up and down the room until his major-domo entered and with a salute announced that the gates were closed.
"Has Pasquel retired for the night?"
"No, my lord."
"Tell him to investigate quietly, and learn whether or not this house is watched. He is to report to me as soon as his investigation is complete."
"Very good, my lord."
"Send Pierre here at once."
"Yes, my lord."
The major-domo departed. The duke opened a drawer, took out a bundle of papers, and selected one, as there entered to him a weather-beaten man of about forty, evidently of the Norman race, as was the duke himself. He was attired in a time-stained riding costume.
"Pierre, see to it that you do not lose this document. On it rests your safety for the next day or two. If you are stopped, I leave it to your own cunning to learn whether those who call 'Halt' are for the Queen Mother or Luynes. You can be stupid enough when you please, so do not answer readily. You are a man in the horse trade, you understand. If those who stop you are for Luynes, you may show them this paper: it will pass you through. If intercepted by the partisans of the Queen Mother, it will be enough if you mention that you ride for me. My steward will give you all the money you need, and don't spare it.
"You ride for Amboise. Your first stop is Rambouillet, which I expect you to reach by daylight. Stop at the Lion d'Or, and arrange for four horses to be in readiness for whoever gives the word 'Tresor.' Then on to Chartres, where you do the same at the Grand Monarque. Then to Châteaudun, to the Hôtel de la Place, then to Vendôme, to the Hôtel Lion d'Or. Lastly to Amboise, and the Hôtel Saint Vincent. Stop at Amboise until I arrive. Do you comprehend?"
"Yes, my lord."
The duke had been writing as he gave his rapid commands.
"Here," he said, "is written the word 'Tresor.' That pass-word is to be used at each hotel, and here is the list of places, and the name of the hotel in each town. Even if this is found on you, and investigation takes place, it will merely corroborate what you have said, that you are a horse-dealer.
"You may tell the proprietor in each case that one of the horses will be bought; all of them if they prove to be good. Now, away with you, and lose not a moment. Send in François. And, by the way, show this second paper at the barriers, and they will allow you to get quit of Paris. Once outside, do not spare horseflesh. Buy all the animals you need, and let nothing delay you."
When François entered, the duke went on as though reciting a lesson he had learnt by heart.
"Is the travelling carriage in readiness?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Take with you our carriage-smith, and have him look over the vehicle with the utmost care. See especially to the wheels and axles. We are undertaking a journey to-night, and you will bring him with you instead of a footman. Tell him to place in the rumble all the tools he may need for any unexpected breakdown on the way. Besides this, he may as well know that I hold him responsible for the condition of the carriage before we begin our travels. See the cook, and lay in provisions for a three days' journey. Have everything ready in the courtyard by two o'clock. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
When the coachman had retired, the duke rose from the table, picking up the document which the sergeant had relinquished.
"Poor devil, poor devil," he murmured, "but one can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."
"To whom do you refer, my lord?" asked Cardillac, who was now the only other person in the room.
"To the sergeant. It shows the peasant origin of Luynes that he should give so potent a commission as this to such a stupid man. Do you recognise that signature?"
Cardillac took the warrant.
"No, my lord," he said.
"That is the sign manual of our new King, Louis XIII."
"Cap de Dieu! And what, then, is the document to which it is attached?"
"A lettre de cachet so formidable that through its aid you might consign to the Bastille the entire peerage of France, if the blank space contained room enough for their names."
Cardillac gave utterance to an exclamation of dismay. The duke continued soberly:
"Think of such a document being placed in the hands of an ignorant sergeant of police! For part of one night this product of the gutter had it in his power to bury alive half a dozen of the greatest nobles in France. Luynes, as I have said, proves that he possesses the mind and soul of a peasant when he places so terrible a weapon in the hands of a raw policeman. Lettres de cachet have never been put to such a use since they were introduced a little more than fifty years ago. That man Luynes is ignorant even of their form. A lettre de cachet is really a lettre closes. It should be closed in such a way that the letter cannot be opened without breaking the seal. Here it is tossed about as if it were of no more importance than the addition of an inn-keeper."
"But when the King learns of this use made of his signature," said Cardillac, "won't he——"
"Oh, the King!" cried Montreuil, with a hopeless shrug of his shoulders. "But come, Monsieur de Cardillac, we have talked enough of this. Are you ready for supper?"
"I confess to an appetite," said the young man indifferently. "It is some hours since I dined."
"I shall be very glad of your company," concluded his lordship, and they mounted the stairs together.
