better; they have never considered the thickness of my walls, the vigilance of my officers, the number of rounds we go. But, indeed, what can you expect, monseigneur? It is their business to write and torment me when I am at rest, and to trouble me when I am happy,” added Baisemeaux, bowing to Aramis. “Then let them do their business.”
“And do you do yours,” added the bishop, smiling.
Francois re-entered; Baisemeaux took from his hands the minister’s order. He slowly undid it, and as slowly read it. Aramis pretended to be drinking, so as to be able to watch his host through the glass. Then, Baisemeaux, having read it: “What was I just saying?” he exclaimed.
“What is it?” asked the bishop.
“An order of release! There, now; excellent news indeed to disturb us!”
“Excellent news for him whom it concerns, you will at least agree, my dear governor!”
“And at eight o’clock in the evening!”
“It is charitable!”
“Oh! charity is all very well, but it is for that fellow who says he is so weary and tired, but not for me who am amusing myself,” said Baisemeaux, exasperated.
“Will you lose by him, then? And is the prisoner who is to be set at liberty a good payer?”
“Oh, yes, indeed! a miserable, five-franc rat!”
“Let me see it,” asked M. d’Herblay. “It is no indiscretion?”
“By no means; read it.”
“There is ‘Urgent,’ on the paper; you have seen that, I suppose?”
“Oh, admirable! ‘Urgent!’ – a man who has been there ten years! It is urgent to set him free to-day, this very evening, at eight o’clock! —urgent!” And Baisemeaux, shrugging his shoulders with an air of supreme disdain, flung the order on the table and began eating again.
“They are fond of these tricks!” he said, with his mouth full; “they seize a man, some fine day, keep him under lock and key for ten years, and write to you, ‘Watch this fellow well,’ or ‘Keep him very strictly.’ And then, as soon as you are accustomed to look upon the prisoner as a dangerous man, all of a sudden, without rhyme or reason they write – ‘Set him at liberty,’ and actually add to their missive – ‘urgent.’ You will own, my lord, ‘tis enough to make a man at dinner shrug his shoulders!”
“What do you expect? It is for them to write,” said Aramis, “for you to execute the order.”
“Good! good! execute it! Oh, patience! You must not imagine that I am a slave.”
“Gracious Heaven! my very good M. Baisemeaux, who ever said so? Your independence is well known.”
“Thank Heaven!”
“But your goodness of heart is also known.”
“Ah! don’t speak of it!”
“And your obedience to your superiors. Once a soldier, you see, Baisemeaux, always a soldier.”
“And I shall directly obey; and to-morrow morning, at daybreak, the prisoner referred to shall be set free.”
“To-morrow?”
“At dawn.”
“Why not this evening, seeing that the lettre de cachet bears, both on the direction and inside, ‘urgent’?”
“Because this evening we are at supper, and our affairs are urgent, too!”
“Dear Baisemeaux, booted though I be, I feel myself a priest, and charity has higher claims upon me than hunger and thirst. This unfortunate man has suffered long enough, since you have just told me that he has been your prisoner these ten years. Abridge his suffering. His good time has come; give him the benefit quickly. God will repay you in Paradise with years of felicity.”
“You wish it?”
“I entreat you.”
“What! in the very middle of our repast?”
“I implore you; such an action is worth ten Benedicites.”
“It shall be as you desire, only our supper will get cold.”
“Oh! never heed that.”
Baisemeaux leaned back to ring for Francois, and by a very natural motion turned round towards the door. The order had remained on the table; Aramis seized the opportunity when Baisemeaux was not looking to change the paper for another, folded in the same manner, which he drew swiftly from his pocket. “Francois,” said the governor, “let the major come up here with the turnkeys of the Bertaudiere.” Francois bowed and quitted the room, leaving the two companions alone.
Chapter VIII. The General of the Order
There was now a brief silence, during which Aramis never removed his eyes from Baisemeaux for a moment. The latter seemed only half decided to disturb himself thus in the middle of supper, and it was clear he was trying to invent some pretext, whether good or bad, for delay, at any rate till after dessert. And it appeared also that he had hit upon an excuse at last.
“Eh! but it is impossible!” he cried.
“How impossible?” said Aramis. “Give me a glimpse of this impossibility.”
“‘Tis impossible to set a prisoner at liberty at such an hour. Where can he go to, a man so unacquainted with Paris?”
“He will find a place wherever he can.”
“You see, now, one might as well set a blind man free!”
“I have a carriage, and will take him wherever he wishes.”
“You have an answer for everything. Francois, tell monsieur le major to go and open the cell of M. Seldon, No. 3, Bertaudiere.”
“Seldon!” exclaimed Aramis, very naturally. “You said Seldon, I think?”
“I said Seldon, of course. ‘Tis the name of the man they set free.”
“Oh! you mean to say Marchiali?” said Aramis.
“Marchiali? oh! yes, indeed. No, no, Seldon.”
“I think you are making a mistake, Monsieur Baisemeaux.”
“I have read the order.”
“And I also.”
“And I saw ‘Seldon’ in letters as large as that,” and Baisemeaux held up his finger.
“And I read ‘Marchiali’ in characters as large as this,” said Aramis, also holding up two fingers.
“To the proof; let us throw a light on the matter,” said Baisemeaux, confident he was right. “There is the paper, you have only to read it.”
“I read ‘Marchiali,’” returned Aramis, spreading out the paper. “Look.”
