In exitu Israel : $b an historical novel, volume 2 (of 2)Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
In exitu Israel : $b an historical novel, volume 2 (of 2)
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Fiction
'See, my good mistress,' replied the man, drawing her into his lodge,
and leading her to the window; 'will you do me the favour of looking
out, and turning your head a little to the left?'
'Well,' answered she, when she had complied with his request; 'I see
nothing remarkable.'
'No, madame; but you see a plaster-cast dealer at the corner?'
'Yes, I do; but what of that?'
'In half an hour his place will be taken by a seller of quack
medicines, and that man will remain there till dusk. As soon as the
bell goes at six, a man in a white blouse with his hands in his pockets
will take the doctor's place, and will pace up and down till midnight,
when he will disappear, and another man will occupy the same post. At
day-break there will be a colporteur selling pamphlets.'
'And what does that mean?'
'It means, madame, that a strict watch is kept upon the house; and
that, if monsieur were to return, it would be reported all over
the town. I think I know the faces of some of these sentinels. The
plaster-cast dealer lost his betrothed some few years ago. I need not
tell you, madame, what had become of her, and the man found out and
vowed vengeance on the Intendant, for which threat he was imprisoned.
The quack doctor's little daughter was supposed by many to have been
decoyed into this house. Anyhow she disappeared, and the father came
here to make inquiries. I had orders to turn the dogs loose upon him.
I do not know the other men. The colporteur's face I think I have seen
at Bernay, but I cannot be sure.'
Madame Berthier laughed and danced round the yard.
'This is charming!' she cried; 'others are after the Beast. We will
hunt him down, shall we not, Pigeon, dearest; shall we not, my treasure
of a Poulet?' Then whirling up to Gabrielle, she caught her in her arms
and said, 'Yes, stay here now with me; he dare not come to the house,
or, if he does, I will deliver him over to the dogs and the men, and
they will tear him in pieces.'
'Will you allow me, dear mistress, to run home to Madame Deschwanden's,
and bring a few of my things?'
'Certainly,' answered the crazy lady; 'but be quick, for I have many
things to show you and my seraph Gabriel. And I will keep his curiosity
on the stretch till you return.'
Events of importance had followed the capture of the Bastille. The
National Assembly sent a deputation, consisting of Bailly, Lafayette,
the Archbishop of Paris, and the stout half-Irish Lally-Tolendal,
to the Hôtel de Ville to announce the reconciliation effected with
the king. Their presence caused the liveliest joy; and the electors
proceeded to confer on Lafayette the command of the national guard, as
they now called the newly-organized militia, and to choose Bailly to be
Mayor of Paris in the place of the unfortunate Flesselles.
Whereupon a Te Deum was voted; and the multitude of French guards,
soldiers of the line, and militia, together with a crowd of citizens,
marched to Notre-Dame, where the ceremony was performed with due
splendour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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