Mademoiselle de
Verneuil sprang into the kitchen, ran to d'Orgemont, and pulled him so
violently from the crane that the thong broke. Then with the blade of
her dagger she cut the cords which bound him. When the miser was free
and on his feet, the first expression of his face was a painful but
sardonic grin.
"Apple-tree! yes, go to the apple-tree, you brigands," he said. "Ho,
ho! this is the second time I've fooled them. They won't get a third
chance at me."
So saying, he caught Mademoiselle de Verneuil's hand, drew her under
the mantel-shelf to the back of the hearth in a way to avoid
disturbing the fire, which covered only a small part of it; then he
touched a spring; the iron back was lifted, and when their enemies
returned to the kitchen the heavy door of the hiding-place had already
fallen noiselessly. Mademoiselle de Verneuil then understood the
carp-like movements she had seen the miser making.
"The ghost has taken the Blue with him," cried the voice of
Marche-a-Terre.
The fright of the Chouans must have been great, for the words were
followed by a stillness so profound that d'Orgemont and his companion
could hear them muttering to themselves: "Ave, sancta Anna Auriaca
gratia plena, Dominus tecum," etc.
"They are praying, the fools!" cried d'Orgemont.
"Hush! are you not afraid they will discover us?" said Mademoiselle de
Verneuil, checking her companion.
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