Francine herself told the astute spy, whose
suspicions she changed into certainty, of her mistress's departure.
Inquiring of the post guard at the Porte Saint-Leonard, he learned
that Mademoiselle de Verneuil had passed that way. Rushing to the
Promenade, he was, unfortunately, in time to see her movements. Though
she was wearing a green dress and hood, to be less easily
distinguished, the rapidity of her almost distracted step enabled him
to follow her with his eye through the leafless hedges, and to guess
the point towards which she was hurrying.
"Ha!" he cried, "you said you were going to Florigny, but you are in
the valley of Gibarry! I am a fool, she has tricked me! No matter, I
can light my lamp by day as well as by night."
Corentin, satisfied that he knew the place of the lovers' rendezvous,
returned in all haste to the little square, which Hulot, resolved not
to wait any longer, was just quitting to rejoin his troops.
"Halt, general!" he cried to the commandant, who turned round.
He then told Hulot the events relating to the marquis and Mademoiselle
de Verneuil, and showed him the scheme of which he held a thread.
Hulot, struck by his perspicacity, seized him by the arm.
"God's thunder! citizen, you are right," he cried. "The brigands are
making a false attack over there to keep the coast clear; but the two
columns I sent to scour the environs between Antrain and Vitre have
not yet returned, so we shall have plenty of reinforcements if we need
them; and I dare say we shall, for the Gars is not such a fool as to
risk his life without a bodyguard of those damned owls.
Pages:
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373