The Nameless Castle | Page 6

restlessly pacing the floor. "I received a letter from my agent
to-day; he writes that monsieur was secretly shot at Dillingen."
[Footnote 1: Count de Provence, afterward Louis XVIII.]
"What! He, too? Then--"
"Hush!" cautiously interposed the elder man. "That child might not be
asleep."
"And if she were awake, what could she understand?"
"True; but we must be cautious." He ceased his restless promenade, and
came close to the young man's side. "Everything is at an end here," he
added in a lower tone. "We must remove our treasure to a more secure
hiding-place--this very night, indeed, if it be possible."

"It is possible," assented his companion. "The plan of flight was
arranged two days ago. The most difficult part was to get away from
this house. It is watched day and night. Chance, however, has come to
our aid."
"I understand," nodded the old gentleman, glancing significantly
toward the bed.
"The most serious question now is, where shall we find a secure
hiding-place? Even England is not safe. The bullets of Dillingen can
reach to that country! Indeed, wherever there are police no secret is
safe."
"I 'll tell you something," after a moment's deliberation observed the
elder man. "I know of a country in Europe where order prevails, and
where there are no police spies; and, what is more, the place of which I
speak is beyond the range of a gunshot!"
"I confess I am curious to learn where such a place may be found," with
an incredulous smile returned the young man.
"Fetch the map, and I will point it out to you. Afterward we will
arrange your route toward it." The two men spread a large map of
Europe on the table, and, bending over it, were soon deeply absorbed in
examining it, the while exchanging whispered remarks.
At last they seemed to have agreed on something. The map was folded
up and thrust into the younger man's pocket.
"I shall start at once," he said, with an air of decision.
"That is well," with evident satisfaction assented his companion. "And
take with you also the steel casket. In it are all the necessary documents,
some articles of clothing on which the mother with her own hands
embroidered the well-known symbol, and a million of francs in English
bank-notes. These, however, you will not use unless compelled to do so
by extreme necessity. You will receive annually a sufficient sum from a
certain banking-house which will supply all your wants. Have our two

trusty friends been apprised?"
"Yes; they await me hourly."
"So soon as you are beyond the French boundary you may
communicate with me in the way we have agreed upon. Until I hear
from you I shall be in a terror of anxiety. I am sorry I cannot
accompany you, but I am already suspected. You are, as yet, free from
suspicion--are not yet registered in the black book!"
"You may trust my skill to evade pursuit," said the young man,
producing from a secret cupboard a casket richly ornamented with gold.
"I do not doubt your skill, or your ability to accomplish the undertaking;
but the task is not a suitable one for so young a man. Have you
considered the fate which awaits you?"
"I have considered everything."
"You will be buried; and, what is worse, you will be the keeper of your
own prison."
"I shall be a severe jailer, I promise you," with a grim smile responded
the young man.
"Jester! You forget your twenty-six years! And who can tell how long
you may be buried alive?"
"Have no fear for me. I do not dread the task. Those in power now will
one day be overthrown."
"But when the child, who is only twelve years old now, becomes in
three or four years a blooming maiden--what then? Already she is fond
of you; then she will love you. You cannot hinder it; and yet, you will
not even dare to dream of returning her love. Have you thought of this
also?"
"I shall look upon myself as the inhabitant of a different planet,"
answered the young man.

"Your hand, my friend! You have undertaken a noble task--one that is
greater than that of the captive knight who cut off his own foot, that his
sovereign, who was chained to him, might escape--"
"Pray say no more about me," interposed his companion. "Is the child
asleep?"
"This one is; the one in the other room is awake."
"Then let us go to her and tell her what we have decided." He lifted the
two-branched candlestick from the table; his companion carefully
closed the iron doors of the fireplace; then the two went into the
adjoining chamber, leaving the room they had quitted in darkness.
The elder gentleman had made a