The Casque's Lark Part 11

CHAPTER VI.

THE FLIGHT.

From the solitude and darkness in which I was left at the departure of Elwig's sacrificial a.s.sistants, I could see the mouth of the cavern at some distance. The opening grew darker and darker as dusk yielded to night. Presently the gloom became complete, relieved only, from time to time, by the flickering light that the flames of the fire, kept alive under the huge bra.s.s caldron by the two hags, occasionally cast upon the grotto's mouth.

I tried to snap my bonds. With my hands and feet free, I would have endeavored to disarm one of the Franks who guarded the issue, and, sword in hand, and protected by the darkness of the night, I would have reached the river bank guided by the sound of the rushing waves. Perhaps and notwithstanding the orders I gave him, Douarnek might not yet have rowed back to camp. But all my efforts proved futile against the bow-strings and the belt that held me fast. A m.u.f.fled but increasing rumbling of feet and voices began to announce to me the arrival and a.s.sembling of a large number of people in the neighborhood of the cave.

They must he doubtlessly gathering to witness my execution and listen to the auguries of the priestess.

I believed there was nothing left to me but to resign myself to my fate.

I turned my last thoughts to my wife and child.

Suddenly, from the thickest of the surrounding darkness I heard the voice of Elwig two steps behind me. I started with surprise. I was certain she did not enter by the mouth of the cavern.

"Follow me," she said.

At the same moment her feverish hand seized mine and held it firmly.

"How came you here?" I asked her stupefied, with hope re-rising in my breast, and endeavoring to walk.

"The cavern has two issues," Elwig answered. "One of them is secret and known to me only. It is by that entrance that I came in, while the kings are waiting for me at the other entrance near the caldron. Come! Come!

Take me to the bark where the treasure lies, where you left the necklaces, bracelets, diadems and other jewels!"

"My legs are tied," I said. "I can hardly put one foot before the other."

Elwig did not answer, but I could feel that she was cutting with her knife the leather strap and the bow-strings that bound my arms and legs.

I was free!

"And your brother," I inquired, following close upon her footsteps, "has he regained consciousness?"

"Neroweg is still dazed, like a bull whom the butcher did not kill outright. He awaits in his hut the hour of your execution. I am to notify him in time. He wishes to see you suffer and die. Come, come!"

"The darkness is so intense that I can not see before me."

"Give me your hand."

"Should your brother tire of waiting," I observed as she almost dragged me along through the windings of the secret issue, "and should he enter the sacred wood with the other chieftains and not find either you or me in the cavern, what will happen? Will they not immediately start in pursuit of us?"

"Only I know this secret issue. When they miss both you and me from the cave, my brother and the chiefs will believe that I made you descend to the G.o.ds of the nether world. They will be all the more afraid of me.

Come! Come quick!"

While Elwig thus spoke I was following her through so narrow a pa.s.sage that I felt myself grazing the rocks on either side. The pa.s.sage seemed at first to dip down towards the bowels of the earth, but presently its ascent became so steep and difficult for my legs, still numb from their recent ligatures, that it was with difficulty I kept step with the hurrying priestess. We had been for some time in the maze of the underground cave when at last I felt the fresh air strike my face. I imagined we were about to step into the open.

"To-night, after I shall have killed my brother in revenge for his outrages upon me," Elwig explained to me in abrupt words, "I shall flee with a king whom I love. He is waiting for us outside. He is strong, brave and well armed. He will accompany us to your bark. If you deceived me, Riowag will kill you--do you hear me, Gaul? You will fall under his axe."

I was little affected by the threat--my hands were free--my only uneasiness was whether Douarnek and the bark still waited for me.

A moment later we issued out of the cavern. The stars shone so brilliant in the sky that once out of the wood in which we still were, I was certain I would be able to see my way before me.

The priestess stopped for a moment and called:

"Riowag!"

"Riowag is here," answered a voice so close to me that I realized the chief of the black warriors was near enough to be able to touch me.

Nevertheless, it was in vain that I sought to distinguish his black shape in the dark. It became clearer to me than ever before how, by rendering themselves undistinguishable in the dark, these men could not choose but be dangerous foes in a night a.s.sault or ambuscade.

"Is it far from here to the river bank?" I asked Riowag. "You must know the spot where I landed; you were the chief of the band that greeted me with a volley of arrows."

"No, we have not far to go," Riowag answered.

"Shall we have to cross the camp?" I inquired, perceiving the lights of the Frankish encampment at a little distance.

Neither of my two guides made any answer. They exchanged a few words in a low voice, each took me by an arm, and they struck into a path that led away from the camp. Soon the roar of the rushing waters of the Rhine reached our ears. We drew rapidly near the sh.o.r.e. Finally from the height of the embankment on which we stood, I could distinguish a bluish sheet of water across the darkness--it was the river!

"We shall now ascend the beach about two hundred feet," said Riowag; "we shall then be at the spot where you reached land under our arrows. Your bark must be only a little distance from there. If you deceived us your blood will redden the beach, and the waters of the Rhine will wash away your corpse."

"Can we call out from the bank without being heard by the outposts of the camp?" I asked the Frank.

"The wind blows off sh.o.r.e," Riowag answered with the sagacity of a savage. "You can freely raise your voice and call; you will not be heard at the camp, and your voice will surely travel to the middle of the stream."

Riowag walked a few steps further and then stopped.

"It is here," he said, "where you reached land; your bark must be anch.o.r.ed near by. I am a professional night warrior, and am able to see through the dark, but I can not distinguish your bark."

"Oh! You deceived us! You deceived us!" murmured Elwig in a subdued voice. "You will die for it!"

"It may be," I observed, "that, after having waited for me in vain, the bark may have just left its anchorage. The wind will carry my voice far; I shall call."

Saying this I raised our battle cry of rally, well known to Douarnek.

Only the sound of the waves made answer.

Doubtlessly Douarnek had followed my orders and rowed back to camp at sunset.

I uttered our war cry a second time and louder than the first.

Again the only response was the rushing of the waves.

Meaning to gain time and prepare myself for defense, I said to Elwig: "The wind blows off sh.o.r.e; it carries my voice to the river; but it blows back the voices that may have answered my signal. Let us listen!"

While I spoke I strained my eyes to peer through the dark and discover the weapons that Riowag was armed with. In his belt he carried a dagger; in his hand his short, broad sword. Although he and his beloved were close to me, one on each side, I could elude them with a bound, plunge into the river, and escape by swimming. I was watching for my opportunity when suddenly the distant and rhythmic sound of oars reached my ears. My call was heard by Douarnek.

In the measure that the decisive instant approached, the suspense and uneasiness of Elwig and her companion increased. To kill me would be to renounce the possession of the treasure, which, I had clearly told them, my soldiers would deliver only at my orders. But again, to allow the latter to disembark would be to furnish me with auxiliaries and render mine the stronger side. Elwig no doubt began to realize that her greed had carried her too far. Seeing the bark draw nearer she said to me in great excitement:

"The sacredness of the Gallic word is proverbial. You owe your life to me. I hope you did not deceive me with a false promise."