The Poniard's Hilt Part 31

"Count, you are endowed with the wisdom of a Solomon; but I can not kill my brothers myself. Two of them are very strong men, while I am rather feeble and worn out. Moreover, they will not willingly furnish me with the opportunity. They mistrust me. I have fixed upon three determined men to commit the murders; they are men that I can reckon with. I need a fourth."

"Where shall we find him?"

"Here--in the country of Auvergne."

"In my burg?"

"Yes; perhaps in your own house."

"What!"

"Do you know the reason why Bishop Cautin has been anxious to accompany me to this place?"

"I do not."

"It is that the bishop is in great hurry to try, sentence and witness the execution of the Vagres and their accomplices who are held prisoners in the _ergastula_ of this burg--above all because he wishes to witness the execution of the bishopess."

"I still do not understand you, Chram. The two criminals, together with the women who are their accomplices, are to be taken to Clermont, so soon as they shall have recovered from their wounds, to be tried there by the _curia_."

"According to the reliable rumors that have reached us, the bishop fears, and not without good reason, that the populace of Clermont may rise in revolt in order to set the bandits free the moment they arrive in the city of Clermont. The names of the hermit laborer and Ronan the Vagre are dear to the race of slaves and vagabonds. It would be just like them to raise a riot and seek to set the bandits free--while here, at the burg, nothing of the sort need be feared."

"Such an uprising would be serious."

"I promised Bishop Cautin that, if you consent, then I, Chram, now King in Auvergne in my father's name, shall issue orders that the criminals be tried, sentenced and executed here at this burg, before your own justiciary _mahl_."

"If my good father Cautin thinks so, I shall accept his opinion. I am as desirous as himself to witness the execution of those bandits, and I would sooner give twenty gold sous than see them escape death, a thing that, as you say, might happen if they are taken to Clermont and the vile population of the city should rise in their favor. But what has this to do with the murder of your brothers?"

"Is Ronan the Vagre healed of his wounds? I understand he is. He has the reputation of being a resolute bandit."

"He is a demon--a prop of h.e.l.l."

"Suppose that after that demon shall have been sentenced to some frightful death he were told: 'You shall have grace, you shall be set free, but upon condition that you kill a certain person--after the murder is committed you will receive twenty gold sous for your reward'--do you think he would refuse such an offer?"

"Chram, that devil of a Ronan and his band killed nine of my bravest leudes; they pillaged and set fire to the episcopal villa and the place is to be rebuilt at my expense. As sure as the great St. Martin is in paradise, the cursed Vagre shall not be set free, he shall not escape the death that his crimes deserve!"

"Who says otherwise?"

"You speak of granting him grace."

"But after he shall have committed the murder, then, instead of counting out twenty gold sous to the Vagre, twenty blows with an iron bar will be counted out on his back, after which he can be quartered or otherwise disposed of in short order. Ah, that seems to amuse you."

"I laugh because it reminds me of the swindling baldrics and necklaces with which your grandfather Clovis one day rewarded his accomplices after they dispatched the two Ragnacaires. The Vagre will return in order to receive the twenty gold sous promised to him, instead of which a hundred blows will be bestowed upon him with an iron bar."

"Determined men are rare. If the Vagre carries his part of the affair to a successful issue, then my four brothers will be dead before the week is over--their death insures the success of my projects. It is to your interest as well as mine that we avail ourselves of the Vagre. So it is understood that you will spare his life."

"But what about the bishop, who has come to enjoy the sight of the bandit's death? He will not consent to let the fellow free."

"Cautin will console himself over the Vagre's escape by seeing the bishopess roast, and the hermit-laborer hang."

"But suppose the Vagre promises to commit the murder but fails in carrying out his part of the bargain?"

"And the twenty gold sous that he will surely expect to receive after the murder is committed?"

"You are right--his cupidity will drive him to the deed and insure his return. But how is his flight to be connived at?"

"You can convene your _mahl_ within two hours. The culprits can be tried and sentenced at one session."

"Yes, that can all be done."

"To-day the trial and sentence--to-morrow the execution. Between now and to-morrow we have the night left. You will have the Vagre led out of the _ergastula_ after dark, and taken to Spatachair, one of my favorites.

Leave the rest to me. To-morrow we shall say to the bishop: 'The Vagre has fled'--why do you laugh, Count Neroweg?"

"At that Vagre who will be thinking that he is to gain twenty gold sous, and who will receive instead a hundred blows with an iron bar, and then be quartered."

"As you see, count, your vengeance will lose nothing by the arrangement, while it will insure the success of our plans. Unless I could speedily find a fourth determined man, as the Vagre, there would always be a brother left who might lay claim to my father's kingdom. Answer, are we agreed upon the Vagre's flight?"

"Yes, yes--we are agreed."

"Accordingly your _mahl_ is to be convened within two hours in order to proceed to the trial."

"Within two hours it will be in session."

"Adieu, Neroweg, count of the city of Clermont--but duke to be of Touraine, and one of the richest and most powerful seigneurs, made such by the friendship of Chram, King of all Gaul, after the death of his father and all his brothers! Adieu!"

CHAPTER VI.

THE BEAR OF MONT-DORE.

The sun is sinking behind the western mountain range. Night is approaching. A man, grey of hair and beard and of about fifty-eight to sixty years of age, but still as alert and vigorous as at the springtide of life, clad in a Gallic blouse, a wallet over his shoulder, a fur cap on his head, and travel-stained shoes, issues from the forest. He is on the road that leads to the burg of Count Neroweg. The appearance of the grey-bearded man suggests a mountebank, one of the cla.s.s that travels from city to city and village to village exhibiting trained animals. On his back he carries a cage with a monkey and, held to a long iron chain, he leads a large-sized bear, that, however, seems to be a peaceful traveling companion. He follows his master with as much docility as a dog. The mountebank stops for a moment at an elevated part of the mountainous road from where the plain and the hill on which the burg is built can be seen. Two slaves with shaven heads, and bending under the weight of a heavy load which they carry suspended from an oar the ends of which rest on their shoulders, appear in view. They are proceeding along a path, which, a few paces ahead of him, runs into the road on which the mountebank is walking. He hastens his steps in order to fall in with the slaves, but these, frightened at the sight of the bear wabbling behind his master, suddenly stop short.

"Friends, you need not fear; my bear is not wicked; he is quite tame."

He thereupon called to his bear as he pulled in the animal's chain, and said:

"Come to me, Mont-Dore!"

The bear promptly obeyed the call, drew near and modestly sat down on his haunches; he then raised his head submissively up to his master, who, as he stood before the animal, half hid him from the slaves.

Feeling rea.s.sured, the latter resumed their way and, out of prudence, walked a few paces ahead of the mountebank at what they considered a safe distance from the bear.

"Friends, what large residence is that which I see yonder, girt by a fosse?"

"It is the burg of our master, Count Neroweg."

"Is he at the burg to-day?"