OCR Text |
Show HG PRINCESS MARY'S GIFT BOOK THE EBONY BOX precautions news was continually leaking into I'aris which we did not think it good for the. I'arisians to have. ()n that, very Christmas Day Noycllcs. had they already knew that (leneral I"aidhcrhe. at l'ont repulsed a portion of our first army under General .\Ianteuffcl. did they know? \Ve were not satistied that pigeons and How balloons No. we believed that the news completely explained the mystery. passed somewhere through our lines on the south-east. of I'ariswnews in cipher which was passed on and on to a house close to our lines, whence. as occasion served. it was carried into I'aris. That was the rmnonr. There may have been truth in it. or it may have been entirely false. But. at all events. it had just the necessary element of fancy to appeal to the imagination of a very young man. and as I walked to the stables and mounted the horse which the Colonel had lent me. I kept wondering whether this message. so simple in appearance, had travelled so, and was covering;r its last stage between the undiscovered chateau and Paris in the sealed wine-bottle. I tried 87 and within the angle which the two roads made a little cabin stood upon a plot of grass. 1 was in doubt which road to take. The cabin was all dark. and riding up to the door I hammered upon it with the butt: of my pistol. It was not immediately opened. There must indeed have been some delay. since the inmates were evidently in bed. But I was not in any mood to show consideration. I wanted to get. onito get on and live. A little window was within my reach. I dashed the butt of the pistol violently through the glass. " \Vill that waken you, ch .1" I cried. and almost before I had finished I heard a shuttling footstep in the passage and the door was opened. A poor old peasant-woman. crippled with rheumatism. stood in the doorway shading a lighted candle with a gnarled. trembling hand. In her haste to obey she had merely thrown a petticoat over the shoulders of her nightdress, and there she stood with bare feet. shivering in the cold, an old bent woman of eighty. and apologised. " I am sorry. monsieur," she said meekly. ‘ " lint I cannot move as mum to make out what the black cat stood for in the cipher, and whose v \kwwn mum identity was concealed under the pseudonym of M. Bonnet. So I rode down the slope of Noisy-le-(irand. But at the bottom of the slope these speculations passed entirely from my mind. In front. hidden away in the darkness. lay the dangers of Ville Kmart and Maison Blanche. German soldiers had ridden along this path and had not returned; thefmlies-lirmn's were abroad. Yet I must reach ltaincy. Moreover. in my own mind, I was equally con- vinced that I must return. I saw the little beds against the wall of the lint under the sloping roof. I rode warily. determined to sleep in one of them that night. determined to keep my life if it could be kept. I crossed the Marne and turned oft" the road into a forest path. Ville I‘lvrart with its French garrison lay now upon my left behind the screen of trees. li'ortunately there was no moon that. night and a mist The snow. too, deadened the sound of my horses hung in the air. tut I rode. nevertheless, very gently and with every roofs. ‘i sense alert. Each moment I expected the challenge of a gig sentinel in French. WM \ I came to the end of the wood and rode on to ('hcsnay. Here the country was more open, and I had passed Ville Evrart. But I did not feel any greater security. I was possessed with a sort of rage to get my busi- ness done and liveiyes, at all costs lire. A mile beyond Chesnay I came to cross-roads, quickly as I could when I was young. How can I serve monsicnr { " Not a word of reproach about her broken window. You would think that the hardest man must have felt some remorse. l merely broke in upon her apologies with a rough demand for information. " The road upon your right leads to Chelles. monsieur." she answered. " That upon your left to Itaincy." I rode off without another word. It is not a pretty description which I am giving to you, but it is a true one. That is my regret. it is a true one. I forgot. that old peasant-woman the moment I had passcd the cabin. I thought only of the long avenues ottrees which stretched across that flat country, and which could hide whole companies ot j)'(rHrs-firriu's. I strained my eyes forwards. I listened for the sound tut the first voice which I heard spoke in my own tongue. of voices. It was the voice of a sentry 0n the outposts of Itaincy. and I could have climbed down from my saddle and hugged him to my heart. Instead, I sat impassively in my saddle and zgrave him the countersie‘n. I was conducted to the quarters of the commandant of artillery and I delivered my message. " You have come quickly." he said. " \Vhat road did you take ? " " That of Chesnay and (lagnyf' The commandant loode queerly at me. by " Did you 2? " said he. " You are lucky. You will return I will scnd Nontfermeil and C‘helles. Lieutenant von Altrock. and an escort with you. Apparently we are better informed at Rainey than you at. Noisy-le-Grand." .......l\tilitii‘l‘ |