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Show 160 THE LILY AND TilE TOTl...._. "Pshaw, Monsieur!" exclaimed J~audonnicrc-" you talk illogically, you know nothing about it. Chess is one of those games-" And he proceeded to expatiate upon the latent resources of tho game, and l10w a good player might retrieve a bad situation in the last perilous cxtt·cmity, by a lucky di\·crsioo. "Dut there is no such extremity now," he continued to sny, "and it is not improbable that we shr.ll keep up the struggle till morniug. The game cannot finish under an hour, let him do his best, C\'en if he conquers in the end, which is very far from certain, though I confess he has some ad,•nntagcs." "We shall sec," was the reply, (ll! Alphonse left the room,nnd. returned in a few moments nftcr. lt wal:l not obscn·cd by the parties, so intent were they on the game, that he now made his appearance iu complete armor, nor did they hear the bustle in the adjoining apartment, Alphonse still held his watch in his grasp. "The game is nearly finished. According to my notion, you haxe but t1vo minutes for it." "Two ! how !" said Laudonniere, not lifting his head. "But one !" "There!" s:tid LauJonni<'rc, making the moYe that Marchand l1a.d anticipated. Marchand bent forward with extended finger to the white queen, when a shade of uneasiness might be traced by a nice observer in the countenance of D'Erlach. His lips were suddenly and closely compressed. TlJC hand of the time~ piece was upon the f;ttal minute. On a sudden, a hissing sound was heard, and, in the next instant, the hous!l reeled and quivered as if torn from its foundation. A deep roar followed, as if the TilE CO!'/SPIR.ACY OF LE GENRf::. 161 thunderbolt had just broke at their feet, nnd the whole was succeeded by a dcafenin;- ringin;- sound in all their cars. "Jesus-mercy!" exclaimed Laudonnicrc-" The magazine!" " Checkmate P' cried 1\l:uchancl, as he set down the white queen in the final position which secured the game. "Ay! it is checkmate to more games than one! Gentlemen, to arms, nnd follow me!" exclaimed Alphonse. "\Yc arc safe now!" CHAPTER VI. THEY rushed out, nnd were immediately joined by tho t10lect p:uty frO'm the chamber of D'Erlach, nil arrnM to tOO Weth. Another party, under Bon Pre, of which none. kucw but thesamo person, cucountcred tl1em wiJCn tlJCy emerged iuto the Place D'Armu. Alphonse led the way with confidence, and, while all was uproar and confusion below-while tHen were seen scattered throughout the area, uncertain where to turn, the sharp, stern voice of commnncl was hcnrd in tl1eir 1uidst,in tOil('S thnt fo1 bndc the hiNL of surprise. The drums rolled. The faithful were soon brought togcthet·, and presented sucl1 an ordcl"iy and strong array, that conspimcy would have been confounded by their appearance, even was there nothing else in the event to palsy their cnte~·priso. But their engine had exploded in their own house. The dwelling of Laudonnicre wns only shaken by the explosion. It was that of Le Cenr-5 which was overthrown, and was now in flames. Its blazing timbers were soon scattered, and the fbmcs extinguished, when the body of the couspirntor was drnwu forth, blackened and |
