CHAPTER XIV
THE GAME OF PRISONER’S CHASE
I am fond of lying in bed in the morning and thinking over the situation in which I find myself, as the reader doubtless knows already if he has had the patience to come thus far with me, and when I awoke in the house of M. Hérault I was in no hurry to arise. I was able to see quite clearly all the workings of this trap which had been set for Richelieu. He would arrive at Paris in the evening and would proceed to his hotel. There he would find the note from Mlle. de Valois awaiting him. Hérault could easily find a way to deliver it without exciting suspicion. Richelieu might wonder at my absence, but I knew him well enough to know that suspicion or even certainty of foul play would not for a moment deter him from keeping the appointment which she had given him. He would, then, at ten o’clock, proceed to the house in the Rue Jean Tison, the third from the end, on the right-hand side. He would rap three times and would be admitted, and a moment later Hérault’s men would break open the door, overwhelm him, and carry him off to the Bastille. This time there would be no escape, and I shuddered as I thought what the end would be.
I bounded out of bed. The clothes were suffocating me. It was time for action.
Two guards stood at my door watching me closely. Four others were in the outer room.
“Good-morning, gentlemen,” I said, reflecting that I could lose nothing by being on good terms with these men. “You must have had a weary time of it watching all night.”
“We went on duty only an hour ago, monsieur,” said one of them, who seemed to be in command. “The watches were changed while you slept.”
“And how long will you be on duty?” I asked, carelessly.
“Twelve hours, or until ten o’clock to-night, monsieur,” he answered.
“Ah, you have long hours.”
“We have always long hours in the police, monsieur.”
At that moment the outer door was opened, and a servant appeared bringing my breakfast.
“Excellent!” I cried, entering the outer room and looking at the repast, which was indeed elaborate. “I see I shall have no cause to complain of M. Hérault’s hospitality. Have you breakfasted, lieutenant?”
“Two hours ago, monsieur.”
“Two hours ago! Great heavens, man, your stomach must be an aching emptiness by this time! Sit down, I beg of you. There is enough here for two and some to spare for your men.”
I saw that the man was indeed hungry and looked at my breakfast with eager eyes, but he shook his head at my invitation.
“Ah, come, monsieur,” I said, “why should we refuse to be civil to each other just because I am prisoner and you are guard? It seems to me that a little good feeling will make the day pass more quickly for both of us. Even if you cannot eat, bear me company, I beg of you, for I abhor sitting down alone to table,” and I gently forced him into a chair and myself took the one opposite. He yielded, though still with a show of reluctance, and I maintained a lively conversation while we ate, carefully avoiding any remark which could appear suspicious, and finally succeeded in drawing the man out a little. I ordered another bottle of wine, and treated the five soldiers to a glass apiece, a courtesy which I saw they appreciated. Breakfast was finally finished and we arose.
“What a charming view!” I cried, sauntering to the window and gazing down over the river. “M. Hérault’s house overlooks the Seine it appears.”
“It stands upon the bank, monsieur,” answered the lieutenant, who had followed me.
“Come, monsieur,” I said, turning to him and seemingly taking no further interest in the view, “I have not yet asked your name.”
“Lieutenant Bernin, monsieur.”
“Well, Lieutenant Bernin,” I cried, “I foresee that we are going to pass a very pleasant day together,” and I turned again to an apparently careless scrutiny of the scene. I could catch but a glimpse of the river below the window, from which I judged that the house not only stood upon the bank, but that the upper stories projected out over the water, after the fashion of many of the older houses standing along the Seine. In a moment I saw a possible way of escape. A drop of forty feet to a stone pavement was not to be thought of; but a drop of forty feet into the water was another matter. I turned away from the window, trembling lest by some motion I might betray my thought. I examined the window itself attentively when I could do so unobserved, and saw that it was of the ordinary kind, with a sash which could be readily broken by a blow with a chair or any other heavy object. The problem was to keep my guards at a distance during the moment it would take me to break a passage and drop into the water. It was a problem not easy of solution, and I retired to the bedroom and lay down upon the bed to think it over.
The bedroom was about ten feet square, without windows and with only one door, that opening into the outer room. This door was of some strength, and had a bolt on the outer side, so that by merely closing it and throwing the bolt they could make me a prisoner in this small room. If it were only the soldiers who were in the bedroom and I who were outside, an instant would suffice to bolt the door, and it would be several minutes at least before they could break it down,—more time certainly than I should need to get through the window. In a moment I had my plan, and I spent some half-hour working out all its details.
The remainder of the morning passed quickly, and when my dinner appeared Hérault accompanied it.
“I have been taxing myself with being inhospitable, M. de Brancas,” he said, “but I beg of you to believe that it was the most urgent business which prevented my coming to see you earlier. A lieutenant of police never gets time to rest or to see his friends.”
“I can well believe it,” I answered. “You are going to dine with me, are you not, monsieur?”
“If it pleases you to have a companion.”
“Nothing could please me more,” I said, heartily, for I really admired the man; and as we sat down I examined his face with interest. It was a face which, even animated as at this moment, was still as impenetrable as a wall of stone. The firmly set lips and aggressive chin showed a man not wanting in decision, and I did not doubt that those cool, gray eyes could become two poniards when it was a question of obtaining a confession from a prisoner.
“I need not tell you, monsieur,” I said, after a moment, “how deeply your system of police espionage interests me. I have already had two or three proofs of the thoroughness of its work, and it seems to me a wonderful organization. Do you object to telling me more about it?”
“Not at all,” he answered, smiling. “There is nothing secret about the general principles of our system. What is it you would like to know, monsieur?”
“Tell me how it is organized,—how it proceeds,” I answered.
“It was the Comte d’Argenson who brought it to its present state of perfection,” began Hérault. “He was, as you perhaps know, my predecessor, and held the position for nineteen years. It was for Louis the Great that the thorough organization of the secret department was undertaken. He had, as you have doubtless heard, a great liking for scandal, and for many years the chief duty of the department was to discover intrigues and liaisons. He devoted an hour every morning to listening to the report of the police department, and nothing pleased him so greatly as the details of some love-affair. These, it need hardly be said, he would repeat later in the day to his court, to the great confusion of the parties concerned. Under d’Argenson the secret agents were trained to a remarkable degree of perfection, and I found my work ready for my hand when I entered the office.”
“You have, then, a great number of agents?” I asked.
“They are everywhere, monsieur,” answered Hérault, with a smile. “They constitute the eye which sees everything and the ear which hears everything happening in Paris. You will say, no doubt, that intrigues are not always exposed, that crimes are not always punished. Believe me, monsieur, it is not because they are not known. Reasons of state sometimes step in to protect the guilty ones; at other times the regent prefers to wait, playing with them as a cat plays with a mouse, only in the end to crush them more completely.”
I glanced at Hérault to discover what meaning might lie hidden behind these words, but his face told me nothing. He turned the conversation upon indifferent topics, indicating that he had said all he cared to say about the police department, and a few moments later he arose to go.
“The time of your release is drawing near, monsieur,” he said. “A little patience, and when the morning comes you will be free again. Is there anything you wish?”
“May I have a pack of cards and a piece of chalk?” I asked. “There is no objection, I suppose, to M. Bernin here playing with me?”
“None whatever,” answered Hérault. “The cards shall be sent you, monsieur,” and he was gone.
The cards soon came, and the afternoon passed quickly. Bernin was very fond of play and, as I permitted him to win the few pistoles I possessed, he arose from the table in great good humor. Supper came with the candles. Bernin joined me, at my invitation, no longer making a pretence of holding back, and his five companions each received another glass of wine.
“You desire your revenge, doubtless, monsieur,” said Bernin, as we finished, and I saw that he was trembling with eagerness to resume the cards.
“Yes, let us play,” I answered, and we continued the game. My apparent resignation to my fate had completely disarmed the suspicions of the men, and they were grouped about the table watching the fall of the cards. An hour passed, and nine o’clock sounded from Notre Dame. It was time to act.
“Come, M. Bernin,” I said, yawning and throwing down the cards, “this is growing wearisome. I know a better game than this. Let me explain it to you.” I picked up the piece of chalk and glanced around at the walls. “My bedroom is the best place,” I said. “Come with me,” and I caught up one of the candles and led the way. Bernin followed me.
“The game,” I said, “is called ‘Prisoner’s Chase,’ and may be played in a number of ways. The one which I am about to show you is, however, the best.” I held the candle in one hand and drew a diagram on the wall with the other. “You will observe,” I continued, “the board is in the form of a cross, and at the upper end of the cross is the stronghold, or fortress. Within this fortress is the prisoner. Without it are six guards,” and I rapidly indicated their positions.
“Yes, yes,” said Bernin. “I find the game interesting.”
“You will find it more so before it is ended,” I said. “The guards are limited to moving in straight lines and only one base at a time. The prisoner, on the contrary, like the queen in chess, can move the whole length of the board if necessary. The problem is for the prisoner to compel the six guards to enter the castle, in order to avoid capture, while he himself escapes. If he cannot do this he loses.”
“I understand,” said Bernin. “The prisoner has need to use his brain. A charming game.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that two of the other guards had entered the room and were watching my diagram with interest.
“Let us now play the game,” I said. “The guards are drawn up in a line across one end of the board. The prisoner is within the castle. If they can advance in an unbroken line to the castle wall they cut off all possibility of escape and the prisoner loses. They advance to the attack. Ah, but see, they have left a break in the line. The prisoner sees it. He has been waiting this opportunity. He swoops out. This man must either retreat or be taken. He retreats. He is within the castle. Once in he cannot get out. The prisoner has now only five men against him.”
Another of the guards had entered the room and was watching the game.
“Again the guards advance,” I continued. “Again they leave a space, since they cannot all move together. A moment and the prisoner has a second captive,” and I illustrated the word with the action.
“Really,” declared Bernin, “I have never seen a more exciting game.”
“The excitement is yet to come, monsieur,” I cried, and a glance told me that the two remaining guards were in the room. “You see there are now only four guards at liberty, although those within the castle are permitted to harass the prisoner as much as is in their power. But those outside have grown wary. They advance more cautiously. They may still be able to surround and overpower the prisoner. Ah, an opening! The prisoner sees it. He is out in an instant. He has another captive.” The six men were grouped about me and I could feel their breath in my hair.
“Yes, yes,” cried Bernin, “I see. It is most interesting.”
“The most interesting part is yet to come, monsieur,” I repeated. “Remember, the prisoner, to win the game, must not only get all the guards within the castle, but must so dispose them that he can himself escape.”
“True,” and Bernin nodded, “but how will he do it, monsieur?”
“I will show you in a second,” I said, and at that instant, apparently by accident, let the candle fall. “One moment, gentlemen,” I cried. “I will bring another candle, and will show you the conclusion of this interesting game.”
I sprang into the outer room as though to get another candle. In an instant I slammed the door and shot the bolt. They comprehended my purpose and were hammering at the door almost before I could turn, but in the same moment I had seized a chair and with a single blow dashed out the window. I heard the door cracking, and the guard on the staircase without, hearing the noise, were throwing the bolts of the outer door to enter. Even as the one door opened and the other gave way I was through the window, hung a second from the sill, and let myself drop. I shot downward with the speed of a cannon-ball, as it seemed to me, struck the water feet first with a mighty splash, and disappeared beneath it.
I battled madly to regain the surface, and came up like a cork. The darkness concealed me, but from the lighted window I had just left half a dozen excited faces were peering. I heard hoarse shouts of alarm, and some one discharged a musket in my direction, the ball ripping up the water near my head. Without delaying a moment I swam as rapidly as I could towards the opposite quay, and as I gained it I heard renewed shouts behind me, and saw a dozen men, holding aloft flaming torches, tumbling into a boat. Luckily, in that moment I found a landing-place, ran up it quickly to the quay above, and in an instant had mingled with the crowd.