On the first plane rose a high wall, pierced with loopholes for cannon, in the middle of which opened a ma.s.sive door. In front of this wall stretched a wide and deep ditch, filled with water, which was crossed by means of a movable bridge, built directly in front of the door.

The recorder and his retinue arrived at the entrance of the bridge, where they found Master Laramee.

The majordomo, solemnly clothed in black, bore in his hand a white rod, a distinctive mark of office.

The recorder descended from his horse with an important air, and, turning to Laramee, said: "In the name of the king, and his Eminence, the cardinal, I, Master Isnard, recorder, have come to take census and catalogue of the arms and ammunition of war, retained here in this castle of Maison-Forte, belonging to Sir Raimond V., Baron des Anbiez."

Then turning to his train, which the Bohemian had joined, he said: "All of you follow me."

Laramee made a profound bow, and with a sly expression of face said to the recorder, as he indicated the road: "If you will follow me, Master Recorder, I will show you our magazine of arms and artillery."

Encouraged by this reception, Master Isnard and his retinue crossed the bridge, leaving their horses outside, tied to the parapet, according to the instruction of the majordomo.

As they entered the court planted with trees, the recorder said to Laramee: "Is your master at home? We are very hungry and very thirsty, friend."

The majordomo looked up at the recorder, lifted his cap, and replied: "You condescend, sir; you call me friend; you honour me too much, Master Recorder."

"Oh, go on! I am as kind as a prince. If the baron is not at table, conduct me first to him; if he is at table, conduct me to him all the sooner."

"Monseigneur has just been served, Master Recorder. I am going to open the door of honour for you, as is proper."

As he said these words, Laramee disappeared through a narrow pa.s.sage.

The recorder, his clerk, his valet, the Bohemian, and the two halberdiers remained in the court, staring at the great portal of the castle, expecting every moment to see its ma.s.sive doors open for their reception. They did not see that two men had removed the bridge, beyond the ditch, on the side of the fields, thus cutting off all retreat from the men of the law.

CHAPTER XI. TAKING THE CENSUS

On the side of the court, as on the side of the sea, three windows of the gallery, which extended the full length of the edifice, opened upon a balcony which was over the princ.i.p.al door of the castle.

The recorder began to realise that it required much ceremony to introduce him to the baron, when suddenly the windows were opened, and ten or twelve gentlemen, in handsome hunting-suits, booted and spurred, holding a gla.s.s in one hand and a napkin in the other, rushed out on the balcony, shouting and laughing at the top of their voices.

At their head was Raimond V.

It was easy to see by the flushed cheeks of these joyous companions that they had just arisen from the table, and had emptied more than one bottle of Spanish wine.

The convivial friends of Raimond V. belonged to the n.o.bility of the neighbourhood, and were all known for their hatred of Marshal of Vitry, and open or secret opposition to Cardinal Richelieu.

Honorat de Berrol and Reine, utterly powerless to dissuade the baron from his dangerous projects, had retired into one of the apartments in the tower.

The recorder began to think he was mistaken in counting on a favourable reception from the baron; he even feared that he might be made the victim of some infernal trick, as he saw the clamorous gaiety of the guests of Maison-Forte, especially when he recognised among the number the old lord of Signerol, who had rudely refused him entrance into his castle.

However, he tried to put a good face on the matter, and followed by his clerk, who was trembling in every limb, he advanced to the balcony with his two halberdiers at his heels.

Addressing himself to Raimond V., who was leaning over the balcony railing and looking contemptuously on the company below, he said:

"In the name of the king and his Eminence, the cardinal--"

"The cardinal to the devil! Let his infernal Eminence return to the place he came from!" shouted several gentlemen, interrupting the recorder's speech.

"Beelzebub, at this moment, is making a red bra.s.s hat for his Eminence," said the lord of Signerol.

"The girdles of his Eminence ought to be good rope for hanging!"

said another.

"Let the recorder have his say, gentlemen," said the baron, turning to his guests, "let him speak, my friends,--it is not by a single note that you recognise the bird of the night. Come on, Manjour! speak, recorder, speak, read out your scrawl!"

The clerk, completely demoralised, and doubtless meditating a retreat, turned his head away from the door, and discovered with dismay that the bridge had been withdrawn.

"Master Isnard," whispered he, with broken voice, "we are caught in a mouse-trap; they have carried away the bridge."

Notwithstanding the self-possession he affected, the recorder looked over his shoulder, and said, in a low voice: "Clerk, order the halberdiers to approach without attracting attention."

The clerk obeyed; the little band concentrated in the middle of the court, with the exception of the Bohemian.

Standing at the foot of the balcony, he seemed to contemplate with curiosity the gentlemen gathered there.

Master Isnard, anxious to accomplish his task, and seeing that he had been mistaken in presuming upon the hospitality of Raimond V., read, not without hesitation, the judicial summary.

"In the name of his Majesty, our sire, King of France and of Navarre, and Count of Provence, and of his Eminence, the cardinal, I, Thomas Isnard, recorder of the admiralty of Toulon, sent by the king's attorney to the seat of the said admiralty, make here in this Maison-Forte the census and catalogue of the arms and ammunitions of war therein enclosed, in order to draw up a statement, on which statement his Excellence, the Marshal of Vitry, Governor of Provence, will decide to the end that we may be advised as to what quant.i.ty of arms and ammunition ought to be left in the said Maison-Forte; accordingly, I, Thomas Isnard, recorder of the admiralty of Toulon, here present myself in person to the said Raimond V., Baron des Anbiez, praying him of necessity to obey the orders signified. Made at Maison-Forte des Anbiez, dependent of the diocese of Ma.r.s.eilles, and the jurisdiction of Aix, December 17,1632." The old baron and his friends listened to the recorder with perfect calmness, exchanging frequent glances of contempt.

When Master Isnard had concluded, Raimond V. leaned over the railing of the balcony and replied:

"Worthy recorder, worthy deputy of the worthy Marshal of Vitry, and of the worthy Cardinal Richelieu,--G.o.d save the king, our count, from his Eminence,--we, Raimond V., Baron des Anbiez, and master of this poor mansion, we authorise you to complete your mission. You see that door there on the left, on which is nailed the sign-board, 'Arms and Artillery,'--open it, and perform the duties of your office."

As he said these words the old gentleman and his guests sat with their elbows on the balcony railing, as if they had prepared themselves for the enjoyment of an interesting and unusual spectacle.

Master Isnard had followed with his eyes the gesture of the baron, which indicated to him the mysterious magazine.

It was a door of medium size, on which could easily be read the newly painted words, "Arms and Artillery." This door was situated in the middle of the left wing, which was largely made up of rooms for the servants.

Without being able to account for his repugnance, the recorder looked at the door of the magazine with suspicion, and said to Raimond V., with an air almost arrogant:

"Send some one of your people to open that door!" The old gentleman's face became purple with anger; he was on the point of flying into a pa.s.sion, but restrained himself and replied:

"One of my people, Master Recorder? Alas, I do not have them any longer. The good old man who received you is my only servant; the taxes imposed by your worthy cardinal, and the tribute he exacts from us, have reduced the Provencal n.o.bility to beggary, as you see! You are accompanied by two companions with halberds, and a fellow with a serge mantle,"--here the clerk made a respectful bow,--"your own people are more than enough to put your orders in execution."

Then, seeing the Bohemian at the foot of the balcony, Raimond called to him: "Eh, you man there with the red cap, who in the devil are you?

What are you doing there? Do you belong to this band?"

The wanderer approached the balcony, and said: "Monseigneur, I am a poor travelling artisan, who lives by his work. I come from Bany. I was on my way to La Ciotat, and I entered to see if I could get work at the castle."

"Manjour!" exclaimed the baron, "you are my guest; do not stay in the court."

At this remarkable invitation, the men of the law looked frightened, and at the same instant the Bohemian, with a wonderful agility, climbed up one of the granite pillars which supported the balcony, as quick as a wildcat, and seated himself at the feet of the baron, outside of the bal.u.s.trade, on a little slab projecting from the balcony floor.

The ascension of the Bohemian was so rapid, and done so cleverly, that it excited the admiration of the guests.

The baron, laughingly seizing one of his long black locks of hair, said to him: "You climb too well to travel in the main road; it is my opinion, fellow, that windows are your doors, and roofs serve you as a place to promenade. Come in the house, boy; Laramee will give you something to drink."