never spoken to
the queen."
" Ah ! there now, Citizen Lindey," said the man of extreme measures, " it seems to me. permit me t<> bserve, that you are very indulgent to the chevalier H
" Monsieur," said Maurice, perhaps intentionally making use of a word which had ceased to be in vogue, " 1 love all brave and courageous natures, which do not refuse to
fight when I meet them in the ranks of my enemies. I
do not despair of one day encountering the Chevalier de
Maison Rouge."
" And " said Genevieve.
" If I meet him Well, I shall fight him."
D DUMAS Vol.. XI,
74 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
The supper was finished. Genevieve set the example
of retiring by herself rising from table. At this moment
the pendulum struck.
" Midnight ! " said Morand, coolly.
" Midnight ! " said Maurice, "Midnight already ?"
" That exclamation affords me much pleasure/' said
Dixmer ; " it proves you are not ennuye, and induces me to hope we may see you again. It is the door of a true
patriot which opens to receive you ; and, I trust, ere long, you will find it that of a sincere friend."
Maurice bowed, and, turning toward Genevieve :
" "Will the citoyenne also permit me to repeat my visit ? "
demanded he.
" I do more than permit, I request you to do so.
Adieu, citizen ; " and Genevieve retired.
Maurice took leave of all the guests, particularly salut-
ing Morand, with whom he was much pleased ; squeezed
Dixmer's hand, and went away bewildered, but, on the
whole, more joyful than sad, from the various and unex-
pected events of the evening.
" Unfortunate encounter, unfortunate encounter ! "
said the young woman, after Maurice's departure, and then
bursting into tears in the presence of her husband, who
had conducted her to her room.
" Bah ! " said Dixmer, " the Citizen Lindey, a known patriot, secretary to a section, admired, worshiped, and
highly popular, is, on the contrary, v, great acquisition
to a poor tanner who has contraband merchandise on his
premises."
" Do you think so, mon ami ? " asked Genevieve,
timidly.
" I think it is a warrant of patriotism, a seal of absolution, placed upon our house ; and I thought, when part-
ing this evening, that the Chevalier de Maisou Rouge
himself would be safe at our house."
And Dixmer kissed his wife with an affection more pater-
nal than conjugal, and left her in the pavilion set apart
for her special benefit, passing himself into another part
of the building, which he inhabited with the guests we
have seen assembled round his table.
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 75
CHAPTER X.
SIMON THE SHOEMAKER.
THE month of May had commenced. A bright, clear
day expanded the lungs tired of inhaling the icy fogs of
winter, and the rays of the sun, warm and exhilarating,
shone upon the back walls of the Temple. At the wicket
of the interior, which separated the tower from the
gardens, the soldiers of the post were smoking and laugh-
ing. But, notwithstanding the beauty of the day. and
the offer made to the prisoners to descend and walk in the
garden, the three females refused to do so ; as, since the
execution of her husband, the queen had obstinately se-
cluded herself in her chamber, dreading to pass the door
of the apartment lately occupied by the king on the
second story. "When by any chance she took the air, since the fatal occurrence of the 21st of January, she did so on
the platform of the tower, where even the battlements
were inclosed with shutters.
The National Guards on duty, who knew the three
females had received permission to go out, waited in vain
all day, wishing much to turn this same authority to
some account. Toward five o'clock a man descended
and approached the sergeant in command of the post.
" Ah, ah ! is that you, Father Tison ? " said he, who appeared to be a right merry fellow.
' Yes, it is I, citizen ; I bring you, on the part of the
municipal, Maurice Lindey, your friend, who is now up-
stairs, this permission, granted by the
the queen."
" Ah ! there now, Citizen Lindey," said the man of extreme measures, " it seems to me. permit me t<> bserve, that you are very indulgent to the chevalier H
" Monsieur," said Maurice, perhaps intentionally making use of a word which had ceased to be in vogue, " 1 love all brave and courageous natures, which do not refuse to
fight when I meet them in the ranks of my enemies. I
do not despair of one day encountering the Chevalier de
Maison Rouge."
" And " said Genevieve.
" If I meet him Well, I shall fight him."
D DUMAS Vol.. XI,
74 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
The supper was finished. Genevieve set the example
of retiring by herself rising from table. At this moment
the pendulum struck.
" Midnight ! " said Morand, coolly.
" Midnight ! " said Maurice, "Midnight already ?"
" That exclamation affords me much pleasure/' said
Dixmer ; " it proves you are not ennuye, and induces me to hope we may see you again. It is the door of a true
patriot which opens to receive you ; and, I trust, ere long, you will find it that of a sincere friend."
Maurice bowed, and, turning toward Genevieve :
" "Will the citoyenne also permit me to repeat my visit ? "
demanded he.
" I do more than permit, I request you to do so.
Adieu, citizen ; " and Genevieve retired.
Maurice took leave of all the guests, particularly salut-
ing Morand, with whom he was much pleased ; squeezed
Dixmer's hand, and went away bewildered, but, on the
whole, more joyful than sad, from the various and unex-
pected events of the evening.
" Unfortunate encounter, unfortunate encounter ! "
said the young woman, after Maurice's departure, and then
bursting into tears in the presence of her husband, who
had conducted her to her room.
" Bah ! " said Dixmer, " the Citizen Lindey, a known patriot, secretary to a section, admired, worshiped, and
highly popular, is, on the contrary, v, great acquisition
to a poor tanner who has contraband merchandise on his
premises."
" Do you think so, mon ami ? " asked Genevieve,
timidly.
" I think it is a warrant of patriotism, a seal of absolution, placed upon our house ; and I thought, when part-
ing this evening, that the Chevalier de Maisou Rouge
himself would be safe at our house."
And Dixmer kissed his wife with an affection more pater-
nal than conjugal, and left her in the pavilion set apart
for her special benefit, passing himself into another part
of the building, which he inhabited with the guests we
have seen assembled round his table.
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 75
CHAPTER X.
SIMON THE SHOEMAKER.
THE month of May had commenced. A bright, clear
day expanded the lungs tired of inhaling the icy fogs of
winter, and the rays of the sun, warm and exhilarating,
shone upon the back walls of the Temple. At the wicket
of the interior, which separated the tower from the
gardens, the soldiers of the post were smoking and laugh-
ing. But, notwithstanding the beauty of the day. and
the offer made to the prisoners to descend and walk in the
garden, the three females refused to do so ; as, since the
execution of her husband, the queen had obstinately se-
cluded herself in her chamber, dreading to pass the door
of the apartment lately occupied by the king on the
second story. "When by any chance she took the air, since the fatal occurrence of the 21st of January, she did so on
the platform of the tower, where even the battlements
were inclosed with shutters.
The National Guards on duty, who knew the three
females had received permission to go out, waited in vain
all day, wishing much to turn this same authority to
some account. Toward five o'clock a man descended
and approached the sergeant in command of the post.
" Ah, ah ! is that you, Father Tison ? " said he, who appeared to be a right merry fellow.
' Yes, it is I, citizen ; I bring you, on the part of the
municipal, Maurice Lindey, your friend, who is now up-
stairs, this permission, granted by the
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