The Last Cavalier: Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon. Alexandre Dumas
been killed, either as they fought or by a firing squad. D’Autichamp went over to the Republic. Only I still stand unswerving in my beliefs, invincible here in my Morbihan.
“‘My army of two or three thousand men is sufficient for my campaign. Although they are not asking for any salary, they must still have food, weapons, and ammunition. Ever since what happened in Quiberon, the English have sent us nothing.
“‘If you provide the money, we shall furnish the blood. That is not to say, God forbid, that if necessary, you too would not be willing to give blood of your own. No, your devotion is far greater than anyone’s, and it makes ours pale in comparison. If we are captured, we shall be shot, whereas if you are taken, you will die on the scaffold. You write that you have large amounts of money. If I can be sure of receiving thirty-five to forty thousand francs a month, that will be sufficient..
“‘I am sending you a mutual friend, Coster de Saint-Victor. His name alone should be enough to make you realize you can trust him completely. I am giving him the little catechism to study so he can find his way to where you now are hiding. Give him the first forty thousand francs if you have them and keep safe the rest, for it is much less to me than it is to you. If you are unable to stay where you are because persecution is too great, come to this part of France to be with me.
“‘Whether near or far, I love you and thank you.
“‘George Caudoudal
“‘General of the Army of Brittany
“‘PS: You apparently have, my dear Morgan, a young brother about nineteen or twenty years old. If you don’t think me unworthy of leading him into his first battles, send him to me. He will be my aide-de-camp.’
“After consulting all the Companions, my brother responded:
“‘My dear general,
“‘We received your good, courageous letter, thanks to your brave messenger. We have approximately one hundred fifty thousand francs in our coffers, and so we are able to do what you request. Our new associate, to whom I am giving the name Alcibiade on my own authority, will leave this evening with the first forty thousand francs. Each month you will receive from the same bank the forty thousand francs you need. In case of death or dispersion, the money will be buried in as many different places as we have multiples of forty thousand francs. Herewith is the list of those who will know where the money is hidden.
“‘Our brother Alcibiade arrived just in time to witness an execution, by the way. He has seen how we punish traitors.
“‘I thank you, my dear general, for your generous offer concerning my younger brother. But my intention is to keep him out of danger until the time comes for him to replace me. My father died on the guillotine, bequeathing his vengeance to my older brother. My older brother died before the firing squad, bequeathing his vengeance to me. I shall likely die, as you say, on the scaffold. But I shall die bequeathing my vengeance to my younger brother. And then it will be his turn to follow the same path we have taken, and he will contribute, as we have, to the triumph of our noble cause. Or he will die as we have died. That is the reason I am required to take it on myself to deprive him of your patronage, though I do ask you to keep him as a friend.
“‘As soon as possible, send us back our dear brother Alcibiade. For us it is a double pleasure to be able to send you our message with a messenger like him.
“‘Morgan’
“As my brother said, Coster de Saint-Victor did indeed witness the punishment. Lucien de Fargas was judged and executed before his eyes. Afterward, at midnight, two horsemen left the Seillon monastery by the same gate. One, Coster de Saint-Victor, was leaving for Brittany to meet Cadoudal, carrying forty thousand francs from Morgan. The other, the Comte de Ribier, with Lucien de Fargas’s body lying across his horse, was on his way to place the traitor’s corpse in the square by the Préfecture.”
Hector paused a moment, then said, “Pardon me, my story seemed so simple at first, only now it seems to have gotten so complicated it’s taking on the shape of a novel. I’m obliged to follow events as they progress, of course, but for fear of describing too many catastrophes I shall try to be as brief as possible.”
“Oh, on the contrary, don’t leave anything out, I beg you,” said Mademoiselle de Sourdis. “I find all the people you are talking about quite fascinating, especially Mademoiselle de Fargas.”
“Well, I was just about to get back to her. For three days after she had religiously attended to the burial of the body, identified as her brother, on the square in Bourg-en-Bresse, a young woman appeared at the Palais de Luxembourg and requested an audience with Citizen Director Barras. He was in a meeting. The valet, noticing that she was young and attractive, showed her into the pink boudoir, where Citizen Barras conducted his more amorous meetings. A quarter of an hour later, the same valet announced Citizen Director Barras.
“Barras entered triumphantly, placed his hat on a table, and walked toward the visitor, saying: ‘You wanted to see me, madame? Here I am!’
“The young woman, lifting her veil to reveal her astounding beauty, stood up as he approached. Barras stopped in amazement. Then he moved quickly forward and tried to take her hand as he gestured that she should sit back down.
“But she, keeping her hands in the folds of her long veil, said, ‘Please excuse me, but I must remain standing as befits a supplicant.’
“‘A supplicant!’ said Barras. ‘Oh, a woman like you does not beg; she gives orders, or at the very least she makes demands.’
“‘Well, that is what I’m also doing. In the name of the earth that gave us both life, in the name of my father, your father’s friend, in the name of outraged humanity, in the name of failed justice, I come to you to demand vengeance.’
“‘Vengeance?’
“‘Vengeance,’ Diana repeated.
“‘Vengeance is a harsh word,’ Barras said, ‘for one so lovely and young.’
“‘Monsieur, I am the daughter of the Comte de Fargas, assassinated by the Republicans in Avignon, and the sister of the Vicomte de Fargas, who has just been killed in Bourg-en-Bresse by the Companions of Jehu.’
“‘Are you sure, madame?’
“She showed him a dagger and a sheet of paper. ‘The dagger is well known in its design,’ she said, ‘even if the dagger explained nothing at all, and the paper will remove any doubts as to the murder and its cause.’
“Barras studied the weapon. ‘And this dagger.…’ he began.
“‘Was planted in my brother’s chest.’
“‘The dagger by itself proves nothing,’ said Barras. ‘It could have been stolen or counterfeited purposely simply to complicate the investigation.’
“‘Yes, but read this paper, written and signed in my brother’s hand.’
“Barras read Lucien’s last words, avouching his failure to keep his oath to the Companions of Jehu. ‘And this is truly your brother’s writing?’ Barras asked.
“‘Yes, it is.’
“‘What do these words mean: “I die the victim not of a cowardly assassin but of avenging justice?”’
“‘That means that when he fell into your agents’ hands and was tortured, my brother broke his oath by naming his accomplices. I’m the one,’ Diana added with a strange laugh, ‘who should have joined the Companions, not my brother.’
“‘How is it possible that a murder like that took place without my knowing anything about it?’
“‘It does not speak well for your police,’ Diana said with a smile.
“‘Well, since you seem to be so well informed, tell us the names of the people who killed your brother. Once we have caught them, their punishment will be swift.’
“‘If