The Last Cavalier: Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon. Alexandre Dumas
interesting to tell me. Speak.’
“‘As you are apparently unable to listen without pacing about, and since I do need you to listen to me, shall we walk together?’
“‘As you please,’ said Bonaparte. ‘One thing I dislike when I give audience to women is that they never walk.’
“‘Perhaps. But when a woman serves as Cadoudal’s aide-de-camp for two years, she gets used to walking.’
“‘You have been Cadoudal’s aide-de-camp for two years?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘How is it possible, then, that Roland, my own aide-de-camp, knows you neither by sight or by name?’
“‘For the reason that in Brittany I was known only by the name of Portia; and because when he was with Cadoudal, I was always careful to keep my distance.’
“‘Ah, you’re the one who stabbed herself in the arm to gain acceptance among the ranks of the Chouans?’
“‘Here’s the scar,’ said Diana, pulling up her sleeve.
“Glancing at her lovely arm, Bonaparte seemed to notice only the scar. ‘A strange wound,’ he said.
“‘The dagger that caused it is stranger still,’ said Diana. ‘As you see.’ And she showed the First Consul the dagger, made entirely of metal, that was borne by the Companions of Jehu.
“Bonaparte carefully examined the unique design as he considered the damage, surely dreadful, its blade might inflict. ‘And how did you come by this dagger?’ he asked.
“‘I pulled it from my brother’s chest. It had been planted in his heart.’
“‘Tell me about it, but quickly, because my time is precious.’
“‘No more precious than the time of a woman who’s been waiting two years for her vengeance.’
“‘Are you Corsican?’
“‘No, but I am speaking to a Corsican, and he will surely understand me.’
“‘What do you want?”
“‘I seek the lives of those who took my brother’s life.’
“‘Who are they?’
“‘I told you in my letter. The Companions of Jehu.’
“‘And you even added that you knew a way to capture them.’
“‘I have their passwords and two letters, one from Cadoudal and one from Coster Saint-Victor, for Morgan, the Companions’ leader.’
“‘You are sure you can arrange their capture?’
“‘I am sure, provided that I can work with a brave, intelligent man such as Monsieur Roland de Montrevel and that we have a sufficient number of soldiers.’
“‘And you said that you would set some conditions. What are they?’
“‘First of all, that they not be granted pardon.’
“‘I never pardon thieves and assassins.’
“‘And also, that I be allowed to complete the mission entrusted to me.’
“‘What mission?’
“‘I am on my way to collect the money for Cadoudal. It’s a mission for which he had to reveal his secrets to me.’
“‘You are asking for the freedom to do with the money as you wish?’
“‘Ah, Citizen First Consul,’ Mademoiselle de Fargas said, ‘such words could ruin forever the good impression that I would otherwise have of our conversation.’
“‘Then what in the devil do you want to do with the money?’
“‘I want to be sure it reaches its destination.’
“‘You are asking me to allow you to deliver money to the very men who are making war on me? Never!’
“‘Well, then, General, please allow me to leave. There is nothing to keep us any longer.’
“‘Oh, what a hard head!’ said Bonaparte.
“‘You should say “what a hard heart,” General.’
“‘What does that mean?’
“‘That it is not the head that refuses shameful proposals, but rather the heart.’
“‘But I cannot furnish weapons to my enemies.’
“‘Do you have complete confidence in Monsieur Roland de Montrevel?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Do you know that he will do nothing contrary to your honor and to the interests of France?’
“‘I am sure.’
“‘Well, then. Entrust this undertaking to him. I shall arrange with him the means to ensure its success and the conditions on which I shall lend a hand.’
“‘So be it,’ said Bonaparte.
“Then, as rapid as usual when making decisions, he immediately called to Roland, who had remained just outside the door. ‘Roland,’ he said as soon as the aide-de-camp had entered, ‘I’m giving you full authority. You will work together with Mademoiselle de Fargas, and whatever the cost, you will get rid of these highway gentlemen who, all the while that they are stopping and robbing stagecoaches, put on such grand aristocratic airs.’
“Then, with a slight bow to Diana de Fargas, he said, ‘Don’t forget. If you succeed, it will be a great pleasure to see you again.’
“‘And if I fail?’
“‘I never recognize those who fail.’ With those words he strode out and left Diana alone with Roland.
“Despite Roland’s distaste for any operation involving a woman, he found Diana de Fargas to be so far from the typical that he treated her as a good, loyal companion. She was as pleased by his familiarity as she had been put off by Fouché’s insolence. Everything was fixed in less than an hour, and they agreed to set out that very evening, on separate roads, for Bourg-en-Bresse, their headquarters.
“You can be sure, with all the information she had, including the watchwords and passwords, along with letters from Cadoudal and Coster Saint-Victor, Diana de Fargas easily gained entry to the Seillon monastery, where the four leaders were meeting. She was dressed once again like a Chouan and was using the name Portia.
“Nobody had the slightest suspicion, not that the messenger was a woman, because even the clothes of a man could not conceal that Diana was a woman, but that she was Mademoiselle de Fargas, the sister of the man they had killed in punishment for his betrayal.
“Since the total amount Cadoudal was asking for, one hundred thousand francs, was not readily available in the abbey, they arranged to meet Diana at midnight in the Ceyzériat caves, where they would give her the forty thousand still wanting.
“The first thing Roland did when Diana had told him about the arrangements was to summon the captain of the gendarmerie and the colonel of the dragoons garrisoned in the town. When they arrived, he showed them the papers giving him full authority.
“He found the colonel to be a passive instrument ready to put himself, with the number of men required, at Roland’s disposal. On the other hand, the captain of the gendarmerie was an old soldier full of rancor toward the Companions of Jehu, who, as he himself said, for the past three years could not stop causing trouble for him. Ten different times he had seen them, talked to them, and pursued them. Every time, either because of their better horses, tricks, skills, or strategy, the old soldier had ruefully to admit, they had escaped.
“Once, at a moment when they expected it least, the captain had happened upon them