Then Grimaud, lifting the dagger from the pool of blood which was gliding along the room, to the horror of all present, made a sign to the host to follow him, paid him with a generosity worthy of his master and again mounted his horse. Grimaud's first intention had been to return to Paris, but he remembered the anxiety which his prolonged absence might occasion Raoul, and reflecting that there were now only two miles between the vicomte and himself and a quarter of an hour's riding would unite them, and that the going, returning and explanation would not occupy an hour, he put spurs to his horse and a few minutes after had reached the only inn of Mazingarbe.
Raoul was seated at table with the Count de Guiche and his tutor, when all at once the door opened and Grimaud presented himself, travel-stained, dirty, and sprinkled with the blood of the unhappy executioner.
"Grimaud, my good Grimaud!" exclaimed Raoul "here you are at last! Excuse me, sirs, this is not a servant, but a friend.
How did you leave the count?" continued he. "Does he regret me a little? Have you seen him since I left him? Answer, for I have many things to tell you, too; indeed, the last three days some odd adventures have happened -- but what is the matter? how pale you are! and blood, too! What is this?"
"It is the blood of the unfortunate man whom you left at the inn and who died in my arms."
"In your arms? -- that man! but know you who he was?"
"He used to be the headsman of Bethune."
"You knew him? and he is dead?"
"Yes."
"Well, sir," said D'Arminges, "it is the common lot; even an executioner is not exempted. I had a bad opinion of him the moment I saw his wound, and since he asked for a monk you know that it was his opinion, too, that death would follow."
At the mention of the monk, Grimaud became pale.
"Come, come," continued D'Arminges, "to dinner;" for like most men of his age and generation he did not allow sentiment or sensibility to interfere with a repast.
"You are right, sir," said Raoul. "Come, Grimaud, order dinner for yourself and when you have rested a little we can talk."
"No, sir, no," said Grimaud. "I cannot stop a moment; I must start for Paris again immediately."
"What? You start for Paris? You are mistaken; it is Olivain who leaves me; you are to remain."
"On the contrary, Olivain is to stay and I am to go. I have come for nothing else but to tell you so."
"But what is the meaning of this change?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Explain yourself."
"I cannot explain myself."
"Come, tell me, what is the joke?"
"Monsieur le vicomte knows that I never joke."
"Yes, but I know also that Monsieur le Comte de la Fere arranged that you were to remain with me and that Olivain should return to Paris. I shall follow the count's directions."
"Not under present circumstances, monsieur."
"Perhaps you mean to disobey me?"
"Yes, monsieur, I must."
"You persist, then?"
"Yes, I am going; may you be happy, monsieur," and Grimaud saluted and turned toward the door to go out.
Raoul, angry and at the same time uneasy, ran after him and seized him by the arm. "Grimaud!" he cried; "remain; I wish it."
"Then," replied Grimaud, "you wish me to allow monsieur le comte to be killed." He saluted and made a movement to depart.
"Grimaud, my friend," said the viscount, "will you leave me thus, in such anxiety? Speak, speak, in Heaven's name!" And Raoul fell back trembling upon his chair.
"I can tell you but one thing, sir, for the secret you wish to know is not my own. You met a monk, did you not?"
"Yes."
The young men looked at each other with an expression of fear.
"You conducted him to the wounded man and you had time to observe him, and perhaps you would know him again were you to meet him."
"Yes, yes!" cried both young men.
"Very well; if ever you meet him again, wherever it may be, whether on the high road or in the street or in a church, anywhere that he or you may be, put your foot on his neck and crush him without pity, without mercy, as you would crush a viper or a scorpion! destroy him utterly and quit him not until he is dead; the lives of five men are not safe, in my opinion, as long as he is on the earth."
And without adding another word, Grimaud, profiting by the astonishment and terror into which he had thrown his auditors, rushed from the room. Two minutes later the thunder of a horse's hoofs was heard upon the road; it was Grimaud, on his way to Paris. When once in the saddle Grimaud reflected on two things; first, that at the pace he was going his horse would not carry him ten miles, and secondly, that he had no money. But Grimaud's ingenuity was more prolific than his speech, and therefore at the first halt he sold his steed and with the money obtained from the purchase took post horses.