Ten Years Later by Dumas, Alexandre. Part two

“I will spare neither his wine nor his house,” replied the

abbe, with a sneering laugh. “I have my plan, I tell you;

leave me to set it in operation, and you shall see.”

“Where shall you be yourself?”

“Everywhere; nowhere.”

“And how shall I receive information?”

“By a courier whose horse shall be kept in the very garden

of your friend. A propos, the name of your friend?”

Fouquet looked again at Gourville. The latter came to the

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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later

succor of his master, saying, “Accompanying monsieur l’abbe

for several reasons, only the house is easily to be known,

the `Image-de-Notre-Dame’ in the front, a garden, the only

one in the quarter, behind.”

“Good, good! I will go and give notice to my soldiers.”

“Accompany him, Gourville,” said Fouquet, “and count him

down the money. One moment, abbe — one moment, Gourville —

what name will be given to this carrying off?”

“A very natural one, monsieur — the Riot.”

“The riot on account of what? For, if ever the people of

Paris are disposed to pay their court to the king, it is

when he hangs financiers.”

“I will manage that,” said the abbe.

“Yes; but you may manage it badly, and people will guess.”

“Not at all, — not at all. I have another idea.”

“What is that?”

“My men shall cry out, `Colbert, vive Colbert!’ and shall

throw themselves upon the prisoners as if they would tear

them in pieces, and shall force them from the gibbets, as

too mild a punishment.”

“Ah! that is an idea,” said Gourville. “Peste! monsieur

l’abbe, what an imagination you have!”

“Monsieur, we are worthy of our family,” replied the abbe,

proudly.

“Strange fellow,” murmured Fouquet. Then he added, “That is

ingenious. Carry it out, but shed no blood.”

Gourville and the abbe set off together, with their heads

full of the meditated riot. The superintendent laid himself

down upon some cushions, half valiant with respect to the

sinister projects of the morrow, half dreaming of love.

CHAPTER 61

The Cabaret of the Image-de-Notre-Dame

At two o’clock the next day fifty thousand spectators had

taken their position upon the Place, around the two gibbets

which had been elevated between the Quai de la Greve and the

Quai Pelletier; one close to the other, with their backs to

the embankment of the river. In the morning also, all the

sworn criers of the good city of Paris had traversed the

quarters of the city, particularly the halles and the

faubourgs, announcing with their hoarse and indefatigable

voices, the great justice done by the king upon two

speculators, two thieves, devourers of the people. And these

people, whose interests were so warmly looked after, in

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order not to fail in respect for their king quitted shops,

stalls, and ateliers to go and evince a little gratitude to

Louis XIV., absolutely like invited guests, who feared to

commit an impoliteness in not repairing to the house of him

who had invited them. According to the tenor of the

sentence, which the criers read aloud and incorrectly, two

farmers of the revenues, monopolists of money, dilapidators

of the royal provisions, extortioners, and forgers, were

about to undergo capital punishment on the Place de Greve,

with their names blazoned over their heads, according to

their sentence. As to those names, the sentence made no

mention of them. The curiosity of the Parisians was at its

height, and, as we have said, an immense crowd waited with

feverish impatience the hour fixed for the execution. The

news had already spread that the prisoners, transferred to

the Chateau of Vincennes, would be conducted from that

prison to the Place de Greve. Consequently, the faubourg and

the Rue Saint Antoine were crowded, for the population of

Paris in those days of great executions was divided into two

categories: those who came to see the condemned pass —

these were of timid and mild hearts, but philosophically

curious — and those who wished to see the condemned die —

these had hearts that hungered for sensation. On this day M.

d’Artagnan received his last instructions from the king, and

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