Chapter
3:
Debatable
Times
So much time had passed by quickly during our crusades for justice
as the Scarlet Pimpernel and his league, and our popularity was
rising in England by the minute. The men were feeling prouder than
usual, and the women…well the word admiration would be a rather
mild one. We were the talk of London, and the even funnier part was
that, people who saw any of us pass by did not even know who we were!
Life was good!
Well, not all of it was. While in France, not only were we always
on our guard, but sometimes, misfortune did cross our path on the way
to victory. True we did do a lot of good, but not all visits to the
country held moments of glory. I had often found myself actually
questioning this new life, pondering whether I could really handle
the consequences of different situations.
One of those times still rests on my mind as if it had just
occurred. The league and I had set off for Paris yet again that night
to rescue one Countess de Ponay and her son, who could not be any
older than a few months. I knew immediately that this was not going
to be an easy mission, for the incident of the St Cyrs was still
fresh in our minds. This small family just seemed to remind all of us
of them, and I found myself thinking about how this child was no
different from St Cyr's own. Uncomfortable emotion certainly knew its
way around my body when it came to thoughts of imprisoned children,
for in my opinion, they were the most innocent of all.
Anyway, the DayDream, my schooner that we used for traveling, did
eventually dock in the late morning hours, and we, having put on our
famous disguises, headed for the West Gate to enter Paris. The guard
there, one Sergeant Bibot, was as stupid as a mule, thus it would be
very easy to get passed him and into the city. Thank you Lord for
making men like him! I usually thought as I pushed my way through
after he checked my forged papers.
Meanwhile, hidden in the city, we had one hideout house that
luckily had not been discovered yet, and we intended to keep it that
way for a long time! Tony and Hastings had already gone ahead of us
in order to release the countess and her child and bring them to the
house. One thing had made me uneasy and that was Tony's report of the
landlady. According to him, she had seemed to see right through them
all, deducing who we were and what our plan was. However, I shook it
off my mind; the old woman always appeared to be mad at us for some
reason or another.
Of course, the moment I arrived, I made my way up the stairs to
approach the countess and get a word with her. This had to be done
with all the émigrés, but only to assure everyone's
safety when we brought them back to England. As you know, I wanted no
one there to know who we were, and if one of those we had to rescue
slipped it out, then that would be the end!
Kneeling down in back of her, I spoke in a deep and unidentifiable
voice. "Milady, you are the Countess de Ponay I presume?" With a
slight gasp, she began to turn around, but I stopped her. "Madame la
countess, I must not allow you to see me, for the Scarlet Pimpernel
works in secrecy. Do we have an understanding?"
She nodded in a bit of shock I had guessed before she answered.
Her voice had given me the idea that she certainly was very young,
possibly between eighteen and twenty years old. "Monsieur la
Pimpernel, I could not thank you enough. I thought I would never
leave that terrible place unless I was to meet Madame Guillotine as
my husband did. In fact the only other reason that I had wanted to
leave was exactly that in order for us to be together again. I miss
him more than anyone will ever know."
I could hear the catch in her voice as emotions made there way out
of her body. "If you do not wish to talk of this, milady, you do not
have to. I can only imagine you pain, and I believe it would hurt
very much to think or speak of it," I explained gently, but she only
shook her head.
"No, I actually feel much better talking about it. These feelings
have been locked up inside me for so long, and I must get them
out."
"I understand. Whatever pleases you shall please me."
"Thank you, monsieur for understanding. However, before anything
else is done, I must ask one last thing of you."
"Proceed, I am listening. Ask of me what you wish."
Slowly and gently, she gathered the small baby into her arms, and
surprisingly begged me through her actions to hold him. Finding no
reason to object, I did so as she spoke at last. "Monsieur la
Pimpernel, you hold in your arms my son, Henri. He was born in the
Temple prison only a few months ago and his father and I did and
still do love him dearly. What I am trying to say, monsieur, is that
I do not care what happens to me from now on. I have seen enough of
life, but Henri is only a small baby that still has to learn about
the world, all in it, and a time when it was better. Please, no
matter what happens to me, promise that he will be safe and cared
for."
I rarely cry in front of anyone, but now I could not help myself.
Here was a woman that was willing to give up her own life if it meant
that her son would make it out of France. And the boy himself! That
helpless, faultless face looked up at me, and his eyes just cried out
for freedom. I knew what my answer would have to be.
Wiping my tear-stained face quickly and my calm state returning, I
replied, "Milady, your son shall not be harmed by anyone. I swear
this on my honor."
Although I could not see her face, I sensed that she had smiled.
"God bless you for all that you do, monsieur. Surely, you must be an
angel in disguise."
"The Good Lord and all of his angels have not left my side yet,
and I doubt they ever will. I leave my work in His hands. As for you,
rest now for we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. My league
must get you out of here bright and early tomorrow, and we have to
leave then and only then. Good night."
As she settled herself down, I handed the child over to her once
again. Then she fell into a deep sleep, the last she would ever
have.
* * * * *
The woods outside Paris seemed all too quiet as our entire
entourage pushed our way through the bushes and branches. Something
was definitely wrong, and with my nerves overcoming me slowly, I
pulled Tony aside and halted the group.
"What is it Percy? What is wrong?" he asked concerned.
I had to laugh a bit. "You know me too well, my friend."
"Percy, seriously now! You are never visibly nervous; therefore
when you are, something is usually awry."
My sensibilities returning instantly, I answered, "You could not
be more correct, but do not worry just yet. Only answer me this: do
we still have the emergency cart hidden in the normal place?"
"Ready and waiting."
"Good, we are going to need it. These woods are really making me
uneasy, and I want to get the countess out as soon as possible. Now
listen, Tony, bring someone with you to get the cart and return here
with it as fast as your feet will carry you. Hurry now!"
Never one to disobey me, Tony along with Farleigh and Leggett,
went off to do what they were told, and returned within a few minutes
successfully with the cart we needed. The countess with her son on
her lap was lifted into it immediately, and I jumped up in the front,
shouting for the horses to move.
Unfortunately, we had only rode a few paces before we were
surrounded and ambushed by a large number of French soldiers. I
yelled at the horse to speed up more quickly as the race for the
coast and freedom began.
My God they are good shots!, I thought despairingly as the army
continued to follow us. But my mind was interrupted suddenly as I
heard a yelp and cries from the back of the cart. Without thinking, I
turned around to see what had happened, and the warning from the
league had come a tad too late as I heard a distant gunshot. The next
thing I knew, the cart was swerving into a tilt and I felt a sharp
pain in my side as it crashed to the ground causing my vision to go
black.
* * * *
"Percy? Percy please wake up!" was all I heard until I finally did
as I was told. When I did manage to open my eyes, I saw Andrew bent
over me, slapping my face gently. My senses completely filling me
again, I took my own swat at him in annoyance, and realized that I
was not on the DayDream at all. Instead I was on a bed in a room that
I had never seen before in my life, and filled with excruciating pain
on top of that!
Andrew on the other hand almost jumped out of his seat with the
glee of a schoolboy. "Percy thank God you are conscious! For a while,
we thought we had lost you, for you took quite a fall."
"Lud love me Andrew slow down!" I said hoarsely. "I haven't the
slightest clue what you are talking about. Please tell me everything
that has happened from the beginning."
"You do not remember?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Percy, you were hurt badly. The damn soldier had a good aim
unfortunately, and hit you once in the side and your leg, and the
last thing we were going to do was leave you unattended."
I groaned as I finally became aware of exactly how much of an
injury I had. "Well that explains all of this then! But where is the
countess? What happened to her?" As his expression was turned down to
the ground in despair, my eyes caught the action instantly causing me
to begin panicking. "Andrew Ffoulkes, don't you dare hold anything
back from me. What happened to the countess? Did she make it?
Damnation man answer me!"
His answer was beyond solemn. "Percy, the countess was shot before
the cart fell over."
"Andrew, you are stalling! Please tell me, is she alive?"
To my grief, he shook his head in a negative reply. "She passed
away before we could help her. It took some time, but the Lord did
take her home."
Frantically I tried to sit up, but he stopped me. "Percy calm
down! You will hurt yourself even more!"
I could not hold my tears back anymore. "You do not understand! I
promised her! I gave my word that the child would be unharmed! He
could not have died!"
"Percy! I never said that the boy was dead!"
"What do you mean?"
As he finally succeeded in getting me to lay back down, he said,
"Everything is all right, my friend. Now before you make me believe
that the Blakeney insanity is in you somewhere, listen to what I have
to say. The boy is safely on the DayDream as we speak; miraculously
he survived the firing and fall. Hal has offered his care for the
child until we find a family willing to take him into custody."
"Praise the Lord!" I managed to whisper gratefully through
clenched teeth. I accidentally had moved the wrong way causing the
pain to renew itself. But I had no time to say another word, for
Andrew had spoke again.
"Percy, you must rest now; you need it more than you think. I will
be back in the morning to check on you again."
I nodded my thanks to him as he blew out my candle and left, but
my thoughts could not tear themselves away from that of the countess.
Fresh tears were ready to fall in mourning, but at the last possible
second, they changed to those of understanding. I had reminded myself
that she had to be happy again, reunited with her husband and knowing
in that special motherly way that Henri was safe.
"Milady," I said silently aloud. "My vow to you is fulfilled. You
may rest in peace now, for my service to you is done." Then blowing a
kiss to the Heavens above, my eyes closed in a peaceful sleep.