have to abandon Malincourt, have prepared some place where we can lie hid, safely protected by the men of the city, until the danger has passed."
"A shrewd thought," said Gerard readily. "And now come with me, and we will perfect the plan for getting the arms. I will speak with Dubois and Pascal," he added to Gabrielle, and led Babillon away.
Dubois was found and a long conference followed, to which Pascal, who had been strenuously engaged in clearing the secret passage, was presently called.
Both Pascal and Dubois agreed in urging that the citizens should be encouraged to rise, but Gerard, in deference to the wish Gabrielle had expressed, would not agree, and the utmost he would yield was that Dubois should go with Babillon, taking with him written authority from Gabrielle to consult with the chief burghers on the whole position, to judge the chances of success, and to offer himself as a leader of any movement. But he was to sanction no revolt without first communicating with Gerard; and his chief efforts in the meantime were to be bent upon getting the arms and ammunition so sorely needed.
The gruff old soldier protested that it was no more than a one-handed scheme.
"We cannot fight a man like this Governor with one hand in irons, and that the sword hand," he said. "A rising to-night in the city would mean everything to us here. There might be blood shed it is true; but blood has been shed before and will be shed again in many a worse cause. Nor could anything really serious happen before d'Alembert reaches the city."
"We will fight if we are forced in self-defence, Dubois, but we will not force the fighting from our side," was Gerard's reply. "This is Mademoiselle de Malincourt's matter more than ours, and her will must prevail."
