“Indignation, on the top of wrongs so long endured, burns very strong, and is spreading like a forest fire, miladi.”
“It will be useless and worse, far worse than useless. Men untrained to fighting, lacking in leaders, and ill armed, cannot prevail against the Duke’s soldiers. The citizens would be massacred and their houses sacked. It must not be,” she declared.
“It need not be, if Babillon can but get the arms we want to Malincourt. How soon could you do this?” asked Gerard anxiously.
“We could get all in readiness, and as soon as night falls to give the cover of darkness they could be brought here.”
“By nightfall,” exclaimed Gerard in a tone of disappointment.
“My lord, it would be hopeless to make such an attempt in daylight with the city overrun as it is by troops.”
“Stay, let me suggest,” said Gabrielle. “Push on the preparations, Babillon, to do my lord’s wish, and if aught should occur to spoil the venture and we should 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.