el dorado-第11节

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want；　citizen　Heron？〃

〃For　what？

〃For　my　continued　immunity　at　the　hands　of　yourself　and　your　pack？〃

Heron　pushed　his　chair　brusquely　aside　and　strode　across　the
narrow　room　deliberately　facing　the　portly　figure　of　de　Batz；　who
with　head　slightly　inclined　on　one　side；　his　small　eyes　narrowed
till　they　appeared　mere　slits　in　his　pockmarked　face；　was　steadily
and　quite　placidly　contemplating　this　inhuman　monster　who　had　this
very　day　been　given　uncontrolled　power　over　hundreds　of　thousands
of　human　lives。

Heron　was　one　of　those　tall　men　who　look　mean　in　spite　of　their
height。　　His　head　was　small　and　narrow；　and　his　hair；　which　was
sparse　and　lank；　fell　in　untidy　strands　across　his　forehead。　　He
stooped　slightly　from　the　neck；　and　his　chest；　though　wide；　was
hollow　between　the　shoulders。　But　his　legs　were　big　and　bony；
slightly　bent　at　the　knees；　like　those　of　an　ill…conditioned
horse。

The　face　was　thin　and　the　cheeks　sunken；　the　eyes；　very　large　and
prominent；　had　a　look　in　them　of　cold　and　ferocious　cruelty；　a
look　which　contrasted　strangely　with　the　weakness　and　petty　greed
apparent　in　the　mouth；　which　was　flabby；　with　full；　very　red　lips；
and　chin　that　sloped　away　to　the　long　thin　neck。

Even　at　this　moment　as　he　gazed　on　de　Batz　the　greed　and　the
cruelty　in　him　were　fighting　one　of　those　battles　the　issue　of
which　is　always　uncertain　in　men　of　his　stamp。

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　I　am　prepared　to　treat　with
you　any　longer。　　You　are　an　intolerable　bit　of　vermin　that　has
annoyed　the　Committee　of　General　Security　for　over　two　years　now。
It　would　be　excessively　pleasant　to　crush　you　once　and　for　all；　as
one　would　a　buzzing　fly。〃

〃Pleasant；　perhaps；　but　immeasurably　foolish；〃　rejoined　de　Batz
coolly；　〃you　would　only　get　thirty…five　livres　for　my　head；　and　I
offer　you　ten　times　that　amount　for　the　self…same　commodity。〃

〃I　know；　I　know；　but　the　whole　thing　has　become　too　dangerous。〃

〃Why？　　I　am　very　modest。　　I　don't　ask　a　great　deal。　Let　your
hounds　keep　off　my　scent。〃

〃You　have　too　many　dd　confederates。〃

〃Oh！　　Never　mind　about　the　others。　　I　am　not　bargaining　about
them。　　Let　them　look　after　themselves。〃

〃Every　time　we　get　a　batch　of　them；　one　or　the　other　denounces
you。〃

〃Under　torture；　I　know；〃　rejoined　de　Batz　placidly；　holding　his
podgy　hands　to　the　warm　glow　of　the　fire。　　〃For　you　have　started
torture　in　your　house　of　Justice　now；　eh；　friend　Heron？　　You　and
your　friend　the　Public　Prosecutor　have　gone　the　whole　gamut　of
devilryeh？〃

〃What's　that　to　you？〃　retorted　the　other　gruffly。

〃Oh；　nothing；　nothing！　　I　was　even　proposing　to　pay　you　three
thousand　five　hundred　livres　for　the　privilege　of　taking　no
further　interest　in　what　goes　on　inside　this　prison！〃

〃Three　thousand　five　hundred！〃　ejaculated　Heron　involuntarily；　and
this　time　even　his　eyes　lost　their　cruelty；　they　joined　issue　with
the　mouth　in　an　expression　of　hungering　avarice。

〃Two　little　zeros　added　to　the　thirty…five；　which　is　all　you　would
get　for　handing　me　over　to　your　accursed　Tribunal；〃　said　de　Batz；
and；　as　if　thoughtlessly；　his　hand　wandered　to　the　inner　pocket　of
his　coat；　and　a　slight　rustle　as　of　thin　crisp　paper　brought　drops
of　moisture　to　the　lips　of　Heron。

〃Leave　me　alone　for　three　weeks　and　the　money　is　yours；〃　concluded
de　Batz　pleasantly。

There　was　silence　in　the　room　now。　　Through　the　narrow　barred
window　the　steely　rays　of　the　moon　fought　with　the　dim　yellow
light　of　the　oil　lamp；　and　lit　up　the　pale　face　of　the　Committee's
agent　with　its　lines　of　cruelty　in　sharp　conflict　with　those　of
greed。

〃Well！　is　it　a　bargain？〃　asked　de　Batz　at　last　in　his　usual
smooth；　oily　voice；　as　he　half　drew　from　out　his　pocket　that
tempting　little　bundle　of　crisp　printed　paper。　　〃You　have　only　to
give　me　the　usual　receipt　for　the　money　and　it　is　yours。〃

Heron　gave　a　vicious　snarl。

〃It　is　dangerous；　I　tell　you。　　That　receipt；　if　it　falls　into　some
cursed　meddler's　hands；　would　send　me　straight　to　the　guillotine。〃

〃The　receipt　could　only　fall　into　alien　hands；〃　rejoined　de　Batz
blandly；　〃if　I　happened　to　be　arrested；　and　even　in　that　case　they
could　but　fall　into　those　of　the　chief　agent　of　the　Committee　of
General　Security；　and　he　hath　name　Heron。　　You　must　take　some
risks；　my　friend。　　I　take　them　too。　　We　are　each　in　the　other's
hands。　　The　bargain　is　quite　fair。〃

For　a　moment　or　two　longer　Heron　appeared　to　be　hesitating　whilst
de　Batz　watched　him　with　keen　intentness。　He　had　no　doubt　himself
as　to　the　issue。　　He　had　tried　most　of　these　patriots　in　his　own
golden　crucible；　and　had　weighed　their　patriotism　against　Austrian
money；　and　had　never　found　the　latter　wanting。

He　had　not　been　here　to…night　if　he　were　not　quite　sure。　This
inveterate　conspirator　in　the　Royalist　cause　never　took　personal
risks。　　He　looked　on　Heron　now；　smiling　to　himself　the　while　with
perfect　satisfaction。

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　Committee's　agent　with　sudden　decision；
〃I'll　take　the　money。　　But　on　one　condition。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃That　you　leave　little　Capet　alone。〃

〃The　Dauphin！〃

〃Call　him　what　you　like；〃　said　Heron；　taking　a　step　nearer　to　de
Batz；　and　from　his　great　height　glowering　down　in　fierce　hatred
and　rage　upon　his　accomplice；　〃call　the　young　devil　what　you　like；
but　leave　us　to　deal　with　him。〃

〃To　kill　him；　you　mean？　　Well；　how　can　I　prevent　it；　my　friend？〃

〃You　and　your　like　are　always　plotting　to　get　him　out　of　here。　　I
won't　have　it。　　I　tell　you　I　won't　have　it。　　If　the　brat　disappears
I　am　a　dead　man。　　Robespierre　and　his　gang　have　told　me　as　much。
So　you　leave　him　alone；　or　I'll　not　raise　a　finger　to　help　you；　but
will　lay　my　own　hands　on　your　accursed　neck。〃

He　looked　so　ferocious　and　so　merciless　then；　that　despite　himself；
the　selfish　adventurer；　the　careless　self…seeking　intriguer；　shuddered
with　a　quick　wave　of　unreasoning　terror。　He　turned　away　from　Heron's
piercing　gaze；　the　gaze　of　a　hyena　whose　prey　is　being　snatched　from
beneath　its　nails。　For　a　moment　he　stared　thoughtfully　into　the　fire。

He　heard　the　other　man's　heavy　footsteps　cross　and　re…cross　the
narrow　room；　and　was　conscious　of　the　long　curved　shadow　creeping
up　the　mildewed　wall　or　retreating　down　upon　the　carpetless　floor。

Suddenly；　without　any　warning　he　felt　a　grip　upon　his　shoulder。
He　gave　a　start　and　almost　uttered　a　cry　of　alarm　which　caused
Heron　to　laugh。　　The　Committee's　agent　was　vastly　amused　at　his
friend's　obvious　access　of　fear。　　There　was　nothing　that　he　liked
better　than　that　he　should　inspire　dread　in　the　hearts　of　all
those　with　whom　he　came　in　contact

〃I　am　just　going　on　my　usual　nocturnal　round；〃　he　said　abruptly。
〃Come　with　me；　citizen　de　Batz。〃

A　certain　grim　humour　was　apparent　in　his　face　as　he　proffered
this　invitation；　which　sounded　like　a　rough　command。　　As　de　Batz
seemed　to　hesitate　he　nodded　peremptorily　to　him　to　follow。
Already　he　had　gone　into　the　hall　and　picked　up　his　lanthorn。
From　beneath　his　waistcoat　he　drew　forth　a　bunch　of　keys；　which　he
rattled　impatiently；　calling　to　his　friend　to　come。

〃Come；　citizen；〃　he　said　roughly。　　〃I　wish　to　show　you　the　one
treasure　in　this　house　which　your　dd　fingers　must　not　touch。〃

Mechanically　de　Batz　rose　at　last。　　He　tried　to　be　master　of　the
terror　which　was　invading　his　very　bones。　　He　would　not　own　to
himself　even　that　he　was　afraid；　and　almost　audibly　he　kept
murmuring　to　himself　that　he　had　no　cause　for　fear。

Heron　would　never　touch　him。　　The　spy's　avarice；　his　greed　of
money　were　a　perfect　safeguard　for　any　man　who　had　the　control　of
millions；　and　Heron　knew；　of　course；　that　he　could　make　of　this
inveterate　plotter　a　comfortable　source　of　revenue　for　himself。
Three　weeks　would　soon　be　over；　and　fresh　bargains　could　be　made
time　and　again；　while　de　Batz　was　alive　and　free。

Heron　was　still　waiting　at　the　door；　even　whilst　de　Batz　wondered
what　this　nocturnal　visitation　would　reveal　to　him　of　atrocity　and
of　outrage。　　He　made　a　final　effort　to　master　his　nervousness；
wrapped　his　cloak　tightly　around　him；　and　followed　his　host　out　of
the　room。



CHAPTER　VII
THE　MOST　PRECIOUS　LIFE　IN　EUROPE

Once　more　he　was　being　led　through　the　interminable　corridors　of
the　gigantic　building。　　Once　more　from　the　narrow；　barred　windows
close　by　him　he　heard　the　heart…breaking　sighs；　the　moans；　the
curses　which　spoke　of　tragedies　that　he　could　only　guess。

Heron　was　walking　on　ahead　of　him；　preceding　him　by　some　fifty
metres　or　so；　his　long　legs　covering　the　distances　more　rapidly
than　de　Batz　could　follow　them。　　The　latter　knew　his　way　well
about　the　old　prison。　　Few　men　in　Paris　possessed　that　accurate
knowledge　of　its　intricate　passages　and　its　network　of　cells　and
halls　which　de　Batz　had　acquired　after　close　and　persevering
study。

He　himself　could　have　led　Heron　to　the　doors　of　the　tower　where
the　little　Dauphin　was　being　kept　imprisoned；　but　unfortunately　he
did　not　possess　the　keys　that　would　open　all　the　doors　which　led
to　it。　　There　were　sentinels　at　every　gate；　groups　of　soldiers　at
each　end　of　every　corridor；　the　greatnow　emptycourtyards；
thronged　with　prisoners　in　the　daytime；　were　alive　with　soldiery