the lost road-第87节

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attache　in　South　America；　that　to　revenge　his　brother　he　had　entered
the　secret　service；　but　whatever　became　of　him　no　one　knew。　　All　that
was　certain　was　that；　thanks　to　the　act　of　Marie　Gessler；　on　the　rolls
of　the　French　army　the　ancient　and　noble　name　of　Ravignac　no　longer
appeared。

In　her　chosen　profession　Marie　Gessler　found　nothing　discreditable。
Of　herself　her　opinion　was　not　high；　and　her　opinion　of　men　was
lower。　　For　her　smiles　she　had　watched　several　sacrifice　honor；　duty；
loyalty；　and　she　held　them　and　their　kind　in　contempt。　　To　lie；　to
cajole；　to　rob　men　of　secrets　they　thought　important；　and　of　secrets
the　importance　of　which　they　did　not　even　guess；　was　to　her　merely
an　intricate　and　exciting　game。

She　played　it　very　well。　　So　well　that　in　the　service　her　advance
was　rapid。　　On　important　missions　she　was　sent　to　Russia；　through
the　Balkans；　even　to　the　United　States。　　There；　with　credentials
as　an　army　nurse；　she　inspected　our　military　hospitals　and
unobtrusively　asked　many　innocent　questions。

When　she　begged　to　be　allowed　to　work　in　her　beloved　Paris；
〃they〃　told　her　when　war　came　〃they〃　intended　to　plant　her
inside　that　city；　and　that；　until　then；　the　less　Paris　knew　of
her　the　better。

But　just　before　the　great　war　broke；　to　report　on　which　way　Italy
might　jump；　she　was　sent　to　Rome；　and　it　was　not　until　September
she　was　recalled。　　The　telegram　informed　her　that　her　Aunt
Elizabeth　was　ill；　and　that　at　once　she　must　return　to　Berlin。
This；　she　learned　from　the　code　book　wrapped　under　the　cover
of　her　thermos　bottle；　meant　that　she　was　to　report　to　the　general
commanding　the　German　forces　at　Soissons。

From　Italy　she　passed　through　Switzerland；　and；　after　leaving　Basle；
on　military　trains　was　rushed　north　to　Luxemburg；　and　then　west　to
Laon。　　She　was　accompanied　by　her　companion；　Bertha；　an　elderly
and　respectable；　even　distinguished…looking　female。　　In　the　secret
service　her　number　was　528。　　Their　passes　from　the　war　office
described　them　as　nurses　of　the　German　Red　Cross。　　Only　the
Intelligence　Department　knew　their　real　mission。　　With　her；　also；
as　her　chauffeur；　was　a　young　Italian　soldier　of　fortune；　Paul
Anfossi。　　He　had　served　in　the　Belgian　Congo；　in　the　French
Foreign　Legion　in　Algiers；　and　spoke　all　the　European　languages。
In　Rome；　where　as　a　wireless　operator　he　was　serving　a　commercial
company；　in　selling　Marie　copies　of　messages　he　had　memorized；
Marie　had　found　him　useful；　and　when　war　came　she　obtained
for　him；　from　the　Wilhelmstrasse；　the　number　292。　　From　Laon；
in　one　of　the　automobiles　of　the　General　Staff；　the　three　spies
were　driven　first　to　Soissons；　and　then　along　the　road　to　Meaux
and　Paris；　to　the　village　of　Neufchelles。　　They　arrived　at　midnight；
and　in　a　chateau　of　one　of　the　Champagne　princes；　found　the
colonel　commanding　the　Intelligence　Bureau。　　He　accepted　their
credentials；　destroyed　them；　and　replaced　them　with　a　laissez…
passer　signed　by　the　mayor　of　Laon。　　That　dignitary；　the　colonel
explained；　to　citizens　of　Laon　fleeing　to　Paris　and　the　coast　had
issued　many　passes。　　But　as　now　between　Laon　and　Paris　there　were
three　German　armies；　the　refugees　had　been　turned　back　and　their
passes　confiscated。

〃From　among　them；〃　said　the　officer；　〃we　have　selected　one　for
you。　　It　is　issued　to　the　wife　of　Count　d'Aurillac；　a　captain　of
reserves；　and　her　aunt；　Madame　Benet。　　It　asks　for　those　ladies
and　their　chauffeur；　Briand；　a　safe…conduct　through　the　French
military　lines。　　If　it　gets　you　into　Paris　you　will　destroy　it　and
assume　another　name。　　The　Count　d'Aurillac　is　now　with　his
regiment　in　that　city。　　If　he　learned　of　the　presence　there　of　his
wife；　he　would　seek　her；　and　that　would　not　be　good　for　you。　　So；
if　you　reach　Paris；　you　will　become　a　Belgian　refugee。　　You　are
high…born　and　rich。　　Your　chateau　has　been　destroyed。　　But　you
have　money。　　You　will　give　liberally　to　the　Red　Cross。　　You　will
volunteer　to　nurse　in　the　hospitals。　　With　your　sad　story　of　ill
treatment　by　us；　with　your　high　birth；　and　your　knowledge　of
nursing；　which　you　acquired；　of　course；　only　as　an　amateur；　you
should　not　find　it　difficult　to　join　the　Ladies　of　France；　or　the
American　Ambulance。　　What　you　learn　from　the　wounded　English
and　French　officers　and　the　French　doctors　you　will　send　us　through
the　usual　channels。〃

〃When　do　I　start？〃　asked　the　woman。

〃For　a　few　days；〃　explained　the　officer；　〃you　remain　in　this　chateau。
You　will　keep　us　informed　of　what　is　going　forward　after　we
withdraw。〃

〃Withdraw？〃　It　was　more　of　an　exclamation　than　a　question。　　Marie
was　too　well　trained　to　ask　questions。

〃We　are　taking　up　a　new　position；〃　said　the　officer；　〃on　the
Aisne。〃

The　woman；　incredulous；　stared。

〃And　we　do　not　enter　Paris？〃

〃You　do；〃　returned　the　officer。　　〃That　is　all　that　concerns　you。
We　will　join　you　laterin　the　spring。　　Meanwhile；　for　the　winter
we　intrench　ourselves　along　the　Aisne。　　In　a　chimney　of　this
chateau　we　have　set　up　a　wireless　outfit。　　We　are　leaving　it　intact。
The　chauffeur　Briandwho；　you　must　explain　to　the　French；　you
brought　with　you　from　Laon；　and　who　has　been　long　in　your
servicewill　transmit　whatever　you　discover。　　We　wish　especially
to　know　of　any　movement　toward　our　left。　　If　they　attack　in　front
from　Soissons；　we　are　prepared；　but　of　any　attempt　to　cross　the
Oise　and　take　us　in　flank　you　must　warn　us。〃

The　officer　rose　and　hung　upon　himself　his　field…glasses；
map…cases；　and　side…arms。

〃We　leave　you　now；〃　he　said。　　〃When　the　French　arrive　you　will
tell　them　your　reason　for　halting　at　this　chateau　was　that　the　owner；
Monsieur　Iverney；　and　his　family　are　friends　of　your　husband。　　You
found　us　here；　and　we　detained　you。　　And　so　long　as　you　can　use　the
wireless；　make　excuses　to　remain。　　If　they　offer　to　send　you　on　to　Paris；
tell　them　your　aunt　is　too　ill　to　travel。〃

〃But　they　will　find　the　wireless；〃　said　the　woman。　　〃They　are　sure　to
use　the　towers　for　observation；　and　they　will　find　it。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　officer；　〃you　will　suggest　to　them　that
we　fled　in　such　haste　we　had　no　time　to　dismantle　it。　　Of　course；
you　had　no　knowledge　that　it　existed；　or；　as　a　loyal　French　woman；
you　would　have　at　once　told　them。〃　　To　emphasize　his　next　words
the　officer　pointed　at　her：　〃Under　no　circumstances；〃　he　continued；
〃must　you　be　suspected。　　If　they　should　take　Briand　in　the　act；
should　they　have　even　the　least　doubt　concerning　him；　you　must
repudiate　him　entirely。　　If　necessary；　to　keep　your　own　skirts　clear；
it　would　be　your　duty　yourself　to　denounce　him　as　a　spy。〃

〃Your　first　orders；〃　said　the　woman；　〃were　to　tell　them　Briand　had
been　long　in　my　service；　that　I　brought　him　from　my　home　in　Laon。〃

〃He　might　be　in　your　service　for　years；〃　returned　the　colonel；
〃and　you　not　know　he　was　a　German　agent。〃

〃If　to　save　myself　I　inform　upon　him；〃　said　Marie；　〃of　course　you
know　you　will　lose　him。〃

The　officer　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃A　wireless　operator；〃　he
retorted；　〃we　can　replace。　　But　for　you；　and　for　the　service　you
are　to　render　in　Paris；　we　have　no　substitute。　　You　must　not　be
found　out。　　You　are　invaluable。〃

The　spy　inclined　her　head。　　〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said。

The　officer　sputtered　indignantly。

〃It　is　not　a　compliment；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　is　an　order。　　You　must
not　be　found　out！〃

Withdrawn　some　two　hundred　yards　from　the　Paris　road；　the
chateau　stood　upon　a　wooded　hill。　　Except　directly　in　front；
trees　of　great　height　surrounded　it。　　The　tips　of　their　branches
brushed　the　windows；　interlacing；　they　continued　until　they
overhung　the　wall　of　the　estate。　　Where　it　ran　with　the　road　the
wall　gave　way　to　a　lofty　gate　and　iron　fence；　through　which　those
passing　could　see　a　stretch　of　noble　turf；　as　wide　as　a　polo…field；
borders　of　flowers　disappearing　under　the　shadows　of　the　trees；
and　the　chateau　itself；　with　its　terrace；　its　many　windows；　its
high…pitched；　sloping　roof；　broken　by　towers　and　turrets。

Through　the　remainder　of　the　night　there　came　from　the　road　to
those　in　the　chateau　the　roar　and　rumbling　of　the　army　in　retreat。
It　moved　without　panic；　disorder；　or　haste；　but　unceasingly。　　Not
for　an　instant　was　there　a　breathing…spell。　　And　when　the　sun　rose；
the　three　spiesthe　two　women　and　the　chauffeurwho　in　the　great
chateau　were　now　alone；　could　see　as　well　as　hear　the　gray　column
of　steel　rolling　past　below　them。

The　spies　knew　that　the　gray　column　had　reached　Claye；　had　stood
within　fifteen　miles　of　Paris；　and　then　upon　Paris　had　turned　its
back。　　They　knew　also　that　the　reverberations　from　the　direction
of　Meaux；　that　each　moment　grew　more　loud　and　savage；　were　the
French　〃seventy…fives〃　whipping　the　gray　column　forward。　　Of　what
they　felt　the　Germans　did　not　speak。　　In　silence　they　looked　at　each
other；　and　in　the　eyes　of　Marie　was　bitterness　and　resolve。

Toward　noon　Marie　met　Anfossi　in　the　great　drawing…room　that
stretched　the　length　of　the　terrace　and　from　the　windows　of　which；
through　the　park　gates；　they　could　see　the　Paris　road。

〃This；　that　is　passing　now；〃　said　Marie；　〃is　the　last　of　our　rear…guard。
Go　to　your　tower；〃　she　ordered；　〃and　send　word　that　except　for
stragglers　and　the　wo