the man who was thursday-第26节

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Syme　nodded　gravely；　then　he　said　abruptly

〃And　your　other　reason　for　coming　here？〃

〃My　other　reason　for　coming　here；〃　said　Ducroix　soberly；　〃is　that　it　is　just　as　well　to　see　a　good　man　or　two　when　one　is　possibly　near　to　death。〃

Syme　looked　up　at　the　wall；　and　saw　a　crudely…painted　and　pathetic　religious　picture。　Then　he　said

〃You　are　right；〃　and　then　almost　immediately　afterwards；　〃Has　anyone　seen　about　the　horses？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Ducroix；　〃you　may　be　quite　certain　that　I　gave　orders　the　moment　I　came　in。　Those　enemies　of　yours　gave　no　impression　of　hurry；　but　they　were　really　moving　wonderfully　fast；　like　a　well…trained　army。　I　had　no　idea　that　the　anarchists　had　so　much　discipline。　You　have　not　a　moment　to　waste。〃

Almost　as　he　spoke；　the　old　innkeeper　with　the　blue　eyes　and　white　hair　came　ambling　into　the　room；　and　announced　that　six　horses　were　saddled　outside。

By　Ducroix's　advice　the　five　others　equipped　themselves　with　some　portable　form　of　food　and　wine；　and　keeping　their　duelling　swords　as　the　only　weapons　available；　they　clattered　away　down　the　steep；　white　road。　The　two　servants；　who　had　carried　the　Marquis's　luggage　when　he　was　a　marquis；　were　left　behind　to　drink　at　the　cafe　by　common　consent；　and　not　at　all　against　their　own　inclination。

By　this　time　the　afternoon　sun　was　slanting　westward；　and　by　its　rays　Syme　could　see　the　sturdy　figure　of　the　old　innkeeper　growing　smaller　and　smaller；　but　still　standing　and　looking　after　them　quite　silently；　the　sunshine　in　his　silver　hair。　Syme　had　a　fixed；　superstitious　fancy；　left　in　his　mind　by　the　chance　phrase　of　the　Colonel；　that　this　was　indeed；　perhaps；　the　last　honest　stranger　whom　he　should　ever　see　upon　the　earth。

He　was　still　looking　at　this　dwindling　figure；　which　stood　as　a　mere　grey　blot　touched　with　a　white　flame　against　the　great　green　wall　of　the　steep　down　behind　him。　And　as　he　stared　over　the　top　of　the　down　behind　the　innkeeper；　there　appeared　an　army　of　black…clad　and　marching　men。　They　seemed　to　hang　above　the　good　man　and　his　house　like　a　black　cloud　of　locusts。　The　horses　had　been　saddled　none　too　soon。



CHAPTER　XII

THE　EARTH　IN　ANARCHY

URGING　the　horses　to　a　gallop；　without　respect　to　the　rather　rugged　descent　of　the　road；　the　horsemen　soon　regained　their　advantage　over　the　men　on　the　march；　and　at　last　the　bulk　of　the　first　buildings　of　Lancy　cut　off　the　sight　of　their　pursuers。　Nevertheless；　the　ride　had　been　a　long　one；　and　by　the　time　they　reached　the　real　town　the　west　was　warming　with　the　colour　and　quality　of　sunset。　The　Colonel　suggested　that；　before　making　finally　for　the　police　station；　they　should　make　the　effort；　in　passing；　to　attach　to　themselves　one　more　individual　who　might　be　useful。

〃Four　out　of　the　five　rich　men　in　this　town；〃　he　said；　〃are　common　swindlers。　I　suppose　the　proportion　is　pretty　equal　all　over　the　world。　The　fifth　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and　a　very　fine　fellow；　and　what　is　even　more　important　from　our　point　of　view；　he　owns　a　motor…car。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　the　Professor　in　his　mirthful　way；　looking　back　along　the　white　road　on　which　the　black；　crawling　patch　might　appear　at　any　moment；　〃I　am　afraid　we　have　hardly　time　for　afternoon　calls。〃

〃Doctor　Renard's　house　is　only　three　minutes　off；〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃Our　danger；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　〃is　not　two　minutes　off。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Syme；　〃if　we　ride　on　fast　we　must　leave　them　behind；　for　they　are　on　foot。〃

〃He　has　a　motor…car；〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃But　we　may　not　get　it；〃　said　Bull。

〃Yes；　he　is　quite　on　your　side。〃

〃But　he　might　be　out。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　said　Syme　suddenly。　〃What　is　that　noise？〃

For　a　second　they　all　sat　as　still　as　equestrian　statues；　and　for　a　secondfor　two　or　three　or　four　secondsheaven　and　earth　seemed　equally　still。　Then　all　their　ears；　in　an　agony　of　attention；　heard　along　the　road　that　indescribable　thrill　and　throb　that　means　only　one　thinghorses！

The　Colonel's　face　had　an　instantaneous　change；　as　if　lightning　had　struck　it；　and　yet　left　it　scatheless。

〃They　have　done　us；〃　he　said；　with　brief　military　irony。　〃Prepare　to　receive　cavalry！〃

〃Where　can　they　have　got　the　horses？〃　asked　Syme；　as　he　mechanically　urged　his　steed　to　a　canter。

The　Colonel　was　silent　for　a　little；　then　he　said　in　a　strained　voice

〃I　was　speaking　with　strict　accuracy　when　I　said　that　the　'Soleil　d'Or'　was　the　only　place　where　one　can　get　horses　within　twenty　miles。〃

〃No！〃　said　Syme　violently；　〃I　don't　believe　he'd　do　it。　Not　with　all　that　white　hair。〃

〃He　may　have　been　forced；〃　said　the　Colonel　gently。　〃They　must　be　at　least　a　hundred　strong；　for　which　reason　we　are　all　going　to　see　my　friend　Renard；　who　has　a　motor…car。〃

With　these　words　he　swung　his　horse　suddenly　round　a　street　corner；　and　went　down　the　street　with　such　thundering　speed；　that　the　others；　though　already　well　at　the　gallop；　had　difficulty　in　following　the　flying　tail　of　his　horse。

Dr。　Renard　inhabited　a　high　and　comfortable　house　at　the　top　of　a　steep　street；　so　that　when　the　riders　alighted　at　his　door　they　could　once　more　see　the　solid　green　ridge　of　the　hill；　with　the　white　road　across　it；　standing　up　above　all　the　roofs　of　the　town。　They　breathed　again　to　see　that　the　road　as　yet　was　clear；　and　they　rang　the　bell。

Dr。　Renard　was　a　beaming；　brown…bearded　man；　a　good　example　of　that　silent　but　very　busy　professional　class　which　France　has　preserved　even　more　perfectly　than　England。　When　the　matter　was　explained　to　him　he　pooh…poohed　the　panic　of　the　ex…Marquis　altogether；　he　said；　with　the　solid　French　scepticism；　that　there　was　no　conceivable　probability　of　a　general　anarchist　rising。　〃Anarchy；〃　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃it　is　childishness！〃

〃Et　ca；〃　cried　out　the　Colonel　suddenly；　pointing　over　the　other's　shoulder；　〃and　that　is　childishness；　isn't　it？〃

They　all　looked　round；　and　saw　a　curve　of　black　cavalry　come　sweeping　over　the　top　of　the　hill　with　all　the　energy　of　Attila。　Swiftly　as　they　rode；　however；　the　whole　rank　still　kept　well　together；　and　they　could　see　the　black　vizards　of　the　first　line　as　level　as　a　line　of　uniforms。　But　although　the　main　black　square　was　the　same；　though　travelling　faster；　there　was　now　one　sensational　difference　which　they　could　see　clearly　upon　the　slope　of　the　hill；　as　if　upon　a　slanted　map。　The　bulk　of　the　riders　were　in　one　block；　but　one　rider　flew　far　ahead　of　the　column；　and　with　frantic　movements　of　hand　and　heel　urged　his　horse　faster　and　faster；　so　that　one　might　have　fancied　that　he　was　not　the　pursuer　but　the　pursued。　But　even　at　that　great　distance　they　could　see　something　so　fanatical；　so　unquestionable　in　his　figure；　that　they　knew　it　was　the　Secretary　himself。　〃I　am　sorry　to　cut　short　a　cultured　discussion；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃but　can　you　lend　me　your　motor…car　now；　in　two　minutes？〃

〃I　have　a　suspicion　that　you　are　all　mad；〃　said　Dr。　Renard；　smiling　sociably；　〃but　God　forbid　that　madness　should　in　any　way　interrupt　friendship。　Let　us　go　round　to　the　garage。〃

Dr。　Renard　was　a　mild　man　with　monstrous　wealth；　his　rooms　were　like　the　Musee　de　Cluny；　and　he　had　three　motor…cars。　These；　however；　he　seemed　to　use　very　sparingly；　having　the　simple　tastes　of　the　French　middle　class；　and　when　his　impatient　friends　came　to　examine　them；　it　took　them　some　time　to　assure　themselves　that　one　of　them　even　could　be　made　to　work。　This　with　some　difficulty　they　brought　round　into　the　street　before　the　Doctor's　house。　When　they　came　out　of　the　dim　garage　they　were　startled　to　find　that　twilight　had　already　fallen　with　the　abruptness　of　night　in　the　tropics。　Either　they　had　been　longer　in　the　place　than　they　imagined；　or　some　unusual　canopy　of　cloud　had　gathered　over　the　town。　They　looked　down　the　steep　streets；　and　seemed　to　see　a　slight　mist　coming　up　from　the　sea。

〃It　is　now　or　never；〃　said　Dr。　Bull。　〃I　hear　horses。〃

〃No；〃　corrected　the　Professor；　〃a　horse。〃

And　as　they　listened；　it　was　evident　that　the　noise；　rapidly　coming　nearer　on　the　rattling　stones；　was　not　the　noise　of　the　whole　cavalcade　but　that　of　the　one　horseman；　who　had　left　it　far　behindthe　insane　Secretary。

Syme's　family；　like　most　of　those　who　end　in　the　simple　life；　had　once　owned　a　motor；　and　he　knew　all　about　them。　He　had　leapt　at　once　into　the　chauffeur's　seat；　and　with　flushed　face　was　wrenching　and　tugging　at　the　disused　machinery。　He　bent　his　strength　upon　one　handle；　and　then　said　quite　quietly

〃I　am　afraid　it's　no　go。〃

As　he　spoke；　there　swept　round　the　corner　a　man　rigid　on　his　rushing　horse；　with　the　rush　and　rigidity　of　an　arrow。　He　had　a　smile　that　thrust　out　his　chin　as　if　it　were　dislocated。　He　swept　alongside　of　the　stationary　car；　into　which　its　company　had　crowded；　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　front。　It　was　the　Secretary；　and　his　mouth　went　quite　straight　in　the　solemnity　of　triumph。

Syme　was　leaning　hard　upon　the　steering　wheel；　and　there　was　no　sound　but　the　rumble　of　the　other　pursuers　riding　into　the　town。　Then　there　came　quite　suddenly　a　scream　of　scraping　iron；　and　the　car　leapt　forward。　It　plucked　the　Secretary　clean　out　of　his　saddle；　as　a　knife　is　whipped　out　of　its　sheath；　trailed　him　kicking　terribly　for　twenty　yards；　and　left　him　flung　flat　upon　the　r