the lost road-第44章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Me！〃 he scoffed。 〃I didn't do nothing。 I sent my sister to the
movies。〃
〃SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE〃
Marie Gessler； known as Marie Chaumontel； Jeanne d'Avrechy；
the Countess d'Aurillac； was German。 Her father； who served
through the Franco…Prussian War； was a German spy。 It was
from her mother she learned to speak French sufficiently well
to satisfy even an Academician and； among Parisians； to pass
as one。 Both her parents were dead。 Before they departed；
knowing they could leave their daughter nothing save their
debts； they had had her trained as a nurse。 But when they
were gone； Marie in the Berlin hospitals played politics；
intrigued； indiscriminately misused the appealing； violet
eyes。 There was a scandal； several scandals。 At the age of
twenty…five she was dismissed from the Municipal Hospital；
and as now…save for the violet eyesshe was without resources；
as a compagnon de voyage with a German doctor she travelled
to Monte Carlo。 There she abandoned the doctor for Henri
Ravignac； a captain in the French Aviation Corps； who；
when his leave ended； escorted her to Paris。
The duties of Captain Ravignac kept him in barracks near the
aviation field； but Marie he established in his apartments on the
Boulevard Haussmann。 One day he brought from the barracks a
roll of blue…prints； and as he was locking them in a drawer； said：
〃The Germans would pay through the nose for those！〃 The remark
was indiscreet； but then Marie had told him she was French； and
any one would have believed her。
The next morning the same spirit of adventure that had exiled her
from the Berlin hospitals carried her with the blue…prints to the
German embassy。 There； greatly shocked； they first wrote down her
name and address； and then； indignant at her proposition； ordered
her out。 But the day following a strange young German who was
not at all indignant； but； on the contrary； quite charming； called
upon Marie。 For the blue…prints he offered her a very large sum；
and that same hour with them and Marie departed for Berlin。 Marie
did not need the money。 Nor did the argument that she was serving
her country greatly impress her。 It was rather that she loved intrigue。
And so she became a spy。
Henri Ravignac； the man she had robbed of the blue…prints； was tried
by court…martial。 The charge was treason； but Charles Ravignac； his
younger brother； promised to prove that the guilty one was the girl；
and to that end obtained leave of absence and spent much time and
money。 At the trial he was able to show the record of Marie in
Berlin and Monte Carlo； that she was the daughter of a German
secret agent； that on the afternoon the prints disappeared Marie；
with an agent of the German embassy； had left Paris for Berlin。
In consequence of this the charge of selling military secrets was
altered to one of 〃gross neglect；〃 and Henri Ravignac was sentenced
to two years in the military prison at Tours。 But he was of an ancient
and noble family； and when they came to take him from his cell in the
Cherche…Midi； he was dead。 Charles； his brother； disappeared。 It was
said he also had killed himself； that he had been appointed a military
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 o
