the lost road-第97章
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continue。 And to that end； at my own expense； I am sending an
expedition across South America。 It will investigate； punish； and
establish reforms。 I suggest； on account of this damned heat； we
do now adjourn。〃
That night； over on Long Island； Carroll told his wife all； or
nearly all。 He did not tell her about the automatic pistol。 And
together on tiptoe they crept to the nursery and looked down at
their sleeping children。 When she rose from her knees the mother
said： 〃But how can I thank him？〃
By 〃him〃 she meant the Young Man of Wall Street。
〃You never can thank him；〃 said Carroll； 〃that's the worst of it。〃
But after a long silence the mother said： 〃I will send him a
photograph of the children。 Do you think he will understand？〃
Down at Seabright； Hastings and his wife walked in the sunken
garden。 The moon was so bright that the roses still held their
color。
〃I would like to thank him；〃 said the young wife。 She meant the
Young Man of Wall Street。 〃But for him we would have lost this。〃
Her eyes caressed the garden； the fruit…trees； the house with wide；
hospitable verandas。 〃To…morrow I will send him some of these
roses；〃 said the young wife。 〃Will he understand that they mean
our home？〃
At a scandalously late hour； in a scandalous spirit of independence；
Champ Thorne and Barbara were driving around Central Park in a
taxicab。
〃How strangely the Lord moves； his wonders to perform；〃 misquoted
Barbara。 〃Had not the Young Man of Wall Street saved Mr。 Hastings；
Mr。 Hastings could not have raised your salary； you would not have
asked me to marry you； and had you not asked me to marry you；
father would not have given me a wedding…present； and〃
〃And；〃 said Champ； taking up the tale； 〃thousands of slaves would
still be buried in the jungles； hidden away from their wives and
children and the light of the sun and their fellow men。 They
still would be dying of fever； starvation； tortures。〃
He took her hand in both of his and held her finger…tips against
his lips。
〃And they will never know；〃 he whispered； 〃when their freedom
comes； that they owe it all to you。〃
On Hunter's Island； Jimmie Reeder and his bunkie； Sam Sturges；
each on his canvas cot； tossed and twisted。 The heat； the moonlight；
and the mosquitoes would not let them even think of sleep。
〃That was bully；〃 said Jimmie； 〃what you did to…day about saving
that dog。 If it hadn't been for you he'd ha' drownded。〃
〃He would not！〃 said Sammy with punctilious regard for the truth；
〃it wasn't deep enough。〃
〃Well； the scout…master ought to know；〃 argued Jimmie； 〃he said
it was the best 'one good turn' of the day！〃
Modestly Sam shifted the lime…light so that it fell upon his
bunkie。
〃I'll bet；〃 he declared loyally； 〃your 'one good turn' was a
better one！〃
Jimmie yawned； and then laughed scornfully。
〃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 youn
