el dorado-第12章
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puffs from it； he said abruptly：
〃Well； what is it now？〃
In the meanwhile de Batz had made himself as much at home in this
uncomfortable room as he possibly could。 He had deposited his hat
and cloak on one rickety rush…bottomed chair； and drawn another
close to the fire。 He sat down with one leg crossed over the
other； his podgy be…ringed hand wandering with loving gentleness
down the length of his shapely calf。
He was nothing if not complacent； and his complacency seemed
highly to irritate his friend Heron。
〃Well； what is it？〃 reiterated the latter； drawing his visitor's
attention roughly to himself by banging his fist on the table。
〃Out with it！ What do you want？ Why have you come at this hour
of the night to compromise me； I supposebring your own dd neck
and mine into the same noosewhat？〃
〃Easy； easy； my friend；〃 responded de Batz imperturbably； 〃waste
not so much time in idle talk。 Why do I usually come to see you？
Surely you have had no cause to complain hitherto of the
unprofitableness of my visits to you？〃
〃They will have to be still more profitable to me in the future；〃
growled the other across the table。 〃I have more power now。〃
〃I know you have；〃 said de Batz suavely。 〃The new decree？ What？
You may denounce whom you please； search whom you please； arrest
whom you please； and send whom you please to the Supreme Tribunal
without giving them the slightest chance of escape。〃
〃Is it in order to tell me all this that you have come to see me
at this hour of the night？〃 queried Heron with a sneer。
〃No； I came at this hour of the night because I surmised that in
the future you and your hell…hounds would be so busy all day
'beating up game for the guillotine' that the only time you would
have at the disposal of your friends would be the late hours of
the night。 I saw you at the theatre a couple of hours ago； friend
Heron； I didn't think to find you yet abed。〃
〃Well； what do you want？〃
〃Rather；〃 retorted de Batz blandly； 〃shall we say； what do YOU
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
