el dorado-第15章
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flaunted in the face of the armies of Europe。 The son of the
Bourbons was spitting on their flag； and wiping his shoes upon its
tattered folds。 With shrill cracked voice he sang the Carmagnole；
〃Ca ira！ ca ira！ les aristos a la lanterne！〃 until de Batz himself
felt inclined to stop his ears and to rush from the place in
horror。
Louis XVII； whom the hearts of many had proclaimed King of France
by the grace of God； the child of the Bourbons； the eldest son of
the Church； was stepping a vulgar dance over the flag of St。 Louis；
which he had been taught to defile。 His pale cheeks glowed as he
danced； his eyes shone with the unnatural light kindled in them by
the intoxicating liquor； with one slender hand he waved the red cap
with the tricolour cockade； and shouted 〃Vive la Republique！〃
Madame Simon was clapping her hands； looking on the child with
obvious pride； and a kind of rough maternal affection。 Simon was
gazing on Heron for approval； and the latter nodded his bead；
murmuring words of encouragement and of praise。
〃Thy catechism now； Capetthy catechism；〃 shouted Simon in a
hoarse voice。
The boy stood at attention； cap on head； hands on his hips； legs
wide apart； and feet firmly planted on the fleur…de…lys； the glory
of his forefathers。
〃Thy name？〃 queried Simon。
〃Louis Capet；〃 replied the child in a clear； high…pitched voice。
〃What art thou？〃
〃A citizen of the Republic of France。〃
〃What was thy father？〃
〃Louis Capet； ci…devant king； a tyrant who perished by the will of
the people！〃
〃What was thy mother？〃
〃A 〃
De Batz involuntarily uttered a cry of horror。 Whatever the man's
private character was； he had been born a gentleman； and his every
instinct revolted against what he saw and heard。 The scene had
positively sickened him。 He turned precipitately towards the door。
〃How now； citizen？〃 queried the Committee's agent with a sneer。
〃Are you not satisfied with what you see？〃
〃Mayhap the citizen would like to see Capet sitting in a golden
chair；〃 interposed Simon the cobbler with a sneer； 〃and me and my
wife kneeling and kissing his handwhat？〃
〃'Tis the heat of the room；〃 stammered de Batz； who was fumbling
with the lock of the door； 〃my head began to swim。〃
〃Spit on their accursed flag； then； like a good patriot； like
Capet；〃 retorted Simon gruffly。 〃Here； Capet； my son；〃 he added；
pulling the boy by the arm with a rough gesture； 〃get thee to bed；
thou art quite drunk enough to satisfy any good Republican。〃
By way of a caress he tweaked the boy's ear and gave him a prod in
the back with his bent knee。 He was not wilfully unkind； for just
now he was not angry with the lad； rather was he vastly amused
with the effect Capet's prayer and Capet's recital of his
catechism had had on the visitor。
As to the lad； the intensity of excitement in him was immediately
followed by an overwhelming desire for sleep。 Without any
preliminary of undressing or of washing； he tumbled； just as he
was； on to the sofa。 Madame Simon； with quite pleasing
solicitude； arranged a pillow under his head； and the very next
moment the child was fast asleep。
〃'Tis well； citoyen Simon；〃 said Heron in his turn； going towards
the door。 〃I'll report favourably on you to the Committee of
Public Security。 As for the citoyenne； she had best be more
careful；〃 he added； turning to the woman Simon with a snarl on his
evil face。 〃There was no cause to arrange a pillow under the head
of that vermin's spawn。 Many good patriots have no pillows to put
under their heads。 Take that pillow away； and I don't like the
shoes on the brat's feet； sabots are quite good enough。〃
Citoyenne Simon made no reply。 Some sort of retort had apparently
hovered on her lips； but had been checked； even before it was
uttered； by a peremptory look from her husband。 Simon the
cobbler； snarling in speech but obsequious in manner； prepared to
accompany the citizen agent to the door。
De Batz was taking a last look at the sleeping child； the
uncrowned King of France was wrapped in a drunken sleep； with the
last spoken insult upon his dead mother still hovering on his
childish lips。
CHAPTER VIII
ARCADES AMBO
〃That is the way we conduct our affairs； citizen；〃 said Heron
gruffly； as he once more led his guest back into his office。
It was his turn to be complacent now。 De Batz； for once in his
life cowed by what he had seen； still wore a look of horror and
disgust upon his florid face。
〃What devils you all are！〃 he said at last。
〃We are good patriots；〃 retorted Heron； 〃and the tyrant's spawn
leads but the life that hundreds of thousands of children led
whilst his father oppressed the people。 Nay！ what am I saying？
He leads a far better； far happier life。 He gets plenty to eat and
plenty of warm clothes。 Thousands of innocent children； who have
not the crimes of a despot father upon their conscience； have to
starve whilst he grows fat。〃
The leer in his face was so evil that once more de Batz felt that
eerie feeling of terror creeping into his bones。 Here were
cruelty and bloodthirsty ferocity personified to their utmost
extent。 At thought of the Bourbons； or of all those whom he
considered had been in the past the oppressors of the people；
Heron was nothing but a wild and ravenous beast； hungering for
revenge； longing to bury his talons and his fangs into the body of
those whose heels had once pressed on his own neck。
And de Batz knew that even with millions or countless money at his
command he could not purchase from this carnivorous brute the life
and liberty of the son of King Louis。 No amount of bribery would
accomplish that； it would have to be ingenuity pitted against
animal force； the wiliness of the fox against the power of the
wolf。
Even now Heron was darting savagely suspicious looks upon him。
〃I shall get rid of the Simons；〃 he said； 〃there's something in
that woman's face which I don't trust。 They shall go within the
next few hours； or as soon as I can lay my hands upon a better
patriot than that mealy…mouthed cobbler。 And it will be better
not to have a woman about the place。 Let me seeto…day is
Thursday； or else Friday morning。 By Sunday I'll get those Simons
out of the place。 Methought I saw you ogling that woman；〃 he
added； bringing his bony fist crashing down on the table so that
papers； pen； and inkhorn rattled loudly； 〃and if I thought that
you〃
De Batz thought it well at this point to finger once more
nonchalantly the bundle of crisp paper in the pocket of his coat。
〃Only on that one condition；〃 reiterated Heron in a hoarse voice；
〃if you try to get at Capet； I'll drag you to the Tribunal with my
own hands。〃
〃Always presuming that you can get me； my friend；〃 murmured de
Batz； who was gradually regaining his accustomed composure。
Already his active mind was busily at work。 One or two things
which he had noted in connection with his visit to the Dauphin's
prison had struck him as possibly useful in his schemes。 But he
was disappointed that Heron was getting rid of the Simons。 The
woman might have been very useful and more easily got at than a
man。 The avarice of the French bourgeoise would have proved a
promising factor。 But this； of course； would now be out of the
question。 At the same time it was not because Heron raved and
stormed and uttered cries like a hyena that he； de Batz； meant to
give up an enterprise which； if successful； would place millions
into his own pocket。
As for that meddling Englishman； the Scarlet Pimpernel； and his
crack…brained followers； they must be effectually swept out of the
way first of all。 De Batz felt that they were the real； the most
likely hindrance to his schemes。 He himself would have to go very
cautiously to work； since apparently Heron would not allow him to
purchase immunity for himself in that one matter； and whilst he
was laying his plans with necessary deliberation so as to ensure
his own safety； that accursed Scarlet Pimpernel would mayhap
snatch the golden prize from the Temple prison right under his
very nose。
When he thought of that the Gascon Royalist felt just as
vindictive as did the chief agent of the C
