el dorado-第67章

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called　me　a　fool　just　now　when　you　thought　I　had　killed　the
prisoner。　　It　is　his　secret　we　want　first；　his　death　can　follow
afterwards。〃

〃Yes；　but　not　in　this　dd　hole；〃　murmured　Blakeney。

〃On　the　guillotine　if　you'll　speak；〃　cried　Heron；　whose　exasperation
was　getting　the　better　of　his　self…interest；　〃but　if　you'll　not　speak
then　it　shall　be　starvation　in　this　holeyes；　starvation；〃　he　growled；
showing　a　row　of　large　and　uneven　teeth　like　those　of　some　mongrel　cur；
〃for　I'll　have　that　door　walled　in　to…night；　and　not　another　living
soul　shall　cross　this　threshold　again　until　your　flesh　has　rotted　on
your　bones　and　the　rats　have　had　their　fill　of　you。〃

The　prisoner　raised　his　head　slowly；　a　shiver　shook　him　as　if
caused　by　ague；　and　his　eyes；　that　appeared　almost　sightless；　now
looked　with　a　strange　glance　of　horror　on　his　enemy。

〃I'll　die　in　the　open；〃　he　whispered；　〃not　in　this　dd　hole。〃

〃Then　tell　us　where　Capet　is。〃

〃I　cannot；　I　wish　to　God　I　could。　　But　I'll　take　you　to　him；　I
swear　I　will。　　I'll　make　my　friends　give　him　up　to　you。　　Do　you
think　that　I　would　not　tell　you　now；　if　I　could。〃

Heron；　whose　every　instinct　of　tyranny　revolted　against　this
thwarting　of　his　will；　would　have　continued　to　heckle　the　prisoner
even　now；　had　not　Chauvelin　suddenly　interposed　with　an
authoritative　gesture。

〃You'll　gain　nothing　this　way；　citizen；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃the
man's　mind　is　wandering；　he　is　probably　quite　unable　to　give　you
clear　directions　at　this　moment。〃

〃What　am　I　to　do；　then？〃　muttered　the　other　roughly。

〃He　cannot　live　another　twenty…four　hours　now；　and　would　only　grow
more　and　more　helpless　as　time　went　on。〃

〃Unless　you　relax　your　strict　regime　with　him。〃

〃And　if　I　do　we'll　only　prolong　this　situation　indefinitely；　and
in　the　meanwhile　how　do　we　know　that　the　brat　is　not　being
spirited　away　out　of　the　country？〃

The　prisoner；　with　his　head　once　more　buried　in　his　arms；　had
fallen　into　a　kind　of　torpor；　the　only　kind　of　sleep　that　the
exhausted　system　would　allow。　　With　a　brutal　gesture　Heron　shook
him　by　the　shoulder。

〃He；〃　he　shouted；　〃none　of　that；　you　know。　　We　have　not　settled
the　matter　of　young　Capet　yet。〃

Then；　as　the　prisoner　made　no　movement；　and　the　chief　agent
indulged　in　one　of　his　favourite　volleys　of　oaths；　Chauvelin
placed　a　peremptory　hand　on　his　colleague's　shoulder。

〃I　tell　you；　citizen；　that　this　is　no　use；〃　he　said　firmly。
〃Unless　you　are　prepared　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　finding　Capet；
you　must　try　and　curb　your　temper；　and　try　diplomacy　where　force
is　sure　to　fail。〃

〃Diplomacy？〃　retorted　the　other　with　a　sneer。　　〃Bah！　it　served　you
well　at　Boulogne　last　autumn；　did　it　not；　citizen　Chauvelin？〃

〃It　has　served　me　better　now；〃　rejoined　the　other　imperturbably。
〃You　will　own；　citizen；　that　it　is　my　diplomacy　which　has　placed
within　your　reach　the　ultimate　hope　of　finding　Capet。〃

〃H'm！〃　muttered　the　other；　〃you　advised　us　to　starve　the　prisoner。
Are　we　any　nearer　to　knowing　his　secret？〃

〃Yes。　　By　a　fortnight　of　weariness；　of　exhaustion　and　of　starvation；
you　are　nearer　to　it　by　the　weakness　of　the　man　whom　in　his　full
strength　you　could　never　hope　to　conquer。〃

〃But　if　the　cursed　Englishman　won't　speak；　and　in　the　meanwhile
dies　on　my　hands〃

〃He　won't　do　that　if　you　will　accede　to　his　wish。　　Give　him　some
good　food　now；　and　let　him　sleep　till　dawn。〃

〃And　at　dawn　he'll　defy　me　again。　　I　believe　now　that　he　has　some
scheme　in　his　mind；　and　means　to　play　us　a　trick。〃

〃That；　I　imagine；　is　more　than　likely；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　dryly；
〃though；〃　he　added　with　a　contemptuous　nod　of　the　head　directed　at
the　huddled…up　figure　of　his　once　brilliant　enemy；　〃neither　mind
nor　body　seem　to　me　to　be　in　a　sufficiently　active　state　just　now
for　hatching　plot　or　intrigue；　but　even　ifvaguely　floating
through　his　clouded　mindthere　has　sprung　some　little　scheme　for
evasion；　I　give　you　my　word；　citizen　Heron；　that　you　can　thwart
him　completely；　and　gain　all　that　you　desire；　if　you　will　only
follow　my　advice。〃

There　had　always　been　a　great　amount　of　persuasive　power　in
citizen　Chauvelin；　ex…envoy　of　the　revolutionary　Government　of
France　at　the　Court　of　St。　James；　and　that　same　persuasive
eloquence　did　not　fail　now　in　its　effect　on　the　chief　agent　of　the
Committee　of　General　Security。　The　latter　was　made　of　coarser
stuff　than　his　more　brilliant　colleague。　　Chauvelin　was　like　a
wily　and　sleek　panther　that　is　furtive　in　its　movements；　that　will
lure　its　prey；　watch　it；　follow　it　with　stealthy　footsteps；　and
only　pounce　on　it　when　it　is　least　wary；　whilst　Heron　was　more
like　a　raging　bull　that　tosses　its　head　in　a　blind；　irresponsible
fashion；　rushes　at　an　obstacle　without　gauging　its　resisting
powers；　and　allows　its　victim　to　slip　from　beneath　its　weight
through　the　very　clumsiness　and　brutality　of　its　assault。

Still　Chauvelin　had　two　heavy　black　marks　against　himthose　of
his　failures　at　Calais　and　Boulogne。　　Heron；　rendered　cautious
both　by　the　deadly　danger　in　which　he　stood　and　the　sense　of　his
own　incompetence　to　deal　with　the　present　situation；　tried　to
resist　the　other's　authority　as　well　as　his　persuasion。

〃Your　advice　was　not　of　great　use　to　citizen　Collot　last　autumn　at
Boulogne；〃　he　said；　and　spat　on　the　ground　by　way　of　expressing
both　his　independence　and　his　contempt。

〃Still；　citizen　Heron；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　with　unruffled　patience；
〃it　is　the　best　advice　that　you　are　likely　to　get　in　the　present
emergency。　　You　have　eyes　to　see；　have　you　not？　Look　on　your
prisoner　at　this　moment。　　Unless　something　is　done；　and　at　once；
too；　he　will　be　past　negotiating　with　in　the　next　twenty…four　hours；
then　what　will　follow？〃

He　put　his　thin　hand　once　more　on　his　colleague's　grubby
coat…sleeve；　he　drew　him　closer　to　himself　away　from　the　vicinity
of　that　huddled　figure；　that　captive　lion；　wrapped　in　a　torpid
somnolence　that　looked　already　so　like　the　last　long　sleep。

〃What　will　follow；　citizen　Heron？〃　he　reiterated；　sinking　his
voice　to　a　whisper；　〃sooner　or　later　some　meddlesome　busybody　who
sits　in　the　Assembly　of　the　Convention　will　get　wind　that　little
Capet　is　no　longer　in　the　Temple　prison；　that　a　pauper　child　was
substituted　for　him；　and　that　you；　citizen　Heron；　together　with
the　commissaries　in　charge；　have　thus　been　fooling　the　nation　and
its　representatives　for　over　a　fortnight。　　What　will　follow　then；
think　you？〃

And　he　made　an　expressive　gesture　with　his　outstretched　fingers
across　his　throat。

Heron　found　no　other　answer　but　blasphemy。

〃I'll　make　that　cursed　Englishman　speak　yet；〃　he　said　with　a
fierce　oath。

〃You　cannot；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　decisively。　　〃In　his　present
state　he　is　incapable　of　it；　even　if　he　would；　which　also　is
doubtful。〃

〃Ah！　then　you　do　think　that　he　still　means　to　cheat　us？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　But　I　also　know　that　he　is　no　longer　in　a　physical
state　to　do　it。　　No　doubt　he　thinks　that　he　is。　　A　man　of　that
type　is　sure　to　overvalue　his　own　strength；　but　look　at　him；
citizen　Heron。　　Surely　you　must　see　that　we　have　nothing　to　fear
from　him　now。〃

Heron　now　was　like　a　voracious　creature　that　has　two　victims　lying
ready　for　his　gluttonous　jaws。　　He　was　loath　to　let　either　of　them
go。　　He　hated　the　very　thought　of　seeing　the　Englishman　being　led
out　of　this　narrow　cell；　where　he　had　kept　a　watchful　eye　over　him
night　and　day　for　a　fortnight；　satisfied　that　with　every　day；
every　hour；　the　chances　of　escape　became　more　improbable　and　more
rare；　at　the　same　time　there　was　the　possibility　of　the　recapture
of　little　Capet；　a　possibility　which　made　Heron's　brain　reel　with
the　delightful　vista　of　it；　and　which　might　never　come　about　if
the　prisoner　remained　silent　to　the　end。

〃I　wish　I　were　quite　sure；〃　he　said　sullenly；　〃that　you　were　body
and　soul　in　accord　with　me。〃

〃I　am　in　accord　with　you；　citizen　Heron；〃　rejoined　the　other
earnestly〃body　and　soul　in　accord　with　you。　　Do　you　not　believe
that　I　hate　this　manaye！　hate　him　with　a　hatred　ten　thousand
times　more　strong　than　yours？　　I　want　his　deathHeaven　or　hell
alone　know　how　I　long　for　thatbut　what　I　long　for　most　is　his
lasting　disgrace。　　For　that　I　have　worke