"Never! Your liberty, yes, if the worst comes to the worst and because I know you and know that, denuded of all resources, you will simply go and get yourself hanged somewhere else. But the God[Pg 304]-Stone would spell safety, wealth, the power to do evil…"
"That's exactly why I want it," said Vorski; "and, by telling me what it's worth, you make me all the more difficult in the matter of Francois."
"I shall find Francois all right. It's only a question of patience; and I shall stay two or three days longer, if necessary."
"You will not find him; and, if you do, it will be too late."
"Why?"
"Because he has had nothing to eat since yesterday."
This was said coldly and maliciously. There was a silence; and Don Luis retorted:
"In that case, speak, if you don't want him to die."
"What do I care? Anything rather than fail in my task and stop midway when I've got so far. The end is within sight: those who get in my way must look out for themselves."
"You lie. You won't let that boy die."
"I let the other die right enough!"
Patrice and Stephane made a movement of horror, while Don Luis laughed frankly:
"Capital! There's no hypocrisy about you. Plain and convincing arguments. By Jingo, how beautiful to see a Hun laying bare his soul! What a glorious mixture of vanity and cruelty, of cynicism and mysticism! A Hun has always a mission to fulfil, even when he's satisfied with plundering and murdering. Well, you're better than a Hun: you're a Superhun!"
And he added, still laughing:
[Pg 305]"So I propose to treat you as Superhun. Once more, will you tell me where Francois is?"
"No."
"All right."
He turned to the four Moors and said, very calmly:
"Go ahead, lads."
It was a matter of a second. With really extraordinary precision of gesture and as though the act had been separated into a certain number of movements, learnt and rehearsed beforehand like a military drill, they picked up Vorski, fastened him to the rope which hung to the tree, hoisted him up without paying attention to his cries, his threats or his shouts and bound him firmly, as he had bound his victim.
"Howl away, old chap," said Don Luis, serenely, "howl as much as you like! You can only wake the sisters Archignat and the others in the thirty coffins! Howl away, my lad! But, good Lord, how ugly you are! What a face!"
He took a few steps back, to appreciate the sight better:
"Excellent! You look very well there; it couldn't be better. Even the inscription fits: 'V. d'H.,' Vorski de Hohenzollern! For I presume that, as the son of a king, you are allied to that noble house. And now, Vorski, all you have to do is to lend me an attentive ear: I'm going to make you the little speech I promised you."
Vorski was wriggling on the tree and trying to burst his bonds. But, since every effort merely served to increase his suffering, he kept still and, to vent his fury, began to swear and blaspheme most hideously and to inveigh against Don Luis:
[Pg 306]"Robber! Murderer! It's you that are the murderer, it's you that are condemning Francois to death! Francois was wounded by his brother; it's a bad wound and may be poisoned…"
Stephane and Patrice pleaded with Don Luis. Stephane expressed his alarm:
"You can never tell," he said. "With a monster like that, anything is possible. And suppose the boy's ill?"
"It's bunkum and blackmail!" Don Luis declared. "The boy's quite well."
"Are you sure?"
"Well enough, in any case, to wait an hour. In an hour the Superhun will have spoken. He won't hold out any longer. Hanging loosens the tongue."
"And suppose he doesn't hold out at all?"
"What do you mean?"
"Suppose he himself expires, from too violent an effort, heart-failure, a clot of blood to the head?"
"Well?"
"Well, his death would destroy the only hope we have of learning where Francois is hidden, his death would be Francois' undoing!"
But Don Luis was inflexible:
"He won't die!" he cried. "Vorski's sort doesn't die of a stroke! No, no, he'll talk, he'll talk within an hour. Just time enough to deliver my lecture."
Patrice Belval began to laugh in spite of himself:
"Have you a lecture to deliver?"
"Rather! And such a lecture!" exclaimed Don Luis. "The whole adventure of the God-Stone! An historical treatise, a comprehensive view extending from prehistoric times to the thirty murders[Pg 307] committed by the Superhun! By Jove, it's not every day that one has the opportunity of reading a paper like that; and I wouldn't miss it for a kingdom! Mount the platform, Don Luis, and fire away with your speech!"
He took his stand opposite Vorski:
"You lucky dog, you! You're in the front seats and you won't lose a word. I expect you're glad, eh, to have a little light thrown upon your darkness? We've been floundering about so long that it's time we had a definite lead. I assure you I'm beginning not to know where I am. Just think, a riddle which has lasted for centuries and centuries and which you've merely muddled still further."
"Thief! Robber!" snarled Vorski.
"Insults? Why? If you're not comfortable, let's talk about Francois."
"Never! He shall die."
"Not at all, you'll talk. I give you leave to interrupt me. When you want me to stop, all you've got to do is to whistle a tune: 'En r'venant de la r'vue,' or Tipperary. I'll at once send to see; and, if you've told the truth, we'll leave you here quietly, Otto will untie you and you can be off in Francois' boat. Is it agreed?"
He turned to Stephane and Patrice Belvaclass="underline"
"Sit down, my friends," he said, "for it will take rather long. But, if I am to be eloquent, I need an audience… and an audience who will also act as judges."
"We're only two," said Patrice.
"You're three."
"With whom?"
"Here's your third."
[Pg 308]It was All's Well. He came trotting along, without hurrying more than usual. He frisked round Stephane, wagged his tail to Don Luis, as though to say, "I know you: you and I are pals," and squatted on his hind-quarters, with the air of one who does not wish to disturb people.
"That's right, All's Well!" cried Don Luis. "You also want to hear all about the adventure. Your curiosity does you honour; and I won't disappoint you."
Don Luis appeared to be delighted. He had an audience, a full bench of judges. Vorski was writhing on his tree. It was an exquisite moment.
He cut a sort of caper which must have reminded Vorski of the ancient Druid's pirouettes and, drawing himself up, bowed, imitated a lecturer taking a sip of water from a tumbler, rested his hands on an imaginary table and at last began, in a deliberate voice:
"Ladies and Gentlemen:
"On the twenty-fifth of July, in the year seven hundred and thirty-two B. C…"
[Pg 309]
CHAPTER XVI
Don Luis interrupted himself after delivering his opening sentence and stood enjoying the effect produced. Captain Belval, who knew his friend, was laughing heartily. Stephane continued to look anxious. All's Well had not budged.
Don Luis continued:
"Let me begin by confessing, ladies and gentlemen, that my object in fixing my date so precisely was to some extent to stagger you. In reality I could not tell you within a few centuries the exact date of the scene which I shall have the honour of describing to you. But what I can guarantee is that it is laid in that country of Europe which to-day we call Bohemia and at the spot where the little industrial town of Joachimsthal now stands. That, I hope, is fairly circumstantial. Well, on the morning of the day when my story begins, there was great excitement among one of those Celtic tribes which had settled a century or two earlier between the banks of the Danube and the sources of the Elbe, amidst the Hyrcanian forests. The warriors, assisted by their wives, were striking their tents, collecting the sacred axes, the bows and arrows, gathering up the pottery, the bronze and tin implements, loading the horses and the oxen.