"What you want to know is why I took Veronique d'Hergemont to that place after snatching her from your clutches. The answer is very simple. Where would you have me take her? To the submarine? An absurd suggestion! The sea was rough that night and Veronique needed rest. To the Priory? Never! That would have been too far from the scene of operations and I should have had no peace of mind. In reality there was only one place sheltered from the storm and sheltered from attack; and that was the hall of sacrifices. That was why I took her there and why she was sleeping there, quietly, under the influence of a strong narcotic, when you saw her. I confess that the pleasure of treating you to this spectacle counted for something in my decision. And how splendidly I was rewarded! Oh, if you could have seen the face you pulled! Such a ghastly sight! Veronique raised from the dead! Veronique brought back to life! So horrible was the vision that you ran away helter-skelter.
"But to cut a long story short: you find the exit blocked. Thereupon you change your mind. Conrad returns to the offensive. He attacks me by[Pg 342] stealth while I am preparing to move Veronique d'Hergemont to the submarine. Conrad receives a mortal blow from one of the Moors. Second comic interlude. Conrad, dressed up in the ancient Druid's robe, is laid on the floor in one of the crypts; and of course your first thought is to leap on him and wreak your vengeance on him. And, when you see Elfride's body, which has taken the place of Veronique d'Hergemont in the sacred table, whoosh… you jump on that too and reduce the woman whom you have already crucified to a bleeding pulp! Blunder upon blunder! And the end of the whole story likewise strikes a comic note. You are strung up on the pillory while I deliver straight at you a speech which does for you and which proves that, if you have won the God-Stone by virtue of your thirty coffins, I am taking possession of it by my own intrinsic virtue. There's the whole adventure for you, my dear Vorski. Except for a few secondary incidents, or some others, of greater importance, which there is no need for you to know, you know as much as I do. You've been quite comfortable and have had lots of time to think. So I am confidently expecting your answer about Francois. Come, out with your little song:
"'It's a long, long way to Tipperary.
It's a long way to go…' "Well? Are you feeling in a chatty mood?"
Don Luis had climbed a few rungs. Stephane and Patrice had come near and were anxiously listening. It was evident that Vorski meant to speak.
He had opened his eyes and was staring at Don Luis with a look of mingled hatred and fear. This[Pg 343] extraordinary man must have appeared to him as one of those persons against whom it is absolutely useless to fight and to whom it is equally useless to appeal for compassion. Don Luis represented the conqueror; and, in the presence of one stronger than yourself, there is nothing for it but to yield in all humility. Besides, Vorski was incapable of further resistance. The torture was becoming intolerable.
He spoke a few words in an unintelligible voice.
"A little louder, please," said Don Luis. "I can't hear. Where's Francois?"
He climbed the ladder. Vorski stammered:
"Shall I be free?"
"On my word of honour. We shall all leave this place, except Otto, who will release you."
"At once?"
"At once."
"Then…"
"Then what?"
"Well, Francois is alive."
"You mutton-head. I know that. But where is he?"
"Tied into the boat."
"The one hanging at the foot of the cliff?"
"Yes."
Don Luis struck his forehead with his hand:
"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!… Don't mind: I'm speaking of myself. Yes, I ought to have guessed that! Why, All's Well was sleeping under the boat, peacefully, like a good dog sleeping beside his master! Why, when we sent All's Well on Francois' trail, he led Stephane straight to the boat. It's true enough, there are times when the cleverest of[Pg 344] us behave like simpletons! But you, Vorski, did you know that there was a way down there and a boat?"
"I knew it since yesterday."
"And, you artful dog, you intended to skedaddle in her?"
"Yes."
"Well, Vorski, you shall skedaddle in her, with Otto. I'll leave her for you. Stephane!"
But Stephane Maroux was already running towards the cliff, escorted by All's Well.
"Release him, Stephane," cried Don Luis.
And he added, addressing the Moors:
"Help him, you others. And get the submarine under way. We shall sail in ten minutes."
He turned to Vorski:
"Good-bye, my dear chap… Oh, just one more word! Every well-regulated adventure contains a love-story. Ours appears to be without one, for I should never dare to allude to the feelings that urged you towards the sainted woman who bore your name. And yet I must tell you of a very pure and noble affection. Did you notice the eagerness with which Stephane flew to Francois' assistance? Obviously he loves his young pupil, but he loves the mother still more. And, since everything that pleases Veronique d'Hergemont is bound to please you, I wish to admit that he is not indifferent to her, that his wonderful love has touched her heart, that it was with real joy that she saw him restored to her this morning and that this will all end in a wedding… as soon as she's a widow, of course. You follow me, don't you? The only obstacle to their happiness is yourself. Therefore, as you are[Pg 345] a perfect little gentleman, you will not like to… But I need not go on. I rely on your good manners to die as soon as you can. Good-bye, old fellow, I won't offer you my hand, but my heart's with you. Otto, in ten minutes, unless you hear to the contrary, release your employer. You'll find the boat at the bottom of the cliff. Good luck, my friends!"
It was finished. The battle between Don Luis and Vorski was ended: and the issue had not been in doubt for a single instant. From the first minute, one of the two adversaries had so consistently dominated the other, that the latter, in spite of all his daring and his training as a criminal, had been nothing more than a grotesque, absurd, disjointed puppet in his opponent's hands. After succeeding in the entire execution of his plan, after attaining and surpassing his object, he, the master of events, in the moment of victory, found himself suddenly strung up on the tree of torture; and there he remained, gasping and captive like an insect pinned to a strip of cork.
Without troubling any further about his victims, Don Luis went off with Patrice Belval, who could not help saying to him:
"All the same, you're letting those vile scoundrels down very lightly!"
"Pooh, it won't be long before they get themselves nabbed elsewhere," said Don Luis, chuckling. "What do you expect them to do?"
"Well, first of all, to take the God-Stone."
"Out of the question! It would need twenty men to do that, with a scaffolding and machinery. I myself am giving up the idea for the present. I shall come back after the war."
[Pg 346]"But, look here, Don Luis, what is this miraculous stone?"
"Ah, now you're asking something!" said Don Luis, without making further reply.
They set out; and Don Luis, rubbing his hands, said:
"I worked the thing well. It's not much over twenty-four hours since we landed at Sarek. And the riddle had lasted twenty-four centuries. One century an hour. My congratulations, Lupin."
"I should be glad to offer you mine, Don Luis," said Patrice Belval, "but they are not worth as much as those of an expert like yourself."
When they reached the sands of the little beach, Francois' boat had already been lowered and was empty. Farther away, on the right, the Crystal Stopper was floating on the calm sea. Francois came running up to them, stopped a few yards from Don Luis and looked at him with wide-open eyes:
"I say," he murmured, "then it's you? It's you I was expecting?"