Volume Ii Part 67 (1/2)
”No one with you, you understand.”
”No one but the boat.”
”You will stay on the bank of the river, like a boatman taking a rest.
You will see two women coming.”
”The ladies from the little house! Do you think that they'll come?”
”I tell you that they will come, in the utmost distress, looking for a boat to take them to one of the little islands that lie just above the mill.”
”Where the obstructions are, and the rapids. _Fichtre!_ it's no sport handling a boat there! The Marne is dangerous enough anyway; but in that place, it wouldn't take long to upset a boat!”
”They will see yours and they will beg you to take them to the nearest island.”
”I begin to understand.”
”You will accept; you will row them as near as possible to the obstructions you speak of; then you will lose your oars in the river, and in order to recover them you will jump into the water.”
”_Fichtre!_ that's rather dangerous!”
”Not for you, who know how to swim; you can select a spot where you can jump in without danger. Then you will swim ash.o.r.e, paying no attention to the shrieks of those women, who will be left in the boat without oars to guide it, and who, I am glad to believe----”
”Will turn upside down with their boat! Oh! as to that, there isn't the slightest doubt of it; especially if no one comes to their help.”
”Who do you suppose will risk his life for them? In the first place, the banks are always deserted just there, and it often happens that not a boat of any sort pa.s.ses along that part of the river for half a day at a time.”
”But what about the fellows who fight those women's battles? I shouldn't like to meet that young Freluchon, who played ball with Luminot.
_Bigre!_ he'd play something else with me!”
”Don't be afraid; the duel will be fought in the opposite direction, and those men will not be in that neighborhood.”
”All right!”
”Well! is it agreed? will you do exactly as I have told you? do you understand me perfectly?”
”Unless I am an idiot, I should say that you have made it plain enough.
You want to drown those two----”
”Hus.h.!.+ hold your tongue! there are things one must never say.”
”To be sure, it's quite enough to do them.”
”Can I rely on you?”
”Hum! it will cost a great deal. I take a big risk.”