Part 13 (2/2)
THE KING'S DOUBLE
As Leroy rose to speak, there was a little commotion. Max Graub upset his gla.s.s, and seemed to be having a struggle under the table with Axel Regor.
”What ails you?” said Leroy, glancing at his friends with an amazed air--”Are you quarrelling?”
”Quarrelling!” echoed Max Graub, ”Why, no--but what man will have his beer upset without complaint? Tell me that!”
”You upset it!” said Regor angrily--”I did not.”
”You did!” retorted Graub, ”and because I pushed you for it, you showed me a pistol in your pocket! I object to be shown a pistol. So I have taken it away. Here it is!” and he laid the weapon on the table in front of him.
A look of anger darkened Leroy's brows.
”I was not aware you carried arms,” he said coldly.
Sergius Thord noticed his annoyance.
”There is nothing remarkable in that, my friend!” he interposed--”We all carry arms,--there is not one of us at this table who has not a loaded pistol,--even Lotys is no exception to this rule.”
”Now by my word!” said Graub, ”_I_ have no loaded pistol,--and I will swear Leroy is equally unarmed!”
”Entirely so!” said Leroy quietly--”I never suspect any man of evil intentions towards me.”
As he said this, Lotys leaned forward impulsively and stretched out her hand,--a beautiful hand, well-shaped and white as a white rose petal.
”I like you for that!”--she said--”It is the natural att.i.tude of a brave man!”
A slight colour warmed his bronzed skin as he took her hand, pressed it gently, and let it go again. Axel Regor looked up defiantly.
”Well, I _do_ suspect every man of evil intentions!” he said, ”So you may all just as well know the worst of me at once! My experience of life has perhaps been exceptionally unpleasant; but it has taught me that as a rule no man is your friend till you have made it worth his while!”
”By favours bestowed, or favours to come?” queried Thord, smiling,--”However, without any argument, Axel Regor, I am inclined to think you are right!”
”Then a weapon is permissible here?” asked Graub.
”Not only permissible, but necessary,” replied Thord. ”As members of this Brotherhood we live always prepared for some disaster,--always on our guard against treachery. Comrades!” and raising his voice he addressed the whole party. ”Lay down your arms, all at once and together!”
In one instant, as if in obedience to a military order, the table was lined on either side with pistols. Beside these weapons, there was a goodly number of daggers, chiefly of the small kind such as are used in Corsica, encased in leather sheaths. Pasquin Leroy smiled as he saw Lotys lay down one of those tiny but deadly weapons, together with a small silver-mounted pistol.
”Forewarned is forearmed!” he said gaily;--”Madame, if I ever offend, I shall look to you for a happy dispatch! Gentlemen, I have still to make my speech, and if you permit it, I will speak now,--unarmed as I am,--with all these little metal mouths ready to deal death upon me if I happen to make any observation which may displease you!”
”By Heaven! A brave man!” cried Zouche; ”Thord, you have picked up a trump card! Speak, Pasquin Leroy! We will forgive you, even if you praise the King!”
Leroy stood silent for a moment, as if thinking. His two companions looked up at him once or twice in unquestionable alarm and wonderment, but he did not appear to be conscious of their observation. On the contrary, some very deeply seated feeling seemed to be absorbing his soul,--and it was perhaps this suppressed emotion which gave such a rich vibrating force to his accents when he at last spoke.
”Friends and Brothers!” he said;--”It is difficult for one who has never experienced the three-fold sense of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity until to-night, to express in the right manner the sense of grat.i.tude which I, a complete stranger to you, feel for the readiness and cordiality of the welcome you have extended to me and my companions, accepting us without hesitation, as members of your Committee, and as a.s.sociates in the work of the Cause you have determined to maintain. It is an Ideal Cause,--I need not tell you that! To rescue and protect the poor from the tyranny of the rich and strong, was the mission of Christ when He visited this earth; and it would perhaps be unwise on my part, and discouraging to yourselves, to remind you that even He has failed!
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