Part 25 (1/2)
”Yes: you are not badly served there.”
”I remember getting some excellent sour-krout there.”
”You must be exceedingly strong, Rantaine. What shoulders you have! I should be sorry to get a tap from you. I, on the other hand, when I came into the world, looked so spare and sickly, that they despaired of rearing me.”
”They succeeded though; which was lucky.”
”Yes: I still stay at the Jean Auberge.”
”Do you know, Sieur Clubin, how I recognised you? It was from your having recognised me. I said to myself, there is n.o.body like Sieur Clubin for that.”
And he advanced a step.
”Stand back where you were, Rantaine.”
Rantaine fell back, and said to himself:
”A fellow becomes like a child before one of those weapons.”
Sieur Clubin continued:
”The position of affairs is this: we have on our right, in the direction of St. Enogat, at about three hundred paces from here, another coast-guardman--his number is 618--who is still alive; and on our left, in the direction of St. Lunaire--a customs station. That makes seven armed men who could be here, if necessary, in five minutes. The rock would be surrounded; the way hither guarded. Impossible to elude them.
There is a corpse at the foot of this rock.”
Rantaine took a side-way glance at the revolver.
”As you say, Rantaine, it is a pretty tool. Perhaps it is only loaded with powder; but what does that matter? A report would be enough to bring an armed force--and I have six barrels here.”
The measured sound of the oars became very distinct. The boat was not far off.
The tall man regarded the little man curiously. Sieur Clubin spoke in a voice more and more soft and subdued.
”Rantaine, the men in the boat which is coming, knowing what you did here just now, would lend a hand and help to arrest you. You are to pay Captain Zuela ten thousand francs for your pa.s.sage. You would have made a better bargain, by the way, with the smugglers of Pleinmont; but they would only have taken you to England; and besides, you cannot risk going to Guernsey, where they have the pleasure of knowing you. To return, then, to the position of affairs--if I fire, you are arrested. You are to pay Zuela for your pa.s.sage ten thousand francs. You have already paid him five thousand in advance. Zuela would keep the five thousand and be gone. These are the facts. Rantaine, you have managed your masquerading very well. That hat--that queer coat--and those gaiters make a wonderful change. You forgot the spectacles; but did right to let your whiskers grow.”
Rantaine smiled spasmodically. Clubin continued:
”Rantaine, you have on a pair of American breeches, with a double fob.
In one side you keep your watch. Take care of it.”
”Thank you, Sieur Clubin.”
”In the other is a little box made of wrought iron, which opens and shuts with a spring. It is an old sailor's tobacco-box. Take it out of your pocket, and throw it over to me.”
”Why, this is robbery.”
”You are at liberty to call the coast-guardman.”
And Clubin fixed his eye on Rantaine.
”Stay, Mess Clubin,” said Rantaine, making a slight forward movement, and holding out his open hand.