The Son Of Monte Cristo Part 42 (2/2)
”That is none of your affairs,” answered Talizac, roughly, ”I pay you to serve me, not to talk!”
”You are a little hard on us, I think,” said La Roulante, with a sneer, ”but I suppose when people are rich they can say and do as they please!”
”Is that the room?” Talizac asked, as he reached the top of the stairs, ”if so, open the door at once, or I will force it!”
”No, you won't injure my house like that! But you want to see her, do you? Very well, I will show her to you, then”
She quickly slid back a narrow panel in the door, which perentle tone of a show!” And then the creature laughed
Talizac did not heed her, but leaning toward the open panel looked at Francine, who lay with her arms folded on her breast like a child Her hair was loosened, and nothing could have been lovelier than this face with its delicate features, reot that this child was the victim of a miserable conspiracy He was so impressed by her beauty and her innocence that he was ready to kneel before her But La Roulante touched his arh
”Open the door, I say!”
La Roulante closed the panel with a snap, and slowly drew a key froers, and then said quietly and firmly:
”If I unlock that door, it will cost you twenty thousand francs!”
Talizac started back ”What do you mean?” he exclaimed
”Just what I say, twenty thousand francs!”
”But this is aboreed upon?”
”A trifle, yes; but that won't do!”
”It is robbery, bare-faced robbery--”
”None of that, sir, you are not so honest yourself, that you can afford to taunt others!”
He looked at her in astonishment, and then rushed at the door as if to force it open She called for Robeccal, who hurried to obey her summons
Talizac called Fernando, and Robeccal turned back Drawing an enormous knife, he said, fiercely:
”Don't you interfere! My ill settle her own entleht between Frederic and Montferrand has already infore of thishis life to defend Talizac, whom he estiereues family only as an ele Liberalising his shoulders indifferently, but as he did not propose to be reeable affair in this house, he deteriantess was not alarmed by Talizac's mad attempt She calmly lifted him by the collar and landed him on the stairs, half way down
”Robbers! Murderers!” shouted the Vicoue!” said Robeccal, flourishi+ng the knife which had such an effect on Fernando
”Why do you not keep your word?” angrily asked the Vicomte; ”you promised--”
”People like us do not keep our promises,” answered La Roulante, cynically ”You paid us for carrying off the girl, you paid us for giving her a shelter; we have done both But if you wish to enter that room it will cost you twenty thousand francs!”
”But that is an enormous surandee for a father, and ain wealth She has diamonds, plenty of them!”