Part 26 (1/2)
”Unbind his right hand,” commanded the leader. ”Is there any paper here?”
”His own book. I took it from his pocket,” said Wife Gougeon, handing over a note-book.
The Admiral pounced upon it. The first entry he read aloud was headed ”_Hache--ex-convict_,” succeeded by a description; following it were memoranda concerning several others of the gang; further on, the number and street of the shop, and at length an entry: ”_The Admiral, an individual of Brittany, who seems to have some connection with these people._”
”Oho!” he cried, ”Monsieur Abbe, what do you say to this?”
A hoa.r.s.e, long groan was the reply.
Femme Gougeon came over to him, and putting her glittering eyes just over his, caught his neck with her left hand, and stretching her right up to Gougeon said ”A knife!”
”No,” the Admiral exclaimed peremptorily. ”What would you do with the blood? To the rats with him rather, like the others. Hache, the trap.”
The ex-felon staggered across a pile of sc.r.a.ps, and raised a triplet of planks which covered a pit. A sickening odour arose.
”Down with him,” continued the robber Captain.
”But his money?” murmured Gougeon.
”Never mind it.”
All the men present caught up Jude and hurried him quickly over the gaping hole, in which he could hear a scuttling of vermin feet and a chorus of squeaks.
”May the next be Repentigny!” the Admiral began. ”Now up with him----”
A death-like hiss rose from Jude's lips, ”Repentigny? He is my enemy too. I will be your slave. I have too much fear of you to ever harm you.
Let me tell you about this Repentigny. Life, life, I beseech--I beseech--beseech you!”
”Back a moment!” the Admiral commanded.
Jude was carried once more into the candle-light.
”Who is the Repentigny you say you know?”
”The officer--of the King's--Bodyguard.”
”What do you know about him?”
”I lived in the same house at Versailles--the Hotel de Noailles.”
”Then you are an aristocrat?”
”Oh, no, sir; do not accuse me--only a servant--one of the people--and I was dismissed.”
”A reader, you said. Well, what of this Repentigny?”
”I could inform you concerning all his movements were you only to release me.”
The Admiral looked away and reflected several minutes. His sinister countenance was watched with terrible constancy by Jude. At length the victim caught what he took for a relaxation of the cruel look on the face of the Admiral, who rose and tapped upon the box on which the candle stood.