FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
By the way, monsieur le depute, my congratulations! A capital hiding-place. Who would ever suspect it?... You see, what put us off, monsieur le marquis and me, was that name of Marie which you let out at first. You weren't telling a lie; but there you are, you know: the word was only half-finished. We had to know the rest. Say what you like, it's amusing! Just think, on your study-table! Upon my word, what a joke!" * The name given to the brigands in the Vendee, who tortured their victims with fire to make them confess where their money was hidden.--Translator's Note. The huntsman rose and walked up and down the room, rubbing his hands: "Monsieur le marquis is jolly well pleased, so pleased, in fact, that he himself is coming to-morrow evening to let you out. Yes, he has thought it over; there will be a few formalities: you may have to sign a cheque or two, stump up, what, and make good monsieur le marquis' expense and trouble. But what's that to you? A trifle! Not to mention that, from now on, there will be no more chains, no more straps round your wrists; in short, you will be treated like a king! And I've even been told--look here!--to allow you a good bottle of old wine and a flask of brandy." Sebastiani let fly a few more jests, then took the lamp, made a last examination of the room and said to his sons: "Let's leave him to sleep. You also, take a rest, all three of you. But sleep with one eye open. One never can tell..." They withdrew. Lupin waited a little longer and asked, in a low voice: "Can I begin?" "Yes, but be careful. It's not impossible that they may go on a round in an hour or two." Lupin set to work. He had a very powerful file; and the iron of the bars, rusted and gnawed away by time, was, in places, almost reduced to dust. Twice Lupin stopped to listen, with ears pricked up. But it was only the patter of a rat over the rubbish in the upper story, or the flight of some night-bird; and he continued his task, encouraged by Daubrecq, who stood by the door, ready to warn him at the least alarm. "Oof!" he said, giving a last stroke of the file. "I'm glad that's over, for, on my word, I've been a bit cramped in this cursed tunnel... to say nothing of the cold..." He bore with all his strength upon the bar, which he had sawn from below, and succeeded in forcing it down sufficiently for a man's body to slip between the two remaining bars. Next, he had to go back to t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
monsieur
 

marquis

 

pleased

 
rusted
 

powerful

 

withdrew

 

waited

 

impossible

 

careful

 

longer


gnawed

 
flight
 

tunnel

 
cursed
 
cramped
 

stroke

 

giving

 

strength

 

remaining

 

sufficiently


succeeded

 

forcing

 

listen

 

pricked

 

patter

 
rubbish
 

stopped

 

places

 

reduced

 

Daubrecq


encouraged

 

continued

 
straps
 

brigands

 

Vendee

 

amusing

 

tortured

 

victims

 

Translator

 

huntsman


walked
 
hidden
 

confess

 

finished

 

suspect

 
hiding
 

capital

 
depute
 
congratulations
 

telling