the crystal stopper-第34部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　But　twice　those　stones　gave　way　and　he　slipped；　and　twice　he　firmly　believed　that　all　was　lost。　　Finding　a　deeper　hollow；　he　took　a　rest。　　He　was　worn　out；　felt　quite　ready　to　throw　up　the　enterprise；　asked　himself　if　it　was　really　worth　while　for　him　to　expose　himself　to　such　danger：

〃I　say！〃　he　thought。　　〃Seems　to　me　you're　showing　the　white　feather；　Lupin；　old　boy。　　Throw　up　the　enterprise？　　Then　Daubrecq　will　babble　his　secret；　the　marquis　will　possess　himself　of　the　list；　Lupin　will　return　empty…handed；　and　Gilbert。。。　〃　　　The　long　rope　which　he　had　fastened　round　his　waist　caused　him　needless　inconvenience　and　fatigue。　　He　fixed　one　of　the　ends　to　the　strap　of　his　trousers　and　let　the　rope　uncoil　all　the　way　down　the　ascent；　so　that　he　could　use　it；　on　returning；　as　a　hand…rail。

Then　he　once　more　clutched　at　the　rough　surface　of　the　cliff　and　continued　the　climb；　with　bruised　nails　and　bleeding　fingers。　　At　every　moment　he　expected　the　inevitable　fall。　　And　what　discouraged　him　most　was　to　hear　the　murmur　of　voices　rising　from　the　boat；　murmur　so　distinct　that　it　seemed　as　though　he　were　not　increasing　the　distance　between　his　companions　and　himself。

And　he　remembered　the　Sire　de　Tancarville；　alone；　he　too；　amid　the　darkness；　who　must　have　shivered　at　the　noise　of　the　stones　which　he　loosened　and　sent　bounding　down　the　cliff。　　How　the　least　sound　reverberated　through　the　silence！　　If　one　of　Daubrecq's　guards　was　peering　into　the　gloom　from　the　Lovers'　Tower；　it　meant　a　shot。。。　　and　death。

And　he　climbed。。。　he　climbed。。。　He　had　climbed　so　long　that　he　ended　by　imagining　that　the　goal　was　passed。　　Beyond　a　doubt；　he　had　slanted　unawares　to　the　right　or　left　and　he　would　finish　at　the　patrol…path。　　What　a　stupid　upshot！　　And　what　other　upshot　could　there　be　to　an　attempt　which　the　swift　force　of　events　had　not　allowed　him　to　study　and　prepare？

Madly；　he　redoubled　his　efforts；　raised　himself　by　a　number　of　yards；　slipped；　recovered　the　lost　ground；　clutched　a　bunch　of　roots　that　came　loose　in　his　hand；　slipped　once　more　and　was　abandoning　the　game　in　despair　when；　suddenly；　stiffening　himself　and　contracting　his　whole　frame；　his　muscles　and　his　will；　he　stopped　still：　a　sound　of　voices　seemed　to　issue　from　the　very　rock　which　he　was　grasping。

He　listened。　　It　came　from　the　right。　　Turning　his　head；　he　thought　that　he　saw　a　ray　of　light　penetrating　the　darkness　of　space。　　By　what　effort　of　energy；　by　what　imperceptible　movements　he　succeeded　in　dragging　himse1f　to　the　spot　he　was　never　able　exactly　to　realize。　　But　suddenly　he　found　himself　on　the　ledge　of　a　fairly　wide　opening；　at　least　three　yards　deep；　which　dug　into　the　wall　of　the　cliff　like　a　　passage；　while　its　other　end；　much　narrower；　was　closed　by　three　bars。

Lupin　crawled　along。　　His　head　reached　the　bars。And　he　saw。。。　


　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII

THE　LOVERS'　TOWER


The　torture…chamber　showed　beneath　him。　　It　was　a　large；　irregular　room；　divided　into　unequal　portions　by　the　four　wide；　massive　pillars　that　supported　its　arched　roof。　　A　smell　of　damp　and　mildew　came　from　its　walls　and　from　its　flags　moistened　by　the　water　that　trickled　from　without。　　Its　appearance　at　any　time　must　have　been　gruesome。　　But；　at　that　moment；　with　the　tall　figures　of　Sebastiani　and　his　sons；　with　the　slanting　gleams　of　light　that　fell　between　the　pillars；　with　the　vision　of　the　captive　chained　down　upon　the　truckle…bed；　it　assumed　a　sinister　and　barbarous　aspect。

Daubrecq　was　in　the　front　part　of　the　room；　four　or　five　yards　down　from　the　window　at　which　Lupin　lurked。　　In　addition　to　the　ancient　chains　that　had　been　used　to　fasten　him　to　his　bed　and　to　fasten　the　bed　to　an　iron　hook　in　the　wall；　his　wrists　and　ankles　were　girt　with　leather　thongs；　and　an　ingenious　arrangement　caused　his　least　movement　to　set　in　motion　a　bell　hung　to　the　nearest　pillar。

A　lamp　placed　on　a　stool　lit　him　full　in　the　face。

The　Marquis　d'Albufex　was　standing　beside　him。　　Lupin　could　see　his　pale　features；　his　grizzled　moustache；　his　long；　lean　form　as　he　looked　at　his　prisoner　with　an　expression　of　content　and　of　gratified　hatred。

A　few　minutes　passed　in　profound　silence。　　Then　the　marquis　gave　an　order：


〃Light　those　three　candles；　Sebastiani；　so　that　I　can　see　him　better。〃

And；　when　the　three　candles　were　lit　and　he　had　taken　a　long　look　at　Daubrecq；　he　stooped　over　him　and　said；　almost　gently：

〃I　can't　say　what　will　be　the　end　of　you　and　me。　　But　at　any　rate　I　shall　have　had　some　deuced　happy　moments　in　this　room。　　You　have　done　me　so　much　harm；　Daubrecq！　　The　tears　you　have　made　me　shed！　　Yes；　real　tears；　real　sobs　of　despair。。。　　The　money　you　have　robbed　me　of！　　A　fortune！。。。　　And　my　terror　at　the　thought　that　you　might　give　me　away！　You　had　but　to　utter　my　name　to　complete　my　ruin　and　bring　about　my　disgrace！。。。　Oh；　you　villain！。。。　　　　'

Daubrecq　did　not　budge。　　He　had　been　deprived　of　his　black　glasses；　but　still　kept　his　spectacles；　which　reflected　the　light　from　the　candles。　He　had　lost　a　good　deal　of　flesh；　and　the　bones　stood　out　above　his　sunken　cheeks。

〃Come　along；〃　said　d'Albufex。　　〃The　time　has　come　to　act。　　It　seems　that　there　are　rogues　prowling　about　the　neighbourhood。　　Heaven　forbid　that　they　are　here　on　your　account　and　try　to　release　you；　for　that　would　mean　your　immediate　death；　as　you　know。。。　　Is　the　trapdoor　still　in　working　order；　Sebastiani？〃

Sebastiani　came　Dearer；　knelt　on　one　knee　and　lifted　and　turned　a　ring；　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　which　Lupin　had　not　noticed。　　One　of　the　flagstones　moved　on　a　pivot；　disclosing　a　black　hole。

〃You　see；〃　the　marquis　continued；　〃everything　is　provided　for；　and　I　have　all　that　I　want　at　hand；　including　dungeons：　bottomless　dungeons；　says　the　legend　of　the　castle。　　So　there　is　nothing　to　hope　for；　no　help　of　any　kind。　　Will　you　speak？〃

Daubrecq　did　not　reply；　and　he　went　on：

〃This　is　the　fourth　time　that　I　am　questioning　you；　Daubrecq。　　It　is　the　fourth　time　that　I　have　troubled　to　ask　you　for　the　document　which　you　possess；　in　order　that　I　may　escape　your　blackmailing　proceedings。　　It　is　the　fourth　time　and　the　last。　　Will　you　speak？〃

The　same　silence　as　before。　　D'Albufex　made　a　sign　to　Sebastiani。　　The　huntsman　stepped　forward；　followed　by　two　of　his　sons。　　One　of　them　held　a　stick　in　his　hand。

〃Go　ahead；〃　said　d'Albufex；　after　waiting　a　few　seconds。

Sebastiani　slackened　the　thongs　that　bound　Dauwrists　and　inserted　and　fixed　the　stick　between　the　thongs。

Shall　I　turn；　monsieur　le　marquis？〃

A　further　silence。　　The　marquis　waited。　　Seeing　that　Daubrecq　did　not　flinch；　he　whispered：

〃Can't　you　speak？　　Why　expose　yourself　to　physical　suffering？〃

No　reply。

〃Turn　away；　Sebastiani。〃

Sebastiani　made　the　stick　turn　a　complete　circle。　　The　thongs　stretched　and　tightened。　　Daubrecq　gave　a　groan。

〃You　won't　speak？　　Still；　you　know　that　I　won't　give　way；　that　I　can't　give　way；　that　I　hold　you　and　that；　if　necessary；　I　shall　torture　you　till　you　die　of　it。　　You　won't　speak？　　You　won't？。。。　　Sebastiani；　once　more。〃

The　huntsman　obeyed。　　Daubrecq　gave　a　violent　start　of　pain　and　fell　back　on　his　bed　with　a　rattle　in　his　throat。

〃You　fool！〃　cried　the　marquis；　shak