Последний отзыв
Классная книга. Очень многое объясняет, что скрытое реально происходит в человеке
По всем вопросам обращайтесь на: info@litportal.ru
(©) 2003-2024.
✖
The War of Women. Volume 1
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля
"An exempt in his Majesty's service?"
"I have that honor."
"I do not understand, monsieur."
"You will understand in a moment. You know Monsieur Biscarros, do you not?"
"Certainly I know him; he is my client."
"What do you think of him?"
"What do I think of him?"
"Yes."
"Why, I think – I think – I think that he's a very worthy man."
"Well, monsieur, you are mistaken."
"What's that? – mistaken?"
"Your worthy man is a rebel."
"A rebel?"
"Yes, monsieur, a rebel, who takes advantage of the isolated situation of his inn to make it a hotbed of conspiracy."
"God bless my soul!"
"Who has bound himself to poison the king, the queen, and Monsieur de Mazarin, if they happen to put up at his inn."
"You don't mean it!"
"And whom I have arrested and taken to the prison at Libourne, on a charge of lèse-majesté."
"Monsieur, you horrify me," said Master Rabodin, falling back in his chair.
"That is not all, monsieur," continued the false exempt; "you, also, are involved in the affair."
"I, monsieur!" cried the attorney, turning from orange-yellow to apple-green; "I involved in it! how, in God's name?"
"You have in your possession a sum of money which the villain Biscarros destined for the payment of an army of rebels."
"It is true, monsieur, that I have received for him – "
"Four thousand livres! he was subjected to the torture of the brodequins, and at the eighth wedge he admitted that you had that sum."
"I have it, monsieur, but I have had it only an instant."
"So much the worse, monsieur, so much the worse!"
"Why so much the worse?"
"Because I shall be obliged to make sure of your person."
"Of my person?"
"Certainly; the complaint names you as accomplice."
The attorney turned from apple-green to bottle-green.
"Ah! if you hadn't received that sum," continued Cauvignac, "it would be a different matter; but you admit having received it, and that is against you, you see."
"Monsieur, suppose I agree to give it up; suppose I hand it to you instantly; suppose I make oath that I have no connection with this villain Biscarros?"
"You would lie under grave suspicion none the less. However, I think I may say that immediate surrender of the money – "
"Monsieur, I will give it to you this very moment!" cried Master Rabodin. "It is still there, in the bag in which it was handed to me. I have verified the amount, and that's all."
"Is it exact?"
"Count it yourself, monsieur, count it yourself."
"Nay, monsieur, by your leave, nay; for I am not empowered to touch his Majesty's money; but I have with me the tax-collector of Libourne, who was assigned to accompany me in order to take charge of the different sums which Biscarros scattered broadcast to be collected again at need."
"It is a fact that he was very urgent that I should send the four thousand livres to him the moment that I received them."
"You see! Doubtless he is already informed that Madame la Princesse has left Chantilly, and is on her way to Bordeaux, and is getting together all his resources in order to make himself prominent among her adherents."
"The wretch!"
"And you suspected nothing?"
"Nothing, monsieur, nothing."
"Had nobody warned you?"
"Nobody."
"What's that you say?" said Cauvignac, pointing to the tradesman's letter which lay open on Master Rabodin's desk, with a number of other papers. "How dare you say that when you yourself furnish me with proof to the contrary?"
"Proof?"
"Damnation! read."
Rabodin read, in a trembling voice: —
"I Master Rabodin, – I send you the four thousand livres damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it.'"
"I have that honor."
"I do not understand, monsieur."
"You will understand in a moment. You know Monsieur Biscarros, do you not?"
"Certainly I know him; he is my client."
"What do you think of him?"
"What do I think of him?"
"Yes."
"Why, I think – I think – I think that he's a very worthy man."
"Well, monsieur, you are mistaken."
"What's that? – mistaken?"
"Your worthy man is a rebel."
"A rebel?"
"Yes, monsieur, a rebel, who takes advantage of the isolated situation of his inn to make it a hotbed of conspiracy."
"God bless my soul!"
"Who has bound himself to poison the king, the queen, and Monsieur de Mazarin, if they happen to put up at his inn."
"You don't mean it!"
"And whom I have arrested and taken to the prison at Libourne, on a charge of lèse-majesté."
"Monsieur, you horrify me," said Master Rabodin, falling back in his chair.
"That is not all, monsieur," continued the false exempt; "you, also, are involved in the affair."
"I, monsieur!" cried the attorney, turning from orange-yellow to apple-green; "I involved in it! how, in God's name?"
"You have in your possession a sum of money which the villain Biscarros destined for the payment of an army of rebels."
"It is true, monsieur, that I have received for him – "
"Four thousand livres! he was subjected to the torture of the brodequins, and at the eighth wedge he admitted that you had that sum."
"I have it, monsieur, but I have had it only an instant."
"So much the worse, monsieur, so much the worse!"
"Why so much the worse?"
"Because I shall be obliged to make sure of your person."
"Of my person?"
"Certainly; the complaint names you as accomplice."
The attorney turned from apple-green to bottle-green.
"Ah! if you hadn't received that sum," continued Cauvignac, "it would be a different matter; but you admit having received it, and that is against you, you see."
"Monsieur, suppose I agree to give it up; suppose I hand it to you instantly; suppose I make oath that I have no connection with this villain Biscarros?"
"You would lie under grave suspicion none the less. However, I think I may say that immediate surrender of the money – "
"Monsieur, I will give it to you this very moment!" cried Master Rabodin. "It is still there, in the bag in which it was handed to me. I have verified the amount, and that's all."
"Is it exact?"
"Count it yourself, monsieur, count it yourself."
"Nay, monsieur, by your leave, nay; for I am not empowered to touch his Majesty's money; but I have with me the tax-collector of Libourne, who was assigned to accompany me in order to take charge of the different sums which Biscarros scattered broadcast to be collected again at need."
"It is a fact that he was very urgent that I should send the four thousand livres to him the moment that I received them."
"You see! Doubtless he is already informed that Madame la Princesse has left Chantilly, and is on her way to Bordeaux, and is getting together all his resources in order to make himself prominent among her adherents."
"The wretch!"
"And you suspected nothing?"
"Nothing, monsieur, nothing."
"Had nobody warned you?"
"Nobody."
"What's that you say?" said Cauvignac, pointing to the tradesman's letter which lay open on Master Rabodin's desk, with a number of other papers. "How dare you say that when you yourself furnish me with proof to the contrary?"
"Proof?"
"Damnation! read."
Rabodin read, in a trembling voice: —
"I Master Rabodin, – I send you the four thousand livres damages and costs due upon the judgment in favor of Master Biscarros, whom I strongly suspect of a purpose to make an improper use of it.'"
Другие электронные книги автора Александр Дюма
Другие аудиокниги автора Александр Дюма
Последний отзыв
Классная книга. Очень многое объясняет, что скрытое реально происходит в человеке