“Very well. In that case, it will soon be done. I have a rope-ladder. Will you be able to climb up alone, without my assistance?”
“I think so.... I’ll try.... It’s my wrists that they’ve broken.... Oh, the brutes! I can hardly move my hands . . . and I have very little strength left. But I’ll try all the same . . . needs must....”
He stopped, listened and, with his finger to his mouth, whispered:
“Hush!”
When Sébastiani and his sons entered the room, Daubrecq, who had hidden the letter and lain down on his bed, pretended to wake with a start.
The huntsman brought him a bottle of wine, a glass and some food:
“How goes it, monsieur le député?” he cried. “Well, perhaps we did squeeze a little hard.... It’s very painful, that thumbscrewing. Seems they often did it at the time of the Great Revolution and Bonaparte . . . in the days of the chauffeurs.[C] A pretty invention! Nice and clean . . . no bloodshed.... And it didn’t last long either! In twenty minutes, you came out with the missing word!” Sébastiani burst out laughing. “By the way, monsieur le député, 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 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.”
Sébastiani let fly a few more jests, then took the lamp, made a last examination of the room and said to his sons: