The Baroque Cycle - The Confusion Part 65

edouard de Gex shook his finger at Jack. "I know from Monsieur Esphahnian that the true story is far more complicated. He spent years in the north of Hindoostan, fighting in some infidel army-"

"Only because he failed the Intelligence Test."

"-and by the time he finally got to Malabar, the Jew had had plenty of time to insinuate himself into the confidence of that pagan Queen. A substantial part of the gold had already been diverted into the s.h.i.+p-building project. What became of it?"

"You said yourself it had gone to the s.h.i.+p-building project!"

Jack naturally turned to look towards the s.h.i.+p in question now. She had foundered perhaps two miles away, but seen from this tower through clear Arctic air, she seemed much closer. She was riding unusually high by this point, which was no wonder since for the last half-hour her hull had been veiled in splashes made by the ballast-stones that the crew were rolling out through the gun-ports. The waves began to nudge her back and forth as her keel lifted off the reef. Finally a cheer sounded, and several cannons were fired as signals and celebrations. Triangles and trapezoids of canvas began to cloud her spars. "Note how upright she carries herself, even when underloaded," Jack had pointed out.

"I will not be taken in by this ruse of changing the subject," de Gex said.

"Oh, but I'm not," Jack answered, but de Gex plodded onwards with his interrogation.

"Vrej claims that timber and labor are practically free free in Hindoostan. According to his review of the accounts, too much gold was missing and whatever I may think of his in Hindoostan. According to his review of the accounts, too much gold was missing and whatever I may think of his theology, theology, I would not dream of calling into question his I would not dream of calling into question his accounting. accounting."

"Vrej has been tiresome on this particular subject for nigh on eight years now," Jack answered. "When he vaulted over the rail the other day, right out there, the first thing that came to my mind-even before I really grasped that he'd betrayed us-was joy. Joy that I'd never again have to listen to him on this subject. Now, you you have picked up the torch." have picked up the torch."

"Vrej has related his suspicions to me. He says that whenever he raised this subject, the others would shrug it off with all sorts of vague similitudes, about 'greasing the path' or some such..."

"We are all old salts now, and prefer nautickal nautickal terms," Jack answered. "Instead of talking about some path needing to be greased, we'd more likely think of hulls that become barnacle-covered, which slows them down, and we'd speak of the desirability of keeping 'em smooth, for easy movement through the water." terms," Jack answered. "Instead of talking about some path needing to be greased, we'd more likely think of hulls that become barnacle-covered, which slows them down, and we'd speak of the desirability of keeping 'em smooth, for easy movement through the water."

"In any event-I a.s.sume this is a Delphic way of saying that bribes were paid to some Mogul or Maratha chieftain?"

"a.s.sume what you like-that would still place the gold far away from you," Jack pointed out. He was gazing out to sea, watching Minerva Minerva trim her sails as she came out of the lee of the Sghr and picked up a leading wind across her larboard beam. One by one the yards traversed round, and their sails stopped s.h.i.+vering as the crew braced the yards and made her close-hauled. Immediately trim her sails as she came out of the lee of the Sghr and picked up a leading wind across her larboard beam. One by one the yards traversed round, and their sails stopped s.h.i.+vering as the crew braced the yards and made her close-hauled. Immediately Minerva Minerva began to heel over and pick up speed. But de Gex now blocked Jack's view, squaring his shoulders and getting his face directly in front of his. "Your s.h.i.+p may be free now, Jack, but you seem to have forgotten that began to heel over and pick up speed. But de Gex now blocked Jack's view, squaring his shoulders and getting his face directly in front of his. "Your s.h.i.+p may be free now, Jack, but you seem to have forgotten that you are not on her. you are not on her. You are in my power now." You are in my power now."

"I thought I was in Leroy Leroy's power," Jack said, which was nothing more than an audacious guess; but the look on de Gex's face told him he'd guessed right.

"My Order is not without influence in his majesty's court," de Gex said. "In his efforts to find the gold that the Jew stole, Vrej Esphahnian could do nothing more than bore bore you. you. I I can do much more." can do much more."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh come now! If our aim had been to steal from Vrej, we'd have made a proper job of it. We were only chaffing him-we're not thieves. thieves."

"Where, then, is King Solomon's gold?"

"Turn around," Jack said.

De Gex finally turned around. The harbor below the Castle was crowded with French s.h.i.+ps, most of them riding at anchor; the few that were in a position to get under way were now, however, frantically trying to raise more sail. Their decks were a-swarm with sailors coming up from below, like ants from a damaged hill. De Gex could not fathom why, until he noticed that every spygla.s.s and pointing finger in the harbor was aimed at Minerva Minerva, now several miles ahead of the French s.h.i.+ps that were trying to organize a pursuit. Van Hoek-commanding from a sick-bed lashed into place on the p.o.o.p deck-had heeled her perilously far over for one so lightly ballasted, but she did not capsize, and seemed to be skimming over the water rather than plowing it up. A s.h.i.+p that hadn't been careened since before Vera Cruz would normally have been too encrusted with barnacles to make much headway, but Minerva Minerva moved as if her hull had been freshly sc.r.a.ped and painted. Not until she altered course slightly, and the sun glanced off her exposed hull, did de Gex understand why: the underside of the s.h.i.+p, below the waterline, had been sheathed, from stem to stern, in plates of hammered gold. moved as if her hull had been freshly sc.r.a.ped and painted. Not until she altered course slightly, and the sun glanced off her exposed hull, did de Gex understand why: the underside of the s.h.i.+p, below the waterline, had been sheathed, from stem to stern, in plates of hammered gold.

Only a sliver of that plating was now visible, but it shone out across the harbor like a gleam of light through a cracked door. Everyone had seen it, and a few French s.h.i.+ps were now setting out on a forlorn pursuit, but most of the mariners were content to stand at the railings of their anch.o.r.ed vessels and only gaze in adoration. Jack knew what those sailors were thinking. They did not care about the value of the gold, and they certainly believed no nonsense about King Solomon's h.o.a.rd. They were thinking, instead: If I were a sailor on that s.h.i.+p, I'd never have to sc.r.a.pe another barnacle.

JACK SAW IT AS ODD that de Gex had set that de Gex had set Minerva Minerva free so hastily, considering that he had been pursuing this matter for above ten years, and traveled all the way around the world, survived the wrack of the Manila Galleon, given himself up to torture, &c. The next day Jack understood free so hastily, considering that he had been pursuing this matter for above ten years, and traveled all the way around the world, survived the wrack of the Manila Galleon, given himself up to torture, &c. The next day Jack understood why why de Gex had wanted to get de Gex had wanted to get Minerva, Minerva, and most of the French fleet, clear of the harbor. Sails breached the southern horizon, a s.h.i.+p came into view, maneuvered adroitly round the Dutch-hammer, and dropped anchor directly below the Castle. Jack recognized her from miles out. He'd last seen her in Alexandria, holed and dismasted. Since then and most of the French fleet, clear of the harbor. Sails breached the southern horizon, a s.h.i.+p came into view, maneuvered adroitly round the Dutch-hammer, and dropped anchor directly below the Castle. Jack recognized her from miles out. He'd last seen her in Alexandria, holed and dismasted. Since then Meteore Meteore had been refitted and cleaned up by s.h.i.+p-wrights who, to judge from the looks of what they'd done, charged a lot of money. had been refitted and cleaned up by s.h.i.+p-wrights who, to judge from the looks of what they'd done, charged a lot of money.

He was taken back to his cell long before the jacht jacht came close enough that anyone on its decks might have picked him out through a spygla.s.s. This gave him another hint as to who might be aboard. His suspicions were confirmed later by faint sounds of women's and children's laughter, audible when he lay with his ear to the crack under his door. This was not a Naval Expedition but a pleasure-cruise, timed to call at Qwghlm during the magic fortnight around late August and early September when blizzards were least oft observed. The chilly cannonball that Jack had been carrying around for the last fortnight now seemed to have been implanted in his chest, and his heart ripped out to make room for it. De Gex had been oddly disinclined to torture him thus far, which had caused Jack to wonder what new, excruciating horrors might be in store for him. But he'd never phant'sied it'd be came close enough that anyone on its decks might have picked him out through a spygla.s.s. This gave him another hint as to who might be aboard. His suspicions were confirmed later by faint sounds of women's and children's laughter, audible when he lay with his ear to the crack under his door. This was not a Naval Expedition but a pleasure-cruise, timed to call at Qwghlm during the magic fortnight around late August and early September when blizzards were least oft observed. The chilly cannonball that Jack had been carrying around for the last fortnight now seemed to have been implanted in his chest, and his heart ripped out to make room for it. De Gex had been oddly disinclined to torture him thus far, which had caused Jack to wonder what new, excruciating horrors might be in store for him. But he'd never phant'sied it'd be this this bad! He could see how this would end: He would be dragged out naked and chained, and displayed before Eliza, and de Gex would relate the hilarious tale of how Jack had twice had all the money in the world, and twice lost it. bad! He could see how this would end: He would be dragged out naked and chained, and displayed before Eliza, and de Gex would relate the hilarious tale of how Jack had twice had all the money in the world, and twice lost it.

A few hours after Meteore Meteore's arrival, when aromas of French cooking had suffused the entire castle, large Bretons came to Jack's cell and dragged him to a part of the chateau that, as best as Jack could make out, was near the bedchambers. It was a windowless, hence torch-lit corridor joining an irregular series of chambers, closets, and wide spots. It had received little attention during the remodel, and still looked much as the last band of Vikings, Saracens, or Scots had left it. Here and there Jack glimpsed the backside of a wall: strips of lath, or wattle, with curls of plaster, or daub, squirting through. Casks and crates were piled in some places. They took him to a wide place in the pa.s.sage where an iron grid had been leaned against the wall: a portcullis hammered out by some blacksmith a thousand years ago, torn down and thrown aside in some upheaval, and left to gather rust and cobwebs ever since. The Bretons pinned Jack against this, spreadeagled, and lashed him to it with cords. Here it became obvious that they were sea-faring men. When Jack opened his mouth to issue some remark to that effect, one of them opportunely shoved a rag-wad into his mouth, and lashed that in place, and lashed his head to the grate. They lashed his fingers down even, which struck Jack as gratuitous, unless they were afraid of his rapping out some message. When they were satisfied, they dragged the gridiron, Jack and all, down the pa.s.sageway a short distance and through a curtain of mildewy sailcloth. Jack was then blinded for a few moments by sudden light. But as his eyes adjusted, he began to think he was back in the bedchamber where they had kept him for the first week. As he saw clearer, though, he came to understand he was gazing into that bedchamber from without. He was looking through the back sides of the mirrors that glazed the wall. His view of the room, from here, was total; he was positioned at the head of the canopied bed, arm's length from where a sleeper would lay his, or her, head.

"It is a style of architecture that has served me well," said a voice in French.

Jack would have jumped out of his skin, had he not been restrained, for the Bretons had taken their leave, and he hadn't suspected anyone else was in here. All he could move was his eyeb.a.l.l.s. By swiveling these as far as they'd go, he was able to perceive movement in a dim corner of this hidden chamber.

A man came into view. He wore a periwig-powdered white, as was the new vogue-and what Jack could only a.s.sume were the most excellent fas.h.i.+ons from France, so ridiculous were they. Something was funny about one of his hands, but, beyond that, he was splendid to look upon, and (as Jack could now detect, even with dirty rags jammed into his gob) he smelled good.

"You shan't recognize me, I'm afraid," said the only man in the room who could talk. "I scarcely recognize you you. We last met in the Grand Ballroom of my residence in Paris: the Hotel Arcachon. You took your leave of most of me most of me hastily, and impolitely; though you did carry my hand for several miles, tangled in the bridle of that magnificent horse. Later it was found in the middle of the post-road to Compiegne with my signet-ring still on it; which is how it was traced back to me. Still you were not done re-arranging the body-parts of Lavardacs, for some years later you kindly s.h.i.+pped me the head of my father." hastily, and impolitely; though you did carry my hand for several miles, tangled in the bridle of that magnificent horse. Later it was found in the middle of the post-road to Compiegne with my signet-ring still on it; which is how it was traced back to me. Still you were not done re-arranging the body-parts of Lavardacs, for some years later you kindly s.h.i.+pped me the head of my father."

etienne de Lavardac, duc d'Arcachon, raised now the stump of his arm so that Jack could view it. A cup had been strapped thereto, and extending from this was a black leather riding-crop. If Jack hadn't been gagged, he'd now have volunteered some observations as to how etienne had a paltry and disappointing view of how to inflict pain, compared to the Spanish Inquisition; but etienne antic.i.p.ated him. "Oh, this is not for you. My revenge on you I have contemplated, and prepared for, these seventeen years, and it shall involve more than a riding-crop. It takes time to build a place like this, you know! I have had several of them made: there is another at St.-Malo and yet another at La Dunette. I have stood in them and watched my wife wh.o.r.e herself to sergeants and cryptologists. That, however, is not why I caused them to be made. Only today are these chambers being put to their true purpose. Vrej Esphahnian is in the one at La Dunette even at this moment. He is trussed up like you, staring through such a mirror, and listening as his brothers, dressed in the finest clothing, serve expensive coffee to dinner-guests.

"You see, we fooled Monsieur Esphahnian into believing that his brothers had been betrayed by you, Jack, and were peris.h.i.+ng of typhus in debtors' prisons all around Paris. His joy at learning that this is not true will be balanced by some embarra.s.sment that he turned you in to us for no good reason, and lost his share of the silver and gold in Minerva Minerva's hold. I do wonder which of these three causes him the greatest anguish: that he betrayed his friends, that he threw away a fortune, or that he was duped. Father edouard should reach Versailles in a few more days-he'll inform Monsieur Esphahnian that the missing gold was attached to the s.h.i.+p's hull the entire time-this ought to perfect his agony. It is a better torture, I believe, than anything the Spanish Inquisition could devise. But better yet is in store for you, Jack!"

He walked out.

A door opened and a woman entered the bedchamber. Jack did not know her instantly, only because he did not wish wish to. She'd changed, but not to. She'd changed, but not that that much. He simply could not bear to open his eyes to her. much. He simply could not bear to open his eyes to her.

Nasr al-Ghurab had told them that in the sack of Constantinople the Ottomans had discovered, in a dungeon, a device that the Byzantines had once used to put out the eyes of n.o.ble prisoners. There was none of poking or gouging. Rather, it was a great hemispherical bowl, wrought of copper, with a sort of vise in its center. The bowl would be heated first until it was glowing, and then the prisoner's head-masked, except for the eyes-would be clamped into the vise. The apparatus was so laid out that the pupils of the victims' eyes were positioned at the center of the hemisphere. When the lids were pulled up, the eyes could see nothing but a featureless heaven of red wrath that ruined even as it dazzled. The sensitive parts of the eyes were incinerated in a few moments, and the victim rendered perfectly blind without the eyes themselves ever having been touched by anything save that awful last glimpse.

In idle moments since having heard this story, Jack had sometimes wondered what thoughts went through the mind of the one who was being clamped into it. Did he resist? Could he? Were unwilling eyelids peeled back with tongs, or was the victim compelled somehow to open them himself?

It was in much the same frame of mind that he followed Eliza's entry into the bedchamber without looking at her directly. But in the end he couldn't not open his eyes, of his own free will, and gaze upon what was there, burn him and blind him though it might.

She had been at dinner with rich people, and was some time taking her gown off, was.h.i.+ng her face, peeling off the black patches, and letting her hair down. Ladies-in-waiting came and went. A girl of perhaps nine, with eyes and face marred by smallpox, came into the room and crawled into Eliza's lap for a few minutes' rocking and snuggling; Eliza read to her from a book, then sent her off to bed with kisses all over her wrecked face. A nurse led in a boy of about seven, who had escaped the pox so far-but in a way he was worse for Jack to look upon, for his jaw had the same deformity as both of the two last ducs d'Arcachon. But Eliza smiled when he came in, and cuddled him and read to him just as she had done to the pock-marked girl. The nurse took the boy away and Eliza sat alone for some time, tending to correspondence; she read a scattering of notes and wrote two letters.

etienne came in to the bedchamber now and twirled off his coat, and tossed his small-sword onto a window-bench. Eliza gave him a perfunctory over-the-shoulder greeting. etienne strolled up along the side of the bed, walking towards Jack, loosening his cravat, idly swis.h.i.+ng the riding-crop. He stopped before the mirror, pretending to study his own reflection, but in fact staring Jack directly in the eye. "I believe I shall ride bare-back to-night," he announced, loudly enough to penetrate the silvered gla.s.s.

Eliza was a bit surprised. But she mastered that quickly, and then had to hide a flush of annoyance. She finished a sentence, parked her quill in an inkwell, stood up, and peeled her gown back over her head. What greeted Jack, then, viewed through forty-odd-year-old eyes and a mottled, half-silvered mirror by candlelight, was not a bit less lovely than what he had last seen of her seventeen years ago. He could tell there had been a hard-fought dispute with the Pox and that Eliza had won it. Of course she had won it!

Her husband came up and struck her across the face with his hand, twisting her around so that she fell face-down on the bed. Then he whipped her across the a.r.s.e and the backs of her thighs with the crop, occasionally looking up to smirk at Jack through the mirror. He commanded her to rise to all fours, and she obeyed. f.u.c.king, interspersed with more whipping, ensued. etienne did it from a position bolt upright on his knees on the bed behind Eliza, so that he could stare Jack down until the last moments when his eyes closed.

Now in the dungeons of the Inquisition, Jack had himself noted a phaenomenon oft discoursed of by prisoners, namely that after a bit of torture the body went numb and it simply did not hurt that much any more. Perhaps the same thing was at work here. It had hurt just to see see Eliza-to be so close to her. Seeing her little Lavardac boy had perhaps been the worst. This scene of "riding bare-back," however grisly it was in a certain way, simply did not trouble him as much as etienne clearly supposed it did. If Eliza had jumped up from her writing-desk to smother her husband with kisses and then dragged him to bed and made rapturous love to him, Eliza-to be so close to her. Seeing her little Lavardac boy had perhaps been the worst. This scene of "riding bare-back," however grisly it was in a certain way, simply did not trouble him as much as etienne clearly supposed it did. If Eliza had jumped up from her writing-desk to smother her husband with kisses and then dragged him to bed and made rapturous love to him, that that would have hurt. But instead she had shrugged, and parked her quill. Before the ink was dry on the sentence she'd been writing when etienne had entered the room, he had exhausted himself, she had her clothes back on, and was approaching the desk with a look on her face that said, would have hurt. But instead she had shrugged, and parked her quill. Before the ink was dry on the sentence she'd been writing when etienne had entered the room, he had exhausted himself, she had her clothes back on, and was approaching the desk with a look on her face that said, Now where was I when what's-his-name interrupted me? Now where was I when what's-his-name interrupted me?

LATER J JACK WAS TAKEN AWAY and returned to his cell. The next night, the whole thing was repeated-almost as if etienne knew in his heart that it had failed the first time. The chief difference was that when etienne came into the bedchamber and announced his intentions, Eliza was, this time, truly astonished. and returned to his cell. The next night, the whole thing was repeated-almost as if etienne knew in his heart that it had failed the first time. The chief difference was that when etienne came into the bedchamber and announced his intentions, Eliza was, this time, truly astonished.

On the third third night, she was out-and-out flabbergasted, and asked etienne a number of probing questions clearly meant to establish whether he might be developing a brain tumor. night, she was out-and-out flabbergasted, and asked etienne a number of probing questions clearly meant to establish whether he might be developing a brain tumor.

Jack, a theatre-goer of long standing, now saw how it was going to be. For etienne had explained to him that his doom was to be locked up in a cell here for the rest of his life, and that once a year, when the weather cleared, etienne was going to sail up here with Eliza and repeat this procedure a few times before turning round and sailing home. As etienne told him this, Jack was, of course, gagged, and could not answer; but what he was thinking thinking was that this was indeed an excruciating torture, but for wholly different reasons than etienne imagined. The was that this was indeed an excruciating torture, but for wholly different reasons than etienne imagined. The premise premise was excellent, granted; but the road to dramaturgickal perdition was thick strewn with excellent premises. The difficulty lay in that this show was wretchedly staged and, in a word, botched. This made it almost more painful to view than if it had been carried off brilliantly. Jack's fate, it seemed, was to languish in a chilly dungeon three hundred and sixty-odd days out of each year and, on the other few days, to be a captive audience to a bad play. He had to grant that it would be a humiliating fate was excellent, granted; but the road to dramaturgickal perdition was thick strewn with excellent premises. The difficulty lay in that this show was wretchedly staged and, in a word, botched. This made it almost more painful to view than if it had been carried off brilliantly. Jack's fate, it seemed, was to languish in a chilly dungeon three hundred and sixty-odd days out of each year and, on the other few days, to be a captive audience to a bad play. He had to grant that it would be a humiliating fate if he had been a member of the French n.o.bility if he had been a member of the French n.o.bility. But as a Vagabond who'd already lived thrice as long as he ought to've, it wasn't bad at all; it was pleasing, in fact, to see how not not under etienne's thumb was Eliza. Jack's chief source of discomfort, then, was a feeling well known to soldiers of low rank, to doctors' patients, and to people getting their hair cut; namely, that he was utterly in the power of an incompetent. under etienne's thumb was Eliza. Jack's chief source of discomfort, then, was a feeling well known to soldiers of low rank, to doctors' patients, and to people getting their hair cut; namely, that he was utterly in the power of an incompetent.

After the third night, the set was struck, as it were. Jack was locked in his cell to begin the first year of his ordeal, and Meteore Meteore sailed away south. sailed away south.

Jack settled in, and began to make friends with his gaolers. They were under strict orders not to talk to him, but they couldn't help hearing him when he talked, and he could tell that they fancied his stories.

He was there for all of a month. Then a French frigate came and took him away. They gave him clothes, soap, and a razor. Jack had a most enjoyable journey to Le Havre, for he knew that there was only one man in the world who could have countermanded the orders of etienne de Lavardac, duc d'Arcachon.

Book 5

The Juncto

Hotel Arcachon OCTOBER 1702.

"WE ARE VERY SORRY to hear of your little s.h.i.+p-wreck," said King Louis XIV of France. "But consider yourself fortunate you did not book pa.s.sage on the Spanish treasure-fleet. The English Navy fell upon it in Vigo Bay and sent several millions of pieces of eight to the locker of David Jones." to hear of your little s.h.i.+p-wreck," said King Louis XIV of France. "But consider yourself fortunate you did not book pa.s.sage on the Spanish treasure-fleet. The English Navy fell upon it in Vigo Bay and sent several millions of pieces of eight to the locker of David Jones."

The King of France did not seem especially troubled by this news; if anything, discreetly amused. His majesty was sitting in the biggest armchair that Western Civilization had to offer, in the center of the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Arcachon in Paris. Jack, somewhat to his surprise, had been allowed to sit down on a stool. The Kings of France and of the Vagabonds were alone together; the former had made a great show of dismissing his glorious courtiers, who had made a great show of being astonished. Now Jack could hear the murmur of their voices in the gallery outside as they smoked pipes and batted witticisms at each other.

But he could not make out any of their words. And this, he began to suspect, was all by design. This room was large enough to race horses in, but it had been emptied of furniture, except for the big armchair and the stool, which were in its center. The King could be certain that any words he spoke would be heard by Jack, and no one else.

"You know," said Jack, "I was a King for a while in Hindoostan, and my subjects would get worked up into a lather about a potato, which to them was worth as much as a treasure-chest. At first I'd want to know everything about the potato in question, and I would take a large stake in the matter, but towards the end of my reign-"

Here Jack rolled his eyes, as Frenchmen frequently did during encounters with Englishmen. Leroy seemed to take his meaning very clearly. "It is the same with every King."

"Potatoes grow back," Jack pointed out.

Louis took this as a witty and yet profound apothegm. "Indeed, mon cousin; mon cousin; and in the same way, there will always be more pieces of eight, as long as the metallic heart in Mexico City continues to beat." and in the same way, there will always be more pieces of eight, as long as the metallic heart in Mexico City continues to beat."

Jack was a bit unsure as to why King Louis XIV was referring to him as my cousin, my cousin, but he reckoned it must be a matter of protocol. Jack had been a king once. King of a ditch in Hindoostan, true; but no less a king. but he reckoned it must be a matter of protocol. Jack had been a king once. King of a ditch in Hindoostan, true; but no less a king.

"There is so much that is better ignored," Jack tried, hoping Leroy would agree, and apply the principle to his particular case.

"The King must not descend into these broils," said Leroy. "He is Apollo, riding above all in his bright chariot, seeing the entire world as if it were a courtyard."

"I could not have put it better myself," Jack said.

"But even bright Apollo had his adversaries: other G.o.ds, and loathsome monsters, sp.a.w.ned before Time from the Earth and the Deep. The legions of Chaos."

"I never had to contend with those legions of Chaos myself, cuz, but then everything you you do is on a much, much larger scale." do is on a much, much larger scale."

"There is another Heart that beats in London."

Jack had to ponder this aenigma for a moment. The happiest possible interpretation was that the King was speaking of Eliza, and that she was waiting for Jack on London Bridge. But given the general turn of recent events, this did not seem likely; the Jack-Eliza matter would definitely be cla.s.sed as a "broil," not worth bringing up in conversation. Thinking of London Bridge reminded him of the water-pumps there at the northern end, which banged away like giants' hearts; this, then, reminded him of the Tower, and finally he got it.

"The Mint."

"Mexico beats out the divine ichor that circulates through, and animates, Catholic realms. Sometimes the treasure-fleet sinks and we feel faint; then another one reaches Cadiz and we are invigorated. London London beats out the vile humour that circulates through the countless grasping extremities of the Beast." beats out the vile humour that circulates through the countless grasping extremities of the Beast."

"And that would be a sp.a.w.n-of-Chaos type of primordial beast you're talking about there, I am guessing, the sort of foe worthy of Apollo's attention."

"The beating of that Heart can be heard across the Channel sometimes. I prefer silence."

Twenty years ago Jack might have heard this as a baffling, eccentric sort of remark. Today he understood it as a more or less direct order for Jack to go up to London straightaway and personally sack the Royal Mint and level the Tower of London. Which raised more questions than it answered; but the largest of them all was: Why should Jack run errands, especially dangerous ones, for the King of France? It seemed obvious now that Leroy had saved him from the duc d'Arcachon, who had in turn preserved him from de Gex; but this King was far too intelligent to expect loyalty and service from one such as Jack on that score alone.

"If I have taken your meaning, there, Leroy, I can't say how flattered I am that you think I am the bloke for the job."

"It is a trifle, compared to your past exploits."

"I had a lot of help in my past exploits. I had a plan."

"A plan is good."

"I didn't come up with the plan. My plan man is somewhere north of the Rio Grande just now, and difficult to get in touch with..."

"Ah, but the plan of Father edouard de Gex was the superior one in the end, was it not?"

"Are you saying I'm to work with him him!?"

"You shall be afforded the resources you shall require to accomplish this thing," said Leroy, "and moreover you shall be relieved of burdens, and cut free from entanglements, that might hinder you." He took a bit of snuff from a golden box and then snapped it shut with a loud pop. This must have been a pre-arranged cue, for suddenly the doors at the far end of the room were drawn open, and three persons entered the room: Vrej Esphahnian, etienne d'Arcachon, and Eliza.

They came on briskly, bowed or curtseyed to the King, and ignored Jack; for in the presence of the King, no other person could be acknowledged. Which was well enough for Jack. He wouldn't have known what to say or do in the presence of any one one of these persons, had they come to him solus. To be with all three at once made him giddy, off-balance, and, in sum, even more than normally susceptible to the Imp of the Perverse. Vrej and etienne kept Jack in their peripheral vision, which was only prudent; Eliza turned her head so that her view of him was blocked by a cheek-bone. He phant'sied she was a little red about the ears. of these persons, had they come to him solus. To be with all three at once made him giddy, off-balance, and, in sum, even more than normally susceptible to the Imp of the Perverse. Vrej and etienne kept Jack in their peripheral vision, which was only prudent; Eliza turned her head so that her view of him was blocked by a cheek-bone. He phant'sied she was a little red about the ears.

"Monsieur Esphahnian," said the King of France, "we have heard that you were misinformed, and that in consequence you swore a vendetta against Monsieur Shaftoe. As we have just been explaining, we do not, as a rule, involve ourselves in such broils; but in this case we make an exception, for Monsieur Shaftoe is about to do us a favor. It may take him many years. We should be most displeased if your vendetta should interfere with his work. We have heard that the misunderstanding on which the vendetta was founded has been cleared up, and from this, we presume all is forgiven between the two of you; but we would see Monsieurs Shaftoe and Esphahnian shake hands and swear in our presence that all is forgiven. You may feel free to speak to each other."

Vrej, by all appearances, had been out of pokey for a while-long enough to get some clothes made, and put on a few pounds. He had, in sum, gotten himself altogether ready for this audience. "Monsieur Shaftoe, on that evening in 1685 when you rode your horse into this ballroom and lopped this chap's hand off-" he c.o.c.ked his head at etienne "-the Lieutenant of Police came to the apartment in the Marais where my family had given you lodgings-"

"Sold, not given," said Jack, "but pray go on."

"They took my family away and threw them in prisons whence some did not emerge alive. I swore vengeance against you. Years later the flames of my pa.s.sions, which had at last subsided, were whipped up again by lies sent my way by devious persons, and I looked for some way to inflict upon you the same pain I phant'sied you'd done to my family. In Manila I met in secret with edouard de Gex, whom I believed to be my family's benefactor, and I did conspire with him against you and the other members of the Cabal. Thank G.o.d, most were either dead, or had parted from the group and found lives in places as diverse as j.a.pan, Nuba, Queena-Kootah, and New Mexico. Of those who were still on the s.h.i.+p when it was driven on to the reef at Qwghlm, all have found freedom, save you. You, You, though, I have wounded grievously." though, I have wounded grievously."

"No worse than I I did did you you in 1685, or so it would seem." in 1685, or so it would seem."

"For what you did here in 1685 I forgive you; and for what I believed believed you had done, I hope you shall forgive me. In token of which I offer you my hand." you had done, I hope you shall forgive me. In token of which I offer you my hand."

During this discourse Vrej had held his arms crossed somewhat awkwardly before him, as if the right was injured and wanted support from the left. Now he unfolded them and held out the right as if to shake; though he kept it curiously bent at the elbow. Postural oddities aside, Jack, who had lived with Vrej, on and off, for a dozen years, had no doubt of his sincerity. He reached out and shook Vrej's hand.

Vrej looked him in the eye. "To Moseh, Dappa, van Hoek, Gabriel, Nyazi, Yevgeny, Jeronimo, and Mr. Foot!" Vrej said.

"To the Ten," Jack agreed, and pumped Vrej's hand, hard enough to straighten the elbow. At that, something hard slid forth from Vrej's sleeve and barked Jack's knuckle. Vrej reached across with his left and slapped his forearm to keep the object from falling out altogether. As Jack could see plainly enough, it was a two-barrelled pocket-pistol.

Not knowing what Vrej had in mind, Jack let go his hand and got between him and Eliza. He'd scarcely done so when he heard a loud noise and saw etienne d'Arcachon collapsing to the floor.

"Pardon the interruption, your majesty," said Vrej. The pistol was in his hand, a cloud of smoke drifting up from it.

Jack had got himself squarely between Vrej and Eliza by now, but she wanted to see what was happening, and kept moving about, which forced him to move as well. A door whammed open at the far end of the ballroom, and a cloud of feathers, lace, and blades-a dozen or so armed n.o.blemen-came at them. It would be some moments before they arrived.

"I could run. Perhaps escape," Vrej went on. "But this would bring suspicion down upon my family-who are wholly innocent, your majesty, and always were."

"We understand," said Leroy, "and always have."

Vrej turned the pistol round and shot himself in the mouth.