Avarice-Anger Part 59

"You are a clever tempter, but I have a talisman against you. It is the promise I have made to my daughter not to leave her again. You have seen her, and you must feel that I shall keep my word."

"Mlle. Cloarek is a charming girl. There is not the slightest doubt of that, my dear captain, but you would be very foolish to miss such a fine opportunity as this."

"It is impossible, I tell you."

"Help me persuade him, Segoffin, and then you will get your wished-for shot at Captain Blake, I promise you."

"Segoffin knows that I never break my word, M. Verduron. I said no, and no it is."

"_Sacre bleu!_ it is amazing how atrociously selfish some people are!"

exclaimed the s.h.i.+p owner, highly incensed by Cloarek's refusal.

"You must be jesting, M. Verduron," responded Cloarek, who could not help smiling at this outbreak. "It is all very easy for you to talk about stirring conflicts. I, for my part, should like to know which is the most selfish, you who remain safe and comfortable in your office at Dieppe, or the sailor who mans your s.h.i.+p, and exposes himself to all the perils of deadly combats."

"You talk as if I had to run no risk whatever," exclaimed Verduron. "You forget to say anything about the bullets I receive."

"Well, upon my word! I never knew before that you, too, were in the habit of exposing yourself to a shower of bullets!" cried Segoffin.

"Isn't my vessel under fire if I am not? And how about all the repairs, and all the damages your humble servant has to pay for? And the wounds, and the legs and arms, you have forgotten what they cost me, I suppose.

Didn't I have to pay for five legs and three arms lost in that last fight of yours? Reckon them up at the rate of fifty crowns a limb, and see what they come to."

"But you must remember that you don't have to pay a sou when a man loses his head," retorted Segoffin.

"This is no subject for jesting, I want you to understand," snapped the s.h.i.+p owner, who was evidently becoming more and more excited, "for am I not doing everything on earth to secure you the best of crews? For don't you think, yourself, captain, that the prospect of a small pension in case of serious injuries encourages our sailors and makes regular devils of them under fire? And yet when I am bleeding myself in this fas.h.i.+on, I am repaid by the blackest ingrat.i.tude."

"What you say is absurd," replied Cloarek, shrugging his shoulders. "I have quadrupled your fortune."

"And because Captain l'Endurci has made all the money he wants, he doesn't care in the least whether other persons have or not," persisted the s.h.i.+p owner.

"There is not the slightest need of your working yourself into such a pa.s.sion, Verduron," replied Cloarek. "There are plenty of brave sea-captains in Dieppe, thank Heaven! quite as capable of commanding the _h.e.l.l-hound_ and contending successfully with Captain Blake as I am."

"Then you refuse, captain?"

"For the tenth time, yes."

"Positively?"

"Positively."

"Very well, then, captain," responded the s.h.i.+p owner, resolutely. "What I have been unable to obtain by persuasion and entreaties, I shall obtain in some other way."

"What does he mean?" asked Cloarek, turning to Segoffin.

"I mean that it is not easy to resign oneself to the loss of at least half a million, captain," responded Verduron, threateningly; "so, though I had no idea that you would persist in your refusal, I was prudent enough to take my precautions."

"Your precautions?"

"The _h.e.l.l-hound_ is now in Havre, where she arrived this morning."

"Then it was the _h.e.l.l-hound_ I saw!" cried Segoffin. "I thought I couldn't be mistaken."

"The brig is at Havre?" exclaimed Cloarek.

"Yes, M. Yvon, but disguised beyond any possibility of recognition. She has been painted gray with a broad yellow band, and not a sign of a gun is visible."

"And now will you be kind enough to tell me what all this signifies?"

demanded Cloarek.

"It means that I have changed the appearance of the brig as much as possible, because all the British cruisers are on the lookout for her, and now, thanks to this disguise, you will be able to reach Jersey with little or no trouble."

"You are persistent, I must say," said Cloarek, restraining himself only by a powerful effort.

"Yes, captain, and what is more, I've got you, and I mean to keep you.

The crew are wild with enthusiasm; the prospect of another voyage under you has made them frantic with delight. They expect to see you this evening, and I warn you that if you are not in Havre within an hour, they will be here in two hours."

"What! You will dare--" began Cloarek, in a voice choked with anger.

"I? Why, I have nothing to do with it, captain. It is your sailors that you will have to deal with, and you have had a chance to find out whether they are milk-sops or not. If you persist in your refusal, you will see one hundred and fifty of those dare-devils here with drums and fifes, and resolved to have their brave captain, whether or no. I am afraid those drums and fifes will destroy your _incognito_ effectually this time."

"Wretch!" roared Cloarek, realising how entirely feasible the s.h.i.+p owner's plan was, and he would have precipitated himself upon his tormentor if Segoffin had not suddenly interposed his own body between the two men and said to Cloarek:

"Remember that there are white hairs under his musk-scented powder, M.

Yvon."

"Oh, knock me down! Kill me, if you like! that will not prevent the crew from coming for you, nor you from going with them," snarled the s.h.i.+p owner.

"Don't talk so loud, gentlemen, I beg of you. I hear somebody coming now."

In another instant Suzanne appeared, pale and terrified.

"Oh, monsieur,--come,--come quick!" she cried.

"What is the matter?"

"Mademoiselle--"

"Is my daughter worse?"

"Oh, monsieur, I am so frightened,--come, come!"

Cloarek, forgetting everything else in his alarm, rushed off, leaving Segoffin and the s.h.i.+p owner alone together.

"M. Verduron, I tell you very plainly, you have had a narrow escape,"

said the head gunner. "I have only one piece of advice to give you. Get away from here as soon as possible."

"You may be right," replied the visitor, hastily picking up his hat and cane.

"I am right."