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human jackals stood motionless over their captured prey。
A savage triumph gleamed in Chauvelin's eyes； and even Heron； dull
and brutal though he was； had become vaguely conscious of the
great change that had come over the prisoner。
Blakeney； with a gesture and a sigh of hopeless exhaustion had
once more rested both his elbows on the table； his head fell heavy
and almost lifeless downward in his arms。
〃Curse you； man！〃 cried Heron almost involuntarily。 〃Why in the
name of hell did you wait so long？〃
Then； as the prisoner made no reply； but only raised his head
slightly； and looked on the other two men with dulled； wearied
eyes； Chauvelin interposed calmly：
〃More than a fortnight has been wasted in useless obstinacy； Sir
Percy。 Fortunately it is not too late。〃
〃Capet？〃 said Heron hoarsely； 〃tell us； where is Capet？〃
He leaned across the table； his eyes were bloodshot with the
keenness of his excitement； his voice shook with the passionate
desire for the crowning triumph。
〃If you'll only not worry me；〃 murmured the prisoner； and the
whisper came so laboriously and so low that both men were forced
to bend their ears close to the scarcely moving lips； 〃if you will
let me sleep and rest； and leave me in peace〃
〃The peace of the grave； man；〃 retorted Chauvelin roughly； 〃if you
will only speak。 Where is Capet？〃
〃I cannot tell you； the way is long； the roadintricate。〃
〃Bah！〃
〃I'll lead you to him； if you will give me rest。〃
〃We don't want you to lead us anywhere；〃 growled Heron with a
smothered curse； 〃tell us where Capet is； we'll find him right
enough。〃
〃I cannot explain； the way is intricate； the place off the beaten
track； unknown except to me and my friends。〃
Once more that shadow； which was so like the passing of the hand
of Death； overspread the prisoner's face； his head rolled back
against the chair。
〃He'll die before he can speak；〃 muttered Chauvelin under his
breath。 〃You usually are well provided with brandy； citizen
Heron。〃
The latter no longer demurred。 He saw the danger as clearly as
did his colleague。 It had been hell's own luck if the prisoner
were to die now when he seemed ready to give in。 He produced a
flask from the pocket of his coat； and this he held to Blakeney's
lips。
〃Beastly stuff；〃 murmured the latter feebly。 〃I think I'd sooner
faintthan drink。〃
〃Capet？ where is Capet？〃 reiterated Heron impatiently。 〃Onetwo
three hundred leagues from here。 I must let one of my friends know；
he'll communicate with the others； they must be prepared；〃 replied
the prisoner slowly。
Heron uttered a blasphemous oath。
Where is Capet？ Tell us where Capet is； or〃
He was like a raging tiger that bad thought to hold its prey and
suddenly realised that it was being snatched from him。 He raised
his fist； and without doubt the next moment he would Lave silenced
forever the lips that held the precious secret； but Chauvelin
fortunately was quick enough to seize his wrist。
〃Have a care； citizen；〃 he said peremptorily； 〃have a care！ You
called me a fool just now when you thought I had killed the
prisoner。 It is his secret we want first； his death can follow
afterwards。〃
〃Yes； but not in this dd hole；〃 murmured Blakeney。
〃On the guillotine if you'll speak；〃 cried Heron； whose exasperation
was getting the better of his self…interest； 〃but if you'll not speak
then it shall be starvation in this holeyes； starvation；〃 he growled；
showing a row of large and uneven teeth like those of some mongrel cur；
〃for I'll have that door walled in to…night； and not another living
soul shall cross this threshold again until your flesh has rotted on
your bones and the rats have had their fill of you。〃
The prisoner raised his head slowly； a shiver shook him as if
caused by ague； and his eyes； that appeared almost sightless； now
looked with a strange glance of horror on his enemy。
〃I'll die in the open；〃 he whispered； 〃not in this dd hole。〃
〃Then tell us where Capet is。〃
〃I cannot； I wish to God I could。 But I'll take you to him； I
swear I will。 I'll make my friends give him up to you。 Do you
think that I would not tell you now； if I could。〃
Heron； whose every instinct of tyranny revolted against this
thwarting of his will； would have continued to heckle the prisoner
even now； had not Chauvelin suddenly interposed with an
authoritative gesture。
〃You'll gain nothing this way； citizen；〃 he said quietly； 〃the
man's mind is wandering； he is probably quite unable to give you
clear directions at this moment。〃
〃What am I to do； then？〃 muttered the other roughly。
〃He cannot live another twenty…four hours now； and would only grow
more and more helpless as time went on。〃
〃Unless you relax your strict regime with him。〃
〃And if I do we'll only prolong this situation indefinitely； and
in the meanwhile how do we know that the brat is not being
spirited away out of the country？〃
The prisoner； with his head once more buried in his arms； had
fallen into a kind of torpor； the only kind of sleep that the
exhausted system would allow。 With a brutal gesture Heron shook
him by the shoulder。
〃He；〃 he shouted； 〃none of that； you know。 We have not settled
the matter of young Capet yet。〃
Then； as the prisoner made no movement； and the chief agent
indulged in one of his favourite volleys of oaths； Chauvelin
placed a peremptory hand on his colleague's shoulder。
〃I tell you； citizen； that this is no use；〃 he said firmly。
〃Unless you are prepared to give up all thoughts of finding Capet；
you must try and curb your temper； and try diplomacy where force
is sure to fail。〃
〃Diplomacy？〃 retorted the other with a sneer。 〃Bah！ it served you
well at Boulogne last autumn； did it not； citizen Chauvelin？〃
〃It has served me better now；〃 rejoined the other imperturbably。
〃You will own； citizen； that it is my diplomacy which has placed
within your reach the ultimate hope of finding Capet。〃
〃H'm！〃 muttered the other； 〃you advised us to starve the prisoner。
Are we any nearer to knowing his secret？〃
〃Yes。 By a fortnight of weariness； of exhaustion and of starvation；
you are nearer to it by the weakness of the man whom in his full
strength you could never hope to conquer。〃
〃But if the cursed Englishman won't speak； and in the meanwhile
dies on my hands〃
〃He won't do that if you will accede to his wish。 Give him some
good food now； and let him sleep till dawn。〃
〃And at dawn he'll defy me again。 I believe now that he has some
scheme in his mind； and means to play us a trick。〃
〃That； I imagine； is more than likely；〃 retorted Chauvelin dryly；
〃though；〃 he added with a contemptuous nod of the head directed at
the huddled…up figure of his once brilliant enemy； 〃neither mind
nor body seem to me to be in a sufficiently active state just now
for hatching plot or intrigue； but even ifvaguely floating
through his clouded mindthere has sprung some little scheme for
evasion； I give you my word； citizen Heron； that you can thwart
him completely； and gain all that you desire； if you will only
follow my advice。〃
There had always been a great amount of persuasive power in
citizen Chauvelin；