813 by Maurice Leblanc - Charlemagne 11

813 by Maurice Leblanc - Charlemagne 11 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter eleven of eight thirteen eight thirteen by Maurice le Blanc,
Chapter eleven cha Lemagne silence, said the stranger, sharply, don't
use that word, then what shall I call yer? Call
mean nothing? They were both silent, and this moment of

(00:20):
respite was not one of those which go before the
struggle of two adversaries. Ready for the fray, the stranger
strove to and fro with the air of a master
accustomed to command and to be obeyed. Lu Pay stood motionless.
He had abandoned his usual provocative attitude and his sarcastic smile.
He waited gravely and deferentially. But down in the depths

(00:42):
of his being he reveled eagerly, madly in the marvelous
situation in which he found himself. Placed here in his cell.
He a prisoner, He the adventurer, He the swindler, the burglar.
He as send reupey face to face with that demigod
of the mad world, that formidable entity, the air of

(01:03):
Caesar and of Chlemagne. He was intoxicated for a moment
with the sense of his own power. The tears came
to his eyes when he thought of his triumph. The
stranger stood still, and at once with the very first sentence,
they came to the immediate point. Tomorrow is the twenty
second of August. The letters are to be published tomorrow,

(01:23):
are they not?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
To night?

Speaker 1 (01:25):
In two hours from now, my friends are to hand
into the Granjournal, not the letters themselves, but an exact
list of the letters, with the Grand Duke Hermann's annotations.
That list shall not be handed in. It shall not
be you will give it to me. It shall be
placed in the hands of York. In your hands likewise

(01:46):
all the letters. Likewise, all the letters without any of
them being photographed, without any of them being photographed. The
stranger spoke in a very calm voice, containing not the
least accent of entreaty nor the least inflection of authority.
He neither ordered nor requested. He stated the inevitable actions

(02:06):
of Arsendu Pay. Things would happen, as he said, and
they would happen whatever Arsendu Pain's demands should be, at
whatever price he might value the performance of those actions.
The conditions were accepted beforehand by Jove, said du Paine
to himself. That's jolly clever of him if he leaves
it to my generosity. I am a ruined man. The

(02:29):
very way in which the conversation opened, the frankness of
the words employed, the charm of voice and manner, all
pleased him infinitely. He pulled himself together lest he should
relent and abandon all the advantages which he had conquered
so fiercely. And the stranger continued, have you read the letters? No?
But some one you know has read them. No. In

(02:53):
that case, I have the Grand Duke's list and his notes. Moreover,
I know the hiding place where he put all his papers.
Why did you not take them before this? I did
not know the secret of the hiding place until I
came here. My friends are on the way there. Now
the castle is guarded. It is occupied by two hundred
of my most trusty men. Ten thousand would not be sufficient.

(03:16):
After a minute's reflection, the visitor asked, how do you
know the secret? I guessed it. But you had other
elements of information which the papers did not publish, No,
none at all, And yet I had the castle searched
for four days. Holmlock shears looked in the wrong place, ah,
said the stranger to himself. It's an odd thing, an

(03:40):
odd thing, and to Lupey, you are sure that your
supposition is correct. It is not a supposition, it is
a certainty. So much the better, muttered the visitor. There
will be no rest until those papers cease to exist. And,
placing himself in front of Valsain, Lupey, how much, what

(04:00):
said dupaint taken aback? How much for the papers? How
much do you ask to reveal the secret? He waited
for lu Paine to name a figure. He suggested one
himself fifty thousand, a hundred thousand, and when Lupainne did
not reply, he said, with a little hesitation, more two

(04:20):
hundred thousand. Very well, I agree. Lupainne smiled and, in
a low voice said, it is a handsome figure. But
is it not likely that some sovereign, let us say,
the King of England, would give as much as a million?
In all sincerity? I believe so, and that those letters
are priceless to the Emperor, that they are worth two million,

(04:43):
quite as easily as two hundred thousand francs. Three million
as easily as two I think so, And if necessary,
the Emperor would give that three million francs. Yes, then
it will not be difficult to come to an arrangement.
On that basis, cried the stranger, not without some alarm.

(05:04):
Lou Pay smiled again on that basis, No, I am
not looking for money. I want something else, something that
is worth more to me than any number of millions.
What is that my liberty? What your liberty? But I
can do nothing that concerns your country the law. I

(05:24):
have no power, lou Pay went up to him, and,
lowering his voice still more. You have every power, sire.
My liberty is not such an exceptional event that they
are likely to refuse you. Then I should have to
ask for it. Yes, of whom a val angles the
prime minister. But Monsieur Valonles himself can do no more

(05:47):
than I. He can open the doors of this prison
for me. It would cause a public outcry when I
say open half open would be enough. We should counterfeit
an escape. The publics so thoroughly expected that it would
not so much as ask for an explanation. Very well,
but Monsieur Valoneles will never consent. He will consent, why

(06:10):
because you will express the wish. My wishes are not
commands to him, no, but an opportunity of making himself
agreeable to the Emperor. By fulfilling them, and valonless too
shrewd a politician nonsense to imagine that the French government
will commit so illegal an act for the sole pleasure
of making itself agreeable to me, that pleasure will not

(06:33):
be the sole one. What will be the other, the
pleasure of serving France by accepting the proposal which will
accompany the request for my release. I am to make
a proposal. I yes, sire, What proposal I do not know.
But it seems to me that there is always a
favorable ground on which to come to an understanding. There

(06:55):
are possibilities of agreement. The stranger looked at him, with
a grasping his meaning. Dupayn leaped forward, and, as though
seeking his words, as though putting an imaginary case, said,
let me suppose that two great countries are divided by
some insignificant question, that they have different points of view
on a matter of secondary importance, a colonial matter, for instance,

(07:18):
in which their self esteem is at stake rather than
their interest. Is it inconceivable that the ruler of one
of those countries might come of his own accord to
treat this matter in a new spirit of conciliation and
give the necessary instructions, so that so that I might
leave Morocco to France, said the stranger, with a burst
of laughter. The idea which Lupagne was suggesting struck him

(07:41):
as the most comical thing that he had ever heard,
and he laughed heartily. The disparity was so great between
the object aimed at and the means proposed. Of course,
of course, he resumed with a vain attempt to recover
his seriousness. Of course, it's a very original idea. The
whole of modern politics upset, so that Arsen Lupey may

(08:03):
be free, the plans of the empire destroyed, so that
Arsene Lupey may continue his exploits. Why not ask me
for assassin Loreene at once? I did think of it, sire,
replied Lupagne, calmly. The stranger's merriment increased splendid, and you
let me off this time, Yes, Lupeye had crossed his arms.

(08:27):
He too was amusing himself by exaggerating the part which
he was playing, and he continued with affected seriousness. A
series of circumstances might one day arise which would put
in my hands the power of demanding and obtaining that restitution.
When that day comes, I shall certainly not fail to
do so. For the moment the weapons at my disposal

(08:48):
oblige me to be more modest. Peace and Morocco will
satisfy me just that, just that, Morocco against your liberty,
nothing more. Or rather, for we must not lose sight
entirely of the main object of this conversation, or rather,
a little good will on the part of one of
the countries in question, and in exchange, the surrender of

(09:10):
the letters which are in my power. Those letters, those letters,
muttered the stranger irritably. After all, perhaps they are not
so valuable. There are some in your own hands, sire,
and you considered them valuable enough to come to this cell. Well,
what does it matter? But there are others of which

(09:31):
you do not know the authorship, and about which I
can give you a few particulars Oh, indeed, said the stranger,
rather anxiously. Dupayne hesitated, speak speak plainly, said the stranger,
Say what you have in your mind. In the profound
silence of the cell, Lupayne declared with a certain solemnity.

(09:52):
Twenty years ago, a draft treaty was prepared between Germany,
Great Britain and France. That's not true. It's impossible. Who
have done such a thing, the Emperor's father and the
Queen of England his grandmother, both acting under the influence
of the Emperor Frederic. Impossible. I repeat, it is impossible.

(10:13):
The correspondence is in the hiding place at Velden's castle,
and I alone know the secret of the hiding place.
The stranger walked up and down with an agitated step,
then he stopped short. Is the text of the treaty
included in that correspondence? Yes, sire, it is in your
father's own hand. And what does it say? By that treaty?

(10:35):
France and Great Britain granted and promised Germany an immense
colonial empire, the empire which she does not at present possess,
and which has become a necessity to her in these
times to insure her greatness. And what did England demand
as a set off against that empire? The limitation of
the German fleet and France Alsace and lorent The Emperor

(10:58):
leaned against the table in silent thought. Lupagne continued, Everything
was ready, The cabinets of Paris and London had been
sounded and had consented. The thing was practically done. The
Great Treaty of Alliance was on the point of being concluded.
It would have laid the foundations of a definite and
universal peace. The death of your father destroyed that sublime dream.

(11:20):
But I ask your Imperial Majesty, what will your people think?
What will the world think when it knows that Frederick
the Third, one of the heroes of eighteen seventy, a German,
a pure and loyal German, respected by all generally admired
for his nobility of character, agreed to the restitution of
Alsace Lorraine, and therefore considered that restitution just. He was

(11:42):
silent for an instant, leaving the problem to fix itself
in its precise terms before the Emperor's conscience, before his
conscience as a man, a son, and a sovereign. Then
he concluded, Your Imperial Majesty, yourself must know whether you
wish or do not wish history to record the existence
of that treaty. As for me, Sire, you can see

(12:03):
that my humble personality counts for very little in the discussion.
A long pause followed upon Lipeg's words. He waited, with
his soul torn with anguish. His whole destiny was at
stake in this minute which he had conceived, and in
a manner produced, with such effort and such stubbornness, an
historic minute born of his brain, in which his humble personality,

(12:24):
for all that he might say, weighed heavily upon the
fate of empires and the peace of the world. Opposite
him in the shadow, Caesar stood meditating. What answer would
he make? What solution would he give to the problem?
He walked across the cell for a few moments, which
to dupay seemed interminable. Then he stopped and asked, are

(12:45):
there any other conditions? Yes, Sire, but they are insignificant.
Name them. I have found the son of the Grand
Duke of Swaubulk in Velden's. The Grand Duchy must be
restored to him. Anything else. He loves a young girl
who loved him in her turn. She is the fairest
and the most virtuous of her sex. He must marry her.

(13:06):
Anything else. That is all. There is nothing more nothing,
Your majesty, need only have this letter delivered to the
editor of the granjon Nal, who will then destroy unread
the article which he may now receive at any moment.
Lou Payne held out the letter with a heavy heart
and a trembling hand. If the emperor took it, that

(13:26):
would be a sign of his acceptance. The emperor hesitated,
and then, with an abrupt movement, took the letter, put
on his hat, wrapped his cloak round him, and walked
out without a word. Lu Pay remained for a few seconds,
staggering as though dazed. Then suddenly he fell into his chair,
shouting with joy and pride. Monsieur le gures destruxien. I

(13:50):
am sorry to say good bye to you to day. Why,
monsieur Pey, are you thinking of leaving us with the
greatest reluctance. I assure you, monsieurle gures destrucien. Our relations
have been so very pleasant and cordial. But all good
things must come to an end. My cure at the
Sante Palace is finished. Other duties call me. I have
resolved to make my escape to night. Then I wish

(14:13):
you good luck, monsieurleu pine A thousand thanks, Monsieur de jeestinestruxien.
Ar sen Dupe waited patiently for the hour of his escape,
not without asking himself how it would be contrived and
by what means. France and Germany uniting for the joint
performance of this deserving work would succeed in effecting it
without creating too great a scandal. Late in the afternoon,

(14:34):
the warder told him to go to the entrance yard.
He hurried out and was met by the governor, who
handed him over to Monsieur Webber. Monsieur Webber made him
step into a motor car in which somebody was already seated.
Dupee had a violent fit of laughter.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
What you, my poor old Webber? Have they let you
in for this tiresome job? Are you to be responsible
for my escape? On my word, you are an unlucky beggar. Oh,
my poor old chap what hard lines first made famous
through my arrest? You are now to become immortal through
my escape. He looked at the other man.

Speaker 1 (15:13):
Well, well, Monsieur prephet bulliss, so you're in the business too.
That's a nasty thing for you. What if you take
my advice, you'll stay in the background and leave the
honor and glory to Weber. It's his by right and
he can stand alot the rascal. The car traveled at
a fast pace along the Seine and through Boulogne. At

(15:34):
Saint clou they crossed the river splendid, cried Lupagne. We're
going to Gash. You want me there in order to
reenact the death of Altenheim. We shall go down into
the underground passage. I shall disappear, and people will say
that I got through another outlet known to myself alone. Lord,
how idiotic. He seemed quite unhappy about it. Idiotic, idiotic

(15:56):
in the highest degree. I blush for shame. And those
are the people who govern us. What an age to
live in. But you, poor devils, why didn't you come
to me. I'd have invented a beautiful little escape for you,
something of a miraculous nature I had already pigeon holed
in my mind. The public would have yelled with wonder
and danced with delight instead of which, however, it's quite

(16:19):
true that you were given rather short notice. But all
the same, the program was exactly as lou Pagne had foreseen.
They walked through the grounds of the house, a retreat
to the pagan Ortennesse. Lupaye and his two companions went
down the stairs and along the underground passage. At the
end of the tunnel, the deputy chief said, you are free,

(16:40):
And there you are, said du Paye. Is that all well,
my dear webber, thank you very much and sorry to
have given you so much trouble. Good Bye, Monsieur le
prefet kind regards to the misses. He climbed the stairs
that led to the Villa de gli Sinne, raised the
trap door, and sprang into the room. A hand fell
on his shoulder. Opposite him stood his first visitor of

(17:01):
the day before, the one who had accompanied the emperor.
There were four men with him, two on either side.
Look here, said du pay what's the meaning of this joke?
I thought I was free? Yes, yes, growled the German
in his rough voice. You are free, free to travel
with the five of us, if that suits you. Dupayn

(17:22):
looked at him for a second with a mad longing
to hit him on the nose, just to teach him.
But the five men looked devilish, determined. Their leader did
not betray any exaggerated fondness for him, and it seemed
to him that the fellow would be only too pleased
to resort to extreme measures. Besides, after all, what did
he care, he chuckled, If it suits me, why, it's

(17:44):
the dream of my life. A powerful covered car was
waiting in the paved yard outside the villa. Two men
got into the driver's seat, two others inside with their
backs to the motor. Dupay and the stranger sat down
on the front seat. Fobet cried Lupaye in German Fabet's Nachwalden's.
The stranger said, silence. Those men must know nothing. Speak French.

(18:09):
They don't know French. But why speak at all? Quite right,
said Lupagne to himself, Why speak it all? The car
traveled all the evening and all night without any incident.
Twice they stopped to take in petrol at some sleepy
little town. The Germans took it in turns to watch
their prisoner, who did not open his eyes until the
early morning. They stopped for breakfast at an inn on

(18:31):
a hill side, near which stood a sign post. Lupay
saw that they were at an equal distance from Metz
in Luxembourg. From there they took a road that slanted
northeast in the direction of treev Dupay said to his
traveling companion, am I right in believing that I have
the honor of speaking to Count van Valdemar, the Emperor's
confidential friend, the one who searched herm on the Third's

(18:52):
house in Dresden. The stranger remained silent. You're the sort
of chap I can't stand at any price, muttered Lupaine.
I'll have some fun with you one of these days.
You're ugly, you're fat, you're heavy. In short, I don't
like you, and he added aloud. You are wrong not
to answer me, Monsieur le comte, I was speaking in
your own interest. Just as we were stepping in, I

(19:14):
saw a motor come into sight behind us on the horizon.
Did you see it? No?

Speaker 2 (19:19):
Why?

Speaker 1 (19:20):
Nothing? Still? No, nothing at all, a mere remark. Besides,
we are ten minutes ahead, and our car is at
least a forty horse power. It's a sixty, said the German,
looking at him uneasily from the corner of his eye. Oh, then,
were all right. They were climbing a little slope. When
they reached the top, the Count leaned out of the window.

(19:41):
Damn it all, he swore. What's the matter, asked Coupee.
The Count turned to him and in a threatening voice,
take care. If anything happens, it will be so much
the worse for you. Oho, it seems the others gaining
on us. But what are you afraid of? My dear count,
it's no doubt a traveler. Perhaps he some one they
are sending to help us. I don't want any help,

(20:04):
growled the German. He leaned out again. The car was
only two or three hundred yards behind. He said to
one of his men, pointing to Lupage, bind him if
he resists. He drew his revolver. Why should I resist,
O gentle Teuton chuckled Lupage, and he added, while they
were fastening his hands, it is really curious to see

(20:26):
how people take precautions when they need not, and don't
when they ought to. What the devil do you care
about that motor accomplices of mine? What an idea? Without replying,
the German gave orders to the driver to the right,
slow down, let them pass. If they slow down, also stop.
But to his great surprise, the motor seemed, on the

(20:47):
contrary to increase its speed. It passed in front of
the car like a whirlwind in a cloud of dust.
Standing up at the back, leaning over the hood which
was lowered, was a man dressed in black. He raised
his arm, two shots rang out. The Count, who was
blocking the whole of the left window, fell back into
the car before even attending to him. The two men

(21:09):
leapt upon Lupage and finished securing him. Jackasses blockheads, shouted Lupage,
shaking with rage. Let me go on the contrary there
now we're stopping. But go after him, you silly fools.
Catch him up. It's the man in black, I tell you,
the murderer, all the idiots. They gagged him. Then they

(21:30):
attend to the count. The wound did not appear to
be serious and was soon dressed, but the patient, who
was in a very excited state, had an attack of
fever and became delirious. It was eight o'clock in the morning.
They were in the open country, far from any village.
The men had no information as to the exact object
of the journey, where were they to go, whom were

(21:51):
they to send to. They drew up the motor beside
a wood and waited. The whole day went by in
this way. It was evening before a squad of cavalry arrived,
despatched from Creev in search of the motor car. Two
hours later, Dupagne stepped out of the car, and, still
escorted by his two Germans, by the light of a lantern,
climbed the steps of a staircase that led to a

(22:11):
small room with iron barred windows. Here he spent the night.
The next morning, an officer led him through a courtyard
filled with soldiers to the center of a long row
of buildings that ran round the foot of a mound
covered with monumental ruins. He was shown into a large,
hastily furnished room. His visitor of two days back was
sitting at a writing table, reading newspapers and reports, which

(22:35):
he marked with great strokes of red pencil. Leave us,
he said to the officer, and going up to Lupage
the papers. The tone was no longer the same. It
was now the harsh and imperious tone of the master
who was at home and addressing an inferior, and such
an inferior, a rogue, an adventurer of the worst type,

(22:55):
before whom he had been obliged to humiliate himself. The papers,
he repeated. Lupagne was not put out of countenance. He said,
quite calmly, they are in Valden's castle. We are in
the out buildings of the castle. Those are the ruins
of Valdens over there. The papers are in the ruins.
Let us go to them. Show me the way. Dupagne

(23:17):
did not budge well. Well, Sire, it is not as
simple as you think. It takes some time to bring
into play the elements which are needed to open that
hiding place. How long do you want twenty four hours?
An angry movement quickly suppressed. Oh, there is no question
of that between us. Nothing was specified, neither that nor

(23:38):
the little trip which your Imperial Majesty made me take
in the charge of half a dozen of your bodyguard.
I am to hand over the papers, that is all,
and I am not to give you your liberty until
you do hand over those papers. It is a question
of confidence, Sire. I should have considered myself quite as
much bound to produce the papers if I had been
free on leaving prison, and your imperial men majesty may

(24:00):
be sure that I should not have walked off with them.
The only difference is that they would now be in
your possession. For we have lost a day, sire, and
a day in this business is a day too much.
Only there it is you should have had confidence. The
Emperor gazed with a certain amazement at that outcast, that vagabond,
who seemed vexed that anyone should doubt his word. He

(24:20):
did not reply, but rang the bell. The officer on duty.
He commanded, Count van Valdemar appeared, looking very white. Ah,
Thieu Valdemar, So you're all right again at your service, sire.
Take five men with you, the same men as you're
sure of them. Don't leave this gentleman until tomorrow morning.

(24:41):
He looked at his watch until tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. No,
I will give him till twelve. You will go wherever
he thinks fit to go. You will do whatever he
tells you to do. In short, you are at his
disposal at twelve o'clock. I will join you. If at
the last stroke of twelve he has not handed me
the bundle of letters, you will put him back your car,
and without losing a second, take him straight to the

(25:03):
Sante prison. If he tries to escape, take your own course.
He went out. Dupeg helped himself to a cigar from
the table and threw himself into an easy chair.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
Good.

Speaker 1 (25:16):
I just love that way of going to work. It
is frank and explicit. The Count had brought in his men,
He said to Lupagne march. Lupagne lit his cigar and
did not move bind his hands said the Count, and
when the order was executed, he repeated, now, then, march, no,
what do you mean by no? I'm wondering about what

(25:40):
where on earth that hiding place can be. The Count
gave a start, and Lupagne chatteled, for the best part
of the story is that I have not the remotest
idea where that famous hiding place is, nor how to
set about discovering it. Would you say to that, my
dear Valdemar eh Fanny, isn't it not the very remotest idea?

(26:01):
End of Chapter eleven.