CHAPTER XIV

THE RAT-KING

The days at the Bagnio pa.s.sed monotonously. The rat furnished the evening's amus.e.m.e.nt, and in the same degree as Benedetto was excited, Anselmo remained calm and cool. On the evening of the 24th of February, the young man's patience was exhausted, and he forgot himself so much as to call Anselmo a liar and traitor, even threatening him with death.

"Come, come," said Anselmo indifferently, "don't be so violent. Instead of exciting yourself you had better be calm and tell me what relation it has with the million."

"That means," hissed Benedetto, "I should tell you my secret."

"You are a fool," said Anselmo, laughing; "remember that you can never get the million without my aid, and therefore leave off your sulks and speak."

"You are always right," growled Benedetto. "You have my fate in your hands and I must speak. The million, of course, must first be earned--"

"I am not so foolish as to imagine that the million will fly into my mouth like a broiled pigeon," interrupted Anselmo; "but first of all, I must know if you have some right to this million?"

"Certainly," replied Benedetto; "if the million should slip from my grasp, I should look upon myself as being robbed."

"Really--who is the thief?"

"A woman!"

"I thought so; the lady no doubt who took charge of the letter?"

"The same."

"And you must be set free punctually on the 24th?"

"Yes, on the 25th the money would be irredeemably lost."

"H'm! that would be fatal. Well, I shall arrange it."

"You arrange it? Are you ever going to tell me how you intend to set us free?"

Anselmo peered cautiously about. The jailers were sleeping in the corners, and the other prisoners, as it was Sunday, were amusing themselves with the rat, which ran from board to board, performing the most difficult tricks.

"I will call our savior at once," whispered Anselmo, and, whistling softly, he called the little rat-king to him.

The rat immediately came to its master and climbed upon his knee.

Anselmo took the animal in his hand, put it on its back, and took from under its thick, hairy skin a small, thin instrument called in galley-slave slang "cow's tail."

Benedetto uttered a cry of astonishment. Anselmo waved before his comrade's eyes a narrow little tooth-saw.

"Do you believe in my promise now?" the ex-priest triumphantly exclaimed: "the jailers call our little animal 'rat!' I call him 'necessary.'"

Benedetto laughed aloud. Anselmo placed the instrument back in its place and the little rat-king sprang away, while Benedetto looked at him deaf and dumb with astonishment.

"I am convinced now," he finally said, breathing deeply, "and now you shall hear how the million is to be got. A lady will come here on the 24th--"

"Are you sure of it?"

"Positive. On the 25th this woman will draw one million to give to others."

"You are joking--she intends to give away a million?"

"Yes, and we two will prevent her," said Benedetto, firmly.

"And who is to get the million?"

"The Church, of course; you understand, now, that I must be free on the 24th, so as to be able to follow the lady and take the million from her."

"Yes, I understand. Who is the woman?"

Benedetto shrugged his shoulders.

"Do not bother yourself about that, that is my affair." He answered indifferently.

"Is it a former girl of yours?"

"No."

"A relative?"

"No."

"Good. Keep your secret. Tell me one thing more. Will it be a stabbing case?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't make yourself so green. From what I know of the world, this woman, who intends to give the money to the Church, will not offer it to you. You will take it from her, and if she resists--" He finished the sentence with a suggestive gesture.

Benedetto became pale as death. He bit his lips and in a hollow voice replied:

"What is necessary will occur."

"Good. I am pleased with you; but look--there comes a lady on our pontoon. Perhaps that is your millionnairess."

Benedetto looked in the direction indicated. A lady, leaning on the arm of a gentleman and accompanied by several high officials, was coming toward him.

The Corsican gave vent to an oath and made a movement as if he intended to throw himself upon the party. "Redhead," said the jailer, letting his heavy stick fall on Benedetto's shoulders, "you are trying to fly away?"

Benedetto gritted his teeth. He had recognized Valentine, and as she was a Villefort, and occupied the place he thought ought to have been his own, he would have liked to have wrung her neck. He recognized Morrel, whom he had seen in Monte-Cristo's house at Auteuil, and he, too, made his anger rise. He thought they had both come to gloat over his shame.

The head officer whispered a few words to the jailer, and immediately afterward Benedetto and Anselmo were ushered into the presence of the visitors.

"They take me along too because they can't help it," said Anselmo wickedly, pointing to the chain which bound them.

The jailer nodded, and the ex-priest whispered in Benedetto's ear: