Page:Eekhoud - The New Carthage.djvu/238

210 "Nevertheless, these difficulties remain," continued Brullekens. "To bring that colossal lot of cartridges here isn't all. It is necessary to declare them at the customs-house, and then obtain the city's consent to unload such a formidable cargo, amounting to between two hundred and two hundred and fifty kilos of powder; that is to say, enough to explode the whole of Antwerp and its forts. The Regency will hesitate all the more in such a litigious affair since Bergmans, the vigilant agitator, Béjard's bitterest enemy, having got wind of his intrigue, has not stopped intimidating the Magistrate, and threatens Béjard and his marvellous enterprise with the terrors of the anger of the harbor dockers, who have not yet forgotten the affair of the elevators. As unpopular as he is, Béjard has offset Bergmans' fiery assaults by reminding the riverside population, who are usually in want, of the easy and lucrative work that his industry will procure them.

"He has promised the city administration to extract a thousand kilos of powder from the cartridges every day, so that the business will be finished at the end of nine months. Moreover, he has bound himself to furnish all guarantees, and to conform to whatever precautionary measures the authorities impose. And you'll see—at heart I hope so, for the deal is too sublime—that that devil of a fellow will overcome all the obstacles raised up against him, and he will again make a fool of the city, the province, the government, Bergmans' thunderbolts, and even the vox populi!"

A movement evidencing itself from group to group near the west entry of the Exchange, near the corner in which were located the stock brokers and speculators, put an end to this edifying conversation. The loud outbursts of a bitter argument outvoiced the usual