Page:The Iron Hand by Hall Caine.djvu/3

 —And the servants?

— I've examined them and gathered them together and shut them up in the room below.

(A murmur of voices comes from beneath stage.)

—Good ! (To the ladies and the priest) —You are at liberty to go back to your room and to move about the house as you please. But I must warn you that your chateau is now in the occupation of the representatives of the German army and any attempt to escape from it or to signal to or otherwise communicate with the enemy will be followed by speedy and severe punishment. You may go.

(Corporal opens doors on right; the ladies and priest are moving toward it when the large door at back is opened hurriedly and a German soldier enters.)

(saluting)—Captain!

—Well?

—Two Belgian soldiers have just been arrested. They were prowling about the back of the chateau as if trying to get into it.

—Bring them in.

—Achtung! Vorwarts!

(The two prisoners enter under arrest. One is in the uniform of a Belgian lieutenant of cavalry; the other of a private. As the lieutenant enters, with a defiant air, the younger of the ladies utters an involuntary cry of recognition.)

—Ah!

(laying hold of her hand)—Hush!

(seeing this)—H’m! (To guard)—Disarm them.

(The prisoners are disarmed of swords, revolvers, etc. While this is being done the German lieutenant points to picture on wall and then to the Belgian lieutenant. The captain nods, then steps forward.)

—So you are the Lieutenant Victor Lambotte?

—Perhaps I am.

—This is your own house?

—Perhaps it is.

—And these two ladles are your mother and your wife?

—Perhaps they are.

—I understand. You think, with the rest of our enemies, that German soldiers are inhuman brutes, and hearing that your family chateau had fallen into the hands of the Imperial army, you came here to take your mother and wife away, lest they should become the victims of outrage and atrocity at the hands of German officers. That's it, Isn't It?

(defiantly) —If you think so, think so—you're welcome.

—Remove the women and the priest.

(The ladies and priest are taken out right. Captain returns to table.)

—Your name and rank, sir?

—You seem to know them already—why do you ask?

—(imperatively) —Your name and rank, sir.

—Victor Lambotte, lieutenant.

—Cavalry?

—Can't you see?

—Your regiment?

(sullenly)—First of the line.

—The squadron attached to headquarters?

—(snapping it out) —Yes.

—Where are headquarters?

—What's that to you?

(stepping forward)—Halts Maul!

(waving corporal back)—I want to know where the Belgian headquarters are now.

—Find out for yourself, then.

—(with deadly calm)—Thank you! That's precisely what I intend to do. (To private)—Your name?

(who is visibly afraid) —Private Jonniaux, sir.

—Same regiment?

—Yes, the same regiment as the lieutenant, sir.

—And the same squadron?

—Yes, No. 124, first squadron, sir.

—At present stationed with the King at Furnes?

—(in a low, warning voice) —Jonniaux!

(stammering)—I—I think not, Captain.

—Where then?

(Victor seizes Private Jonniaux' hand.)

— I—I'm only a private. They don't tell a private everything. "Come here," they say, and he comes. "Go there," and he goes. And that's all he knows, sir.

—Very well! If you won't answer that question, you won't. But there's another which you may be more ready to reply to. You've just come through the Belgian outposts—isn't that so?

(trembling) —Yes. Captain.

—And, of course, you expect to return through them?

—Yes, sir.

—In that case you must have the password. What is it?

—But I don't know it. I give you my word of honor I don't. "Colonel's orders." said the sergeant, "you've to go with the lieutenant," and that's all they told me. Ask