Page:The Iron Hand by Hall Caine.djvu/4

 the lieutenant himself. (To Victor) —It's true, isn't it, sir?

—Quite true. Private Jonniaux does not know the password. It was given to me only.

—H'm! Then it's you who must give it up to us.

(firmly)—I will not do so.

—Listen! It is necessary, vitally necessary, to the welfare of the Imperial army that I should learn your password, so—

—So you ask a Belgian soldier to cooperate with the enemy of Belgium? (deliberately). I'll not do It.

—If you refuse you must take the consequences.

—I'll take the consequences!

(after a pause) —Perhaps you think you'll suffer at the hands of your own people. This is not so. You'll be confined, it's true, confined in your own house, with your wife, your mother and your fellow soldier, but you'll be protected—protected by the German army.

—I want no protection from the German army. When my own army comes here, after they have scoured yours out of the country, they may find a prisoner, but not a traitor.

—I want to treat you kindly, my man. Give me the password and I'll see to your safety.

—Never in this world.

—Not even to save your life?

—Not even to save a hundred lives.

—We'll see. Private Jonniaux?

(trembling) —Captain?

—Are you married?

—Yes, three years married, sir.

—Any children?

—(his look of fear giving way to a smile)—Two—a boy and a girl, sir.

—When did you see your children last?

—I've not seen the girl at all, sir. She's been born since I came to the war.

—Then you've had no leave yet?

—Not yet, but I'm having four days next week, sir.

—You are looking forward to them, I suppose?

(his face beaming) —You may well say that, Captain. I'm counting the hours and the minutes, sir.

(severely)—Lieutenant Lambotte, if you do not give up the password then Private Jonniaux will be shot.

(gasping) —Shot!

(after a peal of derisive laughter) —What a Joke! Even German officers can't take a man's life in that unceremonious way, against all the regulations of military law.

—I advise you not to count of what German officers cannot do—law or no law.

(fiercely) —By God, you're right there, and all the world knows it.

(sternly) —Well, I've told you what will happen—will you give me the password now?

—No.

—You want me to shoot your comrade?

—You can't be in earnest. Private Jonniaux has done nothing. He knows nothing. Why should he be shot?

—Why, indeed, when you can save him? If he is to die the responsibility will be yours—yours only.

—But to threaten my comrade's life in order to put pressure on me is it justice?

—It's war.

—Then shoot me if you must shoot somebody.

—Why should I, since you are the only one that knows the password?

—And since I am the only one who knows it I am the only one who refuses to give It up. Must the innocent suffer for the guilty?

—That's a question for you to answer. Come now, don't want to shoot the Private Jonniaux. On the contrary, I want him to go home to his wife and children. (Deliberately). But I must have the password.

(Victor is silent for a moment, struggling hard. Jonniaux, who has been listening with looks of fear, now slides up to him).

(in a pleading tone) —Lieutenant, you won't let them kill me, will you?

(In a whisper) —Hold your tongue, Jonniaux.

—I have done nothing, nothing at all. I only obeyed orders when I came here with you. Is a man to be shot for obeying orders?

(As before) —But don't you see? They want to entrap our King, our army.

—My poor Louise! She'll be broken hearted. She's in England now, and was coming to Folkestone to meet me (fumbling in