All I could offer would be copies of
its very thorough reports. The number of cups of coffee your friend
Durand drank for breakfast this morning at his lodgings in Vienna will
reach me in due course!"
"You are really a devil of a fellow, John Armitage! So much knowledge! So
acute an intellect! You are too wise to throw away your life futilely."
"You have been most generous in sparing it thus far!" laughed Armitage,
and Chauvenet took instant advantage of his change of humor.
"Perhaps--perhaps--I have pledged my faith in the wrong quarter,
Monsieur. If I may say it, we are both fairly clever men; together we
could achieve much!"
"So you would sell out, would you?" laughed Armitage. "You miserable
little blackguard, I should like to join forces with you! Your knack of
getting the poison into the right cup every time would be a valuable
asset! But we are not made for each other in this world. In the next--who
knows?"
"As you will! I dare say you would be an exacting partner."
"All of that, Chauvenet! You do best to stick to your present employer.
He needs you and the like of you--I don't! But remember--if there's a
sudden death in Vienna, in a certain high quarter, you will not live
to reap the benefits.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203