“You will see that by and by.”
“At all events, my lord, if there is a fault, the fault is
Page 144
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
mine; and my comrades should not be dealt hardly with on
that account.”
“This is decidedly an intelligent, sharp fellow,” thought
Monk. Then, after a few minutes, silence employed in
scrutinizing the fisherman, — “You come from Ostend, did
you not say?” asked the general.
“Yes, my lord, in a straight line.”
“You have then heard of the affairs of the day; for I have
no doubt that both in France and Holland they excite
interest. What is he doing who calls himself king of
England?”
“Oh, my lord!” cried the fisherman, with loud and expansive
frankness, “that is a lucky question, and you could not put
it to anybody better than to me, for in truth I can make you
a famous reply. Imagine, my lord, that when putting into
Ostend to sell the few mackerel we had caught, I saw the
ex-king walking on the downs waiting for his horses, which
were to take him to the Hague. He is a rather tall, pale
man, with black hair, and somewhat hard-featured. He looks
ill, and I don’t think the air of Holland agrees with him.”
Monk followed with the greatest attention the rapid,
heightened, and diffuse conversation of the fisherman, in a
language which was not his own, but which, as we have said,
he spoke with great facility. The fisherman on his part,
employed sometimes a French word, sometimes an English word,
and sometimes a word which appeared not to belong to any
language, but was, in truth, pure Gascon. Fortunately his
eyes spoke for him, and that so eloquently, that it was
possible to lose a word from his mouth, but not a single
intention from his eyes. The general appeared more and more
satisfied with his examination. “You must have heard that
this ex-king, as you call him, was going to the Hague for
some purpose?”
“Oh, yes,” said the fisherman, “I heard that.”
“And what was his purpose?”
“Always the same,” said the fisherman. “Must he not always
entertain the fixed idea of returning to England?”
“That is true,” said Monk, pensively.
“Without reckoning,” added the fisherman, “that the
stadtholder — you know, my lord, William II.?”
“Well?”
“He will assist him with all his power.”
“Ah! did you hear that said?”
“No, but I think so.”
“You are quite a politician, apparently,” said Monk.
“Why, we sailors, my lord, who are accustomed to study the
water and the air — that is to say, the two most changeable
things in the world — are seldom deceived as to the rest.”
Page 145
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Now, then,” said Monk, changing the conversation, “I am
told you are going to provision us.”
“I shall do my best, my lord.”
“How much do you ask for your fish in the first place?”
“Not such a fool as to name a price, my lord.”
“Why not?”
“Because my fish is yours.”
“By what right?”
“By that of the strongest.”
“But my intention is to pay you for it.”
“That is very generous of you, my lord.”
“And the worth of it —- ”
“My lord, I fix no price.”
“What do you ask, then?”
“I only ask to be permitted to go away.”
“Where? — to General Lambert’s camp?”
“I!” cried the fisherman; “what should I go to Newcastle
for, now I have no longer any fish?”
“At all events, listen to me.”
“I do, my lord.”
“I shall give you some advice.”
“How, my lord! — pay me and give me good advice likewise!
You overwhelm me, my lord.”
Monk looked more earnestly than ever at the fisherman, about
whom he still appeared to entertain some suspicion. “Yes, I
shall pay you, and give you a piece of advice, for the two
things are connected. If you return, then, to General
Lambert —- ”
The fisherman made a movement of his head and shoulders,
which signified, “If he persists in it, I won’t contradict
him.”
“Do not cross the marsh,” continued Monk: “you will have