Read Online The Marquis of Bolibar by Leo Perutz - Free Book Online Page A

here," Donop whispered.
    "He must die," Günther said softly. "Protest and lament as he may, he must die, or by tomorrow our every word will be common knowledge throughout the regiment."
    "He must," said Brockendorf, "or this business will ruin us."
    "We have no grounds for a court martial," I said. "The man's no spy. All he did was carry Salignac's baggage."
    "What are we to do?" Donop groaned. "I see disaster looming, comrades. What are we to do?"
    "I don't know," said Eglofstein. He shrugged his shoulders. "I only know we're lost, comrades, one and all."
    While we were standing there, utterly perplexed, the door sprang open and Sergeant Urban of the Nassau Grenadiers came bustling in. He was holding a big black dog by the collar.
    "Captain!" he panted, for it was all he could do to restrain the beast, which was struggling like a mad thing. "Captain, this dog was roaming around outside and wouldn't be driven away. It scratched at the door and wanted to be let in."
    No sooner had he caught sight of the muleteer than he let go the collar, put his hands on his hips, and burst out laughing.
    "If it isn't Perico!" he exclaimed, almost doubled up with mirth. "Back so soon, Perico? That was no lengthy pilgrimage of yours!"
    The dog had reached the muleteer in a single bound. It jumped up at him again and again, barking, whining, and manifesting every sign of pleasure.
    "What about this man, Sergeant?" asked Eglofstein. "Do you know him?"
    "Indeed he does, se ñ or," the Spaniard cried joyfully. "You heard him call me Perico: Perico, that's me. God and the Holy Virgin be praised! I'm no spy, you can see that for yourself." The dog pressed against him, whimpering and licking his hands, but he thrust it away and shooed it into a corner.
    "You're no spy, true, but you're a thief!" exclaimed the sergeant. "Give that money back, you vile, dirty, ragged scoundrel! If the Emperor raised a regiment of rogues, you'd be its colour-bearer!"
    The Spaniard blenched and stared at him in alarm.
    "Captain," the sergeant reported, "this fellow is one of the waggoners we took into our employ. This morning, while we were resting outside the inn near the town gate, he stole a purse containing twelve thalers from Dragoon Kümmel of Sergeant Brendel's troop. We gave chase, but we failed to catch him. Now he has returned of his own accord."
    The muleteer paled and began to tremble all over.
    "You scum!" yelled the sergeant. "Give that money back. You've no further need of it in any case — you'll be hanged or gaoled for life!"
    Eglofstein stood up, a wild and exultant gleam in his eye. His heart was heavy no longer, now that this Spanish eavesdropper had been caught stealing and was doomed to die. He exchanged a meaningful glance with Günther and Donop.
    "Were you not paid your wage every day?" he asked the Spaniard sternly. "Had you any reason to steal?"
    "I stole nothing," the man stammered, beside himself with terror. "I know nothing of any wage - I never was a waggoner in your service."
    "Lies by the cartload!" the sergeant said angrily. "You say you never drove a waggon for the regiment?" He ran to the stairs and shouted up them at the loft above. "Kümmel! Are you still awake, Kümmel? Come down here at the double — your thalers have trotted home again."
    Dragoon Kümmel came stumbling down the stairs a moment later, torpid and unkempt as a carter's nag, with a horse blanket draped around his shoulders in lieu of a cloak. He brightened at once when he saw the muleteer.
    "So you're back!" he cried. "You shit-bucket! You pig- swill! You devil's privy! Who caught you? Where's my money?"
    "What do you want with me?" the muleteer groaned, more terrified than ever. "I don't know you — I never saw you before in my life, I swear it by the blood of Christ!"
    "Speak Christian!" yelled Kümmel, meaning that the Spaniard should speak German, not Spanish. "Devil take the buffoon who invented your barbarous gibberish in the Tower of Babel!"
    "Do you