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Authors: Anne Shaughnessy
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forever, and he wanted to pass his power on to one who could, he thought, cause society as much havoc and consternation in its use as he did. It pleased him to make use of me-nobly born, as he liked to think-to be his heir. I was a weapon that came readily to his hand, to be used against those he hated. A weapon that needed to be honed and balanced. That's all."
Lanusse was listening to him with his mouth half -open. "You always did talk like one of the poets, and you're doing it again," he said. "I couldn't understand you, but you always were grand to listen to."
Malet expression was suddenly rueful. "No," he said, "You never did understand. But it doesn't matter."
Lanusse looked Malet over again and said, "The Dauphin... Y'know, if he didn't love you, then why didn't he kill you after you left? He could have, you know."
Malet looked thoughtful for a moment, but he spoke over him. "I thought I'd look in on you and see what was happening," he said. "You're getting old now-"
" Not likely to get much older," said Lanusse. "Could it be you like me?"
Malet frowned. "Why should I feel any affection for you?" he demanded. "You're a blasted crook."
Lanusse was hurt. "A blasted crook who snuck you sweets," he said. "How could you forget? You used to like me a little, remember?"
" I remember," said Malet. "There wasn't much harm in you. You always were a gnat rather than a hornet. Only marginally harmful. I read your statement to Sergeant Guillart: what possessed you to get involved in that foul piece of crime? You were almost free and clear of danger, and then to dirty your nose in this piece of folly at your age-!"
" I heard of easy pickings," said Lanusse. "I never knew of murder-" he broke off at Malet's snort.
" There are those," said Malet, "who take care not to hear what upsets them."
" I am one of 'em," said Lanusse. "I admit it. I never had much to recommend me, at any rate, but skill with the locks-and I had a good pupil in you, as I recall! Well, let be, let be. I have got my cigars-"
" And a few more," said Malet, raising his hand to his pocket and taking out a packet wrapped in brown paper.
Lanusse took it with a grin. "Much obliged," he said. "It'll make the time pass faster." He sat down and clasped his hands over his stomach with an attempt at a smile.
Malet watched him in silence.
"I wish-" Lanusse began. "No," he said after a moment. "I won't say it. I know you, Dauphin. I watched you learn from the finest crooks in the world, and I watched you turn your back on them. I guess you did the best thing." He added, "I know you did the best thing."
Malet smiled grimly. "I did the only possible thing," he said.
" Maybe," said Lanusse. "If you could only-"
" If I could only what?"
Lanusse drew a deep, shaking breath. "See your way clear to giving me another chance," he said in a rush of words. "I don't want to die! I never hurt anyone! I-I thought it was just cutting in for some easy money! That was the only night I got involved in that. D'you think I'd have got involved in murder if I'd a' known? No sir! You know me! You were like one of my kids, a little! You know I'd never do that!" He looked piteously at Malet, who had remained as aloof and stern as a carved sphinx, and fell silent.
Malet's expression did not change. "Do you think that I can set aside thirty years of duty for the sake of a few sweets given to a skinny little boy thirty-nine years ago?" he asked, but his voice had not hardened. "Is that why you gave me those sweets? Because you wished to ingratiate yourself with Cheat-Death's successor?"
Lanusse's moment of terror had passed. "I snuck you the treats because you were a skinny little kid," he said with dignity. "No other reason. Kids die, and you might have died, too. How was I to know what I stood to lose or gain? You were all alone, except for that American sailor who took you under his wing."
He paused to think, which was almost a physical activity for him. "You know," he said, "They
Lanusse was listening to him with his mouth half -open. "You always did talk like one of the poets, and you're doing it again," he said. "I couldn't understand you, but you always were grand to listen to."
Malet expression was suddenly rueful. "No," he said, "You never did understand. But it doesn't matter."
Lanusse looked Malet over again and said, "The Dauphin... Y'know, if he didn't love you, then why didn't he kill you after you left? He could have, you know."
Malet looked thoughtful for a moment, but he spoke over him. "I thought I'd look in on you and see what was happening," he said. "You're getting old now-"
" Not likely to get much older," said Lanusse. "Could it be you like me?"
Malet frowned. "Why should I feel any affection for you?" he demanded. "You're a blasted crook."
Lanusse was hurt. "A blasted crook who snuck you sweets," he said. "How could you forget? You used to like me a little, remember?"
" I remember," said Malet. "There wasn't much harm in you. You always were a gnat rather than a hornet. Only marginally harmful. I read your statement to Sergeant Guillart: what possessed you to get involved in that foul piece of crime? You were almost free and clear of danger, and then to dirty your nose in this piece of folly at your age-!"
" I heard of easy pickings," said Lanusse. "I never knew of murder-" he broke off at Malet's snort.
" There are those," said Malet, "who take care not to hear what upsets them."
" I am one of 'em," said Lanusse. "I admit it. I never had much to recommend me, at any rate, but skill with the locks-and I had a good pupil in you, as I recall! Well, let be, let be. I have got my cigars-"
" And a few more," said Malet, raising his hand to his pocket and taking out a packet wrapped in brown paper.
Lanusse took it with a grin. "Much obliged," he said. "It'll make the time pass faster." He sat down and clasped his hands over his stomach with an attempt at a smile.
Malet watched him in silence.
"I wish-" Lanusse began. "No," he said after a moment. "I won't say it. I know you, Dauphin. I watched you learn from the finest crooks in the world, and I watched you turn your back on them. I guess you did the best thing." He added, "I know you did the best thing."
Malet smiled grimly. "I did the only possible thing," he said.
" Maybe," said Lanusse. "If you could only-"
" If I could only what?"
Lanusse drew a deep, shaking breath. "See your way clear to giving me another chance," he said in a rush of words. "I don't want to die! I never hurt anyone! I-I thought it was just cutting in for some easy money! That was the only night I got involved in that. D'you think I'd have got involved in murder if I'd a' known? No sir! You know me! You were like one of my kids, a little! You know I'd never do that!" He looked piteously at Malet, who had remained as aloof and stern as a carved sphinx, and fell silent.
Malet's expression did not change. "Do you think that I can set aside thirty years of duty for the sake of a few sweets given to a skinny little boy thirty-nine years ago?" he asked, but his voice had not hardened. "Is that why you gave me those sweets? Because you wished to ingratiate yourself with Cheat-Death's successor?"
Lanusse's moment of terror had passed. "I snuck you the treats because you were a skinny little kid," he said with dignity. "No other reason. Kids die, and you might have died, too. How was I to know what I stood to lose or gain? You were all alone, except for that American sailor who took you under his wing."
He paused to think, which was almost a physical activity for him. "You know," he said, "They
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