The Golden Triangle Part 56

"A broken-down old man. . . . Pa.s.ses himself off as mad. . . . Always goes about in a comforter and a pair of large yellow spectacles. . . ."

Dr. Geradec ceased reading and looked at Simeon with an air of amazement. Both of them sat for a moment without speaking. Then the doctor said:

"You are Simeon Diodokis."

The other did not protest. All these incidents were so strangely and, at the same time, so naturally interlinked as to persuade him that lying was useless.

"This alters the situation," declared the doctor. "The time for trifling is past. It's a most serious and terribly dangerous matter for me, I can tell you! You'll have to make it a million."

"Oh, no!" cried Simeon, excitedly. "Certainly not! Besides, I never touched Mme. Mosgranem. I was myself attacked by the man who strangled her, the same man--a negro called Ya-Bon--who caught me up and took me by the throat."

"Ya-Bon? Did you say Ya-Bon?"

"Yes, a one-armed Senegalese."

"And did you two fight?"

"Yes."

"And did you kill him?"

"Well . . ."

The doctor shrugged his shoulders with a smile:

"Listen, sir, to a curious coincidence. When I left the barge, I met half-a-dozen wounded soldiers. They spoke to me and said that they were looking for a comrade, this very Ya-Bon, and also for their captain, Captain Belval, and a friend of this officer's and a lady, the lady they were staying with. All these people had disappeared; and they accused a certain person . . . wait, they told me his name. . . . Oh, but this is more and more curious! The man's name was Simeon Diodokis. It was you they accused! . . . Isn't it odd? But, on the other hand, you must confess that all this const.i.tutes fresh facts and therefore . . ."

There was a pause. Then the doctor formulated his demand in plain tones:

"I shall want two millions."

This time Simeon remained impa.s.sive. He felt that he was in the man's clutches, like a mouse clawed by a cat. The doctor was playing with him, letting him go and catching him again, without giving him the least hope of escaping from this grim sport.

"This is blackmail," he said, quietly.

The doctor nodded:

"There's no other word for it," he admitted. "It's blackmail. Moreover, it's a case of blackmail in which I have not the excuse of creating the opportunity that gives me my advantage. A wonderful chance comes within reach of my hand. I grab at it, as you would do in my place. What else is possible? I have had a few differences, which you know of, with the police. We've signed a peace, the police and I. But my professional position has been so much injured that I cannot afford to reject with scorn what you so kindly bring me."

"Suppose I refuse to submit?"

"Then I shall telephone to the headquarters of police, with whom I stand in great favor at present, as I am able to do them a good turn now and again."

Simeon glanced at the window and at the door. The doctor had his hand on the receiver of the telephone. There was no way out of it.

"Very well," he declared. "After all, it's better so. You know me; and I know you. We can come to terms."

"On the basis suggested?"

"Yes. Tell me your plan."

"No, it's not worth while. I have my methods; and there's no object in revealing them beforehand. The point is to secure your escape and to put an end to your present danger. I'll answer for all that."

"What guarantee have I. . . ?"

"You will pay me half the money now and the other half when the business is done. There remains the matter of the pa.s.sport, a secondary matter for me. Still, we shall have to make one out. In what name is it to be?"

"Any name you like."

The doctor took a sheet of paper and wrote down the description, looking at Simeon between the phrases and muttering:

"Gray hair. . . . Clean-shaven. . . . Yellow spectacles. . . ."

Then he stopped and asked:

"But how do I know that I shall be paid the money? That's essential, you know. I want bank-notes, real ones."

"You shall have them."

"Where are they?"

"In a hiding-place that can't be got at."

"Tell me where."

"I have no objection. Even if I give you a clue to the general position, you'll never find it."

"Well, go on."

"Gregoire had the money in her keeping, four million francs. It's on board the barge. We'll go there together and I'll count you out the first million."

"You say those millions are on board the barge?"

"Yes."

"And there are four of those millions?"

"Yes."

"I won't accept any of them in payment."

"Why not? You must be mad!"

"Why not? Because you can't pay a man with what already belongs to him."

"What's that you're saying?" cried Simeon, in dismay.

"Those four millions belong to me, so you can't offer them to me."