The Rape of Venice (66 page)

Catching his breath with relief, Roger gave the word to untie the barge and scrambled back across the thwarts into its stern. He had no nerd to give any further orders; Lieutenant Bouvard knew what had to be done. The barge shot out from its lurking-place and turned up the Grand Canal. Sirisha was just settling down in the cabin of the gondola. It pushed off and headed for the San Samuele steps opposite. By the time it reached mid-canal, the barge was only twenty yards from it, coming on fast and heading for its beam. The gondoliers gave their recognised long-drawn cries to take care. Seeing that no notice was being taken of them, they shouted frantic warnings. The barge held its course until six feet from the gondola, then Bouvard threw his tiller right over. The bow veered sharply round and struck the gondola hard just abaft its high key-like prow. The shock caused the gondolier standing on its peak, with the boat-hook ready in his hands to pull her into the steps, to lose his balance. Shouting vitriolic abuse at the clumsiness of Frenchmen, he went over backwards; his spate of words was suddenly cut off as his head went under water.

Next moment the two craft swung round side by side. The French sailors nearest the gondola seized it and held it. A soldier in the stern raised his musket and gave the gondolier holding the sweep a sharp prod with the end of its barrel; he,
too, went overboard. Roger and two more of the soldiers jumped into the gondola amidships. Pietro had been sitting just outside the cabin. He had had the sense to remain seated until after the shock, but now he was on his feet and had whipped a stiletto out from his waistband. One of the soldiers clubbed his musket and swiped sideways with it at Pietro's arm. With a howl of pain he dropped the long glittering blade. Roger was tempted to kill him, but decided to give him the benefit of a chance, because he had had the courage to show fight in defence of his master's wife. With all his force, he drove his fist into Pietro's stomach. Malderini's skull headed servitor doubled up and, his eyes starting from his head, collapsed backwards, heels over head, into the water. With not a breath of air left in his lungs, he might come up, or he might not. Roger wasted no time in waiting to see; he plunged into the cabin.

Sirisha had already risen, as far as its low roof would allow her to. She was crouching inside it, with a terrified expression on her face. This was no time to offer any explanation. Roger seized her by the arm and dragged her into the well of the gondola. She began to scream, but he did not attempt to stop her. Picking her up bodily, he lurched back with her into the stern of the barge. The sailors let go the now empty gondola, thrust it off with their oars, and began to pull vigorously towards the entrance of the Canal Trovaso, which was on the same side as the Malderini Palace but a little farther down.

At that hour the Grand Canal was teeming with gondolas and provision boats. From fifty of them, at least, the occurrence must have been witnessed, or had their attention called to it by Sirisha's screams; but the barge was manned by French sailors and had French troops on board. The air was filled with curses and shouts of protest and abuse, but none of the Venetians dared to attempt to block its progress. Now, rowing all out, and in excellent rhythm, the crew of the barge sent it speeding round into the Canal Trovaso and along it to the bridge that spanned its far end, linking the Quai al Ponte Lungo with the Quai al Gesuati. There Roger had it pulled in at the steps and landed the six soldiers with orders to return direct to their barracks and remain there for twenty-four hours. He had brought them only in case he had to raid the Palace, and now had no wish to let more people than was absolutely necessary into the secret of where he was taking the Princess.

Telling them that he would secure them all a month's exemption from fatigues, he waved them away. The barge pushed off, pulled out some distance from the wharf side, then headed west, towards the mainland. He had purposely left Venice from its south side to lessen the risk of chance observers getting any idea of its destination, although this meant a long row right round the city before it could head towards Portillo.

By this time Sirisha's screams for help had subsided into a tearful sobbing. Roger's cloak and mask had prevented her from even guessing who he might be and, as yet, he had had no time to talk to her. But now he took her hand, patted it, and whispered in Persian:

‘You have nothing to fear. This is part of a plot to free you from your evil husband. This is no place to tell you of it; but I am an old friend and I swear that you can trust me.' As he spoke he lifted the side of his mask a little, so that she could glimpse his features.

When she did so, she gave a little gasp. ‘I…. I thought you dead! How … ? Oh, I am glad. But I will be patient.'

It took two hours' steady rowing to reach Portillo. On their arrival there, Roger told Lieutenant Bouvard that his men were not to come near the casino, but could eat the rations with which they had come provided, and take it easy among the cypresses, until he should be ready, late in the afternoon, for them to take him back to Venice. Then, giving the Princess his arm, he escorted her up the steps to the casino.

The steward Crozier received them. He reported that in accordance with his instructions he had brought out an ample supply of food prepared by the Embassy chef that morning, then sent the barge back and remained alone there to serve it when required. Roger told him that they would like a light meal in about twenty minutes, dismissed him, led Sirisha to a couch, and sat down beside her.

Removing his mask, he said: ‘Since you thought me dead, I had best explain how my lucky star averted your husband's design to have me shot. As we first met in England and I speak English perfectly, you naturally supposed me to be an Englishman; but I am not. At least, I am only half English by blood and, although I have a number of relatives and friends there, I have lived most of my life in France and regard myself as a Frenchman. Fortunately, among my French friends I can count General and Madame Boneparte. It was the latter's recognition of me on her most opportune arrival in Venice,
just as I was being marched off to be shot, that saved me and procured my release. I have since been made one of General Boneparte's aides-de-camp, and it is at his wish that I have brought you to this casino.'

Her eyes were round with astonishment. ‘But…. but I have never even set eyes on the General. And you said this was a plot to rid me of my husband.'

‘It is.' Roger smiled. ‘The two matters have a bearing on one another. Are you aware that Malderini is the head of a conspiracy to overthrow the French-sponsored régime in Venice?'

‘No. He tells me nothing. Of such things I know only what I read in the news-sheets.'

‘Well, that is the case; and for some time we have been anxious to nip this conspiracy in the bud before the conspirators can give us serious trouble. We have, therefore, laid a trap for them. Tonight, General Boneparte is coming here; they mean to attempt to kidnap him, but it is they who will be caught instead, and disposed of.'

‘You mean that Malderini will be caught and … and killed?'

‘Yes. I take it that you have not changed your mind about wishing for his death?'

‘No, no! He is horrible, malefic, evil! I would have killed him myself a hundred times, had he not this terrible power over me that makes me helpless in his presence.'

‘Then you may rest easy. Within six hours he will be dead. I intend to settle accounts with him myself.'

‘Oh, if only I could believe it!' she burst out. ‘To be free! To be free at last after all these years. But it won't happen. He'll find some way to prevent it. He'll know by now that you have carried me off. He'll follow me here.'

‘He cannot. He can have no possible means of finding out where I have taken you.'

‘He has! He will! He'll use his crystal to overlook me.'

‘I do not believe it. At half-past seven this evening, he will be told where you are, but not before. He should arrive here with his fellow-conspirators about nine o'clock. By that time, this casino will be surrounded by guards and you will be supping in it with General Boneparte; so you will be absolutely safe, and I…'

‘I don't understand,' she burst out again. ‘Why should I sup with this great General? He means nothing to me or I to him.'

‘I've had no chance yet to explain,' Roger said quickly. ‘This is the way of it. General Boneparte is the bait in the trap to
draw Malderini and his fellow-conspirators, to it. But I also had to dangle some bait to induce the General to come to Venice. You are that bait.'

‘I! But why? I tell you he has never even seen me.'

‘I am aware of that. But everything to do with the East holds an extraordinary fascination for him. He has never met an Indian lady of noble birth. I told him about you and suggested that I should arrange for you to sup together. The idea delighted him, and …'

She held up a slim coffee-coloured hand. ‘To sup. What do you mean by that? Although Malderini has kept me in purdah I am no longer a child. Speak plainly, please.'

Roger made a little bow. ‘I am glad that you should wish me to. General Boneparte asked me your circumstances. I told him only that you were so jealously guarded that I thought it unlikely that you had had any lovers, but that you hated your husband and would not repulse him on that account. I promised that I would arrange for you to sup with him; but no more. Should you refuse to allow him to kiss more than the tips of your fingers, he will have no grounds for complaint against either of us.'

‘He may endeavour to force me against my will. What then? Do you promise to come to my assistance?'

Again, Roger was entirely frank with her. ‘This, Madame, is our programme. Unless Malderini delays for some reason, he and his friends will make their attempt to kidnap General Boneparte while you are supping with him. Under my orders the guards, who will have been disposed about the casino in an ambush, will suddenly appear on the scene and defeat the attempt. Having killed Malderini, I shall then convey the other prisoners under escort back to Venice, leaving you alone with the General.'

‘Then it is your intention to leave me at his mercy.'

‘Permit me to observe,' replied Roger quietly, ‘that you are a well-made woman, whereas he is much below the size of an average man. He is, in fact, shorter than yourself, although admittedly more muscular. Moreover, I am inclined to the belief that few men, large or small, derive much pleasure from taking a woman against her will. He has great personality. I should not be at all surprised if you find yourself strongly attracted to him. If so, well and good. If not, then you must risk the other thing, or accept the alternative.'

‘The alternative,' she repeated. ‘What is that?'

Roger stood up. ‘Why, that since I brought you here without your permission I am responsible for you. As I shall not be here at the time when General Boneparte might seek to take advantage of you, it is for me to prevent such a situation ever arising.'

‘What do you mean? I do not understand.'

‘Simply that, should you not be prepared either to grant the General certain favours in the event of your finding him attractive, or repulse him if you do not, then I must take you back to the Malderini Palace this afternoon.'

No!' she exclaimed. ‘No, no! Not that!'

He shrugged. ‘The choice is yours, Princess. The rôle that I am playing at the moment is repugnant to me. But I'll not have it on my conscience that I acted the pimp for Bonepart to the extent of procuring a woman for him against her will. You are no child and, if you find his attentions distasteful, you should be capable of dealing with him. But either you face up to that as the price of being rid of the husband you hate before morning, or all I have done so far must go for nothing. I'll have to face the General's wrath when he finds I have disappointed him, and you will continue to be the slave of Malderini.'

She hesitated only an instant, then looked him squarely in the face. ‘Nothing could equal the horrors to which he has subjected me. I would give myself to a sweeper rather than return to him.'

There is no question of your being called on to do anything so disagreeable,' Roger smiled. ‘I cannot vouch for the attitude General Boneparte will adopt towards you, any more than I could vouch for the attitude you will adopt towards him. I had though, as a matter of fairness, to assure myself that you understood the most unpleasant turn that events might take. But the General is by no means lacking in chivalry, and if you play your cards skilfully the game should remain in your own hands. And now, I think we might partake of some refreshment.'

At his call, Crozier wheeled in a small two-tier table loaded with all sorts of cold delicacies, fruit and wine. When he had withdrawn, Roger served the Princess and resumed the conversation in a lighter vein. He told her about Boneparte's background as a young man, and of his better side: of his care to spare his wife pain from knowledge of his infidelities, of his great generosity to his family who did little but cause him annoyance of his loyalty to his friends, his thoughtfulness for
his servants, and that, while he would wither with his viperish tongue men of the first rank of whose actions he disapproved, he was invariably courteous to women.

When they had finished their meal, Roger suggested that she should spend the afternoon resting in the bedroom. Then he added that he had some work to do which would take him an hour or so, after which he must return to Venice; so he would not disturb her but take leave of her now.

Instantly, she became panic-stricken and implored him to remain with her. Again she insisted that Malderini would use his crystal to find out where she was, and come out to the island to regain possession of her before Roger returned. In vain he tried to still her fears. He had intended to take the whole crew of the naval barge back to Venice and dismiss it there, so that none of them should become aware of Boneparte's visit to the casino. But now, feeling that it was just possible that there was some grounds for her fears, he decided to leave Lieutenant Bouvard and two of the sailors, as well as Grozier, as a guard; and on his promising to do that, she reluctantly agreed to his leaving her.