mg.cyro-第6部分
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oking as great as ever。〃
〃And you are as plimentary as usual；〃 laughed the girl。 〃You've met Reginald Exeter； Mr。 Marr。〃
〃I have。〃 Dunwood Marr shook hands with the stocky young man。 〃Glad to see you again； Exeter。 You appear to be enjoying New Orleans。〃
〃I am；〃 replied Exeter。
〃And for the present；〃 added Alicia； 〃Reggie is acting as the Gaudrin chauffeur。 He has shown great skill at maneuvering our antique hack。 Reggie will demonstrate for your approval。〃
They walked to the car； where a man had arrived with Marr's bags。 The fellow placed suitcases aboard。 Marr handed him two one…dollar bills as a tip。
Then Marr and Gaudrin climbed in the back seat with the bags。 Exeter took the wheel； with Alicia in the front seat beside him。
AS the car rolled westward along Gentilly Road； Danforth Gaudrin began to speak。 His tone was confidential； but it brought a head…shake from Dunwood Marr。 Gaudrin understood and nodded。
〃How is your son Luke？〃 questioned Marr； seeking a change of form of conversation。
〃As usual；〃 replied Gaudrin； with a shake of his head。 〃Ready to squander what little money he can lay his hands on。 Since I cut off his allowance； he has been moping about the house。〃
〃Too bad；〃 mused Marr。 〃Luke is a likable young chap。〃
〃He was；〃 returned Gaudrin； abruptly。 〃But he has wasted his talents； Marr。 Let us not discuss him。〃
Marr nodded。 He could understand the disappointment that Gaudrin had experienced because of his wayward son。 Marr produced a cigar case and tendered a panetela to Gaudrin； then took one for himself。 They smoked in silence。
The limousine was approaching the center of the city。 A big clock chimed as the car paused before a stop light。 Danforth Gaudrin checked his watch and noted that it was twelve o'clock。
〃High noon；〃 he remarked。 〃I'm glad that we are not driving down Canal Street。 The thoroughfares are clogged with pedestrians at this hour。〃
〃We turn here？〃 questioned Marr。
〃Yes；〃 replied Gaudrin。 〃This avenue skirts the congested area and forms a short route to my home。〃
〃New Orleans streets always puzzle me；〃 remarked Marr。 〃Moreover； I have usually e to your house at night。〃
Ten minutes later； the lumbering limousine rolled into the driveway of a huge； pillared mansion that stood on a secluded street。 The place had an air of calmness amid the huge oaks on the lawn。
Hanging clusters of Spanish moss gave the big trees a sedate and venerable appearance； palm trees formed a contrast to the great oaks。
Marr alighted and was reaching for his bags when Exeter； ing from the front seat； stopped him。
〃I'm chief handy man as well as chauffeur；〃 informed Exeter。 〃Walk right in； Mr。 Marr。 I'll see that the luggage gets to your room。〃
〃Thanks； Exeter。〃
AS Danforth Gaudrin and Dunwood Marr walked through the gloomy silence of the great hall； a young man raised his head from a couch in a side room。 Luke Gaudrin； sallow and peak…faced； watched the two men go past。 He recognized Dunwood Marr as the guest who had e with his father。
The two were bound for Gaudrin's study。 That room was located just in back of the parlor where Luke was lounging。 A thick wall intervened between parlor and study； but an unused passage formed a connection； with locked doors at each end。
With a wary glance toward the hall； Luke drew a key from his pocket and stole to the corner of the parlor。 He unlocked the door and entered the passage。 He closed the door behind him just as Reginald Exeter entered the hallway with Alicia。
Safe in the passage； Luke Gaudrin sneaked to the further door。 Stooping； he pressed his ear to the keyhole and listened。 He could catch the sound of voices from within； the words were not plain； for the two men were walking about。
Then came the grating sound of chairs being moved。 Clink of glasses and gurgle of liquid indicated that Danforth Gaudrin was preparing liquid refreshment for his guest。 The voices began again。 Luke could hear every word。
Secretly； Danforth Gaudrin's ne'er…do…well son was listening in on an important conference。 From his hiding place； Luke Gaudrin was seeking facts from this private discussion。 From high up in the passage； a tiny window admitted feeble daylight。 That glimmer showed Luke Gaudrin's face。
The sallow countenance wore an eagerness； mingled with desperation。
Whatever the subject that lay between Danforth Gaudrin and Dunwood Marr； it was apparent that Luke Gaudrin was staking much upon whatever he might learn。
CHAPTER VI
PAWNED WEALTH
WITHIN the study； Danforth Gaudrin and Dunwood Marr were reclining in easy chairs。 The two had lighted fresh cigars。 Tall glasses in hand； they had settled down to a fortable chat。 Yet there was a contrast in their bearing。
Gaudrin； elderly and aristocratic； seemed troubled； while Marr； vigorous and pleasant； was enjoying himself immensely。 The reason for the difference was financial。 Danforth Gaudrin was at the end of his resources； Dunwood Marr was a reputed millionaire。
〃Marr；〃 Gaudrin opened negotiations； 〃I feel that I owe you an explanation。〃
〃On what score？〃 quizzed Marr； in surprise。
〃Regarding the Nautilus；〃 stated Gaudrin。 〃I have had word from Captain Emory。〃
〃Nothing has happened to the yacht？〃
〃No； but the arrival will be delayed。〃
〃That does not matter。 I do not need the yacht immediately。〃
Gaudrin gave a slight sigh of relief。 He clicked the ice in his glass； then leaned forward and spoke directly。
〃Marr；〃 stated the old aristocrat； 〃I appreciate your friendship。 It has served me in a time of great need。 When you purchased the Nautilus； one month ago； you did me a marvelous favor。〃
〃I don't agree； Danforth；〃 replied Marr。 〃The favor was yours。 You offered me the Nautilus for twenty thousand dollars。 A mere half of its value。
Naturally。 I made the purchase。〃
〃But I promised you delivery of the yacht within thirty days； or your money back with interest…〃
〃And you tell me now that I must wait a little longer to receive the ship。
That is a trifling matter。〃
〃You don't understand； Marr；〃 said Gaudrin； in a kindly tone。 〃I have kept the real facts from you。 Purely as a matter of policy； you understand。 I have been striving for something； Marr； the goal is almost attained。 I want you； as my friend； to hear the details。〃
Marr looked interested； though puzzled。 Danforth Gaudrin smiled。
〃I am telling you no secret；〃 declared the elderly man； 〃when I state that I have been living on the verge of poverty。 Not just for the past month； but for nearly two years。 My finances have long since reached the stage of exhaustion。〃
〃I understand； Danforth。 If there is anything…〃
〃No。 You have done enough。 Two years ago； Marr； I reached the point where my resources consisted chiefly of this house and my yacht； the Nautilus。 I could have sold the yacht。 Instead； I kept it and chartered it for cruises。 I made just enough to keep the yacht in service。
〃You chartered the Nautilus a year ago； Marr。 That is how we came to meet。
You said that you and your guests enjoyed the cruise in the Gulf of Mexico。 You…like others…wondered why I did not extend those trips to the Caribbean。〃
〃I recall that；〃 nodded Marr。
〃Well；〃 stated Gaudrin； 〃the answer is simple。 While you and others were enjoying your pleasure cruises； the Nautilus was also serving me。 It was prospecting； under the mand of Captain Peters Emory； in an effort to restore my lost resources。〃
〃Prospecting！〃 exclaimed Marr。 〃A yacht…prospecting…〃
〃I thought that would interest you；〃 interposed Gaudrin。 〃A man who has made his wealth through Mexican mines； as you have； should be intrigued by the idea of hunting for gold with a yacht。 That； Marr； is exactly what the Nautilus has been doing all along。〃
THE old aristocrat paused to take a swallow from his glass。 He smiled dryly as he leaned back in his chair。 Then he continued。
〃More than one hundred years ago；〃 he declared； 〃a Spanish ship named the Don Carlos left Cadiz on a special errand。 Its object was to regain lost treasure from the wreck of a Spanish galleon that lay off the coast of Hispaniola。 The Don Carlos succeeded in its mission。
〃Presumably a merchantman； the Don Carlos cruised westward and rounded Cuba； en route to Havana。 There； the ship encountered a storm。 In a sinking condition； it put in toward the Gulf Coast。 It reached some obscure place that offered safety； there it sank； close by land。
〃The crew took to the small boats。 Only a few had survived； those men were the possessors of a great secret。 They knew where the wreck of the Don Carlos lay。 They were sure that they could regain the treasure for themselves。 So they decided not to return to Spain。
〃They fell in with the crew of a pirate ship belonging to the famous Jean Lafitte。 They joined that band and all was well until one of the Spaniards decided to betray his panions。 He made a deal with certain of his new pirate friends。 They were to supply a ship and aid him in a secret expedition to regain the treasure。 That led to trouble。〃
〃The other Spaniards discovered the treachery？〃 Marr put in。
〃Exactly！ A battle followed。 In the melee； all of the Spanish survivors were slain。 Not one man remained who knew where the wreck of the Don Carlos lay。 Hard after that came the disintegration of Jean Lafitte's pirate band。
〃The secret of the Don Carlos came down through generations。 But no one who learned it possessed the means to search for the lost vessel。 Some years ago； I heard the story。 I bought the Nautilus and assigned Captain Emory to the treasure hunt。
〃My resources failed。 But I clung to the Nautilus； chartering it for cruises under Emory's mand； hoping that he might locate the missing treasure。 One month ago； he returned from a cruise with the news that he had located the wreck。〃
〃Excellent！〃 exclaimed Marr。 〃Do you know； this explains some odd events that happened on the cruise I took。 Emory was always going on launch trips whenever the Nautilus was at anchor near an island。 He said that he was studying navigable passages。〃
〃That was his pretext；〃 smiled
