Jacob's ladder
First Part: Preparation. Chapter 1: A private conversation

The portico of the Main Square in Salamanca swarmedwith a gossipy whispering crowd. Walking around and trying to appearunconcerned, Luis was actually listening to every word. A few minutes before, afriend had told him the news, but he still hoped that it would prove false: thiscould well be another of those unfounded rumors which spread like fire, soon todisappear. However, his innate tendency to expect the worst made him doubt thathope. He wondered what Charles would do when he knew. If the news wasconfirmed, he would hear it soon. Meanwhile, his full attention was on thecomments of the crowd in the Plaza.

“He landed in Cannes yesterday...”

“He must be on his way to Paris...”

“What will Fernando do…?”

“What will happen to us…?”

This was precisely what Luis waswondering, the question he did not dare to answer. Leaving the Plaza, hefollowed the Main Street to the university without paying any attention to hissurroundings: he knew the way so well that he could go blindly. His onlythought was:

“How shall I tell Charles?”

He had found no answer when he went inthe university and passed through the court of schools to the lower cloister. Justbefore the door to the chapel, a sudden impulse made him go in, to seek inprayer the spiritual help he needed.

The chapel was full of shadows,scarcely lighted by two candles on the altar. Another unexplained impulse madehim go to the darkest place and lean on the wall beside one of the tombs. Hedropped his head in his hands and tried to pray, but his mind was in awhirlwind and he could not focus his thoughts.

Suddenly the door opened, letting in somelight, broken by the shadows of two men, which disappeared again when theyclosed the door and walked inside the chapel to a place near Luis, who remainedsilent and did not move, trying to escape the unwanted company of thenewcomers.

“We can speak here.”

Luis startled as he recognized thevoice, little louder than a whisper, although he could understand the words. Hewondered whether he should declare his presence, but his brief delay gave thesecond man time to answer, and what he said interested him so deeply, that heforgot his first intention and kept listening, scarcely daring to breathe.

“Charles, have you still got theamulet?”

He also recognized the second voice,which belonged to Don José Gutiérrez, professor of modern history and goodfriend of Charles. He had won the deserved repute of being too friendly to Bonaparteand the ideas of the French revolutionaries.

“Of course! It is never out of my sight.”

“Can I see it?”

Charles took something from insidehis clothes. Craning his neck, Luis saw two points of light reflected from thecandles by a golden object of strange shape, slightly larger than a coin. Henoticed that it let the light through, as though it were transparent orperforated. Gutiérrez reached his hand, but Charles hid it quickly, as if the contactwould pollute it. The man kept his hand stretched for an instant and then asked:

“How do you explain that theemperor…?”

“Bonaparte” replied Charles dryly.

“Bonaparte, as you like it… Why has hemoved, without having it in his possession?”

“Perhaps he hopes to get it soon.”

“That is exactly what I fear.”

After a brief silence, Charles asked:

“What do you suggest?”

“Get rid of it before it’s too late.”

“How?”

“Give it to me. I’ll send it to him.”

“Thank you, it won’t be necessary. Ican keep it safe.”

“I’m afraid for your safety…”

“I can also keep myself safe.”

“You are optimistic. Bonaparte has along arm.”

“I escaped him once. This time, allof Europe will be united against him. He won’t replace it so easy to capture me.José, I’m surprised by your insistence. Do you really want the amulet back inBonaparte’s hands? What do you expect to gain?”

Gutiérrez’s voice had a tinge ofsorrow.

“You offend me, Charles. I’m just worriedby your danger. Bonaparte must have sent someone against you.”

“Obviously, otherwise he wouldn’thave left Elba.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Why don’t you quit? Why don’t youwant the emperor… Bonaparte… get back to power? Do you dislike so much the neworder in Europe? Absolutism is dead, Charles, it will never come back… You are endangeringyour life in vain.”

“According to you, Bonaparterepresents the republican ideals? Don’t make me laugh!”

But Gutiérrez avoided being drawn intoa political digression and went back to his main concern.

“This time you are not alone. Whatabout Luis?”

“Shut up! Leave me alone!”

“Whatever you do, he’ll be involved.If you are hunted, he’ll be hunted. You may think that your secret is safe, butI wouldn’t be sure. I know at least a part. Others may replace out. Remember,celui à qui vous dites votre secret devient maître de votre liberté (he whom you tell yoursecret becomes master of your freedom). ”

“Are you threatening me?”

“It’s just a quotation by LaRochefoucauld.”

“In that case, I’ll give you another quotation by Calderón: Lossecretos, un muerto es quien los guarda mejor (A dead man keeps secrets best).”

“Now you are threatening me.”

“Take it as you like.”

“You won’t let me convince you?”

“Never, I won’t let the amulet fall againin Bonaparte’s hands. It would go against my principles.”

“Then we’d better leave this conversation.”

“I think so.”

“I’m sorry.”

The two men moved away. The door tothe chapel opened and closed without noise. Luis was again alone with histhoughts, much more confused than before. He had been worrying how to tellCharles the news that Bonaparte had returned to France. Now he knew thatCharles was aware of it, and that this return affected him, Luis, personally.He felt disappointed, because in their long mutual relation Charles had nevermentioned the amulet, but he knew that he had been silent for his protection. Hewas most perturbed at discovering that Charles hid one secret which seemed toinvolve him. What could this secret be?

After what he had heard, he felt theneed to breathe fresh air and think. Leaving the university, he walked nowherein particular. He was afraid to return home, because he did not know what to sayor what to ask Charles. Luis had lived with his tutor for two years, since thelatter came back from his last journey abroad, when he took a home and aprofessorship in Salamanca. Luis had always felt deep love and respect forCharles, in spite of his difficult temper, some of which he had shown during thisrecent conversation with Professor Gutiérrez.

Lost in his thoughts, he had notnoticed where he was going until the banks of the river stopped him, near theold roman bridge. At the opposite side, a rider was about to cross. The echo ofthe hoofs on the stones awoke Luis from his absorption. Leaning on the parapet,he looked at the rider, who wore an unfamiliar uniform. After crossing thebridge, he stopped near Luis and stared at him insolently from top to bottom,while absently fondling the butt of his rifle, which protruded from a scabbardfixed to the saddle. After a short hesitation, the soldier spoke in correct Spanishwith a marked French accent.

“Are you a student in the university?”But, without waiting for an answer, he continued: “Of course not! You are tooyoung. I suppose you don’t know where I can replace Citizen Charles Houy,professor of French language?”

Luis was so astonished that hecouldn’t speak. The rider, assuming that his answer would be negative, spurredhis horse and cantered along the bank of the river, disappearing among theshadows. Suddenly recovering from his confusion, Luis ran to the house where helived with Charles, in the square of San Bartolomé. The arrival of themysterious rider had pushed all his previous worries to the background of hismind.

The way was short, but steep. Luiswas breathless when he arrived home and sighed in relief to replace Charleswalking around the room, showing his impatience at the boy’s absence.

“Why are you so late?”

Luis did not answer the question. Hecouldn’t lose time explaining, he had to give warning of the imminent danger.As soon as he recovered his breath to speak, he said in a broken voice:

“A French soldier is asking questionsabout you.”

His tutor’s black eyes stared at him piercingly,his thick eyebrows moved up and his forehead wrinkled. After keeping silence foran instant, his face relaxed, he tried uselessly to smile, and said:

“What do you know?”

“Bonaparte has landed in France, anda French rider has just arrived in Salamanca to replace you. I have met him by theroman bridge, and he has asked me your whereabouts.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing, I was so surprised I couldn’tanswer. He thought that I did not know, and went on his way. I suppose he willtry at the university.”

“Probably. In that case, he’ll behere in two minutes. He mustn’t see you. Get away and come back in two hours.Take this money and have dinner in some inn or public house. When you come back,I want to speak to you.”

“Why mustn’t he see me?”

“Not now. Get off!”

Luis went out, but did not intend to gofar: he wanted to await the arrival of the Frenchman, hidden in a convenientplace. It was a pity that he wouldn’t be able to listen to the conversation. Hedidn’t feel remorse for having eavesdropped his tutor’s previous talk, for ithad been unpremeditated. In this case, the knowledge that Charles had a secret whichconcerned him deeply seemed to justify his curiosity: he thought that it washis right to try and replace it out.

He found a place from where he could seewithout being seen, and had not long to wait: the Frenchman arrived in a coupleof minutes, on foot, evidently from the university. He wondered where he hadleft his horse, and who had given him their address in such a precise way, forhe scarcely hesitated as he went in the house.

For some time, he looked at thewindow, where a candle was twinkling, and tried in vain to imagine the meetingof the two men. It was obvious that the arrival of the Frenchman was connected withNapoleon’s move from Elba. He also knew that Charles had an amulet which hadbelonged to the emperor, who wanted to recover it. But what was the amulet? Whywas its possession important? What would the Frenchman do when Charles refusedto give it back? Would he try to get it by force? He could answer none of thesequestions and his frustration grew every minute.

After half an hour, the door openedand the Frenchman came out. He looked angry, but it was clear that there hadbeen no fight. While the soldier retraced his steps, he decided to follow and replacewhere he was lodged. It was not difficult; the darkness was deep, the lightingscarce and their goal near: the man went into an inn in Main Street, one of thebest in Salamanca.

“He must be well provided with money,”he thought.

Free of the strain, he noticed that hewas hungry. He remembered that he had promised Charles to dine out and comeback in two hours, found a public house where they served meals, and ordered twofried eggs with ham and half a glass of wine. While he ate, he thought on allthe happenings in that momentous day, which threatened to change his life. Hewished that time could go back, that things could be as they had always been,that he could go on living his unworried life. But he knew very well that hiswish was impossible: life carries on and we must accept it as it comes.

When two hours had elapsed, he wentback home. Charles had said that they would speak. He was so eager to know,that his fast walking attracted the attention of the few people in the street.He jumped up the stairs, three steps at a time, and went in the room. Charleswas sitting on the same place, as if he hadn’t moved in all that time, and raisedhis head when Luis came. He had never looked so old. Without looking at him, hesaid in an almost inaudible voice:

“Start getting ready. We are leavingSalamanca.”