Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven Falling into the Hands of the Enemy

Carl.After Dragos and his men fought and retreated, the victors paused for a while at the place of the battle, ready to repel the enemy's counterattack, while the carriage drove away in the direction of the Danube.It was not until long enough had elapsed that they could be confident that the police ranks had withdrawn completely before the gang, at the behest of their leader, set out on the road. They soon reached the river bank less than 500 meters away.There was a carriage waiting for them, and opposite it was a flat-bottomed barge, the shadow of which could be glimpsed a few meters from the shore.

The distance is not long, but there are many people carrying things.After a while, the two small boats went back and forth a few times to load the goods on the carriage onto the barge.The carriage then left the river and disappeared into the night.Most of the gangsters who participated in the battle in the glade disappeared into the wilderness after receiving their payment.Only eight people got on the barge.Apart from the parcels piled on the deck of the barge, no other traces of the crime had been committed. In fact, these eight were the only known gang of robbers who roamed the Danube region.As for the others, they are just a small part of the undetermined lower-level personnel. Depending on the area where the crime was committed, local people are selected to help.These men never took part in actual robbery, their role was limited to delivering goods, keeping watch, or looking at things, and they were only used when it came time to deliver stolen goods to the river.

This type of organization is the most flexible.By this means, the gang has countless hands throughout the Danube valley, and only a handful of them understand the nature of the activities they are involved in.These were recruited from among the most ignorant classes, usually real rough men who thought they were taking part in common smuggling and didn't want to know more.It had never been their intention to establish the slightest link between the man directing their actions and the famous Radko.This Radko, though withholding his name from them, seemed to have an unaccountable liking to leave a trace of his identity at the scene of the crime.

In fact, when you think about it, it is not surprising that these hired people are so indifferent to the whole story.Because these cases occurred one after another in the entire Danube River Basin, such a long distance is naturally very scattered.The lull between the two cases was enough to calm the public mood.The Radko name only became terribly famous in the various police departments because they concentrated the prosecution of the entire Grand River Valley.In every city, newspapers played up the matter with eye-catching headlines on the front pages, so wealthy people paid special attention to Radko.But to most people, especially to the peasants, Radko was just an ordinary gangster, not unusual, suffered from him only once, never saw him again, and soon forgot .

However, the eight gangsters on board knew each other so well that they formed a real gangster organization.They drove the barge to and fro on the Danube non-stop.As soon as a profitable robbery opportunity presented itself, they anchored, recruited the necessary men nearby, and then, once the loot was safely loaded into their floating shelters, they set sail again to spy on new opportunities. When the barge was full, they went to the Black Sea, where they were regularly rendezvoused by a loyal steamer.Those stolen properties, some of which were even stolen at the cost of murder, once passed the side of the steamer, became an upright import, which could be exchanged in front of an honest gentleman in broad daylight in a distant country. into shining gold.

The night before yesterday, this group of gangsters made an exception and committed crimes shortly after the last crime, causing an uproar before people's discussions subsided.Normally, they would not make such a mistake.Committing crimes one after another in a short period of time may wake up the unconscious accomplices they recruited locally.However, this time, there was a special reason why the bandit leader didn't leave immediately after committing the crime, and this reason was similar to that of Karl.Dragos is not unrelated.Sheriff in Ulm and Friedrich.When Ullmann spoke, his identity was revealed.

In Vienna, the bandit leader and his second-in-command, Ticha, rediscovered Dragos, and since then Dragos has been spied on by local gangsters who only know that roughly.And the thief boat was sailing a few kilometers in front of the small fishing boat, keeping a certain distance.In this often unobstructed and police-infested terrain, such espionage could only be carried out intermittently, and the chances never allowed Karl.Dragosh was found with his master.So there was nothing to suggest that there were two persons living in the fishing boat, and never that it was possible to be mistaken.

While sending people to follow him, the bandit leader conceived a trick.Kill the detective?He didn't intend to.For the time being at least, all he wanted was to get the detective caught.With Dragos in hand, he has a large amount of capital, and in the event of a critical juncture in the future, he can also negotiate terms with the police on an equal footing. For several days, the chance of kidnapping has still not come.Or the small fishing boats were parked too close to the town at night, or there were a few police officers patrolling the river bank near the boats who wouldn't let a professional criminal slip away.

On the morning of August 29th, at last, the situation looked more favorable.The storm of the previous night covered the gang of robbers who were attacking Earl Hagno's villa, and it would also more or less disperse the policemen guarding the sheriff along the river, and opened up the gap between the front and rear posts of the sheriff. distance.The sheriff will probably be left alone for a while at this point.Must seize the opportunity! As soon as the booty was loaded into the wagon, Ticha set off on a mission with two of his bravest men.We have seen how these three desperadoes accomplish their mission, the navigator Serge.How did Radko replace detective Karl?Dragos became their prisoner.

Until now, Ticha had only had time in the glade to report to the chief in a few brief words on the successful completion of his mission, because a squad of policemen happened to pass by at that time.Of course, it is necessary to discuss the specific process in detail, but it is not the time yet.The first thing to do is to clear and hide the large number of packages that have piled up on the deck.So the eight people on the boat started to act together non-stop. Hugging, carrying, or borrowing the ramp, these packages were loaded into the ship within a few minutes, and then the goods should finally enter the cabin. They pried up the floor of the bilge to reveal a The entrance is wide open. If it is normal, there should be a torrent of river water under this opening.However, someone came down to the second-floor cabin with a lamp, and by the light, it could be distinguished that a pile of messy goods occupied part of the space on the bottom floor.However, there is still a lot of space left, which is enough to put the things looted from Earl Hagno's house, and it is difficult for others to notice.

In fact, the barge has been cleverly manipulated to be part vehicle, part floating residence, and infallible storage.Under the visible hull, there is a slightly smaller dark ship, and the deck of the dark ship is the bottom of the exposed ship.This second boat was about two meters deep, and of sufficient displacement to carry the boat above it, and to lift the bare boat a foot or two above the water, which was inappropriate, and would show itself if nothing was done to remedy it.However, they filled the bilges with a certain weight of ballast to keep the concealed boat completely submerged, so that the upper boat always maintained its normal waterline when empty. The bilge of an open ship is always empty, and the stolen goods are piled up in the second bilge, and the ballast of the corresponding weight is replaced, so no change can be seen from the outside. If the normal draft of this specially made barge when empty was only one foot, it now had a draft of about seven feet, and navigation on the Danube was impossible without practical difficulties.This requires a navigator with superior technology.The gang hired Yakubo.Ogul was their navigator. He was an Israeli and was also born in the small town of Ruse.Jacob.Ogur has rich experience in navigating the Danube. He knows the channel, path, and beach like the back of his hand, and his skills are comparable to Serge.Radko competed and kept the steering handle steady. He steered the barge through the rapids and avoided the hidden reefs that occasionally encountered in the river. As for the police, they are free to inspect the barge as they please.It allows them to measure the height of the inside and outside of the ship without finding any gaps, and it can also detect around the ship without touching the dark ship under the water, because the dark ship is designed and built very concealedly, and the streamlined hull cannot be detected at all. .All the investigations of the police could only lead to one conclusion, that it was an empty barge, which had entered the water strictly for its own weight. And the ship's documents are also carefully prepared.Regardless of whether the ship is going down the river or up the river, the barge always either goes to pick up the cargo, or returns to the port of registry after unloading the cargo.According to the circumstances, the owner of the ship was at one time Mr. Constantinesko, a merchant from Galatz, and at another time, Mr. Wenzel, a merchant from Vienna.Mr. Meyer, the best thing to say is that the barge's papers bore a genuine official stamp, fully compliant, and no one would think of verifying it.Even if someone did go, he could still find Constantinesko or Wenzel in the above two cities.Meyer, the proof is there. In fact, the real owner of this barge is named Ivan.Striga. The reader may recall that this was the most insignificant man in the town of Rousse, who had tried in vain to thwart Serge.Radko and Nadya.Grigovitch's marriage failed, and he left town without a trace.People have never said a good word about him, but there are many voices who sneer at his behavior, and rumors accuse him of committing various crimes. The rumors were right this time.It is this Ivan.Striga, gathering seven scum like him, formed a veritable gang of pirates, and did all the murder and robbery on both sides of the Danube. Finding such an easy way to make money is already very powerful. What's even better is that he can get away with doing bad things. In order to achieve this goal, Ivan.Instead of going incognito like a mediocre robber, Striga resorted to other subterfuge; he let his victims know the name of the criminal, not, of course, his own real name, but, as it seemed, inadvertently. It was guessed that the perpetrator was Serge.Radko.In fact, it was an elaborate scam. It is a common trick of criminals to change their names and surnames to avoid the punishment of felonies, but Striga chose such a pseudonym for himself, which can be said to have ulterior motives and skillful skills. Radko happened to be another person's name, and Striga could use it to confuse the public. Therefore, as long as he was not caught on the spot, he could divert others' suspicion of the criminal.In addition, Striga's doing so is also related to his vital interests. First, Serge.Radko was not a fiction, but a real person, and if the bullet that bid him farewell when he left Ruse didn't send him to hell, then this person really existed.Although Striga is willing to boast that he has killed his rival in love, in fact he has no certainty in his heart.However, it doesn't matter even if you investigate in Ruse City.If Radko was not alive, the police would be baffled if charges of crimes against him were received; if he were alive, the police had found a man of flesh and blood, but his reputation was so good; so whatever the possibility, the investigation will run aground there.Perhaps all those with the same name as Radko will be held accountable.However, before all the Radkos in the world have been checked, how many Danube rivers have flowed under the bridge! If, by chance, the armor of Radko's good name was finally pierced, since suspicions, invariably directed at the same man, would be doubly congratulatory.A robber is always happy to know that someone has suffered for him, not to mention that the scapegoat is his sworn enemy, so his joy cannot be increased. Even though these reasonings were absurd, since no one knew that Radko left with a patriotic mission, his departure from his hometown made the above reasoning logical.Why did the navigator leave without saying a word?In Karl.While Dragos took his findings as facts, the Ruse Branch of the Danube Police Headquarters was having such doubts.We all know that when the police start to suspect someone, something is wrong with him. Having said that, although the situation is complicated, the context is finally clear.A series of crimes occurred in the Danube River Basin, and people tried their best to put the charges on a certain Ruse town man named Radko, and the navigator Radko disappeared, so he was unreasonably suspected of being the perpetrator. Hundreds of kilometers away, another Radko was accused of robbery and homicide after the police detectives reasoned seriously, and the fisherman Ilya who was disguised by him.Brush was wanted; during this period, Striga returned to his real identity after each trip, so that he could move freely along the Danube. However, in order to keep his own safety from being threatened, Striga always tries to remove all traces of trouble in the shortest possible time.So, that night, after the newly acquired loot was loaded onto the ship, it was quickly transferred to the secret room that no one else could find, as usual.The real Serge.Radko was lying in the cell, and what he heard was the sound of them moving things.The cell where he was held was actually the bottom of the dark ship. He was locked here, and there was nothing anyone could do to rescue him.Immediately after the loot was hidden, the robbers covered the floor, boarded the deck again, and assembled the wooden planks of the deck.In this way, the police will not be afraid of checking. At this time, it was almost three o'clock in the morning.The crew on the barge hadn't closed their eyes all night, and with the hard work the night before, they were all exhausted, and they really needed a good rest.However, it is not yet possible to rest.Striga wanted to leave the place where the crime was committed as soon as possible, so he ordered his men to get on the road before dawn.Give an order, and no one dares to yell, because everyone knows the important truth in their hearts. While they were busy lifting anchor and steering the barges toward the middle of the river, Striga asked Ticha about the morning's mission, and asked if he had encountered any trouble. It was all going well, replied Ticha, and this Dragosh is like a big stupid pike, who catches him when he casts it in the net. Did he see you? I don't think so.He was thinking of something else at the time. Did he not struggle? He struggled, the bastard.So I beat him half to death to make him behave. You didn't kill him, did you, at least?Striga asked quickly. No!Mostly fainted.I took the opportunity to tie him up firmly.But before I had time to tie it up, the package gasped like a human being. What now? He's in the hold, of course, in the second hold. Did he know where he was being taken? Unless he's different, Ticha said and laughed, you should know, how did I forget to gag him and cover his eyes?It wasn't until after the guy was thrown in the cage that those things were removed.In the cage, he could sing love songs with him if he wanted to, and the view wasn't bad either. Striga smiled and said nothing, and Ticha said: I did everything you ordered me to do.However, what program are we going to play? It would be better to disband the police brigade until there is no one to command it.Striga replied. Ticha shrugged and said disapprovingly: They will appoint another sheriff. Maybe, but the new sheriff probably won't be as good as the one we hold in our hands.Anyway, we can take him hostage to negotiate with the police.When necessary, we exchange him for the passports we need.So, the most important thing is to keep him alive. Of course he is alive.Ticha affirmed. Have you thought about feeding him? hell!Ticha scratched her head, but had completely forgotten about it.However, a person cannot die without eating for most of the day.As soon as we set sail, I'll bring him dinner. Do you want to bring him the meal yourself so that you can see for yourself? No, said Striga hastily, I'd rather he never see me.I know him and he doesn't know me, and that's an advantage I don't want to lose. You can wear a mask. This doesn't work for Dragosh, he doesn't need to see your face, as long as he notices any details about your figure, shoulders and back, it's over, he can identify people by these. Then I'm out of luck, it seems that I'm the only one to serve him food! Someone has to go. Besides, Dragos isn't dangerous right now, and by the time he's capable of dealing with us, we'll be far away. Amen!Ticha said. For the time being, Striga went on, let him stay in the dark cabin for a while.But not too long, or he will suffocate.Pass Budapest in the morning, and take him to the cabin above deck after I leave. Oh, do you want to disembark?Ticha said. Yes, replied Striga, and from time to time I would leave the barge and go ashore to inquire about news of people's reaction to our deal and Dragos' disappearance. What if you get caught?Ticha objected. There will be no danger.No one knew me, the Danube police station must have been destroyed, and as for the others, I had a new identity to use if necessary. What status? Famous Danube association fishing champion, extraordinary fisherman Ilya.Mr. Brush. the idea Wonderful!I got Elijah now.Bush's boat, I will learn Carl.Dragosh's trick, pretending to be a fisherman. What if someone buys fish from you? I can buy some fish first, and then sell them. Nothing can stop you! of course! That's the end of the conversation.The barge began to go down the river.The north wind blew slightly.If it were a little upstream from Visgra, when the Danube was running southward, this north wind would be a good thing that could not have been wished for, but now it is just the opposite, and the north wind greatly slows down the speed of the ship.Anxious to get away from the scene of the crime, Striga ordered two long oars installed to counteract the wind. After three full hours, the boat traveled ten kilometers and reached the first corner of the river; it took another two hours to sail in the winding river before heading south.Not far upstream from Huaize Town, they were finally able to put aside the oars and unfurl the sails, and the speed of the boat increased significantly. At about eleven o'clock the boat passed Saint-André, where Keselick and Vogel had falsely claimed to be going the night before.The ship did not land, and continued to drive towards Budapest, which was still twenty or thirty kilometers away. The further downstream the ship sailed, the more difficult the terrain on both sides of the river became.There are more and more small islands in the middle of the river lined with lush green trees.Sometimes, there is only a narrow passage between the islands, barges cannot pass through, and only cruise ships can shuttle between them. In this section of the Danube, the number of ships gradually increased, and even the situation of ship congestion often occurred.Sandwiched between the spurs that start from the Northern Alps and the trails that end in the Carpathians, the river is so narrow that if the pilot isn't paying attention, the ship will run aground or crash into a bunch of ships.However, generally speaking, the damage caused by these accidents will not be very serious, but only some delay.However, the screams and ensuing quarrels when the two ships collided were enough to bear! Striga's barge was arguably one of the most stable to steer.This ship has a load of more than two hundred tons, so it is very large.The deck building has a complete set of superstructure.A light deck at the stern formed the canopy of the deckhouse, which was used to accommodate the crew.There is a small mast at the bow for flying flags; a rudder with a large rudder plate is installed at the stern so that the pilot can keep the correct direction. As the barges moved downstream, the Danube became more and more lively, as alive as the outskirts of a large city.Light small motorboats and sailboats, carrying tourists and passengers, cruise between the islands.It didn't take long for people to see the chimneys of the factories on the horizon from a distance, emitting plumes of black smoke.These all mark the upcoming entry into downtown Budapest. At this time, a strange thing happened.Striga gestured, and Ticha entered the aft deckhouse with a companion.After a while, the two came out again, pushing out a slender woman.It's a pity that a large piece of stuff was stuffed into the woman's mouth, and her face could not be seen clearly.With her hands tied behind her back, she walked between the two guards without trying to resist.Probably experience told her that resistance is useless.She obediently descended the ladder from the large cover to the bottom cabin, and then went into a cabin in the second bottom cabin.The trap door closed behind her. Having done these things, Ticha and his companions went about their business as if nothing had happened. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the barge sailed into the pier of the Hungarian capital.On the right bank of the river is Buda, the ancient capital of Turkey, and on the left bank is the modern city of Pest.Back then, Buda was not what it is today.She is an ancient city with picturesque scenery.Later, due to the development of equalization, its advantages gradually disappeared.On the contrary, although the scale of Pest was quite good at that time, it has not achieved the amazing development in the future, and it is far from becoming the most prosperous and beautiful capital in Eastern Europe. On both sides of the river, especially on the left bank, arcades and terraced buildings are scattered, and the bell towers of the churches look down on it, gilded by the rays of the sun.A long series of berths looks both graceful and magnificent. The crew on the barge had no interest in admiring the enchanting sight.For those with a guilty conscience, walking through downtown Budapest can be a nasty surprise.The eyes of the crew are only used to watch the boats passing by on the river, and they are never idle for a moment.It was due to this caution that Striga spotted in time a small boat with four men driving straight towards the barge among the many boats.He recognized that it was a patrol boat from the Marine Police Station, and he gave Ticha a quick wink.Ticha understood immediately, and turned around and slid down the cover into the bottom cabin. Sure enough, Striga was right.A few minutes later, the dinghy stopped against the barge.Two gentlemen came on deck. Who is the captain?one of them asked. I am.Striga stepped forward from the crew to answer. Your Name? Ivan.Striga. your nationality? Bulgaria. Where did this ship come from? vienna. where to go Galatz. Who is the owner of the ship? Constantinesko of Galati. What are you shipping? No shipment.We returned empty-handed. What about your documents? Well, here it is.Striga handed the relevant documents to the inspector. OKThe interrogator checked the documents carefully, returned them to Striga, and said, "Let's go to your bilge to have a look." Please, Striga does not hinder, but I would like to remind you that this is the fourth time we have been interrogated since we set off from Vienna.Not very pleasant. The policeman waved his hand and did not answer, indicating that he was only following the orders of his superiors and had nothing to do with him personally.He went down from the cover to the foot of the ladder, stepped forward a few steps into the hold, and came up after scanning around.There was no sign to remind him that there were two prisoners lying under his feet. The man was on one side and the woman was on the other. Both of them were helpless, unable to even call for help.The inspection was very careful, but it was nothing more than that.There is nothing in the barge, and there is no need to ask the source of the load, so the interrogation is much simpler. The policeman went on deck again, and without asking any further questions, returned to his boat.The boat sailed away to check on other ships, while the barge continued to hurry farther downstream. The last dwellings in Budapest had been left behind, and it was time to interrogate the female prisoners in the hold.Ticha and another person entered the bottom cabin, and immediately escorted the woman who was escorted a few hours ago back to the deckhouse.None of the other crew seemed to care about it. In the middle of the night, the barge had traveled more than 30 kilometers away from Budapest before stopping between the towns of Erkesen and Adoni.At dawn the next day, the barge set off again.During the day on August 31, the barge stopped several times, because Striga got off the barge and rowed the fishing boat he thought he had snatched from Dragos, and docked in various villages in a grand and grand manner. .He introduced himself to the local residents, saying that he was the famous fishing champion of the Danube Association, and he spread the reputation of the champion here. He chatted with the lively people and skillfully brought the topic to the things he cared about. He didn't hear much from him.Elijah.Bush's name does not seem to be well known in these backcountry areas.Of course, the situation would be very different in the important towns of Mohawks, Apatin, Nosatz, Semlin, or Belgrade.However, Striga didn't want to take risks in these big towns. He only dared to poke his head in the countryside, because the police supervision in these places must be much looser.Unfortunately, farmers are usually unaware of the Zigmaringen fishing contest and are even more indifferent about talking to the champion.Besides, they didn't know any news, neither did they know that there was an Elijah.Brush, also did not know Carl.Dragos is such a person.Striga tried all his diplomacy in vain, but still got nowhere. As agreed that night, when Striga disembarked one of the boats, Serge.Radko was carried up for air, and then carried into a small cabin with the doors and windows tightly locked.The robbers may have been too cautious. The prisoner was so tied up that he couldn't move at all. September 1st to September 6th passed without incident.The barge went down the current and met the wind, continuing to sail at a speed of 60 kilometers per day and night.If it weren't for Striga who had to stop and wait for him when he went ashore frequently, the mileage of the voyage would have doubled several times. From the point of view of seeking information alone, Strigger's landing activities have not been fruitful, but thanks to the skill of his profession, his trips have not failed at least once. It was the fifth of September, and the barge was moored at night opposite a small town called Sussex.Striga disembarked as usual.It was late at night, and most of the farmers who were used to working from sunrise to sunset had returned to their homes.Only Striga roamed the town by himself.Suddenly, he saw a mansion with a magnificent appearance. The owner probably had too much confidence in people's honesty and integrity, so he ran to the neighbor's house with the door wide open. Without hesitation Striga slipped into the house, which seemed to be a shop, since the counters were displayed.It's really effortless to take the day's employee turnover in the counter drawer, and it's done in the blink of an eye.However, Striga would not be satisfied with this petty theft. As soon as he entered the door, he stared at a large wooden box in the corner of the room.Picking the lock to open the box was like a child's play for him, and soon he found a bulging cloth bag at the bottom of the box, and when he touched it, there was a metallic clang, which seemed to be a good omen. Returning with a full load, Striga hurried back to the barge; by daylight again the barge was gone. The only adventure in the journey is this. While on the barge, Striga had other things to worry about.From time to time he ran to the deck, and slipped into the cabin opposite the one where Radko was being held.Sometimes he stayed there for only a few minutes; sometimes he stayed a little longer, and in the latter case, the sound of a heated argument could often be heard standing on the deck, and a woman's voice could be vaguely distinguished, calm and calm. answered the yelling of a furious man.After each quarrel, with the same result, the crew ignored it, and Striga disembarked in a huff to appease his raged nerves. Usually, he went to the right bank to inquire about news, because there were very few villages and towns on the left bank, and there was an endless wilderness looking up to the bank. It is a perfect Hungarian plain that stretches to the Transylvanian Mountains nearly 400 kilometers away.The railways stretching across the plains span the boundless wilderness, vast pastures and huge swamps where aquatic animals gather.This field was a table of perpetual generosity, entertaining countless four-legged guests, the thousands of ruminants who constituted a major source of the wealth of the Hungarian kingdom.There are only occasional fields of wheat or corn on the plain. This section of the Danube is very wide, and the river is divided into many strands by large and small islands.Some islands are very large, and when the water flow is blocked and forced to bypass it, it will immediately become turbulent. The islands are not fertile.It is only because of the frequent flooding of the river that a layer of silt is deposited on some parts of the island, and some birches, aspens, and willows grow in the middle of the silt. However, the pastures on the island are plump and abundant, and people harvest the pastures full of boats and boats. , transported to the farms and villages along the coast. As night fell on September 6, the barge dropped anchor.At this time, Striga was not on board.He could not go to Neusalz and the opposite Petvardam, because these two towns were relatively large and prone to danger.But in order to continue his investigation, at least he could go further downstream for more than 20 kilometers and stop at the town of Kalovitz.According to the captain's order, the barge stopped at a place more than ten kilometers downstream from the town and waited, and he would naturally float down the current to return to the barge. At about nine o'clock in the evening, Striga was already on his way back to the ship.He took his time and let the current push the small fishing boat forward, while he thought about the things that made him proud.His ruse was very successful.No one suspected him, and no one prevented him from inquiring about news freely.To be honest, the information he collected was not much.Still, people's ignorance, bordering on indifference, seems generally a welcome sign.Apparently, the inhabitants of this area had heard only vaguely about the Danube gangs, and they didn't even know Karl.Dragosh's name had never been heard, so there was no reaction to his disappearance. On the other hand, either because the police were leaderless or because the areas Striga passed were too poor and backward, the vigilance of the police dropped sharply.For many days, Striga has not seen anyone who looks like a policeman, and no one has talked about monitoring the Danube, but just two or three hundred kilometers upstream, the guard is still so tight. It seems that the barge may reach its destination in the Black Sea without a hitch.As usual, the stolen goods on board were transferred to the steamer waiting there.Tomorrow the barge will pass through Semling and Belgrade.The barge would then simply sail along the Serbian side of the river, avoiding annoying surprises. Because Serbia is fighting against the Turkish invaders, and the war will make the country more or less chaotic.Surely the administration along the river would not waste precious time in questioning a barge returning empty. Who knows?This may be Striga's last trip.Maybe after earning the money, he will fly away and become a respected rich man, living happily and sweetly. He dreamed of this, and the beautiful figure of the female prisoner imprisoned in the barge appeared in his mind. Just as he was dreaming, his eyes suddenly and inadvertently fell on the symmetrically placed boxes.For a long time, the box lid put together became Carl.Dragos and the owner's bunk.Suddenly, an idea flashed into Striga's mind. He had been the owner of this small fishing boat for a week, but he hadn't thought of rummaging through the contents of the box.It's too bad to forget this, so hurry up and make up for this omission. He started with the starboard boxes.With a slight twist, the lock of the box snapped down.He only saw a pile of neatly stacked clothes in the box, and Striga didn't look at these rags at all. He closed the lid and went to the next wooden box. The contents of this box were not much different from the previous one. Striga was disappointed and was about to let go when something in the corner of the box suddenly caught his attention.Those clothes are of course not very useful, but the significance of this big wallet is very important.It seems that there should be various documents in the wallet.Although the certificates can't speak, on some occasions, nothing can be as convincing as them. Striga opened the wallet, and as he expected, there were a lot of documents in it.He patiently checked them one by one.Those letters and receipts were all signed by Ilya.brush.Then, he suddenly widened his eyes, and his gaze stayed on a portrait.It was the last time that caused Karl.The portrait that Dragos suspected, was so unexpected! 首先，斯特里加想不通其中的緣故。船上所有的信件收據都署名伊利亞．布魯什，卻沒有警探的大名，這已經有些奇怪了，但還說得過去。不管怎麼說，可以給這種反常的現象以最自然的解釋。也許並非如斯特里加一直以為的那樣，德拉戈什冒名頂替跑去出演了多瑙河協會釣魚冠軍，而很可能是兩人商量好了，德拉戈什借用漁夫的身分活動。這樣一來，德拉戈什與真正的伊利亞．布魯什達成協議，由德拉戈什保存必要的資料，以便在必要時證明自己的身分。但是，為什麼會出現拉德科這個名字呢？斯特里加居心叵測地在自己犯下的所有罪行上簽署的姓名！這個使他屢遭拒絕卻死乞白賴地仍在追求的女人，她的肖像怎麼會跑到這兒來呢？這艘船的真正主人到底是誰？竟能藏有這幅蘊含著款款深情又富有特殊意義的肖像呢？到底這隻漁船屬於卡爾．德拉戈什、屬於伊利亞．布魯什，還是屬於塞爾熱．拉德科呢？三個人當中，有兩個與他有著如此切身的利害衝突，那麼，被他費盡心機地扣押在駁船裡的又是其中的哪一個呢？至於拉德科，那天晚上和另一個人駕了一艘小船祕密潛出魯塞鎮時，斯特里加開槍擊斃了其中的一個，所以他宣稱拉德科已經被他殺死了。真的，如果他那時瞄錯了人，如今，他倒更希望落入他手心的那人是領航員，而不是警長。那麼這一回，領航員是插翅也難逃了。要是被關押的俘虜真是拉德科的話，那就用不著繼續留著當人質了。只要在他脖子上拴上一塊大石頭，扔到河裡就萬事大吉，永遠地擺脫了這個死敵，斯特里加也就為他千方百計所要實現的目標掃除了主要的障礙。 斯特里加沒有耐心再這麼待在小漁船上，他把剛才發現的那幅肖像揣到身上，然後抓起槳櫓，加快了小船前行的步伐。 不一會兒，駁船的影子出現在夜色中。他迅速地停靠在駁船邊上，跳上甲板，直奔他平時常去的船艙對面的那間艙室，把鑰匙插進鎖眼裡。 Serge.拉德科的思路可沒有俘獲他的人進展得那樣快。甚至，他無法在自己身陷囹圄的幾種解釋中做個選擇。對他來說，迷霧仍然是無法衝破的，他也放棄了再去揣測他們把他囚禁起來的動機。 拉德科在牢房艙底焦躁不安地睡了一覺，醒過來時，第一個感覺便是飢餓難當。已經有一個多晝夜他滴米未進，而自然的規律是永恆不變的，無論你如何強烈地抗拒也無可奈何。 他先是強忍住轆轆飢腸，然而飢餓的感覺愈來愈不可抵擋，他終於失去了迄今一直保持著的耐心和平靜。他們難道是要將他活活餓死嗎？拉德科大聲喊叫起來，卻沒有一個人回答。他提高些嗓門，依然沒人回應。最後，他怒吼著直至聲嘶力竭，結果仍是同樣。 他怒不可遏，使勁地想掙斷繩索。可是繩索綁得太結實了，任憑他在艙底滾來滾去，用力繃緊肌肉，仍是徒勞，繩索還是那樣牢固紮實。 在他激烈地掙扎扭動時，腦袋突然碰到一件擺在他身邊的東西，身體的需要使感覺更加靈敏了。拉德科立即辨別出那是麵包和一塊牛肉，大概是他睡覺時別人放在那兒的。可他全身五花大綁，要享用獄卒們留意施與他的食物可不是件容易辦到的事。不過，辦法總是逼出來的。失敗了好幾次之後，他終於可以不用手幫忙吃到東西了。 總算填飽了肚子，但時間過得很慢，很單調，在一片靜謐之中，一種低聲的哀鳴，一種細微的顫動，好似微風拂動樹葉發出的簌簌聲，一直傳到的耳際。載著他的這艘船顯然是在行進，船頭像把尖刀一樣在劈波斬浪。 也不知道究竟過了多少個小時，他頭頂的一個活板門被人掀開了，開口處影影綽綽透進一絲亮光。一份飯食拴在一根繩子上搖搖晃晃地吊了下來，落到他的近旁。這頓飯和他第一次吃的差不多。 又過去了幾個小時，活板門再次打開，一個人爬下來，走近那個僵直不動的軀體。Serge.拉德科又一次感覺到有人把一大塊東西塞到他的嘴裡。看來，是有可能救他的人來到了附近，他們怕他叫喊吧？大概是的，因為那個人才上去，俘虜就聽見這間囚室的天花板上傳來人的腳步聲。他真想呼救可他的嘴裡吐不出一絲聲音腳步聲消失了。 救援的人應該已經走遠了。片刻之後，又有人下來，不作任何說明就把堵住拉德科嘴的東西取了下來。就是說，現在可以允許他大喊大叫，不過即使叫喊，也不會對他們招來任何麻煩了。既然這樣，又何必再呼救呢？ 第三頓飯跟前兩頓飯一模一樣。這頓吃好後，等候的時間更長了一些。大概是夜晚了吧。拉德科估算了一下，他被俘大約已有兩晝夜了。這時，從掀開的活門那裡，一張梯子被放了下來，四條大漢順著梯子下到囚室裡來。 拉德科還沒來得及辨認這四個人的相貌，一塊東西馬上塞到他的嘴巴裡，眼睛也迅速被布條蒙上了。他又變成了一個又聾又啞的活包裹，跟開始一樣被許多雙手傳遞著。 他從碰撞中得知自己正穿過一個窄小的洞口，他現在知道那是一個活板門，自己正是從這個洞口被抬進來的，現在又朝相反的方向出去了。上次抬下來時，梯子撞傷了他的腰，這次上去時又撞到了同樣的部位。上去後，經過一小段水平的通道，他便被粗暴地扔在地板上。又和先前一樣，他感到蒙住眼睛和堵住嘴巴的東西都給人拉掉了。可他剛睜開眼睛，門就砰地一聲在他身後關上了。 拉德科環顧四周，發現自己僅僅換了個囚牢而已。雖說如此，可這個牢房與剛才那個相比真是天壤之別。通過一扇小小的窗口，縷縷陽光直射進來，他終於能看清擺在近旁的那份飯菜，而在原來的那間監牢，他非得摸索著尋找自己的食物不可。陽光大大增添了他的勇氣，處境似乎不再那麼令人絕望了。這扇窗戶的外面便是自由，只等他去爭取！ 他苦苦尋找著逃出去的辦法，近乎無望了。終於，在他第一千遍查看這間狹小囚室的四壁時，突然發現緊貼板壁的地方裝有一塊鐵皮，從地板垂直通向天花板。這條鐵條很可能是用來連接固定船殼的各塊木板的。鐵皮稍稍向外拱起，雖然沒有鋒利的刃口，沒法一下割斷繩索，但拿它磨斷繩子也許不是不可能吧。這種嘗試當然是極不容易的，可也不妨一試。 拉德科克服了極大的困難才爬到鐵皮邊上，立即就把捆住他雙手的繩子靠在鐵皮上銼起來。由於他全身都被綁得緊緊的，幾乎完全不能動彈，使他的這項工作艱難到了極點。雙臂的來回銼動只能靠他竭盡全力地扭動整個身體來帶動，即便如此，來回的動作幅度也只是微乎其微的。這種苦工不僅進展極其緩慢，並且著實令人疲憊不堪，每五分鐘領航員就不得不停下來休息片刻。 每天兩次吃飯的時間，他還得中斷他的努力。總是同一個人端飯給他，雖然此人臉上蒙著一塊粗布，但是拉德科從他的灰髮和引人注目的寬肩膀完全認出這是同一個人。儘管分辨不出這人的面容，但他的輪廓給拉德科一種似曾相識的印象。拉德科雖不敢確定什麼，但那人強悍的外形，沉重的步伐，和面罩上面露出來的灰白頭髮，都好像在哪兒見過。 每頓飯是定時送來的，別的時間他們從不走進囚室。甚至無人打破周遭的靜寂，如果不是對面艙室不時傳來開門的聲音。接著，幾乎總有兩個人的說話聲，一個男子和一位婦女的聲音隱隱傳到他的耳邊。於是，拉德科便停下那考驗他耐心和毅力的工作，豎耳聆聽，設法更好地分辨出這兩個人的聲音，因為這些說話聲引起了他心中模糊而揪心的悸動。 除了這些小小的干擾之外，領航員等看守一走，便趕緊吃飯，然後就又頑強地勞作起來。 就這樣整整苦幹了五天，他對自己的努力有沒有成效開始產生懷疑了，可是在九月六日暮色將至之時，捆住他手腕的繩子啪的一聲斷了。 領航員不得不強抑住差點脫口而出的歡叫聲。有人把門打開了。還是那個每天送飯的人，走進了囚室，把一如平素的飯食放到他跟前。 當艙裡只剩他一個人時，拉德科的第一樁事就是想活動活動剛剛解放了的肢體。剛開始，它們怎麼也不聽自己使喚，他的手和胳膊被捆了整整一個星期，現在就像癱瘓了一樣。不過，漸漸地，雙手和雙臂可以活動了，幅度也逐步增大。經過一個小時的鍛鍊，雖說還不很靈便，但終於可以做各種動作了，於是他把雙腳也鬆了綁。 He is free!至少，他已經向自由邁出了第一步。眼下，他首先能做的，便是爬出窗戶。儘管黑暗中看不清河岸，但從窗口可以看見多瑙河的水浪。此時行動正值良機。外面一片漆黑，沒有月亮的夜晚，十步之遙便什麼也看不見了，真乃天助也！此外，看守要到明天才會再送飯到囚室來，發現他潛逃時，他早已走遠了。 然而，他遇到了一個嚴重的困難，不僅是一種困難，而應說是一種客觀上的不可能性，使他嘗試了一次便只得停下。窗子對一個靈活、輕盈的少年來說也許足夠寬了，但是對塞爾熱．拉德科這樣身材魁梧的成年人，就太狹窄，無論如何也鑽不過去的。拉德科弄得筋疲力盡也是白費功夫，不得不承認擺在他面前的是一個不可逾越的障礙，終於氣喘吁吁地跌回到囚室裡來。 莫非他註定逃不出去了嗎？拉德科久久凝視著被這扇鐵面無情的窗子勾畫出的那塊方形的夜空。然而，他決定再作一次嘗試，他把衣物脫掉，拼命一縱躍到窗框裡，決心不惜任何代價也要擠出去。 頓時，他感到血流加速，骨頭擠得嘎嘎作響。不過，一側的肩膀先出來了，一隻手臂也跟著伸到外面。可是，窗框卡住了他的左臉部，糟糕得很，右肩也給卡住了。這樣子，再做任何何努力也顯然是沒用的。 一部分身體懸在水面之上，呼吸著自由的空氣，另一部分身體仍被扣在牢籠裡，兩側的肋骨被卡得緊緊的。拉德科很快就感到無法堅持這種姿勢了。既然這樣逃走行不通，那就必須另想辦法。說不定可以拆掉一根窗框，把洞口加大一點。就不那麼難以穿過了。 但是，若要這麼做，就得先回到囚室裡去，可拉德科無奈地認識到，他已經沒有辦法縮回去。既無法前進，也無法後退，除非喊人幫忙，他是註定要留在這殘酷的境地了。 他再掙扎也無濟於事，一切努力都是徒勞的。他剛才縱身太猛，想不到自設陷阱。 Serge.拉德科正在喘口氣休息，門外傳來一陣異常的聲音，不禁使他不寒而慄。突然，出現一個新的危險，咄咄逼人。自從他進入這間牢房後，還從來沒有在這時遇到過同樣的情況：有人在門口停下腳步，掏出鑰匙，摸索到鎖眼，終於將鑰匙插了進去 領航員走投無路了。情急之下，他猛地以超人的力量縮緊全身的肌肉 這時，在門外，鑰匙在鎖眼裡轉動帶動了鎖舌鎖舌脫開了鎖頭