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"And the over-conscientious and supersensitive father with millions and millions stored away in bursting money-bags somewhere or other. Oh, those money-bags, those money-bags, those money-bags!" "Truesdale, what do you mean? Are they adventurers? Are they after black-mail?" Truesdale threw back his head, closing his eyes and twirling his thumbs. "I knew them there; I know them here."
"The confusion and disorders of the country were so great, and the Government go absolutely neglected it, that the sober people were obliged to purchase some security to their effects by shameful and ignominious contracts of black-mail.
A person who had the greatest correspondence with the thieves was agreed with to preserve the lands contracted for from thefts, for certain sums to be paid yearly. Upon this fund he employed one half of the thieves to recover stolen cattle, and the other half of them to steal, in order to make this agreement and black-mail contract necessary.
This extraordinary demand, after expending more than a day in fierce controversy, was paid; but the Arabs, if they were surprised at the exorbitant black-mail demanded of them, were more than ever surprised when they were told to return the way they came; and that no Arab caravan should pass through his country to Ujiji except over his dead body.
Whatever nation kept a consul at this nest and paid "black-mail" passed scot free.
Oswyn reflected for a moment, gazing at Sylvester with some suspicion. "I don't think it troubles him much," he said brusquely. "Is it any business of mine or of yours? Has he spoken to you about it?" Sylvester uttered a hasty negative. "Oh, no! He is not the sort of man who would. But other people talk. You see, I'm afraid there's some sort of black-mail going on, and he oughtn't to submit to it.
And then he upbraided my father that he was under his banner, and paid him tribute; and my father was in a towering passion, for Bailie Macwheeble, who manages such things his own way, had contrived to keep this black-mail a secret from him, and passed it in his account for cess-money.
No outrage which even a Spanish army could inflict was spared the miserable inhabitants. Cities and villages were sacked and burned, the whole country was placed under the law of black-mail. The places of worship, mainly Protestant, were all converted at a blow of the sword into Catholic churches. Men were hanged, butchered, tossed in sport from the tops of steeples, burned, and buried alive.
Presently he lifted his eyes to the lawyer's face. "Are you sure it was Ben?" he asked. "There may have been a mistake. Perhaps it was some one else." "No, there has been no mistake. It was your son who did it; we have good proof of that." "And who was the woman? Much depends upon who she is. It may be a case of black-mail." "It was a girl from your own place, a neighbour of yours, Jean Benton."
Sonoy had not desisted, but had established himself in organized rebellion at Medenblik, declaring that he would drown the whole country, and levy black-mail upon its whole property, if he were not paid one hundred thousand crowns. He had declared that he would crush Holland like a glass beneath his feet.
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