Chapter 31 Chapter One

As everyone knows, on this immigrant island, except for Pierre, who knows the doctor's real name, the rest of the people know him only as Doctor Antekit.He wanted to keep his true identity hidden until his career was complete.So the doctor tried to control his excitement when Madame Bathory suddenly spat out his daughter's name.However, his heart stopped beating for a while, and he collapsed involuntarily by the door of the chapel, as if struck by a thunderbolt from the blue sky. It turned out that the daughter was alive!It turned out that the daughter and Pierre were passionately in love!And it was himself, Count Matthias Sanddorf, who did everything possible to prevent their love!Had it not been for Madame Bathory's miraculous return to sanity, the secret might never have been revealed.

What happened fifteen years ago in Attenac Castle, now the truth is revealed!The girl is the only heir to Count Sandov's estate.Her death has never been confirmed.She was abducted first, and then fell into the hands of Silas Dronta; soon after, the banker moved to Lajuz, and Mrs. Dorronta raised her as if she were her own daughter. All this is Sarkani's conspiracy, done by his accomplice Namir. Sarkani knows that Sharapova will have a huge fortune when she is eighteen years old.If he took her as his wife, and managed to convince people that Sawa was the heir to the Sandov family, then he would have a glorious end to his criminal career and become the master of the domain of Atenac.

Has this evil plan failed so far?Of course, it was undoubtedly a failure.If already married, Sarkani must have reaped all kinds of benefits. And now, how remorseful Dr. Antekit must feel!Isn't he the cause of all this?Initially refusing to help Pierre, he later allowed Saccani's plot to succeed.When he met Saqani in Kotor, he could have caught Saqani and kept him from committing crimes!In the end, he had not delivered Pierre, who had risen from the dead, to Madame Bathory.Isn't it all about him?In fact, if Pierre had been with his mother when Dorronta's letter arrived at the house in La Marinella, so much misfortune would not have happened.If Pierre knew that Sawa was the daughter of Count Sandov, wouldn't he try to save Sawa from the torments of Sakani and Silas Dronta?

Now, where is Sara Sandov?Definitely in the hands of Sarkani!But where would he hide her?How to rescue Sharapova from Sarkani?In a few weeks the earl's daughter would be eighteen - and she would be entitled to the inheritance.And this situation will prompt Sarkani to use his last resort to force Sharapova to accept this shameful marriage. In an instant, a series of things flashed through the doctor's mind.So did Madame Bathory and Pierre.The doctor thought Madame Étienne Bathory and her son would accuse him.Of course, this accusation is unfounded, because how could he approve of Pierre and Sawa being in love?At that time, everyone thought Sharapova was the daughter of Duolongta!

Now, he should do whatever it takes to get back his daughter Sawa - this name has been closely linked with the name of his beloved wife Reina, just as "Ferhato" became the name of the steamboat, "Sawa Reina" It has long been the name of a sailing ship. Mrs. Bathory was sent back to City Hall.The doctor returned without a word, accompanied by Pierre, who was full of grief and joy. Madame Bathory, who had been visibly shaken by all that had just happened, was completely well, cured of her insanity.She was sitting in the room when the doctor visited her with his son. Realizing that they should be left alone, Maria left the room and went into the Great Hall of the Town Hall.

Dr. Antekit walked up to Mrs. Bathory, put his hand on Pierre's shoulder, and said: "Mrs. Bathory, I already regard your son as my son. But it's not just out of friendship, I will do my best to let him marry my daughter... It's all out of fatherly love!" "Your daughter? . . . " cried Madame Bathory. "I am Count Matthias Sanddorf!" Madame Bathory rose suddenly, and stretched out her hands to seize the count, but she fell feebly into the arms of her son.She couldn't speak for a while, but she could hear clearly.Pierre succinctly told her everything she did not know, how Count Matthias Judolf had been rescued by the fisherman André Ferchato: why he had kept his identity secret for fifteen years; How the pseudonym Antekite appeared in Rajuz.Pierre tells of the despicable betrayal of the Tries rebels by Saccani and Silas Dronta; of the victimization of his father and Ladisla Zatemar by Carpena's treachery .Finally, he told how the doctor rescued him from the Rajuz base, so that he could join the righteous cause that the doctor was about to complete.Pierre concluded by saying that two of these villains, the banker Silas Doronta and the Spaniard Carpena, had fallen into their hands.But the third, Sarkani is still at large, and it is this Sarkani who wants to marry Sharapova!

The doctor, Ballari, mother and son were closely connected by a common fate and future, and for a short time they recalled all the details related to the unfortunate young girl.It was clear that Saccani would go to any lengths to force Sharapova into marriage to secure his possession of Count Sandov's property.This they considered, but if the plot had been foiled in the past, it was more threatening now.Therefore, the most important thing is to find Sharapova, no matter where the world is, find her! They first decided not to let others know that Dr. Antegit was Earl Sanddorf.If this secret is exposed, it will reveal that Sharapova is his daughter.Therefore, in order to facilitate the search work that will be carried out, it is necessary to strictly guard the secrecy.

"But where is Sawa? . . . Where can I find her? . . . " asked Mrs. Bathory. "We shall know!" replied Pierre.There was no hopelessness in him, only inexhaustible vitality. "Yes, we'll know!" said the doctor. "Even if Silas Dronta doesn't know where Saccani is hiding, at least he knows where the villain is hiding my daughter..." "If he knows, make him tell," cried Pierre. "Yes! Ask him to talk!" The doctor responded. "Go right away!" "immediately!" Doctor Antekit, Madame Bathory, and Pierre could no longer remain in this anxiety.

Luigi, Boscard, Matiff and Maria were all in the hall of the city hall at this time.Luigi was immediately called away, and he was ordered to go to the small fortress accompanied by Mattif to bring Silas Doronta. A quarter of an hour later, the banker was taken out of the bunker that served as a cell, and walked to Atenac Street, where Matiff grabbed his wrist tightly.He asked Lu Ji where he was taking him, Lu Ji ignored him, and the banker was even more panicked because he did not know whose hands he would fall into after being arrested. Silas Dronta followed Luigi into the hall, and Matiff kept holding his wrists. He caught sight of Boscade, but he didn't see Bathory, mother and son, who retreated aside.Suddenly the doctor appeared, and he was the person I had contacted in vain when I passed by Rajuz!

"You! . . . you! . . . " he cried. Afterwards, he managed to calm down. "Ah!" he said, "it was Dr. Antequito who ordered me to be taken from French territory! . . . You have imprisoned me illegally..." "But it's not illegal!" replied the doctor. "I have nothing against you!" cried the banker.Obviously, the appearance of the doctor gave him some confidence. "Yes, what enmity do I have with you?" "What's wrong with me? . . . You'll see soon enough," replied the doctor. "But Silas Dronta, you should first ask yourself the crime you have done to this unfortunate woman! . . . "

"Madame Bathory!" cried the banker.Mrs. Bathory approached him, and he involuntarily took a few steps back. "And the misfortune you gave her son!" added the doctor. "Pierre! . . . Pierre!" Silas Dronta stammered. The banker would have collapsed if Mattif hadn't held him up there. He had thought Pierre was dead, had seen the funeral procession go down the street and buried Pierre in the Lanitz cemetery, but here Pierre was, right in front of him, as if never before. A ghost from the grave!Facing Pierre, Silas Dronta was terrified.He was beginning to understand that he was doomed for his sins...he felt that he was finished. "Where is Sharapova?" the doctor asked him suddenly. "My daughter?..." "Sawa is not your daughter! . . . She is the daughter of Count Matthias Sanddorf. The Count and his two companions, Étienne Barteau, were sent because of the despicable informers of you and Saccagny. Li, Ladisla Zatmal put to death!" In the face of hard facts, the banker was extremely surprised.It turned out that Dr. Antekit not only knew that Sharapova was not his daughter, but also that Sharapova was Mathias Sandov's daughter!He also knew by whom and how Trieste's conspirators had been betrayed.Silas Dronta's criminal past cannot be concealed. "Where is Sharapova?" The doctor couldn't bear it and shouted again. "Among all the crimes you've committed, your accomplice Sarkani sent Sharapova abducted from Atenak Castle fifteen years ago. Where is Sharapova now... You must know where the villain hid Sharapova Place... You must know that he forced Sharapova to agree to this unfortunate marriage!... Let me ask you one last time, where is Sharapova?" In spite of the doctor's firm manner and aggressive words, Silas Dronta said nothing.He knew that Sharapova's current situation was his guarantee of safety, as long as he didn't tell the last secret, he felt that he was still safe. "Listen," said the doctor calmly, "listen to me, Silas Dronta! Maybe you think you're supposed to protect your accomplice! Maybe you're afraid you'll hurt him by speaking out! Well, you know, Sis Lars Doronta, in order to kill you, Saccani tried to murder you after bankrupting you, just like you did to Pierre... Yes, kill you!... When my subordinate When he caught you on the streets of Nice, Sakani was about to kill you! And now, you still stubbornly protect him?" Silas Dronta never said a word. He thought that silence would force others to compromise, so he kept his mouth shut. "Where is Sharapova?...Where is she?..." The doctor was very angry. "I don't know, I don't know!" Silas Dronta decided to keep it a secret. Suddenly he howled, curled up in pain, and tried in vain to push Matiff away. "Spare me and burn me!" he cried. It turned out that Matiff squeezed his hand inadvertently, almost crushing the bones. "Forgive me!" he cried again. "Did you say?" "Say, I say..., Sawa... Sawa," stammered Silas Dronta, "Sawa... at the house of Sakani's agent... Namir's... in Tetouan! " As soon as Matiff lowered Silas Dronta's arm, the arm immediately drooped and could not move. "Bring the prisoner back," ordered the doctor, "we know what we want to know." Luigi escorted Silas Doronta out of the city hall and brought him back to the bunker. Sharapova is in Tetouan!More than a month ago, when Dr. Antekit and Pierre Bathory captured Carpena in the Ceuta fortress, the daughter imprisoned by the Moroccan woman was just a few kilometers away! "To-night, Pierre, we are going to Tetouan!" said the doctor decisively. At that time, there were no direct trains from Tunisia to the Moroccan border.The best way to get to Tetouan as quickly as possible is to take the fastest ship of the Antequite fleet. At midnight, the ship "Electric Power Two" set sail and galloped across the Siirt Sea. Only the doctor, Pierre, Luigi, Burscard and Matiff were on board.Saccani only knew Pierre.When we arrive in Tetouan, should we rescue them wisely or seize them by force?How to act more appropriately depends on the geographical location of the Moroccan city of Tetouan, the fortification of Namir's house, and the number of people in her family.In any case, let's go to Tetouan first! From the depths of Siirt Bay to the Moroccan border, it is about 2,500 kilometers, which is equivalent to 1,350 nautical miles.The "Power No. 2" can reach a speed of 27 knots.This is incomparable to the train!This kind of hammer-like armored ship has little wind resistance when sailing, and can ride the wind and waves, so it can reach the destination in less than 50 hours. At dawn the next day, "Power II" rounded the Cape of Good Hope.From here it crosses the Gulf of Tunis, leaving Cape Biyue far behind in a few hours.Galle, Annaba, Iron Point (where a piece of metal is said to interfere with the pointing of a compass needle), the Algerian coast, Stola Bay, Berea, Delis, Algiers, Cherchel, Mosta Canem, Vahlan, Nemur, then the Rif coast, Cape Melilla (which, like Ceuta, belongs to Spain), Ire-Foga (from here to Cape Negro, the coast in a semicircle)—a panorama of the coast of Africa unfolded before their eyes during the two days from November 20th to 21st.There were no accidents, the machine was running fine and the batteries were more efficient than ever. "Electric Power No. 2" sometimes sailed along the coast, sometimes crossed the bay, and bypassed one cape after another.Even if the signals along the coast had spotted it, they would have thought it to be a swift vessel, or a gigantic whale, for no steamer in the Mediterranean reaches such speed. At about eight o'clock in the evening, the speedboat moored at the mouth of the Tetouan creek, and Doctor Antequite, Pierre, Luigi, Boscade and Matiff disembarked.Some mules and an Arabian guide were found in a desert safari inn not far from the shore.The guide is willing to take them to a city four kilometers away.The offer was readily accepted, and the little team set off at once. This is the Rif Mountains, and the Europeans are not at all afraid of the natives, not even of the nomads who roam the region.It is sparsely populated and there are almost no crops.The road ran across a plain lined with bushes—it was not made by man, but by the tread of horses.On the left side of the road is a small muddy river on both sides. Frogs and crickets compete and sing, and merge into one.Several small fishing boats are either moored in the water or on the shore.On the right side of the road were bare hills that stretched towards the high mountains to the south. The night is charming, the moon is in the sky, and the moonlight fills the whole countryside.The quiet river surface is like a mirror reflecting the blurry tall objects in the northern sky.In the distance, the city of Tetouan appears like a bright spot in the mist. Two or three times, as the procession marched rapidly under the leadership of Arab guides, they were obliged to stop as they came to isolated checkpoints.Dim lights shot out from the windows of the checkpoint, illuminating the dark places where the moonlight did not shine.One or two Moroccans, waving dim lanterns, came out of the checkpoint to question.The Arab guide talked with them for a while, and after inquiring about some situations, they continued on their way. Along the way, no one spoke, and fell into deep thought, allowing the mule to advance along the road on the plain.The ravines and ravines on the plain are full of rocks and tree roots, but these mules are used to walking, can avoid them, and move forward steadily. The strongest mule among them is the last one, not because it is lazy, but because It carried Matiff on its back.So Boscade said jokingly, "Perhaps Matiff should be called to carry the mule, it will be faster." Nearly half past nine, the guide stopped in front of a high white wall.The city walls were built with towers and battlements to defend the city.Below the wall is a low door with carved Moroccan ornamentation.Above the city gate, there are many gun ports protruding from the holes, like many caimans sleeping lazily in the moonlight. The gate of the city was closed tightly, and the guide took money to negotiate before opening the gate.After entering the city, there are narrow and winding streets.Most of the entrances have vaulted roofs and are guarded by iron doors, so the same method is used to let the gatekeepers open the door. Finally, a quarter of an hour later, the group arrived at the only small hotel in the area. The owner was a Jewish woman and the waiter was a one-eyed girl. The rooms of the inn are arranged around the inner courtyard, and the furnishings in the house are simple.There are only a few foreigners in Tetouan.There was only one Spanish consul in the city, who became a representative of all European countries.He blends in among the local population and is inconspicuous. Doctor Antekit wished to find out where Namir lived right away, and to find out there!But he held back his excitement.He knew that caution must be exercised, that in the present situation Sharapova was in, there would be unexpected difficulties in getting her out of the wolf's den.All actions must be weighed.If necessary, Sharapova can be rescued by means of redemption at any cost.But the doctor and Pierre had to be careful not to be recognized—Saccagni might be in Tetouan.Sharapova in his hands is a guarantee for his fortune, and he will not give up easily.What's more, this is not a civilized place where the judicial police can effectively interfere, but an uncivilized area.How can it be proved that Sharapova was illegally detained by that Moroccan woman?How to prove that she is the daughter of Count Sandov, just by the letter from Mrs. Dronta?The doors of these Arab inhabitants are closed, difficult to approach, difficult to enter.Even if a judge is invited, it will not help. So they decided to monitor Namir's residence first, so as not to startle the snake.At daybreak, Boscade and Luigi will go out to find out the news.Luigi lived on the international island of Malta for a period of time and learned a little Arabic. They managed to find out the name of Namir's residential area and street. It is estimated that someone knows her name.Once you understand it, you can play it by ear. During this period, the "Electricity II" hid in a narrow cove on the coast at the entrance of the Tetouan River, ready to go at any time. At night, Pierre and the doctor tossed and turned in the hotel.As for Boscade and Matiff, if they had ever dreamed of sleeping in a bed with faience, the night should have been fulfilled for them. At dawn the next day, Luigi and Boscade went to the market place, where a part of Tetouan's population had already gathered.Boscade knew Namir because Boscade had seen her on the street several times when Namir was working as a detective for Saccani at La Gouz.It is possible to meet her this time.But because Namir doesn't know him, it's okay, just follow him. The great market of Tetouan is made up of large and small sheds and shanties.Some of these huts are low and dirty.Several wet paths are connected to the market, and several colorful canvases are placed above the market to protect it from the scorching sun.Here and there are shady shops selling embroidered silk.Bright lace, slippers, and a purse tied around the waist.Woolen cloaks worn by Arab men, ceramics, jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and various copper and iron ornaments, chandeliers, incense, lanterns, etc. are sold.In short, there is everything you need for daily necessities in special stores in major European cities. The market is crowded with people, and the weather is cool in the morning. Everyone uses this time to go to the market.Among the crowd, there were Moorish women who wore veils with only their eyes exposed, and Jewish women who did not wear veils. There were Arabs, Karls, and Moroccans, and they were shoulder to shoulder with foreigners.Luigi and Boscard appeared among the crowd, unnoticed. They searched in the crowd for an hour, but in vain.Namir did not show up, and Sarkani disappeared without a trace. So Lu Ji wanted to ask a few shirtless teenagers—they were mixed races from various African ethnic groups from the Rif Mountains to the edge of the Sahara Desert, and they gathered in groups in the Moroccan market. The few teenagers who asked first did not know.Finally, a young Kabir boy, about twelve or thirteen years old, with the appearance of a Parisian urchin, vouched that he knew where Namir lived and that for a few change two Europeans could be taken there. After giving the money, the three of them walked up the criss-cross streets leading to the fortress. Ten minutes later, they came to a deserted residential area, where the houses were low and sparse, with no windows in sight. At this time, the doctor and Pierre were very anxious, looking forward to the early return of Luigi and Boscard.Many times, they wanted to sneak out of the inn to find them in person, but both Sakkani and the Moroccan woman knew them, and if they met, they would startle the enemy and fail to achieve their goal.They just wait in anxiety.At nine o'clock Luigi and Boscade returned to the inn. They both looked sad, obviously there was no good news. Indeed, five weeks ago, Sakani and Namir left Tetouan with a girl whom no one knew, leaving an empty house under the watchful eye of an old woman. The news was like a blow to the head, and both Pierre and the doctor were stunned. "The reason for their departure is very clear!" Luigi said. "Probably Sakanipadoronta has exposed his hiding place due to revenge or other reasons." In the past, Dr. Antekit had never been discouraged in tracking down the traitors and accomplishing righteous things, but now when he wanted to save his daughter from Sarkani, he felt that he lacked confidence! Pierre and the doctor decided to go to Namir's residence, maybe they would find some things left by Sharapova there, and maybe they could find out the whereabouts of Sharapova from some kind of signs.Perhaps the old Jewish woman who looked at the house would tell them, or rather sell them, some important clue to Sharapova. Luigi immediately took them there.The doctor spoke to the old woman in Arabic as if he had grown up in a desert area.The doctor claimed to be a friend of Saccany, who was passing through Tetouan and wanted to visit Saccany. At the beginning, the old woman made things difficult on purpose, obstructing her in every possible way and not allowing her to enter the house.But when a stack of money was stuffed into her hand, she was much more polite.The doctor pretended to be very concerned about the owner of the house and asked the old woman questions, and she stopped refusing to answer. The old woman said that the girl brought back by the Moroccan woman would be Saccani's wife, which had been decided long ago.Had it not been for the haste this time, I am afraid that they would have married in Tetouan.The girl never went out during her three months here.They said she was Arab and the old Jewish woman thought he was European.However, unless the Moroccan woman is not around, it is usually difficult for the old woman to see the girl.That's all she knows. As for where Sarkani took Sharapova and Namir, the old woman had no idea.All she knew was that they had gone east with a desert caravan about five weeks ago.After that, she took care of the house until Sarkani found a suitable opportunity to sell the house-this shows that Sarkani is no longer ready to return to Tetouan. The doctor listened calmly to the old woman's answers, sometimes translating for Pierre. In short, one thing is certain, Sarkani is not in such a hurry. He neither took the liner to Tangier nor took the train starting from Vahlan.Instead, they joined a desert caravan and left Tetouan. Where did they go?Is it towards a few oases in the desert, or towards the more remote semi-civilized areas, so that Sharapova is completely under his domination?How to know all this?On the great roads of North Africa, it is no easier to find the trace of a caravan than a single person! Therefore, the doctor questioned the old woman carefully, and explained that he had obtained important information about Sarkani, to be precise, that he wanted to sell the house.But there was no further information, and where Saqani fled to carry out his plot, the old woman knew nothing. The doctor, Pierre, Luigi asked to see the house.This is an Arabic-style building, the windows of the rooms all open to the inner courtyard, and the inner courtyard is surrounded by rectangular corridors. They soon found Sharapova's room--it was the exact cell where the unfortunate girl had spent so many desperate days and nights alone!Both Pierre and the doctor remained silent, searching for clues, hoping to find some clues. Suddenly, the doctor hurried to a corner of the room.In a small copper firebox on a tripod, a few pieces of paper that have not been completely burned are trembling slightly. Sharapova wrote?Had he, before leaving Tetouan, suddenly learned of his haste to leave, made up his mind to burn the letter, or had Saccani or Namir discovered the letter and burned it, but did not burn it?Various ideas popped up in the doctor's mind. The doctor was lying on the basin, and Pierre followed the doctor's gaze to observe, what was written on the piece of paper? On the scraps of paper that could be blown to ashes in one breath, there were clearly written a few words, but they were incomplete: "Bato..." Sharapova probably didn't know, and couldn't possibly know, that Madame Bathory had disappeared in La Gouz.Did she ask for help from Madame Bathory - the only person in the world who could save her? After Mrs. Bathory's name, there was another vaguely recognizable name—her son's name... Pierre, holding his breath, tried to find a few more legible words, but his eyes gradually blurred, and he couldn't see anything... However, the doctor found another place name that would enable them to track Sharapova, almost keeping the same name—— "Tripolitania!" he cried. Saqqani may have sought refuge with the Tripoli Regency!He should be absolutely safe there!It turned out that they went to Tripolitania with the caravan five weeks ago... "To Tripoli!" said the doctor. That night the crew set off again, hoping to arrive at Tripoli within a few days of his arrival at the latest, if Saqqani was to arrive soon.