JК
Sharpes Devil :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 47 из 209"Fortunate?"
"Besides the permit to travel to Puerto Crucero," Marquinez explained, "you will need a permit to exhume Don Bias's body. That permit is issued by the church, of course, but I'm sure the Bishop will be eager to satisfy the Dowager Countess of Mouro-morto. However, you should understand that sometimes the church is, how shall I say? Dilatory?"
"We came prepared for such difficulties," Sharpe said.
"How so?" The question was swift.
"The church must have charities dear to its heart?"
"How very thoughtful of you." Marquinez, relieved that Sharpe had so swiftly understood the obstacle, offered his guests a dazzling smile and Sharpe wondered how a man kept his teeth so white. Marquinez then held up a warning hand. "We mustn't forget the necessary license to export a body. There is a disease risk, you understand, and we have to satisfy ourselves that every precaution has been taken."
"We came well prepared," Sharpe said dourly. The requirements, so far as he could see, were two massive bribes. One to the church which, in Sharpe's experience, was always greedy for cash, and the other to the army authorities to secure the travel permit and for the license to export a body, which license, Sharpe suspected, had just been dreamed up by the inventive Marquinez. Dona Louisa, Sharpe thought, had understood Chile perfectly when she insisted on sending him with the big chest of coins. Sharpe smiled at the charming Marquinez. "So when, senor, may we expect a travel permit? Today?"
"Oh, dear me, no!" Marquinez frowned, as though Sharpe's suggestion of such haste was somehow unseemly.
"Soon?" Sharpe pressed.
"The decision is not mine," Marquinez said happily.
"Our affairs will surely not be of interest to Captain-General Bautista?" Sharpe said with what he hoped was a convincing innocence.
"The Captain-General is interested in all our visitors, especially those who have been notable soldiers," Marquinez bowed to Sharpe, whose fame had been described in Louisa's letter of introduction. "Tell me," Marquinez went on, "were you at Waterloo?"
"Yes."
"Then I am sure the Captain-General will want to meet you. General Bautista is an afficionado of the Emperor. He would, I think, be delighted to hear of your experiences." Marquinez beamed delightedly, as if a mutual treat awaited his master and Sharpe. "Such a pleasure to meet you both!" Marquinez said, then ushered them back to the guardroom. "Such a pleasure," he said again.
"So how did it go?" Blair asked when they returned.
"Very well," Sharpe said. "All things considered, it couldn't have gone much better.
"Besides the permit to travel to Puerto Crucero," Marquinez explained, "you will need a permit to exhume Don Bias's body. That permit is issued by the church, of course, but I'm sure the Bishop will be eager to satisfy the Dowager Countess of Mouro-morto. However, you should understand that sometimes the church is, how shall I say? Dilatory?"
"We came prepared for such difficulties," Sharpe said.
"How so?" The question was swift.
"The church must have charities dear to its heart?"
"How very thoughtful of you." Marquinez, relieved that Sharpe had so swiftly understood the obstacle, offered his guests a dazzling smile and Sharpe wondered how a man kept his teeth so white. Marquinez then held up a warning hand. "We mustn't forget the necessary license to export a body. There is a disease risk, you understand, and we have to satisfy ourselves that every precaution has been taken."
"We came well prepared," Sharpe said dourly. The requirements, so far as he could see, were two massive bribes. One to the church which, in Sharpe's experience, was always greedy for cash, and the other to the army authorities to secure the travel permit and for the license to export a body, which license, Sharpe suspected, had just been dreamed up by the inventive Marquinez. Dona Louisa, Sharpe thought, had understood Chile perfectly when she insisted on sending him with the big chest of coins. Sharpe smiled at the charming Marquinez. "So when, senor, may we expect a travel permit? Today?"
"Oh, dear me, no!" Marquinez frowned, as though Sharpe's suggestion of such haste was somehow unseemly.
"Soon?" Sharpe pressed.
"The decision is not mine," Marquinez said happily.
"Our affairs will surely not be of interest to Captain-General Bautista?" Sharpe said with what he hoped was a convincing innocence.
"The Captain-General is interested in all our visitors, especially those who have been notable soldiers," Marquinez bowed to Sharpe, whose fame had been described in Louisa's letter of introduction. "Tell me," Marquinez went on, "were you at Waterloo?"
"Yes."
"Then I am sure the Captain-General will want to meet you. General Bautista is an afficionado of the Emperor. He would, I think, be delighted to hear of your experiences." Marquinez beamed delightedly, as if a mutual treat awaited his master and Sharpe. "Such a pleasure to meet you both!" Marquinez said, then ushered them back to the guardroom. "Such a pleasure," he said again.
"So how did it go?" Blair asked when they returned.
"Very well," Sharpe said. "All things considered, it couldn't have gone much better.