would try to hide from us, would you, Monsieur Clark?"
The two French thugs.
"Clothes like this," said the other one, bowing his head down at my scrubby dress, "will still not conceal you."
"Gentlemen-monsieurs-I know not what to call you. I do not wear this to conceal myself from you. I know not why you should continue to bother me."
It was not the time for this, I know. But my eye, which somehow felt free of the concerns of my brain, was drawn inexplicably to a flyer on the lamppost, which was flapping from the pressure in the air. I could not read it, but I suppose by some instinct I knew it contained something of great interest.
"Look here when we speak!"
The man slapped me against my cheek. It was not particularly hard, but the extreme abruptness left me standing in shock.
"You cannot long protect a man marked for death. We have been handed our orders."
His partner pulled a pistol from his coat. "You're in for it now. You should select a friend more carefully."
"My friend? It is untrue!"
"Then his wench assisted you for her mere pleasure at the Washington Monument?" he replied.
"I vow it! He is no friend!" I shouted, my voice trembling at the sight of the weapon.
"No...not any longer."
Chapter 23
"SIR! SIR! YOU FORGOT-"
The clothier had come out with the bag I had left inside. He stopped when he saw my company in their unfriendly postures. One of them had wrapped his arm around mine.
The clothier gesticulated angrily at my assailant. "What is this about?
Let that suit be!"
When the clothier took a step forward, the other assailant turned around and slapped the clothier across the face with more force than a punch. It sent him spinning down hard beyond the awning.
As the clothier met the ground, he let out a high-pitched, cat-like groan. Making use of the distraction, I pulled my arm free. I flung my new umbrella behind me and ran against a sheet of rain that felt like a brick wall against my body. The two assailants bolted after me.
I swerved onto the first street, hoping the darkness of the storm would cloak me. But the pair of men trimmed the distance almost at once. My head twisted around to watch them, and I tripped over some uneven ground. Though I caught myself, they were now dangerously close, one of them brushing my coat with his hand. I dared not look back again.
Ahead a party of pigs was devouring the evening's garbage. Our chase disturbed them, sending them scattering. A flash of light hit the sky and illuminated all of us. I found myself panting and sucking at the air for breath. They were coming nearer to my heels, and I would certainly be tackled within a few rods. I noticed the street we were coming to and heard faint bells. This gave me an idea. I quickly turned around and ran toward my pursuers. The Frenchmen, running fast as they were, took a moment to halt themselves on the slippery ground.
In Europe, I knew, the railways began on the periphery of the city, and
I had met in my life many visitors from other countries surprised that our trains began right in the center of town-first drawn by a span of the strongest horses and then latched onto an engine. When the men started back toward me, I led them right past the sign: LOOK OUT FOR THE LOCOMOTIVE. The two Frenchmen, perplexed at it, did just that, looking everywhere they could think.
I ran like mad. Finally I slowed down, surveying the trail behind me. Not a soul. The rain was a bit lighter, too. I came to a stop. I was safe.
Then there came the pair of them, side by side, like devils appearing from the great Abyss.
Just when I fell into a terrible despair, another figure appeared in front of me. As he came closer, I was shocked to realize it was the older black man I had previously seen with the Baron and eyeing me watchfully on the streets. Indeed, since the Baron's young slave had insisted the Baron had no other blacks in his employment, I had come to consider that this man might be in collusion with the French rogues. And here he was running toward me!
I had nowhere to turn without making myself vulnerable either to the two men behind or the one in front of me. I decided my chances were better against one man and plunged myself toward him. As