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Page 124
"Well, well, well," answered Gryphus. "But if a sorcerer can
change black bread into white, won't he die of hunger if he
has no bread at all?"
"What's that?" said Cornelius.
"Consequently, I shall not bring you any bread at all, and
we shall see how it will be after eight days."
Cornelius grew pale.
"And," continued Gryphus, "we'll begin this very day. As you
are such a clever sorcerer, why, you had better change the
furniture of your room into bread; as to myself, I shall
pocket the eighteen sous which are paid to me for your
board."
"But that's murder," cried Cornelius, carried away by the
first impulse of the very natural terror with which this
horrible mode of death inspired him.
"Well," Gryphus went on, in his jeering way, "as you are a
sorcerer, you will live, notwithstanding."
Cornelius put on a smiling face again, and said, --
"Have you not seen me make the pigeons come here from Dort?"
"Well?" said Gryphus.
"Well, a pigeon is a very dainty morsel, and a man who eats
one every day would not starve, I think."
"And how about the fire?" said Gryphus.
"Fire! but you know that I'm in league with the devil. Do
you think the devil will leave me without fire? Why, fire is
his proper element."
"A man, however healthy his appetite may be, would not eat a
pigeon every day. Wagers have been laid to do so, and those
who made them gave them up."
"Well, but when I am tired of pigeons, I shall make the fish
of the Waal and of the Meuse come up to me."
Gryphus opened his large eyes, quite bewildered.
"I am rather fond of fish," continued Cornelius; "you never
let me have any. Well, I shall turn your starving me to
advantage, and regale myself with fish."
Gryphus nearly fainted with anger and with fright, but he
soon rallied, and said, putting his hand in his pocket, --
"Well, as you force me to it," and with these words he drew
forth a clasp-knife and opened it.
"Halloa! a knife?" said Cornelius, preparing to defend
himself with his stick.
Chapter 29
In which Van Baerle, before leaving Loewestein,
settles Accounts with Gryphus
The two remained silent for some minutes, Gryphus on the
offensive, and Van Baerle on the defensive.
Then, as the situation might be prolonged to an indefinite
length, Cornelius, anxious to know something more of the
causes which had so fiercely exasperated his jailer, spoke
first by putting the question, --
"Well, what do you want, after all?"
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