Saint48 - The Saint & the Templar Treasure by Leslie Charteris

Author:Leslie Charteris [Charteris, Leslie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-08-31T02:10:25+00:00

That evening he dined alone with Yves Florian and Mimette. Philippe had phoned to say that he would not be home until late, Professor Norbert had pleaded that he wanted to be alone to study the historic implications of the underground chamber, and Henri Pichot and Jeanne Corday were having supper with Gaston at his cottage. As a result the tenseness that had marked the previous night's meal was absent and the conversation less restricted. After ranging through a wide variety of topics from the state of the franc to the life expectancy of Generalissimo Franco, the talk reverted to the events of the afternoon.

"You must have very extensive cellars here where you store the wine," said the Saint, when he had a suitable opening, and Yves nodded.

"To tell you the truth even I am not certain where they all begin and end, and I have lived here all my life," Yves confessed. "My father had new storage facilities built under the courtyard by the chai, and it is there that we store most of the wine we produce. Except for the wine we keep for ourselves, which is kept under the kitchens, the old cellars are not used nowadays. Only Gaston, and perhaps Charles, would know all of them."

"Yesterday on my way from my room to the salon I got lost and ended up at the chapel. I noticed a door at the foot of the stairs, and I assumed that was the main way in."

"It used to be, but it has not been used for some years. Originally the staircase went right down to the old dungeons of the castle, but they became unsafe, and so we had to brick up the opening and put a door in. I don't suppose anyone has been down there for ten years at least."

Simon finished the last of his Chateau Ingare Reserve with unconcealed regret.

"A great wine," he said. "You're very generous to let me taste your private stock. I'm surprised the Germans allowed you to keep any of it."

"We have Gaston and Charles to thank for that. They hid the finest vintages away, I don't know where, and put old labels on all the newest and rawest, and the Boches sat around this very table and praised them to the heavens because he had told them they were so special. But then what can you expect from a nation of beer drinkers?" added Yves with chauvinistic glee.

The Saint wondered what the citizens of Rheinhessen would think of that, but decided not to make the point.

"I suppose Norbert has been pestering Gaston to death about all these closed-off crypts and passages," he said.

"I have no doubt," said Yves goodhumouredly. "He is doing no harm, and if he discovers anything of archaeological importance it will be interesting. And Philippe thinks it would do the business no harm to enhance our snobisme ancestral."

"Not to mention my own," said the Saint lightly.

Mimette put in: "If you would like to look at our private cellars, you would be most welcome.

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