Aventure malgache Page #6

for the trap.

For, I understand him very well now,

the chap.

I see him, very clearly.

I too saw him very clearly.

What I saw clearly was

that my Michel was very troubled.

First telegram:
"Your sister Wilbur".

Clearly!

"The chestnuts will ripen

on the 35th April."

- There are no chestnuts in Madagascar.

- There's no 35th April either.

Is that all you've found?

Sir, I did 10 years at the

ministry in Paris, I know my job.

It shows.

- May I suggest an explanation.

- An explanatory explanation?

The telegrams are on two levels.

Once we've deciphered them,

we have to uncover the meaning,

providing we find the code.

My role is restricted

to the first level, sir.

Basically, we still need to find the code.

Pablo, I suspected this a long time ago.

Do you have the information I wanted?

Yes, on your orders,

I checked all the bookshops in Tananarive.

Impossible to find a copy

of Les Fables de La Fontaine.

Yes, they've all disappeared.

They were sold suddenly three months ago.

No one knows why.

They couldn't tell me who to,

but mainly to children and natives.

But someone sent them.

But I get exactly the same information

from each and every town in the colony.

This time I think I've got them.

The key is in La Fontaine.

That was quite risky sending

all those coded telegrams.

Oh yes, I admit I was more

of an amateur conspirator back then.

I'd never make such mistakes now.

I can just see that toad Michel

at the court martial,

laughing, triumphant,

gloating at his success.

No, his attitude was rather different...

more, let's see, how should I say...

So, gentlemen,

you have the 132 decoded telegrams,

either sent or received

by the accused.

And these telegrams prove, irrefutably,

that Clarus was one of the organisers,

if not the head of the Resistance.

Therefore, I would like to request

capital punishment against Clarus.

Does the defence

have anything to say?

The court should note

my client's honesty,

for he says,

yes, I sent the telegrams,

yes, I knew about the escape

but I defy anybody to prove

that in the last three months,

he took part

in the Resistance movement.

Here then, is the crucial point

the prosecution must prove.

Otherwise, you should acquit my client,

or, at the very least,

allow for extenuating circumstances.

The Court Martial gives Paul Clarus

the death penalty.

He is to be executed 24 hours

after the ruling.

So, you were killed.

Luckily I was a Verdun war veteran.

Apparently, Marchal Ptain

himself sent a cable

to have my sentence reduced.

Ptain, such sweet irony.

Take note, angel Gabriel.

Yes, they gave me

five years forced labour.

And what of the Resistance?

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