el dorado-第16章

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charming　old…world　boudoir　by　his　loathsome　presence。　　He　recalled
every　word　she　uttered；　every　gesture　she　made。

He　was　a　man　in　love　for　the　first　timewholly；　irremediably　in
love。

I　suppose　that　it　was　the　pangs　of　hunger　that　first　recalled　him
to　himself。　　It　was　close　on　eight　o'clock　now；　and　he　had　fed　on
his　imaginingsfirst　on　anticipation；　then　on　realisation；　and
lastly　on　memoryduring　the　best　part　of　the　day。　　Now　he　awoke
from　his　day…dream　to　find　himself　tired　and　hungry；　hut
fortunately　not　very　far　from　that　quarter　of　Paris　where　food　is
easily　obtainable。

He　was　somewhere　near　the　Madeleinea　quarter　he　knew　well。　　Soon
he　saw　in　front　of　him　a　small　eating…house　which　looked　fairly
clean　and　orderly。　　He　pushed　open　its　swing…door；　and　seeing　an
empty　table　in　a　secluded　part　of　the　room；　he　sat　down　and
ordered　some　supper。

The　place　made　no　impression　upon　his　memory。　　He　could　not　have
told　you　an　hour　later　where　it　was　situated；　who　had　served　him；
what　he　had　eaten；　or　what　other　persons　were　present　in　the
dining…room　at　the　time　that　he　himself　entered　it。

Having　eaten；　however；　he　felt　more　like　his　normal　selfmore
conscious　of　his　actions。　　When　he　finally　left　the　eating…house；
he　realised；　for　instance；　that　it　was　very　colda　fact　of　which
he　had　for　the　past　few　hours　been　totally　unaware。　　The　snow　was
falling　in　thin　close　flakes；　and　a　biting　north…easterly　wind　was
blowing　those　flakes　into　his　face　and　down　his　collar。　　He
wrapped　his　cloak　tightly　around　him。　　It　was　a　good　step　yet　to
Blakeney's　lodgings；　where　he　knew　that　he　was　expected。

He　struck　quickly　into　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　avoiding　the　great　open
places　where　the　grim　horrors　of　this　magnificent　city　in　revolt
against　civilisation　were　displayed　in　all　their　grim
nakednesson　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　the　guillotine；　on　the
Carrousel　the　open…air　camps　of　workers　under　the　lash　of
slave…drivers　more　cruel　than　the　uncivilised　brutes　of　the　Far
West。

And　Armand　had　to　think　of　Jeanne　in　the　midst　of　all　these
horrors。　　She　was　still　a　petted　actress　to…day；　but　who　could
tell　if　on　the　morrow　the　terrible　law　of　the　〃suspect〃　would　not
reach　her　in　order　to　drag　her　before　a　tribunal　that　knew　no
mercy；　and　whose　sole　justice　was　a　condemnation？

The　young　man　hurried　on；　he　was　anxious　to　be　among　his　own
comrades；　to　hear　his　chief's　pleasant　voice；　to　feel　assured　that
by　all　the　sacred　laws　of　friendship　Jeanne　henceforth　would
become　the　special　care　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　and　his　league。

Blakeney　lodged　in　a　small　house　situated　on　the　Quai　de　l'Ecole；
at　the　back　of　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　from　whence　he　had　a　clear
and　uninterrupted　view　across　the　river；　as　far　as　the　irregular
block　of　buildings　of　the　Chatelet　prison　and　the　house　of
Justice。

The　same　tower…clock　that　two　centuries　ago　had　tolled　the　signal
for　the　massacre　of　the　Huguenots　was　even　now　striking　nine。
Armand　slipped　through　the　half…open　porte　cochere；　crossed　the
narrow　dark　courtyard；　and　ran　up　two　flights　of　winding　stone
stairs。　　At　the　top　of　these；　a　door　on　his　right　allowed　a　thin
streak　of　light　to　filtrate　between　its　two　folds。　　An　iron　bell
handle　hung　beside　it；　Armand　gave　it　a　pull。

Two　minutes　later　he　was　amongst　his　friends。　　He　heaved　a　great
sigh　of　content　and　relief。　　The　very　atmosphere　here　seemed　to　be
different。　　As　far　as　the　lodging　itself　was　concerned；　it　was　as
bare；　as　devoid　of　comfort　as　those　sort　of　placesso…called
chambres　garniesusually　were　in　these　days。　　The　chairs　looked
rickety　and　uninviting；　the　sofa　was　of　black　horsehair；　the
carpet　was　threadbare；　and　in　places　in　actual　holes；　but　there
was　a　certain　something　in　the　air　which　revealed；　in　the　midst　of
all　this　squalor；　the　presence　of　a　man　of　fastidious　taste。

To　begin　with；　the　place　was　spotlessly　clean；　the　stove；　highly
polished；　gave　forth　a　pleasing　warm　glow；　even　whilst　the　window；
slightly　open；　allowed　a　modicum　of　fresh　air　to　enter　the　room。
In　a　rough　earthenware　jug　on　the　table　stood　a　large　bunch　of
Christmas　roses；　and　to　the　educated　nostril　the　slight　scent　of
perfumes　that　hovered　in　the　air　was　doubly　pleasing　after　the
fetid　air　of　the　narrow　streets。

Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　was　there；　also　my　Lord　Tony；　and　Lord
Hastings。　　They　greeted　Armand　with　whole…hearted　cheeriness。

〃Where　is　Blakeney？〃　asked　the　young　man　as　soon　as　he　had　shaken
his　friends　by　the　hand。

〃Present！〃　came　in　loud；　pleasant　accents　from　the　door　of　an
inner　room　on　the　right。

And　there　he　stood　under　the　lintel　of　the　door；　the　man　against
whom　was　raised　the　giant　hand　of　an　entire　nationthe　man　for
whose　head　the　revolutionary　government　of　France　would　gladly　pay
out　all　the　savings　of　its　Treasurythe　man　whom　human
bloodhounds　were　tracking；　hot　on　the　scentfor　whom　the　nets　of
a　bitter　revenge　and　relentless　reprisals　were　constantly　being
spread。

Was　he　unconscious　of　it；　or　merely　careless？　His　closest　friend；
Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　could　not　say。　　Certain　it　is　that；　as　he　now
appeared　before　Armand；　picturesque　as　ever　in　perfectly　tailored
clothes；　with　priceless　lace　at　throat　and　wrists；　his　slender
fingers　holding　an　enamelled　snuff…box　and　a　handkerchief　of
delicate　cambric；　his　whole　personality　that　of　a　dandy　rather
than　a　man　of　action；　it　seemed　impossible　to　connect　him　with　the
foolhardy　escapades　which　had　set　one　nation　glowing　with
enthusiasm　and　another　clamouring　for　revenge。

But　it　was　the　magnetism　that　emanated　from　him　that　could　not　be
denied；　the　light　that　now　and　then；　swift　as　summer　lightning；
flashed　out　from　the　depths　of　the　blue　eyes　usually　veiled　by
heavy；　lazy　lids；　the　sudden　tightening　of　firm　lips；　the　setting
of　the　square　jaw；　which　in　a　momentbut　only　for　the　space　of　a
secondtransformed　the　entire　face；　and　revealed　the　born　leader
of　men。

Just　now　there　was　none　of　that　in　the　debonnair；　easy…going　man
of　the　world　who　advanced　to　meet　his　friend。　Armand　went　quickly
up　to　him；　glad　to　grasp　his　hand；　slightly　troubled　with　remorse；
no　doubt；　at　the　recollection　of　his　adventure　of　to…day。　　It
almost　seemed　to　him　that　from　beneath　his　half…closed　lids
Blakeney　had　shot　a　quick　inquiring　glance　upon　him。　　The　quick
flash　seemed　to　light　up　the　young　man's　soul　from　within；　and　to
reveal　it；　naked；　to　his　friend。

It　was　all　over　in　a　moment；　and　Armand　thought　that　mayhap　his
conscience　had　played　him　a　trick：　there　was　nothing　apparent　in
himof　this　he　was　surethat　could　possibly　divulge　his　secret
just　yet。

〃I　am　rather　late；　I　fear；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wandered　about　the
streets　in　the　late　afternoon　and　lost　my　way　in　the　dark。　I　hope
I　have　not　kept　you　all　waiting。〃

They　all　pulled　chairs　closely　round　the　fire；　except　Blakeney；
who　preferred　to　stand。　　He　waited　awhile　until　they　were　all
comfortably　settled；　and　all　ready　to　listen；　then：

〃It　is　about　the　Dauphin；〃　he　said　abruptly　without　further
preamble。

They　understood。　　All　of　them　had　guessed　it；　almost　before　the
summons　came　that　had　brought　them　to　Paris　two　days　ago。　　Sir
Andrew　Ffoulkes　had　left　his　young　wife　because　of　that；　and
Armand　had　demanded　it　as　a　right　to　join　hands　in　this　noble
work。　　Blakeney　had　not　left　France　for　over　three　months　now。
Backwards　and　forwards　between　Paris；　or　Nantes；　or　Orleans　to　the
coast；　where　his　friends　would　meet　him　to　receive　those
unfortunates　whom　one　man's　whole…hearted　devotion　had　rescued
from　death；　backwards　and　forwards　into　the　very　hearts　of　those
cities　wherein　an　army　of　sleuth…hounds　were　on　his　track；　and　the
guillotine　was　stretching　out　her　arms　to　catch　the　foolhardy
adventurer。

Now　it　was　about　the　Dauphin。　　They　all　waited；　breathless　and
eager；　the　fire　of　a　noble　enthusiasm　burning　in　their　hearts。
They　waited　in　silence；　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　leader；　lest　one
single　word　from　him　should　fail　to　reach　their　ears。

The　full　magnetism　of　the　man　was　apparent　now。　　As　he　held　these
four　men　at　this　moment；　he　could　have　held　a　crowd。　　The　man　of
the　worldthe　fastidious　dandyhad　shed　his　mask；　there　stood
the　leader；　calm；　serene　in　the　very　face　of　the　most　deadly
danger　that　had　ever　encompassed　any　man；　looking　that　danger
fully　in　the　face；　not　striving　to　belittle　it　or　to　exaggerate
it；　but　weighing　it　in　the　balance　with　what　there　was　to
accomplish：　the　rescue　of　a　martyred；　innocent　child　from　the
hands　of　fiends　who　were　destroying　his　very　soul　even　more
completely　than　his　body。

〃Everything；　I　think；　is　prepared；〃　resumed　Sir　Percy　after　a
slight　pause。　　〃The　Simons　have　been　summarily　dismissed；　I
learned　that　to…day。　　They　remove　from　the　Temple　on　Sunday　next；
the　nineteenth。　　Obviously　that　is　the　one　day　most　likely　to　help
us　in　our　operations。　　As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　cannot　make　any
hard…and…fast　plans。　　Chance　at　the　last　moment　will　have　to
dictate。　　But　from　every　one　of　you　I　must　have　co…operation；　and
it　can　only　be　by　your　following　my　directions　implicitly　that　we
can　even　remotely　hope　to　succeed。〃

He　crossed　and　recrossed　the　room　once　or　twice　before　he　spoke
again；　pausing　now　and　again　in　his　walk　in　front　of　a　large　map
of　Paris　and　its　environs　that　hung　upon　the　wall；　his　tall　figure
erect；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　his　eyes　fixed　before　him　as　if
he　saw　right　through　the　walls　of　this　squalid　room；　and　across
the　darkness　that　overhung　the　city；　through　the　grim　bastions　of
the　mighty　building　far　away；　where　the　descendant　of　an　hundred
kings　lived　at　the　mercy　of　human　fiends　who　worked　for　his
abasement。

The　man's　face　now　was　that　of　a　seer　and　a　visionary；　the　firm
lines　were　set　and　rigid　as　those　of　an　image　carved　in　stonethe
statue　of　heart…whole　devotion；　with　the　self…imposed　task
beckoning　sternly　to　follow；　there　where　lurked　danger　and　death。

〃The　way；　I　think；　in　which　we　could　best　succeed　would　be　this；〃
he　resumed　after　a　while；　sitting　now　on　the　edge　of　the　table　and
directly　facing　his　four　friends。　　The　light　from　the　lamp　which
stood　upon　the　table　behind　him　fell　full　upon　those　four　glowing
faces　fixed　eagerly　upon　him；　but　he　himself　was　in　shadow；　a
massive　silhouette　broadly　cut　out　against　the　light…coloured　map
on　the　wall　beyond。

〃I　remain　here；　of　course；　until　Sunday；〃　he　said；　〃and　will
closely　watch　my　opportunity；　when　I　can　with　the　greatest　amount
of　safety　enter　the　Temple　building　and　take　possession　of　the
child。　　I　shall；　of　course　choose　the　moment　when　the　Simons　are
actually　on　the　move；　with　their　successors　probably　coming　in　at
about　the　same　time。　　God　alone　knows；〃　he　added　earnestly；　〃how　I
shall　contrive　to　get　possession　of　the　child；　at　the　moment　I　am
just　as　much　in　the　dark　about　that　as　you　are。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　and　suddenly　his　grave　face　seemed　flooded
with　sunshine；　a　kind　of　lazy　merriment　danced　in　his　eyes；
effacing　all　trace　of　solemnity　within　them。

〃La！〃　he　said　lightly；　〃on　one　point　I　am　not　at　all　in　the　dark；
and　that　is　that　His　Majesty　King　Louis　XVII　will　come　out　of　that
ugly　house　in　my　company　next　Sunday；　the　nineteenth　day　of
Januar