el dorado-第20章

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whilst　his　brain　and　heart　fought　their　battles　together；　his
aching　limbs　found　no　repose。

His　love　for　Jeanne！　　His　loyalty　to　the　man　to　whom　he　owed　his
life；　and　to　whom　he　had　sworn　allegiance　and　implicit　obedience！

These　superacute　feelings　seemed　to　be　tearing　at　his　very
heartstrings；　until　he　felt　that　he　could　no　longer　lie　on　the
miserable　palliasse　which　in　these　squalid　lodgings　did　duty　for　a
bed。

He　rose　long　before　daybreak；　with　tired　back　and　burning　eyes；
but　unconscious　of　any　pain　save　that　which　tore　at　his　heart。

The　weather；　fortunately；　was　not　quite　so　colda　sudden　and　very
rapid　thaw　had　set　in；　and　when　after　a　hurried　toilet　Armand；
carrying　a　bundle　under　his　arm；　emerged　into　the　street；　the　mild
south　wind　struck　pleasantly　on　his　face。

It　was　then　pitch　dark。　　The　street　lamps　had　been　extinguished
long　ago；　and　the　feeble　January　sun　had　not　yet　tinged　with　pale
colour　the　heavy　clouds　that　hung　over　the　sky。

The　streets　of　the　great　city　were　absolutely　deserted　at　this
hour。　　It　lay；　peaceful　and　still；　wrapped　in　its　mantle　of　gloom。
A　thin　rain　was　falling；　and　Armand's　feet；　as　he　began　to　descend
the　heights　of　Montmartre；　sank　ankle　deep　in　the　mud　of　the　road。
There　was　but　scanty　attempt　at　pavements　in　this　outlying　quarter
of　the　town；　and　Armand　had　much　ado　to　keep　his　footing　on　the
uneven　and　intermittent　stones　that　did　duty　for　roads　in　these
parts。　　But　this　discomfort　did　not　trouble　him　just　now。　　One
thoughtand　one　alonewas　clear　in　his　mind：　he　must　see　Jeanne
before　he　left　Paris。

He　did　not　pause　to　think　how　he　could　accomplish　that　at　this
hour　of　the　day。　　All　he　knew　was　that　he　must　obey　his　chief；　and
that　he　must　see　Jeanne。　　He　would　see　her；　explain　to　her　that　he
must　leave　Paris　immediately；　and　beg　her　to　make　her　preparations
quickly；　so　that　she　might　meet　him　as　soon　as　maybe；　and
accompany　him　to　England　straight　away。

He　did　not　feel　that　he　was　being　disloyal　by　trying　to　see
Jeanne。　　He　had　thrown　prudence　to　the　winds；　not　realising　that
his　imprudence　would　and　did　jeopardise；　not　only　the　success　of
his　chief's　plans；　but　also　his　life　and　that　of　his　friends。　　He
had　before　parting　from　Hastings　last　night　arranged　to　meet　him
in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Neuilly　Gate　at　seven　o'clock；　it　was
only　six　now。　　There　was　plenty　of　time　for　him　to　rouse　the
concierge　at　the　house　of　the　Square　du　Roule；　to　see　Jeanne　for　a
few　moments；　to　slip　into　Madame　Belhomme's　kitchen；　and　there
into　the　labourer's　clothes　which　he　was　carrying　in　the　bundle
under　his　arm；　and　to　be　at　the　gate　at　the　appointed　hour。

The　Square　du　Roule　is　shut　off　from　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　on　which
it　abuts；　by　tall　iron　gates；　which　a　few　years　ago；　when　the
secluded　little　square　was　a　fashionable　quarter　of　the　city；　used
to　be　kept　closed　at　night；　with　a　watchman　in　uniform　to
intercept　midnight　prowlers。　　Now　these　gates　had　been　rudely　torn
away　from　their　sockets；　the　iron　had　been　sold　for　the　benefit　of
the　ever…empty　Treasury；　and　no　one　cared　if　the　homeless；　the
starving；　or　the　evil…doer　found　shelter　under　the　porticoes　of
the　houses；　from　whence　wealthy　or　aristocratic　owners　had　long
since　thought　it　wise　to　flee。

No　one　challenged　Armand　when　he　turned　into　the　square；　and
though　the　darkness　was　intense；　he　made　his　way　fairly　straight
for　the　house　where　lodged　Mademoiselle　Lange。

So　far　he　had　been　wonderfully　lucky。　　The　foolhardiness　with
which　he　had　exposed　his　life　and　that　of　his　friends　by　wandering
about　the　streets　of　Paris　at　this　hour　without　any　attempt　at
disguise；　though　carrying　one　under　his　arm；　had　not　met　with　the
untoward　fate　which　it　undoubtedly　deserved。　　The　darkness　of　the
night　and　the　thin　sheet　of　rain　as　it　fell　had　effectually
wrapped　his　progress　through　the　lonely　streets　in　their
beneficent　mantle　of　gloom；　the　soft　mud　below　had　drowned　the
echo　of　his　footsteps。　　If　spies　were　on　his　track；　as　Jeanne　had
feared　and　Blakeney　prophesied；　he　had　certainly　succeeded　in
evading　them。

He　pulled　the　concierge's　bell；　and　the　latch　of　the　outer　door；
manipulated　from　within；　duly　sprang　open　in　response。　　He
entered；　and　from　the　lodge　the　concierge's　voice　emerging；
muffled　from　the　depths　of　pillows　and　blankets；　challenged　him
with　an　oath　directed　at　the　unseemliness　of　the　hour。

〃Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　said　Armand　boldly；　as　without　hesitation　he
walked　quickly　past　the　lodge　making　straight　for　the　stairs。

It　seemed　to　him　that　from　the　concierge's　room　loud　vituperations
followed　him；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　these；　only　a　short　flight
of　stairs　and　one　more　door　separated　him　from　Jeanne。

He　did　not　pause　to　think　that　she　would　in　all　probability　be
still　in　bed；　that　he　might　have　some　difficulty　in　rousing　Madame
Belhomme；　that　the　latter　might　not　even　care　to　admit　him；　nor
did　he　reflect　on　the　glaring　imprudence　of　his　actions。　　He
wanted　to　see　Jeanne；　and　she　was　the　other　side　of　that　wall。

〃He；　citizen！　　Hola！　　Here！　　Curse　you！　　Where　are　you？〃　came　in　a
gruff　voice　to　him　from　below。

He　had　mounted　the　stairs；　and　was　now　on　the　landing　just　outside
Jeanne's　door。　　He　pulled　the　bell…handle；　and　heard　the　pleasing
echo　of　the　bell　that　would　presently　wake　Madame　Belhomme　and
bring　her　to　the　door。

〃Citizen！　　Hola！　　Curse　you　for　an　aristo！　　What　are　you　doing
there？〃

The　concierge；　a　stout；　elderly　man；　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　his
feet　thrust　in　slippers；　and　carrying　a　guttering　tallow　candle；
had　appeared　upon　the　landing。

He　held　the　candle　up　so　that　its　feeble　flickering　rays　fell　on
Armand's　pale　face；　and　on　the　damp　cloak　which　fell　away　from　his
shoulders。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　reiterated　the　concierge　with　another
oath　from　his　prolific　vocabulary。

〃As　you　see；　citizen；〃　replied　Armand　politely；　〃I　am　ringing
Mademoiselle　Lange's　front　door　bell。〃

〃At　this　hour　of　the　morning？〃　queried　the　man　with　a　sneer。

〃I　desire　to　see　her。〃

〃Then　you　have　come　to　the　wrong　house；　citizen；〃　said　the
concierge　with　a　rude　laugh。

〃The　wrong　house？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　stammered　Armand；　a　little
bewildered。

〃She　is　not　herequoi！〃　retorted　the　concierge；　who　now　turned
deliberately　on　his　heel。　　〃Go　and　look　for　her；　citizen；　it'll
take　you　some　time　to　find　her。〃

He　shuffled　off　in　the　direction　of　the　stairs。　　Armand　was　vainly
trying　to　shake　himself　free　from　a　sudden；　an　awful　sense　of
horror。

He　gave　another　vigorous　pull　at　the　hell；　then　with　one　bound　he
overtook　the　concierge；　who　was　preparing　to　descend　the　stairs；
and　gripped　him　peremptorily　by　the　arm。

〃Where　is　Mademoiselle　Lange？〃　he　asked。

His　voice　sounded　quite　strange　in　his　own　ear；　his　throat　felt
parched；　and　he　had　to　moisten　his　lips　with　his　tongue　before　he
was　able　to　speak。

〃Arrested；〃　replied　the　man。

〃Arrested？　　When？　　Where？　　How？〃

〃Whenlate　yesterday　evening。　　Where？here　in　her　room。
How？by　the　agents　of　the　Committee　of　General　Security。　　She　and
the　old　woman！　　Basta！　that's　all　I　know。　　Now　I　am　going　back　to
bed；　and　you　clear　out　of　the　house。　　You　are　making　a
disturbance；　and　I　shall　be　reprimanded。　　I　ask　you；　is　this　a
decent　time　for　rousing　honest　patriots　out　of　their　morning
sleep？〃

He　shook　his　arm　free　from　Armand's　grasp　and　once　more　began　to
descend。

Armand　stood　on　the　landing　like　a　man　who　has　been　stunned　by　a
blow　on　the　head。　　His　limbs　were　paralysed。　He　could　not　for　the
moment　have　moved　or　spoken　if　his　life　had　depended　on　a　sign　or
on　a　word。　　His　brain　was　reeling；　and　he　had　to　steady　himself
with　his　hand　against　the　wall　or　he　would　have　fallen　headlong　on
the　floor。　　He　had　lived　in　a　whirl　of　excitement　for　the　past
twenty…four　hours；　his　nerves　during　that　time　had　been　kept　at
straining　point。　　Passion；　joy；　happiness；　deadly　danger；　and
moral　fights　had　worn　his　mental　endurance　threadbare；　want　of
proper　food　and　a　sleepless　night　had　almost　thrown　his　physical
balance　out　of　gear。　　This　blow　came　at　a　moment　when　he　was　least
able　to　bear　it。

Jeanne　had　been　arrested！　　Jeanne　was　in　the　hands　of　those
brutes；　whom　he；　Armand；　had　regarded　yesterday　with
insurmountable　loathing！　　Jeanne　was　in　prisonshe　was
arrestedshe　would　be　tried；　condemned；　and　all　because　of　him！

The　thought　was　so　awful　that　it　brought　him　to　the　verge　of
mania。　　He　watched　as　in　a　dream　the　form　of　the　concierge
shuffling　his　way　down　the　oak　staircase；　his　portly　figure
assumed　Gargantuan　proportions；　the　candle　which　he　carried　looked
like　the　dancing　flames　of　hell；　through　which　grinning　faces；
hideous　and　contortioned；　mocked　at　him　and　leered。

Then　suddenly　everything　was　dark。　　The　light　had　disappeared
round　the　bend　of　the　stairs；　grinning　faces　and　ghoulish　visions
vanished；　he　only　saw　Jeanne；　his　dainty；　exquisite　Jeanne；　in　the
hands　of　those　brutes。　　He　saw　her　as　he　had　seen　a　year　and　a
half　ago　the　victims　of　those　bloodthirsty　wretches　being　dragged
before　a　tribunal　that　was　but　a　mockery　of　justice；　he　heard　the
quick　interrogatory；　and　the　responses　from　her　perfect　lips；　that
exquisite　voice　of　hers　veiled　by　tones　of　anguish。　　He　heard　the
condemnation；　the　rattle　of　the　tumbril　on　the　ill…paved　streets
saw　her　there　with　hands　clasped　together；　her　eyes

Great　God！　he　was　really　going　mad！

Like　a　wild　creature　driven　forth　he　started　to　run　down　the
stairs；　past　the　concierge；　who　was　just　entering　his　lodge；　and
who　now　turned　in　surly　anger　to　watch　this　man　running　away　like
a　lunatic　or　a　fool；　out　by　the　front　door　and　into　the　street。
In　a　moment　he　was　out　of　the　little　square；　then　like　a　hunted
hare　he　still　ran　down　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　along　its　narrow；
interminable　length。　　His　hat　had　fallen　from　his　head；　his　hair
was　wild　all　round　his　face；　the　rain　weighted　the　cloak　upon　his
shoulders；　but　still　he　ran。

His　feet　made　no　noise　on　the　muddy　pavement。　　He　ran　on　and　on；
his　elbows　pressed　to　his　sides；　panting；　quivering；　intent　but
upon　one　thingthe　goal　which　he　had　set　himself　to　reach。

Jeanne　was　arrested。　　He　did　not　know　where　to　look　for　her；　but
he　did　know　whither　he　wanted　to　go　now　as　swiftly　as　his　legs
would　carry　him。

It　was　still　dark；　but　Armand　St。　Just　was　a　born　Parisian；　and　he
knew　every　inch　of　this　quarter；　where　he　and　Marguerite　had　years
ago　lived。　　Down　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of
the　interminably　long　street　at　last。　　He　had　kept　just　a
sufficiency　of　reasonor　was　it　merely　blind　instinct？to　avoid
the　places　where　the　night　patrols　of　the　National　Guard　might　be
on　the　watch。　　He　avoided　the　Place　du　Carrousel；　also　the　quay；
and　struck　sharply　to　his　right　until　he　reached　the　facade　of　St。
Germain　l'Auxerrois。

Another　effort；　round　the　corner；　and　there　was　the　house　at　last。
He　was　like　the　hunted　creature　now　that　has　run　to　earth。　　Up　the
two　flights　of　stone　stairs；　and　then　the　pull　at　the　bell；　a
moment　of　tense　anxiety；　whilst　panting；　gasping；　almost　choked
with　the　sustained　effort　and　the　strain　of　the　past　half…hour；　he
leaned　against　the　wall；　striving　not　to　fa