el dorado-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　entirely　pure　aim　had　been　to　free　the　people　of　France　from
the　autocratic　tyranny　of　the　Bourbons；　saw　the　power　go　from
their　clean　hands　to　the　grimy　ones　of　lustful　demagogues；　who
knew　no　law　save　their　own　passions　of　bitter　hatred　against　all
classes　that　were　not　as　self…seeking；　as　ferocious　as　themselves。

It　was　no　longer　a　question　of　a　fight　for　political　and　religious
liberty　only；　but　one　of　class　against　class；　man　against　man；　and
let　the　weaker　look　to　himself。　　The　weaker　had　proved　himself　to
be；　firstly；　the　man　of　property　and　substance；　then　the
law…abiding　citizen；　lastly　the　man　of　action　who　had　obtained　for
the　people　that　very　same　liberty　of　thought　and　of　belief　which
soon　became　so　terribly　misused。

Armand　St。　Just；　one　of　the　apostles　of　liberty；　fraternity；　and
equality；　soon　found　that　the　most　savage　excesses　of　tyranny　were
being　perpetrated　in　the　name　of　those　same　ideals　which　he　had
worshipped。

His　sister　Marguerite；　happily　married　in　England；　was　the　final
temptation　which　caused　him　to　quit　the　country　the　destinies　of
which　he　no　longer　could　help　to　control。　The　spark　of　enthusiasm
which　he　and　the　followers　of　Mirabeau　had　tried　to　kindle　in　the
hearts　of　an　oppressed　people　had　turned　to　raging　tongues　of
unquenchable　flames。　The　taking　of　the　Bastille　had　been　the
prelude　to　the　massacres　of　September；　and　even　the　horror　of
these　had　since　paled　beside　the　holocausts　of　to…day。

Armand；　saved　from　the　swift　vengeance　of　the　revolutionaries　by
the　devotion　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　crossed　over　to　England　and
enrolled　himself　tinder　the　banner　of　the　heroic　chief。　　But　he
had　been　unable　hitherto　to　be　an　active　member　of　the　League。
The　chief　was　loath　to　allow　him　to　run　foolhardy　risks。　　The　St。
Justsboth　Marguerite　and　Armandwere　still　very　well…known　in
Paris。　　Marguerite　was　not　a　woman　easily　forgotten；　and　her
marriage　with　an　English　〃aristo〃　did　not　please　those　republican
circles　who　had　looked　upon　her　as　their　queen。　Armand's　secession
from　his　party　into　the　ranks　of　the　emigres　had　singled　him　out
for　special　reprisals；　if　and　whenever　he　could　be　got　hold　of；
and　both　brother　and　sister　had　an　unusually　bitter　enemy　in　their
cousin　Antoine　St。　Justonce　an　aspirant　to　Marguerite's　hand；
and　now　a　servile　adherent　and　imitator　of　Robespierre；　whose
ferocious　cruelty　he　tried　to　emulate　with　a　view　to　ingratiating
himself　with　the　most　powerful　man　of　the　day。

Nothing　would　have　pleased　Antoine　St。　Just　more　than　the
opportunity　of　showing　his　zeal　and　his　patriotism　by　denouncing
his　own　kith　and　kin　to　the　Tribunal　of　the　Terror；　and　the
Scarlet　Pimpernel；　whose　own　slender　fingers　were　held　on　the
pulse　of　that　reckless　revolution；　had　no　wish　to　sacrifice
Armand's　life　deliberately；　or　even　to　expose　it　to　unnecessary
dangers。

Thus　it　was　that　more　than　a　year　had　gone　by　before　Armand　St。
Justan　enthusiastic　member　of　the　League　of　the　Scarlet
Pimpernelwas　able　to　do　aught　for　its　service。　　He　had　chafed
under　the　enforced　restraint　placed　upon　him　by　the　prudence　of
his　chief；　when；　indeed；　he　was　longing　to　risk　his　life　with　the
comrades　whom　he　loved　and　beside　the　leader　whom　he　revered。

At　last；　in　the　beginning　of　'94　he　persuaded　Blakeney　to　allow
him　to　join　the　next　expedition　to　France。　　What　the　principal　aim
of　that　expedition　was　the　members　of　the　League　did　not　know　as
yet；　but　what　they　did　know　was　that　perilsgraver　even　than
hithertowould　attend　them　on　their　way。

The　circumstances　had　become　very　different　of　late　At　first　the
impenetrable　mystery　which　had　surrounded　the　personality　of　the
chief　had　been　a　full　measure　of　safety；　but　now　one　tiny　corner
of　that　veil　of　mystery　had　been　lifted　by　two　rough　pairs　of
hands　at　least；　Chauvelin；　ex…ambassador　at　the　English　Court；　was
no　longer　in　any　doubt　as　to　the　identity　of　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　whilst　Collot　d'Herbois　had　seen　him　at　Boulogne；　and
had　there　been　effectually　foiled　by　him。

Four　months　had　gone　by　since　that　day；　and　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel
was　hardly　ever　out　of　France　now；　the　massacres　in　Paris　and　in
the　provinces　had　multiplied　with　appalling　rapidity；　the
necessity　for　the　selfless　devotion　of　that　small　band　of　heroes
had　become　daily；　hourly　more　pressing。　　They　rallied　round　their
chief　with　unbounded　enthusiasm；　and　let　it　be　admitted　at　once
that　the　sporting　instinctinherent　in　these　English　gentlemen
made　them　all　the　more　keen；　all　the　more　eager　now　that　the
dangers　which　beset　their　expeditions　were　increased　tenfold。

At　a　word　from　the　beloved　leader；　these　young　menthe　spoilt
darlings　of　societywould　leave　the　gaieties；　the　pleasures；　the
luxuries　of　London　or　of　Bath；　and；　taking　their　lives　tn　their
hands；　they　placed　them；　together　with　their　fortunes；　and　even
their　good　names；　at　the　service　of　the　innocent　and　helpless
victims　of　merciless　tyranny。　　The　married　menFfoulkes；　my　Lord
Hastings；　Sir　Jeremiah　Wallescourtleft　wife　and　children　at　a
call　from　the　chief；　at　the　cry　of　the　wretched。　　Armand
unattached　and　enthusiastichad　the　right　to　demand　that　he
should　no　longer　be　left　behind。

He　had　only　been　away　a　little　over　fifteen　months；　and　yet　he
found　Paris　a　different　city　from　the　one　he　had　left　immediately
after　the　terrible　massacres　of　September。　An　air　of　grim
loneliness　seemed　to　hang　over　her　despite　the　crowds　that
thronged　her　streets；　the　men　whom　he　was　wont　to　meet　in　public
places　fifteen　months　agofriends　and　political　allieswere　no
longer　to　be　seen；　strange　faces　surrounded　him　on　every　side
sullen；　glowering　faces；　all　wearing　a　certain　air　of　horrified
surprise　and　of　vague；　terrified　wonder；　as　if　life　had　become
one　awful　puzzle；　the　answer　to　which　must　be　found　in　the　brief
interval　between　the　swift　passages　of　death。

Armand　St。　Just；　having　settled　his　few　simple　belongings　in　the
squalid　lodgings　which　had　been　assigned　to　him；　had　started　out
after　dark　to　wander　somewhat　aimlessly　through　the　streets。
Instinctively　he　seemed　to　be　searching　for　a　familiar　face；　some
one　who　would　come　to　him　out　of　that　merry　past　which　he　had
spent　with　Marguerite　in　their　pretty　apartment　in　the　Rue　St。
Honore。

For　an　hour　he　wandered　thus　and　met　no　one　whom　he　knew。　At　times
it　appeared　to　him　as　if　he　did　recognise　a　face　or　figure　that
passed　him　swiftly　by　in　the　gloom；　but　even　before　he　could　fully
make　up　his　mind　to　that；　the　face　or　figure　had　already　disappeared；
gliding　furtively　down　some　narrow　unlighted　by…street；　without
turning　to　look　to　right　or　left；　as　if　dreading　fuller　recognition。
Armand　felt　a　total　stranger　in　his　own　native　city。

The　terrible　hours　of　the　execution　on　the　Place　de　la　Revolution
were　fortunately　over；　the　tumbrils　no　longer　rattled　along　the
uneven　pavements；　nor　did　the　death…cry　of　the　unfortunate　victims
resound　through　the　deserted　streets。　　Armand　was；　on　this　first
day　of　his　arrival；　spared　the　sight　of　this　degradation　of　the
once　lovely　city；　but　her　desolation；　her　general　appearance　of
shamefaced　indigence　and　of　cruel　aloofness　struck　a　chill　in　the
young　man's　heart。

It　was　no　wonder；　therefore；　when　anon　he　was　wending　his　way
slowly　back　to　his　lodging　he　was　accosted　by　a　pleasant；　cheerful
voice；　that　he　responded　to　it　with　alacrity。　The　voice；　of　a
smooth；　oily　timbre；　as　if　the　owner　kept　it　well　greased　for
purposes　of　amiable　speech；　was　like　an　echo　of　the　past；　when
jolly；　irresponsible　Baron　de　Batz；　erst…while　officer　of　the
Guard　in　the　service　of　the　late　King；　and　since　then　known　to　be
the　most　inveterate　conspirator　for　the　restoration　of　the
monarchy；　used　to　amuse　Marguerite　by　his　vapid；　senseless　plans
for　the　overthrow　of　the　newly…risen　power　of　the　people。

Armand　was　quite　glad　to　meet　him；　and　when　de　Batz　suggested　that
a　good　talk　over　old　times　would　be　vastly　agreeable；　the　younger
man　gladly　acceded；　The　two　men；　though　certainly　not　mistrustful
of　one　another；　did　not　seem　to　care　to　reveal　to　each　other　the
place　where　they　lodged。　De　Batz　at　once　proposed　the　avant…scene
box　of　one　of　the　theatres　as　being　the　safest　place　where　old
friends　could　talk　without　fear　of　spying　eyes　or　ears。

〃There　is　no　place　so　safe　or　so　private　nowadays；　believe　me；　my
young　friend；〃　he　said　　〃I　have　tried　every　sort　of　nook　and
cranny　in　this　accursed　town；　now　riddled　with　spies；　and　I　have
come　to　the　conclusion　that　a　small　avant…scene　box　is　the　most
perfect　den　of　privacy　there　is　in　the　entire　city。　　The　voices　of
the　actors　on　the　stage　and　the　hum　among　the　audience　in　the
house　will　effectually　drown　all　individual　conversation　to　every
ear　save　the　one　for　whom　it　is　intended。〃

It　is　not　difficult　to　persuade　a　young　man　who　feels　lonely　and
somewhat　forlorn　in　a　large　city　to　while　away　an　evening　in　the
companionship　of　a　cheerful　talker；　and　de　Batz　was　essentially
good　company。　　His　vapourings　had　always　been　amusing；　but　Armand
now　gave　him　credit　for　more　seriousness　of　purpose；　and　though
the　chief　had　warned　him　against　picking　up　acquaintances　in
Paris；　the　young　man　felt　that　that　restriction　would　certainly
not　apply　to　a　man　like　de　Batz；　whose　hot　partisanship　of　the
Royalist　cause　and　hare…brained　schemes　for　its　restoration　must
make　him　at　one　with　the　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。

Armand　accepted　the　other's　cordial　invitation。　　He；　too；　felt
that　he　would　indeed　be　safer　from　observation　in　a　crowded
theatre　than　in　the　streets。　　Among　a　closely　packed　throng　bent
on　amusement　the　sombrely…clad　figure　of　a　young　man；　with　the
appearance　of　a　student　or　of　a　journalist；　would　easily　pass
unperceived。

But　somehow；　after　the　first　ten　minutes　spent　in　de　Batz'　company
within　the　gloomy　shelter　of　the　small　avant…scene　box；　Armand
already　repented　of　the　impulse　which　had　prompted　him　to　come　to
the　theatre　to…night；　and　to　renew　acquaintanceship　with　the
ex…officer　of　the　late　King's　Guard。　　Though　he　knew　de　Batz　to　be
an　ardent　Royalist；　and　even　an　active　adherent　of　the　monarchy；
he　was　soon　conscious　of　a　vague　sense　of　mistrust　of　this
pompous；　self…complacent　individual；　whose　every　utterance
breathed　selfish　aims　rather　than　devotion　to　a　forlorn　cause。

Therefore；　when　the　curtain　rose　at　last　on　the　first　act　of
Moliere's　witty　comedy；　St。　Just　turned　deliberately　towards　the
stage　and　tried　to　interest　himself　in　the　wordy　quarrel　between
Philinte　and　Alceste。

But　this　attitude　on　the　part　of　the　younger　man　did　not　seem　to
suit　his　newly…found　friend。　　It　was　clear　that　de　Batz　did　not
consider　the　topic　of　conversation　by　any　means　exhausted；　and
that　it　had　been　more　with　a　view　to　a　discussion　like　the　present
interrupted　one　that　he　had　invited　St。　Just　to　come　to　the
theatre　with　him　to…night；　rather　than　for　the　purpose　of
witnessing　Mile。　Lange's　debut　in　the　part　of　Celimene。

The　presence　of　St。　Just　in　Paris　had　as　a　matter　of　fact
astonished　de　Batz　not　a　little；　and　had　set　his　intriguing　brain
busy　on　conjectures。　　It　was　in　order　to　turn　these　conjectures
into　certainties　that　he　had　desired　private　talk