el dorado-第31章

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presumed　civil　status　and　occupation。　　But　there　was　a　margin　of
twenty…four　hours；　which　could　on　pressure　be　extended　to
forty…eight；　and；　therefore；　any　one　could　obtain　shelter　for
forty…eight　hours；　and　have　no　questions　asked；　provided　he　or　she
was　willing　to　pay　the　exorbitant　sum　usually　asked　under　the
circumstances。

Thus　Blakeney　had　no　difficulty　in　securing　what　lodgings　he
wanted　when　he　once　more　found　himself　inside　Paris　at　somewhere
about　noon　of　that　same　Monday。

The　thought　of　Hastings　and　Tony　speeding　on　towards　Mantes　with
the　royal　child　safely　held　in　Hastings'　arms　had　kept　his　spirits
buoyant　and　caused　him　for　a　while　to　forget　the　terrible　peril　in
which　Armand　St。　Just's　thoughtless　egoism　had　placed　them　both。

Blakeney　was　a　man　of　abnormal　physique　and　iron　nerve；　else　he
could　never　have　endured　the　fatigues　of　the　past　twenty…four
hours；　from　the　moment　when　on　the　Sunday　afternoon　he　began　to
play　his　part　of　furniture…remover　at　the　Temple；　to　that　when　at
last　on　Monday　at　noon　he　succeeded　in　persuading　the　sergeant　at
the　Maillot　gate　that　he　was　an　honest　stonemason　residing　at
Neuilly；　who　was　come　to　Paris　in　search　of　work。

After　that　matters　became　more　simple。　　Terribly　foot…sore；　though
he　would　never　have　admitted　it；　hungry　and　weary；　he　turned　into
an　unpretentious　eating…house　and　ordered　some　dinner。　　The　place
when　he　entered　was　occupied　mostly　by　labourers　and　workmen；
dressed　very　much　as　he　was　himself；　and　quite　as　grimy　as　he　had
become　after　having　driven　about　for　hours　in　a　laundry…cart　and
in　a　coal…cart；　and　having　walked　twelve　kilometres；　some　of　which
he　had　covered　whilst　carrying　a　sleeping　child　in　his　arms。

Thus；　Sir　Percy　Blakeney；　Bart。；　the　friend　and　companion　of　the
Prince　of　Wales；　the　most　fastidious　fop　the　salons　of　London　and
Bath　had　ever　seen；　was　in　no　way　distinguishable　outwardly　from
the　tattered；　half…starved；　dirty；　and　out…at…elbows　products　of
this　fraternising　and　equalising　Republic。

He　was　so　hungry　that　the　ill…cooked；　badly…served　meal　tempted
him　to　eat；　and　he　ate　on　in　silence；　seemingly　more　interested　in
boiled　beef　than　in　the　conversation　that　went　on　around　him。　　But
he　would　not　have　been　the　keen　and　daring　adventurer　that　he　was
if　he　did　not　all　the　while　keep　his　ears　open　for　any　fragment　of
news　that　the　desultory　talk　of　his　fellow…diners　was　likely　to
yield　to　him。

Politics　were；　of　course；　discussed；　the　tyranny　of　the　sections；
the　slavery　that　this　free　Republic　had　brought　on　its　citizens。
The　names　of　the　chief　personages　of　the　day　were　all　mentioned　in
turns　Focquier…Tinville；　Santerre；　Danton；　Robespierre。　　Heron　and
his　sleuth…hounds　were　spoken　of　with　execrations　quickly
suppressed；　but　of　little　Capet　not　one　word。

Blakeney　could　not　help　but　infer　that　Chauvelin；　Heron　and　the
commissaries　in　charge　were　keeping　the　escape　of　the　child　a
secret　for　as　long　as　they　could。

He　could　hear　nothing　of　Armand's　fate；　of　course。　The　arrestif
arrest　there　had　beenwas　not　like　to　be　bruited　abroad　just　now。
Blakeney　having　last　seen　Armand　in　Chauvelin's　company；　whilst　he
himself　was　moving　the　Simons'　furniture；　could　not　for　a　moment
doubt　that　the　young　man　was　imprisoned；unless；　indeed；　he　was
being　allowed　a　certain　measure　of　freedom；　whilst　his　every　step
was　being　spied　on；　so　that　he　might　act　as　a　decoy　for　his　chief。

At　thought　of　that　all　weariness　seemed　to　vanish　from　Blakeney's
powerful　frame。　　He　set　his　lips　firmly　together；　and　once　again
the　light　of　irresponsible　gaiety　danced　in　his　eyes。

He　had　been　in　as　tight　a　corner　as　this　before　now；　at　Boulogne
his　beautiful　Marguerite　had　been　used　as　a　decoy；　and　twenty…four
hours　later　he　had　held　her　in　his　arms　on　board　his　yacht　the
Day…Dream。　　As　he　would　have　put　it　in　his　own　forcible
language：

〃Those　dd　murderers　have　not　got　me　yet。〃

The　battle　mayhap　would　this　time　be　against　greater　odds　than
before；　but　Blakeney　had　no　fear　that　they　would　prove
overwhelming。

There　was　in　life　but　one　odd　that　was　overwhelming；　and　that　was
treachery。

But　of　that　there　could　be　no　question。

In　the　afternoon　Blakeney　started　off　in　search　of　lodgings　for
the　night。　　He　found　what　would　suit　him　in　the　Rue　de　l'Arcade；
which　was　equally　far　from　the　House　of　Justice　as　it　was　from　his
former　lodgings。　　Here　he　would　be　safe　for　at　least　twenty…four
hours；　after　which　he　might　have　to　shift　again。　　But　for　the
moment　the　landlord　of　the　miserable　apartment　was　over…willing　to
make　no　fuss　and　ask　no　questions；　for　the　sake　of　the　money　which
this　aristo　in　disguise　dispensed　with　a　lavish　hand。

Having　taken　possession　of　his　new　quarters　and　snatched　a　few
hours　of　sound；　well…deserved　rest；　until　the　time　when　the　shades
of　evening　and　the　darkness　of　the　streets　would　make　progress
through　the　city　somewhat　more　safe；　Blakeney　sallied　forth　at
about　six　o'clock　having　a　threefold　object　in　view。

Primarily；　of　course；　the　threefold　object　was　concentrated　on
Armand。　　There　was　the　possibility　of　finding　out　at　the　young
man's　lodgings　in　Montmartre　what　had　become　of　him；　then　there
were　the　usual　inquiries　that　could　be　made　from　the　registers　of
the　various　prisons；　and；　thirdly；　there　was　the　chance　that
Armand　had　succeeded　in　sending　some　kind　of　message　to　Blakeney's
former　lodgings　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois。

On　the　whole；　Sir　Percy　decided　to　leave　the　prison　registers
alone　for　the　present。　　If　Armand　had　been　actually　arrested；　he
would　almost　certainly　be　confined　in　the　Chatelet　prison；　where
he　would　be　closer　to　hand　for　all　the　interrogatories　to　which；
no　doubt；　he　would　be　subjected。

Blakeney　set　his　teeth　and　murmured　a　good；　sound；　British　oath
when　he　thought　of　those　interrogatories。　Armand　St。　Just；　highly
strung；　a　dreamer　and　a　bundle　of　nerveshow　he　would　suffer
under　the　mental　rack　of　questions　and　cross…questions；
cleverly…laid　traps　to　catch　information　from　him　unawares！

His　next　objective；　then；　was　Armand's　former　lodging；　and　from
six　o'clock　until　close　upon　eight　Sir　Percy　haunted　the　slopes　of
Montmartre；　and　more　especially　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Rue　de　la
Croix　Blanche；　where　Armand　had　lodged　these　former　days。　　At　the
house　itself　he　could　not　inquire　as　yet；　obviously　it　would　not
have　been　safe；　tomorrow；　perhaps；　when　he　knew　more；　but　not
tonight。　　His　keen　eyes　had　already　spied　at　least　two　figures
clothed　in　the　rags　of　out…of…work　labourers　like　himself；　who　had
hung　with　suspicious　persistence　in　this　same　neighbourhood；　and
who　during　the　two　hours　that　he　had　been　in　observation　had　never
strayed　out　of　sight　of　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　la　Croix　Blanche。

That　these　were　two　spies　on　the　watch　was；　of　course；　obvious；
but　whether　they　were　on　the　watch　for　St。　Just　or　for　some　other
unfortunate　wretch　it　was　at　this　stage　impossible　to　conjecture。

Then；　as　from　the　Tour　des　Dames　close　by　the　clock　solemnly
struck　the　hour　of　eight；　and　Blakeney　prepared　to　wend　his　way
back　to　another　part　of　the　city；　he　suddenly　saw　Armand　walking
slowly　up　the　street。

The　young　man　did　not　look　either　to　right　or　left；　he　held　his
head　forward　on　his　chest；　and　his　hands　were　hidden　underneath
his　cloak。　　When　he　passed　immediately　under　one　of　the　street
lamps　Blakeney　caught　sight　of　his　face；　it　was　pale　and　drawn。
Then　he　turned　his　head；　and　for　the　space　of　two　seconds　his　eyes
across　the　narrow　street　encountered　those　of　his　chief。　　He　had
the　presence　of　mind　not　to　make　a　sign　or　to　utter　a　sound；　he
was　obviously　being　followed；　but　in　that　brief　moment　Sir　Percy
had　seen　in　the　young　man's　eyes　a　look　that　reminded　him　of　a
hunted　creature。

〃What　have　those　brutes　been　up　to　with　him；　I　wonder？〃　he
muttered　between　clenched　teeth。

Armand　soon　disappeared　under　the　doorway　of　the　same　house　where
he　had　been　lodging　all　along。　　Even　as　he　did　so　Blakeney　saw　the
two　spies　gather　together　like　a　pair　of　slimy　lizards；　and
whisper　excitedly　one　to　another。　　A　third　man；　who　obviously　had
been　dogging　Armand's　footsteps；　came　up　and　joined　them　after　a
while。

Blakeney　could　have　sworn　loudly　and　lustily；　had　it　been　possible
to　do　so　without　attracting　attention。　　The　whole　of　Armand's
history　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours　was　perfectly　clear　to　him。
The　young　man　had　been　made　free　that　he　might　prove　a　decoy　for
more　important　game。

His　every　step　was　being　watched；　and　he　still　thought　Jeanne
Lange　in　immediate　danger　of　death。　　The　look　of　despair　in　his
face　proclaimed　these　two　facts；　and　Blakeney's　heart　ached　for
the　mental　torture　which　his　friend　was　enduring。　　He　longed　to
let　Armand　know　that　the　woman　he　loved　was　in　comparative　safety。

Jeanne　Lange　first；　and　then　Armand　himself；　and　the　odds　would　be
very　heavy　against　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel！　But　that　Marguerite
should　not　have　to　mourn　an　only　brother；　of　that　Sir　Percy　made
oath。

He　now　turned　his　steps　towards　his　own　former　lodgings　by　St。
Germain　l'Auxerrois。　　It　was　just　possible　that　Armand　had
succeeded　in　leaving　a　message　there　for　him。　It　was；　of　course；
equally　possible　that　when　he　did　so　Heron's　men　had　watched　his
movements；　and　that　spies　would　be　stationed　there；　too；　on　the
watch。

But　that　risk　must；　of　course；　be　run。　　Blakeney's　former　lodging
was　the　one　place　that　Armand　would　know　of　to　which　he　could　send
a　message　to　his　chief；　if　he　wanted　to　do　so。　　Of　course；　the
unfortunate　young　man　could　not　have　known　until　just　now　that
Percy　would　come　back　to　Paris；　but　he　might　guess　it；　or　wish　it；
or　only　vaguely　hope　for　it；　he　might　want　to　send　a　message；　he
might　long　to　communicate　with　his　brother…in…law；　and；　perhaps；
feel　sure　that　the　latter　would　not　leave　him　in　the　lurch。

With　that　thought　in　his　mind；　Sir　Percy　was　not　likely　to　give　up
the　attempt　to　ascertain　for　himself　whether　Armand　had　tried　to
communicate　with　him　or　not。　　As　for　spieswell；　he　had　dodged
some　of　them　often　enough　in　his　timethe　risks　that　he　ran
to…night　were　no　worse　than　the　ones　to　which　he　had　so
successfully　run　counter　in　the　Temple　yesterday。

Still　keeping　up　the　slouchy　gait　peculiar　to　the　out…at…elbows
working　man　of　the　day；　hugging　the　houses　as　he　walked　along　the
streets；　Blakeney　made　slow　progress　across　the　city。　　But　at　last
he　reached　the　facade　of　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　and　turning
sharply　to　his　right　he　soon　came　in　sight　of　the　house　which　he
had　only　quitted　twenty…four　hours　ago。

We　all　know　that　houseall　of　us　who　are　familiar　with　the　Paris
of　those　terrible　days。　　It　stands　　quite　detacheda　vast
quadrangle；　facing　the　Quai　de　l'Ecole　and　the　river；　backing　on
the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　and　shouldering　the　Carrefour　des
Trois　Manes。　　The　porte…cochere；　so…called；　is　but　a　narrow
doorway；　and　is　actually　situated　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois。

Blakeney　made　his　way　cautiously　right　round　the　house；　he　peered
up　and　down　the　quay；　and　his　keen　eyes　tried　to　pierce　the　dense
gloom　that　hung　at　the　corners　of　the　Pont　Neuf　immediately
Opposite。　Soon　he　assured　hims