el dorado-第46章

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Will　you　retake　possession　of　your　lodgings　in　the　Rue　de　la　Croix
Blanche？　　I　should　always　know　then　where　to　find　you　on　an
emergency。　　But　if　at　any　time　you　receive　another　letter　from　me；
be　its　contents　what　they　may；　act　in　accordance　with　the　letter；
and　send　a　copy　of　it　at　once　to　Ffoulkes　or　to　Marguerite。　　Keep
in　close　touch　with　them　both。　　Tell　her　I　so　far　forgave　your
disobedience　（there　was　nothing　more）　that　I　may　yet　trust　my　life
and　mine　honour　in　your　hands。

I　shall　have　no　means　of　ascertaining　definitely　whether　you　will
do　all　that　I　ask；　but　somehow；　Armand；　I　know　that　you　will。



For　the　third　time　Armand　read　the　letter　through。

〃But；　Armand；〃　he　repeated；　murmuring　the　words　softly　tinder　his
breath；　〃I　know　that　you　will。〃

Prompted　by　some　indefinable　instinct；　moved　by　a　force　that
compelled；　he　allowed　himself　to　glide　from　the　chair　on　to　the
floor；　on　to　his　knees。

All　the　pent…up　bitterness；　the　humiliation；　the　shame　of　the　past
few　days；　surged　up　from　his　heart　to　his　lips　in　one　great　cry　of
pain。

〃My　God！〃　he　whispered；　〃give　me　the　chance　of　giving　my　life　for
him。〃

Alone　and　unwatched；　he　gave　himself　over　for　a　few　moments　to　the
almost　voluptuous　delight　of　giving　free　rein　to　his　grief。　　The
hot　Latin　blood　in　him；　tempestuous　in　all　its　passions；　was
firing　his　heart　and　brain　now　with　the　glow　of　devotion　and　of
self…sacrifice。

The　calm；　self…centred　Anglo…Saxon　temperamentthe　almost
fatalistic　acceptance　of　failure　without　reproach　yet　without
despair；　which　Percy's　letter　to　him　had　evidenced　in　so　marked　a
mannerwas；　mayhap；　somewhat　beyond　the　comprehension　of　this
young　enthusiast；　with　pure　Gallic　blood　in　his　veins；　who　was
ever　wont　to　allow　his　most　elemental　passions　to　sway　his　actions。
But　though　he　did　not　altogether　understand；　Armand　St。　Just　could
fully　appreciate。　　All　that　was　noble　and　loyal　in　him　rose
triumphant　from　beneath　the　devastating　ashes　of　his　own　shame。

Soon　his　mood　calmed　down；　his　look　grew　less　wan　and　haggard。
Hearing　Jeanne's　discreet　and　mouselike　steps　in　the　next　room；　he
rose　quickly　and　hid　the　letter　in　the　pocket　of　his　coat。

She　came　in　and　inquired　anxiously　about　Marguerite；　a　hurriedly
expressed　excuse　from　him；　however；　satisfied　her　easily　enough。
She　wanted　to　be　alone　with　Armand；　happy　to　see　that　he　held　his
head　more　erect　to…day；　and　that　the　look　as　of　a　hunted　creature
had　entirely　gone　from　his　eyes。

She　ascribed　this　happy　change　to　Marguerite；　finding　it　in　her
heart　to　be　grateful　to　the　sister　for　having　accomplished　what
the　fiancee　had　failed　to　do。

For　awhile　they　remained　together；　sitting　side　by　side；　speaking
at　times；　but　mostly　silent；　seeming　to　savour　the　return　of
truant　happiness。　　Armand　felt　like　a　sick　man　who　has　obtained　a
sudden　surcease　from　pain。　　He　looked　round　him　with　a　kind　of
melancholy　delight　on　this　room　which　he　had　entered　for　the　first
time　less　than　a　fortnight　ago；　and　which　already　was　so　full　of
memories。

Those　first　hours　spent　at　the　feet　of　Jeanne　Lange；　how　exquisite
they　had　been；　how　fleeting　in　the　perfection　of　their　happiness！
Now　they　seemed　to　belong　to　a　far　distant　past；　evanescent　like
the　perfume　of　violets；　swift　in　their　flight　like　the　winged　steps
of　youth。　　Blakeney's　letter　had　effectually　taken　the　bitter　sting
from　out　his　remorse；　but　it　had　increased　his　already　over…heavy
load　of　inconsolable　sorrow。

Later　in　the　day　he　turned　his　footsteps　in　the　direction　of　the
river；　to　the　house　in　the　Quai　de　la　Ferraille　above　the　saddler's
shop。　　Marguerite　had　returned　alone　from　the　expedition　to　the　Rue
de　Charonne。　　Whilst　Sir　Andrew　took　charge　of　the　little　party　of
fugitives　and　escorted　them　out　of　Paris；　she　came　hack　to　her
lodgings　in　order　to　collect　her　belongings；　preparatory　to　taking
up　her　quarters　in　the　house　of　Lucas；　the　old…clothes　dealer。　　She
returned　also　because　she　hoped　to　see　Armand。

〃If　you　care　to　impart　the　contents　of　the　letter　to　me；　come　to
my　lodgings　to…night；〃　she　had　said。

All　day　a　phantom　had　haunted　her；　the　phantom　of　an　agonising
suspicion。

But　now　the　phantom　had　vanished　never　to　return。　Armand　was
sitting　close　beside　her；　and　he　told　her　that　the　chief　had
selected　him　amongst　all　the　others　to　stand　by　him　inside　the
walls　of　Paris　until　the　last。

〃I　shall　mayhap；〃　thus　closed　that　precious　document；　〃have　no
means　of　ascertaining　definitely　whether　you　will　act　in
accordance　with　this　letter。　　But　somehow；　Armand；　I　know　that　you
will。〃

〃T　know　that　you　will；　Armand；〃　reiterated　Marguerite　fervently。

She　had　only　been　too　eager　to　be　convinced；　the　dread　arid　dark
suspicion　which　had　been　like　a　hideous　poisoned　sting　had　only
vaguely　touched　her　soul；　it　had　not　gone　in　very　deeply。　　How
could　it；　when　in　its　death…dealing　passage　it　encountered　the
rampart　of　tender；　almost　motherly　love？

Armand；　trying　to　read　his　sister's　thoughts　in　the　depths　of　her
blue　eyes；　found　the　look　in　them　limpid　and　clear。　Percy's
message　to　Armand　had　reassured　her　just　as　he　had　intended　that
it　should　do。　Fate　had　dealt　over　harshly　with　her　as　it　was；　and
Blakeney's　remorse　for　the　sorrow　which　he　had　already　caused　her；
was　scarcely　less　keen　than　Armand's。　　He　did　not　wish　her　to　bear
the　intolerable　burden　of　hatred　against　her　brother；　and　by
binding　St。　Just　close　to　him　at　the　supreme　hour　of　danger　he
hoped　to　prove　to　the　woman　whom　he　loved　so　passionately　that
Armand　was　worthy　of　trust。



PART　III
CHAPTER　XXXV
THE　LAST　PHASE

〃Well？　How　is　it　now？〃

〃The　last　phase；　I　think。〃

〃He　will　yield？〃

〃He　must。〃

〃Bah！　you　have　said　it　yourself　often　enough；　those　English　are
tough。〃

〃It　takes　time　to　hack　them　to　pieces；　perhaps。　　In　this　case　even
you；　citizen　Chauvelin；　said　that　it　would　take　time。　　Well；　it
has　taken　just　seventeen　days；　and　now　the　end　is　in　sight。〃

It　was　close　on　midnight　in　the　guard…room　which　gave　on　the
innermost　cell　of　the　Conciergerie。　　Heron　had　just　visited　the
prisoner　as　was　his　wont　at　this　hour　of　the　night。　　He　had
watched　the　changing　of　the　guard；　inspected　the　night…watch；
questioned　the　sergeant　in　charge；　and　finally　he　had　been　on　the
point　of　retiring　to　his　own　new　quarters　in　the　house　of　Justice；
in　the　near　vicinity　of　the　Conciergerie；　when　citizen　Chauvelin
entered　the　guard…room　unexpectedly　and　detained　his　colleague
with　the　peremptory　question：

〃How　is　it　now？〃

〃If　you　are　so　near　the　end；　citizen　Heron；〃　he　now　said；　sinking
his　voice　to　a　whisper；　〃why　not　make　a　final　effort　and　end　it
to…night？〃

〃I　wish　I　could；　the　anxiety　is　wearing　me　out　more　n　him；〃　added
with　a　jerky　movement　of　the　head　in　direction　of　the　inner　cell。

〃Shall　I　try？〃　rejoined　Chauvelin　grimly。

〃Yes；　an　you　wish。〃

Citizen　Heron's　long　limbs　were　sprawling　on　a　guard…room　chair。
In　this　low　narrow　room　he　looked　like　some　giant　whose　body　had
been　carelessly　and　loosely　put　together　by　a　'prentice　hand　in
the　art　of　manufacture。　　His　broad　shoulders　were　bent；　probably
under　the　weight　of　anxiety　to　which　he　had　referred；　and　his
head；　with　the　lank；　shaggy　hair　overshadowing　the　brow；　was　sunk
deep　down　on　his　chest。

Chauvelin　looked　on　his　friend　and　associate　with　no　small　measure
of　contempt。　　He　would　no　doubt　have　preferred　to　conclude　the
present　difficult　transaction　entirely　in　his　own　way　and　alone；
but　equally　there　was　no　doubt　that　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety
did　not　trust　him　quite　so　fully　as　it　used　to　do　before　the
fiasco　at　Calais　and　the　blunders　of　Boulogne。　　Heron；　on　the
other　hand；　enjoyed　to　its　outermost　the　confidence　of　his
colleagues；　his　ferocious　cruelty　and　his　callousness　were　well
known；　whilst　physically；　owing　to　his　great　height　and　bulky　if
loosely　knit　frame；　he　had　a　decided　advantage　over　his　trim　and
slender　friend。

As　far　as　the　bringing　of　prisoners　to　trial　was　concerned；　the
chief　agent　of　the　Committee　of　General　Security　had　been　given　a
perfectly　free　hand　by　the　decree　of　the　27th　Nivose。　　At　first；
therefore；　he　had　experienced　no　difficulty　when　he　desired　to
keep　the　Englishman　in　close　confinement　for　a　time　without
hurrying　on　that　summary　trial　and　condemnation　which　the　populace
had　loudly　demanded；　and　to　which　they　felt　that　they　were
entitled　as　to　a　public　holiday。　　The　death　of　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel　on　the　guillotine　had　been　a　spectacle　promised　by　every
demagogue　who　desired　to　purchase　a　few　votes　by　holding　out
visions　of　pleasant　doings　to　come；　and　during　the　first　few　days
the　mob　of　Paris　was　content　to　enjoy　the　delights　of　expectation。

But　now　seventeen　days　had　gone　by　and　still　the　Englishman　was
not　being　brought　to　trial。　　The　pleasure…loving　public　was　waxing
impatient；　and　earlier　this　evening；　when　citizen　Heron　had　shown
himself　in　the　stalls　of　the　national　theatre；　he　was　greeted　by　a
crowded　audience　with　decided　expressions　of　disapproval　and　open
mutterings　of：

〃What　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel？〃

It　almost　looked　as　if　he　would　have　to　bring　that　accursed
Englishman　to　the　guillotine　without　having　wrested　from　him　the
secret　which　he　would　have　given　a　fortune　to　possess。　　Chauvelin；
who　had　also　been　present　at　the　theatre；　had　heard　the
expressions　of　discontent；　hence　his　visit　to　his　colleague　at
this　late　hour　of　the　night。

〃Shall　I　try？〃　he　had　queried　with　some　impatience；　and　a　deep
sigh　of　satisfaction　escaped　his　thin　lips　when　the　chief　agent；
wearied　and　discouraged；　had　reluctantly　agreed。

〃Let　the　men　make　as　much　noise　as　they　like；〃　he　added　with　an
enigmatical　smile。　〃The　Englishman　and　I　will　want　an
accompaniment　to　our　pleasant　conversation。〃

Heron　growled　a　surly　assent；　and　without　another　word　Chauvelin
turned　towards　the　inner　cell。　　As　he　stepped　in　he　allowed　the
iron　bar　to　fall　into　its　socket　behind　him。　Then　he　went　farther
into　the　room　until　the　distant　recess　was　fully　revealed　to　him。
His　tread　had　been　furtive　and　almost　noiseless。　　Now　he　paused；
for　he　had　caught　sight　the　prisoner。　　For　a　moment　he　stood　quite
still；　with　hands　clasped　behind　his　back　in　his　wonted
attitudestill　save　for　a　strange；　involuntary　twitching　of　his
mouth；　and　the　nervous　clasping　and　interlocking　of　his　fingers
behind　his　back。　　He　was　savouring　to　its　utmost　fulsomeness　the
supremest　joy　which　animal　man　can　ever　knowthe　joy　of　looking
on　a　fallen　enemy。

Blakeney　sat　at　the　table　with　one　arm　resting　on　it；　the
emaciated　hand　tightly　clutched；　the　body　leaning　forward；　the
eyes　looking　into　nothingness。

For　the　moment　he　was　unconscious　of　Chauvelin's　presence；　and　the
latter　could　gaze　on　him　to　the　full　content　of　his　heart。

Indeed；　to　all　outward　appearances　there　sat　a　man　whom　privations
of　every　sort　and　kind；　the　want　of　fresh　air；　of　proper　food；
above　all；　of　rest；　had　worn　down　physically　to　a　shadow。　There
was　not　a　particle　of　colour　in　cheeks　or　lips；　the　skin　was　grey
in　hue；　the　eyes　looked　like　deep　caverns；　wherein　the　glow　of
fever　was　all　that　was　left　of　life。

Chauvelin　looked　on　in　silence；　vaguely　stirr