el dorado-第52章

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〃Take　care；　M。　Chambertin；〃　said　Blakeney　lightly；　〃it　will　burn　a
hole　in　that　elegant　vest　of　yours。〃

〃It　will　have　no　time　to　do　that；　Sir　Percy；〃　retorted　Chauvelin
blandly；　〃an　you　will　furnish　me　with　citizen　St。　Just's　present
address；　I　will　myself　convey　the　letter　to　him　at　once。〃

〃At　this　hour　of　the　night？　　Poor　old　Armand；　he'll　be　abed。　　But
his　address；　sir；　is　No。　32；　Rue　de　la　Croix　Blanche；　on　the　first
floor；　the　door　on　your　right　as　you　mount　the　stairs；　you　know
the　room　well；　citizen　Chauvelin；　you　have　been　in　it　before。　　And
now；〃　he　added　with　a　loud　and　ostentatious　yawn；　〃shall　we　all　to
bed？　　We　start　at　dawn；　you　said；　and　I　am　so　dd　fatigued。〃

Frankly；　he　did　not　look　it　now。　　Chauvelin　himself；　despite　his
matured　plans；　despite　all　the　precautions　that　be　meant　to　take
for　the　success　of　this　gigantic　scheme；　felt　a　sudden　strange
sense　of　fear　creeping　into　his　bones。　　Half　an　hour　ago　he　had
seen　a　man　in　what　looked　like　the　last　stage　of　utter　physical
exhaustion；　a　hunched　up　figure；　listless　and　limp；　hands　that
twitched　nervously；　the　face　as　of　a　dying　man。　　Now　those　outward
symptoms　were　still　there　certainly；　the　face　by　the　light　of　the
lamp　still　looked　livid；　the　lips　bloodless；　the　hands　emaciated
and　waxen；　but　the　eyes！they　were　still　hollow；　with　heavy　lids
still　purple；　but　in　their　depths　there　was　a　curious；　mysterious
light；　a　look　that　seemed　to　see　something　that　was　hidden　to
natural　sight。

Citizen　Chauvelin　thought　that　Heron；　too；　must　be　conscious　of
this；　but　the　Committee's　agent　was　sprawling　on　a　chair；　sucking
a　short…stemmed　pipe；　and　gazing　with　entire　animal　satisfaction
on　the　prisoner。

〃The　most　perfect　piece　of　work　we　have　ever　accomplished；　you　and
I；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　said　complacently。

〃You　think　that　everything　is　quite　satisfactory？〃　asked　the　other
with　anxious　stress　on　his　words。

〃Everything；　of　course。　　Now　you　see　to　the　letter。　　I　will　give
final　orders　for　to…morrow；　but　I　shall　sleep　in　the　guard…room。〃

〃And　I　on　that　inviting　bed；〃　interposed　the　prisoner　lightly；　as
he　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Your　servant；　citizens！〃

He　bowed　his　head　slightly；　and　stood　by　the　table　whilst　the　two
men　prepared　to　go。　　Chauvelin　took　a　final　long　look　at　the　man
whom　he　firmly　believed　he　had　at　last　brought　down　to　abject
disgrace。

Blakeney　was　standing　erect；　watching　the　two　retreating　figures
one　slender　hand　was　on　the　table。　　Chauvelin　saw　that　it　was
leaning　rather　heavily；　as　if　for　support；　and　that　even　whilst　a
final　mocking　laugh　sped　him　and　his　colleague　on　their　way；　the
tall　figure　of　the　conquered　lion　swayed　like　a　stalwart　oak　that
is　forced　to　bend　to　the　mighty　fury　of　an　all…compelling　wind。

With　a　sigh　of　content　Chauvelin　took　his　colleague　by　the　arm；
and　together　the　two　men　walked　out　of　the　cell。



CHAPTER　XXXIX
KILL　HIM！

Two　hours　after　midnight　Armand　St。　Just　was　wakened　from　sleep　by
a　peremptory　pull　at　his　hell。　　In　these　days　in　Paris　but　one
meaning　could　as　a　rule　be　attached　to　such　a　summons　at　this　hour
of　the　night；　and　Armand；　though　possessed　of　an　unconditional
certificate　of　safety；　sat　up　in　bed；　quite　convinced　that　for
some　reason　which　would　presently　be　explained　to　him　he　had　once
more　been　placed　on　the　list　of　the　〃suspect；〃　and　that　his　trial
and　condemnation　on　a　trumped…up　charge　would　follow　in　due　course。

Truth　to　tell；　he　felt　no　fear　at　the　prospect；　and　only　a　very
little　sorrow。　　The　sorrow　was　not　for　himself；　he　regretted
neither　life　nor　happiness。　　Life　had　become　hateful　to　him　since
happiness　had　fled　with　it　on　the　dark　wings　of　dishonour；　sorrow
such　as　he　felt　was　only　for　Jeanne！　　She　was　very　young；　and
would　weep　bitter　tears。　She　would　be　unhappy；　because　she　truly
loved　him；　and　because　this　would　be　the　first　cup　of　bitterness
which　life　was　holding　out　to　her。　　But　she　was　very　young；　and
sorrow　would　not　be　eternal。　　It　was　better　so。　　He；　Armand　St。
Just；　though　he　loved　her　with　an　intensity　of　passion　that　had
been　magnified　and　strengthened　by　his　own　overwhelming　shame；　had
never　really　brought　his　beloved　one　single　moment　of　unalloyed
happiness。

From　the　very　first　day　when　he　sat　beside　her　in　the　tiny　boudoir
of　the　Square　du　Roule；　and　the　heavy　foot　fall　of　Heron　and　his
bloodhounds　broke　in　on　their　first　kiss；　down　to　this　hour　which
he　believed　struck　his　own　death…knell；　his　love　for　her　had
brought　more　tears　to　her　dear　eyes　than　smiles　to　her　exquisite
mouth。

Her　he　had　loved　so　dearly；　that　for　her　sweet　sake　he　had
sacrificed　honour；　friendship　and　truth；　to　free　her；　as　he
believed；　from　the　hands　of　impious　brutes　he　had　done　a　deed　that
cried　Cain…like　for　vengeance　to　the　very　throne　of　God。　　For　her
he　had　sinned；　and　because　of　that　sin；　even　before　it　was
committed；　their　love　had　been　blighted；　and　happiness　had　never
been　theirs。

Now　it　was　all　over。　　He　would　pass　out　of　her　life；　up　the　steps
of　the　scaffold；　tasting　as　he　mounted　them　the　most　entire
happiness　that　he　had　known　since　that　awful　day　when　he　became　a
Judas。

The　peremptory　summons；　once　more　repeated；　roused　him　from　his
meditations。　　He　lit　a　candle；　and　without　troubling　to　slip　any
of　his　clothes　on；　he　crossed　the　narrow　ante…chamber；　and　opened
the　door　that　gave　on　the　landing。

〃In　the　name　of　the　people！〃

He　had　expected　to　hear　not　only　those　words；　but　also　the
grounding　of　arms　and　the　brief　command　to　halt。　He　had　expected
to　see　before　him　the　white　facings　of　the　uniform　of　the　Garde　de
Paris；　and　to　feel　himself　roughly　pushed　back　into　his　lodging
preparatory　to　the　search　being　made　of　all　his　effects　and　the
placing　of　irons　on　his　wrists。

Instead　of　this；　it　was　a　quiet；　dry　voice　that　said　without　undue
harshness：

〃In　the　name　of　the　people！〃

And　instead　of　the　uniforms；　the　bayonets　and　the　scarlet　caps
with　tricolour　cockades；　he　was　confronted　by　a　slight；　sable…clad
figure；　whose　face；　lit　by　the　flickering　light　of　the　tallow
candle；　looked　strangely　pale　and　earnest。

〃Citizen　Chauvelin！〃　gasped　Armand；　more　surprised　than　frightened
at　this　unexpected　apparition。

〃Himself；　citizen；　at　your　service；〃　replied　Chauvelin　with　his
quiet；　ironical　manner。　　〃I　am　the　bearer　of　a　letter　for　you　from
Sir　Percy　Blakeney。　　Have　I　your　permission　to　enter？〃

Mechanically　Armand　stood　aside；　allowing　the　other　man　to　pass
in。　　He　closed　the　door　behind　his　nocturnal　visitor；　then；　taper
in　hand；　he　preceded　him　into　the　inner　room。

It　was　the　same　one　in　which　a　fortnight　ago　a　fighting　lion　had
been　brought　to　his　knees。　　Now　it　lay　wrapped　in　gloom；　the
feeble　light　of　the　candle　only　lighting　Armand's　face　and　the
white　frill　of　his　shirt。　　The　young　man　put　the　taper　down　on　the
table　and　turned　to　his　visitor。

〃Shall　I　light　the　lamp？〃　he　asked。

〃Quite　unnecessary；〃　replied　Chauvelin　curtly。　　〃I　have　only　a
letter　to　deliver；　and　after　that　to　ask　you　one　brief　question。〃

From　the　pocket　of　his　coat　he　drew　the　letter　which　Blakeney　had
written　an　hour　ago。

〃The　prisoner　wrote　this　in　my　presence；〃　he　said　as　he　handed　the
letter　over　to　Armand。　　〃Will　you　read　it？〃

Armand　took　it　from　him；　and　sat　down　close　to　the　table；　leaning
forward　he　held　the　paper　near　the　light；　and　began　to　read。　　He
read　the　letter　through　very　slowly　to　the　end；　then　once　again
from　the　beginning。　　He　was　trying　to　do　that　which　Chauvelin　had
wished　to　do　an　hour　ago；　he　was　trying　to　find　the　inner　meaning
which　he　felt　must　inevitably　lie　behind　these　words　which　Percy
had　written　with　his　own　hand。

That　these　bare　words　were　but　a　blind　to　deceive　the　enemy　Armand
never　doubted　for　a　moment。　　In　this　he　was　as　loyal　as　Marguerite
would　have　been　herself。　　Never　for　a　moment　did　the　suspicion
cross　his　mind　that　Blakeney　was　about　to　play　the　part　of　a
coward；　but　he；　Armand；　felt　that　as　a　faithful　friend　and　follower
he　ought　by　instinct　to　know　exactly　what　his　chief　intended；　what
he　meant　him　to　do。

Swiftly　his　thoughts　flew　back　to　that　other　letter；　the　one　which
Marguerite　had　given　himthe　letter　full　of　pity　and　of　friendship
which　had　brought　him　hope　and　a　joy　and　peace　which　he　had　thought
at　one　time　that　he　would　never　know　again。　　And　suddenly　one　sentence
in　that　letter　stood　out　so　clearly　before　his　eyes　that　it　blurred
the　actual；　tangible　ones　on　the　paper　which　even　now　rustled　in　his　hand。



But　if　at　any　time　you　receive　another　letter　from　mebe　its
contents　what　they　mayact　in　accordance　with　the　letter；　but
send　a　copy　of　it　at　once　to　Ffoulkes　or　to　Marguerite。



Now　everything　seemed　at　once　quite　clear；　his　duty；　his　next
actions；　every　word　that　he　would　speak　to　Chauvelin。　　Those　that
Percy　had　written　to　him　were　already　indelibly　graven　on　his
memory。

Chauvelin　had　waited　with　his　usual　patience；　silent　and
imperturbable；　while　the　young　man　read。　　Now　when　he　saw　that
Armand　had　finished；　he　said　quietly：

〃Just　one　question；　citizen；　and　I　need　not　detain　you　longer。
But　first　will　you　kindly　give　me　back　that　letter？　　It　is　a
precious　document　which　will　for　ever　remain　in　the　archives　of
the　nation。〃

But　even　while　he　spoke　Armand；　with　one　of　those　quick　intuitions
that　come　in　moments　of　acute　crisis；　had　done　just　that　which　he
felt　Blakeney　would　wish　him　to　do。　He　had　held　the　letter　close
to　the　candle。　　A　corner　of　the　thin　crisp　paper　immediately
caught　fire；　and　before　Chauvelin　could　utter　a　word　of　anger；　or
make　a　movement　to　prevent　the　conflagration；　the　flames　had
licked　up　fully　one　half　of　the　letter；　and　Armand　had　only　just
time　to　throw　the　remainder　on　the　floor　and　to　stamp　out　the
blaze　with　his　foot。

〃I　am　sorry；　citizen；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃an　accident。〃

〃A　useless　act　of　devotion；〃　interposed　Chauvelin；　who　already　had
smothered　the　oath　that　had　risen　to　his　lips。　　The　Scarlet
Pimpernel's　actions　in　the　present　matter　will　not　lose　their
merited　publicity　through　the　foolish　destruction　of　this　document。〃

〃I　had　no　thought；　citizen；〃　retorted　the　young　man；　〃of
commenting　on　the　actions　of　my　chief；　or　of　trying　to　deny　them
that　publicity　which　you　seem　to　desire　for　them　almost　as　much　as
I　do。〃

〃More；　citizen；　a　great　deal　more！　　The　impeccable　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　the　noble　and　gallant　English　gentleman；　has　agreed　to
deliver　into　our　hands　the　uncrowned　King　of　Francein　exchange
for　his　own　life　and　freedom。　　Methinks　that　even　his　worst　enemy
would　not　wish　for　a　better　ending　to　a　career　of　adventure；　and　a
reputation　for　bravery　unequalled　in　Europe。　　But　no　more　of　this；
time　is　pressing；　I　must　help　citizen　Heron　with　his　final
preparations　for　his　journey。　　You；　of　course；　citizen　St。　Just；
will　act　in　accordance　with　Sir　Percy　Blakeney's　wishes？〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Armand。

〃You　will　present　yourself　at　the　main　entrance　of　the　house　of
Justice　at　six　o'clock　this　morning。〃

〃I　will　not　fail　you。〃

〃A　coach　will　be　provided　for　you。　　You　will　follow　the　expedition
as　hostage　for　the　good　faith　of　your　chief。〃

〃I　quite　understand。〃

〃H'm！　　That's