el dorado-第31部分

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confession　this　young　citizen　desired　to　make　to　you。　　All　I　need
tell　you　is　that　he　is　an　adherent　of　the　Scarlet　PimpernelI
believe　one　of　his　most　faithful；　most　trusted　officers。〃

Heron　roused　himself　from　the　maze　of　gloomy　thoughts　that　were
again　paralysing　his　tongue。　　He　turned　bleary；　wild　eyes　on
Armand。

〃We　have　got　one　of　them；　then？〃　he　murmured　incoherently；
babbling　like　a　drunken　man。

〃M'yes！〃　replied　Chauvelin　lightly；　〃but　it　is　too　late　now　for　a
formal　denunciation　and　arrest。　　He　cannot　leave　Paris　anyhow；　and
all　that　your　men　need　to　do　is　to　keep　a　close　look…out　on　him。
But　I　should　send　him　home　to…night　if　I　were　you。〃

Heron　muttered　something　more；　which；　however；　Armand　did　not
understand。　　Chauvelin's　words　were　still　ringing　in　his　ear。　　Was
he；　then；　to　be　set　free　to…night？　　Free　in　a　measure；　of　course；
since　spies　were　to　be　set　to　watch　himbut　free；　nevertheless？
He　could　not　understand　Chauvelin's　attitude；　and　his　own
self…love　was　not　a　little　wounded　at　the　thought　that　he　was　of
such　little　account　that　these　men　could　afford　to　give　him　even
this　provisional　freedom。　　And；　of　course；　there　was　still　Jeanne。

〃I　must；　therefore；　bid　you　good…night；　citizen；〃　Chauvelin　was
saying　in　his　bland；　gently　ironical　manner。　　〃You　will　be　glad　to
return　to　your　lodgings。　　As　you　see；　the　chief　agent　of　the
Committee　of　General　Security　is　too　much　occupied　just　now　to
accept　the　sacrifice　of　your　life　which　you　were　prepared　so
generously　to　offer　him。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　citizen；〃　retorted　Armand　coldly；　〃nor
do　I　desire　indulgence　at　your　hands。　　You　have　arrested　an
innocent　woman　on　the　trumped…up　charge　that　she　was　harbouring
me。　　I　came　here　to…night　to　give　myself　up　to　justice　so　that　she
might　be　set　free。〃

〃But　the　hour　is　somewhat　late；　citizen；〃　rejoined　Chauvelin
urbanely。　　〃The　lady　in　whom　you　take　so　fervent　an　interest　is　no
doubt　asleep　in　her　cell　at　this　hour。　　It　would　not　be　fitting　to
disturb　her　now。　　She　might　not　find　shelter　before　morning；　and
the　weather　is　quite　exceptionally　unpropitious。〃

〃Then；　sir；〃　said　Armand；　a　little　bewildered；　〃am　I　to　understand
that　if　I　hold　myself　at　your　disposition　Mademoiselle　Lange　will
be　set　free　as　early　to…morrow　morning　as　may　be？〃

〃No　doubt；　sirno　doubt；〃　replied　Chauvelin　with　more　than　his
accustomed　blandness；　〃if　you　will　hold　yourself　entirely　at　our
disposition；　Mademoiselle　Lange　will　be　set　free　to…morrow。　　I
think　that　we　can　safely　promise　that；　citizen　Heron；　can　we　not？〃
he　added；　turning　to　his　colleague。

But　Heron；　overcome　with　the　stress　of　emotions；　could　only　murmur
vague；　unintelligible　words。

〃Your　word　on　that；　citizen　Chauvelin？〃　asked　Armand。

〃My　word　on　it　an　you　will　accept　it。〃

〃No；　I　will　not　do　that。　　Give　me　an　unconditional　certificate　of
safety　and　I　will　believe　you。〃

〃Of　what　use　were　that　to　you？〃　asked　Chauvelin。

〃I　believe　my　capture　to　be　of　more　importance　to　you　than　that　of
Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　said　Armand　quietly。

〃I　will　use　the　certificate　of　safety　for　myself　or　one　of　my
friends　if　you　break　your　word　to　me　anent　Mademoiselle　Lange。〃

〃H'm！　the　reasoning　is　not　illogical；　citizen；〃　said　Chauvelin；
whilst　a　curious　smile　played　round　the　corners　of　his　thin　lips。
〃You　are　quite　right。　　You　are　a　more　valuable　asset　to　us　than
the　charming　lady　who；　I　hope；　will　for　many　a　day　and　year　to
come　delight　pleasure…loving　Paris　with　her　talent　and　her　grace。〃

〃Amen　to　that；　citizen；〃　said　Armand　fervently。

〃Well；　it　will　all　depend　on　you；　sir！　　Here；〃　he　added；　coolly
running　over　some　papers　on　Heron's　desk　until　he　found　what　he
wanted；　〃is　an　absolutely　unconditional　certificate　of　safety。
The　Committee　of　General　Security　issue　very　few　of　these。　　It　is
worth　the　cost　of　a　human　life。　　At　no　barrier　or　gate　of　any　city
can　such　a　certificate　be　disregarded；　nor　even　can　it　be
detained。　　Allow　me　to　hand　it　to　you；　citizen；　as　a　pledge　of　my
own　good　faith。〃

Smiling；　urbane；　with　a　curious　look　that　almost　expressed
amusement　lurking　in　his　shrewd；　pale　eyes；　Chauvelin　handed　the
momentous　document　to　Armand。

The　young　man　studied　it　very　carefully　before　he　slipped　it　into
the　inner　pocket　of　his　coat。

〃How　soon　shall　I　have　news　of　Mademoiselle　Lange？〃　he　asked
finally。

〃In　the　course　of　to…morrow。　　I　myself　will　call　on　you　and　redeem
that　precious　document　in　person。　　You；　on　the　other　hand；　will
hold　yourself　at　my　disposition。　　That's　understood；　is　it　not？〃

〃I　shall　not　fail　you。　　My　lodgings　are〃

〃Oh！　do　not　trouble；〃　interposed　Chauvelin；　with　a　polite　bow；　〃we
can　find　that　out　for　ourselves。〃

Heron　had　taken　no　part　in　this　colloquy。　　Now　that　Armand
prepared　to　go　he　made　no　attempt　to　detain　him；　or　to　question
his　colleague's　actions。　　He　sat　by　the　table　like　a　log；　his　mind
was　obviously　a　blank　to　all　else　save　to　his　own　terrors
engendered　by　the　events　of　this　night。

With　bleary；　half…veiled　eyes　he　followed　Armand's　progress
through　the　room；　and　seemed　unaware　of　the　loud　slamming　of　the
outside　door。　　Chauvelin　had　escorted　the　young　man　past　the　first
line　of　sentry；　then　he　took　cordial　leave　of　him。

〃Your　certificate　will；　you　will　find；　open　every　gate　to　you。
Good…night；　citizen。　　A　demain。〃

〃Good…night。〃

Armand's　slim　figure　disappeared　in　the　gloom。　Chauvelin　watched
him　for　a　few　moments　until　even　his　footsteps　had　died　away　in
the　distance；　then　he　turned　back　towards　Heron's　lodgings。

〃A　nous　deux；〃　he　muttered　between　tightly　clenched　teeth；　〃a　nous
deux　once　more；　my　enigmatical　Scarlet　Pimpernel。〃



CHAPTER　XXI
BACK　TO　PARIS

It　was　an　exceptionally　dark　night；　and　the　rain　was　falling　in
torrents。　　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　wrapped　in　a　piece　of　sacking；　had
taken　shelter　right　underneath　the　coal…cart；　even　then　he　was
getting　wet　through　to　the　skin。

He　had　worked　hard　for　two　days　coal…heaving；　and　the　night　before
he　had　found　a　cheap；　squalid　lodging　where　at　any　rate　he　was
protected　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather；　but　to…night　he
was　expecting　Blakeney　at　the　appointed　hour　and　place。　　He　had
secured　a　cart　of　the　ordinary　ramshackle　pattern　used　for
carrying　coal。　　Unfortunately　there　were　no　covered　ones　to　be
obtained　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　equally　unfortunately　the　thaw
had　set　in　with　a　blustering　wind　and　diving　rain；　which　made
waiting　in　the　open　air　for　hours　at　a　stretch　and　in　complete
darkness　excessively　unpleasant。

But　for　all　these　discomforts　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　cared　not　one
jot。　　In　England；　in　his　magnificent　Suffolk　home；　he　was　a
confirmed　sybarite；　in　whose　service　every　description　of　comfort
and　luxury　had　to　be　enrolled。　　Here　tonight　in　the　rough　and
tattered　clothes　of　a　coal…heaver；　drenched　to　the　skin；　and
crouching　under　the　body　of　a　cart　that　hardly　sheltered　him　from
the　rain；　he　was　as　happy　as　a　schoolboy　out　for　a　holiday。

Happy；　but　vaguely　anxious。

He　had　no　means　of　ascertaining　the　time。　　So　many　of　the
church…bells　and　clock　towers　had　been　silenced　recently　that　not
one　of　those　welcome　sounds　penetrated　to　the　dreary　desolation　of
this　canal　wharf；　with　its　abandoned　carts　standing　ghostlike　in　a
row。　　Darkness　had　set　in　very　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　the
heavers　had　given　up　work　soon　after　four　o'clock。

For　about　an　hour　after　that　a　certain　animation　had　still　reigned
round　the　wharf；　men　crossing　and　going；　one　or　two　of　the　barges
moving　in　or　out　alongside　the　quay。　　But　for　some　time　now
darkness　and　silence　had　been　the　masters　in　this　desolate　spot；
and　that　time　had　seemed　to　Sir　Andrew　an　eternity。　　He　had
hobbled　and　tethered　his　horse；　and　stretched　himself　out　at　full
length　under　the　cart。　　Now　and　again　he　had　crawled　out　from
under　this　uncomfortable　shelter　and　walked　up　and　down　in
ankle…deep　mud；　trying　to　restore　circulation　in　his　stiffened
limbs；　now　and　again　a　kind　of　torpor　had　come　over　him；　and　he
had　fallen　into　a　brief　and　restless　sleep。　　He　would　at　this
moment　have　given　half　his　fortune　for　knowledge　of　the　exact
time。

But　through　all　this　weary　waiting　he　was　never　for　a　moment　in
doubt。　　Unlike　Armand　St。　Just；　he　had　the　simplest；　most　perfect
faith　in　his　chief。　　He　had　been　Blakeney's　constant　companion　in
all　these　adventures　for　close　upon　four　years　now；　the　thought　of
failure；　however　vague；　never　once　entered　his　mind。

He　was　only　anxious　for　his　chief's　welfare。　　He　knew　that　he
would　succeed；　but　he　would　have　liked　to　have　spared　him　much　of
the　physical　fatigue　and　the　nerve…racking　strain　of　these　hours
that　lay　between　the　daring　deed　and　the　hope　of　safety。
Therefore　he　was　conscious　of　an　acute　tingling　of　his　nerves；
which　went　on　even　during　the　brief　patches　of　fitful　sleep；　and
through　the　numbness　that　invaded　his　whole　body　while　the　hours
dragged　wearily　and　slowly　along。

Then；　quite　suddenly；　he　felt　wakeful　and　alert；　quite　a
whileeven　before　he　heard　the　welcome　signalhe　knew；　with　a
curious；　subtle　sense　of　magnetism；　that　the　hour　had　come；　and
that　his　chief　was　somewhere　near　by；　not　very　far。

Then　he　heard　the　crya　seamew's　callrepeated　thrice　at
intervals；　and　five　minutes　later　something　loomed　out　of　the
darkness　quite　close　to　the　hind　wheels　of　the　cart。

〃Hist！　　Ffoulkes！〃　came　in　a　soft　whisper；　scarce　louder　than　the
wind。

〃Present！〃　came　in　quick　response。

〃Here；　help　me　to　lift　the　child　into　the　cart。　　He　is　asleep；　and
has　been　a　dead　weight　on　my　arm　for　close　on　an　hour　now。　　Have
you　a　dry　bit　of　sacking　or　something　to　lay　him　on？〃

〃Not　very　dry；　I　am　afraid。〃

With　tender　care　the　two　men　lifted　the　sleeping　little　King　of
France　into　the　rickety　cart。　　Blakeney　laid　his　cloak　over　him；
and　listened　for　awhile　to　the　slow　regular　breathing　of　the
child。

〃St。　Just　is　not　hereyou　know　that？〃　said　Sir　Andrew　after　a
while。

〃Yes；　I　knew　it；〃　replied　Blakeney　curtly。

It　was　characteristic　of　these　two　men　that　not　a　word　about　the
adventure　itself；　about　the　terrible　risks　and　dangers　of　the　past
few　hours；　was　exchanged　between　them。　　The　child　was