el dorado-第50部分

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！


past；　when　Marguerite　was　〃little　mother〃the　soother；　the　comforter；
the　healer；　the　ever…willing　receptacle　wherein　he　had　been　wont　to
pour　the　burden　of　his　childish　griefs；　of　his　boyish　escapades。

Conscious　that　she　could　not　know　everythingnot　yet；　at　any
ratehe　gave　himself　over　to　the　rapture　of　this　pure　embrace；
the　last　time；　mayhap；　that　those　fond　arms　would　close　round　him
in　unmixed　tenderness；　the　last　time　that　those　fond　lips　would
murmur　words　of　affection　and　of　comfort。

To…morrow　those　same　lips　would；　perhaps；　curse　the　traitor；　and
the　small　hand　be　raised　in　wrath；　pointing　an　avenging　finger　on
the　Judas。

〃Little　mother；〃　he　whispered；　babbling　like　a　child；　〃it　is　good
to　see　you　again。〃

〃And　I　have　brought　you　a　message　from　Percy；〃　she　said；　〃a　letter
which　he　begged　me　to　give　you　as　soon　as　maybe。〃

〃You　have　seen　him？〃　he　asked。

She　nodded　silently；　unable　to　speak。　　Not　now；　not　when　her
nerves　were　strung　to　breaking　pitch；　would　she　trust　herself　to
speak　of　that　awful　yesterday。　　She　groped　in　the　folds　of　her
gown　and　took　the　packet　which　Percy　had　given　her　for　Armand。　　It
felt　quite　bulky　in　her　hand。

〃There　is　quite　a　good　deal　there　for　you　to　read；　dear；〃　she
said。　　〃Percy　begged　me　to　give　you　this；　and　then　to　let　you　read
it　when　you　were　alone。〃

She　pressed　the　packet　into　his　hand。　　Armand's　face　was　ashen
pale。　　He　clung　to　her　with　strange；　nervous　tenacity；　the　paper
which　he　held　in　one　hand　seemed　to　Sear　his　fingers　as　with　a
branding…iron。

〃I　will　slip　away　now；〃　she　said；　for　strangely　enough　since
Percy's　message　had　been　in　Armand's　hands　she　was　once　again
conscious　of　that　awful　feeling　of　iciness　round　her　heart；　a
sense　of　numbness　that　paralysed　her　very　thoughts。

〃You　will　make　my　excuses　to　Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　she　said；　trying
to　smile。　　〃When　you　have　read；　you　will　wish　to　see　her　alone。〃

Gently　she　disengaged　herself　from　Armand's　grasp　and　made　for　the
door。　　He　appeared　dazed；　staring　down　at　that　paper　which　was
scorching　his　fingers。　　Only　when　her　hand　was　on　the　latch　did　he
seem　to　realise　that　she　was　going。

〃Little　mother；〃　came　involuntarily　to　his　lips。

She　came　straight　back　to　him　and　took　both　his　wrists　in　her
small　hands。　　She　was　taller　than　he；　and　his　head　was　slightly
bent　forward。　　Thus　she　towered　over　him；　loving　but　strong；　her
great；　earnest　eyes　searching　his　soul。

〃When　shall　I　see　you　again；　little　mother？〃　he　asked。

〃Read　your　letter；　dear；〃　she　replied；　〃and　when　you　have　read　it；
if　you　care　to　impart　its　contents　to　me；　come　to…night　to　my
lodgings；　Quai　de　la　Ferraille；　above　the　saddler's　shop。　　But　if
there　is　aught　in　it　that　you　do　not　wish　me　to　know；　then　do　not
come；　I　shall　understand。　Good…bye；　dear。〃

She　took　his　head　between　her　two　cold　hands；　and　as　it　was　still
bowed　she　placed　a　tender　kiss；　as　of　a　long　farewell；　upon　his
hair。

Then　she　went　out　of　the　room。



CHAPTER　XXXIV
THE　LETTER

Armand　sat　in　the　armchair　in　front　of　the　fire。　　His　head　rested
against　one　hand；　in　the　other　he　held　the　letter　written　by　the
friend　whom　he　had　betrayed。

Twice　he　had　read　it　now；　and　already　was　every　word　of　that
minute；　clear　writing　graven　upon　the　innermost　fibres　of　his
body；　upon　the　most　secret　cells　of　his　brain。



Armand；　I　know。　　I　knew　even　before　Chauvelin　came　to　me；　and
stood　there　hoping　to　gloat　over　the　soul…agony　a　man　who　finds
that　he　has　been　betrayed　by　his　dearest　friend。　But　that　dd
reprobate　did　not　get　that　satisfaction；　for　I　was　prepared。　　Not
only　do　I　know；　Armand；　but　I　UNDERSTAND。　　I；　who　do　not　know　what
love　is；　have　realised　how　small　a　thing　is　honour；　loyalty；　or
friendship　when　weighed　in　the　balance　of　a　loved　one's　need。

To　save　Jeanne　you　sold　me　to　Heron　and　his　crowd。　We　are　men；
Armand；　and　the　word　forgiveness　has　only　been　spoken　once　these
past　two　thousand　years；　and　then　it　was　spoken　by　Divine　lips。
But　Marguerite　loves　you；　and　mayhap　soon　you　will　be　all　that　is
left　her　to　love　on　this　earth。　　Because　of　this　she　must　never
know　。。。。　　As　for　you；　Armandwell；　God　help　you！　　But　meseems
that　the　hell　which　you　are　enduring　now　is　ten　thousand　times
worse　than　mine。　　I　have　heard　your　furtive　footsteps　in　the
corridor　outside　the　grated　window　of　this　cell；　and　would　not
then　have　exchanged　my　hell　for　yours。　　Therefore；　Armand；　and
because　Marguerite　loves　you；　I　would　wish　to　turn　to　you　in　the
hour　that　I　need　help。　　I　am　in　a　tight　corner；　but　the　hour　may
come　when　a　comrade's　hand　might　mean　life　to　me。　　I　have　thought
of　you；　Armand　partly　because　having　taken　more　than　my　life；　your
own　belongs　to　me；　and　partly　because　the　plan　which　I　have　in　my
mind　will　carry　with　it　grave　risks　for　the　man　who　stands　by　me。

I　swore　once　that　never　would　I　risk　a　comrade's　life　to　save　mine
own；　but　matters　are　so　different　now　。。。　we　are　both　in　hell；
Armand；　and　I　in　striving　to　get　out　of　mine　will　be　showing　you　a
way　out　of　yours。

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　sh