el dorado-第58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！


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　brave！　　You　have　no　fear；　citizen　St。　Just？〃

〃Fear　of　what；　sir？

〃You　will　be　a　hostage　in　our　hands；　citizen；　your　life　a
guarantee　that　your　chief　has　no　thought　of　playing　us　false。　　Now
I　was　thinking　ofof　certain　eventswhich　led　to　the　arrest　of
Sir　Percy　Blakeney。〃

〃Of　my　treachery；　you　mean；〃　rejoined　the　young　man　calmly；　even
though　his　face　had　suddenly　become　pale　as　death。　　〃Of　the
damnable　lie　wherewith　you　cheated　me　into　selling　my　honour；　and
made　me　what　I　ama　creature　scarce　fit　to　walk　upon　this　earth。〃

〃Oh！〃　protested　Chauvelin　blandly。

〃The　damnable　lie；〃　continued　Armand　more　vehemently；　〃that　hath
made　me　one　with　Cain　and　the　Iscariot。　When　you　goaded　me　into
the　hellish　act；　Jeanne　Lange　was　already　free。〃

〃Freebut　not　safe。〃

〃A　lie；　man！　　A　lie！　　For　which　you　are　thrice　accursed。　　Great
God；　is　it　not　you　that　should　have　cause　for　fear？　　Methinks　were
I　to　strangle　you　now　I　should　suffer　less　of　remorse。〃

〃And　would　be　rendering　your　ex…chief　but　a　sorry　service；〃
interposed　Chauvelin　with　quiet　irony。　　〃Sir　Percy　Blakeney　is　a
dying　man；　citizen　St。　Just；　he'll　be　a　dead　man　at　dawn　if　I　do
not　put　in　an　appearance　by　six　o'clock　this　morning。　　This　is　a
private　understanding　between　citizen　Heron　and　myself。　　We　agreed
to　it　before　I　came　to　see　you。〃

〃Oh；　you　take　care　of　your　own　miserable　skin　well　enough！　　But
you　need　not　be　afraid　of　meI　take　my　orders　from　my　chief；　and
he　has　not　ordered　me　to　kill　you。〃

〃That　was　kind　of　him。　　Then　we　may　count　on　you？　You　are　not
afraid？〃

〃Afraid　that　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　would　leave　me　in　the　lurch
because　of　the　immeasurable　wrong　I　have　done　to　him？〃　retorted
Armand；　proud　and　defiant　in　the　name　of　his　chief。　　〃No；　sir；　I
am　not　afraid　of　that；　I　have　spent　the　last　fortnight　in　praying
to　God　that　my　life　might　yet　be　given　for　his。〃

〃H'm！　I　think　it　most　unlikely　that　your　prayers　will　be　granted；
citizen；　prayers；　I　imagine；　so　very　seldom　are；　but　I　don't　know；
I　never　pray　myself。　　In　your　case；　now；　I　should　say　that　you
have　not　the　slightest　chance　of　the　Deity　interfering　in　so
pleasant　a　manner。　　Even　were　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　prepared　to　wreak
personal　revenge　on　you；　he　would　scarcely　be　so　foolish　as　to
risk　the　other　life　which　we　shall　also　hold　as　hostage　for　his
good　faith。〃

〃The　other　life？〃

〃Yes。　　Your　sister；　Lady　Blakeney；　will　also　join　the　expedition
to…morrow。　　This　Sir　Percy　does　not　yet　know；　but　it　will　come　as
a　pleasant　surprise　for　him。　　At　the　slightest　suspicion　of　false
play　on　Sir　Percy's　part；　at　his　slightest　attempt　at　escape；　your
life　and　that　of　your　sister　are　forfeit；　you　will　both　be
summarily　shot　before　his　eyes。　I　do　not　think　that　I　need　be　more
precise；　eh；　citizen　St。　Just？〃

The　young　man　was　quivering　with　passion。　　A　terrible　loathing　for
himself；　for　his　crime　which　had　been　the　precursor　of　this
terrible　situation；　filled　his　soul　to　the　verge　of　sheer　physical
nausea。　　A　red　film　gathered　before　his　eyes；　and　through　it　he
saw　the　grinning　face　of　the　inhuman　monster　who　had　planned　this
hideous；　abominable　thing。　　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　in　the　silence
and　the　hush　of　the　night；　above　the　feeble；　flickering　flame　that
threw　weird　shadows　around；　a　group　of　devils　were　surrounding
him；　and　were　shouting；　〃Kill　him！　　Kill　him　now！　　Rid　the　earth
of　this　hellish　brute！〃

No　doubt　if　Chauvelin　had　exhibited　the　slightest　sign　of　fear；　if
he　had　moved　an　inch　towards　the　door；　Armand；　blind　with　passion；
driven　to　madness　by　agonising　remorse　more　even　than　by　rage；
would　have　sprung　at　his　enemy's　throat　and　crushed　the　life　out
of　him　as　he　would　out　of　a　venomous　beast。　　But　the　man's　calm；
his　immobility；　recalled　St。　Just　to　himself。　　Reason；　that　had
almost　yielded　to　passion　again；　found　strength　to　drive　the　enemy
back　this　time；　to　whisper　a　warning；　an　admonition；　even　a
reminder。　　Enough　harm；　God　knows；　had　been　done　by　tempestuous
passion　already。　　And　God　alone　knew　what　terrible　consequences
its　triumph　now　might　bring　in　its　trial；　and　striking　on　Armand's
buzzing　ears　Chauvelin's　words　came　back　as　a　triumphant　and
mocking　echo：

〃He'll　be　a　dead　man　at　dawn　if　I　do　not　put　in　an　appearance　by
six　o'clock。〃

The　red　film　lifted；　the　candle　flickered　low；　the　devils
vanished；　only　the　pale　face　of　the　Terrorist　gazed　with　gentle
irony　out　of　the　gloom。

〃I　think　that　I　need　not　detain　you　any　longer；　citizen；　St。
Just；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃you　can　get　three　or　four　hours'　rest　yet
before　you　need　make　a　start；　and　I　still　have　a　great　many　things
to　see　to。　　I　wish　you　good…night；　citizen。〃

〃Good…night；〃　murmured　Armand　mechanically。

He　took　the　candle　and　escorted　his　visitor　back　to　the　door。　　He
waited　on　the　landing；　taper　in　hand；　while　Chauvelin　descended
the　narrow；　winding　stairs。

There　was　a　light　in　the　concierge's　lodge。　　No　doubt　the　woman
had　struck　it　when　the　nocturnal　visitor　had　first　demanded
admittance。　　His　name　and　tricolour　scarf　of　office　had　ensured
him　the　full　measure　of　her　attention；　and　now　she　was　evidently
sitting　up　waiting　to　let　him　out。

St。　Just；　satisfied　that　Chauvelin　had　finally　gone；　now　turned
back　to　his　own　rooms。



CHAPTER　XL
GOD　HELP　US　ALL

He　carefully　locked　the　outer　door。　　Then　he　lit　the　lamp；　for　the
candle　gave　but　a　flickering　light；　and　he　had　some　important　work
to　do。

Firstly；　he　picked　up　the　charred　fragment　of　the　letter；　and
smoothed　it　out　carefully　and　reverently　as　he　would　a　relic。
Tears　had　gathered　in　his　eyes；　but　he　was　not　ashamed　of　them；
for　no　one　saw　them；　but　they　eased　his　heart；　and　helped　to
strengthen　his　resolve。　　It　was　a　mere　fragment　that　had　been
spared　by　the　flame；　but　Armand　knew　every　word　of　the　letter　by
heart。

He　had　pen；　ink　and　paper　ready　to　his　band；　and　from　memory　wrote
out　a　copy　of　it。　　To　this　he　added　a　covering　letter　from　himself
to　Marguerite：



Thiswhich　I　had　from　Percy　through　the　hands　of　ChauvelinI
neither　question　nor　understand。。。。　　He　wrote　the　letter；　and　I
have　no　thought　but　to　obey。　　In　his　previous　letter　to　me　he
enjoined　me；　if　ever　he　wrote　to　me　again；　to　obey　him　implicitly；
and　to　communicate　with　you。　To　both　these　commands　do　I　submit
with　a　glad　heart。　　But　of　this　must　I　give　you　warning；　little
motherChauvelin　desires　you　also　to　accompany　us　to…morrow。。。。
Percy　does　not　know　this　yet；　else　he　would　never　start。　　But
those　fiends　fear　that　his　readiness　is　a　blind　。。。　and　that　he
has　some　plan　in　his　head　for　his　own　escape　and　the　continued
safety　of　the　Dauphin。。。。　　This　plan　they　hope　to　frustrate
through　holding　you　and　me　as　hostages　for　his　good　faith。　　God
only　knows　how　gladly　I　would　give　my　life　for　my　chief　。。。　but
your　life；　dear　little　mother　。。。　is　sacred　above　all。。。。　　I　think
that　I　do　right　in　warning　you。　God　help　us　all。



Having　written　the　letter；　he　sealed　it；　together　with　the　copy　of
Percy's　letter　which　he　had　made。　　Then　he　took　up　the　candle　and
went　downstairs。

There　was　no　longer　any　light　in　the　concierge's　lodge；　and　Armand
had　some　difficulty　in　making　himself　heard。　At　last　the　woman
came　to　the　door。　　She　was　tired　and　cross　after　two　interruptions
of　her　night's　rest；　but　she　had　a　partiality　for　her　young
lodger；　whose　pleasant　ways　and　easy　liberality　had　been　like　a
pale　ray　of　sunshine　through　the　squalor　of　every…day　misery。

〃It　is　a　letter；　citoyenne；〃　said　Armand；　with　earnest　entreaty；
〃for　my　sister。　　She　lives　in　the　Rue　de　Charonne；　near　the
fortifications；　and　must　have　it　within　an　hour；　it　is　a　matter　of
life　and　death　to　her；　to　me；　and　to　another　who　is　very　dear　to
us　both。〃

The　concierge　threw　up　her　hands　in　horror。

〃Rue　de　Charonne；　near　the　fortifications；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃and
within　an　hour！　　By　the　Holy　Virgin；　citizen；　that　is　impossible。
Who　will　take　it？　　There　is　no　way。〃

〃A　way　must　be　found；　citoyenne；〃　said　Armand　firmly；　〃and　at
once；　it　is　not　far；　and　there　are　five　golden　louis　waiting　for
the　messenger！〃

Five　golden　louis！　　The