el dorado-第67部分

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little　above　a　whisper。　　He　gave　his　orders　clearly　and　firmly；
and　the　words　came　to　Marguerite　on　the　wings　of　the　wind　with
strange　distinctness；　borne　to　her　ears　by　the　darkness　itself；
and　the　hush　that　lay　over　the　wood。

〃Take　half　a　dozen　men　with　you；　sergeant；〃　she　beard　him　say；
〃and　join　citizen　Chauvelin　at　the　chateau。　　You　can　stable　your
horses　in　the　farm　buildings　close　by；　as　he　suggests　and　run　to
him　on　foot。　　You　and　your　men　should　quickly　get　the　best　of　a
handful　of　midnight　prowlers；　you　are　well　armed　and　they　only
civilians。　　Tell　citizen　Chauvelin　that　I　in　the　meanwhile　will
take　care　of　our　prisoners。　　The　Englishman　I　shall　put　in　irons
and　lock　up　inside　the　chapel；　with　five　men　under　the　command　of
your　corporal　to　guard　him；　the　other　two　I　will　drive　myself
straight　to　Crecy　with　what　is　left　of　the　escort。　　You
understand？〃

〃Yes；　citizen。〃

〃We　may　not　reach　Crecy　until　two　hours　after　midnight；　but
directly　I　arrive　I　will　send　citizen　Chauvelin　further
reinforcements；　which；　however；　I　hope　may　not　necessary；　but
which　will　reach　him　in　the　early　morning。　　Even　if　he　is
seriously　attacked；　he　can；　with　fourteen　men　he　will　have　with
him；　hold　out　inside　the　castle　through　the　night。　　Tell　him　also
that　at　dawn　two　prisoners　who　will　be　with　me　will　be　shot　in　the
courtyard　of　the　guard…house　at　Crecy；　but　that　whether　he　has　got
hold　of　Capet　or　not　he　had　best　pick　up　the　Englishman　in　the
chapel　in　the　morning　and　bring　him　straight　to　Crecy；　where　I
shall　be　awaiting　him　ready　to　return　to　Paris。　　You　understand？〃

〃Yes；　citizen。〃

〃Then　repeat　what　I　said。〃

〃I　am　to　take　six　men　with　me　to　reinforce　citizen　Chauvelin　now。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you；　citizen；　will　drive　straight　back　to　Crecy；　and　will
send　us　further　reinforcements　from　there；　which　will　reach　us　in
the　early　morning。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　are　to　hold　the　chateau　against　those　unknown　marauders　if
necessary　until　the　reinforcements　come　from　Crecy。　　Having　routed
them；　we　return　here；　pick　up　the　Englishman　whom　you　will　have
locked　up　in　the　chapel　under　a　strong　guard　commanded　by　Corporal
Cassard；　and　join　you　forthwith　at　Crecy。〃

〃This；　whether　citizen　Chauvelin　has　got　hold　of　Capet　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　citizen；　I　understand；〃　concluded　the　sergeant
imperturbably；　〃and　I　am　also　to　tell　citizen　Chauvelin　that　the
two　prisoners　will　be　shot　at　dawn　in　the　courtyard　of　the
guard…house　at　Crecy。〃

〃Yes。　　That　is　all。　　Try　to　find　the　leader　of　the　attacking
party；　and　bring　him　along　to　Crecy　with　the　Englishman；　but
unless　they　are　in　very　small　numbers　do　not　trouble　about　the
others。　　Now　en　avant；　citizen　Chauvelin　might　be　glad　of　your
help。　　Andstayorder　all　the　men　to　dismount；　and　take　the
horses　out　of　one　of　the　coaches；　then　let　the　men　you　are　taking
with　you　each　lead　a　horse；　or　even　two；　and　stable　them　all　in
the　farm　buildings。　　I　shall　not　need　them；　and　could　not　spare
any　of　my　men　for　the　work　later　on。　　Remember　that；　above　all；
silence　is　the　order。　　When　you　are　ready　to　start；　come　back　to
me　here。〃

The　sergeant　moved　away；　and　Marguerite　heard　him　transmitting　the
citizen　agent's　orders　to　the　soldiers。　The　dismounting　was
carried　on　in　wonderful　silencefor　silence　had　been　one　of　the
principal　commandsonly　one　or　two　words　reached　her　ears。

〃First　section　and　first　half　of　second　section　fall　in；　right
wheel。　　First　section　each　take　two　horses　on　the　lead。　　Quietly
now　there；　don't　tug　at　his　bridlelet　him　go。〃

And　after　that　a　simple　report：

〃All　ready；　citizen！〃

〃Good！〃　was　the　response。　　〃Now　detail　your　corporal　and　two　men
to　come　here　to　me；　so　that　we　may　put　the　Englishman　in　irons；
and　take　him　at　once　to　the　chapel；　and　four　men　to　stand　guard　at
the　doors　of　the　other　coach。〃

The　necessary　orders　were　given；　and　after　that　there　came　the
curt　command：

〃En　avant！〃

The　sergeant；　with　his　squad　and　all　the　horses；　was　slowly　moving
away　in　the　night。　　The　horses'　hoofs　hardly　made　a　noise　on　the
soft　carpet　of　pine…needles　and　of　dead　fallen　leaves；　but　the
champing　of　the　bits　was　of　course　audible；　and　now　and　then　the
snorting　of　some　poor；　tired　horse　longing　for　its　stable。

Somehow　in　Marguerite's　fevered　mind　this　departure　of　a　squad　of
men　seemed　like　the　final　flitting　of　her　last　hope；　the　slow
agony　of　the　familiar　sounds；　the　retreating　horses　and　soldiers
moving　away　amongst　the　shadows；　took　on　a　weird　significance。
Heron　had　given　his　last　orders。　　Percy；　helpless　and　probably
unconscious；　would　spend　the　night　in　that　dank　chapel；　while　she
and　Armand　would　be　taken　back　to　Crecy；　driven　to　death　like　some
insentient　animals　to　the　slaughter。

When　the　grey　dawn　would　first　begin　to　peep　through　the　branches
of　the　pines　Percy　would　be　led　back　to　Paris　and　the　guillotine；
and　she　and　Armand　will　have　been　sacrificed　to　the　hatred　and
revenge　of　brutes。

The　end　had　come；　and　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done。
Struggling；　fighting；　scheming；　could　be　of　no　avail　now；　but　she
wanted　to　get　to　her　husband；　she　wanted　to　be　near　him　now　that
death　was　so　imminent　both　for　him　and　for　her。

She　tried　to　envisage　it　all；　quite　calmly；　just　as　she　knew　that
Percy　would　wish　her　to　do。　　The　inevitable　end　was　there；　and　she
would　not　give　to　these　callous　wretches　here　the　gratuitous
spectacle　of　a　despairing　woman　fighting　blindly　against　adverse
Fate。

But　she　wanted　to　go　to　her　husband。　　She　felt　that　she　could　face
death　more　easily　on　the　morrow　if　she　could　but　see　him　once；　if
she　could　but　look　once　more　into　the　eyes　that　had　mirrored　so
much　enthusiasm；　such　absolute　vitality　and　whole…hearted
self…sacrifice；　and　such　an　intensity　of　love　and　passion；　if　she
Could　but　kiss　once　more　those　lips　that　had　smiled　through　life；
and　would　smile；　she　knew；　even　in　the　face　of　death。

She　tried　to　open　the　carriage　door；　but　it　was　held　from　without；
and　a　harsh　voice　cursed　her；　ordering　her　to　sit　still。

But　she　could　lean　out　of　the　window　and　strain　her　eyes　to　see。
They　were　by　now　accustomed　to　the　gloom；　the　dilated　pupils
taking　in　pictures　of　vague　forms　moving　like　ghouls　in　the
shadows。　　The　other　coach　was　not　far；　and　she　could　hear　Heron's
voice；　still　subdued　and　calm；　and　the　curses　of　the　men。　　But　not
a　sound　from　Percy。

〃I　think　the　prisoner　is　unconscious；〃　she　heard　one　of　the　men　say。

〃Lift　him　out　of　the　carriage；　then；〃　was　Heron's　curt　command；
〃and　you　go　and　throw　open　the　chapel　gates。〃

Marguerite　saw　it　all。　　The　movement；　the　crowd　of　men；　two　vague；
black　forms　lifting　another　one；　which　appeared　heavy　and　inert；
out　of　the　coach；　and　carrying　it　staggering　up　towards　the
chapel。

Then　the　forms　disappeared；　swallowed　up　by　the　more　dense　mass　of
the　little　building；　merged　in　with　it；　immovable　as　the　stone
itself。

Only　a　few　words　reached　her　now。

〃He　is　unconscious。〃

〃Leave　him　there；　then；　he'll　not　move！〃

〃Now　close　the　gates！〃

There　was　a　loud　clang；　and　Marguerite　gave　a　piercing　scream。
She　tore　at　the　handle　of　the　carriage　door。

〃Armand；　Armand；　go　to　him！〃　she　cried；　and　all　her　self…control；
all　her　enforced　calm；　vanished　in　an　outburst　of　wild；　agonising
passion。　　〃Let　me　get　to　him；　Armand！　　This　is　the　end；　get　me　to
him；　in　the　name　of　God！〃

〃Stop　that　woman　screaming；〃　came　Heron's　voice　clearly　through
the　night。　〃Put　her　and　the　other　prisoner　in　ironsquick！〃

But　while　Marguerite　expended　her　feeble　strength　in　a　mad；
pathetic　effort　to　reach　her　husband；　even　now　at　this　last　hour；
when　all　hope　was　dead　and　Death　was　so　nigh；　Armand　had　already
wrenched　the　carriage　door　from　the　grasp　of　the　soldier　who　was
guarding　it。　　He　was　of　the　South；　and　knew　the　trick　of　charging
an　unsuspecting　adversary　with　head　thrust　forward　like　a　bull
inside　a　ring。　Thus　he　knocked　one　of　the　soldiers　down　and　made　a
quick　rush　for　the　chapel　gates。

The　men；　attacked　so　suddenly　and　in　such　complete　darkness；　did
not　wait　for　orders。　　They　closed　in　round　Armand；　one　man　drew
his　sabre　and　hacked　away　with　it　in　aimless　rage。

But　for　the　moment　he　evaded　them　all；　pushing　his　way　through
them；　not　heeding　the　blows　that　came　on　him　from　out　the
darkness。　　At　last　he　reached　the　chapel。　　With　one　bound　he　was
at　the　gate；　his　numb　fingers　fumbling　for　the　lock；　which　he
could　not　see。

It　was　a　vigorous　blow　from　Heron's　fist　that　brought　him　at　last
to　his　knees；　and　even　then　his　hands　did　not　relax　their　hold；
they　gripped　the　ornamental　scroll　of　the　gate；　shook　the　gate
itself　in　its　rusty　hinges；　pushed　and　pulled　with　the　unreasoning
strength　of　despair。　　He　had　a　sabre　cut　across　his　brow；　and　the
blood　flowed　in　a　warm；　trickling　stream　down　his　face。　　But　of
this　he　was　unconscious；　all　that　he　wanted；　all　that　he　was
striving　for　with　agonising　heart…beats　and　cracking　sinews；　was
to　get　to　his　friend；　who　was　lying　in　there　unconscious；
abandoneddead；　perhaps。

〃Curse　you；〃　struck　Heron's　voice　close　to　his　ear。　　〃Cannot　some
of　you　stop　this　raving　maniac？〃

Then　it　was　that　the　heavy　blow　on　his　head　caused　him　a　sensation
of　sickness；　and　he　fell　on　his　knees；　still　gripping　the　ironwork。

Stronger　hands　than　his　were　forcing　him　to　loosen　his　hold；　blows
that　hurt　terribly　rained　on　his　numbed　fingers；　he　felt　himself
dragged　away；　carried　like　an　inert　mass　further　and　further　from
that　gate　which　he　would　have　given　his　lifeblood　to　force　open。

And　Marguerite　heard　all　this　from　the　inside　of　the　coach　where
she　was　imprisoned　as　effectually　as　was　Percy's　unconscious　body
inside　that　dark　chapel。　　She　could　hear　the　noise　and　scramble；
and　Heron's　hoarse　commands；　the　swift　sabre　strokes　as　they　cut
through　the　air。

Already　a　trooper　had　clapped　irons　on　her　wrists；　two　others　held
the　carriage　doors。　　Now　Armand　was　lifted　back　into　the　coach；
and　she　could　not　even　help　to　make　him　comfortable；　though　as　he
was　lifted　in　she　heard　him　feebly　moaning。　Then　the　Carriage
doors　were　banged　to　again。

〃Do　not　allow　either　of　the　prisoners　out　again；　on　peril　of　your
lives！〃　came　with　a　vigorous　curse