el dorado-第7部分

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I　would　love　to　go　there。　　Perhaps　I　may　have　to　go　some　day。　　Oh！
do　sit　down；　de　Batz；〃　she　continued；　talking　rather　volubly；　even
as　a　delicate　blush　heightened　the　colour　in　her　cheeks　under　the
look　of　obvious　admiration　from　Armand　St。　Just's　expressive　eyes。

She　swept　a　handful　of　delicate　cambric　and　silk　from　off　a　chair；
making　room　for　de　Batz'　portly　figure。　　Then　she　sat　upon　the
sofa；　and　with　an　inviting　gesture　and　a　call　from　the　eyes　she
bade　Armand　sit　down　next　to　her。　She　leaned　back　against　the
cushions；　and　the　table　being　close　by；　she　stretched　out　a　hand
and　once　more　took　up　the　bunch　of　narcissi；　and　while　she　talked
to　Armand　she　held　the　snow…white　blooms　quite　close　to　her
faceso　close；　in　fact；　that　he　could　not　see　her　mouth　and　chin；
only　her　dark　eyes　shone　across　at　him　over　the　heads　of　the
blossoms。

〃Tell　me　all　about　England；〃　she　reiterated；　settling　herself　down
among　the　cushions　like　a　spoilt　child　who　is　about　to　listen　to
an　oft…told　favourite　story。

Armand　was　vexed　that　de　Batz　was　sitting　there。　　He　felt　he　could
have　told　this　dainty　little　lady　quite　a　good　deal　about　England
if　only　his　pompous；　fat　friend　would　have　had　the　good　sense　to
go　away。

As　it　was；　he　felt　unusually　timid　and　gauche；　not　quite　knowing
what　to　say；　a　fact　which　seemed　to　amuse　Mlle。　Lange　not　a　little。

〃I　am　very　fond　of　England；〃　he　said　lamely；　〃my　sister　is　married
to　an　Englishman；　and　I　myself　have　taken　up　my　permanent
residence　there。〃

〃Among　the　society　of　emigres？〃　she　queried。

Then；　as　Armand　made　no　reply；　de　Batz　interposed　quickly：

〃Oh！　you　need　not　fear　to　admit　it；　my　good　Armand；　Mademoiselle
Lange；　has　many　friends　among　the　emigreshave　you　not；
mademoiselle？〃

〃Yes；　of　course；〃　she　replied　lightly；　〃I　have　friends　everywhere。
Their　political　views　have　nothing　to　do　with　me。　　Artistes；　I
think；　should　have　naught　to　do　with　politics。　You　see；　citizen
St。　Just；　I　never　inquired　of　you　what　were　your　views。　Your　name
and　kinship　would　proclaim　you　a　partisan　of　citizen　Robespierre；
yet　I　find　you　in　the　company　of　M。　de　Batz；　and　you　tell　me　that
you　live　in　England。〃

〃He　is　no　partisan　of　citizen　Robespierre；〃　again　interposed　de
Batz；　〃in　fact；　mademoiselle；　I　may　safely　tell　you；　I　think；　that
my　friend　has　but　one　ideal　on　this　earth；　whom　he　has　set　up　in
a　shrine；　and　whom　he　worships　with　all　the　ardour　of　a　Christian
for　his　God。〃

〃How　romantic！〃　she　said；　and　she　looked　straight　at　Armand。
〃Tell　me；　monsieur；　is　your　ideal　a　woman　or　a　man？〃

His　look　answered　her；　even　before　he　boldly　spoke　the　two　words：

〃A　woman。〃

She　took　a　deep　draught　of　sweet；　intoxicating　scent　from　the
narcissi；　and　his　gaze　once　more　brought　blushes　to　her　cheeks。
De　Batz'　good…humoured　laugh　helped　her　to　hide　this　unwonted
access　of　confusion。

〃That　was　well　turned；　friend　Armand；〃　he　said　lightly；　〃but　I
assure　you；　mademoiselle；　that　before　I　brought　him　here　to…night
his　ideal　was　a　man。〃

〃A　man！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　contemptuous　little　pout。　　〃Who　was
it？〃

〃I　know　no　other　name　for　him　but　that　of　a　small；　insignificant
flowerthe　Scarlet　Pimpernel；〃　replied　de　Batz。

〃The　Scarlet　Pimpernel！〃　she　ejaculated；　dropping　the　flowers
suddenly；　and　gazing　on　Armand　with　wide；　wondering　eyes。　　〃And　do
you　know　him；　monsieur？〃

He　was　frowning　despite　himself；　despite　the　delight　which　he　felt
at　sitting　so　close　to　this　charming　little　lady；　and　feeling　that
in　a　measure　his　presence　and　his　personality　interested　her。　　But
he　felt　irritated　with　de　Batz；　and　angered　at　what　he　considered
the　latter's　indiscretion。　　To　him　the　very　name　of　his　leader　was
almost　a　sacred　one；　he　was　one　of　those　enthusiastic　devotees　who
only　care　to　name　the　idol　of　their　dreams　with　bated　breath；　and
only　in　the　ears　of　those　who　would　understand　and　sympathise。

Again　he　felt　that　if　only　he　could　have　been　alone　with
mademoiselle　he　could　have　told　her　all　about　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　knowing　that　in　her　he　would　find　a　ready　listener；　a
helping　and　a　loving　heart；　but　as　it　was　he　merely　replied　tamely
enough：

Yes；　mademoiselle；　I　do　know　him。〃

〃You　have　seen　him？〃　she　queried　eagerly；　〃spoken　to　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh！　do　tell　me　all　about　him。　You　know　quite　a　number　of　us　in
France　have　the　greatest　possible　admiration　for　your　national
hero。　　We　know；　of　course；　that　he　is　an　enemy　of　our　Government
but；　oh！　we　feel　that　he　is　not　an　enemy　of　France　because　of
that。　　We　are　a　nation　of　heroes；　too；　monsieur；〃　she　added　with　a
pretty；　proud　toss　of　the　head；　〃we　can　appreciate　bravery　and
resource；　and　we　love　the　mystery　that　surrounds　the　personality
of　your　Scarlet　Pimpernel。　　But　since　you　know　him；　monsieur；　tell
me　what　is　he　like？

Armand　was　smiling　again。　　He　was　yielding　himself　up　wholly　to
the　charm　which　emanated　from　this　young　girl's　entire　being；　from
her　gaiety　and　her　unaffectedness；　her　enthusiasm；　and　that
obvious　artistic　temperament　which　caused　her　to　feel　every
sensation　with　superlative　keenness　and　thoroughness。

〃What　is　he　like？〃　she　insisted。

〃That；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied；　〃I　am　not　at　liberty　to　tell
you。〃

〃Not　at　liberty　to　tell　me！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃but　monsieur；　if　I
command　you〃

〃At　risk　of　falling　forever　under　the　ban　of　your　displeasure；
mademoiselle；　I　would　still　remain　silent　on　that　subject。〃

She　gazed　on　him　with　obvious　astonishment。　　It　was　quite　an
unusual　thing　for　this　spoilt　darling　of　an　admiring　public　to　be
thus　openly　thwarted　in　her　whims。

〃How　tiresome　and　pedantic！〃　she　said；　with　a　shrug　of　her　pretty
shoulders　and　a　moue　of　discontent。　　〃And；　oh！　how　ungallant！　　You
have　learnt　ugly；　English　ways；　monsieur；　for　there；　I　am　told；
men　hold　their　womenkind　in　very　scant　esteem。　　There！〃　she　added；
turning　with　a　mock　air　of　hopelessness　towards　de　Batz；　〃am　I　not
a　most　unlucky　woman？　　For　the　past　two　years　I　have　used　my　best
endeavours　to　catch　sight　of　that　interesting　Scarlet　Pimpernel；
here　do　I　meet　monsieur；　who　actually　knows　him　（so　he　says）；　and
he　is　so　ungallant　that　he　even　refuses　to　satisfy　the　first
cravings　of　my　just　curiosity。〃

〃Citizen　St。　Just　will　tell　you　nothing　now；　mademoiselle；〃
rejoined　de　Batz　with　his　good…humoured　laugh；　〃it　is　my　presence；
I　assure　you；　which　is　setting　a　seal　upon　his　lips。　　He　is；
believe　me；　aching　to　confide　in　you；　to　share　in　your　enthusiasm；
and　to　see　your　beautiful　eyes　glowing　in　response　to　his　ardour
when　he　describes　to　you　the　exploits　of　that　prince　of　heroes。
En　tete…a…tete　one　day；　you　will；　I　know；　worm　every　secret　out
of　my　discreet　friend　Armand。〃

Mademoiselle　made　no　comment　on　thisthat　is　to　say；　no　audible
commentbut　she　buried　the　whole　of　her　face　for　a　few　seconds
among　the　flowers；　and　Armand　from　amongst　those　flowers　caught
sight　of　a　pair　of　very　bright　brown　eyes　which　shone　on　him　with
a　puzzled　look。

She　said　nothing　more　about　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　or　about　England
just　then；　but　after　awhile　she　began　talking　of　more　indifferent
subjects：　the　state　of　the　weather；　the　price　of　food；　the
discomforts　of　her　own　house；　now　that　the　servants　had　been　put
on　perfect　equality　with　their　masters。

Armand　soon　gathered　that　the　burning　questions　of　the　day；　the
horrors　of　massacres；　the　raging　turmoil　of　politics；　had　not
affected　her　very　deeply　as　yet。　　She　had　not　troubled　her　pretty
head　very　much　about　the　social　and　humanitarian　aspect　of　the
present　seething　revolution。　She　did　not　really　wish　to　think
about　it　at　all。　　An　artiste　to　her　finger…tips；　she　was　spending
her　young　life　in　earnest　work；　striving　to　attain　perfection　in
her　art；　absorbed　in　study　during　the　day；　and　in　the　expression
of　what　she　had　learnt　in　the　evenings。

The　terrors　of　the　guillotine　affected　her　a　little；　but　somewhat
vaguely　still。　　She　had　not　realised　that　any　dangers　could　assail
her　whilst　she　worked　for　the　artistic　delectation　of　the　public。

It　was　not　that　she　did　not　understand　what　went　on　around　her；
but　that　her　artistic　temperament　and　her　environment　had　kept　her
aloof　from　it　all。　　The　horrors　of　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　made
her　shudder；　but　only　in　the　same　way　as　the　tragedies　of　M。
Racine　or　of　Sophocles　which　she　had　studied　caused　her　to
shudder；　and　she　had　exactly　the　same　sympathy　for　poor　Queen
Marie　Antoinette　as　she　had　for　Mary　Stuart；　and　shed　as　many
tears　for　King　Louis　as　she　did　for　Polyeucte。

Once　de　Batz　mentioned　the　Dauphin；　but　mademoiselle　put　up　her
hand　quickly　and　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　whilst　the　tears
gathered　in　her　eyes：

〃Do　not　speak　of　the　child　to　me；　de　Batz。　　What　can　I；　a　lonely；
hard…working　woman；　do　to　help　him？　　I　try　not　to　think　of　him；
for　if　I　did；　knowing　my　own　helplessness；　I　feel　that　I　could
hate　my　countrymen；　and　speak　my　bitter　hatred　of　them　across　the
footlights；　which　would　be　more　than　foolish；〃　she　added　naively；
〃for　it　would　not　help　the　child；　and　I　should　be　sent　to　the
guillotine。　But　oh　sometimes　I　feel　that　I　would　gladly　die　if
only　that　poor　little　child…martyr　were　restored　to　those　who　love
him　and　given　back　once　more　to　joy　and　happiness。　But　they　would
not　take　my　life　for　his；　I　am　afraid；〃　she　concluded；　smiling
through　her　tears。　　〃My　life　is　of　no　value　in　comparison　with
his。〃

Soon　after　this　she　dismissed　her　two　visitors。　　De　Batz；　well
content　with　the　result　of　this　evening's　entertainment；　wore　an
urbane；　bland　smile　on　his　rubicund　face。　Armand；　somewhat　serious
and　not　a　little　in　love；　made　the　hand…kiss　with　which　he　took
his　leave　last　as　long　as　he　could。

〃You　will　come　and　see　me　again；　citizen　St。　Just？〃　she　asked
after　that　preliminary　leave…taking。

〃At　your　service；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied　with　alacrity。

〃How　long　do　you　stay　in　Paris？〃

〃I　may　be　called　away　at　any　time。〃

〃Well；　then；　come　to…morrow。　　I　shall　be　free　towards　four
o'clock。　　Square　du　Roule。　　You　cannot　miss　the　house。　　Any　one
there　will　tell　you　where　lives　citizeness　Lange。〃

〃At　your　service；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied。

The　words　sounded　empty　and　meaningless；　but　his　eyes