Sir Andrew Ffoulkes； could not say。 Certain it is that； as he now
appeared before Armand； picturesque as ever in perfectly tailored
clothes； with priceless lace at throat and wrists； his slender
fingers holding an enamelled snuff…box and a handkerchief of
delicate cambric； his whole personality that of a dandy rather
than a man of action； it seemed impossible to connect him with the
foolhardy escapades which had set one nation glowing with
enthusiasm and another clamouring for revenge。
But it was the magnetism that emanated from him that could not be
denied； the light that now and then； swift as summer lightning；
flashed out from the depths of the blue eyes usually veiled by
heavy； lazy lids； the sudden tightening of firm lips； the setting
of the square jaw； which in a momentbut only for the space of a
secondtransformed the entire face； and revealed the born leader
of men。
Just now there was none of that in the debonnair； easy…going man
of the world who advanced to meet his friend。 Armand went quickly
up to him； glad to grasp his hand； slightly troubled with remorse；
no doubt； at the recollection of his adventure of to…day。 It
almost seemed to him that from beneath his half…closed lids
Blakeney had shot a quick inquiring glance upon him。 The quick
flash seemed to light up the young man's soul from within； and to
reveal it； naked； to his friend。
It was all over in a moment； and Armand thought that mayhap his
conscience had played him a trick： there was nothing apparent in
himof this he was surethat could possibly divulge his secret
just yet。
〃I am rather late； I fear；〃 he said。 〃I wandered about the
streets in the late afternoon and lost my way in the dark。 I hope
I have not kept you all waiting。〃
They all pulled chairs closely round the fire； except Blakeney；
who preferred to stand。 He waited awhile until they were all
comfortably settled； and all ready to listen； then：
〃It is about the Dauphin；〃 he said abruptly without further
preamble。
They understood。 All of them had guessed it； almost before the
summons came that had brought them to Paris two days ago。 Sir
Andrew Ffoulkes had left his young wife because of that； and
Armand had demanded it as a right to join hands in this noble
work。 Blakeney had not left France for over three months now。
Backwards and forwards between Paris； or Nantes； or Orleans to the
coast； where his friends would meet him to receive those
unfortunates whom one man's whole…hearted devotion had rescued
from death； backwards and forwards into the very hearts of those
cities wherein an army of sleuth…hounds were on his track； and the
guillotine was stretching out her arms to catch the foolhardy
adventurer。
Now it was about the Dauphin。 They all waited； breathless and
eager； the fire of a noble enthusiasm burning in their hearts。
They waited in silence； their eyes fixed on the leader； lest one
single word from him should fail to reach their ears。
The full magnetism of the man was apparent now。 As he held these
four men at this moment； he could have held a crowd。 The man of
the worldthe fastidious dandyhad shed his mask； there stood
the leader； calm； serene in the very face of the most deadly
danger that had ever encompassed any man； looking that danger
fully in the face； not striving to belittle it or to exaggerate
it； but weighing it in the balance with what there was to
accomplish： the rescue of a martyred； innocent child from the
hands of fiends who were destroying his very soul even more
completely than his body。
〃Everything； I think； is prepared；〃 resumed Sir Percy after a
slight pause。 〃The Simons have been summarily dismissed； I
learned that to…day。 They remove from the Temple on Sunday next；
the nineteenth。 Obviously that is the one day most likely to help
us in our operations。 As far as I am concerned； I cannot make any
hard…and…fast plans。 Chance at the last moment will have to
dictate。 But from every one of you I must have co…operation； and
it can only be by your following my directions implicitly that we
can even remotely hope to succeed。〃
He crossed and recrossed the room once or twice before he spoke
again； pausing now and again in his walk in front of a large map
of Paris and its environs that hung upon the wall； his tall figure
erect； his hands behind his back； his eyes fixed before him as if
he saw right through the walls of this squalid room； and across
the darkness that overhung the city； through the grim bastions of
the mighty building far away； where the descendant of an hundred
kings lived at the mercy of human fiends who worked for his
abasement。
The man's face now was that of a seer and a visionary； the firm
lines were set and rigid as those of an image carved in stonethe
statue of heart…whole devotion； with the self…imposed task
beckoning sternly to follow； there where lurked danger and death。
〃The way； I think； in which we could best succeed would be this；〃
he resumed after a while； sitting now on the edge of the table and
directly facing his four friends。 The light from the lamp which
stood upon the table behind him fell full upon those four glowing
faces fixed eagerly upon him； but he himself was in shadow； a
massive silhouette broadly cut out against the light…coloured map
on the wall beyond。
〃I remain here； of course； until Sunday；〃 he said； 〃and will
closely watch my opportunity； when I can with the greatest amount
of safety enter the Temple building and take possession of the
child。 I shall； of course choose the moment when the Simons are
actually on the move； with their successors probably coming in at
about the same time。 God alone knows；〃 he added earnestly； 〃how I
shall contrive to get possession of the child； at the moment I am
just as much in the dark about that as you are。〃
He paused a moment； and suddenly his grave face seemed flooded
with sunshine； a kind of lazy merriment danced in his eyes；
effacing all trace of solemnity within them。
〃La！〃 he said lightly； 〃on one point I am not at all in the dark；
and that is that His Majesty King Louis XVII will come out of that
ugly house in my company next Sunday； the nineteenth day of
January in this year of grace seventeen hundred and ninety…four；
and this； too； do I knowthat those murderous blackguards shall
not lay hands on me whilst that precious burden is in my keeping。
So I pray you； my good Armand； do not look so glum；〃 he added with
his pleasant； merry laugh； 〃you'll need all your wits about you to
help us in our undertaking。〃
〃What do you wish me to do； Percy？〃 said the young man simply。
〃In one moment I will tell you。 I want you all to understand the
situation first。 The child will be out of the Temple on Sunday；
but at what hour I know not。 The later it will be the better
would it suit my purpose； for I cannot get him out of Paris before
evening with any chance of safety。 Here we must risk nothing； the
child is far better off as he is now than he would be if he were
dragged back after an abortive attempt at rescue。 But at this
hour of the night； between nine and ten o'clock； I can arrange to
get him out of Paris by the Villette gate； and that is where I
want you； Ffoulkes； and you； Tony； to be； with some kind of
covered cart； yourselves in any disguise your ingenuity will
suggest。 Here are a few certificates of safety； I have been
making a collection of them for some time； as they are always
useful。〃
He dived into the wide pocket of his coat and drew forth a number
of cards； greasy； much…fingered documents of the usual pattern
which the Committee of General Security delivered to the free
citizens of the new republic； and without which no one could
enter or leave any town or country commune without being detained
as 〃suspect。〃 He glanced at them and handed them over to
Ffoulkes。
〃Choose your own identity for the occasion； my good friend；〃 he
said lightly； 〃and you too； Tony。 You may be stonemasons or
coal…carriers； chimney…sweeps or farm…labourers； I care not which
so long as you look sufficiently grimy and wretched to be
unrecognisable； and so long as you can procure a cart without
arousing suspicions； and can wait for me punctually at the
appointed spot。〃
Ffoulkes turned over the cards； and with a laugh handed them over
to Lord Tony。 The two fastidious gentlemen discussed for awhile
the respective merits of a chimney…sweep's uniform as against that
of a coal…carrier。
〃You can carry more grime if you are a sweep；〃 suggested Blakeney；
〃and if the soot gets into your eyes it does not make them smart
like coal does。〃
〃But soot adheres more closely；〃 argued Tony solemnly； 〃and I know
that we shan't get a bath for at least a week afterwards。〃
〃Certainly you won't； you sybarite！〃 asserted Sir Percy with a
laugh。
〃After a week soot might become permanent；〃 mused Sir Andrew；
wondering what； under the circumstance； my lady would say to him。
〃If you are both so fastidious；〃 retorted Blakeney； shrugging his
broad shoulders； 〃I'll turn one of you into a reddleman； and the
other into a dyer。 Then one of you will be bright scarlet to the
end of his days； as the reddle never comes off the skin at all；
and the other will have to soak in turpentine before the dye will
consent to move。。。。 In either case 。。。 oh； my dear Tony！ 。。。 the
smell。。。。〃
He laughed like a schoolboy in anticipation of a prank； and held
his scented handkerchief to his nose。 My Lord Hastings chuckled
audibly； and Tony punched him for this unseemly display of mirth。
Armand watched the little scene in utter amazement。 He had been
in England over a year； and yet he could not understand these
Englishmen。 Surely they were the queerest； most inconsequent
people in the world； Here were these men； who were engaged at
this very moment in an enterprise which for cool…headed courage
and foolhardy daring had probably no parallel in history。 They
were literally taking their lives in their hands； in all
probability facing certain death； and yet they now sat chaffing
and fighting like a crowd of third…form schoolboys； talking utter；
silly nonsense； and making foolish jokes that would have shamed a
Frenchman in his teens。 Vaguely he