beyond by heavy iron gates。 Through the ironwork Armand caught
sight of a number of women walking or sitting in the courtyard。
He heard a man next to him explaining to his friend that these
were the female prisoners who would be brought to trial that day；
and he felt that his heart must burst at the thought that mayhap
Jeanne would be among them。
He elbowed his way cautiously to the front rank。 Soon he found
himself beside a sentinel who； with a good…humoured jest； made way
for him that he might watch the aristos。 Armand leaned against
the grating； and his every sense was concentrated in that of
sight。
At first he could scarcely distinguish one woman from another
amongst the crowd that thronged the courtyard； and the close
ironwork hindered his view considerably。 The women looked almost
like phantoms in the grey misty air； gliding slowly along with
noiseless tread on the flag…stones。
Presently； however； his eyes； which mayhap were somewhat dim with
tears； became more accustomed to the hazy grey light and the
moving figures that looked so like shadows。 He could distinguish
isolated groups now； women and girls sitting together under the
colonnaded arcades； some reading； others busy； with trembling
fingers； patching and darning a poor； torn gown。 Then there were
others who were actually chatting and laughing together； andoh；
the pity of it！ the pity and the shame！a few children； shrieking
with delight； were playing hide and seek in and out amongst the
columns。
And； between them all； in and out like the children at play；
unseen； yet familiar to all； the spectre of Death； scythe and
hour…glass in hand； wandered； majestic and sure。
Armand's very soul was in his eyes。 So far he had not yet caught
sight of his beloved； and slowlyvery slowlya ray of hope was
filtering through the darkness of his despair。
The sentinel； who had stood aside for him； chaffed him for his
intentness。
〃Have you a sweetheart among these aristos； citizen？〃 he asked。
〃You seem to be devouring them with your eyes。〃
Armand； with his rough clothes soiled with coal…dust； his face
grimy and streaked with sweat； certainly looked to have but little
in common with the ci…devant aristos who formed the hulk of the
groups in the courtyard。 He looked up； the soldier was regarding
him with obvious amusement； and at sight of Armand's wild； anxious
eyes he gave vent to a coarse jest。
〃Have I made a shrewd guess； citizen？〃 he said。 〃Is she among
that lot？〃
〃I do not know where she is；〃 said Armand almost involuntarily。
〃Then why don't you find out？〃 queried the soldier。
The man was not speaking altogether unkindly。 Armand； devoured
with the maddening desire to know； threw the last fragment of
prudence to the wind。 He assumed a more careless air； trying to
look as like a country bumpkin in love as he could。
〃I would like to find out；〃 he said； 〃but I don't know where to
inquire。 My sweetheart has certainly left her home；〃 he added
lightly； 〃some say that she has been false to me； but I think
that； mayhap； she has been arrested。〃
〃Well； then； you gaby；〃 said the soldier good…humouredly； 〃go
straight to La Tournelle； you know where it is？
Armand knew well enough； but thought it more prudent to keep up
the air of the ignorant lout。
〃Straight down that first corridor on your right；〃 explained the
other； pointing in the direction which he had indicated； 〃you will
find the guichet of La Tournelle exactly opposite to you。 Ask the
concierge for the register of female prisonersevery freeborn
citizen of the Republic has the right to inspect prison registers。
It is a new decree framed for safeguarding the liberty of the
people。 But if you do not press half a livre in the hand of the
concierge；〃 he added； speaking confidentially； 〃you will find that
the register will not be quite ready for your inspection。〃
〃Half a livre！〃 exclaimed Armand； striving to play his part to the
end。 〃How can a poor devil of a labourer have half a livre to
give away？〃
〃Well！ a few sous will do in that case； a few sous are always
welcome these hard times。〃
Armand took the hint； and as the crowd had drifted away
momentarily to a further portion of the corridor； he contrived to
press a few copper coins into the hand of the obliging soldier。
Of course； he knew his way to La Tournelle； and he would have
covered the distance that separated him from the guichet there
with steps flying like the wind； but； commending himself for his
own prudence； he walked as slowly as he could along the
interminable corridor； past the several minor courts of justice；
and skirting the courtyard where the male prisoners took their
exercise。
At last； having struck sharply to his left and ascended a short
flight of stairs； he found himself in front of the guicheta
narrow wooden box； wherein the clerk in charge of the prison
registers sat nominally at the disposal of the citizens of this
free republic。
But to Armand's almost overwhelming chagrin he found the place
entirely deserted。 The guichet was closed down； there was not a
soul in sight。 The disappointment was doubly keen； coming as it
did in the wake of hope that had refused to be gainsaid。 Armand
himself did not realise how sanguine he had been until he
discovered that he must wait and wait againwait for hours； all
day mayhap； before he could get definite news of Jeanne。
He wandered aimlessly in the vicinity of that silent； deserted；
cruel spot； where a closed trapdoor seemed to shut off all his
hopes of a speedy sight of Jeanne。 He inquired of the first
sentinels whom he came across at what hour the clerk of the
registers would be back at his post； the soldiers shrugged their
shoulders and could give no information。 Then began Armand's
aimless wanderings round La Tournelle； his fruitless inquiries；
his wild； excited search for the hide…bound official who was
keeping from him the knowledge of Jeanne。
He went back to his sentinel well…wisher by the women's courtyard；
but found neither consolation nor encouragement there。
〃It is not the hourquoi？〃 the soldier remarked with laconic
philosophy。
It apparently was not the hour when the prison registers were
placed at the disposal of the public。 After much fruitless
inquiry； Armand at last was informed by a bon bourgeois； who was
wandering about the house of Justice and who seemed to know its
multifarious rules； that the prison registers all over Paris could
only be consulted by the public between the hours of six and seven
in the evening。
There was nothing for it but to wait。 Armand； whose temples were
throbbing； who was footsore； hungry； and wretched； could gain
nothing by continuing his aimless wanderings through the
labyrinthine building。 For close upon another hour he stood with
his face glued against the ironwork which separated him from the
female prisoners' courtyard。 Once it seemed to him as if from its
further end he caught the sound of that exquisitely melodious
voice which had rung forever in his ear since that memorable
evening when Jeanne's dainty footsteps had first crossed the path
of his destiny。 He strained his eyes to look in the direction
whence the voice had come； but the centre of the courtyard was
planted with a small garden of shrubs； and Armand could not see
across it。 At last； driven forth like a wandering and lost soul；
he turned back and out into the streets。 The air was mild and
damp。 The sharp thaw had persisted through the day； and a thin；
misty rain was falling and converting the ill…paved roads into
seas of mud。
But of this Armand was wholly unconscious。 He walked along the
quay holding his cap in his hand； so that the mild south wind
should cool his burning forehead。
How he contrived to kill those long； weary hours he could not
afterwards have said。 Once he felt very hungry； and turned almost
mechanically into an eating…house； and tried to eat and drink。
But most of the day he wandered through the streets； restlessly；
unceasingly； feeling neither chill nor fatigue。 The hour before
six o'clock found him on the Quai de l'Horloge in the shadow of
the great towers of the Hall of Justice； listening for the clang
of the clock that would sound the hour of his deliverance from
this agonising torture of suspense。
He found his way to La Tournelle without any hesitation。 There
before him was the wooden box； with its guichet open at last； and
two stands upon its ledge； on which were placed two huge
leather…bound books。
Though Armand was nearly an hour before the appointed time； he saw
when he arrived a number of people standing round the guichet。
Two soldiers were there keeping guard and forcing the patient；
long…suffering inquirers to stand in a queue； each waiting his or
her turn at the books。
It was a curious crowd that stood there； in single file； as if
waiting at the door of the cheaper part of a theatre； men in
substantial cloth clothes； and others in ragged blouse and
breeches； there were a few women； too； with black shawls on their
shoulders and kerchiefs round their wan； tear…stained faces。
They were all silent and absorbed； submissive under the rough
handling of the soldiery； humble and deferential when anon the
clerk of the registers entered his box； and prepared to place
those fateful books at the disposal of those who had lost a loved
onefather； brother； mother； or wifeand had come to search
through those cruel pages。
From inside his box the clerk disputed every inquirer's right to
consult the books； he made as many difficulties as he could；
demanding the production of certificates of safety； or permits
from the section。 He was as insolent as he dared； and Armand from
where he stood could see that a continuous if somewhat thin stream
of coppers flowed from the hands of the inquirers into those of
the official。
It was quite dark in the passage where the long queue continued to
swell with amazing rapidity。 Only on the ledge in front of the
guichet there was a guttering tallow candle at the disposal of the
inquirers。
Now it was Armand's turn at last。 By this time his heart was
beating so strongly and so rapidly that he could not have trusted
himself to s