but with the sight of Armand St。 Just it had re…awakened and
confronted him again with the strength of a likely fulfilment。
The courtyard looked gloomy and deserted。 The thin drizzle which
still fell from a persistently leaden sky effectually held every
outline of masonry； of column； or of gate hidden as beneath a
shroud。 The corridor which skirted it all round was ill…lighted
save by an occasional oil…lamp fixed in the wall。
But Chauvelin knew his way well。 Heron's lodgings gave on the
second courtyard； the Square du Nazaret； and the way thither led
past the main square tower； in the top floor of which the
uncrowned King of France eked out his miserable existence as the
plaything of a rough cobbler and his wife。
Just beneath its frowning bastions Chauvelin turned back towards
Armand。 He pointed with a careless hand up…wards to the central
tower。
〃We have got little Capet in there；〃 he said dryly。 〃Your
chivalrous Scarlet Pimpernel has not ventured in these precincts
yet； you see。〃
Armand was silent。 He had no difficulty in looking unconcerned；
his thoughts were so full of Jeanne that he cared but little at
this moment for any Bourbon king or for the destinies of France。
Now the two men reached the postern gate。 A couple of sentinels
were standing by； but the gate itself was open； and from within
there came the sound of bustle and of noise； of a good deal of
swearing； and also of loud laughter。
The guard…room gave on the left of the gate； and the laughter came
from there。 It was brilliantly lighted； and Armand； peering in；
in the wake of Chauvelin； could see groups of soldiers sitting and
standing about。 There was a table in the centre of the room； and
on it a number of jugs and pewter mugs； packets of cards； and
overturned boxes of dice。
But the bustle did not come from the guard…room； it came from the
landing and the stone stairs beyond。
Chauvelin； apparently curious； had passed through the gate； and
Armand followed him。 The light from the open door of the
guard…room cut sharply across the landing； making the gloom beyond
appear more dense and almost solid。 From out the darkness；
fitfully intersected by a lanthorn apparently carried to and fro；
moving figures loomed out ghost…like and weirdly gigantic。 Soon
Armand distinguished a number of large objects that encumbered the
landing； and as he and Chauvelin left the sharp light of the
guard…room 'behind them； he could see that the large objects were
pieces of furniture of every shape and size； a wooden
bedsteaddismantledleaned against the wall； a black horsehair
sofa blocked the way to the tower stairs； and there were
numberless chairs and several tables piled one on the top of the
other。
In the midst of this litter a stout； flabby…cheeked man stood；
apparently giving directions as to its removal to persons at
present unseen。
〃Hola； Papa Simon！〃 exclaimed Chauvelin jovially； 〃moving out
to…day？ What？〃
〃Yes； thank the Lord！if there be a Lord！〃 retorted the other
curtly。 〃Is that you； citizen Chauvelin？〃
〃In person； citizen。 I did not know you were leaving quite so
soon。 Is citizen Heron anywhere about？〃
〃Just left；〃 replied Simon。 〃He had a last look at Capet just
before my wife locked the brat up in the inner room。 Now he's
gone back to his lodgings。〃
A man carrying a chest； empty of its drawers； on his back now came
stumbling down the tower staircase。 Madame Simon followed close
on his heels； steadying the chest with one hand。
〃We had better begin to load up the cart；〃 she called to her
husband in a high…pitched querulous voice； 〃the corridor is
getting too much encumbered。〃
She looked suspiciously at Chauvelin and at Armand； and when she
encountered the former's bland； unconcerned gaze she suddenly
shivered and drew her black shawl closer round her shoulders。
〃Bah！〃 she said； 〃I shall be glad to get out of this God…forsaken
hole。 I hate the very sight of these walls。〃
〃Indeed； the citizeness does not look over robust in health；〃 said
Chauvelin with studied politeness。 〃The stay in the tower did
not； mayhap； bring forth all the fruits of prosperity which she
had anticipated。〃
The woman eyed him with dark suspicion lurking in her hollow eyes。
〃I don't know what you mean； citizen；〃 she said with a shrug of
her wide shoulders。
〃Oh！ I meant nothing；〃 rejoined Chauvelin； smiling。 〃I am so
interested in your removal； busy man as I am； it has amused me to
watch you。 Whom have you got to help you with the furniture？〃
〃Dupont； the man…of…all…work； from the concierge；〃 said Simon
curtly。 〃Citizen Heron would not allow any one to come in from
the outside。〃
〃Rightly too。 Have the new commissaries come yet？
〃Only citizen Cochefer。 He is waiting upstairs for the others。〃
〃And Capet？〃
〃He is all safe。 Citizen Heron came to see him； and then he told
me to lock the little vermin up in the inner room。 Citizen
Cochefer had just arrived by that time； and he has remained in
charge。〃
During all this while the man with the chest on his back was
waiting for orders。 Bent nearly double； he was grumbling audibly
at his uncomfortable position。
〃Does the citizen want to break my back？〃 he muttered。
〃We had best get alongquoi？〃
He asked if he should begin to carry the furniture out into the
street。
〃Two sous have I got to pay every ten minutes to the lad who holds
my nag；〃 he said； muttering under his breath； 〃we shall be all
night at this rate。〃
〃Begin to load then；〃 commanded Simon gruffly。 〃Here！begin with
this sofa。〃
〃You'll have to give me a hand with that；〃 said the man。 〃Wait a
bit； I'll just see that everything is all right in the cart。 I'll
be back directly。〃
〃Take something with you then as you are going down；〃 said Madame
Simon in her querulous voice。
The man picked up a basket of linen that stood in the angle by the
door。 He hoisted it on his back and shuffled away with it across
the landing and out through the gate。
〃How did Capet like parting from his papa and maman？〃 asked
Chauvelin with a laugh。
〃H'm！〃 growled Simon laconically。 〃He will find out soon enough
how well off he was under our care。〃
〃Have the other commissaries come yet？〃
〃No。 But they will be here directly。 Citizen Cochefer is
upstairs mounting guard over Capet。〃
〃Well； good…bye； Papa Simon；〃 concluded Chauvelin jovially。
〃Citizeness； your servant！
He bowed with unconcealed irony to the cobbler's wife； and nodded
to Simon； who expressed by a volley of motley oaths his exact
feelings with regard to all the agents of the Committee of General
Security。
〃Six months of this penal servitude have we had；〃 he said roughly；
〃and no thanks or pension。 I would as soon serve a ci…devant
aristo as your accursed Committee。〃
The man Dupont had returned。 Stolidly； after the fashion of his
kind； he commenced the removal of citizen Simon's goods。 He
seemed a clumsy enough creature； and Simon and his wife had to do
most of the work themselves。
Chauvelin watched the moving forms for a while； then he shrugged
his shoulders with a laugh of indifference； and turned on his
heel。
CHAPTER XIX
IT IS ABOUT THE DAUPHIN
Heron was not at his lodgings when； at last； after vigorous pulls
at the bell； a great deal of waiting and much cursing； Chauvelin；
closely followed by Armand； was introduced in the chief agent's
office。
The soldier who acted as servant said that citizen Heron had gone
out to sup； but would surely be home again by eight o'clock。
Armand by this time was so dazed with fatigue that he sank on a
chair like a log； and remained there staring into the fire；
unconscious of the flight of time。
Anon Heron came home。 He nodded to Chauvelin； and threw but a
cursory glance on Armand。
〃Five minutes； citizen；〃 he said； with a rough attempt at an
apology。 〃I am sorry to keep you waiting； but the new
commissaries have arrived who are to take charge of Capet。 The
Simons have just gone； and I want to assure myself that everything
is all right in the Tower。 Cochefer has been in charge； but I
like to cast an eye over the brat every day myself。〃
He went out again； slamming the door behind him。 His heavy
footsteps were heard treading the flagstones of the corridor； and
gradually dying away in the distance。 Armand had paid no heed
either to his entrance or to his exit。 He was only conscious of
an intense weariness； and would at this moment gladly have laid
his head on the scaffold if on it he could find rest。
A white…faced clock on the wall ticked off the seconds one by one。
From the street below came the muffled sounds of wheeled traffic
on the soft mud of the road； it was raining more heavily now； and
from time to time a gust of wind rattled the small windows in
their dilapidated frames； or hurled a shower of heavy drops
against the panes。
The heat from the stove had made Armand drowsy； his head fell
forward on his chest。 Chauvelin； with his hands held behind his
back； paced ceaselessly up and down the narrow room。
Suddenly Armand startedwide awake now。 Hurried footsteps on the
flagstones outside； a hoarse shout； a banging of heavy doors； and
the next moment Heron stood once more on the threshold of the
room。 Armand； with wide…opened eyes； gazed on him in wonder。 The
whole appearance of the man had changed。 He looked ten years
older； with lank； dishevelled hair hanging matted over a moist
forehead； the cheeks ashen…white； the full lips bloodless and
hanging； flabby and parted； displaying both rows of yellow teeth
that shook against each other。 The whole figure looked bowed； as
if shrunk within itself。
Chauvelin had paused in his restless walk； He gazed on his
colleague； a frown of puzzlement on his pale； set face。
〃Capet！〃 he exclaimed； as soon as he had taken in every detail of
Heron's altered appearance； and seen the look of wild terror that
literally distorted his face。
Heron could not speak； his teeth were chattering in his mouth； and
his tongue seemed paralysed。 Chauvelin went up to him。 He was
several inches shorter than his colleague； but at this moment he
seemed to be towering over him like an avenging spirit。 He placed