confession this young citizen desired to make to you。 All I need
tell you is that he is an adherent of the Scarlet PimpernelI
believe one of his most faithful； most trusted officers。〃
Heron roused himself from the maze of gloomy thoughts that were
again paralysing his tongue。 He turned bleary； wild eyes on
Armand。
〃We have got one of them； then？〃 he murmured incoherently；
babbling like a drunken man。
〃M'yes！〃 replied Chauvelin lightly； 〃but it is too late now for a
formal denunciation and arrest。 He cannot leave Paris anyhow； and
all that your men need to do is to keep a close look…out on him。
But I should send him home to…night if I were you。〃
Heron muttered something more； which； however； Armand did not
understand。 Chauvelin's words were still ringing in his ear。 Was
he； then； to be set free to…night？ Free in a measure； of course；
since spies were to be set to watch himbut free； nevertheless？
He could not understand Chauvelin's attitude； and his own
self…love was not a little wounded at the thought that he was of
such little account that these men could afford to give him even
this provisional freedom。 And； of course； there was still Jeanne。
〃I must； therefore； bid you good…night； citizen；〃 Chauvelin was
saying in his bland； gently ironical manner。 〃You will be glad to
return to your lodgings。 As you see； the chief agent of the
Committee of General Security is too much occupied just now to
accept the sacrifice of your life which you were prepared so
generously to offer him。〃
〃I do not understand you； citizen；〃 retorted Armand coldly； 〃nor
do I desire indulgence at your hands。 You have arrested an
innocent woman on the trumped…up charge that she was harbouring
me。 I came here to…night to give myself up to justice so that she
might be set free。〃
〃But the hour is somewhat late； citizen；〃 rejoined Chauvelin
urbanely。 〃The lady in whom you take so fervent an interest is no
doubt asleep in her cell at this hour。 It would not be fitting to
disturb her now。 She might not find shelter before morning； and
the weather is quite exceptionally unpropitious。〃
〃Then； sir；〃 said Armand； a little bewildered； 〃am I to understand
that if I hold myself at your disposition Mademoiselle Lange will
be set free as early to…morrow morning as may be？〃
〃No doubt； sirno doubt；〃 replied Chauvelin with more than his
accustomed blandness； 〃if you will hold yourself entirely at our
disposition； Mademoiselle Lange will be set free to…morrow。 I
think that we can safely promise that； citizen Heron； can we not？〃
he added； turning to his colleague。
But Heron； overcome with the stress of emotions； could only murmur
vague； unintelligible words。
〃Your word on that； citizen Chauvelin？〃 asked Armand。
〃My word on it an you will accept it。〃
〃No； I will not do that。 Give me an unconditional certificate of
safety and I will believe you。〃
〃Of what use were that to you？〃 asked Chauvelin。
〃I believe my capture to be of more importance to you than that of
Mademoiselle Lange；〃 said Armand quietly。
〃I will use the certificate of safety for myself or one of my
friends if you break your word to me anent Mademoiselle Lange。〃
〃H'm！ the reasoning is not illogical； citizen；〃 said Chauvelin；
whilst a curious smile played round the corners of his thin lips。
〃You are quite right。 You are a more valuable asset to us than
the charming lady who； I hope； will for many a day and year to
come delight pleasure…loving Paris with her talent and her grace。〃
〃Amen to that； citizen；〃 said Armand fervently。
〃Well； it will all depend on you； sir！ Here；〃 he added； coolly
running over some papers on Heron's desk until he found what he
wanted； 〃is an absolutely unconditional certificate of safety。
The Committee of General Security issue very few of these。 It is
worth the cost of a human life。 At no barrier or gate of any city
can such a certificate be disregarded； nor even can it be
detained。 Allow me to hand it to you； citizen； as a pledge of my
own good faith。〃
Smiling； urbane； with a curious look that almost expressed
amusement lurking in his shrewd； pale eyes； Chauvelin handed the
momentous document to Armand。
The young man studied it very carefully before he slipped it into
the inner pocket of his coat。
〃How soon shall I have news of Mademoiselle Lange？〃 he asked
finally。
〃In the course of to…morrow。 I myself will call on you and redeem
that precious document in person。 You； on the other hand； will
hold yourself at my disposition。 That's understood； is it not？〃
〃I shall not fail you。 My lodgings are〃
〃Oh！ do not trouble；〃 interposed Chauvelin； with a polite bow； 〃we
can find that out for ourselves。〃
Heron had taken no part in this colloquy。 Now that Armand
prepared to go he made no attempt to detain him； or to question
his colleague's actions。 He sat by the table like a log； his mind
was obviously a blank to all else save to his own terrors
engendered by the events of this night。
With bleary； half…veiled eyes he followed Armand's progress
through the room； and seemed unaware of the loud slamming of the
outside door。 Chauvelin had escorted the young man past the first
line of sentry； then he took cordial leave of him。
〃Your certificate will； you will find； open every gate to you。
Good…night； citizen。 A demain。〃
〃Good…night。〃
Armand's slim figure disappeared in the gloom。 Chauvelin watched
him for a few moments until even his footsteps had died away in
the distance； then he turned back towards Heron's lodgings。
〃A nous deux；〃 he muttered between tightly clenched teeth； 〃a nous
deux once more； my enigmatical Scarlet Pimpernel。〃
CHAPTER XXI
BACK TO PARIS
It was an exceptionally dark night； and the rain was falling in
torrents。 Sir Andrew Ffoulkes； wrapped in a piece of sacking； had
taken shelter right underneath the coal…cart； even then he was
getting wet through to the skin。
He had worked hard for two days coal…heaving； and the night before
he had found a cheap； squalid lodging where at any rate he was
protected from the inclemencies of the weather； but to…night he
was expecting Blakeney at the appointed hour and place。 He had
secured a cart of the ordinary ramshackle pattern used for
carrying coal。 Unfortunately there were no covered ones to be
obtained in the neighbourhood； and equally unfortunately the thaw
had set in with a blustering wind and diving rain； which made
waiting in the open air for hours at a stretch and in complete
darkness excessively unpleasant。
But for all these discomforts Sir Andrew Ffoulkes cared not one
jot。 In England； in his magnificent Suffolk home； he was a
confirmed sybarite； in whose service every description of comfort
and luxury had to be enrolled。 Here tonight in the rough and
tattered clothes of a coal…heaver； drenched to the skin； and
crouching under the body of a cart that hardly sheltered him from
the rain； he was as happy as a schoolboy out for a holiday。
Happy； but vaguely anxious。
He had no means of ascertaining the time。 So many of the
church…bells and clock towers had been silenced recently that not
one of those welcome sounds penetrated to the dreary desolation of
this canal wharf； with its abandoned carts standing ghostlike in a
row。 Darkness had set in very early in the afternoon； and the
heavers had given up work soon after four o'clock。
For about an hour after that a certain animation had still reigned
round the wharf； men crossing and going； one or two of the barges
moving in or out alongside the quay。 But for some time now
darkness and silence had been the masters in this desolate spot；
and that time had seemed to Sir Andrew an eternity。 He had
hobbled and tethered his horse； and stretched himself out at full
length under the cart。 Now and again he had crawled out from
under this uncomfortable shelter and walked up and down in
ankle…deep mud； trying to restore circulation in his stiffened
limbs； now and again a kind of torpor had come over him； and he
had fallen into a brief and restless sleep。 He would at this
moment have given half his fortune for knowledge of the exact
time。
But through all this weary waiting he was never for a moment in
doubt。 Unlike Armand St。 Just； he had the simplest； most perfect
faith in his chief。 He had been Blakeney's constant companion in
all these adventures for close upon four years now； the thought of
failure； however vague； never once entered his mind。
He was only anxious for his chief's welfare。 He knew that he
would succeed； but he would have liked to have spared him much of
the physical fatigue and the nerve…racking strain of these hours
that lay between the daring deed and the hope of safety。
Therefore he was conscious of an acute tingling of his nerves；
which went on even during the brief patches of fitful sleep； and
through the numbness that invaded his whole body while the hours
dragged wearily and slowly along。
Then； quite suddenly； he felt wakeful and alert； quite a
whileeven before he heard the welcome signalhe knew； with a
curious； subtle sense of magnetism； that the hour had come； and
that his chief was somewhere near by； not very far。
Then he heard the crya seamew's callrepeated thrice at
intervals； and five minutes later something loomed out of the
darkness quite close to the hind wheels of the cart。
〃Hist！ Ffoulkes！〃 came in a soft whisper； scarce louder than the
wind。
〃Present！〃 came in quick response。
〃Here； help me to lift the child into the cart。 He is asleep； and
has been a dead weight on my arm for close on an hour now。 Have
you a dry bit of sacking or something to lay him on？〃
〃Not very dry； I am afraid。〃
With tender care the two men lifted the sleeping little King of
France into the rickety cart。 Blakeney laid his cloak over him；
and listened for awhile to the slow regular breathing of the
child。
〃St。 Just is not hereyou know that？〃 said Sir Andrew after a
while。
〃Yes； I knew it；〃 replied Blakeney curtly。
It was characteristic of these two men that not a word about the
adventure itself； about the terrible risks and dangers of the past
few hours； was exchanged between them。 The child was