nails； the blood flew from her cheeks and from her limbs； leaving
her with a sense of icy numbness。
She backed into the room； still holding Suzanne's hand； and
drawing her in with her。 Sir Andrew followed them； then closed
the door behind him。 At last the word escaped Marguerite's
parched lips：
〃Percy！ Something has happened to him！ He is dead？〃
〃No； no！〃 exclaimed Sir Andrew quickly。
Suzanne put her loving arms round her friend and drew her down
into the chair by the fire。 She knelt at her feet on the
hearthrug； and pressed her own burning lips on Marguerite's
icy…cold hands。 Sir Andrew stood silently by； a world of loving
friendship； of heart…broken sorrow； in his eyes。
There was silence in the pretty white…panelled room for a while。
Marguerite sat with her eyes closed； bringing the whole armoury of
her will power to bear her up outwardly now。
〃Tell me！〃 she said at last； and her voice was toneless and dull；
like one that came from the depths of a grave〃tell meexactly
everything。 Don't be afraid。 I can bear it。 Don't be afraid。〃
Sir Andrew remained standing； with bowed head and one hand resting
on the table。 In a firm； clear voice he told her the events of
the past few days as they were known to him。 All that he tried to
hide was Armand's disobedience； which； in his heart； he felt was
the primary cause of the catastrophe。 He told of the rescue of
the Dauphin from the Temple； the midnight drive in the coal…cart；
the meeting with Hastings and Tony in the spinney。 He only gave
vague explanations of Armand's stay in Paris which caused Percy to
go back to the city； even at the moment when his most daring plan
had been so successfully carried through。
〃Armand； I understand； has fallen in love with a beautiful woman
in Paris； Lady Blakeney；〃 he said； seeing that a strange； puzzled
look had appeared in Marguerite's pale face。 〃She was arrested
the day before the rescue of the Dauphin from the Temple。 Armand
could not join us。 He felt that he could not leave her。 I am sure
that you will understand。〃
Then as she made no comment； he resumed his narrative：
〃I had been ordered to go back to La Villette； and there to resume
my duties as a labourer in the day…time； and to wait for Percy
during the night。 The fact that I had received no message from
him for two days had made me somewhat worried； but I have such
faith in him； such belief in his good luck and his ingenuity； that
I would not allow myself to be really anxious。 Then on the third
day I heard the news。〃
〃What news？〃 asked Marguerite mechanically。
〃That the Englishman who was known as the Scarlet Pimpernel had
been captured in a house in the Rue de Ia Croix Blanche； and had
been imprisoned in the Conciergerie。〃
〃The Rue de la Croix Blanche？ Where is that？〃
〃In the Montmartre quarter。 Armand lodged there。 Percy； I
imagine； was working to get him away； and those brutes captured
him。〃
〃Having heard the news； Sir Andrew； what did you do？〃
〃I went into Paris and ascertained its truth。〃
〃And there is no doubt of it？〃
〃Alas； none！ I went to the house in the Rue de la Croix Blanche。
Armand had disappeared。 I succeeded in inducing the concierge to
talk。 She seems to have been devoted to her lodger。 Amidst tears
she told me some of the details of the capture。 Can you bear to
hear them； Lady Blakeney？〃
〃Yestell me everythingdon't be afraid；〃 she reiterated with
the same dull monotony。
〃It appears that early on the Tuesday morning the son of the
conciergea lad about fifteenwas sent off by her lodger with a
message to No。 9 Rue St。 Germain l'Auxerrois。 That was the house
where Percy was staying all last week； where he kept disguises and
so on for us all； and where some of our meetings were held。 Percy
evidently expected that Armand would try and communicate with him
at that address； for when the lad arrived in front of the house he
was accostedso he saysby a big； rough workman； who browbeat
him into giving up the lodger's letter； and finally pressed a
piece of gold into his hand。 The workman was Blakeney； of course。
I imagine that Armand； at the time that he wrote the letter； must
have been under the belief that Mademoiselle Lange was still in
prison； he could not know then that Blakeney had already got her
into comparative safety。 In the letter he must have spoken of the
terrible plight in which he stood； and also of his fears for the
woman whom he loved。 Percy was not the man to leave a comrade in
the lurch！ He would not be the man whom we all love and admire；
whose word we all obey； for whose sake we would gladly all of us
give our lifehe would not be that man if he did not brave even
certain dangers in order to be of help to those who call on him。
Armand called and Percy went to him。 He must have known that
Armand was being spied upon； for Armand； alas！ was already a
marked man； and the watch…dogs of those infernal committees were
already on his heels。 Whether these sleuth…hounds had followed
the son of the concierge and seen him give the letter to the
workman in the Rue St。 Germain l'Auxerrois； or whether the
concierge in the Rue de Ia Croix Blanche was nothing but a spy of
Heron's； or； again whether the Committee of General Security kept
a company of soldiers in constant alert in that house； we shall；
of course； never know。 All that I do know is that Percy entered
that fatal house at half…past ten； and that a quarter of an hour
later the concierge saw some of the soldiers descending the
stairs； carrying a heavy burden。 She peeped out of her lodge； and
by the light in the corridor she saw that the heavy burden was the
body of a man bound closely with ropes： his eyes were closed； his
clothes were stained with blood。 He was seemingly unconscious。
The next day the official organ of the Government proclaimed the
capture of the Scarlet Pimpernel； and there was a public holiday
in honour of the event。〃
Marguerite had listened to this terrible narrative dry…eyed and
silent。 Now she still sat there； hardly conscious of what went on
around herof Suzanne's tears； that fell unceasingly upon her
fingersof Sir Andrew； who had sunk into a chair； and buried his
head in his hands。 She was hardly conscious that she lived； the
universe seemed to have stood still before this awful； monstrous
cataclysm。
But； nevertheless； she was the first to return to the active
realities of the present。
〃Sir Andrew；〃 she said after a while； 〃tell me； where are my Lords
Tony and Hastings？〃
〃At Calais； madam；〃 he replied。 〃I saw them there on my way
hither。 They had delivered the Dauphin safely into the hands of
his adherents at Mantes； and were awaiting Blakeney's further
orders； as he had commanded them to do。〃
〃Will they wait for us there； think you？〃
〃For us； Lady Blakeney？〃 he exclaimed in puzzlement。
〃Yes； for us； Sir Andrew；〃 she replied； whilst the ghost of a
smile flitted across her drawn face； 〃you had thought of
accompanying me to Paris； had you not？〃
〃But Lady Blakeney〃
〃Ah！ I know what you would say； Sir Andrew。 You will speak of
dangers； of risks； of death； mayhap； you will tell me that I as a
woman can do nothing to help my husbandthat I could be but a
hindrance to him； just as I was in Boulogne。 But everything is so
different now。 Whilst those brutes planned his capture he was
clever enough to outwit them； but now they have actually got him；
think you they'll let him escape？ They'll watch him night and
day； my friend； just as they watched the unfortunate Queen； but
they'll not keep him months； weeks； or even days in prisoneven
Chauvelin now will no longer attempt to play with the Scarlet
Pimpernel。 They have him； and they will hold him until such time
as they take him to the guillotine。〃
Her voice broke in a sob； her self…control was threatening to
leave her。 She was but a woman； young and passionately in love
with the man who was about to die an ignominious death； far away
from his country； his kindred； his friends。
〃I cannot let him die alone； Sir Andrew； he will be longing for
me； andand； after all； there is you； and my Lord Tony； and Lord
Hastings and the others； surelysurely we are not going to let
him die； not like that； and not alone。〃
〃You are right； Lady Blakeney；〃 said Sir Andrew earnestly； 〃we are
not going to let him die； if human agency can do aught to save
him。 Already Tony； Hastings and I have agreed to return to Paris。
There are one or two hidden places in and around the city known
only to Percy and to the members of the League where he must find
one or more of us if he succeeds in getting away。 All the way
between Paris and Calais we have places of refuge； places where
any of us can hide at a given moment； where we can find disguises
when we want them； or horses in an emergency。 No！ no！ we are not
going to despair； Lady Blakeney； there are nineteen of us prepared
to lay down our lives for the Scarlet Pimpernel。 Already I； as
his lieutenant； have been selected as the leader of as determined
a gang as has ever entered on a work of rescue before。 We leave
for Paris to…morrow； and if human pluck and devotion can destroy
mountains then we'll destroy them。 Our watchword is： 'God save
the Scarlet Pimpernel。'〃
He knelt beside her chair and kissed the cold fingers which； with
a sad little smile； she held out to him。
〃And God bless you all！〃 she murmured。
Suzanne had risen to her feet when her husband knelt； now he stood
up beside her。 The dainty young woman hardly more than a child
was doing her best to restrain her tears。
〃See how selfish I am；〃 said Marguerite。 〃I talk calmly of taking
your husband from you； when I myself know the bitterness of such
partings。〃
〃My husband will go where his duty calls him；〃 said Suzanne with
charming and simple dignity。 〃I love him with all my heart；
because he is brave and good。 He could not leave his comrade； who
is also his chief； in the lurch。 God will protect him； I know。 I
would not ask him to play the part of a coward。〃
Her brown eyes glowed with pride。 She was the true wife of a
soldier； and with all her dainty ways and childlike manners she
was a splendid woman and a stau