soldier； and with all her dainty ways and childlike manners she
was a splendid woman and a staunch friend。 Sir Percy Blakeney bad
saved her entire family from death； the Comte and Comtesse de
Tournai； the Vicomte； her brother； and she herself all owed their
lives to the Scarlet Pimpernel。
This she was not like to forget。
〃There is but little danger for us； I fear me；〃 said Sir Andrew
lightly； 〃the revolutionary Government only wants to strike at a
head； it cares nothing for the limbs。 Perhaps it feels that
without our leader we are enemies not worthy of persecution。 If
there are any dangers； so much the better；〃 he added； 〃but I don't
anticipate any； unless we succeed in freeing our chief； and having
freed him； we fear nothing more。〃
〃The same applies to me； Sir Andrew；〃 rejoined Marguerite earnestly。
〃Now that they have captured Percy； those human fiends will care
naught for me。 If you succeed in freeing Percy I； like you； will
have nothing more to fear； and if you fail〃
She paused and put her small； white hand on Sir Andrew's arm。
〃Take me with you； Sir Andrew；〃 she entreated； 〃do not condemn me
to the awful torture of weary waiting； day after day； wondering；
guessing； never daring to hope； lest hope deferred be more hard to
bear than dreary hopelessness。〃
Then as Sir Andrew； very undecided； yet half inclined to yield；
stood silent and irresolute； she pressed her point； gently but
firmly insistent。
〃I would not he in the way； Sir Andrew； I would know how to efface
myself so as not to interfere with your plans。 But； oh！〃 she
added； while a quivering note of passion trembled in her voice；
〃can't you see that I must breathe the air that he breathes else I
shall stifle or mayhap go mad？〃
Sir Andrew turned to his wife； a mute query in his eyes。
〃You would do an inhuman and a cruel act；〃 said Suzanne with
seriousness that sat quaintly on her baby face； 〃if you did not
afford your protection to Marguerite； for I do believe that if you
did not take her with you to…morrow she would go to Paris alone。〃
Marguerite thanked her friend with her eyes。 Suzanne was a child
in nature； but she had a woman's heart。 She loved her husband；
and； therefore； knew and understood what Marguerite must be
suffering now。
Sir Andrew no longer could resist the unfortunate woman's earnest
pleading。 Frankly； he thought that if she remained in England
while Percy was in such deadly peril she ran the grave risk of
losing her reason before the terrible strain of suspense。 He knew
her to be a woman of courage； and one capable of great physical
endurance； and really he was quite honest when he said that he did
not believe there would be much danger for the headless League of
the Scarlet Pimpernel unless they succeeded in freeing their
chief。 And if they did succeed； then indeed there would be
nothing to fear； for the brave and loving wife who； like every
true woman does； and has done in like circumstances since the
beginning of time； was only demanding with passionate insistence
the right to share the fate； good or ill； of the man whom she
loved。
CHAPTER XXV
PARIS ONCE MORE
Sir Andrew had just come in。 He was trying to get a little warmth
into his half…frozen limbs； for the cold had set in again； and
this time with renewed vigour； and Marguerite was pouring out a
cup of hot coffee which she had been brewing for him。 She had not
asked for news。 She knew that he had none to give her； else he had
not worn that wearied； despondent look in his kind face。
〃I'll just try one more place this evening；〃 he said as soon as he
had swallowed some of the hot coffee〃a restaurant in the Rue de
la Harpe； the members of the Cordeliers' Club often go there for
supper； and they are usually well informed。 I might glean
something definite there。〃
〃It seems very strange that they are so slow in bringing him to
trial；〃 said Marguerite in that dull； toneless voice which had
become habitual to her。 〃When you first brought me the awful news
that 。。。 I made sure that they would bring him to trial at once；
and was in terror lest we arrived here too late toto see him。〃
She checked herself quickly； bravely trying to still the quiver of
her voice。
〃And of Armand？〃 she asked。
He shook his head sadly。
〃With regard to him I am at a still greater loss；〃 he said： 〃I
cannot find his name on any of the prison registers； and I know
that he is not in the Conciergerie。 They have cleared out all the
prisoners from there； there is only Percy〃
〃Poor Armand I〃 she sighed； 〃it must be almost worse for him than
for any of us； it was his first act of thoughtless disobedience
that brought all this misery upon our heads。〃
She spoke sadly but quietly。 Sir Andrew noted that there was no
bitterness in her tone。 But her very quietude was heart…breaking；
there was such an infinity of despair in the calm of her eyes。
〃Well！ though we cannot understand it all； Lady Blakeney；〃 he said
with forced cheerfulness； 〃we must remember one thingthat whilst
there is life there is hope。〃
〃Hope！〃 she exclaimed with a world of pathos in her sigh； her
large eyes dry and circled； fixed with indescribable sorrow on her
friend's face。
Ffoulkes turned his head away； pretending to busy himself with the
coffee…making utensils。 He could not bear to see that look of
hopelessness in her face； for in his heart he could not find the
wherewithal to cheer her。 Despair was beginning to seize on him
too； and this he would not let her see。
They had been in Paris three days now； and it was six days since
Blakeney had been arrested。 Sir Andrew and Marguerite had found
temporary lodgings inside Paris； Tony and Hastings were just
outside the gates； and all along the route between Paris and
Calais； at St。 Germain； at Mantes； in the villages between
Beauvais and Amiens； wherever money could obtain friendly help；
members of the devoted League of the Scarlet Pimpernel lay in
hiding； waiting to aid their chief。
Ffoulkes had ascertained that Percy was kept a close prisoner in
the Conciergerie； in the very rooms occupied by Marie Antoinette
during the last months of her life。 He left poor Marguerite to
guess how closely that elusive Scarlet Pimpernel was being
guarded； the precautions surrounding him being even more minute
than those which bad made the unfortunate Queen's closing days a
martyrdom for her。
But of Armand he could glean no satisfactory news； only the
negative probability that he was not detained in any of the larger
prisons of Paris； as no register which he； Ffoulkes； so
laboriously consulted bore record of the name of St。 Just。
Haunting the restaurants and drinking booths where the most
advanced Jacobins and Terrorists were wont to meet； be had learned
one or two details of Blakeney's incarceration which he could not
possibly impart to Marguerite。 The capture of the mysterious
Englishman known as the Scarlet Pimpernel had created a great deal
of popular satisfaction； but it was obvious that not only was the
public mind not allowed to associate that capture with the escape
of little Capet from the Temple； but it soon became clear to
Ffoulkes that the news of that escape was still being kept a
profound secret。
On one occasion he had succeeded in spying on the Chief Agent of
the Committee of General Security； whom he knew by sight； while
the latter was sitting at dinner in the company of a stout； florid
man with pock…marked face and podgy hands covered with rings。
Sir Andrew marvelled who this man might be。 Heron spoke to him in
ambiguous phrases that would have been unintelligible to any one
who did not know the circumstances of the Dauphin's escape and the
part that the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel had played in it。
But to Sir Andrew Ffoulkes； whocleverly disguised as a farrier；
grimy after his day's workwas straining his ears to listen
whilst apparently consuming huge slabs of boiled beef； it soon
became dear that the chief agent and his fat friend were talking
of the Dauphin and of Blakeney。
〃He won't hold out much longer； citizen；〃 the chief agent was
saying in a confident voice； 〃our men are absolutely unremitting
in their task。 Two of them watch him night and day； they look
after him well； and practically never lose sight of him； but the
moment he tries to get any sleep one of them rushes into the cell
with a loud banging of bayonet and sabre； and noisy tread on the
flagstones； and shouts at the top of his voice： 'Now then；
aristo； where's the brat？ Tell us now； and you shall he down and
go to sleep。' I have done it myself all through one day just for
the pleasure of it。 It's a little tiring for you to have to shout
a good deal now； and sometimes give the cursed Englishman a good
shake…up。 He has had five days of it； and not one wink of sleep
during that timenot one single minute of restand he only gets
enough food to keep him alive。 I tell you he can't last。 Citizen
Chauvelin had a splendid idea there。 It will all come right in a
day or two。〃
〃H'm！〃 grunted the other sulkily； 〃those Englishmen are tough。〃
〃Yes！〃 retorted Heron with a grim laugh and a leer of savagery
that made his gaunt face look positively hideous〃you would have
given out after three days； friend de Batz； would you not？ And I
warned you； didn't I？ I told you if you tampered with the brat I
would make you cry in mercy to me for death。〃
〃And I warned you；〃 said the other imperturbably； 〃not to worry so
much about me； but to keep your eyes open for those cursed
Englishmen。〃
〃I am keeping my eyes open for you； nevertheless； my friend。 If I
thought you knew where the vermin's spawn was at this moment I
would〃
〃You would put me on the same rack that you or your precious
friend； Chauvelin； have devised for the Englishman。 But I don't
know where the lad is。 If I did I would not be in Paris。〃
〃I know that；〃 assented Heron with a sneer； 〃you would soon be
after the rewardover in Austria； what？but I have your
movements tracked day and night； my friend。 I dare say you are as
anxious as we are as to the whereabouts of the child。 Had he been
taken over the frontier you would have been the first to hear of
it； eh？ No；〃 h