of one another； did not seem to care to reveal to each other the
place where they lodged。 De Batz at once proposed the avant…scene
box of one of the theatres as being the safest place where old
friends could talk without fear of spying eyes or ears。
〃There is no place so safe or so private nowadays； believe me； my
young friend；〃 he said 〃I have tried every sort of nook and
cranny in this accursed town； now riddled with spies； and I have
come to the conclusion that a small avant…scene box is the most
perfect den of privacy there is in the entire city。 The voices of
the actors on the stage and the hum among the audience in the
house will effectually drown all individual conversation to every
ear save the one for whom it is intended。〃
It is not difficult to persuade a young man who feels lonely and
somewhat forlorn in a large city to while away an evening in the
companionship of a cheerful talker； and de Batz was essentially
good company。 His vapourings had always been amusing； but Armand
now gave him credit for more seriousness of purpose； and though
the chief had warned him against picking up acquaintances in
Paris； the young man felt that that restriction would certainly
not apply to a man like de Batz； whose hot partisanship of the
Royalist cause and hare…brained schemes for its restoration must
make him at one with the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel。
Armand accepted the other's cordial invitation。 He； too； felt
that he would indeed be safer from observation in a crowded
theatre than in the streets。 Among a closely packed throng bent
on amusement the sombrely…clad figure of a young man； with the
appearance of a student or of a journalist； would easily pass
unperceived。
But somehow； after the first ten minutes spent in de Batz' company
within the gloomy shelter of the small avant…scene box； Armand
already repented of the impulse which had prompted him to come to
the theatre to…night； and to renew acquaintanceship with the
ex…officer of the late King's Guard。 Though he knew de Batz to be
an ardent Royalist； and even an active adherent of the monarchy；
he was soon conscious of a vague sense of mistrust of this
pompous； self…complacent individual； whose every utterance
breathed selfish aims rather than devotion to a forlorn cause。
Therefore； when the curtain rose at last on the first act of
Moliere's witty comedy； St。 Just turned deliberately towards the
stage and tried to interest himself in the wordy quarrel between
Philinte and Alceste。
But this attitude on the part of the younger man did not seem to
suit his newly…found friend。 It was clear that de Batz did not
consider the topic of conversation by any means exhausted； and
that it had been more with a view to a discussion like the present
interrupted one that he had invited St。 Just to come to the
theatre with him to…night； rather than for the purpose of
witnessing Mile。 Lange's debut in the part of Celimene。
The presence of St。 Just in Paris had as a matter of fact
astonished de Batz not a little； and had set his intriguing brain
busy on conjectures。 It was in order to turn these conjectures
into certainties that he had desired private talk with the young
man。
He waited silently now for a moment or two； his keen； small eyes
resting with evident anxiety on Armand's averted head； his fingers
still beating the impatient tattoo upon the velvet…covered cushion
of the box。 Then at the first movement of St。 Just towards him he
was ready in an instant to re…open the subject under discussion。
With a quick nod of his head he called his young friend's
attention back to the men in the auditorium。
〃Your good cousin Antoine St。 Just is hand and glove with
Robespierre now；〃 he said。 〃When you left Paris more than a year
ago you could afford to despise him as an empty…headed windbag；
now； if you desire to remain in France； you will have to fear him
as a power and a menace。〃
〃Yes； I knew that he had taken to herding with the wolves；〃
rejoined Armand lightly。 〃At one time he was in love with my
sister。 I thank God that she never cared for him。〃
〃They say that he herds with the wolves because of this
disappointment；〃 said de Batz。 〃The whole pack is made up of men
who have been disappointed； and who have nothing more to lose。
When all these wolves will have devoured one another； then and
then only can we hope for the restoration of the monarchy in
France。 And they will not turn on one another whilst prey for
their greed lies ready to their jaws。 Your friend the Scarlet
Pimpernel should feed this bloody revolution of ours rather than
starve it； if indeed he hates it as he seems to do。〃
His restless eyes peered with eager interrogation into those of
the younger man。 He paused as if waiting for a reply； then； as
St。 Just remained silent； he reiterated slowly； almost in the
tones of a challenge：
〃If indeed he hates this bloodthirsty revolution of ours as he
seems to do。〃
The reiteration implied a doubt。 In a moment St。 Just's loyalty
was up in arms。
The Scarlet Pimpernel；〃 he said； 〃cares naught for your political
aims。 The work of mercy that he does； he does for justice and for
humanity。〃
〃And for sport；〃 said de Batz with a sneer； 〃so I've been told。〃
〃He is English；〃 assented St。 Just； 〃 and as such will never own
to sentiment。 Whatever be the motive； look at the result！
〃Yes！ a few lives stolen from the guillotine。〃
〃Women and childreninnocent victimswould have perished but
for his devotion。〃
〃The more innocent they were； the more helpless； the more
pitiable； the louder would their blood have cried for reprisals
against the wild beasts who sent them to their death。〃
St。 Just made no reply。 It was obviously useless to attempt to
argue with this man； whose political aims were as far apart from
those of the Scarlet Pimpernel as was the North Pole from the
South。
〃If any of you have influence over that hot…headed leader of
yours；〃 continued de Batz； unabashed by the silence of his friend；
〃I wish to God you would exert it now。〃
〃In what way？〃 queried St。 Just； smiling in spite of himself at
the thought of his or any one else's control over Blakeney and his
plans。
It was de Batz' turn to be silent。 He paused for a moment or two；
then he asked abruptly：
〃Your Scarlet Pimpernel is in Paris now； is he not？〃
〃I cannot tell you；〃 replied Armand。
〃Bah！ there is no necessity to fence with me； my friend。 The
moment I set eyes on you this afternoon I knew that you had not
come to Paris alone。〃
〃You are mistaken； my good de Batz；〃 rejoined the young man
earnestly； 〃I came to Paris alone。〃
〃Clever parrying； on my wordbut wholly wasted on my unbelieving
ears。 Did I not note at once that you did not seem overpleased
to…day when I accosted you？〃
〃Again you are mistaken。 I was very pleased to meet you； for I
had felt singularly lonely all day； and was glad to shake a friend
by the hand。 What you took for displeasure was only surprise。〃
〃Surprise？ Ah； yes！ I don't wonder that you were surprised to see
me walking unmolested and openly in the streets of Pariswhereas
you had heard of me as a dangerous conspirator； eh ？and as a man
who has the entire police of his country at his heelson whose
head there is a pricewhat？〃
〃I knew that you had made several noble efforts to rescue the
unfortunate King and Queen from the hands of these brutes。〃
〃All of which efforts were unsuccessful；〃 assented de Batz
imperturbably； 〃every one of them having been either betrayed by
some dd confederate or ferreted out by some astute spy eager for
gain。 Yes； my friend； I made several efforts to rescue King Louis
and Queen Marie Antoinette from the scaffold； and every time I was
foiled； and yet here I am； you see； unscathed and free。 I walk
about the streets boldly； and talk to my friends as I meet them。〃
〃You are lucky；〃 said St。 Just； not without a tinge of sarcasm。
〃I have been prudent；〃 retorted de Batz。 〃I have taken the
trouble to make friends there where I thought I needed them
mostthe mammon of unrighteousness； you know…what？〃
And he laughed a broad； thick laugh of perfect self…satisfaction。
〃Yes； I know；〃 rejoined St。 Just； with the tone of sarcasm still
more apparent in his voice now。 〃 You have Austrian money at your
disposal。〃
〃Any amount；〃 said the other complacently； 〃and a great deal of it
sticks to the grimy fingers of these patriotic makers of
revolutions。 Thus do I ensure my own safety。 I buy it with the
Emperor's money； and thus am I able to work for the restoration of
the monarchy in France。〃
Again St。 Just was silent。 What could he say？ Instinctively now；
as the fleshy personality of the Gascon Royalist seemed to spread
itself out and to fill the tiny box with his ambitious schemes and
his far…reaching plans； Armand's thoughts flew back to that other
plotter； the man with the pure and simple aims； the man whose
slender fingers had never handled alien gold； but were ever there
ready stretched out to the helpless and the weak； whilst his
thoughts were only of the help that he might give them； but never
of his own safety。
De Batz； however； seemed blandly unconscious of any such
disparaging thoughts in the mind of his young friend； for he
continued quite amiably； even though a note of anxiety seemed to
make itself felt now in his smooth voice：
〃We advance slowly； but step by step； my good St。 Just；〃 he said。
〃I have not been able to save the monarchy in the person of the
King or the Queen； but I may yet do it in the person of the
Dauphin。〃
〃The Dauphin；〃 murmured St。 Just involuntarily。
That involuntary murmur； scarcely audible； so soft was it； seemed
in some way to satisfy de Batz； for the keenness of his gaze
relaxed； and his fat fingers ceased their nervous； intermittent
tattoo on the ledge of the box。
〃Yes ！ the Dauphin；〃 he said； nodding his head as if in answer to
his own thoughts； 〃or rather； let me say； the reigning King of
FranceLouis XVII； by the grace of Godthe most precious life at
present upon the whole of this earth。〃
〃You are right there； friend de Batz；〃 assented Armand fervently；
〃the most precious life； as you say； and one that