pray you command me and I will arrange that citizen Heron grant
you a second interview with the prisoner。〃
Marguerite had only listened to Chauvelin's lengthy speech with
half an ear； her thoughts still dwelt on the past half…hour with
its bitter joy and its agonising pain； and fighting through her
thoughts of Percy there was the recollection of Armand which so
disquieted her。 But though she had only vaguely listened to what
Chauvelin was saying； she caught the drift of it。
Madly she longed to accept his suggestion。 The very thought of
seeing Percy on the morrow was solace to her aching heart； it
could feed on hope to…night instead of on its own bitter pain。
But even during this brief moment of hesitancy； and while her
whole being cried out for this joy that her enemy was holding out
to her； even then in the gloom ahead of her she seemed to see a
vision of a pale face raised above a crowd of swaying heads； and
of the eyes of the dreamer searching for her own； whilst the last
sublime cry of perfect self…devotion once more echoed in her ear：
〃Remember！〃
The promise which she had given him； that would she fulfil。 The
burden which he had laid on her shoulders she would try to bear as
heroically as he was bearing his own。 Aye； even at the cost of
the supreme sorrow of never resting again in the haven of his arms。
But in spite of sorrow； in spite of anguish so terrible that she
could not imagine Death itself to have a more cruel sting； she
wished above all to safeguard that final； attenuated thread of
hope which was wound round the packet that lay hidden on her breast。
She wanted； above all； not to arouse Chauvelin's suspicions by
markedly refusing to visit the prisoner againsuspicions that
might lead to her being searched once more and the precious packet
filched from her。 Therefore she said to him earnestly now：
〃I thank you； citizen； for your solicitude on my behalf； but you
will understand； I think； that my visit to the prisoner has been
almost more than I could bear。 I cannot tell you at this moment
whether to…morrow I should be in a fit state to repeat it。〃
〃As you please；〃 he replied urbanely。 〃But I pray you to remember
one thing； and that is〃
He paused a moment while his restless eyes wandered rapidly over
her face； trying； as it were； to get at the soul of this woman； at
her innermost thoughts； which he felt were hidden from him。
〃Yes； citizen；〃 she said quietly； 〃what is it that I am to remember？〃
〃That it rests with you； Lady Blakeney； to put an end to the
present situation。〃
〃How？〃
〃Surely you can persuade Sir Percy's friends not to leave their
chief in durance vile。 They themselves could put an end to his
troubles to…morrow。〃
〃By giving up the Dauphin to you； you mean？〃 she retorted coldly。
〃Precisely。〃
〃And you hopedyou still hope that by placing before me the
picture of your own fiendish cruelty against my husband you will
induce me to act the part of a traitor towards him and a coward
before his followers？〃
〃Oh！〃 he said deprecatingly； 〃the cruelty now is no longer mine。
Sir Percy's release is in your hands； Lady Blakeneyin that of
his followers。 I should only be too willing to end the present
intolerable situation。 You and your friends are applying the last
turn of the thumbscrew； not I〃
She smothered the cry of horror that had risen to her lips。 The
man's cold…blooded sophistry was threatening to make a breach in
her armour of self…control。
She would no longer trust herself to speak； but made a quick
movement towards the door。
He shrugged his shoulders as if the matter were now entirely out
of his control。 Then he opened the door for her to pass out； and
as her skirts brushed against him he bowed with studied deference；
murmuring a cordial 〃Good…night！〃
〃And remember； Lady Blakeney；〃 he added politely； 〃that should you
at any time desire to communicate with me at my rooms； 19； Rue
Dupuy； I hold myself entirely at your service。
Then as her tall； graceful figure disappeared in the outside gloom
he passed his thin hand over his mouth as if to wipe away the last
lingering signs of triumphant irony：
〃The second visit will work wonders； I think； my fine lady；〃 he
murmured under his breath。
CHAPTER XXXI
AN INTERLUDE
It was close on midnight now； and still they sat opposite one
another； he the friend and she the wife； talking over that brief
half…hour that had meant an eternity to her；
Marguerite had tried to tell Sir Andrew everything； bitter as it
was to put into actual words the pathos and misery which she had
witnessed； yet she would hide nothing from the devoted comrade
whom she knew Percy would trust absolutely。 To him she repeated
every word that Percy had uttered； described every inflection of
his voice； those enigmatical phrases which she had not understood；
and together they cheated one another into the belief that hope
lingered somewhere hidden in those words。
〃I am not going to despair； Lady Blakeney；〃 said Sir Andrew
firmly； 〃and； moreover； we are not going to disobey。 I would
stake my life that even now Blakeney has some scheme in his mind
which is embodied in the various letters which he has given you；
and whichHeaven help us in that case！we might thwart by
disobedience。 Tomorrow in the late afternoon I will escort you to
the Rue de Charonne。 It is a house that we all know well； and
which Armand； of course； knows too。 I had already inquired there
two days ago to ascertain whether by chance St。 Just was not in
hiding there； but Lucas； the landlord and old…clothes dealer； knew
nothing about him。〃
Marguerite told him about her swift vision of Armand in the dark
corridor of the house of Justice。
〃Can you understand it； Sir Andrew？〃 she asked； fixing her deep；
luminous eyes inquiringly upon him。
〃No； I cannot；〃 he said； after an almost imperceptible moment of
hesitancy； 〃but we shall see him to…morrow。 I have no doubt that
Mademoiselle Lange will know where to find him； and now that we
know where she is； all our anxiety about him； at any rate； should
soon be at an end。〃
He rose and made some allusion to the lateness of the hour。
Somehow it seemed to her that her devoted friend was trying to
hide his innermost thoughts from her。 She watched him with an
anxious； intent gaze。
〃Can you understand it all； Sir Andrew？〃 she reiterated with a
pathetic note of appeal。
〃No； no！〃 he said firmly。 〃On my soul； Lady Blakeney； I know no
more of Armand than you do yourself。 But I am sure that Percy is
right。 The boy frets because remorse must have assailed him by
now。 Had he but obeyed implicitly that day； as we all did〃
But he could not frame the whole terrible proposition in words。
Bitterly as he himself felt on the subject of Armand； he would
not add yet another burden to this devoted woman's heavy load
of misery。
〃It was Fate； Lady Blakeney；〃 he said after a while。 〃Fate！ a
damnable fate which did it all。 Great God！ to think of Blakeney
in the hands of those brutes seems so horrible that at times I
feel as if the whole thing were a nightmare； and that the next
moment we shall both wake hearing his merry voice echoing through
this room。〃
He tried to cheer her with words of hope that he knew were but
chimeras。 A heavy weight of despondency lay on his heart。 The
letter from his chief was hidden against his breast； he would
study it anon in the privacy of his own apartment so as to commit
every word to memory that related to the measures for the ultimate
safety of the child…King。 After that it would have to be
destroyed； lest it fell into inimical hands。
Soon he bade Marguerite good…night。 She was tired out； body and
soul； and heher faithful friendvaguely wondered how long she
would be able to withstand the strain of so much sorrow； such
unspeakable misery。
When at last she was alone Marguerite made brave efforts to
compose her nerves so as to obtain a certain modicum of sleep this
night。 But； strive how she might； sleep would not come。 How
could it； when before her wearied brain there rose constantly that
awful vision of Percy in the long； narrow cell； with weary head
bent over his arm； and those friends shouting persistently in his
ear：
〃Wake up； citizen！ Tell us； where is Capet？〃
The fear obsessed her that his mind might give way； for the mental
agony of such intense weariness must be well…nigh impossible to
bear。 In the dark； as she sat hour after hour at the open window；
looking out in the direction where through the veil of snow the
grey walls of the Chatelet prison towered silent and grim； she
seemed to see his pale； drawn face with almost appalling reality；
she could see every line of it； and could study it with the
intensity born of a terrible fear。
How long would the ghostly glimmer of merriment still linger in
the eyes？ When would the hoarse； mirthless laugh rise to the
lips； that awful laugh that proclaims madness？ Oh！ she could have
screamed now with the awfulness of this haunting terror。 Ghouls
seemed to be mocking her out of the darkness； every flake of snow
that fell silently on the window…sill became a grinning face that
taunted and derided； every cry in the silence of the night； every
footstep on the quay below turned to hideous jeers hurled at her
by tormenting fiends。
She closed the window quickly； for she feared that she would go
mad。 For an hour after that she walked up and down the room
making violent efforts to control her nerves； to find a glimmer of
that courage which she promised Percy that she would have。
CHAPTER XXXII
SISTERS
The morning found her fagged out； but more calm。 Later on she
managed to drink some coffee； and having washed and dressed； she
prepared to go out。
Sir Andrew appeared in time to ascertain her wishes。
〃I promised Percy to go to the Rue de Charonne in the late
afternoon；〃 she said。 〃I have some hours to spare； and mean to
employ them in trying to find speech with Mademoiselle Lange。〃
〃Blakeney has told you where she lives？〃
〃Yes。 In the Square du Roule。 I know it well。 I can be there in
half an hour。〃
He； of course； begged to be allowed to accompany her； and anon
they were walk