past； when Marguerite was 〃little mother〃the soother； the comforter；
the healer； the ever…willing receptacle wherein he had been wont to
pour the burden of his childish griefs； of his boyish escapades。
Conscious that she could not know everythingnot yet； at any
ratehe gave himself over to the rapture of this pure embrace；
the last time； mayhap； that those fond arms would close round him
in unmixed tenderness； the last time that those fond lips would
murmur words of affection and of comfort。
To…morrow those same lips would； perhaps； curse the traitor； and
the small hand be raised in wrath； pointing an avenging finger on
the Judas。
〃Little mother；〃 he whispered； babbling like a child； 〃it is good
to see you again。〃
〃And I have brought you a message from Percy；〃 she said； 〃a letter
which he begged me to give you as soon as maybe。〃
〃You have seen him？〃 he asked。
She nodded silently； unable to speak。 Not now； not when her
nerves were strung to breaking pitch； would she trust herself to
speak of that awful yesterday。 She groped in the folds of her
gown and took the packet which Percy had given her for Armand。 It
felt quite bulky in her hand。
〃There is quite a good deal there for you to read； dear；〃 she
said。 〃Percy begged me to give you this； and then to let you read
it when you were alone。〃
She pressed the packet into his hand。 Armand's face was ashen
pale。 He clung to her with strange； nervous tenacity； the paper
which he held in one hand seemed to Sear his fingers as with a
branding…iron。
〃I will slip away now；〃 she said； for strangely enough since
Percy's message had been in Armand's hands she was once again
conscious of that awful feeling of iciness round her heart； a
sense of numbness that paralysed her very thoughts。
〃You will make my excuses to Mademoiselle Lange；〃 she said； trying
to smile。 〃When you have read； you will wish to see her alone。〃
Gently she disengaged herself from Armand's grasp and made for the
door。 He appeared dazed； staring down at that paper which was
scorching his fingers。 Only when her hand was on the latch did he
seem to realise that she was going。
〃Little mother；〃 came involuntarily to his lips。
She came straight back to him and took both his wrists in her
small hands。 She was taller than he； and his head was slightly
bent forward。 Thus she towered over him； loving but strong； her
great； earnest eyes searching his soul。
〃When shall I see you again； little mother？〃 he asked。
〃Read your letter； dear；〃 she replied； 〃and when you have read it；
if you care to impart its contents to me； come to…night to my
lodgings； Quai de la Ferraille； above the saddler's shop。 But if
there is aught in it that you do not wish me to know； then do not
come； I shall understand。 Good…bye； dear。〃
She took his head between her two cold hands； and as it was still
bowed she placed a tender kiss； as of a long farewell； upon his
hair。
Then she went out of the room。
CHAPTER XXXIV
THE LETTER
Armand sat in the armchair in front of the fire。 His head rested
against one hand； in the other he held the letter written by the
friend whom he had betrayed。
Twice he had read it now； and already was every word of that
minute； clear writing graven upon the innermost fibres of his
body； upon the most secret cells of his brain。
Armand； I know。 I knew even before Chauvelin came to me； and
stood there hoping to gloat over the soul…agony a man who finds
that he has been betrayed by his dearest friend。 But that dd
reprobate did not get that satisfaction； for I was prepared。 Not
only do I know； Armand； but I UNDERSTAND。 I； who do not know what
love is； have realised how small a thing is honour； loyalty； or
friendship when weighed in the balance of a loved one's need。
To save Jeanne you sold me to Heron and his crowd。 We are men；
Armand； and the word forgiveness has only been spoken once these
past two thousand years； and then it was spoken by Divine lips。
But Marguerite loves you； and mayhap soon you will be all that is
left her to love on this earth。 Because of this she must never
know 。。。。 As for you； Armandwell； God help you！ But meseems
that the hell which you are enduring now is ten thousand times
worse than mine。 I have heard your furtive footsteps in the
corridor outside the grated window of this cell； and would not
then have exchanged my hell for yours。 Therefore； Armand； and
because Marguerite loves you； I would wish to turn to you in the
hour that I need help。 I am in a tight corner； but the hour may
come when a comrade's hand might mean life to me。 I have thought
of you； Armand partly because having taken more than my life； your
own belongs to me； and partly because the plan which I have in my
mind will carry with it grave risks for the man who stands by me。
I swore once that never would I risk a comrade's life to save mine
own； but matters are so different now 。。。 we are both in hell；
Armand； and I in striving to get out of mine will be showing you a
way out of yours。
Will you retake possession of your lodgings in the Rue de la Croix
Blanche？ I should always know then where to find you on an
emergency。 But if at any time you receive another letter from me；
be its contents what they may； act in accordance with the letter；
and send a copy of it at once to Ffoulkes or to Marguerite。 Keep
in close touch with them both。 Tell her I so far forgave your
disobedience （there was nothing more） that I may yet trust my life
and mine honour in your hands。
I shall have no means of ascertaining definitely whether you will
do all that I ask； but somehow； Armand； I know that you will。
For the third time Armand read the letter through。
〃But； Armand；〃 he repeated； murmuring the words softly tinder his
breath； 〃I know that you will。〃
Prompted by some indefinable instinct； moved by a force that
compelled； he allowed himself to glide from the chair on to the
floor； on to his knees。
All the pent…up bitterness； the humiliation； the shame of the past
few days； surged up from his heart to his lips in one great cry of
pain。
〃My God！〃 he whispered； 〃give me the chance of giving my life for
him。〃
Alone and unwatched； he gave himself over for a few moments to the
almost voluptuous delight of giving free rein to his grief。 The
hot Latin blood in him； tempestuous in all its passions； was
firing his heart and brain now with the glow of devotion and of
self…sacrifice。
The calm； self…centred Anglo…Saxon temperamentthe almost
fatalistic acceptance of failure without reproach yet without
despair； which Percy's letter to him had evidenced in so marked a
mannerwas； mayhap； somewhat beyond the comprehension of this
young enthusiast； with pure Gallic blood in his veins； who was
ever wont to allow his most elemental passions to sway his actions。
But though he did not altogether understand； Armand St。 Just could
fully appreciate。 All that was noble and loyal in him rose
triumphant from beneath the devastating ashes of his own shame。
Soon his mood calmed down； his look grew less wan and haggard。
Hearing Jeanne's discreet and mouselike steps in the next room； he
rose quickly and hid the letter in the pocket of his coat。
She came in and inquired anxiously about Marguerite； a hurriedly
expressed excuse from him； however； satisfied her easily enough。
She wanted to be alone with Armand； happy to see that he held his
head more erect to…day； and that the look as of a hunted creature
had entirely gone from his eyes。
She ascribed this happy change to Marguerite； finding it in her
heart to be grateful to the sister for having accomplished what
the fiancee had failed to do。
For awhile they remained together； sitting side by side； speaking
at times； but mostly silent； seeming to savour the return of
truant happiness。 Armand felt like a sick man who has obtained a
sudden surcease from pain。 He looked round him with a kind of
melancholy delight on this room which he had entered for the first
time less than a fortnight ago； and which already was so full of
memories。
Those first hours spent at the feet of Jeanne Lange； how exquisite
they had been； how fleeting in the perfection of their happiness！
Now they seemed to belong to a far distant past； evanescent like
the perfume of violets； swift in their flight like the winged steps
of youth。 Blakeney's letter had effectually taken the bitter sting
from out his remorse； but it had increased his already over…heavy
load of inconsolable sorrow。
Later in the day he turned his footsteps in the direction of the
river； to the house in the Quai de la Ferraille above the saddler's
shop。 Marguerite had returned alone from the expedition to the Rue
de Charonne。 Whilst Sir Andrew took charge of the little party of
fugitives and escorted them out of Paris； she came hack to her
lodgings in order to collect her belongings； preparatory to taking
up her quarters in the house of Lucas； the old…clothes dealer。 She
returned also because she hoped to see Armand。
〃If you care to impart the contents of the letter to me； come to
my lodgings to…night；〃 she had said。
All day a phantom had haunted her； the phantom of an agonising
suspicion。
But now the phantom had vanished never to return。 Armand was
sitting close beside her； and he told her that the chief had
selected him amongst all the others to stand by him inside the
walls of Paris until the last。
〃I shall mayhap；〃 thus closed that precious document； 〃have no
means of ascertaining definitely whether you will act in
accordance with this letter。 But somehow； Armand； I know that you
will。〃
〃T know that you will； Armand；〃 reiterated Marguerite fervently。
She had only been too eager to be convinced； the dread arid dark
suspicion which had been like a hideous poisoned sting had only
vaguely touched her soul； it had not gone in very deeply。 How
could it； when in its death…dealing passage it encountered the
rampart of tender； almost motherly love？
Armand； trying to read his sister's thoughts in the depths of her
blue eyes； found the look in them limpid and clear。 Percy's
message to Armand had reassured her just as he had intended that
it sh