once； it is not far； and there are five golden louis waiting for
the messenger！〃
Five golden louis！ The poor； hardworking woman's eyes gleamed at
the thought。 Five louis meant food for at least two months if one
was careful； and
〃Give me the letter； citizen；〃 she said； 〃time to slip on a warm
petticoat and a shawl； and I'll go myself。 It's not fit for the
boy to go at this hour。〃
〃You will bring me back a line from my sister in reply to this；〃
said Armand； whom circumstances had at last rendered cautious。
〃Bring it up to my rooms that I may give you the five louis in
exchange。〃
He waited while the woman slipped back into her room。 She heard
him speaking to her boy； the same lad who a fortnight ago had
taken the treacherous letter which had lured Blakeney to the house
into the fatal ambuscade that had been prepared for him。
Everything reminded Armand of that awful night； every hour that he
had since spent in the house had been racking torture to him。 Now
at last he was to leave it； and on an errand which might help to
ease the load of remorse from his heart。
The woman was soon ready。 Armand gave her final directions as to
how to find the house ； then she took the letter and promised to
be very quick； and to bring back a reply from the lady。
Armand accompanied her to the door。 The night was dark； a thin
drizzle was falling； he stood and watched until the woman's
rapidly walking figure was lost in the misty gloom。
Then with a heavy sigh he once more went within。
CHAPTER XLI
WHEN HOPE WAS DEAD
In a small upstairs room in the Rue de Charonne； above the shop of
Lucas the old…clothes dealer； Marguerite sat with Sir Andrew
Ffoulkes。 Armand's letter； with its message and its warning； lay
open on the table between them； and she had in her hand the sealed
packet which Percy had given her just ten days ago； and which she
was only to open if all hope seemed to be dead； if nothing
appeared to stand any longer between that one dear life and
irretrievable shame。
A small lamp placed on the table threw a feeble yellow light on
the squalid； ill…furnished room； for it lacked still an hour or so
before dawn。 Armand's concierge had brought her lodger's letter；
and Marguerite had quickly despatched a brief reply to him； a
reply that held love and also encouragement。
Then she had summoned Sir Andrew。 He never had a thought of
leaving her during these days of dire trouble； and he had lodged
all this while in a tiny room on the top…most floor of this house
in the Rue de Charonne。
At her call he had come down very quickly； and now they sat
together at the table； with the oil…lamp illumining their pale；
anxious faces； she the wife and he the friend holding a
consultation together in this most miserable hour that preceded
the cold wintry dawn。
Outside a thin； persistent rain mixed with snow pattered against
the small window panes； and an icy wind found out all the crevices
in the worm…eaten woodwork that would afford it ingress to the
room。 But neither Marguerite nor Ffoulkes was conscious of the
cold。 They had wrapped their cloaks round their shoulders； and
did not feel the chill currents of air that caused the lamp to
flicker and to smoke。
〃I can see now；〃 said Marguerite in that calm voice which comes so
naturally in moments of infinite despair〃I can see now exactly
what Percy meant when he made me promise not to open this packet
until it seemed to meto me and to you； Sir Andrewthat he was
about to play the part of a coward。 A coward！ Great God！〃 She
checked the sob that had risen to her throat； and continued in the
same calm manner and quiet； even voice：
〃You do think with me； do you not； that the time has come； and
that we must open this packet？〃
〃Without a doubt； Lady Blakeney；〃 replied Ffoulkes with equal
earnestness。 〃I would stake my life that already a fortnight ago
Blakeney had that same plan in his mind which he has now matured。
Escape from that awful Conciergerie prison with all the
precautions so carefully taken against it was impossible。 I knew
that alas！ from the first。 But in the open all might yet be
different。 I'll not believe it that a man like Blakeney is
destined to perish at the hands of those curs。〃
She looked on her loyal friend with tear…dimmed eyes through which
shone boundless gratitude and heart…broken sorrow。
He had spoken of a fortnight！ It was ten days since she had seen
Percy。 It had then seemed as if death had already marked him with
its grim sign。 Since then she had tried to shut away from her
mind the terrible visions which her anguish constantly conjured up
before her of his growing weakness； of the gradual impairing of
that brilliant intellect； the gradual exhaustion of that mighty
physical strength。
〃God bless you； Sir Andrew； for your enthusiasm and for your
trust；〃 she said with a sad little smile； 〃but for you I should
long ago have lost all courage； and these last ten dayswhat a
cycle of misery they representwould have been maddening but for
your help and your loyalty。 God knows I would have courage for
everything in life； for everything save one； but just that； his
death； that would be beyond my strengthneither reason nor body
could stand it。 Therefore； I am so afraid； Sir Andrew；〃 she added
piteously。
〃Of what； Lady Blakeney？〃
〃That when he knows that I too am to go as hostage； as Armand says
in his letter； that my life is to be guarantee his； I am afraid
that he will draw backthat he willmy God！〃 she cried with
sudden fervour； 〃tell me what to do！〃
〃Shall we open the packet？〃 asked Ffoulkes gently； 〃and then just
make up our minds to act exactly as Blakeney has enjoined us to
do； neither more nor less； but just word for word； deed for deed；
and I believe that that will be rightwhatever may betidein the
end。〃
Once more his quiet strength； his earnestness and his faith
comforted her。 She dried her eyes and broke open the seal。 There
were two separate letters in the packet； one unaddressed；
obviously intended for her and Ffoulkes； the other was addressed
to M。 le baron Jean de Batz； 15； Rue St。 Jean de Latran a Paris。
〃A letter addressed to that awful Baron de Batz；〃 said Marguerite；
looking with puzzled eyes on the paper as she turned it over and
over in her hand； 〃to that bombastic windbag！ I know him and his
ways well！ What can Percy have to say to him？〃
Sir Andrew too looked puzzled。 But neither of them had the mind
to waste time in useless speculations。 Marguerite unfolded the
letter which was intended for her； and after a final look on her
friend； whose kind face was quivering with excitement； she began
slowly to read aloud：
I need not ask either of you two to trust me； knowing that you
will。 But I could not die inside this hole like a rat in a
trapI had to try and free myself； at the worst to die in the
open beneath God's sky。 You two will understand； and
understanding you will trust me to the end。 Send the enclosed
letter at once to its address。 And you； Ffoulkes； my most sincere
and most loyal friend； I beg with all my soul to see to the safety
of Marguerite。 Armand will stay by mebut you； Ffoulkes； do not
leave her； stand by her。 As soon as you read this letterand you
will not read it until both she and you have felt that hope has
fled and I myself am about to throw up the spongetry and
persuade her to make for the coast as quickly as may be。。。。 At
Calais you can open up communications with the Day…Dream in the
usual way； and embark on her at once。 Let no member of the League
remain on French soil one hour longer after that。 Then tell the
skipper to make for Le Portalthe place which he knowsand there
to keep a sharp outlook for another three nights。 After that make
straight for home； for it will he no use waiting any longer。 I
shall not come。 These measures are for Marguerite's safety； and
for you all who are in France at this moment。 Comrade； I entreat
you to look on these measures as on my dying wish。 To de Batz I
have given rendezvous at the Chapelle of the Holy Sepulchre； just
outside the park of the Chateau d'Ourde。 He will help me to save
the Dauphin； and if by good luck he also helps me to save myself I
shall be within seven leagues of Le Portal； and with the Liane
frozen as she is I could reach the coast。
But Marguerite's safety I leave in your hands； Ffoulkes。 Would
that I could look more clearly into the future； and know that
those devils will not drag her into danger。 Beg her to start at
once for Calais immediately you have both read this。 I only beg；
I do not command。 I know that you； Ffoulkes； will stand by her
whatever she may wish to do。 God's blessing be for ever on you
both。
Marguerite's voice died away in the silence that still lay over
this deserted part of the great city and in this squalid house
where she and Sir Andrew Ffoulkes had found shelter these last ten
days。 The agony of mind which they had here endured； never
doubting； but scarcely ever hoping； had found its culmination at
last in this final message； which almost seemed to come to them
from the grave。
It had been written ten days ago。 A plan had then apparently
formed in Percy's mind which he had set forth during the brief
half…hour's respite which those fiends had once given him。 Since
then they had never given him ten consecutive minutes' peace；
since then ten days had gone by how much power； how much vitality
had gone by too on the leaden wings of all those terrible hours
spent in solitude and in misery？
〃We can but hope； Lady Blakeney；〃 said Sir Andrew Ffoulkes after a
while； 〃that you will be allowed out of Paris； but from what
Armand says〃
〃And Percy does not actually send me away；〃 she rejoined with a
pathetic little smile。
〃No。 He cannot compel you； Lady Blakeney。 You are not a member
of the League。〃
〃Oh； yes； I am！〃 she retorted firmly； 〃and I have sworn obedience；
just as all of you have done。 I will go； just as he bids me。 and
you； Sir Andrew； you will obey him too？〃
〃My orders are to stand by you。 That is an easy task。〃
〃You know where this place is？〃 she asked〃the Chateau d'Ourde？〃
〃Oh； yes； we all know it！ It is empty； an