el dorado- 第60部分

〃You　know　where　this　place　is？〃　she　asked〃the　Chateau　d'Ourde？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　we　all　know　it！　　It　is　empty；　and　the　park　is　a　wreck；
the　owner　fled　from　it　at　the　very　outbreak　of　the　revolution；　he
left　some　kind　of　steward　nominally　in　charge；　a　curious　creature；
half　imbecile；　the　chateau　and　the　chapel　in　the　forest　just
outside　the　grounds　have　oft　served　Blakeney　and　all　of　us　as　a
place　of　refuge　on　our　way　to　the　coast。〃

〃But　the　Dauphin　is　not　there？〃　she　said。

〃No。　　According　to　the　first　letter　which　you　brought　me　from
Blakeney　ten　days　ago；　and　on　which　I　acted；　Tony；　who　has　charge
of　the　Dauphin；　must　have　crossed　into　Holland　with　his　little
Majesty　to…day。〃

〃I　understand；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃But　thenthis　letter　to　de
Batz？〃

〃Ah；　there　I　am　completely　at　sea！　　But　I'll　deliver　it；　and　at
once　too；　only　I　don't　like　to　leave　you。　　Will　you　let　me　get　you
out　of　Paris　first？　　I　think　just　before　dawn　it　could　be　done。
We　can　get　the　cart　from　Lucas；　and　if　we　could　reach　St。　Germain
before　noon；　I　could　come　straight　back　then　and　deliver　the
letter　to　de　Batz。　　This；　I　feel；　I　ought　to　do　myself；　hut　at
Achard's　farm　I　would　know　that　you　were　safe　for　a　few　hours。〃

〃I　will　do　whatever　you　think　right；　Sir　Andrew；〃　she　said　simply；
〃my　will　is　bound　up　with　Percy's　dying　wish。　God　knows　I　would
rather　follow　him　now；　step　by　step；as　hostage；　as　prisonerany
way　so　long　as　I　can　see　him；　but〃

She　rose　and　turned　to　go；　almost　impassive　now　in　that　great　calm
born　of　despair。

A　stranger　seeing　her　now　had　thought　her　indifferent。　She　was
very　pale；　and　deep　circles　round　her　eyes　told　of　sleepless
nights　and　days　of　mental　misery；　but　otherwise　there　was　not　the
faintest　outward　symptom　of　that　terrible　anguish　which　was
rending　her　heartstrings。　　Her　lips　did　not　quiver；　and　the　source
of　her　tears　had　been　dried　up　ten　days　ago。

〃Ten　minutes　and　I'll　be　ready；　Sir　Andrew；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have
but　few　belongings。　　Will　you　the　while　see　Lucas　about　the　cart？〃

He　did　as　she　desired。　　Her　calm　in　no　way　deceived　him；　he　knew
that　she　must　be　suffering　keenly；　and　would　suffer　more　keenly
still　while　she　would　be　trying　to　efface　her　own　personal
feelings　all　through　that　coming　dreary　journey　to　Calais。

He　went　to　see　the　landlord　about　the　horse　and　cart；　and　a
quarter　of　an　hour　later　Marguerite　came　downstairs　ready　to
start。　　She　found　Sir　Andrew　in　close　converse　with　an　officer　of
the　Garde　de　Paris；　whilst　two　soldiers　of　the　same　regiment　were
standing　at　the　horse's　head。

When　she　appeared　in　the　doorway　Sir　Andrew　came　at　once　up　to　her。

〃It　is　just　as　I　feared；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said；　〃this　man　has
been　sent　here　to　take　charge　of　you。　　Of　course；　he　knows　nothing
beyond　the　fact　that　his　orders　are　to　convey　you　at　once　to　the
guard…house　of　the　Rue　Ste。　Anne；　where　he　is　to　hand　you　over　to
citizen　Chauvelin　of　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety。〃

Sir　Andrew　could　not　fail　to　see　the　look　of　intense　relief　which；
in　the　midst　of　all　her　sorrow；　seemed　suddenly　to　have　lighted　up
the　whole　of　Marguerite's　wan　face。　The　thought　of　wending　her　own
way　to　safety　whilst　Percy；　mayhap；　was　fighting　an　uneven　fight
with　death　had　been　well…nigh　intolerable；　but　she　had　been　ready
to　okey　without　a　murmur。　　Now　Fate　and　the　enemy　himself　had
decided　otherwise。　　She　felt　as　if　a　load　had　been　lifted　from　her
heart。

〃I　will　at　once　go　and　find　de　Batz；〃　Sir　Andrew　contrived　to
whisper　hurriedly。　　〃As　soon　as　Percy's　letter　is　safely　in　his
hands　I　will　make　my　way　northwards　and　communicate　with　all　the
members　of　the　League；　on　whom　the　chief　has　so　strictly　enjoined
to　quit　French　soil　immediately。　　We　will　proceed　to　Calais　first
and　open　up　communication　with　the　Day…Dream　in　the　usual　way。
The　others　had　best　embark　on　board　her；　and　the　skipper　shall
then　make　for　the　known　spot　of　Le　Portel；　of　which　Percy　speaks
in　his　letter。　I　myself　will　go　by　land　to　Le　Portel；　and　thence；
if　I　have　no　news　of　you　or　of　the　expedition；　I　will　slowly　work
southwards　in　the　direction　of　the　Chateau　d'Ourde。　　That　is　all
that　I　can　do。　　If　you　can　contrive　to　let　Percy　or　even　Armand
know　my　movements；　do　so　by　all　means。　　I　know　that　I　shall　be
doing　right；　for；　in　a　way；　I　shall　be　watching　over　you　and
arranging　for　your　safety；　as　Blakeney　begged　me　to　do。　　God　bless
you；　Lady　Blakeney；　and　God　save　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel！〃

He　stooped　and　kissed　her　hand；　and　she　intimated　to　the　officer
that　she　was　ready。　　He　had　a　hackney　coach　waiting　for　her　lower
down　the　street。　　To　it　she　walked　with　a　firm　step；　and　as　she
entered　it　she　waved　a　last　farewell　to　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes。



CHAPTER　XLII
THE　GUARD…HOUSE　OF　THE　RUE　STE。　ANNE

The　little　cortege　was　turning　out　of　the　great　gates　of　the　house
of　Justice。　　It　was　intensely　cold；　a　bitter　north…easterly　gale
was　blowing　from　across　the　heights　of　Montmartre；　driving　sleet
and　snow　and　half…frozen　rain　into　the　faces　of　the　men；　and
finding　its　way　up　their　sleeves；　down　their　collars　and　round　the
knees　of　their　threadbare　breeches。

Armand；　whose　fingers　were　numb　with　the　cold；　could　scarcely　feel
the　reins　in　his　hands。　　Chauvelin　was　riding　dose　beside　him；　but
the　two　men　had　not　exchanged　one　word　since　the　moment　when　the
small　troop　of　some　twenty　mounted　soldiers　had　filed　up　inside
the　courtyard；　and　Chauvelin；　with　a　curt　word　of　command；　had
ordered　one　of　the　troopers　to　take　Armand's　horse　on　the　lead。

A　hackney　coach　brought　up　the　rear　of　the　cortege；　with　a　man
riding　at　either　door　and　two　more　following　at　a　distance　of
twenty　paces。　　Heron's　gaunt；　ugly　face；　crowned　with　a　battered；
sugar…loaf　hat；　appeared　from　time　to　time　at　the　window　of　the
coach。　　He　was　no　horseman；　and；　moreover；　preferred　to　keep　the
prisoner　closely　under　his　own　eye。　　The　corporal　had　told　Armand
that　the　prisoner　was　with　citizen　Heron　inside　the　coachin
irons。　　Beyond　that　the　soldiers　could　tell　him　nothing；　they　knew
nothing　of　the　object　of　this　expedition。　Vaguely　they　might　have
wondered　in　their　dull　minds　why　this　particular　prisoner　was　thus
being　escorted　out　of　the　Conciergerie　prison　with　so　much
paraphernalia　and　such　an　air　of　mystery；　when　there　were
thousands　of　prisoners　in　the　city　and　the　provinces　at　the
present　moment　who　anon　would　be　bundled　up　wholesale　into　carts
to　be　dragged　to　the　guillotine　like　a　flock　of　sheep　to　the
butchers。

But　even　if　they　wondered　they　made　no　remarks　among　themselves。
Their　faces；　blue　with　the　cold；　were　the　perfect　mirrors　of　their
own　unconquerable　stolidity。

The　tower　clock　of　Notre　Dame　struck　seven　when　the　small
cavalcade　finally　moved　slowly　out　of　the　monumental　gates。　　In
the　east　the　wan　light　of　a　February　morning　slowly　struggled　out
of　the　surrounding　gloom。　　Now　the　towers　of　many　churches　loomed
ghostlike　against　the　dull　grey　sky；　and　down　below；　on　the　right；
the　frozen　river；　like　a　smooth　sheet　of　steel；　wound　its　graceful
curves　round　the　islands　and　past　the　facade　of　the　Louvres
palace；　whose　walls　looked　grim　and　silent；　like　the　mausoleum　of
the　dead　giants　of　the　past。

All　around　the　great　city　gave　signs　of　awakening；　the　business　of
the　day　renewed　its　course　every　twenty…four　hours；　despite　the
tragedies　of　death　and　of　dishonour　that　walked　with　it　hand　in
hand。　　From　the　Place　de　La　Revolution　the　intermittent　roll　of
drums　came　from　time　to　time　with　its　muffled　sound　striking　the
ear　of　the　passer…by。　Along　the　quay　opposite　an　open…air　camp　was
already　astir；　men；　women；　and　children　engaged　in　the　great　task
of　clothing　and　feeding　the　people　of　France；　armed　against
tyranny；　were　bending　to　their　task；　even　before　the　wintry　dawn
had　spread　its　pale　grey　tints　over　the　narrower　streets　of　the
city。

Armand　shivered　under　his　cloak。　　This　silent　ride　beneath　the
laden　sky；　through　the　veil　of　half…frozen　rain　and　snow；　seemed
like　a　dream　to　him。　　And　now；　as　the　outriders　of　the　little
cavalcade　turned　to　cross　the　Pont　au　Change；　he　saw　spread　out　on
his　left　what　appeared　like　the　living　panorama　of　these　three
weeks　that　had　just　gone　by。　　He　could　see　the　house　of　the　Rue
St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois　where　Percy　had　lodged　before　he　carried
through　the　rescue　of　the　little　Dauphin。　　Armand　could　even　see
the　window　at　which　the　dreamer　had　stood；　weaving　noble　dreams
that　his　brilliant　daring　had　turned　into　realities；　until　the
hand　of　a　traitor　had　brought　him　down　toto　what？　　Armand　would
not　have　dared　at　this　moment　to　look　back　at　that　hideous；　vulgar
hackney　coach　wherein　that　proud；　reckless　adventurer；　who　had
defied　Fate　and　mocked　Death；　sat；　in　chains；　beside　a　loathsome
creature　whose　very　propinquity　was　an　outrage。

Now　they　were　passing　under　the　very　house　on　the　Quai　de　La
Ferraille；　above　the　saddler's　shop；　the　house　where　Marguerite
had　lodged　ten　days　ago；　whither　Armand　had　come；　trying　to　fool
himself　into　the　belief　that　the　love　of　〃little　mother〃　could　be
deceived　into　blindness　against　his　own　crime。　　He　had　tried　to
draw　a　veil　before　those　eyes　which　he　had　scarcely　dared
encounter；　but　he　knew　that　that　veil　must　lift　one　day；　and　then
a　curse　would　send　him　forth；　outlawed　and　homeless；　a　wanderer　on
the　face　of　the　earth。

Soon　as　the　little　cortege　wended　its　way　northwards　it　filed　out
beneath　the　walls　of　the　Temple　prison；　there　was　the　main　gate
with　its　sentry　standing　at　attention；　there　the　archway　with　the
guichet　of　the　concierge；　and　beyond　it　the　paved　courtyard。
Armand　closed　his　eyes　deliberately；　he　could　not　bear　to　look。

No　wonder　that　he　shivered　and　tried　to　draw　his　cloak　closer
around　him。　　Every　stone；　every　street　corner　was　full　of
memories。　　The　chill　that　struck　to　the　very　marrow　of　his　bones
came　from　no　outward　cause；　it　was　the　very　hand　of　remorse　that；
as　it　passed　over　him；　froze　the　blood　in　his　veins　and　made　the
rattle　of　those　wheels　behind　him　sound　like　a　hellish　knell。

At　last　the　more　closely　populated　quarters　of　the　city　were　left
behind。　　On　ahead　the　first　section　of　the　guard　had　turned　into
the　Rue　St。　Anne。