behind。 On ahead the first section of the guard had turned into
the Rue St。 Anne。 The houses became more sparse； intersected by
narrow pieces of terrains vagues； or small weed…covered bits of
kitchen garden。
Then a halt was called。
It was quite light now。 As light as it would ever be beneath this
leaden sky。 Rain and snow still fell in gusts； driven by the
blast。
Some one ordered Armand to dismount。 It was probably Chauvelin。
He did as he was told； and a trooper led him to the door of an
irregular brick building that stood isolated on the right；
extended on either side by a low wall； and surrounded by a patch
of uncultivated land； which now looked like a sea of mud。
On ahead was the line of fortifications dimly outlined against the
grey of the sky； and in between brown； sodden earth； with here and
there a detached house； a cabbage patch； a couple of windmills
deserted and desolate。
The loneliness of an unpopulated outlying quarter of the great
mother city； a useless limb of her active body； an ostracised
member of her vast family。
Mechanically Armand had followed the soldier to the door of the
building。 Here Chauvelin was standing； and bade him follow。 A
smell of hot coffee hung in the dark narrow passage in front。
Chauvelin led the way to a room on the left。
Still that smell of hot coffee。 Ever after it was associated in
Armand's mind with this awful morning in the guard…house of the
Rue Ste。 Anne； when the rain and snow beat against the windows；
and he stood there in the low guard…room shivering and half…numbed
with cold。
There was a table in the middle of the room； and on it stood cups
of hot coffee。 Chauvelin bade him drink； suggesting； not
unkindly； that the warm beverage would do him good。 Armand
advanced further into the room； and saw that there were wooden
benches all round against the wall。 On one of these sat his
sister Marguerite。
When she saw him she made a sudden； instinctive movement to go to
him； but Chauvelin interposed in his usual bland； quiet manner。
〃Not just now； citizeness；〃 he said。
She sat down again； and Armand noted how cold and stony seemed her
eyes； as if life within her was at a stand…still； and a shadow
that was almost like death had atrophied every emotion in her。
〃I trust you have not suffered too much from the cold； Lady
Blakeney；〃 resumed Chauvelin politely； 〃we ought not to have kept
you waiting here for so long； but delay at departure is sometimes
inevitable。〃
She made no reply； only acknowledging his reiterated inquiry as to
her comfort with an inclination of the head。
Armand had forced himself to swallow some coffee； and for the
moment he felt less chilled。 He held the cup between his two
hands； and gradually some warmth crept into his bones。
〃Little mother；〃 he said in English； 〃try and drink some of this；
it will do you good。〃
〃Thank you； dear；〃 she replied。 〃I have had some。 I am not
cold。〃
Then a door at the end of the room was pushed open； and Heron
stalked in。
〃Are we going to be all day in this confounded hole？〃 he queried
roughly。
Armand； who was watching his sister very closely； saw that she
started at the sight of the wretch； and seemed immediately to
shrink still further within herself； whilst her eyes； suddenly
luminous and dilated； rested on him like those of a captive bird
upon an approaching cobra。
But Chauvelin was not to be shaken out of his suave manner。
〃One moment； citizen Heron；〃 he said； 〃this coffee is very
comforting。 Is the prisoner with you？〃 he added lightly。
Heron nodded in the direction of the other room。
〃In there；〃 he said curtly。
〃Then； perhaps； if you will be so good； citizen； to invite him
thither； I could explain to him his future position and our own。〃
Heron muttered something between his fleshy lips； then he turned
back towards the open door； solemnly spat twice on the threshold；
and nodded his gaunt head once or twice in a manner which
apparently was understood from within。
〃No； sergeant； I don't want you；〃 he said gruffly； 〃only the
prisoner。〃
A second or two later Sir Percy Blakeney stood in the doorway； his
hands were behind his back； obviously hand…cuffed； but he held
himself very erect； though it was clear that this caused him a
mighty effort。 As soon as he had crossed the threshold his quick
glance had swept right round the room。
He saw Armand； and his eyes lit up almost imperceptibly。
Then he caught sight of Marguerite； and his pale face took on
suddenly a more ashen hue。
Chauvelin was watching him with those keen； light…coloured eyes of
his。 Blakeney； conscious of this； made no movement； only his lips
tightened； and the heavy lids fell over the hollow eyes；
completely hiding their glance。
But what even the most astute； most deadly enemy could not see was
that subtle message of understanding that passed at once between
Marguerite and the man she loved； it was a magnetic current；
intangible； invisible to all save to her and to him。 She was
prepared to see him； prepared to see in him all that she had
feared； the weakness； the mental exhaustion； the submission to the
inevitable。 Therefore she had also schooled her glance to express
to him all that she knew she would not be allowed to saythe
reassurance that she had read his last letter； that she had obeyed
it to the last word； save where Fate and her enemy had interfered
with regard to herself。
With a slight； imperceptible movementimperceptible to every one
save to him； she had seemed to handle a piece of paper in her
kerchief； then she had nodded slowly； with her eyessteadfast；
reassuringfixed upon him； and his glance gave answer that he had
understood。
But Chauvelin and Heron had seen nothing of this。 They were
satisfied that there had been no communication between the
prisoner and his wife and friend。
〃You are no doubt surprised； Sir Percy；〃 said Chauvelin after a
while； 〃to see Lady Blakeney here。 She； as well as citizen St。
Just； will accompany our expedition to the place where you will
lead us。 We none of us know where that place iscitizen Heron
and myself are entirely in your handsyou might be leading us to
certain death； or again to a spot where your own escape would be
an easy matter to yourself。 You will not be surprised； therefore；
that we have thought fit to take certain precautions both against
any little ambuscade which you may have prepared for us； or
against your making one of those daring attempts at escape for
which the noted Scarlet Pimpernel is so justly famous。〃
He paused； and only Heron's low chuckle of satisfaction broke the
momentary silence that followed。 Blakeney made no reply。
Obviously he knew exactly what was coming。 He knew Chauvelin and
his ways； knew the kind of tortuous conception that would find
origin in his brain； the moment that he saw Marguerite sitting
there he must have guessed that Chauvelin once more desired to put
her precious life in the balance of his intrigues。
〃Citizen Heron is impatient； Sir Percy；〃 resumed Chauvelin after a
while； 〃so I must be brief。 Lady Blakeney； as well as citizen St。
Just； will accompany us on this expedition to whithersoever you
may lead us。 They will be the hostages which we will hold against
your own good faith。 At the slightest suspiciona mere suspicion
perhapsthat you have played us false； at a hint that you have
led us into an ambush； or that the whole of this expedition has
been but a trick on your part to effect your own escape； or if
merely our hope of finding Capet at the end of our journey is
frustrated； the lives of our two hostages belong to us； and your
friend and your wife will be summarily shot before your eyes。〃
Outside the rain pattered against the window…panes； the gale
whistled mournfully among the stunted trees； but within this room
not a sound stirred the deadly stillness of the air； and yet at
this moment hatred and love； savage lust and sublime
self…abnegationthe most power full passions the heart of man can
knowheld three men here enchained； each a slave to his dominant
passion； each ready to stake his all for the satisfaction of his
master。 Heron was the first to speak。
〃Well！〃 he said with a fierce oath； 〃what are we waiting for？ The
prisoner knows how he stands。 Now we can go。〃
〃One moment； citizen；〃 interposed Chauvelin； his quiet manner
contrasting strangely with his colleague's savage mood。 〃You have
quite understood； Sir Percy；〃 he continued； directly addressing
the prisoner； 〃the conditions under which we are all of us about
to proceed on this journey？〃
〃All of us？〃 said Blakeney slowly。 〃Are you taking it for granted
then that I accept your conditions and that I am prepared to
proceed on the journey？〃
〃If you do not proceed on the journey；〃 cried Heron with savage
fury； 〃I'll strangle that woman with my own handsnow！〃
Blakeney looked at him for a moment or two through half…closed
lids； and it seemed then to those who knew him well； to those who
loved him and to the man who hated him； that the mighty sinews
almost cracked with the passionate desire to kill。 Then the
sunken eyes turned slowly to Marguerite； and she alone caught the
lookit was a mere flash； of a humble appeal for pardon。
It was all over in a second； almost immediately the tension on the
pale face relaxed； and into the eyes there came that look of
acceptancenearly akin to fatalisman acceptance of which the
strong alone are capable； for with them it only comes in the face
of the inevitable。
Now he shrugged his broad shoulders； and once more turning to
Heron he said quietly：
〃You leave me no option in that case。 As you have remarked
before； citizen Heron； why should we wait any longer？ Surely we
can now go。〃
CHAPTER XLIII
THE DREARY JOURNEY
Rain！ Rain！ Rain！ Incessant； monotonous and dreary！ The wind
had changed round to the southwest。 It blew now in great gusts
that sent weird； sighing sounds through the trees； and drove the
heavy showers into the faces of the men as they rode on； with
heads bent forward against the gale。
The rain…sodden bridles slipped through their hands； bringing out
sores and blisters on their palms； the horses were fidg