there will tell you where lives citizeness Lange。〃
〃At your service； mademoiselle；〃 he replied。
The words sounded empty and meaningless； but his eyes； as they
took final leave of her； spoke the gratitude and the joy which he
felt。
CHAPTER V
THE TEMPLE PRISON
It was close on midnight when the two friends finally parted
company outside the doors of the theatre。 The night air struck
with biting keenness against them when they emerged from the
stuffy； overheated building； and both wrapped their caped cloaks
tightly round their shoulders。 Armandmore than ever nowwas
anxious to rid himself of de Batz。 The Gascon's platitudes
irritated him beyond the bounds of forbearance； and he wanted to
be alone； so that he might think over the events of this night；
the chief event being a little lady with an enchanting voice and
the most fascinating brown eyes he had ever seen。
Self…reproach； too； was fighting a fairly even fight with the
excitement that had been called up by that same pair of brown
eyes。 Armand for the past four or five hours had acted in direct
opposition to the earnest advice given to him by his chief； he had
renewed one friendship which had been far better left in oblivion；
and he had made an acquaintance which already was leading him
along a path that he felt sure his comrade would disapprove。 But
the path was so profusely strewn with scented narcissi that
Armand's sensitive conscience was quickly lulled to rest by the
intoxicating fragrance。
Looking neither to right nor left； he made his way very quickly up
the Rue Richelieu towards the Montmartre quarter； where he lodged。
De Batz stood and watched him for as long as the dim lights of the
street lamps illumined his slim； soberly…clad figure； then he
turned on his heel and walked off in the opposite direction。
His florid； pock…marked face wore an air of contentment not
altogether unmixed with a kind of spiteful triumph。
〃So； my pretty Scarlet Pimpernel；〃 he muttered between his closed
lips； 〃you wish to meddle in my affairs； to have for yourself and
your friends the credit and glory of snatching the golden prize
from the clutches of these murderous brutes。 Well； we shall see！
We shall see which is the wiliestthe French ferret or the
English fox。〃
He walked deliberately away from the busy part of the town；
turning his back on the river； stepping out briskly straight
before him； and swinging his gold…beaded cane as he walked。
The streets which he had to traverse were silent and deserted；
save occasionally where a drinking or an eating house had its
swing…doors still invitingly open。 From these places； as de Batz
strode rapidly by； came sounds of loud voices； rendered raucous by
outdoor oratory； volleys of oaths hurled irreverently in the midst
of impassioned speeches； interruptions from rowdy audiences that
vied with the speaker in invectives and blasphemies； wordy
war…fares that ended in noisy vituperations； accusations hurled
through the air heavy with tobacco smoke and the fumes of cheap
wines and of raw spirits。
De Batz took no heed of these as he passed； anxious only that the
crowd of eating…house politicians did not； as often was its wont；
turn out pele…mele into the street； and settle its quarrel by the
weight of fists。 He did not wish to be embroiled in a street
fight； which invariably ended in denunciations and arrests； and
was glad when presently he had left the purlieus of the Palais
Royal behind him； and could strike on his left toward the lonely
Faubourg du Temple。
From the dim distance far away came at intervals the mournful
sound of a roll of muffled drums； half veiled by the intervening
hubbub of the busy night life of the great city。 It proceeded
from the Place de la Revolution； where a company of the National
Guard were on night watch round the guillotine。 The dull；
intermittent notes of the drum came as a reminder to the free
people of France that the watchdog of a vengeful revolution was
alert night and day； never sleeping； ever wakeful； 〃beating up
game for the guillotine；〃 as the new decree framed to…day by the
Government of the people had ordered that it should do。
From time to time now the silence of this lonely street was broken
by a sudden cry of terror； followed by the clash of arms； the
inevitable volley of oaths； the call for help； the final moan of
anguish。 They were the ever…recurring brief tragedies which told
of denunciations； of domiciliary search； of sudden arrests； of an
agonising desire for life and for freedomfor life under these
same horrible conditions of brutality and of servitude； for
freedom to breathe； if only a day or two longer； this air；
polluted by filth and by blood。
De Batz； hardened to these scenes； paid no heed to them。 He had
heard it so often； that cry in the night； followed by death…like
silence； it came from comfortable bourgeois houses； from squalid
lodgings； or lonely cul…de…sac； wherever some hunted quarry was
run to earth by the newly…organised spies of the Committee of
General Security。
Five and thirty livres for every head that falls trunkless into
the basket at the foot of the guillotine！ Five and thirty pieces
of silver； now as then； the price of innocent blood。 Every cry in
the night； every call for help； meant game for the guillotine； and
five and thirty livres in the hands of a Judas。
And de Batz walked on unmoved by what he saw and heard； swinging
his cane and looking satisfied。 Now he struck into the Place de
la Victoire； and looked on one of the open…air camps that had
recently been established where men； women； and children were
working to provide arms and accoutrements for the Republican army
that was fighting the whole of Europe。
The people of France were up in arms against tyranny； and on the
open places of their mighty city they were encamped day and night
forging those arms which were destined to make them free； and in
the meantime were bending under a yoke of tyranny more complete；
more grinding and absolute than any that the most despotic kings
had ever dared to inflict。
Here by the light of resin torches； at this late hour of the
night； raw lads were being drilled into soldiers； half…naked under
the cutting blast of the north wind； their knees shaking tinder
them； their arms and legs blue with cold； their stomachs empty；
and their teeth chattering with fear； women were sewing shirts for
the great improvised army； with eyes straining to see the stitches
by the flickering light of the torches； their throats parched with
the continual inhaling of smoke…laden air； even children； with
weak； clumsy little fingers； were picking rags to be woven into
cloth again all； all these slaves were working far into the night；
tired； hungry； and cold； but working unceasingly； as the country
had demanded it： 〃the people of France in arms against tyranny！〃
The people of France had to set to work to make arms； to clothe
the soldiers； the defenders of the people's liberty。
And from this crowd of peoplemen； women； and childrenthere
came scarcely a sound； save raucous whispers； a moan or a sigh
quickly suppressed。 A grim silence reigned in this thickly…peopled
camp； only the crackling of the torches broke that silence now and
then； or the flapping of canvas in the wintry gale。 They worked on
sullen； desperate； and starving； with no hope of payment save the
miserable rations wrung from poor tradespeople or miserable farmers；
as wretched； as oppressed as themselves； no hope of payment； only
fear of punishment； for that was ever present。
The people of France in arms against tyranny were not allowed to
forget that grim taskmaster with the two great hands stretched
upwards； holding the knife which descended mercilessly；
indiscriminately on necks that did not bend willingly to the task。
A grim look of gratified desire had spread over de Batz' face as
he skirted the open…air camp。 Let them toil； let them groan； let
them starve！ The more these clouts suffer； the more brutal the
heel that grinds them down； the sooner will the Emperor's money
accomplish its work； the sooner will these wretches be clamoring
for the monarchy； which would mean a rich reward in de Batz'
pockets。
To him everything now was for the best： the tyranny； the
brutality； the massacres。 He gloated in the holocausts with as
much satisfaction as did the most bloodthirsty Jacobin in the
Convention。 He would with his own hands have wielded the
guillotine that worked too slowly for his ends。 Let that end
justify the means； was his motto。 What matter if the future King
of France walked up to his throne over steps made of headless
corpses and rendered slippery with the blood of martyrs？
The ground beneath de Batz' feet was hard and white with the
frost。 Overhead the pale； wintry moon looked down serene and
placid on this giant city wallowing in an ocean of misery。
There； had been but little snow as yet this year； and the cold was
intense。 On his right now the Cimetiere des SS。 Innocents lay
peaceful and still beneath the wan light of the moon。 A thin
covering of snow lay evenly alike on grass mounds and smooth
stones。 Here and there a broken cross with chipped arms still
held pathetically outstretched； as if in a final appeal for human
love； bore mute testimony to senseless excesses and spiteful
desire for destruction。
But here within the precincts of the dwelling of the eternal
Master a solemn silence reigned； only the cold north wind shook
the branches of the yew； causing them to send forth a melancholy
sigh into the night； and to shed a shower of tiny crystals of snow
like the frozen tears of the dead。
And round the precincts of the lonely graveyard； and down narrow
streets or open places； the night watchmen went their rounds；
lanthorn in hand； and every five minutes their monotonous call
rang clearly out in the night：
〃Sleep； citizens！ everything is quiet and at peace！〃
We may take it that de Batz did not philosophise over…much on what
went on around him。 He had walked swiftly up the Rue St。 Martin；
then turning sharply to his right he found himself beneath the
tall； frowning walls of the Temple prison； the grim guardian of