el dorado-第16节

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obvious　terror；　came　rushing　into　the　room。

〃Jeanne！　　Jeanne！　　My　child！　　It　is　awful！　　It　is　awful！　　Mon
Dieumon　Dieu！　　What　is　to　become　of　us？〃

She　was　moaning　and　lamenting　even　as　she　ran　in；　and　now　she
threw　her　apron　over　her　face　and　sank　into　a　chair；　continuing
her　moaning　and　her　lamentations。

Neither　Mademoiselle　nor　Armand　had　stirred。　　They　remained　like
graven　images；　he　on　one　knee；　she　with　large　eyes　fixed　upon　his
face。　　They　had　neither　of　them　looked　on　the　old　woman；　they
seemed　even　now　unconscious　of　her　presence。　　But　their　ears　had
caught　the　sound　of　that　measured　tramp　of　feet　up　the　stairs　of
the　old　house；　and　the　halt　upon　the　landing；　they　had　heard　the
brief　words　of　command：

〃Open；　in　the　name　of　the　people！〃

They　knew　quite　well　what　it　all　meant；　they　had　not　wandered　so
far　in　the　realms　of　romance　that　realitythe　grim；　horrible
reality　of　the　momenthad　not　the　power　to　bring　them　back　to
earth。

That　peremptory　call　to　open　in　the　name　of　the　people　was　the
prologue　these　days　to　a　drama　which　had　but　two　concluding　acts：
arrest；　which　was　a　certainty；　the　guillotine；　which　was　more　than
probable。　　Jeanne　and　Armand；　these　two　young　people　who　but　a
moment　ago　had　tentatively　lifted　the　veil　of　life；　looked
straight　into　each　other's　eyes　and　saw　the　hand　of　death
interposed　between　them：　　they　looked　straight　into　each　other's
eyes　and　knew　that　nothing　but　the　hand　of　death　would　part　them
now。　　Love　had　come　with　its　attendant；　Sorrow；　but　he　had　come
with　no　uncertain　footsteps。　　Jeanne　looked　on　the　man　before　her；
and　he　bent　his　head　to　imprint　a　glowing　kiss　upon　her　hand。

〃Aunt　Marie！〃

It　was　Jeanne　Lange　who　spoke；　but　her　voice　was　no　longer　that　of
an　irresponsible　child；　it　was　firm；　steady　and　hard。　　Though　she
spoke　to　the　old　woman；　she　did　not　look　at　her；　her　luminous
brown　eyes　rested　on　the　bowed　head　of　Armand　St。　Just。

〃Aunt　Marie！〃　she　repeated　more　peremptorily；　for　the　old　woman；
with　her　apron　over　her　head；　was　still　moaning；　and　unconscious
of　all　save　an　overmastering　fear。

〃Open；　in　the　name　of　the　people！〃　came　in　a　loud　harsh　voice　once
more　from　the　other　side　of　the　front　door。

〃Aunt　Marie；　as　you　value　your　life　and　mine；　pull　yourself
together；〃　said　Jeanne　firmly。

〃What　shall　we　do？　　Oh！　what　shall　we　do？〃　moaned　Madame　Belhomme。
But　she　had　dragged　the　apron　away　from　her　face；　and　was　looking
with　some　puzzlement　at　meek；　gentle　little　Jeanne；　who　had
suddenly　become　so　strange；　so　dictatorial；　all　unlike　her
habitual　somewhat　diffident　self。

〃You　need　not　have　the　slightest　fear；　Aunt　Marie；　if　you　will
only　do　as　I　tell　you；〃　resumed　Jeanne　quietly；　〃if　you　give　way
to　fear；　we　are　all　of　us　undone。　　As　you　value　your　life　and
mine；〃　she　now　repeated　authoritatively；　〃pull　yourself　together；
and　do　as　I　tell　you。〃

The　girl's　firmness；　her　perfect　quietude　had　the　desired　effect。
Madame　Belhomme；　though　still　shaken　up　with　sobs　of　terror；　made
a　great　effort　to　master　herself；　she　stood　up；　smoothed　down　her
apron；　passed　her　hand　over　her　ruffled　hair；　and　said　in　a
quaking　voice：

〃What　do　you　think　we　had　better　do？〃

〃Go　quietly　to　the　door　and　open　it。〃

〃Butthe　soldiers〃

〃If　you　do　not　open　quietly　they　will　force　the　door　open　within
the　next　two　minutes；〃　interposed　Jeanne　calmly。　　〃Go　quietly　and
open　the　door。　　Try　and　hide　your　fears；　　grumble　in　an　audible
voice　at　being　interrupted　in　your　cooking；　and　tell　the　soldiers
at　once　that　they　will　find　mademoiselle　in　the　boudoir。　　Go；　for
God's　sake！〃　she　added；　whilst　suppressed　emotion　suddenly　made
her　young　voice　vibrate；　〃go；　before　they　break　open　that　door！〃

Madame　Belhomme；　impressed　and　cowed；　obeyed　like　an　automaton。
She　turned　and　marched　fairly　straight　out　of　the　room。　　It　was
not　a　minute　too　soon。　　From　outside　had　already　come　the　third
and　final　summons：

〃Open；　in　the　name　of　the　people！〃

After　that　a　crowbar　would　break　open　the　door。

Madame　Belhomme's　heavy　footsteps　were　heard　crossing　the
ante…chamber。　　Armand　still　knelt　at　Jeanne's　feet；　holding　her
trembling　little　hand　in　his。

〃A　love…scene；〃　she　whispered　rapidly；　〃a　love…scenequickdo
you　know　one？〃

And　even　as　he　had　tried　to　rise　she　held　him　hack；　down　on　his
knees。

He　thought　that　fear　was　making　her　distracted。

〃Mademoiselle〃　he　murmured；　trying　to　soothe　her。

〃Try　and　understand；〃　she　said　with　wonderful　calm；　〃and　do　as　I
tell　you。　Aunt　Marie　has　obeyed。　Will　you　do　likewise？〃

〃To　the　death！〃　he　whispered　eagerly。

〃Then　a　love…scene；〃　she　entreated。　　〃Surely　you　know　one。
Rodrigue　and　Chimene！　　Surelysurely；〃　　she　urged；　even　as　tears
of　anguish　rose　into　her　eyes；　〃you　mustyou　must；　or；　if　not
that；　something　else。　　Quick！　The　very　seconds　are　precious！〃

They　were　indeed！　　Madame　Belhomme；　obedient　as　a　frightened　dog；
had　gone　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　even　her　well…feigned
grumblings　could　now　be　heard　and　the　rough　interrogations　from
the　soldiery。

〃Citizeness　Lange！〃　said　a　gruff　voice。

〃In　her　boudoir；　quoi！〃

Madame　Belhomme；　braced　up　apparently　by　fear；　was　playing　her
part　remarkably　well。

〃Bothering　good　citizens！　　On　baking　day；　too！〃　she　went　on
grumbling　and　muttering。

〃Oh；　thinkthink！〃　murmured　Jeanne　now　in　an　agonised　whisper；
her　hot　little　hand　grasping　his　so　tightly　that　her　nails　were
driven　into　his　flesh。　　〃You　must　know　something；　that　will
doanythingfor　dear　life's　sake　。。。。　　Armand！〃

His　namein　the　tense　excitement　of　this　terrible　momenthad
escaped　her　lips。

All　in　a　flash　of　sudden　intuition　he　understood　what　she　wanted；
and　even　as　the　door　of　the　boudoir　was　thrown　violently　open
Armandstill　on　his　knees；　but　with　one　hand　pressed　to　his
heart；　the　other　stretched　upwards　to　the　ceiling　in　the　most
approved　dramatic　style；　was　loudly　declaiming：

　　　　　〃Pour　venger　son　honneur　il　perdit　son　amour；
　　　　　　Pour　venger　sa　maitresse　il　a　quitte　le　jour！〃

Whereupon　Mademoiselle　Lange　feigned　the　most　perfect　impatience。

〃No；　no；　my　good　cousin；〃　she　said　with　a　pretty　moue　of　disdain；
〃that　will　never　do！　　You　must　not　thus　emphasise　the　end　of　every
line；　the　verses　should　flow　more　evenly；　as　thus。。。。〃

Heron　had　paused　at　the　door。　　It　was　he　who　had　thrown　it
openhe　who；　followed　by　a　couple　of　his　sleuth…hounds；　had
thought　to　find　here　the　man　denounced　by　de　Batz　as　being　one　of
the　followers　of　that　irrepressible　Scarlet　Pimpernel。　The
obviously　Parisian　intonation　of　the　man　kneeling　in　front　of
citizeness　Lange　in　an　attitude　no　ways　suggestive　of　personal
admiration；　and　coolly　reciting　verses　out　of　a　play；　had　somewhat
taken　him　aback。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　he　asked　gruffly；　striding　forward　into　the
room　and　glaring　first　at　mademoiselle；　then　at　Armand。

Mademoiselle　gave　a　little　cry　of　surprise。

〃Why；　if　it　isn't　citizen　Heron！〃　she　cried；　jumping　up　with　a
dainty　movement　of　coquetry　and　embarrassment。　〃Why　did　not　Aunt
Marie　announce　you？　。。。　　It　is　indeed　remiss　of　her；　but　she　is　so
ill…tempered　on　baking　days　I　dare　not　even　rebuke　her。　　Won't　you
sit　down；　citizen　Heron？　　And　you；　cousin；〃　she　added；　looking
down　airily　on　Armand；　〃I　pray　you　maintain　no　longer　that　foolish
attitude。〃

The　febrileness　of　her　manner；　the　glow　in　her　cheeks　were　easily
attributable　to　natural　shyness　in　face　of　this　unexpected　visit。
Heron；　completely　bewildered　by　this　little　scene；　which　was　so
unlike　what　he　expected；　and　so　unlike　those　to　which　he　was
accustomed　in　the　exercise　of　his　horrible　duties；　was　practically
speechless　before　the　little　lady　who　continued　to　prattle　along
in　a　simple；　unaffected　manner。

〃Cousin；〃　she　said　to　Armand；　who　in　the　meanwhile　had　risen　to
his　knees；　〃this　is　citizen　Heron；　of　whom　you　have　heard　me
speak。　　My　cousin　Belhomme；〃　she　continued；　once　more　turning　to
Heron；　〃is　fresh　from　the　country；　citizen。　　He　hails　from
Orleans；　where　he　has　played　leading　parts　in　the　tragedies　of　the
late　citizen　Corneille。　　But；　ah　me！　　I　fear　that　he　will　find
Paris　audiences　vastly　more　critical　than　the　good　Orleanese。　　Did
you　hear　him；　citizen；　declaiming　those　beautiful　verses　just　now？
He　was　murdering　them；　say　Iyes；　murdering　themthe　gaby！〃

Then　only　did　it　seem　as　if　she　realised　that　there　was　something
amiss；　that　citizen　Heron　had　come　to　visit　her；　not　as　an　admirer
of　her　talent　who　would　wish　to　pay　his　respects　to　a　successful
actress；　but　as　a　person　to　be　looked　on　with　dread。

She　gave　a　quaint；　nervous　little　laugh；　and　murmured　in　the　tones
of　a　frightened　child：

〃La；　citizen；　how　glum　you　look！　I　thought　you　had　come　to
compliment　me　on　my　latest　success。　　I　saw　you　at　the　theatre　last
night；　though　you　did　not　afterwards　come　to　see　me　in　the
green…room。　Why！　I　had　a　regular　ovation！　Look　at　my　flowers！〃　she
added　more　gaily；　pointing　to　several　bouquets　in　vases　about　the
room。　〃Citizen　Danton　brought　me　the　violets　himself；　and　citizen
Santerre　the　narcissi；　and　that　laurel　wreathis　it　not
charming？that　was　a　tribute　from　citizen　Robespierre　himself。〃

She　was　so　artless；　so　simple；　and