el dorado-第21节

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silly　nonsense；　and　making　foolish　jokes　that　would　have　shamed　a
Frenchman　in　his　teens。　　Vaguely　he　wondered　what　fat；　pompous　de
Batz　would　think　of　this　discussion　if　he　could　overhear　it。　　His
contempt；　no　doubt；　for　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　and　his　followers
would　be　increased　tenfold。

Then　at　last　the　question　of　the　disguise　was　effectually
dismissed。　　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　and　Lord　Anthony　Dewhurst　had
settled　their　differences　of　opinion　by　solemnly　agreeing　to
represent　two　over…grimy　and　overheated　coal…heavers。　　They　chose
two　certificates　of　safety　that　were　made　out　in　the　names　of　Jean
Lepetit　and　Achille　Grospierre；　labourers。

〃Though　you　don't　look　at　all　like　an　Achille；　Tony；〃　was
Blakeney's　parting　shot　to　his　friend。

Then　without　any　transition　from　this　schoolboy　nonsense　to　the
serious　business　of　the　moment；　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　said　abruptly：

〃Tell　us　exactly；　Blakeney；　where　you　will　want　the　cart　to　stand
on　Sunday。〃

Blakeney　rose　and　turned　to　the　map　against　the　wall；　Ffoulkes　and
Tony　following　him。　　They　stood　close　to　his　elbow　whilst　his
slender；　nervy　hand　wandered　along　the　shiny　surface　of　the
varnished　paper。　　At　last　he　placed　his　finger　on　one　spot。

〃Here　you　see；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　Villette　gate。　　Just　outside　it　a
narrow　street　on　the　right　leads　down　in　the　direction　of　the
canal。　　It　is　just　at　the　bottom　of　that　narrow　street　at　its
junction　with　the　tow…path　there　that　I　want　you　two　and　the　cart
to　be。　　It　had　better　be　a　coal…car　by　the　way；　they　will　be
unloading　coal　close　by　there　to…morrow；〃　he　added　with　one　of　his
sudden　irrepressible　outbursts　of　merriment。　　〃You　and　Tony　can
exercise　your　muscles　coal…heaving；　and　incidentally　make
yourselves　known　in　the　neighbourhood　as　good　if　somewhat　grimy
patriots。〃

〃We　had　better　take　up　our　parts　at　once　then；〃　said　Tony。　　〃I'll
take　a　fond　farewell　of　my　clean　shirt　to…night。〃

〃Yes；　you　will　not　see　one　again　for　some　time；　my　good　Tony。
After　your　hard　day's　work　to…morrow　you　will　have　to　sleep　either
inside　your　cart；　if　you　have　already　secured　one；　or　under　the
arches　of　the　canal　bridge；　if　you　have　not。〃

〃I　hope　you　have　an　equally　pleasant　prospect　for　Hastings；〃　was
my　Lord　Tony's　grim　comment。

It　was　easy　to　see　that　he　was　as　happy　as　a　schoolboy　about　to
start　for　a　holiday。　　Lord　Tony　was　a　true　sportsman。　　Perhaps
there　was　in　him　less　sentiment　for　the　heroic　work　which　he　did
under　the　guidance　of　his　chief　than　an　inherent　passion　for
dangerous　adventures。　　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　on　the　other　hand；
thought　perhaps　a　little　less　of　the　adventure；　but　a　great　deal
of　the　martyred　child　in　the　Temple。　　He　was　just　as　buoyant；　just
as　keen　as　his　friend；　but　the　leaven　of　sentiment　raised　his
sporting　instincts　to　perhaps　a　higher　plane　of　self…devotion。

〃Well；　now；　to　recapitulate；〃　he　said；　in　turn　following　with　his
finger　the　indicated　route　on　the　map。　　〃Tony　and　I　and　the
coal…cart　will　await　you　on　this　spot；　at　the　corner　of　the
towpath　on　Sunday　evening　at　nine　o'clock。〃

〃And　your　signal；　Blakeney？〃　asked　Tony。

〃The　usual　one；〃　replied　Sir　Percy；　〃the　seamew's　cry　thrice
repeated　at　brief　intervals。　　But　now；〃　he　continued；　turning　to
Armand　and　Hastings；　who　had　taken　no　part　in　the　discussion
hitherto；　〃I　want　your　help　a　little　further　afield。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　nodded　Hastings。

〃The　coal…cart；　with　its　usual　miserable　nag；　will　carry　us　a
distance　of　fifteen　or　sixteen　kilometres；　but　no　more。　My　purpose
is　to　cut　along　the　north　of　the　city；　and　to　reach　St。　Germain；
the　nearest　point　where　we　can　secure　good　mounts。　　There　is　a
farmer　just　outside　the　commune；　his　name　is　Achard。　　He　has
excellent　horses；　which　I　have　borrowed　before　now；　we　shall　want
five；　of　course；　and　he　has　one　powerful　beast　that　will　do　for
me；　as　I　shall　have；　in　addition　to　my　own　weight；　which　is
considerable；　to　take　the　child　with　me　on　the　pillion。　　Now　you；
Hastings　and　Armand；　will　have　to　start　early　to…morrow　morning；
leave　Paris　by　the　Neuilly　gate；　and　from　there　make　your　way　to
St。　Germain　by　any　conveyance　you　can　contrive　to　obtain。　　At　St。
Germain　you　must　at　once　find　Achard's　farm；　disguised　as
labourers　you　will　not　arouse　suspicion　by　so　doing。　　You　will
find　the　farmer　quite　amenable　to　money；　and　you　must　secure　the
best　horses　you　can　get　for　our　own　use；　and；　if　possible；　the
powerful　mount　I　spoke　of　just　now。　　You　are　both　excellent
horse…men；　therefore　I　selected　you　amongst　the　others　for　this
special　errand；　for　you　two；　with　the　five　horses；　will　have　to
come　and　meet　our　coal…cart　some　seventeen　kilometres　out　of　St。
Germain；　to　where　the　first　sign…post　indicates　the　road　to
Courbevoie。　　Some　two　hundred　metres　down　this　road　on　the　right
there　is　a　small　spinney；　which　will　afford　splendid　shelter　for
yourselves　and　your　horses。　　We　hope　to　be　there　at　about　one
o'clock　after　midnight　of　Monday　morning。　　Now；　is　all　that　quite
clear；　and　are　you　both　satisfied？〃

〃It　is　quite　clear；〃　exclaimed　Hastings　placidly；　〃but　I；　for　one；
am　not　at　all　satisfied。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃Because　it　is　all　too　easy。　　We　get　none　of　the　danger。〃

〃Oho！　　I　thought　that　you　would　bring　that　argument　forward；　you
incorrigible　grumbler；〃　laughed　Sir　Percy　good…humouredly。　　〃Let
me　tell　you　that　if　you　start　to…morrow　from　Paris　in　that　spirit
you　will　run　your　head　and　Armand's　into　a　noose　long　before　you
reach　the　gate　of　Neuilly。　　I　cannot　allow　either　of　you　to　cover
your　faces　with　too　much　grime；　an　honest　farm　labourer　should　not
look　over…dirty；　and　your　chances　of　being　discovered　and　detained
are；　at　the　outset；　far　greater　than　those　which　Ffoulkes　and　Tony
will　run〃

Armand　had　said　nothing　during　this　time。　　While　Blakeney　was
unfolding　his　plan　for　him　and　for　Lord　Hastingsa　plan　which
practically　was　a　commandhe　had　sat　with　his　arms　folded　across
his　chest；　his　head　sunk　upon　his　breast。　　When　Blakeney　had　asked
if　they　were　satisfied；　he　had　taken　no　part　in　Hastings'　protest
nor　responded　to　his　leader's　good…humoured　banter。

Though　he　did　not　look　up　even　now；　yet　he　felt　that　Percy's　eyes
were　fixed　upon　him；　and　they　seemed　to　scorch　into　his　soul。　　He
made　a　great　effort　to　appear　eager　like　the　others；　and　yet　from
the　first　a　chill　had　struck　at　his　heart。　　He　could　not　leave
Paris　before　he　had　seen　Jeanne。

He　looked　up　suddenly；　trying　to　seem　unconcerned；　he　even　looked
his　chief　fully　in　the　face。

〃When　ought　we　to　leave　Paris？〃　he　asked　calmly。

〃You　MUST　leave　at　daybreak；〃　replied　Blakeney　with　a　slight；
almost　imperceptible　emphasis　on　the　word　of　command。　　〃When　the
gates　are　first　opened；　and　the　work…people　go　to　and　fro　at　their
work；　that　is　the　safest　hour。　And　you　must　be　at　St。　Germain　as
soon　as　may　be；　or　the　farmer　may　not　have　a　sufficiency　of　horses
available　at　a　moment's　notice。　　I　want　you　to　be　spokesman　with
Achard；　so　that　Hastings'　British　accent　should　not　betray　you
both。　　Also　you　might　not　get　a　conveyance　for　St。　Germain
immediately。　　We　must　think　of　every　eventuality；　Armand。　　There
is　so　much　at　stake。〃

Armand　made　no　further　comment　just　then。　　But　the　others　looked
astonished。　　Armand　had　but　asked　a　simple　question；　and
Blakeney's　reply　seemed　almost　like　a　rebukeso　circumstantial
too；　and　so　explanatory。　　He　was　so　used　to　being　obeyed　at　a
word；　so　accustomed　that　the　merest　wish；　the　slightest　hint　from
him　was　understood　by　his　band　of　devoted　followers；　that　the　long
explanation　of　his　orders　which　he　gave　to　Armand　struck　them　all
with　a　strange　sense　of　unpleasant　surprise。

Hastings　was　the　first　to　break　the　spell　that　seemed　to　have
fallen　over　the　party。

〃We　leave　at　daybreak；　of　course；〃　he　said；　〃as　soon　as　the　gates
are　open。　　We　can；　I　know；　get　one　of　the　carriers　to　give　us　a
lift　as　far　as　St。　Germain。　　There；　how　do　we　find　Achard？〃

〃He　is　a　well…known　farmer；〃　replied　Blakeney。　〃You　have　but　to
ask。〃

〃Good。　　Then　we　bespeak　five　horses　for　the　next　day；　find
lodgings　in　the　village　that　night；　and　make　a　fresh　start　back
towards　Paris　in　the　evening　of　Sunday。　　Is　that　right？〃

〃Yes。　　One　of　you　will　have　two　horses　on　the　lead；　the　other　one。
Pack　some　fodder　on　the　empty　saddles　and　start　at　about　ten
o'clock。　　Ride　straight　along　the　main　road；　as　if　you　were　making
back　for　Paris；　until　you　come　to　four　cross…roads　with　a
sign…post　pointing　to　Courbevoie。　Turn　down　there　and　go　along　the
road　until　you　meet　a　close　spinney　of　fir…trees　on　your　right。
Make　for　the　interior　of　that。　　It　gives　splendid　shelter；　and　you
can　dismount　there　and　give　the　horses　a　feed。　　We'll　join　you　one
hour　after　midnight。　　The　night　will　be　dark；　I　hope；　and　the　moon
anyhow　will　be　on　the　wane。〃

〃I　think　I　understand。　　Anyhow；　it's　not　difficult；　and　we'll　be
as　careful　as　maybe。〃

〃You　will　have　to　keep　your　heads　clear；　both　of　you；〃　concluded
Blakeney。

He　was　looking　at　Armand　as　he　said　this；　but　the　young　man　had
not　made　a　movement　during　this　brief　colloquy　between　Hastings
and　the　chief。　　He　still　sat　with　arms　folded；　his　head　falling　on
his　breast。

Si