el dorado-第24节

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one　of　them　by　the　shoulders　and　pushed　it　along　roughly　in　front
of　him　to　get　it　out　of　the　way。　　The　woman　struck　at　the　soldier
in　a　stupid；　senseless；　useless　way；　and　then　gathered　her
trembling　chicks　under　her　wing；　trying　to　look　defiant。

In　a　moment　she　was　surrounded。　　Two　soldiers　seized　her；　and　two
more　dragged　the　children　away　from　her。　She　screamed　and　the
children　cried；　the　soldiers　swore　and　struck　out　right　and　left
with　their　bayonets。　　There　was　a　general　melee；　calls　of　agony
rent　the　air；　rough　oaths　drowned　the　shouts　of　the　helpless。
Some　women；　panic…stricken；　started　to　run。

And　Blakeney　from　his　window　looked　down　upon　the　scene。　　He　no
longer　saw　the　garden　at　Richmond；　the　lazily…flowing　river；　the
bowers　of　roses；　even　the　sweet　face　of　Marguerite；　sad　and
lonely；　appeared　dim　and　far　away。

He　looked　across　the　ice…bound　river；　past　the　quay　where　rough
soldiers　were　brutalising　a　number　of　wretched　defenceless　women；
to　that　grim　Chatelet　prison；　where　tiny　lights　shining　here　and
there　behind　barred　windows　told　the　sad　tale　of　weary　vigils；　of
watches　through　the　night；　when　dawn　would　bring　martyrdom　and
death。

And　it　was　not　Marguerite's　blue　eyes　that　beckoned　to　him　now；　it
was　not　her　lips　that　called；　but　the　wan　face　of　a　child　with
matted　curls　hanging　above　a　greasy　forehead；　and　small　hands
covered　in　grime　that　had　once　been　fondled　by　a　Queen。

The　adventurer　in　him　had　chased　away　the　dream。

〃While　there　is　life　in　me　I'll　cheat　those　brutes　of　prey；〃　he
murmured。



CHAPTER　XIII
THEN　EVERYTHING　WAS　DARK

The　night　that　Armand　St。　Just　spent　tossing　about　on　a　hard；
narrow　bed　was　the　most　miserable；　agonising　one　he　had　ever
passed　in　his　life。　　A　kind　of　fever　ran　through　him；　causing　his
teeth　to　chatter　and　the　veins　in　his　temples　to　throb　until　he
thought　that　they　must　burst。

Physically　he　certainly　was　ill；　the　mental　strain　caused　by　two
great　conflicting　passions　had　attacked　his　bodily　strength；　and
whilst　his　brain　and　heart　fought　their　battles　together；　his
aching　limbs　found　no　repose。

His　love　for　Jeanne！　　His　loyalty　to　the　man　to　whom　he　owed　his
life；　and　to　whom　he　had　sworn　allegiance　and　implicit　obedience！

These　superacute　feelings　seemed　to　be　tearing　at　his　very
heartstrings；　until　he　felt　that　he　could　no　longer　lie　on　the
miserable　palliasse　which　in　these　squalid　lodgings　did　duty　for　a
bed。

He　rose　long　before　daybreak；　with　tired　back　and　burning　eyes；
but　unconscious　of　any　pain　save　that　which　tore　at　his　heart。

The　weather；　fortunately；　was　not　quite　so　colda　sudden　and　very
rapid　thaw　had　set　in；　and　when　after　a　hurried　toilet　Armand；
carrying　a　bundle　under　his　arm；　emerged　into　the　street；　the　mild
south　wind　struck　pleasantly　on　his　face。

It　was　then　pitch　dark。　　The　street　lamps　had　been　extinguished
long　ago；　and　the　feeble　January　sun　had　not　yet　tinged　with　pale
colour　the　heavy　clouds　that　hung　over　the　sky。

The　streets　of　the　great　city　were　absolutely　deserted　at　this
hour。　　It　lay；　peaceful　and　still；　wrapped　in　its　mantle　of　gloom。
A　thin　rain　was　falling；　and　Armand's　feet；　as　he　began　to　descend
the　heights　of　Montmartre；　sank　ankle　deep　in　the　mud　of　the　road。
There　was　but　scanty　attempt　at　pavements　in　this　outlying　quarter
of　the　town；　and　Armand　had　much　ado　to　keep　his　footing　on　the
uneven　and　intermittent　stones　that　did　duty　for　roads　in　these
parts。　　But　this　discomfort　did　not　trouble　him　just　now。　　One
thoughtand　one　alonewas　clear　in　his　mind：　he　must　see　Jeanne
before　he　left　Paris。

He　did　not　pause　to　think　how　he　could　accomplish　that　at　this
hour　of　the　day。　　All　he　knew　was　that　he　must　obey　his　chief；　and
that　he　must　see　Jeanne。　　He　would　see　her；　explain　to　her　that　he
must　leave　Paris　immediately；　and　beg　her　to　make　her　preparations
quickly；　so　that　she　might　meet　him　as　soon　as　maybe；　and
accompany　him　to　England　straight　away。

He　did　not　feel　that　he　was　being　disloyal　by　trying　to　see
Jeanne。　　He　had　thrown　prudence　to　the　winds；　not　realising　that
his　imprudence　would　and　did　jeopardise；　not　only　the　success　of
his　chief's　plans；　but　also　his　life　and　that　of　his　friends。　　He
had　before　parting　from　Hastings　last　night　arranged　to　meet　him
in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Neuilly　Gate　at　seven　o'clock；　it　was
only　six　now。　　There　was　plenty　of　time　for　him　to　rouse　the
concierge　at　the　house　of　the　Square　du　Roule；　to　see　Jeanne　for　a
few　moments；　to　slip　into　Madame　Belhomme's　kitchen；　and　there
into　the　labourer's　clothes　which　he　was　carrying　in　the　bundle
under　his　arm；　and　to　be　at　the　gate　at　the　appointed　hour。

The　Square　du　Roule　is　shut　off　from　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　on　which
it　abuts；　by　tall　iron　gates；　which　a　few　years　ago；　when　the
secluded　little　square　was　a　fashionable　quarter　of　the　city；　used
to　be　kept　closed　at　night；　with　a　watchman　in　uniform　to
intercept　midnight　prowlers。　　Now　these　gates　had　been　rudely　torn
away　from　their　sockets；　the　iron　had　been　sold　for　the　benefit　of
the　ever…empty　Treasury；　and　no　one　cared　if　the　homeless；　the
starving；　or　the　evil…doer　found　shelter　under　the　porticoes　of
the　houses；　from　whence　wealthy　or　aristocratic　owners　had　long
since　thought　it　wise　to　flee。

No　one　challenged　Armand　when　he　turned　into　the　square；　and
though　the　darkness　was　intense；　he　made　his　way　fairly　straight
for　the　house　where　lodged　Mademoiselle　Lange。

So　far　he　had　been　wonderfully　lucky。　　The　foolhardiness　with
which　he　had　exposed　his　life　and　that　of　his　friends　by　wandering
about　the　streets　of　Paris　at　this　hour　without　any　attempt　at
disguise；　though　carrying　one　under　his　arm；　had　not　met　with　the
untoward　fate　which　it　undoubtedly　deserved。　　The　darkness　of　the
night　and　the　thin　sheet　of　rain　as　it　fell　had　effectually
wrapped　his　progress　through　the　lonely　streets　in　their
beneficent　mantle　of　gloom；　the　soft　mud　below　had　drowned　the
echo　of　his　footsteps。　　If　spies　were　on　his　track；　as　Jeanne　had
feared　and　Blakeney　prophesied；　he　had　certainly　succeeded　in
evading　them。

He　pulled　the　concierge's　bell；　and　the　latch　of　the　outer　door；
manipulated　from　within；　duly　sprang　open　in　response。　　He
entered；　and　from　the　lodge　the　concierge's　voice　emerging；
muffled　from　the　depths　of　pillows　and　blankets；　challenged　him
with　an　oath　directed　at　the　unseemliness　of　the　hour。

〃Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　said　Armand　boldly；　as　without　hesitation　he
walked　quickly　past　the　lodge　making　straight　for　the　stairs。

It　seemed　to　him　that　from　the　concierge's　room　loud　vituperations
followed　him；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　these；　only　a　short　flight
of　stairs　and　one　more　door　separated　him　from　Jeanne。

He　did　not　pause　to　think　that　she　would　in　all　probability　be
still　in　bed；　that　he　might　have　some　difficulty　in　rousing　Madame
Belhomme；　that　the　latter　might　not　even　care　to　admit　him；　nor
did　he　reflect　on　the　glaring　imprudence　of　his　actions。　　He
wanted　to　see　Jeanne；　and　she　was　the　other　side　of　that　wall。

〃He；　citizen！　　Hola！　　Here！　　Curse　you！　　Where　are　you？〃　came　in　a
gruff　voice　to　him　from　below。

He　had　mounted　the　stairs；　and　was　now　on　the　landing　just　outside
Jeanne's　door。　　He　pulled　the　bell…handle；　and　heard　the　pleasing
echo　of　the　bell　that　would　presently　wake　Madame　Belhomme　and
bring　her　to　the　door。

〃Citizen！　　Hola！　　Curse　you　for　an　aristo！　　What　are　you　doing
there？〃

The　concierge；　a　stout；　elderly　man；　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　his
feet　thrust　in　slippers；　and　carrying　a　guttering　tallow　candle；
had　appeared　upon　the　landing。

He　held　the　candle　up　so　that　its　feeble　flickering　rays　fell　on
Armand's　pale　face；　and　on　the　damp　cloak　which　fell　away　from　his
shoulders。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　reiterated　the　concierge　with　another
oath　from　his　prolific　vocabulary。

〃As　you　see；　citizen；〃　replied　Armand　politely；　〃I　am　ringing
Mademoiselle　Lange's　front　door　bell。〃

〃At　this　hour　of　the　morning？〃　queried　the　man　with　a　sneer。

〃I　desire　to　see　her。〃

〃Then　you　have　come　to　the　wrong　house；　citizen；〃　said　the
concierge　with　a　rude　laugh。

〃The　wrong　house？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　stammered　Armand；　a　little
bewildered。

〃She　is　not　herequoi！〃　retorted　the　concierge；　who　now　turned
deliberately　on　his　heel。　　〃Go　and　look　for　her；　citizen；　it'll
take　you　some　time　to　find　her。〃

He　shuffled　off　in　the　direction　of　the　stairs。　　Armand　was　vainly
trying　to　shake　himself　free　from　a　sudden；　an　awful　sense　of
horror。

He　gave　another　vigorous　pull　at　the　hell；　then　with　one　bound　he
overtook　the　concierge；　who　was　preparing　to　descend　the　stairs；
and　gripped　him　peremptorily　by　the　arm。

〃Where　is　Mademoiselle　Lange？〃　he　asked。

His　voice　sounded　quite　strange　in　his　own　ear；　his　throat　felt
parched；　and　he　had　to　moisten　his　lips　with　his　tongue　before　he
was　able　to　speak。

〃Arrested；〃　replied　the　man。

〃Arrested？　　When？　　Where？　　How？〃

〃Whenlate　yesterday　evening。　　Where？here　in　her　room。
How？by　the　agents　of　the　Committee　of　General　Security。　　She　and
the　old　woman！　　Basta！　that's　all　I　know。　　Now　I　am　going　back　to
bed；　and　you　clear　out　of　the　house。