el dorado-第25节

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the　old　woman！　　Basta！　that's　all　I　know。　　Now　I　am　going　back　to
bed；　and　you　clear　out　of　the　house。　　You　are　making　a
disturbance；　and　I　shall　be　reprimanded。　　I　ask　you；　is　this　a
decent　time　for　rousing　honest　patriots　out　of　their　morning
sleep？〃

He　shook　his　arm　free　from　Armand's　grasp　and　once　more　began　to
descend。

Armand　stood　on　the　landing　like　a　man　who　has　been　stunned　by　a
blow　on　the　head。　　His　limbs　were　paralysed。　He　could　not　for　the
moment　have　moved　or　spoken　if　his　life　had　depended　on　a　sign　or
on　a　word。　　His　brain　was　reeling；　and　he　had　to　steady　himself
with　his　hand　against　the　wall　or　he　would　have　fallen　headlong　on
the　floor。　　He　had　lived　in　a　whirl　of　excitement　for　the　past
twenty…four　hours；　his　nerves　during　that　time　had　been　kept　at
straining　point。　　Passion；　joy；　happiness；　deadly　danger；　and
moral　fights　had　worn　his　mental　endurance　threadbare；　want　of
proper　food　and　a　sleepless　night　had　almost　thrown　his　physical
balance　out　of　gear。　　This　blow　came　at　a　moment　when　he　was　least
able　to　bear　it。

Jeanne　had　been　arrested！　　Jeanne　was　in　the　hands　of　those
brutes；　whom　he；　Armand；　had　regarded　yesterday　with
insurmountable　loathing！　　Jeanne　was　in　prisonshe　was
arrestedshe　would　be　tried；　condemned；　and　all　because　of　him！

The　thought　was　so　awful　that　it　brought　him　to　the　verge　of
mania。　　He　watched　as　in　a　dream　the　form　of　the　concierge
shuffling　his　way　down　the　oak　staircase；　his　portly　figure
assumed　Gargantuan　proportions；　the　candle　which　he　carried　looked
like　the　dancing　flames　of　hell；　through　which　grinning　faces；
hideous　and　contortioned；　mocked　at　him　and　leered。

Then　suddenly　everything　was　dark。　　The　light　had　disappeared
round　the　bend　of　the　stairs；　grinning　faces　and　ghoulish　visions
vanished；　he　only　saw　Jeanne；　his　dainty；　exquisite　Jeanne；　in　the
hands　of　those　brutes。　　He　saw　her　as　he　had　seen　a　year　and　a
half　ago　the　victims　of　those　bloodthirsty　wretches　being　dragged
before　a　tribunal　that　was　but　a　mockery　of　justice；　he　heard　the
quick　interrogatory；　and　the　responses　from　her　perfect　lips；　that
exquisite　voice　of　hers　veiled　by　tones　of　anguish。　　He　heard　the
condemnation；　the　rattle　of　the　tumbril　on　the　ill…paved　streets
saw　her　there　with　hands　clasped　together；　her　eyes

Great　God！　he　was　really　going　mad！

Like　a　wild　creature　driven　forth　he　started　to　run　down　the
stairs；　past　the　concierge；　who　was　just　entering　his　lodge；　and
who　now　turned　in　surly　anger　to　watch　this　man　running　away　like
a　lunatic　or　a　fool；　out　by　the　front　door　and　into　the　street。
In　a　moment　he　was　out　of　the　little　square；　then　like　a　hunted
hare　he　still　ran　down　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　along　its　narrow；
interminable　length。　　His　hat　had　fallen　from　his　head；　his　hair
was　wild　all　round　his　face；　the　rain　weighted　the　cloak　upon　his
shoulders；　but　still　he　ran。

His　feet　made　no　noise　on　the　muddy　pavement。　　He　ran　on　and　on；
his　elbows　pressed　to　his　sides；　panting；　quivering；　intent　but
upon　one　thingthe　goal　which　he　had　set　himself　to　reach。

Jeanne　was　arrested。　　He　did　not　know　where　to　look　for　her；　but
he　did　know　whither　he　wanted　to　go　now　as　swiftly　as　his　legs
would　carry　him。

It　was　still　dark；　but　Armand　St。　Just　was　a　born　Parisian；　and　he
knew　every　inch　of　this　quarter；　where　he　and　Marguerite　had　years
ago　lived。　　Down　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of
the　interminably　long　street　at　last。　　He　had　kept　just　a
sufficiency　of　reasonor　was　it　merely　blind　instinct？to　avoid
the　places　where　the　night　patrols　of　the　National　Guard　might　be
on　the　watch。　　He　avoided　the　Place　du　Carrousel；　also　the　quay；
and　struck　sharply　to　his　right　until　he　reached　the　facade　of　St。
Germain　l'Auxerrois。

Another　effort；　round　the　corner；　and　there　was　the　house　at　last。
He　was　like　the　hunted　creature　now　that　has　run　to　earth。　　Up　the
two　flights　of　stone　stairs；　and　then　the　pull　at　the　bell；　a
moment　of　tense　anxiety；　whilst　panting；　gasping；　almost　choked
with　the　sustained　effort　and　the　strain　of　the　past　half…hour；　he
leaned　against　the　wall；　striving　not　to　fall。

Then　the　well…known　firm　step　across　the　rooms　beyond；　the　open
door；　the　hand　upon　his　shoulder。

After　that　he　remembered　nothing　more。



CHAPTER　XIV
THE　CHIEF

He　had　not　actually　fainted；　but　the　exertion　of　that　long　run　had
rendered　him　partially　unconscious　　He　knew　now　that　be　was　safe；
that　he　was　sitting　in　Blakeney's　room；　and　that　something　hot　and
vivifying　was　being　poured　down　his　throat。

〃Percy；　they　have　arrested　her！〃　he　said；　panting；　as　soon　as
speech　returned　to　his　paralysed　tongue。

〃All　right。　　Don't　talk　now。　　Wait　till　you　are　better。〃

With　infinite　care　and　gentleness　Blakeney　arranged　some　cushions
under　Armand's　head；　turned　the　sofa　towards　the　fire；　and　anon
brought　his　friend　a　cup　of　hot　coffee；　which　the　latter　drank
with　avidity。

He　was　really　too　exhausted　to　speak。　　He　had　contrived　to　tell
Blakeney；　and　now　Blakeney　knew；　so　everything　would　be　all　right。
The　inevitable　reaction　was　asserting　itself；　the　muscles　had
relaxed；　the　nerves　were　numbed；　and　Armand　lay　back　on　the　sofa
with　eyes　half　closed；　unable　to　move；　yet　feeling　his　strength
gradually　returning　to　him；　his　vitality　asserting　itself；　all　the
feverish　excitement　of　the　past　twenty…four　hours　yielding　at　last
to　a　calmer　mood。

Through　his　half…closed　eyes　he　could　see　his　brother…in…law
moving　about　the　room。　　Blakeney　was　fully　dressed。　In　a　sleepy
kind　of　way　Armand　wondered　if　he　had　been　to　bed　at　aH；　certainly
his　clothes　set　on　him　with　their　usual　well…tailored　perfection；
and　there　was　no　suggestion　in　his　brisk　step　and　alert　movements
that　he　had　passed　a　sleepless　night。

Now　he　was　standing　by　the　open　window。　　Armand；　from　where　he
lay；　could　see　his　broad　shoulders　sharply　outlined　against　the
grey　background　of　the　hazy　winter　dawn。　　A　wan　light　was　just
creeping　up　from　the　east　over　the　city；　the　noises　of　the　streets
below　came　distinctly　to　Armand's　ear。

He　roused　himself　with　one　vigorous　effort　from　his　lethargy；
feeling　quite　ashamed　of　himself　and　of　this　breakdown　of　his
nervous　system。　　He　looked　with　frank　admiration　on　Sir　Percy；　who
stood　immovable　and　silent　by　the　windowa　perfect　tower　of
strength；　serene　and　impassive；　yet　kindly　in　distress。

〃Percy；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃I　ran　all　the　way　from　the　top　of
the　Rue　St。　Honore。　　I　was　only　breathless。　　I　am　quite　all　right。
May　I　tell　you　all　about　it？〃

Without　a　word　Blakeney　closed　the　window　and　came　across　to　the
sofa；　he　sat　down　beside　Armand；　and　to　all　outward　appearances　he
was　nothing　now　but　a　kind　and　sympathetic　listener　to　a　friend's
tale　of　woe。　　Not　a　line　in　his　face　or　a　look　in　his　eyes
betrayed　the　thoughts　of　the　leader　who　had　been　thwarted　at　the
outset　of　a　dangerous　enterprise；　or　of　the　man；　accustomed　to
command；　who　had　been　so　flagrantly　disobeyed。

Armand；　unconscious　of　all　save　of　Jeanne　and　of　her　immediate
need；　put　an　eager　hand　on　Percy's　arm。

〃Heron　and　his　hell…hounds　went　back　to　her　lodgings　last　night；〃
he　said；　speaking　as　if　he　were　still　a　little　out　of　breath。
〃They　hoped　to　get　me；　no　doubt；　not　finding　me　there；　they　took
her。　　Oh；　my　God！〃

It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　put　the　whole　terrible
circumstance　into　words；　and　it　seemed　to　gain　in　reality　by　the
recounting。　　The　agony　of　mind　which　he　endured　was　almost
unbearable；　he　hid　his　face　in　his　hands　lest　Percy　should　see　how
terribly　he　suffered。

〃I　knew　that；〃　said　Blakeney　quietly。　Armand　looked　up　in
surprise。

〃How？　　When　did　you　know　it？〃　he　stammered。

〃Last　night　when　you　left　me。　　I　went　down　to　the　Square　du　Roule。
I　arrived　there　just　too　late。〃

〃Percy！〃　exclaimed　Armand；　whose　pale　face　had　suddenly　flushed
scarlet；　〃you　did　that？last　night　you〃

〃Of　course；〃　interposed　the　other　calmly；　〃had　I　not　promised　you
to　keep　watch　over　her？　　When　I　heard　the　news　it　was　already　too
late　to　make　further　inquiries；　but　when　you　arrived　just　now　I
was　on　the　point　of　starting　out；　in　order　to　find　out　in　what
prison　Mademoiselle　Lange　is　being　detained。　　I　shall　have　to　go
soon；　Armand；　before　the　guard　is　changed　at　the　Temple　and　the
Tuileries。　　This　is　the　safest　time；　and　God　knows　we　are　all　of
us　sufficiently　compromised　already。〃

The　flush　of　shame　deepened　in　St。　Just's　cheek。　　There　had　not
been　a　hint　of　reproach　in　the　voice　of　his　chief；　and　the　eyes
which　regarded　him　now　from　beneath　the　half…closed　lids　showed
nothing　but　lazy　bonhomie。

In　a　moment　now　Armand　realised　all　the　harm　which　his
recklessness　had　done；　was　still　doing　to　the　work　of　the　League。
Every　one　of　his　actions　since　his　arrival　in　Paris　two　days　ago
had　jeopardised　a　plan　or　endangered　a　life：　　his　friendship　with
de　Batz；　his　connection　with　Mademoiselle　Lange；　his　visit　to　her
yesterday　afternoon；　the　repetition　of　it　this　morning；
culminating　in　that　wild　run　through　the　streets　of　Paris；　when　at
any　moment　a　spy　lurking　round　a　corner　might　either　have　barred
his　way；　or；　worse　still；　have　followed　him　to　Blakeney's　do