el dorado-第26节

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any　moment　a　spy　lurking　round　a　corner　might　either　have　barred
his　way；　or；　worse　still；　have　followed　him　to　Blakeney's　door。
Armand；　without　a　thought　of　any　one　save　of　his　beloved；　might
easily　this　morning　have　brought　an　agent　of　the　Committee　of
General　Security　face　to　face　with　his　chief。

〃Percy；〃　he　murmured；　〃can　you　ever　forgive　me？〃

〃Pshaw；　man！〃　retorted　Blakeney　lightly；　〃there　is　naught　to
forgive；　only　a　great　deal　that　should　no　longer　be　forgotten；
your　duty　to　the　others；　for　instance；　your　obedience；　and　your
honour。〃

〃I　was　mad；　Percy。　　Oh！　if　you　only　could　understand　what　she
means　to　me！〃

Blakeney　laughed；　his　own　light…hearted　careless　laugh；　which　so
often　before　now　had　helped　to　hide　what　he　really　felt　from　the
eyes　of　the　indifferent；　and　even　from　those　of　his　friends。

〃No！　no！〃　he　said　lightly；　〃we　agreed　last　night；　did　we　not？　that
in　matters　of　sentiment　I　am　a　cold…blooded　fish。　　But　will　you　at
any　rate　concede　that　I　am　a　man　of　my　word？　　Did　I　not　pledge　it
last　night　that　Mademoiselle　Lange　would　be　safe？　　I　foresaw　her
arrest　the　moment　I　heard　your　story。　　I　hoped　that　I　might　reach
her　before　that　brute　Heron's　return；　unfortunately　he　forestalled
me　by　less　than　half　an　hour。　　Mademoiselle　Lange　has　been
arrested；　Armand；　but　why　should　you　not　trust　me　on　that　account？
Have　we　not　succeeded；　I　and　the　others；　in　worse　cases　than　this
one？　　They　mean　no　harm　to　Jeanne　Lange；〃　he　added　emphatically；
〃I　give　you　my　word　on　that。　　They　only　want　her　as　a　decoy。　　It
is　you　they　want。　You　through　her；　and　me　through　you。　　I　pledge
you　my　honour　that　she　will　be　safe。　　You　must　try　and　trust　me；
Armand。　　It　is　much　to　ask；　I　know；　for　you　will　have　to　trust　me
with　what　is　most　precious　in　the　world　to　you；　and　you　will　have
to　obey　me　blindly；　or　I　shall　not　he　able　to　keep　my　word。〃

〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃

〃Firstly；　you　must　be　outside　Paris　within　the　hour。　Every　minute
that　you　spend　inside　the　city　now　is　full　of　dangeroh；　no！　not
for　you；〃　added　Blakeney；　checking　with　a　good…humoured　gesture
Armand's　words　of　protestation；　〃danger　for　the　othersand　for
our　scheme　tomorrow。〃

〃How　can　I　go　to　St。　Germain；　Percy；　knowing　that　she〃

〃Is　under　my　charge？〃　interposed　the　other　calmly。　〃That　should
not　be　so　very　difficult。　　Come；〃　he　added；　placing　a　kindly　hand
on　the　other's　shoulder；　〃you　shall　not　find　me　such　an　inhuman
monster　after　all。　　But　I　must　think　of　the　others；　you　see；　and
of　the　child　whom　I　have　sworn　to　save。　　But　I　won't　send　you　as
far　as　St。　Germain。　　Go　down　to　the　room　below　and　find　a　good
bundle　of　rough　clothes　that　will　serve　you　as　a　disguise；　for　I
imagine　that　you　have　lost　those　which　you　had　on　the　landing　or
the　stairs　of　the　house　in　the　Square　du　Roule。　In　a　tin　box　with
the　clothes　downstairs　you　will　find　the　packet　of　miscellaneous
certificates　of　safety。　　Take　an　appropriate　one；　and　then　start
out　immediately　for　Villette。　You　understand？〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　said　Armand　eagerly。　　〃You　want　me　to　join　Ffoulkes
and　Tony。〃

〃Yes！　　You'll　find　them　probably　unloading　coal　by　the　canal。　　Try
and　get　private　speech　with　them　as　early　as　may　be；　and　tell　Tony
to　set　out　at　once　for　St。　Germain；　and　to　join　Hastings　there；
instead　of　you；　whilst　you　take　his　place　with　Ffoulkes。〃

〃Yes；　I　understand；　but　how　will　Tony　reach　St。　Germain？〃

〃La；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Blakeney　gaily；　〃you　may　safely　trust
Tony　to　go　where　I　send　him。　　Do　you　but　do　as　I　tell　you；　and
leave　him　to　look　after　himself。　　And　now；〃　he　added；　speaking
more　earnestly；　〃the　sooner　you　get　out　of　Paris　the　better　it
will　be　for　us　all。　　As　you　see；　I　am　only　sending　you　to　La
Villette；　because　it　is　not　so　far；　but　that　I　can　keep　in
personal　touch　with　you。　　Remain　close　to　the　gates　for　an　hour
after　nightfall。　　I　will　Contrive　before　they　close　to　bring　you
news　of　Mademoiselle　Lange。〃

Armand　said　no　more。　　The　sense　of　shame　in　him　deepened　with
every　word　spoken　by　his　chief。　　He　felt　how　untrustworthy　he　had
been；　how　undeserving　of　the　selfless　devotion　which　Percy　was
showing　him　even　now。　　The　words　of　gratitude　died　on　his　lips；　he
knew　that　they　would　be　unwelcome。　　These　Englishmen　were　so
devoid　of　sentiment；　he　thought；　and　his　brother…in…law；　with　all
his　unselfish　and　heroic　deeds；　was；　he　felt；　absolutely　callous
in　matters　of　the　heart。

But　Armand　was　a　noble…minded　man；　and　with　the　true　sporting
instinct　in　him；　despite　the　fact　that　he　was　a　creature　of
nerves；　highly　strung　and　imaginative。　　He　could　give　ungrudging
admiration　to　his　chief；　even　whilst　giving　himself　up　entirely　to
the　sentiment　for　Jeanne。

He　tried　to　imbue　himself　with　the　same　spirit　that　actuated　my
Lord　Tony　and　the　other　members　of　the　League。　　How　gladly　would
he　have　chaffed　and　made　senseless　schoolboy　jokes　like　those
whichin　face　of　their　hazardous　enterprise　and　the　dangers　which
they　all　ranhad　horrified　him　so　much　last　night。

But　somehow　he　knew　that　jokes　from　him　would　not　ring　true。　　How
could　he　smile　when　his　heart　was　brimming　over　with　his　love　for
Jeanne；　and　with　solicitude　on　her　account？　　He　felt　that　Percy
was　regarding　him　with　a　kind　of　indulgent　amusement；　there　was　a
look　of　suppressed　merriment　in　the　depths　of　those　lazy　blue
eyes。

So　he　braced　up　his　nerves；　trying　his　best　to　look　cool　and
unconcerned；　but　he　could　not　altogether　hide　from　his　friend　the
burning　anxiety　which　was　threatening　to　break　his　heart。

〃I　have　given　you　my　word；　Armand；〃　said　Blakeney　in　answer　to　the
unspoken　prayer；　〃cannot　you　try　and　trust　meas　the　others　do？
Then　with　sudden　transition　he　pointed　to　the　map　behind　him。

〃Remember　the　gate　of　Villette；　and　the　corner　by　the　towpath。
Join　Ffoulkes　as　soon　as　may　be　and　send　Tony　on　his　way；　and　wait
for　news　of　Mademoiselle　Lange　some　time　to…night。〃

〃God　bless　you；　Percy！〃　said　Armand　involuntarily。　〃Good…bye！〃

〃Good…bye；　my　dear　fellow。　　Slip　on　your　disguise　as　quickly　as
you　can；　and　be　out　of　the　house　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。〃

He　accompanied　Armand　through　the　ante…room；　and　finally　closed
the　door　on　him。　　Then　he　went　back　to　his　room　and　walked　up　to
the　window；　which　he　threw　open　to　the　humid　morning　air。　　Now
that　he　was　alone　the　look　of　trouble　on　his　face　deepened　to　a
dark；　anxious　frown；　and　as　he　looked　out　across　the　river　a　sigh
of　bitter　impatience　and　disappointment　escaped　his　lips。



CHAPTER　XV
THE　GATE　OF　LA　VILLETTE

And　now　the　shades　of　evening　had　long　since　yielded　to　those　of
night。　　The　gate　of　La　Villette；　at　the　northeast　corner　of　the
city；　was　about　to　close。　　Armand；　dressed　in　the　rough　clothes　of
a　labouring　man；　was　leaning　against　a　low　wall　at　the　angle　of
the　narrow　street　which　abuts　on　the　canal　at　its　further　end；
from　this　point　of　vantage　he　could　command　a　view　of　the　gate　and
of　the　life　and　bustle　around　it。

He　was　dog…tired。　　After　the　emotions　of　the　past　twenty…four
hours；　a　day's　hard　manual　toil　to　which　he　was　unaccustomed　had
caused　him　to　ache　in　every　limb。　As　soon　as　he　had　arrived　at　the
canal　wharf　in　the　early　morning　he　had　obtained　the　kind　of
casual　work　that　ruled　about　here；　and　soon　was　told　off　to　unload
a　cargo　of　coal　which　had　arrived　by　barge　overnight。　　He　had
set…to　with　a　will；　half　hoping　to　kill　his　anxiety　by　dint　of
heavy　bodily　exertion。　　During　the　course　of　the　morning　he　had
suddenly　become　aware　of　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　and　of　Lord　Anthony
Dewhurst　working　not　far　away　from　him；　and　as　fine　a　pair　of
coalheavers　as　any　shipper　could　desire。

It　was　not　very　difficult　in　the　midst　of　the　noise　and　activity
that　reigned　all　about　the　wharf　for　the　three　men　to　exchange　a
few　words　together；　and　Armand　soon　communicated　the　chief's　new
instructions　to　my　Lord　Tony；　who　effectually　slipped　away　from
his　work　some　time　during　the　day。　　Armand　did　not　even　see　him
go；　it　had　all　been　so　neatly　done。

Just　before　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　labourers　were　paid
off。　　It　was　then　too　dark　to　continue　work。　Armand　would　have
liked　to　talk　to　Sir　Andrew；　if　only　for　a　moment。　　He　felt　lonely
and　desperately　anxious。　He　had　hoped　to　tire　out　his　nerves　as
well　as　his　body；　but　in　this　he　had　not　succeeded。　　As　soon　as　he
had　given　up　his　tools；　his　brain　began　to　work　again　more　busily
than　ever。　　It　followed　Percy　in　his　peregrinations　through　the
city；　trying　to　discover　where　those　brutes　were　keeping　Jeanne。

That　task　had　suddenly　loomed　up　before　Armand's　mind　with　all　its
terrible　difficulties。　　How　could　Percya　marked　man　if　ever
there　was　onego　from　prison　to　prison　to　inquire　about　Jeanne？
The　very　idea　seemed　preposterous。　　Armand　ought　never　to　have
consented　to　such　an　insensate　plan。　　The　more　he　thought　of　it；
the　more　impossible　did　it　seem　that　Blakeney　could　find　anything
out。

Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　St。　Just　wandered
about　in　the　dark；　lonely　streets　of　this　outlying　quarter　vainly
trying　to　find　the　friend　in　whom　he　could　confide；　who；　no　doubt；
would　reassure　him　as　to　Blakeney's　probable　movements　in　Paris。
Then　as　the　ho