el dorado-第27节

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would　reassure　him　as　to　Blakeney's　probable　movements　in　Paris。
Then　as　the　hour　approached　for　the　closing　of　the　city　gates
Armand　took　up　his　stand　at　an　angle　of　the　street　from　whence　he
could　see　both　the　gate　on　one　side　of　him　and　the　thin　line　of
the　canal　intersecting　the　street　at　its　further　end。

Unless　Percy　came　within　the　next　five　minutes　the　gates　would　be
closed　and　the　difficulties　of　crossing　the　barrier　would　be
increased　a　hundredfold。　　The　market　gardeners　with　their　covered
carts　filed　out　of　the　gate　one　by　one；　the　labourers　on　foot　were
returning　to　their　homes；　there　was　a　group　of　stonemasons；　a　few
road…makers；　also　a　number　of　beggars；　ragged　and　filthy；　who
herded　somewhere　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　canal。

In　every　form；　under　every　disguise；　Armand　hoped　to　discover
Percy。　　He　could　not　stand　still　for　very　long；　but　strode　up　and
down　the　road　that　skirts　the　fortifications　at　this　point。

There　were　a　good　many　idlers　about　at　this　hour；　some　men　who　had
finished　their　work；　and　meant　to　spend　an　hour　or　so　in　one　of
the　drinking　shops　that　abounded　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the
wharf；　others　who　liked　to　gather　a　small　knot　of　listeners　around
them；　whilst　they　discoursed　on　the　politics　of　the　day；　or　rather
raged　against　the　Convention；　which　was　all　made　up　of　traitors　to
the　people's　welfare。

Armand；　trying　manfully　to　play　his　part；　joined　one　of　the　groups
that　stood　gaping　round　a　street　orator。　　He　shouted　with　the　best
of　them；　waved　his　cap　in　the　air；　and　applauded　or　hissed　in
unison　with　the　majority。　　But　his　eyes　never　wandered　for　long
away　from　the　gate　whence　Percy　must　come　now　at　any　momentnow
or　not　at　all。

At　what　precise　moment　the　awful　doubt　took　birth　in　his　mind　the
young　man　could　not　afterwards　have　said。　Perhaps　it　was　when　he
heard　the　roll　of　drums　proclaiming　the　closing　of　the　gates；　and
witnessed　the　changing　of　the　guard。

Percy　had　not　come。　　He　could　not　come　now；　and　he　（Armand）　would
have　the　night　to　face　without　news　of　Jeanne。　　Something；　of
course；　had　detained　Percy；　perhaps　he　had　been　unable　to　get
definite　information　about　Jeanne；　perhaps　the　information　which
he　had　obtained　was　too　terrible　to　communicate。

If　only　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　had　been　there；　and　Armand　had　had
some　one　to　talk　to；　perhaps　then　he　would　have　found　sufficient
strength　of　mind　to　wait　with　outward　patience；　even　though　his
nerves　were　on　the　rack。

Darkness　closed　in　around　him；　and　with　the　darkness　came　the　full
return　of　the　phantoms　that　had　assailed　him　in　the　house　of　the
Square　du　Roule　when　first　he　had　heard　of　Jeanne's　arrest。　　The
open　place　facing　the　gate　had　transformed　itself　into　the　Place
de　la　Revolution；　the　tall　rough　post　that　held　a　flickering　oil
lamp　had　become　the　gaunt　arm　of　the　guillotine；　the　feeble　light
of　the　lamp　was　the　knife　that　gleamed　with　the　reflection　of　a
crimson　light。

And　Armand　saw　himself；　as　in　a　vision；　one　of　a　vast　and　noisy
throngthey　were　all　pressing　round　him　so　that　he　could　not
move；　they　were　brandishing　caps　and　tricolour　flags；　also
pitchforks　and　scythes。　　He　had　seen　such　a　crowd　four　years　ago
rushing　towards　the　Bastille。　Now　they　were　all　assembled　here
around　him　and　around　the　guillotine。

Suddenly　a　distant　rattle　caught　his　subconscious　ear：　　the　rattle
of　wheels　on　rough　cobble…stones。　　Immediately　the　crowd　began　to
cheer　and　to　shout；　some　sang　the　〃Ca　ira！〃　and　others　screamed：

〃Les　aristos！　a　la　lanterne！　a　mort！　a　mort！　les　aristos！〃

He　saw　it　all　quite　plainly；　for　the　darkness　had　vanished；　and
the　vision　was　more　vivid　than　even　reality　could　have　been。　　The
rattle　of　wheels　grew　louder；　and　presently　the　cart　debouched　on
the　open　place。

Men　and　women　sat　huddled　up　in　the　cart；　but　in　the　midst　of　them
a　woman　stood；　and　her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　Armand。　　She　wore　her
pale…grey　satin　gown；　and　a　white　kerchief　was　folded　across　her
bosom。　　Her　brown　hair　fell　in　loose　soft　curls　all　round　her
head。　　She　looked　exactly　like　the　exquisite　cameo　which
Marguerite　used　to　wear。　Her　hands　were　tied　with　cords　behind　her
back；　but　between　her　fingers　she　held　a　small　bunch　of　violets。

Armand　saw　it　all。　　It　was；　of　course；　a　vision；　and　he　knew　that
it　was　one；　but　he　believed　that　the　vision　was　prophetic。　　No
thought　of　the　chief　whom　he　had　sworn　to　trust　and　to　obey　came
to　chase　away　these　imaginings　of　his　fevered　fancy。　　He　saw
Jeanne；　and　only　Jeanne；　standing　on　the　tumbril　and　being　led　to
the　guillotine。　　Sir　Andrew　was　not　there；　and　Percy　had　not　come。
Armand　believed　that　a　direct　message　had　come　to　him　from　heaven
to　save　his　beloved。

Therefore　he　forgot　his　promisehis　oath；　he　forgot　those　very
things　which　the　leader　had　entreated　him　to　rememberhis　duty　to
the　others；　his　loyalty；　his　obedience。　　Jeanne　had　first　claim　on
him。　　It　were　the　act　of　a　coward　to　remain　in　safety　whilst　she
was　in　such　deadly　danger。

Now　he　blamed　himself　severely　for　having　quitted　Paris。　Even
Percy　must　have　thought　him　a　coward　for　obeying　quite　so　readily。
Maybe　the　command　had　been　but　a　test　of　his　courage；　of　the
strength　of　his　love　for　Jeanne。

A　hundred　conjectures　flashed　through　his　brain；　a　hundred　plans
presented　themselves　to　his　mind。　　It　was　not　for　Percy；　who　did
not　know　her；　to　save　Jeanne　or　to　guard　her。　　That　task　was
Armand's；　who　worshipped　her；　and　who　would　gladly　die　beside　her
if　he　failed　to　rescue　her　from　threatened　death。

Resolution　was　not　slow　in　coming。　　A　tower　clock　inside　the　city
struck　the　hour　of　six；　and　still　no　sign　of　Percy。

Armand；　his　certificate　of　safety　in　his　hand；　walked　boldly　up　to
the　gate。

The　guard　challenged　him；　but　he　presented　the　certificate。　There
was　an　agonising　moment　when　the　card　was　taken　from　him；　and　he
was　detained　in　the　guard…room　while　it　was　being　examined　by　the
sergeant　in　command。

But　the　certificate　was　in　good　order；　and　Armand；　covered　in
coal…dust；　with　the　perspiration　streaming　down　his　face；　did
certainly　not　look　like　an　aristocrat　in　disguise。　It　was　never
very　difficult　to　enter　the　great　city；　if　one　wished　to　put　one's
head　in　the　lion's　mouth；　one　was　welcome　to　do　so；　the　difficulty
came　when　the　lion　thought　fit　to　close　his　jaws。

Armand；　after　five　minutes　of　tense　anxiety；　was　allowed　to　cross
the　barrier；　but　his　certificate　of　safety　was　detained。　　He　would
have　to　get　another　from　the　Committee　of　General　Security　before
he　would　be　allowed　to　leave　Paris　again。

The　lion　had　thought　fit　to　close　his　jaws。



CHAPTER　XVI
THE　WEARY　SEARCH

Blakeney　was　not　at　his　lodgings　when　Armand　arrived　there　that
evening；　nor　did　he　return；　whilst　the　young　man　haunted　the
precincts　of　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois　and　wandered　along　the　quays
hours　and　hours　at　a　stretch；　until　he　nearly　dropped　under　the
portico　of　a　house；　and　realised　that　if　he　loitered　longer　he
might　lose　consciousness　completely；　and　be　unable　on　the　morrow
to　be　of　service　to　Jeanne。

He　dragged　his　weary　footsteps　back　to　his　own　lodgings　on　the
heights　of　Montmartre。　　He　had　not　found　Percy；　he　had　no　news　of
Jeanne；　it　seemed　as　if　hell　itself　could　hold　no　worse　tortures
than　this　intolerable　suspense。

He　threw　himself　down　on　the　narrow　palliasse　and；　tired　nature
asserting　herself；　at　last　fell　into　a　heavy；　dreamless　torpor；
like　the　sleep　of　a　drunkard；　deep　but　without　the　beneficent　aid
of　rest。

It　was　broad　daylight　when　he　awoke。　　The　pale　light　of　a　damp；
wintry　morning　filtered　through　the　grimy　panes　of　the　window。
Armand　jumped　out　of　bed；　aching　of　limb　but　resolute　of　mind。
There　was　no　doubt　that　Percy　had　failed　in　discovering　Jeanne's
whereabouts；　but　where　a　mere　friend　had　failed　a　lover　was　more
likely　to　succeed。

The　rough　clothes　which　he　had　worn　yesterday　were　the　only　ones
he　had。　　They　would；　of　course；　serve　his　purpose　better　than　his
own；　which　he　had　left　at　Blakeney's　lodgings　yesterday。　　In　half
an　hour　he　was　dressed；　looking　a　fairly　good　imitation　of　a
labourer　out　of　work。

He　went　to　a　humble　eating　house　of　which　he　knew；　and　there；
having　ordered　some　hot　coffee　with　a　hunk　of　bread；　he　set
himself　to　think。

It　was　quite　a　usual　thing　these　days　for　relatives　and　friends　of
prisoners　to　go　wandering　about　from　prison　to　prison　to　find　out
where　the　loved　ones　happened　to　be　detained。　　The　prisons　were
over　full　just　now；　convents；　monasteries；　and　public　institutions
had　all　been　requisitioned　by　the　Government　for　the　housing　of
the　hundreds　of　so…called　traitors　who　had　been　arrested　on　the
barest　suspicion；　or　at　the　mere　denunciation　of　an　evil…wisher。

There　were　the　Abbaye　and　the　Luxembourg；　the　erstwhile　convents
of　the　Visitation　and　the　Sacre…Coeur；　the　cloister　of　the
Oratorians；　the　Salpetriere；　and　the　St。　Lazare　hospitals；　and
there　was；　of　course；　the　Temple；　and；　lastly；　the　Conciergerie；
to　which　those　prisoners　were　brought　whose　trial　would　take　place
within　the　next　few　days；　and　whose　condemnation　was　practically
assured。

Persons　under　arrest　at　some　of　the　other　prisons　did　sometimes