el dorado-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Armand；　with　his　rough　clothes　soiled　with　coal…dust；　his　face
grimy　and　streaked　with　sweat；　certainly　looked　to　have　but　little
in　common　with　the　ci…devant　aristos　who　formed　the　hulk　of　the
groups　in　the　courtyard。　　He　looked　up；　the　soldier　was　regarding
him　with　obvious　amusement；　and　at　sight　of　Armand's　wild；　anxious
eyes　he　gave　vent　to　a　coarse　jest。

〃Have　I　made　a　shrewd　guess；　citizen？〃　he　said。　　〃Is　she　among
that　lot？〃

〃I　do　not　know　where　she　is；〃　said　Armand　almost　involuntarily。

〃Then　why　don't　you　find　out？〃　queried　the　soldier。

The　man　was　not　speaking　altogether　unkindly。　Armand；　devoured
with　the　maddening　desire　to　know；　threw　the　last　fragment　of
prudence　to　the　wind。　　He　assumed　a　more　careless　air；　trying　to
look　as　like　a　country　bumpkin　in　love　as　he　could。

〃I　would　like　to　find　out；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　don't　know　where　to
inquire。　　My　sweetheart　has　certainly　left　her　home；〃　he　added
lightly；　〃some　say　that　she　has　been　false　to　me；　but　I　think
that；　mayhap；　she　has　been　arrested。〃

〃Well；　then；　you　gaby；〃　said　the　soldier　good…humouredly；　〃go
straight　to　La　Tournelle；　you　know　where　it　is？

Armand　knew　well　enough；　but　thought　it　more　prudent　to　keep　up
the　air　of　the　ignorant　lout。

〃Straight　down　that　first　corridor　on　your　right；〃　explained　the
other；　pointing　in　the　direction　which　he　had　indicated；　〃you　will
find　the　guichet　of　La　Tournelle　exactly　opposite　to　you。　　Ask　the
concierge　for　the　register　of　female　prisonersevery　freeborn
citizen　of　the　Republic　has　the　right　to　inspect　prison　registers。
It　is　a　new　decree　framed　for　safeguarding　the　liberty　of　the
people。　　But　if　you　do　not　press　half　a　livre　in　the　hand　of　the
concierge；〃　he　added；　speaking　confidentially；　〃you　will　find　that
the　register　will　not　be　quite　ready　for　your　inspection。〃

〃Half　a　livre！〃　exclaimed　Armand；　striving　to　play　his　part　to　the
end。　　〃How　can　a　poor　devil　of　a　labourer　have　half　a　livre　to
give　away？〃

〃Well！　a　few　sous　will　do　in　that　case；　a　few　sous　are　always
welcome　these　hard　times。〃

Armand　took　the　hint；　and　as　the　crowd　had　drifted　away
momentarily　to　a　further　portion　of　the　corridor；　he　contrived　to
press　a　few　copper　coins　into　the　hand　of　the　obliging　soldier。

Of　course；　he　knew　his　way　to　La　Tournelle；　and　he　would　have
covered　the　distance　that　separated　him　from　the　guichet　there
with　steps　flying　like　the　wind；　but；　commending　himself　for　his
own　prudence；　he　walked　as　slowly　as　he　could　along　the
interminable　corridor；　past　the　several　minor　courts　of　justice；
and　skirting　the　courtyard　where　the　male　prisoners　took　their
exercise。

At　last；　having　struck　sharply　to　his　left　and　ascended　a　short
flight　of　stairs；　he　found　himself　in　front　of　the　guicheta
narrow　wooden　box；　wherein　the　clerk　in　charge　of　the　prison
registers　sat　nominally　at　the　disposal　of　the　citizens　of　this
free　republic。

But　to　Armand's　almost　overwhelming　chagrin　he　found　the　place
entirely　deserted。　　The　guichet　was　closed　down；　there　was　not　a
soul　in　sight。　　The　disappointment　was　doubly　keen；　coming　as　it
did　in　the　wake　of　hope　that　had　refused　to　be　gainsaid。　　Armand
himself　did　not　realise　how　sanguine　he　had　been　until　he
discovered　that　he　must　wait　and　wait　againwait　for　hours；　all
day　mayhap；　before　he　could　get　definite　news　of　Jeanne。

He　wandered　aimlessly　in　the　vicinity　of　that　silent；　deserted；
cruel　spot；　where　a　closed　trapdoor　seemed　to　shut　off　all　his
hopes　of　a　speedy　sight　of　Jeanne。　　He　inquired　of　the　first
sentinels　whom　he　came　across　at　what　hour　the　clerk　of　the
registers　would　be　back　at　his　post；　the　soldiers　shrugged　their
shoulders　and　could　give　no　information。　Then　began　Armand's
aimless　wanderings　round　La　Tournelle；　his　fruitless　inquiries；
his　wild；　excited　search　for　the　hide…bound　official　who　was
keeping　from　him　the　knowledge　of　Jeanne。

He　went　back　to　his　sentinel　well…wisher　by　the　women's　courtyard；
but　found　neither　consolation　nor　encouragement　there。

〃It　is　not　the　hourquoi？〃　the　soldier　remarked　with　laconic
philosophy。

It　apparently　was　not　the　hour　when　the　prison　registers　were
placed　at　the　disposal　of　the　public。　　After　much　fruitless
inquiry；　Armand　at　last　was　informed　by　a　bon　bourgeois；　who　was
wandering　about　the　house　of　Justice　and　who　seemed　to　know　its
multifarious　rules；　that　the　prison　registers　all　over　Paris　could
only　be　consulted　by　the　public　between　the　hours　of　six　and　seven
in　the　evening。

There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　wait。　　Armand；　whose　temples　were
throbbing；　who　was　footsore；　hungry；　and　wretched；　could　gain
nothing　by　continuing　his　aimless　wanderings　through　the
labyrinthine　building。　　For　close　upon　another　hour　he　stood　with
his　face　glued　against　the　ironwork　which　separated　him　from　the
female　prisoners'　courtyard。　　Once　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　from　its
further　end　he　caught　the　sound　of　that　exquisitely　melodious
voice　which　had　rung　forever　in　his　ear　since　that　memorable
evening　when　Jeanne's　dainty　footsteps　had　first　crossed　the　path
of　his　destiny。　　He　strained　his　eyes　to　look　in　the　direction
whence　the　voice　had　come；　but　the　centre　of　the　courtyard　was
planted　with　a　small　garden　of　shrubs；　and　Armand　could　not　see
across　it。　　At　last；　driven　forth　like　a　wandering　and　lost　soul；
he　turned　back　and　out　into　the　streets。　　The　air　was　mild　and
damp。　The　sharp　thaw　had　persisted　through　the　day；　and　a　thin；
misty　rain　was　falling　and　converting　the　ill…paved　roads　into
seas　of　mud。

But　of　this　Armand　was　wholly　unconscious。　　He　walked　along　the
quay　holding　his　cap　in　his　hand；　so　that　the　mild　south　wind
should　cool　his　burning　forehead。

How　he　contrived　to　kill　those　long；　weary　hours　he　could　not
afterwards　have　said。　　Once　he　felt　very　hungry；　and　turned　almost
mechanically　into　an　eating…house；　and　tried　to　eat　and　drink。
But　most　of　the　day　he　wandered　through　the　streets；　restlessly；
unceasingly；　feeling　neither　chill　nor　fatigue。　　The　hour　before
six　o'clock　found　him　on　the　Quai　de　l'Horloge　in　the　shadow　of
the　great　towers　of　the　Hall　of　Justice；　listening　for　the　clang
of　the　clock　that　would　sound　the　hour　of　his　deliverance　from
this　agonising　torture　of　suspense。

He　found　his　way　to　La　Tournelle　without　any　hesitation。　　There
before　him　was　the　wooden　box；　with　its　guichet　open　at　last；　and
two　stands　upon　its　ledge；　on　which　were　placed　two　huge
leather…bound　books。

Though　Armand　was　nearly　an　hour　before　the　appointed　time；　he　saw
when　he　arrived　a　number　of　people　standing　round　the　guichet。
Two　soldiers　were　there　keeping　guard　and　forcing　the　patient；
long…suffering　inquirers　to　stand　in　a　queue；　each　waiting　his　or
her　turn　at　the　books。

It　was　a　curious　crowd　that　stood　there；　in　single　file；　as　if
waiting　at　the　door　of　the　cheaper　part　of　a　theatre；　men　in
substantial　cloth　clothes；　and　others　in　ragged　blouse　and
breeches；　there　were　a　few　women；　too；　with　black　shawls　on　their
shoulders　and　kerchiefs　round　their　wan；　tear…stained　faces。

They　were　all　silent　and　absorbed；　submissive　under　the　rough
handling　of　the　soldiery；　humble　and　deferential　when　anon　the
clerk　of　the　registers　entered　his　box；　and　prepared　to　place
those　fateful　books　at　the　disposal　of　those　who　had　lost　a　loved
onefather；　brother；　mother；　or　wifeand　had　come　to　search
through　those　cruel　pages。

From　inside　his　box　the　clerk　disputed　every　inquirer's　right　to
consult　the　books；　he　made　as　many　difficulties　as　he　could；
demanding　the　production　of　certificates　of　safety；　or　permits
from　the　section。　　He　was　as　insolent　as　he　dared；　and　Armand　from
where　he　stood　could　see　that　a　continuous　if　somewhat　thin　stream
of　coppers　flowed　from　the　hands　of　the　inquirers　into　those　of
the　official。

It　was　quite　dark　in　the　passage　where　the　long　queue　continued　to
swell　with　amazing　rapidity。　　Only　on　the　ledge　in　front　of　the
guichet　there　was　a　guttering　tallow　candle　at　the　disposal　of　the
inquirers。

Now　it　was　Armand's　turn　at　last。　　By　this　time　his　heart　was
beating　so　strongly　and　so　rapidly　that　he　could　not　have　trusted
himself　to　speak。　　He　fumbled　in　his　pocket；　and　without　unnecessary
preliminaries　he　produced　a　small　piece　of　silver；　and　pushed　it
towards　the　clerk；　then　he　seized　on　the　register　marked　〃Femmes〃
with　voracious　avidity。

The　clerk　had　with　stolid　indifference　pocketed　the　half…livre；　he
looked　on　Armand　over　a　pair　of　large　bone…rimmed　spectacles；　with
the　air　of　an　old　hawk　that　sees　a　helpless　bird　and　yet　is　too
satiated　to　eat。　　He　was　apparently　vastly　amused　at　Armand's
trembling　hands；　and　the　clumsy；　aimless　way　with　which　he　fingered
the　book　and　held　up　the　tallow　candle。

〃What　date？〃　he　asked　curtly　in　a　piping　voice。

〃What　date？〃　reiterated　Armand　vaguely。

〃What　day　and　hour　was　she　arrested？〃　said　the　man；　thrusting　his
beak…like　nose　closer　to　Armand's　face。　　Evidently　the　piece　of
silver　had　done　its　work　well；　he　meant　to　be　helpful　to　this
country　lout。

〃On　Friday　evening；〃　murmured　the　young　man。

The　clerk's　hands　did　not　in　character　gainsay　the　rest　of　his
appearance；　they　were　long　and　thi