el dorado-第31节

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in　any　way。〃

Whilst　Chauvelin　talked　he　had　drawn　Armand　after　him　into　the
lodge　of　the　concierge。　　The　young　man　now　made　a　great　effort　to
pull　himself　vigorously　together　and　to　steady　his　nerves。

He　had　his　wish。　　He　was　inside　the　Temple　prison　now；　not　far
from　Jeanne；　and　though　his　enemy　was　older　and　less　vigorous　than
himself；　and　the　door　of　the　concierge's　lodge　stood　wide　open；　he
knew　that　he　was　in…deed　as　effectually　a　prisoner　already　as　if
the　door　of　one　of　the　numerous　cells　in　this　gigantic　building
had　been　bolted　and　barred　upon　him。

This　knowledge　helped　him　to　recover　his　complete　presence　of
mind。　　No　thought　of　fighting　or　trying　to　escape　his　fate　entered
his　head　for　a　moment。　　It　had　been　useless　probably；　and
undoubtedly　it　was　better　so。　　If　he　only　could　see　Jeanne；　and
assure　himself　that　she　would　be　safe　in　consequence　of　his　own
arrest；　then；　indeed；　life　could　hold　no　greater　happiness　for
him。

Above　all　now　he　wanted　to　be　cool　and　calculating；　to　curb　the
excitement　which　the　Latin　blood　in　him　called　forth　at　every
mention　of　the　loved　one's　name。　　He　tried　to　think　of　Percy；　of
his　calmness；　his　easy　banter　with　an　enemy；　he　resolved　to　act　as
Percy　would　act　under　these　circumstances。

Firstly；　he　steadied　his　voice；　and　drew　his　well…knit；　slim
figure　upright。　　He　called　to　mind　all　his　friends　in　England；
with　their　rigid　manners；　their　impassiveness　in　the　face　of
trying　situations。　　There　was　Lord　Tony；　for　instance；　always
ready　with　some　boyish　joke；　with　boyish　impertinence　always
hovering　on　his　tongue。　　Armand　tried　to　emulate　Lord　Tony's
manner；　and　to　borrow　something　of　Percy's　calm　impudence。

〃Citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　said；　as　soon　as　he　felt　quite　sure　of　the
steadiness　of　his　voice　and　the　calmness　of　his　manner；　〃I　wonder
if　you　are　quite　certain　that　that　light　grip　which　you　have　on　my
arm　is　sufficient　to　keep　me　here　walking　quietly　by　your　side
instead　of　knocking　you　down；　as　I　certainly　feel　inclined　to　do；
for　I　am　a　younger；　more　vigorous　man　than　you。〃

〃H'm！〃　said　Chauvelin；　who　made　pretence　to　ponder　over　this
difficult　problem；　〃like　you；　citizen　St。　Just；　I　wonder〃

〃It　could　easily　be　done；　you　know。〃

〃Fairly　easily；〃　rejoined　the　other；　〃but　there　is　the　guard；　it
is　numerous　and　strong　in　this　building；　and〃

〃The　gloom　would　help　me；　it　is　dark　in　the　corridors；　and　a
desperate　man　takes　risks；　remember〃

〃Quite　so！　　And　you；　citizen　St。　Just；　are　a　desperate　man　just
now。〃

〃My　sister　Marguerite　is　not　here；　citizen　Chauvelin。　You　cannot
barter　my　life　for　that　of　your　enemy。〃

〃No！　no！　no！〃　rejoined　Chauvelin　blandly；　〃not　for　that　of　my
enemy；　I　know；　but〃

Armand　caught　at　his　words　like　a　drowning　man　at　a　reed。

〃For　hers！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃For　hers？〃　queried　the　other　with　obvious　puzzlement。

〃Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　continued　Armand　with　all　the　egoistic
ardour　of　the　lover　who　believes　that　the　attention　of　the　entire
world　is　concentrated　upon　his　beloved。

〃Mademoiselle　Lange！　　You　will　set　her　free　now　that　I　am　in　your
power。〃

Chauvelin　smiled；　his　usual　suave；　enigmatical　smile。

〃Ah；　yes！〃　he　said。　　〃Mademoiselle　Lange。　　I　had　forgotten。〃

〃Forgotten；　man？forgotten　that　those　murderous　dogs　have
arrested　her？the　best；　the　purest；　this　vile；　degraded　country
has　ever　produced。　　She　sheltered　me　one　day　just　for　an　hour。　　I
am　a　traitor　to　the　RepublicI　own　it。　　I'll　make　full　confession；
but　she　knew　nothing　of　this。　　I　deceived　her；　she　is　quite　innocent；
you　understand？　I'll　make　full　confession；　but　you　must　set　her　free。〃

He　had　gradually　worked　himself　up　again　to　a　state　of　feverish
excitement。　　Through　the　darkness　which　hung　about　in　this　small
room　he　tried　to　peer　in　Chauvelin's　impassive　face。

〃Easy；　easy；　my　young　friend；〃　said　the　other　placidly；　〃you　seem
to　imagine　that　I　have　something　to　do　with　the　arrest　of　the　lady
in　whom　you　take　so　deep　an　interest。　You　forget　that　now　I　am　but
a　discredited　servant　of　the　Republic　whom　I　failed　to　serve　in
her　need。　　My　life　is　only　granted　me　out　of　pity　for　my　efforts；
which　were　genuine　if　not　successful。　I　have　no　power　to　set　any
one　free。〃

〃Nor　to　arrest　me　now；　in　that　case！〃　retorted　Armand。

Chauvelin　paused　a　moment　before　he　replied　with　a　deprecating
smile：

〃Only　to　denounce　you；　perhaps。　　I　am　still　an　agent　of　the
Committee　of　General　Security。〃

〃Then　all　is　for　the　best！〃　exclaimed　St。　Just　eagerly。　〃You　shall
denounce　me　to　the　Committee。　　They　will　be　glad　of　my　arrest；　I
assure　you。　　I　have　been　a　marked　man　for　some　time。　　I　had
intended　to　evade　arrest　and　to　work　for　the　rescue　of
Mademoiselle　Lange；　but　I　will　give　tip　all　thought　of　thatI
will　deliver　myself　into　your　hands　absolutely；　nay；　more；　I　will
give　you　my　most　solemn　word　of　honour　that　not　only　will　I　make
no　attempt　at　escape；　but　that　I　will　not　allow　any　one　to　help　me
to　do　so。　I　will　be　a　passive　and　willing　prisoner　if　you；　on　the
other　hand；　will　effect　Mademoiselle　Lange's　release。〃

〃H'm！〃　mused　Chauvelin　again；　〃it　sounds　feasible。〃

〃It　does！　it　does！〃　rejoined　Armand；　whose　excitement　was　at
fever…pitch。　　〃My　arrest；　my　condemnation；　my　death；　will　be　of
vast　deal　more　importance　to　you　than　that　of　a　young　and　innocent
girl　against　whom　unlikely　charges　would　have　to　be　tricked　up；
and　whose　acquittal　mayhap　public　feeling　might　demand。　　As　for
me；　I　shall　be　an　easy　prey；　my　known　counter…revolutionary
principles；　my　sister's　marriage　with　a　foreigner〃

〃Your　connection　with　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；〃　suggested　Chauvelin
blandly。

〃Quite　so。　　I　should　not　defend　myself〃

〃And　your　enigmatical　friend　would　not　attempt　your　rescue。　　C'est
entendu；〃　said　Chauvelin　with　his　wonted　blandness。　　〃Then；　my
dear；　enthusiastic　young　friend；　shall　we　adjourn　to　the　office　of
my　colleague；　citizen　Heron；　who　is　chief　agent　of　the　Committee
of　General　Security；　and　will　receive　yourdid　you　say
confession？and　note　the　conditions　under　which　you　place
yourself　absolutely　in　the　hands　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　and
subsequently　of　the　executioner。　　Is　that　it？〃

Armand　was　too　full　of　schemes；　too　full　of　thoughts　of　Jeanne　to
note　the　tone　of　quiet　irony　with　which　Chauvelin　had　been
speaking　all　along。　　With　the　unreasoning　egoism　of　youth　he　was
quite　convinced　that　his　own　arrest；　his　own　affairs　were　as
important　to　this　entire　nation　in　revolution　as　they　were　to
himself。　　At　moments　like　these　it　is　difficult　to　envisage　a
desperate　situation　clearly；　and　to　a　young　man　in　love　the　fate
of　the　beloved　never　seems　desperate　whilst　he　himself　is　alive
and　ready　for　every　sacrifice　for　her　sake。　　〃My　life　for　hers〃　is
the　sublime　if　often　foolish　battle…cry　that　has　so　often　resulted
in　whole…sale　destruction。　　Armand　at　this　moment；　when　he　fondly
believed　that　he　was　making　a　bargain　with　the　most　astute；　most
unscrupulous　spy　this　revolutionary　Government　had　in　its
payArmand　just　then　had　absolutely　forgotten　his　chief；　his
friends；　the　league　of　mercy　and　help　to　which　he　belonged。

Enthusiasm　and　the　spirit　of　self…sacrifice　were　carrying　him
away。　　He　watched　his　enemy　with　glowing　eyes　as　one　who　looks　on
the　arbiter　of　his　fate。

Chauvelin；　without　another　word；　beckoned　to　him　to　follow。　　He
led　the　way　out　of　the　lodge；　then；　turning　sharply　to　his　left；
he　reached　the　wide　quadrangle　with　the　covered　passage　running
right　round　it；　the　same　which　de　Batz　had　traversed　two　evenings
ago　when　he　went　to　visit　Heron。

Armand；　with　a　light　heart　and　springy　step；　followed　him　as　if　he
were　going　to　a　feast　where　he　would　meet　Jeanne；　where　he　would
kneel　at　her　feet；　kiss　her　hands；　and　lead　her　triumphantly　to
freedom　and　to　happiness。



CHAPTER　XVIII
THE　REMOVAL

Chauvelin　no　longer　made　any　pretence　to　hold　Armand　by　the　arm。
By　temperament　as　well　as　by　profession　a　spy；　there　was　one
subject　at　least　which　he　had　mastered　thoroughly：　that　was　the
study　of　human　nature。　　Though　occasionally　an　exceptionally
complex　mental　organisation　baffled　himas　in　the　case　of　Sir
Percy　Blakeneyhe　prided　himself；　and　justly；　too；　on　reading
natures　like　that　of　Armand　St。　Just　as　he　would　an　open　book。

The　excitable　disposition　of　the　Latin　races　he　knew　out　and　out；
he　knew　exactly　how　far　a　sentimental　situation　would　lead　a　young
Frenchman　like　Armand；　who　was　by　disposition　chivalrous；　and　by
temperament　essentially　passionate。　　Above　all　things；　he　knew
when　and　how　far　he　could　trust　a　man　to　do　either　a　sublime
action　or　an　essentially　foolish　one。

Therefore　he　walked　along　contentedly　now；　not　even　looking　back
to　see　whether　St。　Just　was　following　him。　He　knew　that　he　did。

His　thoughts　only　dwelt　on　the　young　enthusiastin　his　mind　he
called　him　the　young　foolin　order　to　weigh　in　the　balance　the
mighty　possibilities　that　would　accrue　from　the　present　sequence
of　events。　　The　fixed　idea　ever　working　in　the　man's　scheming
brain　had　already　transformed　a　vague　belief　into　a　certainty。
That　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　was　in　Paris　at　the　present　moment
Chauvelin　had　now　become　convinced。　　How　far　he　could　t