el dorado-第35节

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protected　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather；　but　to…night　he
was　expecting　Blakeney　at　the　appointed　hour　and　place。　　He　had
secured　a　cart　of　the　ordinary　ramshackle　pattern　used　for
carrying　coal。　　Unfortunately　there　were　no　covered　ones　to　be
obtained　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　equally　unfortunately　the　thaw
had　set　in　with　a　blustering　wind　and　diving　rain；　which　made
waiting　in　the　open　air　for　hours　at　a　stretch　and　in　complete
darkness　excessively　unpleasant。

But　for　all　these　discomforts　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　cared　not　one
jot。　　In　England；　in　his　magnificent　Suffolk　home；　he　was　a
confirmed　sybarite；　in　whose　service　every　description　of　comfort
and　luxury　had　to　be　enrolled。　　Here　tonight　in　the　rough　and
tattered　clothes　of　a　coal…heaver；　drenched　to　the　skin；　and
crouching　under　the　body　of　a　cart　that　hardly　sheltered　him　from
the　rain；　he　was　as　happy　as　a　schoolboy　out　for　a　holiday。

Happy；　but　vaguely　anxious。

He　had　no　means　of　ascertaining　the　time。　　So　many　of　the
church…bells　and　clock　towers　had　been　silenced　recently　that　not
one　of　those　welcome　sounds　penetrated　to　the　dreary　desolation　of
this　canal　wharf；　with　its　abandoned　carts　standing　ghostlike　in　a
row。　　Darkness　had　set　in　very　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　the
heavers　had　given　up　work　soon　after　four　o'clock。

For　about　an　hour　after　that　a　certain　animation　had　still　reigned
round　the　wharf；　men　crossing　and　going；　one　or　two　of　the　barges
moving　in　or　out　alongside　the　quay。　　But　for　some　time　now
darkness　and　silence　had　been　the　masters　in　this　desolate　spot；
and　that　time　had　seemed　to　Sir　Andrew　an　eternity。　　He　had
hobbled　and　tethered　his　horse；　and　stretched　himself　out　at　full
length　under　the　cart。　　Now　and　again　he　had　crawled　out　from
under　this　uncomfortable　shelter　and　walked　up　and　down　in
ankle…deep　mud；　trying　to　restore　circulation　in　his　stiffened
limbs；　now　and　again　a　kind　of　torpor　had　come　over　him；　and　he
had　fallen　into　a　brief　and　restless　sleep。　　He　would　at　this
moment　have　given　half　his　fortune　for　knowledge　of　the　exact
time。

But　through　all　this　weary　waiting　he　was　never　for　a　moment　in
doubt。　　Unlike　Armand　St。　Just；　he　had　the　simplest；　most　perfect
faith　in　his　chief。　　He　had　been　Blakeney's　constant　companion　in
all　these　adventures　for　close　upon　four　years　now；　the　thought　of
failure；　however　vague；　never　once　entered　his　mind。

He　was　only　anxious　for　his　chief's　welfare。　　He　knew　that　he
would　succeed；　but　he　would　have　liked　to　have　spared　him　much　of
the　physical　fatigue　and　the　nerve…racking　strain　of　these　hours
that　lay　between　the　daring　deed　and　the　hope　of　safety。
Therefore　he　was　conscious　of　an　acute　tingling　of　his　nerves；
which　went　on　even　during　the　brief　patches　of　fitful　sleep；　and
through　the　numbness　that　invaded　his　whole　body　while　the　hours
dragged　wearily　and　slowly　along。

Then；　quite　suddenly；　he　felt　wakeful　and　alert；　quite　a
whileeven　before　he　heard　the　welcome　signalhe　knew；　with　a
curious；　subtle　sense　of　magnetism；　that　the　hour　had　come；　and
that　his　chief　was　somewhere　near　by；　not　very　far。

Then　he　heard　the　crya　seamew's　callrepeated　thrice　at
intervals；　and　five　minutes　later　something　loomed　out　of　the
darkness　quite　close　to　the　hind　wheels　of　the　cart。

〃Hist！　　Ffoulkes！〃　came　in　a　soft　whisper；　scarce　louder　than　the
wind。

〃Present！〃　came　in　quick　response。

〃Here；　help　me　to　lift　the　child　into　the　cart。　　He　is　asleep；　and
has　been　a　dead　weight　on　my　arm　for　close　on　an　hour　now。　　Have
you　a　dry　bit　of　sacking　or　something　to　lay　him　on？〃

〃Not　very　dry；　I　am　afraid。〃

With　tender　care　the　two　men　lifted　the　sleeping　little　King　of
France　into　the　rickety　cart。　　Blakeney　laid　his　cloak　over　him；
and　listened　for　awhile　to　the　slow　regular　breathing　of　the
child。

〃St。　Just　is　not　hereyou　know　that？〃　said　Sir　Andrew　after　a
while。

〃Yes；　I　knew　it；〃　replied　Blakeney　curtly。

It　was　characteristic　of　these　two　men　that　not　a　word　about　the
adventure　itself；　about　the　terrible　risks　and　dangers　of　the　past
few　hours；　was　exchanged　between　them。　　The　child　was　here　and　was
safe；　and　Blakeney　knew　the　whereabouts　of　St。　Justthat　was
enough　for　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　the　most　devoted　follower；　the
most　perfect　friend　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　would　ever　know。

Ffoulkes　now　went　to　the　horse；　detached　the　nose…bag；　and　undid
the　nooses　of　the　hobble　and　of　the　tether。

〃Will　you　get　in　now；　Blakeney？〃　he　said；　〃we　are　ready。〃

And　in　unbroken　silence　they　both　got　into　the　cart；　Blakeney
sitting　on　its　floor　beside　the　child；　and　Ffoulkes　gathering　the
reins　in　his　hands。

The　wheels　of　the　cart　and　the　slow　jog…trot　of　the　horse　made
scarcely　any　noise　in　the　mud　of　the　roads；　what　noise　they　did
make　was　effectually　drowned　by　the　soughing　of　the　wind　in　the
bare　branches　of　the　stunted　acacia　trees　that　edged　the　towpath
along　the　line　of　the　canal。

Sir　Andrew　had　studied　the　topography　of　this　desolate
neighbourhood　well　during　the　past　twenty…four　hours；　he　knew　of　a
detour　that　would　enable　him　to　avoid　the　La　Villette　gate　and　the
neighbourhood　of　the　fortifications；　and　yet　bring　him　out　soon　on
the　road　leading　to　St。　Germain。

Once　he　turned　to　ask　Blakeney　the　time。

〃It　must　be　close　on　ten　now；〃　replied　Sir　Percy。　〃Push　your　nag
along；　old　man。　　Tony　and　Hastings　will　be　waiting　for　us。〃

It　was　very　difficult　to　see　clearly　even　a　metre　or　two　ahead；
but　the　road　was　a　straight　one；　and　the　old　nag　seemed　to　know　it
almost　as　well　and　better　than　her　driver。　She　shambled　along　at
her　own　pace；　covering　the　ground　very　slowly　for　Ffoulkes's
burning　impatience。　　Once　or　twice　he　had　to　get　down　and　lead　her
over　a　rough　piece　of　ground。　　They　passed　several　groups　of
dismal；　squalid　houses；　in　some　of　which　a　dim　light　still　burned；
and　as　they　skirted　St。　Ouen　the　church　clock　slowly　tolled　the
hour　of　midnight。

But　for　the　greater　part　of　the　way　derelict；　uncultivated　spaces
of　terrains　vagues；　and　a　few　isolated　houses　lay　between　the　road
and　the　fortifications　of　the　city。　　The　darkness　of　the　night；
the　late　hour；　the　soughing　of　the　wind；　were　all　in　favour　of　the
adventurers；　and　a　coal…cart　slowly　trudging　along　in　this
neighbourhood；　with　two　labourers　sitting　in　it；　was　the　least
likely　of　any　vehicle　to　attract　attention。

Past　Clichy；　they　had　to　cross　the　river　by　the　rickety　wooden
bridge　that　was　unsafe　even　in　broad　daylight。　They　were　not　far
from　their　destination　now。　　Half　a　dozen　kilometres　further　on
they　would　be　leaving　Courbevoie　on　their　left；　and　then　the
sign…post　would　come　in　sight。　　After　that　the　spinney　just　off
the　road；　and　the　welcome　presence　of　Tony；　Hastings；　and　the
horses。　Ffoulkes　got　down　in　order　to　make　sure　of　the　way。　　He
walked　at　the　horse's　head　now；　fearful　lest　he　missed　the
cross…roads　and　the　sign…post。

The　horse　was　getting　over…tired；　it　had　covered　fifteen
kilometres；　and　it　was　close　on　three　o'clock　of　Monday　morning。

Another　hour　went　by　in　absolute　silence。　　Ffoulkes　and　Blakeney
took　turns　at　the　horse's　head。　　Then　at　last　they　reached　the
cross…roads；　even　through　the　darkness　the　sign…post　showed　white
against　the　surrounding　gloom。

〃This　looks　like　it；〃　murmured　Sir　Andrew。　　He　turned　the　horse's
head　sharply　towards　the　left；　down　a　narrower　road；　and　leaving
the　sign…post　behind　him。　　He　walked　slowly　along　for　another
quarter　of　an　hour；　then　Blakeney　called　a　halt。

〃The　spinney　must　be　sharp　on　our　right　now；〃　he　said。

He　got　down　from　the　cart；　and　while　Ffoulkes　remained　beside　the
horse；　he　plunged　into　the　gloom。　　A　moment　later　the　cry　of　the
seamew　rang　out　three　times　into　the　air。　It　was　answered　almost
immediately。

The　spinney　lay　on　the　right　of　the　road。　　Soon　the　soft　sounds
that　to　a　trained　ear　invariably　betray　the　presence　of　a　number
of　horses　reached　Ffoulkes'　straining　senses。　　He　took　his　old　nag
out　of　the　shafts；　and　the　shabby　harness　from　off　her；　then　he
turned　her　out　on　the　piece　of　waste　land　that　faced　the　spinney。
Some　one　would　find　her　in　the　morning；　her　and　the　cart　with　the
shabby　harness　laid　in　it；　and；　having　wondered　if　all　these
things　had　perchance　dropped　down　from　heaven；　would　quietly
appropriate　them；　and　mayhap　thank　much…maligned　heaven　for　its
gift。

Blakeney　in　the　meanwhile　had　lifted　the　sleeping　child　out　of　the
cart。　　Then　he　called　to　Sir　Andrew　and　led　the　way　across　the
road　and　into　the　spinney。

Five　minutes　later　Hastings　received　the　uncrowned　King　of　France
in　his　arms。

Unlike　Ffoulkes；　my　Lord　Tony　wanted　to　hear　all　about　the
adventure　of　this　afternoon。　　A　thorough　sportsman；　he　loved　a
good　story　of　hairbreadth　escapes；　of　dangers　cleverly　avoided；
risks　taken　and　conquered。

〃Just　in　ten　words；　Blakeney；〃　he　urged　entreatingly；　〃how　did　you
actually　get　the　boy　away？〃

Sir　Percy　laugheddespite　himselfat　the　young　man's　eagerness。

〃Next　time　we　meet；　Tony；〃　he　begged；　〃I　am　so　demmed　fatigued；
and　there's　this　beastly　rain〃

〃No；　nonow！　while　Hastings　sees　to　the　horses。　　I　could　not
exist　long　without　knowing；　and　we　are　well　she