el dorado-第4节

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call　from　the　chief；　at　the　cry　of　the　wretched。　　Armand
unattached　and　enthusiastichad　the　right　to　demand　that　he
should　no　longer　be　left　behind。

He　had　only　been　away　a　little　over　fifteen　months；　and　yet　he
found　Paris　a　different　city　from　the　one　he　had　left　immediately
after　the　terrible　massacres　of　September。　An　air　of　grim
loneliness　seemed　to　hang　over　her　despite　the　crowds　that
thronged　her　streets；　the　men　whom　he　was　wont　to　meet　in　public
places　fifteen　months　agofriends　and　political　allieswere　no
longer　to　be　seen；　strange　faces　surrounded　him　on　every　side
sullen；　glowering　faces；　all　wearing　a　certain　air　of　horrified
surprise　and　of　vague；　terrified　wonder；　as　if　life　had　become
one　awful　puzzle；　the　answer　to　which　must　be　found　in　the　brief
interval　between　the　swift　passages　of　death。

Armand　St。　Just；　having　settled　his　few　simple　belongings　in　the
squalid　lodgings　which　had　been　assigned　to　him；　had　started　out
after　dark　to　wander　somewhat　aimlessly　through　the　streets。
Instinctively　he　seemed　to　be　searching　for　a　familiar　face；　some
one　who　would　come　to　him　out　of　that　merry　past　which　he　had
spent　with　Marguerite　in　their　pretty　apartment　in　the　Rue　St。
Honore。

For　an　hour　he　wandered　thus　and　met　no　one　whom　he　knew。　At　times
it　appeared　to　him　as　if　he　did　recognise　a　face　or　figure　that
passed　him　swiftly　by　in　the　gloom；　but　even　before　he　could　fully
make　up　his　mind　to　that；　the　face　or　figure　had　already　disappeared；
gliding　furtively　down　some　narrow　unlighted　by…street；　without
turning　to　look　to　right　or　left；　as　if　dreading　fuller　recognition。
Armand　felt　a　total　stranger　in　his　own　native　city。

The　terrible　hours　of　the　execution　on　the　Place　de　la　Revolution
were　fortunately　over；　the　tumbrils　no　longer　rattled　along　the
uneven　pavements；　nor　did　the　death…cry　of　the　unfortunate　victims
resound　through　the　deserted　streets。　　Armand　was；　on　this　first
day　of　his　arrival；　spared　the　sight　of　this　degradation　of　the
once　lovely　city；　but　her　desolation；　her　general　appearance　of
shamefaced　indigence　and　of　cruel　aloofness　struck　a　chill　in　the
young　man's　heart。

It　was　no　wonder；　therefore；　when　anon　he　was　wending　his　way
slowly　back　to　his　lodging　he　was　accosted　by　a　pleasant；　cheerful
voice；　that　he　responded　to　it　with　alacrity。　The　voice；　of　a
smooth；　oily　timbre；　as　if　the　owner　kept　it　well　greased　for
purposes　of　amiable　speech；　was　like　an　echo　of　the　past；　when
jolly；　irresponsible　Baron　de　Batz；　erst…while　officer　of　the
Guard　in　the　service　of　the　late　King；　and　since　then　known　to　be
the　most　inveterate　conspirator　for　the　restoration　of　the
monarchy；　used　to　amuse　Marguerite　by　his　vapid；　senseless　plans
for　the　overthrow　of　the　newly…risen　power　of　the　people。

Armand　was　quite　glad　to　meet　him；　and　when　de　Batz　suggested　that
a　good　talk　over　old　times　would　be　vastly　agreeable；　the　younger
man　gladly　acceded；　The　two　men；　though　certainly　not　mistrustful
of　one　another；　did　not　seem　to　care　to　reveal　to　each　other　the
place　where　they　lodged。　De　Batz　at　once　proposed　the　avant…scene
box　of　one　of　the　theatres　as　being　the　safest　place　where　old
friends　could　talk　without　fear　of　spying　eyes　or　ears。

〃There　is　no　place　so　safe　or　so　private　nowadays；　believe　me；　my
young　friend；〃　he　said　　〃I　have　tried　every　sort　of　nook　and
cranny　in　this　accursed　town；　now　riddled　with　spies；　and　I　have
come　to　the　conclusion　that　a　small　avant…scene　box　is　the　most
perfect　den　of　privacy　there　is　in　the　entire　city。　　The　voices　of
the　actors　on　the　stage　and　the　hum　among　the　audience　in　the
house　will　effectually　drown　all　individual　conversation　to　every
ear　save　the　one　for　whom　it　is　intended。〃

It　is　not　difficult　to　persuade　a　young　man　who　feels　lonely　and
somewhat　forlorn　in　a　large　city　to　while　away　an　evening　in　the
companionship　of　a　cheerful　talker；　and　de　Batz　was　essentially
good　company。　　His　vapourings　had　always　been　amusing；　but　Armand
now　gave　him　credit　for　more　seriousness　of　purpose；　and　though
the　chief　had　warned　him　against　picking　up　acquaintances　in
Paris；　the　young　man　felt　that　that　restriction　would　certainly
not　apply　to　a　man　like　de　Batz；　whose　hot　partisanship　of　the
Royalist　cause　and　hare…brained　schemes　for　its　restoration　must
make　him　at　one　with　the　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。

Armand　accepted　the　other's　cordial　invitation。　　He；　too；　felt
that　he　would　indeed　be　safer　from　observation　in　a　crowded
theatre　than　in　the　streets。　　Among　a　closely　packed　throng　bent
on　amusement　the　sombrely…clad　figure　of　a　young　man；　with　the
appearance　of　a　student　or　of　a　journalist；　would　easily　pass
unperceived。

But　somehow；　after　the　first　ten　minutes　spent　in　de　Batz'　company
within　the　gloomy　shelter　of　the　small　avant…scene　box；　Armand
already　repented　of　the　impulse　which　had　prompted　him　to　come　to
the　theatre　to…night；　and　to　renew　acquaintanceship　with　the
ex…officer　of　the　late　King's　Guard。　　Though　he　knew　de　Batz　to　be
an　ardent　Royalist；　and　even　an　active　adherent　of　the　monarchy；
he　was　soon　conscious　of　a　vague　sense　of　mistrust　of　this
pompous；　self…complacent　individual；　whose　every　utterance
breathed　selfish　aims　rather　than　devotion　to　a　forlorn　cause。

Therefore；　when　the　curtain　rose　at　last　on　the　first　act　of
Moliere's　witty　comedy；　St。　Just　turned　deliberately　towards　the
stage　and　tried　to　interest　himself　in　the　wordy　quarrel　between
Philinte　and　Alceste。

But　this　attitude　on　the　part　of　the　younger　man　did　not　seem　to
suit　his　newly…found　friend。　　It　was　clear　that　de　Batz　did　not
consider　the　topic　of　conversation　by　any　means　exhausted；　and
that　it　had　been　more　with　a　view　to　a　discussion　like　the　present
interrupted　one　that　he　had　invited　St。　Just　to　come　to　the
theatre　with　him　to…night；　rather　than　for　the　purpose　of
witnessing　Mile。　Lange's　debut　in　the　part　of　Celimene。

The　presence　of　St。　Just　in　Paris　had　as　a　matter　of　fact
astonished　de　Batz　not　a　little；　and　had　set　his　intriguing　brain
busy　on　conjectures。　　It　was　in　order　to　turn　these　conjectures
into　certainties　that　he　had　desired　private　talk　with　the　young
man。

He　waited　silently　now　for　a　moment　or　two；　his　keen；　small　eyes
resting　with　evident　anxiety　on　Armand's　averted　head；　his　fingers
still　beating　the　impatient　tattoo　upon　the　velvet…covered　cushion
of　the　box。　　Then　at　the　first　movement　of　St。　Just　towards　him　he
was　ready　in　an　instant　to　re…open　the　subject　under　discussion。

With　a　quick　nod　of　his　head　he　called　his　young　friend's
attention　back　to　the　men　in　the　auditorium。

〃Your　good　cousin　Antoine　St。　Just　is　hand　and　glove　with
Robespierre　now；〃　he　said。　　〃When　you　left　Paris　more　than　a　year
ago　you　could　afford　to　despise　him　as　an　empty…headed　windbag；
now；　if　you　desire　to　remain　in　France；　you　will　have　to　fear　him
as　a　power　and　a　menace。〃

〃Yes；　I　knew　that　he　had　taken　to　herding　with　the　wolves；〃
rejoined　Armand　lightly。　　〃At　one　time　he　was　in　love　with　my
sister。　　I　thank　God　that　she　never　cared　for　him。〃

〃They　say　that　he　herds　with　the　wolves　because　of　this
disappointment；〃　said　de　Batz。　　〃The　whole　pack　is　made　up　of　men
who　have　been　disappointed；　and　who　have　nothing　more　to　lose。
When　all　these　wolves　will　have　devoured　one　another；　then　and
then　only　can　we　hope　for　the　restoration　of　the　monarchy　in
France。　　And　they　will　not　turn　on　one　another　whilst　prey　for
their　greed　lies　ready　to　their　jaws。　　Your　friend　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel　should　feed　this　bloody　revolution　of　ours　rather　than
starve　it；　if　indeed　he　hates　it　as　he　seems　to　do。〃

His　restless　eyes　peered　with　eager　interrogation　into　those　of
the　younger　man。　　He　paused　as　if　waiting　for　a　reply；　then；　as
St。　Just　remained　silent；　he　reiterated　slowly；　almost　in　the
tones　of　a　challenge：

〃If　indeed　he　hates　this　bloodthirsty　revolution　of　ours　as　he
seems　to　do。〃

The　reiteration　implied　a　doubt。　　In　a　moment　St。　Just's　loyalty
was　up　in　arms。

The　Scarlet　Pimpernel；〃　he　said；　〃cares　naught　for　your　political
aims。　　The　work　of　mercy　that　he　does；　he　does　for　justice　and　for
humanity。〃

〃And　for　sport；〃　said　de　Batz　with　a　sneer；　〃so　I've　been　told。〃

〃He　is　English；〃　assented　St。　Just；　〃　and　as　such　will　never　own
to　sentiment。　Whatever　be　the　motive；　look　at　the　result！

〃Yes！　a　few　lives　stolen　from　the　guillotine。〃

〃Women　and　childreninnocent　victimswould　have　perished　but
for　his　devotion。〃

〃The　more　innocent　they　were；　the　more　helpless；　the　more
pitiable；　the　louder　would　their　blood　have　cried　for　reprisals
against　the　wild　beasts　who　sent　them　to　their　death。〃

St。　Just　made　no　reply。　　It　was　obviously　useless　to　attempt　to
argue　with　this　man；　whose　political　aims　were　as　far　apart　from
those　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　as　was　the　North　Pole　from　the
South。

〃If　any　of　you　have　influence　over　that　hot…headed　leader　of
yours；〃　continued　de　Batz；　unabashed　by　the　silence　of　his　friend；
〃I　wish　to　God　you　would　exert　it　now。〃

〃In　what　way？〃　queried　St。　Just；　smiling　in　spite　of　himself　at
the　thought　of　his　or　any　one　else's　control　over　Blakeney　and　his
plans。

It　wa