el dorado-第41节

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nails；　the　blood　flew　from　her　cheeks　and　from　her　limbs；　leaving
her　with　a　sense　of　icy　numbness。

She　backed　into　the　room；　still　holding　Suzanne's　hand；　and
drawing　her　in　with　her。　　Sir　Andrew　followed　them；　then　closed
the　door　behind　him。　　At　last　the　word　escaped　Marguerite's
parched　lips：

〃Percy！　　Something　has　happened　to　him！　　He　is　dead？〃

〃No；　no！〃　exclaimed　Sir　Andrew　quickly。

Suzanne　put　her　loving　arms　round　her　friend　and　drew　her　down
into　the　chair　by　the　fire。　　She　knelt　at　her　feet　on　the
hearthrug；　and　pressed　her　own　burning　lips　on　Marguerite's
icy…cold　hands。　　Sir　Andrew　stood　silently　by；　a　world　of　loving
friendship；　of　heart…broken　sorrow；　in　his　eyes。

There　was　silence　in　the　pretty　white…panelled　room　for　a　while。
Marguerite　sat　with　her　eyes　closed；　bringing　the　whole　armoury　of
her　will　power　to　bear　her　up　outwardly　now。

〃Tell　me！〃　she　said　at　last；　and　her　voice　was　toneless　and　dull；
like　one　that　came　from　the　depths　of　a　grave〃tell　meexactly
everything。　　Don't　be　afraid。　　I　can　bear　it。　　Don't　be　afraid。〃

Sir　Andrew　remained　standing；　with　bowed　head　and　one　hand　resting
on　the　table。　　In　a　firm；　clear　voice　he　told　her　the　events　of
the　past　few　days　as　they　were　known　to　him。　　All　that　he　tried　to
hide　was　Armand's　disobedience；　which；　in　his　heart；　he　felt　was
the　primary　cause　of　the　catastrophe。　　He　told　of　the　rescue　of
the　Dauphin　from　the　Temple；　the　midnight　drive　in　the　coal…cart；
the　meeting　with　Hastings　and　Tony　in　the　spinney。　　He　only　gave
vague　explanations　of　Armand's　stay　in　Paris　which　caused　Percy　to
go　back　to　the　city；　even　at　the　moment　when　his　most　daring　plan
had　been　so　successfully　carried　through。

〃Armand；　I　understand；　has　fallen　in　love　with　a　beautiful　woman
in　Paris；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said；　seeing　that　a　strange；　puzzled
look　had　appeared　in　Marguerite's　pale　face。　　〃She　was　arrested
the　day　before　the　rescue　of　the　Dauphin　from　the　Temple。　　Armand
could　not　join　us。　He　felt　that　he　could　not　leave　her。　　I　am　sure
that　you　will　understand。〃

Then　as　she　made　no　comment；　he　resumed　his　narrative：

〃I　had　been　ordered　to　go　back　to　La　Villette；　and　there　to　resume
my　duties　as　a　labourer　in　the　day…time；　and　to　wait　for　Percy
during　the　night。　　The　fact　that　I　had　received　no　message　from
him　for　two　days　had　made　me　somewhat　worried；　but　I　have　such
faith　in　him；　such　belief　in　his　good　luck　and　his　ingenuity；　that
I　would　not　allow　myself　to　be　really　anxious。　　Then　on　the　third
day　I　heard　the　news。〃

〃What　news？〃　asked　Marguerite　mechanically。

〃That　the　Englishman　who　was　known　as　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　had
been　captured　in　a　house　in　the　Rue　de　Ia　Croix　Blanche；　and　had
been　imprisoned　in　the　Conciergerie。〃

〃The　Rue　de　la　Croix　Blanche？　　Where　is　that？〃

〃In　the　Montmartre　quarter。　　Armand　lodged　there。　Percy；　I
imagine；　was　working　to　get　him　away；　and　those　brutes　captured
him。〃

〃Having　heard　the　news；　Sir　Andrew；　what　did　you　do？〃

〃I　went　into　Paris　and　ascertained　its　truth。〃

〃And　there　is　no　doubt　of　it？〃

〃Alas；　none！　　I　went　to　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　la　Croix　Blanche。
Armand　had　disappeared。　　I　succeeded　in　inducing　the　concierge　to
talk。　　She　seems　to　have　been　devoted　to　her　lodger。　　Amidst　tears
she　told　me　some　of　the　details　of　the　capture。　　Can　you　bear　to
hear　them；　Lady　Blakeney？〃

〃Yestell　me　everythingdon't　be　afraid；〃　she　reiterated　with
the　same　dull　monotony。

〃It　appears　that　early　on　the　Tuesday　morning　the　son　of　the
conciergea　lad　about　fifteenwas　sent　off　by　her　lodger　with　a
message　to　No。　9　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois。　　That　was　the　house
where　Percy　was　staying　all　last　week；　where　he　kept　disguises　and
so　on　for　us　all；　and　where　some　of　our　meetings　were　held。　　Percy
evidently　expected　that　Armand　would　try　and　communicate　with　him
at　that　address；　for　when　the　lad　arrived　in　front　of　the　house　he
was　accostedso　he　saysby　a　big；　rough　workman；　who　browbeat
him　into　giving　up　the　lodger's　letter；　and　finally　pressed　a
piece　of　gold　into　his　hand。　　The　workman　was　Blakeney；　of　course。
I　imagine　that　Armand；　at　the　time　that　he　wrote　the　letter；　must
have　been　under　the　belief　that　Mademoiselle　Lange　was　still　in
prison；　he　could　not　know　then　that　Blakeney　had　already　got　her
into　comparative　safety。　　In　the　letter　he　must　have　spoken　of　the
terrible　plight　in　which　he　stood；　and　also　of　his　fears　for　the
woman　whom　he　loved。　　Percy　was　not　the　man　to　leave　a　comrade　in
the　lurch！　　He　would　not　be　the　man　whom　we　all　love　and　admire；
whose　word　we　all　obey；　for　whose　sake　we　would　gladly　all　of　us
give　our　lifehe　would　not　be　that　man　if　he　did　not　brave　even
certain　dangers　in　order　to　be　of　help　to　those　who　call　on　him。
Armand　called　and　Percy　went　to　him。　He　must　have　known　that
Armand　was　being　spied　upon；　for　Armand；　alas！　was　already　a
marked　man；　and　the　watch…dogs　of　those　infernal　committees　were
already　on　his　heels。　　Whether　these　sleuth…hounds　had　followed
the　son　of　the　concierge　and　seen　him　give　the　letter　to　the
workman　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　or　whether　the
concierge　in　the　Rue　de　Ia　Croix　Blanche　was　nothing　but　a　spy　of
Heron's；　or；　again　whether　the　Committee　of　General　Security　kept
a　company　of　soldiers　in　constant　alert　in　that　house；　we　shall；
of　course；　never　know。　　All　that　I　do　know　is　that　Percy　entered
that　fatal　house　at　half…past　ten；　and　that　a　quarter　of　an　hour
later　the　concierge　saw　some　of　the　soldiers　descending　the
stairs；　carrying　a　heavy　burden。　　She　peeped　out　of　her　lodge；　and
by　the　light　in　the　corridor　she　saw　that　the　heavy　burden　was　the
body　of　a　man　bound　closely　with　ropes：　　his　eyes　were　closed；　his
clothes　were　stained　with　blood。　　He　was　seemingly　unconscious。
The　next　day　the　official　organ　of　the　Government　proclaimed　the
capture　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　and　there　was　a　public　holiday
in　honour　of　the　event。〃

Marguerite　had　listened　to　this　terrible　narrative　dry…eyed　and
silent。　　Now　she　still　sat　there；　hardly　conscious　of　what　went　on
around　herof　Suzanne's　tears；　that　fell　unceasingly　upon　her
fingersof　Sir　Andrew；　who　had　sunk　into　a　chair；　and　buried　his
head　in　his　hands。　　She　was　hardly　conscious　that　she　lived；　the
universe　seemed　to　have　stood　still　before　this　awful；　monstrous
cataclysm。

But；　nevertheless；　she　was　the　first　to　return　to　the　active
realities　of　the　present。

〃Sir　Andrew；〃　she　said　after　a　while；　〃tell　me；　where　are　my　Lords
Tony　and　Hastings？〃

〃At　Calais；　madam；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　saw　them　there　on　my　way
hither。　　They　had　delivered　the　Dauphin　safely　into　the　hands　of
his　adherents　at　Mantes；　and　were　awaiting　Blakeney's　further
orders；　as　he　had　commanded　them　to　do。〃

〃Will　they　wait　for　us　there；　think　you？〃

〃For　us；　Lady　Blakeney？〃　he　exclaimed　in　puzzlement。

〃Yes；　for　us；　Sir　Andrew；〃　she　replied；　whilst　the　ghost　of　a
smile　flitted　across　her　drawn　face；　〃you　had　thought　of
accompanying　me　to　Paris；　had　you　not？〃

〃But　Lady　Blakeney〃

〃Ah！　　I　know　what　you　would　say；　Sir　Andrew。　　You　will　speak　of
dangers；　of　risks；　of　death；　mayhap；　you　will　tell　me　that　I　as　a
woman　can　do　nothing　to　help　my　husbandthat　I　could　be　but　a
hindrance　to　him；　just　as　I　was　in　Boulogne。　　But　everything　is　so
different　now。　　Whilst　those　brutes　planned　his　capture　he　was
clever　enough　to　outwit　them；　but　now　they　have　actually　got　him；
think　you　they'll　let　him　escape？　　They'll　watch　him　night　and
day；　my　friend；　just　as　they　watched　the　unfortunate　Queen；　but
they'll　not　keep　him　months；　weeks；　or　even　days　in　prisoneven
Chauvelin　now　will　no　longer　attempt　to　play　with　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel。　　They　have　him；　and　they　will　hold　him　until　such　time
as　they　take　him　to　the　guillotine。〃

Her　voice　broke　in　a　sob；　her　self…control　was　threatening　to
leave　her。　　She　was　but　a　woman；　young　and　passionately　in　love
with　the　man　who　was　about　to　die　an　ignominious　death；　far　away
from　his　country；　his　kindred；　his　friends。

〃I　cannot　let　him　die　alone；　Sir　Andrew；　he　will　be　longing　for
me；　andand；　after　all；　there　is　you；　and　my　Lord　Tony；　and　Lord
Hastings　and　the　others；　surelysurely　we　are　not　going　to　let
him　die；　not　like　that；　and　not　alone。〃

〃You　are　right；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　said　Sir　Andrew　earnestly；　〃we　are
not　going　to　let　him　die；　if　human　agency　can　do　aught　to　save
him。　　Already　Tony；　Hastings　and　I　have　agreed　to　return　to　Paris。
There　are　one　or　two　hidden　places　in　and　around　the　city　known
only　to　Percy　and　to　the　members　of　the　League　where　he　must　find
one　or　more　of　us　if　he　succeeds　in　getting　away。　　All　the　way
between　Paris　and　Calais　we　have　places　of　refuge；　places　where
any　of　us　can　hide　at　a　given　moment；　where　we　can　find　disguises
when　we　want　them；　or　horses　in　an　emergency。　　No！　no！　we　are　not
going　to　despair；　Lady　Blakeney；　there　are　nineteen　of　us　prepared
to　lay　down　our　lives　for　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。　　Already　I；　as
his　lieutenant；　have　been　selected　as　the　leader　of　as　determined
a　gang　as　has　ever　entered　on　a　work　of　rescue　before。　　We　leave
for　Paris　to…morrow；　and　if　human　pluck　and　devotion　can　destroy
mountains　then　we'll　de