el dorado-第42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！


for　Paris　to…morrow；　and　if　human　pluck　and　devotion　can　destroy
mountains　then　we'll　destroy　them。　　Our　watchword　is：　　'God　save
the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。'〃

He　knelt　beside　her　chair　and　kissed　the　cold　fingers　which；　with
a　sad　little　smile；　she　held　out　to　him。

〃And　God　bless　you　all！〃　she　murmured。

Suzanne　had　risen　to　her　feet　when　her　husband　knelt；　now　he　stood
up　beside　her。　　The　dainty　young　woman　hardly　more　than　a　child
was　doing　her　best　to　restrain　her　tears。

〃See　how　selfish　I　am；〃　said　Marguerite。　　〃I　talk　calmly　of　taking
your　husband　from　you；　when　I　myself　know　the　bitterness　of　such
partings。〃

〃My　husband　will　go　where　his　duty　calls　him；〃　said　Suzanne　with
charming　and　simple　dignity。　　〃I　love　him　with　all　my　heart；
because　he　is　brave　and　good。　　He　could　not　leave　his　comrade；　who
is　also　his　chief；　in　the　lurch。　God　will　protect　him；　I　know。　　I
would　not　ask　him　to　play　the　part　of　a　coward。〃

Her　brown　eyes　glowed　with　pride。　　She　was　the　true　wife　of　a
soldier；　and　with　all　her　dainty　ways　and　childlike　manners　she
was　a　splendid　woman　and　a　staunch　friend。　　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　bad
saved　her　entire　family　from　death；　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　de
Tournai；　the　Vicomte；　her　brother；　and　she　herself　all　owed　their
lives　to　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。

This　she　was　not　like　to　forget。

〃There　is　but　little　danger　for　us；　I　fear　me；〃　said　Sir　Andrew
lightly；　〃the　revolutionary　Government　only　wants　to　strike　at　a
head；　it　cares　nothing　for　the　limbs。　Perhaps　it　feels　that
without　our　leader　we　are　enemies　not　worthy　of　persecution。　　If
there　are　any　dangers；　so　much　the　better；〃　he　added；　〃but　I　don't
anticipate　any；　unless　we　succeed　in　freeing　our　chief；　and　having
freed　him；　we　fear　nothing　more。〃

〃The　same　applies　to　me；　Sir　Andrew；〃　rejoined　Marguerite　earnestly。
〃Now　that　they　have　captured　Percy；　those　human　fiends　will　care
naught　for　me。　　If　you　succeed　in　freeing　Percy　I；　like　you；　will
have　nothing　more　to　fear；　and　if　you　fail〃

She　paused　and　put　her　small；　white　hand　on　Sir　Andrew's　arm。

〃Take　me　with　you；　Sir　Andrew；〃　she　entreated；　〃do　not　condemn　me
to　the　awful　torture　of　weary　waiting；　day　after　day；　wondering；
guessing；　never　daring　to　hope；　lest　hope　deferred　be　more　hard　to
bear　than　dreary　hopelessness。〃

Then　as　Sir　Andrew；　very　undecided；　yet　half　inclined　to　yield；
stood　silent　and　irresolute；　she　pressed　her　point；　gently　but
firmly　insistent。

〃I　would　not　he　in　the　way；　Sir　Andrew；　I　would　know　how　to　efface
myself　so　as　not　to　interfere　with　your　plans。　But；　oh！〃　she
added；　while　a　quivering　note　of　passion　trembled　in　her　voice；
〃can't　you　see　that　I　must　breathe　the　air　that　he　breathes　else　I
shall　stifle　or　mayhap　go　mad？〃

Sir　Andrew　turned　to　his　wife；　a　mute　query　in　his　eyes。

〃You　would　do　an　inhuman　and　a　cruel　act；〃　said　Suzanne　with
seriousness　that　sat　quaintly　on　her　baby　face；　〃if　you　did　not
afford　your　protection　to　Marguerite；　for　I　do　believe　that　if　you
did　not　take　her　with　you　to…morrow　she　would　go　to　Paris　alone。〃

Marguerite　thanked　her　friend　with　her　eyes。　　Suzanne　was　a　child
in　nature；　but　she　had　a　woman's　heart。　　She　loved　her　husband；
and；　therefore；　knew　and　understood　what　Marguerite　must　be
suffering　now。

Sir　Andrew　no　longer　could　resist　the　unfortunate　woman's　earnest
pleading。　　Frankly；　he　thought　that　if　she　remained　in　England
while　Percy　was　in　such　deadly　peril　she　ran　the　grave　risk　of
losing　her　reason　before　the　terrible　strain　of　suspense。　　He　knew
her　to　be　a　woman　of　courage；　and　one　capable　of　great　physical
endurance；　and　really　he　was　quite　honest　when　he　said　that　he　did
not　believe　there　would　be　much　danger　for　the　headless　League　of
the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　unless　they　succeeded　in　freeing　their
chief。　　And　if　they　did　succeed；　then　indeed　there　would　be
nothing　to　fear；　for　the　brave　and　loving　wife　who；　like　every
true　woman　does；　and　has　done　in　like　circumstances　since　the
beginning　of　time；　was　only　demanding　with　passionate　insistence
the　right　to　share　the　fate；　good　or　ill；　of　the　man　whom　she
loved。



CHAPTER　XXV
PARIS　ONCE　MORE

Sir　Andrew　had　just　come　in。　　He　was　trying　to　get　a　little　warmth
into　his　half…frozen　limbs；　for　the　cold　had　set　in　again；　and
this　time　with　renewed　vigour；　and　Marguerite　was　pouring　out　a
cup　of　hot　coffee　which　she　had　been　brewing　for　him。　　She　had　not
asked　for　news。　She　knew　that　he　had　none　to　give　her；　else　he　had
not　worn　that　wearied；　despondent　look　in　his　kind　face。

〃I'll　just　try　one　more　place　this　evening；〃　he　said　as　soon　as　he
had　swallowed　some　of　the　hot　coffee〃a　restaurant　in　the　Rue　de
la　Harpe；　the　members　of　the　Cordeliers'　Club　often　go　there　for
supper；　and　they　are　usually　well　informed。　　I　might　glean
something　definite　there。〃

〃It　seems　very　strange　that　they　are　so　slow　in　bringing　him　to
trial；〃　said　Marguerite　in　that　dull；　toneless　voice　which　had
become　habitual　to　her。　　〃When　you　first　brought　me　the　awful　news
that　。。。　I　made　sure　that　they　would　bring　him　to　trial　at　once；
and　was　in　terror　lest　we　arrived　here　too　late　toto　see　him。〃

She　checked　herself　quickly；　bravely　trying　to　still　the　quiver　of
her　voice。

〃And　of　Armand？〃　she　asked。

He　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃With　regard　to　him　I　am　at　a　still　greater　loss；〃　he　said：　〃I
cannot　find　his　name　on　any　of　the　prison　registers；　and　I　know
that　he　is　not　in　the　Conciergerie。　They　have　cleared　out　all　the
prisoners　from　there；　there　is　only　Percy〃

〃Poor　Armand　I〃　she　sighed；　〃it　must　be　almost　worse　for　him　than
for　any　of　us；　it　was　his　first　act　of　thoughtless　disobedience
that　brought　all　this　misery　upon　our　heads。〃

She　spoke　sadly　but　quietly。　　Sir　Andrew　noted　that　there　was　no
bitterness　in　her　tone。　　But　her　very　quietude　was　heart…breaking；
there　was　such　an　infinity　of　despair　in　the　calm　of　her　eyes。

〃Well！　though　we　cannot　understand　it　all；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said
with　forced　cheerfulness；　〃we　must　remember　one　thingthat　whilst
there　is　life　there　is　hope。〃

〃Hope！〃　she　exclaimed　with　a　world　of　pathos　in　her　sigh；　her
large　eyes　dry　and　circled；　fixed　with　indescribable　sorrow　on　her
friend's　face。

Ffoulkes　turned　his　head　away；　pretending　to　busy　himself　with　the
coffee…making　utensils。　　He　could　not　bear　to　see　that　look　of
hopelessness　in　her　face；　for　in　his　heart　he　could　not　find　the
wherewithal　to　cheer　her。　　Despair　was　beginning　to　seize　on　him
too；　and　this　he　would　not　let　her　see。

They　had　been　in　Paris　three　days　now；　and　it　was　six　days　since
Blakeney　had　been　arrested。　　Sir　Andrew　and　Marguerite　had　found
temporary　lodgings　inside　Paris；　Tony　and　Hastings　were　just
outside　the　gates；　and　all　along　the　route　between　Paris　and
Calais；　at　St。　Germain；　at　Mantes；　in　the　villages　between
Beauvais　and　Amiens；　wherever　money　could　obtain　friendly　help；
members　of　the　devoted　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　lay　in
hiding；　waiting　to　aid　their　chief。

Ffoulkes　had　ascertained　that　Percy　was　kept　a　close　prisoner　in
the　Conciergerie；　in　the　very　rooms　occupied　by　Marie　Antoinette
during　the　last　months　of　her　life。　He　left　poor　Marguerite　to
guess　how　closely　that　elusive　Scarlet　Pimpernel　was　being
guarded；　the　precautions　surrounding　him　being　even　more　minute
than　those　which　bad　made　the　unfortunate　Queen's　closing　days　a
martyrdom　for　her。

But　of　Armand　he　could　glean　no　satisfactory　news；　only　the
negative　probability　that　he　was　not　detained　in　any　of　the　larger
prisons　of　Paris；　as　no　register　which　he；　Ffoulkes；　so
laboriously　consulted　bore　record　of　the　name　of　St。　Just。

Haunting　the　restaurants　and　drinking　booths　where　the　most
advanced　Jacobins　and　Terrorists　were　wont　to　meet；　be　had　learned
one　or　two　details　of　Blakeney's　incarceration　which　he　could　not
possibly　impart　to　Marguerite。　The　capture　of　the　mysterious
Englishman　known　as　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　had　created　a　great　deal
of　popular　satisfaction；　but　it　was　obvious　that　not　only　was　the
public　mind　not　allowed　to　associate　that　capture　with　the　escape
of　little　Capet　from　the　Temple；　but　it　soon　became　clear　to
Ffoulkes　that　the　news　of　that　escape　was　still　being　kept　a
profound　secret。

On　one　occasion　he　had　succeeded　in　spying　on　the　Chief　Agent　of
the　Committee　of　General　Security；　whom　he　knew　by　sight；　while
the　latter　was　sitting　at　dinner　in　the　company　of　a　stout；　florid
man　with　pock…marked　face　and　podgy　hands　covered　with　rings。

Sir　Andrew　marvelled　who　this　man　might　be。　　Heron　spoke　to　him　in
ambiguous　phrases　that　would　have　been　unintelligible　to　any　one
who　did　not　know　the　circumstances　of　the　Dauphin's　escape　and　the
part　that　the　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　had　played　in　it。
But　to　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　whocleverly　disguised　as　a　farrier；
grimy　after　his　day's　workwas　straining　his　ears　to　listen
whilst　apparently　consuming　huge　slabs　of　boiled　beef；　it　soon
became　dear　that　the　chief　agent　and　his　fat　friend　were　talking
of　the　Dauphin　and　of　Blakeney。

〃He　won't　hold　out　much　longer；　citizen；〃　the　chief　agent　was
saying　in　a　confident　voice；　〃our　men　are　absolutely　unremitting
in　their　task。　　Two