el dorado-第44节

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second　into　those　laughing；　lazy　eyes；　wherein　she　alone　knew　how
to　fathom　the　infinity　of　passion　that　lay　within　their　depths；　if
she　could　but　once　feel　hisardent　kiss　on　her　lips；　she　could
more　easily　endure　this　agonising　suspense；　and　wait　confidently
and　courageously　for　the　issue。

She　turned　away　from　the　window；　for　the　night　was　getting　bitterly
cold。　　From　the　tower　of　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois　the　clock　slowly
struck　eight。　　Even　as　the　last　sound　of　the　historic　bell　died　away
in　the　distance　she　heard　a　timid　knocking　at　the　door。

〃Enter！〃　she　called　unthinkingly。

She　thought　it　was　her　landlady；　come　up　with　more　wood；　mayhap；
for　the　fire；　so　she　did　not　turn　to　the　door　when　she　heard　it
being　slowly　opened；　then　closed　again；　and　presently　a　soft　tread
on　the　threadbare　carpet。

〃May　I　crave　your　kind　attention；　Lady　Blakeney？〃　said　a　harsh
voice；　subdued　to　tones　of　ordinary　courtesy。

She　quickly　repressed　a　cry　of　terror。　　How　well　she　knew　that
voice！　　When　last　she　heard　it　it　was　at　Boulogne；　dictating　that
infamous　letterthe　weapon　wherewith　Percy　had　so　effectually
foiled　his　enemy。　　She　turned　and　faced　the　man　who　was　her
bitterest　foehers　in　the　person　of　the　man　she　loved。

〃Chauvelin！〃　she　gasped。

〃Himself　at　your　service；　dear　lady；〃　he　said　simply。

He　stood　in　the　full　light　of　the　lamp；　his　trim；　small　figure
boldly　cut　out　against　the　dark　wall　beyond。　　He　wore　the　usual
sable…coloured　clothes　which　he　affected；　with　the　primly…folded
jabot　and　cuffs　edged　with　narrow　lace。

Without　waiting　for　permission　from　her　he　quietly　and
deliberately　placed　his　hat　and　cloak　on　a　chair。　　Then　he　turned
once　more　toward　her；　and　made　a　movement　as　if　to　advance　into
the　room；　but　instinctively　she　put　up　a　hand　as　if　to　ward　off
the　calamity　of　his　approach。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　the　shadow　of　a　smile；　that　had
neither　mirth　nor　kindliness　in　it；　hovered　round　the　corners　of
his　thin　lips。

〃Have　I　your　permission　to　sit？〃　he　asked。

〃As　you　will；〃　she　replied　slowly；　keeping　her　wide…open　eyes
fixed　upon　him　as　does　a　frightened　bird　upon　the　serpent　whom　it
loathes　and　fears。

〃And　may　I　crave　a　few　moments　of　your　undivided　attention；　Lady
Blakeney？〃　he　continued；　taking　a　chair；　and　so　placing　it　beside
the　table　that　the　light　of　the　lamp　when　he　sat　remained　behind
him　and　his　face　was　left　in　shadow。

〃Is　it　necessary？〃　asked　Marguerite。

〃It　is；〃　he　replied　curtly；　〃if　you　desire　to　see　and　speak　with
your　husbandto　be　of　use　to　him　before　it　is　too　late。〃

〃Then；　I　pray　you；　speak；　citizen；　and　I　will　listen。〃

She　sank　into　a　chair；　not　heeding　whether　the　light　of　the　lamp
fell　on　her　face　or　not；　whether　the　lines　in　her　haggard　cheeks；
or　her　tear…dimmed　eyes　showed　plainly　the　sorrow　and　despair　that
had　traced　them。　　She　had　nothing　to　hide　from　this　man；　the　cause
of　all　the　tortures　which　she　endured。　　She　knew　that　neither
courage　nor　sorrow　would　move　him；　and　that　hatred　for　Percy
personal　deadly　hatred　for　the　man　who　had　twice　foiled　him
had　long　crushed　the　last　spark　of　humanity　in　his　heart。

〃Perhaps；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　began　after　a　slight　pause　and　in　his
smooth；　even　voice；　〃it　would　interest　you　to　hear　how　I　succeeded
in　procuring　for　myself　this　pleasure　of　an　interview　with　you？〃

〃Your　spies　did　their　usual　work；　I　suppose；〃　she　said　coldly。

〃Exactly。　　We　have　been　on　your　track　for　three　days；　and
yesterday　evening　an　unguarded　movement　on　the　part　of　Sir　Andrew
Ffoulkes　gave　us　the　final　clue　to　your　whereabouts。〃

〃Of　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes？〃　she　asked；　greatly　puzzled。

He　was　in　an　eating…house；　cleverly　disguised；　I　own；　trying　to
glean　information；　no　doubt　as　to　the　probable　fate　of　Sir　Percy
Blakeney。　　As　chance　would　have　it；　my　friend　Heron；　of　the
Committee　of　General　Security；　chanced　to　be　discussing　with
reprehensible　opennessercertainwhat　shall　I　say？certain
measures　which；　at　my　advice；　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety　have
been　forced　to　adopt　with　a　view　to〃

〃A　truce　on　your　smooth…tongued　speeches；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　she
interposed　firmly。　　〃Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　has　told　me　naught　of
thisso　I　pray　you　speak　plainly　and　to　the　point；　if　you　can。〃

He　bowed　with　marked　irony。

〃As　you　please；〃　he　said。　　〃Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　hearing　certain
matters　of　which　I　will　tell　you　anon；　made　a　movement　which
betrayed　him　to　one　of　our　spies。　　At　a　word　from　citizen　Heron
this　man　followed　on　the　heels　of　the　young　farrier　who　had　shown
such　interest　in　the　conversation　of　the　Chief　Agent。　　Sir　Andrew；
I　imagine；　burning　with　indignation　at　what　he　had　heard；　was
perhaps　not　quite　so　cautious　as　he　usually　is。　　Anyway；　the　man
on　his　track　followed　him　to　this　door。　　It　was　quite　simple；　as
you　see。　　As　for　me；　I　had　guessed　a　week　ago　that　we　would　see
the　beautiful　Lady　Blakeney　in　Paris　before　long。　　When　I　knew
where　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　lodged；　I　had　no　difficulty　in　guessing
that　Lady　Blakeney　would　not　be　far　off。〃

〃And　what　was　there　in　citizen　Heron's　conversation　last　night；〃
she　asked　quietly；　〃that　so　aroused　Sir　Andrew's　indignation？〃

〃He　has　not　told　you？〃

〃Oh！　it　is　very　simple。　　Let　me　tell　you；　Lady　Blakeney；　exactly
how　matters　stand。　　Sir　Percy　Blakeneybefore　lucky　chance　at
last　delivered　him　into　our　handsthought　fit；　as　no　doubt　you
know；　to　meddle　with　our　most　important　prisoner　of　State。〃

〃A　child。　　I　know　it；　sirthe　son　of　a　murdered　father　whom　you
and　your　friends　were　slowly　doing　to　death。〃

〃That　is　as　it　may　be；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　rejoined　Chauvelin　calmly；
〃but　it　was　none　of　Sir　Percy　Blakeney's　business。　　This；　however；
he　chose　to　disregard。　　He　succeeded　in　carrying　little　Capet　from
the　Temple；　and　two　days　later　we　had　him　under　lock；　and　key。〃

〃Through　some　infamous　and　treacherous　trick；　sir；〃　she　retorted。

Chauvelin　made　no　immediate　reply；　his　pale；　inscrutable　eyes　were
fixed　upon　her　face；　and　the　smile　of　irony　round　his　mouth　appeared
more　strongly　marked　than　before。

〃That；　again；　is　as　it　may　be；〃　he　said　suavely；　〃but　anyhow　for
the　moment　we　have　the　upper　hand。　　Sir　Percy　is　in　the
Conciergerie；　guarded　day　and　night；　more　closely　than　Marie
Antoinette　even　was　guarded。〃

〃And　he　laughs　at　your　bolts　and　bars；　sir；〃　she　rejoined　proudly。
〃Remember　Calais；　remember　Boulogne。　　His　laugh　at　your　discomfiture；
then；　must　resound　in　your　ear　even　to…day。〃

〃Yes；　but　for　the　moment　laughter　is　on　our　side。　　Still　we　are
willing　to　forego　even　that　pleasure；　if　Sir　Percy　will　but　move　a
finger　towards　his　own　freedom。〃

〃Again　some　infamous　letter？〃　she　asked　with　bitter　contempt；
〃some　attempt　against　his　honour？〃

〃No；　no；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　interposed　with　perfect　blandness。
〃Matters　are　so　much　simpler　now；　you　see。　　We　hold　Sir　Percy　at
our　mercy。　　We　could　send　him　to　the　guillotine　to…morrow；　but　we
might　be　willingremember；　I　only　say　we　mightto　exercise　our
prerogative　of　mercy　if　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　will　on　his　side　accede
to　a　request　from　us。〃

〃And　that　request？〃

〃Is　a　very　natural　one。　　He　took　Capet　away　from　us；　and　it　is　but
credible　that　he　knows　at　the　present　moment　exactly　where　the
child　is。　　Let　him　instruct　his　followersand　I　mistake　not；　Lady
Blakeney；　there　are　several　of　them　not　very　far　from　Paris　just
nowlet　him；　I　say；　instruct　these　followers　of　his　to　return　the
person　of　young　Capet　to　us；　and　not　only　will　we　undertake　to
give　these　same　gentlemen　a　safe　conduct　back　to　England；　but　we
even　might　be　inclined　to　deal　somewhat　less　harshly　with　the
gallant　Scarlet　Pimpernel　himself。〃

She　laughed　a　harsh；　mirthless；　contemptuous　laugh。

〃I　don't　think　that　I　quite　understand；〃　she　said　after　a　moment
or　two；　whilst　he　waited　calmly　until　her　out…break　of　hysterical
mirth　had　subsided。　　〃You　want　my　husbandthe　Scarlet　Pimpernel；
citizento　deliver　the　little　King　of　France　to　you　after　he　has
risked　his　life　to　save　the　child　out　of　your　clutches？　　Is　that
what　you　are　trying　to　say？〃

〃It　is；〃　rejoined　Chauvelin　complacently；　〃just　what　we　have　been
saying　to　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　for　the　past　six　days；　madame。〃

〃Well！　then　you　have　had　your　answer；　have　you　not？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　replied　slowly；　〃but　the　answer　has　become　weaker　day　by
day。〃

〃Weaker？　　I　don't　understand。〃

〃Let　me　explain；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　said　Chauvelin；　now　with　measured
emphasis。　　He　put　both　elbows　on　the　table　and　leaned　well
forward；　peering　into　her　face；　lest　one　of　its　varied　expressions
escaped　him。　　〃Just　now　you　taunted　me　with　my　failure　in　Calais；
and　again　at　Boulogne；　with　a　proud　toss　of　the　head；　which　I　own
is　excessive　becoming；　you　threw　the　name　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel
in　my　face　like　a　challenge　which　I　no　longer　dare　to　accept。
'The　Scarlet　Pimpernel；'　you　would　say　to　me；　'stands　for　loyalty；
for　honour；　and　for　indomitable　courage。　　Think　you　he　would
sacrifice　his　honour　to　obtain　your　mercy？　　Remember　Boulogne　and
your　discomfiture！'　　All　of　which；　dear　lady；　is　perfectly
charming　and　womanly　and　enthusiastic；　and　I；　bowing　my　humble
head；　must　own　that　I　was　fooled　in　Calais　and　baffled　in
Bou