el dorado-第45节

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head；　must　own　that　I　was　fooled　in　Calais　and　baffled　in
Boulogne。　　But　in　Boulogne　I　made　a　grave　mistake；　and　one　from
which　I　learned　a　lesson；　which　I　am　putting　into　practice　now。〃

He　paused　a　while　as　if　waiting　for　her　reply。　　His　pale；　keen
eyes　had　already　noted　that　with　every　phrase　he　uttered　the　lines
in　her　beautiful　face　became　more　hard　and　set。　　A　look　of　horror
was　gradually　spreading　over　it；　as　if　the　icy…cold　hand　of　death
had　passed　over　her　eyes　and　cheeks；　leaving　them　rigid　like　stone。

〃In　Boulogne；〃　resumed　Chauvelin　quietly；　satisfied　that　his　words
were　hitting　steadily　at　her　heart〃in　Boulogne　Sir　Percy　and　I
did　not　fight　an　equal　fight。　　Fresh　from　a　pleasant　sojourn　in
his　own　magnificent　home；　full　of　the　spirit　of　adventure　which
puts　the　essence　of　life　into　a　man's　veins；　Sir　Percy　Blakeney's
splendid　physique　was　pitted　against　my　feeble　powers。　　Of　course
I　lost　the　battle。　　I　made　the　mistake　of　trying　to　subdue　a　man
who　was　in　the　zenith　of　his　strength；　whereas　now〃

〃Yes；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　she　said；　〃whereas　now〃

〃Sir　Percy　Blakeney　has　been　in　the　prison　of　the　Conciergerie　for
exactly　one　week；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　replied；　speaking　very
slowly；　and　letting　every　one　of　his　words　sink　individually　into
her　mind。　　〃Even　before　he　had　time　to　take　the　bearings　of　his
cell　or　to　plan　on　his　own　behalf　one　of　those　remarkable　escapes
for　which　he　is　so　justly　famous；　our　men　began　to　work　on　a
scheme　which　I　am　proud　to　say　originated　with　myself。　　A　week　has
gone　by　since　then；　Lady　Blakeney；　and　during　that　time　a　special
company　of　prison　guard；　acting　under　the　orders　of　the　Committee
of　General　Security　and　of　Public　Safety；　have　questioned　the
prisoner　unremittinglyunremittingly；　rememberday　and　night。
Two　by　two　these　men　take　it　in　turns　to　enter　the　prisoner's　cell
every　quarter　of　an　hourlately　it　has　had　to　be　more　oftenand
ask　him　the　one　question；　'Where　is　little　Capet？'　　Up　to　now　we
have　received　no　satisfactory　reply；　although　we　have　explained　to
Sir　Percy　that　many　of　his　followers　are　honouring　the
neighbourhood　of　Paris　with　their　visit；　and　that　all　we　ask　for
from　him　are　instructions　to　those　gallant　gentlemen　to　bring
young　Capet　back　to　us。　　It　is　all　very　simple；　unfortunately　the
prisoner　is　somewhat　obstinate。　　At　first；　even；　the　idea　seemed
to　amuse　him；　he　used　to　laugh　and　say　that　he　always　had　the
faculty　of　sleeping　with　his　eyes　open。　　But　our　soldiers　are
untiring　in　their　efforts；　and　the　want　of　sleep　as　well　as　of　a
sufficiency　of　food　and　of　fresh　air　is　certainly　beginning　to
tell　on　Sir　Percy　Blakeney's　magnificent　physique。　　I　don't　think
that　it　will　be　very　long　before　he　gives　way　to　our　gentle
persuasions；　and　in　any　case　now；　I　assure　you；　dear　lady；　that　we
need　not　fear　any　attempt　on　his　part　to　escape。　　I　doubt　if　he
could　walk　very　steadily　across　this　room〃

Marguerite　had　sat　quite　silent　and　apparently　impassive　all　the
while　that　Chauvelin　had　been　speaking；　even　now　she　scarcely
stirred。　　Her　face　expressed　absolutely　nothing　but　deep
puzzlement。　　There　was　a　frown　between　her　brows；　and　her　eyes；
which　were　always　of　such　liquid　blue；　now　looked　almost　black。
She　was　trying　to　visualise　that　which　Chauvelin　had　put　before
her：　a　man　harassed　day　and　night；　unceasingly；　unremittingly；
with　one　question　allowed　neither　respite　nor　sleephis　brain；
soul；　and　body　fagged　out　at　every　hour；　every　moment　of　the　day
and　night；　until　mind　and　body　and　soul　must　inevitably　give　way
under　anguish　ten　thousand　times　more　unendurable　than　any
physical　torment　invented　by　monsters　in　barbaric　times。

That　man　thus　harassed；　thus　fagged　out；　thus　martyrised　at　all
hours　of　the　day　and　night；　was　her　husband；　whom　she　loved　with
every　fibre　of　her　being；　with　every　throb　of　her　heart。

Torture？　　Oh；　no！　these　were　advanced　and　civilised　times　that
could　afford　to　look　with　horror　on　the　excesses　of　medieval　days。
This　was　a　revolution　that　made　for　progress；　and　challenged　the
opinion　of　the　world。　　The　cells　of　the　Temple　of　La　Force　or　the
Conciergerie　held　no　secret　inquisition　with　iron　maidens　and
racks　and　thumbscrews；　but　a　few　men　had　put　their　tortuous　brains
together；　and　had　said　one　to　another：　　〃We　want　to　find　out　from
that　man　where　we　can　lay　our　hands　on　little　Capet；　so　we　won't
let　him　sleep　until　he　has　told　us。　　It　is　not　tortureoh；　no！
Who　would　dare　to　say　that　we　torture　our　prisoners？　　It　is　only　a
little　horseplay；　worrying　to　the　prisoner；　no　doubt；　but；　after
all；　he　can　end　the　unpleasantness　at　any　moment。　　He　need　but　to
answer　our　question；　and　he　can　go　to　sleep　as　comfortably　as　a
little　child。　　The　want　of　sleep　is　very　trying；　the　want　of
proper　food　and　of　fresh　air　is　very　weakening；　the　prisoner　must
give　way　sooner　or　later〃

So　these　fiends　had　decided　it　between　them；　and　they　had　put
their　idea　into　execution　for　one　whole　week。　Marguerite　looked　at
Chauvelin　as　she　would　on　some　monstrous；　inscrutable　Sphinx；
marveling　if　Godeven　in　His　angercould　really　have　created
such　a　fiendish　brain；　or；　having　created　it；　could　allow　it　to
wreak　such　devilry　unpunished。

Even　now　she　felt　that　he　was　enjoying　the　mental　anguish　which　he
had　put　upon　her；　and　she　saw　his　thin；　evil　lips　curled　into　a
smile。

〃So　you　came　to…night　to　tell　me　all　this？〃　she　asked　as　soon　as
she　could　trust　herself　to　speak。　　Her　impulse　was　to　shriek　out
her　indignation；　her　horror　of　him；　into　his　face。　　She　longed　to
call　down　God's　eternal　curse　upon　this　fiend；　but　instinctively
she　held　herself　in　check。　　Her　indignation；　her　words　of　loathing
would　only　have　added　to　his　delight。

〃You　have　had　your　wish；〃　she　added　coldly；　〃now；　I　pray　you；　go。〃

〃Your　pardon；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said　with　all　his　habitual
blandness；　〃my　object　in　coming　to　see　you　tonight　was　twofold。
Methought　that　I　was　acting　as　your　friend　in　giving　you　authentic
news　of　Sir　Percy；　and　in　suggesting　the　possibility　of　your
adding　your　persuasion　to　ours。〃

〃My　persuasion？　You　mean　that　I〃

〃You　would　wish　to　see　your　husband；　would　you　not；　Lady　Blakeney？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　I　pray　you　command　me。　　I　will　grant　you　the　permission
whenever　you　wish　to　go。〃

〃You　are　in　the　hope；　citizen；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　will　do　my　best
to　break　my　husband's　spirit　by　my　tears　or　my　prayersis　that
it？〃

〃Not　necessarily；〃　he　replied　pleasantly。　　〃I　assure　you　that　we
can　manage　to　do　that　ourselves；　in　time。〃

〃You　devil！〃　　The　cry　of　pain　and　of　horror　was　involuntarily
wrung　from　the　depths　of　her　soul。　　〃Are　you　not　afraid　that　God's
hand　will　strike　you　where　you　stand？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　lightly；　〃I　am　not　afraid；　Lady　Blakeney。　You　see；　I
do　not　happen　to　believe　in　God。　　Come！〃　he　added　more　seriously；
〃have　I　not　proved　to　you　that　my　offer　is　disinterested？　　Yet　I
repeat　it　even　now。　　If　you　desire　to　see　Sir　Percy　in　prison；
command　me；　and　the　doors　shall　be　open　to　you。〃

She　waited　a　moment；　looking　him　straight　and　quite　dispassionately
in　the　face；　then　she　said　coldly：

〃Very　well！　　I　will　go。〃

〃When？〃　he　asked。

〃This　evening。〃

〃Just　as　you　wish。　　I　would　have　to　go　and　see　my　friend　Heron
first；　and　arrange　with　him　for　your　visit。〃

〃Then　go。　　I　will　follow　in　half　an　hour。〃

〃C'est　entendu。　　Will　you　be　at　the　main　entrance　of　the
Conciergerie　at　half…past　nine？　You　know　it；　perhapsno？　　It　is
in　the　Rue　de　la　Barillerie；　immediately　on　the　right　at　the　foot
of　the　great　staircase　of　the　house　of　Justice。〃

〃Of　the　house　of　Justice！〃　she　exclaimed　involuntarily；　a　world　of
bitter　contempt　in　her　cry。　　Then　she　added　in　her　former
matter…of…fact　tones：

〃Very　good；　citizen。　　At　half…past　nine　I　will　be　at　the　entrance
you　name。〃

〃And　I　will　be　at　the　door　prepared　to　escort　you。〃

He　took　up　his　hat　and　coat　and　bowed　ceremoniously　to　her。　　Then
he　turned　to　go。　　At　the　door　a　cry　from　herinvoluntarily
enough；　God　knows！made　him　pause。

〃My　interview　with　the　prisoner；〃　she　said；　vainly　try　mg；　poor
soul！　to　repress　that　quiver　of　anxiety　in　her　voice；　〃it　will　be
private？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　Of　course；〃　he　replied　with　a　reassuring　smile。　〃Au
revoir；　Lady　Blakeney！　　Half…past　nine；　remember〃

She　could　no　longer　trust　herself　to　look　on　him　as　he　finally
took　his　departure。　　She　was　afraidyes；　absolutely　afraid　that
her　fortitude　would　give　waymeanly；　despicably；　uselessly　give
way；　that　she　would　suddenly　fling　herself　at　the　feet　of　that
sneering；　inhuman　wretch；　that　she　would　pray；　imploreHeaven
above！　what　might　she　not　do　in　the　face　of　this　awful　reality；　if
the　last　lingering　shred　of　vanishing　reason；　of　pride；　and　of
courage　did　not　hold　her　in　check？

Therefore　she　forced　herself　not　to　look　on　that　departing；
sable…clad　figure；　on　that　evil　face；　and　those　hands　that　held
Percy's　fate　in　their　cruel　grip；　but　her　ears　caught　the　welcome
sound　of　his　departurethe　opening　and　shutting　of　the　door；　his
light　footstep　echoing　down　the　stone　stairs。

When　at　last　she　felt　that　she　was　really　alone　she　uttered　a　loud
cry　like　a　wounded　doe；　and　falling　on　her　knees　she　bur