el dorado-第46节

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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　buried　her
face　in　her　hands　in　a　passionate　fit　of　weeping。　　Violent　sobs
shook　her　entire　frame；　it　seemed　as　if　an　overwhelming　anguish
was　tearing　at　her　heartthe　physical　pain　of　it　was　almost
unendurable。　　And　yet　even　through　this　paroxysm　of　tears　her　mind
clung　to　one　root　idea：　when　she　saw　Percy　she　must　be　brave　and
calm；　be　able　to　help　him　if　he　wanted　her；　to　do　his　bidding　if
there　was　anything　that　she　could　do；　or　any　message　that　she
could　take　to　the　others。　Of　hope　she　had　none。　The　last　lingering
ray　of　it　had　been　extinguished　by　that　fiend　when　he　said；　〃We
need　not　fear　that　he　will　escape。　I　doubt　if　he　could　walk　very
steadily　across　this　room　now。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII
IN　THE　CONCIERGERIE

Marguerite；　accompanied　by　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　walked　rapidly
along　the　quay。　　It　lacked　ten　minutes　to　the　half　hour；　the　night
was　dark　and　bitterly　cold。　　Snow　was　still　falling　in　sparse；
thin　flakes；　and　lay　like　a　crisp　and　glittering　mantle　over　the
parapets　of　the　bridges　and　the　grim　towers　of　the　Chatelet
prison。

They　walked　on　silently　now。　　All　that　they　had　wanted　to　say　to
one　another　had　been　said　inside　the　squalid　room　of　their
lodgings　when　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　had　come　home　and　learned　that
Chauvelin　had　been。

〃They　are　killing　him　by　inches；　Sir　Andrew；〃　had　been　the
heartrending　cry　which　burst　from　Marguerite's　oppressed　heart　as
soon　as　her　hands　rested　in　the　kindly　ones　of　her　best　friend。
〃Is　there　aught　that　we　can　do？〃

There　was；　of　course；　very　little　that　could　be　done。　One　or　two
fine　steel　files　which　Sir　Andrew　gave　her　to　conceal　beneath　the
folds　of　her　kerchief；　also　a　tiny　dagger　with　sharp；　poisoned
blade；　which　for　a　moment　she　held　in　her　hand　hesitating；　her
eyes　filling　with　tears；　her　heart　throbbing　with　unspeakable
sorrow。

Then　slowlyvery　slowlyshe　raised　the　small；　death…dealing
instrument　to　her　lips；　and　reverently　kissed　the　narrow　blade。

〃If　it　must　be！〃　she　murmured；　〃God　in　His　mercy　will　forgive！〃

She　sheathed　the　dagger；　and　this；　too；　she　hid　in　the　folds　of
her　gown。

〃Can　you　think　of　anything　else；　Sir　Andrew；　that　he　might　want？〃
she　asked。　　〃I　have　money　in　plenty；　in　case　those　soldiers〃

Sir　Andrew　sighed；　and　turned　away　from　her　so　as　to　hide　the
hopelessness　which　he　felt。　　Since　three　days　now　be　had　been
exhausting　every　conceivable　means　of　getting　at　the　prison　guard
with　bribery　and　corruption。　　But　Chauvelin　and　his　friends　had
taken　excellent　precautions。　The　prison　of　the　Conciergerie；
situated　as　it　was　in　the　very　heart　of　the　labyrinthine　and
complicated　structure　of　the　Chatelet　and　the　house　of　Justice；
and　isolated　from　every　other　group　of　cells　in　the　building；　was
inaccessible　save　from　one　narrow　doorway　which　gave　on　the
guard…room　first；　and　thence　on　the　inner　cell　beyond。　　Just　as
all　attempts　to　rescue　the　late　unfortunate　Queen　from　that　prison
had　failed；　so　now　every　attempt　to　reach　the　imprisoned　Scarlet
Pimpernel　was　equally　doomed　to　bitter　disappointment。

The　guard…room　was　filled　with　soldiers　day　and　night；　the　windows
of　the　inner　cell；　heavily　barred；　were　too　small　to　admit　of　the
passage　of　a　human　body；　and　they　were　raised　twenty　feet　from　the
corridor　below。　　Sir　Andrew　had　stood　in　the　corridor　two　days
ago；　he　bad　looked　on　the　window　behind　which　he　knew　that　his
friend　must　be　eating　out　his　noble　heart　in　a　longing　for
liberty；　and　he　had　realised　then　that　every　effort　at　help　from
the　outside　was　foredoomed　to　failure。

〃Courage；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said　to　Marguerite；　when　anon　they
had　crossed　the　Pont　au　Change；　and　were　wending　their　way　slowly
along　the　Rue　de　la　Barillerie；　〃remember　our　proud　dictum：　the
Scarlet　Pimpernel　never　fails！　and　also　this；　that　whatever　messages
Blakeney　gives　you　for　us；　whatever　he　wishes　us　to　do；　we　are　to　a
man　ready　to　do　it；　and　to　give　our　lives　for　our　chief。　　Courage！
Something　tells　me　that　a　man　like　Percy　is　not　going　to　die　at　the
hands　of　such　vermin　as　Chauvelin　and　his　friends。〃

They　had　reached　the　great　iron　gates　of　the　house　of　Justice。
Marguerite；　trying　to　smile；　extended　her　trembling　band　to　this
faithful；　loyal　comrade。

〃I'll　not　be　far；〃　he　said。　　〃When　you　come　out　do　not　look　to　the
right　or　left；　but　make　straight　for　home；　I'll　not　lose　sight　of
you　for　a　moment；　and　as　soon　as　possible　will　overtake　you。　　God
bless　you　both。〃

He　pressed　his　lips　on　her　cold　little　hand；　and　watched　her　tall；
elegant　figure　as　she　passed　through　the　great　gates　until　the
veil　of　falling　snow　hid　her　from　his　gaze。　　Then　with　a　deep　sigh
of　bitter　anguish　and　sorrow　he　turned　away　and　was　soon　lost　in
the　gloom。

Marguerite　found　the　gate　at　the　bottom　of　the　monumental　stairs
open　when　she　arrived。　　Chauvelin　was　standing　immediately　inside
the　building　waiting　for　her。

〃We　are　prepared　for　your　visit；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said；　〃and　the
prisoner　knows　that　you　are　coming。〃

He　led　the　way　down　one　of　the　numerous　and　interminable　corridors
of　the　building；　and　she　followed　briskly；　pressing　her　hand
against　her　bosom　there　where　the　folds　of　her　kerchief　hid　the
steel　files　and　the　precious　dagger。

Even　in　the　gloom　of　these　ill…lighted　passages　she　realised　that
she　was　surrounded　by　guards。　　There　were　soldiers　everywhere；　two
had　stood　behind　the　door　when　first　she　entered；　and　had
immediately　closed　it　with　a　loud　clang　behind　her；　and　all　the
way　down　the　corridors；　through　the　half…light　engendered　by
feebly　flickering　lamps；　she　caught　glimpses　of　the　white　facings
on　the　uniforms　of　the　town　guard；　or　occasionally　the　glint　of
steel　of　a　bayonet。　　Presently　Chauvelin　paused　beside　a　door；
which　he　had　just　reached。　　His　hand　was　on　the　latch；　for　it　did
not　appear　to　be　locked；　and　he　turned　toward　Marguerite。

〃I　am　very　sorry；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said　in　simple；　deferential
tones；　〃that　the　prison　authorities；　who　at　my　request　are
granting　you　this　interview　at　such　an　unusual　hour；　have　made　a
slight　condition　to　your　visit。〃

〃A　condition？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　is　it？〃

〃You　must　forgive　me；〃　he　said；　as　if　purposely　evading　her
question；　〃for　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　a
regulation　that　you　might　justly　feel　was　derogatory　to　your
dignity。　　If　you　will　kindly　step　in　here　a　wardress　in　charge
will　explain　to　you　what　is　required。〃

He　pushed　open　the　door；　and　stood　aside　ceremoniously　in　order　to
allow　her　to　pass　in。　　She　looked　on　him　with　deep　puzzlement　and
a　look　of　dark　suspicion　in　her　eyes。　But　her　mind　was　too　much
engrossed　with　the　thought　of　her　meeting　with　Percy　to　worry　over
any　trifle　that　mightas　her　enemy　had　inferredoffend　her
womanly　dignity。

She　walked　into　the　room；　past　Chauvelin；　who　whispered　as　she
went　by：

〃I　will　wait　for　you　here。　And；　I　pray　you；　if　you　have　aught　to
complain　of　summon　me　at　once。〃

Then　he　closed　the　door　behind　her。　The　room　in　which　Marguerite
now　found　herself　was　a　small　unventilated　quadrangle；　dimly
lighted　by　a　hanging　lamp。　　A　woman　in　a　soiled　cotton　gown　and
lank　grey　hair　brushed　away　from　a　parchment…like　forehead　rose
from　the　chair　in　which　she　had　been　sitting　when　Marguerite
entered；　and　put　away　some　knitting　on　which　she　had　apparently
been　engaged。

〃I　was　to　tell　you；　citizeness；〃　she　said　the　moment　the　door　had
been　closed　and　she　was　alone　with　Marguerite；　〃that　the　prison
authorities　have　given　orders　that　I　should　search　you　before　you
visit　the　prisoner。〃

She　repeated　this　phrase　mechanically　like　a　child　who　has　been
taught　to　say　a　lesson　by　heart。　　She　was　a　stoutish　middle…aged
woman；　with　that　pasty；　flabby　skin　peculiar　to　those　who　live　in
want　of　fresh　air；　but　her　small；　dark　eyes　were　not　unkindly；
although　they　shifted　restlessly　from　one　object　to　another　as　if
she　were　trying　to　avoid　looking　the　other　woman　straight　in　the
face。

〃That　you　should　search　me！〃　reiterated　Marguerite　slowly；　trying
to　understand。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　woman。　　〃I　was　to　tell　you　to　take　off　your
clothes；　so　that　I　might　look　them　through　and　through。　　I　have
often　had　to　do　this　before　when　visitors　have　been　allowed　inside
the　prison；　so　it　is　no　use　your　trying　to　deceive　me　in　any　way。
I　am　very　sharp　at　finding　out　if　any　one　has　papers；　or　files　or
ropes　concealed　in　an　underpetticoat。　　Come；〃　she　added　more
roughly；　seeing　that　Marguerite　had　remained　motionless　in　the
middle　of　the　room；　〃the　quicker　you　are　about　it　the　sooner　you
will　be　taken　to　see　the　prisoner。〃

These　words　had　their　desired　effect。　　The　proud　Lady　Blakeney；
inwardly　revolting　at　the　outrage；　knew　that　resistance　would　be
worse　than　useless。　　Chauvelin　was　the　other　side　of　the　door。　　A
call　from　the　woman　would　bring　him　to　her　assistance；　and
Marguerite　was　only　longing　to　hasten　the　moment　when　she　could　be
with　her　husband。

She　took　off　her　kerchief　and　her　gown　and　calmly　submitted　to　the
woman's　rough　hands　as　they　wandered　with　sureness　and　accuracy　to
the　various　poc