el dorado-第48节

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face　in　the　soft　masses　of　her　hair；　〃until　you　came　I　was　so　dd
fatigued。〃

He　was　laughing；　and　the　old　look　of　boyish　love　of　mischief
illumined　his　haggard　face。

〃Is　it　not　lucky；　dear　heart；〃　he　said　a　moment　or　two　later；
〃that　those　brutes　do　not　leave　me　unshaved？　　I　could　not　have
faced　you　with　a　week's　growth　of　beard　round　my　chin。　　By　dint　of
promises　and　bribery　I　have　persuaded　one　of　that　rabble　to　come
and　shave　me　every　morning。　　They　will　not　allow　me　to　handle　a
razor　my…self。　　They　are　afraid　I　should　cut　my　throator　one　of
theirs。　　But　mostly　I　am　too　dd　sleepy　to　think　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃Percy！〃　she　exclaimed　with　tender　and　passionate　reproach。

〃I　knowI　know；　dear；〃　he　murmured；　〃what　a　brute　I　am！　Ah；　God
did　a　cruel　thing　the　day　that　He　threw　me　in　your　path。　To　think
that　oncenot　so　very　long　agowe　were　drifting　apart；　you　and
I。　　You　would　have　suffered　less；　dear　heart；　if　we　had　continued
to　drift。〃

Then　as　he　saw　that　his　bantering　tone　pained　her；　he　covered　her
hands　with　kisses；　entreating　her　forgiveness。

〃Dear　heart；〃　he　said　merrily；　〃I　deserve　that　you　should　leave　me
to　rot　in　this　abominable　cage。　　They　haven't　got　me　yet；　little
woman；　you　know；　I　am　not　yet　deadonly　dd　sleepy　at　times。
But　I'll　cheat　them　even　now；　never　fear。〃

〃How；　Percyhow？〃　she　moaned；　for　her　heart　was　aching　with
intolerable　pain；　she　knew　better　than　he　did　the　precautions
which　were　being　taken　against　his　escape；　and　she　saw　more
clearly　than　he　realised　it　himself　the　terrible　barrier　set　up
against　that　escape　by　ever　encroaching　physical　weakness。

〃Well；　dear；〃　he　said　simply；　〃to　tell　you　the　truth　I　have　not
yet　thought　of　that　all…important　'how。'　　I　had　to　wait；　you　see；
until　you　came。　　I　was　so　sure　that　you　would　come！　　I　have
succeeded　in　putting　on　paper　all　my　instructions　for　Ffoulkes　and
the　others。　　I　will　give　them　to　you　anon。　　I　knew　that　you　would
come；　and　that　I　could　give　them　to　you；　until　then　I　had　but　to
think　of　one　thing；　and　that　was　of　keeping　body　and　soul　together。
My　chance　of　seeing　you　was　to　let　them　have　their　will　with　me。
Those　brutes　were　sure；　sooner　or　later；　to　bring　you　to　me；　that
you　might　see　the　caged　fox　worn　down　to　imbecility；　eh？　　That　you
might　add　your　tears　to　their　persuasion；　and　succeed　where　they
have　failed。〃

He　laughed　lightly　with　an　unstrained　note　of　gaiety；　only
Marguerite's　sensitive　ears　caught　the　faint　tone　of　bitterness
which　rang　through　the　laugh。

〃Once　I　know　that　the　little　King　of　France　is　safe；〃　he　said；　〃I
can　think　of　how　best　to　rob　those　dd　murderers　of　my　skin。〃

Then　suddenly　his　manner　changed。　　He　still　held　her　with　one　arm
closely　to；　him；　but　the　other　now　lay　across　the　table；　and　the
slender；　emaciated　hand　was　tightly　clutched。　　He　did　not　look　at
her；　but　straight　ahead；　the　eyes；　unnaturally　large　now；　with
their　deep　purple　rims；　looked　far　ahead　beyond　the　stone　walls　of
this　grim；　cruel　prison。

The　passionate　lover；　hungering　for　his　beloved；　had　vanished；
there　sat　the　man　with　a　purpose；　the　man　whose　firm　hand　had
snatched　men　and　women　and　children　from　death；　the　reckless
enthusiast　who　tossed　his　life　against　an　ideal。

For　a　while　he　sat　thus；　while　in　his　drawn　and　haggard　face　she
could　trace　every　line　formed　by　his　thoughtsthe　frown　of
anxiety；　the　resolute　setting　of　the　lips；　the　obstinate　look　of
will　around　the　firm　jaw。　　Then　he　turned　again　to　her。

〃My　beautiful　one；〃　he　said　softly；　〃the　moments　are　very
precious。　　God　knows　I　could　spend　eternity　thus　with　your　dear
form　nestling　against　my　heart。　　But　those　dd　murderers　will
only　give　us　half　an　hour；　and　I　want　your　help；　my　beloved；　now
that　I　am　a　helpless　cur　caught　in　their　trap。　　Will　you　listen
attentively；　dear　heart；　to　what　I　am　going　to　say？

〃Yes；　Percy；　I　will　listen；〃　she　replied。

〃And　have　you　the　courage　to　do　just　what　I　tell　you；　dear？〃

〃I　would　not　have　courage　to　do　aught　else；〃　she　said　simply。

〃It　means　going　from　hence　to…day；　dear　heart；　and　perhaps　not
meeting　again。　　Hush…sh…sh；　my　beloved；〃　he　said；　tenderly　placing
his　thin　hand　over　her　mouth；　from　which　a　sharp　cry　of　pain　had
well…nigh　escaped；　〃your　exquisite　soul　will　be　with　me　always。
Trytry　not　to　give　way　to　despair。　Why！　your　love　alone；　which　I
see　shining　from　your　dear　eyes；　is　enough　to　make　a　man　cling　to
life　with　all　his　might。　Tell　me！　will　you　do　as　I　ask　you？〃

And　she　replied　firmly　and　courageously：

〃I　will　do　just　what　you　ask；　Percy。〃

〃God　bless　you　for　your　courage；　dear。　　You　will　have　need　of　it。〃



CHAPTER　XXIX
FOR　THE　SAKE　OF　THAT　HELPLESS　INNOCENT

The　next　instant　he　was　kneeling　on　the　floor　and　his　hands　were
wandering　over　the　small；　irregular　flagstones　immediately
underneath　the　table。　　Marguerite　had　risen　to　her　feet；　she
watched　her　husband　with　intent　and　puzzled　eyes；　she　saw　him
suddenly　pass　his　slender　fingers　along　a　crevice　between　two
flagstones；　then　raise　one　of　these　slightly　and　from　beneath　it
extract　a　small　bundle　of　papers；　each　carefully　folded　and
sealed。　　Then　he　replaced　the　stone　and　once　more　rose　to　his
knees。

He　gave　a　quick　glance　toward　the　doorway。　　That　corner　of　his
cell；　the　recess　wherein　stood　the　table；　was　invisible　to　any　one
who　had　not　actually　crossed　the　threshold。　　Reassured　that　his
movements　could　not　have　been　and　were　not　watched；　he　drew
Marguerite　closer　to　him。

〃Dear　heart；〃　he　whispered；　〃I　want　to　place　these　papers　in　your
care。　　Look　upon　them　as　my　last　will　and　testament。　　I　succeeded
in　fooling　those　brutes　one　day　by　pretending　to　be　willing　to
accede　to　their　will。　　They　gave　me　pen　and　ink　and　paper　and　wax；
and　I　was　to　write　out　an　order　to　my　followers　to　bring　the
Dauphin　hither。　They　left　me　in　peace　for　one　quarter　of　an　hour；
which　gave　me　time　to　write　three　lettersone　for　Armand　and　the
other　two　for　Ffoulkes；　and　to　hide　them　under　the　flooring　of　my
cell。　　You　see；　dear；　I　knew　that　you　would　come　and　that　I　could
give　them　to　you　then。〃

He　paused；　and　that；　ghost　of　a　smile　once　more　hovered　round　his
lips。　　He　was　thinking　of　that　day　when　he　had　fooled　Heron　and
Chauvelin　into　the　belief　that　their　devilry　had　succeeded；　and
that　they　had　brought　the　reckless　adventurer　to　his　knees。　　He
smiled　at　the　recollection　of　their　wrath　when　they　knew　that　they
had　been　tricked；　and　after　a　quarter　of　an　hour　s　anxious　waiting
found　a　few　sheets　of　paper　scribbled　over　with　incoherent　words
or　satirical　verse；　and　the　prisoner　having　apparently　snatched
ten　minutes'　sleep；　which　seemingly　had　restored　to　him　quite　a
modicum　of　his　strength。

But　of　this　he　told　Marguerite　nothing；　nor　of　the　insults　and　the
humiliation　which　he　had　had　to　bear　in　consequence　of　that　trick。
He　did　not　tell　her　that　directly　afterwards　the　order　went　forth
that　the　prisoner　was　to　be　kept　on　bread　and　water　in　the　future；
nor　that　Chauvelin　had　stood　by　laughing　and　jeering　while　。。。

No！　he　did　not　tell　her　all　that；　the　recollection　of　it　all　had
still　the　power　to　make　him　laugh；　was　it　not　all　a　part　and
parcel　of　that　great　gamble　for　human　lives　wherein　he　had　held
the　winning　cards　himself　for　so　long？

〃It　is　your　turn　now；〃　he　had　said　even　then　to　his　bitter　enemy。

〃Yes！〃　Chauvelin　had　replied；　〃our　turn　at　last。　　And　you　will　not
bend　my　fine　English　gentleman；　we'll　break　you　yet；　never　fear。〃

It　was　the　thought　of　it　all；　of　that　hand　to　hand；　will　to　will；
spirit　to　spirit　struggle　that　lighted　up　his　haggard　face　even
now；　gave　him　a　fresh　zest　for　life；　a　desire　to　combat　and　to
conquer　in　spite　of　all；　in　spite　of　the　odds　that　had　martyred
his　body　but　left　the　mind；　the　will；　the　power　still　unconquered。

He　was　pressing　one　of　the　papers　into　her　hand；　holding　her
fingers　tightly　in　his；　and　compelling　her　gaze　with　the　ardent
excitement　of　his　own。

〃This　first　letter　is　for　Ffoulkes；〃　he　said。　　〃It　relates　to　the
final　measures　for　the　safety　of　the　Dauphin。　　They　are　my
instructions　to　those　members　of　the　League　who　are　in　or　near
Paris　at　the　present　moment。　　Ffoulkes；　I　know；　must　be　with
youhe　was　not　likely；　God　bless　his　loyalty；　to　let　you　come　to
Paris　alone。　　Then　give　this　letter　to　him；　dear　heart；　at　once；
to…night；　and　tell　him　that　it　is　my　express　command　that　he　and
the　others　shall　act　in　minute　accordance　with　my　instructions。〃

〃But　the　Dauphin　surely　is　safe　now；〃　she　urged。　〃Ffoulkes　and　the
others　are　here　in　order　to　help　you。〃

〃To　help　me；　dear　heart？〃　he　interposed　earnestly。　〃God　alone　can
do　that　now；　and　such　of　my　poor　wits　as　these　devils　do　not
succeed　in　crushing　out　of　me　within　the　next　ten　days。〃

Ten　days！

〃I　have　waited　a　week；　until　this　hour　when　I　could　place　this
packet　in　your　hands；　another　ten　days　should　see　the　Dauphin　out
of　Franceafter　that；　we　shall　see。〃

〃Percy；〃　she　exclaimed　in　an　agony　of　horror；　〃you　cannot　endure
this　another　dayand　live！〃

〃Nay！〃　he　said　in　a　tone　that　was　almost　insolent　in　its　proud
defiance；　〃there　is　but　little　that　a　man　cannot　do　an　he　sets　his
mind　to　it。　　For　the　rest；　'tis　in　G