el dorado-第5节

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〃In　what　way？〃　queried　St。　Just；　smiling　in　spite　of　himself　at
the　thought　of　his　or　any　one　else's　control　over　Blakeney　and　his
plans。

It　was　de　Batz'　turn　to　be　silent。　　He　paused　for　a　moment　or　two；
then　he　asked　abruptly：

〃Your　Scarlet　Pimpernel　is　in　Paris　now；　is　he　not？〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　replied　Armand。

〃Bah！　there　is　no　necessity　to　fence　with　me；　my　friend。　The
moment　I　set　eyes　on　you　this　afternoon　I　knew　that　you　had　not
come　to　Paris　alone。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　my　good　de　Batz；〃　rejoined　the　young　man
earnestly；　〃I　came　to　Paris　alone。〃

〃Clever　parrying；　on　my　wordbut　wholly　wasted　on　my　unbelieving
ears。　　Did　I　not　note　at　once　that　you　did　not　seem　overpleased
to…day　when　I　accosted　you？〃

〃Again　you　are　mistaken。　　I　was　very　pleased　to　meet　you；　for　I
had　felt　singularly　lonely　all　day；　and　was　glad　to　shake　a　friend
by　the　hand。　　What　you　took　for　displeasure　was　only　surprise。〃

〃Surprise？　Ah；　yes！　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　were　surprised　to　see
me　walking　unmolested　and　openly　in　the　streets　of　Pariswhereas
you　had　heard　of　me　as　a　dangerous　conspirator；　eh　？and　as　a　man
who　has　the　entire　police　of　his　country　at　his　heelson　whose
head　there　is　a　pricewhat？〃

〃I　knew　that　you　had　made　several　noble　efforts　to　rescue　the
unfortunate　King　and　Queen　from　the　hands　of　these　brutes。〃

〃All　of　which　efforts　were　unsuccessful；〃　assented　de　Batz
imperturbably；　〃every　one　of　them　having　been　either　betrayed　by
some　dd　confederate　or　ferreted　out　by　some　astute　spy　eager　for
gain。　　Yes；　my　friend；　I　made　several　efforts　to　rescue　King　Louis
and　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　from　the　scaffold；　and　every　time　I　was
foiled；　and　yet　here　I　am；　you　see；　unscathed　and　free。　　I　walk
about　the　streets　boldly；　and　talk　to　my　friends　as　I　meet　them。〃

〃You　are　lucky；〃　said　St。　Just；　not　without　a　tinge　of　sarcasm。

〃I　have　been　prudent；〃　retorted　de　Batz。　　〃I　have　taken　the
trouble　to　make　friends　there　where　I　thought　I　needed　them
mostthe　mammon　of　unrighteousness；　you　know…what？〃

And　he　laughed　a　broad；　thick　laugh　of　perfect　self…satisfaction。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　rejoined　St。　Just；　with　the　tone　of　sarcasm　still
more　apparent　in　his　voice　now。　　〃　You　have　Austrian　money　at　your
disposal。〃

〃Any　amount；〃　said　the　other　complacently；　〃and　a　great　deal　of　it
sticks　to　the　grimy　fingers　of　these　patriotic　makers　of
revolutions。　　Thus　do　I　ensure　my　own　safety。　I　buy　it　with　the
Emperor's　money；　and　thus　am　I　able　to　work　for　the　restoration　of
the　monarchy　in　France。〃

Again　St。　Just　was　silent。　　What　could　he　say？　　Instinctively　now；
as　the　fleshy　personality　of　the　Gascon　Royalist　seemed　to　spread
itself　out　and　to　fill　the　tiny　box　with　his　ambitious　schemes　and
his　far…reaching　plans；　Armand's　thoughts　flew　back　to　that　other
plotter；　the　man　with　the　pure　and　simple　aims；　the　man　whose
slender　fingers　had　never　handled　alien　gold；　but　were　ever　there
ready　stretched　out　to　the　helpless　and　the　weak；　whilst　his
thoughts　were　only　of　the　help　that　he　might　give　them；　but　never
of　his　own　safety。

De　Batz；　however；　seemed　blandly　unconscious　of　any　such
disparaging　thoughts　in　the　mind　of　his　young　friend；　for　he
continued　quite　amiably；　even　though　a　note　of　anxiety　seemed　to
make　itself　felt　now　in　his　smooth　voice：

〃We　advance　slowly；　but　step　by　step；　my　good　St。　Just；〃　he　said。
〃I　have　not　been　able　to　save　the　monarchy　in　the　person　of　the
King　or　the　Queen；　but　I　may　yet　do　it　in　the　person　of　the
Dauphin。〃

〃The　Dauphin；〃　murmured　St。　Just　involuntarily。

That　involuntary　murmur；　scarcely　audible；　so　soft　was　it；　seemed
in　some　way　to　satisfy　de　Batz；　for　the　keenness　of　his　gaze
relaxed；　and　his　fat　fingers　ceased　their　nervous；　intermittent
tattoo　on　the　ledge　of　the　box。

〃Yes　！　the　Dauphin；〃　he　said；　nodding　his　head　as　if　in　answer　to
his　own　thoughts；　〃or　rather；　let　me　say；　the　reigning　King　of
FranceLouis　XVII；　by　the　grace　of　Godthe　most　precious　life　at
present　upon　the　whole　of　this　earth。〃

〃You　are　right　there；　friend　de　Batz；〃　assented　Armand　fervently；
〃the　most　precious　life；　as　you　say；　and　one　that　must　be　saved　at
all　costs。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　de　Batz　calmly；　〃but　not　by　your　friend　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel。〃

〃Why　not？〃

Scarce　were　those　two　little　words　out　of　St。　Just's　mouth　than　he
repented　of　them。　　He　bit　his　lip；　and　with　a　dark　frown　upon　his
face　he　turned　almost　defiantly　towards　his　friend。

But　de　Batz　smiled　with　easy　bonhomie。

〃Ah；　friend　Armand；〃　he　said；　〃you　were　not　cut　out　for　diplomacy；
nor　yet　for　intrigue。　　So　then；〃　he　added　more　seriously；　〃that
gallant　hero；　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　has　hopes　of　rescuing　our
young　King　from　the　clutches　of　Simon　the　cobbler　and　of　the　herd
of　hyenas　on　the　watch　for　his　attenuated　little　corpse；　eh？〃

〃I　did　not　say　that；〃　retorted　St。　Just　sullenly。

〃No。　　But　I　say　it。　　Nay！　nay！　do　not　blame　yourself；　my
over…loyal　young　friend。　　Could　I；　or　any　one　else；　doubt　for　a
moment　that　sooner　or　later　your　romantic　hero　would　turn　his
attention　to　the　most　pathetic　sight　in　the　whole　of　Europethe
child…martyr　in　the　Temple　prison？　The　wonder　were　to　me　if　the
Scarlet　Pimpernel　ignored　our　little　King　altogether　for　the　sake
of　his　subjects。　　No；　no；　do　not　think　for　a　moment　that　you　have
betrayed　your　friend's　secret　to　me。　　When　I　met　you　so　luckily
today　I　guessed　at　once　that　you　were　here　under　the　banner　of　the
enigmatical　little　red　flower；　and；　thus　guessing；　I　even　went　a
step　further　in　my　conjecture。　　The　Scarlet　Pimpernel　is　in　Paris
now　in　the　hope　of　rescuing　Louis　XVII　from　the　Temple　prison。〃

〃If　that　is　so；　you　must　not　only　rejoice　but　should　be　able　to
help。〃

〃And　yet；　my　friend；　I　do　neither　the　one　now　nor　mean　to　do　the
other　in　the　future；〃　said　de　Batz　placidly。　　〃I　happen　to　be　a
Frenchman；　you　see。〃

〃What　has　that　to　do　with　such　a　question？〃

〃Everything；　though　you；　Armand；　despite　that　you　are　a　Frenchman
too；　do　not　look　through　my　spectacles。　Louis　XVII　is　King　of
France；　my　good　St。　Just；　he　must　owe　his　freedom　and　his　life　to
us　Frenchmen；　and　to　no　one　else。〃

〃That　is　sheer　madness；　man；〃　retorted　Armand。　〃Would　you　have　the
child　perish　for　the　sake　of　your　own　selfish　ideas？〃

〃You　may　call　them　selfish　if　you　will；　all　patriotism　is　in　a
measure　selfish。　　What　does　the　rest　of　the　world　care　if　we　are　a
republic　or　a　monarchy；　an　oligarchy　or　hopeless　anarchy？　　We　work
for　ourselves　and　to　please　ourselves；　and　I　for　one　will　not
brook　foreign　interference。〃

〃Yet　you　work　with　foreign　money！〃

〃That　is　another　matter。　　I　cannot　get　money　in　France；　so　I　get
it　where　I　can；　but　I　can　arrange　for　the　escape　of　Louis　XVII　is
King　of　France；　my　good　St。　Just；　he　must　of　France　should　belong
the　honour　and　glory　of　having　saved　our　King。〃

For　the　third　time　now　St。　Just　allowed　the　conversation　to　drop；
he　was　gazing　wide…eyed；　almost　appalled　at　this　impudent　display
of　well…nigh　ferocious　selfishness　and　vanity。　　De　Batz；　smiling
and　complacent；　was　leaning　back　in　his　chair；　looking　at　his
young　friend　with　perfect　contentment　expressed　in　every　line　of
his　pock…marked　face　and　in　the　very　attitude　of　his　well…fed
body。　　It　was　easy　enough　now　to　understand　the　remarkable
immunity　which　this　man　was　enjoying；　despite　the　many　foolhardy
plots　which　he　hatched；　and　which　had　up　to　now　invariably　come　to
naught。

A　regular　braggart　and　empty　windbag；　he　had　taken　but　one　good
care；　and　that　was　of　his　own　skin。　　Unlike　other　less　fortunate
Royalists　of　France；　he　neither　fought　in　the　country　nor　braved
dangers　in　town。　　He　played　a　safer　gamecrossed　the　frontier　and
constituted　himself　agent　of　Austria；　he　succeeded　in　gaining　the
Emperor's　money　for　the　good　of　the　Royalist　cause；　and　for　his
own　most　especial　benefit。

Even　a　less　astute　man　of　the　world　than　was　Armand　St。　Just　would
easily　have　guessed　that　de　Batz'　desire　to　be　the　only　instrument
in　the　rescue　of　the　poor　little　Dauphin　from　the　Temple　was　not
actuated　by　patriotism；　but　solely　by　greed。　　Obviously　there　was
a　rich　reward　waiting　for　him　in　Vienna　the　day　that　he　brought
Louis　XVII　safely　into　Austrian　territory；　that　reward　he　would
miss　if　a　meddlesome　Englishman　interfered　in　this　affair。　Whether
in　this　wrangle　he　risked　the　life　of　the　child…King　or　not
mattered　to　him　not　at　all。　　It　was　de　Batz　who　was　to　get　the
reward；　and　whose　welfare　and　prosperity　mattered　more　than　the
most　precious　life　in　Europe。



CHAPTER　III
THE　DEMON　CHANCE

St。　Just　would　have　given　much　to　be　back　in　his　lonely　squalid
lodgings　now。　　Too　late　did　he　realise　how　wise　had　been　the
dictum　which　had　warned　him　against　making　or　renewing　friendships
in　France。

Men　had　changed　with　the　times。　　How　terribly　they　had　changed！
Personal　safety　had　become　a　fetish　with　mosta　goal　so　difficult
to　attain　that　it　had　to　be　fought　for　and　striven　for；　even　at
the　expense　of　humanity　and　of　self…respect。

Selfishnessthe　mere；　cold…blooded　insistence　for　self…advancement
ruled　supreme。　　De　Batz；　surfeited　with　foreign　money；　used　it
firstly　to　ensure　his　own　immunity；　scatt