el dorado-第54节

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him　and　to　save　Armand。　And　after　that；〃　she　added　with　charming
naivete；　〃I　felt　as　if；　having　saved　Armand's　life；　he　belonged　to
meand　his　love　for　me　had　made　me　his。〃

〃Then　I　was　arrested；〃　she　continued　after　a　slight　pause；　and　at
the　recollection　of　what　she　had　endured　then　her　fresh　voice
still　trembled　with　horror。

〃They　dragged　me　to　prison；　and　I　spent　two　days　in　a　dark　cell；
where〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　whilst　a　few　sobs　shook　her　whole
frame；　then　she　resumed　more　calmly：

〃I　had　seen　nothing　of　Armand。　　I　wondered　where　he　was；　and　I
knew　that　he　would　be　eating　out　his　heart　with　anxiety　for　me。
But　God　was　watching　over　me。　　At　first　I　was　transferred　to　the
Temple　prison；　and　there　a　kind　creaturea　sort　of　man…of…all
work　in　the　prison　took　compassion　on　me。　　I　do　not　know　how　he
contrived　it；　but　one　morning　very　early　he　brought　me　some　filthy
old　rags　which　he　told　me　to　put　on　quickly；　and　when　I　had　done
that　he　bade　me　follow　him。　　Oh！　he　was　a　very　dirty；　wretched　man
himself；　but　he　must　have　had　a　kind　heart。　　He　took　me　by　the
hand　and　made　me　carry　his　broom　and　brushes。　　Nobody　took　much
notice　of　us；　the　dawn　was　only　just　breaking；　and　the　passages
were　very　dark　and　deserted；　only　once　some　soldiers　began　to
chaff　him　about　me：　'C'est　ma　fillequoi？'　he　said　roughly。　　I
very　nearly　laughed　then；　only　I　had　the　good　sense　to　restrain
myself；　for　I　knew　that　my　freedom；　and　perhaps　my　life；　depended
on　my　not　betraying　myself。　　My　grimy；　tattered　guide　took　me　with
him　right　through　the　interminable　corridors　of　that　awful　building；
whilst　I　prayed　fervently　to　God　for　him　and　for　myself。　　We　got　out
by　one　of　the　service　stairs　and　exit；　and　then　he　dragged　me　through
some　narrow　streets　until　we　came　to　a　corner　where　a　covered　cart
stood　waiting。　　My　kind　friend　told　me　to　get　into　the　cart；　and　then
he　bade　the　driver　on　the　box　take　me　straight　to　a　house　in　the　Rue
St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois。　　Oh！　I　was　infinitely　grateful　to　the　poor
creature　who　had　helped　me　to　get　out　of　that　awful　prison；　and　I
would　gladly　have　given　him　some　money；　for　I　am　sure　he　was　very
poor；　but　I　had　none　by　me。　　He　told　me　that　I　should　be　quite　safe
in　the　house　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　and　begged　me　to
wait　there　patiently　for　a　few　days　until　I　heard　from　one　who　had
my　welfare　at　heart；　and　who　would　further　arrange　for　my　safety。〃

Marguerite　had　listened　silently　to　this　narrative　so　naively　told
by　this　child；　who　obviously　had　no　idea　to　whom　she　owed　her
freedom　and　her　life。　　While　the　girl　talked；　her　mind　could
follow　with　unspeakable　pride　and　happiness　every　phase　of　that
scene　in　the　early　dawn；　when　that　mysterious；　ragged
man…of…all…work；　unbeknown　even　to　the　woman　whom　he　was　saving；
risked　his　own　noble　life　for　the　sake　of　her　whom　his　friend　and
comrade　loved。

〃And　did　you　never　see　again　the　kind　man　to　whom　you　owe　your
life？〃　she　asked。

〃No！〃　replied　Jeanne。　　〃I　never　saw　him　since；　but　when　I　arrived
at　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois　I　was　told　by　the　good　people
who　took　charge　of　me　that　the　ragged　man…of…all…work　had　been
none　other　than　the　mysterious　Englishman　whom　Armand　reveres；　he
whom　they　call　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel。〃

〃But　you　did　not　stay　very　long　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain
l'Auxerrois；　did　you？〃

〃No。　Only　three　days。　The　third　day　I　received　a　communique　from
the　Committee　of　General　Security；　together　with　an　unconditional
certificate　of　safety。　　It　meant　that　I　was　freequite　free。　　Oh！
I　could　scarcely　believe　it。　　I　laughed　and　I　cried　until　the
people　in　the　house　thought　that　I　had　gone　mad。　　The　past　few
days　had　been　such　a　horrible　nightmare。〃

〃And　then　you　saw　Armand　again？〃

〃Yes。　　They　told　him　that　I　was　free。　　And　he　came　here　to　see　me。
He　often　comes；　he　will　be　here　anon。〃

〃But　are　you　not　afraid　on　his　account　and　your　own？　He　ishe
must　be　still'suspect'；　a　well…known　adherent　of　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　he　would　be　safer　out　of　Paris。〃

〃No！　oh；　no！　　Armand　is　in　no　danger。　　He；　too；　has　an　unconditional
certificate　of　safety。〃

〃An　unconditional　certificate　of　safety？〃　asked　Marguerite；　whilst
a　deep　frown　of　grave　puzzlement　appeared　between　her　brows。
〃What　does　that　mean？

〃It　means　that　he　is　free　to　come　and　go　as　he　likes；　that　neither
he　nor　I　have　anything　to　fear　from　Heron　and　his　awful　spies。
Oh！　but　for　that　sad　and　careworn　look　on　Armand's　face　we　could
be　so　happy；　but　he　is　so　unlike　himself。　　He　is　Armand　and　yet
another；　his　look　at　times　quite　frightens　me。〃

〃Yet　you　know　why　he　is　so　sad；〃　said　Marguerite　in　a　strange；
toneless　voice　which　she　seemed　quite　unable　to　control；　for　that
tonelessness　came　from　a　terrible　sense　of　suffocation；　of　a
feeling　as　if　her　heart…strings　were　being　gripped　by　huge；　hard
hands。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Jeanne　half　hesitatingly；　as　if　knowing；　she
was　still　unconvinced。

〃His　chief；　his　comrade；　the　friend　of　whom　you　speak；　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　who　risked　his　life　in　order　to　save　yours；
mademoiselle；　is　a　prisoner　in　the　hands　of　those　that　hate　him。〃

Marguerite　had　spoken　with　sudden　vehemence。　　There　was　almost　an
appeal　in　her　voice　now；　as　if　she　were　trying　not　to　convince
Jeanne　only；　but　also　herself；　of　something　that　was　quite　simple；
quite　straightforward；　and　yet　which　appeared　to　be　receding　from
her；　an　intangible　something；　a　spirit　that　was　gradually　yielding
to　a　force　as　yet　unborn；　to　a　phantom　that　had　not　yet　emerged
from　out　chaos。

But　Jeanne　seemed　unconscious　of　all　this。　　Her　mind　was　absorbed
in　Armand；　the　man　whom　she　loved　in　her　simple；　whole…hearted
way；　and　who　had　seemed　so　different　of　late。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　she　said　with　a　deep；　sad　sigh；　whilst　the　ever…ready
tears　once　more　gathered　in　her　eyes；　〃Armand　is　very　unhappy
because　of　him。　　The　Scarlet　Pimpernel　was　his　friend；　Armand
loved　and　revered　him。　　Did　you　know；〃　added　the　girl；　turning
large；　horror…filled　eyes　on　Marguerite；　〃that　they　want　some
information　from　him　about　the　Dauphin；　and　to　force　him　to　give
it　theythey〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Marguerite。

〃Can　you　wonder；　then；　that　Armand　is　unhappy。　　Oh！　last　night；
after　he　went　from　me；　I　cried　for　hours；　just　because　he　had
looked　so　sad。　　He　no　longer　talks　of　happy　England；　of　the
cottage　we　were　to　have；　and　of　the　Kentish　orchards　in　May。　　He
has　not　ceased　to　love　me；　for　at　times　his　love　seems　so　great
that　I　tremble　with　a　delicious　sense　of　fear。　　But　oh！　his　love
for　me　no　longer　makes　him　happy。〃

Her　head　had　gradually　sunk　lower　and　lower　on　her　breast；　her
voice　died　down　in　a　murmur　broken　by　heartrending　sighs。　　Every
generous　impulse　in　Marguerite's　noble　nature　prompted　her　to　take
that　sorrowing　child　in　her　arms；　to　comfort　her　if　she　could；　to
reassure　her　if　she　had　the　power。　　But　a　strange　icy　feeling　had
gradually　invaded　her　heart；　even　whilst　she　listened　to　the　simple
unsophisticated　talk　of　Jeanne　Lange。　　Her　hands　felt　numb　and
clammy；　and　instinctively　she　withdrew　away　from　the　near　vicinity
of　the　girl。　　She　felt　as　if　the　room；　the　furniture　in　it；　even　the
window　before　her　were　dancing　a　wild　and　curious　dance；　and　that
from　everywhere　around　strange　whistling　sounds　reached　her　ears；
which　caused　her　head　to　whirl　and　her　brain　to　reel。

Jeanne　had　buried　her　head　in　her　hands。　　She　was　cryingsoftly；
almost　humbly　at　first；　as　if　half　ashamed　of　her　grief；　then；
suddenly　it　seemed；　as　if　she　could　not　contain　herself　any
longer；　a　heavy　sob　escaped　her　throat　and　shook　her　whole
delicate　frame　with　its　violence。　　Sorrow　no　longer　would　be
gainsaid；　it　insisted　on　physical　expressionthat　awful　tearing
of　the　heart…strings　which　leaves　the　body　numb　and　panting　with
pain。

In　a　moment　Marguerite　had　forgotten；　the　dark　and　shapeless
phantom　that　had　knocked　at　the　gate　of　her　soul　was　relegated
back　into　chaos。　　It　ceased　to　be；　it　was　made　to　shrivel　and　to
burn　in　the　great　seething　cauldron　of　womanly　sympathy。　　What
part　this　child　had　played　in　the　vast　cataclysm　of　misery　which
had　dragged　a　noble…hearted　enthusiast　into　the　dark　torture…chamber；
whence　the　only　outlet　led　to　the　guillotine；　sheMarguerite　Blakeney
did　not　know；　what　part　Armand；　her　brother；　had　played　in　it；　that
she　would　not　dare　to　guess；　all　that　she　knew　was　that　here　was　a
loving　heart　that　was　filled　with　paina　young；　inexperienced　soul
that　was　having　its　first　tussle　with　the　grim　realities　of　life
and　every　motherly　instinct　in　Marguerite　was　aroused。

She　rose　and　gently　drew　the　young　girl　up　from　her　knees；　and　then
closer　to　her；　she　pillowed　the　grief…stricken　head　against　her
shoulder；　and　murmured　gentle；　comforting　words　into　the　tiny　ear。

〃I　have　news　for　Armand；〃　she　whispered；　〃that　will　comfort　him；　a
messagea　letter　from　his　friend。　　You　will　see；　dear；　that　when
Armand　reads　it　he　will　become　a　changed　man；　you　see；　Armand
acted　a　little　foolishly　a　few　days　ago。　　His　chief　had　given　him
orders　which　he　disregardedhe　was　so　anxious　about　youhe
should　have　obeyed；　and　now；　mayhap；　he　feels　that　his　disobedience
may　have　been　thethe　i