el dorado-第60节

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〃Yes。　　By　a　fortnight　of　weariness；　of　exhaustion　and　of　starvation；
you　are　nearer　to　it　by　the　weakness　of　the　man　whom　in　his　full
strength　you　could　never　hope　to　conquer。〃

〃But　if　the　cursed　Englishman　won't　speak；　and　in　the　meanwhile
dies　on　my　hands〃

〃He　won't　do　that　if　you　will　accede　to　his　wish。　　Give　him　some
good　food　now；　and　let　him　sleep　till　dawn。〃

〃And　at　dawn　he'll　defy　me　again。　　I　believe　now　that　he　has　some
scheme　in　his　mind；　and　means　to　play　us　a　trick。〃

〃That；　I　imagine；　is　more　than　likely；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　dryly；
〃though；〃　he　added　with　a　contemptuous　nod　of　the　head　directed　at
the　huddled…up　figure　of　his　once　brilliant　enemy；　〃neither　mind
nor　body　seem　to　me　to　be　in　a　sufficiently　active　state　just　now
for　hatching　plot　or　intrigue；　but　even　ifvaguely　floating
through　his　clouded　mindthere　has　sprung　some　little　scheme　for
evasion；　I　give　you　my　word；　citizen　Heron；　that　you　can　thwart
him　completely；　and　gain　all　that　you　desire；　if　you　will　only
follow　my　advice。〃

There　had　always　been　a　great　amount　of　persuasive　power　in
citizen　Chauvelin；　ex…envoy　of　the　revolutionary　Government　of
France　at　the　Court　of　St。　James；　and　that　same　persuasive
eloquence　did　not　fail　now　in　its　effect　on　the　chief　agent　of　the
Committee　of　General　Security。　The　latter　was　made　of　coarser
stuff　than　his　more　brilliant　colleague。　　Chauvelin　was　like　a
wily　and　sleek　panther　that　is　furtive　in　its　movements；　that　will
lure　its　prey；　watch　it；　follow　it　with　stealthy　footsteps；　and
only　pounce　on　it　when　it　is　least　wary；　whilst　Heron　was　more
like　a　raging　bull　that　tosses　its　head　in　a　blind；　irresponsible
fashion；　rushes　at　an　obstacle　without　gauging　its　resisting
powers；　and　allows　its　victim　to　slip　from　beneath　its　weight
through　the　very　clumsiness　and　brutality　of　its　assault。

Still　Chauvelin　had　two　heavy　black　marks　against　himthose　of
his　failures　at　Calais　and　Boulogne。　　Heron；　rendered　cautious
both　by　the　deadly　danger　in　which　he　stood　and　the　sense　of　his
own　incompetence　to　deal　with　the　present　situation；　tried　to
resist　the　other's　authority　as　well　as　his　persuasion。

〃Your　advice　was　not　of　great　use　to　citizen　Collot　last　autumn　at
Boulogne；〃　he　said；　and　spat　on　the　ground　by　way　of　expressing
both　his　independence　and　his　contempt。

〃Still；　citizen　Heron；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　with　unruffled　patience；
〃it　is　the　best　advice　that　you　are　likely　to　get　in　the　present
emergency。　　You　have　eyes　to　see；　have　you　not？　Look　on　your
prisoner　at　this　moment。　　Unless　something　is　done；　and　at　once；
too；　he　will　be　past　negotiating　with　in　the　next　twenty…four　hours；
then　what　will　follow？〃

He　put　his　thin　hand　once　more　on　his　colleague's　grubby
coat…sleeve；　he　drew　him　closer　to　himself　away　from　the　vicinity
of　that　huddled　figure；　that　captive　lion；　wrapped　in　a　torpid
somnolence　that　looked　already　so　like　the　last　long　sleep。

〃What　will　follow；　citizen　Heron？〃　he　reiterated；　sinking　his
voice　to　a　whisper；　〃sooner　or　later　some　meddlesome　busybody　who
sits　in　the　Assembly　of　the　Convention　will　get　wind　that　little
Capet　is　no　longer　in　the　Temple　prison；　that　a　pauper　child　was
substituted　for　him；　and　that　you；　citizen　Heron；　together　with
the　commissaries　in　charge；　have　thus　been　fooling　the　nation　and
its　representatives　for　over　a　fortnight。　　What　will　follow　then；
think　you？〃

And　he　made　an　expressive　gesture　with　his　outstretched　fingers
across　his　throat。

Heron　found　no　other　answer　but　blasphemy。

〃I'll　make　that　cursed　Englishman　speak　yet；〃　he　said　with　a
fierce　oath。

〃You　cannot；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　decisively。　　〃In　his　present
state　he　is　incapable　of　it；　even　if　he　would；　which　also　is
doubtful。〃

〃Ah！　then　you　do　think　that　he　still　means　to　cheat　us？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　But　I　also　know　that　he　is　no　longer　in　a　physical
state　to　do　it。　　No　doubt　he　thinks　that　he　is。　　A　man　of　that
type　is　sure　to　overvalue　his　own　strength；　but　look　at　him；
citizen　Heron。　　Surely　you　must　see　that　we　have　nothing　to　fear
from　him　now。〃

Heron　now　was　like　a　voracious　creature　that　has　two　victims　lying
ready　for　his　gluttonous　jaws。　　He　was　loath　to　let　either　of　them
go。　　He　hated　the　very　thought　of　seeing　the　Englishman　being　led
out　of　this　narrow　cell；　where　he　had　kept　a　watchful　eye　over　him
night　and　day　for　a　fortnight；　satisfied　that　with　every　day；
every　hour；　the　chances　of　escape　became　more　improbable　and　more
rare；　at　the　same　time　there　was　the　possibility　of　the　recapture
of　little　Capet；　a　possibility　which　made　Heron's　brain　reel　with
the　delightful　vista　of　it；　and　which　might　never　come　about　if
the　prisoner　remained　silent　to　the　end。

〃I　wish　I　were　quite　sure；〃　he　said　sullenly；　〃that　you　were　body
and　soul　in　accord　with　me。〃

〃I　am　in　accord　with　you；　citizen　Heron；〃　rejoined　the　other
earnestly〃body　and　soul　in　accord　with　you。　　Do　you　not　believe
that　I　hate　this　manaye！　hate　him　with　a　hatred　ten　thousand
times　more　strong　than　yours？　　I　want　his　deathHeaven　or　hell
alone　know　how　I　long　for　thatbut　what　I　long　for　most　is　his
lasting　disgrace。　　For　that　I　have　worked；　citizen　Heronfor　that
I　advised　and　helped　you。　　When　first　you　captured　this　man　you
wanted　summarily　to　try　him；　to　send　him　to　the　guillotine　amidst
the　joy　of　the　populace　of　Paris；　and　crowned　with　a　splendid　halo
of　martyrdom。　　That　man；　citizen　Heron；　would　have　baffled　you；
mocked　you；　and　fooled　you　even　on　the　steps　of　the　scaffold。　　In
the　zenith　of　his　strength　and　of　insurmountable　good　luck　you　and
all　your　myrmidons　and　all　the　assembled　guard　of　Paris　would　have
had　no　power　over　him。　　The　day　that　you　led　him　out　of　this　cell
in　order　to　take　him　to　trial　or　to　the　guillotine　would　have　been
that　of　your　hopeless　discomfiture。　　Having　once　walked　out　of
this　cell　hale；　hearty　and　alert；　be　the　escort　round　him　ever　so
strong；　he　never　would　have　re…entered　it　again。　　Of　that　I　am　as
convinced　as　that　I　am　alive。　　I　know　the　man；　you　don't。　　Mine
are　not　the　only　fingers　through　which　he　has　slipped。　　Ask
citizen　Collot　d'Herbois；　ask　Sergeant　Bibot　at　the　barrier　of
Menilmontant；　ask　General　Santerre　and　his　guards。　　They　all　have
a　tale　to　tell。　　Did　I　believe　in　God　or　the　devil；　I　should　also
believe　that　this　man　has　supernatural　powers　and　a　host　of　demons
at　his　beck　and　call。〃

〃Yet　you　talk　now　of　letting　him　walk　out　of　this　cell　to…morrow？〃

〃He　is　a　different　man　now；　citizen　Heron。　　On　my　advice　you
placed　him　on　a　regime　that　has　counteracted　the　supernatural
power　by　simple　physical　exhaustion；　and　driven　to　the　four　winds
the　host　of　demons　who　no　doubt　fled　in　the　face　of　starvation。〃

〃If　only　I　thought　that　the　recapture　of　Capet　was　as　vital　to　you
as　it　is　to　me；〃　said　Heron；　still　unconvinced。

〃The　capture　of　Capet　is　just　as　vital　to　me　as　it　is　to　you；〃
rejoined　Chauvelin　earnestly；　〃if　it　is　brought　about　through　the
instrumentality　of　the　Englishman。〃

He　paused；　looking　intently　on　his　colleague；　whose　shifty　eyes
encountered　his　own。　Thus　eye　to　eye　the　two　men　at　last
understood　one　another。

〃Ah！〃　said　Heron　with　a　snort；　〃I　think　I　understand。〃

〃I　am　sure　that　you　do；〃　responded　Chauvelin　dryly。　〃The　disgrace
of　this　cursed　Scarlet　Pimpernel　and　his　League　is　as　vital　to　me；
and　more；　as　the　capture　of　Capet　is　to　you。　　That　is　why　I　showed
you　the　way　how　to　bring　that　meddlesome　adventurer　to　his　knees；
that　is　why　I　will　help　you　now　both　to　find　Capet　and　with　his
aid　and　to　wreak　what　reprisals　you　like　on　him　in　the　end。〃

Heron　before　he　spoke　again　cast　one　more　look　on　the　prisoner。
The　latter　had　not　stirred；　his　face　was　hidden；　but　the　hands；
emaciated；　nerveless　and　waxen；　like　those　of　the　dead；　told　a
more　eloquent　tale；　mayhap；　then　than　the　eyes　could　do。　　The
chief　agent　of　the　Committee　of　General　Security　walked
deliberately　round　the　table　until　he　stood　once　more　close　beside
the　man　from　whom　he　longed　with　passionate　ardour　to　wrest　an
all…important　secret。　　With　brutal；　grimy　hand　he　raised　the　head
that　lay；　sunken　and　inert；　against　the　table；　with　callous　eyes
he　gazed　attentively　on　the　face　that　was　then　revealed　to　him；　he
looked　on　the　waxen　flesh；　the　hollow　eyes；　the　bloodless　lips；
then　he　shrugged　his　wide　shoulders；　and　with　a　laugh　that　surely
must　have　caused　joy　in　hell；　he　allowed　the　wearied　head　to　fall
back　against　the　outstretched　arms；　and　turned　once　again　to　his
colleague。

〃I　think　you　are　right；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　not
much　supernatural　power　here。　　Let　me　hear　your　advice。〃



CHAPTER　XXXVII
CHAUVELIN'S　ADVICE

Citizen　Chauvelin　had　drawn　his　colleague　with　him　to　the　end　of
the　cell　that　was　farthest　away　from　the　recess；　and　the　table　at
which　the　prisoner　was　sitting。

Here　the　noise　and　hubbub　that　went　on　constantly　in　the　guard
room　would　effectually　drown　a　whispered　conversation。　Chauvelin
called　to　the　sergeant　to　hand　him　a　couple　of　chairs　over　the
barrier。　These　he　placed　against　the　wall　opposite　the　opening；
and　beckoning　Heron　to　sit　down；　he　did　likewise；　placing　himself
close　to　his　c