el dorado-第64节

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candle；　looked　strangely　pale　and　earnest。

〃Citizen　Chauvelin！〃　gasped　Armand；　more　surprised　than　frightened
at　this　unexpected　apparition。

〃Himself；　citizen；　at　your　service；〃　replied　Chauvelin　with　his
quiet；　ironical　manner。　　〃I　am　the　bearer　of　a　letter　for　you　from
Sir　Percy　Blakeney。　　Have　I　your　permission　to　enter？〃

Mechanically　Armand　stood　aside；　allowing　the　other　man　to　pass
in。　　He　closed　the　door　behind　his　nocturnal　visitor；　then；　taper
in　hand；　he　preceded　him　into　the　inner　room。

It　was　the　same　one　in　which　a　fortnight　ago　a　fighting　lion　had
been　brought　to　his　knees。　　Now　it　lay　wrapped　in　gloom；　the
feeble　light　of　the　candle　only　lighting　Armand's　face　and　the
white　frill　of　his　shirt。　　The　young　man　put　the　taper　down　on　the
table　and　turned　to　his　visitor。

〃Shall　I　light　the　lamp？〃　he　asked。

〃Quite　unnecessary；〃　replied　Chauvelin　curtly。　　〃I　have　only　a
letter　to　deliver；　and　after　that　to　ask　you　one　brief　question。〃

From　the　pocket　of　his　coat　he　drew　the　letter　which　Blakeney　had
written　an　hour　ago。

〃The　prisoner　wrote　this　in　my　presence；〃　he　said　as　he　handed　the
letter　over　to　Armand。　　〃Will　you　read　it？〃

Armand　took　it　from　him；　and　sat　down　close　to　the　table；　leaning
forward　he　held　the　paper　near　the　light；　and　began　to　read。　　He
read　the　letter　through　very　slowly　to　the　end；　then　once　again
from　the　beginning。　　He　was　trying　to　do　that　which　Chauvelin　had
wished　to　do　an　hour　ago；　he　was　trying　to　find　the　inner　meaning
which　he　felt　must　inevitably　lie　behind　these　words　which　Percy
had　written　with　his　own　hand。

That　these　bare　words　were　but　a　blind　to　deceive　the　enemy　Armand
never　doubted　for　a　moment。　　In　this　he　was　as　loyal　as　Marguerite
would　have　been　herself。　　Never　for　a　moment　did　the　suspicion
cross　his　mind　that　Blakeney　was　about　to　play　the　part　of　a
coward；　but　he；　Armand；　felt　that　as　a　faithful　friend　and　follower
he　ought　by　instinct　to　know　exactly　what　his　chief　intended；　what
he　meant　him　to　do。

Swiftly　his　thoughts　flew　back　to　that　other　letter；　the　one　which
Marguerite　had　given　himthe　letter　full　of　pity　and　of　friendship
which　had　brought　him　hope　and　a　joy　and　peace　which　he　had　thought
at　one　time　that　he　would　never　know　again。　　And　suddenly　one　sentence
in　that　letter　stood　out　so　clearly　before　his　eyes　that　it　blurred
the　actual；　tangible　ones　on　the　paper　which　even　now　rustled　in　his　hand。



But　if　at　any　time　you　receive　another　letter　from　mebe　its
contents　what　they　mayact　in　accordance　with　the　letter；　but
send　a　copy　of　it　at　once　to　Ffoulkes　or　to　Marguerite。



Now　everything　seemed　at　once　quite　clear；　his　duty；　his　next
actions；　every　word　that　he　would　speak　to　Chauvelin。　　Those　that
Percy　had　written　to　him　were　already　indelibly　graven　on　his
memory。

Chauvelin　had　waited　with　his　usual　patience；　silent　and
imperturbable；　while　the　young　man　read。　　Now　when　he　saw　that
Armand　had　finished；　he　said　quietly：

〃Just　one　question；　citizen；　and　I　need　not　detain　you　longer。
But　first　will　you　kindly　give　me　back　that　letter？　　It　is　a
precious　document　which　will　for　ever　remain　in　the　archives　of
the　nation。〃

But　even　while　he　spoke　Armand；　with　one　of　those　quick　intuitions
that　come　in　moments　of　acute　crisis；　had　done　just　that　which　he
felt　Blakeney　would　wish　him　to　do。　He　had　held　the　letter　close
to　the　candle。　　A　corner　of　the　thin　crisp　paper　immediately
caught　fire；　and　before　Chauvelin　could　utter　a　word　of　anger；　or
make　a　movement　to　prevent　the　conflagration；　the　flames　had
licked　up　fully　one　half　of　the　letter；　and　Armand　had　only　just
time　to　throw　the　remainder　on　the　floor　and　to　stamp　out　the
blaze　with　his　foot。

〃I　am　sorry；　citizen；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃an　accident。〃

〃A　useless　act　of　devotion；〃　interposed　Chauvelin；　who　already　had
smothered　the　oath　that　had　risen　to　his　lips。　　The　Scarlet
Pimpernel's　actions　in　the　present　matter　will　not　lose　their
merited　publicity　through　the　foolish　destruction　of　this　document。〃

〃I　had　no　thought；　citizen；〃　retorted　the　young　man；　〃of
commenting　on　the　actions　of　my　chief；　or　of　trying　to　deny　them
that　publicity　which　you　seem　to　desire　for　them　almost　as　much　as
I　do。〃

〃More；　citizen；　a　great　deal　more！　　The　impeccable　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　the　noble　and　gallant　English　gentleman；　has　agreed　to
deliver　into　our　hands　the　uncrowned　King　of　Francein　exchange
for　his　own　life　and　freedom。　　Methinks　that　even　his　worst　enemy
would　not　wish　for　a　better　ending　to　a　career　of　adventure；　and　a
reputation　for　bravery　unequalled　in　Europe。　　But　no　more　of　this；
time　is　pressing；　I　must　help　citizen　Heron　with　his　final
preparations　for　his　journey。　　You；　of　course；　citizen　St。　Just；
will　act　in　accordance　with　Sir　Percy　Blakeney's　wishes？〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Armand。

〃You　will　present　yourself　at　the　main　entrance　of　the　house　of
Justice　at　six　o'clock　this　morning。〃

〃I　will　not　fail　you。〃

〃A　coach　will　be　provided　for　you。　　You　will　follow　the　expedition
as　hostage　for　the　good　faith　of　your　chief。〃

〃I　quite　understand。〃

〃H'm！　　That's　brave！　　You　have　no　fear；　citizen　St。　Just？〃

〃Fear　of　what；　sir？

〃You　will　be　a　hostage　in　our　hands；　citizen；　your　life　a
guarantee　that　your　chief　has　no　thought　of　playing　us　false。　　Now
I　was　thinking　ofof　certain　eventswhich　led　to　the　arrest　of
Sir　Percy　Blakeney。〃

〃Of　my　treachery；　you　mean；〃　rejoined　the　young　man　calmly；　even
though　his　face　had　suddenly　become　pale　as　death。　　〃Of　the
damnable　lie　wherewith　you　cheated　me　into　selling　my　honour；　and
made　me　what　I　ama　creature　scarce　fit　to　walk　upon　this　earth。〃

〃Oh！〃　protested　Chauvelin　blandly。

〃The　damnable　lie；〃　continued　Armand　more　vehemently；　〃that　hath
made　me　one　with　Cain　and　the　Iscariot。　When　you　goaded　me　into
the　hellish　act；　Jeanne　Lange　was　already　free。〃

〃Freebut　not　safe。〃

〃A　lie；　man！　　A　lie！　　For　which　you　are　thrice　accursed。　　Great
God；　is　it　not　you　that　should　have　cause　for　fear？　　Methinks　were
I　to　strangle　you　now　I　should　suffer　less　of　remorse。〃

〃And　would　be　rendering　your　ex…chief　but　a　sorry　service；〃
interposed　Chauvelin　with　quiet　irony。　　〃Sir　Percy　Blakeney　is　a
dying　man；　citizen　St。　Just；　he'll　be　a　dead　man　at　dawn　if　I　do
not　put　in　an　appearance　by　six　o'clock　this　morning。　　This　is　a
private　understanding　between　citizen　Heron　and　myself。　　We　agreed
to　it　before　I　came　to　see　you。〃

〃Oh；　you　take　care　of　your　own　miserable　skin　well　enough！　　But
you　need　not　be　afraid　of　meI　take　my　orders　from　my　chief；　and
he　has　not　ordered　me　to　kill　you。〃

〃That　was　kind　of　him。　　Then　we　may　count　on　you？　You　are　not
afraid？〃

〃Afraid　that　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　would　leave　me　in　the　lurch
because　of　the　immeasurable　wrong　I　have　done　to　him？〃　retorted
Armand；　proud　and　defiant　in　the　name　of　his　chief。　　〃No；　sir；　I
am　not　afraid　of　that；　I　have　spent　the　last　fortnight　in　praying
to　God　that　my　life　might　yet　be　given　for　his。〃

〃H'm！　I　think　it　most　unlikely　that　your　prayers　will　be　granted；
citizen；　prayers；　I　imagine；　so　very　seldom　are；　but　I　don't　know；
I　never　pray　myself。　　In　your　case；　now；　I　should　say　that　you
have　not　the　slightest　chance　of　the　Deity　interfering　in　so
pleasant　a　manner。　　Even　were　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　prepared　to　wreak
personal　revenge　on　you；　he　would　scarcely　be　so　foolish　as　to
risk　the　other　life　which　we　shall　also　hold　as　hostage　for　his
good　faith。〃

〃The　other　life？〃

〃Yes。　　Your　sister；　Lady　Blakeney；　will　also　join　the　expedition
to…morrow。　　This　Sir　Percy　does　not　yet　know；　but　it　will　come　as
a　pleasant　surprise　for　him。　　At　the　slightest　suspicion　of　false
play　on　Sir　Percy's　part；　at　his　slightest　attempt　at　escape；　your
life　and　that　of　your　sister　are　forfeit；　you　will　both　be
summarily　shot　before　his　eyes。　I　do　not　think　that　I　need　be　more
precise；　eh；　citizen　St。　Just？〃

The　young　man　was　quivering　with　passion。　　A　terrible　loathing　for
himself；　for　his　crime　which　had　been　the　precursor　of　this
terrible　situation；　filled　his　soul　to　the　verge　of　sheer　physical
nausea。　　A　red　film　gathered　before　his　eyes；　and　through　it　he
saw　the　grinning　face　of　the　inhuman　monster　who　had　planned　this
hideous；　abominable　thing。　　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　in　the　silence
and　the　hush　of　the　night；　above　the　feeble；　flickering　flame　that
threw　weird　shadows　around；　a　group　of　devils　were　surrounding
him；　and　were　shouting；　〃Kill　him！　　Kill　him　now！　　Rid　the　earth
of　this　hellish　brute！〃

No　doubt　if　Chauvelin　had　exhibited　the　slightest　sign　of　fear；　if
he　had　moved　an　inch　towards　the　door；　Armand；　blind　with　passion；
driven　to　madness　by　agonising　remorse　more　even　than　by　rage；
would　have　sprung　at　his　enemy's　throat　and　crushed　the　life　out
of　him　as　he　would　out　of　a　venomous　beast。　　But　the　man's　calm；
his　immobility；　recalled　St。　Just　to　himself。　　Reason；　that　had
almost　yielded　to　passion　again；　found　strength　to　drive　the　enemy
back　this　time；　to　whisper　a　warning；　an　admonition；　even　a
reminder。　　Enough　harm；　God　knows；　had　been　done　by　tempestuous
passion　already。　　And　God　alone　knew　what　terrible　consequences
its　tr