el dorado-第70节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


suave　manner；　〃but　our　worthy　host　informs　me　that　this　is　the
only　room　in　which　he　can　serve　a　meal。　Therefore　I　am　forced　to
intrude　my　presence　upon　you。〃

Though　he　spoke　with　outward　politeness；　his　tone　had　become　more
peremptory；　less　bland；　and　he　did　not　await　Marguerite's　reply
before　he　sat　down　opposite　to　her　and　continued　to　talk　airily。

〃An　ill…conditioned　fellow；　our　host；〃　he　said〃quite　reminds　me
of　our　friend　Brogard　at　the　Chat　Gris　in　Calais。　　You　remember
him；　Lady　Blakeney？〃

〃My　sister　is　giddy　and　over…tired；〃　interposed　Armand　firmly。　　〃I
pray　you；　citizen；　to　have　some　regard　for　her。〃

〃All　regard　in　the　world；　citizen　St。　Just；〃　protested　Chauvelin
jovially。　　〃Methought　that　those　pleasant　reminiscences　would
cheer　her。　　Ah！　here　comes　the　soup；〃　he　added；　as　a　man　in　blue
blouse　and　breeches；　with　sabots　on　his　feet；　slouched　into　the
room；　carrying　a　tureen　which　he　incontinently　placed　upon　the
table。　　〃I　feel　sure　that　in　England　Lady　Blakeney　misses　our
excellent　croutes…au…pot；　the　glory　of　our　bourgeois　cookeryLady
Blakeney；　a　little　soup？〃

〃I　thank　you；　sir；〃　she　murmured。

〃Do　try　and　eat　something；　little　mother；〃　Armand　whispered　in　her
ear；　〃try　and　keep　up　your　strength　for　his　sake；　if　not　for
mine。〃

She　turned　a　wan；　pale　face　to　him；　and　tried　to　smile。

〃I'll　try；　dear；〃　she　said。

〃You　have　taken　bread　and　meat　to　the　citizens　in　the　coach？〃
Chauvelin　called　out　to　the　retreating　figure　of　mine　host。

〃H'm！〃　grunted　the　latter　in　assent。

〃And　see　that　the　citizen　soldiers　are　well　fed；　or　there　will　be
trouble。〃

〃H'm！〃　grunted　the　man　again。　　After　which　he　banged　the　door　to
behind　him。

〃Citizen　Heron　is　loath　to　let　the　prisoner　out　of　his　sight；〃
explained　Chauvelin　lightly；　〃now　that　we　have　reached　the　last；
most　important　stage　of　our　journey；　so　he　is　sharing　Sir　Percy's
mid…day　meal　in　the　interior　of　the　coach。〃

He　ate　his　soup　with　a　relish；　ostentatiously　paying　many　small
attentions　to　Marguerite　all　the　time。　　He　ordered　meat　for
herbread；　butterasked　if　any　dainties　could　be　got。　　He　was
apparently　in　the　best　of　tempers。

After　he　had　eaten　and　drunk　he　rose　and　bowed　ceremoniously　to
her。

〃Your　pardon；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　must　confer　with　the
prisoner　now；　and　take　from　him　full　directions　for　the
continuance　of　our　journey。　　After　that　I　go　to　the　guard…house；
which　is　some　distance　from　here；　right　at　the　other　end　of　the
city。　　We　pick　up　a　fresh　squad　here；　twenty　hardened　troopers
from　a　cavalry　regiment　usually　stationed　at　Abbeville。　　They　have
had　work　to　do　in　this　town；　which　is　a　hot…bed　of　treachery。　　I
must　go　inspect　the　men　and　the　sergeant　who　will　be　in　command。
Citizen　Heron　leaves　all　these　inspections　to　me；　he　likes　to　stay
by　his　prisoner。　　In　the　meanwhile　you　will　be　escorted　back　to
your　coach；　where　I　pray　you　to　await　my　arrival；　when　we　change
guard　first；　then　proceed　on　our　way。〃

Marguerite　was　longing　to　ask　him　many　questions；　once　again　she
would　have　smothered　her　pride　and　begged　for　news　of　her　husband；
but　Chauvelin　did　not　wait。　　He　hurried　out　of　the　room；　and
Armand　and　Marguerite　could　hear　him　ordering　the　soldiers　to　take
them　forthwith　back　to　the　coach。

As　they　came　out　of　the　inn　they　saw　the　other　coach　some　fifty
metres　further　up　the　street。　　The　horses　that　had　done　duty　since
leaving　Abbeville　had　been　taken　out；　and　two　soldiers　in　ragged
shirts；　and　with　crimson　caps　set　jauntily　over　their　left　ear；
were　leading　the　two　fresh　horses　along。　　The　troopers　were　still
mounting　guard　round　both　the　coaches；　they　would　be　relieved
presently。

Marguerite　would　have　given　ten　years　of　her　life　at　this　moment
for　the　privilege　of　speaking　to　her　husband；　or　even　of　seeing
himof　seeing　that　he　was　well。　　A　quick；　wild　plan　sprang　up　in
her　mind　that　she　would　bribe　the　sergeant　in　command　to　grant　her
wish　while　citizen　Chauvelin　was　absent。　　The　man　had　not　an
unkind　face；　and　he　must　be　very　poorpeople　in　France　were　very
poor　these　days；　though　the　rich　had　been　robbed　and　luxurious
homes　devastated　ostensibly　to　help　the　poor。

She　was　about　to　put　this　sudden　thought　into　execution　when
Heron's　hideous　face；　doubly　hideous　now　with　that　bandage　of
doubtful　cleanliness　cutting　across　his　brow；　appeared　at　the
carriage　window。

He　cursed　violently　and　at　the　top　of　his　voice。

〃What　are　those　dd　aristos　doing　out　there？〃　he　shouted。

〃Just　getting　into　the　coach；　citizen；〃　replied　the　sergeant
promptly。

And　Armand　and　Marguerite　were　immediately　ordered　back　into　the
coach。

Heron　remained　at　the　window　for　a　few　moments　longer；　he　bad　a
toothpick　in　his　hand　which　he　was　using　very　freely。

〃How　much　longer　are　we　going　to　wait　in　this　cursed　hole？〃　he
called　out　to　the　sergeant。

〃Only　a　few　moments　longer；　citizen。　　Citizen　Chauvelin　will　be
back　soon　with　the　guard。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　clatter　of　cavalry　horses　on　the
rough；　uneven　pavement　drew　Marguerite's　attention。　　She　lowered
the　carriage　window　and　looked　out。　Chauvelin　had　just　returned
with　the　new　escort。　　He　was　on　horseback；　his　horse's　bridle；
since　he　was　but　an　indifferent　horseman；　was　held　by　one　of　the
troopers。

Outside　the　inn　he　dismounted；　evidently　he　had　taken　full　command
of　the　expedition；　and　scarcely　referred　to　Heron；　who　spent　most
of　his　time　cursing　at　the　men　or　the　weather　when　he　was　not
lying　half…asleep　and　partially　drunk　in　the　inside　of　the
carriage。

The　changing　of　the　guard　was　now　accomplished　quietly　and　in
perfect　order。　　The　new　escort　consisted　of　twenty　mounted　men；
including　a　sergeant　and　a　corporal；　and　of　two　drivers；　one　for
each　coach。　　The　cortege　now　was　filed　up　in　marching　order；　ahead
a　small　party　of　scouts；　then　the　coach　with　Marguerite　and　Armand
closely　surrounded　by　mounted　men；　and　at　a　short　distance　the
second　coach　with　citizen　Heron　and　the　prisoner　equally　well
guarded。

Chauvelin　superintended　all　the　arrangements　himself。　He　spoke　for
some　few　moments　with　the　sergeant；　also　with　the　driver　of　his
own　coach。　　He　went　to　the　window　of　the　other　carriage；　probably
in　order　to　consult　with　citizen　Heron；　or　to　take　final
directions　from　the　prisoner；　for　Marguerite；　who　was　watching
him；　saw　him　standing　on　the　step　and　leaning　well　forward　into
the　interior；　whilst　apparently　he　was　taking　notes　on　a　small
tablet　which　he　had　in　his　hand。

A　small　knot　of　idlers　had　congregated　in　the　narrow　street；　men
in　blouses　and　boys　in　ragged　breeches　lounged　against　the
verandah　of　the　inn　and　gazed　with　inexpressive；　stolid　eyes　on
the　soldiers；　the　coaches；　the　citizen　who　wore　the　tricolour
scarf。　　They　had　seen　this　sort　of　thing　before　nowaristos　being
conveyed　to　Paris　under　arrest；　prisoners　on　their　way　to　or　from
Amiens。　　They　saw　Marguerite's　pale　face　at　the　carriage　window。
It　was　not　the　first　woman's　face　they　had　seen　under　like
circumstances；　and　there　was　no　special　interest　about　this
aristo。　　They　were　smoking　or　spitting；　or　just　lounging　idly
against　the　balustrade。　　Marguerite　wondered　if　none　of　them　had
wife；　sister；　or　mother；　or　child；　if　every　sympathy；　every　kind
of　feeling　in　these　poor　wretches　had　been　atrophied　by　misery　or
by　fear。

At　last　everything　was　in　order　and　the　small　party　ready　to
start。

〃Does　any　one　here　know　the　Chapel　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre；　close　by
the　park　of　the　Chateau　d'Ourde？〃　asked　Chauvelin；　vaguely
addressing　the　knot　of　gaffers　that　stood　closest　to　him。

The　men　shook　their　heads。　　Some　had　dimly　heard　of　the　Chateau
d'Ourde；　it　was　some　way　in　the　interior　of　the　forest　of
Boulogne；　but　no　one　knew　about　a　chapel；　people　did　not　trouble
about　chapels　nowadays。　　With　the　indifference　so　peculiar　to
local　peasantry；　these　men　knew　no　more　of　the　surrounding　country
than　the　twelve　or　fifteen　league　circle　that　was　within　a　walk　of
their　sleepy　little　town。

One　of　the　scouts　on　ahead　turned　in　his　saddle　and　spoke　to
citizen　Chauvelin：

〃I　think　I　know　the　way　pretty　well；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　said；
〃at　any　rate；　I　know　it　as　far　as　the　forest　of　Boulogne。〃

Chauvelin　referred　to　his　tablets。

〃That's　good；〃　he　said；　〃then　when　you　reach　the　mile…stone　that
stands　on　this　road　at　the　confine　of　the　forest；　bear　sharply　to
your　right　and　skirt　the　wood　until　you　see　the　hamlet　ofLe
something。　　LeLeyesLe　Crocqthat's　it　in　the　valley　below。〃

〃I　know　Le　Crocq；　I　think；〃　said　the　trooper。

〃Very　well；　then；　at　that　point　it　seems　that　a　wide　road　strikes
at　right　angles　into　the　interior　of　the　forest；　you　follow　that
until　a　stone　chapel　with　a　colonnaded　porch　stands　before　you　on
your　left；　and　the　walls　and　gates　of　a　park　on　your　right。　　That
is　so；　is　it　not；　Sir　Percy？〃　he　added；　once　more　turning　towards
the　interior　of　the　coach。

Apparently　the　answer　satisfied　him；　for　he　gave　the　quick　word　of
command；　〃En　avant！〃　then　turned　back　towards　his　own　coach　and
finally　entered　it。

〃Do　you　know　the　Chateau　d'Ourde；　citizen　St。　Just？〃　he　asked
abruptly　as　soon　as　the　carriage　began　to　move。

Armand　wokeas　was　ha