el dorado-第74节

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〃More　clearly；　citizen；〃　replied　the　sergeant。　　〃It　is　on　our
left；　quite　a　small　building；　I　think。〃

〃Then　dismount；　and　walk　all　round　it。　　See　that　there　are　no
windows　or　door　in　the　rear。〃

There　was　a　prolonged　silence；　during　which　those　distant　sounds
of　men　moving；　of　furtive　preparations　for　attack；　struck
distinctly　through　the　night。

Marguerite　and　Armand；　clinging　to　one　another；　not　knowing　what
to　think；　nor　yet　what　to　fear；　heard　the　sounds　mingling　with
those　immediately　round　them；　and　Marguerite　murmured　under　her
breath：

〃It　is　de　Batz　and　some　of　his　friends；　but　what　can　they　do？
What　can　Percy　hope　for　now？〃

But　of　Percy　she　could　hear　and　see　nothing。　　The　darkness　and　the
silence　had　drawn　their　impenetrable　veil　between　his　unseen
presence　and　her　own　consciousness。　　She　could　see　the　coach　in
which　he　was；　but　Heron's　hideous　personality；　his　head　with　its
battered　hat　and　soiled　bandage；　had　seemed　to　obtrude　itself
always　before　her　gaze；　blotting　out　from　her　mind　even　the
knowledge　that　Percy　was　there　not　fifty　yards　away　from　her。

So　strong　did　this　feeling　grow　in　her　that　presently　the　awful
dread　seized　upon　her　that　he　was　no　longer　there；　that　he　was
dead；　worn　out　with　fatigue　and　illness　brought　on　by　terrible
privations；　or　if　not　dead　that　he　had　swooned；　that　he　was
unconscioushis　spirit　absent　from　his　body。　She　remembered　that
frightful　yell　of　rage　and　hate　which　Heron　had　uttered　a　few
minutes　ago。　　Had　the　brute　vented　his　fury　on　his　helpless；
weakened　prisoner；　and　stilled　forever　those　lips　that；　mayhap；
had　mocked　him　to　the　last？

Marguerite　could　not　guess。　　She　hardly　knew　what　to　hope。
Vaguely；　when　the　thought　of　Percy　lying　dead　beside　his　enemy
floated　through　her　aching　brain；　she　was　almost　conscious　of　a
sense　of　relief　at　the　thought　that　at　least　he　would　be　spared
the　pain　of　the　final；　inevitable　cataclysm。



CHAPTER　XLVII
THE　CHAPEL　OF　THE　HOLY　SEPULCHRE

The　sergeant's　voice　broke　in　upon　her　misery。

The　man　had　apparently　done　as　the　citizen　agent　had　ordered；　and
had　closely　examined　the　little　building　that　stood　on　the　lefta
vague；　black　mass　more　dense　than　the　surrounding　gloom。

〃It　is　all　solid　stone；　citizen；〃　he　said；　〃iron　gates　in　front；
closed　but　not　locked；　rusty　key　in　the　lock；　which　turns　quite
easily；　no　windows　or　door　in　the　rear。〃

〃You　are　quite　sure？〃

〃Quite　certain；　citizen；　it　is　plain；　solid　stone　at　the　back；　and
the　only　possible　access　to　the　interior　is　through　the　iron　gate
in　front。〃

〃Good。〃

Marguerite　could　only　just　hear　Heron　speaking　to　the　sergeant。
Darkness　enveloped　every　form　and　deadened　every　sound。　　Even　the
harsh　voice　which　she　had　learned　to　loathe　and　to　dread　sounded
curiously　subdued　and　unfamiliar。　　Heron　no　longer　seemed　inclined
to　storm；　to　rage；　or　to　curse。　　The　momentary　danger；　the　thought
of　failure；　the　hope　of　revenge；　had　apparently　cooled　his　temper；
strengthened　his　determination；　and　forced　his　voice　down　to　a
little　above　a　whisper。　　He　gave　his　orders　clearly　and　firmly；
and　the　words　came　to　Marguerite　on　the　wings　of　the　wind　with
strange　distinctness；　borne　to　her　ears　by　the　darkness　itself；
and　the　hush　that　lay　over　the　wood。

〃Take　half　a　dozen　men　with　you；　sergeant；〃　she　beard　him　say；
〃and　join　citizen　Chauvelin　at　the　chateau。　　You　can　stable　your
horses　in　the　farm　buildings　close　by；　as　he　suggests　and　run　to
him　on　foot。　　You　and　your　men　should　quickly　get　the　best　of　a
handful　of　midnight　prowlers；　you　are　well　armed　and　they　only
civilians。　　Tell　citizen　Chauvelin　that　I　in　the　meanwhile　will
take　care　of　our　prisoners。　　The　Englishman　I　shall　put　in　irons
and　lock　up　inside　the　chapel；　with　five　men　under　the　command　of
your　corporal　to　guard　him；　the　other　two　I　will　drive　myself
straight　to　Crecy　with　what　is　left　of　the　escort。　　You
understand？〃

〃Yes；　citizen。〃

〃We　may　not　reach　Crecy　until　two　hours　after　midnight；　but
directly　I　arrive　I　will　send　citizen　Chauvelin　further
reinforcements；　which；　however；　I　hope　may　not　necessary；　but
which　will　reach　him　in　the　early　morning。　　Even　if　he　is
seriously　attacked；　he　can；　with　fourteen　men　he　will　have　with
him；　hold　out　inside　the　castle　through　the　night。　　Tell　him　also
that　at　dawn　two　prisoners　who　will　be　with　me　will　be　shot　in　the
courtyard　of　the　guard…house　at　Crecy；　but　that　whether　he　has　got
hold　of　Capet　or　not　he　had　best　pick　up　the　Englishman　in　the
chapel　in　the　morning　and　bring　him　straight　to　Crecy；　where　I
shall　be　awaiting　him　ready　to　return　to　Paris。　　You　understand？〃

〃Yes；　citizen。〃

〃Then　repeat　what　I　said。〃

〃I　am　to　take　six　men　with　me　to　reinforce　citizen　Chauvelin　now。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you；　citizen；　will　drive　straight　back　to　Crecy；　and　will
send　us　further　reinforcements　from　there；　which　will　reach　us　in
the　early　morning。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　are　to　hold　the　chateau　against　those　unknown　marauders　if
necessary　until　the　reinforcements　come　from　Crecy。　　Having　routed
them；　we　return　here；　pick　up　the　Englishman　whom　you　will　have
locked　up　in　the　chapel　under　a　strong　guard　commanded　by　Corporal
Cassard；　and　join　you　forthwith　at　Crecy。〃

〃This；　whether　citizen　Chauvelin　has　got　hold　of　Capet　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　citizen；　I　understand；〃　concluded　the　sergeant
imperturbably；　〃and　I　am　also　to　tell　citizen　Chauvelin　that　the
two　prisoners　will　be　shot　at　dawn　in　the　courtyard　of　the
guard…house　at　Crecy。〃

〃Yes。　　That　is　all。　　Try　to　find　the　leader　of　the　attacking
party；　and　bring　him　along　to　Crecy　with　the　Englishman；　but
unless　they　are　in　very　small　numbers　do　not　trouble　about　the
others。　　Now　en　avant；　citizen　Chauvelin　might　be　glad　of　your
help。　　Andstayorder　all　the　men　to　dismount；　and　take　the
horses　out　of　one　of　the　coaches；　then　let　the　men　you　are　taking
with　you　each　lead　a　horse；　or　even　two；　and　stable　them　all　in
the　farm　buildings。　　I　shall　not　need　them；　and　could　not　spare
any　of　my　men　for　the　work　later　on。　　Remember　that；　above　all；
silence　is　the　order。　　When　you　are　ready　to　start；　come　back　to
me　here。〃

The　sergeant　moved　away；　and　Marguerite　heard　him　transmitting　the
citizen　agent's　orders　to　the　soldiers。　The　dismounting　was
carried　on　in　wonderful　silencefor　silence　had　been　one　of　the
principal　commandsonly　one　or　two　words　reached　her　ears。

〃First　section　and　first　half　of　second　section　fall　in；　right
wheel。　　First　section　each　take　two　horses　on　the　lead。　　Quietly
now　there；　don't　tug　at　his　bridlelet　him　go。〃

And　after　that　a　simple　report：

〃All　ready；　citizen！〃

〃Good！〃　was　the　response。　　〃Now　detail　your　corporal　and　two　men
to　come　here　to　me；　so　that　we　may　put　the　Englishman　in　irons；
and　take　him　at　once　to　the　chapel；　and　four　men　to　stand　guard　at
the　doors　of　the　other　coach。〃

The　necessary　orders　were　given；　and　after　that　there　came　the
curt　command：

〃En　avant！〃

The　sergeant；　with　his　squad　and　all　the　horses；　was　slowly　moving
away　in　the　night。　　The　horses'　hoofs　hardly　made　a　noise　on　the
soft　carpet　of　pine…needles　and　of　dead　fallen　leaves；　but　the
champing　of　the　bits　was　of　course　audible；　and　now　and　then　the
snorting　of　some　poor；　tired　horse　longing　for　its　stable。

Somehow　in　Marguerite's　fevered　mind　this　departure　of　a　squad　of
men　seemed　like　the　final　flitting　of　her　last　hope；　the　slow
agony　of　the　familiar　sounds；　the　retreating　horses　and　soldiers
moving　away　amongst　the　shadows；　took　on　a　weird　significance。
Heron　had　given　his　last　orders。　　Percy；　helpless　and　probably
unconscious；　would　spend　the　night　in　that　dank　chapel；　while　she
and　Armand　would　be　taken　back　to　Crecy；　driven　to　death　like　some
insentient　animals　to　the　slaughter。

When　the　grey　dawn　would　first　begin　to　peep　through　the　branches
of　the　pines　Percy　would　be　led　back　to　Paris　and　the　guillotine；
and　she　and　Armand　will　have　been　sacrificed　to　the　hatred　and
revenge　of　brutes。

The　end　had　come；　and　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done。
Struggling；　fighting；　scheming；　could　be　of　no　avail　now；　but　she
wanted　to　get　to　her　husband；　she　wanted　to　be　near　him　now　that
death　was　so　imminent　both　for　him　and　for　her。

She　tried　to　envisage　it　all；　quite　calmly；　just　as　she　knew　that
Percy　would　wish　her　to　do。　　The　inevitable　end　was　there；　and　she
would　not　give　to　these　callous　wretches　here　the　gratuitous
spectacle　of　a　despairing　woman　fighting　blindly　against　adverse
Fate。

But　she　wanted　to　go　to　her　husband。　　She　felt　that　she　could　face
death　more　easily　on　the　morrow　if　she　could　but　see　him　once；　if
she　could　but　look　once　more　into　the　eyes　that　had　mirrored　so
much　enthusiasm；　such　absolute　vitality　and　whole…hearted
self…sacrifice；　and　such　an　intensity　of　love　and　passion；　if　she
Could　but　kiss　once　more　those　lips　that　had　smiled　through　life；
and　would　smile；　she　knew；　even　in　the　face　of　death。

She　tried　to　open　the　carriage　door；　but　it　was　held　from　without；
and　a　harsh　voice　cursed　her；　ordering　her　to　sit　still。

But　she　could　lean　out　of　the　window　and　strain　her　eyes　to　see。
They　were　by　now　accustomed　to　the　gloom；　the　dilated　pupils
ta