el dorado-第76节

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then　scrambling　down　from　the　box。

The　next　moment　the　carriage…door　was　pulled　open　from　without；
and　the　harsh　voice　called　out　peremptorily：

〃Citizen　soldier；　herequick！quick！curse　you！we'll　have　one
of　the　horses　down　if　you　don't　hurry！〃

The　soldier　struggled　to　his　feet；　it　was　never　good　to　be　slow　in
obeying　the　citizen　agent's　commands。　　He　was　half…asleep　and　no
doubt　numb　with　cold　and　long　sitting　still；　to　accelerate　his
movements　he　was　suddenly　gripped　by　the　arm　and　dragged
incontinently　out　of　the　coach。

Then　the　door　was　slammed　to　again；　either　by　a　rough　hand　or　a
sudden　gust　of　wind；　Marguerite　could　not　tell；　she　heard　a　cry　of
rage　and　one　of　terror；　and　Heron's　raucous　curses。　　She　cowered
in　the　corner　of　the　carriage　with　Armand's　head　against　her
shoulder；　and　tried　to　close　her　ears　to　all　those　hideous　sounds。

Then　suddenly　all　the　sounds　were　hushed　and　all　around　everything
became　perfectly　calm　and　stillso　still　that　at　first　the
silence　oppressed　her　with　a　vague；　nameless　dread。　　It　was　as　if
Nature　herself　had　paused；　that　she　might　listen；　and　the　silence
became　more　and　more　absolute；　until　Marguerite　could　hear
Armand's　soft；　regular　breathing　close　to　her　ear。

The　window　nearest　to　her　was　open；　and　as　she　leaned　forward　with
that　paralysing　sense　of　oppression　a　breath　of　pure　air　struck
full　upon　her　nostrils　and　brought　with　it　a　briny　taste　as　if
from　the　sea。

It　was　not　quite　so　dark；　and　there　was　a　sense　as　of　open　country
stretching　out　to　the　limits　of　the　horizon。　Overhead　a　vague
greyish　light　suffused　the　sky；　and　the　wind　swept　the　clouds　in
great　rolling　banks　right　across　that　light。

Marguerite　gazed　upward　with　a　more　calm　feeling　that　was　akin　to
gratitude。　　That　pale　light；　though　so　wan　and　feeble；　was　thrice
welcome　after　that　inky　blackness　wherein　shadows　were　less　dark
than　the　lights。　　She　watched　eagerly　the　bank　of　clouds　driven　by
the　dying　gale。

The　light　grew　brighter　and　faintly　golden；　now　the　banks　of
cloudsstorm…tossed　and　fleecyraced　past　one　another；　parted
and　reunited　like　veils　of　unseen　giant　dancers　waved　by　hands
that　controlled　infinite　spaceadvanced　and　rushed　and　slackened
speed　againunited　and　finally　tore　asunder　to　reveal　the　waning
moon；　honey…coloured　and　mysterious；　rising　as　if　from　an
invisible　ocean　far　away。

The　wan　pale　light　spread　over　the　wide　stretch　of　country；
throwing　over　it　as　it　spread　dull　tones　of　indigo　and　of　blue。
Here　and　there　sparse；　stunted　trees　with　fringed　gaunt　arms
bending　to　prevailing　winds　proclaimed　the　neighbourhood　of　the
sea。

Marguerite　gazed　on　the　picture　which　the　waning　moon　had　so
suddenly　revealed；　but　she　gazed　with　eyes　that　knew　not　what　they
saw。　　The　moon　had　risen　on　her　rightthere　lay　the　eastand　the
coach　must　have　been　travelling　due　north；　whereas　Crecy　。。。

In　the　absolute　silence　that　reigned　she　could　perceive　from　far；
very　far　away；　the　sound　of　a　church　clock　striking　the　midnight
hour；　and　now　it　seemed　to　her　supersensitive　senses　that　a　firm
footstep　was　treading　the　soft　earth；　a　footstep　that　drew
nearerand　then　nearer　still。

Nature　did　pause　to　listen。　　The　wind　was　hushed；　the　night…birds
in　the　forest　had　gone　to　rest。　　Marguerite's　heart　beat　so　fast
that　its　throbbings　choked　her；　and　a　dizziness　clouded　her
consciousness。

But　through　this　state　of　torpor　she　heard　the　opening　of　the
carriage　door；　she　felt　the　onrush　of　that　pure；　briny　air；　and
she　felt　a　long；　burning　kiss　upon　her　hands。

She　thought　then　that　she　was　really　dead；　and　that　God　in　His
infinite　love　had　opened　to　her　the　outer　gates　of　Paradise。

〃My　love！〃　she　murmured。

She　was　leaning　back　in　the　carriage　and　her　eyes　were　closed；　but
she　felt　that　firm　fingers　removed　the　irons　from　her　wrists；　and
that　a　pair　of　warm　lips　were　pressed　there　in　their　stead。

〃There；　little　woman；　that's　better　sois　it　not？　　Now　let　me　get
hold　of　poor　old　Armand！〃

It　was　Heaven；　of　course；　else　how　could　earth　hold　such　heavenly
joy？

〃Percy！〃　exclaimed　Armand　in　an　awed　voice。

〃Hush；　dear！〃　murmured　Marguerite　feebly；　〃we　are　in　Heaven　you
and　I〃

Whereupon　a　ringing　laugh　woke　the　echoes　of　the　silent　night。

〃In　Heaven；　dear　heart！〃　　And　the　voice　had　a　delicious　earthly
ring　in　its　whole…hearted　merriment。　〃Please　God；　you'll　both　be
at　Portel　with　me　before　dawn。〃

Then　she　was　indeed　forced　to　believe。　　She　put　out　her　hands　and
groped　for　him；　for　it　was　dark　inside　the　carriage；　she　groped；
and　felt　his　massive　shoulders　leaning　across　the　body　of　the
coach；　while　his　fingers　busied　themselves　with　the　irons　on
Armand's　wrist。

〃Don't　touch　that　brute's　filthy　coat　with　your　dainty　fingers；
dear　heart；〃　he　said　gaily。　　〃Great　Lord！　I　have　worn　that
wretch's　clothes　for　over　two　hours；　I　feel　as　if　the　dirt　had
penetrated　to　my　bones。〃

Then　with　that　gesture　so　habitual　to　him　he　took　her　head　between
his　two　hands；　and　drawing　her　to　him　until　the　wan　light　from
without　lit　up　the　face　that　he　worshipped；　he　gazed　his　fill　into
her　eyes。

She　could　only　see　the　outline　of　his　head　silhouetted　against　the
wind…tossed　sky；　she　could　not　see　his　eyes；　nor　his　lips；　but　she
felt　his　nearness；　and　the　happiness　of　that　almost　caused　her　to
swoon。

〃Come　out　into　the　open；　my　lady　fair；〃　he　murmured；　and　though
she　could　not　see；　she　could　feel　that　he　smiled；　〃let　God's　pure
air　blow　through　your　hair　and　round　your　dear　head。　　Then；　if　you
can　walk　so　far；　there's　a　small　half…way　house　close　by　here。　　I
have　knocked　up　the　none　too　amiable　host。　　You　and　Armand　could
have　half　an　hour's　rest　there　before　we　go　further　on　our　way。〃

〃But　you；　Percy？are　you　safe？〃

〃Yes；　m'dear；　we　are　all　of　us　safe　until　morning…time　enough　to
reach　Le　Portel；　and　to　be　aboard　the　Day…Dream　before　mine
amiable　friend　M。　Chambertin　has　discovered　his　worthy　colleague
lying　gagged　and　bound　inside　the　chapel　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre。
By　Gad！　how　old　Heron　will　cursethe　moment　he　can　open　his
mouth！〃

He　half　helped；　half　lifted　her　out　of　the　carriage。　　The　strong
pure　air　suddenly　rushing　right　through　to　her　lungs　made　her　feel
faint；　and　she　almost　fell。　　But　it　was　good　to　feel　herself
falling；　when　one　pair　of　arms　amongst　the　millions　on　the　earth
were　there　to　receive　her。

〃Can　you　walk；　dear　heart？〃　he　asked。　　〃Lean　well　on　meit　is　not
far；　and　the　rest　will　do　you　good。〃

〃But　you；　Percy〃

He　laughed；　and　the　most　complete　joy　of　living　seemed　to　resound
through　that　laugh。　　Her　arm　was　in　his；　and　for　one　moment　he
stood　still　while　his　eyes　swept　the　far　reaches　of　the　country；
the　mellow　distance　still　wrapped　in　its　mantle　of　indigo；　still
untouched　by　the　mysterious　light　of　the　waning　moon。

He　pressed　her　arm　against　his　heart；　but　his　right　hand　was
stretched　out　towards　the　black　wall　of　the　forest　behind　him；
towards　the　dark　crests　of　the　pines　in　which　the　dying　wind　sent
its　last　mournful　sighs。

〃Dear　heart；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　quivered　with　the　intensity
of　his　excitement；　〃beyond　the　stretch　of　that　wood；　from　far　away
over　there；　there　are　cries　and　moans　of　anguish　that　come　to　my
ear　even　now。　　But　for　you；　dear；　I　would　cross　that　wood　to…night
and　re…enter　Paris　to…morrow。　　But　for　you；　dearbut　for　you；〃　he
reiterated　earnestly　as　he　pressed　her　closer　to　him；　for　a　bitter
cry　had　risen　to　her　lips。

She　went　on　in　silence。　　Her　happiness　was　greatas　great　as　was
her　pain。　　She　had　found　him　again；　the　man　whom　she　worshipped；
the　husband　whom　she　thought　never　to　see　again　on　earth。　　She　had
found　him；　and　not　even　nownot　after　those　terrible　weeks　of
misery　and　suffering　unspeakablecould　she　feel　that　love　had
triumphed　over　the　wild；　adventurous　spirit；　the　reckless
enthusiasm；　the　ardour　of　self…sacrifice。



CHAPTER　XLIX
THE　LAND　OF　ELDORADO

It　seems　that　in　the　pocket　of　Heron's　coat　there　was　a
letter…case　with　some　few　hundred　francs。　It　was　amusing　to　think
that　the　brute's　money　helped　to　bribe　the　ill…tempered　keeper　of
the　half…way　house　to　receive　guests　at　midnight；　and　to　ply　them
well　with　food；　drink；　and　the　shelter　of　a　stuffy　coffee…room。

Marguerite　sat　silently　beside　her　husband；　her　hand　in　his。
Armand；　opposite　to　them；　had　both　elbows　on　the　table。　He　looked
pale　and　wan；　with　a　bandage　across　his　forehead；　and　his　glowing
eyes　were　resting　on　his　chief。

〃Yes！　you　demmed　young　idiot；〃　said　Blakeney　merrily；　〃you　nearly
upset　my　plan　in　the　end；　with　your　yelling　and　screaming　outside
the　chapel　gates。〃

〃I　wanted　to　get　to　you；　Percy。　I　thought　those　brutes　had　got　you
there　inside　that　building。〃

〃Not　they！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　was　my　friend　Heron　whom　they　had
trussed　and　gagged；　and　whom　my　amiable　friend　M。　Chambertin　will
find　in　there　to…morrow　morning。　　By　Gad！　　I　would　go　back　if　only
for　the　pleasure　of　hearing　Heron　curse　when　first　the　gag　is
taken　from　his　mouth。〃

〃But　how　was　it　all　done；　Percy？　And　there　was　de　Batz〃

〃De　Batz　was　part　of　the　scheme　I　had　planned　for　mine　own　escape
before　I　knew　that　those　brutes　meant　to　take　Marguerite　and　you