el dorado-第9节

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your　friends　the　credit　and　glory　of　snatching　the　golden　prize
from　the　clutches　of　these　murderous　brutes。　　Well；　we　shall　see！
We　shall　see　which　is　the　wiliestthe　French　ferret　or　the
English　fox。〃

He　walked　deliberately　away　from　the　busy　part　of　the　town；
turning　his　back　on　the　river；　stepping　out　briskly　straight
before　him；　and　swinging　his　gold…beaded　cane　as　he　walked。

The　streets　which　he　had　to　traverse　were　silent　and　deserted；
save　occasionally　where　a　drinking　or　an　eating　house　had　its
swing…doors　still　invitingly　open。　　From　these　places；　as　de　Batz
strode　rapidly　by；　came　sounds　of　loud　voices；　rendered　raucous　by
outdoor　oratory；　volleys　of　oaths　hurled　irreverently　in　the　midst
of　impassioned　speeches；　interruptions　from　rowdy　audiences　that
vied　with　the　speaker　in　invectives　and　blasphemies；　wordy
war…fares　that　ended　in　noisy　vituperations；　accusations　hurled
through　the　air　heavy　with　tobacco　smoke　and　the　fumes　of　cheap
wines　and　of　raw　spirits。

De　Batz　took　no　heed　of　these　as　he　passed；　anxious　only　that　the
crowd　of　eating…house　politicians　did　not；　as　often　was　its　wont；
turn　out　pele…mele　into　the　street；　and　settle　its　quarrel　by　the
weight　of　fists。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　embroiled　in　a　street
fight；　which　invariably　ended　in　denunciations　and　arrests；　and
was　glad　when　presently　he　had　left　the　purlieus　of　the　Palais
Royal　behind　him；　and　could　strike　on　his　left　toward　the　lonely
Faubourg　du　Temple。

From　the　dim　distance　far　away　came　at　intervals　the　mournful
sound　of　a　roll　of　muffled　drums；　half　veiled　by　the　intervening
hubbub　of　the　busy　night　life　of　the　great　city。　　It　proceeded
from　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　where　a　company　of　the　National
Guard　were　on　night　watch　round　the　guillotine。　　The　dull；
intermittent　notes　of　the　drum　came　as　a　reminder　to　the　free
people　of　France　that　the　watchdog　of　a　vengeful　revolution　was
alert　night　and　day；　never　sleeping；　ever　wakeful；　〃beating　up
game　for　the　guillotine；〃　as　the　new　decree　framed　to…day　by　the
Government　of　the　people　had　ordered　that　it　should　do。

From　time　to　time　now　the　silence　of　this　lonely　street　was　broken
by　a　sudden　cry　of　terror；　followed　by　the　clash　of　arms；　the
inevitable　volley　of　oaths；　the　call　for　help；　the　final　moan　of
anguish。　　They　were　the　ever…recurring　brief　tragedies　which　told
of　denunciations；　of　domiciliary　search；　of　sudden　arrests；　of　an
agonising　desire　for　life　and　for　freedomfor　life　under　these
same　horrible　conditions　of　brutality　and　of　servitude；　for
freedom　to　breathe；　if　only　a　day　or　two　longer；　this　air；
polluted　by　filth　and　by　blood。

De　Batz；　hardened　to　these　scenes；　paid　no　heed　to　them。　He　had
heard　it　so　often；　that　cry　in　the　night；　followed　by　death…like
silence；　it　came　from　comfortable　bourgeois　houses；　from　squalid
lodgings；　or　lonely　cul…de…sac；　wherever　some　hunted　quarry　was
run　to　earth　by　the　newly…organised　spies　of　the　Committee　of
General　Security。

Five　and　thirty　livres　for　every　head　that　falls　trunkless　into
the　basket　at　the　foot　of　the　guillotine！　　Five　and　thirty　pieces
of　silver；　now　as　then；　the　price　of　innocent　blood。　　Every　cry　in
the　night；　every　call　for　help；　meant　game　for　the　guillotine；　and
five　and　thirty　livres　in　the　hands　of　a　Judas。

And　de　Batz　walked　on　unmoved　by　what　he　saw　and　heard；　swinging
his　cane　and　looking　satisfied。　　Now　he　struck　into　the　Place　de
la　Victoire；　and　looked　on　one　of　the　open…air　camps　that　had
recently　been　established　where　men；　women；　and　children　were
working　to　provide　arms　and　accoutrements　for　the　Republican　army
that　was　fighting　the　whole　of　Europe。

The　people　of　France　were　up　in　arms　against　tyranny；　and　on　the
open　places　of　their　mighty　city　they　were　encamped　day　and　night
forging　those　arms　which　were　destined　to　make　them　free；　and　in
the　meantime　were　bending　under　a　yoke　of　tyranny　more　complete；
more　grinding　and　absolute　than　any　that　the　most　despotic　kings
had　ever　dared　to　inflict。

Here　by　the　light　of　resin　torches；　at　this　late　hour　of　the
night；　raw　lads　were　being　drilled　into　soldiers；　half…naked　under
the　cutting　blast　of　the　north　wind；　their　knees　shaking　tinder
them；　their　arms　and　legs　blue　with　cold；　their　stomachs　empty；
and　their　teeth　chattering　with　fear；　women　were　sewing　shirts　for
the　great　improvised　army；　with　eyes　straining　to　see　the　stitches
by　the　flickering　light　of　the　torches；　their　throats　parched　with
the　continual　inhaling　of　smoke…laden　air；　even　children；　with
weak；　clumsy　little　fingers；　were　picking　rags　to　be　woven　into
cloth　again　all；　all　these　slaves　were　working　far　into　the　night；
tired；　hungry；　and　cold；　but　working　unceasingly；　as　the　country
had　demanded　it：　　〃the　people　of　France　in　arms　against　tyranny！〃
The　people　of　France　had　to　set　to　work　to　make　arms；　to　clothe
the　soldiers；　the　defenders　of　the　people's　liberty。

And　from　this　crowd　of　peoplemen；　women；　and　childrenthere
came　scarcely　a　sound；　save　raucous　whispers；　a　moan　or　a　sigh
quickly　suppressed。　　A　grim　silence　reigned　in　this　thickly…peopled
camp；　only　the　crackling　of　the　torches　broke　that　silence　now　and
then；　or　the　flapping　of　canvas　in　the　wintry　gale。　　They　worked　on
sullen；　desperate；　and　starving；　with　no　hope　of　payment　save　the
miserable　rations　wrung　from　poor　tradespeople　or　miserable　farmers；
as　wretched；　as　oppressed　as　themselves；　no　hope　of　payment；　only
fear　of　punishment；　for　that　was　ever　present。

The　people　of　France　in　arms　against　tyranny　were　not　allowed　to
forget　that　grim　taskmaster　with　the　two　great　hands　stretched
upwards；　holding　the　knife　which　descended　mercilessly；
indiscriminately　on　necks　that　did　not　bend　willingly　to　the　task。

A　grim　look　of　gratified　desire　had　spread　over　de　Batz'　face　as
he　skirted　the　open…air　camp。　　Let　them　toil；　let　them　groan；　let
them　starve！　　The　more　these　clouts　suffer；　the　more　brutal　the
heel　that　grinds　them　down；　the　sooner　will　the　Emperor's　money
accomplish　its　work；　the　sooner　will　these　wretches　be　clamoring
for　the　monarchy；　which　would　mean　a　rich　reward　in　de　Batz'
pockets。

To　him　everything　now　was　for　the　best：　　the　tyranny；　the
brutality；　the　massacres。　　He　gloated　in　the　holocausts　with　as
much　satisfaction　as　did　the　most　bloodthirsty　Jacobin　in　the
Convention。　　He　would　with　his　own　hands　have　wielded　the
guillotine　that　worked　too　slowly　for　his　ends。　　Let　that　end
justify　the　means；　was　his　motto。　What　matter　if　the　future　King
of　France　walked　up　to　his　throne　over　steps　made　of　headless
corpses　and　rendered　slippery　with　the　blood　of　martyrs？

The　ground　beneath　de　Batz'　feet　was　hard　and　white　with　the
frost。　　Overhead　the　pale；　wintry　moon　looked　down　serene　and
placid　on　this　giant　city　wallowing　in　an　ocean　of　misery。

There；　had　been　but　little　snow　as　yet　this　year；　and　the　cold　was
intense。　　On　his　right　now　the　Cimetiere　des　SS。　　Innocents　lay
peaceful　and　still　beneath　the　wan　light　of　the　moon。　　A　thin
covering　of　snow　lay　evenly　alike　on　grass　mounds　and　smooth
stones。　　Here　and　there　a　broken　cross　with　chipped　arms　still
held　pathetically　outstretched；　as　if　in　a　final　appeal　for　human
love；　bore　mute　testimony　to　senseless　excesses　and　spiteful
desire　for　destruction。

But　here　within　the　precincts　of　the　dwelling　of　the　eternal
Master　a　solemn　silence　reigned；　only　the　cold　north　wind　shook
the　branches　of　the　yew；　causing　them　to　send　forth　a　melancholy
sigh　into　the　night；　and　to　shed　a　shower　of　tiny　crystals　of　snow
like　the　frozen　tears　of　the　dead。

And　round　the　precincts　of　the　lonely　graveyard；　and　down　narrow
streets　or　open　places；　the　night　watchmen　went　their　rounds；
lanthorn　in　hand；　and　every　five　minutes　their　monotonous　call
rang　clearly　out　in　the　night：

〃Sleep；　citizens！　everything　is　quiet　and　at　peace！〃



We　may　take　it　that　de　Batz　did　not　philosophise　over…much　on　what
went　on　around　him。　　He　had　walked　swiftly　up　the　Rue　St。　Martin；
then　turning　sharply　to　his　right　he　found　himself　beneath　the
tall；　frowning　walls　of　the　Temple　prison；　the　grim　guardian　of　so
many　secrets；　such　terrible　despair；　such　unspeakable　tragedies。

Here；　too；　as　in　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　an　intermittent　roll
of　muffled　drums　proclaimed　the　ever…watchful　presence　of　the
National　Guard。　　But　with　that　exception　not　a　sound　stirred　round
the　grim　and　stately　edifice；　there　were　no　cries；　no　calls；　no
appeals　around　its　walls。　　All　the　crying　and　wailing　was　shut　in
by　the　massive　stone　that　told　no　tales。

Dim　and　flickering　lights　shone　behind　several　of　the　small
windows　in　the　facade　of　the　huge　labyrinthine　building。　　Without
any　hesitation　de　Batz　turned　down　the　Rue　du　Temple；　and　soon
found　himself　in　front　of　the　main　gates　which　gave　on　the
courtyard　beyond。　　The　sentinel　challenged　him；　but　he　had　the
pass…word；　and　explained　that　he　desired　to　have　speech　with
citizen　Heron。

With　a　surly　gesture　the　guard　pointed　to　the　heavy　bell…pull　up
against　the　gate；　and　de　Batz　pulled　it　with　all　his　might。　　The
long　clang　of　the　brazen　bell　echoed　and　re…echoed　round　the　solid
stone　walls。　　Anon　a　tiny　judas　i