el dorado-第25章

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younger　man；　after　a　slight　hesitation。

〃Of　course。〃

Armand　rose；　pushing　the　chair　away　from　him　with　an　impatient
nervy　gesture。　　Burying　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　breeches；
he　began　striding　up　and　down　the　room；　a　dark；　troubled
expression　in　his　face；　a　deep　frown　between　his　eyes。

Blakeney　had　once　more　taken　up　his　favourite　position；　sitting　on
the　corner　of　the　table；　his　broad　shoulders　interposed　between
the　lamp　and　the　rest　of　the　room。　　He　was　apparently　taking　no
notice　of　Armand；　but　only　intent　on　the　delicate　operation　of
polishing　his　nails。

Suddenly　the　young　man　paused　in　his　restless　walk　and　stood　in
front　of　his　friendan　earnest；　solemn；　determined　figure。

〃Blakeney；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　leave　Paris　to…morrow。〃

Sir　Percy　made　no　reply。　　He　was　contemplating　the　polish　which　he
had　just　succeeded　in　producing　on　his　thumbnail。

〃I　must　stay　here　for　a　while　longer；〃　continued　Armand　firmly。
〃I　may　not　be　able　to　return　to　England　for　some　weeks。　　You　have
the　three　others　here　to　help　you　in　your　enterprise　outside
Paris。　　I　am　entirely　at　your　service　within　the　compass　of　its
walls。〃

Still　no　comment　from　Blakeney；　not　a　look　from　beneath　the　fallen
lids。　　Armand　continued；　with　a　slight　tone　of　impatience　apparent
in　his　voice：

〃You　must　want　some　one　to　help　you　here　on　Sunday。　I　am　entirely
at　your　service　。。。　here　or　anywhere　in　Paris　。。。　but　I　cannot
leave　this　city　。。。　at　any　rate；　not　just　yet。。。。〃

Blakeney　was　apparently　satisfied　at　last　with　the　result　of　his
polishing　operations。　　He　rose；　gave　a　slight　yawn；　and　turned
toward　the　door。

〃Good　night；　my　dear　fellow；〃　he　said　pleasantly；　〃it　is　time　we
were　all　abed。　　I　am　so　demmed　fatigued。〃

〃Percy！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man　hotly。

〃Eh？　　What　is　it？〃　queried　the　other　lazily。

〃You　are　not　going　to　leave　me　like　thiswithout　a　word？〃

〃I　have　said　a　great　many　words；　my　good　fellow。　　I　have　said
'good　night；'　and　remarked　that　I　was　demmed　fatigued。〃

He　was　standing　beside　the　door　which　led　to　his　bedroom；　and　now
he　pushed　it　open　with　his　hand。

〃Percy；　you　cannot　go　and　leave　me　like　this！〃　reiterated　Armand
with　rapidly　growing　irritation。

〃Like　what；　my　dear　fellow？〃　queried　Sir　Percy　with　good…humoured
impatience。

〃Without　a　wordwithout　a　sign。　　What　have　I　done　that　you　should
treat　me　like　a　child；　unworthy　even　of　attention？〃

Blakeney　had　turned　back　and　was　now　facing　him；　towering　above
the　slight　figure　of　the　younger　man。　　His　face　had　lost　none　of
its　gracious　air；　and　beneath　their　heavy　lids　his　eyes　looked
down　not　unkindly　on　his　friend。

〃Would　you　have　preferred　it；　Armand；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃if　I　had
said　the　word　that　your　ears　have　heard　even　though　my　lips　have
not　uttered　it？〃

〃I　don't　understand；〃　murmured　Armand　defiantly。

〃What　sign　would　you　have　had　me　make？〃　continued　Sir　Percy；　his
pleasant　voice　falling　calm　and　mellow　on　the　younger　man's
supersensitive　consciousness：　　〃That　of　branding　you；　Marguerite's
brother；　as　a　liar　and　a　cheat？〃

〃Blakeney！〃　retorted　the　other；　as　with　flaming　cheeks　and
wrathful　eyes　he　took　a　menacing　step　toward　his　friend；　〃had　any
man　but　you　dared　to　speak　such　words　to　me〃

〃I　pray　to　God；　Armand；　that　no　man　but　I　has　the　right　to　speak
them。〃

〃You　have　no　right。〃

〃Every　right；　my　friend。　　Do　I　not　hold　your　oath？　。。。　　Are　you
not　prepared　to　break　it？〃

〃I'll　not　break　my　oath　to　you。　　I'll　serve　and　help　you　in　every
way　you　can　command　。。。　my　life　I'll　give　to　the　cause　。。。　give　me
the　most　dangerousthe　most　difficult　task　to　perform。。。。　　I'll
do　itI'll　do　it　gladly。〃

〃I　have　given　you　an　over…difficult　and　dangerous　task。〃

〃Bah！　　To　leave　Paris　in　order　to　engage　horses；　while　you　and　the
others　do　all　the　work。　　That　is　neither　difficult　nor　dangerous。〃

〃It　will　be　difficult　for　you；　Armand；　because　your　head　Is　not
sufficiently　cool　to　foresee　serious　eventualities　and　to　prepare
against　them。　　It　is　dangerous；　because　you　are　a　man　in　love；　and
a　man　in　love　is　apt　to　run　his　headand　that　of　his　friends
blindly　into　a　noose。〃

〃Who　told　you　that　I　was　in　love？〃

〃You　yourself；　my　good　fellow。　　Had　you　not　told　me　so　at　the
outset；〃　he　continued；　still　speaking　very　quietly　and　deliberately
and　never　raising　his　voice；　〃I　would　even　now　be　standing　over　you；
dog…whip　in　hand；　to　thrash　you　as　a　defaulting　coward　and　a　perjurer
。。。。　　Bah！〃　he　added　with　a　return　to　his　habitual　bonhomie；　〃I　would
no　doubt　even　have　lost　my　temper　with　you。　　Which　would　have　been
purposeless　and　excessively　bad　form。　　Eh？〃

A　violent　retort　had　sprung　to　Armand's　lips。　　But　fortunately　at
that　very　moment　his　eyes；　glowing　with　anger；　caught　those　of
Blakeney　fixed　with　lazy　good…nature　upon　his。　　Something　of　that
irresistible　dignity　which　pervaded　the　whole　personality　of　the
man　checked　Armand's　hotheaded　words　on　his　lips。

〃I　cannot　leave　Paris　to…morrow；〃　he　reiterated　more　calmly。

〃Because　you　have　arranged　to　see　her　again？〃

〃Because　she　saved　my　life　to…day；　and　is　herself　in　danger。〃

〃She　is　in　no　danger；〃　said　Blakeney　simply；　〃since　she　saved　the
life　of　my　friend。〃

〃Percy！〃

The　cry　was　wrung　from　Armand　St。　Just's　very　soul。　Despite　the
tumult　of　passion　which　was　raging　in　his　heart；　he　was　conscious
again　of　the　magnetic　power　which　bound　so　many　to　this　man's
service。　　The　words　he　had　saidsimple　though　they　werehad　sent
a　thrill　through　Armand's　veins。　　He　felt　himself　disarmed。　　His
resistance　fell　before　the　subtle　strength　of　an　unbendable　will；
nothing　remained　in　his　heart　but　an　overwhelming　sense　of　shame
and　of　impotence。

He　sank　into　a　chair　and　rested　his　elbows　on　the　table；　burying
his　face　in　his　hands。　　Blakeney　went　up　to　him　and　placed　a
kindly　hand　upon　his　shoulder。

〃The　difficult　task；　Armand；〃　he　said　gently。

〃Percy；　cannot　you　release　me？　　She　saved　my　life。　　I　have　not
thanked　her　yet。〃

〃There　will　be　time　for　thanks　later；　Armand。　　Just　now　over
yonder　the　son　of　kings　is　being　done　to　death　by　savage　brutes。〃

〃I　would　not　hinder　you　if　I　stayed。〃

〃God　knows　you　have　hindered　us　enough　already。〃

〃How？〃

〃You　say　she　saved　your　life　。。。　then　you　were　in　danger　。。。　Heron
and　his　spies　have　been　on　your　track　your　track　leads　to　mine；
and　I　have　sworn　to　save　the　Dauphin　from　the　hands　of　thieves。。。。
A　man　in　love；　Armand；　is　a　deadly　danger　among　us。。。。　Therefore
at　daybreak　you　must　leave　Paris　with　Hastings　on　your　difficult
and　dangerous　task。〃

〃And　if　I　refuse？〃　retorted　Armand。

〃My　good　fellow；〃　said　Blakeney　earnestly；　〃in　that　admirable
lexicon　which　the　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　has　compiled　for
itself　there　is　no　such　word　as　refuse。〃

〃But　if　I　do　refuse？〃　persisted　the　other。

〃You　would　be　offering　a　tainted　name　and　tarnished　honour　to　the
woman　you　pretend　to　love。〃

〃And　you　insist　upon　my　obedience？〃

〃By　the　oath　which　I　hold　from　you。〃

〃But　this　is　cruelinhuman！〃

〃Honour；　my　good　Armand；　is　often　cruel　and　seldom　human。　　He　is　a
godlike　taskmaster；　and　we　who　call　ourselves　men　are　all　of　us
his　slaves。〃

〃The　tyranny　comes　from　you　alone。　　You　could　release　me　an　you
would。〃

〃And　to　gratify　the　selfish　desire　of　immature　passion；　you　would
wish　to　see　me　jeopardise　the　life　of　those　who　place　infinite
trust　in　me。〃

〃God　knows　how　you　have　gained　their　allegiance；　Blakeney。　　To　me
now　you　are　selfish　and　callous。〃

〃There　is　the　difficult　task　you　craved　for；　Armand；〃　was　all　the
answer　that　Blakeney　made　to　the　taunt〃　to　obey　a　leader　whom
you　no　longer　trust。〃

But　this　Armand　could　not　brook。　　He　had　spoken　hotly；
impetuously；　smarting　under　the　discipline　which　thwarted　his
desire；　but　his　heart　was　loyal　to　the　chief　whom　he　had
reverenced　for　so　long。

〃Forgive　me；　Percy；〃　he　said　humbly；　〃I　am　distracted。　I　don't
think　I　quite　realised　what　I　was　saying。　　I　trust　you；　of　course
。。。　implicitly　。。。　and　you　need　not　even　fear　。。。　I　shall　not
break　my　oath；　though　your　orders　now　seem　to　me　needlessly
callous　and　selfish。。。。　I　will　obey　。。。　you　need　not　be　afraid。〃

〃I　was　no