el dorado-第31章
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coal…dust； with the perspiration streaming down his face； did
certainly not look like an aristocrat in disguise。 It was never
very difficult to enter the great city； if one wished to put one's
head in the lion's mouth； one was welcome to do so； the difficulty
came when the lion thought fit to close his jaws。
Armand； after five minutes of tense anxiety； was allowed to cross
the barrier； but his certificate of safety was detained。 He would
have to get another from the Committee of General Security before
he would be allowed to leave Paris again。
The lion had thought fit to close his jaws。
CHAPTER XVI
THE WEARY SEARCH
Blakeney was not at his lodgings when Armand arrived there that
evening； nor did he return； whilst the young man haunted the
precincts of St。 Germain l'Auxerrois and wandered along the quays
hours and hours at a stretch； until he nearly dropped under the
portico of a house； and realised that if he loitered longer he
might lose consciousness completely； and be unable on the morrow
to be of service to Jeanne。
He dragged his weary footsteps back to his own lodgings on the
heights of Montmartre。 He had not found Percy； he had no news of
Jeanne； it seemed as if hell itself could hold no worse tortures
than this intolerable suspense。
He threw himself down on the narrow palliasse and； tired nature
asserting herself； at last fell into a heavy； dreamless torpor；
like the sleep of a drunkard； deep but without the beneficent aid
of rest。
It was broad daylight when he awoke。 The pale light of a damp；
wintry morning filtered through the grimy panes of the window。
Armand jumped out of bed； aching of limb but resolute of mind。
There was no doubt that Percy had failed in discovering Jeanne's
whereabouts； but where a mere friend had failed a lover was more
likely to succeed。
The rough clothes which he had worn yesterday were the only ones
he had。 They would； of course； serve his purpose better than his
own； which he had left at Blakeney's lodgings yesterday。 In half
an hour he was dressed； looking a fairly good imitation of a
labourer out of work。
He went to a humble eating house of which he knew； and there；
having ordered some hot coffee with a hunk of bread； he set
himself to think。
It was quite a usual thing these days for relatives and friends of
prisoners to go wandering about from prison to prison to find out
where the loved ones happened to be detained。 The prisons were
over full just now； convents； monasteries； and public institutions
had all been requisitioned by the Government for the housing of
the hundreds of so…called traitors who had been arrested on the
barest suspicion； or at the mere denunciation of an evil…wisher。
There were the Abbaye and the Luxembourg； the erstwhile convents
of the Visitation and the Sacre…Coeur； the cloister of the
Oratorians； the Salpetriere； and the St。 Lazare hospitals； and
there was； of course； the Temple； and； lastly； the Conciergerie；
to which those prisoners were brought whose trial would take place
within the next few days； and whose condemnation was practically
assured。
Persons under arrest at some of the other prisons did sometimes
come out of them alive； but the Conciergerie was only the
ante…chamber of the guillotine。
Therefore Armand's idea was to visit the Conciergerie first。 The
sooner he could reassure himself that Jeanne was not in immediate
danger the better would he be able to endure the agony of that
heart…breaking search； that knocking at every door in the hope of
finding his beloved。
If Jeanne was not in the Conciergerie； then there might be some
hope that she was only being temporarily detained； and through
Armand's excited brain there had already flashed the thought that
mayhap the Committee of General Security would release her if he
gave himself up。
These thoughts； and the making of plans； fortified him mentally
and physically； he even made a great effort to eat and drink；
knowing that his bodily strength must endure if it was going to he
of service to Jeanne。
He reached the Quai de l'Horloge soon after nine。 The grim；
irregular walls of the Chatelet and the house of Justice loomed
from out the mantle of mist that lay on the river banks。 Armand
skirted the square clock…tower； and passed through the monumental
gateways of the house of Justice。
He knew that his best way to the prison would be through the halls
and corridors of the Tribunal； to which the public had access
whenever the court was sitting。 The sittings began at ten； and
already the usual crowd of idlers were assemblingmen and women
who apparently had no other occupation save to come day after day
to this theatre of horrors and watch the different acts of the
heartrending dramas that were enacted here with a kind of awful
monotony。
Armand mingled with the crowd that stood about the courtyard； and
anon moved slowly up the gigantic flight of stone steps； talking
lightly on indifferent subjects。 There was quite a goodly
sprinkling of workingmen amongst this crowd； and Armand in his
toil…stained clothes attracted no attention。
Suddenly a word reached his earjust a name flippantly spoken by
spiteful lipsand it changed the whole trend of his thoughts。
Since he had risen that morning he had thought of nothing but of
Jeanne； andin connection with herof Percy and his vain quest
of her。 Now that name spoken by some one unknown brought his mind
back to more definite thoughts of his chief。
〃Capet！〃 the nameintended as an insult； but actually merely
irrelevantwhereby the uncrowned little King of France was
designated by the revolutionary party。
Armand suddenly recollected that to…day was Sunday； the 19th of
January。 He had lost count of days and of dates lately； but the
name； 〃Capet；〃 had brought everything back： the child in the
Temple； the conference in Blakeney's lodgings； the plans for the
rescue of the boy。 That was to take place to…daySunday； the
19th。 The Simons would be moving from the Temple； at what hour
Blakeney did not know； but it would be today； and he would be
watching his opportunity。
Now Armand understood everything； a great wave of bitterness swept
over his soul。 Percy had forgotten Jeanne！ He was busy thinking
of the child in the Temple； and whilst Armand had been eating out
his heart with anxiety； the Scarlet Pimpernel； true only to his
mission； and impatient of all sentiment that interfered with his
schemes； had left Jeanne to pay with her life for the safety of
the uncrowned King。
But the bitterness did not last long； on the contrary； a kind of
wild exultation took its place。 If Percy had forgotten； then
Armand could stand by Jeanne alone。 It was better so！ He would
save the loved one； it was his duty and his right to work for her
sake。 Never for a moment did he doubt that he could save her；
that his life would be readily accepted in exchange for hers。
The crowd around him was moving up the monumental steps； and
Armand went with the crowd。 It lacked but a few minutes to ten
now； soon the court would begin to sit。 In the olden days； when he
was studying for the law； Armand had often wandered about at will
along the corridors of the house of Justice。 He knew exactly
where the different prisons were situated about the buildings； and
how to reach the courtyards where the prisoners took their daily
exercise。
To watch those aristos who were awaiting trial and death taking
their recreation in these courtyards had become one of the sights
of Paris。 Country cousins on a visit to the city were brought
hither for entertainment。 Tall iron gates stood between the
public and the prisoners； and a row of sentinels guarded these
gates； but if one was enterprising and eager to see； one could
glue one's nose against the ironwork and watch the ci…devant
aristocrats in threadbare clothes trying to cheat their horror of
death by acting a farce of light…heartedness which their wan faces
and tear…dimmed eyes effectually belied。
All this Armand knew； and on this he counted。 For a little while
he joined the crowd in the Salle des Pas Perdus； and wandered idly
up and down the majestic colonnaded hall。 He even at one
