el dorado-第42章
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helping Sir Andrew to put the horse in the shafts of the
coal…cart； 〃they cannot come to much harm。 Some poor devil might
steal them； in order to escape from those vile brutes in the city。
If so； God speed him； say I。 I'll compensate my friend the farmer
of St。 Germain for their loss at an early opportunity。 And now；
good…bye； my dear fellow！ Some time to…night； if possible； you
shall hear direct news of meif not； then to…morrow or the day
after that。 Good…bye； and Heaven guard you！〃
〃God guard you； Blakeney！〃 said Sir Andrew fervently。
He jumped into the cart and gathered up the reins。 His heart was
heavy as lead； and a strange mist had gathered in his eyes；
blurring the last dim vision which he had of his chief standing
all alone in the gloom； his broad； magnificent figure looking
almost weirdly erect and defiant； his head thrown back； and his
kind； lazy eyes watching the final departure of his most faithful
comrade and friend。
CHAPTER XXII
OF THAT THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION
Blakeney had more than one pied…a…terre in Paris； and never stayed
longer than two or three days in any of these。 It was not
difficult for a single man； be he labourer or bourgeois； to obtain
a night's lodging； even in these most troublous times； and in any
quarter of Paris； provided the rentout of all proportion to the
comfort and accommodation givenwas paid ungrudgingly and in
advance。
Emigration and； above all； the enormous death…roll of the past
eighteen months； had emptied the apartment houses of the great
city； and those who had rooms to let were only too glad of a
lodger； always providing they were not in danger of being worried
by the committees of their section。
The laws framed by these same committees now demanded that all
keepers of lodging or apartment houses should within twenty…four
hours give notice at the bureau of their individual sections of
the advent of new lodgers； together with a description of the
personal appearance of such lodgers； and an indication of their
presumed civil status and occupation。 But there was a margin of
twenty…four hours； which could on pressure be extended to
forty…eight； and； therefore； any one could obtain shelter for
forty…eight hours； and have no questions asked； provided he or she
was willing to pay the exorbitant sum usually asked under the
circumstances。
Thus Blakeney had no difficulty in securing what lodgings he
wanted when he once more found himself inside Paris at somewhere
about noon of that same Monday。
The thought of Hastings and Tony speeding on towards Mantes with
the royal child safely held in Hastings' arms had kept his spirits
buoyant and caused him for a while to forget the terrible peril in
which Armand St。 Just's thoughtless egoism had placed them both。
Blakeney was a man of abnormal physique and iron nerve； else he
could never have endured the fatigues of the past twenty…four
hours； from the moment when on the Sunday afternoon he began to
play his part of furniture…remover at the Temple； to that when at
last on Monday at noon he succeeded in persuading the sergeant at
the Maillot gate that he was an honest stonemason residing at
Neuilly； who was come to Paris in search of work。
After that matters became more simple。 Terribly foot…sore； though
he would never have admitted it； hungry and weary； he turned into
an unpretentious eating…house and ordered some dinner。 The place
when he entered was occupied mostly by labourers and workmen；
dressed very much as he was himself； and quite as grimy as he had
become after having driven about for hours in a laundry…cart and
in a coal…cart； and having walked twelve kilometres； some of which
he had covered whilst carrying a sleeping child in his arms。
Thus； Sir Percy Blakeney； Bart。； the friend and companion of the
Prince of Wales； the most fastidious fop the salons of London and
Bath had ever seen； was in no way distinguishable outwardly from
the tattered； half…starved； dirty； and out…at…elbows products of
this fraternising and equalising Republic。
He was so hungry that the ill…cooked； badly…served meal tempted
him to eat； and he ate on in silence； seemingly more interested in
boiled beef than in the conversation that went on around him。 But
he would not have been the keen and daring adventurer that he was
if he did not all the while keep his ears open for any fragment of
news that the desultory talk of his fellow…diners was likely to
yield to him。
Politics were； of course； discussed； the tyranny of the sections；
the slavery that this free Republic had brought on its citizens。
The names of the chief personages of the day were all mentioned in
turns Focquier…Tinville； Santerre； Danton； Robespierre。 Heron and
his sleuth…hounds were spoken of with execrations quickly
suppressed； but of little Capet not one word。
Blakeney could not help but infer that Chauvelin； Heron and the
commissaries in charge were keeping the escape of the child a
secret for as long as they could。
He could hear nothing of Armand's fate； of course。 The arrestif
arrest there had beenwas not like to be bruited abroad just now。
Blakeney having last seen Armand in Chauvelin's company； whilst he
himself was moving the Simons' furniture； could not for a moment
doubt that the young man was imprisoned；unless； indeed； he was
being allowed a certain measure of freedom； whilst his every step
was being spied on； so that he might act as a decoy for his chief。
At thought of that all weariness seemed to vanish from Blakeney's
powerful frame。 He set his lips firmly together； and once again
the light of irresponsible gaiety danced in his eyes。
He had been in as tight a corner as this before now； at Boulogne
his beautiful Marguerite had been used as a decoy； and twenty…four
hours later he had held her in his arms on board his yacht the
Day…Dream。 As he would have put it in his own forcible
language：
〃Those dd murderers have not got me yet。〃
The battle mayhap would this time be against greater odds than
before； but Blakeney had no fear that they would prove
overwhelming。
There was in life but one odd that was overwhelming； and that was
treachery。
But of that there could be no question。
In the afternoon Blakeney started off in search of lodgings for
the night。 He found what would suit him in the Rue de l'Arcade；
which was equally far from the House of Justice as it was from his
former lodgings。 Here he would be safe for at least twenty…four
hours； after which he might have to shift again。 But for the
moment the landlord of the miserable apartment was over…willing to
make no fuss and ask no questions； for the sake of the money which
this aristo in disguise dispensed with a lavish hand。
Having taken possession of his new quarters and snatched a few
hours of sound； well…deserved rest； until the time when the shades
of evening and the darkness of the streets would make progress
through the city somewhat more safe； Blakeney sallied forth at
about six o'clock having a threefold object in view。
Primarily； of course； the threefold object was concentrated on
Armand。 There was the possibility of finding out at the young
man's lodgings in Montmartre what had become of him； then there
were the usual inquiries that could be made from the registers of
the various prisons； and； thirdly； there was the chance that
Armand had succeeded in sending some kind of message to Blakeney's
former lodgings in the Rue St。 Germain l'Auxerrois。
On the whole； Sir Percy decided to leave the prison registers
alone for the present。 If Armand had been actually arrested； he
would almost certainly be confined in the Chatelet prison； where
he would be closer to hand for all the interrogatories to which；
no doubt； he would be subjected。
Blakeney set his teeth and murmured a good； sound； British oath
when he thought of those interrogatories。 Armand St。 Just； highly
strung； a dreamer and a bundle of nerveshow he would suffer
under the mental rack of questions and cross…questions；
cleverly…laid traps to catch information from him unawares！
His next objective； then； was Armand's former lodging； and from
six o'clock until close upon eight Sir Percy h
