el dorado-第44章
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With an instinct which he somehow felt could not err at this
moment； Blakeney knew that the message was one from Armand to
himself； a written message； too； sinceinstinctively when he
spokethe boy clutched at his thin shirt； as if trying to guard
something precious that had been entrusted to him。
〃I will deliver the message myself； sonny；〃 said Blakeney gruffly。
〃I know the citizen for whom it is intended。 He would not like
the concierge to see it。〃
〃Oh！ I would not give it to the concierge；〃 said the boy。 〃I
would take it upstairs myself。〃
〃My son；〃 retorted Blakeney； 〃let me tell you this。 You are going
to give that message up to me and I will put five whole livres
into your hand。〃
Blakeney； with all his sympathy aroused for this poor pale…faced
lad； put on the airs of a ruffianly bully。 He did not wish that
message to be taken indoors by the lad； for the concierge might
get hold of it； despite the boy's protests and tears； and after
that Blakeney would perforce have to disclose himself before it
would be given up to him。 During the past week the concierge had
been very amenable to bribery。 Whatever suspicions he had had
about his lodger he had kept to himself for the sake of the money
which he received； but it was impossible to gauge any man's trend
of thought these days from one hour to the next。 Somethingfor
aught Blakeney knewmight have occurred in the past twenty…four
hours to change an amiable and accommodating lodging…house keeper
into a surly or dangerous spy。
Fortunately； the concierge had once more gone within； there was no
one abroad； and if there were； no one probably would take any
notice of a burly ruffian brow…beating a child。
〃Allons！〃 he said gruffly； 〃give me the letter； or that five
livres goes back into my pocket。〃
〃Five livres！〃 exclaimed the child with pathetic eagerness。 〃Oh；
citizen！〃
The thin little hand fumbled under the rags； but it reappeared
again empty； whilst a faint blush spread over the hollow cheeks。
〃The other citizen also gave me five livres；〃 he said humbly。 〃He
lodges in the house where my mother is concierge。 It is in the
Rue de la Croix Blanche。 He has been very kind to my mother。 I
would rather do as he bade me。〃
〃Bless the lad；〃 murmured Blakeney under his breath； 〃his loyalty
redeems many a crime of this God…forsaken city。 Now I suppose I
shall have to bully him； after all。〃
He took his hand out of his breeches pocket； between two very
dirty fingers he held a piece of gold。 The other hand he placed
quite roughly on the lad's chest。
〃Give me the letter；〃 he said harshly； 〃or〃
He pulled at the ragged blouse； and a scrap of soiled paper soon
fell into his hand。 The lad began to cry。
〃Here；〃 said Blakeney； thrusting the piece of gold into the thin
small palm； 〃take this home to your mother； and tell your lodger
that a big； rough man took the letter away from you by force。 Now
run； before I kick you out of the way。〃
The lad； terrified out of his poor wits； did not wait for further
commands； he took to his heels and ran； his small hand clutching
the piece of gold。 Soon he had disappeared round the corner of
the street。
Blakeney did not at once read the paper； he thrust it quickly into
his breeches pocket and slouched away slowly down the street； and
thence across the Place du Carrousel； in the direction of his new
lodgings in the Rue de l'Arcade。
It was only when he found himself alone in the narrow； squalid
room which he was occupying that he took the scrap of paper from
his pocket and read it slowly through。 It said：
Percy； you cannot forgive me； nor can I ever forgive myself； but
if you only knew what I have suffered for the past two days you
would； I think； try and forgive。 I am free and yet a prisoner； my
every footstep is dogged。 What they ultimately mean to do with me
I do not know。 And when I think of Jeanne I long for the power to
end mine own miserable existence。 Percy！ she is still in the
hands of those fiends。。。。 I saw the prison register； her name
written there has been like a burning brand on my heart ever
since。 She was still in prison the day that you left Paris；
to…morrow； to…night mayhap； they will try her； condemn her；
torture her； and I dare not go to see you； for I would only be
bringing spies to your door。 But will you come to me； Percy？ It
should be safe in the hours of the night； and the concierge is
devoted to me。 To…night at ten o'clock she will leave the
porte…cochere unlatched。 If you find it so； and if on the ledge of
the window immediately on your left as you enter you find a candle
alight； and beside it a scrap of paper with your initials S。 P。
traced on it； then it will be quite safe for you to come up to my
room。 It is on the second landinga door on your rightthat too
I will leave on the latch。 But in the name of the woman you love
best in all the world come at once to me then； and hear in mind；
Percy； that the woman I love is threatened with immediate death；
and that I am powerless to save her。 Indeed； believe me； I would
gladly die even now hut for the thought of Jeanne； whom I should
be leaving in the hands of those fiends。 For God's sake； Percy；
remember that Jeanne is all the world to me。
〃Poor old Armand；〃 murmured Blakeney with a kindly smile directed
at the absent friend； 〃he won't trust me even now。 He won't trust
his Jeanne in my hands。 Well；〃 he added after a while； 〃after all；
I would not entrust Marguerite to anybody else either。〃
CHAPTER XXIII
THE OVERWHELMING ODDS
At half…past ten that same evening； Blakeney； still clad in a
workman's tattered clothes； his feet Bare so that he could tread
the streets unheard； turned into the Rue de la Croix Blanche。
The porte…cochere of the house where Armand lodged had been left
on the latch； not a soul was in sight。 Peering cautiously round；
he slipped into the house。 On the ledge of the window；
immediately on his left when he entered； a candle was left
burning； and beside it there was a scrap of paper with the
initials S。 P。 roughly traced in pencil。 No one challenged him as
he noiselessly glided past it； and up the narrow stairs that led
to the upper floor。 Here； too； on the second landing the door on
the right had been left on the latch。 He pushed it open and
entered。
As is usual even in the meanest lodgings in Paris houses； a small
antechamber gave between the front door and the main room。 When
Percy entered the antechamber was unlighted； but the door into the
inner room beyond was ajar。 Blakeney approached it with noiseless
tread； and gently pushed it open。
That very instant he knew that the game was up； he heard the
footsteps closing up behind him； saw Armand； deathly pale； leaning
against the wall in the room in front of him； and Chauvelin and
Heron standing guard over him。
The next moment the room and the antechamber were literally alive
with soldierstwenty of them to arrest one man。
It was characteristic of that man that when hands were laid on him
from every side he threw back his head and laughedlaughed
mirthfully； light…heartedly； and the first words that escaped his
lips were：
〃Well； I am dd！〃
〃The odds are against you； Sir Percy；〃 said Chauvelin to him in
English； whilst Heron at the further end of the room was growling
like a contented beast。
〃By the Lord； sir；〃 said Percy with perfect sang…froid； 〃I do
believe that for the moment they are。〃
〃Have done； my menhave done！〃 he added； turning good…humouredly
to the soldiers round him。 〃I never fight against overwhelming
odds。 Twenty to one； eh？ I could lay four of you out easily
enough； perhaps even six； but what then？〃
But a kind of savage lust seemed to have rendered these men
temporarily mad； and they were being egged on by Heron。 The
mysterious Englishman； about whom so many eerie tales were told！
Well； he had supernatural powers； and twenty to one might be
nothing to him if the devil was on his side。 Therefore a blow on
his forearm with the butt…end of a bayonet was useful for
disabling his right hand； and soon the left arm with a dislocated
shoulder hung limp by his side。 Then he was bound with cord
