el dorado-第51章

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opinion　of　the　world。　　The　cells　of　the　Temple　of　La　Force　or　the
Conciergerie　held　no　secret　inquisition　with　iron　maidens　and
racks　and　thumbscrews；　but　a　few　men　had　put　their　tortuous　brains
together；　and　had　said　one　to　another：　　〃We　want　to　find　out　from
that　man　where　we　can　lay　our　hands　on　little　Capet；　so　we　won't
let　him　sleep　until　he　has　told　us。　　It　is　not　tortureoh；　no！
Who　would　dare　to　say　that　we　torture　our　prisoners？　　It　is　only　a
little　horseplay；　worrying　to　the　prisoner；　no　doubt；　but；　after
all；　he　can　end　the　unpleasantness　at　any　moment。　　He　need　but　to
answer　our　question；　and　he　can　go　to　sleep　as　comfortably　as　a
little　child。　　The　want　of　sleep　is　very　trying；　the　want　of
proper　food　and　of　fresh　air　is　very　weakening；　the　prisoner　must
give　way　sooner　or　later〃

So　these　fiends　had　decided　it　between　them；　and　they　had　put
their　idea　into　execution　for　one　whole　week。　Marguerite　looked　at
Chauvelin　as　she　would　on　some　monstrous；　inscrutable　Sphinx；
marveling　if　Godeven　in　His　angercould　really　have　created
such　a　fiendish　brain；　or；　having　created　it；　could　allow　it　to
wreak　such　devilry　unpunished。

Even　now　she　felt　that　he　was　enjoying　the　mental　anguish　which　he
had　put　upon　her；　and　she　saw　his　thin；　evil　lips　curled　into　a
smile。

〃So　you　came　to…night　to　tell　me　all　this？〃　she　asked　as　soon　as
she　could　trust　herself　to　speak。　　Her　impulse　was　to　shriek　out
her　indignation；　her　horror　of　him；　into　his　face。　　She　longed　to
call　down　God's　eternal　curse　upon　this　fiend；　but　instinctively
she　held　herself　in　check。　　Her　indignation；　her　words　of　loathing
would　only　have　added　to　his　delight。

〃You　have　had　your　wish；〃　she　added　coldly；　〃now；　I　pray　you；　go。〃

〃Your　pardon；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said　with　all　his　habitual
blandness；　〃my　object　in　coming　to　see　you　tonight　was　twofold。
Methought　that　I　was　acting　as　your　friend　in　giving　you　authentic
news　of　Sir　Percy；　and　in　suggesting　the　possibility　of　your
adding　your　persuasion　to　ours。〃

〃My　persuasion？　You　mean　that　I〃

〃You　would　wish　to　see　your　husband；　would　you　not；　Lady　Blakeney？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　I　pray　you　command　me。　　I　will　grant　you　the　permission
whenever　you　wish　to　go。〃

〃You　are　in　the　hope；　citizen；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　will　do　my　best
to　break　my　husband's　spirit　by　my　tears　or　my　prayersis　that
it？〃

〃Not　necessarily；〃　he　replied　pleasantly。　　〃I　assure　you　that　we
can　manage　to　do　that　ourselves；　in　time。〃

〃You　devil！〃　　The　cry　of　pain　and　of　horror　was　involuntarily
wrung　from　the　depths　of　her　soul。　　〃Are　you　not　afraid　that　God's
hand　will　strike　you　where　you　stand？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　lightly；　〃I　am　not　afraid；　Lady　Blakeney。　You　see；　I
do　not　happen　to　believe　in　God。　　Come！〃　he　added　more　seriously；
〃have　I　not　proved　to　you　that　my　offer　is　disinterested？　　Yet　I
repeat　it　even　now。　　If　you　desire　to　see　Sir　Percy　in　prison；
command　me；　and　the　doors　shall　be　open　to　you。〃

She　waited　a　moment；　looking　him　straight　and　quite　dispassionately
in　the　face；　then　she　said　coldly：

〃Very　well！　　I　will　go。〃

〃When？〃　he　asked。

〃This　evening。〃

〃Just　as　you　wish。　　I　would　have　to　go　and　see　my　friend　Heron
first；　and　arrange　with　him　for　your　visit。〃

〃Then　go。　　I　will　follow　in　half　an　hour。〃

〃C'est　entendu。　　Will　you　be　at　the　main　entrance　of　the
Conciergerie　at　half…past　nine？　You　know　it；　perhapsno？　　It　is
in　the　Rue　de　la　Barillerie；　immediately　on　the　right　at　the　foot
of　the　great　staircase　of　the　house　of　Justice。〃

〃Of　the　house　of　Justice！〃　she　exclaimed　involuntarily；　a　world　of
bitter　contempt　in　her　cry。　　Then　she　added　in　her　former
matter…of…fact　tones：

〃Very　good；　citizen。　　At　half…past　nine　I　will　be　at　the　entrance
you　name。〃

〃And　I　will　be　at　the　door　prepared　to　escort　you。〃

He　took　up　his　hat　and　coat　and　bowed　ceremoniously　to　her。　　Then
he　turned　to　go。　　At　the　door　a　cry　from　herinvoluntarily
enough；　God　knows！made　him　pause。

〃My　interview　with　the　prisoner；〃　she　said；　vainly　try　mg；　poor
soul！　to　repress　that　quiver　of　anxiety　in　her　voice；　〃it　will　be
private？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　Of　course；〃　he　replied　with　a　reassuring　smile。　〃Au
revoir；　Lady　Blakeney！　　Half…past　nine；　remember〃

She　could　no　longer　trust　herself　to　look　on　him　as　he　finally
took　his　departure。　　She　was　afraidyes；　absolutely　afraid　that
her　fortitude　would　give　waymeanly；　despicably；　uselessly　give
way；　that　she　would　suddenly　fling　herself　at　the　feet　of　that
sneering；　inhuman　wretch；　that　she　would　pray；　imploreHeaven
above！　what　might　she　not　do　in　the　face　of　this　awful　reality；　if
the　last　lingering　shred　of　vanishing　reason；　of　pride；　and　of
courage　did　not　hold　her　in　check？

Therefore　she　forced　herself　not　to　look　on　that　departing；
sable…clad　figure；　on　that　evil　face；　and　those　hands　that　held
Percy's　fate　in　their　cruel　grip；　but　her　ears　caught　the　welcome
sound　of　his　departurethe　opening　and　shutting　of　the　door；　his
light　footstep　echoing　down　the　stone　stairs。

When　at　last　she　felt　that　she　was　really　alone　she　uttered　a　loud
cry　like　a　wounded　doe；　and　falling　on　her　knees　she　buried　her
face　in　her　hands　in　a　passionate　fit　of　weeping。　　Violent　sobs
shook　her　entire　frame；　it　seemed　as　if　an　overwhelming　anguish
was　tearing　at　her　heartthe　physical　pain　of　it　was　almost
unendurable。　　And　yet　even　through　this　paroxysm　of　tears　her　mind
clung　to　one　root　idea：　when　she　saw　Percy　she　must　be　brave　and
calm；　be　able　to　help　him　if　he　wanted　her；　to　do　his　bidding　if
there　was　anything　that　she　could　do；　or　any　message　that　she
could　take　to　the　others。　Of　hope　she　had　none。　The　last　lingering
ray　of　it　had　been　extinguished　by　that　fiend　when　he　said；　〃We
need　not　fear　that　he　will　escape。　I　doubt　if　he　could　walk　very
steadily　across　this　room　now。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII
IN　THE　CONCIERGERIE

Marguerite；　accompanied　by　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes；　walked　rapidly
along　the　quay。　　It　lacked　ten　minutes　to　the　half　hour；　the　night
was　dark　and　bitterly　cold。　　Snow　was　still　falling　in　sparse；
thin　flakes；　and　lay　like　a　crisp　and　glittering　mantle　over　the
parapets　of　the　bridges　and　the　grim　towers　of　the　Chatelet
prison。

They　walked　on　silently　now。　　All　that　they　had　wanted　to　say　to
one　another　had　been　said　inside　the　squalid　room　of　their
lodgings　when　Sir　Andrew　Ffoulkes　had　come　home　and　learned　that
Chauvelin　had　been。

〃They　are　killing　him　by　inches；　Sir　Andrew；〃　had　been　the
heartrending　cry　which　burst　from　Marguerite's　oppressed　heart　as
soon　as　her　hands　rested　in　the　kindly　ones　of　her　best　friend。
〃Is　there　aught　that　we　can　do？〃

There　was；　of　course；　very　little　that　could　be　done。　One　or　two
fine　steel　files　which　Sir　Andrew　gave　her　to　conceal　beneath　the
folds　of　her　kerchief；　also　a　tiny　dagger　with　sharp；　poisoned
blade；　which　for　a　moment　she　held　in　her　hand　hesitating；　her
eyes　filling　with　tears；　her　heart　throbbing　with　unspeakable
sorrow。

Then　slowlyvery　slowlyshe　raised　the　small；　death…dealing
instrument　to　her　lips；　and　reverently　kissed　the　narrow　blade。

〃If　it　must　be！〃　she　murmured；　〃God　in　His　mercy　will　forgive！〃

She　sheathed　the　dagger；　and　this；　too；　she　hid　in　the　folds　of
her　gown。

〃Can　you　think　of　anything　else；　Sir　Andrew；　that　he　might　want？〃
she　asked。　　〃I　have　money　in　plenty；　in　case　those　soldiers〃

Sir　Andrew　sighed；　and　turned　away　from　her　so　as　to　hide　the
hopelessness　which　he　felt。　　Since　three　days　now　be　had　been
exhausting　every　conceivable　means　of　getting　at　the　prison　guard
with　bribery　and　corruption。　　But　Chauvelin　and　his　friends　had
taken　excellent　precautions。　The　prison　of　the　Conciergerie；
situated　as　it　was　in　the　very　heart　of　the　labyrinthine　and
complicated　structure　of　the　Chatelet　and　the　house　of　Justice；
and　isolated　from　every　other　group　of　cells　in　the　building；　was
inaccessible　save　from　one　narrow　doorway　which　gave　on　the
guard…room　first；　and　thence　on　the　inner　cell　beyond。　　Just　as
all　attempts　to　rescue　the　late　unfortunate　Queen　from　that　prison
had　failed；　so　now　every　attempt　to　reach　the　imprisoned　Scarlet
Pimpernel　was　equally　doomed　to　bitter　disappointment。

The