el dorado-第58章

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call　upon　her　lips。

Percy　had　said　that　Armand　was　in　no　danger；　then　why　should　he　be
sneaking　along　the　dark　corridors　of　this　awful　house　of　Justice
if　he　was　free　and　safe？

Certainly；　even　at　a　distance；　her　brother's　movements　suggested
to　Marguerite　that　he　was　in　danger　of　being　seen。　　He　cowered　in
the　darkness；　tried　to　avoid　the　circles　of　light　thrown　by　the
lamps　in　the　passage。　　At　all　costs　Marguerite　felt　that　she　must
warn　him　that　the　way　he　was　going　now　would　lead　him　straight
into　Chauvelin's　arms；　and　she　longed　to　let　him　know　that　she　was
close　by。

Feeling　sure　that　he　would　recognise　her　voice；　she　made　pretence
to　turn　back　to　the　cubicle　through　the　door　of　which　the　wardress
had　already　disappeared；　and　called　out　as　loudly　as　she　dared：

〃Good…night；　citizeness！〃

But　Armandwho　surely　must　have　hearddid　not　pause　at　the
sound。　　Rather　was　he　walking　on　now　more　rapidly　than　before。　　In
less　than　a　minute　he　would　be　reaching　the　spot　where　Chauvelin
stood　waiting　for　Marguerite。　　That　end　of　the　corridor；　however；
received　no　light　from　any　of　the　lamps；　strive　how　she　might；
Marguerite　could　see　nothing　now　either　of　Chauvelin　or　of　Armand。

Blindly；　instinctively；　she　ran　forward；　thinking　only　to　reach
Armand；　and　to　warn　him　to　turn　back　before　it　was　too　late；
before　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　most　bitter　enemy　he
and　his　nearest　and　dearest　had　ever　had。　　But　as　she　at　last　came
to　a　halt　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　panting　with　the　exertion　of
running　and　the　fear　for　Armand；　she　almost　fell　up　against
Chauvelin；　who　was　standing　there　alone　and　imperturbable；
seemingly　having　waited　patiently　for　her。　　She　could　only　dimly
distinguish　his　face；　the　sharp　features　and　thin　cruel　mouth；　but
she　feltmore　than　she　actually　sawhis　cold　steely　eyes　fixed
with　a　strange　expression　of　mockery　upon　her。

But　of　Armand　there　was　no　sign；　and　shepoor　soul！had
difficulty　in　not　betraying　the　anxiety　which　she　felt　for　her
brother。　　Had　the　flagstones　swallowed　him　up？　　A　door　on　the
right　was　the　only　one　that　gave　on　the　corridor　at　this　point；　it
led　to　the　concierge's　lodge；　and　thence　out　into　the　courtyard。
Had　Chauvelin　been　dreaming；　sleeping　with　his　eyes　open；　whilst
he　stood　waiting　for　her；　and　had　Armand　succeeded　in　slipping
past　him　under　cover　of　the　darkness　and　through　that　door　to
safety　that　lay　beyond　these　prison　walls？

Marguerite；　miserably　agitated；　not　knowing　what　to　think；　looked
somewhat　wild…eyed　on　Chauvelin；　he　smiled；　that　inscrutable；
mirthless　smile　of　his；　and　said　blandly：

〃Is　there　aught　else　that　I　can　do　for　you；　citizeness？　This　is
your　nearest　way　out。　　No　doubt　Sir　Andrew　will　be　waiting　to
escort　you　home。〃

Then　as　shenot　daring　either　to　reply　or　to　questionwalked
straight　up　to　the　door；　he　hurried　forward；　prepared　to　open　it
for　her。　　But　before　he　did　so　he　turned　to　her　once　again：

〃I　trust　that　your　visit　has　pleased　you；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said
suavely。　　〃At　what　hour　do　you　desire　to　repeat　it　to…morrow？〃

〃To…morrow？〃　she　reiterated　in　a　vague；　absent　manner；　for　she　was
still　dazed　with　the　strange　incident　of　Armand's　appearance　and
his　flight。

〃Yes。　　You　would　like　to　see　Sir　Percy　again　to…morrow；　would　you
not？　　I　myself　would　gladly　pay　him　a　visit　from　time　to　time；　but
he　does　not　care　for　my　company。　　My　colleague；　citizen　Heron；　on
the　other　hand；　calls　on　him　four　times　in　every　twenty…four
hours；　he　does　so　a　few　moments　before　the　changing　of　the　guard；
and　stays　chatting　with　Sir　Percy　until　after　the　guard　is
changed；　when　he　inspects　the　men　and　satisfies　himself　that　no
traitor　has　crept　in　among　them。　　All　the　men　are　personally　known
to　him；　you　see。　　These　hours　are　at　five　in　the　morning　and　again
at　eleven；　and　then　again　at　five　and　eleven　in　the　evening。　　My
friend　Heron；　as　you　see；　is　zealous　and　assiduous；　and；　strangely
enough；　Sir　Percy　does　not　seem　to　view　his　visit　with　any
displeasure。　Now　at　any　other　hour　of　the　day；　Lady　Blakeney；　I
pray　you　command　me　and　I　will　arrange　that　citizen　Heron　grant
you　a　second　interview　with　the　prisoner。〃

Marguerite　had　only　listened　to　Chauvelin's　lengthy　speech　with
half　an　ear；　her　thoughts　still　dwelt　on　the　past　half…hour　with
its　bitter　joy　and　its　agonising　pain；　and　fighting　through　her
thoughts　of　Percy　there　was　the　recollection　of　Armand　which　so
disquieted　her。　　But　though　she　had　only　vaguely　listened　to　what
Chauvelin　was　saying；　she　caught　the　drift　of　it。

Madly　she　longed　to　accept　his　suggestion。　　The　very　thought　of
seeing　Percy　on　the　morrow　was　solace　to　her　aching　heart；　it
could　feed　on　hope　to…night　instead　of　on　its　own　bitter　pain。
But　even　during　this　brief　moment　of　hesitancy；　and　while　her
whole　being　cried　out　for　this　joy　that　her　enemy　was　holding　out
to　her；　even　then　in　the　gloom　ahead　of　her　she　seemed　to　see　a
vision　of　a　pale　face　raised　above　a　crowd　of　swaying　heads；　and
of　the　eyes　of　the　dreamer　searching　for　her　own；　whilst　the　last
sublime　cry　of　perfect　self…devotion　once　more　echoed　in　her　ear：

〃Remember！〃

The　promise　which　she　had　given　him；　that　would　she　fulfil。　　The
burden　which　he　had　laid　on　her　shoulders　she　would　try　to　bear　as
heroically　as　he　was　bearing　his　own。　　Aye；　even　at　the　cost　of
the　supreme　sorrow　of　never　resting　again　in　the　haven　of　his　arms。

But　in　spite　of　sorrow；　in　spite　of　anguish　so　terrible　that　she
could　not　imagine　Death　itself　to　have　a　more　cruel　sting；　she
wished　above　all　to　safeguard　that　final；　attenuated　thread　of
hope　which　was　wound　round　the　packet　that　lay　hidden　on　her　breast。

She　wanted；　above　all；　not　to　arouse　Chauvelin's　suspicions　by
markedly　refusing　to　visit　the　prisoner　againsuspicions　that
might　lead　to　her　being　searched　once　more　and　the　precious　packet
filched　from　her。　　Therefore　she　said　to　him　earnestly　now：

〃I　thank　you；　citizen；　for　your　solicitude　on　my　behalf；　but　you
will　understand；　I　think；　that　my　visit　to　the　prisoner　has　been
almost　more　than　I　could　bear。　　I　cannot　tell　you　at　this　moment
whether　to…morrow　I　should　be　in　a　fit　state　to　repeat　it。〃

〃As　you　please；〃　he　replied　urbanely。　　〃But　I　pray　you　to　remember
one　thing；　and　that　is〃

He　paused　a　moment　while　his　restless　eyes　wandered　rapidly　over
her　face；　trying；　as　it　were；　to　get　at　the　soul　of　this　woman；　at
her　innermost　thoughts；　which　he　felt　were　hidden　from　him。

〃Yes；　citizen；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃what　is　it　that　I　am　to　remember？〃

〃That　it　rests　with　you；　Lady　Blakeney；　to　put　an　end　to　the
present　situation。〃

〃How？〃

〃Surely　you　can　persuade　Sir　Percy's　friends　not　to　leave　their
chief　in　durance　vile。　　They　themselves　could　put　an　end　to　his
troubles　to…morrow。〃

〃By　giving　up　the　Dauphin　to　you；　you　mean？〃　she　retorted　coldly。

〃Precisely。〃

〃And　you　hopedyou　still　hope　that　by　placing　before　me　the
picture　of　your　own　fiendish　cruelty　against　my　husband　you　will
induce　me　to　act　the　part　of　a　traitor　towards　him　and　a　coward
before　his　followers？〃

〃Oh！〃　he　said　deprecatingly；　〃the　cruelty　now　is　no　longer　mine。
Sir　Percy's　release　is　in　your　hands；　Lady　Blakeneyin　that　of
his　followers。　　I　should　only　be　too　willing　to　end　the　present
intolerable　situation。　　You　and　your　friends　are　applying　the　last
turn　of　the　thumbscrew；　not　I〃

She　smothered　the　cry　of　horror　that　had　risen　to　her　lips。　　The
man's　cold…blooded　sophistry　was　threatening　to　make　a　breach　in
her　armour　of　self…control。

She　would　no　longer　trust　herself　to　speak；　but　made　a　quick
movement　towards　the　door。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　if　the　matter　were　now　entirely　out
of　his　control。　　Then　he　opened　the　door　for　her　to　pass　out；　and
as　her　skirts　brushed　against　him　he　bowed　with　studied　deference；
murmuring　a　cordial　〃Good…night！〃

〃And　remember；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　added　politely；　〃that　should　you
at　any　time　desire　to　communicate　with　me　at　my　rooms；　19；　Rue
Dupuy；　I　hold　myself　entirely　at　your　service。

Then　as　her　tall；　graceful　figure　disappeared　in　the　outside　gloom
he　passed　his　thin　hand　over　his　mouth　as　if　to　wipe　away　the　last
l