el dorado-第59章
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he passed his thin hand over his mouth as if to wipe away the last
lingering signs of triumphant irony：
〃The second visit will work wonders； I think； my fine lady；〃 he
murmured under his breath。
CHAPTER XXXI
AN INTERLUDE
It was close on midnight now； and still they sat opposite one
another； he the friend and she the wife； talking over that brief
half…hour that had meant an eternity to her；
Marguerite had tried to tell Sir Andrew everything； bitter as it
was to put into actual words the pathos and misery which she had
witnessed； yet she would hide nothing from the devoted comrade
whom she knew Percy would trust absolutely。 To him she repeated
every word that Percy had uttered； described every inflection of
his voice； those enigmatical phrases which she had not understood；
and together they cheated one another into the belief that hope
lingered somewhere hidden in those words。
〃I am not going to despair； Lady Blakeney；〃 said Sir Andrew
firmly； 〃and； moreover； we are not going to disobey。 I would
stake my life that even now Blakeney has some scheme in his mind
which is embodied in the various letters which he has given you；
and whichHeaven help us in that case！we might thwart by
disobedience。 Tomorrow in the late afternoon I will escort you to
the Rue de Charonne。 It is a house that we all know well； and
which Armand； of course； knows too。 I had already inquired there
two days ago to ascertain whether by chance St。 Just was not in
hiding there； but Lucas； the landlord and old…clothes dealer； knew
nothing about him。〃
Marguerite told him about her swift vision of Armand in the dark
corridor of the house of Justice。
〃Can you understand it； Sir Andrew？〃 she asked； fixing her deep；
luminous eyes inquiringly upon him。
〃No； I cannot；〃 he said； after an almost imperceptible moment of
hesitancy； 〃but we shall see him to…morrow。 I have no doubt that
Mademoiselle Lange will know where to find him； and now that we
know where she is； all our anxiety about him； at any rate； should
soon be at an end。〃
He rose and made some allusion to the lateness of the hour。
Somehow it seemed to her that her devoted friend was trying to
hide his innermost thoughts from her。 She watched him with an
anxious； intent gaze。
〃Can you understand it all； Sir Andrew？〃 she reiterated with a
pathetic note of appeal。
〃No； no！〃 he said firmly。 〃On my soul； Lady Blakeney； I know no
more of Armand than you do yourself。 But I am sure that Percy is
right。 The boy frets because remorse must have assailed him by
now。 Had he but obeyed implicitly that day； as we all did〃
But he could not frame the whole terrible proposition in words。
Bitterly as he himself felt on the subject of Armand； he would
not add yet another burden to this devoted woman's heavy load
of misery。
〃It was Fate； Lady Blakeney；〃 he said after a while。 〃Fate！ a
damnable fate which did it all。 Great God！ to think of Blakeney
in the hands of those brutes seems so horrible that at times I
feel as if the whole thing were a nightmare； and that the next
moment we shall both wake hearing his merry voice echoing through
this room。〃
He tried to cheer her with words of hope that he knew were but
chimeras。 A heavy weight of despondency lay on his heart。 The
letter from his chief was hidden against his breast； he would
study it anon in the privacy of his own apartment so as to commit
every word to memory that related to the measures for the ultimate
safety of the child…King。 After that it would have to be
destroyed； lest it fell into inimical hands。
Soon he bade Marguerite good…night。 She was tired out； body and
soul； and heher faithful friendvaguely wondered how long she
would be able to withstand the strain of so much sorrow； such
unspeakable misery。
When at last she was alone Marguerite made brave efforts to
compose her nerves so as to obtain a certain modicum of sleep this
night。 But； strive how she might； sleep would not come。 How
could it； when before her wearied brain there rose constantly that
awful vision of Percy in the long； narrow cell； with weary head
bent over his arm； and those friends shouting persistently in his
ear：
〃Wake up； citizen！ Tell us； where is Capet？〃
The fear obsessed her that his mind might give way； for the mental
agony of such intense weariness must be well…nigh impossible to
bear。 In the dark； as she sat hour after hour at the open window；
looking out in the direction where through the veil of snow the
grey walls of the Chatelet prison towered silent and grim； she
seemed to see his pale； drawn face with almost appalling reality；
she could see every line of it； and could study it with the
intensity born of a terrible fear。
How long would the ghostly glimmer of merriment still linger in
the eyes？ When would the hoarse； mirthless laugh rise to the
lips； that awful laugh that proclaims madness？ Oh！ she could have
screamed now with the awfulness of this haunting terror。 Ghouls
seemed to be mocking her out of the darkness； every flake of snow
that fell silently on the window…sill became a grinning face that
taunted and derided； every cry in the silence of the night； every
footstep on the quay below turned to hideous jeers hurled at her
by tormenting fiends。
She closed the window quickly； for she feared that she would go
mad。 For an hour after that she walked up and down the room
making violent efforts to control her nerves； to find a glimmer of
that courage which she promised Percy that she would have。
CHAPTER XXXII
SISTERS
The morning found her fagged out； but more calm。 Later on she
managed to drink some coffee； and having washed and dressed； she
prepared to go out。
Sir Andrew appeared in time to ascertain her wishes。
〃I promised Percy to go to the Rue de Charonne in the late
afternoon；〃 she said。 〃I have some hours to spare； and mean to
employ them in trying to find speech with Mademoiselle Lange。〃
〃Blakeney has told you where she lives？〃
〃Yes。 In the Square du Roule。 I know it well。 I can be there in
half an hour。〃
He； of course； begged to be allowed to accompany her； and anon
they were walking together quickly up toward the Faubourg St。
Honore。 The snow had ceased falling； but it was still very cold；
but neither Marguerite nor Sir Andrew were conscious of the
temperature or of any outward signs around them。 They walked on
silently until they reached the torn…down gates of the Square du
Roule； there Sir Andrew parted from Marguerite after having
appointed to meet her an hour later at a small eating…house he
knew of where they could have some food together； before starting
on their long expedition to the Rue de Charonne。
Five minutes later Marguerite Blakeney was shown in by worthy
Madame Belhomme； into the quaint and pretty drawing…room with its
soft…toned hangings and old…world air of faded grace。
Mademoiselle Lange was sitting there； in a capacious armchair；
which encircled her delicate figure with its frame…work of dull
old gold。
She was ostensibly reading when Marguerite was announced； for an
open book lay on a table beside her； but it seemed to the visitor
that mayhap the young girl's thoughts had played truant from her
work； for her pose was listless and apathetic； and there was a
look of grave trouble upon the childlike face。
She rose when Marguerite entered； obviously puzzled at the
unexpected visit； and somewhat awed at the appearance of this
beautiful woman with the sad look in her eyes。
〃I must crave your pardon； mademoiselle；〃 said Lady Blakeney as
soon as the door had once more closed on Madame Belhomme； and she
found herself alone with the young girl。 〃This visit at such an
early hour must seem to you an intrusion。 But I am Marguerite St。
Just； and〃
Her smile and outstretched hand completed the sentence。
〃St。 Just！〃 exclaimed Jeanne。
〃Yes。 Armand's sister！〃
A swift blush rushed to the girl's pale cheeks； her brown eyes
expressed unadulterated joy。 Marguerite； who was studying her
closely； was conscious that her poor aching heart went out to this
exquisite child； the far…off innocent cause of so much misery。
Jeanne； a little shy； a littl
