el dorado-第60章

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exquisite　child；　the　far…off　innocent　cause　of　so　much　misery。

Jeanne；　a　little　shy；　a　little　confused　and　nervous　in　her　movements；
was　pulling　a　chair　close　to　the　fire；　begging　Marguerite　to　sit。
Her　words　came　out　all　the　while　in　short　jerky　sentences；　and　from
time　to　time　she　stole　swift　shy　glances　at　Armand's　sister。

〃You　will　forgive　me；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Marguerite；　whose　simple
and　calm　manner　quickly　tended　to　soothe　Jeanne　Lange's　confusion；
〃but　I　was　so　anxious　about　my　brotherI　do　not　know　where　to
find　him。〃

〃And　so　you　came　to　me；　madame？〃

〃Was　I　wrong？〃

〃Oh；　no！　　But　what　made　you　think　thatthat　I　would　know？〃

〃I　guessed；〃　said　Marguerite　with　a　smile。　〃You　had　heard　about　me
then？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃

〃Through　whom？　　Did　Armand　tell　you　about　me？〃

〃No；　alas！　　I　have　not　seen　him　this　past　fortnight；　since　you；
mademoiselle；　came　into　his　life；　but　many　of　Armand's　friends　are
in　Paris　just　now；　one　of　them　knew；　and　he　told　me。〃

The　soft　blush　had　now　overspread　the　whole　of　the　girl's　face；
even　down　to　her　graceful　neck。　　She　waited　to　see　Marguerite
comfortably　installed　in　an　armchair；　then　she　resumed　shyly：

〃And　it　was　Armand　who　told　me　all　about　you。　　He　loves　you　so
dearly。〃

〃Armand　and　I　were　very　young　children　when　we　lost　our　parents；〃
said　Marguerite　softly；　〃and　we　were　all　in　all　to　each　other　then。
And　until　I　married　he　was　the　man　I　loved　best　in　all　the　world。〃

〃He　told　me　you　were　marriedto　an　Englishman。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃He　loves　England　too。　　At　first　he　always　talked　of　my　going
there　with　him　as　his　wife；　and　of　the　happiness　we　should　find
there　together。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　'at　first'？〃

〃He　talks　less　about　England　now。〃

〃Perhaps　he　feels　that　now　you　know　all　about　it；　and　that　you
understand　each　other　with　regard　to　the　future。〃

〃Perhaps。〃

Jeanne　sat　opposite　to　Marguerite　on　a　low　stool　by　the　fire。　　Her
elbows　were　resting　on　her　knees；　and　her　face　just　now　was
half…hidden　by　the　wealth　of　her　brown　curls。　She　looked　exquisitely
pretty　sitting　like　this；　with　just　the　suggestion　of　sadness　in　the
listless　pose。　　Marguerite　had　come　here　to…day　prepared　to　hate　this
young　girl；　who　in　a　few　brief　days　had　stolen　not　only　Armand's　heart；
but　his　allegiance　to　his　chief；　and　his　trust　in　him。　　Since　last
night；　when　she　had　seen　her　brother　sneak　silently　past　her　like　a
thief　in　the　night；　she　had　nurtured　thoughts　of　ill…will　and　anger
against　Jeanne。

But　hatred　and　anger　had　melted　at　the　sight　of　this　child。
Marguerite；　with　the　perfect　understanding　born　of　love　itself；
had　soon　realised　the　charm　which　a　woman　like　Mademoiselle　Lange
must　of　necessity　exercise　over　a　chivalrous；　enthusiastic　nature
like　Armand's。　　The　sense　of　protectionthe　strongest　perhaps
that　exists　in　a　good　man's　heartwould　draw　him　irresistibly　to
this　beautiful　child；　with　the　great；　appealing　eyes；　and　the　look
of　pathos　that　pervaded　the　entire　face。　　Marguerite；　looking　in
silence　on　thedainty　picture　before　her；　found　it　in　her　heart
to　forgive　Armand　for　disobeying　his　chief　when　those　eyes
beckoned　to　him　in　a　contrary　direction。

How　could　he；　how　could　any　chivalrous　man　endure　the　thought　of
this　delicate；　fresh　flower　lying　crushed　and　drooping　in　the
hands　of　monsters　who　respected　neither　courage　nor　purity？　　And
Armand　had　been　more　than　human；　or　mayhap　less；　if　he　had　indeed
consented　to　leave　the　fate　of　the　girl　whom　he　had　sworn　to　love
and　protect　in　other　hands　than　his　own。

It　seemed　almost　as　if　Jeanne　was　conscious　of　the　fixity　of
Marguerite's　gaze；　for　though　she　did　not　turn　to　look　at　her；　the
flush　gradually　deepened　in　her　cheeks。

〃Mademoiselle　Lange；〃　said　Marguerite　gently；　〃do　you　not　feel
that　you　can　trust　me？〃

She　held　out　her　two　hands　to　the　girl；　and　Jeanne　slowly　turned
to　her。　　The　next　moment　she　was　kneeling　at　Marguerite's　feet；
and　kissing　the　beautiful　kind　hands　that　had　been　stretched　out
to　her　with　such　sisterly　love。

〃Indeed；　indeed；　I　do　trust　you；〃　she　said；　and　looked　with
tear…dimmed　eyes　in　the　pale　face　above　her。　　〃I　have　longed　for
some　one　in　whom　I　could　confide。　　I　have　been　so　lonely　lately；
and　Armand〃

With　an　impatient　little　gesture　she　brushed　away　the　tears　which
had　gathered　in　her　eyes。

〃What　has　Armand　been　doing？〃　asked　Marguerite　with　an　encouraging
smile。

〃Oh；　nothing　to　grieve　me！〃　replied　the　young　girl　eagerly；　〃for
he　is　kind　and　good；　and　chivalrous　and　noble。　　Oh；　I　love　him
with　all　my　heart！　　I　loved　him　from　the　moment　that　I　set　eyes　on
him；　and　then　he　came　to　see　meperhaps　you　know！　　And　he　talked
so　beautiful　about　England；　and　so　nobly　about　his　leader　the
Scarlet　Pimpernelhave　you　heard　of　him？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Marguerite；　smiling。　　〃I　have　heard　of　him。〃

〃It　was　that　day　that　citizen　Heron　came　with　his　soldiers！　　Oh！
you　do　not　know　citizen　Heron。　　He　is　the　most　cruel　man　in
France。　　In　Paris　he　is　hated　by　every　one；　and　no　one　is　safe
from　his　spies。　　He　came　to　arrest　Armand；　but　I　was　able　to　fool
him　and　to　save　Armand。　And　after　that；〃　she　added　with　charming
naivete；　〃I　felt　as　if；　having　saved　Armand's　life；　he　belonged　to
meand　his　love　for　me　had　made　me　his。〃

〃Then　I　was　arrested；〃　she　continued　after　a　slight　pause；　and　at
the　recollection　of　what　she　had　endured　then　her　fresh　voice
still　trembled　with　horror。

〃They　dragged　me　to　prison；　and　I　spent　two　days　in　a　dark　cell；
where〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　whilst　a　few　sobs　shook　her　whole
frame；　then　she　resumed　more　calmly：

〃I　had　seen　nothing　of　Armand。　　I　wondered　where　he　was；　and　I
knew　that　he　would　be　eating　out　his　heart　with　anxiety　for　me。
But　God　was　watching　over　me。　　At　first　I　was　transferred　to　the
Temple　prison；　and　there　a　kind　creaturea　sort　of　man…of…all
work　in　the　prison　took　compassion　on　me。　　I　do　not　know　how　he
contrived　it；　but　one　morning　very　early　he　brought　me　some　filthy
old　rags　which　he　told　me　to　put　on　quickly；　and　when　I　had　done
that　he　bade　me　follow　him。　　Oh！　he　was　a　very　dirty；　wretched　man
himself；　but　he　must　have　had　a　kind　heart。　　He　took　me　by　the
hand　and　made　me　carry　his　broom　and　brushes。　　Nobody　took　much
notice　of　us；　the　dawn　was　only　just　breaking；　and　the　passages
were　very　dark　and　deserted；　only　once　some　soldiers　began　to
chaff　him　about　me：　'C'est　ma　fillequoi？'　he　said　roughly。　　I
very　nearly　laughed　then；　only　I　had　the　good　sense　to　restrain
myself；　for　I　knew　that　my　freedom；　and　perhaps　my　life；　depended
on　my　not　betraying　myself。　　My　grimy；　tattered　guide　took　me　with
him　right　through　the　interminable　corridors　of　that　awful　building；
whilst　I　prayed　fervently　to　God　for　him　and　for　myself。　　We　got　out
by　one　of　the　service　stairs　and　exit；　and　then　he　dragged　me　through
some　narrow　streets　until　we　came　to　a　corner　where　a　covered　cart
stood　waiting。　　My　kind　friend　told　me　to　get　into　the　cart；　and　then
he　bade　the　driver　on　the　box　take　me　straight　to　a　house　in　the　Rue
St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois。　　Oh！　I　was　infinitely　grateful　to　the　poor
creature　who　had　helped　me　to　get　out　of　that　awful　prison；　and　I
would　gladly　have　given　him　some　money；　for　I　am　sure　he　was　very
poor；　but　I　had　none　by　me。　　He　told　me　that　I　should　be　quite　safe
in　the　house　in　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　and　begged　me　to
wait　there　patiently　for　a　few　days　until　I　heard　from　one　who　had
my　welfare　at　heart；　and　who　would　further　arrange　for　my　safety。〃

Marguerite　had　listened　silently　to　this　narrative　so　naively　told
by　this　child；　who　obviously　had　no　idea　to　whom　she　owed　her
freedom　and　her　life。　　While　the　girl　talked；　her　mind　could
follow　with　unspeakable　pride　and　happiness　every　phase　of　that
scene　in　the　early　dawn；　when　that　mysterious；　ragged
man…of…all…work；　unbeknown　even　to　the　woman　whom　he　was　saving；
risked　his　own　noble　life　for　the　sake　of　her　whom　his　friend　and
comrade　loved。

〃And　did　you　never　see　again　the　kind　man　to　whom　you　owe　your
life？〃　she　asked。

〃No！〃　replied　Jeanne。　　〃I　never　saw　him　since；　but　when　I　arrived
at　the　Rue　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois　I　was　told　by　the　good　people
who