el dorado-第65章

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good。〃

〃A　night；　sir？〃　exclaimed　Blakeney　with　what　seemed　like　an　echo
of　his　former　inimitable　laugh。　　〃La！　　I　should　want　a　week。〃

〃I　am　afraid　we　could　not　arrange　for　that；　but　one　night　would
greatly　refresh　you。〃

〃You　are　right；　sir；　you　are　right；　but　those　dd　fellows　in　the
next　room　make　so　much　noise。〃

〃I　would　give　strict　orders　that　perfect　quietude　reigned　in　the
guard…room　this　night；〃　said　Chauvelin；　murmuring　softly；　and
there　was　a　gentle　purr　in　his　voice；　〃and　that　you　were　left
undisturbed　for　several　hours。　　I　would　give　orders　that　a
comforting　supper　be　served　to　you　at　once；　and　that　everything　be
done　to　minister　to　your　wants。〃

〃That　sounds　dd　alluring；　sir。　　Why　did　you　not　suggest　this
before？〃

〃You　were　sowhat　shall　I　sayso　obstinate；　Sir　Percy？〃

〃Call　it　pig…headed；　my　dear　Monsieur　Chambertin；〃　retorted
Blakeney　gaily；　〃truly　you　would　oblige　me。〃

〃In　any　case　you；　sir；　were　acting　in　direct　opposition　to　your
own　interests。〃

〃Therefore　you　came；〃　concluded　Blakeney　airily；　〃like　the　good
Samaritan　to　take　compassion　on　me　and　my　troubles；　and　to　lead　me
straight　away　to　comfort；　a　good　supper　and　a　downy　bed。〃

〃Admirably　put；　Sir　Percy；〃　said　Chauvelin　blandly；　〃that　is
exactly　my　mission。〃

〃How　will　you　set　to　work；　Monsieur　Chambertin？〃

〃Quite　easily；　if　you；　Sir　Percy；　will　yield　to　the　persuasion　of
my　friend　citizen　Heron。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃Why；　yes！　　He　is　anxious　to　know　where　little　Capet　is。　　A
reasonable　whim；　you　will　own；　considering　that　the　disappearance
of　the　child　is　causing　him　grave　anxiety。〃

〃And　you；　Monsieur　Chambertin？〃　queried　Sir　Percy　with　that
suspicion　of　insolence　in　his　manner　which　had　the　power　to
irritate　his　enemy　even　now。　　〃And　yourself；　sir；　what　are　your
wishes　in　the　matter？〃

〃Mine；　Sir　Percy？〃　retorted　　Chauvelin。　　〃Mine？　　Why；　to　tell　you
the　truth；　the　fate　of　little　Capet　interests　me　but　little。　　Let
him　rot　in　Austria　or　in　our　prisons；　I　care　not　which。　　He'll
never　trouble　France　overmuch；　I　imagine。　　The　teachings　of　old
Simon　will　not　tend　to　make　a　leader　or　a　king　out　of　the　puny
brat　whom　you　chose　to　drag　out　of　our　keeping。　　My　wishes；　sir；
are　the　annihilation　of　your　accursed　League；　and　the　lasting
disgrace；　if　not　the　death；　of　its　chief。〃

He　had　spoken　more　hotly　than　he　had　intended；　but　all　the　pent…up
rage　of　the　past　eighteen　months；　the　recollections　of　Calais　and
of　Boulogne；　had　all　surged　up　again　in　his　mind；　because　despite
the　closeness　of　these　prison　walls；　despite　the　grim　shadow　of
starvation　and　of　death　that　beckoned　so　close　at　hand；　he　still
encountered　a　pair　of　mocking　eyes；　fixed　with　relentless
insolence　upon　him。

Whilst　he　spoke　Blakeney　had　once　more　leaned　forward；　resting　his
elbows　upon　the　table。　　Now　he　drew　nearer　to　him　the　wooden
platter　on　which　reposed　that　very　uninviting　piece　of　dry　bread。
With　solemn　intentness　he　proceeded　to　break　the　bread　into
pieces；　then　he　offered　the　platter　to　Chauvelin。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　said　pleasantly；　〃that　I　cannot　you　more　dainty
fare；　sir；　but　this　is　all　that　your　friends　have　supplied　me　with
to…day。〃

He　crumbled　some　of　the　dry　bread　in　his　slender　fingers；　then
started　munching　the　crumbs　with　apparent　relish。　　He　poured　out
some　water　into　the　mug　and　drank　it。　　Then　be　said　with　a　light
laugh：

〃Even　the　vinegar　which　that　ruffian　Brogard　served　us　at　Calais
was　preferable　to　this；　do　you　not　imagine　so；　my　good　Monsieur
Chambertin？〃

Chauvelin　made　no　reply。　　Like　a　feline　creature　on　the　prowl；　he
was　watching　the　prey　that　had　so　nearly　succumbed　to　his　talons。
Blakeney's　face　now　was　positively　ghastly。　　The　effort　to　speak；
to　laugh；　to　appear　unconcerned；　was　apparently　beyond　his
strength。　　His　cheeks　and　lips　were　livid　in　hue；　the　skin　clung
like　a　thin　layer　of　wax　to　the　bones　of　cheek　and　jaw；　and　the
heavy　lids　that　fell　over　the　eyes　had　purple　patches　on　them　like
lead。

To　a　system　in　such　an　advanced　state　of　exhaustion　the　stale
water　and　dusty　bread　must　have　been　terribly　nauseating；　and
Chauvelin　himself　callous　and　thirsting　for　vengeance　though　he
was；　could　hardly　bear　to　look　calmly　on　the　martyrdom　of　this　man
whom　he　and　his　colleagues　were　torturing　in　order　to　gain　their
own　ends。

An　ashen　hue；　which　seemed　like　the　shadow　of　the　hand　of　death；
passed　over　the　prisoner's　face。　Chauvelin　felt　compelled　to　avert
his　gaze。　　A　feeling　that　was　almost　akin　to　remorse　had　stirred　a
hidden　cord　in　his　heart。　The　feeling　did　not　lastthe　heart　had
been　too　long　atrophied　by　the　constantly　recurring　spectacles　of
cruelties；　massacres；　and　wholesale　hecatombs　perpetrated　in　the
past　eighteen　months　in　the　name　of　liberty　and　fraternity　to　be
capable　of　a　sustained　effort　in　the　direction　of　gentleness　or　of
pity。　　Any　noble　instinct　in　these　revolutionaries　had　long　ago
been　drowned　in　a　whirlpool　of　exploits　that　would　forever　sully
the　records　of　humanity；　and　this　keeping　of　a　fellow…creature　on
the　rack　in　order　to　wring　from　him　a　Judas…like　betrayal　was　but
a　complement　to　a　record　of　infamy　that　had　ceased　by　its　very
magnitude　to　weigh　upon　their　souls。

Chauvelin　was　in　no　way　different　from　his　colleagues；　the　crimes
in　which　he　had　had　no　hand　he　had　condoned　by　continuing　to　serve
the　Government　that　had　committed　them；　and　his　ferocity　in　the
present　case　was　increased　a　thousandfold　by　his　personal　hatred
for　the　man　who　had　so　often　fooled　and　baffled　him。

When　he　looked　round　a　second　or　two　later　that　ephemeral　fit　of
remorse　did　its　final　vanishing；　he　had　once　more　encountered　the
pleasant　smile；　the　laughing　if　ashen…pale　face　of　his　unconquered
foe。

〃Only　a　passing　giddiness；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　Sir　Percy　lightly。
〃As　you　were　saying〃

At　the　airily…spoken　words；　at　the　smile　that　accompanied　them；
Chauvelin　had　jumped　to　his　feet。　　There　was　something　almost
supernatural；　weird；　and　impish　about　the　present　situation；　about
this　dying　man　who；　like　an　impudent　schoolboy；　seemed　to　be
mocking　Death　with　his　tongue　in　his　cheek；　about　his　laugh　that
appeared　to　find　its　echo　in　a　widely　yawning　grave。

〃In　the　name　of　God；　Sir　Percy；〃　he　said　roughly；　as　he　brought
his　clenched　fist　crashing　down　upon　the　table；　〃this　situation　is
intolerable。　　Bring　it　to　an　end　to…night！〃

〃Why；　sir？〃　retorted　Blakeney；　〃methought　you　and　your　kind　did
not　believe　in　God。〃

〃No。　　But　you　English　do。〃

〃We　do。　　But　we　do　not　care　to　hear　His　name　on　your　lips。〃

〃Then　in　the　name　of　the　wife　whom　you　love〃

But　even　before　the　words　had　died　upon　his　lips；　Sir　Percy；　too；
had　risen　to　his　feet。

〃Have　done；　manhave　done；〃　he　broke　in　hoarsely；　and　despite
weakness；　despite　exhaustion　and　weariness；　there　was　such　a
dangerous　look　in　his　hollow　eyes　as　he　leaned　across　the　table
that　Chauvelin　drew　back　a　step　or　two；　andvaguely　fearful
looked　furtively　towards　the　opening　into　the　guard…room。　　〃Have
done；〃　he　reiterated　for　the　third　time；　〃do　not　name　her；　or　by
the　living　God　whom　you　dared　to　invoke　I'll　find　strength　yet　to
smite　you　in　the　face。〃

But　Chauvelin；　after　that　first　moment　of　almost　superstitious
fear；　had　quickly　recovered　his　sang…froid。

〃Little　Capet；　Sir　Percy；〃　he　said；　meeting　the　other's
threatening　glance　with　an　imperturbable　smile；　〃tell　me　where　to
find　him；　and　you　may　yet　live　to　savour　the　caresses　of　the　most
beautiful　woman　in　England。〃

He　had　meant　it　as　a　taunt；　the　final　turn　of　the　thumb…screw
applied　to　a　dying　man；　and　he　had　in　that　watchful；　keen　mind　of
his　well　weighed　the　full　consequences　of　the　taunt。

The　next　moment　he　had　paid　to　the　full　the　anticipated　price。
Sir　Percy　had　picked　up　the　pewter　mug　from　the　tableit　was
half…filled　with　brackish　waterand　with　a　hand　that　trembled　but
slightly　he　hurled　it　straight　at　his　opponent's　face。

The　heavy　mug　did　not　hit　citizen　Chauvelin；　it　went　crashing
against　the　stone　wall　opposite。　　But　the　water　was　trickling　from
the　top　of　his　head　all　down　his　eyes　and　cheeks。　　He　shrugged　his
shoulders　with　a　look　of　benign　indulgence　directed　at　his　enemy；
who　ha