el dorado-第68章

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alone　know　how　I　long　for　thatbut　what　I　long　for　most　is　his
lasting　disgrace。　　For　that　I　have　worked；　citizen　Heronfor　that
I　advised　and　helped　you。　　When　first　you　captured　this　man　you
wanted　summarily　to　try　him；　to　send　him　to　the　guillotine　amidst
the　joy　of　the　populace　of　Paris；　and　crowned　with　a　splendid　halo
of　martyrdom。　　That　man；　citizen　Heron；　would　have　baffled　you；
mocked　you；　and　fooled　you　even　on　the　steps　of　the　scaffold。　　In
the　zenith　of　his　strength　and　of　insurmountable　good　luck　you　and
all　your　myrmidons　and　all　the　assembled　guard　of　Paris　would　have
had　no　power　over　him。　　The　day　that　you　led　him　out　of　this　cell
in　order　to　take　him　to　trial　or　to　the　guillotine　would　have　been
that　of　your　hopeless　discomfiture。　　Having　once　walked　out　of
this　cell　hale；　hearty　and　alert；　be　the　escort　round　him　ever　so
strong；　he　never　would　have　re…entered　it　again。　　Of　that　I　am　as
convinced　as　that　I　am　alive。　　I　know　the　man；　you　don't。　　Mine
are　not　the　only　fingers　through　which　he　has　slipped。　　Ask
citizen　Collot　d'Herbois；　ask　Sergeant　Bibot　at　the　barrier　of
Menilmontant；　ask　General　Santerre　and　his　guards。　　They　all　have
a　tale　to　tell。　　Did　I　believe　in　God　or　the　devil；　I　should　also
believe　that　this　man　has　supernatural　powers　and　a　host　of　demons
at　his　beck　and　call。〃

〃Yet　you　talk　now　of　letting　him　walk　out　of　this　cell　to…morrow？〃

〃He　is　a　different　man　now；　citizen　Heron。　　On　my　advice　you
placed　him　on　a　regime　that　has　counteracted　the　supernatural
power　by　simple　physical　exhaustion；　and　driven　to　the　four　winds
the　host　of　demons　who　no　doubt　fled　in　the　face　of　starvation。〃

〃If　only　I　thought　that　the　recapture　of　Capet　was　as　vital　to　you
as　it　is　to　me；〃　said　Heron；　still　unconvinced。

〃The　capture　of　Capet　is　just　as　vital　to　me　as　it　is　to　you；〃
rejoined　Chauvelin　earnestly；　〃if　it　is　brought　about　through　the
instrumentality　of　the　Englishman。〃

He　paused；　looking　intently　on　his　colleague；　whose　shifty　eyes
encountered　his　own。　Thus　eye　to　eye　the　two　men　at　last
understood　one　another。

〃Ah！〃　said　Heron　with　a　snort；　〃I　think　I　understand。〃

〃I　am　sure　that　you　do；〃　responded　Chauvelin　dryly。　〃The　disgrace
of　this　cursed　Scarlet　Pimpernel　and　his　League　is　as　vital　to　me；
and　more；　as　the　capture　of　Capet　is　to　you。　　That　is　why　I　showed
you　the　way　how　to　bring　that　meddlesome　adventurer　to　his　knees；
that　is　why　I　will　help　you　now　both　to　find　Capet　and　with　his
aid　and　to　wreak　what　reprisals　you　like　on　him　in　the　end。〃

Heron　before　he　spoke　again　cast　one　more　look　on　the　prisoner。
The　latter　had　not　stirred；　his　face　was　hidden；　but　the　hands；
emaciated；　nerveless　and　waxen；　like　those　of　the　dead；　told　a
more　eloquent　tale；　mayhap；　then　than　the　eyes　could　do。　　The
chief　agent　of　the　Committee　of　General　Security　walked
deliberately　round　the　table　until　he　stood　once　more　close　beside
the　man　from　whom　he　longed　with　passionate　ardour　to　wrest　an
all…important　secret。　　With　brutal；　grimy　hand　he　raised　the　head
that　lay；　sunken　and　inert；　against　the　table；　with　callous　eyes
he　gazed　attentively　on　the　face　that　was　then　revealed　to　him；　he
looked　on　the　waxen　flesh；　the　hollow　eyes；　the　bloodless　lips；
then　he　shrugged　his　wide　shoulders；　and　with　a　laugh　that　surely
must　have　caused　joy　in　hell；　he　allowed　the　wearied　head　to　fall
back　against　the　outstretched　arms；　and　turned　once　again　to　his
colleague。

〃I　think　you　are　right；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　not
much　supernatural　power　here。　　Let　me　hear　your　advice。〃



CHAPTER　XXXVII
CHAUVELIN'S　ADVICE

Citizen　Chauvelin　had　drawn　his　colleague　with　him　to　the　end　of
the　cell　that　was　farthest　away　from　the　recess；　and　the　table　at
which　the　prisoner　was　sitting。

Here　the　noise　and　hubbub　that　went　on　constantly　in　the　guard
room　would　effectually　drown　a　whispered　conversation。　Chauvelin
called　to　the　sergeant　to　hand　him　a　couple　of　chairs　over　the
barrier。　These　he　placed　against　the　wall　opposite　the　opening；
and　beckoning　Heron　to　sit　down；　he　did　likewise；　placing　himself
close　to　his　colleague。

From　where　the　two　men　now　sat　they　could　see　both　into　the
guard…room　opposite　them　and　into　the　recess　at　die　furthermost
end　of　the　cell。

〃First　of　all；〃　began　Chauvelin　after　a　while；　and　sinking　his
voice　to　a　whisper；　〃let　me　understand　you　thoroughly；　citizen
Heron。　Do　you　want　the　death　of　the　Englishman；　either　to…day　or
to…morrow；　either　in　this　prison　or　on　the　guillotine？　For　that
now　is　easy　of　accomplishment；　or　do　you　want；　above　all；　to　get
hold　of　little　Capet？〃

〃It　is　Capet　I　want；〃　growled　Heron　savagely　under　his　breath。
〃Capet！　　Capet！　My　own　neck　is　dependent　on　my　finding　Capet。
Curse　you；　have　I　not　told　you　that　clearly　enough？〃

〃You　have　told　it　me　very　clearly；　citizen　Heron；　but　I　wished　to
make　assurance　doubly　sure；　and　also　make　you　Understand　that　I；
too；　want　the　Englishman　to　betray　little　Capet　into　your　hands。
I　want　that　more　even　than　I　do　his　death。〃

〃Then　in　the　name　of　hell；　citizen；　give　me　your　advice。〃

〃My　advice　to　you；　citizen　Heron；　is　this：　Give　your　prisoner　now
just　a　sufficiency　of　food　to　revive　himhe　will　have　had　a　few
moments'　sleepand　when　he　has　eaten；　and；　mayhap；　drunk　a　glass
of　wine；　he　will；　no　doubt；　feel　a　recrudescence　of　strength；　then
give　him　pen　and　ink　and　paper。　　He　must；　as　he　says；　write　to　one
of　his　followers；　who；　in　his　turn；　I　suppose；　will　communicate
with　the　others；　bidding　them　to　be　prepared　to　deliver　up　little
Capet　to　us；　the　letter　must　make　it　clear　to　that　crowd　of
English　gentlemen　that　their　beloved　chief　is　giving　up　the
uncrowned　King　of　France　to　us　in　exchange　for　his　own　safety。　But
I　think　you　will　agree　with　me；　citizen　Heron；　that　it　would　not
be　over…prudent　on　our　part　to　allow　that　same　gallant　crowd　to　be
forewarned　too　soon　of　the　pro…posed　doings　of　their　chief。
Therefore；　I　think；　we'll　explain　to　the　prisoner　that　his
follower；　whom　he　will　first　apprise　of　his　intentions；　shall
start　with　us　to…morrow　on　our　expedition；　and　accompany　us　until
its　last　stage；　when；　if　it　is　found　necessary；　he　may　be　sent　on
ahead；　strongly　escorted　of　course；　and　with　personal　messages
from　the　gallant　Scarlet　Pimpernel　to　the　members　of　his　League。〃

〃What　will　be　the　good　of　that？〃　broke　in　Heron　viciously。　　〃Do
you　want　one　of　his　accursed　followers　to　be　ready　to　give　him　a
helping　hand　on　the　way　if　he　tries　to　slip　through　our　fingers？

〃Patience；　patience；　my　good　Heron！〃　rejoined　Chauvelin　with　a
placid　smile。　　〃Hear　me　out　to　the　end。　Time　is　precious。　　You
shall　offer　what　criticism　you　will　when　I　have　finished；　but　not
before。〃

〃Go　on；　then。　　I　listen。〃

〃I　am　not　only　proposing　that　one　member　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel
League　shall　accompany　us　to…morrow；〃　continued　Chauvelin；　〃but　I
would　also　force　the　prisoner's　wifeMarguerite　Blakeneyto
follow　in　our　train。〃

〃A　woman？　Bah！　What　for？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　the　reason　of　this　presently。　In　her　case　I
should　not　let　the　prisoner　know　beforehand　that　she　too　will　form
a　part　of　our　expedition。　Let　this　come　as　a　pleasing　surprise　for
him。　　She　could　join　us　on　our　way　out　of　Paris。〃

〃How　will　you　get　hold　of　her？〃

〃Easily　enough。　I　know　where　to　find　her。　　I　traced　her　myself　a
few　days　ago　to　a　house　in　the　Rue　de　Charonne；　and　she　is　not
likely　to　have　gone　away　from　Paris　while　her　husband　was　at　the
Conciergerie。　But　this　is　a　digression；　let　me　proceed　more
consecutively。　The　letter；　as　I　have　said；　being　written　to…night
by　the　prisoner　to　one　of　his　followers；　I　will　myself　see　that　it
is　delivered　into　the　right　hands。　You；　citizen　Heron；　will　in　the
meanwhile　make　all　arrangements　for　the　journey。　We　ought　to　start
at　dawn；　and　we　ought　to　be　prepared；　especially　during　the　first
fifty　leagues　of　the　way；　against　organised　attack　in　case　the
Englishman　leads　us　into　an　ambush。〃

〃Yes。　He　might　even　do　that；　curse　him！〃　muttered　Heron。

〃He　might；　but　it　is　unlikely。　Still　it　is　best　to　be　prepared。
Take　a　strong　escort；　citizen；　say　twenty　or　thirty　men；　picked
and　trained　soldie