el dorado-第70章

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little　Capet；　without　much　trouble　to　our　escort；　falls　safe　and
sound　into　our　handsif　certain　contingencies　which　I　am　about　to
tell　you　all　fall　out　as　we　wishthen；　Sir　Percy；　I　see　no　reason
why　the　Government　of　this　country　should　not　exercise　its
prerogative　of　mercy　towards　you　after　all。〃

〃An　exercise；　my　dear　M。　Chambertin；　which　must　have　wearied
through　frequent　repetition；〃　retorted　Blakeney　with　the　same
imperturbable　smile。

〃The　contingency　at　present　is　somewhat　remote；　when　the　time
comes　we'll　talk　this　matter　over。。。。　　I　will　make　no　promise　。。。
and；　anyhow；　we　can　discuss　it　later。〃

〃At　present　we　are　but　wasting　our　valuable　time　over　so　trifling
a　matter。。。。　　If　you'll　excuse　me；　sir　。。。　I　am　so　demmed
fatigued〃

〃Then　you　will　be　glad　to　have　everything　settled　quickly；　I　am
sure。〃

〃Exactly；　sir。〃

Heron　was　taking　no　part　ill　the　present　conversation。　　He　knew
that　his　temper　was　not　likely　to　remain　within　bounds；　and　though
he　had　nothing　but　contempt　for　his　colleague's　courtly　manners；
yet　vaguely　in　his　stupid；　blundering　way　he　grudgingly　admitted
that　mayhap　it　was　better　to　allow　citizen　Chauvelin　to　deal　with
the　Englishman。　　There　was　always　the　danger　that　if　his　own
violent　temper　got　the　better　of　him；　he　might　even　at　this
eleventh　hour　order　this　insolent　prisoner　to　summary　trial　and
the　guillotine；　and　thus　lose　the　final　chance　of　the　more
important　capture。

He　was　sprawling　on　a　chair　in　his　usual　slouching　manner　with　his
big　head　sunk　between　his　broad　shoulders；　his　shifty；　prominent
eyes　wandering　restlessly　from　the　face　of　his　colleague　to　that
of　the　other　man。

But　now　he　gave　a　grunt　of　impatience。

〃We　are　wasting　time；　citizen　Chauvelin；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　have
still　a　great　deal　to　see　to　if　we　are　to　start　at　dawn。　　Get　the
dd　letter　written；　and〃

The　rest　of　the　phrase　was　lost　in　an　indistinct　and　surly　murmur。
Chauvelin；　after　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　paid　no　further　heed　to
him；　he　turned；　bland　and　urbane；　once　more　to　the　prisoner。

〃I　see　with　pleasure；　Sir　Percy；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　thoroughly
understand　one　another。　　Having　had　a　few　hours'　rest　you　will；　I
know；　feel　quite　ready　for　the　expedition。　　Will　you　kindly
indicate　to　me　the　direction　in　which　we　will　have　to　travel？〃

〃Northwards　all　the　way。〃

〃Towards　the　coast？〃

〃The　place　to　which　we　must　go　is　about　seven　leagues　from　the
sea。〃

〃Our　first　objective　then　will　be　Beauvais；　Amiens；　Abbeville；
Crecy；　and　so　on？〃

〃Precisely。〃

〃As　far　as　the　forest　of　Boulogne；　shall　we　say？〃

〃Where　we　shall　come　off　the　beaten　track；　and　you　will　have　to
trust　to　my　guidance。〃

〃We　might　go　there　now；　Sir　Percy；　and　leave　you　here。〃

〃You　might。　　But　you　would　not　then　find　the　child。　Seven　leagues
is　not　far　from　the　coast。　　He　might　slip　through　your　fingers。〃

〃And　my　colleague　Heron；　being　disappointed；　would　inevitably　send
you　to　the　guillotine。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　rejoined　the　prisoner　placidly。　　〃Methought；　sir；　that
we。　had　decided　that　I　should　lead　this　little　expedition？
Surely；〃　he　added；　〃it　is　not　so　much　the　Dauphin　whom　you　want　as
my　share　in　this　betrayal。〃

〃You　are　right　as　usual；　Sir　Percy。　Therefore　let　us　take　that　as
settled。　We　go　as　far　as　Crecy；　and　thence　place　ourselves
entirely　in　your　hands。〃

〃The　journey　should　not　take　more　than　three　days；　sir。〃

〃During　which　you　will　travel　in　a　coach　in　the　company　of　my
friend　Heron。〃

〃I　could　have　chosen　pleasanter　company；　sir；　still；　it　will
serve。〃

〃This　being　settled；　Sir　Percy。　　I　understand　that　you　desire　to
communicate　with　one　of　your　followers。〃

〃Some　one　must　let　the　others　know　。。。　those　who　have　the　Dauphin
in　their　charge。〃

〃Quite　so。　　Therefore　I　pray　you　write　to　one　of　your　friends　that
you　have　decided　to　deliver　the　Dauphin　into　our　hands　in　exchange
for　your　own　safety。〃

〃You　said　just　now　that　this　you　would　not　guarantee；〃　interposed
Blakeney　quietly。

〃If　all　turns　out　well；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　with　a　show　of
contempt；　〃and　if　you　will　write　the　exact　letter　which　I　shall
dictate；　we　might　even　give　you　that　guarantee。〃

〃The　quality　of　your　mercy；　sir；　passes　belief。〃

〃Then　I　pray　you　write。　　Which　of　your　followers　will　have　the
honour　of　the　communication？〃

〃My　brother…in…law；　Armand　St。　Just；　he　is　still　in　Paris；　I
believe。　　He　can　let　the　others　know。〃

Chauvelin　made　no　immediate　reply。　　He　'paused　awhile；　hesitating。
Would　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　be　readyif　his　own　safety　demanded
itto　sacrifice　the　man　who　had　betrayed　him？　　In　the　momentous
〃eitheror〃　that　was　to　be　put　to　him；　by…and…by；　would　he　choose
his　own　life　and　leave　Armand　St。　Just　to　perish？　　It　was　not　for
Chauvelinor　any　man　of　his　stampto　judge　of　what　Blakeney
would　do　under　such　circumstances；　and　had　it　been　a　question　of
St。　Just　alone；　mayhap　Chauvelin　would　have　hesitated　still　more
at　the　present　juncture。

But　the　friend　as　hostage　was　only　destined　to　be　a　minor　leverage
for　the　final　breaking…up　of　the　League　of　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel
through　the　disgrace　of　its　chief。　　There　was　the　wifeMarguerite
Blakeneysister　of　St。　Just；　joint　and　far　more　important　hostage；
whose　very　close　affection　for　her　brother　might　prove　an　additional
trump　card　in　that　handful　which　Chauvelin　already　held。

Blakeney　paid　no　heed　seemingly　to　the　other's　hesitation。　　He　did
not　even　look　up　at　him；　but　quietly　drew　pen　and　paper　towards
him；　and　made　ready　to　write。

〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　say？〃　he　asked　simply。

〃Will　that　young　blackguard　answer　your　purpose；　citizen
Chauvelin？〃　queried　Heron　roughly。

Obviously　the　same　doubt　had　crossed　his　mind。　　Chauvelin　quickly
re…assured　him。

〃Better　than　any　one　else；〃　he　said　firmly。　　〃Will　you　write　at　my
dictation；　Sir　Percy？

〃I　am　waiting　to　do　so；　my　dear　sir。〃

〃Begin　your　letter　as　you　wish；　then；　now　continue。〃

And　he　began　to　dictate　slowly；　watching　every　word　as　it　left
Blakeney's　pen。

〃'I　cannot　stand　my　present　position　any　longer。　Citizen　Heron；
and　also　M。　Chauvelin；　Yes；　Sir　Percy；　Chauvelin；　not　Chambertin
。。。　C；　H；　A；　U；　V；　E；　L；　I；　N。。。。　　That　is　quite　right'　have
made　this　prison　a　perfect　hell　for　me。'〃

Sir　Percy　looked　up　from　his　writing；　smiling。

〃You　wrong　yourself；　my　dear　M。　Chambertin！〃　he　said；　〃I　have
really　been　most　comfortable。〃

〃I　wish　to　place　the　matter　before　your　friends　in　as　indulgent　a
manner　as　I　can；〃　retorted　Chauvelin　dryly。

〃I　thank　you；　sir。　　Pray　proceed。〃

〃。。。　a　perfect　hell　for　me；'〃　resumed　the　other。　　〃Have　you　that？
。。。　'and　I　have　been　forced　to　give　way。　　To…morrow　we　start　from
here　at　dawn；　and　I　will　guide　citizen　Heron　to　the　place　where　he
can　find　the　Dauphin。　　But　the　authorities　demand　that　one　of　my
followers；　one　who　has　once　been　a　member　of　the　League　of　the
Scarlet　Pimpernel；　shall　accompany　me　on　this　expedition。　I
therefore　ask　you'or　'desire　you'　or　'beg　you'whichever　you
prefer；　Sir　Percy　。。。〃

〃'Ask　you'　will　do　quite　nicely。　　This　is　really　very　interesting；
you　know。〃

〃。。。　'to　be　prepared　to　join　the　expedition。　　We　start　at　dawn；
and　you　would　be　required　to　be　at　the　main　gate　of　the　house　of
Justice　at　six　o'clock　precisely。　　I　have　an　assurance　from　the
authorities　that　your　life　should　be　in…violate；　but　if　you　refuse
to　accompany　me；　the　guillotine　will　await　me　on　the　morrow。'〃

〃'The　guillotine　will　await　me　on　the　morrow。'　That　sounds　quite
cheerful；　does　it　not；　M。　Chambertin？〃　said　the　prisoner；　who　had
not　evinced　the　slightest　surprise　at　the　wording　of　the　letter
whilst　he　wrote　at　the　other's　dictation。　　〃Do　you　know；　I　quite
enjoyed　writing　this　letter；　it　so　reminded　me　of　happy　days　in
Boulogne。〃

Chauvelin　pressed　his　lips　together。　　Truly　now　he　felt　that　a
retort　from　him　would　have　been　undignified；　more　especially　as
just　at　this　moment　there　came　from　the　guard　room　the　sound　of
mn's　voices　talking　and　laughing；　the　occasional　clang　of　steel；
or　of　a　heavy　boot　against　the　tiled　floor；　the　rattling　of　dice；
or　a　sudden　burst　of　laughtersounds；　in　fact；　that　betokened　the
presence　of　a　number　of　soldiers　close