el dorado-第75章
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He did as she desired。 Her calm in no way deceived him； he knew
that she must be suffering keenly； and would suffer more keenly
still while she would be trying to efface her own personal
feelings all through that coming dreary journey to Calais。
He went to see the landlord about the horse and cart； and a
quarter of an hour later Marguerite came downstairs ready to
start。 She found Sir Andrew in close converse with an officer of
the Garde de Paris； whilst two soldiers of the same regiment were
standing at the horse's head。
When she appeared in the doorway Sir Andrew came at once up to her。
〃It is just as I feared； Lady Blakeney；〃 he said； 〃this man has
been sent here to take charge of you。 Of course； he knows nothing
beyond the fact that his orders are to convey you at once to the
guard…house of the Rue Ste。 Anne； where he is to hand you over to
citizen Chauvelin of the Committee of Public Safety。〃
Sir Andrew could not fail to see the look of intense relief which；
in the midst of all her sorrow； seemed suddenly to have lighted up
the whole of Marguerite's wan face。 The thought of wending her own
way to safety whilst Percy； mayhap； was fighting an uneven fight
with death had been well…nigh intolerable； but she had been ready
to okey without a murmur。 Now Fate and the enemy himself had
decided otherwise。 She felt as if a load had been lifted from her
heart。
〃I will at once go and find de Batz；〃 Sir Andrew contrived to
whisper hurriedly。 〃As soon as Percy's letter is safely in his
hands I will make my way northwards and communicate with all the
members of the League； on whom the chief has so strictly enjoined
to quit French soil immediately。 We will proceed to Calais first
and open up communication with the Day…Dream in the usual way。
The others had best embark on board her； and the skipper shall
then make for the known spot of Le Portel； of which Percy speaks
in his letter。 I myself will go by land to Le Portel； and thence；
if I have no news of you or of the expedition； I will slowly work
southwards in the direction of the Chateau d'Ourde。 That is all
that I can do。 If you can contrive to let Percy or even Armand
know my movements； do so by all means。 I know that I shall be
doing right； for； in a way； I shall be watching over you and
arranging for your safety； as Blakeney begged me to do。 God bless
you； Lady Blakeney； and God save the Scarlet Pimpernel！〃
He stooped and kissed her hand； and she intimated to the officer
that she was ready。 He had a hackney coach waiting for her lower
down the street。 To it she walked with a firm step； and as she
entered it she waved a last farewell to Sir Andrew Ffoulkes。
CHAPTER XLII
THE GUARD…HOUSE OF THE RUE STE。 ANNE
The little cortege was turning out of the great gates of the house
of Justice。 It was intensely cold； a bitter north…easterly gale
was blowing from across the heights of Montmartre； driving sleet
and snow and half…frozen rain into the faces of the men； and
finding its way up their sleeves； down their collars and round the
knees of their threadbare breeches。
Armand； whose fingers were numb with the cold； could scarcely feel
the reins in his hands。 Chauvelin was riding dose beside him； but
the two men had not exchanged one word since the moment when the
small troop of some twenty mounted soldiers had filed up inside
the courtyard； and Chauvelin； with a curt word of command； had
ordered one of the troopers to take Armand's horse on the lead。
A hackney coach brought up the rear of the cortege； with a man
riding at either door and two more following at a distance of
twenty paces。 Heron's gaunt； ugly face； crowned with a battered；
sugar…loaf hat； appeared from time to time at the window of the
coach。 He was no horseman； and； moreover； preferred to keep the
prisoner closely under his own eye。 The corporal had told Armand
that the prisoner was with citizen Heron inside the coachin
irons。 Beyond that the soldiers could tell him nothing； they knew
nothing of the object of this expedition。 Vaguely they might have
wondered in their dull minds why this particular prisoner was thus
being escorted out of the Conciergerie prison with so much
paraphernalia and such an air of mystery； when there were
thousands of prisoners in the city and the provinces at the
present moment who anon would be bundled up wholesale into carts
to be dragged to the guillotine like a flock of sheep to the
butchers。
But even if they wondered they made no remarks among themselves。
Their faces； blue with the cold； were the perfect mirrors of their
own unconquerable stolidity。
The tower clock of Notre Dame struck seven when the small
cavalcade finally moved slowly out of the monumental gates。 In
the east the wan light of a February morning slowly struggled out
of the surrounding gloom。 Now the towers of many churches loomed
ghostlike against the dull grey sky； and down below； on the right；
the frozen river； like a smooth sheet of steel； wound its graceful
curves round the islands and past the facade of the Louvres
palace； whose walls looked grim and silent； like the mausoleum of
the dead giants of the past。
All around the great city gave signs of awakening； the business of
the day renewed its course every twenty…four hours； despite the
tragedies of death and of dishonour that walked with it hand in
hand。 From the Place de La Revolution the intermittent roll of
drums came from time to time with its muffled sound striking the
ear of the passer…by。 Along the quay opposite an open…air camp was
already astir； men； women； and children engaged in the great task
of clothing and feeding the people of France； armed against
tyranny； were bending to their task； even before the wintry dawn
had spread its pale grey tints over the narrower streets of the
city。
Armand shivered under his cloak。 This silent ride beneath the
laden sky； through the veil of half…frozen rain and snow； seemed
like a dream to him。 And now； as the outriders of the little
cavalcade turned to cross the Pont au Change； he saw spread out on
his left what appeared like the living panorama of these three
weeks that had just gone by。 He could see the house of the Rue
St。 Germain l'Auxerrois where Percy had lodged before he carried
through the rescue of the little Dauphin。 Armand could even see
the window at which the dreamer had stood； weaving noble dreams
that his brilliant daring had turned into realities； until the
hand of a traitor had brought him down toto what？ Armand would
not have dared at this moment to look back at that hideous； vulgar
hackney coach wherein that proud； reckless adventurer； who had
defied Fate and mocked Death； sat； in chains； beside a loathsome
creature whose very propinquity was an outrage。
Now they were passing under the very house on the Quai de La
Ferraille； above the saddler's shop； the house where Marguerite
had lodged ten days ago； whither Armand had come； trying to fool
himself into the belief that the love of 〃little mother〃 could be
deceived into blindness against his own crime。 He had tried to
draw a veil before those eyes which he had scarcely dared
encounter； but he knew that that veil must lift one day； and then
a curse would send him forth； outlawed and homeless； a wanderer on
the face of the earth。
Soon as the little cortege wended its way northwards it filed out
beneath the walls of the Temple prison； there was the main gate
with its sentry standing at attention； there the archway with the
guichet of the concierge； and beyond it the paved courtyard。
Armand closed his eyes deliberately； he could not bear to look。
No wonder that he shivered and tried to draw his cloak closer
around him。 Every stone； every street corner was full of
memories。 The chill that struck to the very marrow of his bones
came from no outward cause； it was the very hand of remorse that；
as it passed over him； froze the blood in his veins and made the
rattle of those wheels behind him sound like a hellish knell。
At last the more closely populated quarters of the city were left
behind。 On ahead the first section of the guard had turned into
the Rue St。 Anne。 The house
