el dorado-第76章

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behind。　　On　ahead　the　first　section　of　the　guard　had　turned　into
the　Rue　St。　Anne。　　The　houses　became　more　sparse；　intersected　by
narrow　pieces　of　terrains　vagues；　or　small　weed…covered　bits　of
kitchen　garden。

Then　a　halt　was　called。

It　was　quite　light　now。　　As　light　as　it　would　ever　be　beneath　this
leaden　sky。　　Rain　and　snow　still　fell　in　gusts；　driven　by　the
blast。

Some　one　ordered　Armand　to　dismount。　　It　was　probably　Chauvelin。
He　did　as　he　was　told；　and　a　trooper　led　him　to　the　door　of　an
irregular　brick　building　that　stood　isolated　on　the　right；
extended　on　either　side　by　a　low　wall；　and　surrounded　by　a　patch
of　uncultivated　land；　which　now　looked　like　a　sea　of　mud。

On　ahead　was　the　line　of　fortifications　dimly　outlined　against　the
grey　of　the　sky；　and　in　between　brown；　sodden　earth；　with　here　and
there　a　detached　house；　a　cabbage　patch；　a　couple　of　windmills
deserted　and　desolate。

The　loneliness　of　an　unpopulated　outlying　quarter　of　the　great
mother　city；　a　useless　limb　of　her　active　body；　an　ostracised
member　of　her　vast　family。

Mechanically　Armand　had　followed　the　soldier　to　the　door　of　the
building。　　Here　Chauvelin　was　standing；　and　bade　him　follow。　　A
smell　of　hot　coffee　hung　in　the　dark　narrow　passage　in　front。
Chauvelin　led　the　way　to　a　room　on　the　left。

Still　that　smell　of　hot　coffee。　　Ever　after　it　was　associated　in
Armand's　mind　with　this　awful　morning　in　the　guard…house　of　the
Rue　Ste。　Anne；　when　the　rain　and　snow　beat　against　the　windows；
and　he　stood　there　in　the　low　guard…room　shivering　and　half…numbed
with　cold。

There　was　a　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　on　it　stood　cups
of　hot　coffee。　　Chauvelin　bade　him　drink；　suggesting；　not
unkindly；　that　the　warm　beverage　would　do　him　good。　　Armand
advanced　further　into　the　room；　and　saw　that　there　were　wooden
benches　all　round　against　the　wall。　　On　one　of　these　sat　his
sister　Marguerite。

When　she　saw　him　she　made　a　sudden；　instinctive　movement　to　go　to
him；　but　Chauvelin　interposed　in　his　usual　bland；　quiet　manner。

〃Not　just　now；　citizeness；〃　he　said。

She　sat　down　again；　and　Armand　noted　how　cold　and　stony　seemed　her
eyes；　as　if　life　within　her　was　at　a　stand…still；　and　a　shadow
that　was　almost　like　death　had　atrophied　every　emotion　in　her。

〃I　trust　you　have　not　suffered　too　much　from　the　cold；　Lady
Blakeney；〃　resumed　Chauvelin　politely；　〃we　ought　not　to　have　kept
you　waiting　here　for　so　long；　but　delay　at　departure　is　sometimes
inevitable。〃

She　made　no　reply；　only　acknowledging　his　reiterated　inquiry　as　to
her　comfort　with　an　inclination　of　the　head。

Armand　had　forced　himself　to　swallow　some　coffee；　and　for　the
moment　he　felt　less　chilled。　　He　held　the　cup　between　his　two
hands；　and　gradually　some　warmth　crept　into　his　bones。

〃Little　mother；〃　he　said　in　English；　〃try　and　drink　some　of　this；
it　will　do　you　good。〃

〃Thank　you；　dear；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　have　had　some。　　I　am　not
cold。〃

Then　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　room　was　pushed　open；　and　Heron
stalked　in。

〃Are　we　going　to　be　all　day　in　this　confounded　hole？〃　he　queried
roughly。

Armand；　who　was　watching　his　sister　very　closely；　saw　that　she
started　at　the　sight　of　the　wretch；　and　seemed　immediately　to
shrink　still　further　within　herself；　whilst　her　eyes；　suddenly
luminous　and　dilated；　rested　on　him　like　those　of　a　captive　bird
upon　an　approaching　cobra。

But　Chauvelin　was　not　to　be　shaken　out　of　his　suave　manner。

〃One　moment；　citizen　Heron；〃　he　said；　〃this　coffee　is　very
comforting。　　Is　the　prisoner　with　you？〃　he　added　lightly。

Heron　nodded　in　the　direction　of　the　other　room。

〃In　there；〃　he　said　curtly。

〃Then；　perhaps；　if　you　will　be　so　good；　citizen；　to　invite　him
thither；　I　could　explain　to　him　his　future　position　and　our　own。〃

Heron　muttered　something　between　his　fleshy　lips；　then　he　turned
back　towards　the　open　door；　solemnly　spat　twice　on　the　threshold；
and　nodded　his　gaunt　head　once　or　twice　in　a　manner　which
apparently　was　understood　from　within。

〃No；　sergeant；　I　don't　want　you；〃　he　said　gruffly；　〃only　the
prisoner。〃

A　second　or　two　later　Sir　Percy　Blakeney　stood　in　the　doorway；　his
hands　were　behind　his　back；　obviously　hand…cuffed；　but　he　held
himself　very　erect；　though　it　was　clear　that　this　caused　him　a
mighty　effort。　　As　soon　as　he　had　crossed　the　threshold　his　quick
glance　had　swept　right　round　the　room。

He　saw　Armand；　and　his　eyes　lit　up　almost　imperceptibly。

Then　he　caught　sight　of　Marguerite；　and　his　pale　face　took　on
suddenly　a　more　ashen　hue。

Chauvelin　was　watching　him　with　those　keen；　light…coloured　eyes　of
his。　　Blakeney；　conscious　of　this；　made　no　movement；　only　his　lips
tightened；　and　the　heavy　lids　fell　over　the　hollow　eyes；
completely　hiding　their　glance。

But　what　even　the　most　astute；　most　deadly　enemy　could　not　see　was
that　subtle　message　of　understanding　that　passed　at　once　between
Marguerite　and　the　man　she　loved；　it　was　a　magnetic　current；
intangible；　invisible　to　all　save　to　her　and　to　him。　　She　was
prepared　to　see　him；　prepared　to　see　in　him　all　that　she　had
feared；　the　weakness；　the　mental　exhaustion；　the　submission　to　the
inevitable。　Therefore　she　had　also　schooled　her　glance　to　express
to　him　all　that　she　knew　she　would　not　be　allowed　to　saythe
reassurance　that　she　had　read　his　last　letter；　that　she　had　obeyed
it　to　the　last　word；　save　where　Fate　and　her　enemy　had　interfered
with　regard　to　herself。

With　a　slight；　imperceptible　movementimperceptible　to　every　one
save　to　him；　she　had　seemed　to　handle　a　piece　of　paper　in　her
kerchief；　then　she　had　nodded　slowly；　with　her　eyessteadfast；
reassuringfixed　upon　him；　and　his　glance　gave　answer　that　he　had
understood。

But　Chauvelin　and　Heron　had　seen　nothing　of　this。　They　were
satisfied　that　there　had　been　no　communication　between　the
prisoner　and　his　wife　and　friend。

〃You　are　no　doubt　surprised；　Sir　Percy；〃　said　Chauvelin　after　a
while；　〃to　see　Lady　Blakeney　here。　　She；　as　well　as　citizen　St。
Just；　will　accompany　our　expedition　to　the　place　where　you　will
lead　us。　　We　none　of　us　know　where　that　place　iscitizen　Heron
and　myself　are　entirely　in　your　handsyou　might　be　leading　us　to
certain　death；　or　again　to　a　spot　where　your　own　escape　would　be
an　easy　matter　to　yourself。　　You　will　not　be　surprised；　therefore；
that　we　have　thought　fit　to　take　certain　precautions　both　against
any　little　ambuscade　which　you　may　have　prepared　for　us；　or
against　your　making　one　of　those　daring　attempts　at　escape　for
which　the　noted　Scarlet　Pimpernel　is　so　justly　famous。〃

He　paused；　and　only　Heron's　low　chuckle　of　satisfaction　broke　the
momentary　silence　that　followed。　　Blakeney　made　no　reply。
Obviously　he　knew　exactly　what　was　coming。　He　knew　Chauvelin　and
his　ways；　knew　the　kind　of　tortuous　conception　that　would　find
origin　in　his　brain；　the　moment　that　he　saw　Marguerite　sitting
there　he　must　have　guessed　that　Chauvelin　once　more　desired　to　put
her　precious　life　in　the　balance　of　his　intrigues。

〃Citizen　Heron　is　impatient；　Sir　Percy；〃　resumed　Chauvelin　after　a
while；　〃so　I　must　be　brief。　　Lady　Blakeney；　as　well　as　citizen　St。
Just；　will　accompany　us　on　this　expedition　to　whithersoever　you
may　lead　us。　　They　will　be　the　hostages　which　we　will　hold　against
your　own　good　faith。　　At　the　slightest　suspiciona　mere　suspicion
perhapsthat　you　have　played　us　false；　at　a　hint　that　you　have
led　us　into　an　ambush；　or　that　the　whole　of　this　expedition　has
been　but　a　trick　on　your　part　to　effect　your　own　escape；　or　if
merely　our　hope　of　finding　Capet　at　the　end　of　our　journey　is
frustrated；　the　lives　of　our　two　hostages　belong　to　us；　and　your
friend　and　your　wife　will　be　summarily　shot　before　your　eyes。〃

Outside　the　rain　pattered　against　the　window…panes；　the　gale
whistled　mournfully　among　the　stunted　trees；　but　within　this　room
not　a　sound　stirred　the　deadly　stillness　of　the　air；　and　yet　at
this　moment　hatred　and　love；　savage　lust　and　sublime
self…abnegationthe　most　power　full　passions　the　heart　of　man　can
knowheld　three　men　here　enchained；　each　a　slave　to　his　dominant
passion；　each　ready　to　stake　his　all　for　the　satisfaction　of　his
master。　　Heron　was　the　first　to　speak。