el dorado-第42章

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soldier　a　full　blow　on　the　mouth。

The　man　staggered　back　with　a　curse；　the　other　shouted　for　help；
in　a　moment　the　narrow　place　swarmed　with　soldiers；　Marguerite　was
roughly　torn　away　from　the　prisoner's　side；　and　thrust　into　the
far　corner　of　the　cell；　from　where　she　only　saw　a　confused　mass　of
blue　coats　and　white　belts；　andtowering　for　one　brief　moment
above　what　seemed　to　her　fevered　fancy　like　a　veritable　sea　of
headsthe　pale　face　of　her　husband；　with　wide　dilated　eyes
searching　the　gloom　for　hers。

〃Remember！〃　he　shouted；　and　his　voice　for　that　brief　moment　rang
out　clear　and　sharp　above　the　din。

Then　he　disappeared　behind　the　wall　of　glistening　bayonets；　of
blue　coats　and　uplifted　arms；　mercifully　for　her　she　remembered
nothing　more　very　clearly。　　She　felt　herself　being　dragged　out　of
the　cell；　the　iron　bar　being　thrust　down　behind　her　with　a　loud
clang。　　Then　in　a　vague；　dreamy　state　of　semi…unconsciousness　she
saw　the　heavy　bolts　being　drawn　back　from　the　outer　door；　heard
the　grating　of　the　key　in　the　monumental　lock；　and　the　next　moment
a　breath　of　fresh　air　brought　the　sensation　of　renewed　life　into
her。



CHAPTER　XXX
AFTERWARDS

〃I　am　sorry；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　said　a　harsh；　dry　voice　close　to
her；　〃the　incident　at　the　end　of　your　visit　was　none　of　our
making；　remember。〃

She　turned　away；　sickened　with　horror　at　thought　of　contact　with
this　wretch。　　She　had　heard　the　heavy　oaken　door　swing　to　behind
her　on　its　ponderous　hinges；　and　the　key　once　again　turn　in　the
lock。　　She　felt　as　if　she　had　suddenly　been　thrust　into　a　coffin；
and　that　clods　of　earth　were　being　thrown　upon　her　breast；
oppressing　her　heart　so　that　she　could　not　breathe。

Had　she　looked　for　the　last　time　on　the　man　whom　she　loved　beyond
everything　else　on　earth；　whom　she　worshipped　more　ardently　day　by
day？　　Was　she　even　now　carrying　within　the　folds　of　her　kerchief　a
message　from　a　dying　man　to　his　comrades？

Mechanically　she　followed　Chauvelin　down　the　corridor　and　along
the　passages　which　she　had　traversed　a　brief　half…hour　ago。　　From
some　distant　church　tower　a　clock　tolled　the　hour　of　ten。　　It　had
then　really　only　been　little　more　than　thirty　brief　minutes　since
first　she　had　entered　this　grim　building；　which　seemed　less　stony
than　the　monsters　who　held　authority　within　it　；　to　her　it　seemed
that　centuries　had　gone　over　her　head　during　that　time。　　She　felt
like　an　old　woman；　unable　to　straighten　her　back　or　to　steady　her
limbs；　she　could　only　dimly　see　some　few　paces　ahead　the　trim
figure　of　Chauvelin　walking　with　measured　steps；　his　hands　held
behind　his　back；　his　head　thrown　up　with　what　looked　like
triumphant　defiance。

At　the　door　of　the　cubicle　where　she　had　been　forced　to　submit　to
the　indignity　of　being　searched　by　a　wardress；　the　latter　was　now
standing；　waiting　with　characteristic　stolidity。　　In　her　hand　she
held　the　steel　files；　the　dagger　and　the　purse　which；　as
Marguerite　passed；　she　held　out　to　her。

〃Your　property；　citizeness；〃　she　said　placidly。

She　emptied　the　purse　into　her　own　hand；　and　solemnly　counted　out
the　twenty　pieces　of　gold。　　She　was　about　to　replace　them　all　into
the　purse；　when　Marguerite　pressed　one　of　them　back　into　her
wrinkled　hand。

〃Nineteen　will　be　enough；　citizeness；〃　she　said；　〃keep　one　for
yourself；　not　only　for　me；　but　for　all　the　poor　women　who　come
here　with　their　heart　full　of　hope；　and　go　hence　with　it　full　of
despair。〃

The　woman　turned　calm；　lack…lustre　eyes　on　her；　and　silently
pocketed　the　gold　piece　with　a　grudgingly　muttered　word　of　thanks。

Chauvelin　during　this　brief　interlude；　had　walked　thoughtlessly　on
ahead。　　Marguerite；　peering　down　the　length　of　the　narrow
corridor；　spied　his　sable…clad　figure　some　hundred　metres　further
on　as　it　crossed　the　dim　circle　of　light　thrown　by　one　of　the
lamps。

She　was　about　to　follow；　when　it　seemed　to　her　as　if　some　one　was
moving　in　the　darkness　close　beside　her。　　The　wardress　was　even
now　in　the　act　of　closing　the　door　of　her　cubicle；　and　there　were
a　couple　of　soldiers　who　were　disappearing　from　view　round　one　end
of　the　passage；　whilst　Chauvelin's　retreating　form　was　lost　in　the
gloom　at　the　other。

There　was　no　light　close　to　where　she　herself　was　standing；　and
the　blackness　around　her　was　as　impenetrable　as　a　veil；　the　sound
of　a　human　creature　moving　and　breathing　close　to　her　in　this
intense　darkness　acted　weirdly　on　her　overwrought　nerves。

〃Qui　va　la？〃　she　called。

There　was　a　more　distinct　movement　among　the　shadows　this　time；　as
of　a　swift　tread　on　the　flagstones　of　the　corridor。　　All　else　was
silent　round；　and　now　she　could　plainly　hear　those　footsteps
running　rapidly　down　the　passage　away　from　her。　　She　strained　her
eyes　to　see　more　clearly；　and　anon　in　one　of　the　dim　circles　of
light　on　ahead　she　spied　a　man's　figureslender　and　darkly
cladwalking　quickly　yet　furtively　like　one　pursued。　　As　he
crossed　the　light　the　man　turned　to　look　back。　　It　was　her　brother
Armand。

Her　first　instinct　was　to　call　to　him；　the　second　checked　that
call　upon　her　lips。

Percy　had　said　that　Armand　was　in　no　danger；　then　why　should　he　be
sneaking　along　the　dark　corridors　of　this　awful　house　of　Justice
if　he　was　free　and　safe？

Certainly；　even　at　a　distance；　her　brother's　movements　suggested
to　Marguerite　that　he　was　in　danger　of　being　seen。　　He　cowered　in
the　darkness；　tried　to　avoid　the　circles　of　light　thrown　by　the
lamps　in　the　passage。　　At　all　costs　Marguerite　felt　that　she　must
warn　him　that　the　way　he　was　going　now　would　lead　him　straight
into　Chauvelin's　arms；　and　she　longed　to　let　him　know　that　she　was
close　by。

Feeling　sure　that　he　would　recognise　her　voice；　she　made　pretence
to　turn　back　to　the　cubicle　through　the　door　of　which　the　wardress
had　already　disappeared；　and　called　out　as　loudly　as　she　dared：

〃Good…night；　citizeness！〃

But　Armandwho　surely　must　have　hearddid　not　pause　at　the
sound。　　Rather　was　he　walking　on　now　more　rapidly　than　before。　　In
less　than　a　minute　he　would　be　reaching　the　spot　where　Chauvelin
stood　waiting　for　Marguerite。　　That　end　of　the　corridor；　however；
received　no　light　from　any　of　the　lamps；　strive　how　she　might；
Marguerite　could　see　nothing　now　either　of　Chauvelin　or　of　Armand。

Blindly；　instinctively；　she　ran　forward；　thinking　only　to　reach
Armand；　and　to　warn　him　to　turn　back　before　it　was　too　late；
before　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　most　bitter　enemy　he
and　his　nearest　and　dearest　had　ever　had。　　But　as　she　at　last　came
to　a　halt　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　panting　with　the　exertion　of
running　and　the　fear　for　Armand；　she　almost　fell　up　against
Chauvelin；　who　was　standing　there　alone　and　imperturbable；
seemingly　having　waited　patiently　for　her。　　She　could　only　dimly
distinguish　his　face；　the　sharp　features　and　thin　cruel　mouth；　but
she　feltmore　than　she　actually　sawhis　cold　steely　eyes　fixed
with　a　strange　expression　of　mockery　upon　her。

But　of　Armand　there　was　no　sign；　and　shepoor　soul！had
difficulty　in　not　betraying　the　anxiety　which　she　felt　for　her
brother。　　Had　the　flagstones　swallowed　him　up？　　A　door　on　the
right　was　the　only　one　that　gave　on　the　corridor　at　this　point；　it
led　to　the　concierge's　lodge；　and　thence　out　into　the　courtyard。
Had　Chauvelin　been　dreaming；　sleeping　with　his　eyes　open；　whilst
he　stood　waiting　for　her；　and　had　Armand　succeeded　in　slipping
past　him　under　cover　of　the　darkness　and　through　that　door　to
safety　that　lay　beyond　these　prison　walls？

Marguerite；　miserably　agitated；　not　knowing　what　to　think；　looked
somewhat　wild…eyed　on　Chauvelin；　he　smiled；　that　inscrutable；
mirthless　smile　of　his；　and　said　blandly：

〃Is　there　aught　else　that　I　can　do　for　you；　citizeness？　This　is
your　nearest　way　out。　　No　doubt　Sir　Andrew　will　be　waiting　to
escort　you　home。〃

Then　as　shenot　daring　either　to　reply　or　to　questionwalked
straight　up　to　the　door；　he　hurried　forward；　prepared　to　open　it
for　her。　　But　before　he　did　so　he　turned　to　her　once　again：

〃I　trust　that　your　visit　has　pleased　you；　Lady　Blakeney；〃　he　said
suavely。　　〃At　what　hour　do　you　desire　to　repeat　it　to…morrow？〃

〃To…morrow？〃　she　reiterated　in　a　vague；　absent　manner；　for　she　was
still　dazed　with　the　strange　incident　of　Armand's　appearance　and
his　flight。

〃Yes。　　You　would　like　to　see　Sir　Percy　again　to…morrow；　would　you
not？　　I　myself　would　gladly　pay　him　a　visit　from　time　to　time；　but
he　does　not　care　for　my　company。　　My　colleague；　citizen　Heron；　on
the　other　hand；　calls　on　him　four　times　in　every　twenty…four
hours；　he　does　so　a　few　moments　before　the　changing　of　the　guard；
and　stays　chatting　with　Sir　Percy　until　after　the　guard　is
changed；　when　he　inspects　the　men　and　satisfies　himself　that　no
traitor　has　crept　in　among　them。　　All　the　men　are　personally　known
to　him；　you　see。　　These　hours　are　at　five　in　the　morning　and　again
at　eleven；　and　then　again　at　five　and　eleven　in　the　evening。　　My
friend　Heron；　as　you　see；　is　zealous　and　assiduous；　and；　strangely
enough；　Sir　Percy　does　not　seem　to　view　his　visit　with　any
displeasure。　Now　at　any　other　hour　of　the　day；　Lady　Blakeney；　I
pray　you　command　me　and　I　will　arrange　that　citizen　Heron　grant
you　a　second　interview　with　the　prisoner。〃

Marguerite　had　only　listened　to　Chauvelin's　lengthy　speech　with
half　an　ear；　her　thoughts　still　dwelt　on　the　past　half…hour　with
its　bitter　joy　and　its　agonising　pain；　and　fighting　through　her
thoughts　of　Percy　there　was　the　recollection　of　Armand　which　so
disquieted　her。　　But　though　she　had　only　vaguely　listened　to　what
Chauvelin　was　saying；　she　caught　the　drift　of　it。

Madly　she　longed　to　accept　his　suggestion。　　The　very　thought　of
seeing　Percy　on　the　morrow　was　solace　to　her　aching　heart；　it
could　feed　on　hope　to…night　instead　of　on　its　own　bitter　pain。
But　even　during　this　brief　moment　of　hesitancy；　and　while　her
whole　being　cried　out　for　this　joy　that　her　enemy　was　holding　out
to　her；　even　then　in　the　gloom　ahead　of　her　she　seemed　to　see　a
vision　of　a　pale　face　raised　above　a　crowd　of　swaying　heads；　and
of　the　eyes　of　the　dreamer　searching　for　her　own；　whilst　the　last
sublime　cry　of　perfect　self…devotion　once　more　echoed　in　her　ear：

〃Remember！〃

The　promise　which　she　had　given　him；　that　would　she　fulfil。　　The
burden　which　he　had　laid　on　her　shoulders　she　would　try　to　bear　as
heroically　as　he　was　bearing　his　own。　　Aye；　even　at　the　cost　of
the　supreme　sorrow　of　never　resting　again　in　the　haven　of　his　arms。

But　in　spite　of　sorrow；　in　spite　of　anguish　so　terrible　that　she
could　not　imagine　Death　itself　to　have　a　more　cruel　sting；　she
wished　above　all　to　safeguard　that　final；　attenuated　thread　of
hope　which　was　wound　round　the　packet　that　lay　hidden　on　her　breast。

She　wanted；　above　all；　not　to　arouse　Chauvelin's　suspicions　by
markedly　refusing　to　visit　the　prisoner　againsuspicions　that
might　lead　to　her　being　searched　once　more　and　the　precious　packet
filched　from　her。　　Therefore　she　said　to　him　earnestly　now：

〃I　thank　you；　citizen；　for　your　solicitude　on　my　behalf；　but　you
will　understand；　I　think；　that　my　visit　to　the　prisoner　has　been
almost　more　than　I　could　bear。　　I　cannot　tell　you　at　this　moment
whether　to…morrow　I　should　be　in　a　fit　sta