el dorado-第68部分

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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。

〃Well！〃　he　said　with　a　fierce　oath；　〃what　are　we　waiting　for？　The
prisoner　knows　how　he　stands。　Now　we　can　go。〃

〃One　moment；　citizen；〃　interposed　Chauvelin；　his　quiet　manner
contrasting　strangely　with　his　colleague's　savage　mood。　〃You　have
quite　understood；　Sir　Percy；〃　he　continued；　directly　addressing
the　prisoner；　〃the　conditions　under　which　we　are　all　of　us　about
to　proceed　on　this　journey？〃

〃All　of　us？〃　said　Blakeney　slowly。　　〃Are　you　taking　it　for　granted
then　that　I　accept　your　conditions　and　that　I　am　prepared　to
proceed　on　the　journey？〃

〃If　you　do　not　proceed　on　the　journey；〃　cried　Heron　with　savage
fury；　〃I'll　strangle　that　woman　with　my　own　handsnow！〃

Blakeney　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　or　two　through　half…closed
lids；　and　it　seemed　then　to　those　who　knew　him　well；　to　those　who
loved　him　and　to　the　man　who　hated　him；　that　the　mighty　sinews
almost　cracked　with　the　passionate　desire　to　kill。　　Then　the
sunken　eyes　turned　slowly　to　Marguerite；　and　she　alone　caught　the
lookit　was　a　mere　flash；　of　a　humble　appeal　for　pardon。

It　was　all　over　in　a　second；　almost　immediately　the　tension　on　the
pale　face　relaxed；　and　into　the　eyes　there　came　that　look　of
acceptancenearly　akin　to　fatalisman　acceptance　of　which　the
strong　alone　are　capable；　for　with　them　it　only　comes　in　the　face
of　the　inevitable。

Now　he　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders；　and　once　more　turning　to
Heron　he　said　quietly：

〃You　leave　me　no　option　in　that　case。　　As　you　have　remarked
before；　citizen　Heron；　why　should　we　wait　any　longer？　Surely　we
can　now　go。〃



CHAPTER　XLIII
THE　DREARY　JOURNEY

Rain！　　Rain！　　Rain！　　Incessant；　monotonous　and　dreary！　　The　wind
had　changed　round　to　the　southwest。　　It　blew　now　in　great　gusts
that　sent　weird；　sighing　sounds　through　the　trees；　and　drove　the
heavy　showers　into　the　faces　of　the　men　as　they　rode　on；　with
heads　bent　forward　against　the　gale。

The　rain…sodden　bridles　slipped　through　their　hands；　bringing　out
sores　and　blisters　on　their　palms；　the　horses　were　fidgety；
tossing　their　heads　with　wearying　persistence　as　the　wet　trickled
into　their　ears；　or　the　sharp；　intermittent　hailstones　struck
their　sensitive　noses。

Three　days　of　this　awful　monotony；　varied　only　by　the　halts　at
wayside　inns；　the　changing　of　troops　at　one　of　the　guard…houses　on
the　way；　the　reiterated　commands　given　to　the　fresh　squad　before
starting　on　the　next　lap　of　this　strange；　momentous　way；　and　all
the　while；　audible　above　the　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs；　the
rumbling　of　coach…wheelstwo　closed　carriages；　each　drawn　by　a
pair　of　sturdy　horses；　which　were　changed　at　every　halt。　A　soldier
on　each　box　urged　them　to　a　good　pace　to　keep　up　with　the
troopers；　who　were　allowed　to　go　at　an　easy　canter　or　light
jog…trot；　whatever　might　prove　easiest　and　least　fatiguing。　And
from　time　to　time　Heron's　shaggy；　gaunt　head　would　appear　at　the
window　of　one　of　the　coaches；　asking　the　way；　the　distance　to　the
next　city　or　to　the　nearest　wayside　inn；　cursing　the　troopers；　the
coachman；　his　colleague　and　every　one　concerned；　blaspheming
against　the　interminable　length　of　the　road；　against　the　cold　and
against　the　wet。

Early　in　the　evening　on　the　second　day　of　the　journey　he　had　met
with　an　accident。　　The　prisoner；　who　presumably　was　weak　and
weary；　and　not　over　steady　on　his　feet；　had　fallen　up　against　him
as　they　were　both　about　to　re…enter　the　coach　after　a　halt　just
outside　Amiens；　and　citizen　Heron　had　lost　his　footing　in　the
slippery　mud　of　the　road。　head　came　in　violent　contact　with　the
step；　and　his　right　temple　was　severely　cut。　　Since　then　he　had
been　forced　to　wear　a　bandage　across　the　top　of　his　face；　under
his　sugar…loaf　hat；　which　had　added　nothing　to　his　beauty；　but　a
great　deal　to　the　violence　of　his　temper。　　He　wanted　to　push　the
men　on；　to　force　the　pace；　to　shorten　the　halts；　but　Chauvelin
knew　better　than　to　allow　slackness　and　discontent　to　follow　in
the　wake　of　over…fatigue。

The　soldiers　were　always　well　rested　and　well　fed；　and　though　th