el dorado-第77部分

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before　I　knew　that　those　brutes　meant　to　take　Marguerite　and　you
as　hostages　for　my　good　behaviour。　　What　I　hoped　then　was　that
under　cover　of　a　tussle　or　a　fight　I　could　somehow　or　other
contrive　to　slip　through　their　fingers。　　It　was　a　chance；　and　you
know　my　belief　in　bald…headed　Fortune；　with　the　one　solitary　hair。
Well；　I　meant　to　grab　that　hair；　and　at　the　worst　I　could　but　die
in　the　open　and　not　caged　in　that　awful　hole　like　some　noxious
vermin。　　I　knew　that　de　Batz　would　rise　to　the　bait。　I　told　him　in
my　letter　that　the　Dauphin　would　be　at　the　Chateau　d'Ourde　this
night；　but　that　I　feared　the　revolutionary　Government　had　got　wind
of　this　fact；　and　were　sending　an　armed　escort　to　bring　the　lad
away。　This　letter　Ffoulkes　took　to　him；　I　knew　that　he　would　make
a　vigorous　effort　to　get　the　Dauphin　into　his　hands；　and　that
during　the　scuffle　that　one　hair　on　Fortune's　head　would　for　one
second　only；　mayhap；　come　within　my　reach。　I　had　so　planned　the
expedition　that　we　were　bound　to　arrive　at　the　forest　of　Boulogne
by　nightfall；　and　night　is　always　a　useful　ally。　　But　at　the
guard…house　of　the　Rue　Ste。　Anne　I　realised　for　the　first　time
that　those　brutes　had　pressed　me　into　a　tighter　corner　than　I　had
pre…conceived。〃

He　paused；　and　once　again　that　look　of　recklessness　swept　over　his
face；　and　his　eyesstill　hollow　and　circledshone　with　the
excitement　of　past　memories。

〃I　was　such　a　weak；　miserable　wretch；　then；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to
Marguerite's　appeal。　　〃I　had　to　try　and　build　up　some　strength；
whenHeaven　forgive　me　for　the　sacrilegeI　had　unwittingly
risked　your　precious　life；　dear　heart；　in　that　blind　endeavour　to
save　mine　own。　　By　Gad！　it　was　no　easy　task　in　that　jolting
vehicle　with　that　noisome　wretch　beside　me　for　sole　company；　yet　I
ate　and　I　drank　and　I　slept　for　three　days　and　two　nights；　until
the　hour　when　in　the　darkness　I　struck　Heron　from　behind；
half…strangled　him　first；　then　gagged　him；　and　finally　slipped
into　his　filthy　coat　and　put　that　loathsome　bandage　across　my
head；　and　his　battered　hat　above　it　all。　　The　yell　he　gave　when
first　I　attacked　him　made　every　horse　rearyou　must　remember
itthe　noise　effectually　drowned　our　last　scuffle　in　the　coach。
Chauvelin　was　the　only　man　who　might　have　suspected　what　had
occurred；　but　he　had　gone　on　ahead；　and　bald…headed　Fortune　had
passed　by　me；　and　I　had　managed　to　grab　its　one　hair。　　After　that
it　was　all　quite　easy。　　The　sergeant　and　the　soldiers　had　seen
very　little　of　Heron　and　nothing　of　me；　it　did　not　take　a　great
effort　to　deceive　them；　and　the　darkness　of　the　night　was　my　most
faithful　friend。　　His　raucous　voice　was　not　difficult　to　imitate；
and　darkness　always　muffles　and　changes　every　tone。　　Anyway；　it
was　not　likely　that　those　loutish　soldiers　would　even　remotely
suspect　the　trick　that　was　being　played　on　them。　　The　citizen
agent's　orders　were　promptly　and　implicitly　obeyed。　　The　men　never
even　thought　to　wonder　that　after　insisting　on　an　escort　of　twenty
he　should　drive　off　with　two　prisoners　and　only　two　men　to　guard
them。　　If　they　did　wonder；　it　was　not　theirs　to　question。　　Those
two　troopers　are　spending　an　uncomfortable　night　somewhere　in　the
forest　of　Boulogne；　each　tied　to　a　tree；　and　some　two　leagues
apart　one　from　the　other。　　And　now；〃　he　added　gaily；　〃en　voiture；
my　fair　lady；　and　you；　too；　Armand。　　'Tis　seven　leagues　to　Le
Portel；　and　we　must　be　there　before　dawn。〃

〃Sir　Andrew's　intention　was　to　make　for　Calais　first；　there　to
open　communication　with　the　Day…Dream　and　then　for　Le　Portel；〃
said　Marguerite；　〃after　that　he　meant　to　strike　back　for　the
Chateau　d'Ourde　in　search　of　me。〃

〃Then　we'll　still　find　him　at　Le　PortelI　shall　know　how　to　lay
hands　on　him；　but　you　two　must　get　aboard　the　Day…Dream　at　once；
for　Ffoulkes　and　I　can　always　look　after　ourselves。〃

It　was　one　hour　after　midnight　whenrefreshed　with　food　and
restMarguerite；　Armand　and　Sir　Percy　left　the　half…way　house。
Marguerite　was　standing　in　the　doorway　ready　to　go。　　Percy　and
Armand　had　gone　ahead　to　bring　the　coach　along。

〃Percy；〃　whispered　Armand；　〃Marguerite　does　not　know？〃

〃Of　course　she　does　not；　you　young　fool；〃　retorted　Percy　lightly。
〃If　you　try　and　tell　her　I　think　I　would　smash　your　head。〃

〃But　you〃　said　the　young　man　with　sudden　vehemence；　〃can　you
bear　the　sight　of　me？　　My　God！　when　I　think〃

〃Don't　think；　my　good　Armandnot　of　that　anyway。　Only　think　of
the　woman　for　whose　sake　you　committed　a　crimeif　she　is　pure　and
good；　woo　her　and　win　hernot　just　now；　for　it　were　foolish　to　go
back　to　Paris　after　her；　but　anon；　when　she　comes　to　England　and
all　these　past　days　are　forgottenthen　love　her　as　much　as　you
can；　Armand。　　Learn　your　lesson　of　love　better　than　I　have　learnt
mine；　do　not　cause　Jeanne　Lange　those　tears　of　anguish　which　my
mad　spirit　brings　to　your　sister's　eyes。　You　were　right；　Armand；
when　you　said　that　I　do　not　know　how　to　love！〃

But　on　board　the　Day…Dream；　when　all　danger　was　past；　Marguerite
felt　that　he　did。





End