el dorado-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

his　ideal　was　a　man。〃

〃A　man！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　contemptuous　little　pout。　　〃Who　was
it？〃

〃I　know　no　other　name　for　him　but　that　of　a　small；　insignificant
flowerthe　Scarlet　Pimpernel；〃　replied　de　Batz。

〃The　Scarlet　Pimpernel！〃　she　ejaculated；　dropping　the　flowers
suddenly；　and　gazing　on　Armand　with　wide；　wondering　eyes。　　〃And　do
you　know　him；　monsieur？〃

He　was　frowning　despite　himself；　despite　the　delight　which　he　felt
at　sitting　so　close　to　this　charming　little　lady；　and　feeling　that
in　a　measure　his　presence　and　his　personality　interested　her。　　But
he　felt　irritated　with　de　Batz；　and　angered　at　what　he　considered
the　latter's　indiscretion。　　To　him　the　very　name　of　his　leader　was
almost　a　sacred　one；　he　was　one　of　those　enthusiastic　devotees　who
only　care　to　name　the　idol　of　their　dreams　with　bated　breath；　and
only　in　the　ears　of　those　who　would　understand　and　sympathise。

Again　he　felt　that　if　only　he　could　have　been　alone　with
mademoiselle　he　could　have　told　her　all　about　the　Scarlet
Pimpernel；　knowing　that　in　her　he　would　find　a　ready　listener；　a
helping　and　a　loving　heart；　but　as　it　was　he　merely　replied　tamely
enough：

Yes；　mademoiselle；　I　do　know　him。〃

〃You　have　seen　him？〃　she　queried　eagerly；　〃spoken　to　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh！　do　tell　me　all　about　him。　You　know　quite　a　number　of　us　in
France　have　the　greatest　possible　admiration　for　your　national
hero。　　We　know；　of　course；　that　he　is　an　enemy　of　our　Government
but；　oh！　we　feel　that　he　is　not　an　enemy　of　France　because　of
that。　　We　are　a　nation　of　heroes；　too；　monsieur；〃　she　added　with　a
pretty；　proud　toss　of　the　head；　〃we　can　appreciate　bravery　and
resource；　and　we　love　the　mystery　that　surrounds　the　personality
of　your　Scarlet　Pimpernel。　　But　since　you　know　him；　monsieur；　tell
me　what　is　he　like？

Armand　was　smiling　again。　　He　was　yielding　himself　up　wholly　to
the　charm　which　emanated　from　this　young　girl's　entire　being；　from
her　gaiety　and　her　unaffectedness；　her　enthusiasm；　and　that
obvious　artistic　temperament　which　caused　her　to　feel　every
sensation　with　superlative　keenness　and　thoroughness。

〃What　is　he　like？〃　she　insisted。

〃That；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied；　〃I　am　not　at　liberty　to　tell
you。〃

〃Not　at　liberty　to　tell　me！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃but　monsieur；　if　I
command　you〃

〃At　risk　of　falling　forever　under　the　ban　of　your　displeasure；
mademoiselle；　I　would　still　remain　silent　on　that　subject。〃

She　gazed　on　him　with　obvious　astonishment。　　It　was　quite　an
unusual　thing　for　this　spoilt　darling　of　an　admiring　public　to　be
thus　openly　thwarted　in　her　whims。

〃How　tiresome　and　pedantic！〃　she　said；　with　a　shrug　of　her　pretty
shoulders　and　a　moue　of　discontent。　　〃And；　oh！　how　ungallant！　　You
have　learnt　ugly；　English　ways；　monsieur；　for　there；　I　am　told；
men　hold　their　womenkind　in　very　scant　esteem。　　There！〃　she　added；
turning　with　a　mock　air　of　hopelessness　towards　de　Batz；　〃am　I　not
a　most　unlucky　woman？　　For　the　past　two　years　I　have　used　my　best
endeavours　to　catch　sight　of　that　interesting　Scarlet　Pimpernel；
here　do　I　meet　monsieur；　who　actually　knows　him　（so　he　says）；　and
he　is　so　ungallant　that　he　even　refuses　to　satisfy　the　first
cravings　of　my　just　curiosity。〃

〃Citizen　St。　Just　will　tell　you　nothing　now；　mademoiselle；〃
rejoined　de　Batz　with　his　good…humoured　laugh；　〃it　is　my　presence；
I　assure　you；　which　is　setting　a　seal　upon　his　lips。　　He　is；
believe　me；　aching　to　confide　in　you；　to　share　in　your　enthusiasm；
and　to　see　your　beautiful　eyes　glowing　in　response　to　his　ardour
when　he　describes　to　you　the　exploits　of　that　prince　of　heroes。
En　tete…a…tete　one　day；　you　will；　I　know；　worm　every　secret　out
of　my　discreet　friend　Armand。〃

Mademoiselle　made　no　comment　on　thisthat　is　to　say；　no　audible
commentbut　she　buried　the　whole　of　her　face　for　a　few　seconds
among　the　flowers；　and　Armand　from　amongst　those　flowers　caught
sight　of　a　pair　of　very　bright　brown　eyes　which　shone　on　him　with
a　puzzled　look。

She　said　nothing　more　about　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel　or　about　England
just　then；　but　after　awhile　she　began　talking　of　more　indifferent
subjects：　the　state　of　the　weather；　the　price　of　food；　the
discomforts　of　her　own　house；　now　that　the　servants　had　been　put
on　perfect　equality　with　their　masters。

Armand　soon　gathered　that　the　burning　questions　of　the　day；　the
horrors　of　massacres；　the　raging　turmoil　of　politics；　had　not
affected　her　very　deeply　as　yet。　　She　had　not　troubled　her　pretty
head　very　much　about　the　social　and　humanitarian　aspect　of　the
present　seething　revolution。　She　did　not　really　wish　to　think
about　it　at　all。　　An　artiste　to　her　finger…tips；　she　was　spending
her　young　life　in　earnest　work；　striving　to　attain　perfection　in
her　art；　absorbed　in　study　during　the　day；　and　in　the　expression
of　what　she　had　learnt　in　the　evenings。

The　terrors　of　the　guillotine　affected　her　a　little；　but　somewhat
vaguely　still。　　She　had　not　realised　that　any　dangers　could　assail
her　whilst　she　worked　for　the　artistic　delectation　of　the　public。

It　was　not　that　she　did　not　understand　what　went　on　around　her；
but　that　her　artistic　temperament　and　her　environment　had　kept　her
aloof　from　it　all。　　The　horrors　of　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　made
her　shudder；　but　only　in　the　same　way　as　the　tragedies　of　M。
Racine　or　of　Sophocles　which　she　had　studied　caused　her　to
shudder；　and　she　had　exactly　the　same　sympathy　for　poor　Queen
Marie　Antoinette　as　she　had　for　Mary　Stuart；　and　shed　as　many
tears　for　King　Louis　as　she　did　for　Polyeucte。

Once　de　Batz　mentioned　the　Dauphin；　but　mademoiselle　put　up　her
hand　quickly　and　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　whilst　the　tears
gathered　in　her　eyes：

〃Do　not　speak　of　the　child　to　me；　de　Batz。　　What　can　I；　a　lonely；
hard…working　woman；　do　to　help　him？　　I　try　not　to　think　of　him；
for　if　I　did；　knowing　my　own　helplessness；　I　feel　that　I　could
hate　my　countrymen；　and　speak　my　bitter　hatred　of　them　across　the
footlights；　which　would　be　more　than　foolish；〃　she　added　naively；
〃for　it　would　not　help　the　child；　and　I　should　be　sent　to　the
guillotine。　But　oh　sometimes　I　feel　that　I　would　gladly　die　if
only　that　poor　little　child…martyr　were　restored　to　those　who　love
him　and　given　back　once　more　to　joy　and　happiness。　But　they　would
not　take　my　life　for　his；　I　am　afraid；〃　she　concluded；　smiling
through　her　tears。　　〃My　life　is　of　no　value　in　comparison　with
his。〃

Soon　after　this　she　dismissed　her　two　visitors。　　De　Batz；　well
content　with　the　result　of　this　evening's　entertainment；　wore　an
urbane；　bland　smile　on　his　rubicund　face。　Armand；　somewhat　serious
and　not　a　little　in　love；　made　the　hand…kiss　with　which　he　took
his　leave　last　as　long　as　he　could。

〃You　will　come　and　see　me　again；　citizen　St。　Just？〃　she　asked
after　that　preliminary　leave…taking。

〃At　your　service；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied　with　alacrity。

〃How　long　do　you　stay　in　Paris？〃

〃I　may　be　called　away　at　any　time。〃

〃Well；　then；　come　to…morrow。　　I　shall　be　free　towards　four
o'clock。　　Square　du　Roule。　　You　cannot　miss　the　house。　　Any　one
there　will　tell　you　where　lives　citizeness　Lange。〃

〃At　your　service；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied。

The　words　sounded　empty　and　meaningless；　but　his　eyes；　as　they
took　final　leave　of　her；　spoke　the　gratitude　and　the　joy　which　he
felt。



CHAPTER　V
THE　TEMPLE　PRISON

It　was　close　on　midnight　when　the　two　friends　finally　parted
company　outside　the　doors　of　the　theatre。　　The　night　air　struck
with　biting　keenness　against　them　when　they　emerged　from　the
stuffy；　overheated　building；　and　both　wrapped　their　caped　cloaks
tightly　round　their　shoulders。　　Armandmore　than　ever　nowwas
anxious　to　rid　himself　of　de　Batz。　　The　Gascon's　platitudes
irritated　him　beyond　the　bounds　of　forbearance；　and　he　wanted　to
be　alone；　so　that　he　might　think　over　the　events　of　this　night；
the　chief　event　being　a　little　lady　with　an　enchanting　voice　and
the　most　fascinating　brown　eyes　he　had　ever　seen。

Self…reproach；　too；　was　fighting　a　fairly　even　fight　with　the
excitement　that　had　been　called　up　by　that　same　pair　of　brown
eyes。　　Armand　for　the　past　four　or　five　hours　had　acted　in　direct
opposition　to　the　earnest　advice　given　to　him　by　his　chief；　he　had
renewed　one　friendship　which　had　been　far　better　left　in　oblivion；
and　he　had　made　an　acquaintance　which　already　was　leading　him
along　a　path　that　he　felt　sure　his　comrade　would　disapprove。　　But
the　path　was　so　profusely　strewn　with　scented　narcissi　that
Armand's　sensitive　conscience　was　quickly　lulled　to　rest　by　the
intoxicating　fragrance。

Looking　neither　to　right　nor　left；　he　made　his　way　very　quickly　up
the　Rue　Richelieu　towards　the　Montmartre　quarter；　where　he　lodged。

De　Batz　stood　and　watched　him　for　as　long　as　the　dim　lights　of　the
street　lamps　illumined　his　slim；　soberly…clad　figure；　then　he
turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　off　in　the　opposite　direction。

His　florid；　pock…marked　face　wore　an　air　of　contentment　not
altogether　unmixed　with　a　kind　of　spiteful　triumph。

〃So；　my　pretty　Scarlet　Pimpernel；〃　he　muttered　between　his　closed
lips；　〃you　wish　to　meddle　in　my　affairs；　to　have　for　yourself　and
your　friends　the　credit　and　glory　of　snatching　the　golden　prize
f