The man in the tricolour scarf turned with some acerbity on the （人が）群がる who was still 圧力（をかける）ing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 囚人.

The whole thing—it seemed like a 見通し—was over in a second. Chauvelin, sick and faint with the sudden 急ぐ of 血 to his 長，率いる, の近くにd his 注目する，もくろむs for one 簡潔な／要約する instant. The next, the （人が）群がる had の近くにd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する him; anxious 調査s reached his re-awakened senses.

But he uttered one quick, hoarse cry:

"H饕ert! A moi! Are you there?"

"現在の, 国民!" （機の）カム in 即座の 返答. And a tall 人物／姿／数字 in the tattered uniform 影響する／感情d by the 革命の guard stepped briskly out of the （人が）群がる. Chauvelin's claw-like 手渡す was shaking visibly.

He stood, silent and sullen; and when Chauvelin, who had 後継するd in mastering his emotion, gave the peremptory 命令（する）: "Take this man to the d駱? at once. And do not 許す him one instant out of your sight!" he made no 試みる／企てる at escape.

He 許すd H饕ert and the men to 掴む him, to lead him away. He followed without a word, without a struggle. His 大規模な 人物／姿／数字 was hunched up like that of an old man; his 手渡すs, which still clung to tyranny. She even 軍隊d her way up to H饕ert. With a gesture of fury she tried to strike him in the 直面する, and continued, with a loud 発言する／表明する, her 侮辱s and objurgations, until, with a movement of his bayonet, he 押し進めるd her 概略で out of the way.

In the out-at-肘s, half-餓死するd servant of the 殺人d テロリスト, 国民 Chauvelin, of the 委員会 of Public Safety, had recognised his arch enemy, that meddlesome and adventurous Englishman who chose to hide his 身元 under the pseudonym of the Scarlet Pimpernel. He knew that he could reckon on H饕ert; his

"You had no trouble with him?" Chauvelin queried, with ill-隠すd 切望.

"No, no! 国民, no trouble," was H饕ert's quick reply. "He seems to be a 井戸／弁護士席-known rogue in these parts," he continued with a Commissary of the Section in the latter's office.

It was now の近くに upon ten o'clock. The 国民 Commissary Cuisinier had finished his work for the day and was 準備するing to go home and to bed. He was a family man, had been a respectable bourgeois in his day, and though he was a 階級 opportunist and had sacrificed not only his political 有罪の判決s but also his 良心 to the exigencies of the time, he still nourished in his innermost heart a secret contempt for the 革命の brigands who 支配するd over フラン at this hour.

To any other man than 国民 Chauvelin, the 国民 Commissary would, no 疑問, have given a curt 拒絶 to a request to see a 囚人 at this late hour of the evening. But Chauvelin was not a obstinate shoulder turned に向かって him—a grimy shoulder, which showed naked through a wide rent in his blouse. This 部分 of the 独房 was 井戸／弁護士席-nigh in total 不明瞭; the feeble 軸 of light which （機の）カム through the open door hardly 侵入するd to this remote angle of the squalid burrow. The same sense of mystery and unreality overcame Chauvelin again as he looked on the 哀れな creature in whom, an hour ago, he had recognised the 最高の-exquisite Sir Percy Blakeney. Now he could only see a vague 輪郭（を描く） in the gloom: the stooping shoulders, the long 四肢s, that naked piece of shoulder which caught a feeble reflex from the distant light. Nor did any 量 of 非，不，無 too gentle prodding on the part of the warder induce him to change his position.

"Leave him alone," said Chauvelin curly at last. "I have seen all that I wished to see."

The 独房 was insufferably hot and stuffy. Chauvelin, finical and queasy, turned away with a shudder of disgust. There was nothing to be got now out of a 長引かせるd interview with his 逮捕（する）d 敵. He had seen him: that was 十分な. He had seen the 最高の-exquisite Sir Percy Blakeney locked up in a ありふれた 独房 with some of the most scrubby and abject rogues which the slums of indigent Paris could 産する／生じる, having 明らかに failed in some 請け負うing which had 需要・要求するd for its fulfilment not only tattered 着せる／賦与するs and grimy 手渡すs, but menial service with a beggarly and 病気-ridden 雇用者, whose very propinquity must have been 肯定的な 拷問 to all intercourse with anyone outside or in the d駱?, and that he should be guarded on sight day and night. After that he went his way.

6.

The に引き続いて morning 国民 Chauvelin, of the 委員会 of Public Safety, gave 予定 notice to 国民 Fouquier-Tinville, the Public 検察官，検事, that the dangerous English 秘かに調査する, known to the world as the Scarlet Pimpernel, was now 安全に under lock and 重要な, and that he must be transferred to the Abbaye 刑務所，拘置所 forthwith and to the guillotine as quickly as might be. No one was to take any 危険s this time; there must be no question either of discrediting his famous League or of 得るing other more 価値のある （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） out of him. Such methods had 証明するd 悲惨な in the past.

There were no 安全な Englishmen these days, except the dead ones, and it would not take 国民 Fouquier-Tinville much thought or time to でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる an 起訴，告発 against the 悪名高い Scarlet Pimpernel, which would do away with the necessity of a 長引かせるd 伝えるd in a の近くにd carriage to the Abbaye 刑務所，拘置所. Chauvelin had the 楽しみ of watching this gratifying spectacle from the windows of the Commissariat. When he saw the の近くにd carriage 運動 away, with H饕ert and two men inside and two others on the box, he turned to 国民 Commissary Cuisinier with a sigh of 激しい satisfaction.

"There goes the most dangerous enemy our glorious 革命 has had," he said, with an accent of 勝利 which he did not 試みる／企てる to disguise.

Cuisinier shrugged his shoulders.

"かもしれない," he retorted curtly. "He did not seem to me to be very dangerous and his papers were やめる in order."

To this 主張 Chauvelin made no reply. Indeed, how could he explain to this stolid 公式の／役人 the subtle workings of an intriguing brain? Had he himself not had many a proof of how little the (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むing of 身元 papers or of パスポートs troubled the members of that accursed League? Had he not seen the Scarlet Pimpernel, that exquisite Sir Percy Blakeney, under disguises that were so grimy and so loathsome that they would have repelled the most abject, suborned 秘かに調査する?

Indeed, all that was 手配中の，お尋ね者 now was the 保証／確信 that H饕ert—who himself had a deadly and personal grudge against the Scarlet Pimpernel—would not 許す him for one moment out of his sight.

Fortunately as to this, there was no 恐れる. One hint to H饕ert and the man was as keen, as 決定するd, as Chauvelin himself.

"始める，決める your mind at 残り／休憩（する）, 国民," he said with a rough 誓い. "I lodgings, and by Satan! he shall not be either, until I have seen his impudent 長，率いる 落ちる under the guillotine."

He himself, he 追加するd, had seen to the 手はず／準備 for the 処分 of the 囚人 in the Abbaye: an inner 独房, 部分的に／不公平に partitioned off in one of the guard-rooms, with no egress of its own, and only a tiny grated 空気／公表する-穴を開ける high up in the 塀で囲む, which gave on an outside 回廊（地帯）, and through which not even a cat could manage to slip. Oh! the 囚人 was 井戸／弁護士席 guarded! The 国民 代表者／国会議員 need, of a truth, have no 恐れる! Three or four men—of the best and most 信頼できる—had not left the guard-room since the morning. He himself (H饕ert) had kept the accursed Englishman in sight all night, had 本人自身で 伝えるd him to the Abbaye, and had only left the guard-room a moment ago in order to speak with the 国民 代表者／国会議員. He was going 支援する now at once, and would not move until the order （機の）カム for the 囚人 to be 伝えるd to the 法廷，裁判所 of 司法（官） and thence to 要約 死刑執行.

For the nonce, H饕ert 結論するd with a complacent chuckle, the Englishman was still crouching dejectedly in a corner of his new 独房, with little of him 明白な save that naked shoulder through his torn shirt, which, in the 過程 of 移動 from one 刑務所，拘置所 to another, had become a shade more grimy than before.

Chauvelin nodded, 井戸／弁護士席 満足させるd. He commended H饕ert for his zeal, rejoiced with him over the 必然的な 勝利. It would be could not conjecture. But that the Englishman would make a desperate 試みる／企てる at escape was, of course, a foregone 結論. It 残り／休憩（する）d with H饕ert and a guard that could neither be 賄賂d nor fooled into treachery, to see that such an 試みる／企てる remained abortive.

What, however, had puzzled 国民 Chauvelin all along was the 動機 which had induced Sir Percy Blakeney to play the r?e of menial to ジーンズ Paul Marat. Behind it there lay, undoubtedly, one of those subtle intrigues for which that insolent Scarlet Pimpernel

にもかかわらず, thoughts of that 試みる／企てるd 窃盗 乱すd Chauvelin's equanimity. The old legend of the crumpled roseleaf was applicable in his 事例／患者. Something of his 激しい satisfaction would pale if this final 企業 of the audacious adventurer were to be brought to a 勝利を得た の近くに in the end.

7.

That same forenoon, on his return from the Abbaye and the d駱?, Chauvelin 設立する that a 訪問者 was waiting for him. A woman, who gave her 指名する as Jeannette 損なう馗hal, 願望（する）d to speak with the 国民 代表者／国会議員. Chauvelin knew the woman as his 同僚 Marat's maid-of-all-work, and he gave orders that she should be 認める at once.

Jeannette 損なう馗hal, tearful and not a little 脅すd, 保証するd the 国民 代表者／国会議員 that her errand was 緊急の. Her late 雇用者 had so few friends; she did not know to whom to turn until she bethought herself of 国民 Chauvelin. It took him some little time to disentangle the 有形の facts out of the woman's voluble narrative. At first the words: "Child...Chemin de Pantin...Leridan," were only a medley of sounds which 伝えるd no meaning to his ear. But when occasion 需要・要求するd, 国民 Chauvelin was 有能な of infinite patience. 徐々に he understood what the woman was 運動ing at.

"The child, 国民!" she 繰り返し言うd excitedly. "What's to be done about him? I know that 国民 Marat would have wished—"

"Never mind now what 国民 Marat would have wished," Chauvelin broke in 静かに. "Tell me first who this child is."

"I do not know, 国民," she replied.

"How do you mean, you do not know? Then I pray you, citizeness, what is all this pother about?"

"About the child, 国民," 繰り返し言うd Jeannette obstinately.

"What child?"

"The child whom 国民 Marat 可決する・採択するd last year and kept at that awful house on the Chemin de Pantin."

"I did not know 国民 Marat had 可決する・採択するd a child," 発言／述べるd Chauvelin thoughtfully.

"No one knew," she 再結合させるd. "Not even citizeness Evrard. I was the only one who knew. I had to go and see the child once every month. It was a wretched, 哀れな brat," the woman went on, her shrivelled old breast ばく然と stirred, mayhap, by some atrophied feeling of motherhood. "More than half-餓死するd...and the look in its 注目する，もくろむs, 国民! It was enough to make you cry! I could see by his poor little emaciated 団体／死体 and his nice little 手渡すs and feet that he ought never to have been put in that awful house, where—"

She paused, and that quick look of furtive terror, which was so often to be met with in the 注目する，もくろむs of the timid these days, crept into her wrinkled 直面する.

"井戸／弁護士席, citizeness," Chauvelin 再結合させるd 静かに, "why don't you proceed? That awful house, you were 説. Where and what is that awful house of which you speak?"

"The place kept by 国民 Leridan, just by Bassin de l'Ourcq," the woman murmured. "You know it, 国民."

Chauvelin nodded. He was beginning to understand.

"井戸／弁護士席, now, tell me," he said, with that bland patience which had so oft served him in good stead in his unavowable profession. "Tell me. Last year 国民 Marat 可決する・採択するd—we'll say 可決する・採択するd—a child, whom he placed in the Leridans' house on the Pantin road. Is that 訂正する?"

"That is just how it is, 国民. And I—"

"One moment," he broke in somewhat more 厳しく, as the woman's garrulity was getting on his 神経s. "As you say, I know the Leridans' house. I have had 原因（となる） to send children there myself. Children of aristos or of fat bourgeois, whom it was our 義務 to turn into good 国民s. They are not pampered there, I imagine," he went on drily; "and if 国民 Marat sent his—er—可決する・採択するd son there, it was not with a 見解（をとる） to having him brought up as an aristo, what?"

"The child was not to be brought up at all," the woman said gruffly. "I have often heard 国民 Marat say that he hoped the brat would 証明する a どろぼう when he grew up, and would take to alcoholism like a duck takes to water."

"And you know nothing of the child's parents?"

"Nothing, 国民. I had to go to Pantin once a month and have a look at him and 報告（する）／憶測 to 国民 Marat. But I always had the same tale to tell. The child was looking more and more like a young reprobate every time I saw him."

"Did 国民 Marat 支払う／賃金 the Leridans for keeping the child?"

"Oh, no, 国民! The Leridans make a 貿易（する） of the children by sending them out to beg. But this one was not to be 許すd out yet. 国民 Marat's orders were very 厳しい, and he was wont to terrify the Leridans with awful 脅しs of the guillotine if they ever 許すd the child out of their sight."

Chauvelin sat silent for a while. A ray of light had 横断するd the dark and tortuous ways of his subtle brain. While he mused the woman became impatient. She continued to talk on with the volubility peculiar to her 肉親，親類d. He paid no 注意する to her, until one phrase struck his ear.

"So now," Jeannette 損なう馗hal was 説, "I don't know what to do. The （犯罪の）一味 has disappeared, and the Leridans are 怪しげな."

"The （犯罪の）一味?" queried Chauvelin curtly. "What （犯罪の）一味?"

"As I was telling you, 国民," she replied querulously, "when I went to see the child, the 国民 Marat always gave me this （犯罪の）一味 to show to the Leridans. Without I brought the （犯罪の）一味 they would not 収容する／認める me inside their door. They were so terrified with all the 国民's 脅しs of the guillotine."

"And now you say the （犯罪の）一味 has disappeared. Since when?"

"Y—y—yes, 国民," murmured Jeannette, ばく然と terrified.

And of a truth the change in 国民 Chauvelin's demeanour was enough to 脅す any timid creature. Not that he raved or ranted or 叫び声をあげるd. Those were not his ways. He still sat beside his desk as he had done before, and his slender 手渡す, so like the talons of a vulture, was clenched upon the arm of his 議長，司会を務める. But there was such a look of inward fury and of 勝利 in his pale, 深い-始める，決める 注目する，もくろむs, such lines of cruelty around his thin, の近くにd lips, that Jeannette 損なう馗hal, even with the picture before her mind of ジーンズ Paul Marat in his maddest moods, fled, with the unreasoning terror of her 肉親，親類d, before the 厳しく controlled, 猛烈な／残忍な passion of this man.

Chauvelin never noticed that she went. He sat for a long time, silent and immovable. Now he understood. Thank all the 力／強力にするs of Hate and 復讐, no thought of 失望 was 運命にあるd to embitter the 洪水ing cup of his 勝利. He had not only ひったくる from him the secret of the aristo's child. Bravo! bravo! my gallant Scarlet Pimpernel! Chauvelin now could see it all. 悲劇s such as that which had placed an aristo's child in the 力／強力にする of a cunning demon like Marat were not rare these days, and demagogue, the loathsome mask which hid the fastidious personality of Sir Percy Blakeney, had made a final and desperate 成果／努力 to 所有する himself of the （犯罪の）一味 which would 配達する the child into his 力／強力にする. Now, having failed in his machinations, he was 安全な under lock and 重要な—guarded on sight. The next twenty-four hours would see him unmasked, を待つing his 裁判，公判 and 激しい非難 under the scathing 起訴，告発 用意が出来ている by Fouquier-Tinville, the unerring Public 検察官，検事. The day after that, the tumbril and the guillotine for that execrable English 秘かに調査する, and the boundless sense of satisfaction that his last intrigue had 中止するd in such a signal and 哀れな manner.

Of a truth Chauvelin at this hour had every 原因（となる） to be thankful, and it was with a light heart that he 始める，決める out to interview the Leridans.

8.

The Leridans, anxious, obsequious, terrified, were only too ready to obey the 国民 代表者／国会議員 in all things.

They explained with much complacency that, even though they were 本人自身で 熟知させるd with Jeannette 損なう馗hal, when the citizeness 現在のd herself this very morning without the （犯罪の）一味 they had 辞退するd her 許可 to see the brat.

Chauvelin, who in his own mind had already 再建するd the whole 悲劇 of the stolen child, was 満足させるd that Marat could not have chosen more efficient 道具s for the 死刑執行 of his 悪魔の（ような） 復讐 than these two hideous 製品s of 革命の Paris.

しっかり掴むing, 臆病な／卑劣な, and avaricious, the Leridans would lend themselves to any abomination for a 十分なこと of money; but no money on earth would induce them to 危険 their own necks in the 過程. Marat had 明白に held them by 脅しs of the guillotine. They knew the 力／強力にする of the "Friend of the People," and 恐れるd him accordingly. Chauvelin's scarf of office, his curt, 権威のある manner, had an 平等に awe-奮起させるing 影響 upon the two 哀れな creatures. They became 絶対 abject, cringing, maudlin in their protestations of good-will and 忠義. No one, they 公約するd, should as much as see the child—（犯罪の）一味 or no （犯罪の）一味—save the 国民 代表者／国会議員 himself. Chauvelin, however, had no wish to see the child. He was 満足させるd that its 指名する was Lannoy—for the child had remembered it when first he had been brought to the Leridans. Since then he had 明らかに forgotten it, even though he often cried after his "Maman!"

Chauvelin listened to all these explanations with some impatience. The child was nothing to him, but the Scarlet Pimpernel had 願望（する）d to 救助（する） it from out of the clutches of the Leridans; had 危険d his all—and lost it—ーするために 影響 that 救助（する）! That in itself was a 十分な 誘導 for Chauvelin to 利益／興味 himself in the 死刑執行 of Marat's vengeance, whatever its 初めの mainspring may have been.

At any 率, now he felt 満足させるd that the child was 安全な, and that the Leridans were impervious to 脅しs or 賄賂s which might land them on the guillotine.

All that they would own to was to 存在 afraid.

"Afraid of what?" queried Chauvelin はっきりと.

That the brat may be kidnapped...stolen. Oh! he could not be おとりd...they were too watchful for that! But 明らかに there were mysterious 機関s at work...

"Mysterious 機関s!" Chauvelin laughed aloud at the suggestion. The "mysterious 機関" was even now rotting in an obscure 独房 at the Abbaye. What other 力／強力にするs could be at work on に代わって of the brat?

井戸／弁護士席, the Leridans had had a 警告!

What 警告?

"A letter," the man said gruffly. "But as neither my wife nor I can read—"

"Why did you not speak of this before?" broke in Chauvelin 概略で. "Let me see the letter."

The woman produced a 国／地域d and dank 捨てる of paper from beneath her apron. Of a truth she could not read its contents, for they were 令状 in English in the form of a doggerel rhyme which 原因（となる）d Chauvelin to utter a savage 誓い.

"When did this come?" he asked. "And how?"

"This morning, 国民," the woman mumbled in reply. "I 設立する it outside the door, with a 石／投石する on it to 妨げる the 勝利，勝つd from blowing it away. What does it mean, 国民?" she went on, her 発言する／表明する shaking with terror, for of a truth the 国民 代表者／国会議員 looked as if he had seen some weird and unearthly apparition.

He gave no reply for a moment or two, and the two catiffs had no conception of the tremendous 成果／努力 at self-支配（する）／統制する which was hidden behind the pale, rigid mask of the redoubtable man.

"Oh, yes! やめる 安全な, 国民!" the woman replied with a sigh of 本物の 救済. Then only did Chauvelin turn on his heel and go his way.

9.

But that crumpled and 国／地域d 捨てる of paper given to him by the woman Leridan still lay in his clenched 手渡す as he strode 支援する 速く citywards. It seemed to scorch his palm. Even before he had ちらりと見ることd at the contents he knew what they were. That atrocious English doggerel, the 署名—a five-petalled flower traced in crimson! How 井戸／弁護士席 he knew them!

"We 捜し出す him here, we 捜し出す him there!"

The most humiliating moments in Chauvelin's career were associated with that silly rhyme, and now here it was, mocking him even when he knew that his bitter enemy lay fettered and helpless, caught in a 罠（にかける）, out of which there was no escape possible; even though he knew for a 肯定的な certainty that the mocking 発言する／表明する which had spoken those rhymes on that far-off day last September would soon be stilled for ever.

No 疑問 one of that army of abominable English 秘かに調査するs had placed this 警告 outside the Leridans' door. No 疑問 they had done that with a 見解（をとる） to throwing dust in the 注目する，もくろむs of the Public 検察官，検事 and 原因（となる）ing a 混乱 in his mind with regard to the spine. He hurried along the interminably long Chemin de Pantin, only paused at the Barri鑽e du 戦闘 ーするために interview the Commissary of the Section on the 事柄 of sending men to watch over the Leridans' house. Then, when he felt 満足させるd that this would be 効果的に and quickly done, an unconquerable feeling of restlessness 誘発するd him to hurry 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to the lodgings of the Public 検察官，検事 in the Rue Blanche—just to see him, to speak with him, to make やめる sure.

"But I tell you that, those papers of his are (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd," 勧めるd Chauvelin forcefully.

"But, 指名する of a dog!" broke in Chauvelin savagely. "You are not 提案するing to let the man go?"

"What else can I do?" the other 再結合させるd fretfully. "We shall get into terrible trouble if we 干渉する with a man like Paul has been running, panting to reach a goal, who sees that goal within 平易な distance of him, and is then suddenly 逮捕（する）d, caught in invisible meshes which 持つ／拘留する him tightly, and against which he is 権力のない to struggle. For the moment he hated Fouquier-Tinville with a deadly 憎悪, would have 拷問d and 脅すd him until he wrung a 同意, an admission, out of him.

指名する of a 指名する! when that damnable English 秘かに調査する was 現実に in his 力／強力にする, the man was a pusillanimous fool to 許す the rich prize to slip from his しっかり掴む! Chauvelin felt as if he were choking; his slender fingers worked nervily around his cravat; beads of perspiration trickled unheeded 負かす／撃墜する his pallid forehead.

Then suddenly he had an inspiration—nothing いっそう少なく! It almost seemed as if Satan, his friend, had whispered insinuating words into his ear. That 捨てる of paper! He had thrust it awhile ago into the breast pocket of his coat. It was still there, and the Public 検察官，検事 手配中の，お尋ね者 a 有形の proof...Then, why not...?

Slowly, his thoughts still in the 過程 of 漸進的な 調整, Chauvelin drew that 国／地域d 捨てる of paper out of his pocket. Fouquier-Tinville, surly and ill-humoured, had his 支援する half-turned に向かって him, was moodily 選ぶing at his teeth. Chauvelin had all the leisure which he 要求するd. He smoothed out the creases in the paper and spread it out carefully upon the desk の近くに to the other man's 肘. Fouquier-Tinville looked 負かす／撃墜する on it, over his shoulder.

"What is that?" he queried.

"As you see, 国民," was Chauvelin's bland reply. "A message, such as you yourself have oft received, methinks, from our 相互の enemy, the Scarlet Pimpernel."

But already the Public 検察官，検事 had 掴むd upon the paper, and of a truth Chauvelin had no longer 原因（となる） to complain of his 同僚's 無関心／冷淡. That doggerel rhyme, no いっそう少なく than the 署名, had the 力／強力にする to rouse Fouquier-Tinville's 怒らせる, as it had that of 乱すing Chauvelin's 井戸／弁護士席-熟考する／考慮するd 静める.

"What is it?" 繰り返し言うd the Public 検察官，検事, white now to the it up there after he was 除去するd...the 署名／調印する was scarcely 乾燥した，日照りの upon it."

The 嘘（をつく） （機の）カム やめる glibly to Chauvelin's tongue. Was not every method good, every 装置 allowable, which would lead to so glorious an end?

"Why did you not tell me of this before?" queried Fouquier-Tinville, with a sudden gleam of 疑惑 in his 深い-始める，決める 注目する，もくろむs.

"You had not asked me for a 有形の proof before," replied Chauvelin blandly. "I myself was so 堅固に 納得させるd of what I averred that I had 井戸／弁護士席-nigh forgotten the 存在 of this damning 捨てる of paper."

Damning indeed! Fouquier-Tinville had seen such 捨てるs of paper before. He had learnt the doggerel rhyme by heart, even though the English tongue was やめる unfamiliar to him. He loathed the English—the entire nation—with all that deadly 憎悪 which a 相違 of political 目的（とする）s will 誘発する in times of 激烈な／緊急の crises. He hated the English 政府, Pitt and Burke and even Fox, the happy-go-lucky apologist of the young 革命. But, above all, he hated that League of English 秘かに調査するs—as he was pleased to call them—whose courage, resourcefulness, 同様に as 無謀な daring, had more than once baffled his own hideous 計画／陰謀s of 殺人, of 略奪する, and of 強姦.

"I have 後継するd in 納得させるing you, 国民?" Chauvelin retorted dryly.

"絶対!" 再結合させるd the other. "You may now leave the 事柄 起訴，告発 of the 悪名高い Scarlet Pimpernel on a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of スパイ would be the 栄冠を与えるing glory of his career! Let other men look to their laurels! Those who brought that dangerous enemy of 革命 to the guillotine would for ever be 布告するd as the saviours of フラン.

"A short 起訴，告発," he said, when Chauvelin, after a 非常に長い discussion on さまざまな points, finally rose to take his leave, "but a scathing one! I tell you, 国民 Chauvelin, that to-morrow you will be the first to congratulate me on an 前例のない 勝利."

He had been arguing in favour of a sensational 裁判，公判 and no いっそう少なく sensational 死刑執行. Chauvelin, with his memory harking 支援する on many mysterious 誘拐s at the very foot of the guillotine, would have liked to see his elusive enemy 静かに put to death amongst a （製品，工事材料の）一回分 of 反逆者s, who would help to mask his personality until after the guillotine had fallen, when the whole of Paris should （犯罪の）一味 with the 勝利 of this final 罰 of the hated 秘かに調査する.

In the end, the two friends agreed upon a 妥協, and parted 井戸／弁護士席 pleased with the turn of events which a 肉親，親類d 運命／宿命 had ordered for their own special 利益.

10.

Thus 満足させるd, Chauvelin returned to the Abbaye. H饕ert was 安全な and 信頼できる, but H饕ert, too, had been 攻撃する，非難するd with the same 疑問s which had 井戸／弁護士席-nigh 難破させるd Chauvelin's 勝利, and with such 疑問s in his mind he might slacken his vigilance.

指名する of a 指名する! every man in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of that damnable Scarlet Pimpernel should have three pairs of 注目する，もくろむs wherewith to watch his movements. He should have the 警報 brain of a Robespierre, the physical strength of a Danton, the relentlessness of a Marat. He should be a 巨大（な） in sheer brute 軍隊, a tiger in 警告を与える, an elephant in 負わせる, and a mouse in stealthiness!

指名する of a 指名する! but 'twas only hate that could give such 力／強力にするs to any man!

H饕ert, in the guard-room, owned to his 疑問s. His comrades, too, 認める that after twenty-four hours spent on the watch, 国民 代表者／国会議員 have a final good look at him?

"You seem to forget Calais, 国民 H饕ert," Chauvelin said はっきりと, "and the deadly humiliation you 苦しむd then at the 手渡すs of this man who is now your 囚人. Surely your 注目する，もくろむs should have been, at least, as keen as 地雷 own."

Anxious, irritable, his 神経s 井戸／弁護士席-nigh on the rack, he にもかかわらず crossed the guard-room with a 会社／堅い step and entered the 独房 where the 囚人 was still lying upon the palliasse, as he had been all along, and still 現在のing that naked piece of shoulder through the 穴を開ける in his shirt.

"He has been like this the best part of the day," H饕ert said with a shrug of the shoulders. "We put his bread and water 権利 under his nose. He ate and he drank, and I suppose he slept. But except for a good 取引，協定 of 断言するing, he has not spoken to any of us."

He had followed his 長，指導者 into the 独房, and now stood beside the palliasse, 持つ／拘留するing a small dark lantern in his 手渡す. At a 調印する

The words of stinging irony and 勝利を得た sarcasm, all fully 用意が出来ている, froze on Chauvelin's lips. He gazed upon the 囚人, and a weird sense of something unfathomable and mysterious （機の）カム over him as he gazed. He himself could not have defined that feeling: the very next moment he was 用意が出来ている to ridicule his own cowardice—yes, cowardice! because for a second or two he had felt 前向きに／確かに afraid.

Afraid of what, forsooth? The man who crouched here in the 独房 was his arch-enemy, the Scarlet Pimpernel—the man whom he hated most 激しく in all the world, the man whose death he 願望（する）d more than that of any other living creature. He had been apprehended by the very 味方する of the 殺人d man whose 信用／信任 guarded him on sight, by day and by night. H饕ert and the other men 同様に as the 長，指導者 warder, all swore to that!

No, no! There could be no 疑問! There was no 疑問! The days of 魔法 were over! A man could not assume a personality other than his own; he could not 飛行機で行く out of that personality like a bird out of its cage. There on the palliasse in the 哀れな 独房 were the same long 四肢s, the 幅の広い shoulders, the grimy 直面する with the three days' growth of stubbly 耐えるd—the whole wretched personality Pimpernel.

The whole 状況／情勢 became dreamlike, almost absurd. Chauvelin was not the man for such a mock-heroic, melodramatic 状況／情勢. Commonsense, 推論する／理由, his own 冷静な／正味の 力／強力にするs of 審議, would soon reassert themselves. But for the moment he was dazed. He had worked too hard, no 疑問; had 産する／生じるd too much to excitement, to 勝利, and to hate. He turned to H饕ert, who was standing stolidly by, gave him a few curt orders in a （疑いを）晴らす and 井戸／弁護士席-pitched

At first Chauvelin had the wish to go 支援する and see the Public 検察官，検事—to speak with him—to tell him—what? Yes, what? That he, Chauvelin, had all of a sudden been 攻撃する，非難するd with the same 疑問s which already had worried H饕ert and the de Pantin. At the thought Chauvelin felt giddy and faint. But he would 許す himself no 残り／休憩（する）. Indeed, he could not have 残り／休憩（する）d until something approaching certainty had once more taken 所有／入手 of his soul. He could not—would not—believe that he had been deceived. He was still 用意が出来ている to 火刑／賭ける his very life on the 身元 of the 囚人 at the Abbaye. Tricks of light, the flash of the lantern, the perfection of the disguise, had 原因（となる）d a momentary illusion—nothing more.

にもかかわらず, that awful feeling of restlessness which had 所有するd him during the last twenty-four hours once more drove him to activity. And although commonsense and 推論する／理由 both pulled one way, an eerie sense of superstition whispered in his ear the ominous words, "If, after all!"

At any 率, he would see the Leridans, and once more make sure of them; and, late as was the hour, he 始める，決める out for the lonely house on the Pantin Road.

Just inside the Barri鑽e du 戦闘 was the 地位，任命する de Section,

Thus 満足させるd, he crossed the Barri鑽e and started at a きびきびした walk 負かす／撃墜する the long stretch of the Chemin de Pantin. The night was dark. The rolling clouds 総計費 hid the 直面する of the moon and presaged the 嵐／襲撃する. On the 権利, the 不規律な 高さs of the Buttes Chaumont ぼんやり現れるd out dense and dark against the 激しい sky, whilst to the left, on ahead, a faintly 微光ing, greyish streak of 反映するd light 明らかにする／漏らすd the proximity of the canal.

の近くに to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the main 大勝する de Meux intersects the Chemin de Pantin, Chauvelin slackened his pace. The house of the Leridans now lay すぐに on his left; from it a small, feeble ray of light, finding its way no 疑問 through an ill-の近くにd shutter, pierced the surrounding gloom. Chauvelin, without hesitation, turned up a 狭くする 跡をつける which led up to the house about here."

"When did you arrive?"

"Some two hours ago. We marched out 直接／まっすぐに after you left the orders at the Commissariat."

"You are 用意が出来ている to remain on the watch all night?"

"Those are our orders, 国民," replied the man.

"You had best の近くに up 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the house, then. And, 指名する of a dog!" he 追加するd, with a 脅すing （犯罪の）一味 in his 発言する／表明する. "Let there be no slackening of vigilance this night. No one to go in or out of that house, no one to approach it under any circumstances whatever. Is that understood?"

"Those were our orders from the first, 国民," said the man 簡単に.

"And all has been 井戸／弁護士席 up to now?"

"We have seen no one, 国民."

The little party の近くにd in around their 長，指導者 and together they marched up to the house. Chauvelin, on tenterhooks, walked quicker than the others. He was the first to reach the door. Unable to find the bell-pull in the dark, he knocked vigorously.

The house appeared silent and wrapped in sleep. No light showed from within save that one tiny speck through the 割れ目s of an ill-fitting shutter, in a room すぐに 総計費.

In 返答 to Chauvelin's repeated 召喚するs, there （機の）カム anon the sound of someone moving in one of the upstairs rooms, and presently the light 総計費 disappeared, whilst a door above was heard to open and to の近くに and shuffling footsteps to come slowly 負かす／撃墜する the creaking stairs.

A moment or two later the bolts and 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業s of the 前線 door were unfastened, a 重要な grated in the rusty lock, a chain 動揺させるd in its socket, and then the door was opened slowly and 慎重に.

The woman Leridan appeared in the doorway. She held a guttering tallow candle high above her 長，率いる. Its flickering light illumined Chauvelin's slender 人物／姿／数字.

"Ah! the 国民 代表者／国会議員!" the woman ejaculated, as soon as she recognised him. "We did not 推定する／予想する you again to-day, and at this late hour, too. I'll tell my man—"

"Never mind your man," broke in Chauvelin impatiently, and 押し進めるd without 儀式 past the woman inside the house. "The child? Is it 安全な?"

He could scarcely 支配（する）／統制する his excitement. There was a buzzing, as of an angry sea, in his ears. The next second, until the woman I could not 残り／休憩（する） for 苦悩. It was only after they （機の）カム that we dared go to bed."

A 深い sigh of 激しい 救済 （機の）カム from the depths of Chauvelin's heart. He had not realised himself until this moment how 猛烈に anxious he had been. The woman's 安心させるing words appeared to 解除する a 鎮圧するing 負わせる from his mind. He turned to the man behind him.

"You did not tell me," he said, "that some of you had been here already."

"We have not been here before," the sergeant in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the little platoon said in reply. "I do not know what the woman means."

"Some of your men （機の）カム about three hours ago," the woman retorted; "いっそう少なく than an hour after the 国民 代表者／国会議員 was here. I remember that my man and I marvelled how quickly they did come, but they said that they had been on 義務 at the Barri鑽e du 戦闘 when the 国民 arrived, and that he had 派遣（する）d them off at once. They said they had run all the way. But even so, we thought it was quick work—"

The words were smothered in her throat in a cry of 苦痛, for, with an almost 残虐な gesture, Chauvelin had 掴むd her by the shoulders.

"Where are those men?" he queried hoarsely. "Answer!"

"In there, and in there," the woman stammered, 井戸／弁護士席-nigh faint with terror as she pointed to two doors, one on each 味方する of the passage. "Three in each room. They are asleep now, I should say, as they seem so 静かな. But they were an 巨大な 慰安 to us, 国民...we were so thankful to have them in the house..."

But Chauvelin had snatched the candle from her 手渡す. 持つ／拘留するing it high above his 長，率いる, he strode to the door on the 権利 of the passage. It was ajar. He 押し進めるd it open with a vicious kick. The room beyond was in total 不明瞭.

"Is anyone here?" he queried はっきりと.

Nothing but silence answered him. For a moment he remained there on the threshold, silent and immovable as a 人物／姿／数字 carved in 石／投石する. He had just a 十分なこと of presence of mind and of will 力／強力にする not to 減少（する） the candle, to stand there motionless, with his 支援する turned to the woman and to the men who had （人が）群がるd in, in his wake. He would not let them see the despair, the 激怒（する） and 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な superstitious 恐れる, which distorted every line of his pallid 直面する.

He did not ask about the child. He would not 信用 himself to speak, for he had realised already how 完全に he had been baffled. Those abominable English 秘かに調査するs had watched their 適切な時期, had worked on the credulity and the 恐れるs of the Leridans and, playing the game at which they and their audacious wife's story. Their 苦悩 had been worked upon at the moment that it was most 激烈な／緊急の. After the 国民 代表者／国会議員 left them, earlier in the evening, they had received another mysterious message which they had been unable to read, but which had 大いに

After that the Leridans went to bed. 指名する of a dog! how were they to 非難する? Those men and the child had disappeared, but they (the Leridans) would go to the guillotine 断言するing that they were not to 非難する.

Whether Chauvelin heard all these jeremiads, he could not afterwards have told you. But he did not need to be told how it had all been done. It had all been so simple, so ingenious, so like the methods usually 可決する・採択するd by that astute Scarlet Pimpernel! He saw it all so 明確に before him. Nobody was to 非難する really, save he himself—he, who alone knew and understood the adversary with whom he had to 取引，協定.

But these people here should not have the gratuitous spectacle of a man 耐えるing the torments of 失望 and of baffled the two terrified wretches, he had put 負かす／撃墜する the candle with a 安定した 手渡す and then walked with a 会社／堅い step out of the house.

Soon the slender 人物／姿／数字 was swallowed up in the gloom as he strode 支援する 速く に向かって the city.

12.

国民 Fouquier-Tinville had returned home from the Palais at a very late hour that same evening. His 世帯 in his simple lodgings in the Place Dauphine was already abed: his wife and the twins were asleep. He himself had sat 負かす／撃墜する for a moment in the living-room, in dressing-gown and slippers, and with the late 版 of the Moniteur in his 手渡す, too tired to read.

It was half-past ten when there （機の）カム a （犯罪の）一味 at the 前線 door bell. Fouquier-Tinville, half 推定する／予想するing 国民 Chauvelin to 支払う／賃金 him a final visit, shuffled to the door and opened it.

A 訪問者, tall, 井戸／弁護士席-dressed, exceedingly polite and 都市の, requested a few minutes' conversation with 国民 Fouquier-Tinville.

Before the Public 検察官，検事 had made up his mind whether to introduce such a late-comer into his rooms, the latter had 押し進めるd his way through the door into the 賭け金-議会, and with a movement as swift as it was 予期しない, had thrown a scarf 一連の会議、交渉／完成する Fouquier-Tinville's neck and 負傷させる it 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his mouth, so that the unfortunate man's call for help was smothered in his throat.

So dexterously and so 速く indeed had the miscreant 行為／法令／行動するd, that his 犠牲者 had hardly realised the 強襲，強姦 before he 設立する himself securely gagged and bound to a 議長，司会を務める in his own 賭け金-room, whilst that dare-devil stood before him, perfectly at his 緩和する, his 手渡すs buried in the capacious pockets of his 抱擁する caped coat, and murmuring a few casual words of 陳謝.

"I entreat you to 許す, 国民," he was 説 in an even after a slight pause, "is in 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な danger of his life 借りがあるing to a hallucination on the part of our 相互の friend 国民 Chauvelin; and I feel 確信して that you yourself are too 深く，強烈に enamoured of your own neck to 危険 it wilfully by sending an innocent and honest 愛国者 to the guillotine."

Once more he paused and looked 負かす／撃墜する upon his unwilling interlocutor, who, with muscles 緊張するing against the cords that held him, and with 注目する，もくろむs nearly starting out of their sockets in an 接近 of 恐れる and of 激怒（する）, was indeed 現在のing a pitiful spectacle.

"I dare say that by now, 国民," the brigand continued imperturbably, "you will have guessed who I am. You and I have oft crossed invisible swords before; but this, methinks, is the first time that we have met 直面する to 直面する. I pray you, tell my dear friend M. Chauvelin that you have seen me. Also that there were two facts which he left 完全に out of his 計算／見積りs, perfect though these were. The one fact was that there were two Paul 苦しむing yourself for the nightmares of your friend.

"The second fact," he went on with the same good-humoured pleasantry, "which our friend 国民 Chauvelin had forgotten was that, though I happen to have 誘発するd his unconquerable 怒らせる, I am but one man amongst a league of gallant English gentlemen. Their 長，指導者, I am proud to say; but without them, I should be 権力のない. Without one of them 近づく me, by the 味方する of the 殺人d Marat, I could not have rid myself of the （犯罪の）一味 in time, before other rough 手渡すs searched me to my 肌. Without them, I could not have taken Madeleine Lannoy's child from out that terrible hell, to which a miscreant's lustful 復讐 had 非難するd the poor innocent. But while 国民 Chauvelin, racked with 勝利 同様に as with the Leridans' terror to 得る 接近 into the house. 脅すd to death by our 警告s, 同様に as by 国民 Chauvelin's 脅しs, they not only 認める us into their house, but 現実に placed 国民," continued the audacious adventurer, with a laugh 十分な of joy and of unconquerable vitality, "and be my henchmen as before in many an adventure which will 原因（となる） you and 国民 Chauvelin to gnash your teeth with 激怒（する）. But I myself will remain in Paris," he 結論するd lightly. "Yes, in Paris; under your very nose, and 完全に at your service!"

The next second he was gone, and Fouquier-Tinville was left to marvel if the whole apparition had not been a hideous dream. Only there was no 疑問 that he was gagged and tied to a 議長，司会を務める with cords: and here his wife 設立する him, an hour later, when she woke from her first sleep, anxious because he had not yet come to bed.

III. TWO GOOD PATRIOTS

存在 the deposition of citizeness Fanny Roussell, who was brought up, together with her husband, before the 法廷 of the 革命 on a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 背信—both 存在 subsequently acquitted.

My 指名する is Fanny Roussell, and I am a respectable married woman, and as good a 愛国者 as any of you sitting there.

Aye, and I'll say it with my dying breath, though you may send me to the guillotine...as you probably will, for you are all thieves and 殺害者s, every one of you, and you have already made up your minds that I and my man are 有罪の of having 避難所d that accursed Englishman whom they call the Scarlet Pimpernel...and of having helped him to escape.

But I'll tell you how it all happened, because, though you call me a 反逆者 to the people of フラン, yet am I a true 愛国者 and will 証明する it to you by telling you 正確に／まさに how everything occurred, so that you may be on your guard against the cleverness of that man, who, I do believe, is a friend and confederate of the devil...else how could he have escaped that time?

井戸／弁護士席! it was three days ago, and as 激しく 冷淡な as anything that my man and I can remember. We had no travellers staying in the house, for we are a good three leagues out of Calais, and too far for the folk who have 商売／仕事 in or about the harbour. Only at midday the coffee-room would get 十分な いつかs with people on their way to or from the port.

But in the evenings the place was やめる 砂漠d, and so lonely that at times we fancied that we could hear the wolves howling in the forest of St. Pierre.

It was の近くに on eight o'clock, and my man was putting up the shutters, when suddenly we heard the tramp of feet on the road outside, and then the quick word, "停止（させる）!"

The next moment there was a peremptory knock at the door. My man opened it, and there stood four men in the uniform of the 9th 連隊 of the Line...the same that is ４半期/4分の1d at Calais. The uniform, of course, I knew 井戸／弁護士席, though I did not know the men by sight.

"In the 指名する of the People and by the order of the 委員会 of Public Safety!" said one of the men, who stood in the 最前部, and who, I noticed, had a corporal's （土地などの）細長い一片 on his left sleeve.

He held out a paper, which was covered with 調印（する）s and with 令状ing, but as neither my man nor I can read, it was no use our looking at it.

Hercule—that is my husband's 指名する, 国民s—asked the corporal what the 委員会 of Public Safety 手配中の，お尋ね者 with us poor h?eliers of a wayside inn.

"Only food and 避難所 for to-night for me and my men," replied the corporal, やめる civilly.

"You can 残り／休憩（する） here," said Hercule, and he pointed to the （法廷の）裁判s in the coffee-room, "and if there is any soup left in the stockpot, you are welcome to it."

Hercule, you see, is a good 愛国者, and he had been a 兵士 in his day...No! no...do not interrupt me, any of you...you would only be 説 that I せねばならない have known...but listen to the end.

"The soup we'll 喜んで eat," said the corporal very pleasantly. "As for 避難所...井戸／弁護士席! I am afraid that this nice warm coffee-room will not 正確に／まさに serve our 目的. We want a place where we can 嘘（をつく） hidden, and at the same time keep a watch on the road. I noticed an outhouse as we （機の）カム. By your leave we will sleep in there."

"As you please," said my man curtly.

He frowned as he said this, and it suddenly seemed as if some vague 疑惑 had crept into Hercule's mind.

The corporal, however, appeared unaware of this, for he went on やめる cheerfully:

"Ah! that is excellent! Entre nous, 国民, my men and I have a desperate 顧客 to を取り引きする. I'll not について言及する his 指名する, for I see you have guessed it already. A small red flower, what?...井戸／弁護士席, we know that he must be making straight for the port of Calais, for he has been traced through St. Omer and Ardres. But he cannot かもしれない enter Calais city to-night, for we are on the watch for him. He must 捜し出す 避難所 somewhere for himself and any other aristocrat he may have with him, and, 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 this house, there is no other place between Ardres and Calais where he can get it. The night is 激しく 冷淡な, with a snow blizzard 激怒（する）ing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. I and my men have been 詳細（に述べる）d to watch this road, other patrols are guarding those that lead toward Boulogne and to Gravelines; but I have an idea, 国民, that our fox is making for Calais, and that to me will 落ちる the honour of 手渡すing that tiresome scarlet flower to the Public 検察官，検事 en 大勝する for Madame la Guillotine."

Now I could not really tell you, 国民s, what 疑惑s had by this time entered Hercule's 長，率いる or 地雷; certainly what 疑惑s we did have were still very vague.

I 用意が出来ている the soup for the men and they ate it heartily, after which my husband led the way to the outhouse where we いつかs stabled a traveller's horse when the need arose.

It is nice and 乾燥した，日照りの, and always filled with warm, fresh straw. The 入り口 into it すぐに 直面するs the road; the corporal 宣言するd that nothing would 控訴 him and his men better.

They retired to 残り／休憩（する） 明らかに, but we noticed that two men remained on the watch just inside the 入り口, whilst the two others curled up in the straw.

Hercule put out the lights in the coffee-room, and then he and I went upstairs—not to bed, mind you—but to have a 静かな talk together over the events of the past half-hour.

The result of our talk was that ten minutes later my man 静かに stole downstairs and out of the house. He did not, however, go out by the 前線 door, but through a 支援する way which, 主要な through a cabbage-patch and then across a field, 削減（する）s into the main road some two hundred metres higher up.

Hercule and I had decided that he would walk the three leagues into Calais, にもかかわらず the 冷淡な, which was 激しい, and the blizzard, which was nearly blinding, and that he would call at the 地位，任命する of gendarmerie at the city gates, and there see the officer in 命令（する） and tell him the exact 明言する／公表する of the 事例／患者. It would then be for that officer to decide what was to be done; our 責任／義務 as loyal 国民s would be 完全に covered.

Hercule, you must know, had just 現れるd from our cabbage-patch of the 9th 連隊 of the Line.

"Four men," said the 真っ先の of these, speaking quickly and commandingly, "wearing the same uniform that I and my men are wearing...have you seen them?"

"Yes," said Hercule hurriedly.

"Where are they?"

"In the outhouse の近くに by."

The other 抑えるd a cry of 勝利.

"At them, my men!" he said in a whisper, "and you, 国民, thank your 星／主役にするs that we have not come too late."

"These men..." whispered Hercule. "I had my 疑惑s."

"Aristocrats, 国民," 再結合させるd the 指揮官 of the little party, "and one of them is that 悪口を言う／悪態d Englishman—the Scarlet Pimpernel."

Already the 兵士s, closely followed by Hercule, had made their way through our cabbage-patch 支援する to the house.

The next moment they had made a bold dash for the barn. There was a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of shouting, a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of 断言するing and some 解雇する／砲火／射撃ing, whilst Hercule and I, not a little 脅すd, remained in the coffee-room, anxiously を待つing events.

Presently the group of 兵士s returned, not the ones who had first come, but the others. I noticed their leader, who seemed to be exceptionally tall.

He looked very cheerful, and laughed loudly as he entered the coffee-room. From the moment that I looked at his 直面する I knew, somehow, that Hercule and I had been fooled, and that now, indeed, we stood 注目する，もくろむ to 注目する，もくろむ with that mysterious personage who is called the Scarlet Pimpernel.

I 叫び声をあげるd, and Hercule made a dash for the door; but what could two humble and 平和的な 国民s do against this 禁止（する）d of desperate men, who held their lives in their own 手渡すs? They were four and we were two, and I do believe that their leader has supernatural strength and 力／強力にする.

He 扱う／治療するd us やめる kindly, even though he ordered his 信奉者s to 貯蔵所d us 負かす／撃墜する to our bed upstairs, and to tie a cloth 一連の会議、交渉／完成する our mouths so that our cries could not be distinctly heard.

Neither my man nor I の近くにd an 注目する，もくろむ all night, of course, but we heard the miscreants moving about in the coffee-room below. But they did no mischief, nor did they steal any of the food or ワインs.

At daybreak we heard them going out by the 前線 door, and their footsteps disappearing toward Calais. We 設立する their discarded uniforms lying in the coffee-room. They must have entered Calais by daylight, when the gates were opened—just like other peaceable 国民s. No 疑問 they had (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd パスポートs, just as they had stolen uniforms.

Our maid-of-all-work 解放（する）d us from our terrible position in the course of the morning, and we 解放（する）d the 兵士s of the 9th 連隊 of the Line, whom we 設立する bound and gagged, some of them 負傷させるd, in the outhouse.

That same afternoon we were 逮捕（する）d, and here we are, ready to die if we must, but I 断言する that I have told you the truth, and I ask you, in the 指名する of 司法（官）, if we have done anything wrong, and if we did not 行為／法令／行動する like loyal and true 国民s, even though we were pitted against an 特使 of the devil?

IV. THE OLD SCARECROW

1.

Nobody in the quartier could やめる recollect when it was that the new Public Letter-Writer first 始める，決める up in 商売／仕事 at the angle formed by the Quai des Augustins and the Rue Dauphine, すぐに 直面するing the Pont Neuf; but there he certainly was on the 28th day of February, 1793, when Agn鑚, with 注目する，もくろむs swollen with 涙／ほころびs, a market basket on her arm, and a look of dreary despair on her young 直面する, turned that selfsame angle on her way to the Pont Neuf, and nearly fell over the rickety construction which 避難所d him and his 在庫／株-in-貿易（する）.

"Oh, mon Dieu! 国民 L駱ine, I had no idea you were here," she exclaimed as soon as she had 回復するd her balance.

"Nor I, citizeness, that I should have the 楽しみ of seeing you this morning," he retorted.

"But you were always at the other corner of the Pont Neuf," she argued.

"So I was," he replied, "so I was. But I thought I would like a change. The Faubourg St. Michel 控訴，上告d to me; most of my （弁護士の）依頼人s （機の）カム to me from this 味方する of the river—all those on the other 味方する seem to know how to read and 令状."

"I was just going over to see you," she 発言／述べるd.

"You, citizeness," he exclaimed in unfeigned surprise, "what should procure a poor public writer the honour of—"

"Hush, in God's 指名する!" broke in the young girl quickly as she cast a 早い, furtive ちらりと見ること up and 負かす／撃墜する the quai and the 狭くする streets which converged at this angle.

She was dressed in the humblest and poorest of 着せる／賦与するs, her skimpy shawl 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her shoulders could 不十分な 保護する her against the 冷淡な of this cruel winter's morning; her hair was 完全に hidden beneath a frilled and starched cap, and her feet were encased in coarse worsted stockings and sabots, but her 手渡すs were delicate and 罰金, and her 直面する had that nobility of feature and look of 患者 辞職 in the 中央 of 圧倒的な 悲しみ which 布告するd a lofty refinement both of soul and of mind.

The old Letter-Writer was 調査するing the pathetic young 人物／姿／数字 before him through his 抱擁する horn-rimmed spectacles, and she smiled on him through her 急速な／放蕩な-集会 涙／ほころびs. He used to have his pitch at the angle of the Pont Neuf, and whenever Agn鑚 had walked past it, she had nodded to him and bidden him "Good morrow!" He had at times done little （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限s for her and gone on errands when she needed a messenger; to-day, in the 中央 of her despair, she had suddenly thought of him and that rumour credited him with 確かな knowledge which she would give her all to 所有する.

She had sallied 前へ／外へ this morning with the 表明する 目的 of speaking with him; but now suddenly she felt afraid, and stood looking at him for a moment or two, hesitating, wondering if she dared tell him—one never knew these days into what terrible 落し穴 an ill-considered word might lead one.

A scarecrow he was, that old Public Letter-Writer, more like a 広大な／多数の／重要な, gaunt bird than a human 存在, with those spectacles of his, and his long, very sparse and very lanky fringe of a 耐えるd which fell from his cheeks and chin and 負かす／撃墜する his chest for all the world like a crumpled grey bib. He was wrapped from 長，率いる to foot in a caped coat which had once been green in colour, but was now of many hues not usually seen in rainbows. He wore his coat all buttoned 負かす／撃墜する the 前線, like a dressing-gown, and below the hem there peeped out a pair of very large feet encased in boots which had never been a pair. He sat upon a rickety, straw-底（に届く）d 議長，司会を務める under an improvised awning which was made up of four 政治家s and a bit of 解雇（する）ing. He had a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する in 前線 of him—a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する 部分的に／不公平に and very insecurely propped up by a bundle of old papers and 調書をとる／予約するs, since no two of its four 脚s were 完全に whole—and on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する there was a neckless 瓶／封じ込める half-filled with 署名／調印する, a few sheets of paper and a couple of quill pens.

The young girl's hesitation had indeed not lasted more than a few seconds.

Furtively, like a young creature terrified of lurking enemies, she once more ちらりと見ることd to 権利 and left of her and 負かす／撃墜する the two streets and the river bank, for Paris was 十分な of 秘かに調査するs these days—human bloodhounds ready for a few sous to sell their fellow-creatures' lives. It was middle morning now, and a few passers-by were hurrying along wrapped to the nose in mufflers, for the 天候 was 激しく 冷淡な.

Agn鑚 waited until there was no one in sight, then she leaned 今後 over the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and whispered under her breath:

"They say, 国民, that you alone in Paris know the どの辺に of the English milor'—of him who is called the Scarlet Pimpernel..."

"Hush-sh-sh!" said the old man quickly, for just at that moment two men had gone by, in ragged coats and torn breeches, who had leered at Agn鑚 and her neat cap and skirt as they passed. Now they had turned the angle of the street and the old man, too, sank his 発言する／表明する to a whisper.

"It is a 事柄 of life and death," 勧めるd Agn鑚, as once more the 涙／ほころびs 急ぐd to her pleading 注目する，もくろむs and the look of 悲惨 settled again upon her 直面する.

"Your life, citizeness?" queried the old man, "or that of 国民-副 Fabrice?"

"Hush!" she broke in again, as a look of real terror now overspread her 直面する. Then she 追加するd under her breath: "You know?"

"I know that Mademoiselle Agn鑚 de Lucines is fianc馥 to the 国民-副 Arnould Fabrice," 再結合させるd the old man 静かに, "and that it is Mademoiselle Agn鑚 de Lucines who is speaking with me now."

"You have known that all along?"

"Ever since mademoiselle first tripped past me at the angle of the Pont Neuf dressed in winsey kirtle and wearing sabots on her feet..."

"But how?" she murmured, puzzled, not a little 脅すd, for his knowledge might 証明する dangerous to her. She was of gentle birth, and as such an 反対する of 疑惑 to the 政府 of the 共和国 and of the Terror; her mother was a hopeless 手足を不自由にする／（物事を）損なう, unable to move: this together with her love for Arnould Fabrice had kept Agn鑚 de Lucines in フラン these days, even though she was in hourly 危険，危なくする of 逮捕（する）.

"Tell me what has happened," the old man said, unheeding her last anxious query. "Perhaps I can help..."

"Oh! you cannot—the English milor' can and will if only we could know where he is. I thought of him the moment I received that awful man's letter—and then I thought of you..."

"Tell me about the letter—quickly," he interrupted her with some impatience. "I'll be 令状ing something—but talk away, I shall hear every word. But for God's sake be as 簡潔な／要約する as you can."

He drew some paper nearer to him and dipped his pen in the 署名／調印する. He appeared to be 令状ing under her 口述. Thin, flaky snow had begun to 落ちる and settled in a smooth white carpet upon the frozen ground, and the footsteps of the passers-by sounded muffled as they hurried along. Only the lapping of the water of the 不振の river の近くに by broke the 絶対の stillness of the 空気／公表する.

Agn鑚 de Lucines' pale 直面する looked ethereal in this 枠組み of white which covered her shoulders and the shawl crossed over her bosom: only her 注目する，もくろむs, dark, 控訴，上告ing, filled with a glow of immeasurable despair, appeared tensely human and alive.

"I had a letter this morning," she whispered, speaking very 速く, "from 国民 H駻iot—that awful man—you know him?"

"Yes, yes!"

"He used to be valet in the service of 副 Fabrice. Now he, too, is a member of the 国家の 議会...he is arrogant and cruel and vile. He hates Arnould Fabrice and he professes himself passionately in love with me."

"Yes, yes!" murmured the old man, "but the letter?"

"It （機の）カム this morning. In it he says that he has in his 所有／入手 a number of old letters, 文書s and manuscripts which are やめる enough to send 副 Fabrice to the guillotine. He 脅すs to place all those papers before the 委員会 of Public Safety unless...unless I..."

She paused, and a 深い blush, partly of shame, partly of wrath, suffused her pale cheeks.

"Unless you 受託する his grimy 手渡す in marriage," 結論するd the man dryly.

Her 注目する，もくろむs gave him answer. With pathetic 主張 she tried now to glean a ray of hope from the old scarecrow's inscrutable 直面する. But he was bending over his 令状ing: his fingers were blue with 冷淡な, his 広大な／多数の／重要な shoulders were stooping to his 仕事.

"国民," she pleaded.

"Hush!" he muttered, "no more now. The very snowflakes are made up of whispers that may reach those bloodhounds yet. The English milor' shall know of this. He will send you a message if he thinks fit."

"国民—"

"Not another word, in God's 指名する! 支払う／賃金 me five sous for this letter and pray Heaven that you have not been watched."

She shivered and drew her shawl closer 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her shoulders, then she counted out five sous with (a)手の込んだ／(v)詳述する care and laid them out upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. The old man took up the coins. He blew into his fingers, which looked paralysed with the 冷淡な. The snow lay over everything now; the rough awning had not 保護するd him or his wares.

Agn鑚 turned to go. The last she saw of him, as she went up the rue Dauphine, was one 幅の広い shoulder still bending over the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and 覆う？ in the shabby, caped coat all covered with snow like an old Santa Claus.

2.

It was half-an-hour before noon, and 国民-副 H駻iot was 準備するing to go out to the small tavern 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the corner where he habitually took his d駛euner. 国民 Rondeau, who for the consideration of ten sous a day looked after H駻iot's paltry creature-慰安s, was busy tidying up the squalid apartment which the latter 占領するd on the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す of a 宿泊するing-house in the Rue Cocatrice. This apartment consisted of three rooms 主要な out of one another; firstly there was a dark and 狭くする antichambre wherein slept the aforesaid 国民-servant; then （機の）カム a sitting-room sparsely furnished with a few 議長，司会を務めるs, a centre （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and an アイロンをかける stove, and finally there was the bedroom wherein the most 目だつ 反対する was a large oak chest clamped with wide アイロンをかける hinges and a 大規模な 令状ing-desk; the bed and a very 原始の washstand were in an alcove at the さらに先に end of the room and 部分的に／不公平に hidden by a tapestry curtain.

At 正確に／まさに half-past seven that morning there （機の）カム a peremptory knock at the door of the antichambre, and as Rondeau was busy in the bedroom, H駻iot went himself to see who his 予期しない 訪問者 might be. On the 上陸 outside stood an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の-looking individual—more like a tall and animated scarecrow than a man—who in a tremulous 発言する／表明する asked if he might speak with the 国民 H駻iot.

"That is my 指名する," said the 副 gruffly, "what do you want?"

He would have liked to 激突する the door in the old scarecrow's 直面する, but the latter, with the boldness which いつかs besets the timid, had already stepped into the antichambre and was now 静かに sauntering through to the next room into the one beyond. H駻iot, 存在 a 代表者／国会議員 of the people and a social 民主主義者 of the most 前進するd type, was supposed to be accessible to every one who 願望（する）d speech with him. Though muttering sundry 悪口を言う／悪態s, he thought it best not to go against his usual practice, and after a moment's hesitation he followed his unwelcome 訪問者.

The latter was in the sitting-room by this time; he had drawn a 議長，司会を務める の近くに to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and sat 負かす／撃墜する with the 空気／公表する of one who has a perfect 権利 to be where he is; as soon as H駻iot entered he said placidly:

"I would 願望（する） to speak alone with the 国民-副."

And H駻iot, after another slight hesitation, ordered Rondeau to の近くに the bedroom door.

"Keep your ears open in 事例／患者 I call," he 追加するd 意味ありげに.

"You are 用心深い, 国民," 単に 発言／述べるd the 訪問者 with a smile.

To this H駻iot vouchsafed no reply. He, too, drew a 議長，司会を務める 今後 and sat opposite his 訪問者, then he asked 突然の: "Your 指名する and 質?"

"My 指名する is L駱ine at your service," said the old man, "and by profession I 令状 letters at the 率 of five sous or so, によれば length, for those who are not able to do it for themselves."

"Your 商売／仕事 with me?" queried H駻iot curtly.

"To 申し込む／申し出 you two thousand フランs for the letters which you stole from 副 Fabrice when you were his valet," replied L駱ine with perfect 静める.

In a moment H駻iot was on his feet, jumping up as if he had been stung; his pale, short-sighted 注目する，もくろむs 狭くするd till they were mere slits, and through them he darted a quick, 怪しげな ちらりと見ること at the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の out-at-肘s 人物／姿／数字 before him. Then he threw 支援する his 長，率いる and laughed till the 涙／ほころびs streamed 負かす／撃墜する his cheeks and his 味方するs began to ache.

"This is a farce, I 推定する, 国民," he said when he had 回復するd something of his composure.

"No farce, 国民," replied L駱ine calmly. "The money is at your 処分 whenever you care to bring the letters to my pitch at the angle of the Rue Dauphine and the Quai des Augustins, where I carry on my 商売／仕事."

"Whose money is it? Agn鑚 de Lucines' or did that fool Fabrice send you?"

"No one sent me, 国民. The money is 地雷—a few 貯金 I 所有する—I honour 国民 Fabrice—I would wish to do him service by 購入（する）ing 確かな letters from you."

Then as H駻iot, moody and sullen, remained silent and began pacing up and 負かす／撃墜する the long, 明らかにする 床に打ち倒す of the room, L駱ine 追加するd persuasively, "井戸／弁護士席! what do you say? Two thousand フランs for a packet of letters—not a bad 取引 these hard times."

"Get out of this room," was H駻iot's 猛烈な／残忍な and sudden reply.

"You 辞退する?"

"Get out of this room!"

"As you please," said L駱ine as he, too, rose from his 議長，司会を務める. "But before I go, 国民 H駻iot," he 追加するd, speaking very 静かに, "let me tell you one thing. Mademoiselle Agn鑚 de Lucines would far sooner 削減（する） off her 権利 手渡す than let yours touch it even for one instant. Neither she nor 副 Fabrice would ever 購入（する） their lives at such a price."

"And who are you—you mangy old scarecrow?" retorted H駻iot, who was getting beside himself with 激怒（する）, "that you should 主張する these things? What are those people to you, or you to them, that you should 干渉する in their 事件／事情／状勢s?"

"Your question is beside the point, 国民," said L駱ine blandly; "I am here to 提案する a 取引. Had you not better agree to it?"

"Never!" 繰り返し言うd H駻iot emphatically.

"Two thousand フランs," 繰り返し言うd the old man imperturbably.

"Not if you 申し込む／申し出d me two hundred thousand," retorted the other ひどく. "Go and tell that, to those who sent you. Tell them that I—H駻iot—would look upon a fortune as mere dross against the delight of seeing that man Fabrice, whom I hate beyond everything in earth or hell, 開始する up the steps to the guillotine. Tell them that I know that Agn鑚 de Lucines loathes me, that I know that she loves him. I know that I cannot 勝利，勝つ her save by 脅すing him. But you are wrong, 国民 L駱ine," he continued, speaking more and more calmly as his passions of 憎悪 and of love seemed more and more to 持つ／拘留する him in their 支配する; "you are wrong if you think that she will not strike a 取引 with me ーするために save the life of Fabrice, whom she loves. Agn鑚 de Lucines will be my wife within the month, or Arnould Fabrice's 長，率いる will 落ちる under the guillotine, and you, my 干渉するing friend, may go to the devil, if you please."

"That would be but a tame 訴訟／進行, 国民, after my visit to you," said the old man, with unruffled sang-froid. "But let me, in my turn, 保証する you of this, 国民 H駻iot," he 追加するd, "that Mlle. de Lucines will never be your wife, that Arnould Fabrice will not end his 価値のある life under the guillotine—and that you will never be 許すd to use against him the 臆病な／卑劣な and stolen 武器 which you 所有する."

H駻iot laughed—a low, 冷笑的な laugh and shrugged his thin shoulders:

"And who will 妨げる me, I pray you?" he asked sarcastically.

The old man made no 即座の reply, but he （機の）カム just a step or two closer to the 国民-副 and, suddenly 製図／抽選 himself up to his 十分な 高さ, he looked for one 簡潔な／要約する moment 負かす／撃墜する upon the mean and sordid 人物／姿／数字 of the ex-valet. To H駻iot it seemed as if the whole man had become transfigured; the shabby old scarecrow looked all of a sudden like a brilliant and powerful personality; from his 注目する，もくろむs there flashed 負かす／撃墜する a look of 最高の contempt and of 最高の pride, and H駻iot—unable to understand this metamorphosis which was more 明らかな to his inner consciousness than to his outward sight, felt his 膝s shake under him and all the 血 急ぐ 支援する to his heart in an agony of superstitious terror.

From somewhere there （機の）カム to his ear the sound of two words: "I will!" in reply to his own 反抗的な query. Surely those words uttered by a man conscious of 力／強力にする and of strength could never have been spoken by the dilapidated old scarecrow who earned a 不安定な living by 令状ing letters for ignorant folk.

But before he could 回復する some 外見 of presence of mind 国民 L駱ine had gone, and only a loud and merry laugh seemed to echo through the squalid room.

H駻iot shook off the 残余 of his own senseless terror; he tore open the door of the bedroom and shouted to Rondeau, who truly was thinking that the 国民-副 had gone mad:

"After him!—after him! Quick! 悪口を言う／悪態 you!" he cried.

"After whom?" gasped the man.

"The man who was here just now—an aristo."

"I saw no one—but the Public Letter-Writer, old L駱ine—I know him 井戸／弁護士席—"

"悪口を言う／悪態 you for a fool!" shouted H駻iot savagely, "the man who was here was that 悪口を言う／悪態d Englishman—the one whom they call the Scarlet Pimpernel. Run after him—stop him, I say!"

"Too late, 国民," said the other placidly; "whoever was here before is certainly half-way 負かす／撃墜する the street by now."

3.

"No use, Ffoulkes," said Sir Percy Blakeney to his friend half-an-hour later, "the man's passions of 憎悪 and 願望（する） are greater than his greed."

The two men were sitting together in one of Sir Percy Blakeney's many lodgings—the one in the Rue des Petits P鑽es—and Sir Percy had just put Sir Andrew Ffoulkes au fait with the whole sad story of Arnould Fabrice's danger and Agn鑚 de Lucines' despair.

"You could do nothing with the brute, then?" queried Sir Andrew.

"Nothing," replied Blakeney. "He 辞退するd all 賄賂s, and 暴力／激しさ would not have helped me, for what I 手配中の，お尋ね者 was not to knock him 負かす／撃墜する, but to get 持つ／拘留する of the letters."

"井戸／弁護士席, after all, he might have sold you the letters and then 公然と非難するd Fabrice just the same."

"No, without actual proofs he could not do that. Arnould Fabrice is not a man against whom a mere denunciation would 十分である. He has the grudging 尊敬（する）・点 of every 派閥 in the 国家の 議会. Nothing but irrefutable proof would 勝つ／広く一帯に広がる against him—and bring him to the guillotine."

"Why not get Fabrice and Mlle. de Lucines 安全に over to England?"

"Fabrice would not come. He is not of the stuff that 駑igr駸 are made of. He is not an aristocrat; he is a 共和国の／共和党の by 有罪の判決, and a demmed honest one at that. He would 軽蔑（する） to run away, and Agn鑚 de Lucines would not go without him."

"Then what can we do?"

"Filch those letters from that brute H駻iot," said Blakeney calmly.

"House-breaking, you mean!" commented Sir Andrew Ffoulkes dryly.

"こそどろ, shall we say?" retorted Sir Percy. "I can 賄賂 the lout who has 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of H駻iot's rooms to introduce us into his master's sanctum this evening when the 国家の 議会 is sitting and the 国民-副 安全に out of the way."

And the two men—one of whom was the most intimate friend of the Prince of むちの跡s and the 定評のある darling of London society—thereupon fell to discussing 計画（する）s for surreptitiously entering a man's room and committing 窃盗罪, which in normal times would entail, if discovered, a long 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 of 監禁，拘置, but which, in these days, in Paris, and （罪などを）犯すd against a member of the 国家の 議会, would certainly be punished by death.

4.

国民 Rondeau, whose 商売／仕事 it was to look after the creature 慰安s of 副 H駻iot, was standing in the antichambre 直面するing the two 訪問者s whom he had just introduced into his master's apartments, and idly turning a couple of gold coins over and over between his grimy fingers.

"And mind, you are to see nothing and hear nothing of what goes on in the next room," said the taller of the two strangers; "and when we go there'll be another couple of louis for you. Is that understood?"

"Yes! it's understood," grunted Rondeau sullenly; "but I am running 広大な／多数の／重要な 危険s. The 国民-副 いつかs returns at ten o'clock, but いつかs at nine...I never know."

"It is now seven," 再結合させるd the other; "we'll be gone long before nine."

"井戸／弁護士席," said Rondeau surlily, "I go out now for my supper. I'll return in half an hour, but at half-past eight you must （疑いを）晴らす out."

Then he 追加するd with a sneer:

"国民s Legros and Desgas usually come 支援する with 副 H駻iot of nights, and 国民s Jeanniot and Bompard come in from next door for a game of cards. You wouldn't stand much chance if you were caught here."

"Not with you to 支援する up so formidable a quintette of stalwarts," assented the tall 訪問者 gaily. "But we won't trouble about that just now. We have a couple of hours before us in which to do all that we want. So au revoir, friend Rondeau...two more louis for your complaisance, remember, when we have 遂行するd our 目的."

Rondeau muttered something more, but the two strangers paid no その上の 注意する to him; they had already walked to the next room, leaving Rondeau in the antichambre.

Sir Percy Blakeney did not pause in the sitting-room where an oil lamp 一時停止するd from the 天井 threw a feeble circle of light above the centre （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. He went straight through to the bedroom. Here, too, a small lamp was 燃やすing which only lit up a small 部分 of the room—the 令状ing-desk and the oak chest—leaving the corners and the alcove, with its 部分的に／不公平に drawn curtains, in 完全にする 影をつくる／尾行する.

Blakeney pointed to the oak chest and to the desk.

"You 取り組む the chest, Ffoulkes, and I will go for the desk," he said 静かに, as soon as he had taken a 早い 調査する of the room. "You have your 道具s?"

Ffoulkes nodded, and anon in this squalid room, ill-lit, ill-ventilated, barely furnished, was 現在のd one of the most curious spectacles of these strange and troublous times: two English gentlemen, the 定評のある dandies of London 製図／抽選-rooms, busy 選ぶing locks and とじ込み／提出するing hinges like any ありふれた house-thieves.

Neither of them spoke, and a strange hush fell over the room—a hush only broken by the click of metal against metal, and the 深い breathing of the two men bending to their 仕事. Sir Andrew Ffoulkes was working with a とじ込み／提出する on the padlocks of the oak chest, and Sir Percy Blakeney, with a bunch of 骸骨／概要 重要なs, was 開始 the drawers of the 令状ing-desk. These, when finally opened, 明らかにする／漏らすd nothing of any importance; but when anon Sir Andrew was able to 解除する the lid of the oak chest, he 公表する／暴露するd an innumerable 量 of papers and 文書s tied up in neat bundles, docketed and piled up in 列／漕ぐ／騒動s and tiers to the very 最高の，を越す of the chest.

"Quick to work, Ffoulkes," said Blakeney, as in 返答 to his friend's call he drew a 議長，司会を務める 今後 and, seating himself beside the chest, started on the 仕事 of looking through the hundreds of bundles which lay before him. "It will take us all our time to look through these."

Together now the two men 始める，決める to work—methodically and 静かに—piling up on the 床に打ち倒す beside them the bundles of papers which they had already 診察するd, and delving into the oak chest for others. No sound was heard save the crackling of crisp paper and an 時折の ejaculation from either of them when they （機の）カム upon some proof or other of H駻iot's propensity for ゆすり，恐喝.

"Agn鑚 de Lucines is not the only one whom this brute is terrorising," murmured Blakeney once between his teeth; "I marvel that the man ever feels 安全な, alone in these lodgings, with no one but that weak-膝d Rondeau to 保護する him. He must have 得点する／非難する／２０s of enemies in this city who would 喜んで put a dagger in his heart or a 弾丸 through his 支援する."

They had been at work for の近くに on half an hour when an exclamation of 勝利, quickly smothered, escaped Sir Percy's lips.

"By Gad, Ffoulkes!" he said, "I believe I have got what we want!"

With quick, 有能な 手渡すs he turned over a bundle which he had just 抽出するd from the chest. 速く he ちらりと見ることd through them. "I have them, Ffoulkes," he 繰り返し言うd more emphatically as he put the bundle into his pocket; "now everything 支援する in its place and—"

Suddenly he paused, his slender 手渡す up to his lips, his 長，率いる turned toward the door, an 表現 of 緊張した 見込み in every line of his 直面する.

"Quick, Ffoulkes," he whispered, "everything 支援する into the chest, and the lid 負かす／撃墜する."

"What ears you have," murmured Ffoulkes as he obeyed 速く and without question. "I heard nothing."

Blakeney went to the door and bent his 長，率いる to listen.

"Three men coming up the stairs," he said; "they are on the 上陸 now."

"Have we time to 急ぐ them?"

"No chance! They are at the door. Two more men have joined them, and I can distinguish Rondeau's 発言する／表明する, too."

"The quintette," murmured Sir Andrew. "We are caught like two ネズミs in a 罠（にかける）."

Even as he spoke the 開始 of the outside door could be distinctly heard, then the 混乱させるd murmur of many 発言する／表明するs. Already Blakeney and Ffoulkes had with perfect presence of mind put the finishing touches to the tidying of the room—put the 議長，司会を務めるs straight, shut 負かす／撃墜する the lid of the oak chest, の近くにd all the drawers of the desk.

"Nothing but good luck can save us now," whispered Blakeney as he lowered the wick of the lamp. "Quick now," he 追加するd, "behind that tapestry in the alcove and 信用 to our 星／主役にするs."

Securely hidden for the moment behind the curtains in the dark 休会 of the alcove the two men waited. The door 主要な into the sitting-room was ajar, and they could hear H駻iot and his friends making merry irruption into the place. From out the 混乱 of general conversation they soon gathered that the 審議s in the 議会 had been so dull and uninteresting that, at a given signal, the little party had decided to 延期，休会する to H駻iot's rooms for their habitual game of cards. They could also hear H駻iot calling to Rondeau to bring 瓶／封じ込めるs and glasses, and ばく然と they marvelled what Rondeau's 態度 might be like at this moment. Was he brazening out the 状況／情勢, or was he sick with terror?

Suddenly H駻iot's 発言する／表明する （機の）カム out more distinctly.

"Make yourselves at home, friends," he was 説; "here are cards, 支配s, and ワイン. I must leave you to yourselves for ten minutes whilst I 令状 an important letter."

"All 権利, but don't be long," （機の）カム in merry 返答.

"Not longer than I can help," 再結合させるd H駻iot. "I want my 復讐 against Bompard, remember. He did fleece me last night."

"Hurry on, then," said one of the men. "I'll play Desgas that return game of 支配s until then."

"Ten minutes and I'll be 支援する," 結論するd H駻iot.

He 押し進めるd open the bedroom door. The light within was very 薄暗い. The two men hidden behind the tapestry could hear him moving about the room muttering 悪口を言う／悪態s to himself. Presently the light of the lamp was 転換d from one end of the room to the other. Through the 開始 between the two curtains Blakeney could just see H駻iot's 支援する as he placed the lamp at a convenient angle upon his desk, divested himself of his overcoat and muffler, then sat 負かす／撃墜する and drew pen and paper closer to him. He was leaning 今後, his 肘 残り／休憩（する）ing upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, his fingers fidgeting with his long, lank hair. He had の近くにd the door when he entered, and from the other room now the 発言する／表明するs of his friends sounded 混乱させるd and muffled. Now and then an exclamation: "二塁打!" "Je...tiens!" "Cinq-deux!" an 誓い, a laugh, the click of glasses and 瓶／封じ込めるs （機の）カム out more 明確に; but the 残り／休憩（する） of the time these sounds were more like a droning accompaniment to the 捨てるing of H駻iot's pen upon the paper when he finally began to 令状 his letter.

Two minutes went by and then two more. The scratching of H駻iot's pen became more 早い as he appeared to be more 完全に immersed in his work. Behind the curtain the two men had been waiting: Blakeney ready to 行為／法令／行動する, Ffoulkes 平等に ready to 解釈する／通訳する the slightest signal from his 長，指導者.

The next minute Blakeney had stolen out of the alcove, and his two 手渡すs—so slender and elegant looking, and yet with a 支配する of steel—had fastened themselves upon H駻iot's mouth, smothering within the space of a second the cry that had been half-uttered. Ffoulkes was ready to 完全にする the work of （判決などを）下すing the man helpless: one handkerchief made an efficient gag, another tied the ankles securely. H駻iot's own coat-sleeves 供給（する）d the 手錠s, and the 一面に覆う／毛布s off the bed tied around his 脚s （判決などを）下すd him 権力のない to move. Then the two men 解除するd this inert 集まり on to the bed and Ffoulkes whispered anxiously: "Now, what next?"

H駻iot's overcoat, hat, and muffler lay upon a 議長，司会を務める. Sir Percy, placing a 警告 finger upon his lips, quickly divested himself of his own coat, slipped that of H駻iot on, 新たな展開d the muffler 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his neck, hunched up his shoulders, and murmuring: "Now for a bit of luck!" once more lowered the light of the lamp and then went to the door.

"Rondeau!" he called. "Hey, Rondeau!" And Sir Percy himself was surprised at the marvellous way in which he had caught the very inflection of H駻iot's 発言する／表明する.

"Hey, Rondeau!" （機の）カム from one of the players at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, "the 国民-副 is calling you!"

They were all sitting 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する: two men 意図 upon their game of 支配s, the other two watching with equal intentness. Rondeau （機の）カム shuffling out of the antichambre. His 直面する, by the 薄暗い light of the oil lamp, looked jaundiced with 恐れる.

"Rondeau, you fool, where are you?" called Blakeney once again.

The next moment Rondeau had entered the room. No need for a signal or an order this time. Ffoulkes knew by instinct what his 長，指導者's bold 計画／陰謀 would mean to them both if it 後継するd. He retired into the darkest corner of the room as Rondeau shuffled across to the 令状ing-desk. It was all done in a moment. In いっそう少なく time than it had taken to 貯蔵所d and gag H駻iot, his henchman was laid out on the 床に打ち倒す, his coat had been taken off him, and he was tied into a mummy-like bundle with Sir Andrew Ffoulkes' elegant coat fastened securely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his 武器 and chest. It had all been done in silence. The men in the next room were noisy and 意図 on their game; the slight scuffle, the quickly smothered cries had remained unheeded.

"Now, what next?" queried Sir Andrew Ffoulkes once more.

"The impudence of the devil, my good Ffoulkes," replied Blakeney in a whisper, "and may our 星／主役にするs not play us 誤った. Now let me make you look as like Rondeau as possible—there! Slip on his coat—now your hair over your forehead—your coat-collar up—your 膝s bent—that's better!" he 追加するd as he 調査するd the 変形 which a few deft 一打／打撃s had made in Sir Andrew Ffoulkes' 外見. "Now all you have to do is to shuffle across the room—here's your 原型's handkerchief—of 疑わしい cleanliness, it is true, but it will serve—blow your nose as you cross the room, it will hide your 直面する. They'll not 注意する you—keep in the 影をつくる／尾行するs and God guard you—I'll follow in a moment or two...but don't wait for me."

He opened the door, and before Sir Andrew could 抗議する his 長，指導者 had 押し進めるd him out into the room where the four men were still 意図 on their game. Through the open door Sir Percy now watched his friend who, keeping 井戸／弁護士席 within the 影をつくる／尾行するs, shuffled 静かに across the room. The next moment Sir Andrew was through and in the antichambre. Blakeney's acutely 極度の慎重さを要する ears caught the sound of the 開始 of the outer door. He waited for a while, then he drew out of his pocket the bundle of letters which he had 危険d so much to 得る. There they were neatly docketed and 示すd: "The 事件／事情／状勢s of Arnould Fabrice."

井戸／弁護士席! if he got away to-night Agn鑚 de Lucines would be happy and 解放する／自由な from the importunities of that brute H駻iot; after that he must 説得する her and Fabrice to go to England and to freedom.

For the moment his own safety was terribly in jeopardy; one 誤った move—one look from those players 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する...Bah! even then—!

With an inward laugh he 押し進めるd open the door once more and stepped into the room. For the moment no one noticed him; the game was at its most palpitating 行う／開催する／段階; four shaggy 長，率いるs met beneath the lamp and four pairs of 注目する，もくろむs were gazing with rapt attention upon the intricate maze of the 支配s.

Blakeney walked 静かに across the room; he was just 中途の and on a level with the centre （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する when a 発言する／表明する was suddenly raised from that 緊張した group beneath the lamp: "Is it thou, friend H駻iot?"

Then one of the men looked up and 星／主役にするd, and another did likewise and exclaimed: "It is not H駻iot!"

In a moment all was 混乱, but 混乱 was the very essence of those hair-breadth escapes and desperate adventures which were as the breath of his nostrils to the Scarlet Pimpernel. Before those four men had had time to jump to their feet, or to realise that something was wrong with their friend H駻iot, he had run across the room, his 手渡す was on the knob of the door—the door that led to the antichambre and to freedom.

Bompard, Desgas, Jeanniot, Legros were at his heels, but he tore open the door, bounded across the threshold, and slammed it to with such a vigorous bang that those on the other 味方する were brought to a momentary 停止（させる）. That moment meant life and liberty to Blakeney; already he had crossed the antichambre. やめる coolly and 静かに now he took out the 重要な from the inner 味方する of the main door and slipped it to the outside. The next second—even as the four men 急ぐd helter-skelter into the antichambre he was out on the 上陸 and had turned the 重要な in the door.

His 囚人s were 安全に locked in—in H駻iot's apartments—and Sir Percy Blakeney, calmly and without haste, was descending the stairs of the house in the Rue Cocatrice.

* * * * *

The next morning Agn鑚 de Lucines received, through an 匿名の／不明の messenger, the packet of letters which would so 厳粛に have 妥協d Arnould Fabrice. Though the 天候 was more inclement than ever, she ran out into the streets, 決定するd to 捜し出す out the old Public Letter-Writer and thank him for his 介入 with the English milor, who surely had done this noble 活動／戦闘.

But the old scarecrow had disappeared.

V. A FINE BIT OF WORK

1.

"Sh!...sh!...It's the Englishman. I'd know his footstep anywhere—"

"God bless him!" murmured petite maman fervently.

P鑽e Len鑒re went to the door; he stepped 慎重に and with that stealthy foot-tread which speaks in eloquent silence of daily, hourly danger, of anguish and 苦悩 for lives that are dear.

The door was low and 狭くする—up on the fifth 床に打ち倒す of one of the 抱擁する tenement houses in the Rue Jolivet in the Montmartre ４半期/4分の1 of Paris. A 狭くする 石／投石する passage led to it—pitch-dark at all times, but dirty, and evil-smelling when the concierge—a 解放する／自由な 国民 of the new 僕主主義—took a week's holiday from his work ーするために spend whole afternoons either at the wineshop 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the corner, or on the Place du Carrousel to watch the guillotine getting rid of some twenty aristocrats an hour for the glorification of the will of the people.

But inside the small apartment everything was scrupulously neat and clean. Petite maman was such an excellent 経営者／支配人, and Rosette was busy all the day tidying and きれいにする the poor little home, which P鑽e Len鑒re contrived to keep up for wife and daughter by working fourteen hours a day in the 政府 saddlery.

When P鑽e Len鑒re opened the 狭くする door, the entire 枠組み of it was filled by the 幅の広い, magnificent 人物／姿／数字 of a man in 激しい caped coat and high leather boots, with dainty frills of lace at throat and wrist, and elegant chapeau-bras held in the 手渡す.

P鑽e Len鑒re at sight of him, put a quick finger to his own quivering lips.

"Anything wrong, vieux papa?" asked the newcomer lightly.

The other の近くにd the door 慎重に before he made reply. But petite maman could not 抑制する her 苦悩.

"My little Pierre, milor?" she asked as she clasped her wrinkled 手渡すs together, and turned on the stranger her 涙／ほころび-dimmed restless 注目する，もくろむs.

"Pierre is 安全な and 井戸／弁護士席, little mother," he replied cheerily. "We got him out of Paris 早期に this morning in a coal cart, carefully hidden の中で the 解雇（する）s. When he 現れるd he was 黒人／ボイコット but 安全な. I drove the cart myself as far as Courbevoie, and there 手渡すd over your Pierre and those whom we got out of Paris with him to those of my friends who were going straight to England. There's nothing more to be afraid of, petite maman," he 追加するd as he took the old woman's wrinkled 手渡すs in both his own; "your son is now under the care of men who would die rather than see him 逮捕（する）d. So make your mind at 緩和する, Pierre will be in England, 安全な and 井戸／弁護士席, within a week."

Petite maman couldn't say anything just then because 涙／ほころびs were choking her, but in her turn she clasped those two strong and slender 手渡すs—the 手渡すs of the 勇敢に立ち向かう Englishman who had just 危険d his life ーするために save Pierre from the guillotine—and she kissed them as fervently as she kissed the feet of the Madonna when she knelt before her 神社 in 祈り.

Pierre had been a footman in the 世帯 of unhappy Marie Antoinette. His 罪，犯罪 had been that he remained loyal to her in words 同様に as in thought. A hot-長，率いるd but nobly outspoken harangue on に代わって of the unfortunate queen, 配達するd in a public place, had at once 示すd him out to the 秘かに調査するs of the テロリストs as 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う of intrigue against the safety of the 共和国. He was 公然と非難するd to the 委員会 of Public Safety, and his 逮捕（する） and 激しい非難 to the guillotine would have 必然的に followed had not the gallant 禁止（する）d of Englishmen, known as the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, 後継するd in 影響ing his escape.

What wonder that petite maman could not speak for 涙／ほころびs when she clasped the 手渡すs of the noble leader of that splendid little 禁止（する）d of heroes? What wonder that P鑽e Len鑒re, when he heard that his son was 安全な murmured a 熱烈な: "God bless you, milor, and your friends!" and that Rosette surreptitiously raised the 罰金 caped coat to her lips, for Pierre was her twin-brother, and she loved him very dearly.

But already Sir Percy Blakeney had, with one of his characteristic cheery words, dissipated the atmosphere of tearful emotion which 抑圧するd these kindly folk.

"Now, Papa Len鑒re," he said lightly, "tell me why you wore such a solemn 空気／公表する when you let me in just now."

"Because, milor," replied the old man 静かに, "that damned concierge, ジーンズ Baptiste, is a 黒人／ボイコット-hearted 反逆者."

Sir Percy laughed, his merry, 感染性の laugh.

"You mean that while he has been pocketing 賄賂s from me, he has 公然と非難するd me to the 委員会."

P鑽e Len鑒re nodded: "I only heard it this morning," he said, "from one or two 脅すing words the 背信の brute let 落ちる. He knows that you 宿泊する in the Place des Trois Maries, and that you come here frequently. I would have given my life to 警告する you then and there," continued the old man with touching earnestness, "but I didn't know where to find you. All I knew was that you were looking after Pierre."

Even while the man spoke there darted from beneath the Englishman's 激しい lids a quick look like a flash of sudden and brilliant light out of the lazy depths of his merry blue 注目する，もくろむs; it was one of those ちらりと見ることs of pure delight and exultation which light up the 注目する，もくろむs of the true 兵士 when there is serious fighting to be done.

"La, man," he said gaily, "there was no 原因（となる） to worry. Pierre is 安全な, remember that! As for me," he 追加するd with that wonderful insouciance which 原因（となる）d him to 危険 his life a hundred times a day with a shrug of his 幅の広い shoulders and a smile upon his lips; "as for me, I'll look after myself, never 恐れる."

He paused awhile, then 追加するd 厳粛に: "So long as you are 安全な, my good Len鑒re, and petite maman, and Rosette."

その結果 the old man was silent, petite maman murmured a short 祈り, and Rosette began to cry. The hero of a thousand gallant 救助（する）s had received his answer.

"You, too, are on the 黒人／ボイコット 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）, P鑽e Len鑒re?" he asked 静かに.

The old man nodded.

"How do you know?" queried the Englishman.

"Through ジーンズ Baptiste, milor."

"Still that demmed concierge," muttered Sir Percy.

"He 脅すd petite maman with it all this morning, 説 that he knew my 指名する was 負かす／撃墜する on the Sectional 委員会's 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） as a '嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う.' That's when he let 落ちる a word or two about you, milor. He said it is known that Pierre has escaped from 司法（官）, and that you helped him to it.

"I am sure that we shall get a domiciliary visit presently," continued P鑽e Len鑒re, after a slight pause. "The gendarmes have not yet been, but I fancy that already this morning 早期に I saw one or two of the 委員会's 秘かに調査するs hanging about the house, and when I went to the workshop I was followed all the time."

The Englishman looked 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な: "And tell me," he said, "have you got anything in this place that may 証明する 妥協ing to any of you?"

"No, milor. But, as ジーンズ Baptiste said, the Sectional 委員会 know about Pierre. It is because of my son that I am 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う."

The old man spoke やめる 静かに, very 簡単に, like a philosopher who has long ago learned to put behind him the 恐れる of death. Nor did petite maman cry or lament. Her thoughts were for the 勇敢に立ち向かう milor' who had saved her boy; but her 恐れるs for her old man left her 乾燥した，日照りの-注目する，もくろむd and dumb with grief.

There was silence in the little room for one moment while the angel of 悲しみ and anguish hovered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する these faithful and 勇敢に立ち向かう souls, then the Englishman's cheery 発言する／表明する, so 十分な of spirit and merriment, rang out once more—he had risen to his 十分な, 非常に高い 高さ, and now placed a kindly 手渡す on the old man's shoulder:

"It seems to me, my good Len鑒re," he said, "that you and I 港／避難所't many moments to spare if we mean to cheat those devils by saving your neck. Now, petite maman," he 追加するd, turning to the old woman, "are you going to be 勇敢に立ち向かう?"

"I will do anything, milor," she replied 静かに, "to help my old man."

"井戸／弁護士席, then," said Sir Percy Blakeney in that 楽観的な, light-hearted yet supremely 権威のある トン of which he held the secret, "you and Rosette remain here and wait for the gendarmes. When they come, say nothing; behave with 絶対の meekness, and let them search your place from end to end. If they ask you about your husband say that you believe him to be at his workshop. Is that （疑いを）晴らす?"

"やめる （疑いを）晴らす, milor," replied petite maman.

"And you, P鑽e Len鑒re," continued the Englishman, speaking now with slow and careful 審議, "listen very attentively to the 指示／教授／教育s I am going to give you, for on your implicit obedience to them depends not only your own life but that of these two dear women. Go at once, now, to the Rue Ste. Anne, 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the corner, the second house on your 権利, which is numbered thirty-seven. The porte coch鑽e stands open, go boldly through, past the concierge's box, and up the stairs to apartment number twelve, second 床に打ち倒す. Here is the 重要な of the apartment," he 追加するd, producing one from his coat pocket and 手渡すing it over to the old man. "The rooms are 名目上 占領するd by a 確かな Maitre Turandot, 製造者 of violins, and not even the concierge of the place knows that the hunchbacked and snuffy violin-製造者 and the meddlesome Scarlet Pimpernel, whom the 委員会 of Public Safety would so love to lay by the heels, are one and the same person. The apartment, then, is 地雷; one of the many which I 占領する in Paris at different times," he went on. "Let yourself in 静かに with this 重要な, walk straight across the first room to a wardrobe, which you will see in 前線 of you. Open it. It is hung 十分な of shabby 着せる／賦与するs; put these aside, and you will notice that the パネル盤s at the 支援する do not fit very closely, as if the wardrobe was old or had been 不正に put together. 挿入する your fingers in the tiny aperture between the two middle パネル盤s. These slide 支援する easily: there is a 休会 すぐに behind them. Get in there; pull the doors of the wardrobe together first, then slide the 支援する パネル盤s into their place. You will be perfectly 安全な there, as the house is not under 疑惑 at 現在の, and even if the 革命の guard, under some meddle-some sergeant or other, chooses to 支払う／賃金 it a surprise visit, your hiding-place will be perfectly 安全な・保証する. Now is all that やめる understood?"

"絶対, milor," replied Len鑒re, even as he made ready to obey Sir Percy's orders, "but what about you? You cannot get out of this house, milor," he 勧めるd; "it is watched, I tell you."

"La!" broke in Blakeney, in his light-hearted way, "and do you think I didn't know that? I had to come and tell you about Pierre, and now I must give those worthy gendarmes the slip somehow. I have my rooms downstairs on the ground 床に打ち倒す, as you know, and I must make 確かな 手はず／準備 so that we can all get out of Paris comfortably this evening. The demmed place is no longer 安全な either for you, my good Len鑒re, or for petite maman and Rosette. But wherever I may be, 一方／合間, don't worry about me. As soon as the gendarmes have been and gone, I'll go over to the Rue Ste. Anne and let you know what 手はず／準備 I've been able to make. So do as I tell you now, and in Heaven's 指名する let me look after myself."

その結果, with scant 儀式, he hustled the old man out of the room.

P鑽e Len鑒re had contrived to kiss petite maman and Rosette before he went. It was touching to see the perfect 信用／信任 with which these simple-hearted folk obeyed the 命令（する）s of milor. Had he not saved Pierre in his wonderful, 勇敢に立ち向かう, resourceful way? Of a truth he would know how to save P鑽e Len鑒re also. But, にもかかわらず, anguish gripped the women's hearts; anguish doubly keen since the saviour of Pierre was also in danger now.

When P鑽e Len鑒re's shuffling footsteps had died away along the flagged 回廊（地帯）, the stranger once more turned to the two women.

"And now, petite maman," he said cheerily, as he kissed the old woman on both her furrowed cheeks, "keep up a good heart, and say your 祈りs with Rosette. Your old man and I will both have need of them."

He did not wait to say good-bye, and anon it was his 会社／堅い footstep that echoed 負かす／撃墜する the 回廊（地帯）. He went off singing a song, at the 最高の，を越す of his 発言する／表明する, for the whole house to hear, and for that 反逆者, ジーンズ Baptiste, to come 急ぐing out of his room marvelling at the impudence of the man, and 悪口を言う／悪態ing the 委員会 of Public Safety who were so slow in sending the 兵士s of the 共和国 to lay this impertinent Englishman by the heels.

2.

A ４半期/4分の1 of an hour later half dozen men of the 共和国の／共和党の Guard, with corporal and sergeant in 命令（する）, were in the small apartment on the fifth 床に打ち倒す of the tenement house in the Rue Jolivet. They had 需要・要求するd an 入ること／参加（者） in the 指名する of the 共和国, had 概略で hustled petite maman and Rosette, questioned them to Len鑒re's どの辺に, and not 満足させるd with the reply which they received, had turned the tidy little home topsy-turvy, ransacked every cupboard, dislocated every bed, （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する or sofa which might 推定では have afforded a hiding place for a man.

満足させるd now that the "嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う" whom they were searching for was not on the 前提s, the sergeant 駅／配置するd four of his men with the corporal outside the door, and two within, and himself sitting 負かす／撃墜する in the centre of the room ordered the two women to stand before him and to answer his questions 明確に on 苦痛 of 存在 dragged away forthwith to the St. Lazare house of 拘留，拘置.

Petite maman smoothed out her apron, crossed her 武器 before her, and looked the sergeant やめる straight in the 直面する. Rosette's 注目する，もくろむs were 十分な of 涙／ほころびs, but she showed no 調印するs of 恐れる either, although her shoulder—where one of the gendarmes had 掴むd it so 概略で—was terribly painful.

"Your husband, citizeness," asked the sergeant peremptorily, "where is he?"

"I am not sure, 国民," replied petite maman. "At this hour he is 一般に at the 政府 作品 in the Quai des Messageries."

"He is not there now," 主張するd the sergeant. "We have knowledge that he did not go 支援する to his work since dinner-time."

Petite maman was silent.

"Answer," ordered the sergeant.

"I cannot tell you more, 国民 sergeant," she said 堅固に. "I do not know."

"You do yourself no good, woman, by this obstinacy," he continued 概略で. "My belief is that your husband is inside this house, hidden away somewhere. If necessary I can get orders to have every apartment searched until he is 設立する: but in that 事例／患者 it will go much harder with you and with your daughter, and much harder too with your husband than if he gave us no trouble and followed us 静かに."

But with sublime 信用／信任 in the man who had saved Pierre and who had given her explicit orders as to what she should do, petite maman, 支援するd by Rosette, 繰り返し言うd 静かに:

"I cannot tell you more, 国民 sergeant, I do not know."

"And what about the Englishman?" queried the sergeant more 概略で, "the man they call the Scarlet Pimpernel, what do you know of him?"

"Nothing, 国民," replied petite maman, "what should we poor folk know of an English milor?"

"You know at any 率 this much, citizeness, that the English milor' helped your son Pierre to escape from 司法（官）."

"If that is so," said petite maman 静かに, "it cannot be wrong for a mother to pray to God to bless her son's preserver."

"It behooves every good 国民," retorted the sergeant 堅固に, "to 公然と非難する all 反逆者s to the 共和国."

"But since I know nothing about the Englishman, 国民 sergeant—?"

And petite maman shrugged her thin shoulders as if the 事柄 had 中止するd to 利益／興味 her.

"Think again, citizeness," admonished the sergeant, "it is your husband's neck 同様に as your daughter's and your own that you are 危険ing by so much obstinacy."

He waited a moment or two as if willing to give the old woman time to speak: then, when he saw that she kept her thin, quivering lips resolutely glued together he called his corporal to him.

"Go to the 国民 Commissary of the Section," he 命令（する）d, "and ask for a general order to search every apartment in No. 24 Rue Jolivet. Leave two of our men 地位，任命するd on the first and third 上陸s of this house and leave two outside this door. Be as quick as you can. You can be 支援する here with the order in half an hour, or perhaps the 委員会 will send me an extra squad; tell the 国民 Commissary that this is a big house, with many 回廊（地帯）s. You can go."

The corporal saluted and went.

Petite maman and Rosette the while were still standing 静かに in the middle of the room, their 武器 倍のd underneath their aprons, their wide-open, anxious 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd into space. Rosette's 涙／ほころびs were 落ちるing slowly, one by one 負かす／撃墜する her cheeks, but petite maman was 乾燥した，日照りの-注目する，もくろむd. She was thinking, and thinking as she had never had occasion to think before.

She was thinking of the 勇敢に立ち向かう and gallant Englishman who had saved Pierre's life only yesterday. The sergeant, who sat there before her, had asked for orders from the 国民 Commissary to search this big house from attic to cellar. That is what made petite maman think and think.

The 勇敢に立ち向かう Englishman was in this house at the 現在の moment: the house would be searched from attic to cellar and he would be 設立する, taken, and brought to the guillotine.

The man who yesterday had 危険d his life to save her boy was in 切迫した and deadly danger, and she—petite maman—could do nothing to save him.

Every moment now she thought to hear milor's 会社／堅い tread resounding on stairs or 回廊（地帯）, every moment she thought to hear snatches of an English song, sung by a fresh and powerful 発言する／表明する, never after to-day to be heard in gaiety again.

The old clock upon the shelf ticked away these seconds and minutes while petite maman thought and thought, while men 始める，決める 罠（にかける）s to catch a fellow-存在 in a deathly snare, and human carnivorous beasts lay lurking for their prey.

3.

Another ４半期/4分の1 of an hour went by. Petite maman and Rosette had hardly moved. The 影をつくる／尾行するs of evening were creeping into the 狭くする room, blurring the 輪郭（を描く）s of the pieces of furniture and wrapping all the corners in gloom.

The sergeant had ordered Rosette to bring in a lamp. This she had done, placing it upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する so that the feeble light glinted upon the belt and buckles of the sergeant and upon the tricolour cockade which was pinned to his hat. Petite maman had thought and thought until she could think no more.

Anon there was much commotion on the stairs; 激しい footsteps were heard 上がるing from below, then crossing the 回廊（地帯）s on the さまざまな 上陸s. The silence which 統治するd さもなければ in the house, and which had fallen as usual on the squalid little street, 無効の of traffic at this hour, 原因（となる）d those footsteps to echo with ominous 力／強力にする.

Petite maman felt her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing so vigorously that she could hardly breathe. She 圧力（をかける）d her wrinkled 手渡すs tightly against her bosom.

There were the quick words of 命令（する）, 式のs! so familiar in フラン just now, the cruel, peremptory words that invariably に先行するd an 逮捕（する）, 予選s to the dragging of some wretched—often wholly 害のない—creature before a 法廷 that knew neither 容赦 nor mercy.

The sergeant, who had become drowsy in the の近くに atmosphere of the tiny room, roused himself at the sound and jumped to his feet. The door was thrown open by the men 駅／配置するd outside even before the 権威のある words, "Open! in the 指名する of the 共和国!" had echoed along the 狭くする 回廊（地帯）.

The sergeant stood at attention and quickly 解除するd his 手渡す to his forehead in salute. A fresh squad of some half-dozen men of the 共和国の／共和党の Guard stood in the doorway; they were under the 命令（する） of an officer of high 階級, a rough, uncouth, almost bestial-looking creature, with lank hair worn the 流行の／上流の length under his greasy chapeau-bras, and unkempt 耐えるd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する an ill-washed and bloated 直面する. But he wore the tricolour sash and badge which 布告するd him one of the 軍の members of the Sectional 委員会 of Public Safety, and the sergeant, who had been so overbearing with the women just now, had assumed a very humble and even obsequious manner.

"You sent for a general order to the sectional 委員会," said the new-comer, turning 突然の to the sergeant after he had cast a quick, searching ちらりと見ること 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room, hardly condescending to look on petite maman and Rosette, whose very souls were now gazing out of their anguish-filled 注目する，もくろむs.

"I did, 国民 commandant," replied the sergeant.

"I am not a commandant," said the other curtly. "My 指名する is Rouget, member of the 条約 and of the 委員会 of Public Safety. The sectional 委員会 to whom you sent for a general order of search thought that you had 失敗d somehow, so they sent me to put things 権利."

"I am not aware that I committed any 失敗, 国民," stammered the sergeant dolefully. "I could not take the 責任／義務 of making a domiciliary search all through the house. So I begged for fuller orders."

"And wasted the 委員会's time and 地雷 by such nonsense," retorted Rouget 厳しく. "Every 国民 of the 共和国 worthy of the 指名する should know how to 行為／法令／行動する on his own 率先 when the safety of the nation 需要・要求するs it."

"I did not know—I did not dare—" murmured the sergeant, 明白に cowed by this reproof, which had been 配達するd in the rough, overbearing トンs peculiar to these men who, one and all, had risen from the gutter to places of importance and 責任／義務 in the newly-modelled 明言する／公表する.

"Silence!" 命令（する）d the other peremptorily. "Don't waste any more of my time with your lame excuses. You have failed in zeal and 率先. That's enough. What else have you done? Have you got the man Len鑒re?"

"No, 国民. He is not in hiding here, and his wife and daughter will not give us any （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） about him."

"That is their look-out," retorted Rouget with a 厳しい laugh. "If they give up Len鑒re of their own 解放する／自由な will the 法律 will 取引，協定 leniently with them, and even perhaps with him. But if we have to search the house for him, then it means the guillotine for the lot of them."

He had spoken these callous words without even looking on the two unfortunate women; nor did he ask them any その上の questions just then, but continued speaking to the sergeant:

"And what about the Englishman? The sectional 委員会 sent 負かす／撃墜する some 秘かに調査するs this morning to be on the look-out for him on or about this house. Have you got him?"

"Not yet, 国民. But—"

"Ah 軋, 国民 sergeant," broke in the other brusquely, "meseems that your zeal has been even more at fault than I had supposed. Have you done anything at all, then, in the 事柄 of Len鑒re or the Englishman?"

"I have told you, 国民," retorted the sergeant sullenly, "that I believe Len鑒re to be still in this house. At any 率, he had not gone out of it an hour ago—that's all I know. And I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to search the whole of this house, as I am sure we should have 設立する him in one of the other apartments. These people are all friends together, and will always help each other to 避ける 司法（官）. But the Englishman was no 関心 of 地雷. The 秘かに調査するs of the 委員会 were ordered to watch for him, and when they 報告（する）／憶測d to me I was to proceed with the 逮捕（する）. I was not 始める，決める to do any of the 秘かに調査するing work. I am a 兵士, and obey my orders when I get them."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席, then, you'd better obey them now, 国民 sergeant," was Rouget's 乾燥した，日照りの comment on the other man's surly explanation, "for you seem to have 適切に 失敗d from first to last, and will be hard put to it to redeem your character. The 共和国, remember, has no use for fools."

The sergeant, after this covert 脅し, thought it best, 明らかに, to keep his tongue, whilst Rouget continued, in the same 積極的な, peremptory トン:

"Get on with your domiciliary visits at once. Take your own men with you, and leave me the others. Begin on this 床に打ち倒す, and leave your 歩哨 at the 前線 door outside. Now let me see your zeal atoning for your past slackness. 権利 turn! Quick march!"

Then it was that petite maman spoke out. She had thought and thought, and now she knew what she せねばならない do; she knew that that cruel, 残忍な wretch would presently begin his tramp up and 負かす／撃墜する 回廊（地帯）s and stairs, 需要・要求するing admittance at every door, entering every apartment. She knew that the man who had saved her Pierre's life was in hiding somewhere in the house—that he would be 設立する and dragged to the guillotine, for she knew that the whole 治める／統治するing 団体／死体 of this abominable 革命 was 決定するd not to 許す that hated Englishman to escape again.

She was old and feeble, small and thin—that's why everyone called her petite maman—but once she knew what she せねばならない do, then her spirit overpowered the 証拠不十分 of her wizened 団体／死体.

Now she knew, and even while that arrogant member of an execrated 殺人ing 委員会 was giving final 指示／教授／教育s to the sergeant, petite maman said, in a 静める, 麻薬を吸うing 発言する／表明する:

"No need, 国民 sergeant, to go and 乱す all my friends and 隣人s. I'll tell you where my husband is."

In a moment Rouget had swung 一連の会議、交渉／完成する on his heel, a hideous gleam of satisfaction spread over his grimy 直面する, and he said, with an ugly sneer:

"So! you have thought better of it, have you? 井戸／弁護士席, out with it! You'd better be quick about it if you want to do yourselves any good."

"I have my daughter to think of," said petite maman in a feeble, querulous way, "and I won't have all my 隣人s in this house made unhappy because of me. They have all been 肉親，親類d 隣人s. Will you 約束 not to （性的に）いたずらする them and to （疑いを）晴らす the house of 兵士s if I tell you where Len鑒re is?"

"The 共和国 makes no 約束s," replied Rouget gruffly. "Her 国民s must do their 義務 without hope of a reward. If they fail in it, they are punished. But 個人として I will tell you, woman, that if you save us the troublesome and probably 無益な 仕事 of searching this rabbit-過密な住居 through and through, it shall go very leniently with you and with your daughter, and perhaps—I won't 約束, remember—perhaps with your husband also."

"Very good, 国民," said petite maman calmly. "I am ready."

"Ready for what?" he 需要・要求するd.

"To take you to where my husband is in hiding."

"Oho! He is not in the house, then?"

"No."

"Where is he, then?"

"In the Rue Ste. Anne. I will take you there."

Rouget cast a quick, 怪しげな ちらりと見ること on the old woman, and 交流d one of understanding with the sergeant.

"Very 井戸／弁護士席," he said after a slight pause. "But your daughter must come along too. Sergeant," he 追加するd, "I'll take three of your men with me; I have half a dozen, but it's better to be on the 安全な 味方する. 地位，任命する your fellows 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the outer door, and on my way to the rue Ste. Anne I will leave word at the gendarmerie that a small 増強 be sent on to you at once. These can be here in five minutes; until then you are やめる 安全な."

Then he 追加するd under his breath, so that the women should not hear: "The Englishman may still be in the house. In which 事例／患者, 審理，公聴会 us 出発／死, he may think us all gone and try to give us the slip. You'll know what to do?" he queried 意味ありげに.

"Of course, 国民," replied the sergeant.

"Now, then, citizeness—hurry up."

Once more there was tramping of 激しい feet on 石／投石する stairs and 回廊（地帯）s. A squad of 兵士s of the 共和国の／共和党の Guard, with two women in their 中央, and followed by a member of the 委員会 of Public Safety, a sergeant, corporal and two or three more men, excited much anxious curiosity as they descended the 法外な flights of steps from the fifth 床に打ち倒す.

Pale, 脅すd 直面するs peeped shyly through the doorways at sound of the noisy tramp from above, but quickly disappeared again at sight of the grimy scarlet facings and tricolour cockades.

The sergeant and three 兵士s remained 駅／配置するd at the foot of the stairs inside the house. Then 国民 Rouget 概略で gave the order to proceed. It seemed strange that it should 要求する の近くに on a dozen men to guard two women and to apprehend one old man, but as the member of the 委員会 of Public Safety whispered to the sergeant before he finally went out of the house: "The whole thing may be a 罠（にかける）, and one can't be too careful. The Englishman is said to be very powerful; I'll get the gendarmerie to send you another half-dozen men, and mind you guard the house until my return."

4.

Five minutes later the 兵士s, directed by petite maman, had reached No. 37 Rue Ste. Anne. The big outside door stood wide open, and the whole party turned すぐに into the house.

The concierge, terrified and obsequious, 急ぐd—trembling—out of his box.

"What was the 楽しみ of the 国民 兵士s?" he asked.

"Tell him, citizeness," 命令（する）d Rouget curtly.

"We are going to apartment No. 12 on the second 床に打ち倒す," said petite maman to the concierge.

"Have you a 重要な of the apartment?" queried Rouget.

"No, 国民," stammered the concierge, "but—"

"井戸／弁護士席, what is it?" queried the other peremptorily.

"Papa Turandot is a poor, 害のない 製造者 of volins," said the concierge. "I know him 井戸／弁護士席, though he is not often at home. He lives with a daughter somewhere Passy way, and only uses this place as a workshop. I am sure he is no 反逆者."

"We'll soon see about that," 発言／述べるd Rouget dryly.

Petite maman held her shawl tightly crossed over her bosom: her 手渡すs felt clammy and 冷淡な as ice. She was looking straight out before her, やめる 乾燥した，日照りの-注目する，もくろむd and 静める, and never once ちらりと見ることd on Rosette, who was not 許すd to come anywhere 近づく her mother.

As there was no duplicate 重要な to apartment No. 12, 国民 Rouget ordered his men to break in the door. It did not take very long: the house was old and ramshackle and the doors rickety. The next moment the party stood in the room which a while ago the Englishman had so 正確に 述べるd to P鑽e Len鑒re in petite maman's 審理，公聴会.

There was the wardrobe. Petite maman, closely surrounded by the 兵士s, went boldly up to it; she opened it just as milor' had directed, and 押し進めるd aside the 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of shabby 着せる／賦与するs that hung there. Then she pointed to the パネル盤s that did not fit やめる tightly together at the 支援する. Petite maman passed her tongue over her 乾燥した，日照りの lips before she spoke.

"There's a 休会 behind those パネル盤s," she said at last. "They slide 支援する やめる easily. My old man is there."

"And God bless you for a 勇敢に立ち向かう, loyal soul," （機の）カム in merry, （犯罪の）一味ing accent from the other end of the room. "And God save the Scarlet Pimpernel!"

These last words, spoken in English, 完全にするd the blank amazement which literally paralysed the only three 本物の 共和国の／共和党の 兵士s there—those, すなわち, whom Rouget had borrowed from the sergeant. As for the others, they knew what to do. In いっそう少なく than a minute they had overpowered and gagged the three bewildered 兵士s.

Rosette had 叫び声をあげるd, terror-stricken, from sheer astonishment, but petite maman stood やめる still, her pale, 涙／ほころび-dimmed 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the man whose gay "God bless you!" had so suddenly turned her despair into hope.

How was it that in the hideous, unkempt and grimy Rouget she had not at once recognised the handsome and gallant milor' who had saved her Pierre's life? 井戸／弁護士席, of a truth he had been unrecognisable, but now that he tore the ugly wig and 耐えるd from his 直面する, stretched out his 罰金 人物／姿／数字 to its 十分な 高さ, and presently turned his lazy, merry 注目する，もくろむs on her, she could have 叫び声をあげるd for very joy.

The next moment he had her by the shoulders and had imprinted two sounding kisses upon her cheeks.

"Now, petite maman," he said gaily, "let us 解放する the old man."

P鑽e Len鑒re, from his hiding-place, had heard all that had been going on in the room for the last few moments. True, he had known 正確に／まさに what to 推定する／予想する, for no sooner had he taken 所有／入手 of the 休会 behind the wardrobe than milor' also entered the apartment and then and there told him of his 計画（する）s not only for P鑽e's own safety, but for that of petite maman and Rosette who would be in 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な danger if the old man followed in the wake of Pierre.

Milor' told him in his usual light-hearted way that he had given the 委員会's 秘かに調査するs the slip.

"I do that very easily, you know," he explained. "I just slip into my rooms in the Rue Jolivet, change myself into a snuffy and hunchback violin-製造者, and walk out of the house under the noses of the 秘かに調査するs. In the nearest ワイン-shop my English friends, in さまざまな disguises, are all ready to my 手渡す: half a dozen of them are never far from where I am in 事例／患者 they may be 手配中の，お尋ね者."

These half-dozen 勇敢に立ち向かう Englishmen soon arrived one by one: one looked like a coal-heaver, another like a seedy musician, a third like a coach-driver. But they all walked boldly into the house and were soon all congregated in apartment No. 12. Here fresh disguises were assumed, and soon a squad of 共和国の／共和党の Guards looked as like the real thing as possible.

P鑽e Len鑒re 認める himself that though he 現実に saw milor transforming himself into 国民 Rouget, he could hardly believe his 注目する，もくろむs, so 完全にする was the change.

"I am 深く，強烈に grieved to have 脅すd and upset you so, petite maman," now 結論するd milor' kindly, "but I saw no other way of getting you and Rosette out of the house and leaving that stupid sergeant and some of his men behind. I did not want to 誘発する in him even the faintest breath of 疑惑, and of course if he had asked me for the written orders which he was 現実に waiting for, or if his corporal had returned sooner than I 心配するd, there might have been trouble. But even then," he 追加するd with his usual careless insouciance, "I should have thought of some way of baffling those brutes."

"And now," he 結論するd more authoritatively, "it is a 事例／患者 of getting out of Paris before the gates の近くに. P鑽e Len鑒re, take at the corner of the Avenue until I come. Your old passes for the 障壁s still 持つ／拘留する good; you were only placed on the '嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う' 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） this morning, and there has not been a hue and cry yet about you. In any 事例／患者 some of us will be の近くに by to help you if needs be."

"But you, milor," stammered P鑽e Len鑒re, "and your friends—?"

"La, man," retorted Blakeney lightly, "have I not told you before never to worry about me and my friends? We have more ways than one of giving the slip to this demmed 政府 of yours. All you've got to think of is your wife and your daughter. I am afraid that petite maman cannot take more with her than she has on, but we'll do all we can for her 慰安 until we have you all in perfect safety—in England—with Pierre."

Neither P鑽e Len鑒re, nor petite maman, nor Rosette could speak just then, for 涙／ほころびs were choking them, but anon when milor' stood nearer, petite maman knelt 負かす／撃墜する, and, 拘留するing his slender 手渡す in her brown, wrinkled ones, she kissed it reverently.

He laughed and chided her for this.

"'Tis I should ひさまづく to you in 感謝, petite maman," he said 真面目に, "you were ready to sacrifice your old man for me."

"You have saved Pierre, milor," said the mother 簡単に.

A minute later P鑽e Len鑒re and the two women were ready to go. Already milor' and his gallant English friends were busy once more transforming themselves into grimy workmen or seedy middle-class professionals.

As soon as the door of apartment No. 12 finally の近くにd behind the three good folk, my lord Tony asked of his 長，指導者:

"What about these three wretched 兵士s, Blakeney?"

"Oh! they'll be all 権利 for twenty-four hours. They can't 餓死する till then, and by that time the concierge will have realised that there's something wrong with the door of No. 12 and will come in to 調査／捜査する the 事柄. Are they securely bound, though?"

"And gagged! Rather!" ejaculated one of the others. "半端物s life, Blakeney!" he 追加するd enthusiastically, "that was a 罰金 bit of work!"

VI. HOW JEAN PIERRE MET THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL

As told by Himself

1.

Ah, monsieur! the pity of it, the pity! Surely there are sins which le bon Dieu Himself will 容赦する. And if not—井戸／弁護士席, I had to 危険 His displeasure anyhow. Could I see them both 餓死する, monsieur? I ask you! and M. le Vicomte had become so thin, so thin, his tiny, delicate bones were almost through his 肌. And Mme. la Marquise! an angel, monsieur! Why, in the happy olden days, before all these 反逆者s and 暗殺者s 支配するd in フラン, M. and Mme. la Marquise lived only for the child, and then to see him dying—yes, dying, there was no shutting one's 注目する，もくろむs to that awful fact—M. le Vicomte de Mortain was dying of 餓死 and of 病気.

There we were all herded together in a couple of attics—one of which little more than a cupboard—at the 最高の，を越す of a dilapidated half-廃虚d house in the Rue des Pipots—Mme. la Marquise, M. le Vicomte and I—just think of that, monsieur! M. le Marquis had his ch穰eau, as no 疑問 you know, on the 郊外s of Lyons. A loyal high-born gentleman; was it likely, I ask you, that he would 服従させる／提出する passively to the 支配する of those execrable 革命のs who had 殺人d their King, 乱暴／暴力を加えるd their Queen and 王室の family, and, God help them! had already （罪などを）犯すd every 罪，犯罪 and every abomination for which of a truth there could be no 容赦 either on earth or in Heaven? He joined that 勇敢な but, 式のs! small and ill-equipped army of royalists who, unable to save their King, were at least 決定するd to avenge him.

井戸／弁護士席, you know 井戸／弁護士席 enough what happened. The 反対する-革命 failed; the 革命の army brought Lyons 負かす／撃墜する to her 膝s after a 包囲 of two months. She was then 示すd 負かす／撃墜する as a 反逆者／反逆する city, and after the abominable 法令 of October 9th had 奪うd her of her very 指名する, and Couthon had exacted 血まみれの 報復s from the entire 全住民 for its 忠義 to the King, the 悪名高い Laporte was sent 負かす／撃墜する in order finally to stamp out the ぐずぐず残る 残余s of the 反乱. By that time, monsieur, half the city had been 燃やすd 負かす／撃墜する, and one-tenth and more of the inhabitants—men, women, and children—had been 大虐殺d in 冷淡な 血, whilst most of the others had fled in terror from the appalling scene of 廃虚 and desolation. Laporte 完全にするd the execrable work so ably begun by Couthon. He was a very celebrated and skilful doctor at the Faculty of 薬／医学, now turned into a human hyena in the 指名する of Liberty and Fraternity.

M. le Marquis contrived to escape with the scattered 残余 of the Royalist army into Switzerland. But Mme la Marquise throughout all these strenuous times had stuck to her 地位，任命する at the ch穰eau like the valiant creature that she was. When Couthon entered Lyons at the 長，率いる of the 革命の army, the whole of her 世帯 fled, and I was left alone to look after her and M. le Vicomte.

Then one day when I had gone into Lyons for 準備／条項s, I suddenly chanced to hear outside an eating-house that which nearly froze the 骨髄 in my old bones. A captain belonging to the 革命の Guard was transmitting to his sergeant 確かな orders, which he had 明らかに just received.

The orders were to make a perquisition at ten o'clock this same evening in the ch穰eau of Mortaine as the Marquis was supposed to be in hiding there, and in any event to 逮捕（する） every man, woman, and child who was 設立する within its 塀で囲むs.

"国民 Laporte," the captain 結論するd, "knows for a certainty that the ci-devant Marquise and her brat are still there, even if the Marquis has fled like the 反逆者 that he is. Those 悪口を言う／悪態d English 秘かに調査するs who call themselves the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel have been very active in Lyons of late, and 国民 Laporte is afraid that they might cheat the guillotine of the carcase of those aristos, as they have already 後継するd in doing in the 事例／患者 of a large number of 反逆者s."

I did not, of course, wait to hear any more of that abominable talk. I sped home as 急速な／放蕩な as my old 脚s would carry me. That self-same evening, as soon as it was dark, Mme. la Marquise, carrying M. le Vicomte in her 武器 and I carrying a pack with a few necessaries on my 支援する, left the ancestral home of the Mortaines never to return to it again: for within an hour of our flight a detachment of the 革命の army made a 降下／家系 upon the ch穰eau; they ransacked it from attic to cellar, and finding nothing there to 満足させる their lust of hate, they 燃やすd the stately mansion 負かす／撃墜する to the ground.

We were 強いるd to take 避難 in Lyons, at any 率 for a time. 広大な／多数の／重要な as was the danger inside the city, it was infinitely greater on the high roads, unless we could arrange for some 乗り物 to take us a かなりの part of the way to the frontier, and above all for some sort of パスポートs—(1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd or さもなければ—to enable us to pass the さまざまな （死傷者）数-gates on the road, where vigilance was very strict. So we wandered through the 廃虚d and 砂漠d streets of the city in search of 避難所, but 設立する every charred and derelict house 十分な of 哀れな tramps and destitutes like ourselves. Half dead with 疲労，（軍の）雑役, Mme. la Marquise was at last 強いるd to take 避難 in one of these houses which was 据えるd in the Rue des Pipots. Every room was 十分な to 洪水ing with a 哀れな 難破 of humanity thrown hither by the tide of anarchy and of 流血／虐殺. But at the 最高の，を越す of the house we 設立する an attic. It was empty save for a couple of 議長，司会を務めるs, a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and a broken-負かす／撃墜する bedstead on which were a ragged mattress and pillow.

Here, monsieur, we spent over three weeks, at the end of which time M. le Vicomte fell ill, and then there followed days, monsieur, through which I would not like my worst enemy to pass.

Mme. la Marquise had only been able to carry away in her flight what ready money she happened to have in the house at the time. 安全s, 所有物／資産／財産, money belonging to aristocrats had been ruthlessly 押収するd by the 革命の 政府 in Lyons. Our scanty 資源s 速く became exhausted, and what was left had to be kept for milk and delicacies for M. le Vicomte. I tramped through the streets in search of a doctor, but most of them had been 逮捕（する）d on some paltry 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 or other of 反乱, whilst others had fled from the city. There was only that 悪名高い Laporte—a vastly clever doctor, I knew—but as soon take a lamb to a hungry lion as the Vicomte de Mortaine to that bloodthirsty 削減（する）-throat.

Then one day our last フラン went and we had nothing left. Mme. la Marquise had not touched food for two days. I had stood at the corner of the street, begging all the day until I was driven off by the gendarmes. I had only 得るd three sous from the passers-by. I bought some milk and took it home for M. le Vicomte. The に引き続いて morning when I entered the larger attic I 設立する that Mme. la Marquise had fainted from inanition.

I spent the whole of the day begging in the streets and dodging the guard, and even so I only collected four sous. I could have got more perhaps, only that at about midday the smell of food from an eating-house turned me sick and faint, and when I 回復するd consciousness I 設立する myself 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd up under a doorway and evening 集会 in 急速な／放蕩な around me. If Mme. la Marquise could go two days without food I せねばならない go four. I struggled to my feet; fortunately I had 保持するd 所有／入手 of my four sous, else of a truth I would not have had the courage to go 支援する to the 哀れな attic which was the only home I knew.

I was wending my way along as 急速な／放蕩な as I could—for I knew that Mme. la Marquise would be getting terribly anxious—when, just as I turned into the Rue Blanche, I 秘かに調査するd two gentlemen—明白に strangers, for they were dressed with a 高級な and care with which we had long 中止するd to be familiar in Lyons—walking 速く に向かって me. A moment or two later they （機の）カム to a 停止（させる）, not far from where I was standing, and I heard the taller one of the two say to the other in English—a language with which I am ばく然と conversant: "All 権利 again this time, what, Tony?"

Both laughed merrily like a couple of schoolboys playing truant, and then they disappeared under the doorway of a dilapidated house, whilst I was left wondering how two such elegant gentlemen dared be abroad in Lyons these days, seeing that every man, woman and child who was dressed in anything but threadbare 着せる／賦与するs was sure to be 侮辱d in the streets for an aristocrat, and as often as not summarily 逮捕（する）d as a 反逆者.

However, I had other things to think about, and had already 解任するd the little 出来事/事件 from my mind, when at the 底（に届く） of the Rue Blanche I （機の）カム upon a knot of gaffers, men and women, who were talking and gesticulating very excitedly outside the door of a cook-shop. At first I did not take much notice of what was said: my 注目する，もくろむs were glued to the 前線 of the shop, on which were 陳列する，発揮するd sundry delicacies of the 肉親，親類d which makes a wretched, 餓死するd beggar's mouth water as he goes by; a roast capon 特に attracted my attention, together with a 瓶／封じ込める of red ワイン; these looked just the sort of luscious food which Mme. la Marquise would relish.

井戸／弁護士席, sir, the 法律 of God says: "Thou shalt not covet!" and no 疑問 that I committed a grievous sin when my hungry 注目する，もくろむs fastened upon that roast capon and that 瓶／封じ込める of Burgundy. We also know the stories of Judas Iscariot and of Jacob's children who sold their own brother Joseph into slavery—such a 罪，犯罪, monsieur, I took upon my 良心 then; for just as the 見通し of Mme. la Marquise eating that roast capon and drinking that Burgundy rose before my 注目する，もくろむs, my ears caught some fragments of the excited conversation which was going on all around me.

"He went this way!" someone said.

"No; that!" 抗議するd another.

"There's no 調印する of him now, anyway."

The owner of the shop was standing on his own doorstep, his 脚s wide apart, one arm on his wide hip, the other still brandishing the knife wherewith he had been carving for his 顧客s.

"He can't have gone far," he said, as he smacked his 厚い lips.

"The impudent rascal, flaunting such 罰金 着せる／賦与するs—like the aristo that he is."

"Bah! these 悪口を言う／悪態d English! They are aristos all of them! And this one with his 信奉者s is no better than a 秘かに調査する!"

"Paid by that damned English 政府 to 殺人 all our 愛国者s and to 略奪する the guillotine of her just 予定s."

"They say he had a 手渡す in the escape of the ci-devant Duc de Sermeuse and all his brats from the very tumbril which was taking them to 死刑執行."

A cry of loathing and execration followed this 声明. There was vigorous shaking of clenched 握りこぶしs and then a groan of baffled 激怒（する）.

"We almost had him this time. If it had not been for these confounded, ill-lighted streets—"

"I would give something," 結論するd the shopkeeper, "if we could lay him by the heels."

"What would you give, 国民 Dompierre?" queried a woman in the （人が）群がる, with a ribald laugh, "one of your roast capons?"

"Aye, little mother," he replied jovially, "and a 瓶／封じ込める of my best Burgundy その上, to drink 混乱 to that meddlesome Englishman and his （人が）群がる and a 迅速な promenade up the steps of the guillotine."

Monsieur, I 保証する you that at that moment my heart 絶対 stood still. The tempter stood at my 肘 and whispered, and I deliberately smothered the call of my 良心. I did what Joseph's brethren did, what brought Judas Iscariot to hopeless 悔恨. There was no 疑問 that the hue and cry was after the two elegantly dressed gentlemen whom I had seen enter the dilapidated house in the Rue Blanche. For a second or two I の近くにd my 注目する，もくろむs and deliberately conjured up the 見通し of Mme. la Marquise fainting for 欠如（する） of food, and of M. le Vicomte dying for want of sustenance; then I worked my way to the door of the shop and accosted the burly proprietor with as much boldness as I could 召集（する）.

"The two Englishmen passed by me at the 最高の，を越す of the Rue Blanche," I said to him. "They went into a house...I can show you which it is—"

In a moment I was surrounded by a screeching, gesticulating （人が）群がる. I told my story as best I could; there was no turning 支援する now from the path of cowardice and of 罪，犯罪. I saw that brute Dompierre 選ぶ up the largest roast capon from the 前線 of his shop, together with a 瓶／封じ込める of that ワイン which I had coveted; then he thrust both these treasures into my trembling 手渡すs and said:

"En avant!"

And we all started to run up the street, shouting: "Death to the English 秘かに調査するs!" I was the hero of the 探検隊／遠征隊. Dompierre and another man carried me, for I was too weak to go as 急速な／放蕩な as they wished. I was hugging the capon and the 瓶／封じ込める of ワイン to my heart; I had need to do that, so as to still the insistent call of my 良心, for I felt a coward—a mean, 背信の, abominable coward!

When we reached the house and I pointed it out to Dompierre, the （人が）群がる behind us gave a cry of 勝利. In the topmost storey a window was thrown open, two 長，率いるs appeared silhouetted against the light within, and the cry of 勝利 below was answered by a merry, 長引かせるd laugh from above.

I was too dazed to realise very 明確に what happened after that. Dompierre, I know, kicked open the door of the house, and the （人が）群がる 急ぐd in, in his wake. I managed to keep my feet and to work my way 徐々に out of the （人が）群がる. I must have gone on mechanically, almost unconsciously, for the next thing that I remember with any distinctness was that I 設立する myself once more スピード違反 負かす／撃墜する the Rue Blanche, with all the yelling and shouting some little way behind me.

With blind instinct, too, I had clung to the capon and the ワイン, the price of my infamy. I was terribly weak and felt sick and faint, but I struggled on for a while, until my 膝s 辞退するd me service and I （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する on my two 手渡すs, whilst the capon rolled away into the gutter, and the 瓶／封じ込める of Burgundy fell with a 衝突，墜落 against the pavement, scattering its precious contents in every direction.

There I lay, wretched, despairing, hardly able to move, when suddenly I heard 早い and 会社／堅い footsteps すぐに behind me, and the next moment two 会社／堅い 手渡すs had me under the 武器, and I heard a 発言する／表明する 説:

"安定した, old friend. Can you get up? There! Is that better?"

The same 会社／堅い 手渡すs raised me to my feet. At first I was too dazed to see anything, but after a moment or two I was able to look around me, and, by the light of a street lanthorn すぐに 総計費, I recognised the tall, elegantly dressed Englishman and his friend, whom I had just betrayed to the fury of Dompierre and a savage 暴徒.

I thought that I was dreaming, and I suppose that my 注目する，もくろむs betrayed the horror which I felt, for the stranger looked at me scrutinisingly for a moment or two, then he gave the quaintest laugh I had ever heard in all my life, and said something to his friend in English, which this time I failed to understand.

Then he turned to me:

"By my 約束," he said in perfect French—so that I began to 疑問 if he was an English 秘かに調査する after all—"I verily believe that you are the clever rogue, eh? who 得るd a roast capon and a 瓶／封じ込める of ワイン from that fool Dompierre. He and his boon companions are venting their wrath on you, old compeer; they are calling you liar and 反逆者 and cheat, in the intervals of 難破させるing what is left of the house, out of which my friend and I have long since escaped by climbing up the 隣人ing gutter-麻薬を吸うs and 緊急発進するing over the 隣接するing roofs."

Monsieur, will you believe me when I say that he was 現実に 説 all this ーするために 慰安 me? I could have sworn to that because of the wonderful kindliness which shone out of his 注目する，もくろむs, even through the good-humoured mockery wherewith he 明白に regarded me. Do you know what I did then, monsieur? I just fell on my 膝s and loudly thanked God that he was 安全な; at which both he and his friend once again began to laugh, for all the world like two schoolboys who had escaped a whipping, rather than two men who were still 脅すd with death.

"Then it was you!" said the taller stranger, who was still laughing so heartily that he had to wipe his 注目する，もくろむs with his exquisite lace handkerchief.

"May God 許す me," I replied.

The next moment his arm was again 一連の会議、交渉／完成する me. I clung to him as to a 激しく揺する, for of a truth I had never felt a しっかり掴む so 安定した and withal so gentle and kindly, as was his around my shoulders. I tried to murmur words of thanks, but again that wretched feeling of sickness and faintness overcame me, and for a second or two it seemed to me as if I were slipping into another world. The stranger's 発言する／表明する （機の）カム to my ear, as it were through cotton-wool.

"The man is 餓死するing," he said. "Shall we take him over to your lodgings, Tony? They are safer than 地雷. He may be able to walk in a minute or two, if not I can carry him."

My senses at this partly returned to me, and I was able to 抗議する feebly:

"No, no! I must go 支援する—I must—肉親，親類d sirs," I murmured. "Mme. la Marquise will be getting so anxious."

No sooner were these foolish words out of my mouth than I could have bitten my tongue out for having uttered them; and yet, somehow, it seemed as if it was the stranger's 磁石の personality, his 魔法 発言する／表明する and kindly 行為／法令／行動する に向かって me, who had so basely sold him to his enemies, which had drawn them out of me. He gave a low, 長引かせるd whistle.

"Mme. la Marquise?" he queried, dropping his 発言する／表明する to a whisper.

Now to have uttered Mme. la Marquise de Mortaine's 指名する here in Lyons, where every aristocrat was 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語d a 反逆者 and sent without 裁判，公判 to the guillotine, was in itself an 行為／法令／行動する of 犯罪の folly, and yet—you may believe me, monsieur, or not—there was something within me just at that moment that literally compelled me to open my heart out to this stranger, whom I had so basely betrayed, and who requited my abominable 罪，犯罪 with such gentleness and mercy. Before I fully realised what I was doing, monsieur, I had blurted out the whole history of Mme. la Marquise's flight and of M. le Vicomte's sickness to him. He drew me under the cover of an open doorway, and he and his friend listened to me without speaking a word until I had told them my pitiable tale to the end.

When I had finished he said 静かに:

"Take me to see Mme. la Marquise, old friend. Who knows? perhaps I may be able to help."

Then he turned to his friend.

"Will you wait for me at my lodgings, Tony," he said, "and let Ffoulkes and Hastings know that I may wish to speak with them on my return?"

He spoke like one who had been accustomed all his life to give 命令（する）, and I marvelled how his friend すぐに obeyed him. Then when the latter had disappeared 負かす／撃墜する the dark street, the stranger once more turned to me.

"Lean on my arm, good old friend," he said, "and we must try and walk as quickly as we can. The sooner we 静める the 苦悩s of Mme. la Marquise the better."

I was still hugging the roast capon with one arm, with the other I clung to him as together we walked in the direction of the Rue des Pipots. On the way we 停止（させる）d at a respectable eating-house, where my protector gave me some money wherewith to buy a 瓶／封じ込める of good ワイン and sundry 準備／条項s and delicacies which we carried home with us.

2.

Never shall I forget the look of horror which （機の）カム in Mme. la Marquise's 注目する，もくろむs when she saw me entering our 哀れな attic in the company of a stranger. The last of the little bit of tallow candle flickered in its socket. Madame threw her emaciated 武器 over her child, just like some poor 追跡（する）d animal defending its young. I could almost hear the cry of terror which died 負かす／撃墜する in her throat ere it reached her lips. But then, monsieur, to see the light of hope 徐々に illuminating her pale, 病弱な 直面する as the stranger took her 手渡す and spoke to her—oh! so gently and so kindly—was a sight which filled my poor, half-broken heart with joy.

"The little 無効の must be seen by a doctor at once," he said, "after that only can we think of your ultimate safety."

Mme. la Marquise, who herself was terribly weak and ill, burst out crying. "Would I not have taken him to a doctor ere now?" she doctors in フラン is at 現在の in Lyons—"

"That 悪名高い Laporte," she broke in, horrified. "He would snatch my sick child from my 武器 and throw him to the guillotine."

"He would save your boy from 病気," said the stranger 真面目に, "his own professional pride or professional honour, whatever he might choose to call it, would 強要する him to do that. But the moment the doctor's work was done, that of the executioner would 開始する."

"You see, milor," moaned Madame in pitiable agony, "that there is no hope for us."

"Indeed there is," he replied. "We must get M. le Vicomte 井戸／弁護士席 first—after that we shall see."

"But you are not 提案するing to bring that 悪名高い Laporte to my child's 病人の枕元!" she cried in horror.

"Would you have your child die here before your 注目する，もくろむs," retorted the stranger, "as he undoubtedly will this night?"

This sounded horribly cruel, and the トン in which it was said was 命令（する）ing. There was no 否定するing its truth. M. le Vicomte was dying. I could see that. For a moment or two madame remained やめる still, with her 広大な／多数の／重要な 注目する，もくろむs, circled with 苦痛 and 悲しみ, 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the stranger. He returned her gaze 刻々と and kindly, and 徐々に that frozen look of horror in her pale 直面する gave place to one of 深い puzzlement, and through her 無血の lips there （機の）カム the words, faintly murmured: "Who are you?"

He gave no direct reply, but from his little finger he detached a （犯罪の）一味 and held it out for her to see. I saw it too, for I was standing の近くに by Mme. la Marquise, and the flickering light of the tallow candle fell 十分な upon the （犯罪の）一味. It was of gold, and upon it there was an exquisitely modelled, five-petalled little flower in vivid red enamel.

Madame la Marquise looked at the （犯罪の）一味, then once again up into his 直面する. He nodded assent, and my heart seemed even then to stop its （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing as I gazed upon his 直面する. Had we not—all of us—heard of the gallant Scarlet Pimpernel? And did I not know—far better than Mme. la Marquise herself—the 十分な extent of his gallantry and his self-sacrifice? The hue and cry was after him. Human bloodhounds were even now on his 跡をつける, and he spoke calmly of walking out again in the streets of Lyons and of affronting that 悪名高い Laporte, who would find glory in sending him to death. I think he guessed what was passing in my mind, for he put a finger up to his lip and pointed 意味ありげに to M. le Vicomte.

But it was beautiful to see how 完全に Mme. la Marquise now 信用d him. At his bidding she even ate a little of the food and drank some ワイン—and I was 軍隊d to do likewise. And even when anon he 宣言するd his 意向 of fetching Laporte すぐに, she did not flinch. She kissed M. le Vicomte with 熱烈な fervour, and then gave the stranger her solemn 約束 that the moment he returned she would take 避難 in the next room and never move out of it until after Laporte had 出発／死d.

When he went I followed him to the 最高の，を越す of the stairs. I was speechless with 感謝 and also with 恐れるs for him. But he took my 手渡す and said, with that same quaint, somewhat inane laugh which was so characteristic of him:

"Be of good 元気づける, old fellow! Those confounded 殺害者s will not get me this time."

3.

いっそう少なく than half an hour later, monsieur, 国民 Laporte, one of the most skilful doctors in フラン and one of the most bloodthirsty tyrants this execrable 革命 has known, was sitting at the 病人の枕元 of M. le Vicomte de Mortaine, using all the 技術, all the knowledge he 所有するd ーするために 戦闘 the dread 病気 of which the child was dying, ere he （機の）カム to save him—as he cynically 発言／述べるd in my 審理，公聴会—for the guillotine.

I heard afterwards how it all （機の）カム about.

Laporte, it seems, was in the habit of seeing 患者s in his own house every evening after he had settled all his 商売／仕事 for the day. What a strange contradiction in the human heart, eh, monsieur? The tiger turned lamb for the space of one hour in every twenty-four—the butcher turned healer. How 井戸／弁護士席 the English milor' had 計器d the strange personality of that redoubtable man! Professional pride—利益／興味 in intricate 事例／患者s—call it what you will—was the only redeeming feature in Laporte's abominable character. Everything else in him, every thought, every 活動／戦闘 was ignoble, cruel and vengeful.

Milor' that night mingled with the （人が）群がる who waited on the human hyena to be cured of their 傷つけるs. It was a motley （人が）群がる that filled the dreaded プロの／賛成の-領事's 賭け金-議会—men, women and children—all of them too much preoccupied with their own troubles to bestow more than a cursory ちらりと見ること on the stranger who, wrapped in a dark mantle, 静かに を待つd his turn. One or two muttered 悪口を言う／悪態s were flung at the aristo, one or two spat in his direction to 表明する 憎悪 and contempt, then the door which gave on the inner 議会 would be flung open—a number called—one 患者 would walk out, another walk in—and in the ever-recurring 出来事/事件 the stranger for the nonce was forgotten.

His turn （機の）カム—his number 存在 called—it was the last on the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）, and the 賭け金-議会 was now やめる empty save for him. He walked into the presence of the プロの／賛成の-領事. Claude Lemoine, who was on guard in the room at the time, told me that just for the space of two seconds the two men looked at one another. Then the stranger threw 支援する his 長，率いる and said 静かに:

"There's a child dying of pleurisy, or worse, in an attic in the Rue des Pipots. There's not a doctor left in Lyons to …に出席する on him, and the child will die for want of 医療の 技術. Will you come to him, 国民 doctor?"

It seems that for a moment or two Laporte hesitated.

"You look to me uncommonly like an aristo, and therefore a 反逆者," he said, "and I've half a mind—"

"To call your guard and order my 即座の 逮捕（する）," broke in milor' with a whimsical smile, "but in that 事例／患者 a 国民 of フラン will die for want of a doctor's care. Let me take you to the child's 病人の枕元, 国民 doctor, you can always have me 逮捕（する）d afterwards."

But Laporte still hesitated.

"How do I know that you are not one of those English 秘かに調査するs?" he began.

"Take it that I am," 再結合させるd milor' imperturbably, "and come and see the 患者."

Never had a 状況／情勢 been carried off with so bold a 手渡す. Claude Lemoine 宣言するd that Laporte's mouth literally opened for the call which would have 召喚するd the sergeant of the guard into the room and ordered the 要約 逮捕（する） of this impudent stranger. During the veriest fraction of a second life and death hung in the balance for the gallant English milor. In the heart of Laporte every evil passion fought the one noble fibre within him. But the instinct of the skilful healer won the 戦う／戦い, and the next moment he had あわてて collected what medicaments and 器具s he might 要求する, and the two men were soon スピード違反 along the streets in the direction of the Rue des Pipots.

* * * * *

During the whole of that night, milor' and Laporte sat together by the 病人の枕元 of M. le Vicomte. Laporte only went out once in order to fetch what その上の medicaments he 要求するd. Mme. la Marquise took the 適切な時期 of running out of her hiding-place in order to catch a glimpse of her child. I saw her take milor's 手渡す and 圧力（をかける） it against her heart in silent 感謝. On her 膝s she begged him to go away and leave her and the boy to their 運命／宿命. Was it likely that he would go? But she was so insistent that at last he said:

"Madame, let me 保証する you that even if I were 用意が出来ている to play the coward's part which you would 割り当てる to me, it is not in my 力／強力にする to do so at this moment. 国民 Laporte （機の）カム to this house under the 護衛する of six 選ぶd men of his guard. He has left these men 駅／配置するd on the 上陸 outside this door."

Madame la Marquise gave a cry of terror, and once more that pathetic look of horror （機の）カム into her 直面する. Milor' took her 手渡す and then pointed to the sick child.

"Madame," he said, "M. le Vicomte is already わずかに better. Thanks to 医療の 技術 and a child's vigorous 持つ／拘留する on life, he will live. The 残り／休憩（する） is in the 手渡すs of God."

Already the 激しい footsteps of Laporte were heard upon the creaking stairs. Mme. la Marquise was 軍隊d to return to her hiding-place.

Soon after 夜明け he went. M. le Vicomte was then visibly easier. Laporte had all along paid no 注意する to me, but I noticed that once or twice during his long 徹夜 by the sick-bed his dark 注目する，もくろむs beneath their overhanging brows 発射 a quick 怪しげな look at the door behind which cowered Mme. la Marquise. I had 絶対 no 疑問 in my mind then that he knew やめる 井戸／弁護士席 who his 患者 was.

He gave 確かな directions to milor—there were 確かな fresh medicaments to be got during the day. While he spoke there was a 悪意のある glint in his 注目する，もくろむs—half 冷笑的な, wholly 脅迫的な—as he looked up into the 静める, impassive 直面する of milor.

"It is 必須の for the 福利事業 of the 患者 that these medicaments be got for him during the day," he said dryly, "and the guard have orders to 許す you to pass in and out. But you need have no 恐れる," he 追加するd 意味ありげに, "I will leave an 護衛する outside the house to …を伴って you on your way."

He gave a mocking, cruel laugh, the meaning of which was unmistakable. His 井戸／弁護士席-演習d human bloodhounds would be on the 跡をつける of the English 秘かに調査する, whenever the latter dared to 投機・賭ける out into the streets.

Mme. la Marquise and I were 囚人s for the day. We spent it in watching alternately beside M. le Vicomte. But milor' （機の）カム and went as 自由に as if he had not been carrying his precious life in his 手渡すs every time that he 投機・賭けるd outside the house.

In the evening Laporte returned to see his 患者, and again the に引き続いて morning, and the next evening. M. le Vicomte was making 早い 進歩 に向かって 回復.

The third day in the morning Laporte pronounced his 患者 to be out of danger, but said that he would にもかかわらず come again to see him at the usual hour in the evening. 直接／まっすぐに he had gone, milor' went out ーするために bring in 確かな delicacies of which the 無効の was now 許すd to partake. I 説得するd Madame to 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する and have a couple of hours' good sleep in the inner attic, while I stayed to watch over the child.

To my horror, hardly had I taken up my stand at the foot of the bed when Laporte returned; he muttered something as he entered about having left some important 器具 behind, but I was やめる 納得させるd that he had been on the watch until milor' was out of sight, and then slipped 支援する ーするために find me and Madame here alone.

He gave a ちらりと見ること at the child and another at the door of the inner attic, then he said in a loud 発言する／表明する:

"Yes, another twenty-four hours and my 義務s as doctor will 中止する and those of 愛国者 will re-開始する. But Mme. la Marquise de Mortaine need no longer be in any 苦悩 about her son's health, nor will Mme. la Guillotine be cheated of a pack of 反逆者／反逆するs."

He laughed, and was on the point of turning on his heel when the door which gave on the smaller attic was opened and Mme. la Marquise appeared upon the threshold.

Monsieur, I had never seen her look more beautiful than she did now in her 圧倒的な grief. Her 直面する was as pale as death, her 注目する，もくろむs, large and dilated, were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the human monster who had 設立する it in his heart to speak such cruel words. 覆う？ in a 哀れな, threadbare gown, her rich brown hair brought to the 最高の，を越す of her 長，率いる like a 栄冠を与える, she looked more regal than any queen.

But proud as she was, monsieur, she yet knelt at the feet of that wretch. Yes, knelt, and embraced his 膝s and pleaded in such pitiable accents as would have melted the heart of a 石／投石する. She pleaded, monsieur—ah, not for herself. She pleaded for her child and for me, her faithful servant, and she pleaded for the gallant gentleman who had 危険d his life for the sake of the child, who was nothing to him.

"Take me!" she said. "I come of a race that have always known how to die! But what 害（を与える） has that innocent child done in this world? What 害（を与える） has poor old ジーンズ-Pierre done, and, oh...is the world so 十分な of 勇敢に立ち向かう and noble men that the bravest of them all be so 不正に sent to death?"

Ah, monsieur, any man, save one of those abject 製品s of that hideous 革命, would have listened to such heartrending accents. But this man only laughed and turned on his heel without a word.

* * * * *

Shall I ever forget the day that went by? Mme. la Marquise was 井戸／弁護士席-nigh prostrate with terror, and it was heartrending to watch the noble 成果／努力s which she made to amuse M. le Vicomte. The only gleams of 日光 which （機の）カム to us out of our 不明瞭 were the 簡潔な／要約する 外見s of milor. Outside we could hear the 手段d tramp of the guard that had been 始める，決める there to keep us の近くに 囚人s. They were relieved every six hours, and, in fact, we were as much under 逮捕（する） as if we were already incarcerated in one of the 刑務所，拘置所s of Lyons.

At about four o'clock in the afternoon milor' （機の）カム 支援する to us after a 簡潔な／要約する absence. He stayed for a little while playing with M. le Vicomte. Just before leaving he took Madame's 手渡す in his and said very 真面目に, and 沈むing his 発言する／表明する to the merest whisper:

"To-night! 恐れる nothing! Be ready for anything! Remember that the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel have never failed to succour, and that I hereby 誓約（する） you 地雷 honour that you and those you care for will be out of Lyons this night."

He was gone, leaving us to marvel at his strange words. Mme. la Marquise after that was just like a person in a dream. She hardly spoke to me, and the only sound that passed her lips was a quaint little lullaby which she sang to M. le Vicomte ere he dropped off to sleep.

The hours went by leaden-footed. At every sound on the stairs Madame started like a 脅すd bird. That 悪名高い Laporte usually paid his visits at about eight o'clock in the evening, and after it became やめる dark, Madame sat at the tiny window, and I felt that she was counting the minutes which still lay between her and the dreaded presence of that awful man.

At a ４半期/4分の1 before eight o'clock we heard the usual 激しい footfall on the stairs. Madame started up as if she had been struck. She ran to the bed—almost like one demented, and wrapping the one poor 一面に覆う／毛布 一連の会議、交渉／完成する M. le Vicomte, she 掴むd him in her 武器. Outside we could hear Laporte's raucous 発言する／表明する speaking to the guard. His usual query: "Is all 井戸／弁護士席?" was answered by the 簡潔な／要約する: "All 井戸／弁護士席, 国民." Then he asked if the English 秘かに調査する were within, and the sentinel replied: "No, 国民, he went out at about five o'clock and has not come 支援する since."

"Not come 支援する since five o'clock?" said Laporte with a loud 悪口を言う／悪態. "Pardi! I 信用 that that fool Caudy has not 許すd him to escape."

"I saw Caudy about an hour ago, 国民," said the man.

"Did he say anything about the Englishman then?"

It seemed to us, who were listening to this conversation with bated breath, that the man hesitated a moment ere he replied; then he spoke with obvious nervousness.

"As a 事柄 of fact, 国民," he said, "Caudy thought then that the Englishman was inside the house, whilst I was 平等に sure that I had seen him go downstairs an hour before."

"A thousand devils!" cried Laporte with a savage 誓い, "if I find that you, 国民 sergeant, or Caudy have 失敗d there will be trouble for you."

To the accompaniment of a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 more 断言するing he suddenly kicked open the door of our attic with his boot, and then （機の）カム to a 行き詰まり on the threshold with his 手渡すs in the pockets of his breeches and his 脚s 工場／植物d wide apart, 直面する to 直面する with Mme. la Marquise, who 直面するd him now, herself like a veritable tigress who is defending her young.

He gave a loud, mocking laugh.

"Ah, the aristos!" he cried, "waiting for that 悪口を言う／悪態d Englishman, what? to drag you and your brat out of the claws of the human tiger...Not so, my 罰金 ci-devant Marquise. The brat is no longer sick—he is 井戸／弁護士席 enough, anyhow, to breathe the 空気／公表する of the 刑務所，拘置所s of Lyons for a few days 未解決の a final 残り／休憩（する） in the 武器 of Mme. la Guillotine. 国民 sergeant," he called over his shoulder, "護衛する these aristos to my carriage downstairs. When the Englishman returns, tell him he will find his friends under the tender care of Doctor Laporte. En avant, little mother," he 追加するd, as he gripped Mme. la Marquise tightly by the arm, "and you, old scarecrow," he 結論するd, speaking to me over his shoulder, "follow the 国民 sergeant, or—"

Mme. la Marquise made no 抵抗. As I told you, she had been, since dusk, like a person in a dream; so what could I do but follow her noble example? Indeed, I was too dazed to do さもなければ.

We all went つまずくing 負かす／撃墜する the dark, rickety staircase, Laporte 主要な the way with Mme. la Marquise, who had M. le Vicomte tightly clasped in her 武器. I followed with the sergeant, whose 手渡す was on my shoulder; I believe that two 兵士s walked behind, but of that I cannot be sure.

At the 底（に届く） of the stairs through the open door of the house I caught sight of the vague 輪郭（を描く） of a large barouche, the lanthorns of which threw a feeble light upon the cruppers of two horses and of a couple of men sitting on the box.

Mme. la Marquise stepped 静かに into the carriage. Laporte followed her, and I was bundled in in his wake by the rough 手渡すs of the soldiery. Just before the order was given to start, Laporte put his 長，率いる out of the window and shouted to the sergeant:

"When you see Caudy tell him to 報告（する）／憶測 himself to me at once. I will be 支援する here in half an hour; keep strict guard as before until then, 国民 sergeant."

The next moment the coachman 割れ目d his whip, Laporte called loudly, "En avant!" and the 激しい barouche went 動揺させるing along the ill-覆うd streets.

Inside the carriage all was silence. I could hear Mme. la Marquise softly whispering to M. le Vicomte, and I marvelled how wondrously 静める—nay, cheerful, she could be. Then suddenly I heard a sound which of a truth did make my heart stop its （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing. It was a quaint and 長引かせるd laugh which I once thought I would never hear again on this earth. It （機の）カム from the corner of the barouche next to where Mme. la Marquise was so tenderly and gaily crooning to her child. And a kindly 発言する／表明する said merrily:

"In half an hour we shall be outside Lyons. To-morrow we'll be across the スイスの frontier. We've cheated that old tiger after all. What say you, Mme. la Marquise?"

It was milor's 発言する／表明する, and he was as merry as a school-boy.

"I told you, old ジーンズ-Pierre," he 追加するd, as he placed that 会社／堅い 手渡す which I loved so 井戸／弁護士席 upon my 膝, "I told you that those confounded 殺害者s would not get me this time."

And to think that I did not know him, as he stood いっそう少なく than a ４半期/4分の1 of an hour ago upon the threshold of our attic in the hideous guise of that abominable Laporte. He had spent two days in collecting old 着せる／賦与するs that 似ているd those of that 悪名高い wretch, and in taking 所有／入手 of one of the derelict rooms in the house in the Rue des Pipots. Then while we were 推定する／予想するing every moment that Laporte would order our 逮捕（する）, milor' assumed the personality of the monster, hoodwinked the sergeant on the dark staircase, and by that wonderfully audacious クーデター saved Mme. la Marquise, M. le Vicomte and my humble self from the guillotine.

Money, of which he had plenty, 安全な・保証するd us 免疫 on the way, and we were in safety over the スイスの frontier, leaving Laporte to eat out his tigerish heart with baffled 激怒（する）.

VII. OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEATH

存在 a fragment from the diary of Valentine Lemercier, in the 所有／入手 of her 広大な／多数の／重要な-granddaughter.

We were such a happy family before this terrible 革命 given him, and sent to 刑務所，拘置所 like a ありふれた 犯罪の, with our beautiful Queen Marie Antoinette and the 王室の children, and Madame Elizabeth, who was so beloved by the poor!

Ah! that seems very, very long ago now. No 疑問 you know better than I do all that happened in our beautiful land of フラン and in lovely Paris about that time: goods and 所有物／資産／財産 押収するd, innocent men, women, and children 非難するd to death for 行為／法令／行動するs of 背信 which they had never committed.

It was in August last year that they （機の）カム to "Mon Repos" and 逮捕（する）d papa, and maman, and us four young ones and dragged us to Paris, where we were 拘留するd in a 狭くする and horribly dank 丸天井 in the Abbaye, where all day and night through the 湿気の多い 石／投石する 塀で囲むs we heard cries and sobs and moans from poor people, who no 疑問 were 苦しむing the same 悲しみs and the same 侮辱／冷遇s as we were.

I had just passed my nineteenth birthday, and Marguerite was only thirteen. Maman was a perfect angel during that terrible time; she kept up our courage and our 約束 in God in a way that no one else could have done. Every night and morning we knelt 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her 膝 and papa sat の近くに beside her, and we prayed to God for deliverance from our own afflictions, and for the poor people who were crying and moaning all the day.

But of what went on outside our 刑務所，拘置所 塀で囲むs we had not an idea, though いつかs poor papa would 勇敢に立ち向かう the warder's brutalities and ask him questions of what was happening in Paris every day.

"They are hanging all the aristos to the street-lamps of the city," the man would reply with a cruel laugh, "and it will be your turn next."

We had been in 刑務所，拘置所 for about a fortnight, when one day—oh! shall I ever forget it?—we heard in the distance a noise like the rumbling of 雷鳴; nearer and nearer it （機の）カム, and soon the sound became いっそう少なく 混乱させるd, cries and shrieks could be heard above that rumbling din; but so weird and 脅迫的な did those cries seem that instinctively—though 非，不，無 of us knew what they meant—we all felt a nameless terror 支配する our hearts.

Oh! I am not going to 試みる／企てる the awful 仕事 of 述べるing to you all the horrors of that never-to-be-forgotten day. People, who to-day cannot speak without a shudder of the September 大虐殺s, have not the remotest conception of what really happened on that awful second day of that month.

We are all at peace and happy now, but whenever my thoughts 飛行機で行く 支援する to that morning, whenever the ears of memory 解任する those hideous yells of fury and of hate, coupled with the 平等に horrible cries for pity, which pierced through the 塀で囲むs behind which the six of us were crouching, trembling, and praying, whenever I think of it all my heart still （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s violently with that same nameless dread which held it in its deathly 支配する then.

Hundreds of men, women, and children were 大虐殺d in the 刑務所，拘置所s of that day—it was a St. Bartholomew even more hideous than the last.

Maman was trying in vain to keep our thoughts 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon God—papa sat on the 石／投石する （法廷の）裁判, his 肘s 残り／休憩（する）ing on his 膝s, his 長，率いる buried in his 手渡すs; but maman was ひさまづくing on the 床に打ち倒す, with her dear 武器 encircling us all and her trembling lips moving in continuous 祈り.

We felt that we were 直面するing death—and what a death, O my God!

Suddenly the small grated window—high up in the dank 塀で囲む—became obscured. I was the first to look up, but the cry

But we were all of us やめる silent now. The children did not even cry; they 星／主役にするd, wide-注目する，もくろむd, paralysed with 恐れる.

Only maman continued to pray, and we could hear papa's 早い and stertorous breathing as he watched what was going on at that window above.

激しい blows were 落ちるing against the masonry 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the grating, and we could hear the 神経-racking sound of a とじ込み／提出する working on the アイロンをかける 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業s; and さらに先に away, below the window, those awful yells of human 存在s transformed by hate and fury into savage beasts.

How long this horrible suspense lasted I cannot now tell you; the next thing I remember 明確に is a number of men in horrible ragged 着せる／賦与するing 注ぐing into our 丸天井-like 刑務所，拘置所 from the window above; the next moment they 急ぐd at us 同時に—or so it seemed to me, for I was just then recommending my soul to God, so 確かな was I that in that same second I would 中止する to live.

It was all like a dream, for instead of the horrible shriek of 満足させるd hate which we were all 推定する／予想するing to hear, a whispering 発言する／表明する, 命令（する）ing and low, struck our ears and dragged us, as it were, from out the abyss of despair into the sudden light of hope.

"If you will 信用 us," the 発言する／表明する whispered, "and not be afraid, you will be 安全に out of Paris within an hour."

Papa was the first to realise what was happening; he had never lost his presence of mind even during the darkest moment of this terrible time, and he said やめる calmly and 刻々と now:

"What must we do?"

"説得する the little ones not to be afraid, not to cry, to be as still and silent as may be," continued the 発言する／表明する, which I felt must be that of one of God's own angels, so exquisitely 肉親，親類d did it sound to my ear.

And the whispering, 命令（する）ing 発言する／表明する went on after awhile:

"Now will you 許す yourselves to be muffled and bound, and, after that, will you 断言する that whatever happens, whatever you may see or hear, you will neither move nor speak? Not only your own lives, but those of many 勇敢に立ち向かう men will depend upon your fulfilment of this 誓い."

Papa made no reply save to raise his 手渡す and 注目する，もくろむs up to where God surely was watching over us all. Maman said in her gentle, even 発言する／表明する:

"For myself and my children, I 断言する to do all that you tell us."

A 広大な／多数の／重要な feeling of 信用／信任 had entered into her heart, just as it had done into 地雷. We looked at one another and knew that we were both thinking of the same thing: we were thinking of the 勇敢に立ち向かう Englishman and his gallant little 禁止（する）d of heroes, about whom we had heard many wonderful tales—how they had 救助（する）d a number of innocent people who were 不正に 脅すd with the guillotine; and we all knew that the tall 人物／姿／数字, disguised in horrible rags, who spoke to us with such a gentle yet 命令（する）ing 発言する／表明する, was the man whom rumour credited with supernatural 力／強力にするs, and who was known by the mysterious 指名する of "The Scarlet Pimpernel."

Hardly had we sworn to do his bidding than his friends most 無作法に threw 広大な／多数の／重要な pieces of 解雇（する）ing over our 長，率いるs, and then proceeded to tie ropes 一連の会議、交渉／完成する our 団体／死体s. At least, I know that that is what one of them was doing to me, and from one or two whispered words of 命令（する） which reached my ear I 結論するd that papa and maman and the children were 存在 dealt with in the same 要約 way.

I felt hot and stifled under that rough bit of 解雇（する）ing, but I would not have moved or even sighed for worlds. Strangely enough, as soon as my 注目する，もくろむs and ears were shut off from the sounds and sights すぐに 一連の会議、交渉／完成する me, I once more became conscious of the horrible and awful din which was going on, not only on the other 味方する of our 刑務所，拘置所 塀で囲むs, but inside the whole of the Abbaye building and in the street beyond.

Once more I heard those terrible howls of 激怒（する） and of 満足させるd 憎悪, uttered by the 暗殺者s who were 存在 paid by the 政府 of our beautiful country to butcher helpless 囚人s in their hundreds.

Suddenly I felt myself hoisted up off my feet and slung up on to a pair of shoulders that must have been very powerful indeed, for I am no light 負わせる, and once more I heard the 発言する／表明する, the very sound of which was delight, やめる の近くに to my ear this time, giving a 簡潔な／要約する and 包括的な 命令（する）:

"All ready!—remember your part—en avant!"

Then it 追加するd in English. "Here, Tony, you start kicking against the door whilst we begin to shout!"

I loved those few words of English, and hoped that maman had heard them too, for it would 確認する her—as it did me—in the happy knowledge that God and a 勇敢に立ち向かう man had taken our 救助（する） in 手渡す.

But from that moment we might have all been in the very 賭け金-議会 of hell. I could hear the violent kicks against the 激しい door of our 刑務所，拘置所, and our 勇敢に立ち向かう 救助者s seemed suddenly to be transformed into a cageful of wild beasts. Their shouts and yells were as horrible as any that （機の）カム to us from the outside, and I must say that the gentle, 会社／堅い 発言する／表明する which I had learnt to love was as execrable as any I could hear.

明らかに the door would not 産する／生じる, as the blows against it became more and more violent, and presently from somewhere above my 長，率いる—the window 推定では—there （機の）カム a rough call, and a raucous laugh:

"Why? what in the 指名する of God is happening here?"

And the 発言する／表明する 近づく me answered 支援する 平等に 概略で: "A quarry of six—but we are caught in this confounded 罠（にかける）—get the door open for us, 国民—we want to get rid of this booty and go in search for more."

A horrible laugh was the reply from above, and the next instant I heard a terrific 衝突，墜落; the door had at last been burst open, either from within or without, I could not tell which, and suddenly all the din, the cries, the groans, the hideous laughter and bibulous songs which had sounded muffled up to now burst upon us with all their hideousness.

That was, I think, the most awful moment of that truly fearful hour. I could not have moved then, even had I wished or been able to do so; but I knew that between us all and a horrible, yelling, 殺人ing 暴徒 there was now nothing—except the 手渡す of God and the heroism of a 禁止（する）d of English gentlemen.

Together they gave a cry—as loud, as terrifying as any that were uttered by the butchering （人が）群がる in the building, and with a wild 急ぐ they seemed to 急落（する），激減（する） with us 権利 into the 厚い of the awful m麝馥.

At least, that is what it all felt like to me, and afterwards I heard from our gallant 救助者 himself that that is 正確に／まさに what he and his friends did. There were eight of them altogether, and we four young ones had each been hoisted on a pair of 充てるd shoulders, whilst maman and papa were each carried by two men.

I was lying across the finest pair of shoulders in the world, and の近くに to me was （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing the bravest heart on God's earth.

Thus 重荷（を負わせる）d, these eight noble English gentlemen 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d 権利 through an army of butchering, howling brutes, they themselves howling with the fiercest of them.

All around me I heard weird and terrific cries: "What 売春婦! 国民s—what have you there?"

"Six aristos!" shouted my hero boldly as he 急ぐd on, (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むing his way through the （人が）群がる.

"What are you doing with them?" yelled a raucous 発言する／表明する.

"Food for the 餓死するing fish in the river," was the ready 返答. "Stand aside, 国民," he 追加するd, with a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する 悪口を言う／悪態; "I have my orders from 国民 Danton himself about these six aristos. You 妨げる me at your 危険，危なくする."

He was challenged over and over again in the same way, and so were his friends who were carrying papa and maman and the children; but they were always ready with a reply, ready with an 悪口雑言 or a 悪口を言う／悪態; with 注目する，もくろむs that could not see, one could imagine them as hideous, as vengeful, as cruel as the 残り／休憩（する） of the （人が）群がる.

I think that soon I must have fainted from sheer excitement and terror, for I remember nothing more till I felt myself deposited on a hard 床に打ち倒す, propped against the 塀で囲む, and the stifling piece of 解雇（する）ing taken off my 長，率いる and 直面する.

I looked around me, dazed and bewildered; 徐々に the horrors of the past hour （機の）カム 支援する to me, and I had to の近くに my 注目する，もくろむs again, for I felt sick and giddy with the sheer memory of it all.

Maman was lying on a horsehair sofa at the other end of the room, with Marguerite beside her, and papa sat in a low 議長，司会を務める by her 味方する, 持つ／拘留するing her 手渡す.

The 発言する／表明する I loved was speaking in its quaint, somewhat drawly cadence:

"You are やめる 安全な now, my dear Monsieur Lemercier," it said; "after Madame and the young people have had a 残り／休憩（する）, some of my friends will find you suitable disguises, and they will 護衛する you out of Paris, as they have some really 本物の パスポートs in their 所有／入手s, which we 得る from time to time through the 機関 of a personage 高度に placed in this 殺人ing 政府, and with the help of English banknotes. Those パスポートs are not always unchallenged, I must 自白する," 追加するd my hero with a quaint laugh; "but to-night everyone is busy 殺人ing in one part of Paris, so the other parts are comparatively 安全な."

Then he turned to one of his friends and spoke to him in English:

"You had better see this through, Tony," he said, "with Hastings and Mackenzie. Three of you will be enough; I shall have need of the others."

No one seemed to question his orders. He had spoken, and the others made ready to obey. Just then papa spoke up:

"How are we going to thank you, sir?" he asked, speaking broken English, but with his habitual dignity of manner.

"By leaving your 福利事業 in our 手渡すs, Monsieur," replied our gallant 救助者 静かに.

Papa tried to speak again, but the Englishman put up his 手渡す to stop any その上の talk.

"There is no time now, Monsieur," he said with gentle 儀礼. "I must leave you, as I have much work yet to do."

"Where are you going, Blakeney?" asked one of the others.

"支援する to the Abbaye 刑務所，拘置所," he said; "there are other women and children to be 救助（する）d there!"

VIII. THE TRAITOR

1.

Not one of them had really 信用d him for some time now. Heaven and his 良心 alone knew what had changed my Lord Kulmsted from a loyal friend and keen sportsman into a surly and 不満な adherent—adherent only in 指名する.

Some say that 欠如（する） of money had embittered him. He was a 確認するd gambler, and had been losing over-ひどく of late; and the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel 需要・要求するd sacrifices of money at times from its members, 同様に as of life if the need arose. Others averred that jealousy against the 長，指導者 had outweighed Kulmsted's honesty. 確かな it is that his 誓い of fealty to the League had long ago been broken in the spirit. Treachery hovered in the 空気／公表する.

But the Scarlet Pimpernel himself, with that indomitable 楽観主義 of his, and almost maddening insouciance, either did not believe in Kulmsted's disloyalty or chose not to 注意する it.

He even asked him to join the 現在の 探検隊／遠征隊—one of the most dangerous undertaken by the League for some time, and which had for its 反対する the 救助（する） of some women of the late unfortunate Marie Antoinette's 世帯: maids and faithful servants, ruthlessly 非難するd to die for their tender 固守 to a 殉教者d queen. And yet eighteen pairs of faithful lips had murmured words of 警告.

It was に向かって the end of November, 1793. The rain was （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing 負かす／撃墜する in a monotonous drip, drip, drip on to the roof of a derelict house in the Rue Berthier. The 病弱な light of a 冷淡な winter's morning peeped in through the curtainless window and touched with its weird grey 小衝突 the pallid 直面する of a young girl—a mere child—who sat in a dejected 態度 on a rickety 議長，司会を務める, with 肘s leaning on the rough 取引，協定 （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する before her, and thin, grimy fingers wandering with pathetic futility to her tearful 注目する，もくろむs.

In the さらに先に angle of the room a tall 人物／姿／数字 in dark 着せる／賦与するs was made one, by the still ぐずぐず残る gloom, with the dense 影をつくる／尾行するs beyond.

"We have 餓死するd," said the girl, with 反抗的な 涙／ほころびs. "Father and I and the boys are 哀れな enough, God knows; but we have always been honest."

From out the 影をつくる／尾行するs in that dark corner of the room there （機の）カム the sound of an 誓い quickly 抑えるd.

"Honest!" exclaimed the man, with a 厳しい, mocking laugh, which made the girl wince as if with physical 苦痛. "Is it honest to harbour the enemies of your country? Is it honest—"

But quickly he checked himself, biting his lips with vexation, feeling that his 現在の 策略 were not like to 伸び（る） the day.

He （機の）カム out of the gloom and approached the girl with every outward 調印する of 切望. He knelt on the dusty 床に打ち倒す beside her, his 武器 stole 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her meagre shoulders, and his 厳しい 発言する／表明する was subdued to トンs of gentleness.

"I was only thinking of your happiness, Yvonne," he said tenderly; "of poor blind papa and the two boys to whom you have been such a 充てるd little mother. My only 願望（する） is that you should earn the 感謝 of your country by 公然と非難するing her most bitter enemy—an 行為／法令／行動する of patriotism which will place you and those for whom you care for ever beyond the reach of 悲しみ or of want."

The 発言する／表明する, the 控訴，上告, the look of love, was more than the poor, simple girl could resist. Milor' was so handsome, so 肉親，親類d, so good.

It had all been so strange: these English aristocrats coming here, she knew not whence, and who seemed 逃亡者／はかないものs even though they had plenty of money to spend. Two days ago they had sought 避難所 like malefactors escaped from 司法（官）—in this same tumbledown, derelict house where she, Yvonne, with her blind father and two little brothers, crept in of nights, or when the 天候 was too rough for them all to stand and beg in the streets of Paris.

There were five of them altogether, and one seemed to be the 長，指導者. He was very tall, and had 深い blue 注目する，もくろむs, and a merry 発言する／表明する that went echoing along the worm-eaten old rafters. But milor—the one whose 武器 were encircling her even now—was the handsomest の中で them all. He had sought Yvonne out on the very first night when she had はうd shivering to that corner of the room where she usually slept.

The English aristocrats had 脅すd her at first, and she was for 飛行機で行くing from the derelict house with her family and 捜し出すing 避難所 どこかよそで; but he who appeared to be the 長，指導者 had quickly 安心させるd her. He seemed so 肉親，親類d and good, and talked so gently to blind papa, and made such merry jests with Francois and Clovis that she herself could 不十分な 差し控える from laughing through her 涙／ほころびs.

But later on in the night, milor—her milor, as she soon got to call him—（機の）カム and talked so beautifully that she, poor girl, felt as if no music could ever sound やめる so sweetly in her ear.

That was two days ago, and since then milor' had often talked to her in the lonely, abandoned house, and Yvonne had felt as if she dwelt in Heaven. She still took blind papa and the boys out to beg in the streets, but in the morning she 用意が出来ている some hot coffee for the English aristocrats, and in the evening she cooked them some broth. Oh! they gave her money lavishly; but she やめる understood that they were in hiding, though what they had to 恐れる, 存在 English, she could not understand.

And now milor—her milor—was telling her that these Englishmen, her friends, were 秘かに調査するs and 反逆者s, and that it was her 義務 to tell 国民 Robespierre and the 委員会 of Public Safety all about them and their mysterious doings. And poor Yvonne was 大いに puzzled and 深く，強烈に 苦しめるd, because, of course, whatever milor' said, that was the truth; and yet her 良心 cried out within her poor little bosom, and the thought of betraying those 肉親，親類d Englishmen was horrible to her.

"Yvonne," whispered milor' in that endearing 発言する／表明する of his, which was like the loveliest music in her ear, "my little Yvonne, you do 信用 me, do you not?"

"With all my heart, milor," she murmured fervently.

"Then, would you believe it of me that I would betray a real friend?"

"I believe, milor, that whatever you do is 権利 and good."

A sigh of infinite 救済 escaped his lips.

"Come, that's better!" he said, patting her cheek kindly with his 手渡す. "Now, listen to me, little one. He who is the 長，指導者 の中で us here is the most unscrupulous and daring rascal whom the world has ever known. He it is who is called the 'Scarlet Pimpernel!'"

"The Scarlet Pimpernel!" murmured Yvonne, her 注目する，もくろむs dilated with superstitious awe, for she too had heard of the mysterious Englishman and of his 信奉者s, who 救助（する）d aristocrats and 反逆者s from the death to which the 法廷 of the people had 正確に，正当に 非難するd them, and on whom the mighty 手渡す of the 委員会 of Public Safety had never yet been able to 落ちる.

"This Scarlet Pimpernel," said milor' 真面目に after a while, "is also 地雷 own most relentless enemy. With lies and 約束s he induced me to join him in his work of 秘かに調査するing and of treachery, 軍隊ing me to do this work against which my whole soul 反逆者／反逆するs. You can save me from this hated bondage, little one. You can make me 解放する／自由な to live again, make me 解放する／自由な to love and place my love at your feet."

His 発言する／表明する had become exquisitely tender, and his lips, as he whispered the heavenly words, were やめる の近くに to her ear. He, a 広大な／多数の／重要な gentleman, loved the 哀れな little waif whose kindred consisted of a blind father and two half-餓死するd little brothers, and whose only home was this 哀れな hovel, whence milor's graciousness and bounty would soon take her.

Do you think that Yvonne's sense of 権利 and wrong, of honesty and treachery, should have been keener than that primeval instinct of a simple-hearted woman to throw herself trustingly into the 武器 of the man who has 後継するd in winning her love?

Yvonne, subdued, enchanted, murmured still through her 涙／ほころびs:

"What would milor' have me do?"

Lord Kulmsted rose from his 膝s 満足させるd.

"Listen to me, Yvonne," he said. "You are 熟知させるd with the Englishman's 計画（する）s, are you not?"

"Of course," she replied 簡単に. "He has had to 信用 me."

"Then you know that at sundown this afternoon I and the three others are to leave for Courbevoie on foot, where we are to 得る what horses we can whilst を待つing the 長，指導者."

"I did not know whither you and the other three gentlemen were going, milor," she replied; "but I did know that some of you were to make a start at four o'clock, whilst I was to wait here for your leader and 準備する some supper against his coming."

"At what time did he tell you that he would come?"

"He did not say; but he did tell me that when he returns he will have friends with him—a lady and two little children. They will be hungry and 冷淡な. I believe that they are in 広大な／多数の／重要な danger now, and that the 勇敢に立ち向かう English gentleman means to take them away from this awful Paris to a place of safety."

"The 勇敢に立ち向かう English gentleman, my dear," retorted milor, with a sneer, "is bent on some horrible work of 秘かに調査するing. The lady and the two children are, no 疑問, innocent 道具s in his 手渡すs, just as I am, and when he no longer needs them he will 配達する them over to the 委員会 of Public Safety, who will, of a surety, 非難する them to death. That will also be my 運命／宿命, Yvonne, unless you help me now."

"Oh, no, no!" she exclaimed fervently. "Tell me what to do, milor, and I will do it."

"At sundown," he said, 沈むing his 発言する／表明する so low that even she could scarcely hear, "when I and the three others have started on our way, go straight to the house I spoke to you about in the Rue Dauphine—you know where it is?"

"Oh, yes, milor."

"You will know the house by its tumbledown portico and the tattered red 旗 that surmounts it. Once there, 押し進める the door open and walk in boldly. Then ask to speak with 国民 Robespierre."

"Robespierre?" exclaimed the child in terror.

"You must not be afraid, Yvonne," he said 真面目に; "you must think of me and of what you are doing for me. My word on it—Robespierre will listen to you most kindly."

"What shall I tell him?" she murmured.

"That a mysterious party of Englishmen are in hiding in this house—that their 長，指導者 is known の中で them as the Scarlet Pimpernel. The 残り／休憩（する） leave to Robespierre's discretion. You see how simple it is?"

It was indeed very simple! Nor did the child recoil any longer from the ugly 仕事 which milor, with suave speech and tender 発言する／表明する, was so ardently 捜し出すing to 課す on her.

A few more words of love, which cost him nothing, a few kisses which cost him still いっそう少なく, since the wench loved him, and since she was young and pretty, and Yvonne was as wax in the 手渡すs of the 反逆者.

2.

Silence 統治するd in the low-raftered room on the ground 床に打ち倒す of the house in the Rue Dauphine.

国民 Robespierre, chairman of the Cordeliers Club, the most bloodthirsty, most Evolutionary club of フラン, had just re-entered the room.

He walked up to the centre （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and through the の近くに atmosphere, 厚い with タバコ smoke, he looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する on his 組み立てる／集結するd friends.

"We have got him," he said at last curtly.

"Got him! Whom?" （機の）カム in hoarse cries from every corner of the room.

"That Englishman," replied the demagogue, "the Scarlet Pimpernel!"

A 長引かせるd shout rose in 返答—a shout not unlike that of a caged herd of hungry wild beasts to whom a succulent morsel of flesh has 突然に been thrown.

"Where is he?" "Where did you get him?" "Alive or dead?" And many more questions such as these were 投げつけるd at the （衆議院の）議長 from every 味方する.

Robespierre, 静める, impassive, immaculately neat in his tightly fitting coat, his smart breeches, and his lace cravat, waited awhile until the din had somewhat 沈下するd. Then he said calmly:

"The Scarlet Pimpernel is in hiding in one of the derelict houses in the Rue Berthier."

Snarls of derision as vigorous as the former shouts of 勝利 溺死するd the 残り／休憩（する） of his speech.

"Bah! How often has that 悪口を言う／悪態d Scarlet Pimpernel been said to be alone in a lonely house? 国民 Chauvelin has had him at his mercy several times in lonely houses."

And the （衆議院の）議長, a short, 厚い-始める，決める man with sparse 黒人／ボイコット hair plastered over a greasy forehead, his shirt open at the neck, 明らかにする／漏らすing a powerful chest and rough, hairy 肌, spat in ostentatious contempt upon the 床に打ち倒す.

"Therefore will we not 誇る of his 逮捕（する） yet, 国民 Roger," 再開するd Robespierre imperturbably. "I tell you where the Englishman is. Do you look to it that he does not escape."

The heat in the room had become intolerable. From the grimy 天井 an oil-lamp, flickering low, threw lurid, ruddy lights on tricolour cockades, on 手渡すs that seemed red with the 血 of innocent 犠牲者s of lust and hate, and on 直面するs glowing with 願望（する） and with 心配するd savage 勝利.

"Who is the 密告者?" asked Roger at last.

"A girl," replied Robespierre curtly. "Yvonne Lebeau, by 指名する; she and her family live by begging. There are a blind father and two boys; they herd together at night in the derelict house in the Rue Berthier. Five Englishmen have been in hiding there these past few days. One of them is their leader. The girl believes him to be the Scarlet Pimpernel."

"Why has she not spoken of this before?" muttered one of the （人が）群がる, with some scepticism.

"脅すd, I suppose. Or the Englishman paid her to 持つ／拘留する her tongue."

"Where is the girl now?"

"I am sending her straight home, a little ahead of us. Her presence should 安心させる the Englishman whilst we make ready to surround the house. In the 一方／合間, I have sent special messengers to every gate of Paris with strict orders to the guard not to 許す anyone out of the city until その上の orders from the 委員会 of Public Safety. And now," he 追加するd, throwing 支援する his 長，率いる with a gesture of proud challenge, "国民s, which of you will go man-追跡（する）ing to-night?"

This time the strident roar of savage exultation was loud and 深い enough to shake the flickering lamp upon its chain.

A 簡潔な／要約する discussion of 計画（する）s followed, and Roger—he with the 幅の広い, hairy chest and that gleam of 憎悪 for ever lurking in his 深い-始める，決める, shifty 注目する，もくろむs—was chosen the leader of the party.

Thirty 決定するd and 井戸／弁護士席-武装した 愛国者s 始める，決める out against one man, who mayhap had supernatural 力／強力にするs. There would, no 疑問, be some aristocrats, too, in hiding in the derelict house—the girl Lebeau, it seems, had spoken of a woman and two children. Bah! These would not count. It would be thirty to one, so let the Scarlet Pimpernel look to himself.

From the towers of Notre Dame the big bell struck the hour of six, as thirty men in ragged shirts and torn breeches, shivering beneath a 冷淡な November 霧雨, began slowly to wend their way に向かって the Rue Berthier.

They walked on in silence, not 注意するing the 冷淡な or the rain, but with 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd in the direction of their goal, and nostrils quivering in the evening 空気／公表する with the distant scent of 血.

3.

At the 最高の，を越す of the Rue Berthier the party 停止（させる）d. On ahead—some two hundred metres さらに先に—Yvonne Lebeau's little 人物／姿／数字, with her ragged skirt pulled over her 長，率いる and her 明らかにする feet pattering in the mud, was seen crossing one of those intermittent patches of light formed by 時折の flickering street lamps, and then was swallowed up once more by the inky blackness beyond.

The Rue Berthier is a long, 狭くする, ill-覆うd and ill-lighted street, composed of low and 不規律な houses, which abut on the line of 要塞s at the 支援する, and are therefore 絶対 inaccessible save from the 前線.

中途の 負かす／撃墜する the street a derelict house 後部s ghostly d饕ris of roofs and chimney-stacks 上向き to the sky. A tiny square of yellow light, blinking like a 巨大（な） 注目する，もくろむ through a curtainless window, pierced the 塀で囲む of the house. Roger pointed to that light.

"That," he said, "is the quarry where our fox has run to earth."

No one said anything; but the dank night 空気／公表する seemed suddenly alive with all the passions of hate let loose by thirty （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing hearts.

The Scarlet Pimpernel, who had tricked them, mocked them, fooled them so often, was there, not two hundred metres away; and they were thirty to one, and all 決定するd and desperate.

The 不明瞭 was 激しい.

Silently now the party approached the house, then again they 停止（させる）d, within sixty metres of it.

"Hist!"

The whisper could 不十分な be heard, so low was it, like the sighing of the 勝利，勝つd through a misty 隠す.

"Who is it?" （機の）カム in quick challenge from Roger.

"I—Yvonne Lebeau!"

"Is he there?" was the eager whispered query.

"Not yet. But he may come at any moment. If he saw a （人が）群がる 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the house, mayhap he would not come."

"He cannot see a （人が）群がる. The night is as dark as pitch."

"He can see in the darkest night," and the girl's 発言する／表明する sank to an awed whisper, "and he can hear through a 石／投石する 塀で囲む."

Instinctively, Roger shuddered. The superstitious 恐れる which the mysterious personality of the Scarlet Pimpernel evoked in the heart of every テロリスト had suddenly 掴むd this man in its 支配する.

Try as he would, he did not feel as valiant as he had done when first he 現れるd at the 長，率いる of his party from under the portico of the Cordeliers Club, and it was with 非，不，無 too 安定した a 発言する／表明する that he ordered the girl 概略で 支援する to the house. Then he turned once more to his men.

The 計画（する） of 活動／戦闘 had been decided on in the Club, under the 大統領／総裁などの地位 of Robespierre; it only remained to carry the 計画（する）s through with success.

From the 味方する of the 要塞s there was, of course, nothing to 恐れる. In 一致 with 軍の 規則s, the 塀で囲むs of the houses there rose sheer from the ground without doors or windows, whilst the broken-負かす／撃墜する parapets and dilapidated roofs towered forty feet above the ground.

The derelict itself was one of a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of houses, some 住むd, others やめる abandoned. It was the 前線 of that 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of houses, therefore, that had to be kept in 見解（をとる）. Marshalled by Roger, the men flattened their meagre 団体／死体s against the 塀で囲むs of the houses opposite, and after that there was nothing to do but wait.

To wait in the 不明瞭 of the night, with a thin, icy rain soaking through ragged shirts and tattered breeches, with 明らかにする feet frozen by the mud of the road—to wait in silence while 騒然とした hearts （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 井戸／弁護士席-nigh to bursting—to wait for food whilst hunger gnaws the bowels—to wait for drink whilst the parched tongue cleaves to the roof of the mouth—to wait for 復讐 whilst the hours roll slowly by and the cries of the darkened city are stilled one by one!

Once—when a distant bell （死傷者）数d the hour of ten—a loud 長引かせるd laugh, almost impudent in its suggestion of merry insouciance, echoed through the weird silence of the night.

Roger felt that the man nearest to him shivered at that sound, and he heard a ボレー or two of muttered 誓いs.

"The fox seems somewhere 近づく," he whispered. "Come within. We'll wait for him inside his 穴を開ける."

He led the way across the street, some of the men に引き続いて him.

The door of the derelict house had been left on the latch. Roger 押し進めるd it open.

Silence and gloom here 統治するd 最高の; utter 不明瞭, too, save for a 狭くする streak of light which 辛勝する／優位d the 枠組み of a door on the 権利. Not a sound stirred the quietude of this 哀れな hovel, only the creaking of boards beneath the men's feet as they entered.

Roger crossed the passage and opened the door on the 権利. His friends 圧力（をかける）d closely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to him and peeped over his shoulder into the room beyond.

A guttering piece of tallow candle, 直す／買収する，八百長をするd to an old tin マリファナ, stood in the middle of the 床に打ち倒す, and its feeble, flickering light only served to accentuate the 不明瞭 that lay beyond its 範囲. One or two rickety 議長，司会を務めるs and a rough 取引，協定 （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する showed ばく然と in the gloom, and in the far corner of the room there lay a bundle of what looked like heaped-up rags, but from which there now 現れるd the sound of 激しい breathing and also a little cry of 恐れる.

"Yvonne," （機の）カム in feeble, querulous accents from that same bundle of wretchedness, "are these the English milor's come 支援する at last?"

"No, no, father," was the quick whispered reply.

Roger swore a loud 誓い, and two puny 発言する／表明するs began to whimper piteously.

"It strikes me the wench has been fooling us," muttered one of the men savagely.

The girl had struggled to her feet. She crouched in the 不明瞭, and two little boys, half-naked and shivering, were 粘着するing to her skirts. The 残り／休憩（する） of the human bundle seemed to consist of an oldish man, with long, gaunt 脚s and 武器 blue with the 冷淡な. He turned vague, wide-open 注目する，もくろむs in the direction whence had come the 厳しい 発言する／表明するs.

"Are they friends, Yvonne?" he asked anxiously.

The girl did her best to 安心させる him.

"Yes, yes, father," she whispered の近くに to his ear, her 発言する／表明する 不十分な above her breath; "they are good 国民s who hoped to find the English milor' here. They are disappointed that he has not yet come."

"Ah! but he will come, of a surety," said the old man in that querulous 発言する／表明する of his. "He left his beautiful 着せる／賦与するs here this morning, and surely he will come to fetch them." And his long, thin 手渡す pointed に向かって a distant corner of the room.

Roger and his friends, looking to where he was pointing, saw a 小包 of 着せる／賦与するs, neatly 倍のd, lying on one of the 議長，司会を務めるs. Like so many wild cats snarling at sight of prey, they threw themselves upon those 着せる／賦与するs, 涙／ほころびing them out from one another's 手渡すs, turning them over and over as if to 軍隊 the cloth and satin to 産する／生じる up the secret that lay within their 倍のs.

In the 小競り合い a 捨てる of paper ぱたぱたするd to the ground. Roger 掴むd it with avidity, and, crouching on the 床に打ち倒す, smoothed the paper out against his 膝.

It 含む／封じ込めるd a few あわてて scrawled words, and by the feeble light of the 急速な／放蕩な-dying candle Roger spelt them out laboriously:

"If the finder of these 着せる／賦与するs will take them to the cross-roads opposite the foot-橋（渡しをする） which leads straight to Courbevoie, and will do so before the clock of Courbevoie Church has struck the hour of midnight, he will be rewarded with the sum of five hundred フランs."

"There is something more, 国民 Roger," said a raucous 発言する／表明する の近くに to his ear.

"Look! Look, 国民—in the 底（に届く） corner of the paper!"

"The 署名."

"A scrawl done in red," said Roger, trying to decipher it.

"It looks like a small flower."

"That accursed Scarlet Pimpernel!"

And even as he spoke the guttering tallow candle, swaying in its socket, suddenly went out with a loud splutter and a sizzle that echoed through the desolate room like the mocking laugh of ghouls.

4.

Once more the tramp through the dark and 砂漠d streets, with the 霧雨—turned now to sleet—（警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing on thinly 覆う？ shoulders. Fifteen men only on this tramp. The others remained behind to watch the house. Fifteen men, led by Roger, and with a blind old man, a young girl carrying a bundle of 着せる／賦与するs, and two half-naked children dragged as （軍の）野営地，陣営-信奉者s in the 後部.

Their 目的地 now was the 調印する-地位，任命する which stands at the cross-roads, past the footbridge that leads to Courbevoie.

The guard at the Maillot Gate would have stopped the party, but Roger, member of the 委員会 of Public Safety, 武装した with his papers and his tricolour scarf, overruled Robespierre's former orders, and the party mached out of the gate.

They 圧力（をかける）d on in silence, instinctively walking shoulder to shoulder, ばく然と longing for the touch of another human 手渡す, the sound of a 発言する／表明する that would not （犯罪の）一味 weirdly in the mysterious night.

There was something terrifying in this 絶対の silence, in such 激しい 不明瞭, in this constant wandering に向かって a goal that seemed for ever distant, and in all this 疲れた／うんざりした, 疲れた／うんざりした fruitless waiting; and these men, who lived their life through, drunken with 血, deafened by the cries of their 犠牲者s, satiated with the moans of the helpless and the innocent, hardly dared to look around them, lest they should see ghoulish forms flitting through the gloom.

Soon they reached the cross-roads, and in the dense blackness of the night the gaunt 武器 of the 調印する-地位，任命する pointed ghostlike に向かって the north.

The men hung 支援する, wrapped in the 不明瞭 as in a 棺／かげり, while Roger 前進するd alone.

But only from the gently murmuring river far away the melancholy call of a waterfowl seemed to echo mockingly:

"A friend!"

Just then the clock of Courbevoie Church struck the midnight hour.

"It is too late," whispered the men.

They did not 断言する, nor did they 悪口を言う／悪態 their leader. Somehow it seemed as if they had 推定する／予想するd all along that the Englishman would 避ける their vengeance yet again, that he would 誘惑する them out into the 冷淡な and into the 不明瞭, and then that he would mock them, fool them, and finally disappear into the night.

It seemed futile to wait any longer. They were so sure that they had failed again.

"Who goes there?"

The sound of naked feet and of 木造の sabots pattering on the got them?" "Don't let them go!" filled the 空気／公表する.

"Got whom?" "Who are they?" "What is it?" were the wild 反対する-cries.

"The man! The girl! The children! Where are they?"

"What? Which? The Lebeau family? They are here with us."

"Where?"

Where, indeed? To a call to them from Roger there （機の）カム no answer, nor did a 迅速な search result in finding them—the old man, the two boys, and the girl carrying the bundle of 着せる／賦与するs had 消えるd into the night.

"In the 指名する of God, what does this mean?" cried hoarse 発言する／表明するs in the （人が）群がる.

The new-comers, breathless, terrified, shaking with superstitious 恐れる, tried to explain.

"The Lebeau family—the old man, the girl, the two boys—we discovered after your 出発, locked up in the cellar of the house—囚人s."

"But, then—the others?" they gasped.

"The girl and the children whom you saw must have been some aristocrats in disguise. The old man who spoke to you was that 悪口を言う／悪態d Englishman—the Scarlet Pimpernel!"

And as if in mocking 確定／確認 of these words there suddenly rang, echoing from afar, a long and merry laugh.

"The Scarlet Pimpernel!" cried Roger. "In rags and barefooted! At him, 国民s; he cannot have got far!"

"Hush! Listen!" whispered one of the men, suddenly gripping him by the arm.

And from the distance—though Heaven only knew from what direction—（機の）カム the sound of horses' hoofs pawing the soft ground; the next moment they were heard galloping away at breakneck 速度(を上げる）.

The men turned to run in every direction, blindly, aimlessly, in the dark, like bloodhounds that have lost the 追跡する.

One man, as he ran, つまずくd against a dark 集まり 傾向がある upon the ground. With a 悪口を言う／悪態 on his lips, he 回復するd his balance.

"持つ／拘留する! What is this?" he cried.

Some of his comrades gathered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する him. No one could see anything, but the dark 集まり appeared to have human 形態／調整, and it was bound 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and 一連の会議、交渉／完成する with cords. And now feeble moans escaped from 明白に human lips.

"What is it? Who is it?" asked the men.

"An Englishman," （機の）カム in weak accents from the ground.

"Your 指名する?"

"I am called Kulmsted."

"Bah! An aristocrat!"

"No! An enemy of the Scarlet Pimpernel, like yourselves. I would have 配達するd him into your 手渡すs. But you let him escape you. As for me, he would have been wiser if he had killed me."

They 選ぶd him up and undid the cords from 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his 団体／死体, and later on took him with them 支援する into Paris.

But there, in the 不明瞭 of the night, in the mud of the road, and beneath the icy rain, 膝s were shaking that had long ago forgotten how to bend, and 迅速な 祈りs were muttered by lips that were far more accustomed to blaspheme.

IX. THE CABARET DE LA LIBERTÉ

1.

"Eight!"

"Twelve!"

"Four!"

A loud 悪口を言う／悪態 …を伴ってd this last throw, and shouts of ribald laughter 迎える／歓迎するd it.

"No luck, Guidal!"

"Always at the tail end of the cart, eh, 国民?"

"Do not despair yet, good old Guidal! Bad beginnings oft make splendid ends!"

Then once again the dice 動揺させるd in the boxes; those who stood around 圧力（をかける）d closer 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the gamesters; hot, 熱心な 直面するs, covered with sweat and grime, peered 熱望して 負かす／撃墜する upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.

"Eight and eleven—nineteen!"

"Twelve and 無! By Satan! 悪口を言う／悪態 him! Just my luck!"

"Four and nine—thirteen! Unlucky number!"

"Now then—once more! I'll 支援する Merri! Ten assignats of the most worthless 肉親，親類d! Who'll take me that Merri gets the wench in the end?"

This from one of the lookers-on, a tall, cadaverous-looking creature, with sunken 注目する，もくろむs and 幅の広い, hunched-up shoulders, which were perpetually shaken by a 乾燥した，日照りの, rasping cough that 布告するd the 荒廃させるs of some mortal 病気, left him trembling as with ague and brought beads of perspiration to the roots of his lank hair. A recrudescence of excitement went the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of the 観客s. The gamblers sitting 一連の会議、交渉／完成する a 狭くする 取引，協定 （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, on which past libations had left 示すs of sticky （犯罪の）一味s, had 不十分な room to move their 肘s.

"Nineteen and four—twenty-three!"

"You are out of it, Desmonts!"

"Not yet!"

"Twelve and twelve!"

"There! What did I tell you?"

"Wait! wait! Now, Merri! Now! Remember I have 支援するd you for ten assignats, which I 提案する to steal from the nearest Jew this very night."

"Thirteen and twelve! Twenty-five, by all the demons and the ghouls!" （機の）カム with a 勝利を得た shout from the last 投げる人.

"Merri has it! Vive Merri!" was the 全員一致の and clamorous 返答.

Merri was evidently the most popular amongst the three gamblers. Now he sprawled upon the （法廷の）裁判, leaning his 支援する against the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and 調査するd the 組み立てる／集結するd company with the 空気／公表する of an Achilles having vanquished his 圧力をかけて脅す（悩ます）.

"Good luck to you and to your aristo!" began his 支援者 lustily—would, no 疑問, have continued his song of 賞賛する had not a violent fit of coughing smothered the words in his throat. The 手渡す which he had raised ーするために 非難する his friend genially on the 支援する now went with a convulsive clutch to his own chest.

But his obvious 苦しめる did not 明らかに 乱す the equanimity of Merri, or 誘発する even passing 利益／興味 in the lookers-on.

"May she have as much money as rumour avers," said one of the men sententiously.

Merri gave a careless wave of his grubby 手渡す.

"More, 国民; more!" he said loftily.

Only the two losers appeared inclined to scepticism.

"Bah!" one of them said—it was Desmonts. "The whole 事柄 of the woman's money may be a tissue of lies!"

"And England is a far cry!" 追加するd Guidal.

But Merri was not likely to be depressed by these dismal croakings.

"'Tis simple enough," he said philosophically, "to disparage the goods if you are not able to buy."

Then a lusty 発言する／表明する broke in from the far corner of the room:

"And now, 国民 Merri, 'tis time you remembered that the evening is hot and your friends thirsty!"

The man who spoke was a short, 幅の広い-shouldered creature, with crimson 直面する surrounded by a shock of white hair, like a 熟した tomato wrapped in cotton wool.

"And let me tell you," he 追加するd complacently, "that I have a 樽 of rum 負かす／撃墜する below, which （機の）カム straight from that accursed country, England, and is said to be the nectar whereon 料金d that confounded Scarlet Pimpernel. It gives him the strength, so 'tis said, to intrigue 首尾よく against the 代表者／国会議員s of the people."

"Then by all means, 国民," 結論するd Merri's 支援者, still hoarse and spent after his fit of coughing, "let us have some of your nectar. My friend, 国民 Merri, will need strength and wits too, I'll 令状, for, after he has married the aristo, he will have to 旅行 to England to pluck the rich dowry which is said to 嘘（をつく） hidden there."

"Cast no 疑問 upon that dowry, 国民 Rateau, 悪口を言う／悪態 you!" broke in Merri, with a spiteful ちらりと見ること directed against his former 競争相手s, "or Guidal and Desmonts will 中止する to look glum, and half my joy in the aristo will have gone."

After which, the conversation drifted to general 支配するs, became hilarious and ribald, while the celebrated rum from England filled the の近くに atmosphere of the 狭くする room with its heady ガス／煙s.

2.

It was, in fact, an ideal place wherein to 行為／行う those shady 処理／取引s which are 避けられない corollaries of an unfettered 僕主主義. 事業／計画（する）s of 押し込み強盗, 略奪する, rapine, even 殺人, were hatched within this 地下組織の burrow, where, as soon as evening drew in, a 独房監禁, smoky oil-lamp alone cast a 薄暗い light upon 直面するs that liked to 法廷，裁判所 the 不明瞭, and whence no sound that was not meant for 調査するing ears 設立する its way to the street above. The 塀で囲むs were 厚い with grime and smoke, the 床に打ち倒す mildewed and 割れ目d; dirt vied with squalor to make the place a fitting abode for thieves and 削減（する）-throats, for some of those 悪意のある night-birds, more vile even than those who shrieked with 満足させるd lust at sight of the tumbril, with its daily 負担 of unfortunates for the guillotine.

On this occasion the 事業／計画（する） that was 存在 hatched was one of the most abject. A young girl, known by some to be 所有するd of a fortune, was the 火刑／賭ける for which these 労働者s of iniquity 賭事d across one of 地雷 host's greasy （米）棚上げする／（英）提議するs. The 最新の 法令 of the 条約, encouraging, nay, 命令（する）ing, the union of aristocrats with いわゆる 愛国者s, had 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the imagination of this nest of known to have been successful in abstracting the 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of his ill-gotten wealth and 隠すing it somewhere—it was not 正確に／まさに known where, but thought to be in England—out of the reach, at any 率, of deserving 愛国者s.

Some three or four years ago, before the glorious 原則s of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity had made short shrift of all such pestilential aristocrats, the ci-devant 銀行業者, then a widower with an only daughter, Esther, had 旅行d to England. He soon returned to Paris, however, and went on living there with his little girl in comparative 退職, until his many 罪，犯罪s 設立する him out at last and he was made to 苦しむ the 罰 which he so 正確に，正当に deserved. Those 罪，犯罪s consisted for the most part in humiliating the aforesaid deserving 愛国者s with his benevolence, shaming them with many 親切s, and the 簡単 of his home-life, and, above all, in 侮辱する／軽蔑するing the 法令s of the 革命の 政府, which made every 関係 with the millions which he was supposed to have 隠すd. Certainly his daughter Esther—a young girl, not yet nineteen—had not 設立する them either, for after her father's death she went to live in one of the poorer ４半期/4分の1s of Paris, alone with an old and faithful servant 指名するd Lucienne. And while the 委員会 of Public Safety was 審議する／熟考するing whether it would be 価値（がある） while to send Esther to the guillotine, to follow in her father's footsteps, a 確かな number of astute 刑務所，拘置所-birds plotted to 得る 所有／入手 of her wealth.

The wealth 存在するd, over in England; of that they were ready to take their 誓い, and the 事業／計画（する） which they had formed was as ingenious as it was diabolic: to feign a denunciation, to 制定する a herd of miscreants should be the favoured one to play the 長，指導者 r?e in the 悪意のある 演劇.

The lot fell to Merri; but the whole ギャング（団） was to have a 株 in the putative fortune—even Rateau, the wretched creature with the 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセスing cough, who looked as if he had one foot in the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な, and shivered as if he were stricken with ague, put in a word now and again to remind his good friend Merri that he, too, was looking 今後 to his 株 of the spoils. Merri, however, was inclined to repudiate him altogether.

From which eloquent flow of language we may infer that the friendship between these two worthies was not of very old duration. Rateau would, no 疑問, have 抗議するd loudly, but the fresh outer 空気／公表する had evidently caught his wheezy 肺s, and for a minute or two he could do nothing but cough and splutter and groan, and 粘着する to his unresponsive comrade for support. Then at last, when he had 後継するd in 回復するing his breath, he said dolefully and with a ludicrous 試みる／企てる at dignified reproach:

"Do not 軍隊 me to remind you, 国民 Merri, that if it had not been for my suggestion that we should all draw lots, and then play hazard as to who shall be the chosen one to 支持を得ようと努める the ci-devant millionairess, there would soon have been a 解放する／自由な fight inside the cabaret, a number of broken 長，率いるs, and no 決定／判定勝ち（する） whatever arrived at; whilst you, who were never much of a 闘士，戦闘機, would probably be lying now helpless, with a broken nose, and 奪うd of some of your teeth, and with no chance of entering the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）s for the heiress. Instead of which, here you are, the 勝利者 by a 一打／打撃 of good fortune, which you should at least have the good grace to ascribe to me."

Whether the poor wretch's argument had any 負わせる with 国民 Merri, or whether that worthy 愛国者 単に thought that procrastination would, for the nonce, 証明する the best 政策, it were impossible to say. 確かな it is that in 返答 to his companion's tirade he contented himself with a 疑わしい grunt, and without another word turned on his heel and went slouching 負かす／撃墜する the street.

3.

For the 執拗な and 楽観的な romanticist, there were still one or two idylls to be discovered 繁栄するing under the 影をつくる／尾行する of the grim and relentless 革命. One such was that which had Esther Vincent and Jack Kennard for ヘロイン and hero. Esther, the 孤児d daughter of one of the richest 銀行業者s of pre-革命 days, now a daily governess and 世帯 drudge at ten フランs a week in the house of a retired butcher in the Rue Richelieu, and Jack Kennard, 以前は the 代表者／国会議員 of a big English 会社／堅い of woollen 製造業者s, who had thrown up his 雇用 and prospects in England ーするために watch over the girl whom he loved. He, himself an 外国人 enemy, an Englishman, in deadly danger of his life every hour that he remained in フラン; and she, unwilling at the time to leave the horrors of 革命の Paris while her father was ぐずぐず残る at the Conciergerie を待つing 激しい非難, as such forbidden to leave the city. So Kennard stayed on, unable to 涙／ほころび himself away from her, and 得るd an unlucrative 地位，任命する as accountant in a small ワイン shop over by Montmartre. His life, like hers, was hanging by a thread; any day, any hour now, some malevolent denunciation might, in the sight of the 委員会 of Public Safety, turn the eighteen years old "嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う" into a living 危険，危なくする to the 明言する／公表する, or the 外国人 enemy into a dangerous 秘かに調査する.

Some of the happiest hours these two spent in one another's company were embittered by that ever-現在の dread of the peremptory knock at the door, the portentous: "Open, in the 指名する of the 法律!" the perquisition, the 逮捕（する）, to which the only 問題／発行する, these days, was the guillotine.

But the girl was only just eighteen, and he not many years older, and at that age, in spite of 悲惨, 悲しみ, and dread, life always has its 補償（金）s. 青年 cries out to happiness so insistently that happiness is 軍隊d to hear, and for a few moments, at the least, 運動s care and even the bitterest 苦悩 away.

For Esther Vincent and her English lover there were moments when they believed themselves to be almost happy. It was in the evenings mostly, when she （機の）カム home from her work and he was 解放する／自由な to spend an hour or two with her. Then old Lucienne, who had been Esther's nurse in the happy, olden days, and was an 未払いの maid-of-all-work and a loved and 信用d friend now, would bring in the lamp and pull the 井戸／弁護士席-darned curtains over the windows. She would spread a clean cloth upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and bring in a meagre supper of coffee and 黒人／ボイコット bread, perhaps a little butter or a tiny square of cheese. And the two young people would talk of the 未来, of the time when they would settle 負かす／撃墜する in Kennard's old home, over in England, where his mother and sister even now were eating out their hearts with 苦悩 for him.

"Tell me all about the South 負かす／撃墜するs," Esther was very fond of 説; "and your village, and your house, and the rambler roses and the clematis arbour."

She never tired of 審理，公聴会, or he of telling. The old Manor House, bought with his father's 貯金; the garden which was his mother's hobby; the cricket pitch on the village green. Oh, the cricket! She thought that so funny—the men in high, sugar-loaf hats, grown-up men, spending hours and hours, day after day, in banging at a ball with a 木造の bat!

"Oh, Jack! The English are a funny, nice, dear, 肉親，親類d lot of people. I remember—"

She remembered so 井戸／弁護士席 that happy summer which she had spent with her father in England four years ago. It was after the Bastille had been 嵐／襲撃するd and taken, and the 銀行業者 had 旅行d to England with his daughter in something of a hurry. Then her father had talked of returning to フラン and leaving her behind with friends in England. But Esther would not be left. Oh, no! Even now she glowed with pride at the thought of her firmness in the 事柄. If she had remained in England she would never have seen her dear father again. Here remembrances grew bitter and sad, until Jack's 手渡す reached soothingly, consolingly out to her, and she 小衝突d away her 涙／ほころびs, so as not to sadden him still more.

Then she would ask more questions about his home and his garden, about his mother and the dogs and the flowers; and once more they would forget that 憎悪 and envy and death were already stalking their door.

4.

"Open, in the 指名する of the 法律!"

It had come at last. A bolt from out the serene blue of their happiness. A rough, dirty, angry, 悪口を言う／悪態ing （人が）群がる, who burst through the 激しい door even before they had time to open it. Lucienne 崩壊（する）d into a 議長，司会を務める, weeping and lamenting, with her apron thrown over her 長，率いる. But Esther and Kennard stood やめる still and 静める, 持つ／拘留するing one another by the 手渡す, just to give one another courage.

Some half dozen men stalked into the little room. Men? They looked like ravenous beasts, and were unspeakably dirty, wore 国／地域d tricolour scarves above their tattered breeches in 記念品 of their 公式の／役人 status. Two of them fell on the 残余s of the meagre supper and devoured everything that remained on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する—bread, cheese, a piece of home-made sausage. The others ransacked the two attic-rooms which had been home for Esther and Lucienne: the little living-room under the sloping roof, with the small hearth on which very scanty meals were wont to be cooked, and the 明らかにする, 狭くする room beyond, with the アイロンをかける bedstead, and the palliasse on the 床に打ち倒す for Lucienne.

The men poked about everywhere, struck 広大な／多数の／重要な, spiked sticks through the poor bits of bedding, and ripped up the palliasse. They tore open the drawers of the rickety chest and of the broken-負かす／撃墜する wardrobe, and did not spare the unfortunate young girl a 選び出す／独身 humiliation or a 選び出す／独身 侮辱／冷遇.

Kennard, 燃やすing with wrath, tried to 抗議する.

"持つ／拘留する that cub!" 命令（する）d the leader of the party, almost as soon as the young Englishman's hot, indignant words had resounded above the din of overturned furniture. "And if he opens his mouth again throw him into the street!" And Kennard, terrified lest he should be parted from Esther, thought it wiser to 持つ／拘留する his peace.

They looked at one another, like two young 罠にかける beasts—not despairing, but trying to infuse courage one into the other by a look of 信用／信任 and of love. Esther, in fact, kept her 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on her good-looking English lover, 堅固に keeping 負かす／撃墜する the shudder of loathing which went 権利 through her when she saw those awful men coming nigh her. There was one 特に whom she abominated worse than the others, a bandy-legged ruffian, who regarded her with a leer that 原因（となる）d her an almost physical nausea. He did not 参加する the perquisition, but sat 負かす／撃墜する in the centre of the room and sprawled over the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する with the 空気／公表する of one who was in 当局. The others 演説（する）／住所d him as "国民 Merri," and alternately ridiculed and deferred to him. And there was another, 平等に hateful, a horrible, cadaverous creature, with 抱擁する 明らかにする feet thrust into sabots, and lank hair, 厚い with grime. He did most of the talking, even though his loquacity occasionally broke 負かす／撃墜する in a racking cough, which literally seemed to 涙／ほころび at his chest, and left him panting, hoarse, and with beads of moisture upon his low, pallid forehead.

Of course, the men 設立する nothing that could even remotely be 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語d 妥協ing. Esther had been very 慎重な in deference to Kennard's advice; she also had very few 所有／入手s. にもかかわらず, when the wretches had turned every article of furniture inside out, one of them asked curtly:

"What do we do next, 国民 Merri?"

"Do?" broke in the cadaverous creature, even before Merri had time to reply. "Do? Why, take the wench to—to—"

He got no その上の, became helpless with coughing. Esther, やめる instinctively, 押し進めるd the carafe of water に向かって him.

"Nothing of the sort!" riposted Merri sententiously. "The wench stays here!"

Both Esther and Jack had much ado to 抑える an involuntary cry of 救済, which at this 予期しない pronouncement had risen to their lips.

The man with the cough tried to 抗議する.

"But—" he began hoarsely.

"I said, the wench stays here!" broke in Merri peremptorily. "Ah 軋!" he 追加するd, with a savage imprecation. "Do you 命令（する） here, 国民 Rateau, or do I?"

The other at once became humble, even cringing.

"You, of course, 国民," he 再結合させるd in his hollow 発言する／表明する. "I would only 発言／述べる—"

"発言／述べる nothing," retorted the other curtly. "See to it that the cub is out of the house. And after that put a 歩哨 outside the wench's door. No one to go in and out of here under any pretext whatever. Understand?"

Kennard this time uttered a cry of 抗議する. The helplessness of his position exasperated him almost to madness. Two men were 持つ／拘留するing him tightly by his sinewy 武器. With an Englishman's instinct for a fight, he would not only have tried, but also 後継するd in knocking these two 負かす／撃墜する, and taken the other four on after that, with やめる a reasonable chance of success. That tuberculous creature, now! And that bandy-legged ruffian! Jack Kennard had been an amateur middle-負わせる 支持する／優勝者 in his day, and these brutes had no more science than an enraged bull! But even as he fought against that instinct he realised the futility of a struggle. The danger of it, too—not for himself, but for her. After all, they were not going to take her away to one of those awful places from which the only egress was the way to the guillotine; and if there was that 量 of freedom there was bound to be some hope. At twenty there is always hope!

So when, in obedience to Merri's orders, the two ruffians began to drag him に向かって the door, he said 堅固に:

"Leave me alone. I'll go without this unnecessary struggling."

Then, before the wretches realised his 意向, he had jerked himself 解放する／自由な from them and run to Esther.

"Have no 恐れる," he said to her in English, and in a 早い whisper. "I'll watch over you. The house opposite. I know the people. I'll manage it somehow. Be on the look-out."

They would not let him say more, and she only had the chance of 答える／応じるing 堅固に: "I am not afraid, and I'll be on the look-out." The next moment Merri's compeers 掴むd him from behind—four of them this time.

Then, of course, prudence went to the 勝利，勝つd. He 攻撃する，衝突する out to the 権利 and left. Knocked two of those recreants 負かす／撃墜する, and already was 用意が出来ている to 掴む Esther in his 武器, make a wild dash for the door, and run with her, whither only God knew, when Rateau, that awful consumptive reprobate, crept slyly up behind him and dealt him a swift and 激しい blow on the skull with his 負わせるd stick. Kennard staggered, and the 強盗団の一味 の近くにd upon him. Those on the 床に打ち倒す had time to 回復する their feet. To make 保証／確信 doubly sure, one of them emulated Rateau's 策略, and 攻撃する，衝突する the Englishman once more on the 長，率いる from behind. After that, Kennard became inert; he had partly lost consciousness. His 長，率いる ached furiously. Esther, numb with horror, saw him bundled out of the room. Rateau, coughing and spluttering, finally の近くにd the door upon the unfortunate and the four brigands who had 持つ／拘留する of him.

Only Merri and that awful Rateau had remained in the room. The latter, gasping for breath now, 注ぐd himself out a mugful of water and drank it 負かす／撃墜する at one draught. Then he swore, because he 手配中の，お尋ね者 rum, or brandy, or even ワイン. Esther watched him and Merri, fascinated. Poor old Lucienne was 静かに weeping behind her apron.

"Now then, my wench," Merri began 突然の, "suppose you sit 負かす／撃墜する here and listen to what I have to say."

He pulled a 議長，司会を務める の近くに to him and, with one of those hideous leers which had already 原因（となる）d her to shudder, he beckoned her to sit. Esther obeyed as if in a dream. Her 注目する，もくろむs were dilated like those of one in a waking trance. She moved mechanically, like a bird attracted by a serpent, terrified, yet unresisting. She felt utterly helpless between these two villainous brutes, and 苦悩 for her English lover seemed その上の to numb her senses. When she was sitting she turned her gaze, with an involuntary 控訴，上告 for pity, upon the bandy-legged ruffian beside her. He laughed.

"No! I am not going to 傷つける you," he said with smooth condescension, which was far more loathsome to Esther's ears than his comrades' savage 誓いs had been. "You are pretty and you have pleased me. 'Tis no small 事柄, forsooth!" he 追加するd, with loud-発言する／表明するd bombast, "to have earned the good-will of 国民 Merri. You, my wench, are in luck's way. You realise what has occurred just now. You are amenable to the 法律 which has 法令d you to be 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う. I 持つ／拘留する an order for your 逮捕（する）. I can have you 掴むd at once by my men, dragged to the Conciergerie, and from thence nothing can save you—neither your good looks nor the 保護 of 国民 Merri. It means the guillotine. You understand that, don't you?"

She sat やめる still; only her 手渡すs were clutched convulsively together. But she contrived to say やめる 堅固に:

"I do, and I am not afraid."

Merri waved a 抱擁する and very dirty 手渡す with a careless gesture.

"I know," he said with a 厳しい laugh. "They all say that, don't they, 国民 Rateau?"

"Until the time comes," assented that worthy dryly.

"Until the time comes," 繰り返し言うd the other. "Now, my wench," he 追加するd, once more turning to Esther, "I don't want that time to come. I don't want your pretty 長，率いる to go rolling 負かす／撃墜する into the basket, and to receive the 非難する on the 直面する which the 国民 executioner has of late taken to bestowing on those aristocratic cheeks which Mme. la Guillotine has finally blanched for ever. Like this, you see."

And the 残忍な wretch took up one of the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する cushions from the nearest 議長，司会を務める, held it up at arm's length, as if it were a 長，率いる which he held by the hair, and then slapped it twice with the palm of his left 手渡す. The gesture was so horrible and withal so grotesque, that Esther の近くにd her 注目する，もくろむs with a shudder, and her pale cheeks took on a leaden hue. Merri laughed aloud and threw the cushion 負かす／撃墜する again.

"Unpleasant, what? my pretty wench! 井戸／弁護士席, you know what to 推定する／予想する...unless," he 追加するd 意味ありげに, "you are reasonable and will listen to what I am about to tell you."

Esther was no fool, nor was she unsophisticated. These were not times when it was possible for any girl, however carefully 養育するd and tenderly brought up, to remain ignorant of the realities and the brutalities of life. Even before Merri had put his abominable proposition before her, she knew what he was 運動ing at. Marriage—marriage to him! that ignoble wretch, more vile than any dumb creature! In 交流 for her life!

It was her turn now to laugh. The very thought of it was farcical in its very odiousness. Merri, who had 乗る，着手するd on his 提案 with grandiloquent phraseology, suddenly paused, almost awed by that strange, hysterical laughter.

"By Satan and all his ghouls!" he cried, and jumped to his feet, his cheeks paling beneath the grime.

Then 激怒（する） 掴むd him at his own cowardice. His egregious vanity, 負傷させるd by that laughter, egged him on. He tried to 掴む Esther by the waist. But she, quick as some panther on the defence, had jumped up, too, and pounced upon a knife—the very one she had been using for that happy little supper with her lover a 簡潔な／要約する half hour ago. Unguarded, unthinking, 事実上の／代理 just with a blind instinct, she raised it and cried hoarsely:

"If you dare touch me, I'll kill you!"

It was ludicrous, of course. A mouse 脅すing a tiger. The very next moment Rateau had 掴むd her 手渡す and 静かに taken away the knife. Merri shook himself like a frowsy dog.

"Whew!" he ejaculated. "What a vixen! But," he 追加するd lightly, "I like her all the better for that—eh, Rateau? Give me a wench with a temperament, I say!"

But Esther, too, had 回復するd herself. She realised her helplessness, and gathered courage from the consciousness of it! Now she 直面するd the 悪名高い villain more calmly.

"I will never marry you," she said loudly and 堅固に. "Never! I am not afraid to die. I am not afraid of the guillotine. There is no shame 大（公）使館員d to death. So now you may do as you please—公然と非難する me, and send me to follow in the footsteps of my dear father, if you wish. But whilst I am alive you will never come nigh me. If you ever do but lay a finger upon me, it will be because I am dead and beyond the reach of your 汚染するing touch. And now I have said all that I will ever say to you in this life. If you have a 誘発する of humanity left in you, you will, at least, let me 準備する for death in peace."

She went 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to where poor old Lucienne still sat, like an insentient スピードを出す／記録につける, panic-stricken. She knelt 負かす／撃墜する on the 床に打ち倒す and 残り／休憩（する）d her arm on the old woman's 膝s. The light of the lamp fell 十分な upon her, her pale 直面する, and 集まり of chestnut-brown hair. There was nothing about her at this moment to inflame a man's 願望（する）. She looked pathetic in her helplessness, and nearly lifeless through the intensity of her pallor, whilst the look in her 注目する，もくろむs was almost maniacal.

Merri 悪口を言う／悪態d and swore, tried to hearten himself by turning on his friend. But Rateau had 崩壊（する）d—whether with excitement or the 荒廃させるs of 病気, it were impossible to say. He sat upon a low 議長，司会を務める, his long 脚s, his violet-circled 注目する，もくろむs 星／主役にするing out with a look of hebetude and 圧倒的な 疲労，（軍の）雑役. Merri looked around him and shuddered. The atmosphere of the place had become strangely weird and uncanny; even the tablecloth, dragged half across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, looked somehow like a shroud.

"What shall we do, Rateau?" he asked tremulously at last.

"Get out of this infernal place," replied the other huskily. "I feel as if I were in my 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な-着せる／賦与するs already."

"持つ／拘留する your tongue, you 哀れな coward! You'll make the aristo think that we are afraid."

"井戸／弁護士席?" queried Rateau blandly. "Aren't you?"

"No!" replied Merri ひどく. "I'll go now because...because...井戸／弁護士席! because I have had enough to-day. And the wench sickens me. I wish to serve the 共和国 by marrying her, but just now I feel as if I should never really want her. So I'll go! But, understand!" he 追加するd, and turned once more to Esther, even though he could not bring himself to go nigh her again. "Understand that to-morrow I'll come again for my answer. In the 一方／合間, you may think 事柄s over, and, maybe, you'll arrive at a more reasonable でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる of mind. You will not leave these rooms until I 始める，決める you 解放する／自由な. My men will remain as sentinels at your door."

He beckoned to Rateau, and the two men went out of the room without another word.

5.

The whole of that night Esther remained shut up in her apartment in the Petite Rue Taranne. All night she heard the 手段d tramp, the movements, the laughter and loud talking of men outside her door. Once or twice she tried to listen to what they said. But the doors and 塀で囲むs in these houses of old Paris were too stout to 許す 発言する／表明するs to filter through, save in the guise of a 混乱させるd murmur. She would have felt horribly lonely and 脅すd but for the fact that in one window on the third 床に打ち倒す in the house opposite the light of a lamp appeared like a 微光 of hope. Jack Kennard was there, on the watch. He had the window open and sat beside it until a very late hour; and after that he kept the light in, as a beacon, to 企て，努力，提案 her be of good 元気づける.

In the middle of the night he made an 試みる／企てる to see her, hoping to catch the sentinels asleep or absent. But, having climbed the five stories of the house wherein she dwelt, he arrived on the 上陸 outside her door and 設立する there half a dozen ruffians squatting on the 石／投石する 床に打ち倒す and engaged in playing hazard with a pack of greasy cards. That wretched consumptive, Rateau, was with them, and made a facetious 発言／述べる as Kennard, pale and haggard, almost ghostlike, with a white 包帯 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his 長，率いる, appeared upon the 上陸.

"Go 支援する to bed, 国民," the 嫌悪すべき creature said, with a raucous laugh. "We are taking care of your sweetheart for you."

Never in all his life had Jack Kennard felt so abjectly wretched as he did then, so miserably helpless. There was nothing that he could do, save to return to the 宿泊するing, which a 肉親，親類d friend had lent him for the occasion, and from whence he could, at any 率, see the windows behind which his beloved was watching and 苦しむing.

When he went a few moments ago, he had left the porte coch鑽e ajar. Now he 押し進めるd it open and stepped into the dark passage beyond. A tiny streak of light filtrated through a small curtained window in the concierge's 宿泊する; it served to guide Kennard to the foot of the 狭くする 石／投石する staircase which led to the 床に打ち倒すs above. Just at the foot of the stairs, on the mat, a white paper 微光d in the 薄暗い 軸 of light. He paused, puzzled, やめる 確かな that the paper was not there five minutes ago when he went out. Oh! it may have ぱたぱたするd in from the 中庭 beyond, or from anywhere, driven by the draught. But, even so, with that mechanical 活動／戦闘 peculiar to most people under like circumstances, he stooped and 選ぶd up the paper, turned it over between his fingers, and saw that a few words were scribbled on it in pencil. The light was too 薄暗い to read by, so Kennard, still やめる mechanically, kept the paper in his 手渡す and went up to his room. There, by the light of the lamp, he read the few words scribbled in pencil:

"Wait in the street outside."

Nothing more. The message was 明白に not ーするつもりであるd for him, and yet...A strange excitement 所有するd him. If it should be! If...! He had heard—everyone had—of the mysterious 機関s that were at work, under cover of 不明瞭, to 援助（する） the unfortunate, the innocent, the helpless. He had heard of that 伝説の English gentleman who had before now 反抗するd the closest vigilance of the 委員会s, and snatched their ーするつもりであるd 犠牲者s out of their murderous clutches, at times under their very 注目する，もくろむs.

If this should be...! He 不十分な dared put his hope into words. He could not bring himself really to believe. But he went. He ran downstairs and out into the street, took his stand under a 事業／計画（する）ing doorway nearly opposite the house which held the woman he loved, and leaning against the 塀で囲む, he waited.

After many hours—it was then past three o'clock in the morning, and the sky of an inky blackness—he felt so numb that にもかかわらず his will a 肉親，親類d of trance-like drowsiness overcame him. He could no longer stand on his feet; his 膝s were shaking; his 長，率いる felt so 激しい that he could not keep it up. It rolled 一連の会議、交渉／完成する from shoulder to shoulder, as if his will no longer controlled it. And it ached furiously. Everything around him was very still. Even "Paris-by-Night," that grim and lurid 巨大（な）, was for the moment at 残り／休憩（する）. A warm summer rain was 落ちるing; its gentle, pattering murmur into the gutter helped to なぎ Kennard's senses into somnolence. He was on the point of dropping off to sleep when something suddenly roused him. A noise of men shouting and laughing—familiar sounds enough in these squalid Paris streets.

But Kennard was wide awake now; numbness had given place to 激しい quivering of all his muscles, and 最高の-keenness of his every sense. He peered into the 不明瞭 and 緊張するd his ears to hear. The sound certainly appeared to come from the house opposite, and there, too, it seemed as if something or things were moving. Men! More than one or two, surely! Kennard thought that he could distinguish at least three 際立った 発言する／表明するs; and there was that weird, racking cough which 布告するd the presence of Rateau.

Now the men were やめる の近くに to where he—Kennard—still stood cowering. A minute or two later they had passed 負かす／撃墜する the street. Their hoarse 発言する／表明するs soon died away in the distance. Kennard crept 慎重に out of his hiding-place. Message or mere coincidence, he now blessed that mysterious 捨てる of paper. Had he remained in his room, he might really have dropped off to sleep and not heard these men going away. There were three of them at least—Kennard thought four. But, anyway, the number of watch-dogs outside the door of his beloved had かなり 減らすd. He felt that he had the strength to grapple with them, even if there were still three of them left. He, an 競技者, English, and master of the art of self-defence; and they, a mere pack of drink-sodden brutes! Yes! He was やめる sure he could do it. やめる sure that he could 軍隊 his way into Esther's rooms and carry her off in his 武器—whither? God alone knew. And God alone would 供給する.

Just for a moment he wondered if, while he was in that 明言する／公表する of somnolence, other 強盗団の一味 had come to take the place of those that were going. But this thought he quickly 解任するd. In any 事例／患者, he felt a 巨大（な）'s strength in himself, and could not 残り／休憩（する） now till he had tried once more to see her. He crept very 慎重に along; was 満足させるd that the street was 砂漠d.

Already he had reached the house opposite, had 押し進めるd open the porte coch鑽e, which was on the latch—when, without the slightest 警告, he was suddenly attacked from behind, his 武器 掴むd and held behind his 支援する with a 副／悪徳行為-like 支配する, whilst a vigorous kick against the calves of his 脚s 原因（となる）d him to lose his 地盤 and suddenly brought him 負かす／撃墜する, sprawling and helpless, in the gutter, while in his ear there rang the hideous sound of the consumptive ruffian's racking cough.

"What shall we do with the cub now?" a raucous 発言する／表明する （機の）カム out of the 不明瞭.

"Let him 嘘（をつく） there," was the quick 返答. "It'll teach him to 干渉する with the work of honest 愛国者s."

Kennard, lying somewhat bruised and stunned, heard this 法令 with thankfulness. The 強盗団の一味 明白に thought him more 傷つける than he was, and if only they would leave him lying here, he would soon 選ぶ himself up and 新たにする his 試みる／企てる to go to Esther. He did not move, feigning unconsciousness, even though he felt rather than saw that hideous Rateau stooping over him, heard his stertorous breathing, the wheezing in his throat.

"Run and fetch a bit of cord, 国民 Desmonts," the wretch said presently. "A trussed cub is safer than a loose one."

This dashed Kennard's hopes to a 広大な／多数の／重要な extent. He felt that he must 行為／法令／行動する quickly, before those brigands returned and （判決などを）下すd him 完全に helpless. He made a movement to rise—a movement so swift and sudden as only a trained 競技者 can make. But, quick as he was, that 嫌悪すべき, wheezing creature was quicker still, and now, when Kennard had turned on his 支援する, Rateau 敏速に sat on his chest, a dead 負わせる, with long 脚s stretched out before him, coughing and spluttering, yet wholly at his 緩和する.

Oh! the humiliating position for an amateur middle-負わせる 支持する／優勝者 to find himself in, with that drink-sodden—Kennard was sure that he was drink-sodden—consumptive sprawling on the 最高の，を越す of him!

"Don't trouble, 国民 Desmonts," the wretch cried out after his 退却／保養地ing companions. "I have what I want by me."

Very leisurely he pulled a coil of rope out of the capacious pocket of his tattered coat. Kennard could not see what he was doing, but felt it with supersensitive instinct all the time. He lay やめる still beneath the 負わせる of that miscreant, feigning unconsciousness, yet hardly able to breathe. That tuberculous caitiff was such a 非常に高い 負わせる. But he tried to keep his faculties on the 警報, ready for that surprise spring which would turn the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議するs, at the slightest 誤った move on the part of Rateau.

But, as luck would have it, Rateau did not make a 選び出す／独身 誤った move. It was amazing with what dexterity he kept Kennard 負かす／撃墜する, even while he contrived to pinion him with cords. An old sailor, probably, he seemed so dexterous with knots.

My God! the humiliation of it all. And Esther a helpless 囚人, inside that house not five paces away! Kennard's 激しい, 疲れた／うんざりしたd 注目する，もくろむs could perceive the light in her window, five stories above where he lay, in the gutter, a helpless スピードを出す／記録につける. Even now he gave a last desperate shriek:

"Esther!"

But in a second the abominable brigand's 手渡す （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する ひどく upon his mouth, whilst a raucous 発言する／表明する spluttered rather than said, 権利 through an awful fit of coughing:

"Another sound, and I'll gag 同様に as 貯蔵所d you, you young fool!"

After which, Kennard remained やめる still.

6.

Esther, up in her little attic, knew nothing of what her English lover was even then 苦しむing for her sake. She herself had passed, during the night, through every 行う／開催する／段階 of horror and of 恐れる. Soon after midnight that execrable brigand Rateau had poked his ugly, cadaverous 直面する in at the door and peremptorily called for Lucienne. The woman, more dead than alive now with terror, had answered with mechanical obedience.

"I and my friends are thirsty," the man had 命令（する）d. "Go and fetch us a litre of eau-de-争う."

Poor Lucienne stammered a pitiable: "Where shall I go?"

"To the house at the 調印する of 'Le fort Samson,' in the Rue de Seine," replied Rateau curtly. "They'll serve you 井戸／弁護士席 if you について言及する my 指名する."

Of course Lucienne 抗議するd. She was a decent woman, who had never been inside a cabaret in her life.

"Then it's time you began," was Rateau's 乾燥した，日照りの comment, which was 迎える／歓迎するd with much laughter from his abominable companions.

Lucienne was 軍隊d to go. It would, of course, have been futile and madness to resist. This had occurred three hours since. The Rue de Seine was not far, but the poor woman had not returned. Esther was left with this 付加 horror 重さを計るing upon her soul. What had happened to her unfortunate servant? 見通しs of 乱暴／暴力を加える and 殺人 floated before the poor girl's 拷問d brain. At best, Lucienne was 存在 kept out of the way ーするために make her—Esther—feel more lonely and desperate! She remained at the window after that, watching that light in the house opposite and fingering her 祈り-調書をとる／予約する, the only solace which she had. Her attic was so high up and the street so 狭くする, that she could not see what went on in the street below. At one time she heard a 広大な／多数の／重要な to-do outside her door. It seemed as if some of the bloodhounds who were 始める，決める to watch her had gone, or that others （機の）カム. She really hardly cared which it was. Then she heard a 広大な／多数の／重要な commotion coming from the street すぐに beneath her: men shouting and laughing, and that awful creature's rasping cough.

At one moment she felt sure that Kennard had called to her by 指名する. She heard his 発言する／表明する distinctly, raised as if in a despairing cry.

After that, all was still.

So still that she could hear her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing furiously, and then a 涙／ほころび 落ちるing from her 注目する，もくろむs upon her open 調書をとる／予約する. So still that the gentle patter of the rain sounded like a soothing lullaby. She was very young, and was very tired. Out, above the line of sloping roofs and chimney マリファナs, the 不明瞭 of the sky was 産する／生じるing to the first touch of 夜明け. The rain 中止するd. Everything became deathly still. Esther's 長，率いる fell, 疲れた／うんざりしたd, upon her 倍のd 武器.

Then, suddenly, she was wide awake. Something had roused her. A noise. At first she could not tell what it was, but now she knew. It was the 開始 and shutting of the door behind her, and then a quick, stealthy footstep across the room. The horror of it all was unspeakable. Esther remained as she had been, on her 膝s, mechanically fingering her 祈り-調書をとる／予約する, unable to move, unable to utter a sound, as if paralysed. She knew that one of those abominable creatures had entered her room, was coming 近づく her even now. She did not know who it was, only guessed it was Rateau, for she heard a raucous, stertorous wheeze. Yet she could not have then turned to look if her life had depended upon her doing so.

The whole thing had occurred in いっそう少なく than half a dozen heart-（警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s. The next moment the wretch was の近くに to her. Mercifully she felt that her senses were leaving her. Even so, she felt that a handkerchief was 存在 bound over her mouth to 妨げる her 叫び声をあげるing. Wholly unnecessary this, for she could not have uttered a sound. Then she was 解除するd off the ground and carried across the room, then over the threshold. A vague, subconscious 成果／努力 of will helped her to keep her 長，率いる 回避するd from that wheezing wretch who was carrying her. Thus she could see the 上陸, and two of those abominable 監視者s who had been 始める，決める to guard her.

The ghostly grey light of 夜明け （機の）カム peeping in through the 狭くする dormer window in the sloping roof, and faintly illumined their sprawling forms, stretched out at 十分な length, with their 長，率いるs buried in their 倍のd 武器 and their naked 脚s looking pallid and weird in the 薄暗い light. Their stertorous breathing woke the echoes of the 明らかにする, 石／投石する 塀で囲むs. Esther shuddered and の近くにd her 注目する，もくろむs. She was now like an insentient スピードを出す／記録につける, without 力／強力にする, or thought, or will—almost without feeling.

Then, all at once, the coolness of the morning 空気／公表する caught her 十分な in the 直面する. She opened her 注目する，もくろむs and tried to move, but those powerful 武器 held her more closely than before. Now she could have shrieked with horror. With returning consciousness the sense of her desperate position （機の）カム on her with its 十分な and 恐ろしい significance, its awe-奮起させるing 詳細（に述べる）s. The grey 夜明け, the abandoned wretch who held her, and the stillness of this 早期に morning hour, when not one pitying soul would be astir to lend her a helping 手渡す or give her the solace of mute sympathy. So 広大な／多数の／重要な, indeed, was this stillness that the click of the man's sabots upon the uneven pavement reverberated, ghoul-like and weird.

And it was through that awesome stillness that a sound suddenly struck her ear, which, in the instant, made her feel that she was not really alive, or, if alive, was sleeping and dreaming strange and impossible dreams. It was the sound of a 発言する／表明する, （疑いを）晴らす and 会社／堅い, and with a wonderful （犯罪の）一味 of merriment in its トンs, calling out just above a whisper, and in English, if you please:

"Look out, Ffoulkes! That young cub is as strong as a horse. He will give us all away if you are not careful."

A dream? Of course it was a dream, for the 発言する／表明する had sounded very の近くに to her ear; so の近くに, in fact, that...井戸／弁護士席! Esther was やめる sure that her 直面する still 残り／休憩（する）d against the hideous, tattered, and grimy coat which that repulsive Rateau had been wearing all along. And there was the click of his sabots upon the pavement all the time. So, then, the 発言する／表明する and the merry, 抑えるd laughter which …を伴ってd it, must all have been a part of her dream. How long this lasted she could not have told you. An hour and more, she thought, while the grey 夜明け 産する／生じるd to the roseate hue of morning. Somehow, she no longer 苦しむd either terror or foreboding. A subtle atmosphere of strength and of 安全 seemed to encompass her. At one time she felt as if she were driven along in a car that 揺さぶるd horribly, and when she moved her 直面する and 手渡すs they （機の）カム in 接触する with things that were fresh and green and smelt of the country. She was in 不明瞭 then, and more than three parts unconscious, but the handkerchief had been 除去するd from her mouth. It seemed to her as if she could hear the 発言する／表明する of her Jack, but far away and indistinct; also the tramp of horses' hoofs and the creaking of cart-wheels, and at times that awful, rasping cough, which reminded her of the presence of a loathsome wretch, who should not have had a part in her soothing dream.

Thus many hours must have gone by.

Then, all at once, she was inside a house—a room, and she felt that she was 存在 lowered very gently to the ground. She was on her feet, but she could not see where she was. There was furniture; a carpet; a 天井; the man Rateau with the sabots and the dirty coat, and the merry English 発言する／表明する, and a pair of 深い-始める，決める blue 注目する，もくろむs, thoughtful and lazy and infinitely 肉親，親類d.

But before she could 適切に 焦点（を合わせる） what she saw, everything began to whirl and to spin around her, to dance a wild and idiotic saraband, which 原因（となる）d her to laugh, and to laugh, until her throat felt choked and her 注目する，もくろむs hot; after which she remembered nothing more.

7.

The first thing of which Esther Vincent was conscious, when she returned to her senses, was of her English lover ひさまづくing beside her. She was lying on some 肉親，親類d of couch, and she could see his 直面する in profile, for he had turned and was speaking to someone at the far end of the room.

"And was it you who knocked me 負かす／撃墜する?" he was 説, "and sat on my chest, and trussed me like a fowl?"

"La! my dear sir," a lazy, pleasant 発言する／表明する riposted, "what else could I do? There was no time for explanations. You were half-crazed, and would not have understood. And you were ready to bring all the nightwatchmen about our ears."

"I am sorry!" Kennard said 簡単に. "But how could I guess?"

"You couldn't," 再結合させるd the other. "That is why I had to 取引，協定 so summarily with you and with Mademoiselle Esther, not to speak of good old Lucienne, who had never, in her life, been inside a cabaret. You must all 許す me ere you start upon your 旅行. You are not out of the 支持を得ようと努めるd yet, remember. Though Paris is a long way behind, フラン itself is no longer a healthy place for any of you."

"But how did we ever get out of Paris? I was smothered under a pile of cabbages, with Lucienne on one 味方する of me and Esther, unconscious, on the other. I could see nothing. I know we 停止（させる）d at the 障壁. I thought we would be recognised, turned 支援する! My God! how I trembled!"

"Bah!" broke in the other, with a careless laugh. "It is not so difficult as it seems. We have done it before—eh, Ffoulkes? A market-gardener's cart, a villainous wretch like myself to 運動 it, another hideous 反対する like Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, Bart., to lead the scraggy nag, a couple of (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd or stolen パスポートs, plenty of English gold, and the 行為 is done!"

Esther's 注目する，もくろむs were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the （衆議院の）議長. She marvelled now how she could have been so blind. The cadaverous 直面する was nothing but a splendid use of grease paint! The rags! the dirt! the whole 仮定／引き受けること of a hideous character was 熟達した! But there were the 注目する，もくろむs, 深い-始める，決める, and thoughtful and 肉親，親類d. How did she fail to guess?

"You are known as the Scarlet Pimpernel," she said suddenly. "Suzanne de Tournai was my friend. She told me. You saved her and her family, and now...oh, my God!" she exclaimed, "how shall we ever 返す you?"

"By placing yourselves unreservedly in my friend Ffoulkes' 手渡すs," he replied gently. "He will lead you to safety and, if you wish it, to England."

"If we wish it!" Kennard sighed fervently.

"You are not coming with us, Blakeney?" queried Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, and it seemed to Esther's 極度の慎重さを要する ears as if a トン of real 苦悩 and also of entreaty rang in the young man's 発言する／表明する.

"No, not this time," replied Sir Percy lightly. "I like my I hope."

"But that awful cough of yours! Percy, you'll do yourself an 傷害 with it one day."

"Not I! I like that cough. I practised it for a long time before I did it to perfection. Such a splendid wheeze! I must teach Tony to do it some day. Would you like to hear it now?"

He laughed, that perfect, delightful, lazy laugh of his, which carried every hearer with it along the path of light-hearted merriment. Then he broke into the awful cough of the consumptive Rateau. And Esther Vincent instinctively の近くにd her 注目する，もくろむs and shuddered.

X. "NEEDS MUST—"

1.

The children were all 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd up together in one corner of the room. Etienne and Valentine, the two eldest, had their 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the little one. As for Lucile, she would have told you herself that she felt just like a bird between two snakes—terrified and fascinated—oh! 特に by that little man with the pale 直面する and the light grey 注目する，もくろむs and the slender white 手渡すs unstained by toil, one of which 残り／休憩（する）d lightly upon the desk, and was only clenched now and then at a word or a look from the other man or from Lucile herself.

But Commissary Lebel just tried to browbeat her. It was not difficult, for in truth she felt 脅すd enough already, with all this talk of "反逆者s" and that awful 脅し of the guillotine.

Lucile Clamette, however, would have remained splendidly loyal in spite of all these 脅しs, if it had not been for the children. She was little mother to them; for father was a 手足を不自由にする／（物事を）損なう, with speech and mind already impaired by creeping paralysis, and maman had died when little Josephine was born. And now those fiends 脅すd not only her, but Etienne who was not fourteen, and Valentine who was not much more than ten, with death, unless she—Lucile—broke the solemn word which she had given to M. le Marquis. At first she had tried to 否定する all knowledge of M. le Marquis' どの辺に.

"I can 保証する M. le Commissaire that I do not know," she had 固執するd 静かに, even though her heart was （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing so 速く in her bosom that she felt as if she must choke.

"Call me 国民 Commissary," Lebel had riposted curtly. "I should take it as a proof that your aristocratic 感情s are not so 深い-rooted as they appear to be."

"Yes, 国民!" murmured Lucile, under her breath.

Then the other one, he with the pale 注目する，もくろむs and the slender white 手渡すs, leaned 今後 over the desk, and the poor girl felt as if a mighty and unseen 軍隊 was 持つ／拘留するing her tight, so tight that she could neither move, nor breathe, nor turn her gaze away from those pale, 説得力のある 注目する，もくろむs. In the remote corner little Josephine was whimpering, and Etienne's big, dark 注目する，もくろむs were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd bravely upon his eldest sister.

"There, there! little citizeness," the awful man said, in a 発言する／表明する that sounded low and almost caressing, "there is nothing to be 脅すd of. No one is going to 傷つける you or your little family. We only want you to be reasonable. You have 約束d to your former 雇用者 that you would never tell anyone of his どの辺に. 井戸／弁護士席! we don't ask you to tell us anything.

"All that we want you to do is to 令状 a letter to M. le Marquis—one that I myself will dictate to you. You have written to M. le Marquis before now, on 商売／仕事 事柄s, have you not?"

"Yes, monsieur—yes, 国民," stammered Lucile through her 涙／ほころびs. "Father was （強制）執行官 to M. le Marquis until he became a 手足を不自由にする／（物事を）損なう and now I—"

"Do not 令状 any letter, Lucile," Etienne suddenly broke in with 強烈な vehemence. "It is a 罠（にかける） 始める，決める by these miscreants to entrap M. le Marquis."

There was a second's silence in the room after this sudden 爆発 on the part of the lad. Then the man with the pale 直面する said 静かに:

"国民 Lebel, order the 除去 of that boy. Let him be kept in 保護／拘留 till he has learned to 持つ／拘留する his tongue."

But before Lebel could speak to the two 兵士s who were standing on guard at the door, Lucile had uttered a loud cry of agonised 抗議する.

"No! no! monsieur!—that is 国民!" she implored. "Do not take Etienne away. He will be silent...I 約束 you that he will be silent...only do not take him away! Etienne, my little one!" she 追加するd, turning her 涙／ほころび-filled 注目する，もくろむs to her brother, "I entreat thee to 持つ／拘留する thy tongue!"

The others, too, clung to Etienne, and the lad, awed and subdued, relapsed into silence.

"Now then," 再開するd Lebel 概略で, after a while, "let us get on with this 商売／仕事. I am sick to death of it. It has lasted far too long already."

He 直す／買収する，八百長をするd his 血-発射 注目する，もくろむs upon Lucile and continued gruffly:

"Now listen to me, my wench, for this is going to be my last word. 国民 Chauvelin here has already been very lenient with you by 許すing this letter 商売／仕事. If I had my way I'd make you speak here and now. As it is, you either sit 負かす／撃墜する and 令状 the letter at 国民 Chauvelin's 口述 at once, or I send you with that impudent brother of yours and your imbecile father to 刑務所，拘置所, on a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 背信 against the 明言する／公表する, for 補佐官ing and abetting the enemies of the 共和国; and you know what the consequences of such a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 usually are. The other two brats will go to a House of 是正, there to be 拘留するd during the 楽しみ of the 委員会 of Public Safety. That is my last word," he 繰り返し言うd ひどく. "Now, which is it to be?"

He paused, the girl's 病弱な cheeks turned the colour of lead. She moistened her lips once or twice with her tongue; beads of perspiration appeared at the roots of her hair. She gazed helplessly at her tormentors, not daring to look on those three 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd-up little 人物／姿／数字s there in the corner. A few seconds sped away in silence. The man with the pale 注目する，もくろむs rose and 押し進めるd his 議長，司会を務める away. He went to the window, stood there with his 支援する to the room, those slender white 手渡すs of his clasped behind him. Neither the commissary nor the girl appeared to 利益／興味 him その上の. He was just gazing out of the window.

The other was still sprawling beside the desk, his large, coarse 手渡す—how different his 手渡すs were!—was （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing a devil's tatoo upon the arm of his 議長，司会を務める.

After a few minutes, Lucile made a violent 成果／努力 to compose herself, wiped the moisture from her pallid forehead and 乾燥した，日照りのd the 涙／ほころびs which still hung upon her 攻撃するs. Then she rose from her 議長，司会を務める and walked resolutely up to the desk.

"I will 令状 the letter," she said 簡単に.

Lebel gave a snort of satisfaction; but the other did not move from his position 近づく the window. The boy, Etienne, had uttered a cry of 熱烈な 抗議する.

"Do not give M. le Marquis away, Lucile!" he said hotly. "I am not afraid to die."

But Lucile had made up her mind. How could she do さもなければ, with these awful 脅しs hanging over them all? She and Etienne and poor father gone, and the two young ones in one of those awful Houses of 是正, where children were taught to hate the Church, to shun the Sacraments, and to blaspheme God!

"What am I to 令状?" she asked dully, resolutely の近くにing her ears against her brother's 抗議する.

Lebel 押し進めるd pen, 署名／調印する and paper に向かって her and she sat 負かす／撃墜する, ready to begin.

"令状!" now （機の）カム in a curt 命令（する） from the man at the window. And Lucile wrote at his 口述:

"MONSIEUR LE MARQUIS,—

We are in 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な trouble. My brother Etienne and I have been 逮捕（する）d on a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 背信. This means the guillotine for us and for poor father, who can no longer speak; and the two little ones are to be sent to one of those dreadful Houses of 是正, where children are taught to 否定する God and to blaspheme. You alone can save us, M. le Marquis; and I beg you on my 膝s to do it. The 国民 Commissary here says that you have in your 所有／入手 確かな papers which are of 広大な／多数の／重要な value to the 明言する／公表する, and that if I can 説得する you to give these up, Etienne, father and I and the little ones will be left unmolested. M. le Marquis, you once said that you could never adequately 返す my poor father for all his devotion in your service. You can do it now, M. le Marquis, by saving us all. I will be at the ch穰eau a week from to-day. I entreat you, M. le Marquis, to come to me then and to bring the papers with you; or if you can 工夫する some other means of sending the papers to me, I will obey your 命令s.—I am, M. le Marquis' faithful and 充てるd servant,

LUCILE CLAMETTE."

The pen dropped from the unfortunate girl's fingers. She buried her 直面する in her 手渡すs and sobbed convulsively. The children were silent, awed and subdued—tired out, too. Only Etienne's dark 注目する，もくろむs were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon his sister with a look of mute reproach.

Lebel had made no 試みる／企てる to interrupt the flow of his 同僚's 口述. Only once or twice did a あわてて smothered "What the devil!" of astonishment escape his lips. Now, when the letter was finished and duly 調印するd, he drew it to him and まき散らすd the sand over it. Chauvelin, more impassive than ever, was once more gazing out of the window.

"How are the ci-devant aristos to get this letter?" the commissary asked.

"It must be put in the hollow tree which stands by the 味方する of the stable gate at Montorgueil," whispered Lucile.

"And the aristos will find it there?"

"Yes. M. le Vicomte goes there once or twice a week to see if there is anything there from one of us."

"They are in hiding somewhere の近くに by, then?"

But to this the girl gave no reply. Indeed, she felt as if any word now might choke her.

"井戸／弁護士席, no 事柄 where they are!" the 残忍な wretch 再開するd, with 残虐な cynicism. "We've got them now—both of them. Marquis! Vicomte!" he 追加するd, and spat on the ground to 表明する his contempt of such 肩書を与えるs. "国民s Montorgueil, father and son—that's all they are! And as such they'll walk up in 明言する／公表する to make their 屈服する to Mme. la Guillotine!"

"May we go now?" stammered Lucile through her 涙／ほころびs.

Lebel nodded in assent, and the girl rose and turned to walk に向かって the door. She called to the children, and the little ones clustered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her skirts like chicks around the mother-女／おっせかい屋. Only Etienne remained aloof, wrathful against his sister for what he みなすd her treachery. "Women have no sense of honour!" he muttered to himself, with all the pride of conscious manhood. But Lucile felt more than ever like a bird who is vainly trying to 避ける the clutches of a fowler. She gathered the two little ones around her. Then, with a cry like a 負傷させるd doe she ran quickly out of the room.

2.

As soon as the sound of the children's footsteps had died away 負かす／撃墜する the 回廊（地帯）, Lebel turned with a grunt to his still silent companion.

"And now, 国民 Chauvelin," he said 概略で, "perhaps you will be good enough to explain what is the meaning of all this tomfoolery."

"Tomfoolery, 国民?" queried the other blandly. "What tomfoolery, pray?"

"Why, about those papers!" growled Lebel savagely. "悪口を言う／悪態 you for an 干渉するing busybody! It was I who got （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that those pestilential aristos, the Montorgueils, far from having fled the country are in hiding somewhere in my 地区. I could have made the girl give up their hiding-place pretty soon, without any help from you. What 権利 had you to 干渉する, I should like to know?"

"You know やめる 井戸／弁護士席 what 権利 I had, 国民 Lebel," replied Chauvelin with perfect composure. "The 権利 conferred upon me by the 委員会 of Public Safety, of whom I am still an unworthy member. They sent me 負かす／撃墜する here to lend you a 手渡す in an 調査 which is of 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な importance to them."

"I know that!" retorted Lebel sulkily. "But why have you invented the story of the papers?"

"It is no 発明, 国民," 再結合させるd Chauvelin with slow 強調. "The papers do 存在する. They are 現実に in the 所有／入手 of the Montorgueils, father and son. To 逮捕（する） the two aristos would be not only a 失敗, but 犯罪の folly, unless we can lay 手渡すs on the papers at the same time."

"But what in Satan's 指名する are those papers?" ejaculated Lebel with a 猛烈な／残忍な 誓い.

"Think, 国民 Lebel! Think!" was Chauvelin's 冷静な／正味の rejoinder. "Methinks you might arrive at a pretty shrewd guess." Then, as the other's bluster and bounce suddenly 崩壊（する）d upon his 同僚's 静める, 告発する／非難するing gaze, the latter continued with impressive 審議:

"The papers which the two aristos have in their 所有／入手, 国民, are 領収書s for money, for 賄賂s paid to さまざまな members of the 委員会 of Public Safety by Royalist スパイ／執行官s for the 倒す of our glorious 共和国. You know all about them, do you not?"

While Chauvelin spoke, a look of furtive terror had crept into Lebel's 注目する，もくろむs; his cheeks became the colour of lead. But even so, he tried to keep up an 空気／公表する of incredulity and of amazement.

"I?" he exclaimed. "What do you mean, 国民 Chauvelin? What should I know about it?"

"Some of those 領収書s are 調印するd with your 指名する, 国民 Lebel," retorted Chauvelin forcefully. "Bah!" he 追加するd, and a トン of savage contempt crept into his even, 静める 発言する／表明する now. "H駻iot, Foucquier, Ducros and the whole ギャング（団） of you are in it up to the neck: trafficking with our enemies, 貿易（する）ing with England, taking 賄賂s from every ４半期/4分の1 for working against the safety of the 共和国. Ah! if I had my way, I would let the 憎悪 of those aristos take its course. I would let the Montorgueils and the whole pack of Royalist スパイ／執行官s publish those 悪名高い proofs of your treachery and of your baseness to the entire world, and send the whole lot of you to the guillotine!"

He had spoken with so much concentrated fury, and the 憎悪 and contempt 表明するd in his pale 注目する，もくろむs were so 猛烈な／残忍な that an involuntary ice-冷淡な shiver ran 負かす／撃墜する the length of Lebel's spine. But, even so, he would not give in; he tried to sneer and to keep up something of his former surly 反抗.

"Bah!" he exclaimed, and with a lowering ちらりと見ること gave 憎悪 for 憎悪, and contempt for contempt. "What can you do? An I am not mistaken, there is no more discredited man in フラン to-day than the 不成功の tracker of the Scarlet Pimpernel."

The taunt went home. It was Chauvelin's turn now to lose countenance, to pale to the lips. The glow of virtuous indignation died out of his 注目する，もくろむs, his look became furtive and shamed.

"You are 権利, 国民 Lebel," he said calmly after a while. "Recriminations between us are out of place. I am a discredited man, as you say. Perhaps it would have been better if the 委員会 had sent me long ago to expiate my 失敗s on the guillotine. I should at least not have 苦しむd, as I am 苦しむing now, daily, hourly humiliation at thought of the 勝利 of an enemy, whom I hate with a passion which 消費するs my very soul. But do not let us speak of me," he went on 静かに. "There are graver 事件／事情／状勢s at 火刑／賭ける just now than 地雷 own."

Lebel said nothing more for the moment. Perhaps he was 満足させるd at the success of his taunt, even though the terror within his craven soul still 原因（となる）d the 冷淡な shiver to course up and 負かす／撃墜する his spine. Chauvelin had once more turned to the window; his gaze was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the distance far away. The window gave on the North. That way, in a straight line, lay Calais, Boulogne, England—where he had been made to 苦しむ such bitter humiliation at the 手渡すs of his elusive enemy. And すぐに before him was Paris, where the very 塀で囲むs seemed to echo that mocking laugh of the daring Englishman which would haunt him even to his 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な.

Lebel, unnerved by his 同僚's silence, broke in gruffly at last:

"井戸／弁護士席 then, 国民," he said, with a feeble 試みる／企てる at another sneer, "if you are not thinking of sending us all to the guillotine just yet, perhaps you will be good enough to explain just how the 事柄 stands?"

"公正に／かなり 簡単に, 式のs!" replied Chauvelin dryly. "The two Montorgueils, father and son, under assumed 指名するs, were the Royalist スパイ／執行官s who 後継するd in suborning men such as you, 国民—the whole ギャング（団） of you. We have 跡をつけるd them 負かす／撃墜する, to this 地区, have 押収するd their lands and ransacked the old ch穰eau for 価値のあるs and so on. Two days later, the first of a 一連の pestilential 匿名の／不明の letters reached the 委員会 of Public Safety, 脅すing the 出版（物） of a whole 一連の 妥協ing 文書s if the Marquis and the Vicomte de Montorgueil were in any way （性的に）いたずらするd, and if all the Montorgueil 所有物／資産／財産 is not すぐに 回復するd."

"I suppose it is やめる 確かな that those 領収書s and 文書s do 存在する?" 示唆するd Lebel.

"Perfectly 確かな . One of the 領収書s, 調印するd by H駻iot, was sent as a 見本／標本."

"My God!" ejaculated Lebel, and wiped the 冷淡な sweat from his brow.

"Yes, you'll all want help from somewhere," retorted Chauvelin coolly. "From above or from below, what? if the people get to know what miscreants you are. I do believe," he 追加するd, with a vicious snap of his thin lips, "that they would cheat the guillotine of you and, in the end, drag you out of the tumbrils and 涙／ほころび you to pieces 四肢 from 四肢!"

Once more that look of furtive terror crept into the commissary's bloodshot 注目する，もくろむs.

"Thank the Lord," he muttered, "that we were able to get 持つ／拘留する of the wench Clamette!"

"At my suggestion," retorted Chauvelin curtly. "I always believe in 脅すing the weak if you want to coerce the strong. The Montorgueils cannot resist the wench's 控訴，上告. Even if they do at first, we can 適用する the screw by clapping one of the young ones in gaol. Within a week we shall have those papers, 国民 Lebel; and if, in the 一方／合間, no one commits a その上の 失敗, we can の近くに the 罠（にかける） on the Montorgueils without その上の trouble."

Lebel said nothing more, and after a while Chauvelin went 支援する to the desk, 選ぶd up the letter which poor Lucile had written and watered with her 涙／ほころびs, 倍のd it deliberately and slipped it into the inner pocket of his coat.

"What are you going to do?" queried Lebel anxiously.

"減少（する） this letter into the hollow tree by the 味方する of the stable gate at Montorgueil," replied Chauvelin 簡単に.

"What?" exclaimed the other. "Yourself?"

"Why, of course! Think you I would ゆだねる such an errand to another living soul?"

3.

A couple of hours later, when the two children had had their dinner and had settled 負かす／撃墜する to play in the garden, and father been cosily tucked up for his afternoon sleep, Lucile called her brother Etienne to her. The boy had not spoken to her since that terrible time spent in the presence of those two awful men. He had eaten no dinner, only sat glowering, 星／主役にするing straight out before him, from time to time throwing a look of 燃やすing reproach upon his sister. Now, when she called to him, he tried to run away, was halfway up the stairs before she could 掴む 持つ／拘留する of him.

"Etienne, mon petit!" she implored, as her 武器 の近くにd around his 縮むing 人物／姿／数字.

"Let me go, Lucile!" the boy pleaded obstinately.

"Mon petit, listen to me!" she pleaded. "All is not lost, if you will stand by me."

"All is lost, Lucile!" Etienne cried, 努力する／競うing to keep 支援する a flood of 熱烈な 涙／ほころびs. "Honour is lost. Your treachery has 不名誉d us all. If M. le Marquis and M. le Vicomte are brought to the guillotine, their 血 will be upon our 長，率いるs."

"Upon 地雷 alone, my little Etienne," she said sadly. "But God alone can 裁判官 me. It was a terrible 代案／選択肢: M. le Marquis, or you and Valentine and little Josephine and poor father, who is so helpless! But don't let us talk of it. All is not lost, I am sure. The last time that I spoke with M. le Marquis—it was in February, do you remember?—he was 十分な of hope, and oh! so 肉親，親類d. 井戸／弁護士席, he told me then that if ever I or any of us here were in such 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な trouble that we did not know where to turn, one of us was to put on our very oldest 着せる／賦与するs, look as like a 明らかにする-footed petit, that we don't know where to turn. Put on thy very oldest 着せる／賦与するs, little one, and run 明らかにする-footed into Paris, find the 国民 Rateau and tell him just what has happened: the letter which they have 軍隊d me to 令状, the 脅しs which they held over me if I did not 令状 it—everything. Dost hear?"

Already the boy's 注目する，もくろむs were glowing. The thought that he 個々に could do something to retrieve the awful shame of his sister's treachery spurred him to activity. It needed no 説得／派閥 on Lucile's part to induce him to go. She made him put on some old 着せる／賦与するs and stuffed a piece of bread and cheese into his breeches pocket.

It was の近くに upon a couple of leagues to Paris, but that run was one of the happiest which Etienne had ever made. And he did it 明らかにする-footed, too, feeling neither 疲労，（軍の）雑役 nor soreness, にもかかわらず the hardness of the road after a two weeks' 干ばつ, which had turned mud into hard cakes and ruts into fissures which tore the lad's feet till they bled.

He realised now how tired he was and how hungry. He had not thought to pause ーするために 消費する the small 準備／条項 of bread and cheese wherewith thoughtful Lucile had 供給するd him. Now he was ready to faint when a loud guffaw, which echoed from one end of the horrible place to the other, 迎える／歓迎するd his timid request.

"国民 Rateau!" the same gruff 発言する／表明する called out hilariously. "Why, there he is! Here, 国民! there's a blooming aristo to see you."

Etienne turned his 疲れた／うんざりした 注目する，もくろむs to the corner which was 存在 示すd to him. There he saw a 抱擁する creature sprawling across a （法廷の）裁判, with long, powerful 四肢s stretched out before him. 国民 Rateau was 着せる／賦与するd, rather than dressed, in a 国／地域d shirt, ragged breeches and tattered stockings, with shoes 負かす／撃墜する at heel and faded crimson cap. His 直面する looked congested and sunken about the 注目する，もくろむs; he appeared to be asleep, for stertorous breathing （機の）カム at intervals from between his parted lips, whilst every now and then a racking cough seemed to 涙／ほころび at his 幅の広い chest.

Etienne gave him one look, shuddering with horror, にもかかわらず himself, at the 面 of this bloated wretch from whom 救済 was to come. The whole place seemed to him hideous and loathsome in the extreme. What it all meant he could not understand; all that he knew was that this seemed like another hideous 罠（にかける） into which he and Lucile had fallen, and that he must 飛行機で行く from it—飛行機で行く at all costs, before he betrayed M. le Marquis still その上の to these drink-sodden brutes. Another moment, and he 恐れるd that he might faint. The din of a bibulous song rang in his ears, the reek of alcohol turned him giddy and sick. He had only just enough strength to turn and totter 支援する into the open. There his senses reeled, the lights in the houses opposite began to dance wildly before his 注目する，もくろむs, after which he remembered nothing more.

4.

There is nothing now in the whole countryside やめる so desolate and forlorn as the ch穰eau of Montorgueil, with its once magnificent park, now overgrown with 少しのd, its encircling 塀で囲むs broken 負かす／撃墜する, its terraces 荒廃させるd, and its stately gates rusty and torn.

Just by the 味方する of what was known in happier times as the stable gate there stands a hollow tree. It is not inside the park, but just outside, and 避難所s the 狭くする 小道／航路, which skirts the park 塀で囲むs, against the 炎 of the afternoon sun.

Its beneficent shade is a favourite 位置／汚点／見つけ出す for an afternoon siesta, for there is a bit of green sward under the tree, and all along the 味方する of the road. But as the shades of evening gather in, the 小道／航路 is usually 砂漠d, shunned by the 隣人ing peasantry on account of its eerie loneliness, so different to the former bustle which used to 統治する around the park gates when M. le Marquis and his family were still in 住居. Nor does the 小道／航路 lead anywhere, for it is a mere 宙返り飛行 which gives on the main road at either end.

Henri de Montorgueil chose a peculiarly dark night in 中央の-September for one of his 定期刊行物 visits to the hollow tree. It was の近くに on nine o'clock when he passed stealthily 負かす／撃墜する the 小道／航路, keeping の近くに to the park 塀で囲む. A soft rain was 落ちるing, the first since the 長引かせるd 干ばつ, and though it made the road 激しい and slippery in places, it helped to deaden the sound of the young man's furtive footsteps. The 空気／公表する, except for the patter of the rain, was 絶対 still. Henri de Montorgueil paused from time to time, with neck craned 今後, every sense on the 警報, listening, like any poor, 追跡（する）d beast, for the slightest sound which might betray the approach of danger.

As many a time before, he reached the hollow tree in safety, felt for and 設立する in the usual place the letter which the unfortunate girl Lucile had written to him. Then, with it in his 手渡す, he turned to the stable gate. It had long since 中止するd to be kept locked and 閉めだした. 略奪するd and ransacked by order of the 委員会 of Public Safety, there was nothing left inside the park 塀で囲むs 価値（がある） keeping under lock and 重要な.

Henri slipped stealthily through the gates and made his way along the 運動. Every 石／投石する, every nook and cranny of his former home was familiar to him, and anon he turned into a shed where in former times wheelbarrows and garden 道具s were wont to be kept. Now it was 十分な of d饕ris, 板材 of every sort. A more 安全な or secluded 位置／汚点／見つけ出す could not be imagined. Henri crouched in the furthermost corner of the shed. Then from his belt he detached a small dark lanthorn, opened its shutter, and with the 援助（する） of the tiny, 薄暗い light read the contents of the letter.

For a long while after that he remained やめる still, as still as a man who has received a 素晴らしい blow on the 長，率いる and has partly lost consciousness. The blow was indeed a staggering one. Lucile Clamette, with the invincible 力／強力にする of her own helplessness, was 需要・要求するing the 降伏する of a 武器 which had been a 保護（する）／緊急輸入制限 for the Montorgueils all this while. The papers which 妥協d a number of 影響力のある members of the 委員会 of Public Safety had been the most perfect 武器 of defence against 迫害 and spoliation.

And now these were to be given up: Oh! there could be no question of that. Even before 協議するing with his father, Henri knew that the papers would have to be given up. They were clever, those 革命のs. The thought of 持つ／拘留するing innocent children as 人質s could only have 起こる／始まるd in minds attuned to the villainies of devils. But it was 考えられない that the children should 苦しむ.

After a while the young man roused himself from the torpor into which the suddenness of this awful blow had 急落（する），激減（する）d him. By the light of the lanthorn he began to 令状 upon a sheet of paper which he had torn from his pocket-調書をとる／予約する.

"MY DEAR LUCILE," (he wrote),

"As you say, our 負債 to your father and to you all never could be adequately repaid. You and the children shall never 苦しむ whilst we have the 力／強力にする to save you. You will find the papers in the receptacle you know of inside the chimney of what used to be my mother's boudoir. You will find the receptacle 打ち明けるd. One day before the 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 you 指名する I myself will place the papers there for you. With them, my father and I do give up our lives to save you and the little ones from the 迫害 of those fiends. May the good God guard you all."

He 調印するd the letter with his 初期のs, H. de M. Then he crept 支援する to the gate and dropped the message into the hollow of the tree.

A ４半期/4分の1 of an hour later Henri de Montorgueil was wending his way 支援する to the hiding place which had 避難所d him and his father for so long. Silence and 不明瞭 then held undisputed sway once more around the hollow tree. Even the rain had 中止するd its gentle pattering. Anon from far away （機の）カム the sound of a church bell striking the hour of ten. Then nothing more.

A few more minutes of 絶対の silence, then something dark and furtive began to move out of the long grass which 国境d the 道端—something that in movement was almost like a snake. It dragged itself along の近くに to the ground, making no sound as it moved. Soon it reached the hollow tree, rose to the 高さ of a man and flattened itself against the tree-trunk. Then it put out a 手渡す, felt for the hollow receptacle and groped for the missive which Henri de Montorgueil had dropped in there a while ago.

The next moment a tiny ray of light gleamed through the 不明瞭 like a 星／主役にする. A small, almost 壊れやすい, 人物／姿／数字 of a man, dressed in the mud-stained 着せる／賦与するs of a country yokel, had turned up the shutter of a small lanthorn. By its flickering light he deciphered the letter which Henri de Montorgueil had written to Lucile Clamette.

"One day before the 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 you 指名する I myself will place the papers there for you."

A sigh of satisfaction, quickly 抑えるd, （機の）カム through his thin, colourless lips, and the light of the lanthorn caught the flash of 勝利 in his pale, inscrutable 注目する，もくろむs.

Then the light was 消滅させるd. Impenetrable 不明瞭 swallowed up that slender, mysterious 人物／姿／数字 again.

5.

Six days had gone by since Chauvelin had 配達するd his cruel "either—or" to poor little Lucile Clamette; three since he had 設立する Henri de Montorgueil's reply to the girl's 控訴，上告 in the hollow of the tree. Since then he had made a careful 調査 of the ch穰eau, and soon was able to settle it in his own mind as to which room had been Madame la Marquise's boudoir in the past. It was a small apartment, having direct 接近 on the first 上陸 of the staircase, and the one window gave on the rose garden at the 支援する of the house. Inside the monumental hearth, at an arm's length up the wide chimney, a receptacle had been contrived in the brickwork, with a small アイロンをかける door which opened and の近くにd with a secret spring. Chauvelin, whom his nefarious calling had （判決などを）下すd proficient in such 事柄s, had soon mastered the workings of that spring. He could now open and の近くに the アイロンをかける door at will.

Up to a late hour on the sixth night of this 疲れた／うんざりした waiting, the receptacle inside the chimney was still empty. That night Chauvelin had 決定するd to spend at the ch穰eau. He could not have 残り／休憩（する）d どこかよそで.

Even his 同僚 Lebel could not know what the 所有／入手 of those papers would mean to the discredited スパイ／執行官 of the 委員会 of Public Safety. With them in his 手渡すs, he could 需要・要求する rehabilitation, and could 購入（する） 免疫 from those sneers which had been so galling to his arrogant soul—sneers which had become more and more 示すd, more and more unendurable, and more and more 脅迫的な, as he piled up 失敗 on 失敗 with every 遭遇（する） with the Scarlet Pimpernel.

免疫 and rehabilitation! This would mean that he could once more 手段 his wits and his 力／強力にする with that audacious enemy who had brought about his downfall.

"In the 指名する of Satan, bring us those papers!" Robespierre himself had cried with unwonted passion, ere he sent him out on this important 使節団. "We 非，不，無 of us could stand the スキャンダル of such 公表，暴露s. It would mean 絶対の 廃虚 for us all."

And Chauvelin that night, as soon as the shades of evening had drawn in, took up his stand in the ch穰eau, in the small inner room which was contiguous to the boudoir.

Here he sat, beside the open window, for hour upon hour, his every sense on the 警報, listening for the first footfall upon the gravel path below. Though the hours went by leaden-footed, he was neither excited nor anxious. The Clamette family was such a precious 人質 that the Montorgueils were bound to 従う with Lucile's 需要・要求する for the papers by every dictate of honour and of humanity.

"While we have those people in our 力／強力にする," Chauvelin had 繰り返し言うd to himself more than once during the course of his long 徹夜, "even that meddlesome Scarlet Pimpernel can do nothing to save those 悪口を言う／悪態d Montorgueils."

The night was dark and still. Not a breath of 空気／公表する stirred the 支店s of the trees or the shrubberies in the park; any footsteps, however 用心深い, must echo through that perfect and 絶対の silence. Chauvelin's keen, pale 注目する，もくろむs tried to pierce the gloom in the direction whence in all probability the aristo would come. ばく然と he wondered if it would be Henri de Montorgueil or the old Marquis himself who would bring the papers.

"Bah! whichever one it is," he muttered, "we can easily get the other, once those abominable papers are in our 手渡すs. And even if both the aristos escape," he 追加するd mentally, "'tis no 事柄, once we have the papers."

Anon, far away a distant church bell struck the midnight hour. The stillness of the 空気／公表する had become oppressive. A 肉親，親類d of torpor born of 激しい 疲労，（軍の）雑役 なぎd the テロリスト's senses to somnolence. His 長，率いる fell 今後 on his breast...

6.

Then suddenly a shiver of excitement went 権利 through him. He was fully awake now, with glowing 注目する，もくろむs wide open and the icy 静める of perfect 信用／信任 判決，裁定 every 神経. The sound of stealthy footsteps had reached his ear.

He could see nothing, either outside or in; but his fingers felt for the ピストル which he carried in his belt. The aristo was evidently alone; only one 独房監禁 footstep was approaching the ch穰eau.

Chauvelin had left the door ajar which gave on the boudoir. The staircase was on the other 味方する of that fateful room, and the door 主要な to that was の近くにd. A few minutes of 緊張した 見込み went by. Then through the silence there （機の）カム the sound of furtive footsteps on the stairs, the creaking of a loose board and finally the stealthy 開始 of the door.

In all his adventurous career Chauvelin had never felt so 静める. His heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 やめる 平等に, his senses were undisturbed by the slightest tingling of his 神経s. The stealthy sounds in the next room brought the movements of the aristo perfectly （疑いを）晴らす before his metal 見通し. The latter was carrying a small dark lanthorn. As soon as he entered he flashed its light about the room. Then he deposited the lanthorn on the 床に打ち倒す, の近くに beside the hearth, and started to feel up the chimney for the hidden receptacle.

Chauvelin watched him now like a cat watches a mouse, savouring these few moments of 心配するd 勝利. He 押し進めるd open the door noiselessly which gave on the boudoir. By the feeble light of the lanthorn on the ground he could only see the vague 輪郭（を描く） of the aristo's 支援する, bending 今後 to his 仕事; but a thrill went through him as he saw a bundle of papers lying on the ground の近くに by.

Everything was ready; the 罠（にかける） was 始める，決める. Here was a 完全にする victory at last. It was 明白に the young Vicomte de Montorgueil who had come to do the 行為. His 長，率いる was up the chimney even now. The old Marquis's 支援する would have looked narrower and more 壊れやすい. Chauvelin held his breath; then he gave a sharp little cough, and took the ピストル from his belt.

The sound 原因（となる）d the aristo to turn, and the next moment a loud and merry laugh roused the 活動停止中の echoes of the old ch穰eau, whilst a pleasant, drawly 発言する／表明する said in English:

"I am demmed if this is not my dear old friend M. Chambertin! Zounds, sir! who'd have thought of 会合 you here?"

Had a 大砲 suddenly 爆発するd at Chauvelin's feet he would, I think, have felt いっそう少なく unnerved. For the space of two heart-（警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s he stood there, rooted to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, his 注目する，もくろむs glued on his arch-enemy, that execrated Scarlet Pimpernel, whose mocking ちらりと見ること, even through the 介入するing gloom, seemed to have 奪うd him of consciousness. But that 段階 of helplessness only lasted for a moment; the next, all the marvellous 可能性s of this 遭遇（する） flashed through the テロリスト's keen mind.

Everything was ready; the 罠（にかける） was 始める，決める! The unfortunate Clamettes were still the bait which now would bring a far more noble quarry into the mesh than ever he—Chauvelin—had dared to hope.

He raised his ピストル, ready to 解雇する／砲火／射撃. But already Sir Percy Blakeney was on him, and with a swift movement, which the other was too weak to resist, he wrenched the 武器 from his enemy's しっかり掴む.

"Why, how 迅速な you are, my dear M. Chambertin," he said lightly. "Surely you are not in such a hurry to put a demmed 弾丸 into me!"

The position now was one which would have made even a braver man than Chauvelin 地震. He stood alone and 非武装の in 直面する of an enemy from whom he could 推定する／予想する no mercy. But, even so, his first thought was not of escape. He had not only apprised his own danger, but also the 巨大な 力／強力にする which he held whilst the Clamettes remained as 人質s in the 手渡すs of his 同僚 Lebel.

"You have me at a disadvantage, Sir Percy," he said, speaking every whit as coolly as his 敵. "But only momentarily. You can kill me, of course; but if I do not return from this 探検隊／遠征隊 not only 安全な and sound, but with a 確かな packet of papers in my 手渡すs, my 同僚 Lebel has 指示／教授／教育s to proceed at once against the girl Clamette and the whole family."

"I know that 井戸／弁護士席 enough," 再結合させるd Sir Percy with a quaint laugh. "I know what venomous reptiles you and those of your 腎臓 are. You certainly do 借りがある your life at the 現在の moment to the unfortunate girl whom you are 迫害するing with such 悪名高い callousness."

Chauvelin drew a sigh of 救済. The 状況／情勢 was 形態／調整ing itself more to his satisfaction already. Through the gloom he could ばく然と discern the Englishman's 大規模な form standing a few paces away, one 手渡す buried in his breeches pockets, the other still 持つ／拘留するing the ピストル. On the ground の近くに by the hearth was the small lanthorn, and in its 薄暗い light the packet of papers gleamed white and tempting in the 不明瞭. Chauvelin's keen 注目する，もくろむs had fastened on it, saw the form of 領収書 for money with H駻iot's 署名, which he recognised, on the 最高の，を越す.

He himself had never felt so 静める. The only thing he could 悔いる was that he was alone. Half a dozen men now, and this impudent 敵 could indeed be brought to his 膝s. And this time there would be no 危険s taken, no chances for escape. Somehow it seemed to Chauvelin as if something of the Scarlet Pimpernel's audacity and foresight had gone from him. As he stood there, looking 幅の広い and 肉体的に powerful, there was something wavering and 決めかねて in his 態度, as if the 辛勝する／優位 had been taken off his former recklessness and enthusiasm. He had brought the 妥協ing papers here, had no 疑問 helped the Montorgueils to escape; but while Lucile Clamette and her family were under the 注目する，もくろむ of Lebel no 量 of impudence could 軍隊 a successful 取引ing.

It was Chauvelin now who appeared the more keen and the more 警報; the Englishman seemed 決めかねて what to do next, remained silent, toying with the ピストル. He even smothered a yawn. Chauvelin saw his 適切な時期. With the quick movement of a cat pouncing upon a mouse he stooped and 掴むd that packet of papers, would then and there have made a dash for the door with them, only that, as he 掴むd the packet, the string which held it together gave way and the papers were scattered all over the 床に打ち倒す.

領収書s for money? 妥協ing letters? No! Blank sheets of paper, all of them—all except the one which had lain tantalisingly on the 最高の，を越す: the one 領収書 調印するd by 国民 H駻iot. Sir Percy laughed lightly:

"Did you really think, my good friend," he said, "that I would be such a demmed fool as to place my best 武器 so readily to your 手渡す?"

"Your best 武器, Sir Percy!" retorted Chauvelin, with a sneer. "What use is it to you while we 持つ／拘留する Lucile Clamette?"

"While I 持つ／拘留する Lucile Clamette, you mean, my dear Monsieur Chambertin," riposted Blakeney with (a)手の込んだ／(v)詳述する blandness.

"You 持つ／拘留する Lucile Clamette? Bah! I 反抗する you to drag a whole family like that out of our clutches. The man a 手足を不自由にする／（物事を）損なう, the children helpless! And you think they can escape our vigilance when all our men are 警告するd! How do you think they are going to get across the river, Sir Percy, when every 橋（渡しをする） is closely watched? How will they get across Paris, when at every gate our men are on the look-out for them?"

"They can't do it, my dear Monsieur Chambertin," 再結合させるd Sir Percy blandly, "else I were not here."

Then, as Chauvelin, ガス／煙ing, irritated にもかかわらず himself, as he always was when he 遭遇（する）d that impudent Englishman, shrugged his shoulders in 記念品 of contempt, Blakeney's powerful しっかり掴む suddenly clutched his arm.

"Let us understand one another, my good M. Chambertin," he said coolly. "Those unfortunate Clamettes, as you say, are too helpless and too 非常に／多数の to 密輸する across Paris with any chance of success. Therefore I look to you to take them under your 保護. They are all stowed away comfortably at this moment in a conveyance which I have 供給するd for them. That conveyance is waiting at the bridgehead now. We could not cross without your help; we could not get across Paris without your august presence and your tricolour scarf of office. So you are coming with us, my dear M. Chambertin," he continued, and, with 軍隊 which was やめる irresistible, he began to drag his enemy after him に向かって the door. "You are going to sit in that conveyance with the Clamettes, and I myself will have the honour to 運動 you. And at every bridgehead you will show your pleasing countenance and your scarf of office to the guard and 需要・要求する 解放する／自由な passage for yourself and your family, as a 代表者／国会議員 member of the 委員会 of Public Safety. And then we'll enter Paris by the Porte d'Ivry and leave it by the Batignolles; and everywhere your charming presence will なぎ the guards' 疑惑s to 残り／休憩（する）. I pray you, come! There is no time to consider! At noon to-morrow, without a moment's grace, my friend Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, who has the papers in his 所有／入手, will 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせる of them as he thinks best unless I myself do （人命などを）奪う，主張する them from him."

While he spoke he continued to drag his enemy along with him, with an 保証／確信 and an impudence which were past belief. Chauvelin was trying to collect his thoughts; a whirl of 相反する 計画（する）s were running 暴動 in his mind. The Scarlet Pimpernel in his 力／強力にする! At any point on the road he could 配達する him up to the nearest guard...then still 持つ／拘留する the Clamettes and 需要・要求する the papers...

"Too late, my dear Monsieur Chambertin!" Sir Percy's mocking 発言する／表明する broke in, as if divining his thoughts. "You do not know where to find my friend Ffoulkes, and at noon to-morrow, if I do not arrive to （人命などを）奪う，主張する those papers, there will not be a 選び出す／独身 ragamuffin in Paris who will not be crying your shame and that of your precious 同僚s upon the housetops."

Chauvelin's whole nervous system was writhing with the feeling of impotence. Mechanically, unresisting now, he followed his enemy 負かす／撃墜する the main staircase of the ch穰eau and out through the wide open gates. He could not bring himself to believe that he had been so 完全に 失敗させる／負かすd, that this impudent adventurer had him once more in the hollow of his 手渡す.

"In the 指名する of Satan, bring us 支援する those papers!" Robespierre had 命令（する）d. And now he—Chauvelin—was left in a maze of 疑問; and the 決定的な 代案／選択肢 was 大打撃を与えるing in his brain: "The Scarlet Pimpernel—or those papers—" Which, in Satan's 指名する, was the more important? Passion whispered "The Scarlet Pimpernel!" but ありふれた sense and the 未来 of his party, the whole 未来 of the 革命 mayhap, 需要・要求するd those 妥協ing papers. And all the while he followed that relentless enemy through the avenues of the park and 負かす／撃墜する the lonely 小道／航路. 総計費 the trees of the forest of Sucy, nodding in a gentle 微風, seemed to mock his perplexity.

He had not arrived at a 限定された 決定／判定勝ち（する） when the river （機の）カム in sight, and when anon a carriage lanthorn threw a 軸 of 薄暗い light through the もや-laden 空気／公表する. Now he felt as if he were in a dream. He was thrust unresisting into a の近くにd chaise, wherein he felt the presence of several other people—children, an old man who was muttering ceaselessly. As in a dream he answered questions at the 橋（渡しをする） to a guard whom he knew 井戸／弁護士席.

"You know me—Armand Chauvelin, of the 委員会 of Public Safety!"

As in a dream, he heard the curt words of 命令（する）:

"Pass on, in the 指名する of the 共和国!"

And all the while the thought 大打撃を与えるd in his brain: "Something must be done! This is impossible! This cannot be! It is not I—Chauvelin—who am sitting here, helpless, unresisting. It is not that impudent Scarlet Pimpernel who is sitting there before me on the box, 運動ing me to utter humiliation!"

And yet it was all true. All real. The Clamette children were sitting in 前線 of him, 粘着するing to Lucile, terrified of him even now. The old man was beside him—imbecile and not understanding. The boy Etienne was up on the box next to that audacious adventurer, whose 幅の広い 支援する appeared to Chauvelin like a 激しく揺する on which all his hopes and dreams must for ever be 粉々にするd.

The chaise 動揺させるd triumphantly through the Batignolles. It was then 幅の広い daylight. A brilliant 早期に autumn day after the rains. The sun, the keen 空気／公表する, all mocked Chauvelin's helplessness, his humiliation. Long before noon they passed St. Denis. Here the barouche turned off the main road, 停止（させる）d at a small wayside house—nothing more than a cottage. After which everything seemed more dreamlike than ever. All that Chauvelin remembered of it afterwards was that he was once more alone in a room with his enemy, who had 需要・要求するd his 署名 to a number of 安全な-行為／行うs, ere he finally 手渡すd over the packet of papers to him.

"How do I know that they are all here?" he heard himself ばく然と muttering, while his trembling fingers 扱うd that precious packet.

"That's just it!" his tormentor retorted airily. "You don't know. I don't know myself," he 追加するd, with a light laugh. "And, 本人自身で, I don't see how either of us can かもしれない ascertain. In the 一方／合間, I must 企て，努力，提案 you au revoir, my dear M. Chambertin. I am sorry that I cannot 供給する you with a conveyance, and you will have to walk a league or more ere you 会合，会う one, I 恐れる me. We, in the 一方／合間, will be 井戸／弁護士席 on our way to Dieppe, where my ヨット, the Day Dream, lies at 錨，総合司会者, and I do not think that it will be 価値（がある） your while to try and 追いつく us. I thank you for the 安全な-行為／行うs. They will make our 旅行 exceedingly pleasant. Shall I give your regards to M. le Marquis de Montorgueil or to M. le Vicomte? They are on board the Day Dream, you know. Oh! and I was forgetting! Lady Blakeney 願望（する）d to be remembered to you."

The next moment he was gone. Chauvelin, standing at the window of the wayside house, saw Sir Percy Blakeney once more 開始する the box of the chaise. This time he had Sir Andrew Ffoulkes beside him. The Clamette family were 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd together—happy and 解放する／自由な—inside the 乗り物. After which there was the usual clatter of horses' hoofs, the creaking of wheels, the 動揺させる of chains. Chauvelin saw and heard nothing of that. All that he saw at the last was Sir Percy's slender 手渡す, waving him a last adieu.

After which he was left alone with his thoughts. The packet of papers was in his 手渡す. He fingered it, felt its crispness, clutched it with a 猛烈な／残忍な gesture, which was followed by a long-drawn-out sigh of 激しい bitterness.

No one would ever know what it had cost him to 得る these papers. No one would ever know how much he had sacrificed of pride, 復讐 and hate ーするために save a few shreds of his own party's honour.

XI. A BATTLE OF WITS

1.

What had happened was this:

Tournefort, one of the ablest of the many sleuth-hounds 雇うd by the 委員会 of Public Safety, was out during that awful 嵐／襲撃する on the night of the twenty-fifth. The rain （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する as if it had been 注ぐd out of buckets, and Tournefort took 避難所 under the portico of a tall, dilapidated-looking house somewhere at the 支援する of St. Lazare. The night was, of course, pitch dark, and the howling of the 勝利，勝つd and （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing of the rain effectually 溺死するd every other sound.

Tournefort, 冷気／寒がらせるd to the 骨髄, had at first cowered in the angle of the door, as far away from the draught as he could. But presently he 秘かに調査するd the 微光 of a tiny light some little way up on his left, and taking this to come from the concierge's 宿泊する, he went 慎重に along the passage ーするつもりであるing to ask for better 避難所 against the fury of the elements than the rickety 前線 door afforded.

Tournefort, you must remember, was always on the best 条件 with every concierge in Paris. They were, as it were, his subordinates; without their help he never could have carried on his unavowable profession やめる so 首尾よく. And they, in their turn, 設立する it to their advantage to earn the good-will of that army of 秘かに調査するs, which the 革命の 政府 kept in its service, for the 跡をつけるing 負かす／撃墜する of all those unfortunates who had not given 完全にする adhesion to their tyrannical and murderous 政策.

Therefore, in this instance, Tournefort felt no hesitation in （人命などを）奪う，主張するing the 歓待 of the concierge of the squalid house wherein he 設立する himself. He went boldly up to the 宿泊する. His 手渡す was already on the latch, when 確かな sounds which proceeded from the 内部の of the 宿泊する 原因（となる）d him to pause and to bend his ear ーするために listen. It was Tournefort's m騁ier to listen. What had 逮捕（する）d his attention was the sound of a man's 発言する／表明する, 説 in a トン of 深い 尊敬（する）・点:

"Bien, Madame la Comtesse, we'll do our best."

No wonder that the servant of the 委員会 of Public Safety remained at attention, no longer thought of the 嵐／襲撃する or felt the 冷淡な 爆破 冷気／寒がらせるing him to the 骨髄. Here was a wholly 予期しない piece of good luck. "Madame la Comtesse!" Peste! There were not many such left in Paris these days. Unfortunately, the tempest of the 勝利，勝つd and the rain made such a din that it was difficult to catch every sound which （機の）カム from the 内部の of the 宿泊する. All that Tournefort caught definitely were a few fragments of conversation.

"My good M. Bertin..." （機の）カム at one time from a woman's 発言する／表明する. "Truly I do not know why you should do all this for me."

And then again: "All I 所有する in the world now are my diamonds. They alone stand between my children and utter destitution."

The man's 発言する／表明する seemed all the time to be 説 something that sounded cheerful and encouraging. But his 発言する／表明する （機の）カム only as a vague murmur to the listener's ears. Presently, however, there （機の）カム a word which 始める，決める his pulses tingling. Madame said something about "Gentilly," and 直接／まっすぐに afterwards: "You will have to be very careful, my dear M. Bertin. The ch穰eau, I feel sure, is 存在 watched."

Tournefort could 不十分な repress a cry of joy. "Gentilly? Madame la Comtesse? The ch穰eau?" Why, of course, he held all the necessary threads already. The ci-devant Comte de Sucy—a pestilential aristo if ever there was one!—had been sent to the guillotine いっそう少なく than a fortnight ago. His ch穰eau, 据えるd just outside Gentilly, stood empty, it having been given out that the 未亡人 Sucy and her two children had escaped to England. 井戸／弁護士席! she had not gone 明らかに, for here she was, in the 宿泊する of the concierge of a mean house in one of the desolate ４半期/4分の1s of Paris, begging some 反逆者 to find her diamonds for her, which she had 明白に left 隠すd inside the ch穰eau. What a 運ぶ／漁獲高 for Tournefort! What commendation from his superiors! The chances of a 迅速な 昇進／宣伝 were indeed glorious now! He blessed the 嵐／襲撃する and the rain which had driven him for 避難所 to this house, where a poisonous 陰謀（を企てる） was 存在 hatched to 略奪する the people of 価値のある 所有物／資産／財産, and to 援助（する） a few more of those abominable aristos in cheating the guillotine of their traitorous 長，率いるs.

He listened for a while longer, ーするために get all the （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that he could on the 支配する of the diamonds, because he knew by experience that those perfidious aristos, once they were under 逮捕（する）, would sooner bite out their tongues than 明らかにする／漏らす anything that might be of service to the 政府 of the people. But he learned little else. Nothing was 明らかにする／漏らすd of where Madame la Comtesse was in hiding, or how the diamonds were to be 性質の／したい気がして of once they were 設立する. Tournefort would have given much to have at least one of his 同僚s with him. As it was, he would be 軍隊d to 行為／法令／行動する 選び出す／独身-手渡すd and on his own 率先. In his own mind he had already decided that he would wait until Madame la Comtesse （機の）カム out of the concierge's 宿泊する, and that he would follow her and apprehend her somewhere out in the open streets, rather than here where her friend Bertin might 証明する to be a stalwart as 井戸／弁護士席 as a desperate man, ready with a ピストル, whilst he—Tournefort—was 非武装の. Bertin, who had, it seemed, been ゆだねるd with the 仕事 of finding the diamonds, could then be 影をつくる／尾行するd and 逮捕（する）d in the very 行為／法令／行動する of filching 所有物／資産／財産 which by 法令 of the 明言する／公表する belonged to the people.

So he waited 根気よく for a while. No 疑問 the aristo would remain here under 避難所 until the 嵐／襲撃する had abated. Soon the sound of 発言する／表明するs died 負かす／撃墜する, and an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の silence descended on this 哀れな, abandoned corner of old Paris. The silence became all the more 示すd after a while, because the rain 中止するd its monotonous pattering and the soughing of the 勝利，勝つd was stilled. It was, in fact, this amazing stillness which 始める，決める 国民 Tournefort thinking. Evidently the aristo did not ーするつもりである to come out of the 宿泊する to-night. 井戸／弁護士席! Tournefort had not meant to make himself unpleasant inside the house, or to have a quarrel just yet with the 反逆者 Bertin, whoever he was; but his 手渡す was 軍隊d and he had no 選択.

The door of the 宿泊する was locked. He tugged vigorously at the bell again and again, for at first he got no answer. A few minutes later he heard the sound of shuffling footsteps upon creaking boards. The door was opened, and a man in night attire, with 明らかにする, thin 脚s and tattered carpet slippers on his feet, 直面するd an exceedingly astonished servant of the 委員会 of Public Safety. Indeed, Tournefort thought that he must have been dreaming, or that he was dreaming now. For the man who opened the door to him was 井戸／弁護士席 known to every スパイ／執行官 of the 委員会. He was an ex-兵士 who had been 手足を不自由にする／（物事を）損なうd years ago by the loss of one arm, and had held the 地位，任命する of concierge in a house in the Ruelle du Paradis ever since. His 指名する was Grosjean. He was very old, and nearly 二塁打d up with rheumatism, had scarcely any hair on his 長，率いる or flesh on his bones. At this moment he appeared to be 苦しむing from a 冷淡な in the 長，率いる, for his 注目する，もくろむs were streaming and his 狭くする, 麻薬中毒の nose was adorned by a 減少（する） of moisture at its tip. In fact, poor old Grosjean looked more like a dilapidated scarecrow than a dangerous conspirator. Tournefort literally gasped at sight of him, and Grosjean uttered a 肉親，親類d of croak, ーするつもりであるd, no 疑問, for 完全にする surprise.

"国民 Tournefort!" he exclaimed. "指名する of a dog! What are you doing here at this hour and in this abominable 天候? Come in! Come in!" he 追加するd, and, turning on his heel, he shuffled 支援する into the inner room, and then returned carrying a lighted lamp, which he 始める，決める upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. "Am駘ie left a sup of hot coffee on the hob in the kitchen before she went to bed. You must have a 減少（する） of that."

He was about to shuffle off again when Tournefort broke in 概略で:

"非，不，無 of that nonsense, Grosjean! Where are the aristos?"

"The aristos, 国民?" queried Grosjean, and nothing could have looked more utterly, more ludicrously bewildered than did the old concierge at this moment. "What aristos?"

"Bertin and Madame la Comtesse," retorted Tournefort gruffly. "I heard them talking."

"You have been dreaming, 国民 Tournefort," the old man said, with a husky little laugh. "Sit 負かす／撃墜する, and let me get you some coffee—"

"Don't try and hoodwink me, Grosjean!" Tournefort cried now in a sudden 接近 of 激怒（する）. "I tell you that I saw the light. I heard the aristos talking. There was a man 指名するd Bertin, and a woman he called 'Madame la Comtesse,' and I say that some devilish royalist 陰謀（を企てる） is 存在 hatched here, and that you, Grosjean, will 苦しむ for it if you try and 保護物，者 those aristos."

"But, 国民 Tournefort," replied the concierge meekly, "I 保証する you that I have seen no aristos. The door of my bedroom was open, and the lamp was by my 病人の枕元. Am駘ie, too, has only been in bed a few minutes. You ask her! There has been no one, I tell you—no one! I should have seen and heard them—the door was open," he 繰り返し言うd pathetically.

"We'll soon see about that!" was Tournefort's curt comment.

But it was his turn indeed to be utterly bewildered. He searched—非，不，無 too gently—the squalid little 宿泊する through and through, turned the paltry sticks of furniture over, 運ぶ／漁獲高d little Am駘ie, Grosjean's granddaughter, out of bed, searched under the mattresses, and even poked his 長，率いる up the chimney.

Grosjean watched him wholly unperturbed. These were strange times, and friend Tournefort had 明白に gone a little off his 長，率いる. The worthy old concierge calmly went on getting the coffee ready. Only when presently Tournefort, worn out with 怒り／怒る and futile exertion, threw himself, with many an 誓い, into the one armchair, Grosjean 発言／述べるd coolly:

"I tell you what I think it is, 国民. If you were standing just by the door of the 宿泊する you had the 支援する staircase of the house すぐに behind you. The partition 塀で囲む is very thin, and there is a disused door just there also. No 疑問 the 発言する／表明するs （機の）カム from there. You see, if there had been any aristos here," he 追加するd naively, "they could not have flown up the chimney, could they?"

That argument was certainly unanswerable. But Tournefort was out of temper. He 概略で ordered Grosjean to bring the lamp and show him the 支援する staircase and the disused door. The concierge obeyed without a murmur. He was not in the least 乱すd or 脅すd by all this blustering. He was only afraid that getting out of bed had made his 冷淡な worse. But he knew Tournefort of old. A good fellow, but inclined to be noisy and arrogant since he was in the 雇う of the 政府. Grosjean took the 警戒 of putting on his trousers and wrapping an old shawl 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his shoulders. Then he had a final sip of hot coffee; after which he 選ぶd up the lamp and guided Tournefort out of the 宿泊する.

The 勝利，勝つd had やめる gone 負かす／撃墜する by now. The lamp scarcely flickered as Grosjean held it above his 長，率いる.

"Just here, 国民 Tournefort," he said, and turned はっきりと to his left. But the next sound which he uttered was a loud croak of astonishment.

"That door has been out of use ever since I've been here," he muttered.

"And it certainly was の近くにd when I stood up against it," 再結合させるd Tournefort, with a savage 誓い, "or, of course, I should have noticed it."

の近くに to the 宿泊する, at 権利 angles to it, a door stood 部分的に／不公平に open. Tournefort went through it, closely followed by Grosjean. He 設立する himself in a passage which ended in a cul de sac on his 権利; on the left was the foot of the stairs. The whole place was pitch dark save for the feeble light of the lamp. The cul de sac itself reeked of dirt and fustiness, as if it had not been cleaned or ventilated for years.

"When did you last notice that this door was の近くにd?" queried Tournefort, furious with the sense of discomfiture, which he would have liked to vent on the unfortunate concierge.

"I have not noticed it for some days, 国民," replied Grosjean meekly. "I have had a 厳しい 冷淡な, and have not been outside my 宿泊する since Monday last. But we'll ask Am駘ie!" he 追加するd more hopefully.

Am駘ie, however, could throw no light upon the 支配する. She certainly kept the 支援する stairs cleaned and swept, but it was not part of her 義務s to 延長する her 広範囲にわたる 操作／手術s as far as the cul de sac. She had やめる enough to do as it was, with grandfather now 事実上 helpless. This morning, when she went out to do her shopping, she had not noticed whether the disused door did or did not look the same as usual.

Grosjean was very sorry for his friend Tournefort, who appeared vastly upset, but still more sorry for himself, for he knew what endless trouble this would entail upon him.

Nor was the trouble slow in coming, not only on Grosjean, but on every lodger inside the house; for before half an hour had gone by Tournefort had gone and come 支援する, this time with the 地元の commissary of police and a couple of スパイ／執行官s, who had every man, woman and child in that house out of bed and 診察するd at 広大な／多数の／重要な length, their 身元 調書をとる／予約するs searchingly 精密検査するd, their rooms turned topsy-turvy and their furniture knocked about.

It was past midnight before all these perquisitions were 完全にするd. No one dared to complain at these 侮辱／冷遇s put upon peaceable 国民s on the mere denunciation of an obscure police スパイ／執行官. These were times when every 規則, every 命令（する）, had to be 受託するd without a murmur. At one o'clock in the morning, Grosjean himself was thankful to get 支援する to bed, having 満足させるd the commissary that he was not a dangerous conspirator.

But of anyone even remotely approaching the description of the ci-devant Comtesse de Sucy, or of any man called Bertin, there was not the faintest trace.

2.

But no feeling of 不快 ever lasted very long with 国民 Tournefort. He was a person of 広大な 資源 and 広大な／多数の／重要な buoyancy of temperament.

True, he had not apprehended two exceedingly noxious aristos, as he had hoped to do; but he held the threads of an abominable 共謀 in his 手渡すs, and the question of catching both Bertin and Madame la Comtesse 現行犯で was only a question of time. But little time had been lost. There was always someone to be 設立する at the offices of the 委員会 of Public Safety, which were open all night. It was possible that 国民 Chauvelin would be still there, for he often took on the night 転換, or else 国民 Gourdon.

It was Gourdon who 迎える／歓迎するd his subordinate, somewhat ill-humouredly, for he was indulging in a little sleep, with his toes turned to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, as the night was so damp and 冷淡な. But when he heard Tournefort's story, he was all 切望 and zeal.

"It is, of course, too late to do anything now," he said finally, after he had mastered every 詳細（に述べる） of the man's adventures in the Ruelle du Paradis; "but get together half a dozen men upon whom you can rely, and by six o'clock in the morning, or even five, we'll be on our way to Gentilly. 国民 Chauvelin was only 説 to-day that he 堅固に 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd the ci-devant Comtesse de Sucy of having left the 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of her 価値のある jewellery at the ch穰eau, and that she would make some 成果／努力 to get 所有／入手 of it. It would be rather 罰金, 国民 Tournefort," he 追加するd with a chuckle, "if you and I could steal a march on 国民 Chauvelin over this 事件／事情／状勢, what? He has been extraordinarily arrogant of late and marvellously in favour, not only with the 委員会, but with 国民 Robespierre himself."

"They say," commented Tournefort, "that he 後継するd in getting 持つ／拘留する of some papers which were of 広大な／多数の／重要な value to the members of the 委員会."

"He never 後継するd in getting 持つ／拘留する of that meddlesome Englishman whom they call the Scarlet Pimpernel," was Gourdon's final 乾燥した，日照りの comment.

Thus was the 事柄 decided on. And the に引き続いて morning at daybreak, Gourdon, who was only a subordinate officer on the 委員会 of Public Safety, took it upon himself to 学校／設ける a perquisition in the ch穰eau of Gentilly, which is 据えるd の近くに to the commune of that 指名する. He was …を伴ってd by his friend Tournefort and a ギャング（団） of half a dozen ruffians 新採用するd from the most disreputable cabarets of Paris.

The 意向 had been to steal a march on 国民 Chauvelin, who had been over arrogant of late; but the result did not come up to 期待s. By midday the ch穰eau had been ransacked from attic to cellar; every 肉親，親類d of 価値のある 所有物／資産／財産 had been destroyed, priceless 作品 of art irretrievably 損失d. But priceless 作品 of art had no market in Paris these days; and the 所有物／資産／財産 of real value—the Sucy diamonds すなわち—which had excited the cupidity or the 愛国的な wrath of 国民s Gourdon and Tournefort could nowhere be 設立する.

To make the 状況／情勢 more deplorable still, the 委員会 of Public Safety had in some unexplainable way got 勝利，勝つd of the 事件／事情／状勢, and the two worthies had the mortification of seeing 国民 Chauvelin presently appear upon the scene.

It was then two o'clock in the afternoon. Gourdon, after he had snatched a 迅速な dinner at a 隣人ing cabaret, had returned to the 仕事 of pulling the ch穰eau of Gentilly about his own ears if need be, with a 見解（をとる） to finding the 隠すd treasure.

For the nonce he was standing in the centre of the finely 割合d hall. The rich ormolu and 水晶 chandelier lay in a 絡まるd, broken heap of 捨てるs at his feet, and all around there was a 混乱させるd medley of pictures, statuettes, silver ornaments, tapestry and brocade hangings, all piled up in disorder, 粉砕するd, tattered, kicked at now and again by Gourdon, to the accompaniment of a savage 誓い.

The house itself was 十分な of noises; 激しい footsteps tramping up and 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, furniture turned over, curtains torn from their 政治家s, doors and windows 乱打するd in. And through it all the ceaseless 大打撃を与えるing of 選ぶ and axe, attacking these stately 塀で囲むs which had withstood the wars and 包囲s of centuries.

Every now and then Tournefort, his 直面する perspiring and crimson with exertion, would 現在の himself at the door of the hall. Gourdon would query gruffly: "井戸／弁護士席?"

And the answer was invariably the same: "Nothing!"

Then Gourdon would 断言する again and send curt orders to continue the search, relentlessly, ceaselessly.

"Leave no 石／投石する upon 石／投石する," he 命令（する）d. "Those diamonds must be 設立する. We know they are here, and, 指名する of a dog! I mean to have them."

When Chauvelin arrived at the ch穰eau he made no 試みる／企てる at first to 干渉する with Gourdon's 命令（する）s. Only on one occasion he 発言／述べるd curtly:

"I suppose, 国民 Gourdon, that you can 信用 your search party?"

"絶対," retorted Gourdon. "A finer 愛国者 than Tournefort does not 存在する."

"Probably," 再結合させるd the other dryly. "But what about the men?"

"Oh! they are only a 始める，決める of barefooted, ignorant louts. They do as they are told, and Tournefort has his 注目する，もくろむ on them. I dare say they'll contrive to steal a few things, but they would never dare lay 手渡すs on 価値のある jewellery. To begin with, they could never 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせる of it. Imagine a va-nu-pieds peddling a diamond tiara!"

"There are always receivers 用意が出来ている to take 危険s."

"Very few," Gourdon 保証するd him, "since we 法令d that trafficking with aristo 所有物／資産／財産 was a 罪，犯罪 罰せられるべき by death."

Chauvelin said nothing for the moment. He appeared wrapped in his own thoughts, listened for a while to the 混乱させるd hubbub about the house, then he 再開するd 突然の:

"Who are these men whom you are 雇うing, 国民 Gourdon?"

"A 井戸／弁護士席-known ギャング（団）," replied the other. "I can give you their 指名するs."

"If you please."

"I know it," 再結合させるd the other. He was still 熟考する／考慮するing the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of 指名するs which Gourdon had given him. "And," he 追加するd, "I know most of these men. As 徹底的な a 始める，決める of ruffians as we need for some of our work. Merri, Guidal, Rateau, Desmonds. Tiens!" he exclaimed. "Rateau! Is Rateau here now?"

"Why, of course! He was 新採用するd, like the 残り／休憩（する） of them, for the day. He won't leave till he has been paid, you may be sure of that. Why do you ask?"

"I will tell you presently. But I would wish to speak with 国民 Rateau first."

Just at this moment Tournefort paid his 定期刊行物 visit to the hall. The usual words, "Still nothing," were on his lips, when Gourdon curtly ordered him to go and fetch the 国民 Rateau.

A minute or two later Tournefort returned with the news that Rateau could nowhere be 設立する. Chauvelin received the news without any comment; he only ordered Tournefort, somewhat 概略で, 支援する to his work. Then, as soon as the latter had gone, Gourdon turned upon his 同僚.

"Will you explain—" he began with a show of bluster.

"With 楽しみ," replied Chauvelin blandly. "On my way hither, いっそう少なく than an hour ago, I met your man Rateau, a league or so from here."

"You met Rateau!" exclaimed Gourdon impatiently. "Impossible! He was here then, I feel sure. You must have been mistaken."

"I think not. I have only seen the man once, when I, too, went hear half a league away. But I would know him anywhere. Besides which, he stopped and wished me good morning. Now I come to think of it," 追加するd Chauvelin thoughtfully, "he was carrying what looked like a 激しい bundle under his arm."

"A 激しい bundle!" cried Gourdon, with a 強烈な 誓い. "And you did not stop him!"

"I had no 推論する／理由 for 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing him. I did not know until I arrived here what the whole 事件／事情／状勢 was about, or whom you were 雇うing. All that the 委員会 knew for 確かな was that you and Tournefort and a number of men had arrived at Gentilly before daybreak, and I was then 教えるd to follow you hither to see what mischief you were up to. You 行為／法令／行動するd in 完全にする secrecy, remember, 国民 Gourdon, and without first ascertaining the wishes of the 委員会 of Public Safety, whose servant you are. If the Sucy diamonds are not 設立する, you alone will be held responsible for their loss to the 政府 of the People."

Chauvelin's 発言する／表明する had now assumed a 脅すing トン, and Gourdon felt all his audacity and self-保証／確信 落ちる away from him, leaving him a prey to nameless terror.

"We must 一連の会議、交渉／完成する up Rateau," he murmured あわてて. "He cannot have gone far."

"No, he cannot," 再結合させるd Chauvelin dryly. "Though I was not 特に thinking of Rateau or of diamonds when I started to come hither. I did send a general order forbidding any person on foot or horseback to enter or leave Paris by any of the southern gates. That order will serve us 井戸／弁護士席 now. Are you riding?"

"Yes. I left my horse at the tavern just outside Gentilly. I can get to horse within ten minutes."

"To horse, then, as quickly as you can. 支払う／賃金 off your men and 解任する them—all but Tournefort, who had best …を伴って us. Do not lose a 選び出す／独身 moment. I'll be ahead of you and may come up with Rateau before you 追いつく me. And if I were you, 国民 Gourdon," he 結論するd, with ominous 強調, "I would 燃やす one or two candles to your compeer the devil. You'll have need of his help if Rateau gives us the slip."

3.

The first part of the road from Gentilly to Paris runs through the valley of the Bi鑽e, and is 密集して wooded on either 味方する. It 勝利，勝つd in and out for the most part, 略章-like, through 厚い

He 棒 at a sharp trot, with his caped coat wrapped tightly 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his shoulders, for it was raining 急速な／放蕩な. At intervals, when he met an 時折の wayfarer, he would ask questions about a tall man who had a consumptive cough, and who was carrying a cumbersome 重荷（を負わせる） under his arm.

Almost everyone whom he thus asked remembered seeing a personage who ばく然と answered to the description: tall and with a decided stoop—yes, and carrying a cumbersome-looking bundle under his arm. Chauvelin was undoubtedly on the 跡をつける of the どろぼう.

Just beyond Meuves he was overtaken by Gourdon and Tournefort. Here, too, the man Rateau's 跡をつける became more and more 確かな . At one place he had stopped and had a glass of ワイン and a 残り／休憩（する）, at another he had asked how の近くに he was to the gates of Paris.

The road was now やめる open and level; the 不規律な buildings of the hospital appeared vague in the rain-sodden distance. Twenty minutes later Tournefort, who was riding ahead of his companions, 秘かに調査するd a tall, stooping 人物／姿／数字 at the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the Chemin de Gentilly forks, and where stands a group of 孤立するd houses and bits of garden, which belong to la Sante. Here, before the days when the glorious 革命 swept aside all such outward 調印するs of superstition, there had stood a Calvary. It was now used as a signpost. The man stood before it, scanning the half-obliterated 指示，表示する物s.

At the moment that Tournefort first caught sight of him he appeared uncertain of his way. Then for a while he watched Tournefort, who was coming at a sharp trot に向かって him. Finally, he seemed to （不足などを）補う his mind very suddenly and, giving a last, quick look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, he walked 速く along the upper road. Tournefort drew rein, waited for his 同僚s to come up with him. Then he told them what he had seen.

"It is Rateau, sure enough," he said. "I saw his 直面する やめる distinctly and heard his abominable cough. He is trying to get into Paris. That road leads nowhere but to the 障壁. There, of course, he will be stopped, and—"

The other two had also brought their horses to a 停止（させる）. The 状況／情勢 had become 緊張した, and a 計画（する） for 未来 活動／戦闘 had at once to be decided on. Already Chauvelin, masterful and sure of himself, had assumed 命令（する） of the little party. Now he broke in 突然の on Tournefort's vapid reflections.

"We don't want him stopped at the 障壁," he said in his usual curt, 権威のある manner. "You, 国民 Tournefort," he continued, "will ride as 急速な／放蕩な as you can to the gate, making a d騁our by the lower road. You will すぐに 需要・要求する to speak with the sergeant who is in 命令（する）, and you will give him a 詳細（に述べる）d description of the man Rateau. Then you will tell him in my 指名する that, should such a man 現在の himself at the gate, he must be 許すd to enter the city unmolested."

Gourdon gave a quick cry of 抗議する.

"Let the man go unmolested? 国民 Chauvelin, think what you are doing!"

"I always think of what I am doing," retorted Chauvelin curtly, "and have no need of outside 指導／手引 in the 過程." Then he turned once more to Tournefort. "You yourself, 国民," he continued, in sharp, 決定的な トンs which 認める of no argument, "will dismount as soon as you are inside the city. You will keep the gate under 観察. The moment you see the man Rateau, you will 影をつくる／尾行する him, and on no account lose sight of him. Understand?"

"You may 信用 me, 国民 Chauvelin," Tournefort replied, elated at the prospect of work which was so 完全に congenial to him. "But will you tell me—"

"I will tell you this much, 国民 Tournefort," broke in Chauvelin with some acerbity, "that though we have traced the diamonds and the どろぼう so far, we have, through your folly last night, lost 完全にする 跡をつける of the ci-devant Comtesse de Sucy and of the man Bertin. We want Rateau to show us where they are."

"I understand," murmured the other meekly.

"That's a mercy!" riposted Chauvelin dryly. "Then quickly man. Lose no time! Try to get a few minutes' 前進する on Rateau; then slip in to the guard-room to change into いっそう少なく 目だつ 着せる／賦与するs. 国民 Gourdon and I will continue on the upper road and keep the man in sight in 事例／患者 he should think of altering his course. In any event, we'll 会合，会う you just inside the 障壁. But if, in the 一方／合間, you have to get on Rateau's 跡をつける before we have arrived on the scene, leave the usual 指示，表示する物s as to the direction which you have taken."

Having given his orders and 満足させるd himself that they were fully understood, he gave a curt 命令（する）, "En avant," and once more the three of them 棒 at a sharp trot 負かす／撃墜する the road に向かって the city.

4.

国民 Rateau, if he thought about the 事柄 at all, must indeed have been vastly surprised at the unwonted amiability or 無関心／冷淡 of sergeant Ribot, who was in 命令（する） at the gate of Gentilly. Ribot only threw a very perfunctory ちらりと見ること at the greasy 許す which Rateau 現在のd to him, and when he put the usual query, "What's in that 小包?" and Rateau gave the reply: "Two 長，率いるs of cabbage and a bunch of carrots," Ribot 単に poked one of his fingers into the bundle, felt that a cabbage leaf did effectually 嘘（をつく） on the 最高の，を越す, and thereupon gave the formal order: "Pass on, 国民, in the 指名する of the 共和国!" without any hesitation.

Tournefort, who had watched the 簡潔な／要約する little 出来事/事件 from behind the window of a 隣人ing cabaret, could not help but chuckle to himself. Never had he seen game walk more readily into a 罠（にかける）. Rateau, after he had passed the 障壁, appeared 決めかねて which way he would go. He looked with obvious longing に向かって the cabaret, behind which the keenest スパイ／執行官 on the staff of the 委員会 of Public Safety was even now ensconced. But seemingly a 停止（させる） within those hospitable doors did not form part of his programme, and a moment or two later he turned はっきりと on his heel and strode 速く 負かす／撃墜する the Rue de l'Oursine.

Tournefort 許すd him a fair start, and then made ready to follow.

Just as he was stepping out of the cabaret he 秘かに調査するd Chauvelin and Gourdon coming through the gates. They, too, had 明らかに made a 簡潔な／要約する 停止（させる） inside the guard-room, where—as at most of the gates—a 蓄える／店 of さまざまな disguises was always kept ready for the use of the 非常に／多数の sleuth-hounds 雇うd by the 委員会 of Public Safety. Here the two men had 交流d their 公式の／役人 衣料品s for 控訴s of sombre cloth, which gave them the 外見 of a couple of humble bourgeois going 静かに about their 商売／仕事. Tournefort had donned an old blouse, tattered stockings, and shoes 負かす／撃墜する at heel. With his 手渡すs buried in his breeches' pockets, he, too, turned into the long 狭くする Rue de l'Oursine, which, after a sharp curve, abuts on the Rue Mouffetard.

Rateau was walking 速く, taking big strides with his long 脚s. Tournefort, now sauntering in the gutter in the middle of the road, now darting in and out of open doorways, kept his quarry 井戸／弁護士席 in sight. Chauvelin and Gourdon lagged some little way behind. It was still raining, but not ひどく—a thin 霧雨, which 侵入するd almost to the 骨髄. Not many passers-by haunted this forlorn ４半期/4分の1 of old Paris. To 権利 and left tall houses almost obscured the last, quickly-fading light of the grey September day.

At the 底（に届く） of the Rue Mouffetard, Rateau （機の）カム once more to a 停止（させる）. A 網状組織 of 狭くする streets radiated from this centre. He looked all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する him and also behind. It was difficult to know whether he had a sudden 疑惑 that he was 存在 followed; 確かな it is that, after a very 簡潔な／要約する moment of hesitation, he 急落（する），激減（する）d suddenly into the 狭くする Rue Contrescarpe and disappeared from 見解（をとる）.

Tournefort was after him in a trice. When he reached the corner of the street he saw Rateau, at the その上の end of it, take a sudden sharp turn to the 権利. But not before he had very 明白に 秘かに調査するd his pursuer, for at that moment his entire demeanour changed. An 空気／公表する of furtive 苦悩 was 表明するd in his whole 態度. Even at that distance Tournefort could see him clutching his bulky 小包 の近くに to his chest.

After that the 追跡 became closer and hotter. Rateau was in and out of that tight 網状組織 of streets which cluster around the Place de Fourci, 意図, 明らかに, on throwing his pursuers off the scent, for after a while he was running 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and 一連の会議、交渉／完成する in a circle. Now up the Rue des Poules, then to the 権利 and to the 権利 again; 支援する in the Place de Fourci. Then straight across it once more to the Rue Contrescarpe, where he presently disappeared so 完全に from 見解（をとる） that Tournefort thought that the earth must have swallowed him up.

Tournefort was a man 有能な of 広大な／多数の／重要な physical exertion. His calling often made 激しい 需要・要求するs upon his 力／強力にするs of endurance; but never before had he grappled with so strenuous a 仕事. Puffing and panting, now running at 最高の，を越す 速度(を上げる）, anon brought to a 停止（させる） by the 二塁打ing-up 策略 of his quarry, his 広大な／多数の／重要な difficulty was the fact that 国民 Chauvelin did not wish the man Rateau to be apprehended; did not wish him to know that he was 存在 追求するd. And Tournefort had need of all his wits to keep 井戸／弁護士席 under the 影をつくる／尾行する of any 事業／計画（する）ing 塀で囲む or under cover of open doorways which were conveniently in the way, and all the while not to lose sight of that consumptive 巨大（な）, who seemed to be playing some intricate game which 井戸／弁護士席-nigh exhausted the strength of 国民 Tournefort.

What he could not make out was what had happened to Chauvelin and to Gourdon. They had been いっそう少なく than three hundred metres behind him when first this wild chase in and out of the Rue Contrescarpe had begun. Now, when their presence was most needed, they seemed to have lost 跡をつける both of him—Tournefort—and of the very elusive quarry. To make 事柄s more 複雑にするd, the shades of evening were 製図／抽選 in very 急速な／放蕩な, and these 狭くする streets of the Faubourg were very sparsely lighted.

Just at this moment Tournefort had once more caught sight of Rateau, striding leisurely this time up the street. The worthy スパイ／執行官 quickly took 避難 under a doorway and was mopping his streaming forehead, glad of this 簡潔な／要約する 一時的休止，執行延期 in the mad chase, when that awful churchyard cough suddenly sounded so の近くに to him that he gave a 広大な／多数の／重要な jump and 井戸／弁護士席-nigh betrayed his presence then and there. He had only just time to 身を引く その上の still into the angle of the doorway, when Rateau passed by.

Tournefort peeped out of his hiding-place, and for the space of a dozen heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s or so, remained there やめる still, watching that 幅の広い 支援する and those long 四肢s slowly moving through the 集会 gloom. The next instant he perceived Chauvelin standing at the end of the street.

Rateau saw him too—（機の）カム 直面する to 直面する with him, in fact, and must have known who he was for, without an instant's hesitation and just like a 追跡（する）d creature at bay, he turned はっきりと on his heel and then ran 支援する 負かす／撃墜する the street as hard as he could 涙／ほころび. He passed の近くに to within half a metre of Tournefort, and as he flew past he 攻撃する，衝突する out with his left 握りこぶし so vigorously that the worthy スパイ／執行官 of the 委員会 of Public Safety, caught on the nose by the blow, staggered and 手段d his length upon the flagged 床に打ち倒す below.

The next moment Chauvelin had come by. Tournefort, struggling to his feet, called to him, panting:

"Did you see him? Which way did he go?"

"Up the Rue Bordet. After him, 国民!" replied Chauvelin grimly, between his teeth.

Together the two men continued the chase, guided through the intricate mazes of the streets by their 逃げるing quarry. They had Rateau 井戸／弁護士席 in sight, and the latter could no longer continue his former 策略 with success now that two experienced sleuth-hounds were on his 跡をつける.

At a given moment he was caught between the two of them. Tournefort was 前進するing 慎重に up the Rue Bordet; Chauvelin, 平等に stealthily, was coming 負かす／撃墜する the same street, and Rateau, once more walking やめる leisurely, was at equal distance between the two.

5.

There are no 味方する turnings out of the Rue Bordet, the total length of which is いっそう少なく than fifty metres; so Tournefort, feeling more at his 緩和する, ensconced himself at one end of the street, behind a doorway, whilst Chauvelin did the same at the other. Rateau, standing in the gutter, appeared once more in a 明言する／公表する of hesitation. すぐに in 前線 of him the door of a small cabaret stood invitingly open; its signboard, "Le Bon Copain," 約束d 残り／休憩（する） and refreshment. He peered up and 負かす／撃墜する the road, 満足させるd himself 推定では that, for the moment, his pursuers were out of sight, hugged his 小包 to his chest, and then suddenly made a dart for the cabaret and disappeared within its doors.

Nothing could have been better. The quarry, for the moment, was 安全な, and if the sleuth-hounds could not get refreshment, they could at least get a 残り／休憩（する）. Tournefort and Chauvelin crept out of their hiding-places. They met in the middle of the road, at the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where Rateau had stood a while ago. It was then growing dark and the street was innocent of lanterns, but the lights inside the cabaret gave a 十分な 見解（をとる） of the 内部の. The lower half of the wide shop-window was curtained off, but above the curtain the 長，率いるs of the 顧客s of "Le Bon Copain," and the general comings and goings, could very 明確に be seen.

Tournefort, never at a loss, had already climbed upon a low 発射／推定 in the 塀で囲む of one of the houses opposite. From this point of vantage he could more easily 観察する what went on inside the cabaret, and in short, jerky 宣告，判決s he gave a description of what he saw to his 長，指導者.

"Rateau is sitting 負かす／撃墜する...he has his 支援する to the window...he has put his bundle 負かす／撃墜する の近くに beside him on the （法廷の）裁判...he can't speak for a minute, for he is coughing and spluttering like an old walrus...A wench is bringing him a 瓶／封じ込める of ワイン and a hunk of bread and cheese...He has started talking...is talking volubly...the people are laughing...some are applauding...And here comes ジーンズ 勝利者, the landlord...you know him, 国民...a big, hulking fellow, and as good a 愛国者 as I ever wish to see...He, too, is laughing and talking to Rateau, who is 二塁打d up with another fit of coughing—"

Chauvelin uttered an exclamation of impatience:

"Enough of this, 国民 Tournefort. Keep your 注目する，もくろむ on the man and 持つ／拘留する your tongue. I am spent with 疲労，（軍の）雑役."

"No wonder," murmured Tournefort. Then he 追加するd insinuatingly: "Why not let me go in there and apprehend Rateau now? We should have the diamonds and—"

"And lose the ci-devant Comtesse de Sucy and the man Bertin," retorted Chauvelin with sudden fierceness. "Bertin, who can be 非，不，無 other than that 悪口を言う／悪態d Englishman, the—"

He checked himself, seeing Tournefort was gazing 負かす／撃墜する on him, with awe and bewilderment 表明するd in his lean, hatchet 直面する.

"You are losing sight of Rateau, 国民," Chauvelin continued calmly. "What is he doing now?"

But Tournefort felt that this calmness was only on the surface; something strange had stirred the depths of his 長，指導者's keen, masterful mind. He would have liked to ask a question or two, but knew from experience that it was neither wise nor profitable to try and 調査（する） 国民 Chauvelin's thoughts. So after a moment or two he turned 支援する obediently to his 仕事.

"I can't see Rateau for the moment," he said, "but there is much talking and merriment in there. Ah! there he is, I think. Yes, I see him!...He is behind the 反対する, talking to ジーンズ 勝利者...and he has just thrown some money 負かす／撃墜する upon the 反対する...gold too! 指名する of a dog..."

Then suddenly, without any 警告, Tournefort jumped 負かす／撃墜する from his 地位，任命する of 観察. Chauvelin uttered a 簡潔な／要約する:

"What the devil are you doing, 国民?"

"Rateau is going," replied Tournefort excitedly. "He drank a 襲う，襲って強奪する of ワイン at a draught and has 選ぶd up his bundle, ready to go."

Once more cowering in the dark angle of a doorway, the two men waited, their 神経s on 辛勝する／優位, for the reappearance of their quarry.

"I wish 国民 Gourdon were here," whispered Tournefort. "In the 不明瞭 it is better to be three than two."

"I sent him 支援する to the 駅／配置する in the Rue Mouffetard," was Chauvelin's curt retort; "there to give notice that I might 要求する a few 武装した men presently. But he should be somewhere about here by now, looking for us. Anyway, I have my whistle, and if—"

He said no more, for at that moment the door of the cabaret was opened from within and Rateau stepped out into the street, to the accompaniment of loud laughter and clapping of 手渡すs which （機の）カム from the 顧客s of the "Bon Copain."

This time he appeared neither in a hurry nor yet anxious. He did not pause ーするために ちらりと見ること to 権利 or left, but started to walk やめる leisurely up the street. The two sleuth-hounds 静かに followed him. Through the 不明瞭 they could only ばく然と see his silhouette, with the 広大な／多数の／重要な bundle under his arm. Whatever may have been Rateau's 恐れるs of 存在 影をつくる／尾行するd awhile ago, he certainly seemed 解放する／自由な of them now. He sauntered along, whistling a tune, 負かす／撃墜する the Montagne Ste. Genevi钁e to the Place Maubert, and thence straight に向かって the river.

Having reached the bank, he turned off to his left, sauntered past the Ecole de M馘ecine and went across the Petit Pont, then through the New Market, along the Quai des Orf钁res. Here he made a 停止（させる）, and for awhile looked over the 堤防 at the river and then 一連の会議、交渉／完成する about him, as if in search of something. But presently he appeared to （不足などを）補う his mind, and continued his leisurely walk as far as the Pont Neuf, where he turned はっきりと off to his 権利, still whistling, Tournefort and Chauvelin hard upon his heels.

"That whistling is getting on my 神経s," muttered Tournefort irritably; "and I 港／避難所't heard the ruffian's churchyard cough since he walked out of the 'Bon Copain.'"

Strangely enough, it was this 発言／述べる of Tournefort's which gave Chauvelin the first inkling of something strange and, to him, 前向きに／確かに awesome. Tournefort, who walked の近くに beside him, heard him suddenly mutter a 猛烈な／残忍な exclamation.

"指名する of a dog!"

"What is it, 国民?" queried Tournefort, awed by this sudden 爆発 on the part of a man whose icy calmness had become proverbial throughout the 委員会.

"Sound the alarm, 国民!" cried Chauvelin in 返答. "Or, by Satan, he'll escape us again!"

"But—" stammered Tournefort in utter bewilderment, while, with fingers that trembled somewhat, he fumbled for his whistle.

"We shall want all the help we can," retorted Chauvelin 概略で. "For, unless I am much mistaken, there's more noble quarry here than even I could dare to hope!"

Rateau in the 一方／合間 had 静かに lolled up to the parapet on the 権利-手渡す 味方する of the 橋（渡しをする）, and Tournefort, who was watching him with 激しい keenness, still marvelled why 国民 Chauvelin had suddenly become so strangely excited. Rateau was 単に lolling against the parapet, like a man who has not a care in the world. He had placed his bundle on the 石／投石する ledge beside him. Here he waited a moment or two, until one of the small （手先の）技術 upon the river ぼんやり現れるd out of the 不明瞭 すぐに below the 橋（渡しをする）. Then he 選ぶd up the bundle and threw it straight into the boat. At that same moment Tournefort had the whistle to his lips. A shrill, sharp sound rang out through the gloom.

"The boat, 国民 Tournefort, the boat!" cried Chauvelin. "There are plenty of us here to を取り引きする the man."

すぐに, from the quays, the streets, the 橋（渡しをする）s, dark 人物／姿／数字s 現れるd out of the 不明瞭 and hurried to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す. Some reached the bridgehead even as Rateau made a dart 今後, and two men were upon him before he 後継するd in running very far. Others had 緊急発進するd 負かす／撃墜する the 堤防 and were shouting to some unseen boatman to "停止（させる）, in the 指名する of the people!"

But Rateau gave in without a struggle. He appeared more dazed than 脅すd, and 静かに 許すd the スパイ／執行官s of the 委員会 to lead him 支援する to the 橋（渡しをする）, where Chauvelin had paused, waiting for him.

6.

A minute or two later Tournefort was once more beside his 長，指導者. He was carrying the precious bundle, which, he explained, the boatman had given up without question.

"The man knew nothing about it," the スパイ／執行官 said. "No one, he says, could have been more surprised than he was when this bundle was suddenly flung at him over the parapet of the 橋（渡しをする）."

Just then the small group, composed of two or three スパイ／執行官s of the 委員会, 持つ／拘留するing their 囚人 by the 武器, （機の）カム into 見解（をとる）. One man was walking ahead and was the first to approach Chauvelin. He had a small screw of paper in his 手渡す, which he gave to his 長，指導者.

"設立する inside the lining of the 囚人's hat, 国民," he 報告（する）／憶測d curtly, and opened the shutter of a small, dark lantern which he wore at his belt.

Chauvelin took the paper from his subordinate. A weird, unexplainable foreknowledge of what was to come 原因（となる）d his 手渡す to shake and beads of perspiration to moisten his forehead. He looked up and saw the 囚人 standing before him. 鎮圧するing the paper in his 手渡す he snatched the lantern from the スパイ／執行官's belt and flashed it in the 直面する of the quarry who, at the last, had been so easily 逮捕（する）d.

すぐに a hoarse cry of 失望 and of 激怒（する） escaped his throat.

"Who is this man?" he cried.

One of the スパイ／執行官s gave reply:

"It is old 勝利者, the landlord of the 'Bon Copain.' He is just a fool, who has been playing a practical joke."

Tournefort, too, at sight of the 囚人 had uttered a cry of 狼狽 and of astonishment.

"勝利者!" he exclaimed. "指名する of a dog, 国民, what are you doing here?"

But Chauvelin had gripped the man by the arm so ひどく that the latter swore with the 苦痛.

"What is the meaning of this?" he queried 概略で.

"Only a bet, 国民," retorted 勝利者 reproachfully. "No 推論する／理由 to 落ちる on an honest 愛国者 for a bet, just as if he were a mad dog."

"A joke? A bet?" murmured Chauvelin hoarsely, for his throat now felt hot and parched. "What do you mean? Who are you, man? Speak, or I'll—"

"My 指名する is ジーンズ 勝利者," replied the other. "I am the landlord of the 'Bon Copain.' An hour ago a man （機の）カム into my cabaret. He was a queer, consumptive creature, with a churchyard cough that 顧客s—talked all sorts of silly nonsense, made absurd bets with everybody. Some of these he won, and others he lost; but I must say that when he lost he always paid up most liberally. Then we all got excited, and soon bets flew all over the place. I don't rightly know how it happened at the last, but all at once he bet me that I would not dare to walk out then and there in the dark, as far as the Pont Neuf, wearing his blouse and hat and carrying a bundle the same as his under my arm. I not dare?...I, ジーンズ 勝利者, who was a 罰金 闘士，戦闘機 in my day! I bet him a gold piece that I would and he said that he would make it five if I （機の）カム 支援する without my bundle, having thrown it over the parapet into any passing boat. 井戸／弁護士席, 国民!" continued ジーンズ 勝利者 with a laugh, "I ask you, what would you have done? Five gold pieces means a fortune these hard times, and I tell you the man was やめる honest and always paid liberally when he lost. He slipped behind the 反対する and took off his blouse and hat, which I put on. Then we made up a bundle with some cabbage 長，率いるs and a few carrots, and out I （機の）カム. I didn't think there could be anything wrong in the whole 事件／事情／状勢—just the tomfoolery of a man who has got the betting mania and in whose pocket money is just 燃やすing a 穴を開ける. And I have won my bet," 結論するd ジーンズ 勝利者, still unabashed, "and I want to go 支援する and get my money. If you don't believe me, come with me to my cabaret. You will find the 国民 Rateau there, for sure; and I know that I shall find my five gold pieces."

Chauvelin had listened to the man as he would to some weird dream-story, wherein ghouls and devils had played a part. Tournefort, who was watching him, was awed by the look of 猛烈な／残忍な 激怒（する） and grim hopelessness which shone from his 長，指導者's pale 注目する，もくろむs. The other スパイ／執行官s laughed. They were 高度に amused at the tale, but they would not let the 囚人 go.

"If ジーンズ 勝利者's story is true, 国民," their sergeant said, speaking to Chauvelin, "there will be 証言，証人／目撃するs to it over at 'Le Bon Copain.' Shall we take the 囚人 straightway there and を待つ その上の orders?"

Chauvelin gave a curt acquiescence, nodding his 長，率いる like some insentient 木造の automaton. The screw of paper was still in his 手渡す; it seemed to sear his palm. Tournefort even now broke into a grim laugh. He had just undone the bundle which ジーンズ 勝利者 had thrown over the parapet of the 橋（渡しをする）. It 含む／封じ込めるd two 長，率いるs of cabbage and a bunch of carrots. Then he ordered the スパイ／執行官s to march on with their 囚人, and they, laughing and joking with ジーンズ 勝利者, gave a quick turn, and soon their 激しい footsteps were echoing 負かす／撃墜する the flagstones of the 橋（渡しをする）.

* * * * *

Chauvelin waited, motionless and silent, the dark lantern still held in his shaking 手渡す, until he was やめる sure that he was alone. Then only did he 広げる the screw of paper.

It 含む／封じ込めるd a few lines scribbled in pencil—just that foolish rhyme which to his fevered 神経s was like a strong irritant, a 毒（薬） which gave him an unendurable sensation of humiliation and impotence:

"We 捜し出す him here, we 捜し出す him there!
Chauvelin 捜し出すs him everywhere!
Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?
That demmed, elusive Pimpernel!"

He 鎮圧するd the paper in his 手渡す and, with a loud groan, of 悲惨, fled over the 橋（渡しをする） like one 所有するd.

7.

Madame la Comtesse de Sucy never went to England. She was one of those French women who would sooner 耐える 悲惨 in their own beloved country than 慰安 anywhere else. She 生き延びるd the horrors of the 革命 and speaks in her memoirs of the man Bertin. She never knew who he was nor whence he （機の）カム. All that she knew was that he （機の）カム to her like some mysterious スパイ／執行官 of God, bringing help, counsel, a 外見 of happiness, at the moment when she was at the end of all her 資源s and saw grim 餓死 星／主役にするing her and her children in the 直面する. He 任命するd all sorts of strange places in out-of-the-way Paris where she was wont to 会合，会う him, and one night she confided to him the history of her diamonds, and hardly dared to 信用 his 約束 that he would get them for her.

いっそう少なく than twenty-four hours later he brought them to her, at the poor lodgings in the Rue Blanche which she 占領するd with her children under an assumed 指名する. That same night she begged him to 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせる of them. This also he did, bringing her the money the next day.

She never saw him again after that.

But 国民 Tournefort never やめる got over his 失望 of that night. Had he dared, he would have 非難するd 国民 Chauvelin for the discomfiture. It would have been better to have apprehended the man Rateau while there was a chance of doing so with success.

As it was, the impudent ruffian slipped clean away, and was not return, he said that he could no longer wait, had work to do for the 政府 over the other 味方する of the water and was afraid he would get punished if he dallied. But, before leaving, he laid the five gold pieces on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. Every one wondered that so humble a workman had so much money in his pocket, and was withal so lavish with it. But these were not the times when one 問い合わせd too closely into the presence of money in the pocket of a good 愛国者.

And 国民 Rateau was a good 愛国者, for sure.

And a good fellow その上!

They all drank his health in ジーンズ 勝利者's sour ワイン; then each went his way.

THE END

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