The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy [best big ereader .txt] 📗

tell you for granted. These will be of no importance. What is important is that your leader and comrade, the Scarlet Pimpernel⁠ ⁠… my husband⁠ ⁠… Percy Blakeney⁠ ⁠… is in deadly peril.”

Had she the remotest doubt of the correctness of her deductions, she would have had them confirmed now, for Sir Andrew, completely taken by surprise, had grown very pale, and was quite incapable of making the slightest attempt at clever parrying.

“No matter how I know this, Sir Andrew,” she continued quietly, “thank God that I do, and that perhaps it is not too late to save him. Unfortunately, I cannot do this quite alone, and therefore have come to you for help.”

“Lady Blakeney,” said the young man, trying to recover himself, “I⁠ ⁠…”

“Will you hear me first?” she interrupted. “This is how the matter stands. When the agent of the French Government stole your papers that night in Dover, he found amongst them certain plans, which you or your leader meant to carry out for the rescue of the Comte de Tournay and others. The Scarlet Pimpernel⁠—Percy, my husband⁠—has gone on this errand himself today. Chauvelin knows that the Scarlet Pimpernel and Percy Blakeney are one and the same person. He will follow him to Calais, and there will lay hands on him. You know as well as I do the fate that awaits him at the hands of the Revolutionary Government of France. No interference from England⁠—from King George himself⁠—would save him. Robespierre and his gang would see to it that the interference came too late. But not only that, the much-trusted leader will also have been unconsciously the means of revealing the hiding-place of the Comte de Tournay and of all those who, even now, are placing their hopes in him.”

She had spoken quietly, dispassionately, and with firm, unbending resolution. Her purpose was to make that young man trust and help her, for she could do nothing without him.

“I do not understand,” he repeated, trying to gain time, to think what was best to be done.

“Aye! but I think you do, Sir Andrew. You must know that I am speaking the truth. Look these facts straight in the face. Percy has sailed for Calais, I presume for some lonely part of the coast, and Chauvelin is on his track. He has posted for Dover, and will cross the Channel probably tonight. What do you think will happen?”

The young man was silent.

“Percy will arrive at his destination: unconscious of being followed he will seek out de Tournay and the others⁠—among these is Armand St. Just, my brother⁠—he will seek them out, one after another, probably, not knowing that the sharpest eyes in the world are watching his every movement. When he has thus unconsciously betrayed those who blindly trust in him, when nothing can be gained from him, and he is ready to come back to England, with those whom he has gone so bravely to save, the doors of the trap will close upon him, and he will be sent to end his noble life upon the guillotine.”

Still Sir Andrew was silent.

“You do not trust me,” she said passionately. “Oh God! cannot you see that I am in deadly earnest? Man, man,” she added, while, with her tiny hands she seized the young man suddenly by the shoulders, forcing him to look straight at her, “tell me, do I look like that vilest thing on earth⁠—a woman who would betray her own husband?”

“God forbid, Lady Blakeney,” said the young man at last, “that I should attribute such evil motives to you, but⁠ ⁠…”

“But what?⁠ ⁠… tell me.⁠ ⁠… Quick, man!⁠ ⁠… the very seconds are precious!”

“Will you tell me,” he asked resolutely, and looking searchingly into her blue eyes, “whose hand helped to guide M. Chauvelin to the knowledge which you say he possesses?”

“Mine,” she said quietly, “I own it⁠—I will not lie to you, for I wish you to trust me absolutely. But I had no idea⁠—how could I have?⁠—of the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel⁠ ⁠… and my brother’s safety was to be my prize if I succeeded.”

“In helping Chauvelin to track the Scarlet Pimpernel?”

She nodded.

“It is no use telling you how he forced my hand. Armand is more than a brother to me, and⁠ ⁠… and⁠ ⁠… how could I guess?⁠ ⁠… But we waste time, Sir Andrew⁠ ⁠… every second is precious⁠ ⁠… in the name of God!⁠ ⁠… my husband is in peril⁠ ⁠… your friend!⁠—your comrade!⁠—Help me to save him.”

Sir Andrew felt his position to be a very awkward one. The oath he had taken before his leader and comrade was one of obedience and secrecy; and yet the beautiful woman, who was asking him to trust her, was undoubtedly in earnest; his friend and leader was equally undoubtedly in imminent danger and⁠ ⁠…

“Lady Blakeney,” he said at last, “God knows you have perplexed me, so that I do not know which way my duty lies. Tell me what you wish me to do. There are nineteen of us ready to lay down our lives for the Scarlet Pimpernel if he is in danger.”

“There is no need for lives just now, my friend,” she said drily; “my wits and four swift horses will serve the necessary purpose. But I must know where to find him. See,” she added, while her eyes filled with tears, “I have humbled myself before you, I have owned my fault to you; shall I also confess my weakness?⁠—My husband and I have been estranged, because he did not trust me, and because I was too blind to understand. You must confess that the bandage which he put over my eyes was a very thick one. Is it small wonder that I did not see through it? But last night, after I led him unwittingly into such deadly peril, it suddenly fell from my eyes. If you will not help me, Sir Andrew, I would still strive to save my husband. I would still exert every faculty I possess for his sake; but I might be powerless, for I might arrive too late, and nothing