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

smiling at the thought of what the worthy fellow must be thinking at that very moment, “we shall require nothing more; and here’s for all the trouble you have been put to on our account.”

She handed two or three gold pieces to Jellyband, who took them respectfully, and with becoming gratitude.

“Stay, Lady Blakeney,” interposed Sir Andrew, as Jellyband was about to retire, “I am afraid we shall require something more of my friend Jelly’s hospitality. I am sorry to say we cannot cross over tonight.”

“Not cross over tonight?” she repeated in amazement. “But we must, Sir Andrew, we must! There can be no question of cannot, and whatever it may cost, we must get a vessel tonight.”

But the young man shook his head sadly.

“I am afraid it is not a question of cost, Lady Blakeney. There is a nasty storm blowing from France, the wind is dead against us, we cannot possibly sail until it has changed.”

Marguerite became deadly pale. She had not foreseen this. Nature herself was playing her a horrible, cruel trick. Percy was in danger, and she could not go to him, because the wind happened to blow from the coast of France.

“But we must go!⁠—we must!” she repeated with strange, persistent energy, “you know, we must go!⁠—can’t you find a way?”

“I have been down to the shore already,” he said, “and had a talk to one or two skippers. It is quite impossible to set sail tonight, so every sailor assured me. No one,” he added, looking significantly at Marguerite, “no one could possibly put out of Dover tonight.”

Marguerite at once understood what he meant. “No one” included Chauvelin as well as herself. She nodded pleasantly to Jellyband.

“Well, then, I must resign myself,” she said to him. “Have you a room for me?”

“Oh, yes, your ladyship. A nice, bright, airy room. I’ll see to it at once.⁠ ⁠… And there is another one for Sir Andrew⁠—both quite ready.”

“That’s brave now, mine honest Jelly,” said Sir Andrew, gaily, and clapping his worth host vigorously on the back. “You unlock both those rooms, and leave our candles here on the dresser. I vow you are dead with sleep, and her ladyship must have some supper before she retires. There, have no fear, friend of the rueful countenance, her ladyship’s visit, though at this unusual hour, is a great honour to thy house, and Sir Percy Blakeney will reward thee doubly, if thou seest well to her privacy and comfort.”

Sir Andrew had no doubt guessed the many conflicting doubts and fears which raged in honest Jellyband’s head; and, as he was a gallant gentleman, he tried by this brave hint to allay some of the worthy innkeeper’s suspicions. He had the satisfaction of seeing that he had partially succeeded. Jellyband’s rubicund countenance brightened somewhat, at the mention of Sir Percy’s name.

“I’ll go and see to it at once, sir,” he said with alacrity, and with less frigidity in his manner. “Has her ladyship everything she wants for supper?”

“Everything, thanks, honest friend, and as I am famished and dead with fatigue, I pray you see to the rooms.”

“Now tell me,” she said eagerly, as soon as Jellyband had gone from the room, “tell me all your news.”

“There is nothing else much to tell you, Lady Blakeney,” replied the young man. “The storm makes it quite impossible for any vessel to put out of Dover this tide. But, what seems to you at first a terrible calamity is really a blessing in disguise. If we cannot cross over to France tonight, Chauvelin is in the same quandary.”

“He may have left before the storm broke out.”

“God grant he may,” said Sir Andrew, merrily, “for very likely then he’ll have been driven out of his course! Who knows? He may now even be lying at the bottom of the sea, for there is a furious storm raging, and it will fare ill with all small craft which happen to be out. But I fear me we cannot build our hopes upon the shipwreck of that cunning devil, and of all his murderous plans. The sailors I spoke to, all assured me that no schooner had put out of Dover for several hours: on the other hand, I ascertained that a stranger had arrived by coach this afternoon, and had, like myself, made some inquiries about crossing over to France.”

“Then Chauvelin is still in Dover?”

“Undoubtedly. Shall I go waylay him and run my sword through him? That were indeed the quickest way out of the difficulty.”

“Nay! Sir Andrew, do not jest! Alas! I have often since last night caught myself wishing for that fiend’s death. But what you suggest is impossible! The laws of this country do not permit of murder! It is only in our beautiful France that wholesale slaughter is done lawfully, in the name of Liberty and of brotherly love.”

Sir Andrew had persuaded her to sit down to the table, to partake of some supper and to drink a little wine. This enforced rest of at least twelve hours, until the next tide, was sure to be terribly difficult to bear in the state of intense excitement in which she was. Obedient in these small matters like a child, Marguerite tried to eat and drink.

Sir Andrew, with that profound sympathy born in all those who are in love, made her almost happy by talking to her about her husband. He recounted to her some of the daring escapes the brave Scarlet Pimpernel had contrived for the poor French fugitives, whom a relentless and bloody revolution was driving out of their country. He made her eyes glow with enthusiasm by telling her of his bravery, his ingenuity, his resourcefulness, when it meant snatching the lives of men, women, and even children from beneath the very edge of that murderous, ever-ready guillotine.

He even made her smile quite merrily by telling her of the Scarlet Pimpernel’s quaint and many disguises, through which he had baffled the strictest watch set against him at the barricades of