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a man in love is apt to run his headand that of his friends
blindly into a noose。〃
〃Who told you that I was in love？〃
〃You yourself； my good fellow。 Had you not told me so at the
outset；〃 he continued； still speaking very quietly and deliberately
and never raising his voice； 〃I would even now be standing over you；
dog…whip in hand； to thrash you as a defaulting coward and a perjurer
。。。。 Bah！〃 he added with a return to his habitual bonhomie； 〃I would
no doubt even have lost my temper with you。 Which would have been
purposeless and excessively bad form。 Eh？〃
A violent retort had sprung to Armand's lips。 But fortunately at
that very moment his eyes； glowing with anger； caught those of
Blakeney fixed with lazy good…nature upon his。 Something of that
irresistible dignity which pervaded the whole personality of the
man checked Armand's hotheaded words on his lips。
〃I cannot leave Paris to…morrow；〃 he reiterated more calmly。
〃Because you have arranged to see her again？〃
〃Because she saved my life to…day； and is herself in danger。〃
〃She is in no danger；〃 said Blakeney simply； 〃since she saved the
life of my friend。〃
〃Percy！〃
The cry was wrung from Armand St。 Just's very soul。 Despite the
tumult of passion which was raging in his heart； he was conscious
again of the magnetic power which bound so many to this man's
service。 The words he had saidsimple though they werehad sent
a thrill through Armand's veins。 He felt himself disarmed。 His
resistance fell before the subtle strength of an unbendable will；
nothing remained in his heart but an overwhelming sense of shame
and of impotence。
He sank into a chair and rested his elbows on the table； burying
his face in his hands。 Blakeney went up to him and placed a
kindly hand upon his shoulder。
〃The difficult task； Armand；〃 he said gently。
〃Percy； cannot you release me？ She saved my life。 I have not
thanked her yet。〃
〃There will be time for thanks later； Armand。 Just now over
yonder the son of kings is being done to death by savage brutes。〃
〃I would not hinder you if I stayed。〃
〃God knows you have hindered us enough already。〃
〃How？〃
〃You say she saved your life 。。。 then you were in danger 。。。 Heron
and his spies have been on your track your track leads to mine；
and I have sworn to save the Dauphin from the hands of thieves。。。。
A man in love； Armand； is a deadly danger among us。。。。 Therefore
at daybreak you must leave Paris with Hastings on your difficult
and dangerous task。〃
〃And if I refuse？〃 retorted Armand。
〃My good fellow；〃 said Blakeney earnestly； 〃in that admirable
lexicon which the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel has compiled for
itself there is no such word as refuse。〃
〃But if I do refuse？〃 persisted the other。
〃You would be offering a tainted name and tarnished honour to the
woman you pretend to love。〃
〃And you insist upon my obedience？〃
〃By the oath which I hold from you。〃
〃But this is cruelinhuman！〃
〃Honour； my good Armand； is often cruel and seldom human。 He is a
godlike taskmaster； and we who call ourselves men are all of us
his slaves。〃
〃The tyranny comes from you alone。 You could release me an you
would。〃
〃And to gratify the selfish desire of immature passion； you would
wish to see me jeopardise the life of those who place infinite
trust in me。〃
〃God knows how you have gained their allegiance； Blakeney。 To me
now you are selfish and callous。〃
〃There is the difficult task you craved for； Armand；〃 was all the
answer that Blakeney made to the taunt〃 to obey a leader whom
you no longer trust。〃
But this Armand could not brook。 He had spoken hotly；
impetuously； smarting under the discipline which thwarted his
desire； but his heart was loyal to the chief whom he had
reverenced for so long。
〃Forgive me； Percy；〃 he said humbly； 〃I am distracted。 I don't
think I quite realised what I was saying。 I trust you； of course
。。。 implicitly 。。。 and you need not even fear 。。。 I shall not
break my oath； though your orders now seem to me needlessly
callous and selfish。。。。 I will obey 。。。 you need not be afraid。〃
〃I was not afraid of that； my good fellow。〃
〃Of course； you do not understand 。。。 you cannot。 To you； your
honour； the task which you have set yourself； has been your only
fetish。。。。 Love in its true sense does not exist for you。。。。 I
see it now 。。。 you do not know what it is to love。〃
Blakeney made no reply for the moment。 He stood in the centre of
the room； with the yellow light of the lamp falling full now upon
his tall powerful frame； immaculately dressed in perfectly…tailored
clothes； upon his long； slender hands half hidden by filmy lace；
and upon his face； across which at this moment a heavy strand of
curly hair threw a curious shadow。 At Armand's words his lips had
imperceptibly tightened； his eyes had narrowed as if they tried to
see something that was beyond the range of their focus。
Across the smooth brow the strange shadow made by the hair seemed
to find a reflex from within。 Perhaps the reckless adventurer；
the careless gambler with life and liberty； saw through the walls
of this squalid room； across the wide； ice…bound river； and beyond
even the gloomy pile of buildings opposite； a cool； shady garden
at Richmond； a velvety lawn sweeping down to the river's edge； a
bower of clematis and roses； with a carved stone seat half covered
with moss。 There sat an exquisitely beautiful woman with great
sad eyes fixed on the far…distant horizon。 The setting sun was
throwing a halo of gold all round her hair； her white hands were
clasped idly on her lap。
She gazed out beyond the river； beyond the sunset； toward an
unseen bourne of peace and happiness； and her lovely face had in
it a look of utter hopelessness and of sublime self…abnegation。
The air was still。 It was late autumn； and all around her the
russet leaves of beech and chestnut fell with a melancholy
hush…sh…sh about her feet。
She was alone； and from time to time heavy tears gathered in her
eyes and rolled slowly down her cheeks。
Suddenly a sigh escaped the man's tightly…pressed lips。 With a
strange gesture； wholly unusual to him； he passed his hand right
across his eyes。
〃Mayhap you are right； Armand；〃 he said quietly； 〃mayhap I do not
know what it is to love。〃
Armand turned to go。 There was nothing more to be said。 He knew
Percy well enough by now to realise the finality of his
pronouncements。 His heart felt sore； but he was too proud to show
his hurt again to a man who did not understand。 All thoughts of
disobedience he had put resolutely aside； he had never meant to
break his oath。 All that he had hoped to do was to persuade Percy
to release him from it for awhile。
That by leaving Paris he risked to lose Jeanne he was quite
convinced； but it is nevertheless a true fact that in spite of
this he did not withdraw his love and trust from his chief。 He
was under the influence of that same magnetism which enchained all
his comrades to the will of this man； and though his enthusiasm
for the great cause had somewhat waned； his allegiance to its
leader was no longer tottering。
But he would not trust