登陆注册
5257900000045

第45章 Chapter XVII : Boulogne(2)

Suspect! a terrible word these times! since Merlin's terrible law decreed now that every man, woman or child, who was suspected by the Republic of being a traitor was a traitor in fact.

How sorry she felt for those whose passports were detained: who tried to argue--so needlessly!--and who were finally led off by a soldier, who had stepped out from somewhere in the dark, and had to await further examination, probably imprisonment and often death.

As to herself, she felt quite safe: the passport given to her by Chauvelin's own accomplice was sure to be quite en regle.

Then suddenly her heart seemed to give a sudden leap and then to stop in its beating for a second or two. In one of the passengers, a man who was just passing in front of the tent, she had recognized the form and profile of Chauvelin.

He had no passport to show, but evidently the official knew who he was, for he stood up and saluted, and listened deferentially whilst the ex-ambassador apparently gave him a few instructions. It seemed to Marguerite that these instructions related to two women who were close behind Chauvelin at the time, and who presently seemed to file past without going through the usual formalities of showing their passports.

But of this she could not be quite sure. The women were closely hooded and veiled and her own attention had been completely absorbed by this sudden appearance of her deadly enemy.

Yet what more natural than that Chauvelin should be here now? His object accomplished, he had no doubt posted to Dover, just as she had done. There was no difficulty in that, and a man of his type and importance would always have unlimited means and money at his command to accomplish any journey he might desire to undertake.

There was nothing strange or even unexpected in the man's presence here; and yet somehow it had made the whole, awful reality more tangible, more wholly unforgettable. Marguerite remembered his abject words to her, when first she had seen him at the Richmond fete: he said that he had fallen into disgrace, that, having failed in his service to the Republic, he had been relegated to a subordinate position, pushed aside with contumely to make room for better, abler men.

Well! all that was a lie, of course, a cunning method of gaining access into her house; of that she had already been convinced, when Candeille provoked the esclandre which led to the challenge.

That on French soil he seemed in anything but a subsidiary position, that he appeared to rule rather than to obey, could in no way appear to Marguerite in the nature of surprise.

As the actress had been a willing tool in the cunning hands of Chauvelin, so were probably all these people around her. Where others cringed in the face of officialism, the ex-ambassador had stepped forth as a master: he had shown a badge, spoken a word mayhap, and the man in the tent who had made other people tremble, stood up deferentially and obeyed all commands.

It was all very simple and very obvious: but Marguerite's mind has been asleep, and it was the sight of the sable-clad little figure which had roused it from its happy torpor.

In a moment now her brain was active and alert, and presently it seemed to her as if another figure--taller than those around-- had crossed the barrier immediately in the wake of Chauvelin. Then she chided herself for her fancies!

It could not be her husband. Not yet! He had gone by water, and would scarce be in Boulogne before the morning!

Ah! now at last came the turn of the second-class passengers! There was a general bousculade and the human bundle began to move. Marguerite lost sight of the tent and its awe-inspiring appurtenances: she was a mere unit again in this herd on the move. She too progressed along slowly, one step at a time; it was wearisome and she was deadly tired. She was beginning to form plans now that she had arrived in France. All along she had made up her mind that she would begin by seeking out the Abbe Foucquet, for he would prove a link 'twixt her husband and herself. She knew that Percy would communicate with the abbe; had he not told her that the rescue of the devoted old man from the clutches of the Terrorists would be one of the chief objects of his journey? It had never occurred to her what she would do if she found the Abbe Foucquet gone from Boulogne.

"He! la mere! your passport!"

The rough words roused her from her meditations. She had moved forward, quite mechanically, her mind elsewhere, her thoughts not following the aim of her feet. Thus she must have crossed the bridge along with some of the crowd, must have landed on the jetty, and reached the front of the tent, without really knowing what she was doing.

Ah yes! her passport! She had quite forgotten that! But she had it by her, quite in order, given to her in a fit of tardy remorse by Demoiselle Candeille, the intimate friend of one of the most influential members of the Revolutionary Government of France.

She took the passport from the bosom of her dress and handed it to the man in the official dress.

"Your name?" he asked peremptorily.

"Celine Dumont," she replied unhesitatingly, for had she not rehearsed all this in her mind dozens of times, until her tongue could rattle off the borrowed name as easily as it could her own; "servitor to Citizeness Desiree Candeille!"

The man who had very carefully been examining the paper the while, placed it down on the table deliberately in front of him, and said:

"Celine Dumont! Eh! la mere! what tricks are you up to now?"

"Tricks? I don't understand!" she said quietly, for she was not afraid. The passport was en regle: she knew she had nothing to fear.

同类推荐
  • 八洞天

    八洞天

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 反三国志演义

    反三国志演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞真太极北帝紫微神咒妙经

    洞真太极北帝紫微神咒妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 郑风

    郑风

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 善女人传

    善女人传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 金方镇年表

    金方镇年表

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 快穿之圆梦攻略

    快穿之圆梦攻略

    非攻略文,无CP,成长型女主。青葱校园?八零求生?丫鬟要自由?将门骄女?小强不要怂?周扒皮的数钱人生?地震危情?煤灰成人记?一个也不能少进行中.........更多精彩,收藏,票票点一点,总有适合的一款。各位君,点一下呗!
  • 穿梭时空学院2:星空浩瀚的强敌

    穿梭时空学院2:星空浩瀚的强敌

    二十世纪,一个平凡无奇的高中生,也是个时时被小太保欺负的可怜虫,因宿命的原因,陷入了奇妙的时光异变,来到一所奇异的学校,这个学校不存在于任何地点,也不存在于任何时代,只有一个老师,还有几个助教,和一群十来岁的古怪学生。只是这个老师的名字叫做鬼谷子,助教们来自不同时代,学生虽然都是毛头小孩,但他们却都来自战国时代,也就是日后的孔子、庄子、老子、列子及公孙龙。
  • 门牌四一七的秘密

    门牌四一七的秘密

    学校里出现了一系列的恐怖事件,好像在说明什么问题。宿舍门牌号为417的房间里到底有什么秘密?通过调查这一切都和荒山下名为徐村的小村庄有着密不可分的联系。 到底是什么原因才导致这一切?是神灵的惩罚还是背后有人在作怪操纵着这一切。 冒险5人组会遇到怎样不可思议的经历,最后的结局为什么会那么的让人意外,其实恐怖就在我们身边。 最后是否会准确的锁定目标,解开这神秘的一切?
  • 莎士比亚诗歌全编:十四行诗

    莎士比亚诗歌全编:十四行诗

    《十四行诗集》是莎士比亚最重要的诗集,从18世纪末以来,莎士比亚的十四行诗引起了人们巨大的兴趣和种种争论。按照广泛流行的解释,这些十四行诗从第1首到第126首,是写给或讲到一位美貌的贵族男青年的;从第127首到第152首,是写给或讲到一位黑肤女郎的;最后两首及中间个别几首,与故事无关。这部诗集乍一看来,会给人一种单调的感觉,莎士比亚翻来覆去地重复着相同的主题——时间、友谊或爱情、艺术(诗)。但是,仔细吟味后,你就会发觉,它们绝不是千篇一律的东西。
  • 帅气的我去当老师了

    帅气的我去当老师了

    一个在世人眼中不学无术的豪门少爷,摇身一变成了高中老师。当“不靠谱”老师遇上一班混世魔王……鸡飞狗跳的教学生活开始了!教学生,本公子有的是妙招!攻克难关,携手进步,却意外收获女神的芳心……且看帅气的我如何攻略校园,走上人生巅峰!
  • ON HEMORRHOIDS

    ON HEMORRHOIDS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 豪门宠婚:傅少蜜爱甜妻

    豪门宠婚:傅少蜜爱甜妻

    她是——陆清歌,这个城市万众瞩目的富家太太,远杨集团少夫人。从小锦衣玉食的她,从来没想过有一天枕边最亲密的人会把自己告上法庭。三年后,一觉醒来发现自己竟然跨越国度,出现在自己分居两年的老公……傅景琛的床上。“你为什么回来?”他俯视着她问道。陆清歌紧盯着他哂笑:“作为你的太太,你跟别的女人都绯闻满天飞了,我难道不该回来看看么?”
  • 异世宝贝现代妈

    异世宝贝现代妈

    花花新文,\(^o^)/~《寒门嫡女》当某男突然失踪后,某女生下一只小麒麟,某女才突然觉得这个世界疯狂了!为了给小麒麟找到一个合适的爹地,某女又开始了她的相亲之路。可是这一次,貌似一切的一切都变得不平凡了,这丫的小坏蛋怎么见一个叫一个爸爸。而且每次叫完后就把所有的难题扔给自己,难道这丫的就那么喜欢那些个色狼。麻烦篇一“本公子看上了你的儿子,那么连你也照单全收了!”某男宠溺的抱着一脸纯真的某小孩,一脸傲然的看着某女说道。某女的嘴角一抽,强忍住自己心中的愤怒,“对不起,本小姐没有看上你!乖儿子,到妈妈怀里来!”瞬间后,某男手中的小孩突然出现在某女手上!看着那俩母子离去的背影,某男决定,既然孩子喜欢妈,那他就把孩子妈也带回家就好了。麻烦篇二“他是我的,你也是我的!”某男固执的对着某女说道。“为什么?”某女揉着自己的太阳穴,看着面前妖孽一般的男子。“因为他刚刚叫我爹地了!”某妖孽男指着一脸天真的小男孩,邪魅的一笑后说道。“他把一切漂亮的雄性都称为爹地,特别是一些漂亮的小狗狗!”说完这句的某女抱起阴笑着的某小孩扬长而去,只留下某男在风中凌乱了。麻烦篇三“女人,把你儿子卖给我,价格随便你出!”某男一脸嚣张的看着某女,他可是中国首富,只要他看上的东西还没有没到手的。“男人,把你‘弟弟’卖给我,我在考虑考虑!”某女一脸邪恶的说道。“妈咪,你要弟弟是陪我玩的吗?”某宝贝一脸天真的问道。剩下某男和某女在风中凌乱!其实某宝贝绝对不是一个宝贝,他内心最真实的想法其实是这样的。‘除了我正牌爹地,其他的来一个杀一个,来两个杀一双。保护妈咪是爹地临走前交给我的任务,要是谁敢不识相的惹上门,哼哼.’至于那位神秘的男主,嘿嘿.强大的貌似不是人(其实本来就不是人!)本文女主很邪恶,是非常的邪恶!本文男主很强大,是非常的强大!本文宝贝很腹黑,是超级的腹黑!简介有点白,内容其实不白,\(^o^)/~代养表小麒麟由亲fanidany代养\(^o^)/~麟松由亲风雪墨代养\(^o^)/~蓝静由亲yoguat空代养\(^o^)/~——————推荐花花新文《全能皇妃》上一世,发誓做一个全能美少女,可是在愿望还没有达成时,就死于非命。好不容易赶上了穿越的潮流。
  • 号角声声

    号角声声

    介绍了秦汉前后的各大战争,远古的战争、奴隶社会中的著名战役、秦汉时期的著名战役、三国两晋南北朝时期的著名战役、隋唐时期的经典战役、弱势两宋时期的战役、元的拓展疆土、明王朝的著名战役、满清的军事斗争