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head。 She looked exactly like the exquisite cameo which
Marguerite used to wear。 Her hands were tied with cords behind her
back； but between her fingers she held a small bunch of violets。
Armand saw it all。 It was； of course； a vision； and he knew that
it was one； but he believed that the vision was prophetic。 No
thought of the chief whom he had sworn to trust and to obey came
to chase away these imaginings of his fevered fancy。 He saw
Jeanne； and only Jeanne； standing on the tumbril and being led to
the guillotine。 Sir Andrew was not there； and Percy had not come。
Armand believed that a direct message had come to him from heaven
to save his beloved。
Therefore he forgot his promisehis oath； he forgot those very
things which the leader had entreated him to rememberhis duty to
the others； his loyalty； his obedience。 Jeanne had first claim on
him。 It were the act of a coward to remain in safety whilst she
was in such deadly danger。
Now he blamed himself severely for having quitted Paris。 Even
Percy must have thought him a coward for obeying quite so readily。
Maybe the command had been but a test of his courage； of the
strength of his love for Jeanne。
A hundred conjectures flashed through his brain； a hundred plans
presented themselves to his mind。 It was not for Percy； who did
not know her； to save Jeanne or to guard her。 That task was
Armand's； who worshipped her； and who would gladly die beside her
if he failed to rescue her from threatened death。
Resolution was not slow in coming。 A tower clock inside the city
struck the hour of six； and still no sign of Percy。
Armand； his certificate of safety in his hand； walked boldly up to
the gate。
The guard challenged him； but he presented the certificate。 There
was an agonising moment when the card was taken from him； and he
was detained in the guard…room while it was being examined by the
sergeant in command。
But the certificate was in good order； and Armand； covered in
coal…dust； with the perspiration streaming down his face； did
certainly not look like an aristocrat in disguise。 It was never
very difficult to enter the great city； if one wished to put one's
head in the lion's mouth； one was welcome to do so； the difficulty
came when the lion thought fit to close his jaws。
Armand； after five minutes of tense anxiety； was allowed to cross
the barrier； but his certificate of safety was detained。 He would
have to get another from the Committee of General Security before
he would be allowed to leave Paris again。
The lion had thought fit to close his jaws。
CHAPTER XVI
THE WEARY SEARCH
Blakeney was not at his lodgings when Armand arrived there that
evening； nor did he return； whilst the young man haunted the
precincts of St。 Germain l'Auxerrois and wandered along the quays
hours and hours at a stretch； until he nearly dropped under the
portico of a house； and realised that if he loitered longer he
might lose consciousness completely； and be unable on the morrow
to be of service to Jeanne。
He dragged his weary footsteps back to his own lodgings on the
heights of Montmartre。 He had not found Percy； he had no news of
Jeanne； it seemed as if hell itself could hold no worse tortures
than this intolerable suspense。
He threw himself down on the narrow palliasse and； tired nature
asserting herself； at last fell into a heavy； dreamless torpor；
like the sleep of a drunkard； deep but without the beneficent aid
of rest。
It was broad daylight when he awoke。 The pale light of a damp；
wintry morning filtered through the grimy panes of the window。
Armand jumped out of bed； aching of limb but resolute of mind。
There was no doubt that Percy had failed in discovering Jeanne's
whereabouts； but where a mere friend had failed a lover was more
likely to succeed。
The rough clothes which he had worn yesterday were the only ones
he had。 They would； of course； serve his purpose better than his
own； which he had left at Blakeney's lodgings yesterday。 In half
an hour he was dressed； looking a fairly good imitation of a
labourer out of work。
He went to a humble eating house of which he knew； and there；
having ordered some hot coffee with a hunk of bread； he set
himself to think。
It was quite a usual thing these days for relatives and friends of
prisoners to go wandering about from prison to prison to find out
where the loved ones happened to be detained。 The prisons were
over full just now； convents； monasteries； and public institutions
had all been requisitioned by the Government for the housing of
the hundreds of so…called traitors who had been arrested on the
barest suspicion； or at the mere denunciation of an evil…wisher。
There were the Abbaye and the Luxembourg； the erstwhile convents
of the Visitation and the Sacre…Coeur； the cloister of the
Oratorians； the Salpetriere； and the St。 Lazare hospitals； and
there was； of course； the Temple； and； lastly； the Conciergerie；
to which those prisoners were brought whose trial would take place
within the next few days； and whose condemnation was practically
assured。
Persons under arrest at some of the other prisons did sometimes
come out of them alive； but the Conciergerie was only the
ante…chamber of the guillotine。
Therefore Armand's idea was to visit the Conciergerie first。 The
sooner he could reassure himself that Jeanne was not in immediate
danger the better would he be able to endure the agony of that
heart…breaking search； that knocking at every door in the hope of
finding his beloved。
If Jeanne was not in the Conciergerie； then there might be some
hope that she was only being temporarily detained； and through
Armand's excited brain there had already flashed the thought that
mayhap the Committee of General Security would release her if he
gave himself up。
These thoughts； and the making of plans； fortified him mentally
and physically； he even made a great effort to eat and drink；
knowing that his bodily strength must endure if it was going to he
of service to Jeanne。
He reached the Quai de l'Horloge soon after nine。 The grim；
irregular walls of the Chatelet and the house of Justice loomed
from out the mantle of mist that lay on the river banks。 Armand
skirted the square clock…tower； and passed through the monumental
gateways of the house of Justice。
He knew that his best way to the prison would be through the halls
and corridors of the Tribunal； to which the public had access
whenever the court was sitting。 The sittings began at ten； and
already the usual crowd of idlers were assemblingmen and women
who apparently had no other occupation save to come day after day
to this theatre of horrors and watch the different acts of the
heartrending dramas that were enacted here with a kind of awful
monotony。
Armand mingled with the crowd that stood about the courtyard； and
anon moved slowly up the gigantic flight of stone steps； talking
lightly on indifferent subjects。 There was quite a goodly
sprinkling of workingmen amongst this crowd； and Armand in his
toil…stained clothes attracted no attention。
Suddenly a word reached his earjust a name flippantly spoken by
spiteful lipsand it c