The-Scarlet-Pimpernel

‘Yes.’‘The Scarlet Pimpernel,’ she said eagerly, ‘and G.’s ballmeans Grenville’s ball…. He will be at my Lord Grenville’sball to-night.’‘That is how I interpret the note, citoyenne,’ concludedChauvelin, blandly. ‘Lord Antony Dewhurst and Sir AndrewFfoulkes, after they were pinioned and searched bymy spies, were carried by my orders to a lonely house in theDover Road, which I had rented for the purpose: there theyremained close prisoners until this morning. But havingfound this tiny scrap of paper, my intention was that theyshould be in London, in time to attend my Lord Grenville’sball. You see, do you not? that they must have a great dealto say to their chief…and thus they will have an opportunityof speaking to him to-night, just as he directed themto do. Therefore, this morning, those two young gallantsfound every bar and bolt open in that lonely house on theDover Road, their jailers disappeared, and two good horsesstanding ready saddled and tethered in the yard. I have notseen them yet, but I think we may safely conclude that theydid not draw rein until they reached London. Now you seehow simple it all is, citoyenne!’‘It does seem simple, doesn’t it?’ she said, with a finalbitter attempt at flippancy, ‘when you want to kill a chicken…youtake hold of it…then you wring its neck…it’s onlythe chicken who does not find it quite so simple. Now youhold a knife at my throat, and a hostage for my obedience….You find it simple…. I don’t.’‘Nay, citoyenne, I offer you a chance of saving the brotherFree eBooks at Planet eBook.com115