The-Scarlet-Pimpernel

‘Yes—and?’ queried Chauvelin, impatiently.‘The conversation was all about a horse and cart, whichthe tall Englishman wished to hire, and which was to havebeen ready for him by eleven o’clock.’‘It is past that now. Where does that Reuben live?’‘A few minutes’ walk from this door.’‘Send one of the men to find out if the stranger has drivenoff in Reuben’s cart.’‘Yes, citoyen.’Desgas went to give the necessary orders to one of themen. Not a word of this conversation between him andChauvelin had escaped Marguerite, and every word theyhad spoken seemed to strike at her heart, with terriblehopelessness and dark foreboding.She had come all this way, and with such high hopes andfirm determination to help her husband, and so far she hadbeen able to do nothing, but to watch, with a heart breakingwith anguish, the meshes of the deadly net closing roundthe daring Scarlet Pimpernel.He could not now advance many steps, without spyingeyes to track and denounce him. Her own helplessnessstruck her with the terrible sense of utter disappointment.The possibility of being the slightest use to her husband hadbecome almost NIL, and her only hope rested in being allowedto share his fate, whatever it might ultimately be.For the moment, even her chance of ever seeing the manshe loved again, had become a remote one. Still, she was determinedto keep a close watch over his enemy, and a vaguehope filled her heart, that whilst she kept Chauvelin in sight,Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com275