〃In　what　way？〃　queried　St。　Just；　smiling　in　spite　of　himself　at
  the　thought　of　his　or　any　one　else's　control　over　Blakeney　and　his
  plans。
  It　was　de　Batz'　turn　to　be　silent。　　He　paused　for　a　moment　or　two；
  then　he　asked　abruptly：
  〃Your　Scarlet　Pimpernel　is　in　Paris　now；　is　he　not？〃
  〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　replied　Armand。
  〃Bah！　there　is　no　necessity　to　fence　with　me；　my　friend。　The
  moment　I　set　eyes　on　you　this　afternoon　I　knew　that　you　had　not
  come　to　Paris　alone。〃
  〃You　are　mistaken；　my　good　de　Batz；〃　rejoined　the　young　man
  earnestly；　〃I　came　to　Paris　alone。〃
  〃Clever　parrying；　on　my　wordbut　wholly　wasted　on　my　unbelieving
  ears。　　Did　I　not　note　at　once　that　you　did　not　seem　overpleased
  to…day　when　I　accosted　you？〃
  〃Again　you　are　mistaken。　　I　was　very　pleased　to　meet　you；　for　I
  had　felt　singularly　lonely　all　day；　and　was　glad　to　shake　a　friend
  by　the　hand。　　What　you　took　for　displeasure　was　only　surprise。〃
  〃Surprise？　Ah；　yes！　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　were　surprised　to　see
  me　walking　unmolested　and　openly　in　the　streets　of　Pariswhereas
  you　had　heard　of　me　as　a　dangerous　conspirator；　eh　？and　as　a　man
  who　has　the　entire　police　of　his　country　at　his　heelson　whose
  head　there　is　a　pricewhat？〃
  〃I　knew　that　you　had　made　several　noble　efforts　to　rescue　the
  unfortunate　King　and　Queen　from　the　hands　of　these　brutes。〃
  〃All　of　which　efforts　were　unsuccessful；〃　assented　de　Batz
  imperturbably；　〃every　one　of　them　having　been　either　betrayed　by
  some　dd　confederate　or　ferreted　out　by　some　astute　spy　eager　for
  gain。　　Yes；　my　friend；　I　made　several　efforts　to　rescue　King　Louis
  and　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　from　the　scaffold；　and　every　time　I　was
  foiled；　and　yet　here　I　am；　you　see；　unscathed　and　free。　　I　walk
  about　the　streets　boldly；　and　talk　to　my　friends　as　I　meet　them。〃
  〃You　are　lucky；〃　said　St。　Just；　not　without　a　tinge　of　sarcasm。
  〃I　have　been　prudent；〃　retorted　de　Batz。　　〃I　have　taken　the
  trouble　to　make　friends　there　where　I　thought　I　needed　them
  mostthe　mammon　of　unrighteousness；　you　know…what？〃
  And　he　laughed　a　broad；　thick　laugh　of　perfect　self…satisfaction。
  〃Yes；　I　know；〃　rejoined　St。　Just；　with　the　tone　of　sarcasm　still
  more　apparent　in　his　voice　now。　　〃　You　have　Austrian　money　at　your
  disposal。〃
  〃Any　amount；〃　said　the　other　complacently；　〃and　a　great　deal　of　it
  sticks　to　the　grimy　fingers　of　these　patriotic　makers　of
  revolutions。　　Thus　do　I　ensure　my　own　safety。　I　buy　it　with　the
  Emperor's　money；　and　thus　am　I　able　to　work　for　the　restoration　of
  the　monarchy　in　France。〃
  Again　St。　Just　was　silent。　　What　could　he　say？　　Instinctively　now；
  as　the　fleshy　personality　of　the　Gascon　Royalist　seemed　to　spread
  itself　out　and　to　fill　the　tiny　box　with　his　ambitious　schemes　and
  his　far…reaching　plans；　Armand's　thoughts　flew　back　to　that　other
  plotter；　the　man　with　the　pure　and　simple　aims；　the　man　whose
  slender　fingers　had　never　handled　alien　gold；　but　were　ever　there
  ready　stretched　out　to　the　helpless　and　the　weak；　whilst　his
  thoughts　were　only　of　the　help　that　he　might　give　them；　but　never
  of　his　own　safety。
  De　Batz；　however；　seemed　blandly　unconscious　of　any　such
  disparaging　thoughts　in　the　mind　of　his　young　friend；　for　he
  continued　quite　amiably；　even　though　a　note　of　anxiety　seemed　to
  make　itself　felt　now　in　his　smooth　voice：
  〃We　advance　slowly；　but　step　by　step；　my　good　St。　Just；〃　he　said。
  〃I　have　not　been　able　to　save　the　monarchy　in　the　person　of　the
  King　or　the　Queen；　but　I　may　yet　do　it　in　the　person　of　the
  Dauphin。〃
  〃The　Dauphin；〃　murmured　St。　Just　involuntarily。
  That　involuntary　murmur；　scarcely　audible；　so　soft　was　it；　seemed
  in　some　way　to　satisfy　de　Batz；　for　the　keenness　of　his　gaze
  relaxed；　and　his　fat　fingers　ceased　their　nervous；　intermittent
  tattoo　on　the　ledge　of　the　box。
  〃Yes　！　the　Dauphin；〃　he　said；　nodding　his　head　as　if　in　answer　to
  his　own　thoughts；　〃or　rather；　let　me　say；　the　reigning　King　of
  FranceLouis　XVII；　by　the　grace　of　Godthe　most　precious　life　at
  present　upon　the　whole　of　this　earth。〃
  〃You　are　right　there；　friend　de　Batz；〃　assented　Armand　fervently；
  〃the　most　precious　life；　as　you　say；　and　one　that　must　be　saved　at
  all　costs。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　de　Batz　calmly；　〃but　not　by　your　friend　the　Scarlet
  Pimpernel。〃
  〃Why　not？〃
  Scarce　were　those　two　little　words　out　of　St。　Just's　mouth　than　he
  repented　of　them。　　He　bit　his　lip；　and　with　a　dark　frown　upon　his
  face　he　turned　almost　defiantly　towards　his　friend。
  But　de　Batz　smiled　with　easy　bonhomie。
  〃Ah；　friend　Armand；〃　he　said；　〃you　were　not　cut　out　for　diplomacy；
  nor　yet　for　intrigue。　　So　then；〃　he　added　more　seriously；　〃that
  gallant　hero；　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　has　hopes　of　rescuing　our
  young　King　from　the　clutches　of　Simon　the　cobbler　and　of　the　herd
  of　hyenas　on　the　watch　for　his　attenuated　little　corpse；　eh？〃
  〃I　did　not　say　that；〃　retorted　St。　Just　sullenly。
  〃No。　　But　I　say　it。　　Nay！　nay！　do　not　blame　yourself；　my
  over…loyal　young　friend。　　Could　I；　or　any　one　else；　doubt　for　a
  moment　that　sooner　or　later　your　romantic　hero　would　turn　his
  attention　to　the　most　pathetic　sight　in　the　whole　of　Europethe
  child…martyr　in　the　Temple　prison？　The　wonder　were　to　me　if　the
  Scarlet　Pimpernel　ignored　our　little　King　altogether　for　the　sake
  of　his　subjects。　　No；　no；　do　not　think　for　a　moment　that　you　have
  betrayed　your　friend's　secret　to　me。　　When　I　met　you　so　luckily
  today　I　guessed　at　once　that　you　were　here　under　the　banner　of　the
  enigmatical　little　red　flower；　and；　thus　guessing；　I　even　went　a
  step　further　in　my　conjecture。　　The　Scarlet　Pimpernel　is　in　Paris
  now　in　the　hope　of　rescuing　Louis　XVII　from　the　Temple　prison。〃
  〃If　that　is　so；　you　must　not　only　rejoice　but　should　be　able　to
  help。〃
  〃And　yet；　my　friend；　I　do　neither　the　one　now　nor　mean　to　do　the
  other　in　the　future；〃　said　de　Batz　placidly。　　〃I　happen　to　be　a
  Frenchman；　you　see。〃
  〃What　has　that　to　do　with　such　a　question？〃
  〃Everything；　though　you；　Armand；　despite　that　you　are　a　Frenchman
  too；　do　not　look　through　my　spectacles。　Louis　XVII　is　King　of
  France；　my　good　St。　Just；　he　must　owe　his　freedom　and　his　life　to
  us　Frenchmen；　and　to　no　one　else。〃
  〃That　is　sheer　madness；　man；〃　retorted　Armand。　〃Would　you　have　the
  child　perish　for　the　sake　of　your　own　selfish　ideas？〃
  〃You　may　call　them　selfish　if　you　will；　all　patriotism　is　in　a
  measure　selfish。　　What　does　the　rest　of　the　world　care　if　we　are　a
  republic　or　a　monarchy；　an　oligarchy　or　hopeless　anarchy？　　We　work
  for　ourselves　and　to　please　ourselves；　and　I　for　one　will　not
  brook　foreign　interference。〃
  〃Yet　you　work　with　foreign　money！〃
  〃That　is　another　matter。　　I　cannot　get　money　in　France；　so　I　get
  it　where　I　can；　but　I　can　arrange　for　the　escape　of　Louis　XVII　is
  King　of　France；　my　good　St。　Just；　he　must　of　France　should　belong
  the　honour　and　glory　of　having　saved　our　King。〃
  For　the　third　time　now　St。　Just　allowed　the　conversation　to　drop；
  he　was　gazing　wide…eyed；　almost　appalled　at　this　impudent　display
  of　well…nigh　ferocious　selfishness　and　vanity。　　De　Batz；　smiling
  and　complacent；　was　leaning　back　in　his　chair；　looking　at　his
  young　friend　with　perfect　contentment　expressed　in　every　line　of
  his　pock…marked　face　and　in　the　very　attitude　of　his　well…fed
  body。　　It　was　easy　enough　now　to　understand　the　remarkable
  immunity　which　this　man　was　enjoying；　despite　the　many　foolhardy
  plots　which　he　hatched；　and　which　had　up　to　now　invariably　come　to
  naught。
  A　regular　braggart　and　empty　windbag；　he　had　taken　but　one　good
  care；　and　that　was　of　his　own　skin。　　Unlike　other　less　fortunate
  Royalists　of　France；　he　neither　fought　in　the　country　nor　braved
  dangers　in　town。　　He　played　a　safer　gamecrossed　the　frontier　and
  constituted　himself　agent　of　Austria；　he　succeeded　in　gaining　the
  Emperor's　money　for　the　good　of　the　Royalist　cause；　and　for　his
  own　most　especial　benefit。
  Even　a　less　astute　man　of　the　world　than　was　Armand　St。　Just　would
  easily　have　guessed　that　de　Batz'　desire　to　be　the　only　instrument
  in　the　rescue　of　the　poor　little　Dauphin　from　the　Temple　was　not
  actuated　by　patriotism；　but　solely　by　greed。　　Obviously　there　was
  a　rich　reward　waiting　for　him　in　Vienna　the　day　that　he　brought
  Louis　XVII　safely　into　Austrian　territory；　that　reward　he　would
  miss　if　a　meddlesome　Englishman　interfered　in　this　affair。　Whether
  in　this　wrangle　he　risked　the　life　of　the　child…King　or　not
  mattered　to　him　not　at　all。　　It　was　de　Batz　who　was　to　get　the
  reward；　and　whose　welfare　and　prosperity　mattered　more　than　the
  most　precious　life　in　Europe。
  CHAPTER　III
  THE　DEMON　CHANCE
  St。　Just　would　have　given　much　to　be　back　in　his　lonely　squalid
  lodgings　now。　　Too　late　did　he　realise　how　wise　had　been　the
  dictum　which　had　warned　him　against　making　or　renewing　friendships
  in　France。
  Men　had　changed　with　the　times。　　How　terribly　they　had　changed！
  Personal　safety　had　become　a　fetish　with　mosta　goal　so　difficult
  to　attain　that　it　had　to　be　fought　for　and　striven　for；　even　at
  the　expense　of　humanity　and　of　self…respect。
  Selfishnessthe　mere；　cold…blooded　insistence　for　self…advancement
  ruled　supreme。　　De　Batz；　surfeited　with　foreign　money；　used　it
  firstly　to　ensure　his　own　immunity；　scatt