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　changed　the　whole　trend　of　his　thoughts。
  Since　he　had　risen　that　morning　he　had　thought　of　nothing　but　of
  Jeanne；　andin　connection　with　herof　Percy　and　his　vain　quest
  of　her。　　Now　that　name　spoken　by　some　one　unknown　brought　his　mind
  back　to　more　definite　thoughts　of　his　chief。
  〃Capet！〃　the　nameintended　as　an　insult；　but　actually　merely
  irrelevantwhereby　the　uncrowned　little　King　of　France　was
  designated　by　the　revolutionary　party。
  Armand　suddenly　recollected　that　to…day　was　Sunday；　the　19th　of
  January。　　He　had　lost　count　of　days　and　of　dates　lately；　but　the
  name；　〃Capet；〃　had　brought　everything　back：　　the　child　in　the
  Temple；　the　conference　in　Blakeney's　lodgings；　the　plans　for　the
  rescue　of　the　boy。　　That　was　to　take　place　to…daySunday；　the
  19th。　　The　Simons　would　be　moving　from　the　Temple；　at　what　hour
  Blakeney　did　not　know；　but　it　would　be　today；　and　he　would　be
  watching　his　opportunity。
  Now　Armand　understood　everything；　a　great　wave　of　bitterness　swept
  over　his　soul。　　Percy　had　forgotten　Jeanne！　　He　was　busy　thinking
  of　the　child　in　the　Temple；　and　whilst　Armand　had　been　eating　out
  his　heart　with　anxiety；　the　Scarlet　Pimpernel；　true　only　to　his
  mission；　and　impatient　of　all　sentiment　that　interfered　with　his
  schemes；　had　left　Jeanne　to　pay　with　her　life　for　the　safety　of
  the　uncrowned　King。
  But　the　bitterness　did　not　last　long；　on　the　contrary；　a　kind　of
  wild　exultation　took　its　place。　　If　Percy　had　forgotten；　then
  Armand　could　stand　by　Jeanne　alone。　　It　was　better　so！　　He　would
  save　the　loved　one；　it　was　his　duty　and　his　right　to　work　for　her
  sake。　　Never　for　a　moment　did　he　doubt　that　he　could　save　her；
  that　his　life　would　be　readily　accepted　in　exchange　for　hers。
  The　crowd　around　him　was　moving　up　the　monumental　steps；　and
  Armand　went　with　the　crowd。　　It　lacked　but　a　few　minutes　to　ten
  now；　soon　the　court　would　begin　to　sit。　In　the　olden　days；　when　he
  was　studying　for　the　law；　Armand　had　often　wandered　about　at　will
  along　the　corridors　of　the　house　of　Justice。　　He　knew　exactly
  where　the　different　prisons　were　situated　about　the　buildings；　and
  how　to　reach　the　courtyards　where　the　prisoners　took　their　daily
  exercise。
  To　watch　those　aristos　who　were　awaiting　trial　and　death　taking
  their　recreation　in　these　courtyards　had　become　one　of　the　sights
  of　Paris。　　Country　cousins　on　a　visit　to　the　city　were　brought
  hither　for　entertainment。　　Tall　iron　gates　stood　between　the
  public　and　the　prisoners；　and　a　row　of　sentinels　guarded　these
  gates；　but　if　one　was　enterprising　and　eager　to　see；　one　could
  glue　one's　nose　against　the　ironwork　and　watch　the　ci…devant
  aristocrats　in　threadbare　clothes　trying　to　cheat　their　horror　of
  death　by　acting　a　farce　of　light…heartedness　which　their　wan　faces
  and　tear…dimmed　eyes　effectually　belied。
  All　this　Armand　knew；　and　on　this　he　counted。　　For　a　little　while
  he　joined　the　crowd　in　the　Salle　des　Pas　Perdus；　and　wandered　idly
  up　and　down　the　majestic　colonnaded　hall。　He　even　at　one　time
  formed　part　of　the　throng　that　watched　one　of　those　quick　tragedies
  that　were　enacted　within　the　great　chamber　of　the　court。　　A　number
  of　prisoners　brought　in；　in　a　batch；　hurried　interrogations；
  interrupted　answers；　a　quick　indictment；　monstrous　in　its　flaring
  injustice；　spoken　by　Foucquier…Tinville；　the　public　prosecutor；
  and　listened　to　in　all　seriousness　by　men　who　dared　to　call
  themselves　judges　of　their　fellows。
  The　accused　had　walked　down　the　Champs　Elysees　without　wearing　a
  tricolour　cockade；　the　other　had　invested　some　savings　in　an
  English　industrial　enterprise；　yet　another　had　sold　public　funds；
  causing　them　to　depreciate　rather　suddenly　in　the　market！
  Sometimes　from　one　of　these　unfortunates　led　thus　wantonly　to
  butchery　there　would　come　an　excited　protest；　or　from　a　woman
  screams　of　agonised　entreaty。　　But　these　were　quickly　silenced　by
  rough　blows　from　the　butt…ends　of　muskets；　and　condemnations
  wholesale　sentences　of　deathwere　quickly　passed　amidst　the
  cheers　of　the　spectators　and　the　howls　of　derision　from　infamous
  jury　and　judge。
  Oh！　the　mockery　of　it　allthe　awful；　the　hideous　ignominy；　the
  blot　of　shame　that　would　forever　sully　the　historic　name　of
  France。　　Armand；　sickened　with　horror；　could　not　bear　more　than　a
  few　minutes　of　this　monstrous　spectacle。　　The　same　fate　might　even
  now　be　awaiting　Jeanne。　　Among　the　next　batch　of　victims　to　this
  sacrilegious　butchery　he　might　suddenly　spy　his　beloved　with　her
  pale　face　and　cheeks　stained　with　her　tears。
  He　fled　from　the　great　chamber；　keeping　just　a　sufficiency　of
  presence　of　mind　to　join　a　knot　of　idlers　who　were　drifting
  leisurely　towards　the　corridors。　　He　followed　in　their　wake　and
  soon　found　himself　in　the　long　Galerie　des　Prisonniers；　along　the
  flagstones　of　which　two　days　ago　de　Batz　had　followed　his　guide
  towards　the　lodgings　of　Heron。
  On　his　left　now　were　the　arcades　shut　off　from　the　courtyard
  beyond　by　heavy　iron　gates。　　Through　the　ironwork　Armand　caught
  sight　of　a　number　of　women　walking　or　sitting　in　the　courtyard。
  He　heard　a　man　next　to　him　explaining　to　his　friend　that　these
  were　the　female　prisoners　who　would　be　brought　to　trial　that　day；
  and　he　felt　that　his　heart　must　burst　at　the　thought　that　mayhap
  Jeanne　would　be　among　them。
  He　elbowed　his　way　cautiously　to　the　front　rank。　　Soon　he　found
  himself　beside　a　sentinel　who；　with　a　good…humoured　jest；　made　way
  for　him　that　he　might　watch　the　aristos。　　Armand　leaned　against
  the　grating；　and　his　every　sense　was　concentrated　in　that　of
  sight。
  At　first　he　could　scarcely　distinguish　one　woman　from　another
  amongst　the　crowd　that　thronged　the　courtyard；　and　the　close
  ironwork　hindered　his　view　considerably。　The　women　looked　almost
  like　phantoms　in　the　grey　misty　air；　gliding　slowly　along　with
  noiseless　tread　on　the　flag…stones。
  Presently；　however；　his　eyes；　which　mayhap　were　somewhat　dim　with
  tears；　became　more　accustomed　to　the　hazy　grey　light　and　the
  moving　figures　that　looked　so　like　shadows。　　He　could　distinguish
  isolated　groups　now；　women　and　girls　sitting　together　under　the
  colonnaded　arcades；　some　reading；　others　busy；　with　trembling
  fingers；　patching　and　darning　a　poor；　torn　gown。　　Then　there　were
  others　who　were　actually　chatting　and　laughing　together；　andoh；
  the　pity　of　it！　the　pity　and　the　shame！a　few　children；　shrieking
  with　delight；　were　playing　hide　and　seek　in　and　out　amongst　the
  columns。
  And；　between　them　all；　in　and　out　like　the　children　at　play；
  unseen；　yet　familiar　to　all；　the　spectre　of　Death；　scythe　and
  hour…glass　in　hand；　wandered；　majestic　and　sure。
  Armand's　very　soul　was　in　his　eyes。　　So　far　he　had　not　yet　caught
  sight　of　his　beloved；　and　slowlyvery　slowlya　ray　of　hope　was
  filtering　through　the　darkness　of　his　despair。
  The　sentinel；　who　had　stood　aside　for　him；　chaffed　him　for　his
  intentness。
  〃Have　you　a　sweetheart　among　these　aristos；　citizen？〃　he　asked。
  〃You　seem　to　be　devouring　them　with　your　eyes。〃
  Armand；　with　his　rough　clothes　soiled　with　coal…dust；　his　face
  grimy　and　streake