be near my husband. He has gone to meet that fiend in
a duel which is nothing but a trap, set to capture him, and lead him
to his death. I want you to be of help to me, here in my house, in my
absence."

"I would give my life for you, Lady Blakeney." said Juliette simply, "is
it not HIS since he save it?"

"It is only a little presence of mind, a little coolness and patience,
which I will ask of you, dear," said Marguerite. "You of course know
who your rescuer was, therefore you will understand my fears. Until
to-night, I had vague doubts as to how much Chauvelin really knew,
but now these doubts have naturally vanished. He and the French
Revolutionary Government know that the Scarlet Pimpernel and Percy
Blakeney are one and the same. The whole scene to-night was prearranged:
you and I and all the spectators, and that woman Candeille--we were all
puppets piping to that devil's tune. The duel, too, was prearranged!...
that woman wearing your mother's jewels!... Had you not provoked her, a
quarrel between her and me, or one of my guests would have been forced
somehow... I wanted to tell you this, lest you should fret, and think
that you were in any way responsible for what has happened.... You were
not.... He had arranged it all.... You were only the tool... just as I
was. ... You must understand and believe that.... Percy would hate
to think that you felt yourself to blame... you are not that, in any
way.... The challenge was bound to come.... Chauvelin had arranged that
it should come, and if you had failed him as a tool, he soon would have
found another! Do you believe that?"

"I believe that you are an angel of goodness, Lady Blakeney," replied
Juliette, struggling with her tears, "and that you are the only woman in
the world worthy to be his wife."

"But," insisted Marguerite firmly, as the young girl took her cold hand
in her own, and gently fondling it, covered it with grateful kisses,
"but if... if anything happens... anon... you will believe firmly that
you were in no way responsible?... that you were innocent.. and merely a
blind tool?..."

"God bless you for that!"

"You will believe it?"

"I will."

"And now for my request," rejoined Lady Blakeney in a more quiet, more
matter-of-fact tone of voice. "You must represent me, here, when I am
gone: explain as casually and as naturally as you can, that I have
gone to join my husband on his yacht for a few days. Lucie, my maid, is
devoted and a tower of se