“Begin your letter as you wish, then; now continue.”
And he began to dictate slowly, watching every word as it left Blakeney’s pen.
“‘I cannot stand my present position any longer. Citizen Heron, and also M. Chauvelin—’ Yes, Sir Percy, Chauvelin, not Chambertin ... C, H, A, U, V, E, L, I, N.... That is quite right— ‘have made this prison a perfect hell for me.’”
Sir Percy looked up from his writing, smiling.
“You wrong yourself, my dear M. Chambertin!” he said; “I have really been most comfortable.”
“I wish to place the matter before your friends in as indulgent a manner as I can,” retorted Chauvelin dryly.
“I thank you, sir. Pray proceed.”
“...‘a perfect hell for me,’” resumed the other. “Have you that? ... ‘and I have been forced to give way. To-morrow we start from here at dawn; and I will guide citizen Heron to the place where he can find the Dauphin. But the authorities demand that one of my followers, one who has once been a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, shall accompany me on this expedition. I therefore ask you’—or ‘desire you’ or ‘beg you’—whichever you prefer, Sir Percy...”
“‘Ask you’ will do quite nicely. This is really very interesting, you know.”
“... ‘to be prepared to join the expedition. We start at dawn, and you would be required to be at the main gate of the house of Justice at six o’clock precisely. I have an assurance from the authorities that your life should be in-violate, but if you refuse to accompany me, the guillotine will await me on the morrow.’”