The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel (Paperback)

Excerpt: ...burst out crying. "Would I not have taken him to a doctor ere now?" she murmured through her tears. "But there is no doctor in Lyons. Those who have not been arrested as traitors have fled from this stricken city. And my little Jose is dying for want of medical care." "Your pardon, madame," he rejoined gently, "one of the ablest doctors in France is at present in Lyons--" "That infamous Laporte," she broke in, horrified. "He would snatch my sick child from my arms and throw him to the guillotine." "He would save your boy from disease," said the stranger earnestly, "his own professional pride or professional honour, whatever he might choose to call it, would compel him to do that. But the moment the doctor's work was done, that of the executioner would commence." "You see, milor," moaned Madame in pitiable agony, "that there is no hope for us." "Indeed there is," he replied. "We must get M. le Vicomte well first-after that we shall see." "But you are not proposing to bring that infamous Laporte to my child's bedside " she cried in horror. "Would you have your child die here before your eyes," retorted the stranger, "as he undoubtedly will this night?" This sounded horribly cruel, and the tone in which it was said was commanding. There was no denying its truth. M. le Vicomte was dying. I could see that. For a moment or two madame remained quite still, with her great eyes, circled with pain and sorrow, fixed upon the stranger. He returned her gaze steadily and kindly, and gradually that frozen look of horror in her pale face gave place to one of deep puzzlement, and through her bloodless lips there came the words, faintly murmured: "Who are you?" He gave no direct reply, but from his little finger he detached a ring and held it out for her to see. I saw it too, for I was standing close by Mme. la Marquise, and the flickering light of the tallow candle fell full upon the ring. It was of gold, and upon it there was an exquisitely modelled, ...