Nothing would have pleased Antoine St. Just more than the
opportunity of showing his zeal and his patriotism by denouncing
his own kith and kin to the Tribunal of the Terror, and the
Scarlet Pimpernel, whose own slender fingers were held on the
pulse of that reckless revolution, had no wish to sacrifice
Armand's life deliberately, or even to expose it to unnecessary
dangers.

Thus it was that more than a year had gone by before Armand St.
Just--an enthusiastic member of the League of the Scarlet
Pimpernel--was able to do aught for its service. He had chafed
under the enforced restraint placed upon him by the prudence of
his chief, when, indeed, he was longing to risk his life with the
comrades whom he loved and beside the leader whom he revered.

At last, in the beginning of '94 he persuaded Blakeney to allow
him to join the next expedition to France. What the principal aim
of that expedition was the members of the League did not know as
yet, but what they did know was that perils--graver even than
hitherto--would attend them on their way.

The circumstances had become very different of late At first the
impenetrable mystery which had surrounded the personality of the
chief had been a full measure of safety, but now one tiny corner
of that veil of mystery had been lifted by two rough pairs of
hands at least; Chauvelin, ex-ambassador at the English Court, was
no longer in any doubt as to the identity of the Scarlet
Pimpernel, whilst Collot d'Herbois had seen him at Boulogne, and
had there been effectually foiled by him.