the trampling of the lilies-第11节

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sans…culottes；　and　was　hence　in　high　glee；　a　man　rejuvenesced。　　His
sallies　grew　livelier　and　more　barbed　as　the　death…tide　rose　higher
about　him。　　His　one　regret　was　that　he　had　been　so　hasty　in　casting
his　snuff　box　from　him；　for　he　was　missing　its　familiar　stimulus。
At　his　side　the　Marquis　was　fighting　desperately；　fencing　with　his
left　arm；　and　in　the　hot　excitement　seeming　oblivious　of　the　pain
his　broken　right　must　be　occasioning。

〃It　is　ended；　old　friend；〃　he　groaned　at　last；　to　Des　Cadoux。　　〃I
am　losing　strength；　and　I　shall　be　done　for　in　a　moment。　　The　women；〃
he　almost　sobbed；　〃mon　Dieu；　the　women！〃

Des　Cadoux　felt　his　old　eyes　grow　moist；　and　the　odd；　fierce　mirth
that　seemed　to　have　hitherto　infected　him　went　out　like　a　candle
that　is　snuffed。　　But　suddenly　before　he　could　make　any　answer；　a
new　and　unexpected　sound；　which　dominated　the　din　of　combat；　and
seemed　to　cause　all　…　assailants　and　defenders　alike　…　to　pause　that
they　might　listen；　was　wafted　to　their　ears。

It　was　the　roll　of　the　drum。　　Not　the　mere　thudding　that　had　beaten
the　step　for　the　mob；　but　the　steady　and　vigorous　tattoo　of　many
sticks　upon　many　skins。

〃What　is　it？　　Who　comes？〃　were　the　questions　that　men　asked　one
another；　as　both　aristocrats　and　sansculottes　paused　in　their　bloody
labours。　　It　was　close　at　hand。　　So　close　at　hand　that　they　could
discern　the　tramp　of　marching　feet。　　In　the　infernal　din　of　that
fight　upon　the　stairs　they　had　not　caught　the　sound　of　this　approach
until　now　that　the　new…comers　…　whoever　they　might　be　…　were　at　the
very　gates　of　Bellecour。

》From　the　mob　in　the　yard　there　came　a　sudden　outcry。　　Men　sprang　to
the　door　of　the　Chateau　and　shouted　to　those　within。

〃Aux　Armes；〃　was　the　cry。　　〃A　nous；　d　nous！〃

And　in　response　to　it　the　assailants　turned　tail；　and　dashed　down
the　stairs；　overleaping　the　dead　bodies　that　were　piled　upon　them；
and　many　a　man　slipping　in　that　shambles　and　ending　the　descent　on
his　back。　　Out　into　the　courtyard　they　swept：　leaving　that　handful
of　gentlemen；　their　fine　clothes　disordered；　splashed　with　blood
and　grimed　with　powder；　to　question　one　another　touching　this
portent；　this　miracle　that　seemed　wrought　by　Heaven　for　their
salvation。





CHAPTER　VI

THE　CITIZEN　COMMISSIONER


It　was；　after　all；　no　miracle；　unless　the　very　timely　arrival　upon
the　scene　of　a　regiment　of　the　line　might　be　accepted　in　the　light
of　Heaven…directed。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　a　rumour　of　the　assault
that　was　to　be　made　that　night　upon　the　Chateau　de　Bellecour　had
travelled　as　far　as　Amiens；　and　there；　that　evening；　it　had　reached
the　ears　of　a　certain　Commissioner　of　the　National　Convention；　who
was　accompanying　this　regiment　to　the　army　of　Dumouriez；　then　in
Belgium。

Now　it　so　happened　that　this　Commissioner　had　meditated　making　a
descent　upon　the　Chateau　on　his　own　account；　and　he　was　not　minded
that　any　peasantry　should　forestall　or　baulk　him　in　the　business
which　he　proposed　to　carry　out　there。　　Accordingly；　he　issued　certain
orders　to　the　commandant；　from　which　it　resulted　that　a　company；　two
hundred　strong；　was　immediately　despatched　to　Bellecour；　to　either
defend　or　rescue　it　from　the　mob；　and　thereafter　to　await　the　arrival
of　the　Commissioner　himself。

This　was　the　company　that　had　reached　Bellecour　in　the　eleventh　hour；
to　claim　the　attention　of　the　assailants。　　But　the　peasants；　as　we
have　seen；　were　by　no　means　disposed　to　submit　to　interference；　and
this　they　signified　by　the　menacing　front　they　showed　the　military；
abandoning　their　attack　upon　the　Chateau　until　they　should　be　clear
concerning　the　intentions　of　the　newcomers。　　Of　these　intentions　the
Captain　did　not　leave　them　long　in　doubt。　　A　brisk　word　of　command
brought　his　men　into　a　bristling　line　of　attack；　which　in　itself
should　have　proved　sufficient　to　ensure　the　peasantry's　respect。

〃Citizens〃　cried　the　officer；　stepping　forward；　〃in　the　name　of　the
French　Republic　I　charge　you　to　withdraw　and　to　leave　us　unhampered
in　the　business　we　are　here　to　discharge。〃

〃Citizen…captain；〃answered　the　giant　Souvestre；　constituting　himself
the　spokesman　of　his　fellows；　〃we　demand　to　know　by　what　right　you
interfere　with　honest　patriots　of　France　in　the　act　of　ridding　it
of　some　of　the　aristocratic　vermin　that　yet　lingers　on　its　soil？〃

The　officer　stared　at　his　interlocutor；　amazed　by　the　tone　of　the
man　as　much　as　by　the　sudden　growls　that　chorused　it；　but　nowise
intimidated　by　either　the　one　or　the　other。

〃I　proclaimed　my　right　when　I　issued　my　charge　in　the　name　of　the
Republic；〃　he　answered　shortly。

〃We　are　the　Republic；〃　Souvestre　retorted；　with　a　wave　of　the　hand
towards　the　ferocious　crowd　of　men　and　women　behind　him。　　〃We　are
the　Nation　…　the　sacred　people　of　France。　　In　our　own　name；
Citizen…soldier；　we　charge　you　to　withdraw　and　leave　us　undisturbed。〃

Here　lay　the　basis　of　an　argument　into　which；　however；　the　Captain；
being　neither　politician　nor　dialectician；　was　not　minded　to　be
drawn。　　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　turned　to　his　men。

〃Present　arms！〃　was　the　answer　he　delivered；　in　a　voice　of　supreme
unconcern。

〃Citizen…captain；　this　is　an　outrage；〃　screamed　a　voice　in　the　mob。
〃If　blood　is　shed；　upon　your　own　head　be　it。〃

〃Will　you　withdraw？〃　inquired　the　Captain　coldly。

〃To　me；　my　children；〃cried　Souvestre；　brandishing　his　sabre；　and
seeking　to　encourage　his　followers。　　〃Down　with　these　traitors　who
dishonour　the　uniform　of　France！　　Death　to　the　blue…coats！〃

He　leapt　forward　towards　the　military；　and　with　a　sudden　roar　his
followers；　a　full　hundred　strong　sprang　after　him　to　the　charge。

〃Fire！〃　commanded　the　Captain；　and　from　the　front　line　of　his
company　fifty　sheets　of　flame　flashed　from　fifty　carbines。

The　mob　paused；　for　a　second　it　wavered；　then　before　the　smoke　had
lifted　it　broke；　and　shrieking　in　terror；　it　fled　for　cover；　leaving
the　valorous　Souvestre　alone；　to　revile　them　for　a　swarm　of　cowardly
rats。

The　Captain　put　his　hands　to　his　sides　and　laughed　till　the　tears
coursed　down　his　cheeks。　　Checking　his　mirth　at　last；　he　called　to
Souvestre；　who　was　retreating　in　disgust　and　anger。

〃Hi！　　My　friend　the　patriot！　　Are　you　still　of　the　same　mind　or　will
you　withdraw　your　people？〃

〃We　will　not　withdraw；〃　answered　the　giant　sullenly。　　〃You　dare　not
fire　upon　free　citizens　of　the　French　Republic。〃

〃Dare　I　not？　　　Do　you　delude　yourself　with　that；　nor　think　that
because　this　time　I　fired　over　your　heads　I　dare　not　fire　into　your
ranks。　　I　give　you　my　word　that　if　I　have　to　command　my　men　to　fire
a　second　time　it　shall　not　be　mere　make…believe；　and　I　also　give　you
my　word　that　if　at　the　end　of　a　minute　I　have　not　your　reply　and　you
are　not　moving　out　of　this　…　every　rogue　of　you　shall　have　a　very
bitter　knowledge　of　how　much　I　dare。〃

Souvestre　was　headstrong　and　angry。　　But　what　can　one　man；　however
headstrong　and　however　angry；　do　against　two　hundred；　when　his　own
followers　refuse　to　support　him。　　The　valour　of　the　peasants　was
distinctly　of　that　quality　whose　better　part　is　discretion。　　The
thunder　of　that　fusillade　had　been　enough　to　shatter　their　nerve；
and　to　Souvestre's　exhortations　that　they　should　become　martyrs　in
the　noble　cause；　of　the　people　against　tyranny；　in　whatsoever　guise
it　came；　they　answered　with　the　unanswerable　logic　of　caution。

The　end　was　that　a　very　few　moments　later　saw　them　in　full　retreat；
leaving　the　military　in　sole　and　undisputed　possession　of　Bellecour。

The　officer's　first　thought　was　for　the　blazing　stables；　and　he　at
once　ordered　a　detachment　of　his　company　to　set　about　quenching　the
fire；　a　matter　in　which　they　succeeded　after　some　two　hours　of
arduous　labour。

Meanwhile；　leaving　the　main　body　bivouacked　in　the　courtyard；　he
entered　the　Chateau　with　a　score　of　men；　and　came　upon　the　ten
gentlemen　still　standing　in　the　shambles　that　the　grand　staircase
presented。　　With　the　Marquis　de　Bellecour　the　Captain　had　a　brief
and　not　over　courteous　interview。　　He　informed　the　nobleman　that
he　was　acting　under　the　orders　of　a　Commissioner；　who　had　heard　at
Amiens；　that　evening；　of　the　attack　that　was　to　be　made　upon
Bellecour。　　Not　unnaturally　the　Marquis　was　mistrustful　of　the　ends
which　that　Commissioner；　whoever　he　might　be；　looked　to　serve　by　so
unusual　an　act。　　Far　better　did　it　sort　with　the　methods　of　the
National　Convention　and　its　members　to　leave　the　butchering　of
aristocrats　to　take　its　course。　　He　sought　information　at　the
Captain's　hands；　but　the　officer　was　reticent　to　the　point　of
curtness；　and　so；　their　anxiety　but　little　relieved；　since　it　might
seem　that　they　had　but　escaped　from　Scylla　to　be　engulfed　in
Charbydis；　the　aristocrats　at　Bellecour　spent　the　night　in　odious
suspense。　　Those　that　were　tending　the　wounded　had　perhaps　the　best
of　it；　since　thus　their　minds　were　occupied　and　saved　the　torture
of　speculation。

The　proportion　of　slain　was　mercifully　small：　of　twenty　that　had
fallen　it　was　found　that　but　six　were　dead；　the　others　being　more
or　less　severely　hurt。　　Conspicuous　among　the　men　that　remained；
and　perhaps　the　bravest　of　them　all　was　old　Des　Cadoux。　　He　had
recovered　his　snuff…box