the trampling of the lilies-第12节

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and　perhaps　the　bravest　of　them　all　was　old　Des　Cadoux。　　He　had
recovered　his　snuff…box；　than　which　there　seemed　to　be　nothing　of
greater　importance　in　the　world；　and　he　moved　from　group　to　group
with　here　a　jest　and　there　a　word　of　encouragement；　as　seemed　best
suited　to　those　he　addressed。　　Of　the　women；　Mademoiselle　de
Bellecour　and　her　sharp　tongued　mother；　showed　certainly　the　most
undaunted　fronts。

Suzanne　had　not　seen　her　betrothed　since　the　fight　upon　the　stairs。
But　she　was　told　that　he　was　unhurt；　and　that　he　was　tending　a
cousin　of　his　who　had　been　severely　wounded　in　the　head。

It　was　an　hour　or　so　after　sunrise　when　he　sought　her　out；　and　they
stood　in　conversation　together　…　a　very　jaded　pair　…　looking　down
from　one　of　the　windows　upon　the　stalwart　blue…coats　that　were
bivouacked　in　the　quadrangle。

Suddenly　on　the　still　morning　air　came　the　sound　of　hoof…beats；　and
as　they　looked　they　espied　a　man　in　a　cocked　hat　and　an　ample　black
cloak　riding　briskly　up　the　avenue。

〃See？〃　exclaimed　Ombreval；　〃yonder　at　last　comes　the　great　man　we
are　awaiting　…　the　Commissioner　of　that　rabble　they　call　the
National　Convention。　　Now　we　shall　know　what　fate　is　reserved　for
us。〃

〃But　what　can　they　do？〃she　asked。

〃It　is　the　fashion　to　send　people　of　our　station　to　Paris；〃　he
replied；　〃to　make　a　mock　of　us　with　an　affair　they　call　a　trial
before　they　murder　us。〃

She　sighed。

〃Perhaps　this　gentleman　is　more　merciful；〃was　the　hope　she　expressed。

〃Merciful？〃　he　mocked。　　〃Ma　foi；　a　ravenous　tiger　may　be　merciful
before　one　of　these。　　Had　your　father　been　wise　he　had　ordered　the
few　of　us　that　remained　to　charge　those　soldiers　when　they　entered；
and　to　have　met　our　end　upon　their　bayonets。　　That　would　have　been
a　merciful　fate　compared　with　the　mercy　of　this　so…called　Commissioner
is　likely　to　extend　us。〃

It　seemed　to　be　his　way　to　find　fault；　and　that　warp　in　his　character
rendered　him　now　as　heroic　…　in　words　…　as　he　had　been　erstwhile
scornful。

Suzanne　shuddered；　brave　girl　though　she　was。

〃Unless　you　can　conceive　thoughts　of　a　pleasanter　complexion；〃　she
said；　〃I　should　prefer　your　silence；　M。　d'Ombreval。〃

He　laughed　in　his　disdainful　way　…　for　he　disdained　all　things；
excepting　his　own　person　and　safety　…　but　before　he　could　make　any
answer　they　were　joined　by　the　Marquis　and　his　son。

In　the　courtyard　the　horseman　was　now　dismounting；　and　a　moment　or
two　later　they　heard　the　fall　of　feet；　upon　the　stairs。　　A　soldier
threw　open　the　door；　and　holding　it；　announced：

〃The　Citizen…deputy　La　Boulaye；　Commissioner　of　the　National
Convention　to　the　army　of　General　Dumouriez。〃

〃This；〃　mocked　Ombreval；　to　whom　the　name　meant　nothing；　〃is　the
representative　of　a　Government　of　strict　equality；　and　he　is
announced　with　as　much　pomp　as　was　ever　an　ambassador　of　his
murdered　Majesty's。〃

Then　a　something　out　of　the　common　in　the　attitude　of　his　companions
arrested　his　attention。　　Mademoiselle　was　staring　with　eyes　full　of
the　most　ineffable　amazement；　her　lips　parted；　and　her　cheeks　whiter
than　the　sleepless　night　had　painted　them。　　The　Marquis　was　scowling
in　a　surprise　that　seemed　no　whit　less　than　his　daughter's；　his　head
thrust　forward；　and　his　jaw　fallen。　　The　Vicomte；　too；　though　in　a
milder　degree；　offered　a　countenance　that　was　eloquent　with
bewilderment。　　From　this　silent　group　Ombreval　turned　his　tired　eyes
to　the　door　and　took　stock　of　the　two　men　that　had　entered。　　One　of
these　was　Captain　Juste；　the　officer　in　command　of　the　military；　the
other　was　a　tall　man；　with　a　pale　face；　an　aquiline　nose；　a　firm
jaw；　and　eyes　that　were　very　stern　…　either　of　habit　or　because　they
now　rested　upon　the　man　who　four　years　ago　had　used　him　so　cruelly。

He　stood　a　moment　in　the　doorway　as　if　enjoying　the　amazement　which
had　been　sown　by　his　coming。　　There　was　no　mistaking　him。　　It　was
the　same　La　Boulaye　of　four　years　ago；　and　yet　it　was　not　quite　the
same。　　The　face　had　lost　its　boyishness；　and　the　strenuous　life　he
had　lived　had　scored　it　with　lines　that　gave　him　the　semblance　of
a　greater　age　than　was　his。　　The　old；　poetic　melancholy　that　had
dwelt　in　the　secretary's　countenance　was　now　changed　to　strength
and　firmness。　　Although　little　known　as　yet　to　the　world　at　large；
the　great　ones　of　the　Revolution　held　him　in　high　esteem；　and　looked
upon　him　as　a　power　to　be　reckoned　with　in　the　near　future。　　Of
Robespierre　…　who；　it　was　said；　had　discovered　him　and　brought　him
to　Paris　…　he　was　the　protege　and　more　than　friend；　a　protection
and　friendship　this　which　in　'93　made　any　man　almost　omnipotent　in
France。

He　was　dressed　in　a　black　riding…suit；　relieved　only　by　the　white
neck…cloth　and　the　tricolour　sash　of　office　about　his　waist。　　He
removed　his　cocked　hat；　beneath　which　the　hair　was　tied　in　a　club
with　the　same　scrupulous　care　as　of　old。

Slowly　he　advanced　into　the　salon；　and　his　sombre　eyes　passed　from
the　Marquis　to　Mademoiselle。　　As　they　rested　upon　her　some　of　the
sternness　seemed　to　fade　from　their　glance。　　He　found　in　her　a
change　almost　as　great　as　that　which　she　had　found　in　him。　　The
lighthearted；　laughing　girl　of　nineteen；　who　had　scorned　his
proffered　love　when　he　had　wooed　her　that　April　morning　to　such
disastrous　purpose；　was　now　ripened　into　a　stately　woman　of
three…and…twenty。　　He　had　thought　his　boyish　passion　dead　and　buried；
and　often　in　the　years　that　were　gone　had　he　smiled　softly　to
himself　at　the　memory　of　his　ardour；　as　we　smile　at　the　memory　of
our　youthful　follies。　　Yet　now；　upon　beholding　her　again；　so
wondrously　transformed；　so　tall　and　straight；　and　so　superbly
beautiful；　he　experienced　an　odd　thrill　and　a　weakening　of　the
stern　purpose　that　had　brought　him　to　Bellecour。

Then　his　glance　moved　on。　　A　moment　it　rested　on　the　supercilious；
high…bred　countenance　of　the　Vicomte　d'Ombreval；　standing　with　so
proprietary　an　air　beside　her；　then　it　passed　to　the　kindly　old
face　of　Des　Cadoux；　and　he　recalled　how　this　gentleman　had　sought
to　stay　the　flogging　of　him。　　An　instant　it　hovered　on　the　Marquis；
who　…　haggard　of　face　and　with　his　arm　in　a　sling　…　was　observing
him　with　an　expression　in　which　scorn　and　wonder　were　striving　for
the　mastery；　it　seemed　to　shun　the　gaze　of　the　pale…faced　Vicomte；
whose　tutor　he　had　been　in　the　old　days　of　his　secretaryship；　and
full　and　stern　it　returned　at　last　to　settle　upon　the　Marquis。

〃Citizen　Bellecour；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice；　like　his　face；　seemed
to　have　changed　since　last　the　Marquis　had　heard　it；　and　to　have
grown　more　deep　and　metallic；　〃you　may　marvel；　now　that　you　behold
the　Commissioner　who　sent　a　company　of　soldiers　to　rescue　you　and
your　Chateau　from　the　hands　of　the　mob　last　night；　what　purpose　I
sought　to　serve　by　extending　to　you　a　protection　which　none　of　your
order　merits；　and　you　least　of　any；　in　my　eyes。〃

〃The　times　may　have　wrought　sad　and　overwhelming　changes；〃　answered
the　Marquis；　with　cold　contempt；　〃but　it　has　not　yet　so　utterly
abased　us　that　we　bring　ourselves　to　speculate　upon　the　purposes
of　the　rabble。〃

A　faint　crimson　flush　crept　into　Caron's　sallow　cheeks。

〃Indeed；　I　see　how　little　you　have　changed！〃　he　answered　bitterly。
〃You　are　of　those　that　will　not　learn；　Citizen。　　The　fault　lies
here；〃　he　added；　tapping　his　head；　〃and　it　will　remain　until　we
remove　the　ones　with　the　other。　　But　now　for　the　business　that　brings
me；〃　he　proceeded；　more　briskly。　　〃Four　years　ago；　Citizen　Bellecour；
you　laid　your　whip　across　my　face　in　the　woods　out　yonder；　and　when
I　spoke　of　seeking　satisfaction　action　you　threatened　me　with　your
grooms。　　I　will　not　speak　of　your　other　brutalities　on　that　same
day。　　I　will　confine　myself　to　that　first　affront。〃

〃Be　brief；　sir；〃cried　the　Marquis　offensively。　　〃Since　you　have　the
force　to　compel　us　to　listen　to　you；　let　me　beg　that　you　will　at
least　display　the　generosity　of　detaining　us　no　longer　than　you
need。〃

〃I　will　be　as　brief　as　it　lies　within　the　possibility　of　words；〃
answered　Caron　coldly。　　〃I　am　come；　Citizen　Bellecour；　to　demand　of
you　to…day　the　satisfaction　which　four　years　ago　you　refused　me。〃

〃Of　me？〃　cried　the　Marquis。

〃Through　the　person　of　your　son；　the　Vicomte；　as　I　asked　for　it　four
years　ago；〃said　Caron。　　〃You　are　am　old　man；　Citizen；　and　I　do　not
fight　old　men。〃

〃I　am　yet　young　enough　to　cut　you　into　ribbons；　you　dog；　if　I　were
minded　to　dishonour　myself　by　meeting　you。〃　　And　turning　to　Ombreval
for　sympathy；　he　vented　a　low　laugh　of　contemptuous　wonder。

〃Insolence！〃　sneered　Ombreval　sympathetically；　whilst　Mademoiselle
stood　looking　on　with　cheeks　that　were　growing　paler；　for　that　this
event　would　end　badly　for　either　her　father　or　her　brother　she　never
doubted。

〃Citizen　Bellecour；〃said　Caron；　still　very　coldly；　〃you　have　heard
what　I　propose；　as　have　you　also；　Citizen…vicomte。〃

〃For　myself；〃began　the　youth　〃I　am　…　〃

〃Silence；　Armand！〃　his　father　commanded；　laying　a　hand　upon　his
sleeve。　　〃Understand　me；　citizen…deputy；　or　citizen…commissioner；　or
citizen…blackguard　or　whatever　you　call　your　vile　self；　you　are　come
on　a　fruitless　journey　to　Bellecour。　　Neither　I　nor　my　son　is　so
lost　to　the　duty　which　we　owe　our