the trampling of the lilies-第14节

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something　that　I　had　dreamt。　　I　had　never　looked　upon　it　as　a　thing
that　had　had　a　real　happening。〃

〃How；　then；　did　you　explain　your　escape？〃

〃I　always　imagined　that　I　had　been　assumed　dead。〃

There　was　a　brief　spell　of　silence。　　Then　…

〃And　now　that　you　know；　Monsieur　…　？〃

She　left　the　question　unfinished；　and　held　out　her　hands　to　him　in
a　gesture　of　supplication。　　His　face　paled　slightly　and　overclouded。
Her　influence；　against　which　so　long　he　had　steeled　himself；
reinforced　by　the　debt　in　which　she　had　shown　him　that　he　stood
towards　her；　was　prevailing　with　him　despite　himself。　　Stirred
suddenly　out　of　the　coldness　that　he　had　hitherto　assumed；　he
caught　the　outstretched　hands　and　drew　her　a　step　nearer。　　That
was　his　undoing。　　Strong　man　though　he　unquestionably　was；　like
many　another　strong　man　his　strength　seemed　to　fall　from　him　at
a　woman's　touch。　　He　had　led　so　austere　and　stern　a　life　during
the　past　four　years；　of　women　he　had　but　had　the　most　passing　of
glances；　and　intercourse　with　none　save　an　old　female　who　acted　as
his　housekeeper　in　Paris。　　And　here　was　a　woman　who　was　not　only
beautiful；　but　the　woman　who　years　ago　had　embodied　all　his
notions　of　what　was　most　perfect　in　womanhood；　the　woman　who　ever
since；　and　despite　all　that　was　past；　had　reigned　in　his　heart
and　mind　almost　in　spite　of　himself；　almost　unknown　to　him。

The　touch　of　her　hand　now；　the　closeness　of　her　presence；　the　faint
perfume　that　reached　him　from　her；　and　that　was　to　him　as　a　symbol
of　her　inherent　sweetness；　the　large　blue　eyes　meeting　his　in
expectation；　and　the　imploring　half…pout　of　her　lips；　were　all
seductions　against　which　he　had　not　been　human　had　he　prevailed。

Very　white　in　the　intensity　of　the　long…quiescent　passion　she　had
resuscitated；　he　cried：

〃Mademoiselle；　what　shall　I　say　to　you？〃

The　four　years　that　were　gone　seemed　suddenly　to　have　slipped　away。
It　was　as　if　they　stood　again　by　the　brook　in　the　park　on　that　April
morn　when　first　he　had　dared　to　word　his　presumptuous　love。　　Even
the　vocabulary　of　the　Republic　was　forgotten；　and　the　interdicted
title　of　〃Mademoiselle〃　fell　naturally　from　his　lips。

〃Say　that　you　can　be　generous；〃she　implored　him　softly。　　〃Say　that
you　prefer　the　debt　you　owe　to　the　injury　you　received。〃

〃You　do　not　know　the　sacrifice　you　ask；〃　he　exclaimed　still　fighting
with　himself。　　〃I　have　waited　four　years　for　this；　and　now　…　〃

〃He　is　my　brother；〃　she　whispered；　in　so　wonderful　a　tone　that　words
which　of　themselves　may　have　seemed　no　argument　at　all　became　the
crowning　argument　of　her　intercession。

〃Soit！〃　he　consented。　　〃For　your　sake；　Mademoiselle；　and　in　payment
of　the　debt　I　owe　you；　I　will　go　as　I　came。　　I　shall　not　see　the
Citizen…marquis　again。　　But　do　you　tell　him　from　me　that　if　he　sets
any　value　on　his　life；　he　had　best　shake　the　dust　of　France　from
his　feet。　　Too　long　already　has　he　tarried；　and　at　any　moment　those
may　arrive　who　will　make　him　emigrate　not　only　out　of　France　but
out　of　the　world　altogether。　　Besides；　the　peasantry　that　has　risen
once　may　rise　again；　and　I　shall　not　be　here　to　protect　him　from
its　violence。　　Tell　him　he　had　best　depart　at　once。〃

〃Monsieur；　I　am　grateful　…　very；　very　deeply　grateful。　　I　can　say
no　more。　　May　Heaven　reward　you。　　I　shall　pray　the　good　God　to
watch　over　you　always。　　Adieu；　Monsieur！〃

He　stood　looking　at　her　a　moment　still　retaining　his　hold　of　her
hands。

〃Adieu；　Mademoiselle；〃he　said　at　last。　　Then；　very　slowly　…　as　if
so　that　realising　his　intent　she　might　frustrate　it　were　she　so
minded　…　he　raised　her　right　hand。　　It　was　not　withdrawn；　and　so
he　bent　low；　and　pressed　his　lips　upon　it。

〃God　guard　you；　Mademoiselle；〃he　said　at　last；　and　if　they　were
strange　words　for　a　Republican　and　a　Deputy；　it　must　be　remembered
that　his　bearing　during　the　past　few　moments　had　been　singularly
unlike　a　Republican's。

He　released　her　hand；　and　stepping　back；　doffed　his　hat。　　With　a
final　inclination　of　the　head；　she　turned　and　walked　away　in　the
direction　of　the　terrace。

At　a　distance　La　Boulaye　followed；　so　lost　in　thought　that　he　did
not　observe　Captain　Juste　until　the　fellow's　voice　broke　upon　his
ear。

〃You　have　been　long　enough；　Citizen…deputy；〃　was　the　soldier's
greeting。　　〃I　take　it　there　is　to　be　no　duel。〃

〃I　make　you　my　compliments　upon　the　acuteness　of　your　perception；〃
answered　La　Boulaye　tartly。　　〃You　are　right。　　There　is　to　be　no
encounter。〃

Juste's　air　was　slightly　mocking；　and　words　of　not　overdelicate
banter　rose　to　his　lips；　to　be　instantly　quelled　by　La　Boulaye。

〃Let　your　drums　beat　a　rally；　Citizen…captain；〃he　commanded　briskly。
〃We　leave　Bellecour　in　ten　minutes。〃。

And　indeed；　in　less　than　that　time　the　blue…coats　were　swinging
briskly　down　the　avenue。　　In　the　rear　rode　La　Boulaye；　his　cloak
wrapped　about　him；　his　square　chin　buried　in　his　neck…cloth；　and
his　mind　deep　in　meditation。

》From　a　window　of　the　Chateau　the　lady　who　was　the　cause　of　the　young
Revolutionist's　mental　absorption　watched　the　departing　soldiers。
On　either　side　of　her　stood　Ombreval　and　her　father。

〃My　faith；　little　one；〃　said　Bellecour　good…humouredly。　　〃I　wonder
what　magic　you　have　exercised　to　rid　us　of　that　infernal　company。〃

〃Women　have　sometimes　a　power　of　which　men　know　nothing；〃　was　her
cryptic　answer。

Ombreval　turned　to　her　with　a　scowl　of　sudden　suspicion。

〃I　trust；　Mademoiselle；　that　you　did　not　…　〃　he　stopped　short。　　His
thoughts　were　of　a　quality　that　defied　polite　utterance。

〃That　I　did　not　what；　Monsieur？〃she　asked。

〃I　trust　you　remembered　that　you　are　to　become　the　Vicomtesse
d'Ombreval〃　he　answered；　constructing　his　sentence　differently。

〃Monsieur！〃　exclaimed　Bellecour　angrily。

〃I　was　chiefly　mindful　of　the　fact　that　I　had　my　brother's　life　to
save；〃　said　the　girl；　very　coldly；　her　eye　resting　upon　her
betrothed　in　a　glance　of　so　much　contempt　that　it　forced　him　into
an　abashed　silence。

In　her　mind　she　was　contrasting　this　supercilious；　vacillating
weakling　with　the　stern；　strong　man　who　lode　yonder。　　A　sigh
fluttered　across　her　lips。　　Had　things　but　been　different。　　Had
Ombreval　been　the　Revolutionist　and　La　Boulaye　the　Vicomte；　how
much　better　pleased　might　she　not　have　been。　　But　since　it　was
not　so；　why　sigh？　　It　was　not　as　if　she　had　loved　this　La　Boulaye。
How　was　that　possible？　　Was　he　not　of　the　canaille；　basely　born；
and　a　Revolutionist　…　the　enemy　of　her　order　…　in　addition？　　　It
were　a　madness　to　even　dream　of　the　possibility　of　such　a　thing；
for　Suzanne　de　Bellecour　came　of　too　proud　a　stock；　and　knew　too
well　the　respect　that　was　due　to　it。




CHAPTER　VIII

THE　INVALIDS　AT　BOISVERT


There　had　been　friction　between　the　National　Convention　and　General
Dumouriez；　who；　though　a　fine　soldier；　was　a　remarkably　indifferent
Republican。　　The　Convention　had　unjustly　ordered　the　arrest　of　his
commissariat　officers；　Petit…Jean　and　Malus；　and　in　other　ways
irritated　a　man　whose　patience　was　never　of　the　longest。

On　the　eve；　however；　of　war　with　Holland；　the　great　ones　in　Paris
had　suddenly　perceived　their　error；　and　had　sought　…　despite　the
many　enemies；　from　Marat　downwards；　that　Dumouriez　counted　among
their　numbers　…　to　conciliate　a　general　whose　services　they　found
that　they　could　not　dispense　with。　　This　conciliation　was　the
business　upon　which　the　Deputy　La　Boulaye　had　been　despatched　to
Antwerp；　and　as　an　ambassador　he　proved　signally　successful；　as　much
by　virtue　of　the　excellent　terms　he　was　empowered　to　offer　as　in
consequence　of　the　sympathy　and　diplomacy　he　displayed　in　offering
them。

The　great　Republican　General　started　upon　his　campaign　in　the　Low
Countries　as　fully　satisfied　as　under　the　circumstances　he　could
hope　to　be。　　Malus　and　Petit…Jean　were　not　only　enlarged　but
reinstated；　he　was　promised　abundant　supplies　of　all　descriptions；
and　he　was　assured　that　the　Republic　approved　and　endorsed　his　plan
of　campaign。

La　Boulaye；　his　mission　satisfactorily　discharged；　turned　homewards
once　more；　and　with　an　escort　of　six　men　and　a　corporal　he　swiftly
retraced　his　steps　through　that　blackened；　war…ravaged　country。
They　had　slept　a　night　at　Mons；　and　they　were　within　a　short　three
leagues　of　French　soil　when　they　chanced　to　ride　towards　noon　into
the　little　hamlet　of　Boisvert。　　Probably　they　would　have　gone
straight　through　without　drawing　rein；　but　that；　as　they　passed
the　Auberge　de　l'Aigle；　La　Boulaye　espied　upon　the　green　fronting
the　wayside　hostelry　a　company　of　a　half…dozen　soldiers　playing　at
bowls　with　cannon…balls。

The　sight　brought　Caron　to　a　sudden　halt；　and　he　sat　his　horse
observing　them　and　wondering　how　it　chanced　that　these　men　should
find　themselves　so　far　from　the　army。　　Three　of　them　showed　signs
of　having　been　recently　wounded。　　One　carried　his　arm　in　a　sling；
another　limped　painfully　and　by　the　aid　of　a　stick；　whilst　the
head　of　the　third　was　swathed　in　bandages。　　But　most　remarkable
were　they　by　virtue　of　their　clothes。　　One　fellow　…　he　of　the
bandaged　head　…　wore　a　coat　of　yellow　brocaded　silk；　which；　in
spite　of　a　rent　in　the　shoulder；　and　sundry　stains　of　wine　and　oil；
was　unmistakably　of　a　compa