the trampling of the lilies-第19节

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〃Take　her　away；　Guyot；〃he　said；　shortly；　and　the　sturdy　soldier
obeyed　him　with　a　roughness　that　took　no　account　of　either　birth　or
sex。

When　the　Marquise's　last　scream　had　died　away　in　the　distance；
Charlot　turned　once　more　to　Suzanne；　and　it　seemed　that　he　sought
to　compose　his　features　into　an　expression　of　gentleness　beyond
their　rugged　limitations。　　But　the　glance　of　his　blue　eyes　was　kind；
and　mistaking　the　purport　of　that　kindness；　Mademoiselle　began　an
appeal　to　his　better　feelings。

Straight　and　tall；　pale　and　delicate　she　stood；　her　beauty　rendered；
perhaps；　the　more　appealing　by　virtue　of　the　fear　reflected　on　her
countenance。　　Her　blue　eyes　were　veiled　behind　their　long　black
lashes；　her　lips　were　tremulous；　and　her　hands　clasped　and　unclasped
as　she　now　made　her　prayer　to　the　Republican。　　But　in　the　hardened
heart　of　Charlot　no　breath　of　pity　stirred。　　He　beheld　her　beauty
and　he　bethought　him　of　his　wrongs。　　For　the　rest；　perhaps；　had　she
been　less　comely　he　had　been　less　vengeful。

And　yonder　by　the　hearth　stood　La　Boulaye　like　a　statue；　unmoved　and
immovable。　　The　Captain　was　speaking　to　her；　gently　and　soothingly；
but　her　thoughts　became　more　taken　with　the　silence　of　La　Boulaye
than　with　the　speech　of　Charlot。　　Even　in　that　parlous　moment　she
had　leisure　to　despise　herself　for　having　once　…　on　the　day　on　which；
in　answer　to　her　intercessions；　he　had　spared　her　brother's　life
　…　entertained　a　kindly；　almost　wistful；　thought　concerning　this　man
whom　she　now　deemed　a　dastard。




CHAPTER　X

THE　BAISER　LAMOURETTE


Presently　Charlot　turned　to　La　Boulaye；　and　for　all　that　he　uttered
no　word；　his　glance　left　nothing　to　be　said。　　In　response　to　it　Caron
stirred　at　last；　and　came　leisurely　over　to　the　table。

〃A　mouthful　of　wine；　and　I'm　gone；　Charlot；〃　said　he　in　level；
colourless　tones；　as　taking　up　a　flagon　he　filled　himself　a　goblet。

〃Fill　for　me；　too；〃　cried　the　Captain；　〃aye；　and　for　the　Citoyenne
here。　　Come；　my　girl；　a　cup　of　wine　will　refresh　you。〃

But　Suzanne　shrank　from　the　invitation　as　much　as　from　the　tenor　of
it　and　the　epithet　he　had　applied　to　her。　　Observing　this；　he
laughed　softly。

〃Oh！　　As　you　will。　　But　the　wine　is　good…from　cellar　of　a　ci…devant
Duke。　　My　service　to　you；　Citoyenne；〃　he　pledged　her；　and　raising
his　cup；　he　poured　the　wine　down　a　throat　that　was　parched　by　the
much　that　he　had　drunk　already；　But　ere　the　goblet　was　half…empty；
a　sharp；　sudden　cry　from　La　Boulaye　came　to　interrupt　his　quaffing。
He　glanced　round；　and　at　what　he　saw　he　spilled　the　wine　down　his
waistcoat；　then　let　the　cup　fall　to　the　ground；　as　with　an　oath　he
flung　himself　upon　the　girl。

She　had　approached　the　table　whilst　both　men　were　drinking；　and
quietly　possessed　herself　of　a　knife；　and；　but　that　it　was　too　blunt
to　do　the　service　to　which　she　put　it；　Charlot's　intervention　would
have　come　too　late。　　As　it　was　he　caught　her　wrist　in　time；　and　in
a　rage　he　tore　the　weapon　from　her　fingers；　and　flung　it　far　across
the　room。

〃So；　pretty　lady！〃　he　gasped；　now　gripping　both　her　wrists。　　〃So！
we　are　suicidally　inclined；　are　we！　　We　would　cheat　Captain　Charlot；
would　we？　　　Fi　donc！〃　he　continued　with　horrid　playfulness。　　〃To
shed　a　blood　so　blue　upon　a　floor　so　unclean！　　Name　of　a　name　of　a
name！〃

Accounting　herself　baffled　at　every　point；　this　girl；　who　had
hitherto　borne　herself　so　stoutly　as　to　have　stoically　sought　death
as　a　last　means　of　escape；　began　to　weep　softly。　　Whereupon：

〃Nay；　nay；　little…woman；〃murmured　the　Captain；　in　such　accents　as
are　employed　to　a　petted　child；　and　instinctively；　in　his　intent　to
soothe　he　drew　her　nearer。　　And　now　the　close　contact　thrilled　him；
her　beauty；　and　some　subtle　perfume　that　reached　him　from　her；
played　havoc　with　his　senses。　　Nearer　he　drew　her　in　silence；　his
face　white　and　clammy；　and　his　hot；　wine　laden　breath　coming　quicker
every　second。　　And　unresisting　she　submitted；　for　she　was　beyond
resistance　now；　beyond　tears　even。　　From　between　wet　lashes　her　great
eyes　gazed　into　his　with　a　look　of　deadly；　piteous　affright；　her
lips　were　parted；　her　cheeks　ashen；　and　her　mind　was　dimly　striving
to　formulate　a　prayer　to　the　Holy　Mother；　the　natural　protectress　of
all　imperilled　virgins。

Nearer　she　felt　herself　drawn　to　her　tormentor；　in　whose　thoughts
there　dwelt　now　little　recollection　of　the　vengeful　character　of　his
purpose。　　For　a　second　her　wrists　were　released；　then　she　felt　his
arms　going　round　her　as　the　coils　of　a　snake　go　round　its　prey。
With　a　sudden　reassertion　of　self；　with　a　panting　gasp　of　horror；
she　tore　herself　free。　　An　oath　broke　from　him　as　he　sprang　after
her。　　Then　the　unexpected　happened。　　Above　his　head　something　bright
flashed　up；　then　down。　　There　was　a　dull　crack；　and　the　Captain
stopped　short　in　his　rush；　his　hands　were　jerked　to　the　height　of
his　breast；　and　like　a　pole…axed　beast　he　dropped　and　lay　prone　at
her　feet。

Across　his　fallen　body　she　beheld　La　Boulaye　standing　impassively；
the　ghost　of　a　smile　on　his　thin　lips；　and　in　his　hand　one　of　the
heavy　silver　candlesticks　from　the　table。

Whilst　a　man　might　count　a　dozen　they　stood　so　with　no　word　spoken。
Then：

〃It　was　a　cowardly　blow；　Citoyenne；〃　said　the　Deputy　in　accents　of
regret；　〃but　what　choice　had　I？〃　　He　set　down　the　candlestick；　and
kneeling　beside　Charlot；　he　felt　for　the　Captain's　heart。　　〃The　door；
Citoyenne；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Lock　it。〃

Mechanically；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　she　hastened　to　do　his
bidding。　　As　the　key　grated　in　the　lock　he　rose。

〃It　has　only　stunned　him；〃　he　announced。　　〃Now　to　prepare　an
explanation　for　it。〃

He　drew　a　chair　under　the　old　brass　lamp；　that　hung　from　the　ceiling。
He　mounted　the　chair；　and　with　both　hands　he　seized　the　chain
immediately　above　the　lamp。　　Drawing　himself　up；　he　swung　there　for
just　a　second；　then　the　hook　gave　way；　and　amid　a　shower　of　plaster
La　Boulaye　half…tumbled　to　the　ground。

〃There；〃　said　he；　as　he　dropped　the　lamp　with　its　chain　and　hook
upon　the　floor　by　Charlot。　　〃It　may　not　be　as　convincing　as　we　might
wish；　but　I　think　that　it　will　prove　convincing　enough　to　the　dull
wits　of　the　landlady；　and　of　such　of　Charlot's　followers　as　may　enter
here。　　I　am　afraid；〃　he　deplored；　〃that　it　will　be　some　time　before
he　recovers。　　He　was　so　far　gone　in　wine　that　it　needed　little　weight
to　fell　him。〃

Her　glance　met　his　once　more；　and　she　took　a　step　towards　him　with
hands　outstretched。

〃Monsieur；　Monsieur！〃　she　cried。　　〃If　you　but　knew　how　in　my　thoughts
I　wronged　you　a　little　while　ago。〃

〃You　had　all　reason　to；〃　he　answered；　taking　her　hands；　and　there
came　the　least　softening　of　his　stern　countenance。　　〃It　grieved　me
to　add　to　your　affliction。　　But　had　I　permitted　him　to　do　so　much　as
suspect　that　I　was　anything　but　your　implacable　enemy；　I　had　no
chance　of　saving　you。　　He　would　have　dismissed　me；　and　I　must　have
obeyed　or　been　compelled；　for　he　is　master　here；　and　has　men　enough
to　enforce　what　he　desires。〃

And　now　she　would　have　thanked　him　for　having　saved　her；　but　he　cut
her　short　almost　roughly。

〃You　owe　me　no　thanks；〃he　said。　　〃I　have　but　done　for　you　what　my
manhood　must　have　bidden　me　do　for　any　woman　similarly　situated。　　For
to…night　I　have　saved　you；　Citoyenne。　　I　shall　make　an　effort　to
smuggle　you　and　your　mother　out　of　Boisvert　before　morning；　but　after
that　you　must　help　yourselves。〃

〃You　will　do　this？〃　she　cried；　her　eyes　glistening。

〃I　will　attempt　it。〃

〃By　what　means；　Monsieur　Caron？〃

〃I　do　not　yet　know。　　I　must　consider。　　In　the　meantime　you　had　best
return　to　your　coach。　　Later　to…night　I　shall　have　you　and　your
mother　brought　to　me；　and　I　will　endeavour　to　so　arrange　matters
that　you　shall　not　again　return　to　your　carriage。

〃Not　return　to　it？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃But　are　we　then　to　leave　it
here？〃

〃I　am　afraid　there　is　no　help　for　that。〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　you　do　not　know；　there　is　a　treasure　in　that　carriage。
All　that　we　have　is　packed　in　it；　and　if　we　go　without　it　we　go
destitute。〃

〃Better；　perhaps；　to　go　destitute　than　not　to　go　at　all；　Mademoiselle。
I　am　afraid　there　is　no　choice　for　you。〃

His　manner　was　a　trifle　impatient。　　It　irritated　him　that　in　such　a
moment　she　should　give　so　much　thought　to　her　valuables。　　But　in
reality　she　was　thinking　of　them　inasmuch　as　they　concerned　her
mother；　who　was　below；　and　her　father　and　brother　who　awaited　them
in　Prussia；　whither　they　had　separately　emigrated。　　The　impatience
in　his　tone　stung　her　into　a　feeling　of　resentment；　that　for　the
moment　seemed　to　blot　out　the　much　that　she　owed　him。　　A　reproachful
word　was　trembling　on　her　lips；　when　suddenly　he　put　out　his　hand。

〃Hist！〃　he　whispered；　the　concentrated　look　of　one　who　listens
stamped　upon　his　face。　　His　sharp　ears　had　detected　some　sound　which
　…　perhaps　through　her　preoccupation　…　she　had　not　noticed。　　He
stepped　quickly　to　the　Captain's　side；　and　taking　up　the　lamp　by　its
chain；　he　leapt　into　the　air　like　a　clown；　and　came　down　on　his　heels
with　a　thud　that　shook　the　chamber。　　Simultaneously　he　dropped　the
lamp　with　a　clatter；　and　sent　a　shout　re…echoing　through　the　house。

The　girl　stared　at　him　with　par