the trampling of the lilies-第20节

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lamp　with　a　clatter；　and　sent　a　shout　re…echoing　through　the　house。

The　girl　stared　at　him　with　parted　lips　and　the　least　look　of　fear
in　her　eyes。　　Was　he　gone　clean　mad　of　a　sudden？

But　now　the　sound　which　had　warned　him　of　someone's　approach　reached
her　ears　as　well。　　There　were　steps　on　the　stairs；　which　at　that
alarming　noise　were　instantly　quickened。　　Yet　ere　they　had　reached
the　top　La　Boulaye　was　at　the　door　vociferating　wildly。

Into　the　room　came　the　hostess；　breathless　and　grinning　with　anxiety；
and　behind　her　came　Guyot；　who；　startled　by　the　din；　had　hastened　up
to　inquire　into　its　cause。

At　sight　of　the　Captain　stretched　upon　the　floor　there　was　a　scream
from　Mother　Capoulade　and　an　oath　from　the　soldier。

〃Mon　Dieu！　what　has　happened？〃　she　cried；　hurrying　forward。

〃Miserable！〃　exclaimed　La　Boulaye；　with　well…feigned　anger。　　〃It
seems　that　your　wretched　hovel　is　tumbling　to　pieces；　and　that　men
are　not　safe　beneath　its　roof。〃　And　he　indicated　the　broken　plaster
and　the　fallen　lamp。

〃How　did　it　happen；　Citoyenne…deputy？〃　asked　Guyot；　for　all　that　he
drew　the　only　possible　inference　from　what　he　saw。

〃Can　you　not　see　how　it　happened？〃　returned　La　Boulaye；　impatiently。
〃As　for　you；　wretched　woman；　you　will　suffer　for　it；　I　promise　you。
The　nation　is　likely　to　demand　a　high　price　for　Captain　Charlot's
injuries。〃

〃But；　bon　Dieu；　how　am　I　to　blame？〃　wailed　the　frightened　woman。

〃To　blame；〃　echoed　La　Boulaye；　in　a　furious　voice。　　〃Are　you　not　to
blame　that　you　let　rooms　in　a　crazy　hovel？　　　Let　them　to　emigres　as
much　as　you　will；　but　if　you　let　them　to　good　patriots　and　thereby
endanger　their　lives　you　must　take　the　consequences。　　And　the
consequences　in　this　case　are　likely　to　be　severe；　malheureuse。〃

He　turned　now　to　Guyot；　who　was　kneeling　by　the　Captain；　and　looking
to　his　hurt。

〃Here；　Guyot；〃he　commanded　sharply；　〃reconduct　the　Citoyenne　to　her
coach。　　I　will　perhaps　see　her　again　later；　when　the　Captain　shall
have　recovered　consciousness。　　You；　Citoyenne　Capoulade；　assist　me
to　carry　him　to　bed。〃

Each　obeyed　him；　Guyot　readily；　as　became　a　soldier；　and　the　hostess
trembling　with　the　dread　which　La　Boulaye's　words　had　instilled　into
her。　　They　got　Charlot　to　bed；　and　when　a　half…hour　or　so　later　he
recovered　consciousness；　it　was　to　find　Guyot　watching　at　his　bed…side。
Bewildered；　he　demanded　an　explanation　of　his　present　position　and　of
the　pain　in　his　head；　which　brought　him　the　memory　of　a　sudden　and
unaccountable　blow　he　had　received；　which　was　the　last　thing　that　he
remembered。　　Guyot；　who　had　never　for　a　moment　entertained　a　doubt
of　the　genuineness　of　the　mise…en…scene　La　Boulaye　had　prepared；
answered　him　with　the　explanation　of　how　he　had　been　struck　by　the
falling　lamp；　whereupon　Charlot　fell　to　cursing　lamps　and　crumblings
with　horrid　volubility。　　That　done　he　would　have　risen；　but　that　La
Boulaye；　entering　at　that　moment；　insisted　that　he　should　remain
abed。

〃Are　you　mad？〃　the　Deputy　expostulated；　〃or　is　it　that　you　do　not
appreciate　the　nature　of　your　hurt？　　　Diable！　　I　have　known　a　man
die　through　insisting　to　be　about　with　a　cracked　skull　that　was　as
nothing　to　yours。〃

〃Name　of　a　name！　　gasped　Charlot；　who　in　such　matters　was　profoundly
ignorant　and　correspondingly　credulous。　　〃Is　it　so　serious？〃

〃Not　serious　if　you　lie　still　and　sleep。　　You　will　probably　be　quite
well　by　to…morrow。　　But　if　you　move　to…night　the　consequences　may
well　be　fatal。〃

〃But　I　cannot　sleep　at　this　hour；〃the　Captain　complained。　　〃I　am　very
wakeful；〃

〃We　will　try　to　find　you　a　sleeping　potion；　then；〃said　La　Boulaye。
〃I　hope　the　hosteen　may　have　something　that　will　answer　the　purpose。
Meanwhile；　Guyot；　do　not　allow　the　Captain　to　talk。　　If　you　would
have　him　well　to…morrow；　remember　that　it　is　of　the　first　importance
that　he　should　have　utter　rest　tonight。〃

With　that　he　went　in　quest　of　Dame　Capoulade　to　ascertain　whether
she　possessed　any　potion　that　would　induce　sleep。　　He　told　her　that
the　Captain　was　seriously　injured；　and　that　unless　he　slept　he　might
die；　and；　quickened　by　the　terror　of　what　might　befall　her　in　such
a　case；　the　woman　presently　produced　a　small　phial　full　of　a　brown；
viscous　fluid。　　What　it　might　be　he　had　no　notion；　being　all　unversed
in　the　mysteries　of　the　pharmacopoeia；　but　she　told　him　that　it　had
belonged　to　her　now　defunct　husband；　who　had　always　said　that　ten
drops　of　it　would　make　a　man　sleep　the　clock　round。

He　experimented　on　the　Captain　with　ten　drops；　and　within　a　quarter
of　an　hour　of　taking　the　draught　of　red　wine　in　which　it　was
administered；　Charlot's　deep　breathing　proclaimed　him　fast　asleep。

That　done；　La　Boulaye　sent　Guyot　below　to　his　post　once　more；　and
returning　to　the　room　in　which　they　had　supped；　he　paced　up　and　down
for　a　full　hour；　revolving　in　his　mind　the　matter　of　saving
Mademoiselle　and　her　mother。　　At　last；　towards　ten　o'clock；　he　opened
the　casement；　and　calling　down　to　Guyot；　as　Charlot　had　done；　he　bade
him　bring　the　women　up　again。　　Now　Guyot　knew　of　the　high　position
which　Caron　occupied　in　the　Convention；　and　he　had　seen　the　intimate
relations　in　which　he　stood　to　Tardivet；　so　that　unhesitatingly　he
now　obeyed　him。

La　Boulaye　closed　the　window；　and　crossed　slowly　to　the　fire。　　He
stirred　the　burning　logs　with　his　boot；　then　stood　there　waiting。
Presently　the　stairs　creaked；　next　the　door　opened；　and　Guyot
ushered　in　Mademoiselle。

〃The　elder　citoyenne　refuses　to　come；　Citizen…deputy；〃　said　the
soldier。　　〃They　both　insisted　that　it　was　not　necessary；　and　that
the　Citoyenne　here　would　answer　your　questions。〃

Almost　on　the　point　of　commanding　the　soldier　to　return　for　the
Marquise；　Caron　caught　the　girl's　eye；　and　her　glance　was　so
significant　that　he　thought　it　best　to　hear　first　what　motives　she
had　for　thus　disobeying　him。

〃Very　well；〃he　said　shortly。　　〃You　may　go　below；　Guyot。　　But　hold
yourself　in　readiness　lest　I　should　have　need　of　you。〃

The　soldier　saluted　and　disappeared。　　Scarce　was　he　gone　when
Mademoiselle　came　hurrying　forward。

〃Monsieur　Caron；〃　she　cried　〃Heaven　is　surely　befriending　us。　　The
soldiers　are　drinking　themselves　out　of　their　wits。　　They　will　be
keeping　a　slack　watch　presently。〃

He　looked　at　her　for　a　moment；　fathoming　the　purport　of　what　she
said。

〃But；〃　he　demanded　at　last；　〃why　did　not　the　Marquise　obey　my
summons；　and　accompany　you？〃

〃She　was　afraid　to　leave　the　coach；　Monsieur。　　Moreover；　she　agreed
with　me　that　it　would　not　be　necessary。〃

〃Not　necessary？〃　he　echoed。　　〃But　it　is　necessary。　　When　last　you
were　here　I　told　you　I　did　not　intend　you　should　return　to　the　coach。
This　is　my　plan；　Citoyenne。　　I　shall　keep　Guyot　waiting　below　while
you　and　your　mother　are　fortifying　yourselves　by　supper　here。　　Then
I　shall　dismiss　him　with　a　recommendation　that　he　keep　a　close　watch
upon　the　carriage；　and　the　information　that　you　will　not　be　returning
to　it　to…night。　　A　half…hour　later　or　so；　when　things　are　quiet；　I
shall　find　a　way　out　for　you　by　the　back；　after　which　the　rest　must
remain　in　your　hands。　　More　I　cannot　do。〃

〃You　can；〃　she　cried；　〃you　can。〃

〃If　you　will　enlighten　me；〃said　he；　with　the　faintest　touch　of　irony。

She　looked　at　his　stern；　sardonic　face　and　solemn　grey　eyes；　and　for
a　moment　it　almost　seemed　to　her　that　she　hated　him　more　than　anybody
in　the　world。　　He　was　so　passionless；　so　master　of　himself；　and　he
addressed　her　in　a　tone　which；　whilst　it　suggested　that　he　accounted
himself　most　fully　her　equal；　made　her　feel　that　he　was　really　her
better　by　much。　　If　one　of　these　two　was　an　aristocrat；　surely　that
one　was　the　Citizen…deputy　La　Boulaye。

〃If　you　had　but　the　will　you　would　do　it；　Monsieur；〃she　answered
him。　　〃It　is　not　mine　to　enlighten　you；　I　know　not　how。〃

〃I　have　the　very　best　will　in　the　world；　Citoyenne；〃　said　he。　　〃Of
that　I　think　that　I　am　giving　proof。〃

〃Aye；　the　will　to　do　nothing　that　will　shame　your　manhood；〃　she
rejoined。　　〃That　is　all　you　think　of。　　It　was　because　your　manhood
bade　you　that　you　came　to　my　rescue　…　so　you　said　when　you　declined
my　thanks。　　It　is　this　manhood　of　yours；　I　make　no　doubt；　that　is
now　prevailing　upon　you　to　deliver　two　unprotected　women　out　of　the
hands　of　these　brigands。〃

〃In　Heaven's　name；　Citoyenne；〃　quoth　the　astonished　Deputy；　〃out　of
what　sentiment　would　you　have　me　act；　and；　indeed；　so　that　I　save
you；　how　can　it　concern　you　by　what　sentiment　I　am　prompted？〃

She　paused　a　moment　before　replying。　　Her　eyes　were　downcast；　and
some　of　the　colour　faded　from　her　cheeks。　　She　carne　a　step　nearer；
which　brought　her　very　close　to　him。

〃Monsieur；〃she　faltered　very　shyly；　〃in　the　old　days　at　Bellecour
you　would　have　served　me　out　of　other　sentiments。〃

He　started　now　in　spite　of　himself；　and　eyed　her　with　a　sudden　gleam
of　hope；　or　triumph；　or　mistrust；　or　perhaps　of　all　three。　　Then　his
glance　fell；　and　his　voice　was　wistful。

〃But　the　old　days　are　dead；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃The　days；　yes；〃　she　answered；　taking　courage　from　his　tone。　　〃But
love　Monsieur；　is　everlasting　…　it　never　dies；　they　say。〃

And　now　it　was　La　Boulaye　who　drew　closer；　and　this　man　who　had　so
rigidly　s