the trampling of the lilies-第21节

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And　now　it　was　La　Boulaye　who　drew　closer；　and　this　man　who　had　so
rigidly　schooled　himself　out　of　all　emotions；　felt　his　breath
quickening；　and　his　pulses　throbbing　faster　and　faster。　　To　him　it
seemed　that　she　was　right；　and　that　love　never　died　…　for　the　love
for　her；　which　he　believed　he　had　throttled　out　of　existence　long
ago；　seemed　of　a　sudden　to　take　life　as　vigorously　as　ever。　　And
then　it　was　as　if　some　breeze　out　of　the　past　bore　to　his　nostrils
the　smell　of　the　violets　and　of　the　moist　earth　of　that　April
morning　when　she　had　repulsed　him　in　the　woods　of　Bellecour。　　His
emotion　died　down。　　He　drew　back；　and　stood　rigid　before　her。

〃And　if　it　were　to　live；　Citoyenne；〃　he　said　…　the　resumption　of
the　Republican　form　of　address　showed　that　he　had　stepped　back　into
the　spirit　as　well　as　in　the　flesh　〃what　manner　of　fool　were　I　to
again　submit　it　to　the　lash　of　scorn　it　earned　when　first　it　was
discovered？〃

〃But　that　belonged　to　the　old　days；〃　she　cried；　〃and　it　is　dead
with　the　old　days。'

〃It　is　vain　to　go　back；　Citoyenne；〃　he　cut　in；　and　his　voice　rang
harsh　with　determination。

She　bit　her　lip　under　cover　of　her　bent　head。　　If　she　had　hated　him
before　how　much　more　did　she　not　hate　him　now？　　　And　but　a　moment
back　it　had　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　loved　him。　　She　had　held　out
her　hands　to　him　and　he　had　scorned　them；　in　her　eagerness　she　had
been　unmaidenly；　and　all　that　she　had　earned　had　been　humiliation。
She　quivered　with　shame　and　anger；　and　sinking　into　the　nearest
chair　she　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears。

Thus　by　accident　did　she　stumble　upon　the　very　weapon　wherewith　to
make　an　utter　rout　of　all　Caron's　resolutions。　　For　knowing　nothing
of　the　fountain　from　which　those　tears　were　springing；　and　deeming
them　the　expression　of　a　grief　pure　and　unalloyed　…　saving；　perhaps；
by　a　worthy　penitence　…　he　stepped　swiftly　to　her　side。

〃Mademoiselle；〃he　murmured；　and　his　tone　was　as　gentle　and　beseeching
as　it　had　lately　been　imperious。　　〃Nay；　Mademoiselle；　I　implore　you！〃

But　her　tears　continued；　and　her　sobs　shook　the　slender　frame　as　if
to　shatter　it。　　He　dropped　upon　his　knees。　　Scarcely　knowing　what　he
did；　he　set　his　arm　about　her　waist　in　a　caress　of　protection。

A　long　curl　of　her　black；　unpowdered　hair　lay　against　his　cheek。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　murmured；　and　she　took　comfort　at　the　soothing
tone。

》From　it　she　judged　him　malleable　now；　that　had　been　so　stern　and
unyielding　before。　　She　raised　her　eyes；　and　through　her　tears　she
turned　their　heavenly　blue　full　upon　the　grey　depths　of　his。

〃You　will　not　believe　me；　Monsieur；〃she　complained　softly。　　〃You
will　not　believe　that　I　can　have　changed　with　the　times；　that　I　see
things　differently　now。　　If　you　were　to　come　to　me　again　as　in　the
woods　at　Bellecour　…　〃　　She　paused　abruptly；　her　cheeks　flamed
scarlet；　and　she　covered　them　with　her　hands。

〃Suzanne！〃　he　cried；　seeking　to　draw　those　hands　away。　　〃Is　it　true；
this？　　　You　care；　beloved！〃

She　uncovered　her　face　at　last。　　Again　their　eyes　met。

〃I　was　right；〃　she　whispered。　　〃Love　never　dies；　you　see。〃

〃And　you　will　marry　me；　Suzanne？〃　he　asked　incredulously。

She　inclined　her　head；　smiling　through　her　tears；　and　he　would　have
caught　her　to　him　but　that　she　rose　of　a　sudden。

〃Hist！〃　she　cried；　raising　her　finger：　〃someone　is　coming。〃

He　listened；　holding　his　breath；　but　no　sound　stirred。　　He　went　to
the　door　and　peered　out。　　All　was　still。　　But　the　interruption
served　to　impress　him　with　the　fact　that　time　was　speeding；　and
that　all　unsuspicious　though　Guyot　might　be　as　yet；　it　was　more
than　possible　that　his　suspicions　would　be　aroused　if　she　remained
there　much　longer。

He　mentioned　this；　and　he　was　beginning　to　refer　to　his　plan　for
their　escape　when　she　thrust　it　aside；　insisting　that　they　must
depart　in　their　coach；　so　that　their　treasure　might　also　be　saved。〃

〃Be　reasonable；　Suzanne；〃he　cried。　　〃It　is　impossible。〃

A　cloud　of　vexation　swept　across　her　averted　face。

〃Nay；　surely　not　impossible；〃　she　answered。　　〃Listen；　Caron；　there
are　two　treasures　in　that　coach。　　One　is　in　money　and　in　gold　and
silver　plate；　the　other　is　in　gems；　and　amounts　to　thrice　the　value
of　the　rest。　　This　latter　is　my　dowry。　　It　is　a　fortune　with　which
we　can　quit　France　and　betake　ourselves　wherever　our　fancy　leads　us。
Would　you　ask　me　to　abandon　that　and　come　to　you　penniless；
compelled　thereby　to　live　in　perpetual　terror　in　a　country　where　at
any　moment　an　enemy　might　cast　at　me　the　word　aristocrate；　and
thereby　ruin　me？〃

There　was　no　cupidity　in　La　Boulaye's　nature；　and　even　the　prospect
of　an　independent　fortune　would　have　weighed　little　with　him　had　it
not　been　backed　by　the　other　argument　she　employed　touching　the
terror　that　would　be　ever　with　her　did　they　dwell　in　France。

He　stood　deep　in　thought；　his　hand　to　his　brow；　thrusting　back　the
long　black　hair　from　his　white　forehead；　what　time　she　recapitulated
her　argument。

〃But　how？〃　he　exclaimed；　in　exasperation　〃Tell　me　how？〃

〃That　is　for　you　to　discover；　Caron。〃

He　thrust　his　hands　deep　into　his　pockets；　and　set　himself　to　pace
the　chamber。　　And　now　his　fingers　came　in　contact　with　something
foreign。　　Idly　he　drew　it　forth；　and　it　proved　to　be　the　phial
Mother　Capoulade　had　given　him；　and　from　which　he　had　poured　the
ten　drops　for　the　Captain's　sleeping　potion。　　His　eyes　brightened
with　inspiration。　　Here　was　a　tool　whose　possibilities　were　vast。
Then　his　brows　were　knit　again。

〃Wait；〃he　said　slowly。　　〃Let　me　think。〃




CHAPTER　XI

THE　ESCAPE


Resting　his　elbow　on　the　table；　and　with　his　hand　to　his　brow；　Caron
sat　deep　in　thought；　his　forefinger　and　thumb　pressed　against　his
closed　eyelids。　　From　beyond　the　board　Mademoiselle　watched　him
anxiously　and　waited。　　At　last　he　looked　up。

〃I　think　I　have　it；〃　he　announced；　rising。　　〃You　say　that　the　men
are　drinking　heavily。　　That　should　materially　assist　us。〃

She　asked　him　what　plan　he　had　conceived；　but　he　urged　that　time
pressed；　she　should　know　presently；　meanwhile；　she　had　best　return
immediately　to　her　carriage。　　He　went　to　the　door　to　call　Guyot；
but　she　stayed　him。

〃No；　no；　Monsieur；〃she　exclaimed。　　〃I　will　not　pass　through　the
common…room　again　in　that　fellow's　company。　　They　are　all　in　there；
carousing；　and　…　and　I　dare　not。〃

As　if　to　confirm　her　words；　now　that　he　held　the　door　open；　he
caught　some　sounds　of　mirth　and　the　drone　of　voices　from　below。

〃Come　with　me；　then；〃said　he；　taking　up　one　of　the　candles。　　〃I　will
escort　you。〃

Together　they　descended　the　narrow　staircase；　La　Boulaye　going　first；
to　guide　her；　since　two　might　not　go　abreast。　　At　the　foot　there
was　a　door；　which　he　opened；　and　then；　at　the　end　of　a　short　passage
　…　in　which　the　drone　of　voices　sounded　very　loud　and　in　particular
one；　cracked　voice　that　was　raised　in　song　…　they　gained　the　door　of
the　common…room。　　As　La　Boulaye　pushed　it　open　they　came　upon　a
scene　of　Bacchanalian　revelry。　　On　a　chair　that　had　been　set　upon
the　table　they　beheld　Mother　Capoulade　enthroned　like　a　Goddess　of
Liberty；　and　wearing　a　Phrygian　cap　on　her　dishevelled　locks。　　Her
yellow　cheeks　were　flushed　and　her　eyes　watery；　whilst　hers　was　the
crazy　voice　that　sang。

Around　the　table；　in　every　conceivable　attitude　of　abandonment；　sat
Captain　Charlot's　guard　…　every　man　of　the　ten　…　and　with　them　the
six　men　and　the　corporal　of　La　Boulaye's　escort；　all　more　or　less
in　a　condition　of　drunkenness。

〃Le　jour　de　gloire　est　arrive？〃　sang　the　croaking　voice　of　Dame
Capoulade；　and　there　it　stopped　abruptly　upon　catching　sight　of　La
Boulaye　and　his　companion　in　the　doorway。　　Mademoiselle　shivered
out　of　loathing；　but　La　Boulaye　felt　his　pulses　quickened　with　hope；
for　surely　all　this　was　calculated　to　assist　him　in　his　purpose。

At　the　abrupt　interruption　of　the　landlady's　version　of　the
〃Marseillaise　〃the　men　swung　round；　and　upon　seeing　the　Deputy　they
sought　in　ludicrous　haste　to　repair　the　disorder　of　their　appearance。

〃So！〃　thundered　Caron。　　〃This　is　the　watch　you　keep？　　　This　is　how
you　are　to　be　trusted？　　　And　you；　Guyot；〃　he　continued；　pointing　his
finger　at　the　man。　　〃Did　I　not　bid　you　await　my　orders？　　　Is　this
how　you　wait？　　　You　see　that　I　am　compelled　to　reconduct　the
Citoyenne　myself；　for　I　might　have　called　you　in　vain　all　night。〃

Guyot　came　forward　sheepishly；　and　a　trifle　unsteady　in　his　gait。

〃I　did　not　hear　you　call；　Citizen；〃　he　muttered。

〃It　had　been　a　miracle　if　you　had　with　this　din；〃　answered　La　Boulaye。
〃Here；　take　the　Citoyenne　back　to　her　carriage。〃

Obediently　Guyot　led　the　Citoyenne　across　the　room　and　out　into　the
courtyard；　and　the　men；　restrained　by　La　Boulaye's　severe　presence；
dared　scarcely　so　much　as　raise　their　eyes　to　her　as　she　passed　out。

〃And　now　to　your　posts；〃　was　Caron's　stern　command。　　〃By　my　soul；
if　you　were　men　of　mine　I　would　have　you　flogged　for　this。　　Out　with
you！〃　　And　he　pointed　imperiously　to　the　door。

〃It　is　a　bitter　night；　Citizen；〃　grumbled　one　of　them。

〃Do　you　call　yourself　soldiers；　and　does　a　touch　of　frost　make
cowards　of　you？　　　Outside；　you　old　wives；　at　once！　　I'll　see　you　at
your　post　before　I　go