the trampling of the lilies-第23节

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willing　enough　to　go　to　Prussia；　and　had　no　need　to　resort　to　the
more　forcible　measures　he　had　come　prepared　to　employ。

Accompanied　by　the　ostler；　they　now　passed　to　the　stables；　and　when
La　Boulaye　had　unlocked　the　door　and　cut　the　bonds　that　pinioned
the　Marquis's　coachman；　they　got　the　horses；　and　together　they
harnessed　them　as　quietly　as　might　be。

Then　working　with　infinite　precaution；　and　as　little　sound　as
possible；　they　brought　them　out　into　the　yard　and　set　them　in　the
shafts　of　the　carriage。　　The　rest　was　easy　work；　and　a　quarter　of
an　hour　later　the　heavy　vehicle　rumbled　through　the　porte…cochere
and　started　on　its　way　to　Soignies。

La　Boulaye　dropped　the　keys　into　a　bucket　and　went　within。　　In　the
common…room　nothing　had　changed；　and　the　men　lay　about　precisely
as　he　had　left　them。　　Reassured；　he　went　above　and　took　a　peep　at
the　Captain；　whom　he　found　snoring　lustily。

Satisfied　that　all　was　well；　Caron　passed　quietly　to　his　own　chamber；
and　with　an　elation　of　soul　such　as　had　never　been　his　since　boyhood；
he　fell　asleep　amid　visions　of　Suzanne　and　the　new　life　he　was　to
enter　upon　in　her　sweet　company。




CHAPTER　XII

THE　AWAKENING


La　Boulaye　awakened　betimes　next　morning。　　It　may　be　that　the　matter
on　his　mind　and　the　business　that　was　toward　aroused　him；　certainly
it　was　none　of　the　sounds　that　are　common　to　an　inn　at　early　morn；
for　the　place　was　as　silent　as　a　tomb。

Some　seconds　he　remained　on　his　back；　staring　at　the　whitewashed
ceiling　and　listening　to　the　patter　of　the　rain　against　his　window。
Then；　as　his　mind　gathered　up　the　threads　of　recollection；　he　leapt
from　his　bed　and　made　haste　to　assume　a　garment　or　two。

He　stood　a　moment　at　his　casement；　looking　out　into　the　empty
courtyard。　　From　a　leaden　sky　the　rain　was　descending　in　sheets；　and
the　gargoyle　at　the　end　of　the　eaves　overhead　was　discharging　a
steady　column　of　water　into　the　yard。　　Caron　shivered　with　the　cold
of　that　gloomy　February　morning；　and　turned　away　from　the　window。
A　few　moments　later　he　was　in　Tardivet's　bedchamber；　vigorously
shaking　the　sleeping　Captain。

〃Up；　Charlot！　　Awake！〃　he　roared　in　the　man's　ear。

〃What　o'clock？〃　he　asked　with　a　yawn。　　Then　a　sudden　groan　escaped
him；　and　he　put　his　hand　to　his　head。　　〃Thousand　devils！〃　he　swore；
〃what　a　headache！〃

But　La　Boulaye　was　not　there　on　any　mission　of　sympathy；　nor　did
he　waste　words　in　conveying　his　news。

〃The　coach　is　gone；〃he　announced　emphatically。

〃Coach？　　　What　coach？〃　asked　the　Captain；　knitting　his　brows。

〃What　coach？〃　echoed　La　Boulaye　testily。　　〃How　many　coaches　were
there？　　　Why；　the　Bellecour　coach；　the　coach　with　the　treasure。〃

At　that　Charlot　grew　very　wide…awake。　　He　forgot　his　headache　and
his　interest　in　the　time　of　day。

〃Gone？〃　he　bellowed。　　〃How　gone？　　Pardieu；　it　is　not　possible！〃

〃Look　for　yourself；〃was　La　Boulaye's　answer　as　he　waved　his　hand　in
the　direction　of　the　window。　　〃I　don't　know　what　manner　of　watch
your　men　can　have　kept　that　such　a　thing　should　have　come　about。
Probably；　knowing　you　ill　a…bed；　they　abused　the　occasion　by　getting
drunk；　and　probably　they　are　still　sleeping　it　off。　　The　place　is
silent　enough。〃

But　Tardivet　scarcely　heard　him。　　From　his　window　he　was　staring
into　the　yard　below；　too　thunderstruck　by　its　emptiness　to　even　have
recourse　to　profanity。　　Stable　door　and　porte…cochere　alike　stood
open。　　He　turned　suddenly　and　made　for　his　coat。　　Seizing　it；　he
thrust　his　hand　in　one　pocket　after　another。　　At　last：

〃Treachery！〃　he　cried；　and　letting　the　garment　fall　to　the　ground；
he　turned　upon　La　Boulaye　a　face　so　transfigured　by　anger　that　it
looked　little　like　the　usually　good…humoured　countenance　of　Captain
Tardivet　〃My　keys　have　been　stolen。　　By　St。　Guillotine；　I'll　have
the　thief　hanged。〃

〃Did　anybody　know　that　the　keys　were　in　your　pocket？〃　asked　the
ingenuous　Caron。

〃I　told　you　last　night。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember　that。　　But　did　anybody　else　know？〃

〃The　ostler　knew。　　He　saw　me　lock　the　doors。〃

〃Why；　then；　let　us　find　the　ostler；〃　urged　Caron。　　〃Put　on　some
clothes　and　we　will　go　below。〃

Mechanically　Charlot　obeyed　him；　and　as　he　did　so　he　gave　his
feelings　vent　at　last。　　From　between　set　teeth　came　now　a　flow　of
oaths　and　imprecations　as　steady　as　the　flow　of　water　from　the
gargoyle　overhead。

At　last　they　hastened　down　the　stairs　together；　and　in　the
common…room　they　found　the　sleeping　company　much　as　La　Boulaye　had
left　it　the　night　before。　　In　an　access　of　rage　at　what　he　saw；
and　at　the　ample　evidences　of　the　debauch　that　had　reduced　them　to
this　condition；　Charlot　began　by　kicking　the　chair　from　under　Mother
Capoulade。　　The　noise　of　her　fall　and　the　scream　with　which　she
awoke　served　to　arouse　one　or　two　others；　who　lifted　their　heads
to　gaze　stupidly　about　them。

But　Charlot　was　busy　stirring　the　other　slumberers。　　He　had　found
a　whip；　and　with　this　he　was　now　laying　vigorously　about　him。

〃Up；　you　swine！〃　he　blazed　at　them。　　〃Afoot；　you　drunken　scum！〃

His　whip　cracked；　and　his　imprecations　rang　high　and　lurid。　　And　La
Boulaye　assisted　him　in　his　labours　with　kicks　and　cuffs　and　a
tongue　no　less　vituperative。

At　last　they　were　on　their　feet　…　a　pale；　bewildered；　shamefaced
company　…　receiving　from　the　infuriated　Charlot　the　news　that
whilst　they　had　indulged　themselves　in　their　drunken　slumbers　their
prisoners　had　escaped　and　carried　off　the　treasure　with　them。　　The
news　was　received　with　a　groan　of　dismay；　and　several　turned　to
the　door　to　ascertain　for　themselves　whether　it　was　indeed　exact。
The　dreary　emptiness　of　the　rain…washed　yard　afforded　them　more　than
ample　confirmation。

〃Where　is　your　pig　of　an　ostler；　Mother　Capoulade？〃　demanded　the
angry　Captain。

Quivering　with　terror；　she　answered　him　that　the　rascal　should　be
in　the　shed　by　the　stables；　where　it　was　his　wont　to　sleep。　　Out
into　the　rain；　despite　the　scantiness　of　his　attire；　went　Charlot；
followed　closely　by　La　Boulaye　and　one　or　two　stragglers。　　The
shed　proved　empty；　as　Caron　could　have　told　him　…　and　so；　too；　did
the　stables。　　Here；　at　the　spot　where　Madame　de　Bellecour's　coachman
had　been　left　bound；　the　Captain　turned　to　La　Boulaye　and　those
others　that　had　followed　him。

〃It　is　the　ostler's　work；〃　he　announced。　　〃There　was　knavery　and
treachery　writ　large　upon　his　ugly　face。　　I　always　felt　it；　and　this
business　proves　how　correct　were　my　instincts。　　The　rogue　was　bribed
when　he　discovered　how　things　were　with　you；　you　greasy　sots。　　But
you；　La　Boulaye；〃　he　cried　suddenly；　〃were　you　drunk；　too？〃

〃Not　I；〃　answered　the　Deputy。

〃Then；　name　of　a　name；　how　came　that　lumbering　coach　to　leave　the
yard　without　awakening　you？〃

〃You　ask　me　to　explain　too　much；〃　was　La　Boulaye's　cool　evasion。
〃I　have　always　accounted　myself　a　light　sleeper；　and　I　could　not
have　believed　that　such　a　thing　could　really　have　taken　place
without　disturbing　me。　　But　the　fact　remains　that　the　coach　has
gone；　and　I　think　that　instead　of　standing　here　in　idle　speculation
as　to　how　it　went；　you　might　find　more　profitable　employment　in
considering　how　it　is　to　brought　back　again。　　It　cannot　have　gone
very　far。〃

If　any　ray　of　suspicion　had　begun　to　glimmer　in　Charlot's　brain；
that　suggestion　of　La　Boulaye's　was　enough　to　utterly　extinguish　it。

They　returned　indoors；　and　without　more　ado　Tardivet　set　himself　to
plan　the　pursuit。　　He　knew；　he　announced；　that　Prussia　was　their
destination。　　He　had　discovered　it　at　the　time　of　their　capture　from
certain　papers　that　he　had　found　in　a　portmanteau　of　the　Marquise's。
He　discussed　the　matter　with　La　Boulaye；　and　it　was　now　that　Caron
had　occasion　to　congratulate　himself　upon　his　wisdom　in　having
elected　to　remain　behind。

The　Captain　proposed　to　recall　the　fifty　men　that　were　watching　the
roads　from　France；　and　to　spread　them　along　the　River　Sambre；　as　far
as　Liege；　to　seek　information　of　the　way　taken　by　the　fugitives。　　As
soon　as　any　one　of　the　parties　struck　the　trail　it　was　to　send　word
to　the　others；　and　start　immediately　in　pursuit。

Now；　had　Charlot　been　permitted　to　spread　such　a　net　as　this；　the
Marquise　must　inevitably　fall　into　it；　and　Caron　had　pledged　his
word　that　she　should　have　an　open　road　to　Prussia。　　With　a　map
spread　upon　the　table　he　now　expounded　to　the　Captain　how　little
necessity　there　was　for　so　elaborate　a　scheme。　　The　nearest　way　to
Prussia　was　by　Charleroi；　Dinant；　and　Rochefort；　into　Luxembourg；
and　…　he　contended　…　it　was　not　only　unlikely；　but　incredible；　that
the　Marquise　should　choose　any　but　the　shortest　road　to　carry　her
out　of　Belgium；　seeing　the　dangers　that　must　beset　her　until　the
frontiers　of　Luxembourg　were　passed。

〃And　so；〃argued　La　Boulaye；　〃why　waste　time　in　recalling　your　men？
Think　of　the　captives　you　might　miss　by　such　an　act！　　It　were
infinitely　better　advised。　　to　assume　that　the　fugitives　have　taken
the　Charleroi…Dinant　road；　and　to　despatch；　at　once；　say；
half…a…dozen　men　in　pursuit。〃

Tardivet　pondered　the　matter　for　some　moments。

〃Yom　are　right；〃　he　agreed　at　last。　　〃If　they　have　resolved　to
continue　their　journey；　a　half…dozen　men　should　suffice　to　recapture
them。　　I　will　despa