the trampling of the lilies-第28节

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for　her　to　pass；　what　time　his　eyes　were　set　in　an　intent　but
puzzled　glance　upon　the　courier。　　There　was　something　about　the　man
that　was　not　wholly　strange　to　La　Boulaye。　　That　morning；　when　he
had　spoken　in　the　gruff　accents　of　one　of　the　rabble；　no　suspicion
had　entered　the　Deputy's　mind　that　he　was　other　than　he　seemed；　for
all　that　he　now　recalled　how　Tardivet　had　found　the　fellow's
patriotism　a　little　too　patriotic。　　Now　that　he　spoke　in　the　voice
that　was　naturally　usual　to　him；　it　seemed　to　La　Boulaye　that　it
contained　a　note　that　he　had　heard　before。

Still　puzzled；　he　passed　out　of　the　room　to　be　questioned　sharply
by　the　woman　of　the　house　touching　his　motives　for　passing　himself
off　as　her　husband　and　inviting　the　new…comers　to　enter。

〃I　promise　you　their　stay　will　be　a　very　brief　one；〃　he　answered。
〃I　have　suspicions　to　verify　the　ends　to　serve；　as　you　shall　see。
Will　you　do　me　the　favour　to　go　out　by　the　back　and　call　my　men？
Tell　the　corporal　to　make　his　way　to　the　front　of　the　house；　and
to　hold　himself　in　readiness　to　enter　the　moment　I　call　him。〃

〃What　are　you　about　to　do？〃　she　asked　and　the　face；　as　he　saw　it　by
the　light　of　the　candle　she　held；　wore　an　expression　of　sullen
disapproval。

He　reassured　her　that　there　would　be　no　bloodshed；　and　suggested
that　the　men　were　dangerous　characters　whom　it　might　be　ill　for　her
to　entertain。　　And　so　at　last　he　won　his　way；　and　she　went　to　do
his　errand；　whilst　he　reentered　the　kitchen

He　found　Des　Cadoux　by　the　fire；　intent　upon　drying　as　much　of
himself　as　possible。　　The　younger　man　had　seized　upon　the　bottle
of　brandy　that　had　been　left　on　the　table；　and　was　in　the　act　of
filling　himself　a　second　glass。　　Nothing　could　be　further　from
the　mind　of　either　than　a　suspicion　of　the　identity　of　this
rustically…clad　and　grimy…faced　fellow。

〃Mathilde　will　be　here　in　a　moment；〃　said　Caron　deferentially。
〃She　is　seeking　something　for　you。〃

Had　he　told　them　precisely　what　she　was　seeking　they　had　been；
possibly；　less　at　ease。

〃Let　her　hasten；〃　cried　the　courier；　〃for　I　am　famished。〃

〃Have　patience；　Anatole；〃　murmured　the　ever…gentle　Cadoux。　〃The
good　woman　did　not　expect　us。〃

Anatole！　　The　name　buzzed　through　Caron's　brain。　　To　whom　did　it
belong？　　He　knew　of　someone　who　bore　it。　　Yet　question　himself
though　he　might；　he　could　at　the　moment　find　no　answer。　　And　then
the　courier　created　a　diversion　by　addressing　him。

〃Fill　yourself　a　glass；　mon　bonhomme；〃　said　he。　　〃I　have　a　toast
for　you。〃

〃For　me；　Monsieur；〃　cried　La　Boulaye；　with　surprised　humility。　〃It
were　too　great　an　honour。〃

〃Do　as　you　are　bidden；　man；〃　returned　this　very　peremptory　courier。
〃There；　now　let　us　see　how　your　favour　runs。　　Cry　'Long　Live　the　King！'〃

Holding　the　brandy…glass；　which　the　man　had　forced　upon　him；　La
Boulaye　eyed　him　whimsically　for　a　second。

〃There　is　no　toast　I　would　more　gladly　drink；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃if
I　considered　it　availing。　　But　…　alas　…　you　propose　it　over…late。〃

〃Diable！　　What　may　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　that　since　the　King　is　dead；　it　shall　profit　us　little　to　cry；
'Long　Live　the　King！'〃

〃The　King；　Monsieur；　never　dies；〃　said　Cadoux　sententiously。

〃Since　you　put　it　so；　Monsieur；〃　answered　La　Boulaye；　as　if　convinced；
〃I'll　honour　the　toast。〃　　And　with　the　cry　they　asked　of　him　he
drained　his　glass。

〃And　so；　my　honest　fellow；〃　said　Des　Cadoux；　producing　his　eternal
snuff…box；　〃it　seems　that　you　are　a　Royalist。　　We　did　but　test　you
with　that　toast；　my　friend。〃

〃What　should　a　poor　fellow　know　of　politics；　Messieurs？〃　he
deprecated。　　〃These　are　odd　times。　　I　doubt　me　the　world　has　never
seen　their　like。　　No　man　may　safely　know　his　neighbour。　　Now　you；
sir；〃　he　pursued；　turning　to　the　younger　man；〃　you　have　the　air　of
a　sans…culotte；　yet　from　your　speech　you　seem　an　honest　enough
gentleman。〃

The　fellow　laughed　with　unction。

〃The　air　of　a　sans…culotte？〃　he　cried。　　〃My　faith；　yes。　　So　much　so；
that　this　morning　I　imposed　myself　as　a　courier　from　Paris　upon　no
less　an　astute　sleuth…hound　of　the　Convention　than　the　Citizen…deputy
La　Boulaye。〃

〃Is　it　possible？〃　cried　Caron；　his　eyes　opening　wide　in　wonder。　　〃But
how；　Monsieurs？　　For　surely　a　courier　must　bear　letters；　and　…　〃

〃So　did　I；　so　did　I；　my　friend；〃　the　other　interrupted；　with　vain
glory。　　〃I　knocked　a　patriotic　courier　over　the　head　to　obtain　them。
He　was　genuine；　that　other　courier；　and　I　passed　myself　out　of　France
with　his　papers。〃

〃Monsieur　is　amusing　himself　at　the　expense　of　my　credulity；〃　La
Boulaye　complained。

〃My　good　man；　I　am　telling　you　facts；〃　the　other　insisted。

〃But　how　could　such　a　thing　be　accomplished？〃　asked　Caron；　seating
himself　at　the　table；　and　resting　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　his　gaze
so　full　of　admiration　as　to　seem　awestruck。

〃How？　　I　will　tell　you。　　I　am　from　Artois。〃

〃You'll　be　repeating　that　charming　story　once　too　often；〃　Des　Cadoux
cautioned　him。

〃Pish；　you　timorous　one！〃　he　laughed；　and　resumed　his　tale。　　〃I　am
from　Artois；　then。　　I　have　some　property　there；　and　it　lately　came
to　my　ears　that　this　assembly　of　curs　they　call　the　Convention　had
determined　to　make　an　end　of　me。　　But　before　they　could　carry　out
their　design；　those　sons　of　dogs；　my　tenants；　incited　by　the　choice
examples　set　them　by　other　tenantry；　made　a　descent　on　my　Chateau
one　night；　and　did　themselves　the　pleasure　of　burning　it　to　the
ground。　　By　a　miracle　I　escaped　with　my　life　and　lay　hidden　for
three　weeks　in　the　house　of　an　old　peasant　who　had　remained　faithful。
In　that　time　I　let　my　beard　grow；　and　trained　my　hair　into　a
patriotic　unkemptness。　　Then；　in　filthy　garments；　like　any　true
Republican；　I　set　out　to　cross　the　frontier。　　As　I　approached　it；
I　was　filled　with　fears　that　I　might　not　win　across；　and　then；　in
the　moment　of　my　doubtings；　I　came　upon　that　most　opportune　of
couriers。　　I　had　the　notion　to　change　places　with　him；　and　I　did。
He　was　the　bearer　of　a　letter　to　the　Deputy　La　Boulaye；　of　whom　you
may　have　heard；　and　this　letter　I　opened　to　discover　that　it　charged
him　to　effect　my　arrest。〃

If　La　Boulaye　was　startled；　his　face　never　betrayed　it；　not　by　so
much　as　the　quiver　of　an　eyelid。　　He　sat　on；　his　jaw　in　his　palm；
his　eyes　admiringly　bent　upon　the　speaker。

〃You　may　judge　of　my　honesty；　and　of　how　fully　sensible　I　was　of　the
trust　I　had　undertaken；　when　I　tell　you　that　with　my　own　hand　I
delivered　the　letter　this　morning　to　that　animal　La　Boulaye　at
Boisvert。〃　　He　seemed　to　swell　with　pride　in　his　achievement。
〃Diable！〃　he　continued。　　〃Mine　was　a　fine　piece　of　acting。　　I　would
you　could　have　seen　me　play　the　part　of　the　patriot。　　Think　of　the
irony　of　it！　　I　won　out　of　France　with　the　very　papers　ordering　my
arrest。　　Ma　foi！　　You　should　have　seen　me　befool　that　dirt　of　a
deputy！　　It　was　a　performance　worthy　of　Talma　himself。〃　　And　he
looked　from　Cadoux　to　La　Boulaye　for　applause。

〃I　doubt　not；〃　said　the　Deputy　coldly。　　〃It　must　have　been　worth
witnessing。　　But　does　it　not　seem　a　pity　to　spoil　everything　and　to
neutralise　so　wonderful　an　achievement　for　the　mere　sake　of　boasting
of　it　to　a　poor；　ignorant　peasant；　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　Anatole
d'Ombreval？〃

With　a　sudden　cry；　the　pseudo　courier　leapt　to　his　feet；　whilst　Des
Cadoux　turned　on　the　stool　he　occupied　to　stare　alarmedly　at　the
speaker。

〃Name　of　God！　　Who　are　you？〃　demanded　Ombreval　advancing　a　step。

With　his　sleeve　La　Boulaye　rubbed　part　of　the　disfiguring　smear　from
his　face　as　he　stood　up　and　made　answer　coolly：


〃I　am　that　dirt　of　a　Deputy　whom　you　befooled　at　Boisvert。〃　　Then；
raising　his　voice；　〃Garin！〃　he　shouted；　and　immediately　the　door
opened　and　the　soldiers　filed　in。

Ombreval　stood　like　a　statue；　thunderstruck　with　amazement　at　this
most　unlooked…for　turning　of　the　tables；　his　face　ashen；　his　weak
mouth　fallen　open　and　his　eyes　fearful。

Des　Cadoux；　who　had　also　risen；　seemed　to　take　in　the　situation　at
a　glance。　　Like　a　well…bred　gamester　who　knows　how　to　lose　with　a
good　grace　the　old　gentleman　laughed　drily　to　himself　as　he　tapped
his　snuff…box。

〃We　are　delightfully　taken；　cher　Vicomte；〃　he　murmured；　applying　the
tobacco　to　his　nostril　as　he　spoke。　　〃It's　odds　you　won't　be　able　to
repeat　that　pretty　story　to　any　more　of　your　friends。　　I　warned　you
that　you　inclined　to　relate　it　too　often。〃

With　a　sudden　oath；　Ombreval　…　moved　to　valour　by　the　blind　rage
that　possessed　him　…　sprang　at　La　Boulaye。　　But；　as　suddenly；　Garin
caught　his　arms　from　behind　and　held　him　fast。

〃Remove　them　both；〃　La　Boulaye　commanded。　　〃Place　them　in　safety　for
the　night；　and　see　that　they　do　not　escape　you；　Garin；　as　you　value
your　neck。〃

Des　Coudax　shut　his　snuff…box　with　a　snap。

〃For　my　part；　I　am　ready；　Monsieur　…　your　pardon　…　Citizen；〃　he
said；　〃and　I　shall　give　you　no　trouble。　　But　since　I　am　not；　I　take
it；　included　in　the　orders　you　have　received；　I　have　a　proposal　to
make　which　may　prove　mutually　convenient。〃

〃Pray　make　it；　Citizen；〃　said　La　Boulaye。

〃It　occurs　to　me　that　it　may　occasion　you　some　measure　of　annoyance
to　carry　me　all　the　way　to　Paris　…　and　certainly；　for　my　part；　I
should　much　prefer　not　to　undertake　the　journey。　　For　one