the trampling of the lilies-第32节

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〃Your　official　seems　gifted　with　a　very　comprehensive　eye；〃　said
Cecile　tartly。

But　La　Boulaye　paid　no　heed　to　her。　　The　flush　deepened　on　his
face；　then　faded　again；　and　he　grew　oddly　pale。　　His　official's
inventory　of　her　characteristics　fitted　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour
in　every　detail。

〃Admit　her；　Brutus；〃　he　commanded；　and　his　voice　had　a　husky　sound。
Then；　turning　to　Cecile；　〃You　will　give　me　leave？〃　he　said；　cloaking
rude　dismissal　in　its　politest　form。

〃Assuredly；〃　she　answered　bitterly；　making　shift　to　go。　〃Your　visitor
is　no　doubt　political？〃　she　half…asked　half…asserted。

But　he　made　no　answer　as　he　held　the　door　for　her；　and　bowed　low　as
she　passed　out。　　With　a　white　face　and　lips　tightly　compressed　she
went；　and　half…way　on　the　stairs　she　met　a　handsome　woman；　tall　and
of　queenly　bearing；　who　ascended。　　Her　toilette　lacked　the
elaborateness　of　Cecile's；　but　she　carried　it　with　an　air　which　not
all　the　modistes　of　France　could　have　succeeded　in　imparting　to　the
Citoyenne　Deshaix。

So　dead　was　Robespierre's　niece　to　every　sense　of　fitness　that；
having　drawn　aside　to　let　the　woman　pass；　she　stood　gazing　after
her　until　she　disappeared　round　the　angle　of　the　landing。　　Then；　in
a　fury；　she　swept　from　the　house　and　into　her　waiting　coach；　and
as　she　drove　back　to　Duplay's　in　the　Rue　St。　Honore　she　was　weeping
bitterly　in　her　jealous　rage。




CHAPTER　XVII

LA　BOULAYE'S　PROMISE


La　Boulaye　remained　a　moment　by　the　door　after　Cecile's　departure；
then　he　moved　away　towards　his　desk；　striving　to　master　the
tumultuous　throbbing　of　his　pulses。　　His　eye　alighted　on　Cecile's
roses；　and；　scarce　knowing　why　he　did　it；　he　picked　them　up　and
flung　them　behind　a　bookcase。　　It　was　but　done　when　again　the　door
opened；　and　his　official　ushered　in　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour。

Oddly　enough；　at　sight　of　her；　La　Boulaye　grew　master　of　himself。
He　received　her　with　a　polite　and　very　formal　bow　…　a　trifle
over…graceful　for　a　patriot。

〃So；　Citoyenne；〃　said　he；　and　so　cold　was　his　voice　that　it　seemed
even　tinged　with　mockery；　〃you　are　come　at　last。〃

〃I　could　not　come　before；　Monsieur；〃　she　answered；　trembling。　　〃They
would　not　let　me。〃　　Then；　after　a　second's　pause：　〃Am　I　too　late；
Monsieur？〃　she　asked。

〃No；〃　he　answered　her。　　〃The　ci…devant　Vicomte　d'Ombreval　still
lies　awaiting　trial。　　Will　you　not　be　seated？〃

〃I　do　not　look　to　remain　long。〃

〃As　you　please；　Citoyenne。　　I　have　delayed　Ombreval's　trial　thinking
that　if　not　my　letter　why　then　his　might　bring　you；　sooner　or　later；
to　his　rescue。　　It　may　interest　you　to　hear；〃　he　continued　with　an
unmistakable　note　of　irony；〃　that　that　brave　but　hapless　gentleman
is　much　fretted　at　his　incarceration。〃

A　shadow　crossed　her　face；　which　remained　otherwise　calm　and　composed
　…　the　beautiful；　intrepid　face　that　had　more　than　once　been　La
Boulaye's　undoing。

〃I　am　glad　that　you　have　waited；　Monsieur。　　In　so　doing　you　need
have　no　doubts　concerning　me。　　M。　d'Ombreval　is　my　betrothed；　and
the　troth　I　plighted　him　binds　me　in　honour　to　succour　him　now。〃

La　Boulaye　looked　steadily　at　her　for　a　moment。

〃Upon　my　soul；〃　he　said　at　last；　a　note　of　ineffable　sarcasm
vibrating　in　his　voice；　〃I　shall　never　cease　to　admire　the
effrontery　of　your　class；　and　the　coolness　with　which；　in　despite
of　dishonourable　action；　you　make　high…sounding　talk　of　honour　and
the　things　to　which　it　binds　you。　　I　have　a　dim　recollection；
Citoyenne；　of　something　uncommonly　like　your　troth　which　you　plighted
me　one　night　at　Boisvert。　　But　so　little　did　that　promise　bind　you
that　when　I　sought　to　enforce　your　fulfilment　of　it　you　broke　my
head　and　left　me　to　die　in　the　road。〃

His　words　shook　her　out　of　her　calm。　　Her　bosom　rose　and　fell；　her
eyes　seemed　to　grow　haggard　and　her　hands　were　clasped　convulsively。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　answered；　〃when　I　gave　you　my　promise　that　night　I
had　every　intention　of　keeping　it。　　I　swear　it；　as　Heaven　is　my　witness。〃

〃Your　actions　more　than　proved　it；〃　he　said　dryly。

〃Be　generous；　Monsieur；〃　she　begged。　　〃It　was　my　mother　prevailed
upon　me　to　alter　my　determination。　　She　urged　that　I　should　be
dishonoured　if　I　did　not。〃

〃That　word　again！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　part　it　plays　in　the　life　of
the　noblesse。　　All　that　it　suits　you　to　do；　you　do　because　honour
bids　you；　all　to　which　you　have　bound　yourselves；　but　which　is
distasteful；　you　discover　that　honour　forbids；　and　that　you　would
be　dishonoured　did　you　persist。　　But　I　am　interrupting　you；
Citoyenne。　　Did　your　mother　advance　any　arguments？〃

〃The　strongest　argument　of　all　lay　here；　in　my　heart；　Monsieur；〃
she　answered　him；　roused　and　hardened　by　his　scorn。　　〃You　must　see
that　it　had　become　with　me　a　matter　of　choosing　the　lesser　of　two
evils。　　Upon　reflection　I　discovered　that　I　was　bound　to　two　men；
and　it　behoved　me　to　keep　the　more　binding　of　my　pledges。〃

〃Which　you　discovered　to　be　your　word　to　Ombreval；〃　he　said；　and
his　voice　grew　unconsciously　softer；　for　he　began　to　realise　the
quandary　in　which　she　had　found　herself。

She　inclined　her　head　assentingly。

〃To　him　I　had　given　the　earlier　promise；　and　then；　again；　he　was
of　my　own　class　whilst　you　…　〃

〃Spare　me；　Citoyenne；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　know　what　you　would　say。　　I
am　of　the　rabble；　and　of　little　more　account　in　a　matter　of　honour
than　a；　beast　of　the　field。　　It　is　thus　that　you　reason；　and　yet；
mon　Dieu！　　I　had　thought　that　ere　now　such　notions　had　died　out　with
you；　and　that；　stupid　enough　though　your　class　has　proved　itself；
it　would　at　least　have　displayed　the　intelligence　to　perceive　that
its　day　is　ended；　its　sun　set。〃　　He　turned　and　paced　the　apartment
as　he　spoke。　〃The　Lilies　of　France　have　been　shorn　from　their　stems；
they　have　withered　by　the　roadside；　and　they　have　been　trampled　into
the　dust　by　the　men　of　the　new　regime；　and　yet　it　seems　that　you
others　of　the　noblesse　have　not　learnt　your　lesson。　　You　have　not
yet　discovered　that　here　in　France　the　man　who　was　born　a　tiller　of
the　soil　is　still　a　man；　and；　by　his　manhood；　the　equal　of　a　king；
who；　after　all；　can　be　no　more　than　a　man；　and　is　sometimes　less。
Enfin！〃　he　ended　brusquely。　　〃This　is　not　the　National　Assembly；
and　I　talk　to　ears　untutored　in　such　things。　　Let　us　deal　rather
with　the　business　upon　which　you　are　come。〃

She　eyed　him　out　of　a　pale　face；　with　eyes　that　seemed　fascinated。
That　short　burst　of　the　fiery　eloquence　that　had　made　him　famous
revealed　him　to　her　in　a　new　light：　the　light　of　a　strength　and
capacity　above　and　beyond　that　which；　already；　she　had　perceived
was　his。

〃Will　you　believe；　Monsieur；　that　it　cost　me　many　tears　to　use　you
as　I　did？　　If　you　but　knew　…　〃　　And　there　she　paused　abruptly。　　She
had　all　but　told　him　of　the　kiss　that　she　had　left　upon　his
unconscious　lips　that　evening　on　the　road　to　Liege。　　〃Mon　Dieu　how
I　hated　myself！〃　　And　she　shuddered　as　she　spoke。

He　observed　all　this；　and　with　a　brusqueness　that　was　partly　assumed
he　hastened　to　her　rescue。

〃What　is　done　is　done；　Citoyenne。　　Come；　let　us　leave　reminiscences。
You　are　here　to　atone；　I　take　it。〃

At　that　she　started。　　His　words　reminded　her　of　those　of　his　letter。

〃Monsieur　La　Boulaye　…　〃

〃If　it　is　all　one　to　you；　Citoyenne；　I　should　prefer　that　you　call　me
citizen。〃

〃Citizen；　then；〃　she　amended。　　〃I　have　brought　with　me　the　gems
which　I　told　you　would　constitute　my　dowry。　　In　his　letter　to　me　the
Vicomte　suggested　that　…　〃　　She　paused。

〃That　some　Republican　blackguard　might　be　bribed；〃　he　concluded；
very　gently。

His　gentleness　deceived　her。　　She　imagined　that　it　meant　that　he
might　not　be　unwilling　to　accept　such　a　bribe；　and　thereupon　she
set　herself　to　plead　with　him。　　He　listened　dispassionately；　his
hands　behind　his　back；　his　eyes　bent　upon　her；　yet　betraying　nothing
of　his　thoughts。　　At　last　she　brought　her　prayer　for　Ombreval's
life　to　an　end；　and　produced　a　small　leather　bag　which　she　set　upon
the　table；　beseeching　him　to　satisfy　himself　as　to　the　value　of　the
contents。

Now　at　last　he　stirred。　　His　face　grew　crimson　to　the　roots　of　his
hair；　and　his　eyes　seemed　of　a　sudden　to　take　fire。　　He　seized　that
little　bag　and　held　it　in　his　hand。

〃And　so；　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour；〃　said　he；　in　a　concentrated
voice；　〃you　have　learnt　so　little　of　me　that　you　bring　me　a　bribe
of　gems。　　Am　I　a　helot；　that　you　should　offer　to　buy　my　very　soul？
Do　you　think　my　honour　is　so　cheap　a　thing　that　you　can　have　it
for　the　matter　of　some　bits　of　glass？　　Or　do　you　imagine　that　we
of　the　new　regime；　because　we　do　not　mouth　the　word　at　every　turn；
have　no　such　thing　as　honour？　　For　shame！〃　　He　paused；　his　wrath
boiling　over　as　he　sought　words　in　which　to　give　it　utterance。　　And
then；　words　failing　him　to　express　the　half　of　what　was　in　him；　he
lifted　the　bag　high　above　his　head；　and　hurled　it　at　her　feet　with
a　force　that　sent　half　the　glittering　contents　rolling　about　the
parquet　floor。　　〃Citoyenne；　your　journey　has　been　in　vain。　　I　will
not　treat　with　you　another　instant。〃

She　recoiled　before　his　wrath；　a　white　and　frightened　thing　that　but
an　instant　back　had　been　so　calm　and　self…possessed。　　She　gave　no
thought　to　the　flashing　jewels　scattere