the trampling of the lilies-第34节

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he　turned　from　her　with　a　little　sigh；　and　leaning　his　elbow　upon
the　window…sill；　he　gazed　down　into　the　crowds　surging　about　the
second　tumbril。　　But　although　he　saw　much　there　that　was　calculated
to　compel　attention；　he　heeded　nothing。　　His　thoughts　were　very　busy；
and　he　was　doing　what　Mademoiselle　had　bidden　him。　　He　was　looking
into　himself。　　And　from　that　questioning　he　gathered　not　only　that
he　loved　her；　but　that　he　loved　her　so　well　and　so　truly　that　…　in
spite　even　of　all　that　was　passed　…　he　must　do　her　will；　and　deliver
up　to　her　the　man　she　loved。

His　resolve　was　but　half　taken　when　he　heard　her　stirring　in　the
room　behind　him。　　He　turned　sharply　to　find　that　she　had　gained　the
door。

〃Mademoiselle！〃　he　called　after　her。　　She　stopped；　and　as　she
turned；　he　observed　that　her　lashes　were　wet。　　But　in　her　heart
there　arose　now　a　fresh　hope；　awakened　by　the　name　by　which　he　had
recalled　her。　　〃Whither　are　you　going？〃　he　asked。

〃Away；　Monsieur；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　realising　that　my　journey
had　indeed　been　in　vain。〃

He　looked　at　her　a　second　in　silence。　　Then　stepping　forward：

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　very　quietly；　〃your　arguments　have
prevailed；　and　it　shall　be　as　you　desire。　　The　ci…devant　Vicomte
d'Ombreval　shall　go　free。〃

Her　face　seemed　to　grow　of　a　sudden　paler；　and　for　an　instant　she
stood　still　as　if　robbed　of　understanding。　　Then　she　came　forward
with　hands　outheld。

〃　aid　I　not　that　you　were　good　and　generous？　　Said　I　not　that　you
could　be　noble；　Monsieur？〃　she　cried；　as　she　caught　his　resisting
hand　and　sought　to　carry　it　to　her　lips。　　〃God　will　bless　you；
Monsieur　…　〃

He　drew　his　hand　away；　but　without　roughness。　　〃Let　us　say　no　more；
Mademoiselle；〃　he　begged。

〃But　I　will；〃　she　answered　him。　　〃I　am　not　without　heart；　Monsieur；
and　now　that　you　have　given　me　this　proof　of　the　deep　quality　of
your　love；　I　…　〃　　She　paused；　as　if　at　a　loss　for　words。

〃Well；　Mademoiselle？〃　he　urged　her。

〃I　have　it　in　my　heart　to　wish　that　…　that　it　were　otherwise；〃　she
said；　her　cheeks　reddening　under　his　gaze。　　〃If　it　were　not　that　I
account　myself　in　honour　bound　to　wed　M。　le　Vicomte　…　〃

〃Stop！〃　he　interrupted　her。　　He　had　caught　at　last　the　drift　of
what　she　was　saying。　　〃There　is　no　need　for　any　comedy；　Suzanne。
Enough　of　that　had　we　at　Boisvert。〃

〃It　is　not　comedy；〃　she　cried　with　heat。　　〃It　was　not　altogether
comedy　at　Boisvert。〃

〃True；〃　he　said；　wilfully　misunderstanding　her　that　he　might　the
more　easily　dismiss　the　subject；〃　it　went　nearer　to　being　tragedy。〃
Then　abruptly　he　asked　her：

〃Where　are　you　residing？〃

She　paused　before　replying。　　She　still　wanted　to　protest　that　some
affection　for　him　dwelt　in　her　heart；　although　curbed　（to　a　greater
extent　even　than　she　was　aware）　by　the　difference　in　their　stations；
and　checked　by　her　plighted　word　to　Ombreval。　　At　last；　abandoning
a　purpose　which　his　countenance　told　her　would　be　futile：

〃I　am　staying　with　my　old　nurse　at　Choisy；〃　she　answered　him。
〃Henriette　Godelliere　is　her　name。　　She　is　well　known　in　the　village；
and　seems　in　good　favour　with　the　patriots；　so　that　I　account　myself
safe。　　I　am　believed　to　be　her　niece　from　the　country。〃

〃Hum！〃　he　snorted。　　〃The　Citoyenne　Godelliere's　niece　from　the
country　in　silks？〃

〃That　is　what　someone　questioned；　and　she　answered　that　it　was　a
gown　plundered　from　the　wardrobe　of　some　emigrated　aristocrats。〃

〃Have　a　care；　Suzanne；〃　said　he。　　〃The　times　are　dangerous；　and　it
is　a　matter　of　a　week　ago　since　a　man　was　lanterne　for　no　other
reason　than　because　he　was　wearing　gloves；　which　was　deemed　an
aristocratic　habit。　　Come；　Mademoiselle；　let　us　gather　up　your　gems。
You　were　going　without　them　some　moments　ago。〃

And　down　upon　his　knees　he　went；　and；　taking　up　the　little　bag
which　had　been　left　where　he　had　flung　it；　he　set　himself　to
restore　the　jewels　to　it。　　She　came　to　his　assistance；　in　spite　of
his　protestations；　and　so；　within　a　moment　or　two；　the　task　was
completed；　and　the　little　treasure　was　packed　away　in　the　bosom
of　her　gown。

〃To…morrow；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　his　leave　of　her　at　the　door；　〃I
shall　hope　to　bring　the　ci…devant　Vicomte　to　Choisy；　and　I　will
see　that　he　is　equipped　with　a　laissez…passer　that　will　carry　both
of　you　safely　out　of　France。〃

She　was　beginning　to　thank　him　all　over　again；　but　he　cut　her
short；　and　so　they　parted。

Long　after　she　was　gone　did　he　sit　at　his　writing…table；　his　head
in　his　hands　and　his　eyes　staring　straight　before　him。　　His　face
looked　grey　and　haggard；　the　lines　that　seared　it　were　lines　of
pain。

〃They　say；〃　he　murmured　once；　thinking　aloud；　as　men　sometimes　will
in　moments　of　great　stress；〃　that　a　good　action　brings　its　own
reward。　　Perhaps　my　action　is　not　a　good　one；　after　all；　and　that
is　why　I　suffer。〃

And；　burying　his　head　in　his　arms；　he　remained　thus　with　his　sorrow
until　his　official　entered　to　inquire　if　he　desired　lights。




CHAPTER　XVIII

THE　INCORRUPTIBLE


It　was　towards　noon　of　the　following　day　when　Caron　La　Boulaye
presented　himself　at　the　house　of　Duplay；　the　cabinet…maker　in　the
Rue　St。　Honore；　and　asked　of　the　elderly　female　who　admitted　him
if　he　might　see　the　Citizen…deputy　Robespierre。

A　berline　stood　at　the　door；　the　postillion　at　the　horses'　heads；
and　about　it　there　was　some　bustle；　as　if　in　preparation　of　a
departure。　　But　La　Boulaye　paid　no　heed　to　it　as　he　entered　the　house。

He　was　immediately　conducted　upstairs　to　the　Incorruptible's
apartment　…　for　he　was　too　well　known　to　so　much　as　need　announcing。
In　answer　to　the　woman's　knock　a　gentle；　almost　plaintive　voice　from
within　bade　them　enter；　and　thus　was　Caron　ushered　into　the　humble
dwelling　of　the　humble　and　ineffective…looking　individual　whose　power
already　transcended　that　of　any　other　man　in　France；　and　who　was
destined　to　become　still　more　before　his　ephemeral　star　went　out。

Into　that　unpretentious　and　rather　close…smelling　room　…　for　it　was
bed…chamber　as　well　as　dining…room　and　study　…　stepped　La　Boulaye
unhesitatingly；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　is　intimate　with　his
surroundings　and　assured　of　his　welcome　in　them。　　In　the　right…hand
corner　stood　the　bed　on　which　the　clothes　were　still　tumbled；　in　the
centre　of　the　chamber　was　a　table　all　littered　with　the　disorder　of
a　meal　partaken；　on　the　left；　by　the　window；　sat　Robespierre　at　his
writing…table；　and　from　the　overmantel　at　the　back　of　the　room　a
marble　counterpart　of　Robespierre's　own　head　and　shoulders　looked
down　upon　the　newcomer。　　There　were　a　few　pictures　on　the
whitewashed　walls；　and　a　few　objects　of　art　about　the　chamber；　but
in　the　main　it　had　a　comfortless　air；　which　may　in　part　have
resulted　from　the　fact　that　no　fire　had　been　lighted。

The　great　man　tossed　aside　his　pen；　and　rose　as　the　door　closed
after　the　entering　visitor。　　Pushing　his　horn…rimmed　spectacles　up
on　to　his　forehead　he　stretched　out　his　hand　to　La　Boulaye。

〃It　is　you；　Caron；〃　he　murmured　in　that　plaintive　voice　of　his。
It　was　a　voice　that　sorted　well　with　the　humane　man　who　had　resigned
a　judgeship　at　Arras　sooner　than　pass　a　death…sentence；　but　hardly
so　well　with　him　who；　as　Public　Prosecutor　in　Paris；　had　brought
some　hundreds　of　heads　to　the　sawdust。　　〃I　have　been　desiring　to
congratulate　you　upon　your　victory　of　yesterday；〃　he　continued；
〃even　as　I　have　been　congratulating　myself　upon　the　fact　that　it
was　I　who　found　you　and　gave　you　to　the　Nation。　　I　feared　that　I
might　not　see　you　ere　I　left。〃

〃You　are　leaving　Paris？〃　asked　La　Boulaye；　without　heeding　the
compliments　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　other's　speech。

〃For　a　few　days。　　Business　of　the　Nation；　my　friend。　　But　you　…
let　us　talk　of　you。　　Do　you　know　that　I　am　proud　of　you；　cher　Caron？
Your　eloquence　turned　Danton　green　with　jealousy；　and　as　for　poor
Vergniaud；　it　extinguished　him　utterly。　　Ma　foi！　　If　you　continue　as
you　have　begun；　the　day　may　not　be　far　distant　when　you　will　become
the　patron　and　I　the　Protege。〃　　And　his　weak　eyes　beamed　pleasantly
from　out　of　that　unhealthy　pale　face。

Outwardly　he　had　changed　little　since　his　first　coming　to　Paris；　to
represent　the　Third　Estate　of　Artoise；　saving；　his　cheeks　were　grown
more　hollow。　　Upon　his　dress　he　still　bestowed　the　same　unpretentious
care　that　had　always　characterised　it；　which；　in　one　of　the　most
prominent　patriots　of　the　Mountain；　amounted　almost　to　foppishness。
Blue　coat；　white　waistcoat；　silk　hose　and　shoes　buckled　with　silver；
gave　him　an　elegant　exterior　that　must　have　earned　him　many　a　covert
sneer　from　his　colleagues。　　His　sloping　forehead　was　crowned　by　a
periwig；　sedulously　curled　and　powdered　…　for　all　that　with　the
noblesse　this　was　already　a　discarded　fashion。

La　Boulaye　replied　to　his　patron's　compliments　with　the　best　grace
he　could　command　considering　how　full　of　another　matter　was　his　mind。

〃I　may　congratulate　myself；　Maximilien；〃　he　added；　〃upon　my　good
fortune　in　coming　before　you　took　your　departure。　　I　have　a　request
to　prefer；　a　favour　to　ask。〃

〃Tut！　　Who　talks　of　favours？　　Not　you；　Caron；　I　hope。　　You　have　but
to　name　what　you　desire；　and　so　that　it　lies　within　my　power　to
accord　it；　the　thing　is　yours。〃

〃