the trampling of the lilies-第35节

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to　name　what　you　desire；　and　so　that　it　lies　within　my　power　to
accord　it；　the　thing　is　yours。〃

〃There　is　a　prisoner　in　the　Luxembourg　in　whom　I　am　interested。　　I
seek　his　enlargement。〃

〃But　is　that　all？〃　cried　the　little　man；　and；　without　more　ado；　he
turned　to　his　writing…table　and　drew　a　printed　form　from　among　the
chaos　of　documents。　　〃His　name？〃　he　asked　indifferently；　as　he
dipped　his　quill　in　the　ink…horn　and　scratched　his　signature　at
the　foot　of　it。

〃An　aristocrat；〃　said　Caron；　with　some　slight　hesitancy。

〃Eh？〃　　And　the　arched　brows　drew　together　for　an　instant。　　〃But　no
matter。　　There　are　enough　and　to　spare　even　for　Fouquier…Tinvillle's
voracious　appetite。　　His　name？〃

〃The　ci…devant　Vicomte　Antole　d'Ombreval。〃

〃Qui…ca？〃　　The　question　rang　sharp　as　a　pistol…shot；　sounding　the
more　fearful　by　virtue　of　the　contrast　with　the　gentle　tones　in
which　Robespierre　had　spoken　hitherto。　　The　little　man's　face　grew
evil。　〃d'Ombreval？〃　he　cried。　　〃But　what　is　this　man　to　you？　　It
is　by　your　favour　alone　that　I　have　let　him　live　so　long；　but　now　…　〃
He　stopped　short。　　〃What　is　your　interest　in　this　man？〃　he　demanded；
and　the　question　was　so　fiercely　put　as　to　suggest　that　it　would　be
well　for　La　Boulaye　that　he　should　prove　that　interest　slight　indeed。

But　whatever　feelings　may　have　been　swaying　Caron　at　the　moment；
fear　was　not　one　of　them。

〃My　interest　in　him　is　sufficiently　great　to　cause　me　to　seek　his
freedom　at　your　hands；〃　he　answered；　with　composure。

Robespierre　eyed　him　narrowly　for　a　moment；　peering　at　him　over　his
spectacles　which　he　had　drawn　down　on　to　his　tip…tilted　nose。　　Then
the　fierceness　died　out　of　his　mien　and　manner　as　suddenly　as　it
had　sprung　up。　　He　became　once　more　the　weak…looking；　ineffectual
man　that　had　first　greeted　La　Boulaye：　urbane　and　quiet；　but
cold…cold　as　ice。

〃I　am　desolated；　my　dear　Caron；　but　you　have　asked　me　for　the　one
man　in　the　prisons　of　France　whose　life　I　cannot　yield　you。　　He　is
from　Artois；　and　there　is　an　old　score　'twixt　him　and　me；　'twixt
his　family　and　mine。　　They　were　the　grands　seigneurs　of　the　land　on
which　we　were　born；　these　Ombrevals；　and　I　could　tell　you　of　wrongs
committed　by　them　which　would　make　you　shudder　in　horror。　　This　one
shall　atone　in　the　small　measure　we　can　enforce　from　him。　　It　was
to　this　end　that　I　ordered　you　to　effect　his　capture。　　Have　patience；
dear　Caron；　and　forgive　me　that　I　cannot　grant　your　request。　　As　I
have　said；　I　am　desolated　that　it　should　be　so。　　Ask　me；　if　you
will；　the　life　of　any　other　…　or　any　dozen　others　…　and　they　are
yours。　　But　Ombreval　must　die。〃

Caron　stood　a　moment　in　silent　dismay。　　Here　was　an　obstacle　upon
which　he　had　not　counted　when　he　had　passed　his　word　to　Suzanne　to
effect　the　release　of　her　betrothed。　　At　all　costs　he　must　gain　it；
he　told　himself；　and　to　that　end　he　now　set　himself　to　plead；
advancing；　as　his　only　argument　…　but　advancing　it　with　a　fervour
that　added　to　its　weight　…　that　he　stood　pledged　to　save　the
ci…devant　Vicomte。　　Robespierre　looked　up　at　him　with　a　shade　of
polite　regret　upon　his　cadaverous　face；　and　with　polite　regret　he
deplored　that　Caron　should　have　so　bound　himself。

So　absorbed　were　they；　the　one　in　pleading；　the　other　in　resisting；
that　neither　noticed　the　opening　of　the　door；　nor　yet　the　girl　who
stood　observing　them　from　the　threshold。

〃If　this　man　dies；〃　cried　La　Boulaye　at　last；　〃I　am　dishonoured。

〃It　is　regrettable；〃　returned　Robespierre；　〃that　you　should　have
pledged　your　word　in　the　matter。　　You　will　confess；　Caron；　that　it
was　a　little　precipitate。　　Enfin；〃　he　ended；　crumpling　the　document
he　had　signed　and　tossing　it　under　the　table；　〃you　must　extricate
yourself　as　best　you　can。　　I　am　sorry；　but　I　cannot　give　him　to　you。〃

Caron's　face　was　very　white　and　his　hands　were　clenched　convulsively。
It　is　questionable　whether　in　that　moment　he　had　not　flung　himself
upon　the　Incorruptible；　and　enforced　that　which　hitherto　he　had　only
besought；　but　that　in　that　instant　the　girl　stepped　into　the　room。

〃And　is　it　really　you；　Caron？〃　came　the　melodious　voice　of　Cecile。

La　Boulaye　started　round　to　confront　her；　and　stifled　a　curse　at
the　untimely　interruption　which　Robespierre　was　blessing　as　most
timely。

〃It　is　…　it　is；　Citoyenne；〃　he　answered　shortly；　to　add　more　shortly
still：　〃I　am　here　on　business　with　the　Citizen；　your　uncle。〃

But　before　the　girl　could　so　much　as　appreciate　the　rebuke　he
levelled　at　her　intrusion；　her　uncle　had　come　to　the　rescue。

〃The　business；　however；　is　at　an　end。　　Take　charge　of　this　good
Caron；　Cecile；　whilst　I　make　ready　for　my　journey。〃

Thus；　sore　at　heart；　and　chagrined　beyond　words；　La　Boulaye　was
forced　to　realise　his　defeat；　and　to　leave　the　presence　of　the
Incorruptible。　　But　with　Cecile　he　went　no　farther　than　the　landing。

〃If　you　will　excuse　me；　Citoyenne；〃　he　said　abstractedly；　〃I　will
take　my　leave　of　you。〃

〃But　I　shall　not　excuse　you；　Caron；〃　she　said；　refusing　to　see　his
abstraction。　　〃You　will　stay　to　dinner　…　〃

〃I　am　sorry　beyond　measure；　but　…　〃

〃You　shall　stay；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃Come；　Caron。　　It　is　months
since　you　were　with　us。　　We　will　make　a　little　fete　in　honour　of
your　yesterday's　triumph；〃　she　promised　him；　sidling　up　to　him　with
a　bewitching　glance　of　blue　eyes；　and　the　most　distracting　toss　of
golden　curls　upon　an　ivory　neck。

But　to　such　seductions　Caron　proved　as　impervious　as　might　a　man
of　stone。　　He　excused　himself　with　cold　politeness。　　The　Nation's
business　was　awaiting　him；　he　might　not　stay。

〃The　Nation's　business　may　await　you　a　little　longer；〃　she　declared；
taking　hold　of　his　arm　with　both　hands；　and　had　she　left　it　at　that
it　is　possible　that　she　had　won　her　way　with　him。　　But　most
indiscreetly　she　added：

〃Come；　Caron；　you　shall　tell　me　who　was　your　yesterday's　visitor。
Do　you　know　that　the　sight　of　her　made　me　jealous？　　Was　it　not
foolish　in　me？〃

And　now；　from　cold　politeness；　La　Boulaye　passed　to　hot　impoliteness。
Roughly　he　shook　her　detaining　hands　from　him；　and　with　hardly　so
much　as　a　word　of　farewell；　he　passed　down　the　stairs；　leaving　her
white　with　passion　at　the　slight　he　had　thereby　put　upon　her。

The　beauty　seemed　to　pass　out　of　her　face　much　as　the　meekness　was
wont　to　pass　out　of　her　uncle's　when　he　was　roused。　　Her　blue　eyes
grew　steely　and　cruel　as　she　looked　after　him。

〃Wait；　Caron；〃　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃I　will　cry　quits　with　you。〃
And　then；　with　a　sob　of　anger；　she　turned　and　mounted　the　stairs
to　her　apartments。




CHAPTER　XIX

THE　THEFT


La　Boulaye　sat　once　more　in　the　Rue　Nationale　and　with　his　head　in
his　hands；　his　elbows　supported　by　the　writing…table；　he　stared
before　him；　his　face　drawn　with　the　pain　and　anger　of　the　defeat　he
had　sustained　where　no　defeat　had　been　expected。

He　had　been　so　assured　that　he　had　but　to　ask　for　Ombreval's　life；
and　it　would　be　accorded　him；　he　had　promised　Suzanne　with　such
confidence　…　boasting　almost　…　that　he　could　do　this；　and　to　do　it
he　had　pledged　his　word。　　And　now？　　For　very　shame　he　could　not　go
to　her　and　tell　her　that　despite　his　fine　promises　despite　his　bold
bargaining；　he　was　as　powerless　to　liberate　Ombreval　as　was　she
herself。

And　with　reflection　he　came　to　see　that　even　did　he　bear　her　such
a　tale　she　would　not　believe　it。　　The　infinite　assurance　of　his
power；　implicit　in　everything　that　he　had　said　to　her；　must　now
arise　in　her　memory；　and　give　the　lie　to　his　present　confession　of
powerlessness。　　She　would　not　believe　him；　and　disbelieving　him；
she　would　seek　a　motive　for　the　words　that　she　would　deem　untrue。
And　that　motive　she　would　not　find　far　to　seek。　　She　would　account
his　present　attitude　the　consummation　of　a　miserable　subterfuge　by
which　he　sought　to　win　her　confidence　and　esteem。　　She　would　…　she
must　…　believe　that　he　had　but　made　a　semblance　of　befriending　her
so　disinterestedly　only　that　he　might　enlist　her　kindness　and　regard；
and　turn　them　presently　to　his　own　purposes。　　She　would　infer　that
he　had　posed　as　unselfish　…　as　self…sacrificing；　almost　…　only　that　he
might　win　her　esteem；　and　that　by　telling　her　now　that　Robespierre
was　inflexible　in　his　resolve　to　send　Ombreval　to　the　guillotine；
he　sought　to　retain　that　esteem　whilst　doing　nothing　for　it。　　That
he　had　ever　intended　to　save　Ombreval　she　would　not　credit。　　She
would　think　it　all　a　cunning　scheme　to　win　his　own　ends。　　And　now
he　bethought　him　of　the　grief　that　would　beset　her　upon　learning
that　her　journey　had　indeed　been　fruitless。　　He　smote　the　table　a
blow　with　his　clenched　hand；　and　cursed　the　whole　Republic；　from
Robespierre　down　to　the　meanest　sans…culotte　that　brayed　the　Ca　ira
in　the　streets　of　Paris。

He　had　pledged　his　word；　and　for　all　that　he　belonged　to　the　class
whose　right　to　honour　was　denied　by　the　aristocrats；　his　word　he
had　never　yet　broken。　　That　circumstance　…　as　personified　by
Maximilien　Robespierre　…　should　break　it　for　him　now　was　matter
enough　to　enrage　him；　for　than　this　never　had　there　been　an　occasion
on　which　such　a　breach　could　have　been　less　endurable。

He　rose　to　his　feet；　and　set　himself　to　pace　the　chamber；　driven　to
action　of