the trampling of the lilies-第36节

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He　rose　to　his　feet；　and　set　himself　to　pace　the　chamber；　driven　to
action　of　body　by　the　agonised　activity　of　his　mind。　　From　the
street　rose　the　cry　of　the　pastry…cook　going　his　daily　rounds；　as
it　had　risen　yesterday；　he　remembered；　when　Suzanne　had　been　with
him。　　And　now　of　a　sudden　he　stood　still。　　His　lips　were　compressed；
his　brows　drawn　together　in　a　forbidding　scowl；　and　his　eyes　narrowed
until　they　seemed　almost　closed。　　Then　with　his　clenched　right　hand
he　smote　the　open　palm　of　the　other。　　His　resolve　was　taken。　　By
fair　means　or　foul；　with　Robespierre's　sanction　or　without　it；　he
would　keep　his　word。　　After　not　only　the　hope　but　the　assurance　he
had　given　Suzanne　that　her　betrothed　should　go　free；　he　could　do　no
less　than　accomplish　the　Vicomte's　enlargement　by　whatever　means
should　present　themselves。

And　now　to　seek　a　way。　　He　recalled　the　free　pardon　to　which
Robespierre　had　gone　the　length　of　appending　his　signature。　　He
remembered　that　it　had　not　been　destroyed；　Robespierre　had　crumpled
it　in　his　hand　and　tossed　it　aside。　　And　by　now　Robespierre　would
have　departed；　and　it　should　not　be　difficult　for　him　…　the　protege
and　intimate　of　Robespierre　…　to　gain　access　to　the　Incorruptible's
room。

If　only　he　could　find　that　document　and　fill　in　the　name　of　Ombreval
the　thing　would　be　as　good　as　done。　　True；　he　would　require　the
signatures　of　three　other　Deputies；　but　one　of　these　he　could　supply
himself；　and　another　two　were　easily　to　be　requisitioned；　seeing
that　already　it　bore　Robespierre's。

And　then　as　suddenly　as　the　idea　of　the　means　had　come　to　him；　came
now　the　spectre　of　the　consequences　to　affright　him。　　How　would　it
fare　with　him　on　Robespierre's　return？　　How　angered　would　not
Robespierre　be　upon　discovering　that　his　wishes　had　been　set　at
naught；　his　very　measures　contravened　…　and　this　by　fraud？　　And　than
Robespierre's　anger　there　were　few　things　more　terrible　in　'93。　　It
was　an　anger　that　shore　away　heads　as　recklessly　as　wayside　flowers
are　flicked　from　their　stems　by　the　idler's　cane。

For　a　second　it　daunted　him。　　If　he　did　this　thing　he　must　seek
refuge　in　flight；　he　must　leave　France；　abandon　the　career　which
was　so　full　of　promise　for　him；　and　wander　abroad；　a　penniless
fortune…hunter。　　Well　might　the　prospect　give　him　pause。　　Well　might
it　cause　him　to　survey　that　pale；　sardonic　countenance　that　eyed
him　gloomily　from　the　mirror　above　his　mantel　shelf；　and　ask　it
mockingly　if　it　thought　that　Suzanne　de　Bellecour　…　or　indeed；　any
woman　living　…　were　worthy　of　so　great　a　sacrifice。

What　had　she　done　for　him　that　he　should　cast　away　everything　for
her　sake？　　Once　she　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him；　only　to　betray
him。　　Was　that　a　woman　for　whom　a　man　should　wanton　his　fortunes？
And　then　he　smiled　derisively；　mocking　his　reflections　in　the　mirror
even　as　he　mocked　himself。

〃Poor　fool；〃　he　muttered；　〃it　is　not　for　the　sake　of　what　you　are　to
her。　　Were　it　for　that　alone；　you　would　not　stir　a　finger　to　gratify
her　wishes。　　It　is　for　the　sake　of　what　she　is　to　you；　Caron。〃

He　turned　from　the　mirror；　his　resolve　now　firm；　and　going　to　the
door　he　called　his　official。　　Briefly　he　instructed　Brutus　touching
the　packing　of　a　valise；　which　he　would　probably　need　that　night。

〃You　are　going　a　journey；　Citizen？〃　inquired　Brutus；　to　which　La
Boulaye　returned　a　short　answer　in　the　affirmative。　　〃Do　I　accompany
you？〃　inquired　the　official；　to　which　La　Boulaye　shook　his　head。

At　that　Brutus；　who；　for　all　his　insolence　of　manner；　was　very
devotedly　attached　to　his　employer；　broke　into　remonstrances；
impertinent　of　diction　but　affectionate　of　tenor。　　He　protested　that
La　Boulaye　had　left　him　behind；　and　lonely；　during　his　mission　to
the　army　in　Belgium；　and　he　vowed　that　he　would　not　be　left　behind
again。

〃Well；　well；　we　shall　see；　Brutus；〃　answered　the　Deputy；　laying　his
hand　upon　the　fellow's　shoulder。　　〃But　I　am　afraid　that　this　time　I
am　going　farther　than　you　would　care　to　come。〃

The　man's　ferrety　eyes　were　raised　of　a　sudden　to　La　Boulaye's　face
in　a　very　searching　glance。　　Caron's　tone　had　been　laden　with
insinuation。

〃You　are　running　way；〃　cried　the　official。

〃Sh！　　My　good　Brutus；　what　folly！　　Why　should　I　run　away　…　and　from
whom；　pray？〃

〃I　know　not　that。　　But　you　are。　　I　heard　it　in　your　voice。　　And　you
do　not　trust　me；　Citizen　La　Boulaye；〃　the　fellow　added；　in　a
stricken　voice。　　〃I　have　served　you　faithfully　these　two　years；　and
yet　you　have　not　learnt　to　trust　me。〃

〃I　do；　I　do；　my　friend。　　You　go　too　fast　with　your　conclusions。　　Now
see　to　my　valise；　and　on　my　return　perhaps　I'll　tell　you　where　I　am
going；　and　put　your　fidelity　to　the　test。〃

〃And　you　will　take　me　with　you？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　La　Boulaye　promised　him；　〃unless　you　should　prefer　to
remain　in　Paris。〃

With　that　he　got　away　and　leaving　the　house；　he　walked　briskly　up
the　street；　round　the　corner；　and　on　until　he　stood　once　more　before
Duplay's。

〃Has　the　Citizen　Robespierre　departed　yet？〃　he　inquired　of　the　woman
who　answered　his　peremptory　knock。

〃He　has　been　gone　this　hour；　Citizen　La　Boulaye；〃　she　answered。
〃He　started　almost　immediately　after　you　left　him。〃

〃Diable！〃　grumbled　Caron；　with　well…feigned　annoyance。　　〃Quel
contretemps！　　I　have　left　a　most　important　document　in　his　room；
and；　of　course；　it　will　be　locked。〃

〃But　the　Citoyenne　Cecile　has　the　key；〃　answered　the　woman；　eager
to　oblige　him。

〃Why；　yes　…　naturally！　　Now　that　is　fortunate。　　Will　you　do　me　the
favour　to　procure　the　key　from　he　Citoyenne　for　a　few　moments；
telling　her；　of　course；　that　it　is　I　who　need　it？〃

〃But　certainly；　Montez；　Citoyen。〃　　And　with　a　wave　of　the　hand
towards　the　stairs　she　went　before　him。

He　followed　leisurely；　and　by　the　time　he　had　reached　Robespierre's
door　her　voice　floated　down　to　him　from　above；　calling　the
Incorruptible's　niece。　　Next　he　heard　Cecile's　voice　replying；　and
then　a　whispered　conference　on　the　landing　overhead；　to　the
accompaniment　of　the　occasional　tinkle　of　a　bunch　of　keys。

Presently　the　domestic　returned；　and　unlocking　the　door；　she　held　it
open　for　La　Boulaye　to　pass。　　From　her　attitude　it　seemed　to　Caron
as　if　she　were　intentioned　…　probably　she　had　been　instructed　…　to
remain　there　while　he　obtained　what　he　sought。　　Now　he　had　no　mind
that　she　should　see　him　making　his　quest　among　the　wasted　papers　on
the　floor；　and　so：

〃I　shall　not　be　more　than　a　few　minutes；〃　he　announced　quietly。　　〃I
will　call　you　when　I　am　ready　to　depart。〃

Thus　uncompromisingly　dismissed；　she　did　not　venture　to　remain；　and；
passing　in；　La　Boulaye　closed　the　door。　　As　great　as　had　been　his
deliberation　hitherto　was　now　the　feverish　haste　with　which　he
crossed　to　the　spot　where　he　had　seen　the　document　flung。　　He　caught
up　a　crumpled　sheet　and　opened　it　out　It　was　not　the　thing　he　sought。
He　cast　it　aside　and　took　up　another　with　no　better　luck。　　To　crumple
discarded　papers　seemed　the　habit　of　the　Incorruptible；　for　there　was
a　very　litter　of　them　on　the　ground。　　One　after　another　did　Caron
investigate　without　success。　　He　was　on　his　knees　now；　and　his
exploration　had　carried　him　as　far　as　the　table；　another　moment　and
he　was　grovelling　under　it；　still　at　his　search；　which　with　each
fresh　disappointment　grow　more　feverish。

Yonder　…　by　the　leg　of　the　Incorruptible's　chair　…　he　espied　the　ball
of　paper；　and　to　reach　it　he　stretched　to　his　full　length；　lying
prone　beneath　a　table　in　an　attitude　scarce　becoming　a　Deputy　of　the
French　Republic。　　But　it　was　worth　the　effort　and　the　disregard　of
dignity；　for　when　presently　on　his　knees　he　smoothed　out　that
document；　he　discovered　it　to　be　the　one　he　sought　the　order　upon　the
gaolers　of　the　Luxembourg　to　set　at　liberty　a　person　or　persons　whose
names　were　to　be　filled　in；　signed　by　Maximilien　Robespierre。

He　rose；　absorbed　in　his　successful　find；　and　he　pursued　upon　the
table　the　process　of　smoothing　the　creases　as　much　as　possible　from
that　priceless　document。　　That　done　he　took　up　a　pen　and　attached
his　own　signature　alongside　of　Robespierre's；　then　into　the　blank
space　above　he　filled　the　name　of　Anatole　d'Ombreval　ci…devant
Vicomte　d'Ombreval。　　He　dropped　the　pen　and　took　up　the　sand…box。
He　sprinkled　the　writing；　creased　the　paper；　and　dusted　the　sand
back　into　the　receptacle。　　And　then　of　a　sudden　his　blood　seemed　to
freeze；　and　beads　of　cold　sweat　stood　out　upon　his　brow。　　There
had　been　the　very　slightest　stir　behind　him；　and　with　it　had　come　a
warm　breath　upon　his　bowed　neck。　　Someone　was　looking　over　his
shoulder。　　An　instant　he　remained　in　that　bowed　attitude　with　head
half…raised。　　Then　suddenly　straightening　himself　he　swung　round　and
came　face　to　face　with　Cecile　Deshaix。

Confronting　each　other　and　very　close　they　now　stood　and　each　was
breathing　with　more　than　normal　quickness。　　Her　cheeks　were　white；
her　nostrils　dilated　and　quivering；　her　blue　eyes　baleful　and　cruel；
whilst　her　lips　wore　never　so　faint　a　smile。　　For　a　second　La　Boulaye
looked　the　very　picture　of　foolishness　and　alarm。　　Then　it　seemed
as　if　he　drew　a　curtain；　and　his　face　assumed　the　expressionless
mask　that　was　habitual　to　it　in　moments　of　g