the trampling of the lilies-第38节

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away　on　the　stairs。　　Then　she　cast　herself　prone　upon　the　settle；
and　in　a　frenzy　of　sobs　and　tears　she　vented　some　of　the　rage　and
shame　that　were　distracting　her。




CHAPTER　XX

THE　GRATITUDE　OF　OMBREVAL


What　La　Boulaye　may　have　lacked　in　knowledge　of　woman's　ways　he　made
up　for　by　his　knowledge　of　Cecile；　and　from　this　he　apprehended　that
there　was　no　time　to　be　lost　if　he　would　carry　out　his　purpose。
Touching　her　dismissal　of　him；　he　permitted　himself　no　illusions。
He　rated　it　at　its　true　value。　　He　saw　in　it　no　sign　of　relenting
of　generosity；　but　only　a　desire　to　put　an　end　to　the　shame　which
his　presence　was　occasioning　her。

He　could　imagine　the　lengths　to　which　the　thirst　of　vengeance　would
urge　a　scorned　woman；　and　of　all　women　he　felt　that　Cecile　scorned
was　the　most　to　be　feared。　　She　would　not　sit　with　folded　hands。
Once　she　overcame　the　first　tempestuous　outburst　of　her　passion　she
would　be　up　and　doing；　straining　every　sense　to　outwit　and　thwart
him　in　his　project；　whose　scope　she　must　have　more　than　guessed。

Reasoning　thus；　he　clearly　saw　not　only　that　every　moment　was　of
value；　but　that　flight　was　the　only　thing　remaining　him　if　he　would
save　himself　as　well　as　Ombreval。　　And　so　he　hired　him　a　cabriolet；
and　drove　in　all　haste　to　the　house　of　Billaud　Varennes；　the　Deputy；
from　whom　he　sought　to　obtain　one　of　the　two　signatures　still
needed　by　his　order　of　release。　　He　was　disappointed　at　learning
that　Varennes　was　not　at　home　…　though；　had　he　been　able　to　peep　an
hour　or　so　into　the　future；　he　would　have　offered　up　thanks　to
Heaven　for　that　same　Deputy's　absence。　　His　insistent　and　impatient
questions　elicited　the　information　that　probably　Verennes　would　be
found　at　Fevrier's。　　And　so　to　Fevrier's　famous　restaurant　in　the
old　Palais　Royal　went　La　Boulaye；　and　there　he　had　the　good　fortune
to　find　not　only　Billaud　Varennes；　but　also　the　Deputy　Carnot。　　Nor
did　fortune　end　her　favours　there。　　She　was　smiling　now　upon　Caron；
as　was　proved　by　the　fact　that　neither　to　Varennes　nor　Carnot　did
the　name　of　Ombreval　mean　anything。　　Robespierre's　subscription　of
the　document　was　accepted　by　each　as　affording　him　a　sufficient
warrant　to　append　his　own　signature；　and　although　Carnot　asked　a
question　or　two；　it　was　done　in　an　idle　humour；　and　he　paid　little
attention　to　such　replies　as　Caron　made　him。

Within　five　minutes　of　entering　the　restaurant；　La　Boulaye　was　in
the　street　again；　driving；　by　way　of　the　Pont　Neuf；　to　the　Luxembourg。

At　the　prison　he　encountered　not　the　slightest　difficulty。　　He　was
known　personally　to　the　officer；　of　whom　he　demanded　the　person　of
the　ci…devant　Vicomte；　and　his　order　of　release　was　too　correct　to
give　rise　to　any　hesitation　on　the　part　of　the　man　to　whom　it　was
submitted。　　He　was　left　waiting　a　few　moments　in　a　chamber　that　did
duty　as　a　guard…room；　and　presently　the　Vicomte；　looking　pale；　and
trembling　with　excitement　at　his　sudden　release；　stood　before　him。

〃You？〃　he　muttered；　upon　beholding　La　Boulaye。　　But　the　Republican
received　him　very　coldly；　and　hurried　him　out　of　the　prison　with
scant　ceremony。

The　officer　attended　the　Deputy　to　the　door　of　his　cabriolet；　and
in　his　hearing　Caron　bade　the　coachman　drive　to　the　Porte　St。　Martin。
This；　however；　was　no　more　than　a　subterfuge　to　which　he　was
resorting　with　a　view　to　baffling　the　later　possibility　of　their
being　traced。　　Ombreval　naturally　enough　plied　him　with　questions
as　they　went；　to　which　La　Boulaye　returned　such　curt　answers　that
in　the　end；　discouraged　and　offended；　the　nobleman　became　silent。

Arrived　at　the　Porte　St。　Martin　they　alighted；　and　La　Boulaye
dismissed　the　carriage。　　On　foot　he　now　led　his　companion　as　far　as
the　church　of　St。　Nicholas　des　Champs；　where　he　hired　a　second
cabriolet；　bidding　the　man　drive　him　to　the　Quai　de　la　Greve。
Having　reached　the　riverside　they　once　more　took　a　short　walk；
crossing　by　the　Pont　au　Change；　and　thence　making　their　way　towards
Notre　Dame；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　which　La　Boulaye　ushered　the
Vicomte　into　a　third　carriage；　and　thinking　that　by　now　they　had
done　all　that　was　needed　to　efface　their　tracks；　he　ordered　the　man
to　proceed　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Choisy。

They　arrived　at　that　little　village　on　the　Seine　an　hour　or　so　later；
and　having　rid　themselves　of　their　conveyance；　Caron　inquired　and
discovered　the　way　to　the　house　of　Citoyenne　Godelliere。

Mademoiselle　was　within；　and　at　sound　of　Caron's　voice　questioning
the　erstwhile　servant　who　had　befriended　her；　she　made　haste　to
show　herself。　　And　at　a　word　from　her；　Henriette　admitted　the　two
men　and　ushered　them　into　a　modest　parlour；　where　she　left　them
with　Mademoiselle。

La　Boulaye　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃I　trust　that　I　have　not　kept　you　waiting　overlong；　Citoyenne；〃　he
said；　by　way　of　saying　something。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　answered　him；　with　a　look　that　was　full　of　gratitude
and　kindliness〃　you　have　behaved　nobly；　and　to　my　dying　day　I　shall
remember　it。〃

This　La　Boulaye　deprecated　by　a　gesture；　but　uttered　no　word　as　the
Vicomte　now　stepped　forward　and　bore　Suzanne's　hand　to　his　lips。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　he；　〃Monsieur　La　Boulaye　here　was　very　reticent
touching　the　manner　in　which　my　release　has　been　gained。　　But　I　never
doubted　that　I　owed　it　to　your　good　efforts；　and　that　you　had　adopted
the　course　suggested　to　you　by　my　letter；　and　bought　me　from　the
Republic。〃

La　Boulaye　flushed　slightly　as　much　at　the　contemptuous　tone　as　at
the　words　in　which　Ombreval　referred　to　the　Republic。

〃It　is　not　to　me　but　to　our　good　friend；　M。　La　Boulaye；　that　you
should　address　your　thanks；　Monsieur。〃

〃Ah？　　Vraiment？〃　exclaimed　the　Vicomte；　turning　a　supercilious　eye
upon　the　Deputy；　for　with　his　freedom　he　seemed　to　have　recovered
his　old　habits。

〃I　have　not　sold　you　to　the　Citoyenne；〃　said　La　Boulaye；　the　words
being　drawn　from　him　by　the　other's　manner。　　〃I　am　making　her　a
present　of　you　…　a　sort　of　wedding　gift。〃　　And　his　lips　smiled；　for
all　that　his　eyes　remained　hard。

Ombreval　made　him　no　answer；　but　stood　looking　from　the　Deputy　to
Suzanne　in　some　hesitation。　　The　expressions　which　his　very　lofty
dignity　prompted；　his　sense　of　fitness　…　feeble　though　it　was　…
forbade　him。　　And　so　there　followed　a　pause；　which；　however；　was　but
brief；　for　La　Boulaye　had　yet　something　to　say。

It　had　just　come　to　him　with　a　dismaying　force　that　in　the　haste　of
his　escape　from　Paris　with　the　Vicomte　he　had　forgotten　to　return
to　his　lodging　for　a　passport　that　he　was　fortunately　possessed　of。
It　was　a　laissez…passer；　signed　and　left　in　blank；　with　which　he
had　been　equipped　…　against　the　possibility　of　the　need　for　it
arising　…　when　he　had　started　upon　the　Convention's　errand　to　the
Army　of　Dumouriez。　　Whilst　on　his　way　to　Robespierre's　house　to
secure　the　order　of　release；　he　had　bethought　him　of　filling　in
that　passport　for　three　persons；　and　thus；　since　to　remain　must
entail　his　ruin　and　destruction；　make　his　escape　from　France　with
Mademoiselle　and　the　Vicomte。　　It　was　his　only　chance。　　Then　in
the　hurry　of　the　succeeding　incidents；　the　excitement　that　had
attended　them；　and　the　imperative　need　for　haste　in　getting　the
Vicomte　to　Choisy；　he　had　put　the　intended　return　to　his　lodging
from　his　mind　…　overlooking　until　now　the　fact　that　not　only　must
he　go　back　for　the　valise　which　he　had　bidden　Brutus　pack；　but
also　for　that　far　more　precious　passport。

It　now　became　necessary　to　explain　the　circumstances　to　his
companions；　and　in　explaining　them　the　whole　affair；　from
Robespierre's　refusal　to　grant　him　the　life　of　the　Vicomte　down
to　the　means　to　which　he　had　had　recourse；　could　not　be　kept　from
transpiring。　　As　she　listened；　Suzanne's　expression　changed　into
one　of　ineffable　wonder。

〃And　you　have　done　this　for　me？〃　she　cried；　when　at　last　he　paused。；
〃you　have　ruined　your　career　and　endangered　your　life？〃

La　Boulaye　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃I　spoke　over…confidently　when　I　said　that　I　could　obtain　you　the
Vicomte's　pardon。　　There　proved　to　be　a　factor　on　which　I　had　not
counted。　　Nevertheless；　what　I　had　promised　I　must　fulfil。　　I　was
by　honour　bound　to　leave　nothing　undone　that　might　result　in　the
Vicomte's　enlargement。〃

Ornbreval　laughed　softly；　but　with　consummate　amusement。

〃A　sans…culotte　with　a　sense　of　honour　is　such　an　anomaly　…　〃　he
began；　when　Mademoiselle　interposed；　a　note　of　anger　sounding　in
her　voice。

〃M。　d'Ombreval　means　to　pay　you　a　compliment；〃　she　informed　La
Boulaye；　〃but　he　has　such　an　odd　way　of　choosing　his　expressions
that　I　feared　you　might　misunderstand　him。〃

La　Boulaye　signified　his　indifference　by　a　smile。

〃I　am　afraid　the　ci…devant　Vicomte　has　not　yet　learnt　his　lesson；〃
said　he；〃　or　else　he　is　like　the　sinner　who　upon　recovering　health
forgot　the　penitence　that　had　come　to　him　in　the　days　of　sickness。
But　we　have　other　matters　to　deal　with；　Citoyenne；　and；　in
particular；　the　matter　of　the　passport。　　Fool　that　I　am！〃　he　cried
bitterly。

〃I　must　return　to　Paris　at　once；〃　he　announced　briskly。　　〃There　is
no　help　for　it。　　We　will　hope　that　as　yet　the　way　is　open　to　me；　and
that　I　shall　be　permitted　to　go　and　to　return　unmo