the trampling of the lilies-第44节

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eyes　wore　a　furtive；　frightened　look。　　But　they　valiantly　fought
down　their　fears；　and　for　all　that　the　hearts　within　them　may　have
been　sick　with　horror；　they　contrived　to　twist　a　smile　on　to　their
pale　lips。　　They　did　not　lack　for　stout　patterns　of　high　bearing；
and　in　addition　they　had　their　own　arrogant　pride　　…the　pride　that
had　brought　them　at　last　to　this　pass　…　to　sustain　them　in　their
extremity。　　Noblesse　les　obligeait。　　The　rabble；　the　canaille　of
the　new　regime；　might　do　what　they　would　with　their　bodies；　but
their　spirits　they　could　not　break；　nor　overcome　their　indomitable
pride。　　By　the　brave　manner　of　their　death　it　remained　for　them　to
make　amends　for　the　atrocious　manner　of　their　lives；　and　such　a
glamour　did　they　shed　upon　themselves　by　the　same　brave　manner；
that　it　compelled　sympathy　and　admiration　of　those　that　beheld　them；
and　made　upon　humanity　an　impression　deep　enough　to　erase　the　former
impression　left　by　their　misdeeds。

Like　heroes；　like　sainted　martyrs；　they　died；　these　men　who；　through
generation　after　generation；　had　ground　and　crushed　the　people　'neath
the　iron　heel　of　tyranny　and　oppression；　until　the　people　had；　of　a
sudden；　risen　and　reversed　the　position；　going　to　excesses；　in　their
lately…awakened　wrath；　that　were　begotten　of　the　excesses　which　for
centuries　they　had　endured。

Last　of　this　gallant　and　spruce　company　（for　every　man　had　donned
his　best；　and　dressed　himself　with　the　utmost　care）　came　Caron　La
Boulaye。　　He　walked　alone；　for　although　their　comrade　in　death；　he
was　their　comrade　in　nothing　else。　　Their　heads　might　lie　together
in　the　sawdust　of　Sanson's　basket；　but　while　they　lived；　no　contact
would　they　permit　themselves；　of　body　or　of　soul；　with　this
sans…culotte。　　Had　they　known　why　he　died；　perhaps；　they　had　shown
him　fellowship。　　But　in　their　nescience　of　the　facts；　it　would　need
more　than　death　to　melt　them　into　a　kindness　to　a　member　of　the
Convention；　for　death　was　the　only　thing　they　had　in　common；　and
death；　as　we　have　seen；　had　not　conquered　them。

As　he　was　about　to　pass　out；　a　gaoler　suddenly　thrust　forward　a　hand
to　detain　him；　and　almost　simultaneously　the　door；　which　had　swung
to　behind　the　last　of　his　death…fellows；　re…opened　to　admit　the
dapper　figure　of　the　Incorruptible。

He　eyed　Caron　narrowly　as　he　advanced　into　the　hall；　and　at　the
composure　evident　in　the　young　man's　bearing；　his　glance　seemed　to
kindle　with　admiration；　for　all　that　his　lips　remained　cruel　in
their　tightened　curves。

Caron　gave　him　good…day　with　a　friendly　smile；　and　before　Robespierre
could　utter　a　word　the　young　man　was　expressing　his　polite　regrets
at　having　baulked　him　as　he　had　done。

〃I　had　a　great　object　to　serve；　Maximilien；〃　he　concluded；　〃and　my
only　regret　is　that　it　should　have　run　counter　to　your　wishes。　　I
owe　you　so　much　…　everything　in　fact　…　that　I　am　filled　with　shame
at　the　thought　of　how　ill　a　return　I　am　making　you。　　My　only　hope
is　that　by　my　death　you　will　consider　that　I　have　sufficiently
atoned　for　my　ingratitude。〃

〃Fool！〃　croaked　Robespierre；　〃you　are　sacrificing　yourself　for　some
chimaera　and　the　life　you　are　saving　is　that　of　a　very　worthless
and　vicious　individual。　　Of　your　ingratitude　to　me　wee　will　not
speak。　　But　even　now；　in　the　eleventh　hour；　I　would　have　you　bethink
you　of　yourself。〃

He　held　out　＇his　hands　to　him；　and　entreaty　was　stamped　upon
Robespierre's　countenance　to　a　degree　which　perhaps　no　man　had　yet
seen。　　〃Bethink　you；　cher　Caron　…　〃　he　began　again。　　But　the　young
man　shook　his　head。

〃My　friend；　my　best　of　friends；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　beg　that　you　will
not　make　it　harder　for　me。　　I　am　resolved；　and　your　entreaties　do
but　heighten　my　pain　of　thwarting　your　…　the　only　pain　that　in　this
supreme　hour　I　am　experiencing。　　It　is　not　a　difficult　thing　to　die；
Maximilien。　　Were　I　to　live；　I　must　henceforth　lead　a　life　of
unsatisfied　desire。　　I　must　even　hanker　and　sigh　after　a　something
that　is　unattainable。　　I　die；　and　all　this　is　extinguished　with　me。
At　the　very　prospect　my　desires　fade　immeasurably。　　Let　me　go　in
peace；　and　with　your　forgiveness。〃

Robespierre　eyed　him　a　moment　or　two　in　astonishment。　　Then　he　made
an　abrupt　gesture　of　impatience。

〃Fool　that　you　are！　　It　is　suicide　you　are　committing。　　And　for
what？　　For　a　dream　a　shadow。　　Is　this　like　a　man；　Caron'？　　Is　this　…
Will　you　be　still；　you　animal？〃　he　barked　at　a　gaoler　who　had　once
before　touched　him　upon　the　arm。　　〃Do　you　not　see　that　I　am　occupied？〃

But　the　man　leant　forward；　and　said　some　words　hurriedly　into
Robespierre's　ear；　which　cast　the　petulance　out　of　his　face　and　mind；
and　caused　him　of　a　sudden　to　become　very　attentive。

〃Ah？〃　he　said　at　last。　　Then；　with　a　sudden　briskness：　〃Let　the
Citizen　La　Boulaye　not　go　forth　until　I　return；〃　he　bade　the　gaoler；
and　to　Caron　he　said：　〃You　will　have　the　goodness　to　await　my　return。〃

With　that　he　turned　and　stepped　briskly　across　the　hall　and　through
the　door；　which　the　gaoler；　all　equality　notwithstanding；　hastened
to　open　for　him　with　as　much　servility　as　ever　the　haughtiest
aristocrat　had　compelled。

Saving　that　single　gaoler；　La　Boulaye　was　alone　in　the　spacious　hall
of　the　Conciergerie。　　From　without　they　heard　the　wild　clamouring
and　Ca…iraing　of　the　mob。　　Chafing　at　this　fresh　delay；　which　was
as　a　prolongation　of　his　death…agony；　La　Boulaye　was　pacing　to　and
fro；　the　ring　of　his　footsteps　on　the　stone　floor　yielding　a　hollow；
sepulchral　echo。

〃Is　he　never　returning？〃　he　cried　at　last；　and　as　if　in　answer　to
his　question；　the　drums　suddenly　began　to　roll；　and　the　vociferations
of　the　rabble　swelled　in　volume　and　grew　shriller。　　〃What　is　that？〃
he　inquired。

The　gaoler；　on　whose　dirty　face　some　measure　of　surprise　was
manifested；　approached　the　little　grating　that　overlooked　the　yard
and　peered　out。

〃Sacrenom！〃　he　swore。　　〃The　tumbrils　are　moving。　　They　have　left
you　behind；　Citizen。〃

But　La　Boulaye　gathered　no　encouragement；　such　as　the　gaoler　thought
he　might；　from　that　contingency。　　He　but　imagined　that　it　was
Robespierre's　wish　to　put　him　back　for　another　day　in　the　hope　that
he　might　still　loosen　his　tongue。　　An　oath　of　vexation　broke　from
him；　and　he　stamped　his　foot　impatiently　upon　the　floor。

Then　the　door　opened　suddenly；　and　Robespierre　held　it　whilst　into
the　room　came　a　woman；　closely　veiled；　whose　tall　and　shapely　figure
caused　the　young　Deputy's　breath　to　flutter。　　The　Incorruptible
followed　her；　and　turning　to　the　gaoler：

〃Leave　us；〃　he　commanded　briskly。

And　presently；　when　those　three　stood　alone；　the　woman　raised　her
veil　and　disclosed　the　face　he　had　expected　…　the　beautiful　face　of
Suzanne　de　Bellecour；　but；　alas！　woefully　pale　and　anguished　of
expression。　　She　advanced　a　step　towards　Caron；　and　then　stood　still；
encountering　his　steadfast；　wonder…struck　gaze；　and　seeming　to
falter。　　With　a　sob；　at　last　she　turned　to　Maximilien；　who　had
remained　a　pace　or　two　behind。

〃Tell　him；　Monsieur；〃　she　begged。

Robespierre　started　out　of　his　apparent　abstraction。　　He　peered　at
her　with　his　short…sighted　eyes；　and　from　her　to　Caron。　　Then　he
came　forward　a　step　and　cleared　his　throat；　rather　as　a　trick　of
oratory　than　to　relieve　any　huskiness。

〃To　put　it　briefly；　my　clear　Caron；〃　said　he；　〃the　Citoyenne　here
has　manifested　a　greater　solicitude　for　your　life　than　you　did
yourself；　and　she　has　done　me　the　twofold　service　of　setting　it
in　my　power　to　punish　an　enemy；　and　to　preserve　a　friend　from　a
death　that　was　very　imminent。　　In　the　eleventh　hour　she　came　to　me
to　make　terms　for　your　pardon。　　She　proposed　to　deliver　up　to　me
the　person　of　the　ci…devant　Vicomte　d'Ombreval　provided　that　I
should　grant　you　an　unconditional　pardon。　　You　can　imagine；　my
good　Caron；　with　what　eagerness　I　agreed　to　her　proposal；　and　with
what　pleasure　I　now　announce　to　you　that　you　are　free。〃

〃Free！〃　gasped　La　Boulaye；　his　eyes　travelling　fearfully　from
Robespierre　to　Mademoiselle；　and　remaining　riveted　upon　the　latter
as　though　he　were　attempting　to　penetrate　into　the　secrets　of　her
very　soul。

〃Practically　free；〃　answered　the　Incorruptible。　　〃You　may　leave
the　Conciergerie　when　you　please；　thought　I　shall　ask　you　to　remain
at　your　lodging　in　the　Rue　Nationale　until　this　Ombreval　is　actually
taken。　　Once　he　has　been　brought　to　Paris；　I　shall　send　you　your
papers　that　you　may　leave　France；　for；　much　though　I　shall　regret
your　absence；　I　think　that　it　will　be　wiser　for　you　to　make　your
fortune　elsewhere　after　what　has　passed。〃

La　Boulaye　took　a　step　in　Suzanne's　direction。

〃You　have　done　this？〃　he　cried；　in　a　quivering　voice。　　〃You　have
betrayed　the　man　to　whom　you　were　betrothed？〃

〃Do　not　use　that　word；　Monsieur；〃　she　cried；　with　a　shudder。　　〃My
action　cannot　be　ranked　among　betrayals。　　He　would　have　let　you　go
to　the　guillotine　in　his　stead。　　He　had　not　the　virtue　to　come
forward；　for　all　that　he　knew　that　you　must　die　if　he　did　not。　　On
the　contrary；　such　a　condition　of　things　afforded　him　amusement；
matter　to　scorn　and　insult　you　with。　　He　would　have　complacently
allowed　a　dozen　men　to　have　gone　to　the　guillotine　that　his　own
worthless　life　might　have　been　spare