the trampling of the lilies-第6节

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attempted　assassination　of　her　father。　　The　ringleader；　she　was
told；　had　been　brought　to　the　Chateau；　and　he　was　even　then　in　the
courtyard　and　about　to　be　hanged　by　the　Marquis。　　Curious　to　behold
this　unfortunate；　she　had　stepped　out　on　to　the　balcony　where　already
an　idle　group　had　formed。　　Inexpressible　had　been　her　shock　upon
seeing　him　that　lay　below；　his　white　face　upturned　to　the　heavens；
his　eyes　closed。

〃Is　he　dead？〃　she　asked；　when　presently　she　had　overcome　her　feelings。

〃Not　yet　Mademoiselle；〃　answered　the　graceful　Chevalier　de　Jacquelin；
toying　with　his　solitaire。　　〃Your　father　is　bringing　him　to　life　that
he　may　send　him　back　to　death。〃

And　then　she　heard　her　father's　voice　behind　her。　　The　Marquis　had
stepped　out　on　to　the　balcony　to　ascertain　whether　La　Boulaye　had
yet　regained　consciousness。

〃He　seems　to　be　even　now　recovering；〃　said　someone。

〃Ah；　you　are　there；　Suzanne；〃　cried　Bellecour。　　〃You　see　your　friend
the　secretary　there。　　He　has　chosen　to　present　himself　in　a　new　role
to…day。　　From　being　my　servant；　it　seems　that　he　would　constitute
himself　my　murderer。〃

However　unfilial　it　might　be；　she　could　not　stifle　a　certain　sympathy
for　this　young　man。　　She　imagined　that　his　rebellion；　whatever　shape
it　had　assumed；　had　been　provoked　by　that　weal　upon　his　face；　and　it
seemed　to　her　then　that　he　had　been　less　than　a　man　had　he　not
attempted　to　exact　some　reparation　for　the　hurt　the　whip　had
inflicted　at　once　upon　his　body　and　his　soul。

〃But　what　is　it　that　he　has　done；　Monsieur？〃　she　asked；　seeking　more
than　the　scant　information　which　so　far　she　had　received。

〃Enough；　at　least；　to　justify　my　hanging　him；〃　answered　Bellecour
grimly。　　〃He　sought　to　withstand　my　authority；　he　incited　the
peasants　of　Bellecour　to　withstand　it；　he　has　killed　Blaise；　and　he
would　have　killed　me　but　that　I　preferred　to　let　him　kill　my　horse。〃

〃In　what　way　did　he　seek　to　withstand　your　authority！〃　she　persisted。

He　stared　at　her；　half　surprised；　half　angry。

〃What　doers　the　manner　of　it　signify？〃　he　asked　impatiently。　　〃Is
not　the　fact　enough？　　Is　it　not　enough　that　Blaise　is　dead；　and　that
I　have　had　a　narrow　escape；　at　his　hands？〃

〃Insolent　hound　that　he　is！〃　put　in　Madame　la　Marquise　…　a　fleshly
lady　monstrously　coiffed。　　〃If　we　allow　such　men　as　thus　to　live
in　France　our　days　are　numbered。〃

〃They　say　that　you　are　going　to　hang　him；〃　said　Suzanne；　heedless
of　her　mother's　words；　and　there　was　the　faintest　note　of　horror　in
her　voice。

〃They　are　mistaken。　　I　am　not。〃

〃You　are　mot？〃　cried　the　Marquise。　　〃But　what；　then；　do　you　intend
to　do？〃

〃To　keep　my　word；　madame；〃　he　answered　her。　　〃I　promised　that
canaille　that　if　he　ever　came　within　the　grounds　of　Bellecour　I
would　have　him　flogged　to　death。　　That　is　what　I　propose。〃

〃Father；〃　gasped　Suzanne；　in　horror；　a　horror　that　was　echoed　by
the　other　three　or　four　ladies　present。　　But　the　Marquise　only
laughed。

〃He　will　be；　richly　served；〃　she　approved；　with　a　sage　nod　of　her
pumpkin…like　head…dress　…　〃most　richly　served。〃

A　great　pity　arose　now　in　the　heart　of　Mademoiselle；　as　her　father
went　below　that　he　might　carry　out　his　barbarous　design。　　She　was
deaf　to　the　dainty　trifles　which　the　most　elegant　Chevalier　de
Jacquelin　was　murmuring　into　heir　ear。　　She　stood；　a　tall；　queenly
figure；　at　the　balcony's　parapet　and　watched　the　preparations　that
were　being　made。

She　heard　her　father's　harshly…voiced　commands。　　She　saw　them
literally　tear　the　clothes　from　the　unfortunate　secretary's　back；
and　lash　him　…　naked　to　the　waist　…　to　the　pump　that　stood　by　the
horse…trough　at　the　far　end　of　the　yard。　　His　body　was　now　hidden
from　her　sight；　but　his　head　appeared　surmounting　the　pillar　of　the
pump；　his　chin　seeming　to　rest　upon　its　summit；　and　his　face　was
towards　her。　　At　his　side　stood　a　powerful　knave　armed　with　a
stout；　leather…thonged　whip。

〃How　many　strokes；　Monseigneur？〃　she　heard　the　man　inquire。

〃How　many？〃　echoed　the　Marquise。　　〃Do　I　know　how　many　it　will　take
to　make　an　end　of　him？　　Beat　him　to　death；　man。　　Allons！
　Set　about　it。〃

She　saw　the　man　uncoil　his　lash　and　step　forward。　　In　that　instant
Caron's　eyes　were　raised；　and　they　met　hers　across　the　intervening
space。　　He　smiled　a　valedictory　smile　that　seemed　to　make　her　heart
stand　still。　　She　and　her　mother　were　now　the　only　women　on　the
balcony。　　The　others　had　made　haste　to　withdraw　as　soon　as　La
Boulaye　had　been　pilloried。　　The　Marquise　remained　because　she
seemed　to　find　entertainment　in　the　spectacle。　　Suzanne　remained
because　horror　rooted　her　to　the　spot　…　horror　and　a　great　pity　for
this　unfortunate　who　had　looked　so　strong　and　brave　that　morning；
when　he　had　had　the　audacity　to　tell　her　that　he　loved　her。

The　lash　sang　through　the　air；　quivered；　hummed；　and　cut　with　a
sickening　crackle　into　the　young　man's　flesh。

The　hideous　sound　roused　her　She　shuddered　from　head　to　foot；　and
turning　she　put　her　hands　to　her　face　and　rushed　within；　followed
by　the　Marquise's　derisive　laughter。

〃Mon　Dieu！　　It　is　horrible！　　Horrible！〃　she　cried　as　she　sank　into
the　nearest　chair；　and　clapped　her　hands　to　her　ears。　　But　she
could　not　shut　it　out。　　Still　she　heard　the　humming　of　the　whip　and
the　cruel　sound　of　the　falling　blows。　　Mechanically　she　counted
them；　unconsciously　almost；　and　at　twenty　she　heard　them　cease。
Was　it　over？　　Was　he　dead；　this　poor　unfortunate？　　Moved　by　a
curiosity　that　was　greater　than　her　loathing；　she　rose　and　went
to　the　threshold　of　the　balcony。

〃Is　it　ended？〃　she　asked。

〃Ended？〃　echoed　Monsieur　de　Jacquelin；　with　a　shrug。　　〃It　is　scarce
begun；　it　seems。　　The　executioner　is　pausing　for　breath；　that　is
all。　　The　fellow　has　not　uttered　a　sound。　　He　is　as　obstinate　as
a　mule。〃

〃As　enduring　as　a　Spartan；〃　more　generously　put　in　the　Vicomte；　her
brother。　　〃Look　at　him；　Suzanne。〃

Almost　involuntarily　she　obeyed；　and　moved　forward　a　step　that　she
might　behold　him。　　A　face；　deathly　pale；　she　saw；　which　in　the
sunshine　glistened　with　the　sweat　of　agony　that　bedewed　it；　but　the
lips　were　tightly　closed　and　the　countenance　grimly　expressionless。
Even　as　she　looked　she　heard　her　father　command　the　man　to　lay　on
anew。　　Then；　as　before；　his　eyes　met　hers；　but　this　time　no　smile
did　she　see　investing　them。

Again　the　whip　cracked　and　fell。　　She　drew　back；　but　his　glance
seemed　to　haunt　her　even　when　she　no　longer　saw　his　face。　　A　sudden
resolution　moved　her；　and　in　a　frenzy　of　anger　and　compassion　she
flung　out　of　the　room。　　A　moment　later　she　burst　like　a　beautiful
virago　into　the　courtyard。

〃Stop！〃　she　commanded　shrilly；　causing　both　her　father　and　the
executioner　to　turn；　and　the　latter　pausing　in　his　hideous　work。
But　a　glance　from　the　Marquis　bade　him　resume；　and　resume　he　did；
as　though　there　had　been　no　interruption。

〃What　is　this？〃　demanded　Bellecour；　half　amused；　half　vexed；　whilst
a　sudden　new　light　leapt　to　the　eyes　of　La　Boulaye；　which　but　a
moment　back　had　been　so　full　of　agony。

But　Mademoiselle　never　paused　to　answer　her　father。　　Seeing　the
executioner　proceeding；　despite　her　call　to　cease；　she　sprang　upon
him；　caught　him　by　the　arms　and　wrested　the　whip　from　hands　that
dared　not　resist　her。

〃Did　I　not　bid　you　stop？〃　she　blazed；　her　face　white；　her　eyes　on
fire；　and　raising　the　whip　she　brought　it　down　upon　his　head　and
shoulders；　not　once　but　half…a…dozen　times　in　quick　succession；
until　he　fled；　howling；　to　the　other　side　of　the　horse　trough　for
shelter。　　〃It　stings　you；　does　it〃　she　cried；　whilst　the　Marquis；
from　angered　that　at　first　he　had　been；　now　burst　into　a　laugh　at
her　fury　and　at　this　turning　of　tables　upon　the　executioner。　　She
made　shift　to　pursue　the　fellow　to　his　place　of　refuge；　but
coming　of　a　sudden　upon　the　ghastly　sight　presented　by　La　Boulaye's
lacerated　back；　she　drew　back　in　horror。　　Then；　mastering　herself
　…　for　girl　though　she　was；　her　courage　was　of　a　high　order　…　she
turned　to　her　father。

〃Give　this　man　to　me；　Monsieur；〃　she　begged。

〃To　you！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃What　will　you　do　with　him？〃

〃I　will　see　that　you　are　rid　of　him；〃　she　promised。　　〃What　more　can
you　desire？　　You　have　tortured　him　enough。〃

〃Maybe。　　But　am　I　to　blame　that　he　dies　so　hard？〃

She　answered　him　with　renewed　insistence；　and　unexpectedly　she
received　an　ally　in　M。　des　Cadoux　…　an　elderly　gentleman　who　had
been　observing　the　flogging　with　disapproval；　and　who　had　followed
her　into　the　courtyard。

〃He　is　too　brave　a　man　to　die　like　this；　Bellecour；〃　put　in　the
newcomer。　　〃I　doubt　if　he　can　survive　the　punishment　he　has　already
received。　　Yet　I　would　ask　you；　in　the　name　of　courage；　to　give　him
the　slender　chance　he　may　have。〃

〃I　promised　him　he　should　be　flogged　to　death　…　〃　began　the　Marquis；
when　Des　Cadoux　and　Mademoiselle　jointly　interrupted　him　to　renew
their　intercessions。

〃But；　sangdieu；〃　the　Marquis　protested　〃you　seem　to　forget　that　he
has　killed　one　of　my　servants。〃

〃Why；　then；　you　should　have　hanged　him　out　of　hand；　not　tortured
him　thus；〃　answered　Des　Cadoux　shortly。

For　a　moment　it　almost　seemed　as　if　the　pair　of　them　would　have
fallen　a…quarrelling。　　Their　words　grew　more　heated