the trampling of the lilies-第7节

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For　a　moment　it　almost　seemed　as　if　the　pair　of　them　would　have
fallen　a…quarrelling。　　Their　words　grew　more　heated；　and　then；
while　they　were　still　wrangling；　the　executioner　came　forward　to
solve　matters　with　the　news　that　the　secretary　had　expired。　　To
Bellecour　this　proved　a　very　welcome　conclusion。

〃Most　opportunely！〃　he　laughed　〃Had　the　rascal　lived　another　minute
I　think　we　had　quarrelled；　Cadoux。〃　　He　turned　to　the　servant；　〃You
are　certain　that　it　is　so？〃　he　asked。

〃Look；　Monsieur；〃　said　the　fellow；　as　he　pointed　with　his　whip　to
the　pilloried　figure　of　La　Boulaye。　　The　Marquis　looked；　and　saw
that　the　secretary　had　collapsed；　and　hung　limp　in　his　bonds；　his
head　fallen　back　upon　his　shoulders　and　his　eyes　closed。

With　a　shrug　and　a　short　laugh　Bellecour　turned　to　his　daughter。

〃You　may　take　the　carrion；　if　you　want　to。　　But　I　think　you　can　do
no　more　than　order　it　to　be　flung　into　a　ditch　and　buried　there。〃

But　she　had　no　mind　to　be　advised　by　him。　　She　had　the　young　man's
body　cut　down　from　the　pump；　and　she　bade　a　couple　of　servants
convey　it　to　the　house　of　Master　Duhamel；　she　for　remembered　that
La　Boulaye　and　the　old　pedagogue　were　friends。

〃An　odd　thing　is　a　woman's　heart；〃　grumbled　the　Marquis；　who
begrudged　La　Boulaye　even　his　last　act　of　mercy。　　〃She　may　care
never　a　fig　for　a　man；　and　yet；　if　he　has　but　told　her　that　he
loves　her；　be　he　never　so　mean　and　she　never　so　exalted；　he　seems
thereby　to　establish　some　measure　of　claim　to　her。〃




CHAPTER　IV

THE　DISCIPLES　OF　ROUSSEAU


The　Marquis　of　Bellecour　would；　perhaps　have　philosophised　less
complacently　had　he　known　that　the　secretary　was　far　from　dead；
and　that　what　the　executioner　had；　genuinely　enough；　mistaken　for
death　was　no　more　than　a　passing　swoon。　　Under　ordinary
circumstances　he　might　not　have　been　satisfied　to　have　taken　the
fellow's　word；　he　would　himself　have　ascertained　the　truth　of　the
statement　by　a　close　inspection　of　the　victim。　　But；　as　we　have
seen；　the　news　came　as　so　desirable　a　solution　to　the　altercation
that　was　waxing　'twixt　himself　and　Des　Cadoux　that　he　was　more
than　glad　to　avail　himself　of　it。

The　discovery　that　Caron　lived　was　made　while　they　were　cutting　him
down　from　his　pillory；　and　just　as　the　Marquis　was　turning　to　go
within。　　A　flutter　of　the　eyelids　and　a　gasp　for　breath　announced
the　fact；　and　the　executioner　was　on　the　point　of　crying　out　his
discovery　when　Mademoiselle's　eyes　flashed　him　a　glance　of　warning；
and　her　voice　whispered　feverishly：

〃Hush！　　There　are　ten　louis　for　each　of　you　if　you　but　keep　silent
and　carry　him　to　Master　Duhamel　as　I　told　you。〃

The　secretary　opened　his　eyes　but　saw　nothing；　and　a　low　moan
escaped　him。　　She　shot　a　fearful　glance　at　the　retreating　figure　of
her　father；　whilst　Gilles　…　the　executioner　…　hissed　sharply　into
his　ear：

〃Mille　diables！　be　still；　man。　　You　are　dead。〃

Thus　did　he　escape；　and　thus　was　he　borne　…　a　limp；　agonised；　and
bleeding　mass；　to　the　house　of　Duhamel。　　The　old　schoolmaster
received　them　with　tears　in　his　eyes　…　nor　were　they　altogether　tears
of　sorrow；　for　all　that　poor　Caron's　mangled　condition　grieved　him
sorely；　they　were　in　a　measure　tears　of　thankfulness；　for　Duhamel　had
not　dared　hope　to　see　the　young　man　alive　again。

At　the　pedagogue's　door　stood　a　berline；　and　within　his　house　there
was　a　visitor。　　This　was　a　slight　young　man　of　medium　stature；　who
had　not　the　appearance　of　more　than　twenty…five　years　of　age；　for
all　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　just　over　thirty。　　He　was
dressed　with　so　scrupulous　a　neatness　as　to　convey；　in　spite　of　the
dark　colour　of　his　garments；　an　impression　almost　of　foppishness。
There　was　an　amplitude　about　his　cravat；　an　air　of　extreme　care
about　the　dressing　of　his　wig　and　the　powdering　of　it；　and　a　shining
brightness　about　his　buttons　and　the　buckles　of　his　shoes　which
seemed　to　proclaim　the　dandy；　just　as　the　sombreness　of　the　colour
chosen　seemed　to　deny　it。　　In　his　singularly　pale　countenance　a
similar　contradiction　was　observable。　　The　weak；　kindly　eyes　almost
appeared　to　give　the　lie　to　the　astute　prominence　of　his　cheekbones；
the　sensitiveness　of　the　mouth　seemed　neutralised　by　the　thinness
of　the　lips；　whilst　the　oddly　tip…tilted　nose　made　a　mock　of　the
austerity　of　the　brow。

He　was　perfectly　at　ease　in　his　surroundings；　and　as　La　Boulaye　was
carried　into　the　schoolmaster's　study　and　laid　on　a　couch；　he　came
forward　and　peered　curiously　at　the　secretary's　figure；　voicing　an
inquiry　concerning　him。

〃It　is　the　young　man　of　whom　I　was　telling　you；　Maximilien；〃　answered
Duhamel。　　〃I　give　thanks　to　God　that　they　have　not　killed　him
outright。　　It　is　a　mercy　I　had　not　expected　from　those　wolves；　and
one　which；　on　my　soul；　I　cannot　understand。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gilles；　〃will　understand　it　better　perhaps　if　I
tell　you　that　the　Marquis　believes　him　to　be　dead。　　He　was　cut　down
for　dead；　and　when　we　discovered　that　he　still　lived　it　was
Mademoiselle　who　prevailed　upon　us　to　save　him。　　She　is　paying　us
to　keep　the　secret；　but　not　a　fortune　would　tempt　me　if　I　thought
the　Seigneur　were　ever　likely　to　hear　of　it。　　He　must　be　got　away
from　Bellecour；　indeed；　he　must　be　got　out　of　Picardy　at　once；
Monsieur。　　And　you　must　promise　me　that　this　shall　be　done　or　we
will　carry　him　back　to　the　Chateau　and　tell　the　Marquis　that　he
has　suddenly　revived。　　I　must　insist；　Monsieur；　for　if　ever　it
should　transpire　that　he　was　not　dead　the　Seigneur　would　hang　us。〃

The　stranger's　weak　eyes　seemed　to　kindle　in　anger；　and　his　lips
curled　until　they　exaggerated　the　already　preposterous　tilt　of　his
nose。

〃He　would　hang　you；　eh？〃　said　he。　　〃Ma　foi；　Duhamel；　we　shall　change
all　this　very　soon；　I　promise　you。〃

〃God　knows　it　needs　changing；〃　growled　Duhamel。　　〃It　seems　that　it
was　only　in　the　Old　Testament　that　Heaven　interfered　with　human
iniquity。　　Why　it　does　not　rain　fire　and　brimstone　on　the　Chateau
de　Bellecour　passes　the　understanding　of　a　good　Christian。　　I'll
swear　that　in　neither　Sodom　nor　Gomorrah　was　villainy　more　rampant。

The　stranger　plucked　at　his　sleeve　to　remind　him　of　the　presence
of　the　servants　from　the　Chateau。　　Duhamel　turned　to　them。

〃I　will　keep　him　concealed　here　until　he　is　able　to　get　about；〃
he　assured　them。　　〃Then　I　shall　find　him　the　means　to　leave　the
province。〃

But　Gilles　shook　his　head；　and　his　companion　grunted　an　echo　of
his　disapproval。

〃That　will　not　serve；　master；〃　he　answered　sullenly。　　〃What　if　the
Seigneur　should　have　word　of　his　presence　here？　　It　is　over…dangerous。
Someone　may　see　him。　　No；　no；　Either　he　leaves　Bellecour　this　very
night；　and　you　swear　that　he　shall；　or　else　we　carry　him　back　to　the
Chateau。〃

〃But　how　can　I　swear　this？〃　cried　Duhamel　impatiently。

〃Why；　easily　enough；〃　put　in　the　stranger。　　〃　Let　me　take　him　in　my
berline。　　I　can　leave　him　at　Amiens　or　at　Beauvais；　or　any　one　of
the　convenient　places　that　I　pass。　　Or　I　can　even　carry　him　on　to
Paris　with　me。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　Maximilien；〃　answered　the　old　man；　to　which　the
other　returned　a　gesture　of　deprecation。

In　this　fashion；　then；　was　the　matter　settled　to　the　satisfaction
of　the　Seigneur's　retainers；　and　upon　having　received　Duhamel's
solemn　promise　that　Caron　should　be　carried　out　of　Bellecour；　and；
for　that　matter；　out　of　Picardy；　before　the　night　was　spent；　they
withdrew。

Within　the　schoolmaster's　study　he　whom　Duhamel　called　Maximilien
strode　to　and　fro；　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　his　head　bent；
his　chin　thrust　forward；　denouncing　the　seigneurial　system；　of　whose
atrocity　he　had　received　that　evening　instances　enough　…　for　he　had
heard　the　whole　story　of　La　Boulaye's　rebellion　against　the　power
of　Bellecour　and　the　causes　that　had　led　to　it。

〃We　will　mend　all　this；　I　promise　you；　Duhamel；〃　he　was　repeating。
〃But　not　until　we　have　united　to　shield　the　weak　from　oppression；
to　restrain　the　arrogant　and　to　secure　to　each　the　possession　of
what　belongs　to　him；　not　until　all　men　are　free　and　started　upon
equal　terms　in　the　race　of　life；　not　until　we　shall　have　set　up
rules　of　justice　and　of　peace；　to　which　all　…　rich　and　poor；　noble
and　simple　alike　…　shall　be　obliged　to　conform。　　Thus　only　can　we
repair　the　evil　done　by　the　caprice　of　fortune；　which　causes　the
one　to　be　born　into　silk　and　the　other　into　fustian。　　We　must
subject　the　weak　and　the　mighty　alike　to　mutual　duties；　collecting
our　forces　into　the　supreme　power　to　govern　us　all　impartially　by
the　same　laws；　to　protect　alike　all　members　of　the　community；　to
repel　our　common　foes　and　preserve　us　in　never…ending　concord。　　How
many　crimes；　murders；　wars；　miseries；　horrors　shall　thus　be　spared
us；　Duhamel？　　And　it　will　come；　it　will　come　soon；　never　fear。〃

Caron　stirred　on　the　couch　where　Duhamel　was　tending　him；　and　raised
his　head　to　glance　at　the　man　who　was　voicing　the　doctrines　that　for
years　had　dwelt　in　his　heart。

〃Dear　Jean　Jacques；〃　he　murmured。

The　stranger　turned　sharply　and　stepped　to　the　young　man's　side。

〃You　have　read　the　master？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　sudden；　new…born
interest　in　the　secretary。

〃Read　him？〃　cried　Carom　forgetting　for　the　moment　the