scaramouche-第74节

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morning　to　the　defence　of　their　king。

His　coat　was　rent　across　the　back；　his　neckcloth　and　the　ruffles　at
his　wrists　were　torn　and　bloodstained；　with　his　smeared　face　and
disordered　headdress　he　was　terrible　to　behold。　　Yet　he　contrived
to　carry　himself　with　his　habitual　easy　assurance；　remembered　to
kiss　the　trembling　hand　which　Mme。　de　Plougastel　extended　to　him
in　welcome。

〃You　did　well　to　come　to　me；　Gervais；〃　she　said。　　〃Yes；　here　is
sanctuary　for　the　present。　　You　will　be　quite　safe；　at　least　for
as　long　as　we　are　safe。　　My　servants　are　entirely　trustworthy。
Sit　down　and　tell　me　all。〃

He　obeyed　her；　collapsing　almost　into　the　armchair　which　she　thrust
forward；　a　man　exhausted；　whether　by　physical　exertion　or　by
nerve…strain；　or　both。　　He　drew　a　handkerchief　from　his　pocket　and
wiped　some　of　the　blood　and　dirt　from　his　face。

〃It　is　soon　told。〃　　His　tone　was　bitter　with　the　bitterness　of
despair。　　〃This；　my　dear；　is　the　end　of　us。　　Plougastel　is　lucky　in
being　across　the　frontier　at　such　a　time。　　Had　I　not　been　fool
enough　to　trust　those　who　to…day　have　proved　themselves　utterly
unworthy　of　trust；　that　is　where　I　should　be　myself。　　My　remaining
in　Paris　is　the　crowning　folly　of　a　life　full　of　follies　and
mistakes。　　That　I　should　come　to　you　in　my　hour　of　most　urgent　need
adds　point　to　it。〃　　He　laughed　in　his　bitterness。

Madame　moistened　her　dry　lips。　　〃And。。。　and　now？〃　she　asked　him。

〃It　only　remains　to　get　away　as　soon　as　may　be；　if　it　is　still
possible。　　Here　in　France　there　is　no　longer　any　room　for　us　…　at
least；　not　above　ground。　　To…day　has　proved　it。〃　　And　then　he　looked
up　at　her；　standing　there　beside　him　so　pale　and　timid；　and　he
smiled。　　He　patted　the　fine　hand　that　rested　upon　the　arm　of　his
chair。　　〃My　dear　Therese；　unless　you　carry　charitableness　to　the
length　of　giving　me　to　drink；　you　will　see　me　perish　of　thirst
under　your　eyes　before　ever　the　canaille　has　a　chance　to　finish　me。〃

She　started。　　〃I　should　have　thought　of　it！〃　she　cried　in
self…reproach；　and　she　turned　quickly。　　〃Aline；〃　she　begged；　〃tell
Jacques　to　bring。。。　〃

〃Aline！〃　he　echoed；interrupting；　and　swinging　round　in　his　turn。
Then；　as　Aline　rose　into　view；　detaching　from　her　background；　and
he　at　last　perceived　her；　he　heaved　himself　abruptly　to　his　weary
legs　again；　and　stood　there　stiffly　bowing　to　her　across　the　space
of　gleaming　floor。　　〃Mademoiselle；　I　had　not　suspected　your
presence；〃　he　said；　and　he　seemed　extraordinarily　ill…at…ease；　a
man　startled；　as　if　caught　in　an　illicit　act。

〃I　perceived　it；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　as　she　advanced　to　do
madame's　commission。　　She　paused　before　him。　〃From　my　heart；
monsieur；　I　grieve　that　we　should　meet　again　in　circumstances　so
very　painful。〃

Not　since　the　day　of　his　duel　with　Andre…Louis　…　the　day　which　had
seen　the　death　and　burial　of　his　last　hope　of　winning　her　…　had
they　stood　face　to　face。

He　checked　as　if　on　the　point　of　answering　her。　　His　glance　strayed
to　Mme。　de　Plougastel；　and；　oddly　reticent　for　one　who　could　be
very　glib；　he　bowed　in　silence。

〃But　sit；　monsieur；　I　beg。　　You　are　fatigued。〃

〃You　are　gracious　to　observe　it。　　With　your　permission；　then。〃　　And
he　resumed　his　seat。　　She　continued　on　her　way　to　the　door　and
passed　out　upon　her　errand。

When　presently　she　returned　they　had　almost　unaccountably　changed
places。　　It　was　Mme。　de　Plougastel　who　was　seated　in　that　armchair
of　brocade　and　gilt；　and　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　who；　despite　his
lassitude；　was　leaning　over　the　back　of　it　talking　earnestly；
seeming　by　his　attitude　to　plead　with　her。　　On　Aline's　entrance　he
broke　off　instantly　and　moved　away；　so　that　she　was　left　with　a
sense　of　having　intruded。　　Further　she　observed　that　the　Countess
was　in　tears。

Following　her　came　presently　the　diligent　Jacques；　bearing　a　tray
laden　with　food　and　wine。　　Madame　poured　for　her　guest；　and　he
drank　a　long　draught　of　the　Burgundy；　then　begged；　holding　forth
his　grimy　hands；　that　he　might　mend　his　appearance　before　sitting
down　to　eat。

He　was　led　away　and　valeted　by　Jacques；　and　when　he　returned　he　had
removed　from　his　person　the　last　vestige　of　the　rough　handling　he
had　received。　　He　looked　almost　his　normal　self；　the　disorder　in
his　attire　repaired；　calm　and　dignified　and　courtly　in　his　bearing；
but　very　pale　and　haggard　of　face；　seeming　suddenly　to　have
increased　in　years；　to　have　reached　in　appearance　the　age　that　was
in　fact　his　own。

As　he　ate　and　drank　…　and　this　with　appetite；　for　as　he　told　them
he　had　not　tasted　food　since　early　morning　…　he　entered　into　the
details　of　the　dreadful　events　of　the　day；　and　gave　them　the
particulars　of　his　own　escape　from　the　Tuileries　when　all　was　seen
to　be　lost　and　when　the　Swiss；　having　burnt　their　last　cartridge；
were　submitting　to　wholesale　massacre　at　the　hands　of　the
indescribably　furious　mob。

〃Oh；　it　was　all　most　ill　done；〃　he　ended　critically。　　〃We　were　timid
when　we　should　have　been　resolute；　and　resolute　at　last　when　it　was
too　late。　　That　is　the　history　of　our　side　from　the　beginning　of
this　accursed　struggle。　　We　have　lacked　proper　leadership　throughout；
and　now　…　as　I　have　said　already　…　there　is　an　end　to　us。　　It　but
remains　to　escape；　as　soon　as　we　can　discover　how　the　thing　is　to
be　accomplished。〃

Madame　told　him　of　the　hopes　that　she　had　centred　upon　Rougane。

It　lifted　him　out　of　his　gloom。　He　was　disposed　to　be　optimistic。

〃You　are　wrong　to　have　abandoned　that　hope；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃If
this　mayor　is　so　well　disposed；　he　certainly　can　do　as　his　son
promised。　　But　last　night　it　would　have　been　too　late　for　him　to
have　reached　you；　and　to…day；　assuming　that　he　had　come　to　Paris；
almost　impossible　for　him　to　win　across　the　streets　from　the　other
side。　　It　is　most　likely　that　he　will　yet　come。　　I　pray　that　he　may；
for　the　knowledge　that　you　and　Mlle。　de　Kercadiou　are　out　of　this
would　comfort　me　above　all。〃

〃We　should　take　you　with　us；〃　said　madame。

〃Ah！　　But　how？〃

〃Young　Rougane　was　to　bring　me　permits　for　three　persons　…　Aline；
myself；　and　my　footman；　Jacques。　　You　would　take　the　place　of　Jacques。〃

〃Faith；　to　get　out　of　Paris；　madame；　there　is　no　man　whose　place　I
would　not　take。〃　　And　he　laughed。

Their　spirits　rose　with　his　and　their　flagging　hopes　revived。　　But
as　dusk　descended　again　upon　the　city；　without　any　sign　of　the
deliverer　they　awaited；　those　hopes　began　to　ebb　once　more。

M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　at　last　pleaded　weariness；　and　begged　to　be
permitted　to　withdraw　that　he　might　endeavour　to　take　some　rest
against　whatever　might　have　to　be　faced　in　the　immediate　future。
When　he　had　gone；　madame　persuaded　Aline　to　go　and　lie　down。

〃I　will　call　you；　my　dear；　the　moment　he　arrives；〃　she　said；
bravely　maintaining　that　pretence　of　a　confidence　that　had　by　now
entirely　evaporated。

Aline　kissed　her　affectionately；　and　departed；　outwardly　so　calm
and　unperturbed　as　to　leave　the　Countess　wondering　whether　she
realized　the　peril　by　which　they　were　surrounded；　a　peril
infinitely　increased　by　the　presence　in　that　house　of　a　man　so
widely　known　and　detested　as　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　a　man　who　was
probably　being　sought　for　by　his　enemies　at　this　moment。

Left　alone；　madame　lay　down　on　a　couch　in　the　salon　itself；　to　be
ready　for　any　emergency。　　It　was　a　hot　summer　night；　and　the　glass
doors　opening　upon　the　luxuriant　garden　stood　wide　to　admit　the
air。　　On　that　air　came　intermittently　from　the　distance　sounds　of
the　continuing　horrible　activities　of　the　populace；　the　aftermath
of　that　bloody　day。

Mme。　de　Plougastel　lay　there；　listening　to　those　sounds　for　upwards
of　an　hour；　thanking　Heaven　that　for　the　present　at　least　the
disturbances　were　distant；　dreading　lest　at　any　moment　they　should
occur　nearer　at　hand；　lest　this　Bondy　section　in　which　her　hotel
was　situated　should　become　the　scene　of　horrors　similar　to　those
whose　echoes　reached　her　ears　from　other　sections　away　to　the　south
and　west。

The　couch　occupied　by　the　Countess　lay　in　shadow；　for　all　the　lights
in　that　long　salon　had　been　extinguished　with　the　exception　of　a
cluster　of　candles　in　a　massive　silver　candle　branch　placed　on　a
round　marquetry　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room　…　an　island　of　light
in　the　surrounding　gloom。

The　timepiece　on　the　overmantel　chimed　melodiously　the　hour　of　ten；
and　then；　startling　in　the　suddenness　with　which　it　broke　the
immediate　silence；　another　sound　vibrated　through　the　house；　and
brought　madame　to　her　feet；　in　a　breathless　mingling　of　hope　and
dread。　　Some　one　was　knocking　sharply　on　the　door　below。　　Followed
moments　of　agonized　suspense；　culminating　in　the　abrupt　invasion　of
the　room　by　the　footman　Jacques。　　He　looked　round；　not　seeing　his
mistress　at　first。

〃Madame！　　　Madame！〃　he　panted；　out　of　breath。

〃What　is　it；　Jacques！〃　　Her　voice　was　steady　now　that　the　need　for
self…control　seemed　thrust　upon　her。　　She　advanced　from　the　shadows
into　that　island　of　light　about　the　table。　　〃There　is　a　man　below。
He　is　asking。。。　he　is　demanding　to　see　you　at　once。〃

〃A　man？〃　she　questioned。

〃He。。。　he　seems　to　be　an　official；　at　least　he　wears　the　sash　of
office。　　And　he　refuses　to　give　any　name；　he　says　tha