the trampling of the lilies-第11章

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woman　into　Mademoiselle's　ear。　　With　what　alacrity　he　flies　to　arms
that　he　may　defend　you；　even　with　his　life。〃

〃M。　d'Ombreval　is　behaving　according　to　his　lights；〃　answered　Suzanne
coldly。

〃Ma　foi；　then　his　lights　are　unspeakably　dim；〃　was　the　contemptuous
answer。

Mademoiselle　gave　no　outward　sign　of　the　deep　wound　her　pride　was
receiving。　　The　girl　of　nineteen；　who　had　scorned　the　young
secretary…lover　in　the　park　of　Bellecour　that　morning　four　years　ago；
was　developed　into　a　handsome　lady　of　three…and…twenty。

〃It　would　be　beneath　the　dignity　of　his　station　to　soil　his　hands
in　such　a　conflict　as　my　father　has　suggested；〃　she　said　at　last。

〃I　wonder　would　it　be　beneath　the　dignity　of　his　courage；〃　mused　the
same　caustic　friend。　　〃But　surely　not；　for　nothing　could　be　beneath
that。〃

〃Madame！〃　exclaimed　Suzanne；　her　cheeks　reddening；　for　as　of　old；
and　like　her　father；　she　was　quickly　moved　to　anger。　　〃Will　it　please
you　to　remember　that　M。　d'Ombreval　is　my　affianced　husband？〃

〃True；〃　confessed　the　lady；　no　whit　abashed。　　〃But　had　I　not　been
told　so　I　had　accounted　him　your　rejected　suitor；　who；
broken…hearted；　gives　no　thought　either　to　his　own　life　or　to　yours。〃

In　a　pet；　Mademoiselle　gave　her　shoulder　to　the　speaker　and　turned
away。　　In　spite　of　the　words　with　which　she　had　defended　him；　Suzanne
was　disappointed　in　her　betrothed；　and　yet；　in　a　way；　she　understood
his　bearing　to　be　the　natural　fruit　of　that　indomitable　pride　of
which　she　had　observed　the　outward　signs；　and　for　which；　indeed　as
much　as　for　the　beauty　of　his　person；　she　had　consented　to　become　his
wife。　　After　all；　it　was　the　outward　man　she　knew。　　The　marriage　had
been　arranged；　and　this　was　but　their　third　meeting；　whilst　never　for
an　instant　had　they　been　alone　together。　　By　her　mother　she　had　been
educated　up　to　the　idea　that　it　was　eminently　desirable　she　should
become　the　Vicomtesse　d'Ombreval。　　At　first　she　had　endured　dismay　at
the　fact　that　she　had　never　beheld　the　Vicomte；　and　because　she
imagined　that　he　would　be；　most　probably；　some　elderly　roue；　as　did
so　often　fall　to　the　lot　of　maidens　in　her　station。　　But　upon　finding
him　so　very　handsome　to　behold；　so　very　noble　of　bearing；　so　lofty
and　disdainful　that　as　he　walked　he　seemed　to　spurn　the　very　earth；
she　fell　enamoured　of　him　out　of　very　relief；　as　well　as　because　he
was　the　most　superb　specimen　of　the　other　sex　that　it　had　ever　been
hers　to　observe。

And　now　that　she　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　soul　that　dwelt　beneath
that　mass　of　outward　perfections　it　had　cost　her　a　pang　of
disappointment；　and　the　poisonous　reflection　cast　upon　his　courage
by　that　sardonic　lady　with　whom　she　had　talked　was　having　its　effect。

But　the　time　was　too　full　of　other　trouble　to　permit　her　to　indulge
her　thoughts　overlong　upon　such　a　matter。　　A　volley　of　musketry　from
below　came　to　warn　them　of　the　happenings　there。　　The　air　was　charged
with　the　hideous　howls　of　the　besieging　mob；　and　presently　there　was
a　cry　from　one　of　the　ladies；　as　a　sudden　glare　of　light　crimsoned
the　window…panes。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Madame　de　Bellecour　of　her　husband。

〃They　have　fired　the　stables；〃　he　answered；　through　set　teeth。　　〃I
suppose　they　need　light　to　guide　them　in　their　hell's　work。〃

He　strode　to　the　glass　doors　opening　to　the　balcony　the　same　balcony
from　which　four　years　ago　his　guests　had　watched　the　flogging　of　La
Boulaye　…　and；　opening　them；　he　passed　out。　　His　appearance　was
greeted　by　a　storm　of　execration。　　A　sudden　shot　rang　out；　and　the
bullet；　striking　the　wall　immediately　above　him；　brought　down　a
shower　of　plaster　on　his　head。　　It　had　been　fired　by　a　demoniac　who　sat　astride　the　great　gates
waving　his　discharged　carbine　and　yelling　such　ordures　of　speech　as　it　had　never　been　the　most
noble　Marquis's　lot　to　have　stood　listening　to。　　Bellecour　never　flinched。　　As　calmly　as　if　nothing
had　happened；　he　leant　over　the　parapet　and　called　to　his　men　below

〃Hold；　there！　　Of　what　are　you　dreaming　slumberers。　　Shoot　me　that
fellow　down。〃

Their　guns　had　been　discharged；　but　one　of　them；　who　had　now　completed
his　reloading；　levelled　the　carbine　and　fired。　　The　figure　on　the
gates　seemed　to　leap　up　from　his　sitting　posture；　and　then　with　a
scream　he　went　over；　back　to　his　friends　without。

The　fired　stables　were　burning　gaily　by　now；　and　the　cheeriest
bonfire　man　could　have　desired　on　a　dark　night；　and　in　the　courtyard
it　was　become　as　light　as　day。

The　Marquis　on　the　balcony　was　taking　stock　of　his　defences　and
making　rapid　calculations　in　his　mind。　　He　saw　no　reason　why；　so
well　protected　by　those　stout　oaken　gates　they　should　not　…　if　they
were　but　resolute　…　eventually　beat　back　the　mob。　　And　then；　even　as
his　courage　was　rising　at　the　thought；　a　deafening　explosion　seemed
to　shake　the　entire　Chateau；　and　the　gates　…　their　sole　buckler；
upon　whose　shelter　he　had　been　so　confidently　building　…　crashed　open；
half　blown　away　by　the　gunpowder　keg　that　had　been　fired　against　it。

He　had　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　a　stream　of　black　fiends　pouring　through
the　dark　gap　and　dashing　with　deafening　yells　into　the　crimson　light
of　the　courtyard。　　He　saw　his　little　handful　of　servants　retreat
precipitately　within　the　Chateau。　　He　heard　the　clang　of　the　doors
that　were　swung　to　just　as　the　foremost　of　the　rabble　reached　the
threshold　…　　With　all　this　clearly　stamped　upon　his　mind；　he　turned；
and　springing　into　the　salon　he　drew　his　sword。

〃To　the　stairs；　Messieurs！〃　he　cried　〃To　the　stairs！〃

And　to　the　stairs　they　went。　　The　extremity　was　now　too　great　for
argument。　　They　dared　not　so　much　as　look　at　their　women…folk；　lest
they　should　be　unmanned　by　the　sight　of　those　huddled　creatures　…
their　finery　but　serving　to　render　them　the　more　pitiable　in　their
sickly　affright。　　In　a　body　the　whole　thirty　of　them　swept　from　the
room；　and　with　Bellecour　at　their　head　and　Ombreval　somewhere　in　the
rearmost　rank；　they　made　their　way　to　the　great　staircase。

Here；　armed　with　their　swords　and　a　brace　of　pistols　to　each　man；
whilst　for　a　few　the　Marquis　had　even　found　carbines；　they　waited；
with　faces　set　and　lips　tight　pressed　for　the　end　that　they　knew
approached。

Nor　was　their　waiting　long。　　As　the　peasants　had　blown　down　the
gates　so　now　did　they　blow　down　the　doors　of　the　Chateau；　and　in　the
explosion　three　of　Bellecour's　servants　…　who　had　stood　too　near　…
were　killed。　　Over　the　threshold　they　swarmed　into　the　dark　gulf　of
the　great　hall　to　the　foot　of　the　staircase。　　But　here　they　were　at
a　disadvantage。　　The　light　of　the　burning　stables；　shining　through
the　open　doorway；　revealed　them　to　the　defenders；　whilst　they
themselves　looked　up　into　the　dark。　　There　was　a　sudden　cracking　of
pistols　and　a　few　louder　reports　from　the　guns；　and　the　mob　fled；
screaming；　back　into　the　yard；　leaving　a　score　of　dead　and　wounded
on　the　polished　floor　of　the　hall。

Old　M。　des　Cadoux　laughed　in　the　dark；　as　with　his　sword　hanging
rom　his　wrist　he　tapped　his　snuff…box。

〃Ma　foi；〃　said　he　to　his　neighbour；　〃they　are　discovering　that　it　is
not　to　be　the　triumphal　march　they　had　expected。　　A　pinch　of　rappee；
Stanislas？〃

But　the　respite　was　brief。　　In　a　moment　they　saw　the　glare　increase
at　the　door；　and　presently　a　half…dozen　of　the　rabble　entered　with
torches；　followed　by　some　scores　of　their　comrades。　　They　paused　at
sight　of　that　company　ranged　upon　the　stairs；　as　well　they　might；
for　a　more　incongruous　sight　could　scarcely　be　imagined。　　Across　the
bodies　of　the　slain；　and　revealed　by　the　lifting　powder　smoke；　stood
that　little　band　of　thirty　men；　a　blaze　of　gay　colours；　a　sheen　of
silken　hose；　their　wigs　curled　and　powdered；　their　costly　ruffles
scintillant　with　jewels；　calm；　and　supercilious；　mocking　to　a　man。
There　was　a　momentary　gasp　of　awe；　and　then　the　spell　was　broken　by
the　aristocrats　themselves。　　A　pistol　spoke；　and　a　volley　followed。
In　the　hall　some　stumbled　forward；　some　hurtled　backward；　and　some
sank　down　in　nerveless　heaps。　　But　those　that　remained　did　not　again
retreat。　　Reinforced　by　others；　that　crowded　in　behind；　they　charged
boldly　up　the　stairs；　headed　by　a　ragged；　red　capped　giant　named