the trampling of the lilies-第14章

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change　almost　as　great　as　that　which　she　had　found　in　him。　　The
lighthearted；　laughing　girl　of　nineteen；　who　had　scorned　his
proffered　love　when　he　had　wooed　her　that　April　morning　to　such
disastrous　purpose；　was　now　ripened　into　a　stately　woman　of
three…and…twenty。　　He　had　thought　his　boyish　passion　dead　and　buried；
and　often　in　the　years　that　were　gone　had　he　smiled　softly　to
himself　at　the　memory　of　his　ardour；　as　we　smile　at　the　memory　of
our　youthful　follies。　　Yet　now；　upon　beholding　her　again；　so
wondrously　transformed；　so　tall　and　straight；　and　so　superbly
beautiful；　he　experienced　an　odd　thrill　and　a　weakening　of　the
stern　purpose　that　had　brought　him　to　Bellecour。

Then　his　glance　moved　on。　　A　moment　it　rested　on　the　supercilious；
high…bred　countenance　of　the　Vicomte　d'Ombreval；　standing　with　so
proprietary　an　air　beside　her；　then　it　passed　to　the　kindly　old
face　of　Des　Cadoux；　and　he　recalled　how　this　gentleman　had　sought
to　stay　the　flogging　of　him。　　An　instant　it　hovered　on　the　Marquis；
who　…　haggard　of　face　and　with　his　arm　in　a　sling　…　was　observing
him　with　an　expression　in　which　scorn　and　wonder　were　striving　for
the　mastery；　it　seemed　to　shun　the　gaze　of　the　pale…faced　Vicomte；
whose　tutor　he　had　been　in　the　old　days　of　his　secretaryship；　and
full　and　stern　it　returned　at　last　to　settle　upon　the　Marquis。

〃Citizen　Bellecour；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice；　like　his　face；　seemed
to　have　changed　since　last　the　Marquis　had　heard　it；　and　to　have
grown　more　deep　and　metallic；　〃you　may　marvel；　now　that　you　behold
the　Commissioner　who　sent　a　company　of　soldiers　to　rescue　you　and
your　Chateau　from　the　hands　of　the　mob　last　night；　what　purpose　I
sought　to　serve　by　extending　to　you　a　protection　which　none　of　your
order　merits；　and　you　least　of　any；　in　my　eyes。〃

〃The　times　may　have　wrought　sad　and　overwhelming　changes；〃　answered
the　Marquis；　with　cold　contempt；　〃but　it　has　not　yet　so　utterly
abased　us　that　we　bring　ourselves　to　speculate　upon　the　purposes
of　the　rabble。〃

A　faint　crimson　flush　crept　into　Caron's　sallow　cheeks。

〃Indeed；　I　see　how　little　you　have　changed！〃　he　answered　bitterly。
〃You　are　of　those　that　will　not　learn；　Citizen。　　The　fault　lies
here；〃　he　added；　tapping　his　head；　〃and　it　will　remain　until　we
remove　the　ones　with　the　other。　　But　now　for　the　business　that　brings
me；〃　he　proceeded；　more　briskly。　　〃Four　years　ago；　Citizen　Bellecour；
you　laid　your　whip　across　my　face　in　the　woods　out　yonder；　and　when
I　spoke　of　seeking　satisfaction　action　you　threatened　me　with　your
grooms。　　I　will　not　speak　of　your　other　brutalities　on　that　same
day。　　I　will　confine　myself　to　that　first　affront。〃

〃Be　brief；　sir；〃cried　the　Marquis　offensively。　　〃Since　you　have　the
force　to　compel　us　to　listen　to　you；　let　me　beg　that　you　will　at
least　display　the　generosity　of　detaining　us　no　longer　than　you
need。〃

〃I　will　be　as　brief　as　it　lies　within　the　possibility　of　words；〃
answered　Caron　coldly。　　〃I　am　come；　Citizen　Bellecour；　to　demand　of
you　to…day　the　satisfaction　which　four　years　ago　you　refused　me。〃

〃Of　me？〃　cried　the　Marquis。

〃Through　the　person　of　your　son；　the　Vicomte；　as　I　asked　for　it　four
years　ago；〃said　Caron。　　〃You　are　am　old　man；　Citizen；　and　I　do　not
fight　old　men。〃

〃I　am　yet　young　enough　to　cut　you　into　ribbons；　you　dog；　if　I　were
minded　to　dishonour　myself　by　meeting　you。〃　　And　turning　to　Ombreval
for　sympathy；　he　vented　a　low　laugh　of　contemptuous　wonder。

〃Insolence！〃　sneered　Ombreval　sympathetically；　whilst　Mademoiselle
stood　looking　on　with　cheeks　that　were　growing　paler；　for　that　this
event　would　end　badly　for　either　her　father　or　her　brother　she　never
doubted。

〃Citizen　Bellecour；〃said　Caron；　still　very　coldly；　〃you　have　heard
what　I　propose；　as　have　you　also；　Citizen…vicomte。〃

〃For　myself；〃began　the　youth　〃I　am　…　〃

〃Silence；　Armand！〃　his　father　commanded；　laying　a　hand　upon　his
sleeve。　　〃Understand　me；　citizen…deputy；　or　citizen…commissioner；　or
citizen…blackguard　or　whatever　you　call　your　vile　self；　you　are　come
on　a　fruitless　journey　to　Bellecour。　　Neither　I　nor　my　son　is　so
lost　to　the　duty　which　we　owe　our　rank　as　to　so　much　as　dream　of
acceding　to　your　preposterous　request。　　I　think；　sir；　that　you　had
been　better　advised　to　have　left　the　mob　to　its　work　last　night；　if
you　but　restrained　it　for　this　purpose。〃

〃Is　that　your　last　word？〃　asked　La　Boulaye；　still　calmly　weathering
that　storm　of　insults。

〃My　very　last；　sir。〃

〃There　are　more　ways　than　one　of　taking　satisfaction　for　that
affront；　Citizen　Bellecour；〃　rejoined　La　Boulaye；　〃and　if　the　course
which　I　now　pursue　should　prove　more　distasteful　to　you　than　that
which　I　last　suggested；　the　blame　of　it　must　rest　with　you。〃　　He
turned　to　the　bluecoat　at　the　door。　　〃Citizen…soldier；　my　whip。〃

There　was　a　sudden　movement　among　the　aristocrats　…　a　horrified
recoiling　…　and　even　Bellecour　was　shaken　out　of　his　splendid
arrogance。

〃Insolent　cur！〃　exclaimed　Ombreval　with　withering　scorn；　〃to　what
lengths　is　presumption　driving　you？〃

〃To　the　length　of　a　horsewhip；〃answered　La　Boulaye　pleasantly。

He　received　the　whip　from　the　hands　of　the　soldier　and　he　now
advanced　towards　Bellecour；　unwinding　the　lash　as　he　came。
Ombreval　barred　his　way　with　an　oath。

〃By　Heaven：　you　shall　not！〃　he　cried。

〃Shall　not？〃　echoed　La　Boulaye；　his　lips　curling。　　〃You　had　best
stand　aside　…　you　that　are　steeped　in　musk　and　fierceness。〃　　And
before　the　stern　and　threatening　contempt　of　La　Boulaye's　glance
the　young　nobleman　fell　back。　　But　his　place　was　taken　by　the
Vicomte　de　Bellecour；　who　advanced　to　confront　Caron。

〃Monsieur　la　Boulaye；〃he　announced；　〃I　am　ready　and　willing　to　meet
you。〃　　And　considering　the　grim　alternative　with　which　the
Republicans　had　threatened　him；　the　old　Marquis　had　not　the　courage
to　interfere　again。

〃Ah！〃　　It　was　an　exclamation　of　satisfaction　from　the　Commissioner。
〃I　imagined　that　you　would　change　your　minds。　　I　shall　await　you；
Citizen；　in　the　garden　in　five　minutes'　time。〃

〃I　shall　not　keep　you　waiting；　Monsieur；〃　was　the　Vicomte's　answer。

Very　formally　La　Boulaye　bowed　and　left　the　room　accompanied　by　the
officer　and　followed　by　the　soldier。

〃Mon　Dieu！〃　gasped　the　Marquise；　fanning　herself　as　the　door　closed
after　the　Republicans。　　〃Open　me　a　window　or　I　shall　stifle！　　How
the　place　reeks　with　them。　　I　am　a　calm　woman；　Messieurs；　but；　on
my　honour；　had　he　addressed　any　of　you　by　his　odious　title　of
'citizen'　again；　I　swear　that　I　had　struck　him　with　my　own　hands。〃

There　were　some　that　laughed。　　But　Mademoiselle　was　not　of　those。

Her　eyes　travelled　to　her　brother's　pale　face　and　weakly　frame；　and
her　glance　was　such　a　glance　as　we　bend　upon　the　beloved　dead；　for
in　him　she　saw　one　who　was　going　inevitably　to　his　death。




CHAPTER　VII

LA　BOULAYE　DISCHARGES　A　DEBT


Along　the　northern　side　of　the　Chateau　ran　a　terrace　bordered　by　a
red　sandstone　balustrade；　and　below　this　the　Italian　garden；　so
called　perhaps　in　consequence　of　the　oddly　clipped　box…trees；　its
only　feature　that　suggested　Italy。　　At　the　far　end　of　this　garden
there　was　a　strip　of　even　turf　that　might　have　been　designed　for　a
fencing　ground；　and　which　Caron　knew　of　old。　　Thither　he　led
Captain　Juste；　and　there　in　the　pale　sunshine　of　that　February
morning　they　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　Vicomte　and　his　sponsor。

But　the　minutes　went　by　and　still　they　waited…five；　ten；　fifteen
minutes　elapsed；　yet　no　one　came。　　Juste　was　on　the　point　of
returning　within　to　seek　the　reason　of　this　delay　when　steps
sounded　on　the　terrace　above。　　But　they　were　accompanied　by　the
rustle　of　a　gown；　and　presently　it　was　Mademoiselle　who　appeared
before　them。　　The　two　men　eyed　her　with　astonishment；　which　in　the
case　of　La　Boulaye；　was　tempered　by　another　feeling。

〃Monsieur　la　Boulaye；〃　said　she；　her　glance　wandering　towards　the
Captain；　〃may　I　speak　with　you　alone？〃

Outwardly　impassive　the　Commissioner　bowed。

〃Your　servant；　Citoyenne；〃　said　he；　removing　his　cocked　hat。
〃Juste；　will　you　give　us　leave？〃

〃You　will　find　me　on　the　terrace　when　you　want　me；　Citizen…deputy；〃
answered　the　officer；　and　saluting；　he　departed。

Fo