the trampling of the lilies-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

For　a　moment　or　two　after　he　was　gone　Suzanne　and　Caron　stood
confronting　each　other　in　silence。　　She　seemed　smitten　with　a　sudden
awkwardness；　and　she　looked　away　from　him　what　time　he　waited；　hat
in　hand；　the　chill　morning　breeze　faintly　stirring　a　loose　strand
of　his　black　hair。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　faltered　at　last；　〃I　am　come　to　intercede。〃

At　that　a　faint　smile　hovered　a　second　on　the　Republican's　thin　lips。

〃And　is　the　noblesse　of　France　fallen　so　low　that　it　sends　its　women
to　intercede　for　the　lives　of　its　men？　　　But；　perhaps；〃　he　added
cynically；　〃it　had　not　far　to　fall。〃

Her　cheeks　reddened。　　His　insult　to　her　class　acted　upon　her　as　a
spur　and　overcame　the　irresoluteness　that　seemed　to　have　beset　her。

〃To　insult　the　fallen；　sir；　is　worthy　of　the　new　regime；　whose
representative　you　are；　Enfine！　　We　must　take　it；　I　suppose；　as　we
take　everything　else　in　these　disordered　times　…　with　a　bent　head
and　a　meek　submission。〃

〃From　the　little　that　I　have　seen；　Citoyenne；〃　he　answered；　very
coldly；　roused　in　his　turn；　〃it　rather　seems　that　you　take　things
on　your　knees　and　with　appeals　for　mercy。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　she　cried；　and　her　eyes　now　met　his　in　fearless　anger；
〃if　you　persist　in　these　gratuitous　insults　I　shall　leave　you。〃

He　laughed　in　rude　amusement；　and　put　on　his　hat。　　The　spell　that
for　a　moment　her　beauty　had　cast　over　him　when　first　she　had
appeared　had　been　attenuating。　　It　now　broke　suddenly；　and　as　he
covered　himself　his　whole　manner　changed。

〃Is　this　interview　of　my　seeking？〃　he　asked。　　〃It　is　your　brother
I　am　awaiting。　　Name　of　a　name；　Citoyenne；　do　you　think　my　patience
inexhaustible？　　The　ci…devant　Vicomte　promised　to　attend　me　here。
It　was　the　boast　of　your　order　that　whatever　sins　you　might　be
guilty　of　you　never　broke　your　word。　　Have　you　lost　even　that　virtue；
which　served　you　as　a　cloak　for　untold　vices？　　　And　is　your　brother
fled　into　the　woods　whilst　you；　his　sister；　come　here　to　intercede
with　me　for　his　wretched　life？　　　Pah！　　In　the　old　days　you　aroused
my　hatred　by　your　tyrannies　and　your　injustices；　to…day　you　weary
and　disgust　me　by　your　ineffable　cowardices；　from　that　gentleman　in
Paris　who　now　calls　himself　Orleans…Egalite　downwards。〃

〃Monsieur；〃she　began　But　he　was　not　yet　done。　　His　cheeks　were
flushed　with　a　reflection　of　the　heart　within。

〃Citoyenne；　I　have　a　debt　to　discharge；　and　I　will　discharge　it　in
full。　　Intercessions　are　vain　with　me。　　I　cannot　forget。　　Send　me
your　brother　within　ten　minutes　to　meet　me　here；　man　to　man；　and　he
shall　have　…　all　of　you　shall　have　…　the　chance　that　lies　in　such
an　encounter。　　But　woe　unto　every　man　at　Bellecour　if　he　should
fail　me。　　Citoyenne；　you　know　my　mind。〃

But　she　overlooked　the　note　of　dismissal　in　his　voice。

〃You　speak　of　a　debt　that　you　must　discharge；〃　said　she；　with　no
whit　less　heat　than　he　had　exhibited。　　〃You　refer　to　the　debt　of
vengeance　which　you　look　to　discharge　by　murdering　that　boy；　my
brother。　　But　do　you　not　owe　me　a　debt　also？〃

〃You？〃　he　questioned。　　〃My　faith！　　Unless　it　be　a　debt　of　scorn；
I　know　of　none。〃

〃Aye；〃　she　returned　wistfully；　〃you　are　like　the　rest。　　You　have　a
long　memory　for　injuries；　but　a　short　one　for　benefits。　　Had　it　not
been　for　me；　Monsieur；　you　would　not　be　here　now　to　demand　this
that　you　call　satisfaction。　　Have　you　forgotten　how　I　…　〃

〃No；〃　he　broke　in。　　〃I　well　remember　how　you　sought　to　stay　them
when　they　were　flogging　me　in　the　yard　there。　　But　you　came　too
late。　　You　might　have　come　before；　for　from　the　balcony　above　you
had　been　watching　my　torture。　　But　you　waited　overlong。　　I　was
cast　out　for　dead。〃。

She　flashed　him　a　searching　glance；　as　though　she　sought　to　read
his　thoughts；　and　to　ascertain　whether　he　indeed　believed　what
he　was　saying。

〃Cast　out　for　dead？〃　she　echoed。　　〃And　by　whose　contrivance？　　　By
mine；　M。　la　Boulaye。　　When　they　were　cutting　you　down　they
discovered　that　you　were　not　dead；　and　but　that　I　bribed　the　men
to　keep　it　secret　and　carry　you　to　Duhamel's　house；　they　had
certainly　informed　my　father　and　you　would　have　been　finished　off。〃

His　eyes　opened　wide　now；　and　into　them　there　came　a　troubled　look
　…　the　look　of　one　who　is　endeavouring　to　grasp　an　elusive
recollection。

〃Ma　foi；〃　he　muttered。　　〃It　seems　to　come　to　me　as　if　I　had　heard
something　of　the　sort　in　a　dream。　　It　was　…　〃　　He　paused；　and　his
brows　were　knit　a　moment。　　Then　he　looked　up　suddenly；　and　gradually
his　face　cleared。　　〃Why；　yes　…　I　have　it！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　was
in　Duhamel's　house。　　While　I　was　lying　half　unconscious　on　the　couch
I　heard　one　of　the　men　telling　Duhamel　that　you　had　paid　them　to
carry　me　there　and　to　keep　a　secret。〃

〃And　you　had　forgotten　that？〃　she　asked；　with　the　faintest　note　of
contempt。

〃Not　forgotten；〃he　answered；　〃for　it　was　never　really　there　to　be
remembered。　　That　I　had　heard　such　words　had　more　than　once　occurred
to　me；　but　I　have　always　looked　upon　it　as　the　recollection　of
something　that　I　had　dreamt。　　I　had　never　looked　upon　it　as　a　thing
that　had　had　a　real　happening。〃

〃How；　then；　did　you　explain　your　escape？〃

〃I　always　imagined　that　I　had　been　assumed　dead。〃

There　was　a　brief　spell　of　silence。　　Then　…

〃And　now　that　you　know；　Monsieur　…　？〃

She　left　the　question　unfinished；　and　held　out　her　hands　to　him　in
a　gesture　of　supplication。　　His　face　paled　slightly　and　overclouded。
Her　influence；　against　which　so　long　he　had　steeled　himself；
reinforced　by　the　debt　in　which　she　had　shown　him　that　he　stood
towards　her；　was　prevailing　with　him　despite　himself。　　Stirred
suddenly　out　of　the　coldness　that　he　had　hitherto　assumed；　he
caught　the　outstretched　hands　and　drew　her　a　step　nearer。　　That
was　his　undoing。　　Strong　man　though　he　unquestionably　was；　like
many　another　strong　man　his　strength　seemed　to　fall　from　him　at
a　woman's　touch。　　He　had　led　so　austere　and　stern　a　life　during
the　past　four　years；　of　women　he　had　but　had　the　most　passing　of
glances；　and　intercourse　with　none　save　an　old　female　who　acted　as
his　housekeeper　in　Paris。　　And　here　was　a　woman　who　was　not　only
beautiful；　but　the　woman　who　years　ago　had　embodied　all　his
notions　of　what　was　most　perfect　in　womanhood；　the　woman　who　ever
since；　and　despite　all　that　was　past；　had　reigned　in　his　heart
and　mind　almost　in　spite　of　himself；　almost　unknown　to　him。

The　touch　of　her　hand　now；　the　closeness　of　her　presence；　the　faint
perfume　that　reached　him　from　her；　and　that　was　to　him　as　a　symbol
of　her　inherent　sweetness；　the　large　blue　eyes　meeting　his　in
expectation；　and　the　imploring　half…pout　of　her　lips；　were　all
seductions　against　which　he　had　not　been　human　had　he　prevailed。

Very　white　in　the　intensity　of　the　long…quiescent　passion　she　had
resuscitated；　he　cried：

〃Mademoiselle；　what　shall　I　say　to　you？〃

The　four　years　that　were　gone　seemed　suddenly　to　have　slipped　away。
It　was　as　if　they　stood　again　by　the　brook　in　the　park　on　that　April
morn　when　first　he　had　dared　to　word　his　presumptuous　love。　　Even
the　vocabulary　of　the　Republic　was　forgotten；　and　the　interdicted
title　of　〃Mademoiselle〃　fell　naturally　from　his　lips。

〃Say　that　you　can　be　generous；〃she　implored　him　softly。　　〃Say　that
you　prefer　the　debt　you　owe　to　the　injury　you　received。〃

〃You　do　not　know　the　sacrifice　you　ask；〃　he　exclaimed　still　fighting
with　himself。　　〃I　have　waited　four　years　for　this；　and　now　…　〃

〃He　is　my　brother；〃　she　whispered；　in　so　wonderful　a　tone　that　words
which　of　themselves　may　have　seemed　no　argument　at　all　became　the
crowning　argument　of　her　intercession。

〃Soit！〃　he　consented。　　〃For　your　sake；　Mademoiselle；　and　in　payment
of　the　debt　I　owe　you；　I　will　go　as　I　came。　　I　shall　not　see　the
Citizen…marquis　again。　　But　do　you　tell　him　from　me　that　if　he　sets
any　value　on　his　life；　he　had　best　shake　the　dust　of　France　from
his　feet。　　Too　long　already　has　he　tarried；　and　at　any　moment　those
may　arrive　who　will　make　him　emigrate　not　only　out　of　France　but
out　of　the　world　altogether。　　Besides；　the　peasantry　that　has　risen
once　may　rise　ag