the trampling of the lilies-第19章

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present；　and　I　neglect　no　opportunity　of　discharging　a　part　of　it。
But　enough　of　that；　Caron。　　Tell　me　of　yourself。　　It　is　a　full
twelvemonth　since　last　we　met；　and　in　that　time；　from　what　I　have
heard；　you　have　done　much　and　gone　far。　　Tell　me　of　it；　Caron。〃

They　drew　their　chairs　to　the　hearth；　and　they　sat　talking　so　long
that　the　early　February　twilight　came　down　upon　them　while　they
were　still　at　their　reminiscences。　　La　Boulaye　had　intended　reaching
Valenciennes　that　night；　but　rather　than　journey　forward　in　the
dark　he　now　proposed　to　lie　at　Boisvert；　a　resolution　in　which　he
did　not　lack　for　encouragement　from　Charlot。




CHAPTER　IX

THE　CAPTIVES


Amid　the　sordid　surroundings　of　Charlot's　private　quarters　the
Captain　and　the　Deputy　supped　that　evening。　　The　supper　sorted　well
with　the　house　…　a　greasy；　ill…cooked　meal　that　proved　little
inviting　to　the　somewhat　fastidious　La　Boulaye。　　But　the　wine；
plundered；　no　doubt；　in　common　with　the　goblets　out　of　which　they
drank　it　…　was　more　than　good；　and　whilst　La　Boulaye　showed　his
appreciation　of　it；　Charlot　abused　it　like　a　soldier。　　They　sat
facing　each　other　across　the　little　deal　table；　whose　stains　were
now　hidden　by　a　cloth；　and　to　light　them　they　had　four　tapers　set
in　silver　candlesticks　of　magnificent　workmanship；　and　most
wondrous　weight；　which　Tardivet　informed　his　guest　had　been　the
property　of　a　ci…devant　prince　of　the　blood。

As　the　night　wore　on　Captain　Charlot　grew　boisterous　and　more
confidential。　　He　came　at　length　to　speak　of　the　last　capture　they
had　made。

〃I　have　taken　prizes；　Caron；〃said　he；　〃which　a　king　might　not
despise。　　But　to…day　…　〃　　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　ceiling　and
wagged　his　head。

〃Well？〃　quoth　La　Boulaye。　　〃What　about　to…day？〃

〃I　have　made　a　capture　worth　more　than　all　the　others　put　together。
It　was　an　indifferent…looking　berline；　and　my　men　were　within　an
ace　of　allowing　it　to　pass。　　But　I　have　a　nose；　mon　cher〃　…　and　he
tapped　the　organ　with　ludicrous　significance　…　〃and；　bon　Dieu；　what
affair！　　I　can　smell　an　aristocrat　a　league　off。　　Down　upon　that
coach　I　swooped　like　a　hawk　upon　a　sparrow。　　Within　it　sat　two　women；
thickly　veiled；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that　in　a　sense　I　pitied　them；
for　not　a　doubt　of　it；　but　they　were　in　the　act　of　congratulating
themselves　upon　their　escape　from　France。　　But　sentiment　may　become
fatal　if　permitted　to　interfere　with　enterprise。　　Stifling　my　regrets
I　desired　them　to　alight；　and　they　being　wise　obeyed　me　without　demur。
I　allowed　them　to　retain　their　veils。　　I　sought　the　sight　of　things
other　than　women's　faces；　and　a　brief　survey　of　the　coach　showed　me
where　to　bestow　my　attention。　　I　lifted　the　back　seat。　　It　came　up
like　the　lid　of　the　chest　it　was；　and　beneath　it　I　discovered　enough
gold　and　silver　plate　to　outweigh　in　value　almost　everything　that　I
had　ever　taken。　　But　that　was　by　no　means　all。　　Under　the　front　seat
there　was　a　chest　of　gold　…　louis　d'ors　they　were；　some　two　or　three
thousand　at　least　…　and；　besides　that；　a　little　iron…bound　box　of
gems　which　in　itself　was　worth　more　than　all　the　rest　of　the　contents
of　that　treasure…casket　of　a　coach。　　I　tell　you；　Caron；　I　dropped
the　lid　of　that　seat　in　some　haste；　for　I　was　not　minded　that　my　men
should　become　as　wise　as　I。　　I　stepped　down　and　bade；　the　women
re…enter；　and　hither　under　strong　escort　I　have　brought　them。〃

〃And　these　treasures？〃　asked　La　Boulaye。

〃They　are　still　in　the　coach　below；　with　the　women。　　I　have　told
these　that　they　shall　spend　the　night　there。　　To…morrow　I　shall　see
to　them　and　give　them　their　liberty　…　which　is　a　more　generous
proceeding　than　might　befall　them　at　the　hands　of　another。　　When
they　are　gone　comes　the　division　of　the　spoil。〃　　He　closed　one　eye
slowly；　in　a　very　ponderous　wink。　　〃To　my　men　I　shall　relegate　the
gold　and　silver　plate　as　well　as　the　money。　　For　myself　I　shall
only　retain　the　little　iron…bound　box。　　My　followers　will　account
me　more　than　generous　and　themselves　more　than　satisfied。　　As　for
me；　La　Boulaye　…　by　St。　Guillotine；　I　am　tempted　to　emigrate　also　and
set　up　as　an　aristocrat　myself　in　Prussia　or　England；　for　in　that
little　box　there　is　something　more　than　a　fortune。　　I　asked　you
to…day　whether　you　were　minded　to　lay　information　against　me　in
Paris。　　My　faith；　I　am　little　concerned　whether　you　do　or　not；　for
I　think　that　before　you　can　reach　Paris；　Captain　Charlot　Tardivet
will　be　no　more　than　a　name　in　the　Republican　army。　　Abroad　I
shall　call　myself　Charlot　du　Tardivet；　and　I　shall　sleep　in　fine
linen　and　live　on　truffles　and　champagne。　　Caron；　your　health！〃

He　drained　his　glass；　and　laughed　softly　to　himself　as　he　set　it
down。

〃Do　you　trust　your　men？〃　asked　La　Boulaye。

〃Eh？　　Trust　them？　　Name　of　a　name！　They　know　me。　　I　have　placed　the
ten　most　faithful　ones　on　guard。　　They　answer　to　the　rest　of　us
with　their　necks　for　the　safety　of　their　charge。　　Come　hither；
Caron。〃

He　rose　somewhat　unsteadily；　and　lurched　across　to　the　window。　　La
Boulaye　followed　him；　and　gazing　out　under　his　indication；　he
beheld　the　coach　by　the　blaze　of　a　fire　which　the　men　had　lighted
to　keep　them　from　freezing　at　their　post。

〃Does　that　look　secure？〃

〃Why；　yes　…　secure　enough。　　But　if　those　fellows　were　to　take　it
into　their　heads　that　it　would　be　more　profitable　to　share　the　prize
among　ten　than　among　sixty？〃

〃Secreanom！！〃　swore　Charlot　impatiently。　　〃You　do　my　wits　poor
credit。　　For　what　do　you　take　me？　　Have　I　gone　through　so　much；　think
you；　without　learning　how　little　men　are　to　be　trusted？　　　Faugh！
Look　at　the　porte…cochere。　　The　gates　are　closed　…　aye；　and　locked；
mon　cher；　and　the　keys　are　here；　in　my　pocket。　　Do　you　imagine　they
are　to　be　broken　through　without　arousing　anyone？　　　And　then；　the
horses。　　They　are　in　the　stables　over　there；　and　again；　the　keys　are
in　my　pocket。　　So　that；　you　see；　I　do　not　leave　everything　to　the
honesty　of　my　ten　most　faithful　ones。〃

〃You　have　learned　wisdom；　not　a　doubt　of　it；〃　laughed　the　Deputy。

〃In　a　hard　school；　Caron；〃answered　the　Captain　soberly。　　〃Aye；　name
of　a　name；　in　a　monstrous　hard　school。〃

He　turned　from　the　window；　and　the　light　of　the　tapers　falling　on
his　face；　showed　it　heavily　scored　with　lines　of　pain；　testifying　to
the　ugly　memories　which　the　Deputy's　light　words　had　evoked。　　Then
suddenly　he　laughed；　half…bitterly；　half　humourously。

〃La；　la！〃　said　he。　　〃The　thing's　past。　　Charlot　Tardivet　the
bridegroom　of　Bellecour　and　Captain　Charlot　of　Dumouriez'　army　are
different　men…very　different。〃

He　strode　back　to　the　table；　filled　his　goblet；　and　gulped　down　the
wine。　　Then　he　crossed　to　the　fire　and　stood　with　his　back　to　La
Boulaye　for　a　spell。　　When　next　he　faced　his　companion　all　signs　of
emotion　had　cleared　from　his　countenance。　　It　was　again　the　callous；
reckless　face　of　Captain　Charlot；　rendered　a　trifle　more　reckless
and　a　trifle　more　callous　by　the　wine…flush　on　his　cheeks　and　the
wine…glitter　in　his　eye。

〃Caron〃　said　he；　with　a　half…smile；　〃shall　we　have　these　ladies　in
to　supper？〃

〃God　forbid！　〃ejaculated　La　Boulaye。

〃Nay；　but　I　will；〃the　other　insisted；　and　he　moved　across　to　the
window。

As　he　passed　him；　La　Boulaye　laid　a　detaining　hand　upon　his　arm。

〃Not　that；　Charlot；〃　he　begged　impressively；　his　dark　face　very　set。
〃Plunder　them；　turn　them　destitute　upon　the　world；　if　you　will；　but
remember；　at　least；　that　they　are　women。〃

Charlot　laughed　in　his　face。

〃It　is　something　to　remember；　is　it　not？　　　They　remembered　it　of
our　women；　these　aristocrats！〃

There　was　so　much　ugly　truth　in　the　Captain's　words；　and　such　a
suggestion　of　just；　if　bitter；　retribution　in　his　mental　attitude；
that　La　Boulaye　released　his　arm；　at　a　loss　for　further　arguments
wherewith　to　curb　him。

〃Paydi！〃　Charlot　continued；　〃I　have　a　mind　for　a　frolic。　　Does　not
justice　give　me　the　right　to　claim　that　these　aristocrats　shall
amuse　me？〃

With　an　oath　he　turned　abruptly；　and　pulled　the　casement　open。

〃Guyot！〃　he　called；　and　a　voice　from　below　made　answer　to　him。

〃You　will　make　my　compliments　to　the　citoyennes　in　the　coach；　Guyot；
and　tell　them　that　the　Citizen…captain　Tardivet