the trampling of the lilies-第20章

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〃You　will　make　my　compliments　to　the　citoyennes　in　the　coach；　Guyot；
and　tell　them　that　the　Citizen…captain　Tardivet　requests　the　honour
of　their　company　to　supper。〃

Then　he　went　to　the　door；　and　calling　Dame　Capoulade；　he　bade　her
set　two　fresh　covers；　in　which　he　was　expeditiously　obeyed。　　La
Boulaye　stood　by　the　fire；　his　pale　face　impassive　now　and　almost
indifferent。　　Charlot　returned　to　the　window　to　learn　from　Guyot
that　the　citoyennes　thanked　the　Citizen…captain；　but　that　they　were
tired　and　sought　to　be　excused；　asking　nothing　better　than　to　be
allowed　to　remain　at　peace　in　their　carriage。

〃Sacred　name　of　a　name！〃　he　croaked；　a　trifle　thickly；　for　the　wine
he　had　taken　was　mastering　him　more　and　more。　　〃Are　they　defying　us？
Since　they　will　not　accept　an　invitation；　compel　them　to　obey　a
command。　　Bring　them　up　at　once；　Guyot。〃

〃At　once；　Captain；〃was　the　answer；　and　Guyot　went　about　the　business。

Charlot　closed　the　window　and　approached　the　table。

〃They　are　coquettish　these　scented　dames；〃he　mocked；　as　he　poured
himself　out　some　wine。　　〃You　are　not　drinking　Caron。〃

〃It　is　perhaps　wise　that　one　of　us　should　remain　sober；〃　answered
the　Deputy　quietly；　for　in　spite　of　a　certain　sympathy　with　the
feelings　by　which　Charlot　was　actuated；　he　was　in　dead　antipathy
to　this　baiting　of　women　that　seemed　toward。

Charlot　made　no　answer。　　He　drained　his　goblet　and　set　it　down　with
a　bang。　　Then　he　flung　himself　into　a　chair；　and　stretching　out　his
long；　booted　legs　he　began　to　hum　the　refrain　of　the　〃Marseillaise。〃
Thus　a　few　moments　went　by。　　Then　there　came　a　sound　of　steps　upon
the　creaking　stairs；　and　the　gruff　voice　of　the　soldier　urging　the
ladies　to　ascend　more　speedily。

At　last　the　door　opened　and　two　women　entered；　followed　by　Guyot。
Charlot　lurched　to　his　feet。

〃You　have　come；　Mesdames；〃　said　he；　forgetting　the　mode　of　address
prescribed　by　the　Convention；　and　clumsily　essaying　to　make　a　leg。
〃Be　welcome！　　Guyot；　go　to　the　devil。〃

For　a　moment　or　two　after　the　soldier's　departure　the　women　remained
in　the　shadow；　then；　at　the　Captain's　invitation；　which　they　dared
not　disobey；　they　came　forward　into　the　halo　of　candle…light。
Simultaneously　La　Boulaye　caught　his　breath；　and　took　a　step　forward。
Then　he　drew　back　again　until　his　shoulders　touched　the　overmantel
and　there　he　remained；　staring　at　the　newcomers；　who　as　yet；　did　not
appear　to　have　observed　him。

They　wore　no　headgear；　and　their　scarfs　were　thrown　back　upon　their
shoulders；　revealing　to　the　stricken　gaze　of　La　Boulaye　the
countenances　of　the　Marquise　de　Bellecour　and　her　daughter。

And　now；　as　they　advanced　into　the　light；　Charlot　recognised　them
too。　　In　the　act　of　offering　a　chair　he　stood；　arrested；　his　eyes
devouring　first　one；　then　the　other　of　then；　with　a　glance　that
seemed　to　have　grown　oddly　sobered。　　The　flush　died　from　his　face；
and　his　lips　twitched　like　those　of　a　man　who　seeks　to　control　his
emotions。　　Then　slowly　the　colour　crept　back　into　his　cheeks；　a　curl
of　mockery　appeared　on　the　coarse　mouth；　and　the　eyes　beamed　evilly。

They　tense　silence　was　broken　by　the　bang　with　which　he　dropped　the
chair　he　had　half　raised。　　As　he　leaned　forward　now；　La　Boulaye　read
in　his　face　the　thought　that　had　leapt　into　the　Captain's　mind；　and
had　it　been　a　question　of　any　woman　other　than　Zuzanne　de　Bellecour；
the　Deputy　might　have　indulged　in　the　consideration　of　what　a
wonderful　retribution　was　there　here。　　Into　the　hands　of　the　man
whose　bride　the　Marquis　de　Bellecour　had　torn　from　him　were　now
delivered　by　a　wonderful　chance　the　wife　and　daughter　of　that　same
Bellecour。　　And　at　Boisvert　this　briganding　Captain　was　as　much
to…night　the　lord　of　life　and　death；　and　all　besides；　as　had　been
the　Marquis　of　Bellecour　of　old。　　But　he　pondered　not　these　things；
for　all　that　the　stern　irony　of　the　coincidence　did　not　escape　him。
That　evil　look　in　Charlot's　eyes；　that　sinister　smile　on　Charlot's
lips；　more　than　suggested　what　manner　of　vengeance　the　Captain　would
exact　…　and　that；　for　the　time；　was　matter　enough　to　absorb　the
Deputy's　whole　attention。

And　the　women　did　not　see　him。　　They　were　too　much　engrossed　in　the
figure　fronting　them；　and　agonisedly；　with　cheeks　white　and　bosoms
heaving；　they　waited；　in　their　dread　suspense。　　At　last；　drawing
himself　to　the　full　of　his　stalwart　height；　the　Captain　laughed
grimly　and　spoke。

〃Mesdames；〃　said　he；　his　very　tone　an　insult　in　its　brutal　derision；
〃we　Republicans　have　abolished　God；　and　until　tonight　I　have　held
the　Republic　right；　arguing　that　if　a　God　there　was；　His　leanings
must　be　aristocratic；　since　He　never　seemed　to　concern　Himself　with
the　misfortunes　of　the　lowly…born。　　But　tonight；　mesdames；　I　know
that　the　Republic　is　at　fault。　　There　is　a　God　…　a　God　of　justice　and
retribution；　who　has　delivered　you；　of　all　people　in　the　world；　into
my　hands。　　Look　on　me　well；　Ci…devant　Marquise　de　Bellecour；　and　you；
Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour。　　Look　in　my　face　and　see　if　you　know　me
again。　　Not　you。　　You　never　heeded　me　as　you　rode　by　in　those　proud
days。　　But　heard　you　ever　tell　of　one　Charlot　Tardivet；　a　base　vassal
whose　wife　your　husband；　Madame；　and　your　father；　Mademoiselle；　took
from　him　on　his　bridal　morn？　　　Heard　you　ever　tell　of　that　poor　girl
　…　one　Marie　Tardivet　…　who　died　of　grief　as　a　consequence　of　that
brutality？　　　But　no；　such　matters　were　too　trivial　for　your　notice
if　you　saw　them；　or　for　your　memory　if　you　ever　heard　tell　of　them。
What　was　the　life　of　a　peasant　more　than　that　of　any　other　animal　of
the　land；　that　the　concern　of　it　should　perturb　the　sereneness　of
your　aristocratic　being？　　Mesdames；　that　Charlot　Tardivet　am　I；　that
Marie　Tardivet　was　my　wife。　　I　knew　not　whom　you　were　when　I　bade
you　sup　at　my　table　but　now　that　I　know　it　…　what　do　you　look　for　at
my　hands？〃

It　was　the　Marquise　who　answered　him。　　She　was　deathly　pale；　and　her
words　came　breathlessly：　for　all　that　their　import　was　very　bold。

〃We　look　for　the　recollection　that　we　are　women　and　unless　you　are
as　cowardly　as　…　〃

〃Citoyenne；〃he　broke　in　harshly；　answering　her　as　he　had　answered
La　Boulaye；　〃was　my　wife　less　a　woman　think　you？　　　Pah！　　There　is
yet　another　here　who　was　wronged；〃　he　announced；　and　he　waved　his
hand　in　the　direction　of　La　Boulaye；　who　stood；　stiff　and　pale；　by
the　hearth。

The　women　turned；　and　at　sight　of　the　Deputy　a　cry　escaped　Suzanne。
It　was　a　cry　of　hope；　for　here　was　one　who　would　surely　lend　them
aid。　　It　was　a　fact；　she　thought；　upon　which　the　Captain　had　not
counted。　　But　La　Boulaye　stood　straight　and　cold；　and　not　by　so　much
as　an　inclination　of　the　head　did　he　acknowledge　that　grim
introduction。　　Charlot；　mistaking　Mademoiselle's　exclamation；
laughed　softly。

〃Well　may　you　cry　out；　Citoyenne；〃said　he；　〃for　him　I　see　you
recognise。　　He　is　the　man　who　sought　to　rescue　my　wife　from　the
clutches　of　your　lordly　and　most　noble　father。　　For　his　pains　he
was　flogged　until　they　believed　him　dead。　　Is　it　not　very　fitting
that　he　should　be　with　me　now　to　receive　you？〃

〃But　he；　at　least；　is　in　my　debt；〃　cried　Mademoiselle；　now　making　a
step　forward；　and　sustained　by　an　excitement　born　of　hope。　　〃Whatever
may　be　my　father's　sins；　M。　la　Boulaye；　at　least；　will　not　seek　to
visit　them　upon　the　daughter；　for　he　owes　his　life　to　me；　and　he
will　not　forget　the　debt。〃

Charlot's　brows　were　suddenly　knit　with　vexation。　　He　half…turned　to
La　Boulaye；　as　if　to　speak；　but　ere　he　could　utter　a　word　…

〃The　debt　has　been　paid；　Citoyenne；〃　said　Caron　impassively。

Before　that　cold　answer；　so　coldly　delivered；　Mademoiselle　recoiled。

〃Paid！〃　she　echoed　mechanically。

〃Aye；　paid；〃he　rejoined。　　〃You　claimed　your　brother's　life　in
payment；　and　I　gave　it　to　you。　　Do　you　not　think　that　we　are　quits？
Besides；〃　he　ended　suddenly；　〃Captain　Tardivet　is　the　master　here。
Address　your　appeals　to　him；　Citoyenne。〃

With　terror　written　on　her　face；　she　turned　from　him　to　meet　the
flushed　countenance　of　Charlot；　who；　with　arms　akimbo　and　his　head
on　one　side；　was　regarding　her　at　once　with　mockery　and　satisfaction。

〃What　do　you　intend　by　us；　Monsieur？〃　she　questioned　in　a　chokin