the trampling of the lilies-第22章

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wish；　but　I　think　that　it　will　prove　convincing　enough　to　the　dull
wits　of　the　landlady；　and　of　such　of　Charlot's　followers　as　may　enter
here。　　I　am　afraid；〃　he　deplored；　〃that　it　will　be　some　time　before
he　recovers。　　He　was　so　far　gone　in　wine　that　it　needed　little　weight
to　fell　him。〃

Her　glance　met　his　once　more；　and　she　took　a　step　towards　him　with
hands　outstretched。

〃Monsieur；　Monsieur！〃　she　cried。　　〃If　you　but　knew　how　in　my　thoughts
I　wronged　you　a　little　while　ago。〃

〃You　had　all　reason　to；〃　he　answered；　taking　her　hands；　and　there
came　the　least　softening　of　his　stern　countenance。　　〃It　grieved　me
to　add　to　your　affliction。　　But　had　I　permitted　him　to　do　so　much　as
suspect　that　I　was　anything　but　your　implacable　enemy；　I　had　no
chance　of　saving　you。　　He　would　have　dismissed　me；　and　I　must　have
obeyed　or　been　compelled；　for　he　is　master　here；　and　has　men　enough
to　enforce　what　he　desires。〃

And　now　she　would　have　thanked　him　for　having　saved　her；　but　he　cut
her　short　almost　roughly。

〃You　owe　me　no　thanks；〃he　said。　　〃I　have　but　done　for　you　what　my
manhood　must　have　bidden　me　do　for　any　woman　similarly　situated。　　For
to…night　I　have　saved　you；　Citoyenne。　　I　shall　make　an　effort　to
smuggle　you　and　your　mother　out　of　Boisvert　before　morning；　but　after
that　you　must　help　yourselves。〃

〃You　will　do　this？〃　she　cried；　her　eyes　glistening。

〃I　will　attempt　it。〃

〃By　what　means；　Monsieur　Caron？〃

〃I　do　not　yet　know。　　I　must　consider。　　In　the　meantime　you　had　best
return　to　your　coach。　　Later　to…night　I　shall　have　you　and　your
mother　brought　to　me；　and　I　will　endeavour　to　so　arrange　matters
that　you　shall　not　again　return　to　your　carriage。

〃Not　return　to　it？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃But　are　we　then　to　leave　it
here？〃

〃I　am　afraid　there　is　no　help　for　that。〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　you　do　not　know；　there　is　a　treasure　in　that　carriage。
All　that　we　have　is　packed　in　it；　and　if　we　go　without　it　we　go
destitute。〃

〃Better；　perhaps；　to　go　destitute　than　not　to　go　at　all；　Mademoiselle。
I　am　afraid　there　is　no　choice　for　you。〃

His　manner　was　a　trifle　impatient。　　It　irritated　him　that　in　such　a
moment　she　should　give　so　much　thought　to　her　valuables。　　But　in
reality　she　was　thinking　of　them　inasmuch　as　they　concerned　her
mother；　who　was　below；　and　her　father　and　brother　who　awaited　them
in　Prussia；　whither　they　had　separately　emigrated。　　The　impatience
in　his　tone　stung　her　into　a　feeling　of　resentment；　that　for　the
moment　seemed　to　blot　out　the　much　that　she　owed　him。　　A　reproachful
word　was　trembling　on　her　lips；　when　suddenly　he　put　out　his　hand。

〃Hist！〃　he　whispered；　the　concentrated　look　of　one　who　listens
stamped　upon　his　face。　　His　sharp　ears　had　detected　some　sound　which
　…　perhaps　through　her　preoccupation　…　she　had　not　noticed。　　He
stepped　quickly　to　the　Captain's　side；　and　taking　up　the　lamp　by　its
chain；　he　leapt　into　the　air　like　a　clown；　and　came　down　on　his　heels
with　a　thud　that　shook　the　chamber。　　Simultaneously　he　dropped　the
lamp　with　a　clatter；　and　sent　a　shout　re…echoing　through　the　house。

The　girl　stared　at　him　with　parted　lips　and　the　least　look　of　fear
in　her　eyes。　　Was　he　gone　clean　mad　of　a　sudden？

But　now　the　sound　which　had　warned　him　of　someone's　approach　reached
her　ears　as　well。　　There　were　steps　on　the　stairs；　which　at　that
alarming　noise　were　instantly　quickened。　　Yet　ere　they　had　reached
the　top　La　Boulaye　was　at　the　door　vociferating　wildly。

Into　the　room　came　the　hostess；　breathless　and　grinning　with　anxiety；
and　behind　her　came　Guyot；　who；　startled　by　the　din；　had　hastened　up
to　inquire　into　its　cause。

At　sight　of　the　Captain　stretched　upon　the　floor　there　was　a　scream
from　Mother　Capoulade　and　an　oath　from　the　soldier。

〃Mon　Dieu！　what　has　happened？〃　she　cried；　hurrying　forward。

〃Miserable！〃　exclaimed　La　Boulaye；　with　well…feigned　anger。　　〃It
seems　that　your　wretched　hovel　is　tumbling　to　pieces；　and　that　men
are　not　safe　beneath　its　roof。〃　And　he　indicated　the　broken　plaster
and　the　fallen　lamp。

〃How　did　it　happen；　Citoyenne…deputy？〃　asked　Guyot；　for　all　that　he
drew　the　only　possible　inference　from　what　he　saw。

〃Can　you　not　see　how　it　happened？〃　returned　La　Boulaye；　impatiently。
〃As　for　you；　wretched　woman；　you　will　suffer　for　it；　I　promise　you。
The　nation　is　likely　to　demand　a　high　price　for　Captain　Charlot's
injuries。〃

〃But；　bon　Dieu；　how　am　I　to　blame？〃　wailed　the　frightened　woman。

〃To　blame；〃　echoed　La　Boulaye；　in　a　furious　voice。　　〃Are　you　not　to
blame　that　you　let　rooms　in　a　crazy　hovel？　　　Let　them　to　emigres　as
much　as　you　will；　but　if　you　let　them　to　good　patriots　and　thereby
endanger　their　lives　you　must　take　the　consequences。　　And　the
consequences　in　this　case　are　likely　to　be　severe；　malheureuse。〃

He　turned　now　to　Guyot；　who　was　kneeling　by　the　Captain；　and　looking
to　his　hurt。

〃Here；　Guyot；〃he　commanded　sharply；　〃reconduct　the　Citoyenne　to　her
coach。　　I　will　perhaps　see　her　again　later；　when　the　Captain　shall
have　recovered　consciousness。　　You；　Citoyenne　Capoulade；　assist　me
to　carry　him　to　bed。〃

Each　obeyed　him；　Guyot　readily；　as　became　a　soldier；　and　the　hostess
trembling　with　the　dread　which　La　Boulaye's　words　had　instilled　into
her。　　They　got　Charlot　to　bed；　and　when　a　half…hour　or　so　later　he
recovered　consciousness；　it　was　to　find　Guyot　watching　at　his　bed…side。
Bewildered；　he　demanded　an　explanation　of　his　present　position　and　of
the　pain　in　his　head；　which　brought　him　the　memory　of　a　sudden　and
unaccountable　blow　he　had　received；　which　was　the　last　thing　that　he
remembered。　　Guyot；　who　had　never　for　a　moment　entertained　a　doubt
of　the　genuineness　of　the　mise…en…scene　La　Boulaye　had　prepared；
answered　him　with　the　explanation　of　how　he　had　been　struck　by　the
falling　lamp；　whereupon　Charlot　fell　to　cursing　lamps　and　crumblings
with　horrid　volubility。　　That　done　he　would　have　risen；　but　that　La
Boulaye；　entering　at　that　moment；　insisted　that　he　should　remain
abed。

〃Are　you　mad？〃　the　Deputy　expostulated；　〃or　is　it　that　you　do　not
appreciate　the　nature　of　your　hurt？　　　Diable！　　I　have　known　a　man
die　through　insisting　to　be　about　with　a　cracked　skull　that　was　as
nothing　to　yours。〃

〃Name　of　a　name！　　gasped　Charlot；　who　in　such　matters　was　profoundly
ignorant　and　correspondingly　credulous。　　〃Is　it　so　serious？〃

〃Not　serious　if　you　lie　still　and　sleep。　　You　will　probably　be　quite
well　by　to…morrow。　　But　if　you　move　to…night　the　consequences　may
well　be　fatal。〃

〃But　I　cannot　sleep　at　this　hour；〃the　Captain　complained。　　〃I　am　very
wakeful；〃

〃We　will　try　to　find　you　a　sleeping　potion；　then；〃said　La　Boulaye。
〃I　hope　the　hosteen　may　have　something　that　will　answer　the　purpose。
Meanwhile；　Guyot；　do　not　allow　the　Captain　to　talk。　　If　you　would
have　him　well　to…morrow；　remember　that　it　is　of　the　first　importance
that　he　should　have　utter　rest　tonight。〃

With　that　he　went　in　quest　of　Dame　Capoulade　to　ascertain　whether
she　possessed　any　potion　that　would　induce　sleep。　　He　told　her　that
the　Captain　was　seriously　injured；　and　that　unless　he　slept　he　might
die；　and；　quickened　by　the　terror　of　what　might　befall　her　in　such
a　case；　the　woman　presently　produced　a　small　phial　full　of　a　brown；
viscous　fluid。　　What　it　might　be　he　had　no　notion；　being　all　unversed
in　the　mysteries　of　the　pharmacopoeia；　but　she　told　him　that　it　had
belonged　to　her　now　defunct　husband；　who　had　always　said　that　ten
drops　of　it　would　make　a　man　sleep　the　clock　round。

He　experimented　on　the　Captain　with　ten　drops；　and　within　a　quarter
of　an　hour　of　taking　the　draught　of　red　wine　in　which　it　was
administered；　Charlot's　deep　breathing　proclaimed　him　fast　asleep。

That　done；　La　Boulaye　sent　Guyot　below　to　his　post　once　more；　and
returning　to　the　room　in　which　they　had　supped；　he　paced　up　and　down
for　a　full　hour；　revolving　in　his　mind　the　matter　of　saving
Mademoiselle　and　her　mother。　　At　last；　towards　ten　o'clock；　he　opened
the　casement；　and　calling　down　to　Guyot；　as　Charlot　had　done；　he　bade
him　bring　the　women　up　again。　　Now　Guyot　knew　of　the　high　position
which　Caron　occupied　in　the　Convention；　and　he　had　seen　the　intimate
relations　in　which　he　stood　to　Ta