the trampling of the lilies-第24章

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〃Nay；　surely　not　impossible；〃　she　answered。　　〃Listen；　Caron；　there
are　two　treasures　in　that　coach。　　One　is　in　money　and　in　gold　and
silver　plate；　the　other　is　in　gems；　and　amounts　to　thrice　the　value
of　the　rest。　　This　latter　is　my　dowry。　　It　is　a　fortune　with　which
we　can　quit　France　and　betake　ourselves　wherever　our　fancy　leads　us。
Would　you　ask　me　to　abandon　that　and　come　to　you　penniless；
compelled　thereby　to　live　in　perpetual　terror　in　a　country　where　at
any　moment　an　enemy　might　cast　at　me　the　word　aristocrate；　and
thereby　ruin　me？〃

There　was　no　cupidity　in　La　Boulaye's　nature；　and　even　the　prospect
of　an　independent　fortune　would　have　weighed　little　with　him　had　it
not　been　backed　by　the　other　argument　she　employed　touching　the
terror　that　would　be　ever　with　her　did　they　dwell　in　France。

He　stood　deep　in　thought；　his　hand　to　his　brow；　thrusting　back　the
long　black　hair　from　his　white　forehead；　what　time　she　recapitulated
her　argument。

〃But　how？〃　he　exclaimed；　in　exasperation　〃Tell　me　how？〃

〃That　is　for　you　to　discover；　Caron。〃

He　thrust　his　hands　deep　into　his　pockets；　and　set　himself　to　pace
the　chamber。　　And　now　his　fingers　came　in　contact　with　something
foreign。　　Idly　he　drew　it　forth；　and　it　proved　to　be　the　phial
Mother　Capoulade　had　given　him；　and　from　which　he　had　poured　the
ten　drops　for　the　Captain's　sleeping　potion。　　His　eyes　brightened
with　inspiration。　　Here　was　a　tool　whose　possibilities　were　vast。
Then　his　brows　were　knit　again。

〃Wait；〃he　said　slowly。　　〃Let　me　think。〃




CHAPTER　XI

THE　ESCAPE


Resting　his　elbow　on　the　table；　and　with　his　hand　to　his　brow；　Caron
sat　deep　in　thought；　his　forefinger　and　thumb　pressed　against　his
closed　eyelids。　　From　beyond　the　board　Mademoiselle　watched　him
anxiously　and　waited。　　At　last　he　looked　up。

〃I　think　I　have　it；〃　he　announced；　rising。　　〃You　say　that　the　men
are　drinking　heavily。　　That　should　materially　assist　us。〃

She　asked　him　what　plan　he　had　conceived；　but　he　urged　that　time
pressed；　she　should　know　presently；　meanwhile；　she　had　best　return
immediately　to　her　carriage。　　He　went　to　the　door　to　call　Guyot；
but　she　stayed　him。

〃No；　no；　Monsieur；〃she　exclaimed。　　〃I　will　not　pass　through　the
common…room　again　in　that　fellow's　company。　　They　are　all　in　there；
carousing；　and　…　and　I　dare　not。〃

As　if　to　confirm　her　words；　now　that　he　held　the　door　open；　he
caught　some　sounds　of　mirth　and　the　drone　of　voices　from　below。

〃Come　with　me；　then；〃said　he；　taking　up　one　of　the　candles。　　〃I　will
escort　you。〃

Together　they　descended　the　narrow　staircase；　La　Boulaye　going　first；
to　guide　her；　since　two　might　not　go　abreast。　　At　the　foot　there
was　a　door；　which　he　opened；　and　then；　at　the　end　of　a　short　passage
　…　in　which　the　drone　of　voices　sounded　very　loud　and　in　particular
one；　cracked　voice　that　was　raised　in　song　…　they　gained　the　door　of
the　common…room。　　As　La　Boulaye　pushed　it　open　they　came　upon　a
scene　of　Bacchanalian　revelry。　　On　a　chair　that　had　been　set　upon
the　table　they　beheld　Mother　Capoulade　enthroned　like　a　Goddess　of
Liberty；　and　wearing　a　Phrygian　cap　on　her　dishevelled　locks。　　Her
yellow　cheeks　were　flushed　and　her　eyes　watery；　whilst　hers　was　the
crazy　voice　that　sang。

Around　the　table；　in　every　conceivable　attitude　of　abandonment；　sat
Captain　Charlot's　guard　…　every　man　of　the　ten　…　and　with　them　the
six　men　and　the　corporal　of　La　Boulaye's　escort；　all　more　or　less
in　a　condition　of　drunkenness。

〃Le　jour　de　gloire　est　arrive？〃　sang　the　croaking　voice　of　Dame
Capoulade；　and　there　it　stopped　abruptly　upon　catching　sight　of　La
Boulaye　and　his　companion　in　the　doorway。　　Mademoiselle　shivered
out　of　loathing；　but　La　Boulaye　felt　his　pulses　quickened　with　hope；
for　surely　all　this　was　calculated　to　assist　him　in　his　purpose。

At　the　abrupt　interruption　of　the　landlady's　version　of　the
〃Marseillaise　〃the　men　swung　round；　and　upon　seeing　the　Deputy　they
sought　in　ludicrous　haste　to　repair　the　disorder　of　their　appearance。

〃So！〃　thundered　Caron。　　〃This　is　the　watch　you　keep？　　　This　is　how
you　are　to　be　trusted？　　　And　you；　Guyot；〃　he　continued；　pointing　his
finger　at　the　man。　　〃Did　I　not　bid　you　await　my　orders？　　　Is　this
how　you　wait？　　　You　see　that　I　am　compelled　to　reconduct　the
Citoyenne　myself；　for　I　might　have　called　you　in　vain　all　night。〃

Guyot　came　forward　sheepishly；　and　a　trifle　unsteady　in　his　gait。

〃I　did　not　hear　you　call；　Citizen；〃　he　muttered。

〃It　had　been　a　miracle　if　you　had　with　this　din；〃　answered　La　Boulaye。
〃Here；　take　the　Citoyenne　back　to　her　carriage。〃

Obediently　Guyot　led　the　Citoyenne　across　the　room　and　out　into　the
courtyard；　and　the　men；　restrained　by　La　Boulaye's　severe　presence；
dared　scarcely　so　much　as　raise　their　eyes　to　her　as　she　passed　out。

〃And　now　to　your　posts；〃　was　Caron's　stern　command。　　〃By　my　soul；
if　you　were　men　of　mine　I　would　have　you　flogged　for　this。　　Out　with
you！〃　　And　he　pointed　imperiously　to　the　door。

〃It　is　a　bitter　night；　Citizen；〃　grumbled　one　of　them。

〃Do　you　call　yourself　soldiers；　and　does　a　touch　of　frost　make
cowards　of　you？　　　Outside；　you　old　wives；　at　once！　　I'll　see　you　at
your　post　before　I　go　to　bed。〃

And　with　that　he　set　himself　to　drive　them　out；　and　they　went；　until
none　but　his　own　half…dozen　remained。　　These　he　bade　dispose
themselves　about　the　hearth；　in　which　they　very　readily　obeyed　him。

On　a　side…table　stood　a　huge　steaming　can　which　had　attracted　La
Boulaye's　attention　from　the　moment　that　he　had　entered　the　room。
He　went　to　peer　into　this；　and　found　it　full　almost　to　the　brim　of
mulled　red　wine。

With　his　back　to　those　in　the　room；　so　as　to　screen　his　actions；　he
had　uncorked　the　phial　as　he　was　approaching　the　can。　　Now；　as　he
made　pretence　first　to　peer　into　it　and　then　to　smell　its　contents；
he　surreptitiously　emptied　the　potion　into　it；　wondering　vaguely　to
himself　whether　the　men　would　ever　wake　again　if　they　had　drunk　it。
Slipping　the　phial　into　his　sash　he　turned　to　Mother　Capoulade；　who
had　descended　from　the　table　and　stood　looking　very　foolish。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　demanded　angrily。

〃It　was　a　last　cup　of　wine　for　the　men；〃　she　faltered。　　〃The　night
is　bitterly　cold；　Citizen；〃　she　added；　by　way　of　excusing　herself。

〃Bah！〃　snarled　Caron；　and　for　a　moment　he　stood　there　as　if
deliberating。　　〃I　am　minded　to　empty　it　into　the　kennel；〃　he
announced。

〃Citizen！〃　cried　the　woman；　in　alarm。　　〃It　is　good　wine；　and　I　have
spiced　it。〃

〃Well；〃　he　relented；　〃they　may　have　it。　　But　see　that　it　is　the　last
to…night。〃

And　with　that　he　strode　across　the　room；　and　with　a　surly　〃Good…night〃
to　his　men；　he　mounted　the　stairs　once　more。

He　waited　perhaps　ten　minutes　in　the　chamber　above；　then　he　went　to
the　casement；　and　softly　opened　the　window。　　It　was　as　he　expected。
With　the　exception　of　the　coach　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　yard；
and　just　discernible　by　the　glow　of　the　smouldering　fire　they　had
built　there　but　allowed　to　burn　low；　the　place　was　untenanted。
Believing　him　to　have　retired　for　the　night；　the　men　were　back　again
in　the　more　congenial　atmosphere　of　the　hostelry；　drinking　themselves
no　doubt　into　a　stupor　with　that　last　can　of　drugged　wine。　　He　sat
down　to　quietly　mature　his　plans；　and　to　think　out　every　detail　of
what　he　was　about　to　do。　　At　the　end　of　a　half…hour；　silence　reigning
throughout　the　house；　he　rose。　　He　crept　softly　into　Charlot's
chamber　and　possessed　himself　of　the　Captain's　outer　garments。　　These
he　carried　back　to　the　sitting…room；　and　extracted　from　the　coat
pocket　two　huge　keys　tied　together　with　a　piece　of　string。　　He　never
doubted　that　they　were　the　keys　he　sought；　one　opening　the　stable
door　and　the　other　the　gates　of　the　porte…cochere。

He　replaced　the　garments；　and　then　to　make　doubly　sure；　he　waited
yet　…　in　a　fever　of　impatience　…　another　half…hour　by　his　watch。

It　wanted　a　few　minutes　to　midnight　when；　taking　up　his　cloak　and
a　lantern　he　had　lighted；　he　went　below　once　more。　　In　the
common…room　he　found　precisely　the　scene　he　had　expected。　　Both
Charlot's　men　and　his　own　followers　lay　about　the　floor　in　all
conceivable　manner　of　attitudes；　their　senses　lo