the trampling of the lilies-第26章
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A few moments later he was in Tardivet's bedchamber； vigorously
shaking the sleeping Captain。
〃Up； Charlot！ Awake！〃 he roared in the man's ear。
〃What o'clock？〃 he asked with a yawn。 Then a sudden groan escaped
him； and he put his hand to his head。 〃Thousand devils！〃 he swore；
〃what a headache！〃
But La Boulaye was not there on any mission of sympathy； nor did
he waste words in conveying his news。
〃The coach is gone；〃he announced emphatically。
〃Coach？ What coach？〃 asked the Captain； knitting his brows。
〃What coach？〃 echoed La Boulaye testily。 〃How many coaches were
there？ Why； the Bellecour coach； the coach with the treasure。〃
At that Charlot grew very wide…awake。 He forgot his headache and
his interest in the time of day。
〃Gone？〃 he bellowed。 〃How gone？ Pardieu； it is not possible！〃
〃Look for yourself；〃was La Boulaye's answer as he waved his hand in
the direction of the window。 〃I don't know what manner of watch
your men can have kept that such a thing should have come about。
Probably； knowing you ill a…bed； they abused the occasion by getting
drunk； and probably they are still sleeping it off。 The place is
silent enough。〃
But Tardivet scarcely heard him。 From his window he was staring
into the yard below； too thunderstruck by its emptiness to even have
recourse to profanity。 Stable door and porte…cochere alike stood
open。 He turned suddenly and made for his coat。 Seizing it； he
thrust his hand in one pocket after another。 At last：
〃Treachery！〃 he cried； and letting the garment fall to the ground；
he turned upon La Boulaye a face so transfigured by anger that it
looked little like the usually good…humoured countenance of Captain
Tardivet 〃My keys have been stolen。 By St。 Guillotine； I'll have
the thief hanged。〃
〃Did anybody know that the keys were in your pocket？〃 asked the
ingenuous Caron。
〃I told you last night。〃
〃Yes； yes； I remember that。 But did anybody else know？〃
〃The ostler knew。 He saw me lock the doors。〃
〃Why； then； let us find the ostler；〃 urged Caron。 〃Put on some
clothes and we will go below。〃
Mechanically Charlot obeyed him； and as he did so he gave his
feelings vent at last。 From between set teeth came now a flow of
oaths and imprecations as steady as the flow of water from the
gargoyle overhead。
At last they hastened down the stairs together； and in the
common…room they found the sleeping company much as La Boulaye had
left it the night before。 In an access of rage at what he saw；
and at the ample evidences of the debauch that had reduced them to
this condition； Charlot began by kicking the chair from under Mother
Capoulade。 The noise of her fall and the scream with which she
awoke served to arouse one or two others； who lifted their heads
to gaze stupidly about them。
But Charlot was busy stirring the other slumberers。 He had found
a whip； and with this he was now laying vigorously about him。
〃Up； you swine！〃 he blazed at them。 〃Afoot； you drunken scum！〃
His whip cracked； and his imprecations rang high and lurid。 And La
Boulaye assisted him in his labours with kicks and cuffs and a
tongue no less vituperative。
At last they were on their feet … a pale； bewildered； shamefaced
company … receiving from the infuriated Charlot the news that
whilst they had indulged themselves in their drunken slumbers their
prisoners had escaped and carried off the treasure with them。 The
news was received with a groan of dismay； and several turned to
the door to ascertain for themselves whether it was indeed exact。
The dreary emptiness of the rain…washed yard afforded them more than
ample confirmation。
〃Where is your pig of an ostler； Mother Capoulade？〃 demanded the
angry Captain。
Quivering with terror； she answered him that the rascal should be
in the shed by the stables； where it was his wont to sleep。 Out
into the rain； despite the scantiness of his attire； went Charlot；
followed closely by La Boulaye and one or two stragglers。 The
shed proved empty； as Caron could have told him … and so； too； did
the stables。 Here； at the spot where Madame de Bellecour's coachman
had been left bound； the Captain turned to La Boulaye and those
others that had followed him。
〃It is the ostler's work；〃 he announced。 〃There was knavery and
treachery writ large upon his ugly face。 I always felt it； and this
business proves how correct were my instincts。 The rogue was bribed
when he discovered how things were with you； you greasy sots。 But
you； La Boulaye；〃 he cried suddenly； 〃were you drunk； too？〃
〃Not I；〃 answered the Deputy。
〃Then； name of a name； how came that lumbering coach to leave the
yard without awakening you？〃
〃You ask me to explain too much；〃 was La Boulaye's cool evasion。
〃I have always accounted myself a light sleeper； and I could not
have believed that such a thing could really have taken place
without disturbing me。 But the fact remains that the coach has
gone； and I think that instead of standing here in idle speculation
as to how it went； you might find more profitable employment in
considering how it is to brought back again。 It cannot have gone
very far。〃
If any ray of suspicion had begun to glimmer in Charlot's brain；
that suggestion of La Boulaye's was enough to utterly extinguish it。
They returned indoors； and without more ado Tardivet set himself to
plan the pursuit。 He knew； he announced； that Prussia was their
destination。 He had discovered it at the time of their capture from
certain papers that he had found in a portmanteau of the Marquise's。
He discussed the matter with La Boulaye； and it was now that Caron
had occasion to congratulate himself upon his wisdom in having
elected to remain behind。
The Captain proposed to recall the fifty men that were watching the
roads from France； and to spread them along the River Sambre； as far
as Liege； to seek information of the way taken by the fugitives。 As
soon as any one of the parties struck the trail it was to send word
to the others； and start immediately in pursuit。
Now； had Charlot been permitted to spread such a net as this； the
Marquise must inevitably fall into it； and Caron had pledged his
word that she should have an open road to Prussia。 With a map
spread upon the table he now expounded to the Captain how little
necessity there was for so elaborate a scheme。 The nearest way to
Prussia was by Charleroi； Dinant； and Rochefort； into Luxembourg；
and … he contended … it was not only unlikely； but incredible； that
the Marquise should choose any but the shortest road to carry her
out of Belgium； seeing the dangers that must beset her until the
frontiers of Luxembourg were passed。
〃And so；〃argued La Boulaye； 〃why waste time in recalling your men？
Think of the captives you might miss by such an act！ It were
infinitely better advised。 to assume that the fugitives have taken
the Charleroi…Dinant road； and to despatch； at once； say；
half…a…dozen men in pursuit。〃
Tardivet pondered the matter for some moments。
〃Yom are right；〃 he agreed at last。 〃If they have resolved to
continue their journey； a half…dozen men should suffice to recapture
them。 I will despatch these at once。。。 〃
La Boulaye looked up at that。
〃If they have resolved to continue their journey？〃 he echoed。 〃What
else should they have resolved？〃
Tardivet stroked his reddish hair and smiled astutely。
〃In organising a pursuit；〃aid he； 〃the wise pursuer will always put
himself in the place of the fugitives； and seek to reason as they
would probably reason。 Now； what more likely than that these ladies；
or their coachman； or that rascally ostler； should have thought of
doubling back into France？ They might naturally argue that we；
should never think of pursuing them in that direction。 Similarly
placed； that is how I should reason； and that is the course I should
adopt； making for Prussia through Lorraine。 Perhaps I do their
intelligences too much honour … yet； to me； it seems such an obvious
course。〃'
La Boulaye grew cold with apprehension。 Yet impassively he asked：
〃But what of your men who are guarding the frontiers？〃
〃Pooh！ A detour might circumvent them。 The Ma
