the trampling of the lilies-第28章

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to　discharge　in　Belgium　before　we　cross　the　frontier。〃

With　that　he　announced　his　intention　of　going　North；　and　so　briskly
did　he　cause　them　to　ride；　that　by　noon　…　a　short　three　hours　after
quitting　Boisvert　…　they　had　covered　a　distance　of　twenty…five　miles；
and　brought　up　their　steaming　horses　before　the　Hotel　de　Flandres
at　Leuze。

At　this；　the　only　post…house　in　the　place；　La　Boulaye　made　inquiries
as　to　whether　any　carriage　had　arrived　from　Soignies　that　morning；
to　receive　a　negative　answer。　　This　nowise　surprised　him；　for　he
hardly　thought　that　Mademoiselle　could　have　had　time　to　come　so
far。　　She　must；　however；　be　drawing　nearer；　and　he　determined　to
ride　on　to　meet　her。　　From　Leuze　to　Soignies　is　a　distance　of　some
eight　or　nine　leagues　by　a　road　which　may　roughly　be　said　to　be
the　basis　of　a　triangle　having　its　apex　at　Boisvert。

After　his　men　had　hurriedly　refreshed　themselves；　La　Boulaye　ordered
them　to　horse　again；　and　they　now　cantered　out；　along　this　road；　to
Soignes。　　But　as　mile　after　mile　was　covered　without　their　coming
upon　any　sign　of　such　a　carriage　as　Mademoiselle　should　be　travelling
in；　La　Boulaye　almost　unconsciously　quickened　the　pace　until　in　the
end　they　found　themselves　careering　along　as　fast　as　their　jaded
horses　would　bear　them；　and　speculating　mightily　upon　the　Deputy's
odd　behaviour。

Soignies　itself　was　reached　towards　four　o'clock；　and　still　they
had　not　met　her　whom　La　Boulaye　expected。　　Here；　in　a　state　of　some
wonder　and　even　of　some　anxiety；　Caron　made　straight　for　the　Auberge
des　Postes。　　Bidding　his　men　dismount　and　see　to　themselves　and
their　beasts；　he　went　in　quest　of　the　host；　and　having　found　him；
bombarded　him　with　questions。

In　reply　he　elicited　the　information　that　at　noon　that　day　a
carriage　such　as　he　described　had　reached　Soignies　in　a　very　sorry
condition。　　One　of　the　wheels　had　come　off　on　the　road；　and　although
the　Marquise's　men　had　contrived　to　replace　it　and　to　rudely　secure
it　by　an　improvised　pin；　they　had　been　compelled　to　proceed　at　a
walk　for　some　fifteen　miles　of　the　journey；　which　accounted　for　the
lateness　of　their　arrival　at　Soignies。　　They　had　remained　at　the
Auberge　des　Postes　until　the　wheel　had　been　properly　mended；　and　it
was　not　more　than　an　hour　since　they　had　resumed　their　journey　along
the　road　to　Liege。

〃But　did　both　the　citoyennes　depart？〃　cried　La　Boulaye；　in　amazement；
and　upon　receiving　an　affirmative　reply　it　at　once　entered　his　mind
that　the　Marquise　must　have　influenced　her　daughter　to　that　end
　…　perhaps　even　employed　force。

〃Did　there　appear　to　be　any　signs　of　disagreement　between　them？〃
was　his　next　question。

〃No；　Citizen；　I　observed　nothing。　　They　seemed　in　perfect　accord。〃

〃The　younger　one　did　not　by　any　chance　inquire　of　you　whether　it
would　be　possible　to　hire　a　berline？〃　asked　Caron　desperately。

〃No；〃　the　landlord　answered　him；　with　wondering　eyes。　　〃She　appeared
as　anxious　as　her　mother　for　the　repairing　of　the　coach　in　which
they　came；　that　they　might　again　depart　in　it。〃

La　Boulaye　stood　a　moment　in　thought；　his　brows　drawn　together；　his
breathing　seeming　suspended；　for　into　his　soul　a　suspicion　had　of　a
sudden　been　thrust　…　a　hideous　suspicion。　　Abruptly　he　drew　himself
up　to　the　full　of　his　active　figure；　and　threw　back　his　head；　his
resolve　taken。

〃Can　I　have　fresh　horses　at　once？〃　he　inquired。　　〃I　need　eight。〃

The　landlord　thoughtfully　scratched　his　head。

〃You　can　have　two　at　once；　and　the　other　six　in　a　half…hour。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　answered。　　〃Saddle　me　one　at　once；　and　have　the
other　seven　ready　for　my　men　as　soon　as　possible。〃

And　whilst　the　host　sent　the　ostler　to　execute　the　order；　Caron
called　for　a　cup　of　wine　and　a　crust　of　bread。　　Munching　his　crust
he　entered　the　common…room　where　his　men　were　at　table　with　a
steaming　ragout　before　them。

〃Garin；〃　he　said　to　the　corporal；　〃in　a　half…hour　the　landlord　will
be　able　to　provide　you　with　fresh　horses。　　You　will　set　out　at　once
to　follow　me　along　the　road　to　Liege。　　I　am　starting　immediately。〃

Garin；　with　the　easy　familiarity　of　the　Republican　soldier；　bade
him　take　some　thought　of　his　exhausted　condition；　and　snatch　at
least　the　half…hour's　rest　that　was　to　be　theirs。　　But　La　Boulaye
was　out　of　the　room　before　he　had　finished。　　A　couple　of　minutes
later　they　heard　a　clatter　of　departing　hoofs；　and　La　Boulaye　was
gone　along　the　road　too　Liege　in　pursuit　of　the　ladies　of　Bellecour。




CHAPTER　XIII

THE　ROAD　TO　LIEGE


〃Of　what　are　you　thinking；　little　fool？〃　asked　the　Marquise
peevishly；　her　fat　face　puckered　into　a　hundred　wrinkles　of
ill…humour。

〃Of　nothing　in　particular；　Madame；〃the　girl　answered　patiently。

The　Marquise　sniffed　contemptuously；　and　glanced　through　the　window
of　the　coach　upon　the　dreary；　rain　sodden　landscape。

〃Do　you　call　the　sometime　secretary　Citizen…cutthroat　La　Boulaye；
nothing　in　particular？〃　she　asked。　　〃Ma　foi！　　I　wonder　that　you　do
not　die　of　self…contempt　after　what　passed　between　you　at　Boisvert。〃

〃Madame；　I　was　not　thinking　of　him；〃　said　Suzanne。

〃More　shame　to　you；　then；〃　was　the　sour　retort；　for　the　Marquise
was　bent　upon　disagreeing　with　her。　　〃Have　you　a　conscience；　Suzanne；
that　you　could　have　played　such　a　Delilah　part　and　never　give　a
thought　to　the　man　you　have　tricked？〃

〃You　will　make　me　regret　that　I　told　you　of　it；〃　said　the　girl
quietly。

〃You　are　ready　enough　to　regret　anything　but　the　act　itself。　　Perhaps
you'll　be　regretting　that　you　did　not　take　a　berline　at　Soignies；　as
you　promised　the　citizen…scoundrel　that　you　would；　and　set　out　to
join　him？〃

〃It　is　hardly　generous　to　taunt　me　so；　Madame；　I　do　very　bitterly
regret　what　has　taken　place。　　But　you　might　do　me　the　justice　to
remember　that　what　I　did　I　did　as　much　for　others　as　for　myself。
As　much；　indeed；　for　you　as　for　myself。〃

〃For　me？〃　echoed　the　Marquise　shrilly。　　〃Tiens；　that　is　droll　now！
For　me？　　　Was　it　for　me　that　you　made　love　to　the　citizen…blackguard？
Are　you　so　dead　to　shame　that　you　dare　remind　me　of　it？〃

Mademoiselle　sighed；　and　seemed　to　shrink　back　into　the　shadows　of
the　carriage。　　Her　face　was　very　pale；　and　her　eyes　looked　sorely
troubled。

〃It　is　something　that　to　my　dying　day　I　shall　regret；〃she　murmured。
〃It　was　vile；　it　was　unworthy！　　Yet　if　I　had　not　used　the　only　weapon
to　my　hand　…　〃　　She　ceased；　the　Marquise　caught　the　sound　of　a　sob。

〃What　are　you　weeping　for；　little　fool？〃　she　cried。

〃As　much　as　anything　for　what　he　must　think　of　me　when　he　realises
how　shamefully　I　have　used　him。〃

〃And　does　it　matter　what　the　canaille　thinks？　　　Shall　it　matter　what
the　citizen…assassin　thinks？〃

〃A　little；　Madame；〃　she　sighed。　　〃He　will　despise　me　as　I　deserve。
I　almost　wish　that　I　could　undo　it；　and　go　back　to　that　little　room
at　Boisvert。　　the　prisoner　of　that　fearful　man；　Tardivet；　or　else
that　…　〃　　Again　she　paused；　and　the　Marquise　turned　towards　her
with　a　gasp。

〃Or　else　that　what？〃　she　demanded。　　〃Ma　foi；　it　only　remains　that
you　should　wish　you　had　kept　your　promise　to　this　scum。〃

〃I　almost　wish　it；　Madame。　　I　pledged　my　word　to　him。〃

〃You　talk　as　if　you　were　a　man；〃　said　her　mother；　〃as　if　your　word
was　a　thing　that　bound　you。　　It　is　a　woman's　prerogative　to　change
her　mind。　　As　for　this　Republican　scum　…　〃

〃You　shall　not　call　him　that；〃　was　the　rejoinder；　sharply　delivered；
for　Suzanne　was　roused　at　last。　　〃He　is　twenty　times　more　noble　and
brave　than　any　gentleman；　that　I　have　ever　met。　　We　owe　our　liberty
to　him　at　this　moment；　and　sufficiently　have　I　wronged　him　by　my
actions　…　〃

〃Fool；　what　are　you　saying？〃　cried　the　enraged　Marquise。　　〃He；　more
noble　and　brave　than　any　gentleman　that　you　ever　met？　　　He　…　this
kennel…bred　citizen…ruffian　of　a　revolutionist？　　　Are　you　mad；　girl；
or　…　〃　　The　Marquise　paused　a　moment　and　took　a　deep　breath　that
was　as　a　gasp　of　sudden　understanding。　　〃Is　it　that　you　are　in　love
with　this　wretch！〃

〃Madame！〃　　The　exclamation　was　laden　with　blended　wonder；　dignity；
and　horror。

〃Well？〃　demanded　Madame　de　Bellecour　severely。　　〃Answer　me；　Suzanne。
Are　you　in　love　with　this　La　Boulaye？〃

〃Is　there　the　need　to　answer？〃