the trampling of the lilies-第31章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
There was alarm on her face； which La Boulaye now set himself to
allay。
〃At least you are well protected； Citoyenne。 My men are close at
hand； and we can summon them if there be the need。〃
Reassured she rose； and at the same moment a knock sounded on the
door。 She went to open it； and from his seat by the hearth La
Boulaye heard a gentle； mincing voice that was oddly familiar to
him。
〃Madame；〃 it said； 〃we are two poor； lost wayfarers； and we crave
shelter for the night。 We will pay you handsomely。〃
〃I am desolated that I have no room； Messieur；〃 she answered； with
courteous firmness。
〃Pardi！〃 interpolated another voice。 〃We need no room。 A bundle of
straw and a corner is all we seek。 Of your charity； Madame； is this
a night on which to leave a dog out of doors？〃
A light of recollection leaped suddenly to La Boulaye's eyes； and
with a sudden gasp he stooped to the hearth。
〃But I cannot； Messieurs；〃 the woman was saying； when the second
voice interrupted her。
〃I see your husband by the fire； Madame。 Let us hear what he has
to say。〃
The woman coloured to the roots of her hair。 She stepped back a
pace； and was about to answer them when； chancing to glance in La
Boulaye's direction； she paused。 He had risen； and was standing with
his back to the fire。 There was a black smudge across his face；
which seemed to act as a mask； and his dark eyes glowed with an
intensity of meaning which arrested her attention； and silenced the
answer which was rising to her lips。
In the brief pause the new…comers had crossed the threshold； and
stood within the rustic chamber。 The first of these was he whose
gentle voice La Boulaye had recognised … old M。 des Cadoux； the
friend of the Marquis de Bellecour。 His companion； to the Deputy's
vast surprise； was none other than the bearded courier who had that
morning delivered him at Boisvert the letter from Robespierre。
What did these two together； and upon such manifest terms of
equality？ That； it should be his business to discover。
〃Come in； Messieurs；〃 he bade them； assuming the role of host。 〃We
are unused to strangers； and Mathilde there is timid of robbers。
Draw near the fire and dry yourselves。 We will do the best we can
for you。 We are poor people； Messieurs； very poor。〃
〃I have already said that we will pay you handsomely my friend；〃
quoth Des Cadoux； coming forward with his companion。 〃Do your best
for us and you shall not regret it。 Have you aught to eat in the
house？〃
The woman was standing by the wall； her face expressing bewilderment
and suspicion。 Suspicious she was； yet that glance of La Boulaye's
had ruled her strangely； and she was content to now await developments。
〃We will see what we can do；〃 answered La Boulaye； as he made room
for them by the hearth。 〃Come； Mathilde； let us try what the larder
will yield。〃
〃I am afraid that Madame still mistrusts us；〃 deplored Des Cadoux。
La Boulaye laughed for answer as he gently but firmly drew her
towards the door leading to the interior of the house。 He held it
for her to pass； what time his eyes were set in an intent but
puzzled glance upon the courier。 There was something about the man
that was not wholly strange to La Boulaye。 That morning； when he
had spoken in the gruff accents of one of the rabble； no suspicion
had entered the Deputy's mind that he was other than he seemed； for
all that he now recalled how Tardivet had found the fellow's
patriotism a little too patriotic。 Now that he spoke in the voice
that was naturally usual to him； it seemed to La Boulaye that it
contained a note that he had heard before。
Still puzzled； he passed out of the room to be questioned sharply
by the woman of the house touching his motives for passing himself
off as her husband and inviting the new…comers to enter。
〃I promise you their stay will be a very brief one；〃 he answered。
〃I have suspicions to verify the ends to serve； as you shall see。
Will you do me the favour to go out by the back and call my men？
Tell the corporal to make his way to the front of the house； and
to hold himself in readiness to enter the moment I call him。〃
〃What are you about to do？〃 she asked and the face； as he saw it by
the light of the candle she held； wore an expression of sullen
disapproval。
He reassured her that there would be no bloodshed； and suggested
that the men were dangerous characters whom it might be ill for her
to entertain。 And so at last he won his way； and she went to do
his errand； whilst he reentered the kitchen
He found Des Cadoux by the fire； intent upon drying as much of
himself as possible。 The younger man had seized upon the bottle
of brandy that had been left on the table； and was in the act of
filling himself a second glass。 Nothing could be further from
the mind of either than a suspicion of the identity of this
rustically…clad and grimy…faced fellow。
〃Mathilde will be here in a moment；〃 said Caron deferentially。
〃She is seeking something for you。〃
Had he told them precisely what she was seeking they had been；
possibly； less at ease。
〃Let her hasten；〃 cried the courier； 〃for I am famished。〃
〃Have patience； Anatole；〃 murmured the ever…gentle Cadoux。 〃The
good woman did not expect us。〃
Anatole！ The name buzzed through Caron's brain。 To whom did it
belong？ He knew of someone who bore it。 Yet question himself
though he might； he could at the moment find no answer。 And then
the courier created a diversion by addressing him。
〃Fill yourself a glass； mon bonhomme；〃 said he。 〃I have a toast
for you。〃
〃For me； Monsieur；〃 cried La Boulaye； with surprised humility。 〃It
were too great an honour。〃
〃Do as you are bidden； man；〃 returned this very peremptory courier。
〃There； now let us see how your favour runs。 Cry 'Long Live the King！'〃
Holding the brandy…glass； which the man had forced upon him； La
Boulaye eyed him whimsically for a second。
〃There is no toast I would more gladly drink；〃 said he at last； 〃if
I considered it availing。 But … alas … you propose it over…late。〃
〃Diable！ What may you mean？〃
〃Why； that since the King is dead； it shall profit us little to cry；
'Long Live the King！'〃
〃The King； Monsieur； never dies；〃 said Cadoux sententiously。
〃Since you put it so； Monsieur；〃 answered La Boulaye； as if convinced；
〃I'll honour the toast。〃 And with the cry they asked of him he
drained his glass。
〃And so； my honest fellow；〃 said Des Cadoux； producing his eternal
snuff…box； 〃it seems that you are a Royalist。 We did but test you
with that toast； my friend。〃
〃What should a poor fellow know of politics； Messieurs？〃 he
deprecated。 〃These are odd times。 I doubt me the world has never
seen their like。 No man may safely know his neighbour。 Now you；
sir；〃 he pursued； turning to the younger man；〃 you have the air of
a sans…culotte； yet from your speech you seem an honest enough
gentleman。〃
The fellow laughed with unction。
〃The air of a sans…culotte？〃 he cried。 〃My faith； yes。 So much so；
that this morning I imposed myself as a courier from Paris upon no
less an astute sleuth…hound of the Convention than the Citizen…deputy
La Boulaye。〃
〃Is it possible？〃 cried Caron； his eyes opening wide in wonder。 〃But
how； Monsieurs？ For surely a courier must bear letters； and … 〃
〃So did I； so did I； my friend；〃 the other interrupted； with vain
glory。 〃I knocked a patriotic courier over the head to obtain them。
He was genuine； that other courier； and I passed myself out of France
with his papers。〃
〃Monsieur is amusing himself at the expense of my credulity；〃 La
Boulaye complained。
〃My good man； I am telling you facts；〃 the other insisted。
〃But how could such a thing be accomplished？〃 asked Caron； seating
himself at the table； and resting his chin upon his hand； his gaze
so full of admiration as to seem awestruck。
〃How？ I will tell you。 I am from Artois。〃
〃You'll be repeating that charming story once too often；〃 Des Cadoux
cautioned him。
〃Pish； you timorous one！〃 he laughed； and resumed his tale。 〃I am
from Artois； then。 I have some property there； and it lately came
to my ears that this assembly of curs they call the Co
