the trampling of the lilies-第35章
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fair； and with the innocent eyes of a baby。 She was small of
stature； and by the egregious height of her plume…crowned head…dress
it would seem as if she sought by art to add to the inches she had
received from Nature。 For the rest she wore a pink petticoat； very
extravagantly beflounced； and a pink corsage cut extravagantly low。
In one hand she carried a fan … hardly as a weapon against heat；
seeing that the winter was not yet out … in the other a huge bunch
of early roses。
〃Te voile！〃 was her greeting； merrily … roguishly … delivered； and
if the Revolution had done nothing else for her； it had； at least；
enabled her to address La Boulaye by the 〃Thou〃 of intimacy which
the new vocabulary prescribed。
La Boulaye rose； laid aside his pen； and politely； if coolly；
returned her greeting and set a chair for her。
〃You are；〃 said he； 〃a very harbinger of Spring； Citoyenne； with
your flowers and your ravishing toilette。〃
〃Ah！ I please you； then； for once；〃 said she without the least
embarrassment。 〃Tell me … how do you find me？〃 And； laughing； she
turned about that he might admire her from all points of view。
He looked at her gravely for a moment； so gravely that the laughter
began to fade from her eyes。
〃I find you charming； Citoyenne；〃 he answered at last。 〃You remind
me of Diana。〃
〃Compliments？〃 quoth she； her eyebrows going up and her eyes beaming
with surprise and delight。 〃Compliments from La Boulaye！ But
surely it is the end of the world。 Tell me； mon ami；〃 she begged；
greedily angling for more； 〃in what do I remind you of the sylvan
goddess？〃
〃In the scantiness of your raiment； Citoyenne；〃 he answered acidly。
〃It sorts better with Arcadia than with Paris。〃
Her eyebrows came down； her cheeks flushed with resentment and
discomfiture。 To cover this she flung her roses among the papers of
his writing…table； and dropping into a chair she fanned herself
vigorously。
〃Citoyenne； you relieve my anxieties；〃 said he。 〃I feared that
you stood in danger of freezing。〃
〃To freeze is no more than one might expect in your company；〃 she
answered； stifling her anger。
He made no reply。 He moved to the window； and stood drumming
absently on the panes。 He was inured to these invasions on the part
of Cecile Deshaix and to the bold； unwomanly advances that repelled
him。 To…day his patience with her was even shorter than its wont；
haply because when his official had announced a woman he had for a
moment permitted himself to think that it might be Suzanne。 The
silence grew awkward； and at last he broke it。
〃The Citizen Robespierre is well？〃 he asked； without turning。
〃Yes；〃 said she； and for all that there was chagrin to spare in
the glance with which she admired the back of his straight and
shapely figure； she contrived to render her voice airily indifferent。
〃We were at the play last night。〃
〃Ah！〃 he murmured politely。 〃And was Talma in veine？〃
〃More brilliant than ever；〃 answered she。
〃He is a great actor； Citoyenne。〃
A shade of annoyance crossed her face。
〃Why do you always address me as Citoyenne？〃 she asked； with some
testiness。
He turned at last and looked at her a moment。
〃We live in a censorious world； Citoyenne；〃 he answered gravely。
She tossed her head with an exclamation of impatience。
〃We live in a free world； Citizen。 Freedom is our motto。 Is it for
nothing that we are Republicans？〃
〃Freedom of action begets freedom of words；〃 said he； 〃and freedom
of words leads to freedom of criticism … and that is a thing to
which no wise woman will expose herself； no matter under what regime
we live。 You would be well…advised； Citoyenne； in thinking of that
when you come here。〃
〃But you never come to us； Caron；〃 she returned； in a voice of mild
complaint。 〃You have not been once to Duplay's since your return
from Belgium。 And you seem different； too； since your journey to
the army。〃 She rose now and approached him。 〃What is it； cher
Caron？〃 she asked； her voice a very caress of seductiveness； her
eyes looking up into his。 〃Is something troubling you？〃
〃Troubling me？〃 he echoed； musingly。 〃No。 But then I am a busy
man； Citoyenne。〃
A wave of red seemed to sweep across her face； and her heel beat
the parquet floor。
〃If you call me Citoyenne again I shall strike you；〃 she threatened
him。
He looked down at her； and she had the feeling that behind the
inscrutable mask of his countenance he was laughing at her。
〃It would sort well with your audacity；〃 he made answer coolly。
She felt in that moment that she hated him； and it was a miracle
that she did not do as she had threatened； for with all her meek
looks she owned a very fiercest of tempers。 She drew back a
pace or two； and her glance fell。
〃I shall not trouble you in future；〃 she vowed。 〃I shall not come
here again。〃
He bowed slightly。
〃I applaud the wisdom of your resolve … Cit … Cecile。 The world；
as I have said； is censorious。〃
She looked at him a second； then she laughed； but it was laughter
of the lips only； the eyes looked steely as daggers and as capable
of mischief。
〃Adieu； Citizen La Boulaye；〃 she murmured mockingly。
〃Au revoir； Citoyenne Deshaix；〃 he replied urbanely。
〃Ough！〃 she gasped； and with that sudden exclamation of pent…up
wrath； she whisked about and went rustling to the door。
〃Citoyenne；〃 he called after her； 〃you are forgetting your flowers。〃
She halted； and seemed for a second to hesitate； looking at him
oddly。 Then she came back to the table and took up her roses。
Again she looked at him； and let the bouquet fall back among the
papers。
〃I brought them for you； Caron；〃 she said； 〃and I'll leave them
with you。 We can at least be friends； can we not？〃
〃Friends？ But were we ever aught else？〃 he asked。
〃Alas！ no；〃 she said to herself； whilst aloud she murmured：〃 I
thought that you would like them。 Your room has such a gloomy；
sombre air； and a few roses seem to diffuse some of the sunshine
on which they have been nurtured。〃
〃You are too good； Cecile'' he answered； and； for all his coldness；
he was touched a little by this thoughtfulness。
She looked up at the altered tone； and the expression of her face
seemed to soften。 But before she could make answer there was
a rap at the door。 It opened； and Brutus stood in the doorway。
〃Citizen；〃 he announced； in his sour tones；〃 there is another
woman below asking to see you。〃
La Boulaye started； as again his thoughts flew to Suzanne； and a
dull flush crept into his pale cheeks and mounted to his brow。
Cecile's eyes were upon him； her glance hardening as she observed
these signs。 Bitter enough had it been to endure his coldness
whilst she had imagined that it sprang from the austerity of his
nature and the absorption of his soul in matters political。 But
now that it seemed she might have cause to temper her bitterness
with jealousy her soul was turned to gall。
〃What manner of woman； Brutus？〃 he asked after a second's pause。
〃Tall； pale； straight； black hair； black eyes； silk gown … and
savours the aristocrat a league off；〃 answered Brutus。
〃Your official seems gifted with a very comprehensive eye；〃 said
Cecile tartly。
But La Boulaye paid no heed to her。 The flush deepened on his
face； then faded again； and he grew oddly pale。 His official's
inventory of her characteristics fitted Mademoiselle de Bellecour
in every detail。
〃Admit her； Brutus；〃 he commanded； and his voice had a husky sound。
Then； turning to Cecile； 〃You will give me leave？〃 he said； cloaking
rude dismissal in its politest form。
〃Assuredly；〃 she answered bitterly； making shift to go。 〃Your visitor
is no doubt political？〃 she half…asked half…asserted。
But he made no answer as he held the door for her； and bowed low as
she passed out。 With a white face and lips tightly compressed she
went； and half…way on the stairs she met a handsome woman； tall and
of queenly bearing； who ascended。 Her toilette lacked the
elaborateness of Cecile's； but she carried it with an air which not
all the modistes of France could have succeeded in imparting to the
Citoyenne Deshaix。
So dead was Robespierre's niece to every se
