the trampling of the lilies-第36章
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Citoyenne Deshaix。
So dead was Robespierre's niece to every sense of fitness that；
having drawn aside to let the woman pass； she stood gazing after
her until she disappeared round the angle of the landing。 Then； in
a fury； she swept from the house and into her waiting coach； and
as she drove back to Duplay's in the Rue St。 Honore she was weeping
bitterly in her jealous rage。
CHAPTER XVII
LA BOULAYE'S PROMISE
La Boulaye remained a moment by the door after Cecile's departure；
then he moved away towards his desk； striving to master the
tumultuous throbbing of his pulses。 His eye alighted on Cecile's
roses； and； scarce knowing why he did it； he picked them up and
flung them behind a bookcase。 It was but done when again the door
opened； and his official ushered in Mademoiselle de Bellecour。
Oddly enough； at sight of her； La Boulaye grew master of himself。
He received her with a polite and very formal bow … a trifle
over…graceful for a patriot。
〃So； Citoyenne；〃 said he； and so cold was his voice that it seemed
even tinged with mockery； 〃you are come at last。〃
〃I could not come before； Monsieur；〃 she answered； trembling。 〃They
would not let me。〃 Then； after a second's pause： 〃Am I too late；
Monsieur？〃 she asked。
〃No；〃 he answered her。 〃The ci…devant Vicomte d'Ombreval still
lies awaiting trial。 Will you not be seated？〃
〃I do not look to remain long。〃
〃As you please； Citoyenne。 I have delayed Ombreval's trial thinking
that if not my letter why then his might bring you； sooner or later；
to his rescue。 It may interest you to hear；〃 he continued with an
unmistakable note of irony；〃 that that brave but hapless gentleman
is much fretted at his incarceration。〃
A shadow crossed her face； which remained otherwise calm and composed
… the beautiful； intrepid face that had more than once been La
Boulaye's undoing。
〃I am glad that you have waited； Monsieur。 In so doing you need
have no doubts concerning me。 M。 d'Ombreval is my betrothed； and
the troth I plighted him binds me in honour to succour him now。〃
La Boulaye looked steadily at her for a moment。
〃Upon my soul；〃 he said at last； a note of ineffable sarcasm
vibrating in his voice； 〃I shall never cease to admire the
effrontery of your class； and the coolness with which； in despite
of dishonourable action； you make high…sounding talk of honour and
the things to which it binds you。 I have a dim recollection；
Citoyenne； of something uncommonly like your troth which you plighted
me one night at Boisvert。 But so little did that promise bind you
that when I sought to enforce your fulfilment of it you broke my
head and left me to die in the road。〃
His words shook her out of her calm。 Her bosom rose and fell； her
eyes seemed to grow haggard and her hands were clasped convulsively。
〃Monsieur；〃 she answered； 〃when I gave you my promise that night I
had every intention of keeping it。 I swear it； as Heaven is my witness。〃
〃Your actions more than proved it；〃 he said dryly。
〃Be generous； Monsieur；〃 she begged。 〃It was my mother prevailed
upon me to alter my determination。 She urged that I should be
dishonoured if I did not。〃
〃That word again！〃 he cried。 〃What part it plays in the life of
the noblesse。 All that it suits you to do； you do because honour
bids you； all to which you have bound yourselves； but which is
distasteful； you discover that honour forbids； and that you would
be dishonoured did you persist。 But I am interrupting you；
Citoyenne。 Did your mother advance any arguments？〃
〃The strongest argument of all lay here； in my heart； Monsieur；〃
she answered him； roused and hardened by his scorn。 〃You must see
that it had become with me a matter of choosing the lesser of two
evils。 Upon reflection I discovered that I was bound to two men；
and it behoved me to keep the more binding of my pledges。〃
〃Which you discovered to be your word to Ombreval；〃 he said； and
his voice grew unconsciously softer； for he began to realise the
quandary in which she had found herself。
She inclined her head assentingly。
〃To him I had given the earlier promise； and then； again； he was
of my own class whilst you … 〃
〃Spare me； Citoyenne；〃 he cried。 〃I know what you would say。 I
am of the rabble； and of little more account in a matter of honour
than a； beast of the field。 It is thus that you reason； and yet；
mon Dieu！ I had thought that ere now such notions had died out with
you； and that； stupid enough though your class has proved itself；
it would at least have displayed the intelligence to perceive that
its day is ended； its sun set。〃 He turned and paced the apartment
as he spoke。 〃The Lilies of France have been shorn from their stems；
they have withered by the roadside； and they have been trampled into
the dust by the men of the new regime； and yet it seems that you
others of the noblesse have not learnt your lesson。 You have not
yet discovered that here in France the man who was born a tiller of
the soil is still a man； and； by his manhood； the equal of a king；
who； after all； can be no more than a man； and is sometimes less。
Enfin！〃 he ended brusquely。 〃This is not the National Assembly；
and I talk to ears untutored in such things。 Let us deal rather
with the business upon which you are come。〃
She eyed him out of a pale face； with eyes that seemed fascinated。
That short burst of the fiery eloquence that had made him famous
revealed him to her in a new light： the light of a strength and
capacity above and beyond that which； already； she had perceived
was his。
〃Will you believe； Monsieur； that it cost me many tears to use you
as I did？ If you but knew … 〃 And there she paused abruptly。 She
had all but told him of the kiss that she had left upon his
unconscious lips that evening on the road to Liege。 〃Mon Dieu how
I hated myself！〃 And she shuddered as she spoke。
He observed all this； and with a brusqueness that was partly assumed
he hastened to her rescue。
〃What is done is done； Citoyenne。 Come； let us leave reminiscences。
You are here to atone； I take it。〃
At that she started。 His words reminded her of those of his letter。
〃Monsieur La Boulaye … 〃
〃If it is all one to you； Citoyenne； I should prefer that you call me
citizen。〃
〃Citizen； then；〃 she amended。 〃I have brought with me the gems
which I told you would constitute my dowry。 In his letter to me the
Vicomte suggested that … 〃 She paused。
〃That some Republican blackguard might be bribed；〃 he concluded；
very gently。
His gentleness deceived her。 She imagined that it meant that he
might not be unwilling to accept such a bribe； and thereupon she
set herself to plead with him。 He listened dispassionately； his
hands behind his back； his eyes bent upon her； yet betraying nothing
of his thoughts。 At last she brought her prayer for Ombreval's
life to an end； and produced a small leather bag which she set upon
the table； beseeching him to satisfy himself as to the value of the
contents。
Now at last he stirred。 His face grew crimson to the roots of his
hair； and his eyes seemed of a sudden to take fire。 He seized that
little bag and held it in his hand。
〃And so； Mademoiselle de Bellecour；〃 said he； in a concentrated
voice； 〃you have learnt so little of me that you bring me a bribe
of gems。 Am I a helot； that you should offer to buy my very soul？
Do you think my honour is so cheap a thing that you can have it
for the matter of some bits of glass？ Or do you imagine that we
of the new regime； because we do not mouth the word at every turn；
have no such thing as honour？ For shame！〃 He paused； his wrath
boiling over as he sought words in which to give it utterance。 And
then； words failing him to express the half of what was in him； he
lifted the bag high above his head； and hurled it at her feet with
a force that sent half the glittering contents rolling about the
parquet floor。 〃Citoyenne； your journey has been in vain。 I will
not treat with you another instant。〃
She recoiled before his wrath； a white and frightened thing that but
an instant back had been so calm and self…possessed。 She gave no
thought to the flashing jewe
