the trampling of the lilies-第37章

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an　instant　back　had　been　so　calm　and　self…possessed。　　She　gave　no
thought　to　the　flashing　jewels　scattered　about　the　floor。　　Through
all　the　fear　that　now　possessed　her　rose　the　consideration　of　this
man　…　this　man　whom　she　had　almost　confessed　half…shamedly　to　herself
that　she　loved；　that　night　on　the　Liege　road；　this　man　who　at　every
turn　amazed　her　and　filled　her　with　a　new　sense　of　his　strength　and
dignity。

Then；　bethinking　her　of　Ombreval　and　of　her　mission；　she　took　her
courage　in　both　hands；　and；　advancing　a　step；　she　cast　herself　upon
her　knees　before　Caron。

〃Monsieur；　forgive　me；〃　she　besought　him。　　〃I　meant　you　no　insult。
How　could　I；　when　my　every　wish　is　to　propitiate　you？　　Bethink　you；
Monsieur；　I　have　journeyed　all　the　way　from　Prussia　to　save　that　man；
because　my　hon　…　because　he　is　my　betrothed。　　Remember；　Monsieur；
you　held　out　to　me　the　promise　in　your　letter　that　if　I　came　you
would　treat　with　me；　and　that　I　might　buy　his　life　from　you。〃

〃Why；　so　I　did；〃　he　answered；　touched　by　her　humiliation　and　her
tears。　　〃But　you　went　too　fast　in　your　conclusions。〃

〃Forgive　me　that。　　See！　　I　am　on　my　knees　to　you。　　Am　I　not　humbled
enough？　　Have　I　not　suffered　enough　for　the　wrong　I　may　have　done
you？〃

〃It　would　take　the　sufferings　of　a　generation　to　atone　for　the　wrongs　I
have　endured　at　the　hands　of　your　family；　Citoyenne。〃

〃I　will　do　what　you　will；　Monsieur。　　Bethink　you　that　I　am　pleading
for　the　life　of　the　man　I　am　to　marry。〃

He　looked　down　upon　her　now　in　an　emotion　that　in　its　way　was　as
powerful　as　her　own。　　Yet　his　voice　was　hard　and　sternly　governed　as
he　now　asked　her

〃Is　that　an　argument；　Mademoiselle？　　Is　it　an　argument　likely　to
prevail　with　the　man　who；　for　his　twice…confessed　love　of　you；　has
suffered　sore　trials？〃

He　felt　that　in　a　way　she　had　conquered　him；　his　career；　which　but
that　day　had　seemed　all…sufficing　to　him；　was　now　fallen　into　the
limbo　of　disregard。　　The　one　thing　whose　possession　would　render　his
life　a　happy　one；　whose　absence　would　leave　him　now　a　lasting
unhappiness；　knelt　here　at　his　feet。　　Forgotten　were　the　wrongs　he
had　suffered；　forgotten　the　purpose　to　humble　and　to　punish。
Everything　was　forgotten　and　silenced　by　the　compelling　voice　of　his
blood；　which　cried　out　that　he　loved　her。　　He　stooped　to　her　and
caught　her　wrists　in　a　grip　that　made　her　wince。　　His　voice　grew
tense。

〃If　you　would　bribe　me　to　save　his　life；　Suzanne；　there　is　but　one
price　that　you　can　pay。〃

〃And　that？〃　she　gasped　her　eyes　looking　up　with　a　scared　expression
into　his　masterful　face。

〃Yourself；〃　he　whispered；　with　an　ardour　that　almost　amounted　to
fierceness。

She　gazed　a　second　at　him　in　growing　alarm；　then　she　dragged　her
hands　from　his　grasp；　and　covering　her　face　she　fell　a…sobbing。

〃Do　not　misunderstand　me；〃　he　cried；　as　he　stood　erect　over　her。
〃If　you　would　have　Ombreval　saved　and　sent　out　of　France　you　must
become　my　wife。〃

〃Your　wife？〃　she　echoed；　pausing　in　her　weeping；　and　for　a　moment
an　odd　happiness　seemed　to　fill　her。　　But　as　suddenly　as　it　had
arisen　did　she　stifle　it。　　Was　she　not　the　noble　daughter　of　the
noble　Marquis　de　Bellecour　and　was　not　this　a　lowly　born　member　of
a　rabble　government？　　There　could　be　no　such　mating。　　A　shudder
ran　through　her。　　〃I　cannot；　Monsieur；　I　cannot！〃　she　sobbed。

He　looked　at　her　a　moment　with　a　glance　that　was　almost　of　surprise；
then；　with　a　slight　compression　of　the　lips　and　the　faintest　raising
of　the　shoulders；　he　turned　from　her　and　strode　over　to　the　window。
There　was　a　considerable　concourse　of　people　on　their　way　to　the
Place　de　la　Republique；　for　the　hour　of　the　tumbrils　was　at　hand。

A　half…dozen　of　those　unsexed　viragos　produced　by　the　Revolution；
in　filthy　garments；　red　bonnets　and　streaming　hair；　were　marching
by　to　the　raucous　chorus　of　the　〃Ca　ira！〃

He　turned　from　the　sight　in　disgust；　and　again　faced　his　visitor。

〃Citoyenne；〃　he　said；　in　a　composed　voice；〃　I　am　afraid　that　your
journey　has　been　in　vain。〃

She　rose　now　from　her　knees；　and　advanced　towards　him。

〃Monsieur；　you　will　not　be　so　cruel　as　to　send　me　away　empty…handed？〃
she　cried；　scarce　knowing　what　she　was　saying。

But　he　looked　at　her　gravely；　and　without　any　sign　of　melting。

〃On　what；〃　he　asked；　〃do　you　base　any　claim　upon　me？〃

〃On　what？〃　she　echoed；　and　her　glance　vas　troubled　with　perplexity。
Then　of　a　sudden　it　cleared。　　〃On　the　love　that　you　have　confessed
for　me；〃　she　cried。

He　laughed　a　short　laugh…half　amazement；　half　scorn。

〃Mon　Dieu！〃　he　exclaimed；　tossing　his　arms　to　Heaven；　〃a　fine　claim
that；　as　I　live；　a　fine　argument　by　which　to　induce　me　to　place
another　man　in　your　arms。　　I　am　to　do　it　because　I　love　you！〃

They　gazed　at　each　other　now；　she　with　a　glance　of　strained　anxiety；
he　with　the　same　look　of　half…contemptuous　wonder。　　And　then　a
creaking　rumble　from　below　attracted　his　attention；　and　he　looked
round。　　He　moved　forward　and　threw　the　window　wide；　letting　in　with
the　March　air　an　odd　medley　of　sounds　to　which　the　rolling　of　drums
afforded　a　most　congruous　accompaniment。

〃Look；　Citoyenne；〃　he　said；　and　he　pointed　out　the　first　tumbril；
which　was　coming　round　the　corner　of　the　Rue　St。　Honore。

She　approached　with　some　shrinking　begotten　by　a　suspicion　of　what
she　was　desired　to　see。

In　the　street　below；　among　a　vociferating　crowd　of　all　sorts　and
conditions；　the　black　death…cart　moved　on　its　way　to　the　guillotine。
It　was　preceded　by　a　company　of　National　Guards；　and　followed　by
the　drummers　and　another　company　on　foot。　　Within　the　fatal　vehicle
travelled　three　men　and　two　women；　accompanied　by　a　constitutional
priest　…　one　of　those　renegades　who　had　taken　the　oath　imposed　by
the　Convention。　　The　two　women　sat　motionless；　more　like　statues
than　living　beings；　their　faces　livid　and　horribly　expressionless；
so　numbed　were　their　intelligences　by　fear。　　Of　the　men；　one　stood
calm　and　dignified；　another　knelt　at　his　prayers；　and　was　subject；
therefore；　to　the　greater　portion　of　the　gibes　the　mob　was　offering
these　poor　victims；　the　third；　a　very　elegant　gentleman　in　a　green
coat　and　buckskin　breeches；　leant　nonchalantly　upon　the　rail　of　the
tumbril　and　exchanged　gibes　with　the　people。　　All　five　of　them　were
in　the　prime　of　life；　and；　by　their　toilettes　and　the　air　that　clung
to　them；　belonged　unmistakably　to　the　noblesse。

One　glance　did　Mademoiselle　bestow　upon　that　tragic　spectacle；　then
with　a　shudder　she　drew　back；　her　face　going　deathly　white。

〃Why　did　you　bid　me　look？〃　she　moaned。

〃That　for　yourself　you　might　see；〃　he　answered　pitilessly；　〃the
road　by　which　your　lover　is　to　journey。〃

〃Mon　Dieu！〃　she　cried；　wringing　her　hands；　〃it　is　horrible。　　Oh！
You　are　not　men；　you　Revolutionists。　　You　are　beasts　of　prey；　tigers
in　human　semblance。〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Great　injustices　beget　great　reactions。　　Great　wrongs　can　only　be
balanced　by　great　wrongs。　　For　centuries　the　power　has　lain　with
the　aristocrats；　and　they　have　most　foully　abused　it。　　For　centuries
the　people　of　France　have　writhed　beneath　the　armed　heel　of　the
nobility；　and　their　blood；　unjustly　and　wantonly　shed；　has　saturated
the　soil　until　from　that　seed　has　sprung　this　overwhelming
retribution。　　Now　…　now；　when　it　is　too　late　…　you　are　repenting；
now；　when　at　last　some　twenty…five　million　Frenchmen　have　risen　with
weapons　in　their　hands　to　purge　the　nation　of　you。　　We　are　no　worse
than　were　you；　indeed；　not　so　bad。　　It　is　only　that　we　do　in　a　little
while　…　and；　therefore；　while　it　lasts　in　greater　quantity　…　what
you　have　been　doing　through　countless　generations。〃

〃Spare　me　these　arguments；　Monsieur；〃　she　cried；　recovering　her
spirit。　　〃The　'whys'　and　'wherefores'　of　it　are　nothing　to　me。　　I
see　what　you　are　doing；　and　that　is　enough。　　But；〃　and　her　voice
grew　gentle　and　pleading；　her　hands　were　held　out　to　him；　〃you　are
good　at　heart；　Monsieur；　you　are　generous　and　you　can　be　noble。　　You
will　give　me　the　life　that　I　have　come　to　beg　of　you；　the　life　you
promised　me。〃

〃Yes；　but　upon　terms；　Mademoiselle；　and　those　terms　you　have　heard。〃

She　looked　a　moment　into　that　calm；　set　face；　into　the　dark　g