the trampling of the lilies-第39章
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a judgeship at Arras sooner than pass a death…sentence； but hardly
so well with him who； as Public Prosecutor in Paris； had brought
some hundreds of heads to the sawdust。 〃I have been desiring to
congratulate you upon your victory of yesterday；〃 he continued；
〃even as I have been congratulating myself upon the fact that it
was I who found you and gave you to the Nation。 I feared that I
might not see you ere I left。〃
〃You are leaving Paris？〃 asked La Boulaye； without heeding the
compliments in the earlier part of the other's speech。
〃For a few days。 Business of the Nation； my friend。 But you …
let us talk of you。 Do you know that I am proud of you； cher Caron？
Your eloquence turned Danton green with jealousy； and as for poor
Vergniaud； it extinguished him utterly。 Ma foi！ If you continue as
you have begun； the day may not be far distant when you will become
the patron and I the Protege。〃 And his weak eyes beamed pleasantly
from out of that unhealthy pale face。
Outwardly he had changed little since his first coming to Paris； to
represent the Third Estate of Artoise； saving； his cheeks were grown
more hollow。 Upon his dress he still bestowed the same unpretentious
care that had always characterised it； which； in one of the most
prominent patriots of the Mountain； amounted almost to foppishness。
Blue coat； white waistcoat； silk hose and shoes buckled with silver；
gave him an elegant exterior that must have earned him many a covert
sneer from his colleagues。 His sloping forehead was crowned by a
periwig； sedulously curled and powdered … for all that with the
noblesse this was already a discarded fashion。
La Boulaye replied to his patron's compliments with the best grace
he could command considering how full of another matter was his mind。
〃I may congratulate myself； Maximilien；〃 he added； 〃upon my good
fortune in coming before you took your departure。 I have a request
to prefer； a favour to ask。〃
〃Tut！ Who talks of favours？ Not you； Caron； I hope。 You have but
to name what you desire； and so that it lies within my power to
accord it； the thing is yours。〃
〃There is a prisoner in the Luxembourg in whom I am interested。 I
seek his enlargement。〃
〃But is that all？〃 cried the little man； and； without more ado； he
turned to his writing…table and drew a printed form from among the
chaos of documents。 〃His name？〃 he asked indifferently； as he
dipped his quill in the ink…horn and scratched his signature at
the foot of it。
〃An aristocrat；〃 said Caron； with some slight hesitancy。
〃Eh？〃 And the arched brows drew together for an instant。 〃But no
matter。 There are enough and to spare even for Fouquier…Tinvillle's
voracious appetite。 His name？〃
〃The ci…devant Vicomte Antole d'Ombreval。〃
〃Qui…ca？〃 The question rang sharp as a pistol…shot； sounding the
more fearful by virtue of the contrast with the gentle tones in
which Robespierre had spoken hitherto。 The little man's face grew
evil。 〃d'Ombreval？〃 he cried。 〃But what is this man to you？ It
is by your favour alone that I have let him live so long； but now … 〃
He stopped short。 〃What is your interest in this man？〃 he demanded；
and the question was so fiercely put as to suggest that it would be
well for La Boulaye that he should prove that interest slight indeed。
But whatever feelings may have been swaying Caron at the moment；
fear was not one of them。
〃My interest in him is sufficiently great to cause me to seek his
freedom at your hands；〃 he answered； with composure。
Robespierre eyed him narrowly for a moment； peering at him over his
spectacles which he had drawn down on to his tip…tilted nose。 Then
the fierceness died out of his mien and manner as suddenly as it
had sprung up。 He became once more the weak…looking； ineffectual
man that had first greeted La Boulaye： urbane and quiet； but
cold…cold as ice。
〃I am desolated； my dear Caron； but you have asked me for the one
man in the prisons of France whose life I cannot yield you。 He is
from Artois； and there is an old score 'twixt him and me； 'twixt
his family and mine。 They were the grands seigneurs of the land on
which we were born； these Ombrevals； and I could tell you of wrongs
committed by them which would make you shudder in horror。 This one
shall atone in the small measure we can enforce from him。 It was
to this end that I ordered you to effect his capture。 Have patience；
dear Caron； and forgive me that I cannot grant your request。 As I
have said； I am desolated that it should be so。 Ask me； if you
will； the life of any other … or any dozen others … and they are
yours。 But Ombreval must die。〃
Caron stood a moment in silent dismay。 Here was an obstacle upon
which he had not counted when he had passed his word to Suzanne to
effect the release of her betrothed。 At all costs he must gain it；
he told himself； and to that end he now set himself to plead；
advancing； as his only argument … but advancing it with a fervour
that added to its weight … that he stood pledged to save the
ci…devant Vicomte。 Robespierre looked up at him with a shade of
polite regret upon his cadaverous face； and with polite regret he
deplored that Caron should have so bound himself。
So absorbed were they； the one in pleading； the other in resisting；
that neither noticed the opening of the door； nor yet the girl who
stood observing them from the threshold。
〃If this man dies；〃 cried La Boulaye at last； 〃I am dishonoured。
〃It is regrettable；〃 returned Robespierre； 〃that you should have
pledged your word in the matter。 You will confess； Caron； that it
was a little precipitate。 Enfin；〃 he ended； crumpling the document
he had signed and tossing it under the table； 〃you must extricate
yourself as best you can。 I am sorry； but I cannot give him to you。〃
Caron's face was very white and his hands were clenched convulsively。
It is questionable whether in that moment he had not flung himself
upon the Incorruptible； and enforced that which hitherto he had only
besought； but that in that instant the girl stepped into the room。
〃And is it really you； Caron？〃 came the melodious voice of Cecile。
La Boulaye started round to confront her； and stifled a curse at
the untimely interruption which Robespierre was blessing as most
timely。
〃It is … it is； Citoyenne；〃 he answered shortly； to add more shortly
still： 〃I am here on business with the Citizen； your uncle。〃
But before the girl could so much as appreciate the rebuke he
levelled at her intrusion； her uncle had come to the rescue。
〃The business； however； is at an end。 Take charge of this good
Caron； Cecile； whilst I make ready for my journey。〃
Thus； sore at heart； and chagrined beyond words； La Boulaye was
forced to realise his defeat； and to leave the presence of the
Incorruptible。 But with Cecile he went no farther than the landing。
〃If you will excuse me； Citoyenne；〃 he said abstractedly； 〃I will
take my leave of you。〃
〃But I shall not excuse you； Caron；〃 she said； refusing to see his
abstraction。 〃You will stay to dinner … 〃
〃I am sorry beyond measure； but … 〃
〃You shall stay；〃 she interrupted。 〃Come； Caron。 It is months
since you were with us。 We will make a little fete in honour of
your yesterday's triumph；〃 she promised him； sidling up to him with
a bewitching glance of blue eyes； and the most distracting toss of
golden curls upon an ivory neck。
But to such seductions Caron proved as impervious as might a man
of stone。 He excused himself with cold politeness。 The Nation's
business was awaiting him； he might not stay。
〃The Nation's business may await you a little longer；〃 she declared；
taking hold of his arm with both hands； and had she left it at that
it is possible that she had won her way with him。 But most
indiscreetly she added：
〃Come； Caron； you shall tell me who was your yesterday's visitor。
Do you know that the sight of her made me jealous？ Was it not
foolish in me？〃
And now； from cold politeness； La Boulaye passed to hot impoliteness。
Roughly he shook her detaining hands from him； and with hardly so
much as a word of farewell； he passed down the stairs； leaving her
white with passion at t
