the trampling of the lilies-第40章

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much　as　a　word　of　farewell；　he　passed　down　the　stairs；　leaving　her
white　with　passion　at　the　slight　he　had　thereby　put　upon　her。

The　beauty　seemed　to　pass　out　of　her　face　much　as　the　meekness　was
wont　to　pass　out　of　her　uncle's　when　he　was　roused。　　Her　blue　eyes
grew　steely　and　cruel　as　she　looked　after　him。

〃Wait；　Caron；〃　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃I　will　cry　quits　with　you。〃
And　then；　with　a　sob　of　anger；　she　turned　and　mounted　the　stairs
to　her　apartments。




CHAPTER　XIX

THE　THEFT


La　Boulaye　sat　once　more　in　the　Rue　Nationale　and　with　his　head　in
his　hands；　his　elbows　supported　by　the　writing…table；　he　stared
before　him；　his　face　drawn　with　the　pain　and　anger　of　the　defeat　he
had　sustained　where　no　defeat　had　been　expected。

He　had　been　so　assured　that　he　had　but　to　ask　for　Ombreval's　life；
and　it　would　be　accorded　him；　he　had　promised　Suzanne　with　such
confidence　…　boasting　almost　…　that　he　could　do　this；　and　to　do　it
he　had　pledged　his　word。　　And　now？　　For　very　shame　he　could　not　go
to　her　and　tell　her　that　despite　his　fine　promises　despite　his　bold
bargaining；　he　was　as　powerless　to　liberate　Ombreval　as　was　she
herself。

And　with　reflection　he　came　to　see　that　even　did　he　bear　her　such
a　tale　she　would　not　believe　it。　　The　infinite　assurance　of　his
power；　implicit　in　everything　that　he　had　said　to　her；　must　now
arise　in　her　memory；　and　give　the　lie　to　his　present　confession　of
powerlessness。　　She　would　not　believe　him；　and　disbelieving　him；
she　would　seek　a　motive　for　the　words　that　she　would　deem　untrue。
And　that　motive　she　would　not　find　far　to　seek。　　She　would　account
his　present　attitude　the　consummation　of　a　miserable　subterfuge　by
which　he　sought　to　win　her　confidence　and　esteem。　　She　would　…　she
must　…　believe　that　he　had　but　made　a　semblance　of　befriending　her
so　disinterestedly　only　that　he　might　enlist　her　kindness　and　regard；
and　turn　them　presently　to　his　own　purposes。　　She　would　infer　that
he　had　posed　as　unselfish　…　as　self…sacrificing；　almost　…　only　that　he
might　win　her　esteem；　and　that　by　telling　her　now　that　Robespierre
was　inflexible　in　his　resolve　to　send　Ombreval　to　the　guillotine；
he　sought　to　retain　that　esteem　whilst　doing　nothing　for　it。　　That
he　had　ever　intended　to　save　Ombreval　she　would　not　credit。　　She
would　think　it　all　a　cunning　scheme　to　win　his　own　ends。　　And　now
he　bethought　him　of　the　grief　that　would　beset　her　upon　learning
that　her　journey　had　indeed　been　fruitless。　　He　smote　the　table　a
blow　with　his　clenched　hand；　and　cursed　the　whole　Republic；　from
Robespierre　down　to　the　meanest　sans…culotte　that　brayed　the　Ca　ira
in　the　streets　of　Paris。

He　had　pledged　his　word；　and　for　all　that　he　belonged　to　the　class
whose　right　to　honour　was　denied　by　the　aristocrats；　his　word　he
had　never　yet　broken。　　That　circumstance　…　as　personified　by
Maximilien　Robespierre　…　should　break　it　for　him　now　was　matter
enough　to　enrage　him；　for　than　this　never　had　there　been　an　occasion
on　which　such　a　breach　could　have　been　less　endurable。

He　rose　to　his　feet；　and　set　himself　to　pace　the　chamber；　driven　to
action　of　body　by　the　agonised　activity　of　his　mind。　　From　the
street　rose　the　cry　of　the　pastry…cook　going　his　daily　rounds；　as
it　had　risen　yesterday；　he　remembered；　when　Suzanne　had　been　with
him。　　And　now　of　a　sudden　he　stood　still。　　His　lips　were　compressed；
his　brows　drawn　together　in　a　forbidding　scowl；　and　his　eyes　narrowed
until　they　seemed　almost　closed。　　Then　with　his　clenched　right　hand
he　smote　the　open　palm　of　the　other。　　His　resolve　was　taken。　　By
fair　means　or　foul；　with　Robespierre's　sanction　or　without　it；　he
would　keep　his　word。　　After　not　only　the　hope　but　the　assurance　he
had　given　Suzanne　that　her　betrothed　should　go　free；　he　could　do　no
less　than　accomplish　the　Vicomte's　enlargement　by　whatever　means
should　present　themselves。

And　now　to　seek　a　way。　　He　recalled　the　free　pardon　to　which
Robespierre　had　gone　the　length　of　appending　his　signature。　　He
remembered　that　it　had　not　been　destroyed；　Robespierre　had　crumpled
it　in　his　hand　and　tossed　it　aside。　　And　by　now　Robespierre　would
have　departed；　and　it　should　not　be　difficult　for　him　…　the　protege
and　intimate　of　Robespierre　…　to　gain　access　to　the　Incorruptible's
room。

If　only　he　could　find　that　document　and　fill　in　the　name　of　Ombreval
the　thing　would　be　as　good　as　done。　　True；　he　would　require　the
signatures　of　three　other　Deputies；　but　one　of　these　he　could　supply
himself；　and　another　two　were　easily　to　be　requisitioned；　seeing
that　already　it　bore　Robespierre's。

And　then　as　suddenly　as　the　idea　of　the　means　had　come　to　him；　came
now　the　spectre　of　the　consequences　to　affright　him。　　How　would　it
fare　with　him　on　Robespierre's　return？　　How　angered　would　not
Robespierre　be　upon　discovering　that　his　wishes　had　been　set　at
naught；　his　very　measures　contravened　…　and　this　by　fraud？　　And　than
Robespierre's　anger　there　were　few　things　more　terrible　in　'93。　　It
was　an　anger　that　shore　away　heads　as　recklessly　as　wayside　flowers
are　flicked　from　their　stems　by　the　idler's　cane。

For　a　second　it　daunted　him。　　If　he　did　this　thing　he　must　seek
refuge　in　flight；　he　must　leave　France；　abandon　the　career　which
was　so　full　of　promise　for　him；　and　wander　abroad；　a　penniless
fortune…hunter。　　Well　might　the　prospect　give　him　pause。　　Well　might
it　cause　him　to　survey　that　pale；　sardonic　countenance　that　eyed
him　gloomily　from　the　mirror　above　his　mantel　shelf；　and　ask　it
mockingly　if　it　thought　that　Suzanne　de　Bellecour　…　or　indeed；　any
woman　living　…　were　worthy　of　so　great　a　sacrifice。

What　had　she　done　for　him　that　he　should　cast　away　everything　for
her　sake？　　Once　she　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him；　only　to　betray
him。　　Was　that　a　woman　for　whom　a　man　should　wanton　his　fortunes？
And　then　he　smiled　derisively；　mocking　his　reflections　in　the　mirror
even　as　he　mocked　himself。

〃Poor　fool；〃　he　muttered；　〃it　is　not　for　the　sake　of　what　you　are　to
her。　　Were　it　for　that　alone；　you　would　not　stir　a　finger　to　gratify
her　wishes。　　It　is　for　the　sake　of　what　she　is　to　you；　Caron。〃

He　turned　from　the　mirror；　his　resolve　now　firm；　and　going　to　the
door　he　called　his　official。　　Briefly　he　instructed　Brutus　touching
the　packing　of　a　valise；　which　he　would　probably　need　that　night。

〃You　are　going　a　journey；　Citizen？〃　inquired　Brutus；　to　which　La
Boulaye　returned　a　short　answer　in　the　affirmative。　　〃Do　I　accompany
you？〃　inquired　the　official；　to　which　La　Boulaye　shook　his　head。

At　that　Brutus；　who；　for　all　his　insolence　of　manner；　was　very
devotedly　attached　to　his　employer；　broke　into　remonstrances；
impertinent　of　diction　but　affectionate　of　tenor。　　He　protested　that
La　Boulaye　had　left　him　behind；　and　lonely；　during　his　mission　to
the　army　in　Belgium；　and　he　vowed　that　he　would　not　be　left　behind
again。

〃Well；　well；　we　shall　see；　Brutus；〃　answered　the　Deputy；　laying　his
hand　upon　the　fellow's　shoulder。　　〃But　I　am　afraid　that　this　time　I
am　going　farther　than　you　would　care　to　come。〃

The　man's　ferrety　eyes　were　raised　of　a　sudden　to　La　Boulaye's　face
in　a　very　searching　glance。　　Caron's　tone　had　been　laden　with
insinuation。

〃You　are　running　way；〃　cried　the　official。

〃Sh！　　My　good　Brutus；　what　folly！　　Why　should　I　run　away　…　and　from
whom；　pray？〃

〃I　know　not　that。　　But　you　are。　　I　heard　it　in　your　voice。　　And　you
do　not　trust　me；　Citizen　La　Boulaye；〃　the　fellow　added；　in　a
stricken　voice。　　〃I　have　served　you　faithfully　these　two　years；　and
yet　you　have　not　learnt　to　trust　me。〃

〃I　do；　I　do；　my　friend。　　You　go　too　fast　with　your　conclusions。　　Now
see　to　my　valise；　and　on　my　return　perhaps　I'll　tell　you　where　I　am
going；　and　put　your　fidelity　to　the　test。〃

〃And　you　will　take　me　with　you？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　La　Boulaye　promised　him；　〃unless　you　should　prefer　to
remain　in　Paris。〃

With　that　he　got　away　and　leaving　the　house；　he　walked　briskly　up
the　street；　round　the　corner；　and　on　until　he　stood　once　more　before
Duplay's。

〃Has　the　Citizen　Robespierre　departed　yet？〃　he　inquired　of　the　woman
who　answered　his　peremptory　knock。

〃He　has　been　gone　this　hour；　Citizen　La　Boulaye；〃　she　answered。